Aureus

"...and that is way we should raid the next city over," said a MudWing, his scrawny body unusual for his kind. Two SandWings looked to each other, as though reading each other's mind.

'Mom and dad didn't seem to like that idea...' A smaller desert dwelling dragons thought as he watched his parents flick their tails and twitch their wings.

The bigger SandWing next to him, his brother, gave a small yawn, "This is boooorring."

"Roadrunner, shh!" The smallest hissed.

"Oh, come on, Aureus, you have to agree with me on something," grumbled Roadrunner, glaring at his younger brother. Aureus looked to his parents, his mother, Eve, and father, Camel Spider (Spider for short), were not impressed. However, he wasn't sure if it was at them or the dragon in front.

The MudWing seemed to notice this too.

"Err, Spider! Buddy, let's make another plan, b-but you can make it!" He suggested quickly, trying to get the leader to back on his side.

Spider looked to his wife. "We've made our agreement, you vulture scum." He stated before snapping his claws, SandWings surrounding the other.

"H-hey! H-hold on, we can re-" but a sudden roar of pain came from the brown dragon. The attacker withdrew his tail barb, droplets of the MudWing's blood and their venom falling down onto the floor.

The dragon collapsed to the ground, beginning to make wheezing noises as he looked back. Aureus watched with unwavering eyes.

The was going to be his destiny after all.

He had been surrounded by death, and his outer reactions showed that. However, he had an uneasy feeling in his stomach, watching the dragon look at them as he gasped for air. He was in line to be the leader of his father's merciless, dangerous, and large gang.

The Coyotes.

From the first time he could remember, his parents had been shaping him into a gang leader, along with his older brother, Roadrunner. He should be use to this by now!

Aureus looked at his pale mustard colored scales, trying to imagine himself in his father's place. Grunting orders, hissing demands, snapping his claws, and sealing someone's doom. Aureus was sure one day, Spider might do that to him as well.

His father wasn't cruel to them, no, not by any means. Aureus knew he had a hard job of running the gang, and could be snappy at them.

But he never liked the thought of his father commanding dragons to kill one another. His dusty brown scaled brother looked down at him.

"Dad made the right choice, he was starting to tick me off too." He said, flicking his barbed tail at the now stilled body of the MudWing.

Aureus was surprised he was lost in his thoughts for so long. Looking to the body, he simply stated, "Oh? He's dead already?" seemingly bother by the now dead body in the meeting room. The low lighting made it somewhat hard to see fully, but he could make out the limp body. It suddenly felt like he could barely breathe, realizing the MudWing's eyes seemed to look at him.

"Yeah." His brother answered quickly. Spider turned to them.

"No talking you two." He ordered.

Aureus gave a small sigh of boredom.

'Rules, rules, rules, everyone cares so MUCH about these camel spiting rules,' thought the SandWing though he didn't dare roll his eyes.

After the next four dragons (all of them met the same fate as the MudWing) they were finally done. Roadrunner gave a slightly bigger yawn. "Are we done now, dad?" He asked, looking to the three legged dragon.

Camel Spider looked to his oldest son. "Yes, Roadrunner, yes, go play," he said with an irritated growl, "trying to teach you how to run meetings, but all you care about is playing."

Aureus sank under his father's words, he always hated it when he yelled. He knew it wasn't really was directed at him; but when he yelled, he always felt like he was apart of the problem, making him scared. Roadrunner seemed like he couldn't care less however.

The dusty brown SandWing smiled a bit, kind of like he had won the jackpot in the hideout's casino. He began to walk out of the meeting room.

"Aureus, come on, let's go play tag." He said over his shoulder to his younger brother.

The small pale mustard yellow dragonet nodded, nervously walking over to his brother under his father's angry glare.

"Remember to hide your markings you two," called their mother, her devil like horns glimmering with her horn rings.

Aureus looked under his left wing. Burned into his white underwing was the marking of his father's gang. A Camel Spider.

'You'd think since we're called The Coyotes we would have something to do with them... dad must really have his head up his rear,'

The thought made the youngest smirk a little.

'If it wasn't there already,'

He made sure to wiped the smirk off as quick as possible as to not make the leader curious on what had made that look come to his face.

Roadrunner padded down the hallway, making twists and turns around each corner, Aureus hot on his tail until they came to the door. Roadrunner looked out.

"Come on," he said, looking to the smaller. The younger stepped out as his brother closed the door, making a gesture to him to hide his wings. The marking of his father's gang was a powerful marking, it made other dragons scream in fear, and run away.

The reason why they hid it was because of the other gangs. Roadrunner and Aureus, as said before, were the heirs to the throne of leadership. If the other gangs realized them were heirs, they would most likely get killed.

