Moon Rising Read online

  Insecure, Qibli thought, studying Carnelian. Only comfortable when she’s fighting. Worried we’ll think she’s dumb and that Queen Ruby will find out she’s dumb and all her chances of advancing to general one day will be ruined. Is she as stupid as she thinks she is? Have to wait and see.

  Moon blinked at him. None of that was obvious, but it was all there in the less conscious parts of Carnelian’s mind. He was right. How could he know all that?

  He couldn’t be a mind reader, surely, or she’d be able to tell. Had he figured all that out just … by noticing?

  “All right,” said Tsunami. “Good to know. Kinkajou?”

  Bright flares of yellow and purple shot across the RainWing’s scales. “Oh, sure; I’m Kinkajou, I’m a RainWing, and I’ve never met any SeaWings or SandWings or IceWings before, I mean, apart from the dragonets of destiny, of course, because I’m really good friends with them. I’m excited to learn how to read and I want to know everything about all your tribes and I think this school is the best idea in the world. And my favorite color is yellow!”

  “Of course it is,” Carnelian said.

  Should I tell them about being a NightWing prisoner? Kinkajou wondered. No, that’s a little grim for first impressions.

  “Your turn,” Kinkajou said, bumping Moon’s side. A flurry of happy thoughts leaped through her scales into Moon, pushing her past her nervousness.

  “I’m Moonwatcher,” she said softly, “but please call me Moon.” Or nothing, that would be all right, too. I guess I can’t say, “Please don’t talk to me at all,” can I? “Um. I grew up in the rainforest.” And I’m a mind reader. And I can see the future, and I’m afraid Turtle might kill his sister, and I’m pretty sure someone is spying on our dreams, and that the whole mountain might fall on us one day. Also, I miss my mother. “I like scrolls,” she finished nervously.

  How did she grow up in the rainforest? Winter thought, narrowing his eyes at her, but Tsunami had already turned away and Moon couldn’t jump in to explain, in case he guessed that she’d read his mind again. She focused on her talons, avoiding his gaze.

  “Me too,” said Turtle. “At least, I like scrolls that weren’t written by my mother. I’ve read way too many of those.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m Turtle, by the way.”

  Used to being invisible, Qibli thought, tilting his head at Turtle. Almost prefers it, but not always. Easygoing. Doesn’t want to try hard enough to be noticed. I wonder how much that armband is worth. Don’t recognize the kind of stones. He looks like he wants to go back to bed.

  Moon listened intently; she hadn’t been able to figure out anything about Turtle at all. Qibli seemed to think the SeaWing was harmless. She wondered what he’d think if she told him about her vision — not that that conversation was ever going to happen.

  “I’m Qibli,” said the SandWing. “I was one of Thorn’s Outclaws before she became queen. My plan is to learn everything as fast as possible and then get back to help her run the Kingdom of Sand.”

  “I’m sure she’s lost without you,” Winter said scathingly.

  “And I’m sure you’re perfectly essential to the operation of your kingdom,” Qibli shot back. Winter frowned, and Qibli thought, Ah, that hit home. I was right; he doesn’t think he’s worth much to his family, although he would like us all to think differently.

  “And I’m Umber,” said Clay’s brother. “I think — I think we might have been in a battle together once,” he said to Carnelian. “I mean, you look familiar.”

  “Oh,” she said, squinting at him. Her frown softened. “I didn’t realize you fought in the war, too.” Where SkyWings and MudWings were on the same side, she thought quietly. Maybe I do have allies here.

  “Yeah, with my brothers and sisters — my brother Reed is our leader,” he said. “But he said Sora and Marsh and I could come to school now that the war is over, since there’s so much we wanted to learn. I miss him and Pheasant, though.” Memories flashed through his head, of flying surrounded by other brown dragons, whisking through clouds and turning and diving all together. Marshes, a muddy swamp camp. A large brown dragon cuffed his shoulder affectionately; another one dropped a pig in front of him and waved for him and Sora to share it. All of them laughing around a fire.

  “They can visit anytime,” Tsunami promised. “They can even camp out and live here if they want. The more the merrier.”

