Sahara floundered in the water, thrashing around.

Huge colonies of bubbles flew past her snout as she sank deeper into the water.

Suddenly, a giant light appeared under her and pulled her out of the water.

Sahara's snout broke the lake surface. She hovered, gasping for air as someone held her up.

She turned to see Conch' s disapproving face. Her snout scales were flickering in a repetitious pattern.

Sahara moved her head. On the shallow end of the lake stood-no one. And then, she saw a ripple of movement, but nothing moved.

Paddling back towards the shore, Sahara realized that her warm scales were pretty much evaporating the water on her.

"Are you okay?" Conch asked.

"Yeah-yeah, I'm fine. It's just that someone pushed me."

Conch tilted her head.

"There's no one there."

"Exactly."
---------------------------

The next morning, Sahara went to search for her new winglet.

Asking the locket, she followed the illuminated path towards her group.

However, she was the second one there.

Glass, a tiny SandWing that was almost just white, but had a few golden freckles scattered along his body, sidled over to her.

"Um, hi."

Glass immediately looked down, his white face flushed pink.

When the rest of the group arrived, Desert spoke.

"Okay, SandWings. We gotta have the best performance of the year. So what are some ideas?"

Every dragon turned to look at each other confusedly. Finally, Glass spoke up.

"Um, we could do the SandWing Succession."

All the SandWings turned to look at him.

Poor dragon, he doesn't like being the center of attention.

Another one, Ostrich said,

"Or the Scorching."

The room started to fill with ideas. However, Desert brought a halt to it.

"Stop, stop. I think that we should do what Glass said. Anyone else?"

Prickle and another SandWing raised their talons. Desert looked around.

Sahara scrunched her snout, and then raised her claws.

"Then it's decided. Our play will be the SandWing Succession. Now, who wants to volunteer for roles? I'll be Queen Oasis, since I'm the biggest."  Desert said.

"I'll be Burn." Said Prickle.

"I'll be Blister." Hissed Scar.

"Um, I'll be Blaze if you want." Sahara said awkwardly.

"Then Glass and I'll be scavengers." Said Ostrich.

Desert clapped her talons.

"So we've got a week to do this. Who wants to write the script?"

Glass immediately shot his arm into the air. Desert smiled.

"Okay, so who'll bring props?"

Sahara thought for a moment.

"Well, one of my clawmates has a bunch of treasure stuff that  she brought. But it's SeaWing stuff."

Desert warmly smiled.

"That would be perfect. Ask her if you can borrow some of it."

Sahara nodded.

------------

By the end of class, Sahara had been assigned to play the ditzy SandWing princess in front of the entire academy. She sighed.

Winding through the hallways, she realized she hadn't been to the art cave in a while.

Slipping in quietly, she saw a RainWing group chatting softly while beading flower garlands. Trotting over to the statue station, she saw Heron's newest creation, an iridescent RainWing. Several different gems were infused into the body, a shimmering rainbow. 

Setting up a canvas, Sahara quietly envisioned an image in  her mind, but nothing came to her. The only thing was a towering SkyWing, smoke enveloping their body. Well, here went nothing.

Time flew by as Sahara painted. Different emotions that a four-year-old dragonet should not have built up and flowed out.

When she was done, the RainWings had well beyond moved on out. Sahara looked at the painting with distaste and set it on fire. She waited till the last embers had gone out and navigated back to her sleeping cave.

Tiredly entering, she payed no attention to her friends and let sleep overtake her.    

-----------------------------------------------------

Sahara broke the fourth wall for a moment and turned towards the author. 

"Why so many time skips?" 

The author shook her head.

"Sorry fam I ain't got the creativity"

And then POW ANOTHER TIME SKIP

----------------------------------------------------

Waking early, Sahara realized that she needed to ask Conch something. She detested getting wet, but reluctantly, she slipped her claw in the water and fumbled around for Conch's tail.

She stumbled back as the SeaWing erupted out of the water.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGURRRRR"

The blue princess launched herself at Sahara, apparently in a sleepy daze.

Sahara rolled up into a ball like an armadillo.

Conch overshot by a lot and ended up dive-bombing the sand pit. Sahara covered her head with her wings as sand showered everywhere in the room.

"Three moons, you are loud!" Squeaked a voice outside the cave. A tiny SandWing stood outside the cave entrance, tail curled around talons.

"Glass! I didn't realize you were up!" Sahara shrieked. 

The tiny dragon stamped in outrage. 

"I'm trying to sleep!"

"Sorry," Sahara absentmindedly said, dodging a swipe attack from Conch. Glass pouted and turned back down the hallway.

"Conch, stop!" Sahara yelled. The SeaWing came to a halt and rubbed her eyes.

"Whoa," she said, examining her claws, "Why am I covered in sand?" 

Sahara blanched and uncurled. 

"What do you mean? You were just attacking me!"

"Uh, I was asleep. In the water."

Sahara rubbed her forehead. This... was worrisome. Time to just ask the question she needed to ask and then stamp her arm later.

"Well, anyway, I was going to ask if I could borrow some of your jewellery for my performance." The SandWing gestured to Conch's trunk, which had heaps of treasure inside. 

"Oh-Oh, yeah, sure! Go ahead, I'm gonna go to the prey center." 

The aquamarine dragon swept out of the room, obviously a little shaken.

Sahara turned towards the trunk, but jumped as a black dragon obscured her view.

"Well, that was odd." Starmind said. Sahara nodded.

"I'm going to the library. Come with?" Starmind asked.

"No, I have- Oh, right. mind-reader. Sorry."

The NightWing dragonet turned away, a little sad, and walked out of the cave. Sahara turned towards the trunk, and opened it.

Sahara ran her claws through the mound of pearls. Untangling a few strands and a tiny tiara, she wound a line of blue gems around her and perched the tiara on her head. The heavy treasure weighed her down.

Adorned with gems and more in her claws, Sahara set off to her group cave.