Icemoons drew deep breaths, savoring the crisp, cool air that enveloped them as they stepped away from the opulent confines of the seawing palace. The atmosphere was thick with memories—each breath an indulgence in the sweet remnants of bygone conversations and elegant soirées held beneath twinkling chandeliers. They couldn't prolong their stay in this ethereal sanctuary any longer; time itself seemed to whisper persistently, urging them to venture forth into a world that awaited their boldness. With every step away from the lavish halls adorned with shimmering coral and iridescent shells, they felt a mixture of heartache and exhilaration. This exquisite moment marked both an ending and a beginning, compelling them to embrace the allure of what lay beyond these splendid walls, guiding their journey toward uncharted territories of luxury and wonder.

As the tempest swirled ominously over the majestic seaside palace, Tsunami turned to her friends, a sense of urgency gripping her heart. "Are you sure you want to help me? I mean, this is my home, and I'm responsible for whatever happens here," she voiced, concern etched on her features. Icemoon leveled a determined glare at her, responding with unwavering conviction. "You are our friend," she declared firmly before expertly gliding toward a sandy bank of clay with grace and purpose. The others instinctively followed suit, landing with poise beside her. Starflight unfurled his resplendent wings and chimed in with equal resolve, "She's right. We can't just let you do this on your own." Each word radiated an air of camaraderie as they prepared to face the impending storm together, bound by loyalty and friendship in the face of uncertainty.

Icemoon turned to face Tsunami, her ice-white scales shimmering in the starlight. She nodded meaningfully toward Sunny, who was curled protectively around the egg, her golden scales glowing softly in the darkness.

"We are also here to make sure that one stays safe," Icemoon said, her voice quiet but fierce with determination. Her words carried the same protective instinct that all dragons felt toward eggs, especially ones as important as this.

Tsunami took a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill her gills. She pressed closer to Icemoon, finding comfort in her friend's presence. Icemoon's star-scattered wings wrapped around Tsunami like a protective shield, the dark membrane dotted with points of light that seemed to mirror the night sky above them.

The dragons huddled together against the chill of the night, their scales touching, creating a circle of warmth and safety. Sunny's tail curled protectively around the egg, while Tsunami and Icemoon formed an outer ring of protection, their wings creating a canopy above them all.

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Icemoon's ruff bristled as Queen Coral's unmistakable voice thundered across the night sky. The SeaWing queen was a massive shape against the stars, her luminescent scales flashing with patterns of rage and fear that any dragon could read - even without knowing Aquatic.

"WHERE IS MY EGG? WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?" Coral roared again, her powerful wings beating the air as she descended toward them. Behind her, a pale dragon followed like a ghost, their identity unclear in the darkness.

Tsunami felt her heart race, gills fluttering with anxiety. She knew her mother's fierce protectiveness of her eggs all too well - after losing so many daughters to Orca's statue, Coral had become almost paranoid about her remaining eggs and dragonets.

Icemoon tensed, her starry wings still curved protectively around her companions. She met Queen Coral's furious gaze steadily, though her tail twitched with unease. The last thing any dragon wanted was to face the wrath of a mother looking for her egg - especially when that mother was the queen of the SeaWings.

Sunny clutched the egg closer, her usual sunny disposition replaced with serious concern as the massive SeaWing queen approached, her webbed talons extended and teeth gleaming in the moonlight.

Icemoon spread her wings wide, the star patterns catching what little moonlight filtered through the clouds. She planted her talons firmly beside Clay, who stood like an immovable mountain of red-brown scales, both of them creating a living barrier between Sunny and the furious SeaWing queen.

"Your Highness," Icemoon said, trying to keep her voice steady despite her racing heart, "we're sorry, but after what Whirlpool did... we can't risk the egg's safety."

Queen Coral's eyes blazed with fury as she loomed over them. "You are a guest in my palace, hybrid. You do not tell me what to—"

The queen's words died in her throat as the pale SandWing at her side stepped forward into the light. Icemoon felt ice shoot down her spine as she recognized that face - those cold black eyes that seemed to strip away her scales with their gaze. The snake-like pattern running down the dragon's neck seemed to writhe in the darkness.

