Wings Of Fire 16: The Journey Begins (Arc 4)

~Chapter 16: Croc is SO going to miss Marigold coming out of her cocoon~

The next few days pass by rather mundanely, with little interesting things happening in both places.

Croc finally gets his apples and begins flying back towards his friends.

Everyone else occupies themselves with small tasks, and Reef teaches Honey to swim.

•••

On the morning of the sixth day, Kimber, who was checking the cocoon that morning, ran out shouting.

"It's happening! It's happening!" He shouts, awakening every dragon on the island and causing them to come rushing over.

Honey examines the cocoon.

"It's not happening quite yet," she says, "but twitching a a sign though!"

"Good," says Reef, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "It's way too early. This is Croc hours!"

"I'll stay here," offers Kimber, "to watch. You guys go back to sleep."

•••

An hour later, Wild comes to try to relieve Kimber of his shift.

"You can go sleep," she says, "I got a good nights rest, so I can take over."

"No it's fine!" Kimber says. "You did it last time."

Honey wanders over, followed by Stella.

"What's going on?" She asks.

"Oh my gosh what's that in the distance?" Stella says, pointing into the sky at a distant dot in the horizon.

"It's Croc!" Kimber says. "He better get over here RIGHT NOW because it's happening!"

That caught everyone's attention. They run into the cave and see the cocoon twitching and slowly starting to unravel.

"She's coming out!" Says Kimber excitedly.

"And Crocs almost back with the dang apples!" Stella adds.

Wild's scales start to flicker every color out of excitement.

"Wait can I jumpscare her when she comes out?" Wild asks, her scales turning yellow/golden.

"Nope!" Shout Kimber and Honey at the same time.

"You're gonna either give everyone a laugh or a heart attack," Kimber explains.

"Ugh Croc needs to get here quick!" Honey says with a glance at the cocoon, which was unraveling faster now.

Wild cranes her neck out the entrance.

"He's closer, but not close enough!" She says exasperatedly.

Croc, now close enough that they could see him, held up the apples and shouted to them.

"So you see..." he began, shouting to be heard. "About half the apples rotted..."

He was both fortunately and unfortunately too far away to hear the barrage of threats and insults and exasperation that came his way.

Eventually, everyone retreated back inside.

The cocoon pieces were now falling off and unraveling.

"She's almost out!" Honey says with excitement.

"FLY FASTER CROC!" Wild yells out.

She turns invisible quickly to scare Marigold.

"No!" Kimber, Honey, Stella, and Reef shout.