Shadowsplitter fiddled with the small golden band hanging from his ear, talons handling it, smoothing over its normally chilled surface that had been warmed by the desert sun just hours before. The NighWing sat anxiously in the rented hut, staring out the window, looking up at the moons that were slowly creeping away as the days passed on.

Imperial shone the brightest, the largest of the three, still full from the brightest night that shook the whole desert kingdom and the NightWings back home in the rainforest into moon festivals and celebrations. Perception was close behind, misshapend by the shadow that started to creep along its side, a mere sliver against the curve of the moon. Then there was Orical, the smallest of the three moons, already rapidly disappearing in the night sky, close to its first quarter stage.

He could imagine his parents, Orchid and Strongwings, celebrating with his little sister, Lavender. The dragonet was going to be four soon, yet it still felt like only yesterday that his step-mother had told him the news that she and Strongwings were expecting. Sure, there were ups and downs with having a little sister like Lavender, the dragonet was always getting into something, running off to explore on her own, sneaking off to watch Silentbreath carve away on pieces of wood, or chasing the howler monkeys and macaws, but he adored her.

I'll try to be home soon, he stared out at the moons, imagining his little sister could hear him from this far away with what little mindreading she had, I just need to help this family first.

Pushing himself up from his seat, he peered out of the window. The huts and abodes around him were lifeless, not even a torch in sight through the shrouded windows, some covered with blinds. The whole settlement was shaken up and most visitors had already taken their leave. Even the traveling merchants, unable to sell their goods in the once flourishing trade hub of the SandWing capital.

With a rattle of his spines, Shadowsplitter made his way to the door- well, it wasn't really a door, just a doorway with long strings of thick beads that brushed the floor, letting thin stripes of moonlight in- stepping out onto the cooling sand that shifted beneath her talons. He was getting used to walking on the moving surface, the tiny grains crunching and rolling under each step, but he did miss the solid ground back home, even if he complained of the mud after it rained. A lonely pang rang throughout his chest, shaking bim back into focus. He could go home once he was done here, once he stopped whatever his vision meant.

The streets were silent and barren. The lockdown over the palace had been lifted hours ago, yet no dragon seemed to want to leave their abodes.

I can't really blame them. In all honesty, Shadowsplitter would be doing the same, keeping his family inside if something like this happened back in the rainforest, but he had a job to do that wouldn't get done by just sitting around.

But you haven't gotten anything done, have you?

He scowled.

Shadowsplitter made his way down the street, passing more quiet and lifeless homes. Even the crickets, that seemed to be invisible and everywhere at night, were silent. Lips pressed into a thin line, he kept on the move, passing squads of soldiers who masked themselves in the dimly lit streets, no torches or lanterns lighting their paths, their only give away being the reflections of the moons on their armor. They walked quietly enough to nearly be completely silent, not even disturbing the shifting ground.

Before long the streets of abodes and huts grew wider, a thick wall up ahead, only a talon or two above the rooftops. Light came from the other side, the quiet crackle of torches popping over the quiet murmur of voices. Shadowsplitter followed along the wall, sticking close to its cased shadow, his wing nearly brushing its rough surface. Each brick was large, the bottom layer rivaling his shoulders in height.

They're still using the market as a base, he realized as he walked, listening.

We're not going to find anything just sitting around here, one soldier hissed to herself, high strung. Shadowsplitter swore he could hear her pacing.

We've locked up every IceWing in this village! Another ground out. How haven't we found him yet?

What happens if we don't find him? Which of the royals will be next? A young soldier dreads.

We need to find him, he could be anywhere. He could be stalking one of the princesses right now.

They were all worried, not for whatever punishment could await them if they failed to find the last assassin lurking in the kingdom, but for what could happen to the royal family-

Maybe this job was a bad idea, A different voice reached his ears. It didn't sound anything like the nervous buzz of nearby SandWings or the on edge thoughts of the soldiers. Maybe I should've stayed in the messengery.

Messengery.

Few tribes had messengerys, and SkyWings were the first to make sectors solely for messengers to be posted, waiting for any dragon who needed a quickly delivered letter or package. Other tribes started making their own, but they were few and far between, mostly just relying on dragons putting up their own for hire posters or signs, or using trusted dragons for the job.

