Scorpion's eyes shot open, sucking in a sharp breath, the world around her blurring as her skull pounded, the pain wrapping around her head, pressing in just behind her eyes on her temples. She clutched up her head, her talons scraping her bare horns as she breathed.

In, she sucked in a sharp and bitter breath through her flared nostrils, and out, before forcing it out with a heavy sign like she was trying to blow away a swept sand pile. In, she repeated, out. By the time her breathing had started to steady, Scorpion's claws had started to leave indents in her skin, making the tiny punctures ache with a sharp sting like tiny sparks shooting through her head alongside the slowly dwindling throb of her pounding headache.

Her claws felt stiff as she pried them off, loosening their grip as the pads under her talons rubbed over the sore indents. The SandWing's heart continued to hammer, pounding against her ribs like bars on a cage, fighting to get out.

The nightmare was already beginning to slip away from her memories, slowly fading away like kicked up sand and dust being swept away by the wind, but she remembered pieces, the smudged face that was burned into the back of her mind. The spotted SandWing with a missing face, the nameless portrait in the memorial hall.

Everytime Scorpion walked down that hall, she'd be plagued with nightmares. She'd remember waking up, the pain that shot through her skull that'd only subside when she pushed whatever caused it out of her mind, leading to her forgetting it completely. But she never forgot the face, or lack thereof, that caused it.

I really should get mom to lock it away somewhere, Scorpion rubbed the side of her head as she yawned through her teeth, but it just feels...wrong, to do that.

Scorpion's eyes drifted to the nest-side table, landing on her ruby pendant. It sat innocently, its chain coiled underneath it like a plush cushion holding up the polished ruby. Reaching out and grabbing the cold, untouched chains, she pulled the pendant closer, holding it close and cupping it in her palms. Her heart ached as she looked at it, it radiated a feeling of comfort, like a soft blanket was laid over her as she held it, or a warm embrace.

The faint memory of wings wrapping around her, arms holding her close as a dragonet fluttered into her mind, making her scales trickle at the ghostly feeling, but no face or name came along with it, no familiar voice, nothing. Just emptiness. With a blink, it all washed away, fading again into the back of her mind as Scorpion pulled herself out of the mound of blankets she'd buried herself under that night.

It's just a nightmare, she snorted to herself with a yawn, only dragonets should get nightmares, especially not princesses being scared over a painting.

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

"You look well rested."

Scorpion shot Thorn a look.

"I was being sarcastic.

"That's what I was trying to figure out."

"Did you have a nightmare again?"

The pair of siblings walked down one of the long, winding staircases. The palace was both bustling with life, and eerily silent as dragons finished preparing for the three youngest royals hatching day celebration. It wasn't long after they finished their breakfast that they were shooed off to go get ready.

"You remember me having those?"

"It wasn't subtle when we all shared a room," Thorn pointed out as the quick footsteps of Ray catching up followed behind them, "you always woke up with nightmares. Since you were three."

Scorpion frowned.

"You should really talk to Mom or Dad about it," Thorn continued as Ray caught up with them.

"Sorry, I saw Roadrunner and stopped to chat," the Prince huffed, "What are we talking about?"

"Nothing, just personally betting to see how long until Scorpion gets sick of servants pacing around her to get her ready."

"OH! Yeah I bet ten minutes."

"I'm not impatient." Scorpion shot behind her as Thorn snorted from beside her.

"No, you're not, but-" Thorn pointed- "you're also not patient either."

"I'm better off than Ray."

"HEY!-"

"Yeah that's true."

Ray scoffed with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Scorpion pushed the sturdy wooden door open, holding it with her palm as her brothers slipped past, following after them and letting the door shut behind her. Most commonly, princes would be the ones opening doors for their sisters if soldiers weren't around, but that was when princes had to worry about their sisters or even their mother stripping away their title, or worse, killing them. After Camel took the throne, all of her sons were treated the same as her daughters, the only difference in their upbringing was the princesses training for their future responsibilities as future queens.

It's like a hive, Scorpion thought as they made their way down the hall, the image of a honey-pot ant's nest appearing in her mind as they walked. The thought of the round ants made her jaws water, shaking her head to push it away. The tiny insects were a delicacy, their bodies full of sweet drops of honey, their bodies no bigger than a blueberry.

