[Based Colored by: Me]

Hare

The blazing sun shined down its unbearably bright rays onto the hot desert. Hare had never realized how hot Yucca City was. The bright rays were an onslaught to her tender eyes, making her have to close her eyes to work.

She could feel Malamute's slightly cold body against her warm scales, and the hard stone surface of the well cover. She could hear her grunting as they pushed the covering off, almost feeling the icy gaze from Kholodno.

In the distance, she could hear the dragonets playing and laughing, and feel how tired her muscles were from the four months of continuous work.

Kholodno wasn't lying when he said they would work from sun up to late into the night. The moment they opened their eyes, Fuga or Kholodno stood at their door, already telling them what to do for the day.

She hated this place, but Officer Joshua hadn't came back to check on her. She waited day after day for him to come back, but everyday was the same: nothing.

When adults came, they were hidden away from sight, locked in their room until they left.

Sadly, they never got first aid either. Four months ago, the infected wound smell turned to be coming from Humu. Two weeks after she had arrived, he finally passed from his wounds. A horrible infection set into his deep cuts, but the headmasters didn't care. Hare had asked how the SeaWing had gotten them, but all Malamute would do was look towards a IceWing dragonet named Brisk.

The SandWing eventually put two and two together, and figured Brisk had attacked Humu a while before she came. Why? Hare wasn't sure.

The small time she knew him however, she could describe him as a kind soul who hated being over looked by everyone. In the little time they worked together, the SeaWing was hard working and a bit nurturing towards the dragoness.

Losing herself in thought, she didn't know the cover was already off. "Hare, that's enough," spoke the MudWing and IceWing hybrid.

Carefully, the ablino cracked and eye open slightly, making out the fuzzy image of the stone cover moved just enough for them to fetch the water in. She could make out Malamute throwing a bucket in, before pulling it out with a rope tied to the handle.

The sound of the water sloshing side to side could be heard as the water came up to them. Nervously, she tried to open her eyes a bit more, making out the blurry images of dragonets playing with a ball behind the hybrid. Most of their colors clashed against others, while some blended together to seem like one big dragon.

She could make out RainWings changing their colors, SkyWings practicing their flying, while a few SeaWing were playing in the swimming hole.

MudWing siblings rough housed, as NightWings seemed to be talking (Hare guessed they were talking about what other's were thinking or their foresight). IceWing dragonets were trying to cool off from the hot sun, gently blowing their frostbreath onto their scales, while SandWings basked in the sunlight.

Everyone looked so happy.

Didn't they have to worry about not being feed, because they were spotless. They didn't have to wake up with a few blown muscles or sore arms and legs. Hare hated to say it, but she was jealous of them all.

They're acceptance, the happy lives they might have, their colors. Everything had gorgeous colors compared to her. Their reds, greens, blues, yellows, purples, browns, all of them!

Malamute finally got the bucket up, and opened her wings. "We can head back now, Fuga said he only needed one this time." She explained.

Hare nodded before following her, taking off into the sky with her friend. The air was dry, but it was comforting almost, lifting them higher and higher. Looking down, she opened her eyes a bit wider, seeing their shadow casted on the sand before they were swallowed by the massive shadow of the orphanage.

Well, more like work camp for her and Malamute.

They landed softly, Malamute holding the bucket as they walked in the door. More dragonets played on the inside, like RainWings and IceWings, those not use to the heat.

Hare helped her carry the bucket into the kitchen where Fuga was. He was helping the cooks make tonight's dinner. The first cook was a RainWing with teal colored scales, pink along the edges of her wings and tail. Small yellow dots covered her as well. Hare closed her eyes again at the horribly bright colors the cook exploded into. Yellows, lime greens, pinks, and whites exploding along her.

She heard the cook say a quick thank you, hearing the bucket being passed to her. "Thank you, Mala! Thank you as well, Hare. That will be all, and I'm make your favorites tonight. Fried chicken and buffalo with a side of fruit!" She cheered.

Not finding the heart to tell the cook she rather have lizards, Hare just smiled, not even sure if the RainWing had already turned her back.

"You're welcome, miss Bearcat." She said to her, before she felt Malamute lead her out. Kholodno's voice rang from across the room.

"You two, go work on cleaning up the rooms. We have a guest coming in a week," ordered the gray-blue dappled IceWing.

~~~

Hare sighed once the sun set, meaning only one more hour before they were done for the day. She was busy sweeping the floors, Malamute scrubbing the washable paint off of the wall.

The other gave a loud over dramatic sigh, "What is it with Darter and Dash with paint!" Hare glanced to her roommate who now began to glare at the paint splotches.

"They're only one year old, Mala. They don't know any better." She replied, before sweeping the dirt into the dustpan, walking over to the window and dumping it.

"But still! I'm tired of having to clean up this place everyday!" Whined the other. Hare was stayed silent for a moment, before Malamute looked to her.

"Hey, H?"

"Yeah, Mala?"

"Why are you here?"

Hare froze for a moment, before looking down, her shoulders slumping. The image of her father flashed in her mind. "Um... it's a long story." She mumbled.

Malamute caught the look of uncertainty in the other's blood red eyes. She placed her cloth down and came over, putting a wing over her.

"You don't have to tell me. It is your story, and if ya ain't ready to tell me, then you don't have to. I'm ain't gonna to push you-"

"I'll tell you if... you can tell me yours,"

She felt Malamute freeze up, before she gave a small laugh, "Sure. I'll tell ya why I'm here. After dinner though, I'm starving!"

The two continued to clean until the sound of a bell was heard. Dinner time came at least, Fuga standing next to the doorway as they came into the kitchen.

"Kholodno told me you two did good today. Eat up, then go to bed," he told them before turning to the table to take his own seat.

Hare smiled a bit, hearing her stomach growl at the look of all of the food. The two took plates before going their seats near the end of the third table. Hare smiled as she looked at the meat, taking a piece of a chicken, gently taking a bite.

Malamute was diffrent, already stuffing her mouth hungrily. Hare wasn't all that surprised, MudWings were known for their huge stomach, even in hybrids.

