Wings of Deites

== Chapter 1 ==
Waves piled onto the sandy shoor, rich sunlight making the water gleam. A dark gray shape stuck out among the silver currents. Thin wings flared to reveal wave-like markings, and with a cheerful chuckle, a dark gray dragonet rode past the shore, swiftly surfing on a large piece of wood. Water splashed onto the scales, which were marked with gills. Purple eyes shone as the dragon et did a graceful flip, landing neatly on their makeshift surfboard.
"Wavetapper!" A dragon called from the shore; the dragonet on the surfboard stumbled but held on by digging their claws into the wood.
Once the dragonet regained their balance, they turned their head to look at the dragon on the shore. "Yeah?"
"The ceromony is about to start," The dragon replied. "Come, you've had enough freetime!"
Wavetapper scooped their surfboard out from under them then dove into the water, letting the refrishing water soak their scales. Beneath the waves, the peaceful swishing in their ears sounded out any seagull calls or noise from above land. But Wavetapper knew there was no time to waste, and swiftly hopped out of the water, shaking the water off their wings.
"You can't be messing around," The dragon hissed. They were a dark blue SeaWing with the same colored underbelly and wing membranes as Wavetapper's. "This is going to be one of the most important days of your life, kid."
"Moooooooom." Wavetapper growled, their tail twitching with amusement. "Chillax! I was just practicing." His eyes began to shine. "You know how much I want to dance! And surf," He added excitedly.
Wavetapper's mother, Hadal, rolled her eyes in amusement. "Yes, I get that." She said. "But come on. Nyx will be waiting," She added, with a small prideful gleam in her teal eyes.
Nyx! Deity of the NightWings! Wavetapper thought, his eyes sparkling. "Yes, let's get to the Great Diamond!" He squeaked.
Both dragonets began to race up the shore and deeper into the City of Night. The Great Diamond wasn't too far away- Wavetapper could already see dragons gathering there, mostly NightWings, although mixed in with a hybrid every now and then. Wavetapper knew how uncomfortable his mother must be feeling- she had been accepted into the city, yes, but she was still a SeaWing.
At least, Wavetapper thought, his scales were shiny and glossy from the water (and from the makeup he puts on every morning :3). He would look fine for the ceromony.
As he and Hadal neared the crowd, the dragons parted slightly to let Wavetapper through. Excitement pulsed through his blood, mixed with a tang of nervousness. His heart began to pound, especially as Hadal hung back and joined the crowd. Finally, Wavetapper pushed through the last of the dragons and found himself standing in the middle of the Great Diamond.
"Nyx will be here soon," Whispered a dragon from the crowd.
"Yes; what do you think Currentpoker here will do?" Another whispered.
"Wavetapper," Another dragon corrected.
"I don't know. Wavetapper always liked to sell watermelons, right?"
"When will Nyx-"
The entire crowd went silent as the day suddenly darkened. Wavetapper squinted against the darkness, when he suddenly realized one of the shadows was shifting. Two lights that he thought were stars glowed and began moving closer to him. Wavetapper lit up his scales and flinched, mouth gaping. Standing in front of him, looking like a piece of the night, was Nyx, a dragon who seemed to be made of shadows.
"Wavetapper, yes?" The deity whispered.
The dragonet's eyes widened. "Y- yes, that's me." He stammered.
"Ah, yes." Nyx murmered, his large shadowy wings spread so wide Wavetapper thought they could swallow up the all of Pyrrhia. "What future do you seek, my child? What way do you wish to make the NightWings stronger and truer?"
Wavetapper gulped. "Nyx, Deity of Night," He whispered, bowing his head. "I wish nothing more than to bring joy to the faces of even the most tragic dragons. I want to sing. I want to dance. I want to surf and be rewarded by the smiles and laughter of my tribemates." The words spilled out of his mouth. When he was finished, Wavetapper raised his head to stare into the wonderful eyes of Nyx, who was gazing at him thoughtfully, their shadowy scales still and calm.
"My dear," Nyx said at last. "Show me your wings."
Gulping with fear, Wavetapper hesitantly spread out his wings. He knew what was coming.
"Now, fly, my child." Nyx told him.
Wavetapper forced himself to remain calm, although his voice was trembling. "I cannot, Great Deity. I'm sorry."
"You can't? Why not?"
"I just can't," Wavetapper repeated.
For a moment, Nyx remained silent. Then he nodded slowly. "I understand." Then the deity raised his head so all could hear his next words. "But this dragonet deserves a chance!" He roared. "Wavetapper, my clever dragonet, I will give you a trial. If you pass, I will give you your future of dancing and bringing happiness, but you must complete one thing to show you are worthy."
"Anything," Wavetapper breathed.
"My child," Nyx spoke. "You must-"
The deity was interrupted by a high pitched scream coming from the crowd. Nyx turned slowly around. Wavetapper flinched and stumbled backward, shocked.
Then the crowd parted to reveal a crumpled black shape, bleeding and broken, and without a doubt, lifeless.