At the end of the hall, a group of servants appeared to be waiting. At the sound of Ray's voice echoing down the hall, they all perked up, standing up with twitching wings held firm against their sides.

"Have fun, Scorpion!" Ray called as a group led her to one of the dressing rooms, Thorn and Ray being ushered into their own respective rooms.

Scorpion was ushered to the center of the room by the small group of SandWings around her, making her stand in the middle of a half-ring of mirrors. The wall in front of her behind the mirrors were lined in glass-pane windows, colourful glass art filling in the tall arches lined in thinly painted gold to hold all of the pieces together. There were five arches, each piece mirroring another across from the centerpiece that was of a SandWing holding a floating necklace in their talons with a crown depicted over their horns. The supporting glass art windows were of soldiers and subjects bowing to the SandWIng with the crown.

The necklace the crowned SandWign held was one Scorpion had only heard of through stories, a piece of animus-touched jewelry, once as important as the Queen crown itself: the Eye of Onyx. A piece of the SandWing royal treasury, forever lost in history.

If it even existed to be lost in the first palace.

It had been centuries since any dragon saw the Eye of Onyx, and frankly, Scorpion didn't believe it existed.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was nothing more than a story to make queens look better in the eyes of the next generation in their kingdom, Scorpion snorted to herself as she lifted her wings, one of the four servants hooking extensions of her favourite robe under her wings, connecting it to the chains on her shoulders to the ones by her hips.

A pair of golden wrist cuffs were slipped over her arms, a second set of cuffs pushed further up her arms below her elbows, matching her horn rings, with vibrant red cloth dropping down her arms, wrapping loosely around them before pooling at her wrists. More long pieces of fabric wrapped around her tail in loose loops, reminding her of the way Bontebok wore his robes twisted around his tail.

Scorpion was forced to stand there, lifting her wings, raising her talons, coiling and uncoiling her tail, tilting her head in different directions, for what felt like an eternity. With dragons holding things up for her to pick from before scurrying around her to put them in place. After a while, it started to make her scales crawl.

Ray's bet rang through her head "OH! Yeah I bet ten minutes", and Scorpion couldn't help but stubbornly scowl.

"Almost done your majesty," one of the SandWing said, her voice was soft, as though talking to a timid dragonet, "we're going as fast as we can." She tried to reassure the princess who had begun to shuffle in place.

She didn't like touch. Well, she did, she loved the annoying dogpile's her brothers would give her, wings wrapping around her and arms holding her close. She loved bumping her wings or brushing her tail with others too. Scorpion didn't mind touch, but unfamiliar talons touching her just made her antsy and snappy. These dragons knew her, but she didn't know them.

Just bear it for a while longer, Scorpion told herself, dipping her head as one of the dragons around her readjusted her horn cuffs, then you can brag about it to Ray.

By the time she was finished, Thorn and Ray were already done and waiting for her outside of the doors. Walking out of the room felt like a breath of fresh air. Ray and Thorn both were wearing matching robes similar to Scorpion's, just in their own colours. Ray's a vibrant orange with yellow streaks, and Thorn a calming green. Golden chains hung from their mantles, draped over their shoulders and hanging from their hips before looping back up. Ray had several wrapped around his tail with windchime-like-dangles hanging above the floor, dropping from his coiled tail.

"Come on! Come on!" Ray practically bounced down the hall, passing their escorts who called after the prince. "You're both slow in your old age!" He began to pick up his pace.

"We're literally the same age- RAY!" Scorpion roared after her brother, giving chase as he started to gallop down the hall.

Ray looked over his shoulder at the sound of her talon-steps, letting out a scream as he madly ran down the corridor, Scorpion hauling it after him with Thorn and their escorts following behind at a swift pace to keep the playing royals in sight. Skidding around corners and racing down the halls, practically flying up the stairs as the sounds of music filled the air the closer they got. They began to slow down, letting Thorn and their escorts catch up as they made their way to an opening of bright sunlight, the music, cheers and singing now louder than before. Narrowing her eyes as they slipped into the warm, burning rays, her eyes adjusted to the open sky with the sun blazing down upon them, its heat crackling faintly in the air, drowned out by the chorus of drums and strings.

They stood upon a polished balcony with carved marble railings, overlooking the large arena that was covered in a thin tarp tied to towering columns that stood tall, reaching into the sky. The arena was lined like a stadium. Dragons filled the stands, shuffling wings and moving bodies, swarmed like a disturbed termite hill. The arena itself was full of dragons dancing around, spinning and swirling around one another like blooming flowers as bands played their drums, strings, and chimes.

