Six Years Later...

𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗡𝗘
𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡

🌟

I slithered through the familiar caves of my home, my scales brushing against the damp walls. My heart quickened as I heard the distinctive roars and the voice of one of our guardians, Kestrel. I recognized the tone of her voice; she was giving my best friend, Clay, a MudWing, a hard time again.

As I padded closer to the cave, I peered inside, my heart sinking at the sight that greeted me. Kestrel was flinging Clay around by his tail, her talons gripping him tightly. I growled softly, hating to see my friend treated so roughly. Clay was a gentle soul, and Kestrel's aggressive behavior was unwarranted.

"Kestrel, stop!" I called out, my voice echoing in the cave. "Let him go! You're hurting him!"

Kestrel released Clay with a dismissive scoff, letting him fall to the ground with a thud, his head landing on a stalagmite. She turned her attention to me, her eyes narrowing. "So, the half-and-half monster is here to defend the defected? How sweet." She snorted a coil of smoke in my direction, but I ducked, my head spikes bristling.

"Watch it, Kestrel," I warned, my voice low and dangerous. "You know I'll—"

Kestrel cut me off with a laugh. "You'll what? Tell Dune or Webs? Oh, please. We both know those cowards don't have the guts to stand up to me." She flexed her wings, her talons digging into the cave floor. "Go ahead, run and hide. That's all you hybrids are good for."

I glared at Kestrel, my eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and determination. Then, turning away from her, I slunk under her wing to reach my best friend. "Clay, get up. We need to get you to our sleeping caves so I can tend to your wounds." I murmured softly, nudging him gently.

Clay grunted and groaned as he tried to move, his injuries causing him pain. I helped him to his feet, supporting him as we made our way out of the cave, leaving Kestrel behind.

Halfway through the cave, we encountered Sunny, another defected SandWing who had left Queen Blaze's army. I offered her a small smile, but it faded when she saw the state of Clay and me having to physically support him. "Oh my gosh, what happened?" she whispered, immediately moving to help by taking Clay's other wing.

"Kestrel happened," I hissed, my breath forming icy cold fire smoke.

Sunny sighed, her eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and concern. "Again? For stars' sake, she never lets up, does she?"

I hummed in agreement as we continued toward my sleeping cave. Thanks to Webs, who often shared his knowledge of healing herbs, I had accumulated a decent supply of medicinal plants and remedies. I was determined to help Clay recover from his injuries.

I carefully laid Clay down on my sleeping ledge, his body tensing as he tried to push away my help. "You don't need to do this," he grunted through a hoarse voice, his eyes darting between Sunny and me. Poor Clay hadn't even had a chance to drink any water yet, his throat was parched.

"Oh, for moons' sake, Clay, stop being stubborn," Sunny hissed, jabbing his shoulder with her claw. "We want to help you."

Clay turned his giant head away, his pride warring with his need for assistance. I gently took out a salve made from marigold and poppy seeds, a combination known for its pain-dulling properties. With gentle strokes, I applied the salve to his burns, hoping to provide him with some relief.

Soon enough, the soothing salve and the comfort of my sleeping cave lulled Clay into a deep slumber. I exchanged a knowing smile with Sunny as we listened to his soft snores. Poor Clay was exhausted, his body and mind finally giving in to much-needed rest.

I walked over to the small stream that flowed through my cave, washing my talons in the cool water. "Icemoon," Sunny called out, and I turned to face her, my eyes curious.

"Icemoon, have you ever heard the others talk about leaving?" Sunny asked, her eyes intense.

I cocked my head, considering her question. "I don't know," I replied, my voice serious. It was a lie, of course. I had often overheard Tsunami, Clay, and Starflight discussing escape plans, but none of them seemed feasible. The caves were a labyrinth, and we had no idea how to navigate them safely. We were trapped, and the thought of leaving was both tantalizing and terrifying.

"Well, I just have a feeling that they will," Sunny says, her voice soft as she sits down next to me. I wrap a black-and-white wing around her, offering comfort and protection. We are family, bound by our shared experiences and the secrets we keep.

I have my mother's stars under my wings, Webs once told me. And my father's cold blue eyes. He rarely spoke of my parents, but when he did, it was with a faraway look in his eyes, as if remembering a distant dream.

I, too, wondered about my parents, especially the dragon who had brought me to the Talons of Peace. The only information Webs shared was that he was my uncle. I longed to know more, to understand why I had been chosen for this life, but Webs remained tight-lipped, guarding his secrets closely.

"Let's go to the study cave and see if Tsunami is bothering Starflight again," Sunny said, her voice echoing off the cave walls as she stood up and sneaked out from under my wing. I smiled, my eyes warm, and gave Clay a quick lick on his ear, a gesture of affection and comfort. Then, with a swish of my tail, I followed Sunny out of the sleeping cave, our talons silent on the stone floor.

As we made our way through the twisting passages, the sound of Tsunami's raised voice grew louder. "You can only play Blister because there are so many of us!" she hissed, her wings half-furled in frustration. Starflight, his scales shimmering in the dim light, rolled his emerald green eyes, a mix of amusement and exasperation on his face. But his expression softened when he noticed Sunny and me approaching, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary.