  “They’re working for Queen Moorhen right now,” Umber explained. “But maybe one day.” His wings drooped a fraction of an inch, and then he pulled them back up.

  “Well, I am Winter,” said Winter.

  “Queen Glacier’s nephew,” Qibli said at the same time as he did. Winter straightened up and glittered dangerously at him.

  “Don’t you mock me,” he said.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Qibli said innocently.

  “If you’re the Head of School,” Winter said to Tsunami, “does that mean you’re the dragon to talk to about getting a private cave?”

  “Why, yes, I am,” Tsunami said. “The answer is no.”

  “See, I’m your destiny,” Qibli said to Winter with a cheerful shrug.

  Wish he were my destiny, Umber and Kinkajou thought nearly simultaneously. Moon smothered a giggle and got a pleased look from Qibli.

  “Can we get on with the discussion?” Winter asked. “What exactly is the point of this?”

  “The point is to talk about anything you want to talk about,” Tsunami said. “To find out what dragons from other tribes think, and see things from a new point of view. I’m sure it’ll be different when you have this class with Starflight or Clay or Sunny, but I, for one, think you guys should pick the topic.”

  “All right,” Winter said. “I want to talk about NightWing powers.”

  As far as Moon could hear, no one noticed her expression of terror before she managed to fix her face. Except maybe Qibli, who thought, Is she all right? Winter’s such a moonlicking crocodile, picking on her for no reason.

  Kinkajou, also, glanced at Moon and thought, Poor thing, she’s not going to enjoy that.

  “Maybe we could talk about the war instead,” the RainWing suggested. “I want to know what Queen Thorn is like. You’ve been inside the SandWing stronghold, haven’t you?” she asked Qibli.

  “Wait, I’m confused about the NightWings, too,” Turtle said before Qibli could answer. “Is it true they don’t have powers anymore? Just because they moved to the rainforest?”

  “I heard a rumor that they never had powers,” Carnelian chimed in, suddenly animated. “That they made all of that up and they’ve been lying to us for thousands of years.”

  “But what about the dragonet prophecy?” Umber challenged, flicking his tail. “About my brother and his friends ending the war? That was clearly real, because look, it came true.”

  No, it wasn’t, Moon thought. All the NightWings know it was false, because there haven’t been any true prophets in the tribe in forever. But they won’t admit that to anyone outside the tribe. Not even her; she’d figured it out by reading their minds. Most of them are furious that the world knows they have no powers.

  “What if they’re lying now and they secretly do have powers but don’t want us to know?” Turtle asked.

  Moon shivered involuntarily and focused on the fish in her claws.

  Oh, snail droppings, Tsunami cursed inside her head. I told Starflight we’d get asked about this. I never remember our story. And why should I have to lie? To protect the NightWings’ precious reputation, or the worthless Talons of Peace? Who cares if the prophecy wasn’t real, now that the war is over?

  “It doesn’t really matter, right?” she hedged. “The war is over. There are no more prophecies. We can do whatever we want, which includes ignoring the NightWings if we want to. No offense, Moon.”

  “It matters if they were manipulating us,” Winter hissed. “Do they have powers or not? Or did they when they lived in their secret location? If so, were all of them psychic, or just a few? A
nd how did they lose them?” He shook his head, his icicle-sharp spikes clattering faintly. “There are thousands of dragons who are still terrified of the NightWings — they deserve to know the truth.”

  Tsunami looked calm, but Moon could hear her squirming on the inside. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, the SeaWing thought.

  “Well, nobody’s sure what the truth is,” she said finally.

  “Nobody’s sure?” Winter swept one glittering, pale blue wing toward Moon. “We have one right here. This is all about understanding other tribes, isn’t it? Can’t we ask her?”

  Three moons, the horrible force of seven pairs of eyes staring at her — green, amber, black, blue, orange — ranging from curious to hostile with matching tidal waves of emotion behind them. Moon wondered what anyone would do if she bolted from the cave. And maybe flew all the way back to the rainforest without stopping.

