[Gore warning]

Hare

It became more unbalanced everyday at Sunspot Orphanage. Kholohdo had placed even more jobs and stress onto Hare, to the point the albino only got half a wink of sleep anymore.

She would work as hard as she could, so much felt like the whole building was depending on her to get her job done. She would sweep, polish, do the mountains of dishes, fix all four hundred beds, scrub the wall of all of the paint Dash and Darter had splashed onto it, be a peace keeper for many of the younger dragonets, dust, fetch buckets of water, and much, much more.

Hare had only stopped once, when her muscles were all blown and too strained to even lift her pinky claws. His wings felt numb to the point she forgot she had them. Her talons began to form thick calluses, her talons no longer soft or smooth.

She couldn't move as she laid on her pelts, body given up due to pure exhaustion. She laid there, thinking that she had finally pushed herself way past the limit, her body now killing itself.

She didn't eat for three days, her already withering body being more deprived of the precious nutrition it begged for. It hurt to breath at time, something the nurse called Air Trapping, and said it was probably from not properly being taken care of.

It was only after day five did Fuga finally decided to (somewhat) take care of her. He gave her bits of leftovers from meals, which normally only consist of bones and maybe scattered meat at the ends of them. He gave her a blanket, but the nurse actually did the most work.

She helped put cream on her muscles and wings, working it in until she could finally move without much pain.

Now, here she was, gathered with all the other dragonets (though she was in the rear end of the group), waiting for the adults to come in.

There were many grown ups. IceWings adopted IceWings, which seemed like the only choice since they could survive the bitter cold of the north. A MudWing and SandWing couple came in, and adopted Yucca and Rhino, the two of them finally being 'sisters'.

A NightWing and MudWing couple adopted Darkthoughts, and seemed to be forced into also getting Beetle, the RainWing begging to go with them (something about abandonment issues Hare believed).

Dragonet after dragonet was adopted, Hare was confused at first, until she heard someone whisper something.

"So many dragonets get adopted on Adoption Day, don't you think so too?"

It came from a RainWing, but Hare couldn't pinpoint his name. They stayed there for what felt like forever, adults coming in and talking with the dragonets, trying to find the perfect one for their family.

Dash and Darter were adopted by a pair of male SkyWings, the brothers were so excited, it warmed Hare's heart. Normally, when one or two adults came, she was forced to hide, to not give the orphanage a bad reputation for weirdos.

Few adults came to talk to her, including a nice IceWing and SandWing couple who couldn't have dragonets. However, before it could be official, Kholodno showed them a different dragonet.

She didn't understand it, but was glad to see some of the dragonets get new and loving homes. It was nearing the end, and almost half the orphans were gone.

It began to grow to where only a few new adults came in, and to the point it looked like it was over. Fuga came to the middle, and all of the dragonets began to looked to him, even the younger hatchlings looked to the headmaster.

"Adoption Day is over, I know it took a lot of your playtime, but, everyone, go wash up and-"

Suddenly the door open, and in came a SandWing. His front legs were large, obvious power surging in them as he held his wings close to him.

His eyes were the color of freshly cut onyxes, a small scar on the corner of his left. His teeth were white, one crown golden with a ruby embedding in it. The SandWing's scales were a sandy peach color, a pink hue to them which kinda clashed with the jewels in his brows.

He held his tail like normal SandWings, curled and securely in place; Hare noticed the barb was more to the side though, like it was crooked.

His underbelly was a pale sandy peach color, but lacked the pink hue to them, and around his neck was a emerald spider necklace.

Fuga looked to him, obviously irritated he was interrupted. He hide the look under a more neutral once, letting out a small hiss under his breath.

"Can I help you?" he asked, turning to him. The visitor twitched his wings slightly, a small smirk on his face.

"Yes, I've come here hopin' you could help me with something. I'm looking for your toughest dragonet, preferably around four or five."

Fuga rose a brow, giving him a scan, before nodding. He turned to the dragonets.

"Line up, and be responsible on how strong you think you are. Anyone three and under, leave, everyone over five, you leave too."