Wavetapper gasped. The crowd around him shrieked, though the loudest came from Hadal, who rushed to the dragon's side and clutched at his bruised arm. "No," She cried, her voice cracked with sobs.
"Fatum?" Hadal shrieked. "Fatum!" With watery eyes, she turned to Wavetapper. "My son- your father is gone!"
== Chapter 2 ==
Wavetapper couldn't breath.
"Search the area!" Snarled a NightWing; he was one of the lead guards, Honor. "Find out who did this!"
Wavetapper tried to stumble towards his mother, but his balance seemed to have been hit by a comet. He stumbled and collapsed onto his side, the world seeming to swirl around him.
"Dad." He choked out. "Fatum."
A large, shadowy wing steadied him, pushing him gently back to his talons. "Stay there," Came the gentle voice of Nyx. "We'll figure this out, my dear."
What do I do? Wavetapper thought.
"Moonwings, Voicebinder," Nyx roared. Almost at once, two adult NightWings stepped out of the crowd. "Take Hadal and Wavetapper home. Don't worry," The deity added to Hadal, who turned and stumbled away from her husband's body. "We'll find out who did this. For now, you must rest. We will plan a funeral."
My father is dead, Wavetapper thought. What do I do?
***
Wavetapper lay awake that night with his eyes stretched wide and his pillow damp with tears. He could hear the sniffling of his mother in her own room. He cringed and whipped his tail over his nose.
This was supposed to be the best day of my life, He thought. Why did it go so badly?
He closed his eyes, sinking into the depths of sleep. Wavetapper felt nothing, only deep, quiet darkness. It was peaceful, he supposed, after the dreadful day he had just expirienced.
Then the shadows shifted again, and two glowing eyes parted.
"Nyx?" Wavetapper whispered.
"My child," The deity said. "Oh, my dear. I am so, so sorry."
Wavetapper wished he could rush forward and throw his wings around the deity, but he couldn't control himself in a dream. He could only speak and think. "I don't know what to do," He whispered.
"Dear Wavetapper," Nyx murmered. "I have a special mission for you."
"What is it?" Wavetapper whispered.
"I need you to find the killer of your father," Nyx told him, spreading his shadowy wings. "Then I will give you your dream. This, my child, is your trial."
The dragonet sniffled. "B- but what if I fail?"
"You won't," Nyx whispered, touching his shadowy snout to Wavetapper's. "I will give you a gift."
A gift? "What do you mean?" Asked Wavetapper.
"From now on, the futures will roll out in front of you." Nyx whispered, his voice seeming to echo all around Wavetapper. "I give you the gift of foresight. Now, find the murderer. Avenge your kin."
"Nyx, I don't know-" Before Wavetapper could find the words, he was plunged back into silence and darkness.
"Good luck, my sweet dragonet." Was the last thing he heard before everything vanished.
== Chapter 3 ==
"Wavetapper, get up!"
Wavetapper jolted awake. He was laying in his bed, the beach-themed sheets brushing against his delicate scales. He felt oddly refreshed, but then the events of the last day crashed into him, and he whimpered.
"What's wrong?" Came his mother's familiar voice. He raised his head and stared into her large, teal eyes.
Whats wrong? Wavetapper thought. He was about to open his mouth to respond, when a familiar black shape slipped through his bedroom door.
He gasped.
"Dad?"
There was no mistaking the cold, stern face of his father, Fatum. His wing membranes glittered with stars, and his yellow eyes were filled with warmth. "Whats the matter, buddy?" He asked, his voice soft. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"I- I did," Wavetapper admitted. "I met Nyx... and..."
"Nyx? The deity?" Fatum echoed. "You saw him?"
Wavetapper tipped his head to one side and opened his mouth to respond, then memories struck him. Nobody ever met Nyx. Nyx was their deity, and he was very real- but only the most lucky and fortunate could've seen him. Wavetapper remembered his tutors, Micdrop and Rippleslapper. He was an apprentice surfer and dancer. "Oh..." He muttered. "It was a dream."
His mother, Hadal, chuckled. "Let's get some air."
Wavetapper slipped out of his bed, admiring the plastic light-up stars that dotted his ceiling. His home wasn't too big- just a classy black-bricked house with a few purple-tinted windows. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he took a deep breath. Everything was normal now. When the family stepped outside, Wavetapper took in the icy moonlight with a grain of salt. Of course; a classic sign of a dream was when he was awake when the sun was out. Was he stupid?
But that wasn't the only thing that got his attention.
A large crowd of dragons shuffled and chattered uneasily near the Great Diamond. Hadal and Fatum looked confused. The family all began walking faster until they reached the crowd of dragons.
"Hadal, Fatum, Wavetapper," One of the guards said, their eyes tired. Wavetapper thought the police were trying to keep the dragons back. "Stay away, please. Moonwings has been found dead."
Wavetapper's eyes widened. "Moonwings?" Hadal gasped.
"Yes." He murmered. "Cloudeyes is attempting to contact Nyx. We have no idea who commited the murder, but Cloudeyes will be back soon, I'm sure."
