Before you read this fanfic, read the previous fanfic called the Flow of the Water.
Prologue[]
Woodpecker awoke with shaking talons. He looked around and saw Thrush curled around her egg, their egg. He shook his pale wings and sighed. He wasn't ready to be a father. Woodpecker worried that his dragonet would to have too little fire. He felt a small tear drip down his chin, the egg would be better without him. Why did that Skywing bother rescue him from the mountain he was abandoned on and nurse him back to health? Woodpecker walked outside of his cottage and looked at his reflection in a nearby pool. He saw the bad scars on his neck, exactly where he had scraped the scales off trying to get back to his mother. His sickly pale orange scales feebly glowing in the cool night air. Woodpecker looked over at his mate, who was sleeping so soundly she didn't notice the egg crack open. A newborn dragonet rolled out and looked at Woodpecker with piercing blue eyes. He shook off a small shard of eggshell that was on top his head and chirped. Woodpecker saw his son had Thrush's dark orange scales and spots. He sighed again and looked towards the arena where his firescaled cousin had been champion for two years. He had the idea of trying to escape to the ocean and fly to a place called the lost continent. He had read about it in an old history scroll. Woodpecker knew there was little chance he'd make it but it would be better than waiting in hiding until Scarlet found him. He took flight off to the Sea Kingdom, not looking back at his son or mate who didn't know that in an hours time she'd wake up to an empty bed.
Chapter One[]
Sparks looked over at Flow and Jeweldancer.
"Hey Flow! Jewel! We should try look for an oasis and rest for a moment!"
"Awww. Can't you wittle baby scales take the biwg bad deswert?" Jewel said in a mock baby voice. She kept taunting Sparks about wanting to rest, saying if he couldn't handle the heat, he shouldn't be there. Sparks looked at Flow for help but she just shrugged, she seemed to enjoy his suffering. Flow had apologised to him countless time for accidentally messing up the enchantment on his bracelet so that it only protected against the cold. Flow offered to fix it but he turned it down, thinking he could handle it. He obviously regretted that decision now yet he was to late, she will make him pay every moment of their journey through the Kingdom of Sand. The beautiful Seawing had put a tempreture enchantment on those amethyst and sapphire earrings but Jewel, on the other talon, had grown up in Possibility so she had somthing of a resistance to heat. Sparks was pretty sure she had grown up as an orphan. On they went through the seemingly endless sand as the sun beat down on them.
I while later, Jewel seemed to be struggling to.
"Want some rest, sweetheart?" Sparks asked with a voice laced with sarcasm.
"C-call me that again an-and you'll find a kn-ife in your back!. She breathed, battling exhaustion. The good thing about being a Skywing was that his large wings could take much more than a Nighwing's or Seawing's, though he couldn't ignore the constant pain in his shoulder blades. Flow was doing remarkably well, somehow better than him. Sparks then remembered that Flow was an animus and probably put some spell to stop her getting tired. Sparks looked down and saw a splodge of green bellow them. Jeweldancer saw it to.
"LOOK! An oasis! Let's go-I mean-Skywing, we'll rest there for an hour so YOU can get your strength back." They dived down to the little island of greenery among the expanse of yellow. A thin stream of water flowed down the centre, which Sparks greedily started lapping up. The refreshing liquid releived his dry tongue and made him feel over all cooler. Flow was saying somthing but Sparks didn't listen, to preoccupied with quenching his thirst. She hadn't spoken much, which struck Sparks as odd. He then remembered she was somewhat shy with strangers and Jewel was one.
"Jewel-dancer" Flow hastily added. "We should rest here until tomorrow-I mean, we'd get burnt to crisp if we stayed in the sun all day..." Betsy the scavenger yapped an agreement.
"It's too out in the open here, so it's unsafe! We could be found! Besides, we wouldn't be burnt, it's not hot enough for that it's only enough to make us mildly uncomfortable."
"No, we wouldn't be found and even if we were, the Sandwing Queen is meant to be very tolerable." Flow stated. Jewel murmered somthing that sounded like 'that's what they say about Ruby but from what you told me...'. Sparks jumped to Flow's defence.
"Hey, what if Flow casts a spell to keep us hidden from the Sandwing guards, then they won't find us and we can stay here for the night." Sparks thought his argument was pretty good. Jewel backed down with a huff, they were able to stay there for the night. But why did Flow look so angry?
Chapter Two[]
Sparks was awoken up by Flow.
"HOW-DO-YOU-LIKE-IT-BEING-SHAKEN-AWAKE? Oh good you already are." Flow said with a hint of spite in her voice.
"I deserve that...how long do you hold a grudge anyway?"
"About a month."
"Oh goodies! Another three weeks and two days of being shaken awake. Hey, why were you angry yesterday?" Sparks remembered that sour look that she had on her face.
"Oh, don't worry. I was just a little fished off that you stuck up for me. I mean, it's the thought that counts but it made me feel sort of useless." Sparks was about to reply, 'oh sorry Flowy, I didn't realise you felt that way' when Jewel RUDELY interupted them with,
"Awww, sorry Lovebugs, but we have to get going now." Sparks was going to argue but realised there was no point. He saw Flow blush an hurry to get ready to leave. Sparks splashed water from the stream on his face, regaining his usual joking about manner.
