As she snuggled down into the warm pile of polar bear fur, Doomsayer let her thoughts drift across the events of the day. After painting with Sepia - who'd ended up creating a mural in one of the disused caves - they'd had a quick music lesson in which she'd stayed as far away as possible from the Rainwing. Then a brief visit to the library to see Starflight, the other Nightwing. He was kind and sweet and impossibly old for his six years, and for a few moments she let herself imagine what he'd be like if the moons shone on his egg. Would he have been a seer, a mind reader? Would he have been . . . an Animus?

A low scoff rippled through her mind, one that might have been her own, but might not have. Instantly she reinforced her shields.

Shielding her thoughts was the first thing her father taught her after he discovered her power. She remembered his exact words, "We might be rare, but if you and I can exist, there might be others that do too. I am going to teach you how to shield your thoughts, and then you will practice daily." A few days later she'd gone to the market and bought a small blue earring. She enchanted it so that she could select which thoughts were completely hidden, keeping it secret from even her father. Who knew what he'd do if he knew she was an animus.

You never knew who you could trust until it was too late.

What a curious thought. How could such a young dragonet know so much about betrayal?

She shuddered as the definite touch of a foreign mind brushed against her own. It was strange and sad, and clearly reminiscent of Shadow's mind-voice. But it couldn't be him. Not here. And yet . . .

Shadow?

The low rumble of a mind-voice laughing. Not quite.

Her heart lurched, followed by a wave of relief as she remembered the earring. Anything about her powers, anything at all, would be undetectable to even the most powerful mind reader. Searching through her mind, she tried to remember the old mind readers. Here at Jade Mountain there would be no adult Nightwings, except perhaps Stonemover. She brushed the thought aside. Just an animus. Reaching tentatively through the other dragon's barriers she found a few names before they slammed shut. She laughed inwardly at his - she now knew it was a he - alarm. Recalling the previous question she said:

You were only five when Clearsight betrayed you.

The mountain shook slightly beneath her talons.

How did you know?

You aren't the only mind reader.

If there was any shock, it was well hidden. Then you know who I am.

I knew immediately, Uncle.

So she had dragonets. With Thoughtful.

Yes.

How long has she been gone?

More than a thousand years. A sharp pain shot across the link, a stabbing claw of grief, followed by a revelation.

There must have been some animuses.

Animi?

You know what I mean.

There were, there are. There is one here, an old Nightwing named Stonemover.

And you?

No.

Liar. If I look, there is no mention of Animi in your mind. You have no deep secrets. And that, as we both know, is impossible.

Look at Sunny. There are no secrets there.

We both know that you are nothing like that annoying puffball of a dragon.

Oh, so cruel Darkstalker. I think you'd hurt her feelings if she ever heard you say that.

He laughed quietly. As if that conversation is ever going to happen.

She stayed silent for a long while, heart racing as an idea occurred to her. I can find it.

No need. Moonwatcher is already on her way. Fury rose, burning in her chest. Perhaps even jealousy that some upstart dragonet took her place. You are more similar than you think. Your hearts are both-

She hissed at him. Darkstalker, I did not think you were a fool. It sorrows me that you are.

She was here first. I could not have foreseen that-

Oh you poor, broken dragon. A fortune teller who can't see the future, separated from your power by a few miles of sand and stone. It was a good idea to separate your spells and your soul, but it didn't need to be so far away.

Where else? If you think you know better than-

Then the five year old dragonet you were? I think I might. The futures I saw where I placed my powers in a scroll or other object were horrible. But there was another option.

What. Not a question, just a verbal -or mental - scoff. He didn't believe that anyone could be more powerful than him.

To put it in my scales, so that it would always be with me, but never have to chafe against my soul. I see no darkness in my future.

Furious silence.

Goodnight Darkstalker.

A long pause. For a few moments she was sure he had left, and then . . . Goodnight Trouble.

A/N

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Just updated cover!!! Please comment if you like it.

I'm thinking about adding a chapter before this about her day, but this is all I have for now. Very happy! Darkstalker is Doomsayer's great-great-great-great-great Uncle. And did you know that Sunny is probably also related to him?

Her dad was an animus and animus power is genetic and Nightwing power came from Price Arctic, so . . .

I thought that was pretty cool. ;)