Seraphyra and Cricket had finally put the sprawling Hive lands behind them, their wings carrying them across the vast savannah. The golden grasses rippled like an ocean in the breeze, but neither dragon paused to admire the view. Instead, they descended into a large, jagged rift in the earth, where Seraphyra had suggested—no, insisted—they would be safe.

"This crevice is perfect," Sera had said with the false confidence of someone who absolutely had no idea if she was right. "The monster won't follow us down here. Probably."

Now, as they both huddled in the narrow, damp space, she found herself praying she wasn't about to eat her words.

Cricket, for her part, was looking worse for wear. She was leaning heavily against the rift's wall, her wings drooping like soggy paper fans, and her normally bright eyes were half-lidded with exhaustion. "Okay," she panted between gulps of air, "I am never flying that fast again. My tail feels like it's about to fall off." She let out a groan and gave her tail a half-hearted lash, which ended with it flopping limply onto the ground. "Seriously, Seraphyra. Who taught you how to fly? A tornado?"

Sera smirked, settling herself against the opposite wall, her midnight-blue scales shimmering faintly in the dim light. "I did say we needed to move fast," she replied, her tone annoyingly smug. "Besides, you were the one who said you could keep up."

Cricket shot her a glare, though it was undermined by her wheezing. "I didn't know you meant 'fly-like-your-tail's-on-fire' fast. Next time, just let the monster eat me."

"I thought you said you didn't want to die in a swampy hive," Sera said, tilting her head with mock innocence. "This was me saving your life. You're welcome."

Cricket rolled her eyes, but the fight seemed to leave her. With a sigh, she fumbled with the pouch slung across her side, pulling out the legendary Book of Clearsight. The tome looked as ancient as the cliffs around them, its cover worn and its edges slightly frayed. She set it gingerly on a slightly damp patch of stone, grimacing as water seeped into her claws.

"Great hiding spot," she muttered, giving the rift's slimy walls a disdainful look. "Perfect ambiance. Love the wet, mildew-y aesthetic. Really screams 'royal genius.'"

Seraphyra ignored the jab, her gaze fixed on the book. "Are you sure that thing can help us?" she asked, nodding toward it. "Because if it doesn't, we're basically just sitting ducks here. And by ducks, I mean dragon appetizers for whatever's out there."

Cricket blew a strand of her whiskers out of her face. "Oh, it'll help. If I can figure out how to read it properly. This thing's like trying to decode an ancient scroll written by a poet who only spoke in riddles. Clearsight must've had way too much time on her talons."

Sera raised a brow. "And you're just now realizing this? You've been lugging that thing around for days like it's the secret to the universe."

"Because it is," Cricket shot back, glaring. "Do you know how rare it is to hold something like this? It's like... I don't know, finding the one dragon in Pyrrhia who doesn't like treasure. It's a miracle."

Sera chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright, alright. Let's see this 'miracle' in action, then. Start flipping pages, scholar."

Cricket sighed but complied, opening the book with delicate claws. The pages were filled with intricate, looping script and diagrams that practically screamed, Don't bother me unless you have a PhD in Dragon Lore. She squinted at the first page, muttering under her breath as she tried to decipher it.

"Anything helpful yet?" Sera asked after a long pause.

"Sure," Cricket said dryly, not looking up. "If by helpful, you mean a cryptic drawing of what I think is a dragon eating a snake. Or maybe it's the other way around? Hard to tell."

"Fantastic," Sera said, leaning back with a groan. "We're doomed."

"Hey, at least I'm trying," Cricket retorted, glaring over the book. "What are you doing? Oh, right. Sitting there looking smug."

"It's called leadership," Sera shot back with a grin. "I'm delegating."

Cricket snorted, though a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Delegating. Sure. That's what we're calling it." She returned her focus to the book, flipping a few more pages before pausing, her eyes narrowing.

"Wait," she said slowly, tapping the page with a claw. "This might actually be something."

Sera straightened, her smugness replaced with curiosity. "What is it?"

Cricket turned the book around, showing her a complex diagram of what looked like a swirling vortex surrounded by runes. "I think it's... some kind of spell. Or maybe a map? Either way, it's definitely connected to curses."

"Great," Sera said, her eyes lighting up. "Can it tell us how to get rid of the monster?"

"Maybe," Cricket said, squinting at the text. "If I can figure out what this part means. It says something about 'unraveling the threads of fate' or 'weaving the tapestry anew.' Honestly, it sounds more like bad poetry than instructions."

Sera groaned, slumping against the wall. "Perfect. We're relying on bad poetry to save our scales. This just keeps getting better."