"All right, let's go! Moons you dragons are slow!"
They flew a few hours more and Sparks instintly regretted leaving the water behind. His lips were cracked and his tongue felt as dry as scavenger. Remembering Betsy, Sparks looked around at the small scavenger. He witnessed a strange sight. Betsy was comfortably posed in between Flow's saphire blue wings, but every few minutes, she would vanish into thin air only to reappear moments later. Sparks realised this was Flow's enchantment and that Betsy kept becoming too hot, so she disapeared out of danger but returning when it had pasted. Why couldn't Flow put an enchantment like that on him?
"Flooow....is it possible that you could put an enchantment on ME so I could disapear in danger?"
"Sorry, I can't! Lophelia said she wouldn't trust us if we put a spell like that on." From the look on Flow's face, she was clearly wondering the same thing as Sparks. Who was 'she'?
Chapter Three[]
They continued their rhythm of flying for another few hours. Sparks wasn't used to the feeling of pain in his muscles, so it was really taking it's toll.
"All you Skywings do is boast you superior flying skills, yet the Seawing and I are doing better than you!" Jewel said.
"Jeweldancer, I have a name, thank you very much!" Flow looked at Jewel quite indignantly. She was clearly offended.
"Seawing, seeing you have a far lesser brain than I, it shouldn't be that big of a problem if I don't call you by your actual name." By the look on Flow's face, Sparks could see she was furious. Flow had started flashing her luminous scales. Sparks was really curious in what she was saying, but then again he didn't. Jewel didn't seem impressed by Flow, in fact, she looked a little amused.
"Fine, I'll call you Flow, Flow. Or do you want me to call you Flowy like the Skywing?"
"Jewel, while you're at it, can you call me Sparks?" Both the female dragons looked at him strangely, and then laughed.
"You'll always be Fishface to me." Flow smirked.
They continued towards, what they hoped was, the Ice Kingdom. Sparks started when he heard voices.
"General, I thought I just heard somthing."
"I'm sure it was nothing..."
"I'm SURE I heard somthing though." Up ahead, to Sandwings holding spears were flying. One turned.
"Sir! Look!" The other dragon turned around. The first looked young, twenty maybe? The second was older, larger and more terrifying.
"You were right. Good work soldier, one day you may replace me and I'll be happy with it, knowing our Kingdom is in good talons." The dragon looked at them leering nastily. "Now, what's a Skywing, Nightwing and Seawing doing in our territory?" To Sparks, it didn't make sense. The tribes were meant to have open borders, now they were at peice. The sand around them suddenly went up into the sky and engulfed them. Confused, Sparks looked around and saw they were underground.
"Whoa! What in all the Moons just happend?" Sparks was wondering the same same thing when it hit him.
"Well...I had to, d-didn't I? I didn't w-want to be in the same position as I was in the Sky kingdom." Flow's stutter was back, she seemed nervous. Flow, again answered his unasked question.
"I don't know why, but re-remember when I cast the enchantment to hide us from Sandwing guards? Well, they saw and heard us just then. I don't know why it didn't work but it's scaring me."
Chapter Four[]
Sparks watched Flow enchant the sand around them to place them back on the surface. He felt the sand lift up, swirling around him. It gave him a weird weightless sensation, like he was in water without that horrible wet feeling. Sparks eyes met a blinding light. Blinking, he turned and saw Jewel muttering somthing under her breath.
"We should go now. I think we were heading this way." Flow announced.They had decided not to fly, giving their aching wings a rest. Sparks, Flow and Jewel traveled a few hours on talon. Sparks legs were burning, much more than his wings had. The ground around them had become rockier and rougher, that wasn't normal for a desert, right? A strange sound started thundering in his ears. Flow suddenly stopped in front of him, making him stumble and fall.
"WAVES! That sound is waves! You know what this means? We are at an ocean!"
"What's so good about that if we try drinking it our tongues will shrivel up." Jewel said bitterly. Betsy, who was curled up in Flow's wing, raised her head.
"I'm an animus. I could purify it." The Seawing suggested. Jewel looked about to agree, however reluctantly, when Sparks saw four figures in the distance. Two were Sandwings and one was a Nightwing. Sparks gasped when he saw the last one, she was like nothing he had ever seen. The four dragons didn't notice them, they just walked to the shore a took flight. Sparks, Flow and Jewel watched the dragons fade away on the horizon. They let out a collective sigh, as the rest of the group had held their breaths like Sparks. He looked over and saw a small wooden hut just a few meters away.
"Let's go look inside." Sparks heard Jewel say behind him. They went inside and Sparks took in the one roomed house. It was quite a plain room. It had a bed in the corner, a desk and chair in the other. On the walls were a few paintings, all capturing two Sandwings.
"Must be one of the Sandwings' houses." Sparks murmered to himself. On the desk was a single scroll which he picked up and read.
Enchant Sandwing guards to be immune to all animus magic if they or their Queen don't give their consent.
"Flow! Read this." Flow went over to him and read it.
"Oh, that's why my enchant didn't work!" Flow exclaimed.
Chapter Five[]
They inspected the hut for a little longer but found nothing more of importance. They decided that they'd fly the rest of the way to the Ice Kingdom.
