Everything was still, in the days that followed. Everyone around Theo was stricken. The firesap, which they once regarded so highly, turned out to be their short cut to death and now they couldn’t turn back.
Theo found herself once again at the boulder with the dugout underneath, but she felt no reason to hide this time. She just laid on the moss covered rock, dazed by the bitter cold of truth.
“Theo?” Aspen crept cautiously forward.
“Call me River,” Theo groaned. “I became River and now I’m going to die as River.”
“Theo, Damon figured out a potion that can change you back.”
Theo shot up. “He actually did it?” Long forgotten longing rushed back to her. She wasn’t sure how she should feel, but now her mind was racing.
“He wants to talk to you,” Aspen said.
Theo nodded slowly. “Yes, of course. Please- lead the way.”
Aspen and Theo hurried over the new spring grass, past freshly leaved trees, all the way to Damon’s place. On the way there, Theo’s hopes climbed as she thought, I might live, I might live!
Except…What about the Colony? Could I really leave them without a thought? Wouldn’t it be wrong to abandon them after they considered me one of them?
But, when Theo saw the look on Damon’s face, she knew that all was not well.
“Hello, Sister,” he greeted her emptily. His hair was wet and it stuck to his head, making his face visible for once. He wore an expression that spoke of a history full of stress and exhaustion. Theo saw that his eyes were a light grey.
Theo slumped in response. “What do you have to tell me?” she asked. Better get this over with.
Damon looked behind him and picked up a flask. “This potion I made will transform you back to your original self,” he said, but sounded as though it wasn’t good news at all.
“Then what’s the problem?” Theo braced herself.
“If you were to take this potion right now,” Damon started, “the firesap would still be inside you and it would consume you within a number of days. A cure for the firesap would have to be found before anything could be done to benefit you.”
Figures, Theo thought. These are the consequences of my mistakes.
She didn’t say anything. She abandoned all expressions, leaving her face an unreadable blank.
Then, suddenly, she smiled.
But it was actually more of a grimace than anything else. A grimace of bitter, resigned peace.
“Well then,” she said, “I suppose nothing’s changed.”
. . .
Theo was tired of stress, of worrying. She’d been pushed beyond her limits and now she found no point in dwelling on all that was wrong.
I should appreciate however much time I have left here, she reasoned. I’m not dead yet, so why not live for now?
She searched her memory for things she’d wanted to do in her life, things that she maybe backed out of when she finally got the chance.
She remembered being with Sky, on the edge of the cliffs. She hadn’t taken the leap, despite Sky’s strong encouragement to do so.
I know that I can fly now. It’s about time I try the cliffs.
Casually, she passed Xander and Damara, heading in the direction of the ocean. The two children were spending more time around Damon’s living area now that all was not well, though they barely seemed to understand the problem. Damara was especially oblivious, jumping about Aspen, as happy as can be.
Cutting through forests and fields, Theo continued on her way. As she passed a pile of boulders, she was somewhat surprised to find Sky drooping atop the tallest of the rocks.
“Sky?” she called for her friend’s attention. “There is more to life than woe and regret. Won’t you join me to celebrate life’s blessings and test our wings?”
From above, Sky did not bother lift her head as she moaned, “I’m a failure, River…I can’t bear to think of all the pupils I’ve led astray…All the young ones I’ve encouraged to take that evil firesap…What makes me any better than a heartless rogue?”
“You are absolutely better,” Theo insisted without a moment’s hesitation. “For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always acted out of love for others. Not once have you done something with ill intentions. How can you compare yourself to a dragon who eats her own young?!”
Sky did not respond but continued to slouch around the boulder like a wilted vine.
Seeing that her words could not get through to her, Theo thought of something else.
Plover and Chestnut…If I found them, they could probably talk to her. Theo knew that the two former pupils were strikers now. Where could I find them? She searched her mind for places they’d likely be, but couldn’t think of any place specific.
And so, she walked on, asking any dragon she came across if they’d seen Plover or Chestnut anywhere recently. She noticed an empty look in many of the older ones’ eyes, and they answered negatively in depressed tones. Respectfully, she thanked them and moved on.
At last, she came across Lichen, who, with very jittery movements, affirmed that he’d seen Chestnut pass into Camp not too long ago.
In Camp, Theo spotted Chestnut standing with a group of friends, laughing as though nothing was wrong.
Death rarely feels near when you feel so young, Theo considered as she approached.
“Chestnut,” she greeted him and the striker looked at her. A grin still lingered on his lips, but she could see something in his eyes that gave her the impression he had no interest in talking to her. Ignoring the feeling, she told him, “Sky isn’t feeling well. Perhaps you could talk to her, considering you were her pupil?”
“Oh, Sky?” Chestnut said, sounding very unconcerned. “Um…Well, Plover’s just over there. Maybe she can help you.”
“I see,” Theo replied, realizing that he didn’t even care. “Thank you.” She walked away, hearing Chestnut and his friends resume their lighthearted conversation behind her.
Plover will care, she predicted, spotting the young female standing with a single friend. She was concerned when Sky was mourning over that drowned hatchling.
Her prediction was correct. When Theo told Plover about Sky, the striker bid her friend farewell and was quick to follow Theo back to Sky.
She takes after her old mentor, Theo took note. She’s just as sweet and caring.
“Sky?” Plover called as she and Theo came to the rock where Sky still hunched. “Sky, it’s me.”
The light blue dragon looked down at the striker and broke down, sobbing, “Plover, I’m so s-sorry…I’ve killed you…You and all the other pupils that trusted me and my lies…”
“What lies?” Plover asked, stepping up on a stone to better see the weeping dragon. “What are you talking about?”
“The firesap,” Sky whimpered. “I encouraged you all to take the firesap…and you listened to me!”
“But that was our own decision to make,” Plover responded in a wise, yet youthful way. “You can’t take responsibility for our mistakes.”
Sky shook her head sorrowfully, with eyes closed. “But you’re still going to die,” she wept.
“Don’t fret…We still have a long time ahead of us,” the kind striker comforted her. “Only now, we know what’s ahead of us. We’re prepared!”
Sky curled tighter around the boulder, but looked as though she were thinking over Plover’s words.
“Sky, I don’t regret choosing you as my mentor,” Plover said earnestly. “Not at all.”
Sky blinked down at her former pupil, a pacified expression relaxing her face. Silently, she nodded, standing up and descending the rock face at an eased balance.
“Come on,” Theo murmured, gazing into her friend’s eyes. “Let’s walk for a while.”
Chapter 26