With a graceful stride, Starflight came over and gently brushed his muzzle against my shoulder, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Save me from this dragon's orders, please, Icemoon," he begged, his voice carrying a hint of humor and a touch of the NightWing's prophetic power. "Tsunami is relentless in her pursuit of knowledge, and I fear my brain may explode from all the information she's forcing into it."

I laughed, a deep rumble in my throat, and gave Starflight a playful lick on the forehead before turning toward Tsunami, who had Sunny close by her side. "Tsunami, what did I tell you about bossing the other dragons around? You know they don't like it," I chided gently, my eyes flicking between them.

Tsunami rolled her eyes, her tail flicking impatiently. "Well, beggar, but that rat there doesn't want to play Princess Blister. I mean, there are only six of us. It's too many abundance."

I chuckled, a deep sound that rumbled in my chest, and gave Starflight a gentle nudge with my snout. "You heard her, dear. Just do it this time, okay?"

Starflight sighed, a mix of resignation and amusement, and walked over to sit next to Tsunami, his wings drooping slightly.

Sunny, ever the optimist, asked cheerfully, "Who do you want to play, Icemoon?"

I shook my head, a mix of reluctance and fatigue washing over me. "I think I'll stick to the sidelines, Sunny. I get it, but I don't really feel like playing today."

With a gentle swish of my tail, I walked over to the cave wall and settled under a trio of stalactites that hung like swords, their sharp tips pointing downward. Those stalactites were a reminder of the dangers that lurked in our world, ready to strike at any moment. They were a source of fear for some, a reminder of the unknown forces that could shake the cave so violently that those very stalactites might break off and impale us. But I chose not to dwell on such grim thoughts.

Instead, I lay down, resting my head on my talons, and watched as my friends acted out the war that raged beyond our cave, their imaginations bringing the battles to life.

The peaceful moment was abruptly shattered by the resounding voice of Kestrel, causing both me and the others to jump in surprise. "What's going on in here?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing. "This doesn't look like homework."

Sunny stammered, her voice shaking, "We're s-s-s-supervised."

Tsunami glanced at Sunny, her expression serious. "We were studying. We played out the death of the queen that started the whole war."

Kestrel's eyes flashed with annoyance. "You mean playing. You're too old to play." She glared at us, her wings half-furled. Then her gaze landed on me, and her expression hardened. "And why aren't you joining your so-called friends, Icemoon? Are you too tired again?"

Clay, ever protective, hissed, "Hey, leave Icemoon alone." Kestrel turned her angry eyes toward him, and he clung to her, his wings half-furled. "I have to take you to Webs, Icemoon," she snarled, her grip tightening on Clay's scruff. "This tiredness of yours... it's unclear and not good."

Kestrel leaned in and grabbed me by the scruff of the neck, lifting me off the ground before I could steady myself. "I can do it myself," I growled, my eyes narrowing.

Kestrel snorted, her breath hot against my face. "With as many times as you fall over, I don't think it's just a half-and-half monster thing. There's something else going on." With that, she floated out of the cave, her wings beating powerfully.

I gave my friends an apologetic look before following the rust-red dragon, my heart heavy with worry.

We arrived at Webs' cave, and the green and blue SeaWing immediately looked concerned when he saw me. "Kestrel, what now? Has she fallen over again?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.

"I'm right here, you know," I snarled, my eyes flashing with annoyance.

Webs sighed and approached me, his big, wet talons gently skimming over my face and wings, checking for any injuries or signs of illness. I froze, my breath coming in short puffs as he examined me.

"Don't—" I growled, but Kestrel clamped her claw over my jaws, silencing me. "Shut up, hybrid. The only reason I let you live is because your uncle brought you here, and he thinks you might be important."

I stood tall, my wings half-furled, my eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and hurt. "You're not going to explode on me, are you?" I snarled, my voice dripping with sarcasm. The idea that I was some kind of ticking time bomb, ready to unleash chaos, was offensive and frustrating.

Webs held up his talons in a placating gesture. "No, no, dear. Please, calm down. We're just trying to understand the prophecy and your unique role in it. You see, it's incredibly rare for a dragonet to be born with the blood of two tribes. You're a hybrid, and we don't fully understand the implications of that." He shook his head, his eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Do you even know how rare you are?"

I narrowed my eyes at Webs, my spikes bristling. "Of course, I don't know anything about it!" I snapped, my tail lashing angrily. "I've never been told a thing. So no, I don't know squat about this prophecy or why I'm supposedly important." I shook my head, my frustration evident. "I'm tired of being kept in the dark."

With a huff, I sat down, my wings folded tightly against my body. Kestrel sneered at me, smoke curling around her horns and eyebrows. "Shut it before I shut it for you," she snarled, her eyes narrowed dangerously. Then, with a dismissive flick of her tail, she turned to Webs. "I'm off. I can't stand to be near this abomination any longer." And with that, she lunged out of the cave, her wings beating the air angrily.

Webs rubbed his forehead, his expression weary. "Let's just do some tests, and then you're free to go."