Guys I don't know if I want to go trick or treating, like I want too but I feel like Im getting too old for it. Hmmm, but I'm short enough to trick people, ughh idk. Maybe I'll just do some spoopy facepaint, idk if I should be a scarecrow or a broken doll, maybe a scarecrow cuz the outfit is easy to do.
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Ehhh, anyways, Have a SpOoPy Halloween everyone!

Sahara stared at the door, the only way inside, well- to whoever was entering. Sahara was smart enough to plan ahead and place exit ways out of her den. She gave a low growl when an Air Dragon no bigger than her wallowed inside. He glanced around the room, squinting.

'Oh that's right, they don't have night vision,' Sahara thought.

"Who are you?" Sahara growled.

"Some dragon told me about you," the stranger asked, standing stoutly. How did he know about her den?

"Who brought you," Sahara demanded, pacing around her den.

"A Sand Dragon named Scorch. He said you might be able to help me," the Air Dragon replied.

'Ugh. Scorch, I don't have time for this,' Sahara raged in her head.

Sahara then lit her fitpit, her eyes illuminated in the dark. She could see the Air Dragon clearly now, he was a dull lovat blue, with greyish underscales that faded from white to grey to white again. Did he know what Scorch meant when he thought she could help him?

"You know what you're getting yourself into, right?" Sahara eyed him suspiciously. Maybe he was new to this type of stuff.

"Look, stuff happened between my parents and I, and- ," he trailed off. "Well I heard Floral Beach was the best place to go. Hybrids were allowed, Sand Dragons, outcasts, kids who were shunned from their homes-" he stopped himself and cleared his throat.

"So you think you know what you're doing?" Sahara said skeptically.

"No, but all I know is that I was told to go here," he finished.

"Scorch, you piece of camel dung," Sahara hissed, rubbing her forehead. She glanced up at the dragon, oh man he was good at hiding his emotions.

"Who are you, how old are you?" Sahara spat.

"I'm Finch. I'm nearly 29," he replied.

29? Sahara was only 25. Man he was tiny. Guess it made sense, Sand Dragons were just as big as Rock Dragons were. Sahara nodded slowly, still pacing her room.

"So you want something. What do you need?" Sahara inquired.

"Scorch told me that you'd be willing to give me a bit of gold," he said, his blue eyes flashing in the firelight.

Sahara let out a laugh.

"I won't just hand it to you," she said walking up to him. "You gotta do somethin' for me first." She sat up to his face and grinned.

"Oh, so a favor? Depends on what type," he said lowering his voice.

"Alright, you seem enthusiastic," Sahara glanced at her shelf. "Then I gotta job for you."

Finch nodded.

"You know a dragon named Fernwing?" Sahara arranged the items on her shelf.

"I think, maybe a little. There's an awful lot of dragons here," Finch scratched his head. "But why?"

"Let's just say I have unfinished business that I can't exactly get to right now," she answered in an ominous way.

"Like...what?" Finch asked, narrowing his eyes like he already knew the answer.

"Okay, so here's your first tip. Stay detached, if you work for me, don't have a soft heart," Sahara got up to his face and eyed him, Finch tucked in his wings uncomfortably, reeling back.

"Second, stop asking questions. Do you want my help or not?" Sahara hissed.

Finch nodded, looking uneasy.

"So just kill Fernwing and we'll all be good. He'll be dead to me and you'll get your cash, deal?" Sahara said sternly.

"Huh?" Finch jumped, then resettled his wings.

"Did I stutter?" Sahara growled.

"No I- no. I mean..." Finch shook his head and asked again, like he was thinking, then added "You want me to MURDER someone for you?" His voice sounded darkly skeptical.

"Well, isn't that what Scorch told you," Sahara hissed.

"I think I'd rather pass, killing a dragon would take longer than just finding a job." Finch said suddenly. "I'll be off then," he said, edging out the door.

"Oh, " Sahara started. "I don't think I can let you do that."

Finch was startled when Sahara appeared by the entrance.

"You see, now you know about me and what I do. Therefore, you HAVE to kill him," Sahara added. "Or y'know, I'll have to do the same to you."

Finch shuddered in his spot. Sahara sat up and dug through papers on her shelves, picking out a scroll and tossing it to him.

"This should have everything on him," Sahara nodded at the scroll. "Scale color, personality, including address."

She saw Finch slowly unroll the paper, gazing his eyes across it. He scrunched up his snout then looked back up at her.

"How do you know all this? And why didn't you just do it all yourself if you knew it already?" Finch asked.

"Information gets around, I have little birds who tell me my biding. And Fern isn't the one I want to kill, but it'd be beneficiary if he was dead."

Finch squirmed in his spot, staring uneasily at the paper.

"Okay.." he said, lightly beginning to shift out the door.

"And if you go back on your word," Sahara added abruptly. "You'll be talking to my claws. Got that?" She hissed.

Finch bobbed his head up and down, scurrying out the den. She was prepared if Finch ever got away, she'd send some dragon after him just so she'd have the joy of killing him herself. She'd get her revenge no matter what, no matter what it took.

She glanced at the piles of papers and scrolls along the corner of the walls. She found one she had laid out earlier, in large lettering was a name written, 'Mosstail.' She took her claws and swiped through his description, walking away and leaving a torn hole through a sketch of his face. She stood by the firelight, the ambers flickering in her eyes.

She would get her revenge.

One way, or the next.

     Floral Beach. The perfect place for all types of dragons. Although, not everyone thought that way. Hybrids in the Earth Kingdom were still not allowed, but the Sea Kingdom on the other claw didn't care whether or not hybrids roamed around. So this was the agreement, keep the hybrids on Floral Beach.