  “Moon doesn’t know anything,” Kinkajou jumped in loyally. “She wasn’t raised with the other NightWings; her mother hid her in the rainforest. She’s been told all the same lies as everyone else.”

  Moon thought perhaps she loved Kinkajou at that moment more than any other dragon she’d ever known. Please, please believe her, she prayed. Don’t ask me any more questions.

  “Oh.” Winter gave Moon that look again, the one like she had shifted her scales and turned out to be a different dragon than he’d expected, or possibly a howler monkey and not a dragon at all. Maybe I don’t have to hate her after all, he thought. But still … a NightWing’s a NightWing, and none of them can be trusted.

  Aha, Qibli thought. That explains some things. She doesn’t have the same beaten-down yet insufferably smug aura of the other NightWings. Does she miss the rainforest? Or is she happy to finally be with other dragons? Was she lonely? Must have been alone a lot. Maybe she prefers it. Or maybe she’s not used to making friends. I could be her friend. Careful, Qibli. Figure her out first.

  “Look, the important thing is that if the NightWings ever did have powers, they don’t anymore,” Tsunami said, spreading her wings so the sun shone through her royal pattern of phosphorescent scales. “As long as everyone knows that, the NightWings can’t manipulate the other tribes ever again. So just remember that there’s no mind reading, and there’s definitely no seeing the future. NightWings are not these all-powerful mystery dragons who know everything. And if someone ever tells you you’re in a prophecy, tell them to eat their tails. I wish I could have done that to the Talons of Peace a lot sooner.”

  She wouldn’t believe me, Moon realized. If I went to Tsunami about the voices I heard, or my vision of Jade Mountain collapsing — she’d think I was lying. She doesn’t trust NightWings … or anyone who tries to tell her what to do, or what her future will be.

  “But —” Winter started to protest.

  “Who wants to go hunting?” Tsunami nearly shouted. “I know I do! Great idea, Tsunami! No arguing with the Head of School; off we go!” She shot off the ledge and whooshed away into the clouds.

  Carnelian snorted. “I guess that discussion is over,” she said.

  Moon let herself smile at the fact that fearless, awe-inspiring Tsunami had been the one to bolt, not her.

  But her smile faded as Winter paced across the cave and stopped right in front of her. He studied her with his piercing gaze, almost as if he could read her mind if he just stared at her long enough. His scales were so bright and so cold, his eyes so weirdly blue and suspicious and angry and sad all at the same time.

  “Hey, Winter, leave her alone,” Qibli said, sliding up next to Moon. “She’s not the enemy.”

  “Pyrrhia is at peace now,” Turtle agreed. “There are no more enemies.”

  Because the queens signed a peace agreement and accepted Thorn as the new SandWing queen, Winter thought. But there are some things that cannot be forgiven. That should not be forgiven. And we’re supposed to just sit back and let the NightWings get away with it?

  It wasn’t her, though, whispered another part of his mind.

  But she’s still one of them.

  “You say you don’t know anything,” Winter said, settling his wings. “But you know the other NightWings. You can find out the truth and come back to tell us. Right?”

  Ha. They’d probably tell an IceWing all their secrets long before they ever trust me, Moon thought. “Um,” she said. “Maybe?”

  “I want to know everything about their powers,” he said. “Were they ever real? How do we know they’re gone? What else are they lying to us about?” He cleared his throat. If I’m scary enough, she’ll do what I want, his mind whispered. That’s what Mother would say. “I mean you. What else are you lying to us about?”

  “Hey, igloo-face, that’s not cool,” Qibli barked.

  “Yeah, Moon’s in our winglet,” Kinkajou said, bristling. “We’re supposed to support each other.”

  “I’m with igloo-face,” Carnelian said. She stood up and stretched her massive wings, making Umber duck so he wouldn’t get whacked in the head. “If we’re supposed to get all snuggly with each other, there shouldn’t be any more secrets. Let’s make her tell us everything.” Her orange eyes glared at Moon, and an ominous image flashed through her head of Moon pinned under her talons.

  “I wasn’t joking!” Tsunami yelled, swooping by outside. “We’re going hunting! Come on!”