Wavetapper felt worry swamp over him, then his head began to buzz. He squinted and twitched his snout self-consciously, then suddenly, a flash of white crashed into him. An image shot into his mind; a black shape with glowing yellow eyes piercing Moonwings in the back with a knife. Then the dragon flew away, vanishing into the shadows. Moonwings let out a shriek, and other dragons emerged from their homes.
Then Wavetapper was thrown back to reality.
"Wavetapper?" Fatum gasped.
The guard narrowed his eyes. "Buddy, you alright?"
"I..." Wavetapper couldn't think straight. "I had a vision." He didn't have time to explain, this information was needed now. "The murderer... they had yellow eyes!"
== Chapter 4 ==
"Yellow eyes?" The guard narrowed his eyes to slits. "And how would you know that?" The guard's talon reached into his pocket and he locked his claws around the tip of the spear. "You weren't out during the daytime, were you? If you were," He added, lifting his chin, "Then give me every detail."
Wavetapper snorted. "I wasn't out there! I told you, I had a vision."
"You're not a seer," Fatum pointed out.
He whipped around and glared at his father. "I am now," He snapped. At Fatum's doubtful look, and Hadal's confused one, he added, "I had a weird dream." He lowered his voice so only his parents and the guard could hear. He didn't need any foolish rumors spreading through the entire night kingdom. "Nyx was there! He visited me. He told me to avenge the death of, uh, a dragon." He wondered why Nyx had said Fatum was dead and not Moonwings. "And I thought it was just a normal dream! But I just had the vision." He quickly explained what he had seen.
"Interesting," The guard growled. He didn't look convinced, but he didn't look doubtful, either. "What our your names?"
Hadal stepped forward, dipping her head politely to the guard. "I'm Hadal," She said. "You might've heard of me. This is my husband, Fatum," She reached out and tapped the NightWing's shoulder. "And this is my son, Wavetapper."
"Ah, Wavetapper." The guard murmered. He released his spear and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I've heard of you."
"O- oh. You have?" Wavetapper stammered.
The guard nodded. "Yes. I am Shadowslitter."
Wavetapper opened his mouth to respond, but he stopped when he noticed a hush falling over the crowd of NightWings. He turned his gaze and saw Cloudeyes, an elderly NightWing, stepping out of the Temple of Nyx, where dragons came to pray and gift offerings.
"Well?" A dragon called out.
"Did you contact him?"
Cloudeyes nodded. "I managed to work my way into the deity realm for a few heartbeats," He murmered. "But only for a few heartbeats." At the crowds disappointed murmers, the elderly NightWing added, "But sometimes only a few moments is all you need." He lifted his chin. "Nyx gave me a vision. He told me that it is time we rely on someone else, not just him."
"And who is that?" Micdrop, Wavetapper's tutor, called out.
The elderly dragon shook his head. "I'm not sure. But Nyx told me to question the other tribes."
Ooooh. Wavetapper thought, tipping his head to one side. I suppose that's what Nyx meant by me "investigating" the murder. His tail twitched. But I can't just give away my secret. I'd better-
"Hey!" Shadowslitter roared, and Wavetapper's heart began to pound in his chest. "This dragonet here," The guard called, "Has had a vision. He says the murderer had, uh, yellow eyes? I think it'd be good to start there?" The guard seemed oblivious to the fact that every dragon was staring at him, but as he pointed at Wavetapper, all eyes locked on him. Anxiety pierced Wavetapper's heart. He loved being the center of attention- he was a performer, after all!- but this wasn't just a silly show anymore. This was way more serious.
Cloudeyes tipped his head to one side. "Sure, but can this 'dragonet' explain the vision?"
Wavetapper gulped as Shadowslitter stepped aside, vanishing into the crowd. Hadal and Fatum stepped back, giving him encouraging looks. "Hi," Wavetapper began. "I'm Wavetapper." He took a deep breath. "I saw a vision of some black shape moving and stabbing Moonwings. I saw, uh, yellow eyes?"
The crowd began to murmer suspiciously to each other.
Do they believe me? Wavetapper wondered.
Finally, the crowd fell into a quiet hush. "Can all yellow-eyed dragons come over here?" Cloudeyes called. Wavetapper glanced towards his parents. Fatum had yellow eyes, but Wavetapaper knew he would never kill anyone. Hadal had teal eyes, and Wavetapper had purple ones. He watched as Fatum followed the other dragons into a seperate crowd, while the rest of the dragons stepped back to watch.
"Binder!" Cloudeyes called. "Can you come here, please? I know how skilled you are at asking questions." He was looking at a young dark gray NightWing-SkyWing with a long battle scar across her neck.
Binder rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes." She growled.
The entire crowd watched as Binder stomped over to the dragons. There were only about six of them- after all, the village Wavetapper lived in was small- so it would be plenty easy to figure it out, right?
"What are your names?" Binder hissed.
"Snatcher."
"Fatum."
"Brickbuilder."
"Cracker."
"Bonesnapper."
"Treecrusher."