Princess Blister.

Icemoon's mind raced with sudden panic. How stupid ARE we? she thought, heart pounding. We walked right into Blister's claws. Three moons, we might as well have wrapped ourselves in a bow.

She could feel Clay tense beside her, clearly recognizing the dire situation they'd found themselves in. Blister's presence changed everything - this wasn't just about a mother wanting her egg anymore. This was about one of the most dangerous dragons in Pyrrhia having them exactly where she wanted them.

Blister's voice slithered through the air like poisoned honey, that terrible knowing smile spreading across her face. Her black eyes glittered with cruel amusement as she regarded Icemoon.

"Ah, little Icemoon," she purred, her barbed tail swaying meaningfully behind her. "I see you found your way to the SeaWings after all. And here I thought my stupid brother Smolder might keep you to himself."

The SandWing princess flicked her forked tongue, tasting Icemoon's fear in the air. Her scales seemed to gleam with a sickly pale light, making the snake pattern along her neck look almost alive. Every movement was calculated, precise - like a viper preparing to strike.

Icemoon stared down her snout at Blister, trying to keep her expression neutral despite the way her heart hammered against her ribs. The princess's words about Smolder made her scales crawl. "It seems not," she replied coldly, though inside, she was screaming at herself for not being more careful. Of course Blister would be here - she and Coral had been allies throughout the war.

Behind her, she could feel Clay shift his weight, ready to fight or flee. Sunny's warm presence remained steady, protecting the egg. They were trapped between an enraged SeaWing queen and one of the deadliest dragons in Pyrrhia - and Blister was just getting started.

Coral's head snapped toward Blister, her luminescent scales flickering with interest as her gills flared. "You know this hybrid?" The word dripped with disdain.

Blister's soft cackle made Icemoon's scales crawl. The SandWing princess's voice was smooth as silk and twice as deadly. "Oh yes... she was my bigger sister's little pet," Blister's forked tongue flicked out again, savoring each word. "Then she became my brother's little... whore."

Icemoon's talons dug into the ground, her starry wings trembling with rage at Blister's words. Clay shifted closer to her side, a silent gesture of support.

Blister shrugged her pale wings with calculated casualness, but her obsidian eyes never left Icemoon. "Seems she wants her claws in your treasury as well, my dear Coral." The words were poison-tipped daggers aimed at both queens - suggesting betrayal while reminding Coral of their alliance.

Queen Coral's ruff flared as she looked between Blister and Icemoon, her earlier maternal rage now mixed with suspicious calculation. The water dripping from her scales seemed to freeze in the tense air between them all.

Tsunami's gills flared with anger as she shot forward, her deep blue scales gleaming as she faced down the SandWing princess. "You stole her, remember?" she snapped, courage overriding caution. Her tail lashed behind her as she continued, "Or Burn did, at least. Icemoon should have been with us!"

She drew herself up, looking every bit the SeaWing princess she was despite Coral's disapproving glare. "And Smolder - your stupid brother?" Tsunami's eyes blazed with defiance. "Well, it's an honor that he fell in love with her."

Blister's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits at the mention of her brother, her barbed tail curving up ever so slightly. The poisonous tip caught the moonlight, a silent threat.

Clay tensed, ready to pull Tsunami back if Blister struck, while Icemoon's star-scattered wings twitched at the mention of Smolder. The air crackled with tension as Coral watched the exchange, her own diplomatic alliance with Blister warring with her daughter's fierce defense of the hybrid dragon.

Three moons, Icemoon thought, Sweet Tsunami, defending me to a SandWing princess might get us all killed.

Queen Coral rubbed her head with one talon, fatigue and worry briefly replacing her anger. "Just... let me see my egg." Her voice held none of its earlier fury - just a mother's desperate need to know her dragonet was safe.

Sunny, who had been sheltering behind Icemoon and Clay's protective wings, stepped forward between them. The small golden SandWing held the seaweed-green egg where Coral could see it, the shell's deep ocean colors catching the moonlight.

