Listen, And The Stars Shall Speak

What Happened To That Plan?

Rainkeeper sat in the nook of a tree. A sloth glared at him from a branch.

"What are you looking at?" he asked. The sloth wrrbled angrily and held up a kiwi. Rainkeeper sighed. "Look, I know I messed up alright? Can you stop throwing the fruit now?" Tree-bud's only response was o huck the fruit anyway. Rainkeeper quickly ducked down, avoiding it. "That was my head!" he exclaimed. Tree-Bud stuck out his tongue and tossed another fruit.

"Hi." a familiar voice announced. Rainkeeper looked away from Tree-Bud and couldn't help but grin. It had seemed like ages since he had seen Pear. He had forgotten that the light of the trees almost seem to make her glow. He stared for a moment, until a kiwi snapped him back into reality.

"Hey," he said painfully, rubbing the back of his head. Pear smiled.

"I take it Tree-Bud is still mad?"

"Please. When has that sloth ever actually liked me? He's just switched to throwing more painful things." Pear laughed. She laughed, Rainkeeper noted. That's a good sign, right?

"I got your note," she explained, holding up the piece of paper. Tree-Bud swung down, snatched it up, and quickly shredded it.

"Well, at least I know where he stands." Rainkeeper said ruefully.

" I like to this I'm a bit more persuadable than Tree-Bud."

"Oh yea. And you're much prettier." That comment earned him another kiwi.

"So flattery is your strategy, huh?" she concluded.

"No, i actually had a long heartfelt speech thought out where I got on my knees and begged you for forgiveness."

"Really. And what happened to that plan?"

"The sloth with anger issues."

~*~*~*~*

Joy froze at the sight of a familiar face. Nightflyer. She thought back to what Rainkeeper had told her, about how Ember was under some mountain, and Hope was missing.

"Hey Joy," he greeted her with a sigh. Joy stared at her friend in shock. He looked awful. There were bags under his eyes, and he looked drained, like all the life had disappeared from his eyes. He didn't even attempt to smile. If he looked this bad, she could only imagine what Air was like.

"Nightflyer," she replied quietly. "I have to tell you something." she blurted out. She couldn't help it. Just looking at him was slowly killing her.

"What is it?"

"I know where he is."

"Who?"

"Ember." It was like a switch had been flipped. Nightflyer shot up, and his eyes widen and glittering with shock and hope. He grabbed her by the arms.

"Where?" he demanded, his voice urgent.

"Under a mountain in the Skywing territory. In the base of the Colors of the Wings." Nightflyer practically leapt into the air.

"Thank you!" he yelled, taking off like a bullet and leaving Joy bewildered.

~*~*~*~*

"DAD!" three voices yelled. Kelp grinned as Ander, Rin, and Shore bolted over to him. Rin tied to jump on him, but Shore held her back, as if awaiting permission.

"It's fine, I'm alright." he assured them. Ander let out an unintelligible shriek and jumped into his arms. Rin was quick to follow. They chattered endlessly and hugged him. Shore waited until they had released him before attacking their father himself. Kelp found himself tackled to the cot of the healer's hut, the three dragonets on him. He let out a laugh and winced slightly. Oh, how he had missed them.

"I see my efforts to keep them from bothering you failed." Joy's voice concluded. Shore and the girls looked up guiltily.

"They're not bothering me," kelp insisted, attempting to hug all three of them at once. "They are helping me heal."

"Oh!" Rin exclaimed. "We can do that!" she jumped off the cot and grabbed a random bottle. "Drink this!" Ander burst out laughing and rolled onto the floor. Rin frowned until she caught sight of the label.

"Frog slime." Shore announced. "The healthiest thing for you." Joy shook her head, but she was smiling. She sat down on the edge of the cot as the dragonets looked through the rest of the healer's supplies.

"How are you really?" she asked. Kelp sat up to be closer to her.

"I am perfectly content." he promised, kissing her.

"Don't break anyt-" Shore began. He was cut off by a smash.

"Oops." Rin whispered. Joy shut her eyes.

"Do I even want to know?" she whispered.

"Shh," Kelp insisted. "If we don't listen, there's no problem."

"Well, it's kind of hard not to hear them." Joy countered.

"Then I guess I have to distract you." Kelp suggested. Before Joy could respond, he pinned her onto the cot and she let out a laugh. Kelp grinned and kissed her.

"EW!" Ander yelled.

"Cool, the floor is melting." Rin announced. Shore glanced down, where a hole was growing in the vine floor.

"Rin?" he questioned. "What did you spill?"