New Flames

Chapter 25

"I'm sorry, Flame - I just don't see why the SeaWings would be inclined to help you," Buzzard said, his voice heavy with unspoken words and one, deep sigh.

Buzzard, Hurricane, Treen, Placoid, Ardor, and Avalanche were all gathered in a meeting room, which was big enough to host ten dragons, but that still somehow felt way too cramped for Flame's taste.

Ardor had argued with her father for hours to finally get all of them in the same room, to discuss the plan the "team" had come up with. Flame couldn't help but feel like he wasn't actually in the chaos of that cramped room. He could feel the amber earring drum against his scales as his heart beat in his ears.

The last few days had been a flurry of dragons talking with him, visiting to "make sure he was ok", and trying to brainstorm a way to help him overcome his now very public enchantment. He'd, regrettably, lost track of certain faces, words, and conversations.

Ardor and Placoid had officially "taken over his case", declaring that they'd ensure Flame was getting some rest and properly healing from his injuries. Despite Avalanche's initial 'strong opinions', she had come to see the young healers' skills as satisfactory and had mostly settled down, staying almost always by her son's bedside. The two didn't talk much, but the younger SkyWing couldn't help but feel safer with his mother's fierce guarding presence near him.

Ardor's hope had somehow infected him too. He found himself hoping she'd stop by, and remind him that, once again, someone believed in him. Flame couldn't help but see Ardor as a reckless and ditzy ball of madness, however, within her laughs and crazy ideas, there was a dragon who would spend nights and days trying to lift his spirits, or looking into ways to help.

Placoid called it "obsessive behavior." The SeaWing was a little more detached, but they'd often find comfort in each other's silence. Placoid might not be as warm, but he was practical - and a Flame knew he was trying his hardest to fight his survival instincts. After all,!it was no coincidence that this dragon knew the perfect way to paralyze a SkyWing for hours.

Treen visited him at least once a day, and while their chats were by far the most uncomfortable, he also appreciated how much the RainWing analyst challenged him, and his "mindsets", as she so called them. She was also making sure that his enchantment hadn't messed with his psyche too much, often asking him to describe his feelings to her - with no judgment, despite his eventual, but surprisingly rare, bursts of anger through scathing words towards animus magic and Darkstalker.

Rail was a rarer visitor and a particularly fleeting one. They often brought him food or asked for statements to send back to Ruby, who had been informed by Buzzard about the former's condition, and who now requested much more frequent updates, as she hadn't been able to visit him, as she fervently wished to be able to do. Despite this, Rail barely asked questions, and while Flame had tried to be understanding, he couldn't guess why the hybrid had become so quiet around him. Or, maybe he could, but he didn't want it to be that way. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't find the right words to tell the hybrid that he was sorry, that he was dangerous, and that they we right in being weary of him like the majority of other dragons.

After a few days of deliberation, and once Flame had started walking again, Treen and the two medic apprentices managed to get an audience with Buzzard and Hurricane, in which they presented their plan to fix Flame's curse. No- enchantment.

"Positive attitude about your health, Flame," he thought, with resolution. "Remember what Treen said - you can't do something you already think you failed."

Their plan seemed simple on paper, but Flame guessed from the look that the Chief Healer and Scribe gave them that it was anything but simple to enact.

"Our tribe is still trying to rebuild our relationship with the SeaWings, after what happened in the war," Hurricane continued, waving her talons, "I know we have Placoid here with us, as a symbol of...hmm, budding unions? But I understand why SeaWings wouldn't want to help after what we did to the-," She halted, looking at Placoid for a split second, before concluding, "to their kingdom."