The Mystery of Jade Mountain | A WOF Fanfiction | Paused

Chapter 2

Sandwasp didn't realise that she'd dozed off until she felt talons shaking her awake. She blinked her eyes open to see Fennec beside her, a dead lizard on the grass between them. She looked up and expected to be see open sky, but instead there was a million trees blocking it.

"I managed to find this," Fennec said, jabbing the lizard with one of her claws. "Everyone else had already eaten. We'll be going soon."

"Thank you." That's right. They were on their way to Jade Mountain Academy. Sandwasp felt another rush of excitement as she sat up and took the rabbit gratefully from her friend.

"We're almost there," Fennec went on, grinning. "Arizona says that we're resting a little longer, and after you're done eating we'll continue."

"The mountains aren't that far away," Snake's voice spoke as the sand-coloured dragon came up next to them. Snake seemed to always join in mid-conversation, and then zone out again, and then rejoin it when they'd almost forgotten she was there.

"How long was I asleep?" Sandwasp asked Fennec. She swallowed the lizard in one bite. "Please don't tell me you've all been waiting for me."

"Well." Fennec made a face. "Not exactly. Hyrax's been keeping an eye on Jade Mountain. He's not with us, at the moment, he's more in that direction, in the part of the forest closer to Jade Mountain..." She pointed with her snout. "But he saw a group of SkyWings landing, so he decided it'd be safer to wait for them to leave, and then there was some SeaWings."

"And then the NightWings and RainWings," Snake added, jumping back into their conversation. "But they're still coming."

"Right," Fennec frowned slightly. "So Hyrax is still waiting for the NightWings and RainWings to leave, for some reason, because seriously, they're RainWings. What danger could they possibly be to us? And NightWings are pretty pathetic, now that they've lost their home and all. Besides, they don't have powers." She squinted up at the trees. "Oh, look, Hyrax is back!"

"Maybe it's safe now?" Sandwasp suggested with a smile. "Maybe those terrible, scary RainWings are gone?"

"Ha," Fennec grinned. "Come on, let's see if we can finally leave." She started towards him, and then paused for a moment. "I never answered your question! You weren't asleep that long, just so you know. I mean, you missed the part where Scorch fell into the river and the goat Rattlesnake caught ran away after we all thought it was dead."

"And the part where Fennec ran into a tree," Snake said without taking her eyes off Hyrax, who had landed beside Arizona, at the river. "That was hilarious." She cracked a small smile.

"It was not!" Fennec burst out. "And anyway, Hyrax is back! That's the important thing right now! Come on!" She bounded over to Hyrax.

Sandwasp and Snake followed her, sharing an amused glance.

"The NightWings and RainWings are gone," Hyrax was telling Arizona. "I think they're still flying to the mountain, but we should get there before them. I think it's safe to keep travelling. We should get there before the IceWings arrive."

Arizona nodded. "Alright. Dragonets, let's go."