Maybe dad was right, the voice continued, Shadowsplitter slowing his steps as he spotted a tall, lean figure, perched on what looked to be one of the dividers sectioning the market wall. Maybe I should've just stayed close to home, not a whole kingdom away. Maybe I could've worked as a fishmonger in town.

A SkyWing. She was tall with a long tail that hung down along the sandstone like a lounging python, large wings tucked in closely. What was a SkyWing doing here? She didn't look like a merchant, and she didn't sound like one either.

Shadowsplitter cleared his throat. "Hello?"

She jumped, neck twisting around in surprise, pale freckles turning silver under the moonlight as her wide, shimmering golden eyes blinked down at him. A NightWing? "Oh, hello!"

Friendly. He tilted his head. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing up there?"

"Hm? Oh- umm-" You can't just say you're watching the soldiers, that just sounds creepy. "Just...just watching the soldiers," she admitted with a sigh. Well, there goes that, great job Funnel! She winced. "I meant soldier- uh- soldier watching. I know it sounds weird, but-"

"I don't sound weird," Shadowsplitter reassured. "Honestly, it seems like all any dragon's been doing around here lately."

Funnel's shoulders dropped in relief. "Really?" She peered down at him as he nodded to the spot beside her, wordlessly asking to join as she nodded. Shadowsplitter crouched down- "Do you live here?" -and leaped, pulling himself up beside her.

"No, my home's back in the rainforest. Just visiting for a bit," he lied- okay, it wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either, "you?"

"I'm sorta living here now, I guess," she shrugged sheepishly, staring back out into the sea of armoured dragons in the heart of the market like ants swarming their disturbed nest. "Though, I've been starting to question if it was...a good idea."

"Well, why did you move here?" You're probably from the mountains, right?"

"Yeah. me and my dad lived in tribeless territory, outside of the Sky Kingdom to...get away from some things." It feels wrong to think of mom like that, but we had to leave her, we couldn't help her. "I just moved here a little while ago, looking for a job. I managed to find one, but don't get me wrong it's exciting, and I still can't believe I actually got it! But I'm just worried if it was the right choice." I haven't been able to go home yet and tell dad the news. What would he think?

"What kind of job did you get?"

She puffed her chest proudly. "Royal messenger for her highness Princess Scorpion."

You should be searching for that assassin, not making small talk, his mind hissed. This is still getting information, she's a royal messenger. It could give me some more insight on what's going on from the royal side of things.

"Wow! How long have you been working for the royal family? Everything you dreamed of?"

"A few weeks now, the princess picked me out herself," Funnel said. "It's a lot quieter than I thought it would be, and a lot....calmer? I thought I'd be rushing back and forth either inside the palace, or across the continent from coast to coast! But I've mostly just been passing things on between the family. Queen Camel's been keeping her dragonets inside the stronghold and they're starting to get cooped up, antsy." Scorpion's been acting weird too, but it's expected, she and the SeaWing princess were nearly killed!

She's been acting weird?

Shadowsplitter thought of the large SandWing he met face to face, just days before her hatching day, the way her thoughts rolled calmly in a mix of curiosity and suspicion as she watched him. He then tried to picture her, madly pacing in a large room as big as his family's hut, clawing at her ears, and tugging at the curly bangs of her sail in frustration and panic.

"What do you do?" Funnel asked, snapping Shadowsplitter out of his thoughts.

"Hm? Oh, I travel here and there, pick up odd jobs. Back home I help with fruit harvesting from the orchards."

"Do you get a share of what you gather?"

"Everyone in the village does. There's not much use of scales back home unless you're dealing with merchants. It's mostly trading or labour aid."

"I could only ever imagine a place like that, I wish other kingdoms did things that way."

"It's how the RainWings have done things for as long as any dragon can remember, NightWings just kinda picked it up once the tribes merged. By the way, I don't think you've given me your name?" Not verbally, anyways.

"Oh, sorry!" She sheepishly grinned, placing a palm against her chest, "My name's Funnel."

He smiled back. "And I'm Shadowsplitter."

"Well, Shadowsplitter, what brings you here to the Sand Kingdom for your travels?" Why does he travel? What does he do on his travels? He doesn't look like a traveling merchant, plus I don't think I've seen many NightWing merchants.

