What Lurks In The Shadows (WoF)

🦋 Chapter 4 - Dusky 🦋

Dusky looked out at the trees. Luna was busy, doing something with those...Pyrrhian dragons.

His mother had been gone as well. She was out doing something that she said Dusky shouldn't know about just yet.

But he wanted to know. Dusky wanted to know what Luna and his mother were hiding.

Suddenly, a noise pricked from beside him. A butterfly had landed on the grass beside Dusky. He instantly crouched down, his wingbuds fluttering.

The butterfly was unaware of Dusky.

Dusky pounced, and the butterfly scattered into the air with fast swoops of it's little wings.

"Hah! You're smart!" Dusky told the butterfly, eyes gleaming. Then a pang of sadness washed over him. "If only I had wings like you. Then I could fly like Luna and Blue."

Dusky watched the butterfly as it flew out of his reach, into the air and away from him.

Then Luna's voice struck him. "Dusky?" She asked, walking towards him. Dusky sat up straight.

"Hi, Luna!" He squeaked. "What happened? Why were you and mom doing things? What things? I want to know!"

Luna flicked her tail and sat down with Dusky. "Listen, Dusk. I gotta tell you something.

"What's wrong? Is Wasp back?" Dusky was concerned. Luna hadn't looked this serious since Queen Wasp was still queen.

"No, no!" Luna shook her head, her antennae vibrating slightly. "I was talking with a messenger." She began slowly.

"And what did they say?" Dusky asked, intrigued. He never got to hear about Luna's meeting with the Pyrrhian dragons.

"First off, they are remaking Jade Mountain. They want new students." Luna looked at Dusky, wings fluttering. "I talked with your mother, and she wants you to go."

Dusky's blue eyes widened. "Really?" He asked. What if this was just a prank?

"Yes, really." Luna said. "As true as the three moons."

Dusky hopped into the air excitedly, landing on all four talons with a thump. "When can we go?"

"Today. We have to leave today. You'll be going with me." Luna stood and grabbed Dusky's front talons with her own. "It starts in about a week."

"Come on." Luna flew into the air and Dusky felt his back feet lift up off the ground. "We gotta leave now, or you're gonna miss your first class!"

🦋🦋🦋

After long days of flying, and even longer break times in between flights, Dusky just wished he had his own wings.

Then Luna wouldn't have to carry him around like a baby.

But Luna didn't seem to mind too much. She looked tired but happy. Dusky picked a pomegranate from an island tree, passing it behind him to Luna.

"We'll be there in no time." Luna said, biting into the pomegranate. "See that shoreline?" She asked, pointing with her tail as a distant shore.

Dusky nodded, staying silent as he squinted at the sun.

"That's Pyrrhia. We'll be there before sundown." Luna sounded happy. "I'll be staying with Moon for the first few days or so. Just until I can head back to Pantala. And by the time you're done at Jade Mountain, you'll have your own wings!"

Dusky heard 'wings' and looked over. "What if you're not there for me? What if I'm a flamesilk like you?" He hadn't meant for it to sound rude, but his sentence had.

"Not that being a-...a flamesilk is a bad thing...I just don't want to be judged." Dusky corrected himself.

Luna wrapped her tail around his shoulder. "Dusky, as soon as I get word that you've started your metamorphosis, I'll be there faster than you can say 'I'm gonna have wings soon.'"

Dusky felt somewhat reassured. "What about my mom?" He asked.

"Her too. She wouldn't miss this for the world." Luna consoled the SilkWing dragonet.

Dusky felt a lot better as they reached the shore of Pyrrhia. A group of dragons waited for him.

Dusky recognized Tsunami, Moon, and Snowfall.

The IceWing queen waited on the sand, shaking the sand out of her talons with a look of disgust every couple minutes.

"Hello, Luna! Hi Dusky!" Moon greeted cheerfully.

"It's nice to see you all again." Luna landed, let Dusky off her back, and bowed her head at the Pyrrhian dragons.

"I have to thank you again for letting Dusky and some other SilkWings into Jade Mountain." Luna sounded genuine.

"It's no problem." Tsunami turned to Dusky. "Are you ready?"

Dusky ducked in embarrassment. "I guess..." He didn't want to seem like he was scared for this.

"Alright. Let's get going!" Moon cheered, lifting into the sky.

Luna grabbed Dusky's talons again. "Are you ready?" She repeated Tsunami's question.

Dusky was silent for a moment.

"Of course."