DARKSTALKER

Darkstalker sat on a sun-dappled stone near the heart of the tribe's gathering area, his talons working with an effortless grace as they threaded delicate blooms into a crown for his Luminary. Each petal, each leaf, was a whisper of his affection, carefully chosen and woven with the precision of a dragon whose heart bled artistry. He lost himself in the rhythm of it—the cool tang of the flowers, the soft crunch of petals under his claws, and the gentle hum of the world around him. He barely noticed the laughter at first, the lilting sound of joy that broke through the serenity of the moment. But when the laughter rose again, brighter, warmer, like sunlight spilling over the horizon, his attention was drawn to it.

Lifting his head, he spotted Luminary—a radiant beauty in the form of a Nightwing, her midnight scales shimmering as they caught the light. She stood with her best friend, Vividmemories, another Nightwing he hadn't yet had the pleasure of knowing. Her presence was striking, though. There was something about her—a flicker of mystery behind her gleaming eyes and a quiet confidence in the way she held herself. Darkstalker couldn't help but admire her grace as she laughed at something Luminary had said. Her beauty was undeniable, and there was a warmth to her that drew his gaze.

His wings rustled faintly, a subconscious movement as his heart quickened with a strange, unfamiliar sensation. A flicker of jealousy? No, he dismissed it quickly. After all, his heart belonged to Luminary. Yet, the sight of them together, laughing and enjoying each other's company, stirred something within him—a desire to be included, to belong in this moment.

Vividmemories caught his gaze and, with a smile that seemed to light up her face, she lifted a wing in greeting. "Darkstalker," she called, her voice like a gentle breeze. "Come join us."

The invitation was impossible to resist. Darkstalker set the crown aside for a moment, his talons lingering over the delicate petals as he felt the magic of the flowers twist into the air. His wings, large and strong, unfolded gracefully as he stood, brushing them softly across Luminary's back as he approached. The familiar warmth of her scales was a comforting presence beneath his touch. A smile curved his lips, and his eyes twinkled with affection as he addressed her.

"Hey there, love," he murmured, his voice rich and warm, his gaze shifting to the other dragon. "Who's this?" he asked, nodding politely at Vividmemories, his tone a mix of curiosity and gentle interest.

Vividmemories dipped her head in respect, her eyes glinting with a friendly spark. "I'm Vividmemories," she said, her voice as soft and melodic as her name, "a new dragon to this tribe. Call me Vivid, though." She flashed him a smile, a little mischievous, but not unkind. Her wings fluttered lightly as she regarded him with an open expression, clearly eager to make a positive impression.

Darkstalker's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary, the warmth of her smile mingling with something more—something he couldn't quite name. He nodded in acknowledgment, offering his own smile in return, but his attention quickly returned to Luminary, his heart still tethered to her. "Vivid," he repeated, savoring the name. "A pleasure. Welcome to the tribe."

For a moment, the world seemed to pause as the three of them stood there in the quiet of the open space, the laughter of the two Nightwings mixing with the soft rustle of the trees. Darkstalker felt the air around them vibrate with a kind of unspoken understanding, a connection between the three of them that was just beginning to form.

But even as he looked at Vivid, his heart beat only for Luminary. And as he moved to stand closer to her, offering her the delicate crown he had crafted with such care, he couldn't help but feel the delicate tension of new beginnings—of friendships being woven and hearts being tested, all like the flowers now nestled in his talons.

"She's going to join us on our visit to the rainforest," Luminary said, her voice light, her eyes glimmering with excitement. The words hung in the air, unspooling like a ribbon of unexpected news, and for a moment, Darkstalker's smile froze. His mind stuttered to a halt as the weight of what she had just said settled in.

What? She's going to join us?

His thoughts flared with a sudden surge of confusion, irritation, and something deeper he couldn't immediately name. This bugger, she... He trailed off, feeling his temper flare for a heartbeat. His wings twitched, as if ready to unfurl and fly off, but instead, he found himself diving inward, slipping beneath the surface of Luminary's mind. It was an easy thing to do—he was so attuned to her, so in tune with the undercurrents of her thoughts and emotions. He sank deeper, hoping to understand why she had brought Vividmemories along.

Inside her mind, it was calm and cool, the sensation of a quiet forest breeze brushing through the trees. But even in that tranquility, Darkstalker could feel the faintest traces of something more—an underlying warmth, a subtle shift beneath the surface. Something that had been there for a while, but now it flared into clarity. This dragon had been in the new Ice/Nightwing battle just a few days ago.

The realization hit him like a sharp blade, cutting through the coolness of the space he had entered. Darkstalker's thoughts flickered with an image—a dragon, their claws heavy and sharp, Icewing-tipped, tearing through scales. A loss. A painful one.

He blinked and withdrew from her mind, his gaze shifting back to Vividmemories. He dipped his head with a softness in his eyes, his usual arrogance gone, replaced by something deeper. Something sympathetic. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said, his voice low, sincere. His mind wandered to the vivid image of the dragon, their claws ripping through flesh, the heavy loss that still lingered in the air around Vividmemories.

Vivid's expression faltered for just a moment, but then she straightened, a light returning to her eyes as though something inside her had shifted, finding a place to settle. She frowned slightly, then brightened, her demeanor softening in a way Darkstalker hadn't expected. "Ah yes," she said, her voice lighter, "I forgot you can read memories. Clearsight warned me."

A faint tinge of realization spread across Darkstalker's face, his brows furrowing with a subtle hint of apology. Clearsight. Of course. The tribal seer had warned her about his unusual abilities, the way his power could slip into another's mind with almost eerie precision. He didn't do it for fun—he never did. It was simply a part of him, like breathing or flying. But it seemed that even now, it made others uncomfortable, and that was a thought that gnawed at him.

The pause between them lingered, and for a moment, Vivid's expression seemed to soften, as if understanding that Darkstalker's intrusion hadn't been malicious. But there was something still unspoken between them—an invisible thread in the air that neither of them had yet to unravel. Darkstalker remained still, his gaze steady, and though his heart pulsed with the residual confusion of this unexpected intrusion into Luminary's thoughts, he tried to keep his face neutral. It wasn't his place to meddle in Vivid's grief—he had only wanted to understand, to bridge the gap between them with that same cool, analytical touch that had always served him.

"Thank you," Vivid said softly, meeting his eyes, the faintest spark of something like acceptance in her gaze. "It was... difficult. But I'm okay now."

Darkstalker nodded, his wings folding gently against his back as he studied her for a long moment. He hadn't expected this encounter to be so layered. A new dragon to the tribe, yes—but there was more beneath the surface of this one. There always was.

Still, his attention couldn't stay for long. His mind flickered back to Luminary, and the thought of their visit to the rainforest made him pause. There were far too many new variables now—Vividmemories, a past wound, the uncertainty of the tribe's path forward—and Darkstalker couldn't help but feel the weight of it all. The air between them thickened with unspoken thoughts, but at least for now, he stood quietly beside Luminary, his heart still tethered to her, though now tangled with the mysterious presence of a new friend—and all the complexities that came with her.