~~~

Once in their rooms, they got on their worthless excuses of beds. They normally slept relatively close, so they could share warmth (even if Malamute was cold). Hare laid down, tail and wings close to her.

Malamute gave a small sigh as she laid down for the first time today.

"I should get start talkin' huh? Well, let me see- oh, wait!" The white and brown dragon reached into a small pouch under her wing, pulling something out.

"I normally talk better if I'm working, so I went looking in Rhino and Yucca's room, and found this," she pulled out a small thing of paint and a small brush, "I haven't done it in a while; but could I paint your claws? Stonehopper use to do mine and they were so pretty!"

Hare looked at the small pot of paint, seeing the turquoise contents inside. She was a bit confused, but nodded to her. She had never had her claws painted, curiosity getting the best of her.

Malamute smiled and took a small brush, ushering for Hare to give her a talon. Slightly nervous, the albino gently laid her left talon in the other's. The hybrid dripped the brush, beginning to carefully paint the white claws.

"Well, my parents were still young when they learned they were going to have me. My mom's name was Acorn, she was a MudWing, and my dad was an IceWing named Krill. Kholodno said he knew them before, and told me a lot about them. He told me they weren't ready for a dragonet, and decided that... they rather let me live instead of crushing me. All I can really remember has been this dump,"

Malamute stopped momentarily, gesturing Hare to give her other talon. Hare looked at her clawtips, mesmerized slightly.

They were beautiful! A light coating of turquoise over them look lovely as they popped off her white scales. She smiled at them, before blowing on them slightly to let them dry.

"Stonehopper was the first dragon to make me feel like I was normal. He has white patches on their scales from a scale condition, but he worked as hard to show them all he wasn't weak. He was like a big brother to me, and when Humu came, it was like we were one big family. One big family of rejects, ready to show them we deserved a spotlight too! But then, Stonehopper had to move away, which hurt, a lot," she explained. She looked at her work and smiled.

"Wow, they turned out better then expected! I should try and sneak back a few reds. They would look great against your scales, don't you think?" She asked, putting the lid back on.

Hare looked at them, and for the first time in her life felt beautiful. She finally had colors! She just stared at them, in awe the fact she finally got one thing she wanted so badly.

The first... being her family. Hare blinked and gave her a nod. "Yeah, I think so too. Guess it's my turn to talk, huh?"

Malamute nodded, looking at her with her big blue eyes. Hare gave a sign before telling the hybrid what had happened in her life.

From her mother and father's fights, being forced to be homeschooled as to not get bullied, the constant plans that occasionally worked. She explained about how jealous she was of Caracal, and about the fire on her hatching day. Finally she explained how the officers and guards were looking for her mother and sister, while she watched her father burn alive before being brought her.

She did it with such little emotion, she never realized how hard she had taken it. She only guessed her body had already cried itself out from all the tears she had shed from the station.

She remembered how she cried over and and over, a guard coming in to check on her every once in a while. She began to feel like a burden to the poor soul who put on patrol that night, and forced herself to push her feelings aside. It was not easy, but she didn't want to be a burden.

She wondered night after night where her mother and sister were, how they were doing, and is they were all right. She tried to sleep a bit that night, but would wake up repeatedly from a nightmare, one after another.

After that, she tried to accept it, but it wasn't that easy. She told herself day after day they would come back one day, until finally she just gave up hope. Her mind seem to turn a bit more fragile, and her emotions began to fade slowly over time.

Death was something that made you lose not only the person you love, but a part of you as well. Losing three dragons at once, drained the poor 'ness.

Powerful arms wrapped around her neck, shocking her a bit. Her claws were ready to be dug into the attacker, before her mind pieced together that is was Malamute. The hybrid hugged her tightly, the sound of her sniffling came to the albino's ears.

"I'm sorry,"

Hare stood still for a moment. 'Why is she sorry? It's not like it's her fault. At this point, I'm not sure who did it,'

Hare slowly wrapped her arms around the other, pressing her snout into the crook of her neck and shoulder. For the first time in months, she felt a tear go down her cheek. One after another, tears began to stream down, wetting both her and Malamute.

The bulky dragon began to softly shush her, patting her back as Hare began to cry. Until now, she hadn't realized how much she was actually bottling up her feelings.

Malamute began to tell her everything would be okay, and how much she wished that didn't happen to her. Hare finally began to calm down, her thoughts calming down enough for her to think straight.

"I don't deserve you, Mala. I don't deserve anyone."