     Down in the distance a vast space of desert lined the outskirts of the Earth Kingdom. Plenty of space for the new Sand Dragons to live. Obviously normal Rock Dragons couldn't survive there, and no Sea Dragon ever dared set foot in that dry wasteland, which was perfect for Sand Dragons.

     Sand Dragons, or Desert Dragons, have been around even before the Air Ice War of the 3,020s, but for some reason the Earth Dragons resented them. Sand Dragons weren't allowed to take any schools in the Earth Kingdom, let alone set foot in the grass. Sahara never understood why, but she never cared anyway.

     In the past two years the Earth Kingdom had been falling though. The King had died in 3,053, leaving the Queen to rule alone. Many dragons had lost homes, lost jobs, and most importantly, lost money. The Air Kingdom tried the best they could, but they were still recovering from the war.

     The past few years have been rough, and some dragons have resorted to stealing, bringing down Rock Dragon reputation by twofold. That was it. That was why Sahara hated them.

     She walked through a poorly made stone path, probably set down by Sea Dragons to make their trips easier. All around her dragons laughed, chattered, and ran around like buzzing in her ears. How were there so many dragons out this late at dusk? She kept a straight face, walking as if she were the Queen of all dragons. She had a brown satchel slung around her neck and securely tucked under her right wing.

     "Look out Miss!" A tiny Sea Dragon hollered, running after a ball of moss. Was it moss? Seaweed?

     "Watch it," Sahara hissed and abruptly stopped, pinning the ball inbetween her claws and observing it.

     The Sea Dragon skidded before he ran straight into her and gazed up, his claws shuddering. Without any other words she flicked it out from under her claws back toward the shoreline, and the dragonet went back for it. She muttered something coldly under her breathe, continuing her path through the beach.

     There was a secluded part of the beach she needed the get to, she just wondered if the dragon she wanted was even here. She scaned the beach up and down, no sign of the dragon she needed. She came to a small outcropping of land where the beach was nearly empty. A fallen tree blocked off any who walked here- well except Sahara. She lightly leapt over the log, pacing around the sand and waiting.

     A few moments later a light pearly blue dragon popped her head out of the water.

     "AGH-" Sahara jumped back startled. "Took you a while.." Sahara sighed in an irritated tone.

     "There were just some very nosy children," the Sea Dragon seemed annoyed.

     "Pearl, cut to the chase, is he taken care of?" Sahara mused impatiently.

    "You want the evidence?" Pearl answered, tossing her a severed horn.

     Sahara stood, observing it, then picked it up. She opened her bag, hiding the horn inside, and taking out a smaller bag instead, filled with riches. The Sea Dragon stepped out of the water and went to grab for the bag, then paused.

     "So that's it? No catch? C'mon Sarie, you always gotta catch," she stared at the Sand Dragon skeptically.

     "Hm," Sahara eyed the bag then back at Pearl, as if she were thinking. "I'll tell ya what-"

     "So there is a catch," Pearl said putting her claws down.

     "No, no catch. Just another job," Sahara added slyly.

     "Then I'd better get DOUBLE. I got other things to do y'know," Pearl frowned. For a such beautiful dragon, she was very rude.

     "Of course of course, would I ever go back on you?" Sahara answered. "Have you heard of Lilypad?"

     "Lily? Eh, maybe. What about her?" Pearl stared greedily at the bag of treasure, then back at Sahara.

     "Take care of her before anything else, I need to make sure she's out of the picture," Sahara craned her neck forward.

     "Lilypad huh?" Pearl stood in place and glanced around. "Fine, but remember, I get DOUBLE." Pearl gave a slight growl, dashing back into the water.

     Sahara tucked the bag back into her wing, fluttering into the air. She soared above the beach, it was late dusk and dragons had begunt to empty the shorelines, receeding back into the waters. Few dragons remained, most of them Sand Dragons returning home for the night. Tents were taken down and shops were closed up, which meant everyone was settling for the night.

    She eyed a shop owner blow out all his lights, clean the shelves and cover his door with a moss blanket. He was the last along the cave stores to close up. She swooped down after he was well off, poking her head inside. The other shops had doors, far too noisy to enter through, and too much of a hassle to try to open.

     She stepped inside, the smell of a burnt out candles filled her lungs. She whipped her head around, finding cases and crates everywhere. She opened one and found fish, fish galore.

     "Eugh," Sahara closed the lid and left the crate.

     She paced around the shop, it was a meat shop, although most of its content was fish, she managed to find leftover meat in the back. She took it and swallowed it in one swift motion, leaving no trace of her being. The orange tinge of the sun was fading when she came across a glint of light. Her eyes lit up with curiousity, and she came to a desk. Possibly meant for a cashier.

     She duck her head in and around, scrabbling anything she could find. A key, a small bottle- what was that? She pried from the dirt a well hidden box, and from the sound of it, it held gold. The box was heavy in her talons, like the owner had been saving this for a while. She greedily took it in her talons and stuck it under her opposite wing, hiding it. She glanced outside, seeing no one. She took a hood from around her neck and yanked it over her head, taking the treasure in her talons and zipping outside.

     The beach was now nearly empty, and the moon's glow began to outshine the sun. Sahara took the box and opened it, finding gold coins. Plenty of them. She grinned a devilish grin. This would be enough to pay off Pearl, no need to do anything else.

     She found her den farther away from Floral Beach in a hidden place overpopulated from trees. The branches and brush hid her den well. She lightly landed on the grass, pushing shrubs aside to reveal a cave hidden by all the greenery. She stepped inside and lit a flame, the smoke poured out of a tunnel she had made going out of her cave. Upward would be too noticable, so she made the tunnel connect to the beach. She dumped out her bag of stolen goods, the horn, a few jewels and two bags of coins she swiped from passerbys clanked onto her shelves. She set the box next to them, taking off her hood and stretching her wings.