Long tails of vibrantly coloured cloth looped around the arena's pillars, some thin stands even reaching like webs to connect them all in an array of colours. The fabrics were thin, allowing sunlight to easily pass through them, painting the sand closest to the small eye-level wall wrapping around the base of the stands in different colours. The royals' seats that generally were on the platform were moved to circle around small tables covered in a diverse array of foods.

"Were you both running through the palace?" Camel's voice split through the music and singing like a blade, the SandWing queen giving her two youngest dragonets a light, unimpressed look.

"When do they not?" Ringtail laughed, brushing his partner's wing from where two two sat beside each other.

The monarchs wore matching robes of coppery brown with splashes of orange and green, lined in a golden yellow that traced the edges in intricate stitches with polished beads and jewels sewn into the hem, trailing up their backs and lining the slits for their sails to flow through. Golden wire, woven like strands of a basket, hung from their shoulders, tying off the front of their robes in twisted webs, crisscrossing across their fronts, and weaving around pendants held sturdily in place by the woven threats of gold.

Filling in the other seats around them were Scorpion's older brother and several sisters, all chatting to one another.Queen Pearl sat with the pair, the SeaWing's dragonets scattered throughout the other seats. Vulture and Cactus with Narwhal closest to the entrance into the palace, Jackal and Sandstorm sat together opposite of them. By the pair of SandWings sat Quicksand with her partner Dusk, an odd looking SandWing with a charming look and a kind smile, the inside of his wings looking like a rich sunset with vibrant reds and stary white specks dotting the insides. With Quicksand and Dusk was Maelstrom and Squid, the two dark green SeaWings lightly bickering to one another.

Off by herself sat Fennec, the pale spotted SandWing looking at the two empty seats beside her with a frown. Scorpion mirrored her sister's look with narrowed eyes, Sundance and Tarantula aren't here yet, she snorted as she turned away to look at the last table up at the front of the balcony.

Sapphire sat at the last table, staring out at the dancing dragons below. As Scorpion came up behind her, she saw the awe-filled look on the pale SeaWing's face as she watched SandWings twirl and dance, singing to the sound of drums and chimes. "Enjoying the view?"

The SeaWing jumped, her webbed sail flaring up in surprise as she whipped around. "Scorpion!" She exclaimed, the taller dragon laughing.

"Oh come on Sapphire, you didn't think she wouldn't scare you when we arrived?" Thorn snorted as he took a seat.

"I bet she'd enjoy looking at something- or someone else-"

Scorpion's tail lashed at Ray, the prince leaping out of the way with a bark of laughter before sitting down on Thorn's other side, using the other prince and the SeaWing princess to put distance between him and Scorpion as he stuck his tongue out at his sister who scowled at him.

Scorpion felt embarrassment was over her, making her ears burn as she took a seat beside Sapphire, sticking her tongue out at Ray before turning back to the show below them. "Pretend he's not there."

"EXCUSE ME!? You can't just IGNORE ME-!"

"It's really easy."

"It's really not," Thorn remarked as Sapphire laughed.

The music below them continued to fill the air, laughter and singing joining the music while the royal siblings and Sapphire all chatted, watching the show below them. Ray was tapping to the beat, his upper half practically dancing from where he sat, stomping his talons lightly on the ground. Before long, Scorpion's attention was pulled away from the dancing dragons below as a shout came from her right.

"Ray!" Thorn hissed.

Scorpion turned, seeing that her brother Ray had leaped out of his seat and was flying down to the center of the arena, a large grin plastered across his face as he tugged on Thorn's arm, pulling his brother with him towards the balcony.

"Come dance with me Thorn!"

"I'm not dancing with you-"

"Oh come on! It'll be fun!'

"No-"

"Yes!" Ray gave another tug on Thorn's arm, pulling the other prince as their wings flapped. "Come on! Sapphire and Scorpion will dance too!"

"Don't drag us into it," Scorpion snorted, "I didn't volunteer."

"Well I voluntold you."

"It'll be fun," Sapphire quietly said, taking a quick glance down into the arena. "It's busy though..."

"It's a party! A royal hatching day celebration, why wouldn't it be busy? The whole kingdom is practically here! I bet the streets are completely empty!" Ray hollered as the prince finally managed to get Thorn to follow him, spiraling down to the sand below. "Now come on!"

