Just then, two other RainWings darted down from the thick canopy, their scales shimmering like bright jewels against the shadows. The first, a delicate shade of pink, landed lightly on the ground, his wings fluttering open with an almost graceful flourish. His eyes were wide and filled with an earnestness that betrayed his nervousness. "Please, don't hurt Jay," he pleaded, his voice a soft, trembling whisper, like the rustle of leaves in a gentle breeze. "He doesn't really know how to behave around other dragons."

The second RainWing, a deep shade of purple with streaks of silver tracing across his wings, nodded solemnly, his face serious but kind. "Please," he added, his tone more firm but still carrying a note of concern, "she's my brother. I'll train him. I promise."

Frost's tail flicked sharply, her spikes rattling ominously as she glanced over at Glory and Starflight, both of whom were the only ones still awake in the quiet camp. Tsunami and Clay were nowhere to be seen, their absence leaving a heavy silence in the air. Frost's sigh escaped her lips in a frosty mist, her breath curling in the cold air. The sight of the young RainWing before her, who had been hiding behind his older sibling, left a twinge of hesitation in her chest.

Her icy blue eyes narrowed, but her voice, when she spoke, was calm—almost resigned. "Fine," she muttered, her words laced with the weight of reluctant compromise. With a flick of her long, sharp tail, she moved toward the blue-speckled RainWing, who hissed anxiously and ducked behind the purple one, his eyes wide with fear.

The tension in the air hung thick, and Frost could feel it settling in her bones, the familiar cold creeping up as she approached.

Glory's ears twitched, her curiosity piqued as she watched the interaction unfold. She tilted her head, her scales gleaming in the dim light. "Are you RainWings?" she asked, her voice laced with both interest and a hint of skepticism.

The pink RainWing's eyes widened in surprise, and then a wide grin split his face. He let out a short, startled laugh, the sound light and warm. "Yeah, why wouldn't we be?" he replied, his tone playful. He then leaned forward and poked Glory gently on her wing, as if to emphasize his point. "You're one too," he added, his grin widening as he took a step back.

Glory hissed, her wings bristling at the unexpected contact. Her tail twitched sharply, her patience wearing thin at the sudden, unfamiliar closeness.

Behind her, Frost's imposing figure loomed. She was a head taller than the two RainWing dragonets, her icy gaze cool and sharp. "Hey, no touching," she warned, her voice low but firm. There was a quiet authority in her tone, one that was difficult to ignore. Her wings flicked with the quiet sound of frost crackling along the edges. "What are your names?" she added, her piercing eyes flicking between the two RainWings with a subtle challenge, as though daring them to behave.

The pink RainWing smiled brightly, undeterred by the tension in the air. He straightened up, though still a little sheepish, and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm Jambu," he said, his voice light and carefree. "This is Liana." He gestured to the purple RainWing, who gave a polite nod but said nothing.

Jambu's smile softened as he looked around at the group. "It's nice to meet some other RainWings outside our tribe," he added, his tone carrying a small hint of longing. "They get kinda boring after a while." He shrugged, his wings flicking with the same restless energy that seemed to bubble just beneath the surface of his demeanor.

Glory's tail tightened with a fierce grip, her scales prickling as her wings fluttered with barely contained irritation. Her eyes blazed with frustration as she narrowed her gaze at Liana. "Why did you take our friends?" she demanded, her voice biting and sharp, a warning edge laced within the question. Her claws dug into the earth beneath her, the anger simmering just beneath the surface.

Liana, however, didn't flinch. She smiled softly, a serene expression on her face as though this were a normal interaction. She lazily pointed a claw upward, toward the sprawling canopy of trees overhead, where the low murmurs of RainWings drifting in and out of their slumber could be heard. "We didn't take them," she said matter-of-factly, her tone calm, as if she were explaining something trivial. "That's just how we greet newcomers." She stretched her wings, the soft rustle of them barely audible in the stillness of the forest. "Most dragons just like to rest and snooze at anything they see," she added nonchalantly, a teasing glint in her eyes, as if the whole thing were an amusing quirk of their tribe.

