Wings of Fire • Dragon of Secrets [2]

Chapter Fourteen

Brisktail stepped across the stones lightly, making his way to the tunnel that led to the secret pool. He took care to step quietly; he didn't want to alert any dragon who might be inside. Then again, anyone being home at this hour seemed unlikely. Speedscar and Keeneye would be at the barracks most likely and Quickclaws would be with Speedscar. Therefore, Brisktail would be able to sneak inside and do as he pleased.

     With more spring in his step, Brisktail trotted inside. He made his way down the tunnel, accustomed to the darkness and suffocating feeling. He entered the larger cave of the pool, his talonsteps echoing loudly and alerting him of the change in scenery. Brisktail breathed a small flame, low-heat and yellowish in colour. He was able to make out one of the torches on the wall next to him and he lit it to help him see.

     He pulled it out of its holder, holding it out into the space to light it better. After a moment he was able to remember where he had hidden the pebble.

     Indeed, the only reason why he came back to this cave was to return for an object he had enchanted: a pebble that, when asked any question, would always answer truthfully. It worked the last time he used it and he needed to revisit it.

     He followed the ledge right, crawling over a pile of rocks in the process. Once over them, he bent down to examine the floor. The smooth, pearly pebble gleamed back at him in the firelight. Brisktail shoved the torch into a crevice to hold and then he clawed at the pebble to free it. It slipped out and rolled into his talons and he caught it.

     Brisktail sat back and lifted it to his snout. The torchlight made the white surface appear brighter and it shimmered as the flames flickered. When he held it, it didn't feel magical or special at all. Just a regular pebble. If he focused on it he could actually not feel the pebble. It seemed like an odd concept, but if he thought hard enough it was as if the weight of the pebble disappeared and in its place was left a hollow eggshell. Brisktail remembered enchanting it. He had felt hollow for a moment as his magic had left him and it seemed that the pebble now had that imprint on it.

     He set it down on the ground, looking at it demandingly. He turned over possible questions in his mind. He knew he wanted to hear about his mother for sure – who she was and where she went. He thought it would also be a wise idea to ask the pebble about Windwhipper and Risingwind.

     He decided to start out slow, to test it as if trying to see if it still worked. He picked it up again and said: "Pebble. What is my mother's name?"

     The pebble rattled in his grip and he almost dropped it. "Spottedtalon."

     Brisktail let out a rueful laugh. It worked. He had enchanted it to answer truthfully, therefore this had to be correct. His mother really was Spottedtalon. The BurrowWings were right.

     "Where is she?" he asked excitedly, hoping for a location where he could meet her.

     "She rests in the tundra," replied the stone.

     For a long moment, Brisktail stared at the rock. It lay in his palm gazing coldly back at him. He couldn't bring himself to believe it, even though he knew it was true. It was better to be a fool and hope she was alive rather than be "brave" and accept the fact. Brisktail clenched his talons in a fist, gripping the stone tightly as if to hurt it for merely relaying the information.

     He calmed down after a while. There was nothing he could do about it – nothing that he cared about, at least. His mother was dead and that was that. Brisktail set the pebble down, pacing around the cave and swiping his tail from side to side in order to help him think.