His heart fluttered, a mix of guilt and more. "Well, there's all kinds of sights to see around Pyrrhia," he explained with a smile, waving a talon in the air, "and I'm here for a job."

"A job?"

"A personal one," he was quick to say, making her peer at him curiously, ears pricked. "It's actually why I'm out here right now." He turned to look back out amongst the sea of armed SandWings, several seated by popping and crackling fires that greedily ate away at the twigs and dry brush they were fed, tiny glowing specks of ember lazily floating in the spirals of smoke.

"Mysterious," Funnel teased.

"Have to be," the response slid off his tongue with ease. "Have to keep up that NightWing appearance."

"Eh, you're half there," she playfully rolled her eyes, making him pause with a blink. Funnel continued, "you don't look like you're trying to scam or steal from me. It's all I've heard dragons complain about when they see a NightWing here."

NightWings live here? That was news to him, especially enough for them to garner a reputation as thieves and con artists. I thought we all lived in the rainforest, well- most of us anyways. I know Silentbreath and Strongwings were talking about a settlement in tribeless territory, or a few living in Possibility or Sanctuary, but I've never heard of them living here. He brought himself out of his thoughts and back to Funnel who looked at him worriedly.

Moons, I hope that wasn't insulting, Funnel fretted quietly.

Shadowsplitter was quick to snort lightly, "I'll take that as a compliment-"

A blood curdling scream split through the air, making their hearts drop, blood going cold.

"What was that?!" Funnel whispered sharply in alarm.

"It came from the palace," he said, realization slowly catching up to him, "IT CAME FROM THE PALACE!"

"Shadowsplitter!" Funnel called after him as he shot off like a hawk, racing for the stronghold.

The soldiers below reacted like a wildfire: racing for their weapons, shooting up into the sky, their wingbeats filling the air with shouts and orders: "Dustback, Viper, Termite, rally all patrolling troops! Go! Go! Go!" Shadowsplitter was already far ahead of them. Funnel sped after him, her large wingbeats like swift claps of thunder.

It came from the palace, he heaved, pushing himself to go faster, it came from the palace!

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Jackal.

Scorpion's blood went cold, staring into her sister's eyes as she stared back. Waiting. How did she even find her? What was she doing down here? A million thoughts raced through her mind like a flurry of vultures.

"What are you doing here." She demanded.

Jackal frowned, her eyes pinching, "I could be asking you that."

They were alone, they were alone in the dungeons with only the prisoners a few wing-lengths away, locked in their cells behind sturdy iron bars. They were alone, she was alone. Alone with Jackal. Scorpion's heart was beating heavily, each pump pulsing through her body like a hot wave, ringing in her ears. The SandWing's talons tightened their pinching hold on the folded pages, held close to her chest. Jackal's gaze flickered between her eyes and the pages.

"You've been acting weird, Scorpion." Her sister's voice made her sick, "is something wrong?"

Jackal stepped closer.

Scorpion's heart spiked. Her tail rattled in warning, making Jackal freeze in her tracks as Scorpion glared. "Stay away from me," she hissed, moving to step around her, but Jackal blocked her path.

"Scorpion, what's gotten into you?" Jackal demanded, pleadingly.

She was a head taller than her older sister, but Jackal was too close, she was still too close. She was cornering her, Jackal was trying to corner her. There was a solid brick wall behind her, close walls around them, and suffocating shadows swarming at the edges of her vision like writhing snakes. She's trying to trap men she's going to corner me- she took a step back, her heel digging into the sand. Scorpion could feel smoke ticking the back of her nose as her breathing grew heavy, ears ringing.

"Scorpion?"

Get away. Get away. Get away. Get away! It's a trap, she's trapping you!

"Scorpion, talk to me, please."

She steeled herself, ears pinning back, trying to clear her head as she forced herself past Jackal with a powerful stride, knocking her sister out of the way with a rough shove with her shoulder. Jackal stumbled, quickly caching her talons, whipping around to call after her. "Scorpion! What is wrong with you, what's going on?!"

"Stay away from me."

"Scorpion!"

She pushed herself down the hall, speeding past torches and cells with snowy faces that peered out at them from the shadows, watching the two princess race by.

"I said stay away from me Jackal!"