Dragonets filed out of the room, going off to wash their talons and get ready to eat. Hare placed herself near the middle, the left side of her, the ones who doubted themselves as 'strong' lining up there.

It was mostly MudWings and IceWings, a few SandWings were there as well. After everyone was done moving, the visitor pointed to the first one: a MudWing named Sludge.

The dark brown dragonet came over, smiling. He looked back to his group, a small flicker of sadness in his eyes. Hare felt her heart drop a little, getting ready to turn and leave; but, what felt like in the middle of a blink, the visitor suddenly grabbed the MudWing's horns pulled him forward, grabbed his back leg, and lifted him up, throwing him back down.

Sludge landed on his back with a loud THUD on the ground, the wind being knocked out of him as the visitor slammed his front talons down on him.

The MudWing let out a scream, the SandWing growling, before shoving him away. "You're not strong, get out of here," he snarled, narrowing his eyes.

Everyone was frozen, including Fuga and Kholodno. Fuga shook his head, before quickly coming over to the other SandWing.

"I have to as-"

Before anymore could be said, the visitor opened his wings. A tattoo- no, a branding of a spider opening it's jaws was on his wing. Fuga hurried back, the first time in Hare's time of being here, she saw fear in his eyes.

"The Coyotes...!" he gasped, coming to the dappled IceWing. Kholodno lowered his head, obviously ready to attack if he had too.

The dragonets looked to each other, all confused. Hare gave a confused look. Coyotes? Like the dogs that they occasionally had for dinner?

The visitor smirked and closed his wings. He turned his head to the dragonets, his head held high.

"I am Adobe, head admin of The Coyotes. I was sent here by Camel Spider himself, and one of you will be picked as a bodyguard for the young masters," he stated in a strong voice, looking over the line of dragonets.

Hare tensed her muscles, an realization coming to her. This was her way out. All she had to do was show she strong, but how?

Adobe pointed to the next dragon, another MudWing and another BigWing, Tassel. The dark amber dragonet came over, her build, though bigger then Sludge's was more fat then actual muscles.

Adobe gave a growl, flicking his crooked tail barb. "To show you are strong, you will face me," he explained, before motioning to Tassel to make her move.

She lowered herself, before charging, and what looked like go under him. In a swift movement, Adobe stabbed his right claws into her cheek, and slammed her to the ground, ripping his claws along her face.

Tassel wailed in agony, holding her face together as she quickly fled from him. Before she fully left his field of range, the SandWing caught her tail, and pulled her back, and grabbed her horns.

He lifted her up, and threw her over him, crashing her into the ground, the wood underneath breaking from the force.

She laid there, before finally getting up, fear in her eyes. Hare watched as she began to limp away to the nurse's office.

Minutes passed as dragonet after dragonet was left severely injured, a SeaWing braking his front leg, an IceWing having her horns snapped, a RainWing dislocated her wing.

Injury after injury, Hare watched him. She watched every detail of his moves. He always changed tactics, so she wasn't able to think of a plan. She knew she would possibly use her size to her advantage, throw him off as she dealt some damage.

Finally, it was her turn. Fuga gave a small growl, "Don't bother with her, all she does is clean this place."

Adobe looked over, his black eyes holding a gaze Hare couldn't discribe. "Yet, she is willing to face me to get out of here," he shot back, before turning to Hare.

They locked eyes for a moment, bright red meeting phantom black. He lowered his stance while Hare stayed the same, normal standing stance.

Hare made the first move, dashing to the side of him, ducking under a reaching talon, keeping her tail to her side as for him to not grab it. Once past the end of his wing, she jumped onto his back, slinging her tail with his.

Her tail hit his, keeping it from pricking her, and began to claw at his back. Adobe suddenly dropped to his side and started to roll, squishing her against the ground. The force knocked the air out of her, and momentarily unlatched her claws from him.

He rolled off her, and got up, turning to slam his talons her chest. Hare reached out, and clasped their talons together, fighting to get him off of her. Thinking fast, she dug her back claws into his underbelly, beginning to scratch until the feeling of warm blood ran down her leg.

