New Flames

Chapter 7

Flame and Ire parted ways as the former joined Placoid and Ardor, who had instructed him to come to meet Buzzard's right talon, as well as the hospital's chief Scribe.

Ardor didn't talk about what had happened the previous night to the others, or at least not in front of him, and they briskly walked through the halls to the central square, where the statue of the two dragons towered over them.

Flame still hadn't asked what it was supposed to represent, and since that question was still floating in his head, he walked closer to Placoid. "What's that statue supposed to be?" He asked.

The SeaWing jumped at that question, clearly not having seen him approach. He had a scared expression in his eyes as he faced him, and he stuttered a few words before Ardor could chime in to help him. Flame couldn't understand why the SeaWing looked so terrified. What had he said wrong this time?

"It's a tragic story, actually. The golden dragon is supposed to be-." She started, but for once, she was the one to be interrupted.

"Listen up, dragons!"

A voice boomed in the small courtyard. A tall, lanky SkyWing stepped up, her scales pink as the dawn sky, with a dark underbelly and grayish horns. She was wearing a blue sash, with a golden star on it, and holding a folded scroll in one of her talons. Her talons were peculiar, as they had some black markings on them. Flame had no idea what they could be.

"This staff meeting will be to the point. The Transport staff isn't here, but they've been informed about their daily tasks. Healers, get to work. As you know we have some patients who arrived from last night's wildfire incident, and they require your utmost care. Free to go." As soon as she finished her announcement, all the dragons wearing a white sash left, except for Ardor. Flame guessed that Ire, Quag, and the dragons wearing the brown sash were supposed to be the Transport staff. Some things were beginning to make more sense.

The SkyWing went on with her announcement. "Analysts, remember to clean out your archives today. I don't want to see a scroll out of place by today's sunset. Free to go." Flame saw the dragons with the purple sash leave, and among them, she spotted Treen, who nodded at him before leaving. So that RainWing was a mind-poker. Flame growled. He knew something had been up with her.

The SkyWing went on with her announcements. Soon enough, every dragon was dismissed, except for Ardor, Placoid, and himself. The dragon looked up from her scroll in disappointment.

"Right. I'm supposed to be on dragonet duty today. Such a great use of my time. Ardor, please tell your father to reassign me to any other job next moon," she complained, rolling her scroll back up and storing it in her satchel which was resting on her back.

"Hurricane, I promisse you we won't cause any trouble thiss time," Placoid assured her, hissing his Ss as usual. Flame guessed he wasn't doing it on purpose, but he didn't feel like asking after seeing the fear in his eyes the last time he tried asking the SeaWing anything.

"Ok, let's see how many patients you won't accidentally redirect to the wrong room this time. Keep up," she said and sprinted away. Flame was astonished by her walking speed and had to run to keep up. He and the other "dragonets" huddled at her sides as she walked.

"Ardor, you have your medicinal herb assessment tomorrow. I hope you've been studying," Hurricane asked, giving her a look as she walked.

The SkyWing nodded, beaming. "Of course I have! Would you like to hear the poem I've created to remember the main side effects of clawspindle herbs?"

"No." Hurricane and Flame had said it in unison, but while the other two hadn't heard Flame's contribution, Hurricane gave him a smirk of understanding.