Binder stared at all the dragons through narrowed eyes. She eventually headed over to Cracker, who was looking rather nervous. "You there," Binder growled. "What do you do for a living?"
"I- I clean." Cracker stammered.
"Clean what?"
"I'm like a- a maid. I clean the temple."
Cloudeyes nodded. "That's true," He said. "I often see her in the temple, cleaning."
"Empty your pockets," Binder hissed.
Cracker nodded hurriedly and dug into some of her pouches. She had a small mirror, some folded glasses, and mostly just extra cleaning supplies. Binder took off the last one when he saw something squirming inside, but all it was was Cracker's pet cricket.
"Alright, go away." Binder growled.
The interrogater continued to go through the dragons, while Wavetapper sighed in relief when Fatum was sent back to him. In the end, Snatcher was sent back and Binder looked at the notes she had been writing.
"Any clues?"
Binder glared at Cloudeyes as he spoke. "No clear answer," She hissed. "But let me check the body." She headed over to Moonwing, laying lifeless on the ground, and stared at the dead dragon. Then she sniffed at a claw mark along her side and one smoother cut on her neck. "Ambush," Binder decided after a few moments. "It seems a dragon flew in, tackled her, then slit her throat with a knife. And from the way Moonwing's is facing, the attack came from over there." She flicked her tail, pointing at the buildings behind her. "If you are one of the suspects that live over there, stand by here." She pointed with her tail to a stick on the ground.
Treecrusher, Snatcher, Cracker, and Brickbuilder headed over to the stick. The other suspects stayed where they were, while Binder studied them carefully, whispering to them one at a time.
"Let them go," Binder decided at last. "But keep their houses guarded." She turned to the crowd. "Now, what seer had the vision?"
Wavetapper gulped and stepped nervously forward. "Um, me." He was glad the crowd was breaking up, and nobody except Binder was paying attention to him.
"If you have more visions," Binder growled. "Tell me."
Wavetapper nodded quickly and turned to his parents. "I'm going to the beach," He said. "Can you come with me?" He didn't want whoever had murdered Moonwings to do anything to him, espically if it meant he wouldn't be able to help Binder with his visions.
"Yes," Fatum nodded.
Hadal smiled sweetly.
Wavetapper turned and led the way to the sandy shore, only a few buildings away. He knew he would never be a true SeaWing- or even a NightWing- but at least he could practice surfing in peace. He reached the beach, his claws sinking into the sand. Spotting his surf board, Wavetapper headed over to it and grabbed it. Then he lunged forward and jumped into the water.
Just before he hit the current, he flipped the surf board under his feet, one talon still clutching it's edge. He felt wind rush through his scales as he sailed over the rapids.
Everything's so peaceful, He thought, a twinge of sorrow slapping him in the face. So why do I, of all dragons, have to be trusted with the lives of so many NightWings?
== Chapter 5 ==
Wavetapper collapsed onto his bed, exhaustion washing over him. He had practiced surfing for the rest of the night, oblivious to the growing speed of the currents. Now he was soaking wet and tired. He pulled his blanket on top of him and stared at the wall. He flinched as he realized it seemed to be shifting, turning from still, dark gray bricks, to purple, blue, yellow... all the colors in the world. Then they all split into one image, and Wavetapper was suddenly standing back in the middle of the NightWing village. Moonwings. He thought, seeing a silver shape slinking in the moonlight from the barely risen moon.
Suddenly, a flash of red and black scales shot out from the fading night sky and slammed into Moonwings. Wavetapper opened his mouth in a wordless shriek as the figure slit Moonwing's throat, then turned, yellow eyes gleaming.
A SkyWing.
***
Jolting awake, Wavetapper glanced around. He was still laying in his bed, and the sun was still high in the sky. He ripped the blanket off and staggered out of his bed. He stumbled over to his desk and ripped a piece of paper out of his sketchbook. With a shaking talon, Wavetapper grabbed his ink and dipped his talon in, then slowly began to sketch out the dragon he had seen.
When he had finished the outline, he dipped his talon in red ink and began to scrape it into the lines. Was there black? Or was that just shadows?
He wasn't sure but added the black anyway. Remembering the yellow eyes, he added those. He could only think of two possible suspects now. Cracker and Brickbuilder; Brickbuilder was a SkyWing-NightWing hybrid, while Cracker was part SandWing, but they both had around the same scale color.
A knock on the door made him jump. "Wavetapper, can I come in?"
"Yeah," He called back, recognising his father's voice. A moment later, Fatum's dark cyan-gray scales came into sight and he pulled open the door.
"Hey, buddy."
Wavetapper didn't look up from his drawing. "Hi."
"Whatcha got there?"
Wavetapper carefully lifted up the paper, hoping the ink wouldn't drip from the page. "Uh, I had another vision." He mumbled, still not sure if his parents believed him. "I saw a SkyWing, I think? It had some black on it, but those might've been just shadows... but if it was a hybrid, then it's either Cracker or Brickbuilder, I know that."
"Interesting," Fatum murmered. "Come on. Let's go tell Binder."