Mirroring Sapphire, Scorpion leaned forwards to peer down at the swarmed crowd below, dragons twisting and dancing like a pool full of fish. Lining the short walls that separated the seats from the actual sand were SandWings with different instruments in their talons. Some slamming their claws and barb on drums, others with chimes, some even with strings as their singing voices filled the air.

She held out one of her talons towards the SeaWing princess. Her friend peered up at her, staring back down at the larger dragon's palm before taking it in her own much smaller ones. Together they followed after the princes, diving down into the arena, Scorpion's wings flaring out as she pulled Sapphire along with her as she landed, skidding in the hot sand.

"Lets see how well a SeaWing can dance on the sand," Scorpion quipped.

Sapphire snorted with a smile, locking their talons together, "then we'll see how well a SandWing can swim underwater."

Pulling themselves on their hind legs, Scorpion pulled Sapphire closer, leaning back on her tail as they danced. Ray and Thorn mirrored them as the pairs of dancing royals twirled and spinned to the music. Sapphire's laughter felt like music to her ears, making her heart soar. The two princesses began to swing to the beat of flowing melody, singing to the songs lifted by the voices surrounding them. Scorpion's face started to hurt from the smile that pulled on her lips, Sapphire smiling back up at her.

The way they moved to the beat, spinning around one another, it made her think back to when she first learned to dance. Young Scorpion wobbly on her back talons, her small wings flapping unevenly as she tried to balance herself on the smooth yet grainy floor underneath her. The SandWing dragonet leaned too far over, nearly toppling over until a pair of claws gently caught her by her sides.

"Great job my little ruby!" A voice praised, holding her upright, "you were so close, so close!"

Scorpion looked at the speckled arms that held her, shimmering gold scales coated in a pearly white. She tilted her head back, smiling up at the SandWing that held her, but her voice was lost to deaf ears as the face that peered down at her was smudged, covered in a horrifying mist that removed all of the other dragons features.

Her eyes shot open, a sharp pound stabbing into the back of her mind as her body stiffened, coming to a standstill with a hiss as she let go of Sapphire's talons to instead grip the side of her skull as the pounding continued to slam into her like a SandWing using their barb as a club. It felt like her whole body had been shocked back into the present, a sharp electric sting making her limbs jerk, stiffening.

"Scorpion?!" Sapphire quietly whispered, just loud enough to be heard over the music and singing. "Are you alright?"

The SandWing screwed her eyes shut, trying to push away the memory that stabbed it's hook like claws into the back of her mind, letting herself fall back down onto her own four -or three with her one palm rubbing at her temple- talons.

"What happened? Do you have a headache?"

Sapphire's colder, smaller claws reached up, cupping her face. Scorpion forced her eyes open, staring into the shimmering blue pools of worry that stared back, searching her gaze as if it held the answer to what had happened.

That stupid thing again, she hissed internally, her jaw feeling locked as she ground her teeth, the memory started to slip away into the back of her mind like swatted smoke.

"Is everything okay?" Thorn appeared from around her, Scorpion's brother eyeing her with concern.

"I think she's got a headache."

Thorn frowned.

"She's been having more of those lately," he motioned with his tail, "come on, the music probably isn't helping."

"What about Ray?" Scorpion asked.

"He's off dancing with Roadrunner."

Looking off to the side, pulling her snout out of Sapphire's gentle grip, Scorpion saw her brother dancing with the wingery worker, the two SandWing's twirling and dancing with laughter bubbling from their chests as they both sang to the music. A gentle tug on her wing pulled back back to Sapphire and Thorn as they took off, Scorpion following close behind. The feeling of being watched burned into the back of the princess' neck as they flew up, reaching out to land back on the balcony.

There's so many dragons here, she tried pushing the itchy feeling aside, of course one would be looking at me. As Scorpion was ushered inside by her brother and Sapphire, she still couldn't shake the feeling off of her scales, even once she was hidden away by the palace's sandstone walls. It still felt like a penetrating gaze was burning into her back. It made a shiver of unease creep along her spine.

Something about it felt...wrong.

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

"Are we going to talk about it?" Thorn asked as they walked.