"What is wrong?" Jackal called after her, picking up her pace as Scorpion began to race, retracing her steps through the dark halls, listening as Jackal stumbled in the dark, following her more by sound than by sight. "Scorpion- Ack! Wait!"

Cowarding shame built inside of her, but Scorpion pushed it down, tucking the papers under her wings and moving. Each stride getting longer, more forceful. It felt like she was trekking through quicksand with each step, her body pushing until she was nearly running blindly through the dark, Jackal chasing after her, calling her name but falling upon deaf ears.

"Scorpion!"

Ignore her!

"Scorpion!"

Just get out. Get out. Get out. Get out! Scorpion skidded around a corner, Just get away, get away from her. Deal with it later, deal with it later. Get away, get away!

Helplessness washed over her like a cold, numbing wave. She couldn't do anything other than just run. All she could think to do was run. But was there really anything else she could do? She didn't have all the answers yet, though it felt so close, she just couldn't see it yet and neither would Camel if she went to her now. She'll deal with it later, once everythings ready.

"SCORPION!" Jackal roared.

She pushed on, legs burning as she ran. Scorpion felt the ground starting to climb upwards, boxes and crates lining the walls, clipping her sides. She heard Jackal stumbling and crashing behind her, roaring after her. The large SandWing gave a final push, pulling herself up the last step before her shoulder slammed into solid wood. The doors split open with a loud BANG and Scorpion was met with chilly, open air. Her relief was short lived as a roar thundered from within the dark tunnel behind her that's doors rattled as they slowly creeped back into place.

Scorpion hardly had time to twist around before she saw Jackal emerge, the other SandWings sharp strides shot her from the dark like an arrow. Wings flaring out, the two sisters collided, Scorpion falling back onto the sand, adrenaline surging through her body like a sandstorm. She moved with the fall, twisting herself, grabbing Jackal's shoulders, kicking out sharply to send Jackal off of her with a grunt, crashing onto the sand that pooled behind the brown SandWing's back like a small dune.

Paper scattered across the arena, rustling filling the air as Scorpion shot up to her feet, Jackal staggering with a pained shake of her head. Scorpion's breath huffed through her parted teeth, maroon shrouded in black eyes glared, eyebrows pinching, watching as Jackal pulled herself up, her sash disheveled and messed, hanging horn cloths littered with sand.

"What," Jackal huffed, "is wrong with you, Scorpion?"

Her eyes narrowed.

Jackal continued. "Something is wrong and you're not telling me! Why are you acting like this? This isn't the little sister I-!"

One of the folded pages fluttered in the air, picked up by the faint breeze, and blown to Jackal's talons. The shimmering black ink, sparkling like the night sky above them, stared up at her. Jackal's body went stiff, staring down at the letters. Scorpion's gaze unwavered, burning holes into the top of her sister's head as she stared down at the incriminating papers below her. Jackal's face slowly fell, from desperation and confusion to thoughtful yet emotionless. Deadpanned.

"Where did you find this?" She asked, looking up, meeting Scorpion's narrowed gaze. The larger SandWing's tail rattled in warning once more as she continued, smiling. "Is this a letter from the assassins? Is this why you were down there? You shouldn't have been doing this all on your own. Scorpion, we could give this to Camel and she can finally have something to help bring in that assassin-"

"So are you going to hand yourself in then?"

Jackal stared at her. "What?"

"Are you going to hand yourself in?"

Jackal laughed nervously. "Scorpion, what are you talking.......about?"

Scorpion's gaze hardened, her muscles tense, talons planted firmly in the ground. Each breath felt amplified, heartbeat pulsing through her pinned ears. What am I thinking? Scorpion could feel tremors making her body feel numb, but she held her ground. What am I doing?

"Scorpion," Jackal said slowly, reaching to take a step over the letter. "If you think I did all this-"

"But you did," Scorpion shot in, "you're behind all of this. Everything is your fault. Sundance and Tarantula are dead, Mom's going mad-!"

"What proof do you have?"

She expected Jackal to look hurt, but there was nothing.

"What proof!?" Jackal demanded, stepping closer. "Scorpion, listen to yourself!"

"I have the assassin you hired to kill me!" She shouted. Jackal went quiet, the colour draining from her face. "I have him locked away somewhere no dragon will find him, and he's given me everything I need!"