Frost blinked in surprise, her icy blue eyes flicking between the two RainWings, trying to make sense of the strange customs of their tribe. Her breath curled into a soft, frosty mist as she let out a quiet sigh, the cold air around her swirling ever so slightly. "Alright, fine," she muttered, her voice still carrying a slight edge of suspicion. Her gaze swept over the strange forest once more, searching for any sign of a more immediate threat. "Where is your queen?"

Liana flicked her wings again, her eyes gleaming with an almost playful mischievousness as she stepped aside to make room. Her movement was fluid, graceful—a stark contrast to the tension that clung to the air. The laughter from earlier now felt like a distant memory as a heavier presence made itself known. The dragon who had laughed, now stepping forward with a quiet, commanding authority, was a figure that demanded attention. Her scales shimmered in the pale moonlight, a rich, iridescent shade of purple that caught the light in mesmerizing patterns. Pink speckles dotted her horns, glimmering with an almost ethereal glow, and the base of her wings held the same soft pink hue, giving the queen a royal aura that matched her commanding presence.

"I am Queen Dazzle," the RainWing said, her voice smooth and confident, like a melody with a sharp edge. There was no question in her tone, no uncertainty—just the weight of someone who had been born to rule. Her eyes glimmered with an unsettling sharpness, studying Frost and Glory with an intense scrutiny. She took a moment, her gaze lingering on Frost, as if sizing her up, and then she tilted her head slightly, her snout wrinkling in distaste.

"And you are an IceWing," she observed with an almost theatrical sniff, her nostrils flaring as though she had just caught a foul scent. Her lips curled into a subtle sneer, her eyes never leaving Frost's face. "You smell awful," she said bluntly, her words sharp and biting, cutting through the air like a frozen shard of glass. The venom in her tone was unmistakable—an insult wrapped in the form of cold, indifferent observation.

The air grew colder as Frost's breath grew sharper, her eyes flashing with the sting of the queen's words. The frost on her tail seemed to grow more intense, the tips of her spikes glistening with fresh ice as the sharp tension in the air became almost tangible.

Glory's tail lashed, her teeth bared in a flash of white. "Show some respect," she hissed, her wings unfurling slightly as she stepped forward, putting herself between Frost and Queen Dazzle. Her eyes, wide with a mix of defiance and protectiveness, locked onto the RainWing queen. "This is Queen Glacier's cousin," she added, her voice low but firm, the weight of her words carrying a quiet power. It was clear that she expected that revelation to hold some kind of weight, to make Queen Dazzle reconsider her tone.

Frost blinked, taken aback for a moment as the words settled in her mind. Not bad, she thought with a flicker of appreciation for Glory's quick thinking, though she wasn't sure how much impact the title would have. She exhaled slowly, a cloud of frost misting from her lips, and nudged Glory aside with a gentle but firm motion. "That's true," she said, her voice a smooth, controlled ice as she stepped forward. "Nice to meet you, Queen Dazzle, but I have to ask for my friends back."

The moment the words left Frost's mouth, Queen Dazzle's lips curled into a smirk, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and cold dismissal. "No," she said simply, her tone icy as she flared her wings with a slow, deliberate stretch. The action was regal, commanding, a clear display of her authority. "They are coming with us to the village," she continued, her voice steady and unwavering, as though the decision were final.

Frost's chest tightened with frustration, her breath catching in the cold air as her ice-blue eyes narrowed. She took a step forward, her tail flicking agitatedly behind her, but before she could respond, Queen Dazzle's wings snapped into a powerful beat.

"And you can talk to me when it's your turn," Dazzle added, her tone dismissive, as though she were talking to a mere child. Her wings beat again, sending her into the air with a grace that seemed almost effortless. She rose swiftly, the night sky swallowing her up as she soared higher, her figure becoming a shadow against the pale moonlight.

For a moment, the air was still, the sounds of the forest creeping back into the space as Frost stood, watching the queen disappear into the dark sky. A cold, heavy silence lingered, the tension between the group and the RainWings lingering like a storm that hadn't yet broken.

