Reborn's consciousness drifted awake, a dull throbbing in her head as she blinked against the painfully bright splashes of light. She groaned, squinting and hissing as she shielded her eyes with a paw. Of all the wake-ups I've had, it had to be this blinding mess, she thought bitterly, her frustration simmering. Just as she was steeling herself to open her eyes fully, she froze—a soft, warm laugh broke through the quiet.

"Sorry to laugh," a familiar voice said, amusement lingering in the tone. Reborn cracked open her eyes and focused on the form of Qibli, the SandWing standing close, his smile warm as sunlight. "Moon said you'd wake up looking exactly like this—annoyed and ready to bite the nearest dragon." He took a step closer, reaching out to take one of her paws in his, his ember eyes gleaming with a gentle light.

"It's good to have you back, Reborn," he said softly. Reborn's cheeks flushed at his nearness, and she glanced away, flicking her tail in a flustered attempt to shake off the sudden rush of warmth his words stirred in her.

"I..." she began, but before she could finish, someone burst through the door, and she was enveloped by wings, cool yet comforting. She felt the familiar presence of Moon, her friend's embrace tight and trembling.

"Never do that again, you hear me?" Moon's voice broke, thick with emotion. Reborn leaned into the NightWing's embrace, wrapping her shimmering black wings around her friend, the familiar weight a reassurance for them both.

"Oh, Moon," she murmured, feeling the dampness of Moon's tears against her scales. Qibli stood behind them, looking a bit awkward as he shifted his paws. Over Moon's shoulder, Reborn caught his gaze, offering him a small, reassuring smile.

When Moon finally let go, she wiped her eyes with a sniffle. "Promise me you won't do that again, okay?" she asked, her voice wavering.

Reborn laughed, shaking herself fully awake. "I can't promise that, Moonbeam. You know I have to protect you. Otherwise, you might be the one going up in flames next time!" She shook out her wings and took in her surroundings for the first time, glancing around the room.

"Let me guess—Winter's too stubborn to come, Turtle's probably terrified, and Kinkajou's running herself ragged trying to keep them all from pacing a hole in the ground." Qibli gave her a startled look, his eyes widening.

"How did you know that? Can you read minds too?" he asked, before realizing he'd spoken too quickly and clamped his mouth shut, looking suddenly guilty.

Reborn raised an eyebrow, glancing between Qibli and Moon. "No...? Why would I have mind-reading powers? Last I checked, I'm no NightWing." She tilted her head in question, her gaze narrowing slightly.

Qibli sighed, clearly relieved, and his wings relaxed. "Good! That's one less dragon I need to worry about snooping in my head." He flashed her a grin, then quickly glanced toward the door. "Well, I should go check on the others before Kinkajou goes completely out of her mind." He called over his shoulder as he slipped out, "Glad to see you're okay, Reborn!"

As the door closed, Moon turned to Reborn, her expression shifting from relief to something more serious. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

As Reborn and Moon sat by the edge of an underground pool, the cool, quiet caverns provided a tranquil retreat from the chaotic events of the day. Moon's tail was curled over her paws as she watched Reborn rinse the dried blood from her ebony scales, the water gleaming as it ran over her shimmering hide. The dim, ambient light reflected off her translucent scales, creating a soft, flickering glow that allowed the two dragonesses to see in the darkness.

Moon's eyes traced the patterns in Reborn's scales thoughtfully. "So that's how I knew about our bond," Moon said, almost to herself. "But I still don't understand how you did."

Reborn paused, carefully considering her response. She knew that her powers—and her very existence as an AllWing—would raise questions, and she had learned long ago to guard her secrets well. Her SeaWing blood gave her vision in the darkness, allowing her to see even the faintest glints off the water. Her RainWing form gave her the ability to shift her scales and wield venom, her NightWing lineage granted her prophecy, and her SkyWing blood gave her the strength for long flights. She was even a skilled fighter, thanks to her IceWing heritage. Altogether, her powers from every tribe formed a formidable combination, making her the rare and precious AllWing—a type of dragon that hadn't hatched in over a century.

Reborn's heart ached momentarily with memories of her parents, who had taught her how to shield her mind from others' intrusion. She had learned to present harmless thoughts, keeping her true ones locked away. Moon didn't need to know everything, so Reborn let a benign thought float to the surface.

"Well..." Reborn began, inhaling slowly as she prepared her response. "I do have some NightWing blood," she admitted. "And I hatched under two full moons in the Rainforest." She kept her voice casual, hiding her hesitation.

Moon's shoulders relaxed as she nodded. "So... you're not upset with me? And you only have prophecy, not mindreading?"

Reborn shrugged, choosing her words carefully. "I'm not sure, honestly. I haven't been able to read anyone's mind... yet. Maybe it's possible, or maybe it's limited because of this." She gestured to her RainWing form, giving Moon a nonchalant smile.

Moon seemed satisfied, though a thoughtful crease appeared in her brow. "I still need to tell Winter how I know about all this," she said quietly. "And he'll want you to tell him, too." Moon's nervousness was palpable, and Reborn felt a pang of sympathy. She brushed her wing against Moon's, a gesture of reassurance.

"Together, we can handle anything, Moonbeam," Reborn cooed softly, her tone affectionate. Moon's face softened, and she leaned into Reborn's shoulder, letting her worries dissolve into the quiet companionship they shared. They sat by the water's edge for hours, talking softly until they were both dry and the fatigue of the day urged them toward sleep.

Later, Reborn curled up in her nest, finally letting herself relax. The moment she closed her eyes, however, she was swept into vivid dreams. Flickering visions of dragons flashed through her mind—some fierce, others warm and familiar. But a feeling of foreboding permeated each image, leaving her uneasy.

A single, chilling thought pulsed in the depths of her mind, like a whisper echoing through the darkness: Something is coming, and it will change everything. The face of an old, dangerous presence loomed out of the shadows, and Reborn knew, with cold certainty, that an ancient evil she had once thought defeated was not gone after all.