"It wasn't me Scorpion."

She's lying.

"Scorpion, it wasn't me! He's lying-"

"HE CANNOT LIE TO ME!" She roared, "the only one lying here is you."

"No, he's wrong," Jackal heaved, snarling. "He's wrong! I had nothing to do with ANY OF THIS!"

I don't believe you, her heart spiked painfully, I don't believe you!

Scorpion refused to listen, ears pinning back, watching as Jackal spiraled into desperate blabbering that slowly dwindled down as Jackal watched her. Somewhere deep down, it hurt to watch Jackal act out like this. She was her sister, why did she have to do this? Her body went cold as Jackal moved. Scorpion's wings snapped into motion as Jackal launched towards her. Scorpion shot off to the right, dodging her sister's attack as Jackal's talons slammed down onto empty sand.

She attacked me!

Jackal twists around with a snarl. "I won't let you ruin this! You won't get in the way more than you already have! You should be DEAD! You're supposed to be DEAD!"

With a cry of outrage, Jackal lunged again, but this time Scorpion didn't move in time. Jackal's talons slammed down on her tail, yanking her by her barb. Scorpion whipped around with a roar, talons raised as Jackal's claws dug into her scales. Scorpion's hit was heavy, slamming into the side of her sister's skull, disorienting her enough to let go and for Scorpion to pull away. She reared up, flapping her wings and kicking up sand with a roar, keeping Jackal back as her sister paced around her like a rabid animal. Falling back to the ground with a heavy thud, Jackal rushed forwards again. Scorpion caught her sister, twisting around to slam her shoulders into the floor.

Jackal's hind talons kicked, scratching the underside of her wing, making her side alight in sharp aching pain. Scorpion pulled her arm back for another strike, Jackal twisting her head out of the way, chomping down on her wrist. Scorpion howled, yanking her wrist back, grabbing Jackal's horn to rip her off. Jackal's hindquarters squirmed out from under her, sharply kicking at her side, her barb striking her ribs.

Scorpion felt a searing hot fire explode between her ribs, shock numbing her mind as the two sisters forced apart. Circling once more with bared and bloody teeth. Her wrist steadily dripped onto the sand, leaving a speckled trail as her side ached. Jackal's ears flicked in irritation, her head surely to be pounding with her shoulder bruising. Their pacing grew tighter, Jackal trying to loop around her, Scorpion swiping once she got close. Her healing stomach tightened, pinching as the hole in her side that was oozing a mix of scarlet and venomous black.

Jackal stabbed her, she stabbed her with her barb.

She won't stop, she's not going to stop, Scorpion shook her head with a heavy breath. She's going to kill me before letting me get away.

She bared her teeth, clenching her jaw. "You're pathetic, Jackal," she hissed. "Can't do anything yourself."

Jackal's glare hardened.

I need to finish this, now, her side pulsed painfully as she grunted. Scorpion needed to get treated for her sting, but Jackal wouldn't let her. If I could just get back into the palace- her wing's scratches throbbed.

"I thought you were supposed to be the fighter, Scorpion." Jackal sneered. "The one who was supposed to get in my way the most."

Scorpion snarled, pushing off in a lunge. Jackal leaped out of the way, twisting back to strike her, but was met with a gust of sand. Scorpion dug her heels into the ground as the brown SandWing dodged, dragging her tail through the sand and flicking it up in her sister's face as she spun around. Jackal howled, clawing at her eyes. She stumbled back, Scorpion tackling her to the ground, forcing the air from her sister's lungs.

"If you think I'll just lay down and let you do this, you're wrong!"

Jackal coughed, her claws wrapping around Scorpion's wrists before shooting up for her face. Scorpion leaned back, her sister's talons swiping empty air, nearly nicking her snout and nose ring. Her throat burned, smoke blowing from her flared nose, orange warmth glowing from between her bared teeth. Jackal's snarl mirrored her own as she kicked herself free, dashing from Scorpion's fire that shot after the other SandWing.

Giving chase, the two SandWings dancing around the arena, exchanging blows. Each new scratch and bite burned while her heavy hits sent tremors along her arms. Scorpion couldn't think of anything besides stopping Jackal, her mind zeroed in on her sister that raced around her, trying to wear her out and knock her down.