"We must be getting close. I heard the Sand Kingdom was large but we've been traveling for days." Sparks voiced. He watched as Flow spread her azure wings and push off the ground. He had noticed she'd been getting alot stronger than when they had left the Sea Kingdom, so now as she flew he could see her muscles rippling at each flap. Jewel was less majestic, as she flew, she bobbed up and down. Though Jewel was no doubt stronger than him and Flow combined. Sparks felt the welcomed rush of wind sstreaming along his wings. Betsy was sitting on Flow's head, screaming with joy. He somtimes wondered what it was like being a scavenger, in a world made for dragons.
The group had flown along the shore for a bit but decided it would be quicker to cut across the sand, into the desert.
"We shouldn't stray too far from the ocean, who knows how long we'll be out here! We can't deprive ourselves from water for too long, especially for a Seawing like me! Seawings go insane when dehydrated!" Flow called above the wind.
"Can't you just magic up some water!?!" Jewel called back. Sparks saw Flow shake her head sadly.
"Animus magic has it's limits! I am unable to recall the dead, create food or water or create real life." Sparks watched Flow fly down and grab a talon full of sand.
"Enchant this sand to bring Spout back from the dead!" Flow's talons turned grey for a moment but nothing else happened. "Enchant sand to become a roast pig and a bowel of water!" The same thing happend. "Enchant this sand to become a Mudwing!" This time, a tiny Mudwing appeared, no bigger than a scavenger.
"Whoa! It worked!" Sparks exclaimed. Flow ahook her head.
"This is fake! Mudwing what do you think we should do next?" The miniscule dragon raised it's head.
"I do not no Miss." It speaked in a high pitched monotone.
"Oh, I see! The MudWing can't contribute anything! It's utterly useless! Even more so than a RainWing!" Jeweldancer sighed. Suddenly, the MudWing turned to dust.
"Yes."
They traveled a little while longer. The wind had started to pick up.
"Hey, we should stop! I think a sandstorm may be on it's way!" Jewel suggested. Sparks noticed sand had started to mix with the wind. His eyes started watering as bits of sand got in his eyes. They continued flying a bit longer and sand started whipping around in the air. The wind had gotten heavy. Sparks could feel it scraping against his scales, it stung.
"JEWEL, I THINK YOU WERE RIGHT, LETS STOP!" Sparks bellowed. The wind was whistling in his ears, making it near impossible to hear. Betsy was huddled on Flow's back, paws shielding her face and the long fur on her head full of sand.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU LISTEN TO ME BEFORE!" Jewel shouted back.
"STOP! JEWEL, SORRY WE DIDN'T LISTEN BUT NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO ARGUE! I ENCHANT THE WIND TO PROTECT US FROM THE SAND, CREATING AN INVISIBLE BARRIER AROUND US!" Flow yelled. All became calm. Sparks saw the sandstorm continue to rage on around them but somehow not affect them.
"Flowy, why didn't you just stop the storm? Is one of your limits that you can't control the weather?" He asked. To his surprise, Jewel answered.
"Wouldn't it be suspicious if a sandstorm, that just started, suddenly stopped? Sandwings are a clever bunch, it wouldn't go unnoticed."
"She's right, you know." Flow said.
Chapter Six[]
Being in the midst of a violent sandstorm was fascinating for Sparks. While Flow and Jewel (and Betsy) were busy planning and preparing for when the storm past, he was just sitting down staring at the sand swirling around him. It was almost as strange and beautiful as Flow.
"Sparks...Sparks? SPARKS!" Flow cut into his line of thought.
"Wha-oh hey Flowy! Have you FINALLY stopped calling me Fishface?" He said in most charming voice.
"I'll stop calling you Fishface if you stop calling me Flowy. My names Flow not Flow-ee."
"Deal! Well deal if-"
"Okay, sorry to cut into your lovey nonsense but the sandstorm will finish soon. We don't want to be here 'til the next one, do we?" Jewel rolled her eyes at him. Serious, what was it with her and being so RUDE? Then Sparks realised this was the perfect opportunity to annoy Jewel so he smiled.
"Oh, it's good sweetheart. You don't have to be jealous of Flowy-Flow! I said Flow, Flow. But well I am afraid there can be nothing between us. I'm Flow's, Flow's mine. No hard feelings." He finished with a broad grin. Jewel's face tinted red, with anger.
"Oh, keep dreaming, lover dragon. Why would I love a spineless worm like you? Most Skywings have fire hot enough to melt diamonds, but your a wet puddle without a single flame." Jewel growled. Sparks felt his smile falter at these harsh words. She couldn't know, could she? Flow must have seen his mood change, as she suggested,
"How about we all go now, you know, stretch our wings and let out some energy. The sandstorm stopped, we should continue now." They agreed and went into the wind barrier. The barrier felt weird to step into, like an amount of buit up pressure formed between his wings and was suddenly relieved as he stepped out.
The sun beat down on Sparks' wings. Betsy yawned on Flow's shounder, attempting to shake the last of the sand out of her fur. All was now peaceful between him and Jewel, save the occasional glare or two. They continued along the stretch of sand that never seemed to end. Every single scale on his body seemed to be burning from the desert heat and beads of sweat formed on his brow. He wondered if they'd ever reach the Ice Kingdom.
