Holly's POV

"This must be the Distant Kingdoms", Cricket said, pointing to the right corner of the map.
Tsunami nodded.
"And this is the Eastern coast of Pantala", Hazel said, pointing to the opposite coastline.

Even on a map, the distance between the two continents was huge.

"Are these islands?", Holly said realization hitting her.
"Yes!", Cricket said.
"And look! Clearsight drew arrows pointing to them! She must have used her foresight to find them, and then, she drew this map in case someone else needed to get to the Distant Kingdoms!"

"Or, a whole tribe of someones", Hazel said.
"Wait, we're going?", Cricket exclaimed.
"We're really going?!"

"Yes. All of us. Right now", Hazel said.

"Everyone?", Tsunami asked, her expression ripe with alarm.
"I mean . . . yes, of course everyone. I'll just . . . . come home with an entire tribe."

"Make that two tribes."

Io and six other Silkwings entered the throne room.
"There are about two-hundered more of us at the mouth of the Gullet River", Io said.
"We thought we'd come in through the back and join the fight, but it sounds like we're too late."

"Two-hundered Silkwings came to help us?", Hazel asked.

"I was only able to get to Wasp Hive, Yellowjacket Hive, and Jewel Hive", Io explained. "But I can go back for more dragons if I need to. The Crysalis is bigger than anyone thinks."

"We've found a way to the Distant Kingdoms", Hazel said.
"We need to leave before Wasp gets here."

"Aren't we going to fight?". one of the Silkwings asked.
"Eventually, yes, but not right now", Hazel said.
"Wasp can control Silkwings and Leafwings now."

"Then we need to get everyone out of the Hives!", Io said.
Hazel hestitated.

"She's right!", Cricket said.
"Someone needs to stay and help!"

"The problem", Holly said, "is we'd need to give you a copy of the map. And if we do-"
"-The Othermind might get it", Willow finished.

"We won't let it!", Io said feircely.
"We can't just let them die!"

"I agree", Holly said. "But if we do make a copy, it puts out whole escape in jeopordy."
"And if they find it", Hazel said, "they could come after us. They WOULD come after us."

"I'll hide it!", the Silkwing nearly cried.
"Even if they take over my mind, they won't be able to! If she gets them, her army will be more than doubled!"

"I wish Great-Grandmother was here", Hazel said.

"But for now, it's up to you", Holly said.

Hazel gave her a wry smile.
"Unless Belladonna's right and it should be Sundew."

"What? Pfft",Holly scoffed.
"Belladonna's a total git. Don't listen to her crap."

"For your sake, I won't tell her you said that."

"Nah, she'd hate it."

"Isn't that a reason NOT to tell her?", Hazel asked.

"Not when you've got ADHD", Holly said.

"And besides", Sundew said, "I don't want to the throne. You're the right queen for us; you've got the voice and everything."

"I have been practicing", Hazel said.
She lifted her head and turned to Io.

"Very well", she said in her queen voice.
"We'll make you a copy and you can go save the Silkwings."

"I'll make the copy!", Turtle volunteered.
"I, um . . . I've got good penmanship."

"Do that", Hazel said, giving him a sheet of paper.
"Draw quickly. Io, decide who's going with you."

"Me!", said a brown-orange Silkwing.

Suddenly, there was a loud noice from above them.
Bumblebee squeeked.

They're here already?

One of Hazel's guards burst through the doors, panting.
"Are they here?", Hazel asked.
"No", he said, gasping.
"But they've done something else: they've set the jungle up in flames."

What.

"Get everyone to the coast", Hazel ordered.
"We'll gather on the north shore of the Gullet River. Use the evactuation plan. Go now."
He flew off, and she turned to Turtle.

"Draw faster, dragon from across the sea."

"Our dragons don't have an evatcuation plan", Mandrake said.
"They may not know what to do."

Sundew grabbed his shoulders.
"You can origanize them. You're great at this kind of thing. It's just like sorting insects."

"Yeah. I can do that", he said, his face brightening.

"I'll come too", Holly said.
There are a lot of dragons out there. He'll need a lot of help, if we're going to get all of them away from here before the fire gets here.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?", Mandrake asked as they helped the last dragonet aboard the huge raft. It was made of white oak, and Holly guessed it was large enough to carry ten thousand skyscrapers. Still, there wasn't enough room for everyone. Everyone was going to have to take shifts between flying and staying on the ship. The eldest and youngest members of the tribe would stay on the whole ride, however.

Holly looked away, feeling ever hotter by the minute.
She coughed, ignoring the question.
"M-Mandrake? What will happen to us? Will we all move on after this is over? What if we're doomed to fail? Even if we win . . . what if we're wrong? What if we're just like the Hivewings? What if we . . . . what if we're the villians?"

"We won't, we-we aren't", he said.
"We will win."

Hollt could tell he was concerned, but she was glad he acted confident for her sake.

There was a loud roar from the forest behind them.
The sound of a hungry beast lying in wait.
The fire was coming.

How could they win? How could there possibly be any hope for her and Mandrake?
She tried to block out those thoughts, but once she thought them, it was like falling into an abyss.
Despite the light and heat of the fire, the air felt cold and dark.
It was over.
She was going to die.
Her body was about to be cremated like a doomed oak-leaf.
Her family would never have any idea what happened to her.
She would never be able to make up with her dad.
She would never hear Lilly's raucous, or see Calire's eye-rolls.
Her family would never know what happened to her.
She would never return to her own world.

"Hey, it's all right", Mandrake said, patting her talon, then pulling away.
Holly realized she was shivering.

"I don't want to leave you!", she burst out."
"I-I won't leave you", Mandrake said with a small smile, then his face fell.
He swollowed and his tail brushed hers.
"I promise."

He causally looked up.
"That's them."
Holly turned and saw Tsunami, Turtle, Hazel, Willow, and Sundew flying towards them.

"Let's go", Mandrake said, brushing his wing with hers.

With one final look at the firey inferno, they took off, flying in the direction of the Distant Kingdoms.

A/N: And that's it for The Poison Jungle!
I'm not quite sure how long it's going to take me to finish The Flames Of Hope; I don't have a physical copy at the moment (I listened to it as an audiobook), so I would either have to but the book, go to the library, and I'm not sure that I can do that.
But I DO have a physical copy of The Dangerous Gift, but I'll write that into The Flames Of Hope.

Also, what do you guys think I should change about book 15?
I wouldn't say that it was TOTAL failiar, but I WAS disappointed. I know Tui can do better than that, but I can see a lot reasons why she might've had problems.
I'm not blaming her for it, but one of the first questions I ask myself when I start writing a book, is how it's going to end.
I'm not saying you always have to know right away, but it's a good tip, as long as you don't overuse it.
I've actually already mentally planed out the ending for this book, and it looks like it's going to be really good (and MIGHT have some of you crying your freakin' eyeballs out, but we'll see).

Anyhow, if you enjoyed, remember to add a vote, comment, and share!

Wordcount: 1160

Until next time, Renx out!