Orange-gold wings spread out on either side of her, catching the wind and carrying Sparrow's lithe little body over the choppy ocean waves. Rays from the setting sun bounced on her red scales, glittering with water and uncovering hidden golden hues.

Sparrow flew on, her wings aching. She had been out at sea all through the afternoon, snatching fish after fish from the ocean. She was tired, having to dive through the waves over and over again; and her waterlogged scales, coupled with a soggy mesh bag of fish around her neck, was weighing her down.

As Sparrow craned her neck upwards, the looming of the cliffs welcomed her. She was back in Sky Kingdom. Summoning the last of the strength in her wings, Sparrow propelled herself upwards, to a cave nestled in the clifftops.
Inside, her battalion bustled. Around twelve SkyWing soldiers were either sleeping, arm wrestling, yelling at one another, or waiting for her, the one with the food.

"Corporal!" Major Falcon greeted throatily. She got up and bumped chests with Sparrow, then swiped the bag of fish.
"Mmmhmm, favorite part of the day. Dinner" she mumbled, dragging the bag away to cook.

Sparrow stood silently in the cave's mouth, just as she always did when bringing home dinner. Soon the other dragons had torn ravenously into the fish that was brought home. Except one.

A nasty-looking blood-red dragon crept out from farther in the cave. His face was mangled, his body riddled in the ugliest scars. One especially nasty one tore its way through his right eye, down his face, across his throat, and to his left shoulder.

Colonel Crimson. Leader of the battalion.

He stalked his way over to Sparrow, and looked at her with eyes of disappointment. Sparrow checked herself. She was standing in correct position, waiting for him as always...

"You're late." He said curtly.

"My apologies, sir-" Sparrow began
"Don't give me excuses, Corporal. You understand your punishment?"

"Yes sir." She said. No dinner tonight, again.

"Well then, off we go." Crimson said, spreading a shredded wing over Sparrow.

Sparrow followed her commander to the tops of the cliffs. Battle training, strenuous and tiring. It lasted what seemed like an eternity.

As the two reached their training spot, Sparrow leaped straight into her usual regimen. Push-ups. Wing push-ups, Flight techniques, Tribal fighting styles, timed attacks. She and Colonel Crim worked so long, it was well past dark when Sparrow collapsed from exhaustion.

"Is that all you got?" he snarled, pushing Sparrow's face into the dirt. "If you want to become the queen's future guard, do you think this laziness will get you there?!!"

"Nuh fhur" She answered, a mouth full of gravel. Sparrow wouldn't cry. She would not let herself cry, not this time.

Suddenly, Crimson backed off a bit, and sat in the dirt. "I'm sorry Sparrow.. Really I am. But you understand the plans I have for you. You know I'm only trying to make you better."

Sparrow sat up, and nodded.

"The plans I've had for you since you were just an egg." he continued. "Your mother thought it a stupid idea to try to mold you into a soldier. To her, you were her Sparrow. Her little Bird...."

Crimson stood up and shook out his wings. "Maybe if she had taken a page from my book, she would have lived long enough to see you hatch." he said "And that's why I'm doing this, you know. I want you to be strong. You will not only be able to protect yourself, but your whole tribe!"

His expression went from heartwarming to hardened quickly. "So I expect you to do better. Train harder next time. You collapse on me once, and I'll make you stand out here all night holding rocks in outstretched wings."

"Yes sir." Sparrow sighed.

((Sorry no art for this chapter, guys. Hope you liked my little short story though!))