Jackal raced at her from the side, lunging for her back.

She ducked down low, swinging her talons up to snag her shoulders and slam her down. The force shook the ground, and the momentum sent the two toppling, Jackal ending on top, teeth bared and talons raised. Scorpion's legs shot out, her heels sharply kicking into Jackal's gut, sending her flying while her talons slashed at her face. She felt her talons dig into something, tearing away at the warmth as blood gushed into her palms and down her wrists.

There was a THUD as Jackal fell, coughing gasps filling the air. Scorpion heaved, her whole body burning.

Get up! Her mind screamed. Get UP!

Scorpion rolled onto her side, her underbelly burning in sizzling agony, and propped herself up on her arms. Gritting her teeth, her ribs ached with each breath like her ribs were twisting inwards, stabbing her lungs like a dozen knives.

Even being accidently stung by Ray as dragonets didn't hurt this bad, but that had also only been on her arm and it wasn't a full sting, just a scratch. A fully grown SandWing's barb could be as large as daggers or small swords; dragonets were no larger than their fisted talons for their first two years of life.

Heaving, she started to push herself up to her feet, eyes staring at her talons that were painted a warm, shimmering red. They were really red.

A choking gasp reached her ears. Looking up, a chill shot up her spine.

Jackal was staggering, her back turned to Scorpion, gasping and coughing. She couldn't see her arms as her sister hackled breathlessly.

Dread pooled in her stomach. "Jackal?"

The SandWing slowly stumbled, turning enough for Scorpion to see her face. Her eyes were wide in shock and fear, her jaws open and her tongue hanging out as she gagged, spit and blood drippling down her chin. Jackal was grasping her throat, blood gushing through her claws, coating her arm like a thick glove and splattering onto the sand in thick ribbons.

"Jackal!"

Scorpion sprang to her feet, nearly toppling over as she reached out for her.

Jackal staggered back, coughing, gasping, hacking and wheezing. Trying to breath, the air around them taunting her.

Her sister's vibrant purple sashes and clothes became drenched in blood that soaked her front, staining the golden brooch red that shimmered in the moonlight, gleaming.

Scorpion didn't know what to do, talons hovering around her sister, standing less than two paces away as the other SandWing's hindquarters collapsed under her with a thump, small swirls of dust being forced into the air. She didn't realize she was crying until her vision blurred, warm tears running down her cheeks.

"Jackal!" She cried. "Jackal, Jackal! No, no, no, no! Jackal!"

Jackal's wheezing gasps and coughs becoming more desperate, her arm wobbling before giving out, the rest of her falling to the sand. Her sides stuttering, talons digging desperately in the sand and over her throat, trying to close to gash to breath in a gasp of fresh air, but even then the blood would've clogged her airway too much. Her body grew still, her ghostly and horribly wheezing breaths staggering. Eyes wide and staring up at nothing, until she started to go limp. Jackal's eyes gleamed lifelessly, staring up at the sky hauntingly as Scorpion could only stare.

"No," she shook her head, "no, no, no, NO! JACKAL!"

Scorpion rushed forwards, shaking her sister, trying to wake her up.

"JACKAL!" she screamed. "JACKAL!"

Her sister only stared, her body jolting with each shove.

Scorpion's talons were red, gleaming a dark scarlet that made her claws stick together chillingly, strings of blood webbing her talons.

"No, no, no, no, no! Jackal! JACKAL!!"

She backed up, stepping away from her body. Sides heaving, her ears rang loud enough she didn't even hear herself scream. Her voice ripping her voice raw as she screamed, tears running down her face.

It wasn't until the pounding of talons across the sand reached her ears that she realized she was still screaming, shimmering sunset orange wings held up in her face, bright amber eyes staring into her own, the world around her muffled, drowning out the shouts and cries of soldiers swarming the arena, Funnel blocking her view, panickingly whispering gentle nothings to her.

Jackal was dead.

Scorpion killed her own sister.

Something inside of her snapped, her screams turning into sobs as she collapsed, Funnel rushing to meet her, holding her arms and keeping her steady, never one stopping her words of reassurance.

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't look. Don't look."

She couldn't even speak, all she could do was cry, her screams of despair splitting the night sky.

—————————————————————

- MindlessTyper