He turned and headed right out of the door. Wavetapper let out a small squeak of excitement then followed, his painting gripped firmly in his talons.
When the father and son headed downstairs, Wavetapper spotted his mother, Hadal, preparing a dish of wolf and crab. She looked up as the two approached. "Going to talk to Binder?" She asked, her voice oddly fearful. Before either could respond, she bounded up to both of them and gave them worried hugs. "Stay safe," She whispered. "And Wavetapper, please leave the rest of the investigation to the professionals!" Her voice was so pleading, so desperate, all Wavetapper could do was nod.
Still spooked from his mother's worry, Wavetapper and his father exited the house and emerged into dazzling moonlight. Wavetapper's eyes flashed as he scanned the ground around him. No dead dragons.
Most of the NightWings were in their houses, their doors boarded up, but Cloudeyes and Binder were still together on the Great Diamond. Some guards, including Shadowslitter, where protecting Cloudeyes and Binder with spears locked firmly in their talons. They flinched as Wavetapper and Fatum approached, then simply gave them a nod and allowed them to pass through.
"Binder," Fatum called, stepping onto the Great Diamond.
Binder turned her gaze and locked eyes on Fatum. "You," She said. "And the dragonet," Binder added as Wavetapper struggled up beside his father.
Wavetapper stagged to his talons. "Binder," He gasped. "I had a second vision." He held up his painting.
"A doodle?" Binder growled.
Wavetapper shook his head. "No. I had another vision of the murder." He described exactly what he'd seen, the way the moonlight eliminated the dragon's red scales, and the way the yellow eyes flashed meaningfully in the sunset light. "I couldn't tell if it was a NightWing SkyWing hybrid or not," He said. "But if it was, it's either Cracker or Brickbuilder. If it wasn't, it might've been a SkyWing from Queen Robin's kingdom." He had never seen or met the SkyWing queen, but he had heard how sharp-tongued yet fair she was. Would she really send a dragon to kill Moonwings?
"Interesting," Binder said. Cloudeyes cleared his throat and Binder stepped back, allowing him to speak.
"We'd better send a messager to Robin," He decided. "Probably not a guard... that would look threatening." His eyes turned to Wavetapper, and he smiled softly. "Perhaps a dragon with a lot of potential."
Wavetapper's eyes widened as he met Cloudeye's yellow gaze. "Me?"
"Cloudeyes, that's too dangerous! He's too young!" Fatum gasped, stepping forward to defend Wavetapper.
"I dunno, dad..." Wavetapper stepped out from behind his father. "It seems fair. Why would SkyWings see me as a threat?" He glanced at his wings. Useless, powerless, flightless. "And it's not like the SkyWings outright attacked us. It was only one."
Fatum blinked thoughtfully. "I suppose you're right..."
"Can I take Micdrop?" Wavetapper asked. He thought his dancing tutor might be good at figuring things out.
"Micdrop? Okay," Cloudeyes said, after a moment of thinking.
Wavetapper beamed. "I'll go get them!"
Fatum opened his mouth to object, but Wavetapper was already dashing off, heading for his teacher's house. He had two teachers- Micdrop, his dancing teacher, and Ripplesplasher, his surfing teacher- but Ripplesplasher didn't seem like the type to want to go on a mission, and Micdrop, with her smooth and determined attitude, certainly did.
When Wavetapper reached Micdrop's house, he noticed it wasn't boarded up. Confused, Wavetapper knocked on the door.
Silence.
Then there was a pounding in the stairs, and a purple NightWing burst from the door with a tree branch in talon. They stopped as they saw Wavetapper, whos eyes were wide and astonished.
"Ah, Wavetapper!" Micdrop laughed. "My bad, I thought you were that blasted killer."
Wavetapper shook his head. "I'm here to come get you, actually." He said, quickly explaining that Binder had sent him. "We need to go to the SkyWing kingdom. In my vision, there were red scales and yellow eyes, and that's what a SkyWing looks like."
"Ah, yes." Micdrop chuckled. "I'd be delighted to."
Wavetapper pirked up. "Well, then... I can go pack," He said. "How about we take off tommorow night?"
"Tommorow night."
== Chapter 6 ==
(I thought the chapter was a little rushed and messy, so I rewrote it. Hope this doesn't bother anyone!)
Wavetapper clung to Micdrop’s back as the wind roared past him, his talons digging into her scales for dear life. A glance downward made him immediately regret it- his stomach churned, and he fought back the bile rising in his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on his breath. The thought crossed his mind that he might be an annoyance to Micdrop, but her steady wingbeats seemed unaffected. How could dragons fly so calmly? He wondered. The heights terrified him, especially with no ocean below to catch him, just an endless expanse of sand and the tiny, ominous shapes of cacti and scorpion dens that seemed to mock his fear.
Micdrop was heading towards the mountains, and Wavetapper clung to the hope that he might be able to walk once they landed. The thought of flying over the cold, rocky peaks was slightly less daunting, though he’d still prefer the comfort of solid ground or, better yet, a river where he could swim while Micdrop soared above.