Relief washed over Coral's face at the sight of her egg unharmed, her luminescent stripes pulsing with joy. She reached forward with gentle talons - but Sunny yanked the egg back, holding it closer to her chest.

"Uh uh," Sunny said, her usual sweet demeanor replaced by a fierce protectiveness as she hissed - a sound rarely heard from the typically cheerful dragonet. "You aren't touching this egg. No one is touching it."

The boldness of the small SandWing facing down a queen made even Blister's eyebrows rise slightly. Coral's gills flared in shock - she clearly wasn't used to being denied anything, especially not by a dragonet half her size.

Clay and Icemoon remained tensed on either side of Sunny, ready to defend both her and the egg if Coral's maternal instincts overcame her restraint.

"SUNNY!" Tsunami hissed in warning, but Sunny was already on a roll, her small golden head held high and her barb-less tail lashing back and forth with determination.

"No, I'm done with this!" Sunny declared, her usual sunny disposition replaced with fierce frustration. "The eggs keep getting killed, and we all don't talk to each other!"

Behind her, Glory's ruff flared as her scales rippled with approving shades of deep blue and gold. The RainWing's venomous smile spread across her face as she added, "What she says is true." Her scales shifted to a thoughtful purple as she continued, "Wouldn't we rather find out why the Orca statue is really attacking your eggs, Your Highness?" Her eyes narrowed. "Or why Whirlpool would be stupid enough to want to hurt it?"

Coral's gills fluttered at the mention of her dead daughter's statue and Whirlpool's name. Even Blister's calculating expression flickered with interest at Glory's words.

Icemoon watched Glory's strategic redirection with admiration. Trust the RainWing to turn the conversation from accusations to investigation - and to remind everyone that there were bigger mysteries here than a group of dragonets protecting an egg.

Three moons, Icemoon thought, Glory might have just saved us all from getting our scales ripped off.

Coral's tail lashed once more before she sighed, tension leaving her wings. "Fine," she growled, sounding more tired than angry. "Let's go back to the palace. At least it's safe there."

Icemoon rolled her wings back and stepped away from Clay, moving toward Sunny. With practiced ease, she took the egg and suddenly snapped her claws. A leaf-wrapped satchel materialized in the air, perfectly sized for the precious cargo.

The other dragons stared at her, shock evident on their faces. Even Glory's scales shifted to a startled yellow-white.

"What?" Icemoon asked defensively, though her heart was racing at being caught.

"You used animus magic, didn't you?" Blister's hiss cut through the night air like a blade, her black eyes gleaming with sudden, dangerous interest. The SandWing princess's tail lifted higher, her whole body coiling with predatory focus at this new revelation.

The atmosphere shifted instantly - protecting an egg was one thing, but an animus dragon was something else entirely. Coral's gills flared as she reassessed the hybrid dragon before her, while Clay and Tsunami exchanged worried glances. They all knew how valuable - and how hunted - animus dragons were in the war.

Oh scales, Icemoon thought, seeing the calculating look in Blister's eyes. I really should have been more careful with that.

"I- no, no!" Icemoon stammered, her star-speckled wings trembling as she backed away from Blister's predatory stare. "I- no, I don't have that!"

She stuffed the egg quickly into the mysterious satchel, her claws shaking slightly as she handed it back to Sunny. The small SandWing took it without hesitation, understanding the urgency in Icemoon's movements.

Without another word, Icemoon flared her wings and shot into the night sky toward the SeaWing palace, her dark scales blending with the starlit clouds. The other dragons followed in stunned silence, the beat of their wings the only sound in the tense air.

Glory's scales had shifted to a concerned deep blue, while Tsunami kept shooting worried glances at Icemoon. Clay's steady presence brought up the rear of their group, keeping a watchful eye on Blister, who flew with the smooth grace of a snake through water, her black eyes never leaving Icemoon's retreating form.

Queen Coral led them toward the underwater lights of her palace, but the earlier argument about the egg seemed forgotten in light of this new revelation. The word animus hung unspoken in the air between them all like a storm about to break.

Please let them believe me, Icemoon silently begged the three moons above. Please don't let Blister find out the truth.