A Legacy To Uphold (Book)

== Disclaimers ==
This is NOT a public editing page. Do not edit it without QueenBookOfTheSilkWing's permission whatsoever. Thank you!
This is a WoF AU. The Wings Of Fire Series is by Tui. T Sutherland, and the credit for the RainWing tribe and general WoF info is to her. All of the characters are completely my own, though, except of course for the fact they are RainWings and the other worldbuilding lore made by Tui included in this writing..
== Prologue ==
 
TORNADO touched down, waving to Gorgeous as he landed. He folded in his wings, walking over to where she was sitting. She was meant to be running her fruit stand, but of course she wasn’t. Luckily, there wasn’t anyone there, so it was fine. 
“What are you doing?  Aren’t you supposed to be training?” She nudged him with her wing.
He sighed, sitting beside her, “I just can’t stand it anymore. I don’t want to be like them. I never have!” He turned, “And aren’t you supposed to be running a fruit stand?”
“Don’t remind me,” Gorgeous groaned.
When Tornado pointed out she had chosen to do this, it was clearly not appreciated, and she repeated what she had said before. They sat for a while, discussing whatever they came up with. The two had been best friends since they were dragonets, before they had even turned one. Eventually, Gorgeous had returned to work and Tornado’s mother had found him. 
“Come along Tornado, we have to finish today’s training.”
“But, mother-”
She stopped him, “Ah, ah, I do not want to hear it. You know you have to train every day for at least five hours to get as good as your father and I were at your age, and even better. You’re almost there, but it isn’t perfect yet.”
He groaned, following her begrudgingly, but otherwise silently. He did know this, he felt it in his every aching muscle. He didn’t even want to be a soldier or a guard or anything like that, but both of his parents were soldiers. Not only that, they were the best, most well-respected ones in the Creator Faction and most likely everywhere. So he had to live up to that legacy, they all expected him to. Nobility, royals, his family, family friends, even random strangers they passed by on the streets!
Everyone always talks about how wonderful it would be to be famous, the dragonets his age had always told him how they wanted his place, his life. Sure, being famous would be nice if you were an actor, singer, writer or something like that, but not like this. And he was starting to think that maybe fame wasn’t for him.
== Chapter One ==
TORNADO’S mother had decided five hours of training simply wasn’t enough. So here he was, out of bed at four in the morning, slashing at targets with an incredibly heavy sword. He could barely lift it, let alone get his aim right. She had scolded him for that maybe five times every second. 
“Shoulders back! Stand up properly! Maintain the proper sword fighting position, you know what it is! Sword up higher! Not that high, lower! Fix your aim!” These and a string of other constant commands were his mother directing and fixing his every little move and mistake. If he even breathed too loudly, she would criticise him.
When she finally allowed him a break, they had been training for an hour and he was exhausted. He was panting; out of air and already sore, “I…think we….can…quit now..” He said in between gasps of air.
“Not at all. Your performance is sloppy at best, a disaster at worst. We need to work more on your aim.”
“It doesn’t help with…how..heavy the sword is…Mother…”
“Nonsense. I can wield it with no issue. Your father could wield much heavier ones at your age.”
“Yes, Mother. But he was also built for it. He had muscles, something I am also severely lacking.”
“Yes, such a pity. You need to be strong to carry on our legacy.”
He sighed, and she frowned at him, “Listen, one more hour of sword training. Then, I can make you lunch. I’m just trying to do what’s best for your future, son. What’s best for all of us.”
“Mhm, thanks Mother.”
She let him rest for a few more minutes before they got back to work. She was kinder to him this time, a bit gentler in her tips and advice. Tornado had to admit he was grateful, it was a nice break from the constant drilling of instructions. Though, when they hit the two hour mark and breaked for lunch, he wasn’t any less exhausted. 
He went inside, heaving the sword up and placing it on the rack where it was held. His parents talked while he did, and it was most likely about him, it always was. He sighed, sitting down at the table while his mother cooked. His father sat down at the table as well, looking at him.
“Tornado-”
“I know, father,” He mumbled, “I’ll do better next time.”
His father only sighed, saying nothing more. Tornado and his parents ate in silence,, and he was alright with that, he didn’t want to talk much anyways. When they finished, he cleaned up, and then said he was going to go meet Gorgeous. 
He flew for a while, landing next to Gorgeous’s fruit stand. He looked at the sign; she had put more effort into it than she ever had with the actual stand itself. It was covered in bright paints and pretty designs, carved in a beautiful font.
“Gorgeous! Open up!” He called to the back of the shop, waiting for her to come out. 
“Ugh, wha-” She poked her head out, “Oh, Tor! Hey!”
“Gorgeous. I need to talk to you.”
“Okay, shoot,” She propped up her head with her talons, leaning over the counter, elbows resting on it.
“I think we should go.”
“Go where?”
“I don’t know. But I’m going to tell my parents we’re going camping, okay?”
“So…we’re going camping?”
“Yeah, sure. I just need a break from this. Come with me?”
“Of course,” She grinned, “Only if you’ll do my stall for a week when we come back,” She saw him frown and laughed, “Only kidding, I actually want to go camping. I’ve never been.”
He smiled, “Alright, get packing. I’ll come back to get you soon.”
He flew home, and the conversation with his parents went rather well. They said they thought it would be good practice for if he was ever stranded in the wild. He thought that it was kind of ridiculous, but they had agreed to let him go, so he said nothing. He packed some camping supplies: Matches, blankets, a tent, and cooking utensils. He knew they could forage and hunt when they were there, or he could at least, but he wasn’t so sure about Gorgeous doing the whole hunting bit. 
Tornado said goodbye to his parents; he was to be back by evening in three days time. That was more than he had hoped for, so he promised he would not be tardy, he would make it back by or before then. He slung the large bag over his shoulder, going to get Gorgeous. She hadn’t packed yet, not because she was busy, but because she forgot. Sometimes he wondered what went on in her brain.
He waited for her, and when she exited the stand, he reminded her to lock up all of the doors before they left. She had forgotten yet again, so she thanked him and they took off. Tornado was excited, this would be nice; how wrong he was.
== Chapter Two ==
THEY found a perfect spot to stay, it was close to a stream, surrounded by tree cover and forest, and the lake the stream connected to wasn’t far by. Tornado had set up their supplies, and Gorgeous had grudgingly agreed to collect firewood. When she came back, she complained that she had gotten her talons muddy, but he just sort of laughed and she had eventually joined him. So far, their first day had been going very well. It was when the second night took over, all light except for the small slivers of moonlight had gone, that their problems finally arose.
Gorgeous shook Tornado awake a little rougher than she needed to. He groaned softly, half-opening his eyes, and then closing them.
“No, Tor, wake up!” She whispered
“What is it Gorgeous? It’s the middle of the night!”
“I think there’s someone outside the tent,” She was still whispering, they both were.
“Okay…I’ll go look. Stay here,” He stood up, unzipping the front of the tent and stepping outside.
It was cold, as it usually was for the middle of the night. He looked around as best he could in the dark, walking around a bit so he could see slightly farther out, and he didn’t see anyone. 
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Category:Wings of Fire
Category:Fanfic