     She paused, whirling her head around. She didn't know who or what, but something was here in her den.

    She wasn't alone.

     A small dragonet sat in a comfy couch made of animal hyde and plenty of stuffing. The tan stone walls seemed inviting, even though it was incredibly dry out. A long, thin, see through curtain hung above the two windows from the livingroom. They swayed back and forth with the hot, desert, breeze. From the room there was a long hallway with an arched doorway, leading down to bedrooms.

     The dragon sat, staring outside. She was tackled out of the blue-

     "AHA, GOT YOU, SAHARA," Another dragon cheered. She looked about a year younger than the first dragon.

     "Kalahari, get off," Sahara broke in a fit of giggles, waving her wings around.

     Sahara was a pale tan, with pine wings that faded to a pastey yellow at the wingtips. She had spikes that traveled down her spine, with her tail ending in a spade. She had an odd scale pattern on her forearms though, while the rest remained a tan her arms were a deep brown, changing back to a tan at her paws. Her eyes were a crisp amber, matching her scales perfectly.

     Kalahari was a year younger, she had pale yellow scales with faded brown wings. Her face was bright and rounded, with horns that curved and defined her face. Light yellow eyes brightened her smile, and one look from her could change your entire day.

     The girls turned their heads when they heard clanking noises in the kitchen, far down the hall. Sahara was the first to stand, jossling her sister to the side and scampering over to the square tiled floor. The kitchen was dimmer, but a single circular window covered with a thin curtain allowed some light inside.Their mother stood, holding a pan in her talons. She set it down on a stone counter, startled to see her daughters rush inside.

     "I haven't even started cooking yet," their mother said softly.

     "I wanna see before you make it," Sahara said enthusiastically.

     "Pleeaaase," Kalahari pleaded.

     The mother sighed, then paused, her daughters raised their claws to see her dish, but instead she set it back on the counter. She moved slowly, her eyes darting back and forth.

     "Sahara, I want you to take your sister outside," she ushered, taking them with her wings.

     "What's wrong mommy?" Kalahari asked.

     "Just do it, promise me you'll watch Kalahari, Sahara," their mother urged.

     "What about you?" Sahara asked, grabbing her sister by the arm.

     "I'll be outside soon, I promise. Mommy has to deal with something," she said calmly.

     Sahara nodded, and she scratched her way up to the window, nearly knocking over clay vases and glass bowls. Once she stood on the shelf by the window she climbed outside, their house was mainly underground to keep them cool. She then duck her head inside to reach for her sister.

     That's when it happened.

     A large Rock Dragon came from the hall down the kitchen, running toward their mother in a frenzy. She gasped, then ran to help Kalahari out the window. Before she could even touch her daughter she was slammed against a wall, her head knocking into a wooden shelf. She sat up, disoriented, and shook her wings.

     The Rock Dragon nabbed Kalahari from Sahara's claws, she screamed in terror. It was the most high pitched, terrified scream Sahara had ever heard her sister make. Her mother cried out, extending her claws to grab Kalahari but she was too late. Kalahari laid limp on the floor, Sahara squirmed to see her sister in such an odd position.

     "SAHARA, RUN," Her mother cried, standing again.

     The Rock Dragon took another lunge, and this time Sahara didn't look back. She ran away from the window and darted into the air. A small dragonet of about 6 years, had just witnessed her family being robbed.

     Sahara found a shrub next to a tree, she flew into it, curling her tail around herself. She stayed there, and cried.

So I figured M&H and Balance were SUPER confusing without a timeline, so I got it sorted out. (I went back in and added changes to the stories on Wattpad)

The Ladious Legend marks the beginning of dragon time.

I might write the Ladious Legend some time later, but basically there was this dragon with 4 heads, he had all the main elements, so yes, Fire Dragons DID exists at one point. One brother was like, ok, "I'm gonna seperate us but the price is that we can't be immortal anymore."
So they seperated and created their own dragons just like them and that started all at 0.
•250s - The Flame Wars between Earth and Fire Dragons erupted.
•940s - Fire Dragons became extinct.
•1,300s - Air Dragons experienced the Feather Flu, a deadly plague. It doesn't affect them in the present as much as it did in the past.
•2,500s - Ice Dragons were documented.
•2,750s - Ice Dragons were banished from Terragon Heights.
•3,020s to 3,040s - Air Ice Wars.
•3,046 - Air Ice Wars ended.
•3,052 - End of the book "Balance"
•3,055- Beginning of book "Vendetta" Present Day.

I FINISHED READING QIBLI'S BOOK I AM SHOOK. IM GOING ONTO THE 11TH BOOK NOW AND I HEARD THERES A 12TH SOMEWHERE. I AM SO SHOOK, I AM GOING TO DRAW SO MUCH ART. I LIKED WINTER AND MOON BUT TBH I SHIPPED QWINTER MORE. AND FREAKING PERIL AND CLAY, AHHHHHHH SO MUCH SHIP ART. HELP ME, IM GOING TO DIE

     A dragoness briskly walked along a path near a beach. Dragons chattered and talked, the waves lightly lapped against the sand. The dragon had pale scales, a tan color, with brown wings which extended to a yellow at the wingtips. Her horns curled like a Sea Dragon, but were a deep pine color. Her tail came to a spikey spaded point, but waved elegantly like a Sea Dragon's would. Spikes traveled along her back, and her claws were nice and curved, perfect for digging or grabbing onto rocks. She glanced around at the other Sea Dragons, who gave her no thought, the Rock Dragons though seemed to resent her. She frowned, walking at a quicker pace. She could feel their stares penetrating her scales.

     The air was humid and breezy, she hated it. The Sea Dragons along the shores seemed to enjoy the weather, ugh, how was she a descendant from these sea serpents? Palm trees swayed on islands that lined the land, they reached far out into the sea, an endless spance of space.

