Edited - May 22, 2024

"I enchant this dragon to become Clearsight. The one who betrayed me," Peacemaker said, talking to a Nightwing.

"Wait–WHAT?" the Nightwing shrieked. Her scales melted, and changed color. She grew, and her tail lengthened. She was still a Nightwing, but heart-achingly familiar.

"Hey, Darkstalker," the magicked dragon rumbled, smooth. "You seemed to have grown! How about we invite Indigo and Fathom for a get-together dinner."

"No, no, no. I enchant Clearsight to be the dragon I loved; identical to the one I knew," Peacemaker growled.

"Oh, my dear Darkstalker. I missed you," Clearsight stared into Darkstalker's eyes, a sympathetic in her voice.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE," a familiar voice roared, and Peacemaker whipped around, spotting Moon's claws close to his throat.

Jolting awake, Peacemaker panted, his blanket and pillow wet from sweat. He shook his head, and decided to go on a walk for a while. Sleep wasn't coming to him for a while.

Peacemaker walked soundlessly along the halls, until he heard voices. Freezing, he snuck closer to take a look.

"Moon, do you think we should have a rule that everyone needs skyfire?" Sunny's voice sounded uncertainly. "Of course it's your choice," she added quickly.

"...I don't think so. I mean, I'm the only NightWing with powers alive," Moon's voice said uncomfortably. "But mind reading can be for a good cause too, and the NightWings are breeding more mind readers and prophets."

"I guess. But we don't want more Darkstalker's, right?" Tsunami said. "I mean, that's the reason we are low on IceWings anyway."

SIlence.

"Maybe. I guess we give skyfire to the dragons who want them," Starflight concluded. "It's late. Clay, you have small group with the Jade Winglet, right? I might join," he added. Patters of talons told Peacemaker that the group was breaking apart and he hurried back to his cave, cautious not to wake anyone up.

~~~~

"Hey guys, welcome to the first day of Jade Mountain Academy," Clay's low voice rumbled.

OHMIGOSH! He's so much cuter in real life! Look at his heroic limp!

Peacemaker's mind swirled as bubbles of thoughts whirled around.

"Starflight's going to join us today," Clay continued. "We have some plans for this Winglet tomorrow."

Starflight waved a talon shyly. "Hey." He cleared his throat. "So, We thought that it would be fun starting off learning about the History about Pantala," he started. "And the best way would be hands-on activities. So after lunch, we're taking you guys on a field trip for a week. And don't worry, your parents know," he assured.

"Is lunch and dinner included?" Beaver blurted, his voice deep.

Starflight nodded. "Please raise your talon next time," he said. "But yes."

"Who's coming to supervise us?" Macaw asked nervously. "You guys, and who else?"

"I'm not coming," Starflight said. "I need to run the library, But Clay, Moon, Tsunami, and Turtle is."

Moon's coming? That might not be too bad. Peacemaker bounced on hin talons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That's the first island we'll land on," Tsunami bellowed. She was awfully good at that. "When everyone's ready, we will take off again."

Peacemaker rolled his shoulders, sore from flying. "I'm hungry. Can I fish with you?" he asked as Tsunami tugged out a net with Turtle.

"Yeah, sure," Tsunami said. "It's quite easy, even Turtle can do it," she added snarkily.

"Yeah," Turtle agreed. Then looked confused. "Hey!"

"It's true," Tsunami said smugly.

Webs sighed. "Come on!"

Clutching the net with his claws, Peacemaker flew with Webs, Turtle, and Tsunami to the sea.

"So first, we very gently set the net in the water. Everyone, hold a corner. I'm going to tie bait to a rock so that it sinks into the net. When fish come, I want you to work together, and hull the net out of the water," Tsunami ordered.

Turtle nodded. "Fish like worms, so that'll be the bait."

Are we catching food or learning?

Peacemaker flew over to a river leading out to the ocean. "Is this ok?" he asked.

Tsunami glided over. "Should be, there's some fish in there," she praised, licking her lips. Tossing in the net, she hopped over the stream and held a corner. "Hey, Webs, Turtle, get over here!" she roared.

"Chill down, Tsunami," Turtle said. "I was showing Webs my skyfire."

"No need to do that," Tsunami rolled her eyes. "Who would want to poke into his boring mind?"

"Poke around as in mind reading?" Peacemaker asked.

Tsunami nodded. "Skyfire can shield a dragon's thoughts so no one can read it. But so far the only dragon who can do that is Moon," she added. "But even he would be bored to death listening to Webs go on about history."

"Hey!" Webs flicked water onto Tsunami with his tail. Well, it was more of a mini-wave.

"Hey yourself!" Tsunami yelped, her tail slipping into the water and splashing water back.

Turtle sighed. "Come on guys, I set the bait. If you want food, I have a genius idea," he paused. "Be quiet."

A few moments later, the first few fish swam over to the bait and nibbled at the now-drowned worm. A second later, a whole school of fish were fighting for the poor worm.

"HEAVE!" Tsunami bellowed.

"Yuck!" Turtle sputtered as the fish in the net thrashed, splashing water into his face.

Peacemaker beat his wings as fast as he could, lifting the net into the air and setting it down on land.

"Nice work, Peace," Tsunami nodded. "Ooh, I see some salmon. Let's let the others start a fire, Turtle and Webs can carry the net by themselves."

Spreading her wings, she shot off with Peacemaker on her tail. "Hey guys, get some wood and start a fire!" Tsunami bellowed for the, what? Millionth time?

Slanting his wings, Peacemaker glided into the woods, looking for dead wood. Ugh, this is taking forever. Can't I just magick me a pile?

Landing, Peacemaker stared at his talons. Maybe I can. Puffing out his chest, he said, "I enchant this tree to turn into piles of dead wood, perfect for burning."

The tree shuddered, then collapsed into bits. Peacemaker gaped. He was an animus!

"Now, leaf, I enchant you to grow big, enough to hold all the wood," he ordered, uncertainly slipping a banana leaf under the wood. As the leaf grew, Peacemaker clenched his talons. He was powerful.