Stars of Magic: Wings of Power (Book 1)

Chapter 23

As the sky started putting purple into the canvas that was the sky, the hunting party, made up of five Wind Pilots, six Weather Wings, one Water Sprayer, and two Night Bringers, Luna and Bigwings, took off from the platform to find more prey. They had flown a little ways away from the platform, closer to the little lake. Bigwings had figured that there would be more prey and plants by the lake. Sure enough, the banks of the clear, warm blue waters were lined with delicate rice grain plants, wild carrots and lettuce, peaceful fruit trees, and animal dens. The river was full of big fish. There was even a cow pasture on luscious green grass with a grape farm nearby.

As the other dragons flew off to the cow pasture, Luna flew to one of the fruit trees. Sprite liked apples. Luna picked some apples and put them in her sack.

What next? Oranges. Artemis was a fan of oranges, carrots, and lettuce. Luna picked some oranges and put them in her sack. Was there anyone else who liked oranges? Spray had never tried one. Or apples. Or any fruit or vegetable.

Luna picked some extra apples and oranges and put them in her sack. Then, Luna dived toward the water, grabbed a handful of fish, put them in her sack, and swooped back up.

Then, when Luna dived back toward the water and reached for more fish, her talons came up with seaweed. Edible seaweed. And Luna was a little ways away from the rice plants. The carrots and lettuce were growing a little ways away from the rice. Seaweed. Vegetables. Rice. Apple seeds, maybe? What if-?

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"I call it," Luna announced a little while later, "Sushi!"

Luna had picked some rice, carrots, and lettuce, then spread out the long length of seaweed, cut it in half, and spread the rice out across both halves, and added fish, apple seeds, carrots for one, lettuce for the other, rolled them up, and gave them to her friends. They loved it.

"Oh, my, GODS, yum!" Fowl said through a mouthful of carrot sushi.

"This might be the best thing I've ever tasted!" Artemis said, wiping the lettuce from his lips.

"It's like rainbows and sunshine wrapped in love and stuffed with happiness!" Edward declared, finishing off his carrot sushi.

Spray was stuffing the rest of the lettuce sushi in his mouth, he loved it so much.

Luna had caught a few elderly rabbits and had eaten them along with some grapes she found, hidden along the base around one of the fruit trees that she shared with Spray. The Night Bringer maget didn't like the taste of raw fish.

After all of the magets finished their meals, Edward wanted to speak to Luna privately. They asked for the back right corner of the platform to be cleared out, and as the platform took off, Edward and Luna sat down in the corner and looked up at the sky.

The yellow and orange started disappearing from the sky, and the stars were starting to shine into the sky, decorating the coming blues. After the black started creeping out into the sky, Edward cleared his throat to get Luna's attention.

"Um," Edward said, fumbling with his claws, seeming to try to find the right words to say without looking stupid. "I, um. Well, um, ah. Man, this is embarrassing."

When Edward muttered that last part, Luna tilted her head at Edward.

"What are you talking about?" Luna asked.

"Do you like Bigwings?" Edward blurted.

Luna yelped and jumped backward. Edward grabbed her and steadied her. Luna looked at Edward.

"No!" Luna yelled suddenly. Edward jumped. "I barely even know him! Why would you ask something like that?"

"It's just," Edward stammered. "You're both Night Bringers. And-And he likes you."

Luna's eyes went wide. "What?" she asked. "No way!"

"He looks at you a lot," Edward pointed out.

"Because he wants to protect me!" Luna said. "He's a bodyguard. I keep seeing parts of memories in his head. He was standing over my crib, taking care of me. He was assigned to do that years ago, and he feels he has to stick to that assignment."

"Your parents must have hired that guy in the past to take care of you," Edward said.

"But who even are they?!" Luna asked, starting to pace. "Why did they give me up?! Why give me to Seashell and Thundercloud?! How did they have the money to afford a bodyguard?! Who-?!"

Edward grabbed Luna's shoulders and made her stand still. "I know we'll find answers. I promise."

Luna relaxed and nodded. Edward gently pecked her on the nose and Luna wrapped her arms around him. They stayed that way for a little while. Then, all of the stars came out and the sky started turning all the way black.

"YAWN!"

The yawn that was as loud as a volcano erupting came from Sprite. Their eyes were starting to droop when Edward and Luna looked in the direction of the noise. The others were reading scrolls and looked over at Sprite, too.

"I'm bushed," Sprite said. "Anyone ready to turn in for the night?"

"Oh, yes," said Spray.

"Same here," Artemis said.

"Words right out of my mouth," Fowl said.

Luna looked around. Nothing to hang from except the edge. As the Night Bringer maget started for the edge, Edward gently took Luna's shoulder.

"Why don't you sleep with us tonight?" Edward asked.

"No, um," Luna stammered. "It's just, sleeping upside-down with blood rushing to my head helps me think-"

"Have you ever tried not doing it?" Edward asked.

Luna opened her mouth to speak, then stopped herself. She might have during her first two years. Luna could still remember the terrible headaches it gave her. Luna started sleeping upside down when she was three. But Luna had never tried right-side-up since then. Although she felt pretty okay in the cage back in the arena. Luna thought all of this to Edward. He nodded and thought for a moment.

"Maybe if you enchant yourself to feel like you're always upside-down when you sleep," Edward thought out loud, "then you'll be fine sleeping either way!"

"Um," Luna said.

"Just come on," Edward said. "I think we're doing a circle tonight."

Luna and Edward walked over the others, who were already sitting down in the sleep circle. Artemis started snoring as soon as he hit the floor. Luna stepped away as a puddle of drool slid out of his mouth.

Fowl curled up next to Spray, who seemed to be reaching out for something or someone. The merboy was twitching and whining. Even some tears seemed to be forming near his eyes. He felt Fowl's shoulder and pulled her in closer. The twitching seemed to stop, and the tears fell down his face without any follow-ups.

Huh, Luna thought. Spray always seems to whimper and twitch in his sleep. Maybe that's where I got that vision of him slowly killing Solar. But, are Foul and Spray-?

Luna felt a tap on her shoulder as Sprite yawned and flopped on top of Spray, Foul, and Artemis. Luna spun around and found Edward right behind her.

"Are you overthinking again?" Edward asked.

"No," Luna said. "I'm just normal thinking."

"Uh, huh," Edward said, unconvinced. "Well, good night, Luna Moon."

That was what Lake called her.

Lake. I hope she's okay.

Edward curled up at a spot next to the--it was more a pile--circle and tapped a spot next to him with his tail. Luna smiled and curled up next to him, twinning her tail with his.

"Good night," Luna said, "Sir Edward."

Edward chuckled and closed his eyes. Luna spread her wings to catch the moonlight. The most moonlight Luna could catch for days. Weeks. Luna's eyes started to droop, as the night started enveloping her with questions. Would anyone listen to Luna and the other magets? What were Thundercloud and Seashell hiding? And . . . who were her real parents?

Thanks for reading guys! Hope you enjoyed! Have a great day/night!