     The dragoness seemed to be walking in a particular direction, but she couldn't get to where she wanted if those dragons WOULDN'T STOP FROWNING AT HER.

    "Hey dirt-face, the beach is made for all dragons, so why don't you wipe that face off your face before I take your face and smash your stupid face," the dragoness hissed.

     The Rock Dragon she said it too looked offended, he came up to her gritting his teeth. She was about the same size as he.

     "Made for everyone but dragons like you," he spat. "Go to the desert where you belong."

     "Go hop in a mud pit," she muttered as she walked away.
    
     Why those Rock Dragons hated her she didn't know, all she knew was that the feeling was mutual. She equally hated them. It was 9 years after the Air Ice War, and the land was slowly brewing with more tension. History really liked to repeat itself, and what had happened to Ice Dragons years ago was now happening to the new dragons of today. Everyone thought they had learned that lesson already, everyone thought the fighting was over, but what everyone didn't expect was that it was just beginning.

Harmony sat along the edge of her new den, overlooking the Earth Kingdom. She abrubtly sat up when her sister walked inside.

"Heya," her sister called cheerfully.

"What are you doing here?" Harmony asked, happy to see her.

"Well, I heard we were supposed to meet here at your den this year," Melody mentioned, lounging on one of her couches.

"Oh boy, I wonder what they planned this year," Melody bounced up and down.

Harmony rolled her eyes, then flinched when she heard someone land by the entrance. A dragon walked in, he had aged with years and held a tray in his talons. The tray had food, food galore.

"Father!" Harmony and Melody said simultaneously.

"Hello girls," their father said, setting down the tray on a nearby stone table and wrapping his wings around them. A few moments later another dragon entered the den, she had faded speckles all over her cheeks.

"There are my lovely daughters," their mother came to hug them. "Happy 26th children," she nudged their faces.

"I'm not a child anymore," Melody complained, giving a slight smirk and smiling.

"When is Storm supposed to come?" Harmony turned to their father.

"He'll make it here, Junior's been busy with school," he answered.

"How many more are we gonna cram into this den?" Calcite tucked in her wings.

"Oh, my den is far too small for a party," Harmony started. "We'll be outside."

"OooOOh, the weather is perfect too!" Melody darted outside with the tray of food.

"Melody! Be careful!" Calcite chastised and hollered, flying outside.

Their father wrapped his right wing over his daughter, leading her outside. Another dragon landed onto the grass, it was a bright day with a calm shifting breeze.

"Hey," Melody said surprised. She set down the tray on a stone table that sat outside. Several tables made of either stone or logs sat around the area, wooden carved chairs circled the place.

"Oh hey, look, it's Frosty-Face," Harmony joked.

"Ha ha, good one. Even better than all the other time's you've said that," Frostbite joked. "I'm only here for the food."

"Lies," Harmony roll her eyes. She was PRETTY sure he came for Melody. Melody always denied it, but Harmony knew that they were more than 'friends'.

More dragons arrived, a lot had changed the past 6 years. After the war ended, the Air and Ice Dragons designed a peace treaty, and enforced laws to keep it that way. Some dragons still resented one another, but to this day no one really knows what sparked the hatred those 250 years ago, whatever it was it didn't matter anymore. It was over.

After all that her and her family moved from their old den in the Sea Kingdom. Hybrids were now allowed between the Ice and Air Nations, tying the peace bond together. Instead of shunned, they were accepted, seen as not just an Air Dragon, or Ice Dragon, as their own selves. They didn't have to be worried about being labled as something bad, they had their own voice now. It turned out there were many more hybrids than anyone thought, and when hybrids were legalized between the two nations they all came out of hiding.

Harmony enrolled in a college and planned to become a history teacher. Melody enrolled in a different school, she planned to work in a hatchery, she loved children. Storm was still currently in highschool, and was doing very well. He was seen as a hero for once. He wasn't the scared little dragonet who never left his cave anymore, he was the dragon who stood up against one of the most dangerous dragons of all time. Sometimes his hot-headedness annoyed Harmony.

Her friends from school landed on the grass, nudging her, placing more food, and admiring her new den.

"Have you heard the news?" One of her friends spoke.

"What is it this time Mistral," Harmony asked. Mistral was another hybrid, just like her. Mistral was the gossipy type.

(Mistral means cold wind basically.)

"They say Earth and Water Dragons are having hybrids too," her friend piped.

"Woah, so they're kinda like-" Harmony started.

"Exactly, like, us," Mistral answered happily.

Harmony glanced up and looked around, more dragons had gathered around. She saw a large dragon flapping in the distance, he held something in his talons. She saw Melody run up to him.

"Timber!" She flew into his chest, he nearly dropped his gift when she did.

"Hello, I have a gift for you guys," he said, handing them each little carved stones with their names engraved in them, hanging from a chain.

He handed Harmony a necklace with a white stone, an agate, with tanish and lighter streaks running up and down the stone. Melody got a ruby one.

"Happy 26th," he said with raspy gentleness.

"Alright everyone, the big reveal!" Calcite hollered, making everyone hush. She brought a large plate of multiple foods that both her and Melody adored, and placed it in the center. Toasted seagull, with greens neatly placed along the sides, berries sat in two bowls, one on each side of the large tray. Even though they lived in the Air Kingdom now, they still loved seagulls.

"Happy 26th," she overheard Frostbite say to Melody, Harmony rolled her eyes again. Frostbite still wore the shell necklace she had given him 6 years ago, it fit snug around his neck now.

"HAPPY 26TH!" A voice yelled through the air, then a dragon knocked into them from their sides, nearly ruining the table of endless food.

"STORM!" Melody complained, but ended up hugging him with her wings.

