The Pest and the Flower: a wof fanfiction by Pastellar and Snowfox the IceWing

Prologue

Honeycomb felt the chill on her scales as she ran through the hazy Poison Jungle. The Hivewing-Silkwing hybrid wasn't used to this kind of weather. The bitter cold stuck like icicles jabbing into her. But I've got to get out of here. Before she finds me.

That night she had no choice but to run from her family. It was too dangerous for Wasp to find her and see where the Leafwings were living. If she found out... it would be a disaster. She was already in enough trouble for not even doing anything.

Her mate, Canopy, was a pure Leafwing. They had met in the Wasp hive, while he and ten other Leafwings were going to burn it down. She had let them do it, and took her with them when they found out she was flamesilk. Ever since she's been supplying the Leafwings with all the fire they need to demolish the Hivewings. She hated the Hivewings as much as the Leafwings did, even though her father was one.

Honeycomb suddenly tripped on a vine that looked like it was taking over the tree. She fell on the moist ground and scrambled back up. As she got up, pain shot up through her left leg. She was almost to the vast savanna that separated the Poison Jungle from the hives. Her family would be safe from her when she reached it.

She gripped her leg, thinking whether she should risk flying in the Poison Jungle. She looked up. The savanna was only a few wingspans away.

No, I shouldn't risk it

The Leafwings had taught her to NEVER fly in the Poison Jungle if you weren't a Leafwing, otherwise the carnivorous plants would get you. She didn't really think that was true, but she decided to just sprint the rest of the way.

She limped as fast as she could toward the savanna, when white clouded her vision and suddenly her thoughts were interrupted with a voice. The voice was very recognizable.

No, she couldn't-

She collapsed at the very border of the Poison Jungle, giving in to Wasp's control.

* * *

Canopy sighed for about the thousandth time. Looking at the sun, he saw it was mid-afternoon. The haze lifted a little while ago, and his dragonet slept through it.

Hibiscus was his daughter, only the age of three, yet was so young. She would wake and look around, looking for her mother. Canopy knew that Honeycomb always left in the morning to find food and berries, but she was never this late. He saw the sleeping dragonet's chest slowly rise and fall.

"Wake up." Canopy whispered to the dragonet. Another hour had passed. Maybe the Leafwings will know. Canopy thought as a yawn escaped the little one's mouth.

"Daddy, what's happening?" The sweet dragonet said with a smile.

"We need to visit a place, a place where I used to live." Canopy said. His voice was gentle, yet his eyes said otherwise.

Canopy lifted the dragonet onto his back and focused. The trees slowly cleared a pathway to his home, well, old home. The LeafWing male walked at a steady pace, yet he urged to go faster.

It took a few minutes to walk there, since his nest was by the shore of the dragon's mouth area. But when he arrived, the guards at the entrance were startled.

"Who are you, and state your business!" The first guard yelled slightly, the spear in his hands pointed at Canopy. The second one nodded, her spear close to his back.

"I used to live here, and I come with great urgency. Perhaps you remember the name Canopy." His deep, yet smooth voice seemingly put the guards in a completely new attitude. "Canopy! Old friend, what brings you here? We haven't seen you for years!" The first guard explained, or known as Spruce. Spruce's sister, Birch, chortled.

"Hey there. Of course we'll let you in. I'll escort you to the leader."

Birch led him in, the vines and plants of the dome towering over him. As he followed, Hibiscus jumped from his back, making him yelp.

"Hibiscus!" He yelled in slight fury but mostly worry.

But Hibiscus didn't listen. She was by another dragonet, younger than her, talking excitedly.

"My name is Hibiscus, what's yours?" The dragonet asked.

"My name is Sundew, the heir of leading this town. So Hibiscum, get out of my way, you look so ugly and too colorful." The other dragonet stuck her nose in the air as she sauntered off.

Canopy sighed as Hibiscus came back, her body drooping.

"Why did you leave?" Canopy asked, sternness in his tone.

"C-cos she s-seemed nic-ce." She sobbed.

"Shh." Canopy shushed her. "It's okay, young one."

All the dragons around them were either confused, staring, or hiding young ones from the sight of her. Besides, Hibiscus was a hybrid... but Birch was walking toward them. "They're ready to see you."

"They?" Canopy asked, but wasn't answered as he was forced into the tent structure for the leader, or leaders now.

Lifting the draping vines, he let his daughter curl up by him. "Yes?" A voice said, looking up, he saw the leader with his mate. "I want to know if your guards have seen a HiveWing-SilkWing hybrid anywhere..." He said.

"A hybrid..?" The mate said. "That's rather strange. The guards earlier this morning said they saw one on the outskirts of the jungle, heading towards the hive in a...possessed way."

Canopy's eyes widened, his eyes dilating. She's gone! She can't be gone... not her, not Honeycomb... no, no, no no no NO!

"Why are they talking about mommy?" Hibiscus said by him. She was by silence. "Why are they talking about mommy?!" She yelled at him, tears leaking from her eyes.

"She's gone..." Canopy choked on his tears. "...forever."