Peace and its Shadow

Chapter 9: Together

"Are you okay?" Peacemaker asked Mink. They were walking to the next class. Mink paused for a little bit.

"Yeah," Mink sighed. "I just don't like remembering it." Peacemaker wanted to ask Mink about Darkstalker but he knew reasonably, it was a pretty bad idea. He also knew what it was like to lose someone close to him. Unlike Mink, you're the reason why they're dead! Peacemaker cursed to himself. Darkstalker stood near Peacemaker, looking away. Guilt maybe? Peacemaker wasn't so sure since Darkstalker mostly stuck with an emotionless expression unless feeling annoyed or laughing a little. Peacemaker wanted to know what Darkstalker entirely did, and why he did it. It didn't look like Darkstalker was going to give answers anytime soon. Darkstalker couldn't precisely stop Peacemaker from finding out information he couldn't hide. He mainly was a ghost after all. Though with some specific dragons on him, the task of finding out might be a lot more challenging than he thought.

"I know, I understand," Peacemaker smiled. Mink smiled sadly back.

"Hello there gloomy faces," Cliff said popping in between Mink and Peacemaker. "Next class is Sunny's, I heard she's nice as a teacher. What does she teach again?" Cliff attempted to lighten things up, although Peacemaker thought it was a pretty bad one, Mink seemed to brighten up a little so he wasn't complaining. It was pretty difficult to be feeling down when their friend is a talkative positive ball of energy.

"I think she teaches literacy or something like that?" Peacemaker guessed.

"Her class is mostly about writing and how to do it," Mink answered. "I believe she tends to assign writing projects as well."

During the break period, Peacemaker sat in his Winglet as the others argued about what they should do as an extra activity. Although it was mostly Cliff wanting to fly and Bumblebee more interested in painting or cooking. Peacemaker was reading the volcano scroll, it was made by a Nightwing who wrote down what it was all about, what they did, and all the experiences. If Peacemaker had to admit, reading the scroll made him like his main tribe less seeing just how awful the situation was and what they were planning. He thought back to Darkstalker. What he did when he was alive was probably awful, he got a scroll all about him after all. Would I even be able to trust him if I knew? Do I trust him now? Peacemaker realized that since he was mostly with his winglet, he hid his thoughts far less. Still, have to be safe just in case, Peacemaker reminded himself.

"The Volcano?" Dusky asked cutting off Peacemaker's thoughts.

"Yeah, the volcano. It was where the Nightwings lived and hid before eventually settling in with the Rainforest," Peacemaker answered. Dusky studied the scroll.

"Hiding from what exactly?" Dusky asked.

"The war of the Sandwing succession I guess, not sure, Nightwings are typically the secretive ones so they might have just hidden to make themselves look mysterious," Peacemaker explained. He knew there was a little more to the answer but he wasn't sure what it was. The Nightwings also lost being "mysterious" since now the whole continent knows the Nightwings were frauds with mind reading and seeing the future. Almost frauds, Peacemaker thought knowing Moon had those powers.

"Sounds like a terrible place to stay at if I'm being honest," Dusky said, Peacemaker couldn't agree more."Did they live somewhere else before this?" That question caught Peacemaker slightly off guard. He's right, where did they live before the volcano? It was obvious that they weren't at the volcano forever, so where were they?

"Probably," was all Peacemaker could answer. Perhaps he could ask Starflight or Moon, they seemed like the ones who'd know something.

"Were you ever in the volcano? Wait, that's a dumb question isn't it, you'd be far too young," Dusky said trying to back up the question. Peacemaker laughed,