Phoenix got out of the chair and padded over to the dragons. Eagle was talking with Dart Frog, who was the older Rainwing brother. Little Fox was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Deathwing palace." She bowed to all of them and they dipped their heads back.

Except not all of them did that back. The Nightwing princess and the Skywing princess both gave her a look of disgust.

"Why are the Deathwings even a tribe?" Stardancer said.

"You know, I heard that the Deathwings are the newest tribe." Sunset sneered. "Our scrolls say that they had to prove that they should stay with the other tribes."

"Hey-" Dart Frog had turned away from Eagle. His brother shooed their sister away. "That was thousands of years ago. We've moved on." He said strictly, glaring at the other dragons.

"Maybe we haven't." Blackbird the mudwing prince spoke up. "Maybe they're taking up room. And we're running out."

Stardancer got right up in Phoenix's face. "Ever wonder what the current war is about?"

Phoenix opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

"We need more territory. More land. Less Deathwings."

Phoenix shut up. She didn't know what to say. Her tribe hated her. She didn't know the other tribes hated them.

"Shut up, camel faces." Venom finally said. His green eyes flashed from her to Stardancer as he pushed her back behind him.

"What are you gonna do?" Sunset hissed.

Venom glared at them.

"C'mon." He nudged her up to the stairs.

She turned, following him up the stairs and glancing back every few steps.

"Hang on, Venom." She cut in front of him. "Follow me." She smiled.

He smiled back and she led him into a separate room she liked to go into.

It was a storage room, but she moved some dusty books which revealed a lever. She pulled it down, wincing at the creaking.

A small star shape appeared in the ceiling. It slowly pulled back, creating an opening in the ceiling. The moon showing above.

Phoenix looked at him before spreading her stiff wings and flying up. Venom followed.

She sat in a comfortable position on the roof. Venom sat next to her. They sat in silence for a little bit before Phoenix spoke up.

"Why?"

Venom looked at her. "Why what?"

"Why'd you do that? I mean stand up to those dragons."

"Cause they're frog spit." He chuckled.

Phoenix smiled a little but tried to keep it serious.

"Really though."

"...I don't know why. I've dealt with dragons like that before though." He glanced at her. "My sister and her friends used to tease me. They eventually tricked me into flying out into the desert to get them something, and I almost got bit by a dragonbite viper."

Phoenix had read about the deadly snakes before.

She sighed. "Thank you."

"No problem."

Some clanging came from below a few seconds before the two Icewing royals, Diamond Dusk and Shard, flew up and walked up to Venom.

"Prince Venom." Diamond Dusk said as she bowed.

"Princess Diamond Dusk." He dipped his head back.

"Please, call me Dusk."

Prince Shard stayed silent. Probably letting his sister do the talking.

Dusk was wearing a silver cape with a light blue Diamond on the front clip. She also had a small silver crown. She was a light blueish white. Shard was a darker blue. Probably the darkest Icewing she'd ever seen. Shard also had a clip around his horn with a matching Diamond in it.

"So, what did you need?" Phoenix spoke up, announcing her presence. But Dusk didn't even look at her.

"Prince Venom, we admired your courage and we feel as if that's what we need to win this war."

"There isn't even a war yet." Venom raised an eyebrow.

Yet.

"Well..." Dusk glanced back at her brother. He shrugged, and started fiddling with a small rock. Then she smiled at Venom.

"We would like to have connections. Just in case."

Venom looked at them for a moment. "Why me? Why not Princess Fires Phoenix?"

"Just Phoenix." She whispered.

Dusk looked taken aback.

"You know..." she clamped her mouth shut.

Shard didn't look up but said, "cause her tribe is the start of this war."

Venom glared at him.

Is no one siding with us? No one wants us to stay?

"No. The Sandwings will be alliances to the Deathwings."