Skeleton blinked awake to the sound of screaming.

Ray was chasing poor Snap around the cave.
The small red dragonet was shrieking in terror, and Ray scratched him or bit him every now and then. The NightWing watched with amusement. Good old Ray. Spreading a bit of terror before the day has even started.

Stingray had her head lowered; she wanted to stop Ray, but knew Ray could kill her as easily as 1, 2, you're dead.

Jasper cried out as Snap was picked up by Ray. The SkyWing stayed where he was, watching in horror as Ray threw the dragonet up, and Skeleton smirked as Snap landed in her jaws. All the dragons in the cave heard a horrifying crunch. Fallout collapsed to the ground, sobbing. Stingray did the same, while Jasper put a comforting wing around her, tears running down the scarred SkyWings' face. Ray swallowed the small dragonet, licking her dark lips. Skeleton smirked more.

Mystic giggled, she had never liked her clingy brother. The blue SkyWing shrank back against the wall, terrified. Ray slowly crept toward her, flicking her blood-stained tongue.

"Vapor, was it?" Ray asked, her voice was friendly, with an undercurrent of menace. She hadn't changed since Skeleton had seen her last.

Vapor nodded shakily, flattening herself against the stone wall of the cave. Ray kept creeping forward slowly, an insane smile upon her terrifying face.

Skeleton watched with amusement, snarling when Fallout pulled at his talons, crying, "Please! Help my sister!"

Skeleton just decided to ignore the little abomination, folding his talons over and creating a pointed silence, broken by her desperate wails.

Ray, quick as a dragonbite viper, sliced her talons across Vapor's neck, causing the dragonet's eyes to widen. Fallout shrieked in terror as blood bubbled from the wound in her sister's throat. Skeleton couldn't help but feel a tinge of pity as Fallout watched her sisters imminent death. Skeleton narrowed his red eyes as Vapor fell to the ground with a small thud, blood pooling around he blue Dragonet's head. Fallout cried in terror, bolting out of the cave.

Skeleton blinked, expecting Ray to go after her, which she didn't. Ray licked her lips.

"That small one was quite tasty." She comments mildly. Skeleton chuckled.

"How— how COULD YOU?!" Stingray shrieked, lunging at Ray. Ray yawned, batting her adoptive daughter to the side easily. Skeleton jumped up when Jasper was suddenly there, slicing his talons across Ray's snout. Ray didn't seem to feel the pain, but it certainly enraged her. She launched herself at Jasper, batting him and clawing him repeatedly. He staggered back, snarling, as blood formed around the wounds. Jasper was a fighter, and he managed to give Ray a few nasty wounds before he went down. When he did, it wasn't good enough. He continued to writhe on the ground, clawing Ray's feet. Skeleton stepped forward to take the kill, but Jasper slashed his talons across his chest.

Skeleton jumped back, his lips curled up in a snarl. He decided just to let Ray deal with him.

And that she did. Ray stabbed her talons into him repeatedly, until his struggles got weaker, and his eyes glazed over. Jasper gaze one last, wheezing breath, and a last jerk, then lay still, his amber eyes glossy. Ray looked at Skeleton.

"Never were the hands-on type, were you?" She asked scornfully. Skeleton smirked.

"Hey, I'm the coldly menacing one. You're the more openly terrifying one."

Ray snorted so hard her head jerked back. "Whatever."

Stingray was staring at Jasper in cold horror. Her family was dead. All except Mystic. Hope flared in her chest when she realized Fallout wasn't here either, but then she realized Ray could have done the same thing she did to Snap to Fallout. Stingray curled her lip back in a defiant sneer. She wouldn't go down without a fight.

Stingray darted at Ray, shrieking. Ray lashed out, her talon catching Stingray in her chest. Blood poured out, red splattering the white scales. Stingray gasped out loud, then her ears perked up.

Without a word, Stingray lunged at Skeleton. He didn't have time to react; for such a burly dragon, she was FAST!

Stingray slashed her talons across his nose, causing him to yowl. Why were her talons so SHARP?!

At the worst possible moment, the answer slammed into Skeleton's brain. She was a hybrid! IceWing and SeaWing! That explained her sharp claws—

His thoughts were interrupted when Stingray slashed her talons across his chest, causing him to roar in pain. Ray was afraid to attack Stingray, she didn't want Skeleton to die. She knew Stingray was more than capable.

She hybrid rushed forward again, slamming her head into Skeletons chest, causing him to yelp as more blood gushed out. She snapped at his neck, making him cry out. He was getting old, and wasn't as fast.

Stingray sliced her talons across his wings, and he snarled, slamming his tail into her side. The dragon was up again right away.

She hopped on Skeleton's back, ravaging his back scales.

Ray hesitated. Her mind was in war.

*JUST KILL HER!* One part shrieked.

/Yes, but I don't want Skeleton dead! She'll kill him!/  The second protested.

*Are you admitting you have a good relationship with him?!* The first part demanded. The first part hesitated. *WELL?!*

/I... I guess I am.../ The first part said softly. The second part growled. *You're worthless.*

/I... he was always so willing... I... think I like him../

*As more than a friend?!*

/Um... y-yeah.. I... what's the word?/

*Love him?*

/Yeah... yeah, that's it./

Ray snapped her head up as Skeleton was shoved to the ground, lashing out with his olden claws. Stingray slashed her talons across his handsome face, creating deep gashes and causing him to wail in pain. Stingray stood on top of him, snarling. Mystic watched with cold entertainment.

Stingray placed her talons upon Skeleton's neck. They would PAY for her families death. They. Will. Pay.