Chapter Three

"Great job, Cinnamon!"

"That was awesome, Cinnamon!"

"You're amazing, Cinnamon!"

Cinnamon was suddenly the attention of a swarm of compliments from drakes she'd hardly even talked to before. She didn't want to sound cocky, but she agreed with them—it was really impressive, especially since she was just a scout and not even three years old.

"Attention! Simmer down, please!" Emerald called, jumping up onto a stone ledge to overlook her gathered pack. Everyone fell silent, looking up at her. "Thank you," she said. "As you must know, we are gathered here tonight to celebrate the courage of this young she-drake. Cinnamon, come on up here."

Cinnamon froze. "On the ledge?" She asked.

"Yes. Next to me." Cinnamon ducked her head and nimbly climbed the tilted side of the rock. Usually only the matriarch was allowed to go up here. Cinnamon sat next to Emerald and wrapped her tail tightly around her hind legs, gazing down at the watching drakes.

"For those of you who might not have heard the story, Cinnamon was assigned to egg-watch with a friend of hers. A death condor attacked the nests and tried to steal one of Hazel's eggs. Cinnamon fought and killed the death condor, whilst her friend, young Moss, ran to get help. But unexpectedly, another bird arrived, snatching the same egg once more. Instead of giving it up for lost, Cinnamon ran after the bird, climbed a rock spire and leapt at it, stealing the egg back in mid air. Yes, today Cinnamon had displayed great strength, fast thinking, incredible agility, outstanding courage, and, most of all, undying loyalty, risking life and limb to rescue an unhatched pack-mate."

Cinnamon lifted her head in pride. She couldn't help it; she was really proud of herself.

"Cinnamon," Emerald said, turning to the younger drake and meeting her eyes. "You were simply amazing. I'm proud of you. We all are." There was a pause as murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. "That's why," Emerald continued, her green eyes glowing, "I'm promoting you. Everyone, meet this pack's newest delta!"

Cinnamon nearly fell right off the ledge.

"Delta?" She gasped, but everyone was cheering to loud to hear her. Delta! I'm a delta! Only the strongest, bravest drakes get to be deltas! Do I really deserve it? I mean, it was epic, but... not matter how dramatic the stunt, it was just one egg.

She shook her thoughts away and decided to let herself be proud. Below, Moss was jumping and cheering, grinning from ear to ear.  Dawn was looking up, her eyes brimming with pride.

"Great work," Emerald said.  "Go on down now.  I can tell your family wants to congratulate you too."

Cinnamon nodded and leapt off of the rock, landing on all fours.  Before she'd even regained her balance from the jump, Moss was on top of her.

"Woah!" Cinnamon cried as she fell onto her side.  "Calm down!  You're more excited then I am!"

"I'm so proud of you!" Moss yelped. "A delta! That's amazing!"

"It really is," Dawn agreed, nuzzling Cinnamon's ears as she slid out from under Moss and stood up. "You're sister would be so proud of you."

"I know," Cinnamon said, smiling sadly. "I wish she could see me now."

"Who knows? Maybe she can." Dawn tilted her head up to look at the stars. Cinnamon looked up, too. Hi, Cassia, she thought wistfully. Are you up there? Can you see me?

Are you proud?

Moss butted Cinnamon with her shoulder. "Let's go celebrate!" She said. "Come running with me, like when we were drakelets! It'll be so fun!"

Cinnamon smiled. "Okay. Bye, Mum!" She and Moss trotted away, struggling through a crowd of drakes with praises and questions for Cinnamon. Finally they escaped and ran for the open desert.

They ran side by side until they couldn't anymore, and then collapsed into a heap of fur.  "I'm serious, though," Moss said after catching her breath.  "I really am proud of you."

"Thanks," Cinnamon said sheepishly.  "But you helped."

"Not really."  Moss shook her head.  "Well, I guess I did bring the audience to you."

Cinnamon laughed.  "Nobody would have believed us if we told a story like that with no witnesses."

"You're so young to be a delta," Moss realized.  "Maybe the youngest delta, like, ever."

"I feel like it's all too much," Cinnamon admitted.  "I mean, I'll admit, what I did was pretty great, but a whole ceremony?  And a promotion to delta, over one egg and a couple of birds?  That's a bit overboard."

"Um," Moss said, "don't forget that you took the bird down by jumping off a freaking cliff!"

"Anyone could do that," Cinnamon sighed, and then tilted her head.  "Probably.  Maybe."

"I couldn't," Moss pointed out.  "Stop doubting this.  You are a hero, and you deserve all of this."

"Thanks."  Cinnamon smiled.  "You... you're a great drake, Moss.  Do I tell you that enough?"

Moss wrinkled her snout thoughtfully.  "Definitely not," Moss finally told her.  "To achieve the proper balance concerning the Moss-to-greatness ratio, you'd have to call me great at least once a minute, or else wonderful every five minutes."

"You bug-brain," Cinnamon teased.

"What?  It's true.  I should have been promoted too, simply for being so undeniably awesome."

"Yeah," Cinnamon laughed.  "You should have been."