The halls were dark, darker than usual as the sun was positioned above the palace, making the airy windows a veil of shadows for those peering in from the outside, or a veil of blinding sunlight from the inside. Few torches were lit, only being used to light up the areas where no sun could reach during the day. There were fewer guards patrolling the halls, just small pairs that hung close to the rear of the stronghold near the arena.

"There's nothing to talk about," Scorpion snorted defensively, "it as just a headache."

" 'just a headache'?" Thorn quickened his pace to walk alongside her, "you've been having these...night terrors for years-!" Sapphire blinked in surprise, "-something is obviously causing it, and it's hurting you, even when you're awake! It's getting worse, Scorpion."

"I'm fine-"

Sapphire cut in, "you're definitely not," her voice laced with concern, walking on her other side. "Scorpion, you were in pain."

Scorpion was silent. She...she didn't really know what to say to them, she was fine, it was only a nightmare-....a nightmare she couldn't remember. You hardly ever remember your dreams, she scolded herself with a shake of her head. What makes these any different?Something felt like it was coiling inside of her, squirming like a snake whose head was trapped with a stick.

"Look- I-....." Thorn searched for the right words before giving up with a sigh, "you just can't keep hiding this, Scorpion. Maybe one of the healers can find a way to help you, with the physical part."

"Nothing is wrong-"

"Something is! And you're hiding it!" Thorn exclaimed, before softening his voice "I know you don't like dragons helping you, trust me, I don't either, but something is wrong."

"How...," Sapphire shifted her wings, "how long have these been going on for?"

Scorpion was silent, Thorn giving her a look as they walked.

"A few years."

The prince snorted, giving away her lie.

She shot him a glare.

Sapphire cleared her throat. "Well, how do you feel now?"

"Better," she admitted, "my head doesn't hurt anymore."

"That's good!"

The trio settled into silence once more as they walked, the hallways spreading out, becoming wider as they made their way closer to the airy pathways that wrapped around the courtyard and its oasis settled in its center.

"Why don't we go to the courtyard for a bit?" Sapphire suggested.

"I don't want to miss the fights," Scorpion tried.

Thorn injected. "Those still won't be for a while still, you'll have time."

The prince started to slow his pace, coming to a stop, "I'll go back to tell Camel and Ringtail you're both taking a break," he gave Scorpion a concerned look, "just promise me you'll talk to them about it?"

Scorpion frowned, her eyes looking away as she shifted her talons. How could I even talk about it? I don't know why they're happening, what they are, for moons sake I don't even know WHAT is keeping me up at night!

"Scorpion."

She looked back at Thorn.

"Promise me."

"I promise," she sighed after a moment's hesitation.

Thorn's shoulders loosened with relief as he turned, retracing their steps as he made his way back to the main celebration, the music and singing faintly making its way to them, even in the center of the palace. Scorpion and Sapphire continued on their way, the fresh air greeting them in a refreshing breeze that fluttered past them as the two princesses entered the courtyard, stepping out and onto the gravel path that slip through the lush foliage surrounding the shimmering pool of water that glittered like stars, reflecting the sun off of its rippling surface.

"It's so empty," Sapphire murmured as she peered around, not spotting any soldiers in their usual posts.

It was quiet, relaxingly so.

Scorpion had to admit that being away from the bustling arena did help to put her at ease, even if her body itched for her to go racing back to be in time for the fights. We've got time, she told herself, they're not starting for a while.

The SandWing settled down by the lapping water as Sapphire slipped into the crystal clear oasis, her head dipping under the shifting waves. It was mesmerizing to watch her friend swim, kicking out her legs to gently bound off of the sandy floor, her tail swishing enough to move her through the water, yet her movements never once disturbed the oasis' surface. Their eyes met for a moment, Sapphire grinning up at her before going back to seemingly searching the oasis' sandy bed.

She began to let her mind wander off deep into thought, about what Thorn had said as she watched Sapphire beneath the surface from where she'd settled herself along the shore. "You've been having these...night terrors for years! Something is obviously causing it-"

He was right, Scorpion has been having these nightmares- no, night terrors for years, ever since she was a dragonet. Her talons unconsciously reached for her pendant, rubbing it as she thought. I don't remember when they started..., thinking back, the farthest she could imagine herself with these nightmares was four, when she and her brothers still shared a room. The three royal triplets sleeping in a cuddle pile like a wing of MudWings.