"You feather-head, you almost knocked the food over," Harmony said. She saw a strict look from her mother.

"No swearing Harmony," she said waving a talon.

"Sorry, you incredibly-clumsy-dragon-who-almost-knocked-the-food-over," Harmony corrected herself.

"How's school?" Melody asked.

"Could be better-" Storm said. "Is that seagull? OoOOoOO," he said with awe.

Harmony gazed at the crisp blue sky. The world was finally quieting down, and the two nations who hated each other the most were finally getting along.

"I love you guys," Harmony laughed and lightly nudged her brother and sister.

     Harmony watched in horror as Calcite attacked her uncle. She writhed her lips, slashing his back. He quickly fought himself up, shoving her and roaring. He shot a quick ice blast, missing her feet by a few inches. She darted into the air, dive bombing back down, they tumbled into a sidewall where the stands were. Dragons flew everywhere, some flew out the door. Others stayed and watched. The room erupted into chatter, guards unlocked chains and her whole family was free.

     Her mother fought along the floor, swiping the blood off her scratched face. Peak lunged off the wall and swiped his tail, scraping Calcite's left side. She winced, flying back into the air. Without warning the Queen darted from her guard who was holding her and attacked Peak. He screamed helplessly as she clawed his face off, gritting her teeth. She forcefully dug her claws into his wings, tearing holes in them. She took her teeth and impaled them into Peak's neck, he screeched flailing his wings and scratching the Queen's shoulders. She took and held his jaw, grabbing his neck, and in one swift motion twisted his face.

     Harmony glanced up at her mother who grimaced at the sight, shut her eyes, and turned away. The Queen stood, breathing heavily, some of the dragons had flown outside. Red blood stained the floor, and her scales were a bright flowing red from her own blood. Without hesitation she immediately flew to her egg, swiping her stained claws on the stone to hold it. She held it in her talons and embraced it closely. That egg was going to be the new heir to the throne one day.

     Harmony saw her mother lightly glide to the floor, staring at her brother. She landed, then plummeted to the floor, weeping. Harmony felt claws wrap around her legs again, when she glanced down she saw Storm hugging her, his eyes scrunched into a confused cry. She glanced at her sister, where Frostbite was embracing her. Who was this guy? She looked up and saw her father, still unresponsive.

     "Dad-" she said, and her brother looked to where she was looking. He dashed into the air and landed on the stage, Harmony climbed stones along the edges and when she got to the top Storm was tapping his father's cheeks.

     "Dad.." Storm said helplessly. "Dad."

     Harmony came up from the side, grasping his neck, her claws shivered. She realised for the first time she was cold, tired, and hungry. They had travelled across two nations in a day. She saw a weird welt on her father's shoulder.

     "He's alive-" Harmony breathed. "He was darted to keep him still." Harmony guessed from the bump.

     "My subjects," the Queen flew above the room, sounding much more regal.

    Eyes, bodies and wings shifted to face her. The guards looked confused, now that Peak was dead, they didn't know who they were loyal to.

     "This war had lasted long enough," the Queen ushered. Some dragons gave sighs of relief, others cheered, some cried with joy.

     This was it, the world was finally calming down, and peace would spread over the land once again. There would be no more war, no more dying dragons, no more heartache or deaths. The Ice Dragon Air Dragon war was over.

     She glanced at Storm, he wore the biggest, stupidest grin she had even seen him give. He went to hug Harmony, she was laughing uncontrollably. Storm then flew over to Melody, they stood, talked, and Storm handed her a necklace that hung around his neck. She smiled softly and took it, observing the shell. Storm ran off and ran to their mother next. She saw Melody explain her necklace to Frostbite, brushed it off, then handed it to him. He gingerly held it in his talons. Harmony saw Ice Dragons around the room smiling and darting into the air.

     It was all over.

     "PEAK. LET GO OF MY EGG!" She shrieked and flew over to grab her egg, a guard carried the egg safely on the pillow thing, while two others tackled her out of the air and held her to the ground.

     "NOOOO," She said even more angered. Harmony heard murmurs from dragons above her, some of them went like, 'That dragon looks odd, she has no wings.' And others were like, 'It's the Queen..' and some even, 'look at that dragon scum.'

     "If you move any closer, your egg parishes, along with Calcite," Peak narrowly eyed the Queen.

     The Queen whipped her head around, stopping on Calcite. She scrunched up her snout, staring back at Peak.

     "I don't care for her anymore. You work for ME Peak," she hissed.

     "Oh wow, she thinks she's still ruler," Peak laughed.

     "You LIED to me Peak," the Queen's voice cracked, it hurt, even for Harmony. "You told me the Air Dragons had my egg."

     So that was it. It was all a setup. All of it. Peak purposely took the egg to make Queen Celcius think the Air Dragons stole her egg, that way there'd be a war. But why did he want a war on the Air Dragons??

     "I know! It's hilarious how you believed me right?" Peak chuckled.

     "Nnnrghh," the Queen grunted trying to stand, but the weight of two guards rested on her shoulders, it looked like she was bowing.

     "Just give me back my egg," the Queen pleaded.

     Peak nudged his head, and the guards picked her up and trapped her in chains. She slashed and hissed, but still remained trapped.

     "I'll propose a deal.." Peak said darkly.

     Celcius looked up, her eyes still hopeful.

     "If you give up the throne, I'll give you back your egg," he said smirking.

     The Queen shook her head furiously, even she knew it was a bad idea. What did she say? That Peak had lied? So if Harmony thought about it..she wasn't the one behind the war. She was manipulated into starting it.

     "No, I'm smart enough to know you'll ruin the Kingdom," the Queen hissed.

     "Last chance. Egg. Or throne." Peak said tapping the egg with his claws. Celcius lurched forward, trying to grab her child but was only yanked back.