He tried to appreciate the wind, the rare chance for a free ride. But every gust was a reminder of his discomfort. For what felt like the hundredth time, Wavetapper wondered what it would be like to fly if he could. He’d always loved swimming, but the memory of being a hatchling- receiving pitying looks from his peers and the fear in his parents’ eyes when he tried to fly, only to flop clumsily- stung. Would he even want to fly if he could? The heights unsettled him, and he felt awkward in the air, much like a bird with broken wings. He’d take walking and swimming any day, where there were always snacks in the currents and friendly dolphins to swim with.
The birds circling them seemed to give him death glares, adding to his growing unease.
***
After what felt like an eternity of flying, Micdrop finally descended and landed on a mountain peak. Wavetapper's stomach couldn’t handle the motion anymore, and he promptly emptied its contents onto the rocky ground. After a moment of regaining his composure, he clambered back onto Micdrop’s back, keeping his eyes tightly shut to avoid the dizzying heights below. The crisp mountain air stung his scales, and the distant cry of eagles echoed through the air. The smoky scent of SkyWings, a reminder of his ill-fated trespass onto their border, filled his nostrils. They were now deep within SkyWing territory, and Wavetapper felt a wave of dread.
As Micdrop flew, the rhythmic beat of her wings grew louder and more urgent. Confused, Wavetapper opened his eyes and noticed they were soaring well above the mountains but still below the clouds. A group of crimson-hued figures approached them, and Wavetapper’s heart leaped- could they be SkyWings?
Before he could fully process, Micdrop suddenly veered downward, and Wavetapper gasped as the wind whipped violently against his face. A searing heat flashed near his back, and panic surged through him. The crimson figures were not just birds; they were SkyWings!
His heart pounded as he felt a pair of heavy claws grip him. With a jolt, he was wrenched off Micdrop’s back. The world spun as he plummeted through the air, his wings flailing uselessly. Desperation surged as he tried to right himself, knowing deep down that it was a futile effort.
Just as terror seemed to consume him, another set of talons grabbed him. Wavetapper’s relief was short-lived as he met the burning amber eyes of a SkyWing. His gasp of horror was swallowed by the blur of movement- he barely registered the ground rushing up to meet him before a powerful talon slammed into the back of his head. Pain exploded in his vision, and then everything went dark.
== Chapter 7 ==
"Thief!"
"Stop yelling, nitwit!"
"Is he awake?"
Wavetapper groaned and blinked open his eyes, seeing fuzzy images behind a wall of drowsiness. He stirred, his tail lashing, and tried to move, but his arms were bound with chains that raked his scales. Grunting, Wavetapper blinked away the fog in his vision and saw a dark red SkyWing with burning amber eyes. That's the one I saw before... what happened? Wavetapper thought, then broke off with a gasp of shock as he saw the SkyWing queen herself, Robin. She seemed to be quite orange with black wing tips and flaming yellow eyes. Three moons!
"Finally," The SkyWing queen growled. "Do NightWings ever know how to wake up?" She glanced at his blueish wings and dark indigo gills. "Though I can't say I've ever seen a SeaWing NightWing."
Uncomfortable, Wavetapper tried to back away, but he was still bound by chains. "What happened?"
Next to him was the familiar shape of Micdrop, who lay still as a rock. Wavetapper's eyes widened, thinking she was dead, before his mentor stirred. "Whuh? Wavetapper?" She mumbled, her words slurred. Raising her head, she looked towards the SkyWings. "What's going on?" She lifted a talon, but was quickly drawn back by the chains. A bit of red was growing around her wrists.
"Don't act like you don't know why you're here," The other SkyWing growled.
"Finch!" Queen Robin snapped. "Three moons, sometimes I wonder how you're my son." She slapped the dragonet with her tail; Wavetapper noticed that Finch was only a little older than he was, and tried not to feel intimidated.
Wavetapper's tail twitched.
Micdrop scrambled to her talons the best she could, gnawing at the chains for a moment. "What happened?"
"We found you trespassing on our land," Robin snapped, while Finch sneered at the two NightWings. "And now we know who the treasure thief was! HAH, crisis everted." She counted her claws while Micdrop and Wavetapper glanced at each other, confused. "And don't worry," The SkyWing queen added, "Your death will only take a little bit- were planning to drag it out for only an hour, to give the tribe a show they won't forget." She looked rather proud of herself, while Finch was beaming so much that Wavetapper began to question the dragonet's sanity.
Micdrop bared her teeth in a snarl. "We weren't here to steal-"
"Hah! Likely story," Finch laughed.
The purple NightWing ignored him. "We were here to talk to you, Robin, actually." At the queen's eye roll and flick of her tail, gesturing for Micdrop to continue, the NightWing went on. "There has been a murder in our tribe? And Wavetapper, this little guy, had a vision about it." Wavetapper rolled his eyes, amused and affectionatly. "The killer was a SkyWing, we think."
Finch snapped his teeth. "Are you accusing us of something?"
"It seems unlikely to make up," Robin growled, suprisingly thoughtful. Wavetapper felt hope rise up in his chest.
