Wings of Fire • Journey of Metamorphosis [Book 2]

scene v.

This part was delayed due to homework, and I'll dump all of the art I've made in my sketchbook eventually, but I finished this a while ago and got some of scene vi. written in advance. If all goes well I'll get another day where I'm ahead and I can get some work done on the scene.

Also, a small heads-up for next school term, I only be able to post once a month or something ridiculous like that because I got into computer animation and it sounds like that course will be insane with the workload. I'll finish JOM over the summer and hopefully get a good start on the third book (which will be the last) which will let me use the fall semester to plan the next fics. I might try to write some shorts I've been collecting in my head.

Fun fact: the memory scene at the end was a cut scene from the first chapter! I was sad about not being able to use it because I really liked it, but when I realized I could use it here I was very excited!

On with the show!!

- ❈ -

"Soldier!"

     Hawker jerked, his wrist aching, though not as badly as before. Now, it just throbbed. He smelled it to check for an infection but thankfully, it wasn't sour.

     "Minor General Hawker."

     He looked up to find the Four Generals crowding over him. Minor General Striker was hovering behind their forest of legs as well as a trio of burly HiveWings. He slowly sat up, dimly wondering how long he had slept.

     "General Hawker, start at the beginning. At what point of the battle were you..." General Idion paused, looked at their companions (swaying as they did), then turned back. "What happened?"

     "I..." It took him a moment, as the memories were vague, but he remembered eventually. With some anger in his voice, he described losing the FlashWing and encountering the young Dirt-licker. "Then I was squashed by someone's talon and knocked out by a different FlashWing. I think I woke a few seconds later because we hadn't moved yet." Then, he turned to appraise his audience with a smirk. "I discovered the creature wasn't a Supermajor, but an Alate."

     A ripple of excitement passed over the generals. They urged him to continue and Hawker did, surprising himself by keeping certain aspects out of his story: specifically, the Not-Queen's surprise at learning the state of the war, how his tribe had gotten involved, and his own feelings on the matter.

     Shut it, he told himself, you have no feelings on the matter.

     Behind the large DartWings, the HiveWings murmured between themselves. "We'll send word to Yellowjacket Hive right now, and send extra forces to help. It'll work in our favour too, as we've had some trouble lately with the Dirt-lickers. We're rebuilding for the second time."

     Hearing those words should have filled him with glee but for some reason, Hawker only felt numb.

     "We can spare some of our army too," General Idion nodded. Their impulsive decision was backed by the others, however, and Hawker interrupted them once the HiveWings left, eager to take his mind off of the previous topic. It was causing him enough confusion.

     "Are the dragonets okay?" he asked.

     "Oh, they're" -General Tigertail cleared his throat with a cough and continued- "The soldiers are all accounted for. You know they were given the safest positions."

     Hawker could not contain his snort in his delirious state, resulting in the Generals frowning at him. Striker was smiling, which was a good thing, and made Hawker feel a little better about himself. Mostly, he was just happy the mission had been a success, and the future would be better for those dragonets and their families.