     "After all these years, it was a lie. All a lie. I finally had the Kingdom on track for a few years, our relations were finally boiling down, and you had to STEAL my egg to resurface our hatred," the Queen spat.

     "Peak," Calcite mused, staring at her brother a with a confused expression. "You what?"

     "Oh dear sister," he said shaking his head slowly. Calcite landed on the stage across from him. "You were far too young to remember."

     "Remember what?" Calcite asked. For the first time, Peak looked hurt.

     "The Air Dragons," Peak started, eyeing her father. "They took mother and father. They were the ones who ruined our family. Don't you want revenge on them? For what they did to us?" Peak asked, trying to make Calcite sympathize.

     "And you choose to hurt MY family?!" Calcite stepped forward.

     "Well, it wasn't intended you'd find Storm.." Peak hissed under his breathe, growling at Harmony's father.

     "I knew it was a bad idea for you to join that gang of ruffians," Calcite said.

     "But don't you see our cause? We're only doing the right thing," Peak started.

     "BY STARTING A WAR?!" Calcite hollered.

     "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Calcite, you'll understand some day in the future," Peak lowered his head and clapped his talons. The guards seized her arms and chained her as well. Harmony watched as her family was being all imprisoned in chains.

     "What are you doing? LET ME GO!" Calcite squirmed to get free, she acted exactly like the Queen.

     "Ice Dragons!" Peak stood in the center, his voice echoed around the room. Dragons settled back down in their seats, and the soft rumble of voices in the stands died down to silentness.

     "Do you see what the Air Dragons have done to us?" He boomed. "What they can do to our dragons?" Dragons looked at each other then back at Peak.

     "They have manipulated my sister to believe she LOVES this-" Peak paused to glare at Storm Sr. "This disgusting thing.." Harmony saw dragons muttering and looking at each other skeptically. Harmony felt that skepticism too, and she knew what it meant. It meant they didn't believe Peak.

     "The Air Dragons have caused our Kingdom to dwindle, are we just going to let them ruin our lives?" Peak asked pacing. Harmony didn't like this, she felt OUTRAGED. She HAD to do something.

     "No!" Harmony yelled, clambering toward the stage. She stood on the bottom, eyeing Peak in his cold, dead eyes. "You LIED to everyone! You did it once and you'll do it again!" Harmony screeched. Peak whipped his head to meet her.

     "Oh?" Peak laughed. "You're so tiny, what a cute thing, guards." Peak snapped for the guards to seize her, they advanced toward Harmony.

     "Peak is only trying to do this so HE'LL be king!" Harmony shouted. "He manipulated the Queen so she would START THIS WHOLE WAR!" she yelled arcross the room.

     "What are you doing? GET HER!" Peak yelled at his guards.

     "If he hadn't stolen the Queen's egg, she would've never started the war. He made her think the Air Dragons ruined your kingdom, but the only one ruining the Kingdom is HIM," Harmony pointed at Peak.

     All eyes stared at him. Peak stood uncomfortably on the stage, gritting his teeth. Dragons talked to each other, looking back at Peak then amongst themselves, the guards stayed put, shifting their wings.

      "Aren't you tired of this war? Imagine what it would've been like if he hadn't stolen the Queen's egg. Both Kingdoms would've been better than they are now," Harmony looked back at the crowd of dragons. "We are all but one." Harmony knew about Air Dragon and Ice Dragon history. She'd sometimes sneak from her home to spy on some Sea Dragons, and she heard enough to know that both sides were tired of this fighting.

     Harmony turned when she heard the small click of chains, she saw Melody spread her wings and look around wildly, wondering what happened. Dragons gasped, and stared in silence. Peak looked enraged.

     "YOU'RE LISTENING TO A 20 YEAR OLD DRAGONET?! OBEY ME!" He roared.

      "Why should we obey you when you lied?" A voice echoed from behind Harmony. It was the dragon she saved.

      "Frostbite, do me a favor and hush up," Peak demanded.

     "Why should we continue this war if it's pointless?" Frostbite frowned, holding a concerned face. "I lost my siblings because of you!" Frostbite shut his eyes and turned his face down.

     Harmony heard a guard shift in his armor. Her brother flew from the guard, but he didn't go after Storm. Melody had managed to flutter her way to Harmony, and landed on the floor next to her. She hadn't seen Melody in a week, it felt so much longer than that. She took Melody and hugged her neck, Melody was crying. Storm tumbled into his sisters, hugging them from their legs. Harmony glanced back, all eyes watched them.. it felt odd no one was moving.. She let go of her sister, and stood facing everyone. She remembered something her mother told her.

     "In order to create a song. You need two parts," she started. "A melody, the main tune of the song. And a harmony, to support the melody, but just as important. But both parts are needed to create balance in a song. If balanced correctly it can create something beautiful, but without balance it causes a storm." Harmony reiterated her mother's quote. She heard another clink as Frostbite's chains were dropped, he came running over to Melody and hugged her as well.

     "This is ridiculous, why are you choosing to listen to a child?!" Peak said offended. He lunged at the kids, Frostbite flinched his wings and shoved everyone out of the way.

     "It's working, keep talking," Frostbite nudged Harmony.

     "We are all but one." Harmony repeated.

    The guard who held Frostbite stepped forward and stood between Peak and the kids.

     "What are you doing you idiot. GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Peak slashed at the guard.

     Harmony heard another unlocked lock clatter to the floor. She saw a flash of pale blue scales zoom by, and Peak fell to the floor.

     Her heart raced, SHE JUST LET HER BROTHER WALK OFF WITH THE DRAGON THAT TOOK HER FAMILY IN THE FIRST PLACE. Raaggh, what was she thinking? But she couldn't take him on, even if she tried Peak would know she was part Air Dragon. Atleast Storm had a chance to fool dragons, but the question was, for how long? Her mother and her galloped down the hall, she can't believe she managed to do that. Who knew claws were also very handy lock picks. Her mother was fast, but larger, so it slowed her. Harmony was slower, but she was smaller with more energy, they paced well with each other.