Chapter Seven[]
Sparks eyes would never forget the yellow colour of sand. Sand. That's all there was in this barren landscape they a desert, millions of tiny pieces of rocks, shells, dust and bones. He thought this for hours, though he didn't voice it. Envy crept over him, Flow and Jewel were used to this. Jewel had lived in Possibility, regularly exploring the desert bordering her home and Flow spent half her time on the tropical islands and beaches in the Bay of a Thousand Scales. He, on the other talon, lived high up on a coolish mountain, where there was barley even a warm day.
"Stop." Flow broke Sparks semi-consiousness, she had a habit of doing this. "I thought I just heard..." Sparks saw her ears prick up like a foxes. Realising she had heard somthing, Sparks also listened out.
"Oi! Yer lil' lizard! Git back 'ere wit' me gold!" A voice, with an accent even thicker than that Sandwing they had stayed with, bellowed at what he speculated was a theif. Sparks could tell she was shouting, even though it was barely a whisper in his ears. He strained his eyes and saw a greyish blob on the horizon. He made for it, with the rest of the group. They past a young pale Sandwing who was dangling a velvet pouch over his head yelling,
"Come get me Locus'! Go live with your brother in Possibility if you wanna keep your treasure!" They then past a bulky Sandwing with cold eyes, who bore striking resemblance to the Possibility Sandwing.
"Ya wait 'til I git me tal'ns on ya. I'll go ta Possibili'y an' feas' on ya brains with Pinca'e!" She yelled. They went past the quarreling Sandwings, towards the grey blob. Slowly, the blob turned into a wall surrounding a town. Sparks went right up to it and found an entrance with an old misspelled wooden sign.
SCOrPiEN DEN ENTEr AT YOUR OWN risK
"The Scorpion Den? Wait..." Flow muttered behind him. Sparks turned and saw her turn a talon full of sand into a map of Pyrrhia. She traced her claw along it, suddenly stopping.
"That's it! Oh no...We must have got turned around at some point." Flow announced.
"WHAT! You've got to be joking! We've been traveling in circles? We've been traveling in damn circles for how many day-" Jewel exclaimed.
"It's not the end of Pyrrhia, Jewel." Sparks cut into Jewel's ranting. "But it will be if we delay for much longer. We'll just have to make do. Anyway, I've always wanted to see the Scorpion Den!"
Chapter Eight[]
They went into the Scorpion Den. The first thing he noticed was it was cramed full of old looking simple buildings, tents and stalls that looked about to collapse. In the middle of the town was an oasis. It was the only clean and nice looking thing that Sparks could see, save for Flow. It was a large pool of clear pristine water with a few palm trees and some other plants around it. It was extremely loud, louder than Possibility and the atmosphere was somewhat suspicious. Half the dragons wore hoods, masks or some other device to hide their face. A dragon passed them and hissed,
"Ahhh. Fresh meat. You'd better escape whilst you can little dragonets..." They walked away. Sparks looked at Flow, who was shielding Betsy from a tattooed Sandwing. The Sandwing licked his lips and gave Flow a toothy smile.
"Sparks, Jewel, I don't like it here...I think we should leave." She whispered quickly.
"I agree, Flow." Sparks replied. Jewel nodded her head. It was clear to Sparks she didn't trust anyone here. He didn't either. The young dragon they saw earlier walked past, flashing them a grin. Sparks wached him for a moment and focused back on Flow. Somthing wasn't right about her, somthing was missing. Suddenly he realised.
"FLOW, your earrings!" He said. "There gone!" He looked at his wrist. The bracelet that Flow enchanted had vanished to, and he knew who stole it.
"The Sandwing we saw before we came in here, the one who just went by! He's probably a theif!" It all clicked, he already stole that pouch, he gave them that knowing grin...Sparks looked and saw him making his way past the oasis, giving the guard a nod. Sparks ran towards the theif, ignoring Flow and Jewel as they tried to tell him it wasn't important, that Flow could make knew things or just enchant them to come back. He reached the theif and grabbed him by the scruff.
"ARGG!" The Sandwing was caught by surprise as Sparks pushed him against the wall of a building.
"You thieving little son of an ibis! Give us back the stuff you stole." Sparks knew that the theif wouldn't know how precious the items were and would probably sell them in an hours time.
"All righ', all righ'! Stop shoving my snou' in the wall and I'll give your moon forsaken jewelry back!" Sparks stopped pressing the scrawny Sandwing into the bricks but kept a firm hold on his throat.
"Who are you and what gives you the right to just take our possessions?" Sparks demanded, trying to sound as tough as he could.
"I'm Shrew, local pick-pocke' and goods seller. I pretty much nick dragon's stuff and sell i' for twice as much as it's worth." Sparks looked at Shrew. He was a skinny weak looking Sandwing with scales so pale they looked white. His beady eyes were black with spots of brown. His tail barb was small and blunt, it didn't look like it could pierce through a scroll. Sparks saw Shrew look over at Flow and Jewel, whose scales stuck out against the yellows and browns of the Sandwings.
"Hey, could you introduce me to those lovely dragons over there?" Shew asked.
