What Lurks In The Shadows (WoF)

🟢 Chapter 15 - Auklet 🟢

Auklet was surprised to see Cliff and Peacemaker had...vanished.

Into the crowd, I suppose.

The SeaWing felt claustrophobic, trapped between so many dragons. Tsunami was trying to tell over everyone's panicked voices, Clay was comforting Peril, and Sunny just look plain uncomfortable.

Auklet felt dizzy. She ducked as a SandWing's tail whipped at her face, and it missed by a scale.

"Whoops, sorry!" Someone called to her from the crowd.

Auklet let out an angry huff. She had only wanted to see Dusky, and now she was stuck without her Winglet.

"Auklet?" A voice called out. She turned to see familiar pale blue scales.

"Anemone!" Auklet shrieked, hurling towards her sister. "What's going on?"

Anemone embraced her sister in a hug, and Auklet curled closer, happy that she knew someone here.

"I heard a dragon went missing, well Mother did. She sent me here to check on you. She wants you home. Now." Anemone told her, a hint of sadness in her blue eyes.

Auklet pulled away. "Nope. Tell Mother that isn't happening. I'm not doing this today, and I'm not leaving ever."

Anemone's face twisted in a grimace. "You don't want to be home, even for a minute? Auklet, she doesn't want you to quit the school, just stay home until this is sorted out."

A sharp claw prodded Auklet's shoulder before she could respond. She turned to face the dragon, realizing it was Bumblebee, with Mink behind her.

"It's you!" Auklet gasped. "Aren't your own parents here?"

Bumblebee's eyes flashed with sadness.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot!" Auklet shook her head, shaming herself internally for forgetting the fact that Bumblebee had never known her true parents.

Mink flashed a look at Bumblebee before turning to look at the crowd. "I mean...Snow- Queen Snowfall, she came to see me. But she's gone already."

Auklet turned back to Anemone. "Fine. I'll go home. Just until this is over with."

Anemone's eyes lit up. "Perfect, let's go tell Tsunami."

Mink and Bumblebee had already dissolved into the crowd again, nowhere to be seen. As Anemone and Auklet made their way to the front of the cave of dragonets, Auklet paused at Dusky's cocoon.

Anemone's wing brushed her back. "Is that a SilkWing?" She asked.

Auklet could barely nod. Going home would mean potentially missing Dusky when he came out of his cocoon.

"Dusky, can you hear me? I'll be here, always! I promise!" Auklet had said, right before it started.

"What's their name?" Anemone asked. Auklet's talons twitched to keep moving, and stop staring. Somehow, she felt like Dusky could see her from inside.

"Dusky." Auklet responded. "Let's go."

Anemone opened her mouth to ask another question but Auklet already weaved around dragons to reach the front.

Walking was taking too long. Auklet spread her wings and leapt, fluttering just above the crowd of dragonets. Anemone followed her into the air.

Auklet soared across the air, landing on Tsunami's little perch. The older SeaWing looked suprised.

"Auklet? Anemone?! What are you doing here?" Tsunami asked. It seemed to Auklet that she didn't understand.

"Mother sent me to fetch Auklet, just until this whole thing is over." Anemone explained.

"Without a harness? Wow." Tsunami gasped. "Take her, and keep Auklet safe. Please."

Anemone nodded and reached out a talon to Auklet. The younger SeaWing grabbed her talon and flew into the air again.

"But-" Auklet came to her senses and began to protest.

"Tell Mother this really isn't that big of a deal!" Tsunami interrupted as they flew gracefully out of the mountain.

One thought crossed Auklet's mind before the mountain was out of sight.

I couldn't keep my promise, I'm sorry Dusky.