     "Your father," her mother uttered.

     "What about him? Are we going to get him?" Harmony asked, nearly running into a huge stalagmite.

     "I heard he was in a court," she winced, making a hurt expression. "I think I know where it may be." She herded Harmony down several halls.

     How did she know? Sometimes she thought her mother had super hearing or something and just never told her. Sometimes her brother would do the same. This whole time her head was a mess of swirls. So her sister ran away, her family got captured, her dad was probably going to die, her brother just went off with an insane dragon and she had absolutely no clue where her sister could be. Her limbs shuddered, she didn't like this place, she just couldn't show she was so scared for the sake of her brother.

     Harmony gazed up and down the deep blue-black halls. Small torches lined the walls, glimmering a dim orange. How did they get torches here? What the feathers. Long overhanging stalactites loomed overhead, watching them. Her mother abruptly turned a corner, Harmony skidded then briskly followed. She saw a room up ahead, with a large oval shaped archway. Oh- she was NOT ready for whatever was in that room, but Harmony somehow knew that was exactly where they were headed.

     When they reached the room her mother stopped at a screeching halt, whirling her head around. Dragons' eyes stared at them from every inch of the room. Looks of disgust or curiousity spread across the room like a virus, it was silent except for the shifting of wings or shuffling of limbs. Harmony could feel the hate crawling through her scales, yet no one moved a muscle or yelled out anything. The room was circular, tall and elegant, with long tapestries hung along the walls. Light blue, stood for Ice Dragons.

     "STORM!" Calcite gave a shrill shriek. She rushed to her mate but two guards stepped forward and held spears in a cross in front of her. But they didnt hurt her.

     Her father was chained by the neck, wings, and limbs. His head loped to the side, he had wounds along his body. He seemed unresponsive, but still alive. He lay on a raised piece of ground, she gussed it was a stage of some sort. She glanced toward the middle, where her sister sat, with the same chains. Oh Melody, she had been tortured enough, now she was back in this horrid place. Her wings had spots of bare skin that had been scabbed over, and some of her feathers had fallen off. Did they hurt her by pulling off her feathers? She had never seen her wings like that, not even her father's. She looked up, her eyes red and her snout beaten, her eyes widened and she called out coarsely for Harmony's name. The room didn't seem to hear.

     "Ah, the dragons I was waiting for," a voice boomed from behind a desk in the center. He walked from another hall that led to this room, and paced around the middle desk. A few dragons brought out a fancy looking- uh thing? It held a gorgeous egg, a pale white with some little blue speckles here and there. That was what Storm had told her about..that was the egg, but from whom?

     "Peak, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS," Harmony heard her mother roar, she had never heard her get so angry.

     Peak nodded his head and the guards blocking her path moved out of the way, she ran across the room, up to the stage, fluttering into the air to nab at her brother. He stepped aside with brisk movements, like he knew Calcite would've done that.

     "Release my husband! And free my daughter!" She hissed, hovering in the air. Harmony scampered over, she couldn't get a good angle, she couldn't fly.

     Peak's eyes then landed on Harmony, it felt like a peircing spear through her own eyes. He had a stare that was almost a realisation. He stopped and ignored Calcite.

     "Oh sister, you have twins?" He said in an oddly melancholy way.

     'Peak is my UNCLE?!' Harmony thought. She remembered Storm talking about that, she just didn't want to believe it.

     "What a peculiar one this is," he shifted his wing to point at Harmony. All eyes landed on her, and she HATED it.

     "Free my family," Calcite ignored Peak's comment, hissing.

     "Oh, why you're not going to stay for the show?" Peak added slyly, arching his head toward his sibling.

     Just then Harmony heard scrabbling from behind her, a guard walked through the tall entrance, all eyes shifted. She heard Melody make a small gasp. Harmony saw two familar dragons. There was an Ice Dragon she didn't know the name of, but she knew who he was. She had saved him after Peak had tackled him into the water, he had come along when Melody returned to the island with that Rock Dragon. And another smaller dragonet was grasped by arm, he was so small he didn't need any chains or restraints. Storm. Now that they were both in the same room, Peak and Storm looked so similar, it scared her.

     "This one was hard to get, but we nabbed him hiding," one guard said gruffly, tugging his arm.

     "I'm sorry," Harmony saw her brother mouth, but no sound came out.

     Just then heads shifted and wings shuffled, what was going on? Storm looked around wildly, like he heard something too. All of them could, except for her father, sister and herself. What was going on? She glanced at her mother to see what the matter was.

    "No," she saw her mom mouth too.

    The pebbles and rocks on the floor lightly rocked back and forth, then jumped with a paced rhythm. Then she heard it, roaring. Outraged sorrowful roaring, coming straight this way. The guards shifted uncomfortably, and the room seemed tense, the dragon in the seats murmured uneasily. A few moments later a dragon burst into the room, the dragons jumped and some flew away into the air, wings crowded the space.

     "MY EGG," the dragon who came inside roared. She lashed her tail around, looking betrayed. Harmony had only just noticed all the guards, they all had metal wristbands.

     "Hello Celcius," Peak said with crisp diction. "Welcome to the court." He grinned.

     Storm started shaking uncontrollably when the dragon started walking his way. He was thrice as big as he, and stood over Storm like a tower. But he managed to distract him long enough for Harmony to move away, that was all that mattered. So how would he get out of this situation?

     "You don't belong here," Peak said with discreet crispness that startled Storm.

     "Huh?" Storm asked innocently.

