Peril's POV

It felt so good with all the weight on Peril's shoulders gone. She smiled brightly to everyone, and felt better than she had for a very long time.

Especially with Crag at her side.

The SkyWing dragon had short horns, sunshine orange scales with ruby scales scattered along her tail. She was Peril's new friend, a new dragon she could trust.

Every day since she had told Turtle, Qibli and Moon, Crag had tentatively come and sat with her at the Prey Center. She'd had a interesting past; Crag didn't know who her mother or father was, and she lived with her grandmother, an ancient dragon with dull pumpkin scales and marigold wings.

Peril shuffled along as Crag sat by her side. Crag smiled, giving Peril a sheep. Peril quickly set the sheep down, but still, the wool fizzed and burned on the stone.

"Sorry," Crag said, swishing her tail. Peril nodded, and bit into her sheep.

"How's the egg?" Crag had found out. She'd wondered where Peril was going in a rush and followed.

"Fine." Peril said with a laugh. Peril had become a little more relaxed about the egg, now that she had lots of dragons to talk to - AND, bonus, Clay was back from his visit to the Rain Forest kingdom.

"It was beautiful," He had informed her, "It was a light blue and green and pink at the top, and a dark purple at the bottom," He'd smiled, "They have some ideas for the name, too; Firefly, Purenight... A few others I've forgotten." Peril had liked those names...

"Oh!" Peril realized Crag had asked her something. She gave Crag an apologetic look before politely answering her. 

"I didn't have a very good past. Lots of killing..." Peril shook her head.

"I'm past that now. NO MORE. Killing is not my priority. Well, of course, I can kill prey, but no dragon killing. Unless they're the bad guy... Anyway," Peril said hastily, "Want to go to classes now?"

"It's a bit early, but we can." There was a strange strain in Crag's voice, but Peril ignored it. 

Peril and Crag stayed a safe distance, passing Tamarin and Pike on the way. Pike didn't look very happy with Tamarin... Peril shrugged it off.

"Hey Turtle!" The green Seawing looked up and gave a small smile.

"This is Crag. She is my new Skywing friend." Peril beamed, and Crag nodded awkwardly at Turtle, who nodded back.

"That's good," Turtle said kindly. He then walked away, stretching his wings.

Clay had also been glad that Peril had found a new friend. Though she hadn't had a huge Pyrrhia-May-Die adventure with Crag, Clay said she didn't need one of those to be friends with her.

"You're early," Webs remarked as the two Skywings sat down in the history cave.

"Yep." Crag smiled at Peril, but her eyes held a different emotion. It was so faint that it seemed like she was... Concealing it?

"Well, good," Webs sighed, scratching his gills. The cave slowly filled, and the lesson began.

...

It was late, and Clay and Peril sat outside, tails softly twined. two moons shimmered, the clouds hiding them slightly from the land below.

"I'm glad you have a new friend," Clay said at last. Peril grinned.

"I know, so am I."

"What's her name again?"

"Crag."

"Oh yes, the new Skywing." Clay ruffled his wings. "She desperately wanted to take the spot."

"She was probably lonely. If she has other friends, she doesn't talk about them."

"I'm pretty sure Tsunami is going to visit Glory now. Well, when Sunny gets back, anyway."

Peril breathed in deep. Smells of nature wafted up her nose, and she opened the eyes she hadn't realized she'd closed.

...

It was dead quiet in Peril's cave. Her eyes were closed, and her chest rose and fell.

Scraaaape

Scraaaape

A sharp pain slashed along Peril's thigh. She groaned, and fluttered her eyes open, flaring her wings.

Scrabble scrabble scrabble

Peril let her eyes adjust to the dark. A sluggish throb from Peril's thigh began to form. Peril moaned, and looked painfully at the cut.
A clean line of blood was seeping into the cracks of Peril's scales. The slash was deep and sore, even for Peril.

Peril glanced around. The egg was with Clay, thank goodness. 

But.

A half melted knife coated with blood  lay thrown on the opposite side of the cave.

And crimson claw marks were etched on the stone.

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I'm so sorry this chapter took so long.

It was school.

Because of school, there will be quite a gap between posts.

Sorry.

;-;

-Armadillo