Chapter Nine[]
Sparks had half the mind to refuse and walk away. This Sandwing didn't even ask his name, he was obviously trying to make a wife out of Flow or Jewel. Then again, Shrew had their stuff. He could sell it to anyone and have it end up in the wrong talons. Shrew didn't seem like the type to do this on purpose but he probably wouldn't think twice to the highest bidder.
"Fine. But don't put a claw on either of them. Understand?"
"Okay, Skywing. You have my word. Wha' is your name, fine sir?" Shrew said it all in a oily voice.
"Sparks." Sparks already didn't favour Shrew, he hoped Flow and Jewel would see he was untrustworthy. Sparks went to them with Shrew trailing behind.
"You brought him? I thought you were going to murder him with your bare talons." Flow said half jokingly.
"No, I would have used my dagger." He signaled to the pouch he wore on his ankle. Seeing Flow's worried glance, he added. "Joking, joking...This is Shrew. I would n-never harm Shrew in a-any way." He saw Flow didn't buy it, he was a terrible liar.
"Greetings, I didn't know anything could be more beautiful than a diamond, until I saw you at leas'." Shrew announced in that same slippery voice.
"Oh, Hi, I-I'm Fl-" Flow began.
"Hello Shrew! My name is Jeweldancer. But I insist you call me Jewel." Jewel interupted the flustered Flow, battering her purple eyes.
"Wow, I always though' Nightwings were creepy, but you are a jewel. An amethys' to be exac'. Look how lucky you are, Sparks, with to beau'iful dragons beside you." Sparks watched Shrew turn back to Flow. He saw Jewel's smile wipe off her face as Shrew turned his back to her.
"Shrew. Do all Sandwings have accents?" Flow asked.
"Well, here at the Den yes. Why?"
"I thought it was annoying bu-Sparks, Jewel, the dragon who killed Spout is over there!" Sparks saw the dragon Flow was talking about over at a stall, buying another accessory for his collection. The dragon no longer wore a mask, exposing his green face. He was a Rainwing. They hid behind an empty stall, dragging Shrew with them.
"Whoa, watch i'! Why we hiding from Chameleon?" Shrew questioned.
"You know this dragon?" Sparks was outraged, Shrew was friends with a murderer.
"Yeah...he always buys my stuff for a high price. Half his jewelry is from me." The Sandwing explained. Sparks watched Chameleon buy a few necklaces and start to look around. What was he doing, was he looking for them?
Chapter Ten[]
The group, finally, left the Scorpion Den, though Shrew sadly came with them. He had practically begged to come and Sparks had practically begged for him not. Sparks could only watch as Shrew launched into the story of his upbringing.
"I was an orphan." Shrew had said. "As a young dragone' I was living in poverty, I was broke, not one piece of gold on me. Had to rely on the kindness of the ou'-claws to survive, didn' I? A' the age of four I decided to take matters in my own talons. I began a small humble dragone' off the stree's, a mediocre common theif to a pick-pocke'ing extraordinaire! All in all, I have no one tha' cares 'bout me. So I am nothing more than a theiving scoundrel." It made Sparks sick that Flow and Jewel was buying all this, but he didn't have a say. The Sandwing went with them
Sparks flew along with Flow, Jewel and Shrew behind him. If he had to listen to any more of Shrew's stories, he would probably murder someone, not Flow of course. When Shrew started his story of the bear that sat on a bee for the third time, Sparks whipped his head around.
"If I to hear anymore from you, Sandwing, oh Moons you'll be sorry!" He hissed.
"Oh all righ' then. Wha' go' your tail in a kno'" Shrew asked, sniggering. Sparks just ignored him. Flow cried out,
"Stop!"
"What?" Sparks and the rest of the groups asked in unison.
"They're coming! They're coming!" Sparks noticed a haunted looking expression on her face, this wasn't some weird joke. Betsy vanished from Flow's shoulder.
"Who's coming Flowy?" He asked. Flow just shook her head and pointed her claw to the sky. He looked and saw two dragon shaped figures flying down. They all quickly hid, knowing it was to late for Flow to enchant anything unnoticed. Sparks took refuge behind a small sand dune. The two dragons touched down. One was a dark hooded Nightwing holding a knife, the other was Chameleon. Sparks noticed the hooded dragon was roughly dragging Chameleon behind him.
"Master-Master I sw-swear they were at the D-den-Scorpion Den." The green dragon stuttered.
"Nonsense! I know they are not. I have my ways and they are not in that horrible place." Nightwing boomed. "This is a waste of my time."
"B-but I saw them there! They were right there!" Chameleon pointed in the direction Sparks had just come, revealing a pale pink scar on his arm.
"You saw them there, but you didn't do anything?" The stranger let out a long, deliberate sigh. "Ohhh Chamelon...you are a faithful servant and all yet you seem to have falling standards. I asked for a strong, smart, brave dragon but....you are none of those. You have failed me to many times to let you live, if you still had that shape-shifting ability I might've though..."
"M-M-Master?"
"Goodbye Chameleon." The dragon lept at Chameleon with his dagger ready.
"SHADOWCRAWLER! STOP, STOP PLEASE-" His cries were cut off and the dragon flew off, leaving Chameleon's crumpled body behind.
