Wings of Fire: Beyond the Horizon

Chapter 1

Primrose    701 CT
Six months later...

A young dragonet wandered through the forest beside her mother. A light gray rain fell on the canopy of trees above them, and the dark gray snow passed right through it. The snow beneath her feet crunched lightly as she studied her surroundings with a small smile. The somber forests of Silverveil Grove was her favorite place to be, and she believed that it was the most beautiful place in the world.

Primrose spread her wings slightly, small white stars shimmering under the silver light. A strange haze hung over the grove, and the air always felt damp and thick. There was a light breeze and constant overcast that looked like it hadn't changed in well over a hundred years.

For such a small dragonet, she seems to be fascinated by nature. She studied the intricate patterns and shapes that seemed to naturally occur on the trees, some resembling shapes, while others were freeform. These trees, that she called ashbarks, seemed to radiate natural warmth. This forest seemed to have many strange properties, at least more than usual for Solaria.

"It's amazing how it can rain and snow at the same time," said Primrose. She was already smart enough to talk like dragons months older than her. Her mom always bragged about it, but Primrose thought it was perfectly normal.

"It's wonderful, isn't it? So many strange things happen here, and yet it feels natural." Moonlight smiled, looking down at her daughter. "I've gotten used to this place surprisingly fast."

"Mommy, do you ever miss home?" asked Primrose.

"Which one?" Moonlight asked. "The one in the lush rainforest, or the one surrounded by fiery death?" Her silver scales next to her eyes shone under the light peeking through the canopy of the trees above them.

"The rainforest home." Primrose answered.

"Well, of course I miss it," Moonlight said. "I miss the rainforest, and I miss your father. But even if it was safe, I wouldn't want to take you back over the ocean. You've grown up here so far. It'll be a big adjustment."

She's so worried about me, Primrose thought. I wish she would just relax every now and then, and enjoy this place.

"I heard that," Moonlight said with a snort.

Primrose had forgotten that her mother was a mind reader, hatched underneath a full moon. She wasn't quite sure how that worked, how the moons could give a NightWing power. She almost wondered if she had any powers. 

Moonlight had said it was possible since she was a hybrid. She did have fire breath, even though it wasn't very potent, and venom from her father, which also seemed to be weak. No NightWing powers to note, though, even though she hatched beneath a full moon like her mother. Maybe they just weren't apparent yet.

"I'm serious," Primrose said. "You worry way too much." She looked up at her mother, who was now frowning a little and looking to the side. "I doubt those mean dragons followed you all the way over here."

Moonlight sighed. "I know. But after I had to fly all the way out here just to get away from them, I can't exactly say my worries are gone."

Primrose wished that her father had come with them. It was already too late, Moonlight's voice echoed in her head, reminding her of the conversation they had a couple weeks ago.

Maybe someday, we'll meet someone. Someone who can make this all better.

"I hope so too. We'll try to go to that village tomorrow. They might be willing to let us stay with them for awhile," Moonlight said hopefully.

"Maybe," said Primrose. She walked next to her mother, twining her tiny tail with hers. Moonlight picked her up gently and planted a kiss on Primrose's snout.

"You're my adorable little moonbean," Moonlight said with a smile. "All of the trouble I've gone through has been worth it."

"Do you think they'll let us stay?" Primrose asked. "We're different from them."

"I can't say for sure, darling," Moonlight answered. "But we can hope."

"I wonder what the other tribes here are like..." Primrose said. She squirmed out of her mother's grasp, landing on the snow next to her and grabbing onto one of her claws. Images flashed through her head: a decapitated head of a strange-looking dragon, cut off by a dragon with blades on its tail. She crumpled to the ground, grasping her head tightly, pain shooting through it.

Another image: A large, fluffy-looking dragon shooting fire in the face of a slim dragon. Then another, a group of the fluffy dragons fighting the slim ones. Then, a large crack in the land, and dragons emerging. Three distinct faces flashed through her mind, ones that she would neet someday in the future. Another, with a tiny dragon running into a big dragon. Then, the face of one of those dragons again.  And finally, two dragons with their tails twined together, one with large wings, and the other with spikes and a whip-thin tail.

It was far too much for her young mind to understand, but it would all come together in the future. The future...am I seeing the future?

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps began echoing through the air. Primrose wouldn't dwell on her visions for long. It sounded like something was running fast across the snow. Occasionally, the sound stopped for a brief moment, then resumed. Moonlight craned her head in the direction of the noise, her ears standing up.

Suddenly, a yellow-white and dark red shape burst out of the trees. Before Primrose could process what happened, the dragon had already hit her mother in the stomach.