Frostwing awoke with a start when she felt something wet and cold nuzzle her wing aside, and she heard a growl rumble deep in her throat. It's way too early to get up! But the tone in Mono’s voice sounded urgent as she prodded her with her black paw, “I can smell people coming. Bad people.”

    Frostwing was up in a flash, her wings already poised to take flight. She turned to Mono, who was intently sniffing the air, her large ears perked for any unwelcome noises. “Mono, we need to get out of here. I'll carry you-” Mono turned around to look at her with a disapproving look, “Carry me? I'm not some house pet.” She growled sassily.

“Too bad. We are running short on time and if we don't leave now, we'll be caught.”

“We can run, but you are certainly not carrying me!”

“I so am carrying you, and there's nothing you can do to keep me from doing so!”

“we can one hundred percent make it without flying.”

“No we can't. Look at my foot!”

“You'll live.”

“And if we don't fly away right now, we will one hundred percent be dead.”

    Mono glared at her indignantly, her ears pinned back, admitting defeat. “Besides, I carried you here in the first place.” Frostwing said matter-of-factly before lifting into the air, her strong wings blowing the plants around her. Then, she grabbed the puppy-like wolfdea in her talons and flew higher into the morning sky.

    She could feel Mono holding onto her arms for dear life as her back legs hung in mid air, and Frostwing could swear that she heard the fussy wolfdea whimper. She tried her hardest to make her feel like she wouldn't slip from her talons and plumet to her death, but she could tell that Mono wasn't very convinced. Only when she was satisfied with the distance from the city did she finally land on a tall hill that was covered with large trees, setting Mono down in the tall grass and landing beside her.

    Mono stood rigidly with her legs splayed out, her eyes wide and her fur incredibly messy, flustered. She then turned to Frostwing, who was watching for any suspicious movements with squinted eyes, “never again.” She whined before shaking out her fluffy black fur, her tail between her legs. Frostwing, noticing nothing strange around her other than the weird looking, pink mushrooms here and there, decided that they were safe for now.

    “Humans can be so annoying.” She grumbled as she turned away from the hill's edge and began to walk further into the thick forest, her mind lost in thought. For some odd, inexplicable reason, her mind flickered back to the moment in the prison when she had released the Manticore, and it had told her that she was “the one with a heart of fire” or something similar to that. What could that mean? I'm sure he was confusing me for someone else. Manticore can live for a very long time, and that one seemed very old, so maybe he just didn't see me correctly?

    Frostwing noticed Mono prancing ahead with her tail wagging, and she didn't mind it. All she wanted to do was find someplace safe to think things over. But from what she could tell, Mono was only interested in chasing rabbits around and barking, which Frostwing wished she would stop. And after some consideration, she decided to consult in Mono.

    “Mono, do you know anything about that Manticore that lived in the cell next to yours?” She asked, slowing down her brisk pace. Mono followed her lead and slowed to walk beside her. The Wolfdea tilted her head to the side and casted her a sideways glance,”Merlin? That old Manticore? Oh don't listen to him, he tried to tell me that I was destined for something that I can't even remember the name of. Said something about a prophecy of some sort… talked alot about dragons taking over the world and such. His brain's all fuzz.” She said with a dismissive flick of her white-tipped tail.

    Frostwing, however, did not regard the Manticore in this fashion. He told Mono that she was special, and she can light herself on fire. Does that mean that I have some sort of hidden ability or something? Or maybe he tells that to everybody and Mono just happened to be able to do something no other Wolfdea can do… maybe he really is telling the truth? And, there's a Prophecy? Manticore have always been highly secretive, so who knows what they can do? Maybe they really can see into the future? Or maybe it's all a lie meant to intimidate other races. But whatever we do, I think that we should look into the topic some more…

    Frostwing turned back to Mono, who; strangely enough, was wearing a serious expression, “did Merlin ever say what the prophecy was? Maybe where it came from?  Can you remember any specific details at all?” She tried desperately. For a second, Mono appeared to be thinking very hard as she tried to recall any memories, her ears fanned out like a bird’s wings. “Probably… about… death…” she said slowly.

    Frostwing growled in frustration, “that's every prophecy, Mono! Of course it's about something dying. Now, do you know what is dying? Or how it will die?” Mono gave her an offended look and stuck her tail up stubbornly, “hey, don't expect me to be your personal record book. I have better things to do instead of listening to an old, rambling fluff brain about fake prophecies and what not. Now, I say that if we wanna survive out here, we should find a hole, hide in it, never come out, and not go looking for some random, most likely hostile and dangerous creature who made some weird prophecy that a brainwashed Manticore somehow got its talons on, because I know that's what you are about to go do.”

    Frostwing lashed her tail angrily, frustrated about the way Mono was talking to her, because that was exactly what she was about to suggest doing. She must be very brave, acting this way to a creature that is twice her size. You're playing a dangerous game…

    Instead of making some half-hearted response, she pulled ahead, a fiery glare plastered on her face. That was until a bone shattering roar tore through the restless air. She could hear Mono whimper before pressing closer to Frostwing's side. She could feel her shivering. What was that? I have never heard such a noise before. But, then again, I have never been in this area before. What could have made a sound that loud… and that frightening?

    “Let's turn back.” She said nervously, making a beeline for the edge of the forest behind her. Mono silently agreed as she trotted quickly in front. As if the situation couldn't get any worse, what followed was the terrible sound of a creature crying for help. The sound was similar to that of a horse, but it also sounded part dragon. She was thoroughly confused. We need to help it! I can't just let a poor, innocent creature die!

    “Now, I know what you're thinking, and it's a super bad idea.” Mono whimpered, gazing at her with stern, silver eyes. “I don't care if it's a bad idea. Creatures are dying all around us, and I feel that it's my duty to try my hardest to at least help as many as I can. What if this is what I was destined to do?” She growled before taking off in the direction of the roar with Mono following unwillingly behind.

    
A/N: Happy super late Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all had a great time! Sorry for the late chapter. Sometimes I just have a hard time progressing the story because of writer's block or something. But at least I got this chapter out. Anyways, time for me to be desperate yeet. Who is your favorite character to far? And who do you think the mysterious creatures are? Also, would you guys prefer more action or more storyline with less action?