Roadrunner led the way down the alleyways, and down the streets, avoiding much eye contact with other dragons. The streets were surprisingly empty tonight...

"Road, where 'we goin'?" Aureus asked, looking around. This wasn't their normal way...

"Aure, shh!" He said, looking back, a claw to his mouth.

"We're goin' to the plaza."

Aureus gave a small surprised gasp. 'We aren't allowed there!'

"Road, are you crazy?! If dad found out- what if mom- what is someone spots us?" The smaller stuttered, his freckled wings going back in astonishment. The other sighed.

"Someone will ya keep naggin' like that," He told him. Aureus looked down for a moment, before padding to catch up.

"Fine... but I'm not takin' the blame." He snorted. The taller rolled his eyes.

"Didn't expect you to,"

Roadrunner stepped to the side, the bright lights of the lanterns all around the plaza were lit up, hanging from strings to the large fountain in the squares. Dragonets ran around, sticks with sparks in their talons waving them around, multiple dragons were around the fountain, a few IceWings as well.

The large town of Gila was located near the tundra of the IceWing Kingdom, yet it was still in the Kingdom of Sand. It was known to be a meeting spot for both of the two tribes, and had more visitors then most towns.

A large SkyWing could be seen, smiling at who presumably was her daughter, who ran around with a sparkling stick as well, playing with other dragonets.

Aureus was smiling as his hazel eyes widen.

"Whoa...." He gasped slightly. A SeaWing was passing out food, his eyes locked with the two's. He gave around large smile and came over.

"Good afternoon you two! Happy Cresent Night!" He cheered, he held out his plate, showing different food options for different tribes.

"Care for a bite?" He asked.

Roadrunner took a small circular bite size object.

"What's this?" He asked, looking at it. The SeaWing smiled wider if possible.

"It's something I created, you'll be the tenth one to try it! I call it 'Sushi'." He replied.

Aureus took one, looking at it before looking to the tide-blue water dwelling dragon.

"What's Cresent Night?" he asked. The SeaWing gave a confused look.

"You don't know? My, my... it's a special holiday to celebrate the three moons when they are all in the shape of a cresent. It's rare, most of the time, one faces the other, but on this one night, they all face the same way. It's mostly celebrated by the NightWings, but it's just about the same for all the tribes. They say, the Kings of the Moons, Ra, Luminescent, and Neptune, created the first Cresent Night to show the marking of a new world. Right after the Scorching,"

Aureus smiled, his eyes wide.

"Whoa! So it's like a marking from the Kings then?" He asked. The SeaWing nodded.

"Yep, and- hey! Who ate almost all the sushi!" He yelled, before looking to Roadrunner.

The SandWing hurried to stuff his mouth with another one, before placing the other's back. "Hehe... sorry," laughed the dragon, giving the SeaWing a fake innocent smile.

The SeaWing sighed, "Whatever, I'm glad you like it though. If you excuse me, I have to got pass these around a bit more. Goodbye!" He then turned, walking off.

Aureus waved goodbye a for a second, before looking around. His eyes looked up to the moon. They certainly were all facing the same, and they were all cresents.

'Ra, Luminescent, and Neptune... the Kings of the Moons.... did kings rule back then?'

Sudden, his ears caught the sound of something he could only describe as beautiful.
"Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding... I fall into your sunlight~"

Aureus looked to the fountain. There stood a IceWing with glittering silver scales, a small instrument in her talons as she carefully strummed it.

Her voice was soft as feathers, and her eyes held a passion as she ran her talons over the strings carefully.

"The future's open wide, beyond believing, to know why... hope dies...~"

Aureus stood in disbelief.

'Do IceWings have this kind of power?'

He watched as she finished her show. A large majority of them were applauding softly while a few dragons wiped a tear away. She smile and put her instrument in a case, before walking away.

The small SandWing raced after her.

"Hey! Hey!" He called out. She didn't turn, nor did she flick her ear. Meandering though the ground, he finally caught up to her.

"Hey! I'm talkin' to ya!" He said with a growl. The IceWing didn't seem to notice him until he stepped on her tailtip. The IceWing turned to him, and gave a small wave.

"Why aren't you answerin' me!" Yelled the SandWing. The IceWing gave him a confused look, before making a few talon gestures, pointing to her ears and continued with the gestures. Aureus gave a confused look, tilting his head, mumbling "What?"

She saw the confusion, before pulling out a small piece of paper from one the bags on her body, passing it to him.

I can't hear.

Aureus looked up to her, with confusion.

"Then how did you..." the IceWing was already walking away, giving him a small wave as a goodbye.

"Sing..." He stood dumbfounded, before hearing another musician stood up, beginning his act. The young gangster didn't have the same feeling from him like he had to the IceWing's, but it was enjoyable.

"I had better find Roadrunner. Mom and dad will be looking for us,"