I was four, I had to be four when it all started, her head started to ache the more she thought about it, pieces slowly clicking together as she stared into the oasis' shimmering water that rippled gently. Singing, music, dancing, laughter and games. Scorpion remembers chasing Thorn and Ray around the palace, Cactus and Vulture tearing after them, the older royals joining in on the dragonets childish game. There was another dragon with them, just behind Vulture and Cactus, but Scorpion couldn't remember them, couldn't remember their face.

My fourth hatching day, the SandWing realized with a blink. That's when-!

Crunch.

Scorpion's body went still, her talons freezing over the ruby that rested against her chest. The feeling of somebody watching burned into her back, her frill prickling with unease. She could've dismissed it as a guard on their patrol route, but something about it felt wrong, making her body tense up as she stared down into the water, focusing on the sounds around her rather than her own reflection that stared back at her.

Crunch.

This time it was slower, lighter, less pressure being put onto the sand behind her, as if trying to lessen the sound of the shifting sand underneath its weight. That's when it clicked.

Stalking.

Scorpion whipped around as the steps rushed towards her, her heart pounding in her chest as a figure of white charged her through the sparse palm trees scattered around her. It wasn't any of her brothers, her sisters, or any dragon she knew for that matter. The SandWing's mind screamed as she met her attacker head on, being slammed into as they tumbled onto the sand.

IceWing!

The icy chill of the snow dragons scales shot through her body as they grappled, Scorpion's claws reaching up to sink into their shoulders as their serrated ones reached for her face. Pinned to the ground, Scorpion couldn't lean back and out of the way, so she did the only thing she could do. She lined her hind legs underneath them, giving her attacker a powerful kick to his gut that tossed him over her with a THUD onto the sand, a small cloud flying up at the sudden impact as she rushed to her talons.

Scorpion stood up with a roar, her wings flaring out and barb hanging over her back in warning as the one-eyed IceWing staggered to his feet with a snarl. Another chilling force slammed into her from behind with a SLAM! Knocking her back down with a THUMP!

Talons dug into her collar, sinking into her skin around her necklace. Her forearms dragged through the sand, the golden cuff bracelets connected with cloth dragged like a scoop before she swung, clocking the second IceWing upside the head and getting sand in his blue eyes as he howled in pain. Her tail hooked his legs, ripping him off as she stood, ducking under another attack from the first IceWing who was back on his feet.

As Scorpion ducked and reared out of his way, the IceWing's jaws illuminated in a sharp blue glow that shot out in a burst of ice that struck the ground where she once stood. He shot at her again, but this time she met his ice with her own fire, the two elements meeting in sparks of steam. While the other IceWing clawed the sand out of his eyes, a face poked out from the water before surging out with a SPLASH that sounded deafening to Scorpion's ringing ears.

Scorpion saw where the small SeaWing was running, charging up on Scorpion's attacker from behind while he was occupied with the princess. But his ears were back, he heard her coming.

"SAPPHIRE NO!"

As he twisted around, talons raised to strike at the SeaWing princess, Scorpion charged around, shouldering her friend out of the way as his serrated talons met her face instead, just above her eyes and slicing through her frill. It stung, more than the pricks that dotted her collar bones, scarlet red already dripping down her face as she struck back with a snap of her teeth, lunging as he leapt away. Scorpion's teeth were mere inches from his scales, feeling the bitter chill in the air that the one-eyed IceWing left behind.

"Hurry up and get that sand out of your eyes!" The older IceWing bellowed, his thundering voice snapping at the other IceWing as he circled the pair of princesses, his spiked tail lashing.

Scorpion followed him, her lips pulled back in a snarl, roaring whenever he got too close as she stood over Sapphire. "You're not getting either of us!" She said, "Guards will be here any minute, and if they don't deal with you, then I will!"

The second IceWing let out a hiss, blinking harshly as he split Scorpion's attention between the two, her head snapping back and forth, trying to keep them both in her sights as they circled her. Should we try to make a run for it, Scorpion's head shot back with a snap at the younger IceWing, try to fly to the arena? She looked back at the one-eyed ice dragon. No, they're too close, we wouldn't get enough air in time. They'd just take the change to grab us.

The sand shifted behind her and she whipped around, swinging her tail. Scorpion's barb swiped just in front of the younger IceWing's neck as he leapt back just in time.

I can't do anything! Her mind screamed in frustration. If I go after one, the other will just go after Sapphire!