  Carnelian stalked to the ledge and leaped out. Umber glanced at the others — Poor Moon, he thought, but I want to know the truth, too — and then hurried after her.

  Turtle shrugged. “Whatever you guys decide.” And a moment later he was gone as well, leaving Moon, Kinkajou, Qibli, and Winter facing off.

  I’ll fight him if I have to, Qibli was thinking fiercely. He curls his claws like he relies on his front talons in fighting, so I’ll go for his shoulder first, slow him down without doing too much damage. Have to disable his snout to stop his frostbreath, too. Will Moon like it if I fight for her? Or is she the kind of dragon who would rather see me try a peaceful argument first? Kinkajou would like me either way. I like that about her. But I can’t even guess about Moon. Doesn’t seem like a fighter but she’s not scared in a normal way. Hope she stands up to him. She can’t let him get away with intimidating her like that.

  On Moon’s other side: It is SO WEIRD that I can’t tell what he’s feeling by looking at his scales! Kinkajou thought, watching Winter. His shiny, shiny, gorgeous scales. Don’t get distracted! No being mean to my new best friend, no matter how dazzling you are!

  Moon blinked at Kinkajou, her fear shrinking. New best friend? Did she mean that? Or was Kinkajou the kind of dragon who had a new best friend every two minutes?

  Either way, for these two minutes, at least, she had backup, even if she hadn’t done anything to earn it.

  She turned and met Winter’s eyes, which felt a little like staring into a glacier. “All right,” she said. “But please stop trying to scare me.” She hesitated, and then, riding one of Qibli’s sharp observations, she added, “You are not as terrifying as you think you are.”

  He took a surprised step back, his mind whirling.

  Nice, Kinkajou thought, grinning. Take that.

  Knew she was cool, thought Qibli.

  Stop liking her, Winter ordered himself with an internal growl. Remember what Father said: They’re all liars. Be strong, be vigilant, strike first. Trust nobody. Not even interesting NightWings with silver teardrop scales.

  “Fine,” he said. “You find out the truth about NightWing powers …”

  “And you stop threatening everybody,” Kinkajou said.

  He paused, and then an unexpected expression creased his face. “Hey, I didn’t promise anything about everybody,” he said. “Just her. I have an IceWing warrior mystique to maintain, after all, come on.” He looked at Moon again, and then he turned and jumped out into the sky, flying after Tsunami and the others.

  “I’m probably wrong,” Qibli said, “but I think my clawmate just made a joke. Is that possible?” Inside he was thi
nking, Yes! I knew that dragon was in there, if I can just drag him out.

  Moon returned his smile.

  “You were totally hallucinating,” Kinkajou agreed. “Too many smokeberries.”

  “Are you all right?” Qibli asked Moon.

  She nodded. She was more all right than she’d been in months. Mind reading was one thing — one awful thing — when you were surrounded by dragons who hated you, as she had been in the NightWing village. But when you were with dragons who actually liked you, or wanted to like you, for whatever mysterious reason … well, she didn’t expect it to last (What happens if they find out the truth about me?), but for now, it was kind of great.

  “What’s a smokeberry?” Qibli asked Kinkajou as they started toward the ledge.

  “Oh, they’re crazy,” Kinkajou said. “I had some while the RainWing healers were working on my wing injury. They gave me the wildest hallucinations — flying panthers, quetzals the size of dragons, scavengers with superpowers. You name it, I saw everything.”

  They soared into the sky. Moon started to follow them, but stopped on the ledge, feeling the wind whip around her. Up in the clear, cloudless sky, her new friends were diving and whirling like flower petals in a rainforest storm, gold and scarlet and green and pale blue.

  Don’t get too comfortable, little Moon, said the whispering voice softly. Even mind readers can be taken by surprise when they think they know whom to trust.

  The dragons who like you now are the ones most likely to betray you.

  Believe me. I know.

  Moon rose through the sky, feeling the paper-soft brush of thin clouds parting around her dark wings. It was quieter up here, but not quiet enough. She wondered how high she’d have to get before she couldn’t hear anyone anymore. She wondered if it was possible to get high enough that even her mystery friend couldn’t reach her mind.