Moon couldn't bear the thought of being left behind as her mother, Secretkeeper, prepared to leave. She had nestled herself under the protective embrace of Secretkeeper's wing, feeling as though she had always been meant to be there.

 Black Moon, however, remained slightly more distant, her discomfort palpable. Despite the love she had for her adoptive mother, the truth remained that she wasn't truly a NightWing. An outcast by nature, she had never truly belonged to any of the dragon tribes.

Secretkeeper noticed Black Moon's reluctance and spoke to her gently. "You two will be okay here, I promise. And if anyone gives you any trouble, just send Black Moon their way. She'll handle it for you."

Black Moon couldn't help but snort at the suggestion. Her fins fidgeted as she reiterated her discomfort. "I really, really don't want to stay here, Moon," she said.

Her mother turned to her with a knowing smile. "I know it's tough, but you have to, dear. And it's going to be a better place for you than the NightWing village. Trust me, you'll see the difference once you give it a chance," she assured them both.

Moon felt the urge to console her sister, reaching out to draw her closer. "You belong here with me, Black Moon. We're family, no matter what anyone else thinks."

The night-black dragoness looked into Moon's eyes, her tail lashing slightly. "You're probably right, sis," she said with a sigh.

Their mother stood up and stretched her wings, ready to leave. "Alright, enough hovering outside. It's time for you to find your cave now. Remember, Moon, you can tell them your name is Moonwatcher. And Black Moon, I don't care what anyone says, you're just as much a part of this family as Moon is. Just keep your true nature hidden and you'll be fine. Act like everything's normal, okay?"

Moon felt a pang of fear at the thought of her mother's departure. "But can't we watch a bit longer?" she pleaded.

"You'll be fine, Moonbud. Just trust me. You're going to love it here. And remember, you can always write me letters if you need anything!" With those words, Secretkeeper took flight, disappearing into the cloud-covered sky.

The two sisters remained, watching the dragons of various tribes arrive. Moon's eyes widened as a group of SeaWings descended. A deep blue dragon, likely the queen, Coral, caught her attention. The queen was speaking to her daughters, a pale white-pink one and a younger one, barely a year old, who was eagerly trying to join the embrace despite the harness that tethered her.

The young dragonet's excitement was contagious, but the sight of the NightWings caught Queen Coral's eye. Her gaze lingered on the trio of them, a hint of curiosity in her expression. Moon felt a moment of panic. Were they going to be outed as outcasts even before they had a chance to start their new lives?

"Don't worry, we'll be okay, Moonbud," Black Moon whispered, wrapping her wing around her sister. "Let's go find our caves now. We're going to be great here, you'll see!"

As they approached the grand entrance of Jade Mountain Academy, a dragon named Fatespeaker greeted them with a knowing smile. She was a skilled telepath and her mere presence made Moon nervous. Had she already been discovered?

"Hello Fatespeaker, yes, it's us," Black Moon said, trying to sound casual despite her sister's trembling. "Moon, and you can just call me Black Moon. No need for the whole thing. And you're in the same tunnel as me, seventh cave on the left. But Moon's with me, so she's in the fifth cave on the right."

Fatespeaker's smile grew wider. "Ah, I see. Two peas in a pod, you two. Well, almost. I'm sure you'll make fast friends with your clawmates. Moon, you're going to absolutely adore them!"

Moon's heart raced as she stepped into the bustling cave. She could feel the eyes of the other dragons on her, sizing her up, whispering about her. The tunnel they were directed to was a riot of colors from the glowing glass globes above, casting a warm light on the dragons below.

The cave system was vast and intricate, with each turn revealing more tunnels and more dragons. As they walked, they passed a pair of SandWings, the male's gaze lingering on them.

 Moon felt his thoughts probing, studying them with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Finally, they reached their caves. Black Moon's contained a moss bed and a hammock, suggesting a RainWing or another dragon who enjoyed the comforts of the forest. The sight of the frost-scaled bed in Moon's cave made her shiver, hinting at an IceWing clawmate.

