Flow woke up and looked around. His wound was wrapped in cloth and so was his head. He was in his bed alone until he felt a claws rest on his back. Haze was there, smiling like they always try to do. "Have a nice nap?" they nervously asked. "My- my head hurts..." Flow said as a shock of pain rushed into his head. "I'm sorry, but your curse got bad! I wish I knew a better way to fix it, but you and I both know there isn't." they spoke as if defending a point that was never mentioned.
"Oh... did I miss the festival?" he asked while thinking about how he screwed up again. curse: 1,000,001. Me: 0. he thought. "No, it hasn't started yet." they said messing with their cape's chain. "But it will soon." they sat there for a moment staring at Flow but before Flow could speak they added "Oh and mother said she would punish the scientist who caused your out burst. Turns out you weren't due for a scale removal until next month!" "Serves the jerk right. Now, how about we go off and get ready? I, for one, cannot wait to have some festival snacks!" Flow dashed out of the bed room and out of the castle. Scatter wing castle was basically right in front of the festival grounds. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the light he saw moon lanterns, snacks, crusty old merchandise, and many tents that seemed to be endless.
Flow walked into the crowd of tents until he found, quite obviously, the tent that the royal family would be in during the festival. As he looked in, he saw his family with several large guards sitting around the sides of the tent. "Ah, it seems your... episode is over." mother said. "Come, come, now that you can focus, we can tell you about the schedule." Flow sat by his mother and observed Haze walk in and sit as well. "Now, unfortunately, Flow will have to miss part of the festival." Mother said this and Flow was going to speak but was cut off by mother. "He has a job with some... pests. I think he should be able to handle it." "But mother, I deal with the sky wings!" Cain spoke up enraged. "You do... every single time. Do you not think Flow wouuld fit into the role? It would also give you time to train for the royal army." mother said while placing a claw on Flow's head. "Besides, I made the choice. And what ever the queen says is what goes, is it not, Cain?" Cain grumbled quietly and narrowed his eyes at Flow. Flow was worried now. Sky wings? Real Sky wings that I have to take care of? What if they escape? these questions raced through Flow's head. "When must I do this, mother?" he asked. "Preferably now... We cannot celebrate with the threat of Sky wings in our proximity." She raised her wings to dismiss Flow and he nodded and walked away toward the prison.
The prison was like a sore thumb in the city because instead of beautiful, bright, and contrasting colors, it was rusty and grey with some areas not even built with any depth. He walked in and passed many cursed scatter wings. He never liked looking at them since he was cursed him self. If he looked at one he could imagine himself in that chamber, not even aware he was trapped. Eventually he reached a burnt cell. Inside were two young Sky wings, both with solid metal wrapped over their jaws. The older one jumped up. It seemed like a female that was colored Auburn with more brown spots on her head and shoulders. Her under belly was also beige and had scratch marks. The younger one seemed to be the same, and Flow came up with the conclusion that they were siblings. They were both the same height as Flow, but they kept trying to make theirselves larger by flapping their wings. The older one tried to snarl but couldn't due to the metal covering her mouth. For some reason, Flow felt bad. How could we hate something that seemed so much like us, acted like us, and probably even feared like us? He cautiously stepped into the cell and took the older one's metal off. As soon as he did, he narrowly dodged a stream of fire. "Let us go now! We did nothing wrong! You are the real problem!" She screamed out with the fury of a million moons. "Wait! Wait! I wan't to help you!" Flow yelled as he covered him self with his wing in a feeble attempt to block the Sky wing. "As if we would-" She stopped with a confused look. "You, a scatter wing, are going to help us, Sky wings?" She asked poking Flow. "Y-Yeah I was!" he said standing up trying to look like he wasn't just rolled up into a small ball. "You realize we are enemies, right?" she asked genuinely. "Do we have to be?" He asked.
"Well... that's how it has been since our kind first stepped onto this island... Wait, why would you help us in the first place?" She demanded. "Well..." he said. "I am not sure. But I don't think you two deserve to die yet." "Well, I don't have any other options. I am Charcoal and that one over there is my brother Arson." She seemed weary, but clearly was not threatened by Flow anymore. "I am Flow. It is nice to meet you two!" "Same, I guess? Just not a nice place to meet." She looked at the bars on the prison window. Flow went over to Arson and got him unlocked and then Unlocked Charcoal. "Go." He ordered them. The two bounded out the door when Charcoal turned around to say "Thank you. We will not forget you and one day perhaps we could repay you." and then she bounded out and into an area of jungle.