Chapter Eleven[]
Horror and disbelief was all that went through Sparks mind. He looked over at Chameleon's body, which had just had the life snuffed out of it, bleeding out onto the sand. Chameleon may have been a treacherous and horrid dragon but he had just been murdered in front of them! He saw that Flow and Jewel had identical expressions of shock on their faces. Shrew was...Sparks couldn't see where the theif went. He glanced back at the body and saw Shrew stripping it of it's jewelry and treasures.
"Shrew! That's-that's just...wrong!" He exclaimed.
"Was'e no' wan' no'. Besides, mos' of this was mine to begin with, before he bough' i' at leas'." The Sandwing chuckled and continued, singing a tune under his breath.
The group continued on and Sparks felt like he was finally growing used to the smoldering heat. He didn't know how Shrew was able to carry all that treasure and be able to actually fly. He then remembered Flow's powers yet again. Sparks saw Shrew give Jewel a beautiful engraved silver ring with a black onyx embedded in it. She put it on and it paired perfecty with her dark purple scales. He felt a burning rage build up inside him. Shrew was playing Flow and Jewel and Sparks didn't like it. He put his focus off Shrew for the moment and and suddenly felt like someone was watching him. Flow flew up next to him.
"Sparks, I feel like-" Flow began slowly.
"Someone's watching us?" He finished.
"H-how? How do you do that?"
"I'm secretly half Nightwing, obviously. I can read minds and see futures, oooohhhh..." Sparks was enjoying her baffled expression. She slapped him playfully.
"Don't be a squid-brain! This is serious!" Flow shook her beautiful head. "We should be careful." He agreed and placed his talon on her shoulder,
"I know." They uneasiness did not resolve itself. They flew down and prepared for the night.
"'Right gang! We should be clear of this deser' in two days tops. We made good progress today!" Shrew said in his bossy, arrogant manner. Sparks noticed that Shrew started to treat this journey as his own. They settled down around the fire that Jewel lit and sleep came to Sparks.
Sparks opened one eye. The desert's sunlight glared back. Taken aback by the sudden brightness, he blinked a few times.
"Sparks, I just wanted you to know-oh, y-your awake..." Flow was sitting next to him. He was curious in what it was. Sparks was just about to ask when he heard a roar.
"WHA'!?! WHERE IN THE MOONS DID I' ALL GO!?! WHICH OF YOU SPITTING CAMELS TOOK I'!?!" Sparks quickly recongnised the voice as Shrew's. He and Flow made their way over to the furious dragon. Jewel was already there, though she looked like she'd only just woken up, there and then. Shrew was in front of them, staring at them with his mad brown eyes.
"Look!" Shrew spat. Sparks looked past the Sandwing and saw some of the treasure Shrew stole. A few gems, a saphire necklace and some gold.
"It's gone! All gone!" Shrew exclaimed. Sparks realised that small pile was all that was left of Shrew's stolen goods and he couldn't help smiling.
Chapter Twelve[]
They flew on. Sparks felt his muscles rippling under his flesh and flashed Flow a smile and she smiled back with that sweet smile she possessed. How could a scrawny thing like Shrew even think that a beautiful Seawing like Flow deserved him.
"My lovely Seawing, I never for a momen' though' you, or the fair Nightwing back there stole my treasure. I mean, the obvious suspec' was Sparks, 'cause ain' he a trouble maker?" Sparks heard Shrew's remark.
"No, he's really not. You are 'the obvious suspec" here." Flow's imitation of Shrew was pitch perfect in Sparks mind but when he looked over he saw Flow giving that pretty and playful smile he somtimes achieved...AT SHREW! He couldn't believe his eyes. He wasn't the only one looking enviously at the two, Jewel, who was flying behind them, was glaring daggers at Flow. He saw her turn her glare to Shrew where is softened greatly. This was the most annoying situation he faced, Jewel loved Shrew, who loved Flow, who hopefully loved him. But at the moment, he doubted that.
A few short hours past and Sparks noticed that Jewel was looking shifty, it was like she was hiding something. It was most probably her undeclared yet obvious crush on Shrew, but when he asked her, she told him to p*** off. How dare she!?! He was suspicious of Jewel now.
"Flow! I need to talk to you!" He called the Seawing. He caught her attention and she came over.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think that Jewel's acting strangely?" Sparks asked Flow, who sighed.
"Yes. I think it's just her emotions getting the better of her, though. That peculiar act she's doing is most probably love, but you don't know that emotion, do you?" Sparks chuckled nervously, she couldn't know. He looked at her and her expression said it all. She was joking. "Relax Sparks, friendly banter remember? Now I see your reaction though, I think you do have the hots for someone. Who? A beautiful Skywing?"
"Um, Perigrine, she's-um very pretty and um-cool and...RED! Yes she's very red."
"Oooohh, my best friend for two years has a crush? Well I'll find her and get you two together!" Sparks didn't know what it was but somthing about the way she said 'friend' stung.
Chapter Thirteen[]
Sparks wached the sun sink under the horizon. Shrew had informed them that they were extremely close to the Ice Kingdom, so much so that they could reach it the next day. Flow was sat next to him, it was perfect. All he had to do was reach his wing over her and this moment would get even better. He made to do this but then a voice startled them, making him flinch back.
