Wings of Fire Book 13: The Poison Jungle | Fan-Made Audiobook | Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Dark Jungle

Sundew and her friends navigate through a dark jungle, unsure of the cause of the darkness. They discuss their fear of encountering snakes and debate whether they are scary or not.

The Dark Jungle

• Sundew wonders if the jungle has gotten darker due to the setting sun, denser tree canopy, or the feeling of being watched by beady eyes.

• Nettle declares that snakes are not scary, while Mandrake expresses concern about dragon bite vipers.

• Cricket asks if anyone has seen a dragon bite viper before, to which Willow mentions seeing small snakes at a pet shop but not in the hives.

• Sundew clarifies that LeafWings do not have pets like SapWings do, leading to a discussion about their different abilities and stereotypes.

• They agree on a truce and continue their journey through the dark jungle.

Cockatoo Talkatsu

Willow talks about her pet cockatoo named Talkatsu while reminiscing about naming her when she was younger.

Naming Talkatsu

• Willow mentions having a cockatoo named Talkatsu who is considered the smartest bird in the world.

• Sundew playfully teases Willow for naming Talkatsu when she was young and challenges her to come up with a better name at that age.

Unsettling Trees

Sundew notices that the trees in this part of the jungle seem unhappy and grumble. The usual sounds of insects and animals become silent, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Unhappy Trees

• Sundew observes that these trees are different from what she's encountered before; they grumble and mutter as if expressing discontent.

• The usual sounds of cicadas, grasshoppers, and monkeys are absent, leaving only the rustling of the wind in the branches.

• Sundew spots a dragon bite viper's head poking out from under some weeds but notices it is motionless like a statue.

• Mandrake and Nettle also freeze upon seeing something near their feet, indicating that there is something strange happening with the snakes in this area.

Frozen Snakes

Willow approaches a motionless viper while Sundew and Cricket discuss whether they should try to kill it or not. They decide to keep their distance and move away cautiously.

Motionless Viper

• Willow notices another snake near the top of the slope, coiled around a thorny shrub, also frozen in place.

• Sundew suggests that they saw a similar snake below that stared at them but didn't attack, leading them to believe these snakes might be frozen or paralyzed.

• They decide not to touch the motionless viper and opt to move away quietly but quickly.

Conclusion

Sundew and her friends continue their journey through the dark jungle while being cautious of the frozen snakes they encounter.

Continuing Through the Jungle

• Sundew and her friends proceed up the hill, avoiding long weeds where another snake is poised near Nettle and Mandrake.

• They speculate that these snakes may be frozen or unable to attack due to unknown reasons.

• The group remains vigilant as they navigate through the dark jungle.

Journey through the Snakes

The group cautiously navigates through a treacherous path filled with snakes, encountering various types of serpents along the way.

Treacherous Terrain

• Willa leads the way as they carefully make their way along the ridge of a hill and down the other side.

• Sundu keeps her wings tucked in and lifts her tail off the ground to avoid stepping on wet leaves.

• They come across two snakes looped around tree branches, their heads reaching towards the path.

• More snakes are discovered in a patch of tangled ivy vines and long grass, appearing like strange plants.

• Cricket wonders why these snakes aren't moving.

Creeping Tension

• The group reaches a large tree where they inspect their surroundings for any signs of danger.

• Sundew's sore muscles protest as they continue at a slow pace, feeling an overwhelming sense of waiting for an attack.

• They reach a stream where rocks, branches, and even fish turn out to be disguised as snakes.

• Mandrake suggests flying over this den of vipers but Nettles dismisses it as risky.

Eyes Everywhere

• Above them, hundreds of yellow eyes watch from snake-coiled branches that blend together.

• Sundew glances back at Bumblebee asleep in her sling and questions if bringing her was a mistake.

• They cross the stream and encounter more frozen watchful snakes between pressing trees.

• Sundew senses dangerous plants nearby that were cleared by her tribe due to their malicious nature.

The Breath of Evil

• Sundew detects an eerie presence reaching out to her mind with cold tendrils, accompanied by a familiar rotting smell encountered before in Queen Wasp's greenhouse.

• Mandrake points out a break in the trees ahead where sunlight shines through - possibly Hawthorne's dwelling.

• Willow questions the wisdom of leaving the group surrounded by vipers and the breath of evil.

• Nettle suggests that Hawthorne might be dead, but Sundew encourages them to investigate.

Surrounded by Danger

• As they approach the light, scarlet and green vines overhead indicate the presence of a dangerous plant.

• Suddenly, an enormous snake drops in front of them, blocking their path, while others surround them from behind.

• Nettle suggests killing the snakes, but before they can react, something swoops down and stops one snake from attacking.

A Sudden Intervention

The group is saved from the attacking snakes by an unknown creature with giant claws.

Unexpected Rescue

• Willow takes a step closer to the group as they are surrounded by snakes and asks for help.

• Mandrake screams as a snake lunges towards Nettle but is stopped just in time by a gigantic creature with wings and claws.

• The creature shields Cricket and Bumblebee while Sundew feels Willow grabbing onto her talon.

• They form a protective wing shield as the creature fights off one of the snakes.

The summary has been organized chronologically according to the timestamps provided.

Encounter with the Giant Leafling

The group encounters a giant leafling who saves them from a snake. They explain that they are desperate and looking for a dragon named Hawthorne.

Meeting the Giant Leafling

• The giant leafling slithers away into the underbrush, saving the group from a snake.

• The leafling smiles down at them and confirms that they were in great danger.

• He shakes the snake's corpse to ensure it is dead and tosses it away casually.

• Sundew admits that they are desperate ones who came to this dangerous place.

Reasonable Territory Boundaries

The stranger explains why they would have killed the group if they had killed the snake themselves, as it would have violated their territory boundaries.

Protecting Their Territory

• Mandrake interrupts to thank the stranger for saving her sister, Nettle.

• Nettle insists she didn't need saving and was about to kill the snake herself.

• The stranger points out that if Nettle had killed the snake, it would have provoked immediate retaliation from others in their territory.

• It is considered reasonable for them to defend their territory when intruders enter.