Wings of Fire - Eclipse Burning (1)

Chapter 10

Eclipse did think about Darkstalker; almost the entire rest of the day. But no matter how much she tried to feel bad for him, the reason behind why he was in this position in the first place weighed on her like bricks. 

While she and Moon explored the caves together, flurries of anxious thoughts swirling around how dangerous Peril was invaded her mind. She thought about what it was like to have powers you couldn't control and how those powers controlled what others thought about you. 

Eventually Eclipse realized they were going to have to talk to somebody. 

Worse, they were going to have to talk to a NightWing somebody. One from the tribe, not Starflight or Fatespeaker. 

Even worse, Eclipse realized it couldn't be her that talked to the NightWing. It would have to be Moon. Eclipse had made it clear on the first day of rejoining the tribe that she wanted nothing to do with them or their problems. Which made every NightWing disregard her existence. They didn't like Moon much either but she had a better chance at getting answers than Eclipse did.

There were three others at the school. Bigtail wouldn't be any help, even if he knew anything about Darkstalker. Which left Mindreader and Mightyclaws. 

She searched the school carefully with her mind until she found one of them alone. Mightyclaws was in the art cave, with no other dragons around. 

Was this a good idea? Mightyclaws was one of the more outwardly friendly dragons, but she'd seen darkness and jealousy in his head before. They were close to the same age, and once she'd heard him think, If my mother had any spine, she'd have hidden me in the rainforest.

Moon hesitated in the entrance to the art cave. Normally the cave would be flooded with sunlight, coming through holes in the walls and ceiling, but it was twilight outside now. Moon turned to Eclipse, nervousness clouded in her eyes. 

I'll be right here if you need me, Eclipse nodded. 

Moon sighed and stepped into the art cave, Eclipse listening closely.  

"Hey," she heard him say after a moment, neither welcoming nor hostile. Never know what to say to her, muttered his mind. 

"Hi," Moon said nervously. 

Eclipse heard something cluttering together. 

"You here to paint?" Mightyclaws asked. Or just stare at me awkwardly? 

"Um - yes," Moon said. This was going to be a disaster. 

She heard some shuffling and then the sound of an easel being propped up. Eclipse peeked inside and saw Moon setting up her own canvas not to far from him, but where neither of them could see the other's painting. Eclipse retreated back to her original position and waited. 

Mightyclaws didn't say anything for a while but his thoughts were swooping in all kinds of different directions like a disturbed cluster of dragonflies. No idea what I'm doing. Why does Starflight think this will help me? Would it be weird to go back to the prey center tonight? Maybe there'll be some sheep left. Three meals a day; will anyone notice? Or yell at me? Why is Moon here? Maybe Starflight sent her, too. Although she doesn't have any trauma to work through. With her perfect life in the rainforest, always as much as she wanted to eat, no adult dragons yelling at her, no classes on lying, no death smoldering right over her head all the time. . .

"Do you like it here?" Moon finally said, breaking into his thoughts and clearly trying to stem the flow of resentment about her. 

It worked; he paused a moment, his thoughts dimming. "I guess." It's more like the fortress here than the rainforest, except it smells better and there's sunshine. And prey, and dragons of all colors.