Adobe didn't lay off, nor did it seem he felt it. Turning desperate, Hare threw her tail, curling it to where it was right next to his neck.

The larger SandWing felt the barb brush his scales, and reached over, grasping it with one talon. With her free talon, she reached up, her claws piercing the skin in his lower jaw, and began to force it down along his neck.

Adobe still didn't seemed phased by it, even with the waterfall of blood falling onto her and getting in her eyes. Hare took her back legs and put it to his chest, and heaved him off of her.

He went back, but kept his grip on her. Now on her back legs, Hare noticed how weak he seemed to be getting, yet he didn't make mention of it.

He took the talon with her tail, and began to try to forcefully make it stab herself. She steered her head as far away as possible, trying to call fire to her mouth in the process.

Her opponent flicked his ear and let go of her tail, grabbing her snout to keep it close, as he too began to call his own fire. The sound of sizzling fire breath was the only think she seemed to hear. With her mouth bound, her free talon grabbed his own, clamping it shut. Smoke began to escape both of their cheeks, the on lookers wondering who would let go first.

Adobe tried to open his jaws, small flares escape through his teeth. Hare flung her head around, trying to get him to loosen his grip. The flash of the flares gave her a quick and sudden idea. Drawing her lips as though she was a feral animal, she moved her head to side; and forced the largest flare she could muster to go between the small spaces in her teeth.

The flare licked at Adobe's nose, making him flinch and let go. This was her chance! Hare opened her jaws, the flames, just scratching the side of his face. Adobe went to slash as her with his claws, Hare jumping back.

Dodge

Her father's training came to her mind as Adobe went to attack again. She stepped back once more.

Dodge

Adobe's tail barb went up, Hare drawing her own.

Parry

The two barbs clashed, Hare beginning to walk backwards. The way Adobe fought reminded a lot of her father, the way he moved and went to attack her.

He rose a powerful talon, ready to claws at her.

Block

Hare covered her face with her arm, his clawtips grazing her. In the brief moment he took to recoil his arm back up, Hare lashed her tail, missing, but making him stumble back to avoid it.

Forward

She began to go forward, one arm going to slash while the other ready to guard at any moment, switching between them to not give him any chance of getting closer.

Hare saw the crooked tail barb out from the bottom of her eye, ready to act if he suddenly went to attack her with it.

Suddenly the ground fell out from under her, stepping in the hole Tassel had made earlier. She fell to the ground, Adobe quick to attack.

He posed his tail, beginning to strike. In a blink of an eye, Hare shot her arm forward, and gripped it before it stabbed her in the face, and pulled with all her might.

Adobe start to move slightly, a was slightly taken back by the sudden stop to his attack. Hare let out groan as she pulled her let out and held her wing close, and rolled her body.

The larger SandWing stumbling on his feet, Hare beginning to draw closer to his back once more. He began to flex the barb, trying to nick her scales, but Hare held it so tightly he couldn't even make it twitch.

Once getting to where she wanted (near the base of the tail), she let go, and rolled out of the way of a sudden stab, nearly falling off his shoulder. She gripped and dug her claws into the dragon's scales, and grabbed the wing joint pulling herself up.

Adobe went to roll again, but Hare quickly grabbed him by the horns. She twisted his head to the right, holding it as he was suddenly knocked off balance. A trick she learned from Humu when they had to catch the biggest bull (which was around the size of a two year old dragonet) for dinner.

Wherever the horns go, they'll fall that way!

It seemed true to dragons as well as she held him down. The two panted, as the other dragonets looked on with shock. Fuga and Kholodno were both heavily shocked, their eyes wide and jaws open a bit. Hare stared them in the eye, the two of them shivering under her gaze.

She finally let go, getting off of him. Adobe looked her in the eyes, before finally noticing the blood splattered everywhere. He looked down at his neck and stomach, seeing the blood. He looked to her, her blood covered face, chest, and talons looked like that of SkyWing scales.

He got up, before, still breathing heavily slightly. He looked to the two headmasters, both having slightly scared looks in their eyes.
He cleared his throat, before nodding.

"I'll take her."