"Oi Flow, come here for a mo'." Shrew's thick, ugly voice cut over their minutes of blissfulness. He watched Flow oblige, getting up and walking towards the Sandwing. The two dragons departed, leaving Sparks alone.
The cool night air cut his face like knives. He shivered, wishing for fire. If only... He shook his orange head and looked at the rising moons. One was full and other two were slithers of bright white in the dark night sky. The silver specks of stars shimmered at him, glimmering and twinkling away. Misty grey clouds swirled across the sky, obscuring the flashes of white. The sky may be his and his tribes forté but at this time it was not, it was Jewel's. He thought about Flow and Shrew, it wasn't fair. He had felt somthing for Flow since the moment they met that fateful day, two years ago. Shrew had only just met her a talonful of days ago and he started claiming he liked her. Sparks felt a small tear crawl down his face and watched it splash on the ground. No, he wasn't going to cry because of a theif like Shrew. He hadn't cried in years, not since he was a tiny dragonet. He learnt to suck it up, even when his mother, Thrush, was being that neglectful and insulting parent she was. Sparks wiped his eyes and sat there for a moment longer.
"You too?" A voice behind him whispered. He turned and saw Jewel standing there, her rough, deep violet scales almost blending in the shadowy night. He looked in her purpura eyes which were red and bloodshot, as if she had been crying. He nodded, she nodded back. The Nightwing slowly backed away and was swallowed up by the black abyss of night. He put his head down, and intended to sleep but he couldn't. Sparks closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind, images of Flow and Shrew popped up in his mind's eye. He pressed his talons hardly to his eyelids. Stars and flashes of bright colour clouded his vision, making his brain ache. He opened his stinging eyes and binked into the open night air. He wanted to be loved, that was all, to feel love in return. Sparks wished he for Flow to love him, but that was all it was, a wish, a meaningless wish that was such a small speck in a big world. He found himself sobbing as he fell asleep.
Chapter Fourteen[]
Sparks had hardly any sleep. He had awoken just before dawn, the crisp night air still present. He rubbed his tired eyes and looked around him. A blue figure was lying soundly in front of him, her breaths were big and slow. Sparks got to his talons and a voice peeped up,
"Sparks?" Of course, beautiful, intelligent, fierce yet gentle Flow had been feigning sleep.
"Yes Flow." He said, rather stiffly.
"Oh, what are you doing?"
"I don't know, what are you doing? Or what were you doing, you know, back with Shrew?" He was shocked at how he was speaking to her and she was to.
"W-what do you mean?" Even though it was dark, Sparks could see her expression, and it looked like she'd just been clawed in the face.
"Oh. You act like I don't know anything. But I do. So spit it out, why won't you?" He wanted to stop himself saying all these foul things, yet he couldn't. He readied for a furious Flow about to yell out somthing off colour, but instead,
"What's wrong?" Flow didn't say it in a narky manner, she said it slow and caring. He ignored it though and just looked out in the distance, not at anything in particular.
"Imagine what it would be like to just cease existing, to abandon all inner and outer struggles for a peaceful, care free nonexistence. Or to start afresh, away from anything that bothers you. Death could be our next great adventure, you know? It would be nice to explore the world of the dead, to be at peace at last. Why be afraid of the inevitable, aren't we all born to die?" He whispered this all slowly and profoundly. Flow looked at him worriedly.
"You don't mean that, do you? Please, Sparks, tell me what's wrong." He looked at her and gushed out,
"It-It's just...I was born to a normal Skywing and one with too little fire. My father, the one with no fire, left my mother as I was born, we never saw him again. Mother was destroyed by this. She was and is one of the worst mothers I could've had. I wished for my father everyday. I also can't breathe proper fire, I can only get sparks and embers. That's where I got my name..." He saw Flow look at him sadly and he got the courage to go on. "I then met you. I felt happier around you. Now I see you with Shrew though, I have found myself in the same dark place. It's been hard the last few days but it's gotten too much to hold in now..." His voice cracked and he stopped. He felt Flow step close to him and heard Betsy, who must have been on Flow's back, squeak.
"It's alright Sparks, it's alright." She whispered tenderly.
"Flow, I think I love you..." He breathed back.
Chapter Fifteen []
It was decided between him and Flow, what happened that night stayed in that night. They did not mention it's event ever again. Sparks had seen Flow pull Shrew aside and when they came back, Shrew had looked a little sad. Flow had enchanted a highly detailed map to be etched into the sandy ground and Sparks was relieved to know that they were only a few hours flight away from the border. They lifted up into the sky. A few moments later, Flow's worried voice raised above the wind.
"Three moons! I left Betsy!" He went with her back to their abandoned camp, where Betsy was curled up, sleeping peacefully. Flow grabbed her and put the scavenger on her shoulder.
"Sparks...just so you know, I told Shrew that I don't return his feelings...he was sad but he agreed to just be friends. But that doesn't apply to us..." Sparks saw Flow step towards him, he did the same. They were inches from each other when,
"Yeah, I've always wanted to eat that BLASTED SCAVENGER WHO IS ALWAYS DELAYING US NO MATTER WHAT! Flow's gotta stop worrying about that STUPID ANIMAL!" Jewel bellowed, intending them to hear. The pair jumped back from each other. Sparks felt his cheeks growing hot, becoming glad that his dark orange scales could hide his embarrassment, Flow wasn't so lucky. It wasn't just her cheeks, in fact her whole face had turned red.
