Wings of Fire: The Secret of Silverstripe

~Ch.3: Into the Sea~

Silverstripe had always felt at home in the ocean. The currents soothed her, and the taste of the salt water in her gills reminded her of hunting with her mother.

Of course, it was a bit of a struggle swimming in the unfamiliar currents of the Bay of a Thousand Scales. Due to this struggle, Silverstripe had to alternate between flying and swimming to conserve energy.

Three days into the journey, and Silverstripe felt that she had to be close to the heart of the Bay, where she'd been taught the SeaWings primarily lived.

At noon on the third day, Silverstripe was surprised to find a battalion of SkyWings soaring high over the water.

Silverstripe smelled the smoke first as she flew low over the waves. She looked behind herself and saw ten orange and red shapes darting across the clouds behind her.

Silverstripe gasped in fear, and stopped her flight course, diving sharply into the water with a splash. She whipped her tail behind her, propelling her some fair depth below the surface of the sea.

Silverstripe watched the shadows soar across from underwater, praying that none of them had seen her splash or her dark shape descending into the depths.

After that scare, Silverstripe decided not to resurface for the remainder of the trip. Silverstripe found a large patch of sea sponges to sleep on for the night and tried to make herself as comfortable as she could be with little fish swimming around her claws and sharks nosing her once every other hour.

When Silverstripe awoke, she saw a shadow swimming near the surface.

Silverstripe opened her mouth in awe as she recognized the fins and gills of a SeaWing.

Yes! A SeaWing! I must be close to the heart of the Bay! Wait... is the SeaWing swimming toward me?

The SeaWing swam closer to her, and Silverstripe saw a curious expression on his face as he landed on the sand in front of her.

Hello, the SeaWing flashed. His scales were the color of turquoise, and his eyes were teal. He looked about the same age as Silverstripe. Funny to see someone out this far. Are you from a settlement near the mainland? Do you need help finding your way to the Summer Palace, or the Deep Palace?

Silverstripe nodded, and the SeaWing gave her a funny glance.

Sorry? There shouldn't be any battilions around here... I'm a scout. Did your battilion get attacked? Do you need help finding them? the SeaWing asked.

Silverstripe shook her head and opened her mouth in realization. The light from the surface was reflecting from her stripes -that was why he was confused.

The SeaWing's face turned pink as Silverstripe grabbed his talon and pulled him to the surface.

"Sorry, my stripes don't glow," Silverstripe explained as they broke the surface. "I'm not a soldier; I'm from another settlement, and yes, please help me find the Summer Palace or the Deep Palace. My name's Abyss."

"Sure," the SeaWing replied warmly. "My name's Turquoise. I was just scouting out here, checking for SkyWing troops before a battilion comes in for an advance." He peered closer at her forearm. "Huh. Your stripes are silver. I've never seen that on a SeaWing before... They're pretty, though."

"Thank you," Silverstripe said, smiling timidly. "I did see some SkyWing soldiers yesterday, flying southwest."

"Yeah, I did too. They're headed back to Queen Scarlet's Palace. Thanks for the heads up, though," Turquoise said. After a moment, he added, "My shift is over, so I can help you find your way. How come your looking for the palaces? Sorry if I'm being nosy... Just curious."

"I'm a new recruit," Silverstripe said, recalling some of the backstories she'd created back during her training with Starseer. "The head of the pearl hunters is expecting me, and it's fine, I understand being curious."

"Thank you," Turquoise said, smiling shyly. "Do you need to collect any pearls before you go to your mistress? Do they need to test your abilities, experience?"

"I'm not very experienced," Silverstripe admitted. "That might be a good idea, though."

"I can help you with that; I harvested pearls part time before I came of age to join the war effort," Turquoise said. "Come on, I think there's a patch of oysters around here."

"Okay, thank you," Silverstripe said, and dove after him back into the depths of the water.

Turquoise led her to a shallow spot of the reef that was below them, and plucked an oyster from the patch.

See the lump in the muscle? Turquoise flashed, gesturing to the oyster in his talon.

Silverstripe nodded.

That means that they have a pearl, Turquoise explained. Next you have to slice it open, with either your claws or a knife if you have one.

Silverstripe held her talons out to say she didn't have one.

Turquoise turned the oyster around so that it was facing him, and beckoned Silverstripe closer.

Silverstripe came forward and looked over his shoulder, despite feeling somewhat uneasy being in such close proximity of another dragon. She watched as Turquoise slashed one claw across the soft, pink muscle in a cut parallel to the shell. He pried the shell open, and squished the muscle near the edges until a small, mishapen grey bead popped out.

Turquoise caught the pearl as it floated through the water, and handed it to Silverstripe with a proud smile.

Silverstripe smiled back at him in gratitude, slipping the grey pearl into her pouch.

Now you find one, Turquoise flashed, gesturing to the patch of oysters below them.

Silverstripe plucked a loose shell from the patch, and examined the muscle. She saw two lumps in it, and sliced the soft pink material, prying it open and massaging it until two pinkish grey pearls appeared, somewhat larger than the one Turquoise had found.

Good job! Turquoise flashed.

Silverstripe gestured to the ripped up oyster in her talons to ask, What do we do with the oysters now?

You can eat them, if you like, Turquoise replied. Some dragons like them, some don't. I think they're alright. They're not great, but they're edible. Want to try them?

"Sure," Silverstripe mouthed, and she bit into the soft muscle. It was much more slimey than she'd anticipated, but the taste wasn't terrible, and she scraped the shell clean.

Some harvesters just save them for later, or for someone who'll eat them if they won't, Turquoise added. Some just abandon the oyster after they kill it, but it feels wasteful to kill something for profit and just leave it, if you know what I mean.

Silverstripe nodded understandingly.

Here, I'll help you gather some more, Turquoise flashed as they together plucked oysters from the patch, harvesting pearls until they'd felt that they'd collected enough.

Silverstripe motioned for Turquoise to stop after they'd gathered six pearls.

This seems like enough to impress your mistress, Turquoise flashed, eyeing the numerous discarded shells below them.

"Thank you," Silverstripe mouthed.

You'll need to go to the Summer Palace, now? I think that's where the Pearl Guild meets at the end of the day, Turquoise flashed.

Silverstripe nodded.

Okay, then, Turquoise flashed. Remember to stay close to me -it'll be easier for you to follow me that way.

Silverstripe nodded as Turquoise set off east, leading her to the island heart of the Kingdom of the Sea.