The Twin Islands-Wings of Fire

Artemis

Two months had passed since Solar's defeat, and Artemis was finally going home with her friends.

There was much to unpack and resettle once the tyrant queen was slain. And she wanted to be there for not only the new King Daybreak, but Apollo as well. During the fight with Solar, Geode had faced off against the Lightningwing Queen and was given a mortal wound.

Apollo found his leader in his last moments, through which Geode proclaimed Apollo as the new leader of the Desert Rogues.

Geode was given a rightful funeral, and the entire Twin Islands would hear about his good deeds and heroism for centuries to come- Artemis and the Rogues allies would make sure of that.

She stared down at her talons as she thought these things over. At her side, Mamba smiled gently at her and brushed a wing across her back. It was a silent gesture, but a soothing one nonetheless.

"It's going to be alright." The Rainwing said, and Artemis tilted her head at her in acknowledgement. They stood before a portal that would deliver them back home, one proudly supplied by the Magicwings among the Rogues.

Across the way, Seaglass and Snowfall ecstatically recounted how brave they both were during the entire ordeal. They teased and laughed and showed that they were near inseparable. It warmed Artemis's heart, but also made her a little sad.

After Apollo was given the new role as leader, he decided that he would take on co-leaders, to help protect the ever growing colony of dragons that secretly dwelled in the desert. Among Danger and Silverfeather, of course, Apollo chose Flare. And he had agreed, after much persuasion from Artemis.

She told him that it suited him. He would be good there, and he shouldn't pass the opportunity. Flare had given her a sad smile and gently hugged her, holding her talons gingerly in his own. But, Artemis didn't worry. She wouldn't be saying goodbye forever, that was certain. So it felt bittersweet. But it was okay.

"Alright. Who's ready to get out of here?" Potent said as he walked up to the forming portal. At his side was Tempest, who was beaming so happily Artemis worried her face may get stuck like it was.

"I'm so nervous." Mudpuddle said from beside her and Mamba.

"Me too." Artemis admitted, her mind whirling about her sister and about Treasure and really- everything. "Things could be so different over there... and we'd have no idea."

"I'm just ready to get back to some sense of normalcy!" Mamba cried, gently brushing Artemis with her shoulder. "Titans above, I want to just sit in a hammock and eat mangoes for the rest of time."

The Magicwings working on the portal gave the final touches, stepping back and raising their talons as it blazed a bright gold.

"Jade Mountain, Pyrriah." Said the one on the left. She smiled at Artemis and her friends as the portal changed again, this time becoming overlaid with a muddled green and brown. They nervously looked at the Magicwings, and were given a nod to show that it was okay.

"Here goes nothing." Mamba said, wincing. She lightly flapped her wings and turned a gentle red shade, and leapt into the Portal. It made a low hissing sound, and as quick as it came the sound stopped and the portal was normal again.

Potent went next, trailed by Tempest, then Mudpuddle, and Snowfall with Seaglass.

Artemis stood alone and stared into the swirling vortex. She glanced around her one last time, the silver and purple trees of the secret oasis swaying in a cool breeze. Artemis closed her eyes and breathed.

She stepped through the portal.

____

It turns out, one should never leave their scavenger for too long.

Treasure was absolutely outraged once he set sights on Artemis, clambering up her tail and standing on her back without a care in the world, waving his hands and making noises that sort of sounded like... baby dragon speech? She barely caught mad gone way many times, but brushed it off as her just looking too much into the noises.

Whatever the case, he was furious, and only calmed when Artemis presented him with the cloth the Rogues has given her. It was much of a blanket for him. He then sat on Artemis's back, mumbling to himself, with the cloth around his little shoulders.

Artemis had embraced Prophecyteller fiercely when she saw her sister(after being exasperatedly chewed out by the teachers).

Artemis recounted her tale, and to her surprise, Prophecy did too. She didn't seem in the least bit surprised by Apollo, or Scalebreaker, or the dead Nightwing heir Nightflier.

"It hurts, to tell you this." Prophecy began slowly.

They sat out on a ledge as the day once again shifted into night. It was warm and the air smelt like pine.

"It hurts very much." She continued." But you deserve to know."

And so Prophecyteller told her everything.

"Mother- Dreamcatcher and Blacktalon soon learned that you were not their dragonet. Dreamcatcher was re-patrolling our home one night and found a shattered eggshell, but no dragonet. Probably found by animals..." She shuddered. "After that, she began to look at you different. He did too, but he knew deep down it wasn't your fault. But it tore Dreamcatcher up from the inside- it was technically her first ever child after all. She began to plot and scheme and insist that you were a curse, a spy, revenge on her for fleeing her queen.

She began to teach me her skills, not long after the incident with Lance. She insisted it was for my own protection, and I listened. But then... she showed me how she really felt. She told me to kill you."

Artemis froze, and looked at her sister in shock.

"Every day she would say to do it, or she would. I always refused or told her I didn't have a chance or a way in-" Prophecy caught her breath, tears welling in her eyes.

"She was going to have me do it on our way to Jade Mountain. She would have supervised and made sure I did it- but you left! Three moons, you left, and she was furious I let you get away. That's how I got my scars... she- she told me you weren't really family. You weren't my sister and that you didn't deserve to live. But she's wrong, you're my sister. I love you so much, and I'm so sorry if I ever made you think I hated you. I just wanted you to be safe."

Artemis still felt frozen. What do you do, when you find out your non-mother was plotting your death? Treasure seemed to notice the tension in her spine and he slowly slid down her side, instead choosing to sit on her arm and stare up at her and Prophecy. His little paws rested on her neck.

She looked at Prophecyteller and saw how sad she was. All this time, she was going through a silent torture. Artemis leant forward and wrapped a wing tight around the other Nightwing. They sat like that for a long moment, before Treasure squeaked and Artemis let a soft smile on her face.

"They never deserved you, Prophecy. Blood or not, you will always be my sister. And I will always be here for you, because we are family."

Prophecy nodded, slowly. They didn't say anything after that, because they didn't need to.

Above them the sky erupted into flashing and streaking lights. Blue, white, orange.

They watched together as the sky came alive, and they finally felt okay.