SCENEBREAK

The RainWing village lay nestled among the towering trees, its beauty both serene and wild, as if the forest itself had woven the settlement into its heart. Palm fronds and thick vines hung down in cascading patterns, swaying gently in the breeze. The village was quiet, save for the soft rustling of the leaves and the occasional chirp of hidden creatures. The huts, built high in the branches of massive trees, were constructed with natural materials—woven grasses, large leaves, and wooden platforms—and everything seemed to blend seamlessly into the environment. The air smelled of damp earth and the faint sweetness of the jungle, a refreshing, earthy scent that seemed to settle over everything.

As Frost, Glory, and the RainWing dragonets made their way deeper into the village, it was clear that the place was peaceful, yet oddly deserted. The few RainWings who were around peered down curiously from their treehouses, their eyes bright with interest. Some were hanging from branches, their wings folded carefully around their bodies, while others crouched at the edges of the platforms, watching the newcomers with quiet, wary curiosity. It was as though the village, though vibrant with natural beauty, held a calm, watchful stillness, waiting for something to unfold.

Liana and Jambu led Frost's friends over to a wooden platform situated in the center of the village. It was a flat structure surrounded by leafy vines, and the sight of the sleeping dragons on the platform stirred something cold in Frost's chest. Carefully, they laid the bound forms of Tsunami and Clay down, their unconscious bodies limp and still. The pair of RainWings worked together with practiced ease, slicing through the ropes that had held the two dragons captive. The sharp sound of the net being cut filled the air, the thick strands falling away to reveal their friends, still at rest but no longer bound.

Glory stood beside Frost, her wings folding back slightly as she looked up at her friend with concern. There was a softness in her eyes, a quiet worry. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice low but carrying a note of tenderness. "You were quiet the whole way here," she added, her gaze flicking between Frost and the RainWings, who were still busy with the platform.

Frost remained still for a moment, her gaze fixed on her friends, her sharp blue eyes narrowing slightly as she thought. She gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, though the weight of her thoughts still hung in the air around her. "I just didn't like that you assumed I was Queen Glacier's cousin," she said, her voice softer now, almost a whisper, as if the words were something fragile she wasn't sure whether to speak aloud. Her wings twitched, and she lowered her head, her icy breath forming a faint mist in the humid air. "And by the way, I'm not," she added, her voice barely audible.

She glanced around to make sure no one was listening too closely before she spoke again, her words tinged with a quiet vulnerability that only Glory would likely understand. "I'm her daughter," she whispered, her voice carrying a weight that seemed to settle in the space between them. She looked back up at Glory, her eyes filled with a quiet, guarded intensity. "But you can't go around saying that. That's what got me in trouble with Queen Scarlet in the first place." The words hung heavily in the air, their meaning clear—revealing too much, especially to the wrong dragon, had consequences.

The tension in Frost's shoulders eased just slightly as she spoke, though the weight of her heritage and the danger it posed lingered in the air like a faint chill. She kept her gaze fixed on the platform, the motion of the RainWings working nearby doing little to distract her from the silent burden she carried.

Glory's eyes widened, her body stiffening as the weight of Frost's words settled heavily on her. The revelation caught her off guard, and a deep flush spread across her snout, turning it a shade of red she couldn't hide. She opened her mouth to speak, to apologize or make sense of it all, but the words didn't come quickly enough. "I'm sorry," she finally muttered, her voice small, her embarrassment evident in the way she awkwardly shifted her feet. Her tail curled beneath her, and she cast her gaze downward, avoiding Frost's eyes in a way that felt more like a personal failure than a simple slip-up.

Frost blinked at the sight of her friend, feeling a soft pang of something unfamiliar in her chest. She hadn't expected such an open response from Glory, who usually wore her boldness like a shield. The sight of the warm color on Glory's snout seemed to shift the icy weight of the moment, bringing a quiet softness to the conversation. Frost's icy gaze softened, though her lips remained tight. "It's alright," she said, her voice gentle but firm. She had already accepted the consequences of her past, but seeing Glory's discomfort still left her with a strange, unexpected empathy.

Just then, Liana approached, her quiet steps a welcome interruption to the heavy silence that had settled around them. Her presence seemed to carry a calmness, her eyes gleaming with a gentle understanding. "Your friends will wake up soon," she said in her usual serene manner, her tail lightly draping over the shoulders of both Frost and Glory, a small but comforting gesture. "They just need a little time for the sedative to leave their bodies." The RainWing dragonet's words seemed to ease the tension in the air, offering a sense of relief that they weren't in danger—at least not in this moment.