They settled in, each on their respective stone ledges, trying to find comfort in their new surroundings. Moon felt the weight of her mother's words heavily upon her. Would she truly love it here? Would she ever truly belong?

For now, all she could do was lean into Black Moon's warmth and whisper, "Call for me if you need anything, okay?"

Black Moon nodded solemnly before they parted ways, each retreating to their own cave. Moon curled up and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the racing thoughts in her mind. But the warmth of Black Moon's snout against hers lingered, and she clung to that small comfort as she drifted off to sleep.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

Upon awakening, Black Moon found herself nudged insistently by Moon. With an enthusiastic expression, Moon pleaded, "Wake up, please! Me and my clawmate are heading to the prey center. You absolutely must come with us!" Despite feeling a bit weary, Black Moon couldn't help but be moved by Moon's eager persistence. She took a deep breath, shook off the remnants of sleep, and stretched out her majestic gray wings with swirling patterns, giving a resigned sigh as she prepared herself for the journey ahead.

The duo of black dragons descended gracefully from their perch and made their way to the entrance of the cave where Moon called home. As they approached, the sound of chatter grew louder, signaling the presence of other dragons nearby. The cave was vast, with a spacious opening to the outdoors showcasing a breathtaking view of the landscape. An expansive moss-covered slope dotted with boulders led the eye to towering cliffs and distant mountain peaks. The prey center was a sight to behold, with a low rock barricade that, while trivial to them, served as an effective enclosure for the creatures they sought.

Within the cave, a river rushed along one side, its waters disappearing through an arched passage into another chamber. The area was a cacophony of noise and activity, with various prey creatures scattered about in a frenzy. Terrified sheep huddled together, bleating pitifully, while chickens, quail, and pheasants dashed about in a panic, attempting to evade their predators. The atmosphere was electric, with dragonets of multiple tribes—MudWings, SandWings, and SkyWings—all participating in the exhilarating hunt. They bellowed instructions to each other, their laughter echoing off the cavern walls as they lunged clumsily at the nimble birds.

As they ventured deeper into the chaos, Kinkajou abruptly halted beside a mound of fruit, where a laid-back RainWing named Coconut sat, leisurely devouring a mango. His scales had a serene lavender-blue hue, and his eyes were half-closed, giving him an air of perpetual relaxation.

 Kinkajou introduced him casually to Moon, mentioning their friendship and the recent three-week period during which she had been abducted and he hadn't noticed her absence.

Coconut acknowledged her with a lazy nod, mumbling around the mouthful of fruit. "I'm sure I said I was sorry," he offered, unbothered by the accusation. Kinkajou rolled her eyes and playfully poked him with her tail, expressing her exasperation. "I'll be able to read scrolls before you do!" she exclaimed.

Mildly intrigued, Coconut inquired about the nature of their friendship. Kinkajou replied with a knowing smile, "Because I'm clever, and you're not. It's quite simple, really. That's what they call 'subtext' in dragon society, Coconut."

Black Moon watched the exchange with amusement, before stepping forward to introduce herself. She extended her talon to the RainWing, and he took it tentatively. "I'm Black Moon," she said, and he nodded in recognition.

Just then, a sudden commotion caught Black Moon's attention. A scavenger, with fur the color of fiery brown and wide, vivid green eyes, had scurried into the cave. Startled, she instinctively wrapped her talons around the small creature, which responded with a shrill squeak. The scavenger looked up at her with a mix of terror and defiance, its tiny paws grasping her claws tightly.

The noise level in the cave plummeted as every dragon turned to look at the unusual spectacle.

 A majestic IceWing, his scales glittering in the dim light, swooped down from the shadows, his eyes blazing with anger. "You have exactly ten seconds to return my scavenger," he snarled, his voice a menacing whisper that sent a chill through the air, "before I remove your face as punishment."