Cricket rolled her eyes but didn't respond, her focus back on the book. Sera watched her for a moment, then glanced toward the entrance of the rift, her sharp eyes scanning the savannah beyond. The monster might not have followed them yet, but she knew better than to relax. Trouble was never far behind.

"Keep reading," she said softly, her voice low but firm. "And figure it out fast, Cricket. We might not have much time."

Cricket didn't reply, but her determination was clear in the way she pored over the book, her tail flicking back and forth as she worked. Sera sighed, her gaze drifting back to the horizon. It was going to be a long night.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

The sun had long since slipped below the horizon, leaving the rift bathed in dim starlight and the eerie, silvery glow of the moon. Seraphyra lay sprawled on her belly, chin resting on her claws, watching her stinger slide rhythmically in and out of its sheath at the tip of her tail. It was a mindless, idle distraction—better than stewing in frustration.

Nearby, Cricket was hunched over the Book of Clearsight, muttering to herself in a tone that oscillated between "I'm so close!" and "I hate this stupid book." The silence was heavy, broken only by the soft rustle of pages and the occasional grumble of a nearby insect.

Suddenly, Cricket bolted upright, her eyes wide with triumph. "Ah-ha! I got it!" she shouted, the echo bouncing dramatically off the canyon walls.

Sera whipped her head around, her stinger freezing mid-slide. "Shhh!" she hissed, her voice sharp as she glared at the HiveWing.

The two froze, ears perked, waiting for any sign that the noise had drawn unwanted attention. The distant rustle of the savannah remained just that—distant. After a long pause, Seraphyra let out a slow, measured sigh, her body relaxing.

"You trying to kill us, Cricket?" she asked dryly, rising to a sitting position and folding her midnight-blue wings neatly at her sides. "Because if the monster doesn't hear you, I'm sure something else will."

"Sorry, sorry," Cricket whispered, waving a claw dismissively. "But you're going to want to hear this. Trust me."

"I hope so," Sera muttered, flicking her tail in annoyance. "What did you find?"

Cricket practically vibrated with excitement, her claws tapping against the book as she turned it toward Sera. The page was filled with a sprawling diagram of interconnected runes, spirals, and what looked like the vague outline of a dragon's silhouette in the center.

"Okay, so remember how I said this part looked like bad poetry?" Cricket began, pointing to a section of swirling text. "Turns out, it's actually a key to interpreting this part, which is basically the curse equivalent of a self-destruct button!"

Sera blinked. "A self-destruct button? For curses?"

"Well, not literally," Cricket admitted, her wings twitching. "But close enough. It's a way to unravel the curse from the inside out. Kind of like... uh..." She paused, searching for the right metaphor.

"Pulling a thread on a poorly made scarf?" Sera offered, raising a brow.

"Exactly!" Cricket exclaimed, snapping her claws. "Except this scarf is alive, angry, and wants to eat us."

"Charming," Sera deadpanned, though a flicker of hope sparked in her chest. "So, how does it work?"

"Right, right," Cricket said, her excitement bubbling over as she leaned in closer to the book. "Okay, so first, we need to identify the 'core thread'—that's the piece of the curse that's holding it all together. It's usually tied to something physical, like an object or a location. Once we find that, we—well, you—have to sever it."

"Me?" Sera asked, narrowing her eyes.

Cricket gave her a sheepish grin. "You're the one with the fire breath and the stinger tail, remember? You're, uh, slightly better equipped for destroying things than I am."

"Convenient," Sera muttered, but she gestured for Cricket to continue.

"Anyway," Cricket went on, "once the core thread is destroyed, the rest of the curse should collapse on itself. But here's the tricky part—the curse won't go down without a fight. It'll probably lash out, maybe try to jump hosts, or—I don't know—explode."

"Explode?" Sera repeated, her voice flat.

"Probably not literally!" Cricket said quickly. "But, you know, just in case... be prepared for the worst."

"Wonderful," Sera sighed, rubbing her temples. "So, to recap: we find this 'core thread,' I risk my scales destroying it, and then we hope the whole thing doesn't blow up in our faces. Did I miss anything?"

"That's... pretty much it," Cricket admitted, scratching the back of her neck. "Oh, and we might want to do it soon. The longer the curse is left unchecked, the stronger it gets."

Sera let out a long, slow breath, her wings twitching restlessly. "Alright," she said finally. "Let's do it. But if this goes wrong, I'm blaming you."

"Fair," Cricket said, already packing up the book with practiced speed. "But when it works, I'm taking all the credit."

"Of course you are," Sera muttered, shaking her head.

As they prepared to leave the safety of the rift, Sera couldn't shake the feeling that they were diving headfirst into a mess they barely understood. But then again, when had anything ever been easy?

"Lead the way, scholar," she said with a smirk, nodding toward Cricket. "Let's go pull some threads."