"S-S-Sorry, I thought...nevermind..." The flustered Seawing flew off, away from a bewildered Sparks. He stood there for a moment and went after her.
They flew on. Sparks saw that Shrew was focusing more on Jewel now, almost completely ignoring Flow. Jewel was happy, Flow was happy, Shrew was happy, he was happy, they all were happy. He smiled at Flow, who smiled back sheepishly. Shrew started his stories once more but this time Sparks didn't care. All was too perfect, at least it was at that moment.
"Over there! Look I think i's the border between Sand and Ice! We made i'!" Shrew exclaimed. The ground wasn't covered in sand here, it was a hard rocky ground. He noticed a change in temperature and saw everything was covered in frost. Flow shrieked and plummeted to the ground. He made for the falling figure, along with Shrew and Jewel. Suddenly, he froze up. His wings stopped working and he felt a rush of air, he too was falling. Darkness was rapidly eating up his vision. Everything went black.
Chapter Sixteen[]
Strange dreams swept over him. Flow weaved in and out, he saw her with himself, then Shrew, then his school bully, Flame, who appeared one day out of nowhere to disapear to Jade Mountain Academy. Jewel was cackling insanely somewhere when a strange Nightwing wearing a hooded cloak, who looked strangely familiar, popped up in front of him.
"The shadow continues to watch, crawling into your dreams..." The Nightwing hissed before he too joined Jewel's laughing. The mad laughter echoed through his head and a shadow swept over him.
Sparks awoke with a gasp. Breathing heavily, he wiped the sweat off his forehead. He struggled blindly, terrified that he had somehow lost sight before realising that the sun had set. He concentrated deeply and breathed a spark on what he hoped was something flammable. A fire started, illuminating everything around him.
"Sparks?" Flow called from somewhere. He strained his eyes and saw her a few metres away. He rushed over to her. "It's so good to see you! What happened." Sparks took her talons in his. She just shook her head, signaling that she didn't have an answer.
"Sparks, Flow! Quick!" Jewel yelled. Sparks followed Flow, who was able to see Jewel through her night vision. He saw the purple figure of Jewel as they got close. Jewel lit a fire, stronger than Sparks' and he was able to see that Jewel was wounded. There were slash marks all over her body, oozing blood and oje of her wings looked broken.
"What happe-" He began.
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine! It's Shrew I'm worried about, look!" The Nightwing cut in. Sparks looked down and made a gruesome dicovery. Shrew was laying on the ground, unconsious. His throat looked torn out and blood was trickeling down his face. The Sandwing had a hunk of flesh missing from his face and one of his eyes had been gouged out. The scales on Shrew's wings were scraped off and bleeding. There was a deep cut going from the eye ridge on his remaining eye all the way to the tip of his tail. Shrew was on the brink of death, he was barley even breathing. Sparks watched Flow lunge down and start murmering enchantments. He watched scales grow and join together. The throat closed in and an eye filled in under Shrew's eyelid. The process was almost finished when Shrew woke up.
"Ow! Flow, thanks so much bu' could you leave a small scar possibly?" Flow stopped.
"Why?"
"I' will make me look tough, no one takes me seriously a' the mo'." Flow left a bit of the cut that went to the theif's tail, stopping it at his chin. Sparks launched into questions as Flow patched Jewel up.
"What happened?" He asked. Jewel and Shrew looked at each other and said,
"A shadow continues to watch, crawling into your dreams..."
Epilogue[]
A hooded dragon stood in front of a small Icewing.
"You are the first full Icewing to be born with animus abilities since Prince Artic, give me your powers or die." Shadowcrawler demanded.
"Ha! A mediocre completely normal dragon like you kill me?" The animus said ludicrouslly.
"I'm not a mediocre dragon, I'm not a normal dragon, I'm a seer. And I know your contomplating killing me." He took out a knife, the same used to kill that old Seawing and Chameleon.
"Fine, you can have my gift. I never wanted it any way." The animus closed his eyes and Shadowcrawler swiftly dodged a bolder that fell from the sky, then a storm of sharp icicles and finally a dagger aimed at his heart without batting an eyelid. The Icewing looked taken aback.
"You weren't lying?"
"I wish to have your abilities. Now." The other dragon bowed his head and concentrated for a moment.
"Done." The white dragon went to leave.
"I don't think so. How do I know you aren't still an animus?" He raised his weapon and stabbed the defenseless dragon, leaving him there to die. What a waste.
"I enchant myself to be immortal." The dragon declared. Shadowcrawler suddenly became a Seawing and laughed. The Seawing flew off. No one knew that in an hours time, two Seawings, Seaweed and Manatee, were about to mysteriously go missing. The lone Icewing took his last breath, shuddered and went dead still.
Yep, you just finished Sparks in the Sky. But don't worry, it's not the end yet, it's only the beginning. Will the group survive? I honestly do not know, it depends how I'm feeling when I write. Dancing on the Jewels is the next book.