Wings of Fire: The Secret of Silverstripe

~Ch.10: Suspicions~

As it turned out, Emerald didn't wake up as soon as Silverstripe thought she would.

Silverstripe quickly grew bored as she awoke from her nap. She braided the kelp in her bed, watched the jellyfish lamps, and finally stared out the doorway into space.

Eventually it occured to Silverstripe that it must be getting dark, and she swam over to Emerald.

Silverstripe sucked in a deep breath from her gills, praying that the dragonet wouldn't be irritated from being woke up, and nudged Emerald's shoulder.

Emerald lifted her head, blinking her eyes in confusion.

Silverstripe waved timidly, and tapped her earring repeatedly to get the message across.

Oh, already time to go? Emerald flashed.

Silverstripe nodded in confirmation.

Okay, let's go! Emerald flashed, and gestured to the doorway.

Silverstripe led the way to the Summer Palace. Soon she noticed that Emerald was quickening her pace, and she looked at the dragonet questioningly.

Want to race? Emerald flashed.

Silverstripe shrugged, and hastened her pace.

Emerald darted through the current, appearing as fast as a dolphin on a sugar rush. Silverstripe struggled to keep up with her, and found her gills flaring with exhaustion as they kept going.

After a few minutes, Silverstripe slowed her pace and Emerald followed suit, though she still maintained a slightly faster pace than Silverstripe.

As they broke the surface of the water in the Summer Palace, Emerald put on a sudden burst of speed, and landed on the pavilion with a loud Thump!

Silverstripe landed quietly, seeing all of the faces that now turned towards them.

"WOO!!! I haven't had such a good race in forever!" Emerald shouted.

Silverstripe nodded, ducking her head timidly in the presence of the crowd.

"You have some good endurance, Abyss," Emerald said, bumping her wing against Silverstripe's.

"Thank you," Silverstripe said, smiling. "And you're fastttttttt! Do you have younger siblings, or did your parents race you?"

"Well my older brother raced me," Emerald said, her expression turning forlorn.

Silverstripe ducked her head. She hadn't meant to get too personal if something had happened to Emerald's brother. What did happen? She would have to find out in time, if Emerald was ready to share the story.

"Okay," Silverstripe said, nodding curtly.

"What do we do now?" Emerald asked, her face lighting up again with her cheerful smile.

"Oh, we just wait for the Mistress to make the announcements," Silverstripe replied. "Do you want to distribute the pearls from this morning?"

"Sure!" Emerald said as Silverstripe poured the pearls in her talon and counted each one. Silverstripe pointed her to the crate in the center, and watched as the green dragonet pranced three-legged with the pearls in one talon and poured the little beads into the crate.

Emerald bounced back to Silverstripe, grinning widely.

"Good job on your first day!" Silverstripe said, brushing her wing against Emerald's.

Emerald ducked her head shyly and had the warmest smile that Silverstripe had ever seen.

Silverstripe smiled at the green dragonet, and scanned the crowd for Mistress Seasnake. The green SeaWing appeared to be talking to Deluge in aquatic, saying something about Master Angler and messages.