The SkyWing prince turned on his mother, jaws gaping. "You believe them?"
"Of course not," Queen Robin snapped. "I'm not an idiot." She looked thoughtfully at the NightWings with cold interest that made Wavetapper's scales prickle. "If you're really a seer, then you need to have a vision. Then I'll CONSIDER helping you two."
"I- I can't just have visions-" Wavetapper began.
Robin interrupted him with a roar. "Silence!" She snapped. "You will have a vision. I'll keep you here for days if you don't." She shifted a necklace on her throat. "I'll talk to my mythic, and see what he comes up with. Zeus," - That was the SkyWing deity - "will judge you." With that, Queen Robin turned away, nudging Finch sharply with her snout to tell him to follow. "Woodpecker!" She called to a SkyWing with a distinctive flat snout, similar to a MudWing's. Ooo, hybrid. "Guard these two, will you? Make your thick scales useful for once?"
"Yes, Queen Robin," The guard growled, seemingly annoyed. He headed off to Wavetapper and Micdrop's cell, when Wavetapper's head began to buzz as if a whole swarm of beeds was in it.
Then another vision hit.
It was dark momentarily- then stars began to speckle the black landscape, and the moon appeared. The steady beating of wings and red scales headed towards a large island on the ocean. The summer palace? The mysterious dragon was holding something, and as Wavetapper watched, a chunk of gold flopped from the dragon's talons and tumbled into the water. Treasure?
Then Wavetapper's vision went dark again, and he opened his eyes to find himself back in the cell.
Robin was looking at him. "Alright, fine," She snapped. "I believe you."
== Chapter 8 ==
Wavetapper's claws raked the stony ground, though he tried to resist the urge to do so. Beside him, Queen Robin herself and two SkyWing soldiers named Kea and Harpy, watched the treasury closely. They were waiting in a watch tower, although they were hidden by night. Wavetapper squinted into the dark, wishing his night vision was better. The SkyWings seemed equally irritated, although occasionally, Wavetapper could see their eyes flick towards silhouettes of owls or such, so at least the thief wouldn't be completely invisible. Wavetapper wondered what tribe it would be; if it was a SkyWing, that would add up with Moonwing's death and Wavetapper's visions. But if it was another tribe, then it could always just be a greedy dragon.
The answer was uncertain. Wavetapper wished Micdrop was still with him. His mentor had been sent back to the Night Kingdom, feeling too unsafe and wanting to report what had happened. Wavetapper understood, but still missed his mentor severly.
Night was peaceful, though. Wavetapper hated being awake in the daytime, although he had done it a few times for some surfing lessons. But now he was tired, when he was supposed to be full of energy right now. At least, he thought, the thief only came out at night, so if it was the killer of Moonwings, it wouldn't change his sleep schedule at all. For the first time he considered that it could be Brickbuilder or Cracker, because of their similar scale colors. But Cracker didn't seem like the type to steal, and Brickbuilder just... wouldn't.
As Wavetapper spaced out, he noticed Harpy stiffen. Lifting his head slowly, Wavetapper saw a small shape in the distance, but he couldn't make out colors. He watched as it fluttered closer, than dove into the shadows at the foot of the tower that held the treasury, right next to the central palace. The thief didn't come back out, and Wavetapper figured there was a secret entrance or something.
"That's how they got past my guards," Queen Robin hissed. "Wavetapper, follow them."
Anxiety tied a knot in Wavetapper's stomach, but he just nodded and headed for the stairs. With a sigh of impatience, Queen Robin signaled to Kea, who nodded and bent down. This was a gesture to allow Wavetapper to leap onto their back. With a muffled sigh, Wavetapper clambered onto the SkyWing and then felt his stomach drop as the dragon rode through the wind, right down the tower. Luckily, they were faster than normal dragons, and Wavetapper was able to resist the urge to throw up when they hit the ground and he climbed off.
He blinked to ready his night vision, then began rummaging through a clump of thick overgrowth at the base of the stony tower. He let out a small gasp as his talon slipped into a large hole, and he poked his head through to see a tunnel big enough for an adult dragon, leading right into the tower. He squeezed in and worked his way through it, before flopping out onto the stone floor.
Wavetapper rose to his talons, blinking. As he stepped aside, a clump of ferns swished over the hole, covering it. So that's how it's hidden, He observed. Looking around, Wavetapper saw that he was in a wide, round space, with stone floor and a tall staircase leading upward. Wooden signs clung to the walls, saying things like Danger and DON'T COME IN HERE OR YOU'RE DEAD or DIDN'T YOUR MOTHER EVER TELL YOU THIEVES GET THEIR TALONS CHOMPED OFF BY ANGRY CHICKENS? Despite the situation he was in, Wavetapper couldn't help but smile in amusement at the signs. Queen Robin, He observed, before turning towards the stair case and beginning to clamber steadily up it.
The ferns hiding the hole swished, and Kea emerged from the tunnel. The SkyWing looked up and followed Wavetapper up the stairs, their talons as silent as possible on the stony material.