The IceWing behind her moved, seeing her distracted, and lunged.

"SAPPHIRE RUN!" She screamed, shouldering the one-eyed dragon away, falling to the sand as he pulled her down with him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sapphire hesitate. "HURRY, GO! NOW!" She roared, slamming the older dragon down with her talons grappling his head and keeping his snout turned away from her, his tail spikes stabbing into her thigh.

The pale blue SeaWing was off like a roadrunner, making a dash for the open halls that lined the courtyard with open archways with thin pillars.

"Don't let the SeaWing get away!" One-eye yelled.

Don't let them catch her! Scorpion slammed the older IceWings head down into the sand as hard as she could before racing after the younger IceWing, tackling him as they rolled across the sand, coming to a stop with a BANG! into one of the pillars. Teeth snapping as they roared, Scorpion making as much noise as she could, keeping the younger one in place, ignoring his serrated claws that dug into her scales, kicking at her belly. She raised her barb to sting, but it was grabbed, being yanked harshly from behind. He's up already!? The older IceWing was staggering, his one eye narrowed in a dizzying state, his jaws clamped shut around the base of her stinger, below her barb, close enough to where it couldn't swing back around to sting him instead.

Each second felt like a century, every moment made her feel more trapped, fighting two dragons at once as she waited for Sapphire, for any dragon to hear her. Come on, hurry Sapphire! She begged as she fought, her wings flapping to kick up sand around them.

Scorpion wasn't going down without a fight, she wasn't going to die like this, taken by surprise by a pair of IceWings lurking inside of the palace. She always pictured herself going out like a hero, in a blaze of glory, fighting to death in a challenge within the arena, or out in a battlefield with her tribe fighting with her side by side.

Over the rapid pumping of her heart that rang in her ears, drumming against her chest, she heard the sounds of talons and armour clanking, rushing down around one of the corridors.

"GUARDS!" The SandWing roared at the top of her lungs, making the IceWings freeze.

"Great Ice Spirits," the younger IceWing spat, kicking at Scorpion again, worming his way out of her grasp. The older dragonet let go of her tail once seeing that his companion was free.

"There's no winning this in time," the one-eyed ice dragon cursed under his breath. "We already taken care of one, let's go!"

The two began to take off, making a run for it as they dashed in the opposite direction, Scorpion barreling after them. "You're not going anywhere!" She roared after them skidding around a corner just in time to watch them slip out one of the smaller windows, taking off into the desert air out of her sight as a young soldier raced around the other corner behind her.

"Princess!" she called to Scorpion, racing up to her as har armour rattled.

"Assassins, two of them!" She staggered, "outside! They're getting away!"

The other SandWing cursed under her breath as she skidded to a halt by Scorpion's side, wrapping a wing over the larger SandWing's shoulder as she pulled her away from the hall. "If they're still there, then we need to get you away to safety."

"I'll be safe once their heads are on stakes!"

Scorpion was pulled again, this time being led back down the hall as her adrenaline began to seep away. Her body ached, scratches and open wounds burning as sand stuck to the exposed flesh, making it burn more with a sharp sting. Blood ran down her face, dripping from her chin as ribbons wrapped around her snout.

Head injuries bleed the most, she scoffed to herself, blinking to keep the blood out of her eyes.

"Your mother will send out soldiers to search for them," the guard spoke, her voice a soothing hiss to Scorpion's ears. "For now, we need to get you to a medical wing."

"I'm fine-"

"You're definitely not." the dull coloured SandWing shot back.

It sounded so much like what Sapphire had said earlier, Scorpion couldn't help but chuckle.

The SandWing was a dusty grey with dull coloured horns and a tattered frill with a slender build, a hop in her step from her missing leg that was cut off just above where her elbow should've been. Sharp, keen black eyes occasionally flickered between her and the hall ahead of them.

"You're not a royal guard."

"No, I'm not." They continued, "I was making my way there when I saw the SeaWing princess barrel around the corner, screaming for help."

Scorpion hummed with a huff as she staggered, the other SandWing taking some of her weight as she walked with one of her hind talons picked up, the holes in her leg from IceWing tail spikes aching with each step. "What's your name?"

They blinked, almost surprised to hear her ask.

"Rattlesnake," their tail rattled as they walked, "now let's hurry up and get you looked at."

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Piece done by @Alex_Kyanite

- MindlessTyper