Buttonbush gazed down at the river far below her talons, digging her claws into the edge of the moss-covered platform. Three moons, even sun-time was miserable now. She and Maple would always share the moss bed when it came time to rest under the sun's smiling rays, and only once Maple was gone did Buttonbush realize how much she missed being almost thrown off of it from all her tossing and turning. Flaring her ruff, the dragonet laid her head down and tried once more to fall asleep. 

The incessant chittering and chirping of rainforest creatures was almost enough to lull her to sleep; almost, until quiet words cut through the noise. 

 "I almost feel bad for her," whispered an invisible voice, trilling sadly.

 Another one, lower and harsher, murmured "It's been two years. Surely she should be over it by now." 

 "Remind me what happened?" Shrill and questioning, this voice radiated annoying, orange vibes.

 Buttonbush scowled.

 "Her friend fell into the river," the low voice droned. "Any dragon with wings could have saved her," the shrill one commented dryly. 

 Raising her head, Buttonbush's scales flashed an angry scarlet. "If you're going to nag, do it quieter," she hissed, "or somewhere else, where I'm not trying to sleep!" Three dragonets faded into view on an adjacent platform, their camouflaged scales turning vibrant shades of pink, blue, and orange.

 "Please, you haven't enjoyed a sun-time since what's-her-name got washed away," Cacao sighed, inspecting her claws.

 Acai sniffed, correcting her. "Her name was Maple," he mused slowly. Tangerine, the ever-annoying, crossed the gap and peered over the edge at the river's swollen waters. 

"Hey, maybe if you stare long enough, Maple will crawl back out!" He grinned brightly at Buttonbush, fangs glinting in the sunlight.

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. The wingless dragonet had had just about enough of their pestering. Getting up, she lowered herself down onto a different branch, changing her scales to blend into the rainforest clutter as she went. Clenching her jaw, she leapt from the sturdy perch, hooking her claws into the next branch over. Her talons slid on the slick bark. Regaining her footing, Buttonbush cleared the next gap, and the next, until she was practically running through the canopy. Darting patches of light danced over her back. In the distance, howler monkeys and toucans hooted and cawed in a raucous melody that cut through the humid air. Any dragon with wings could have saved her , she thought, mocking Tangerine's taunting voice.

 Slowing until she was pacing down the length of a fallen tree, Buttonbush glanced down. The old mahogany had collapsed over the accursed river, its mighty branches anchoring it to the trees across the rapids. Her scales turned a sad shade of gray as she nestled in the bend of the trunk. The sun couldn't reach her here, so close to the forest floor. It was damp and musty and smelled of cool water, the exact opposite of where a Rainwing should be. Buttonbush's tail dangled over the hungry river, curling in on itself absently. /Of course. Anyone but me could have saved her. Your fault, your fault, your fault! sang her subconscious. Buttonbush ran a talon down her face, screwing her eyes shut.

The muscles along her back tensed. She imagined what it would feel like to spread an arching pair of wings, to take off from the ground in a flourish and soar among the birds of paradise with other dragons, instead of being trapped, chained to the ground and the trees by her deformity. Sure, she could keep up with them, but there was always the aching reminder that when they leapt out of the trees, she wouldn't be able to follow. Before, it hadn't bothered her as much.

 Then what had she done? Gone and lost the one dragon who didn't care, who was happy to stick to climbing in the trees with her. Her best friend. Silent tears fell from Buttonbush's eyes as she trembled, curling herself into as small of a ball as possible. It was times like these that she wished so deeply she could go back to being in her egg, small and unnoticeable among all the others in the hatchery.

 "I miss you, Maple," she sobbed, covering her snout with a talon. "I'm sorry.."

 The jungle swallowed up her sounds of grief, drowning it out with the ambient chorus that echoed through the rainforest. Little did she know, a whole kingdom away, a certain dragonet was winging her way through the Diamond Spray Delta, her course set strong on the rainforest.

Wow just wow amazing