Both dragons stepped over the next stair, and then they were at the top. Wavetapper's eyes glistened, reflecting the piles of gold, rubies, diamonds; every treasure you could think of. The treasury was wider than the tower floor, and a thin window, hardly big enough for a dragon, marked the wall. Wavetapper's attention flicked to a silhouetted tail, disappearing through the gap. "There!" He cried, without thinking.
With a snarl, Wavetapper bounded towards the window, imaging some sort of balcony outside.
He leapt through, but was shocked when there was empty ground in front of him. With a gasp and mad scrabble of claws, Wavetapper managed to balance himself on the sill. He watched as the thief flew off, and Kea poked their snout through the window.
Wavetapper was about to move back into the tower, when his head began to spin. Panic raced in his heart. He knew this feeling all too well.
With a cry of dismay, cut off by the wave of blackness, a vision hit.
== Chapter 9 ==
Wavetapper's head spun, and a vision of a blurred Nyx filled his mind. He felt pain wrack through his head, and could feel talons pressing at his scales. Strange words pounded in his head, first muffled and distant, before they gradually transformed into sentences.
"In shadows of a night sky,
a flaming fury, a cloudy night,
both doomed to fall,
whispers in their heads, a dragon's cruel call
when crimson bleeds onto the floor,
betrayal blooms like a sore,
only the brave can untangle the threads,
or the night could possibly end up dead."
Wavetapper’s mind raced as he struggled to grasp the meaning of Nyx’s words. The deity loomed before him, her form flickering like candlelight, casting eerie shadows across the landscape of his vision. He could feel the weight of the prophecy pressing down on him, each line echoing in his mind like a distant storm.
“Nyx!” he called out, desperation creeping into his voice. “I can’t make sense of this! What must I do?”
Nyx’s eyes, dark as the depths of the ocean, softened slightly. “You must decipher the riddle, Wavetapper. The fates of your tribe and the NightWings are intertwined. Only by understanding the truth behind these words can you prevent the impending chaos.”
“Wavetapper, wake up!” Harpy's voice broke through the vision. He blinked, returning to the real world, where Kea, Harpy, and a few SkyWings he didn't know stood over him, concern etched across his face. He was laying in a strange bed in a cave, where sunlight seeped through multiple windows. The wall and ground was made of stone, and a tunnel led outward.
“What did you see?” One of the SkyWings pressed, their gaze intense.
“I don’t know,” Wavetapper admitted, shaking off the remnants of the vision. “But it felt urgent. Er... Nyx mentioned betrayal and a coming storm. We need to act fast.”
Kea nodded, determination and confusion igniting in his eyes.
As they hurried back to the tunnels in front of him, Wavetapper’s mind whirled with possibilities. The lines of the prophecy haunted him—who was the “flaming fury”? What did it mean that “only the brave can untangle the threads”? He needed answers, and he needed them quickly.
“I’ll find a way to untangle this,” he whispered to himself, determination flooding his veins. “I won’t let my tribe fall into darkness.”
== Chapter 10 ==
Wavetapper was sent off to the Sea Kingdom, where he believed the murderer might be due to the visions and the direction the SkyWing thief had headed in. He felt uneasy without Micdrop, and wished he hadn't been sent alone. But it was necessary, since Micdrop couldn't even breath underwater, and he didn't want to be seen as a threat after what happened when he was caught in the Sky Kingdom for the first time.
Since there was no map of where the Deep Palace was, he had no way of knowing where to go. There was another palace that had been built after the Summer Palace had been destroyed a long, long time before Wavetapper had been born. But he didn't think the SeaWings would be fond of him entering that palace when their old one had been destroyed, since that could be very provoking to them. So he would play it safe and search for the Deep Palace, which would also be rather difficult because HE COULDN'T SPEAK AQUATIC.
He had been carried by a SkyWing, and now he was walking across the beach, towards the water. It felt so familiar, almost like home. Wavetapper sighed and sank his talons into the sand, wanting to stay here a bit.
It took him more than ten minutes to get up and slide into the ocean. It wrapped around his scales like a blanket of ice, and he sighed with contentment at it's cool touch. He wished he could surf, but he had no time, and dove deeper to stop himself from rising back to the surface.
Wavetapper angled his wings to swim, glad that he could at least do that. As he swam, he eyed the wave-like markings on his wings, and lit them up.
His eyes widened. He'd forgotten he could do that!
What words were those... hm...
Pointing meant All right? and lightning up his wings could also say Silence! but he had no reason to tell someone that. Some of the scales on his wings he could speak with, although some of the words were on other scales, so he might need to get a bit creative with forming sentences. He wasn't really good at speaking aquatic either; his mother had only taught him a little, and she mainly used them to signal to him when underwater.
As he swam deeper, he kept on the lookout for any SeaWings who could lead him to the Deep Palace. He swam through the water until her reached a coral reef. He had read in scrolls that some more poor SeaWings lived in coral homes, so he looked for those.
wip
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Genre (Adventure)
Category:Genre (Mystery)
Category:Content (Dogw1ng)