Liana's gaze shifted between them, as if sensing the weight of the conversation. "Would you like some fruit in the meantime?" she offered with a light smile. "Queen Dazzle probably won't speak with you until the evening."

Frost nodded in response, her eyes briefly flicking to the pile of fruit and vegetables nearby. She hadn't thought much about eating since they'd arrived, her thoughts preoccupied with everything else. But the thought of something simple, something familiar, was a welcome distraction. She had lived in the rainforest long ago and remembered how easy it had been to rely on the natural bounty of the jungle for sustenance. Back then, it had been a matter of finding comfort in simple things like the taste of guava or the sweetness of a ripe fruit.

Glory nodded as well, her embarrassment easing as her stomach gave an audible growl. The strange tension between them seemed to loosen as they followed Liana to the pile of fruits and vegetables, the vivid colors of the produce drawing them in.

"Here," Liana said, her voice light as she handed Frost a ripe guava, its skin a pale yellow with hints of pink, and Glory a bright, yellow banana, its peel slightly speckled with brown spots. "Try them, they're good."

Frost's fingers closed around the guava, the fruit firm and smooth beneath her touch. She turned it over in her claws before taking a bite. The taste was sweet, with a slight tang that reminded her of her past days in the rainforest, a familiar comfort that eased some of the knot in her chest. She glanced over at Glory, who was peeling her banana with a small smile.

For a moment, the world seemed to slow, the heavy weight of the day lifting slightly as they shared a small, quiet moment amidst the chaos of everything around them.

Liana settled back on her haunches, her tail curling around her paws in a relaxed manner. Her gaze lingered on Frost and Glory, her eyes glimmering with the curiosity of one who had seen many things but never quite enough. "So," she began, her voice smooth and unhurried, "why are you here in the rainforest? We rarely get visitors, and the few we get often end up dead." Her words were casual, but the weight behind them was impossible to ignore.

Frost nearly choked on her guava at the dark undertone of Liana's statement. She coughed, her sharp eyes widening as she looked at the RainWing dragonet. "What?" she asked, her voice thick with confusion, the taste of the fruit still fresh on her tongue.

Liana flicked a wing dismissively, her body language easy and unconcerned. "Not sure exactly," she said, her voice drifting as if it were a subject she had thought about often but never fully understood. "But we find dead bodies of MudWings here, scattered near the lower parts of the trees." She paused, her snout wrinkling as she seemed to recall something unpleasant. "The overwintered creatures lead to a special insect infestation in the rainforest, and it smells rotten there too," she added, her tone turning sour. Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the thought. "You don't want to go there," she concluded, her words hanging in the air like an ominous warning.

Frost's eyes narrowed slightly, the information sinking in with a chill. The thought of bodies scattered in the lower parts of the trees, an insect infestation festering in the dark corners of the jungle, was unsettling to say the least. She exchanged a quick glance with Glory, who had gone still beside her, her expression tense. The two shared a silent understanding—this was something they had to investigate.

Glory, her claws twisting nervously in the dirt, hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Umm, can you maybe take us there?" she asked, her voice edged with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. She wasn't sure what they would find, but she knew that ignoring the warning could lead to more danger down the line.

Liana paused, considering for a moment, then gave a small shrug. "Fine," she said, her voice nonchalant, as if she had already decided. "But I have to do it tomorrow." She flicked her wings, sending a soft rustle through the air. "I have a fruit-gathering session today with Monkey, and he doesn't like it when I'm late." Her words were matter-of-fact, as though this was just another ordinary part of her day.

Before either Frost or Glory could respond, Liana pushed herself off the ground with a powerful beat of her wings. The air hummed as she soared upward, her wings catching the breeze with ease. "See you," she called back over her shoulder, her voice light and almost playful. Then, without another word, she flew away, leaving the two dragons standing in the dim light of the village, a sense of quiet resolve settling between them.

Frost turned to Glory, her expression steady despite the unease building inside her. "Tomorrow, then," she said softly, her voice like the edge of a blade, sharp and certain. The journey ahead would hold mysteries—and dangers—they couldn't yet comprehend.