     "Young dragonets like you shouldn't be here," Peak added. He didn't sound deadly at all, well- at the moment. "You should be back at home in the Ice Village."

     "Oh- well I, I just wanted to.." Storm stuttered. "I wanted to see someone, and I uh, got very lost."

     Storm tried fixing his wings into place. Peak actually thought Storm was another Ice Dragon. He could play off his whole time here being an Ice Dragon, and no one would notice a thing.

     "Oh? Who? Are you related?" Peak asked curiously.

     "Errm-" Storm glanced around nervously, and blurted out the first name he could think of.
     "Frostbite. Yes, we're brothers." Storm hesitated on the word 'brothers'.

     Peak's subtle smile faded, and he proped his head up to look around, walking toward another part of the prison. Peak talked while walking ahead. Storm glanced behind his back, his mother was peering solemnly through the bars, it probably hurt to see her son go.

     "Frostbite was a traitor, why would you want to speak to him after what he's done?" He asked with superiority.

     "Well, I heard he got locked up here but I didn't know what it was for.." Storm looked down, that could be taken either as guilty or innocent.

     "You don't?" Peak asked, Storm tensed. What if he found out Storm was lying? Did he know who Frostbite was? What if Peak was plotting to kill him already? "It's a shame what he did. He went against our kind, and instead freed an Air Dragon prisoner." Peak answered bitterly.

     "An Air Dragon?" Storm asked, trying to keep the conversation on more about whoever those dragons were, rather than himself.

     "They escaped not that long ago, this morning I believe, but we caught him. Have you come to chastise your sibling?" Peak asked, snickering a little.

     "Uhh, yea- he was stupid for betraying us!" Storm chirped, trying to side with Peak. He saw Peak give a light side smirk.

     They stopped at another cell, Storm peered inside and a dragon lay on the floor toward one of the walls. Peak banged his claws on the bars.

     "Get up," Peak said aggressively, startling Storm again.

     Storm watched as the figure inside shuffled and shifted his wings.

     "I said GET UP YOU PIECE OF WALRUS BLUBBER," Peak roared again.

     This time the figure moved and sat up, turning around but leaving his head down, almost like he was continuously bowing.

     "You have a visitor," the huge dragon hissed, pat Storm on the back with his purple wings, and waited. The dragon in the cell slowly lifted his head, looking at Storm with tired eyes. There was a short period of silence, like they were both thinking the same thing. Storm knew this dragon, he was the one he saw with Melody..

     "Have at it," Peak said toward Storm, he hesitated. He didn't want to hurt this dragon, even if it wasn't physical.

     "Hey stupid!" Storm said sternly. GREEEEAT start Storm. "Yeah you! You're stupid for betraying us!! We'll never take you back! I HATE YOU." Storm looked up at Peak for reassurance, Peak only looked back down at Storm with his face saying 'Well- good enough. I guess kids can't really swear.'

     Frostbite stood silently, still gazing at Storm with an intense stare. Storm hoped this dragon hadn't seen him at all- that would ruin his plans. Frostbite mouthed some words silently under his breathe, frowning then turning his head away.

     "When you speak, SPEAK CLEARLY." Peak hissed.

     Storm saw Frostbite flinch and back away from the bars, drooping his wings. He stared at Storm, then at Peak, then back at Storm again. He gave an odd twisted face at the two of them. Well- this was awkward. What was he thinking? Was he fooling anyone by pretending to be another Ice Dragon? Oh feathers- how would he get out of this situation?? Storm fidgeted his claws, he heard a click from down the hall and to the left, then the scampering of pairs of feet, one set large and the other small. Peak looked like he heard it as well.

     "Well, I have business to attend to," he said abruptly.

     "Wait-" Storm started. Peak looked at him questioningly. "I want to see one more dragon." Storm begged.

     "Do you know Storm?" Storm asked.

     Peak looked at him with disgust, reeling back at the name he had just said. It felt odd saying his own name. He saw a small flicker of rage in Peak's eyes, but saying that seemed to make Peak forget about the click noise.

     "Why, he's already in the court, I was just about to bring a dragon there," Peak added. He was going to get Calcite to bring her there as well, and Storm knew. "You're welcome to come." Peak stared at Storm with devilish eyes.

     Storm gulped, he didn't know what to do. If he didn't go, it'd mean his father would die, and he didn't even TRY to do anything about it. If he did go, he'd be seperated from Harmony and his mother, knowing his father was dying at that moment. Just then a guard flew down the cooridor, hollering.

     "Boss! Some dragon escaped!" Peak stood dumbfounded, then whirled his head to Storm.

     Storm twitched in his place, glancing at Frostbite from within the bars. Their eyes seemed to say 'Oh no.' to each other at the same time.

     'Oh no.' Storm thought.

   As soon as Harmony made sure Peak was gone, she skidded across to Storm and yanked him out of hiding. Man, she was NOT letting up.

     "They're going to kill them, we need to hurry," Harmony's voice shook. It was the first time she sounded unsure since they started this adventure.

     Storm heard wailing in the distance, like an outraged sorrowful cry. Storm's wings shivered with uncontrollable fear. Harmony dragged him down another hall, Storm shook himself out of his thoughts. He could hear clearly now. That crying was his mother's. Harmony darted in and out of stalagmites, checking each prison carefully. She stopped at a cell, Storm saw his his mother facing the wall weeping. He flicked his ears, he heard scraping against another cell, he heard moaning from another, from a room down the hall he heard derranges screams. This place terrified him..

     "Mother!" Harmony whisper-yelled, Storm came to peek inside.

     "Harmony?" Their mother turned around surprised. "Harmony, what are you doing here!" She said worried, clutching her talons through the bars.

     "Mom, they're going to hurt you," Harmony's voice cracked, Storm could tell she was scared. Storm ran up and grabbed his mother's talons.

     "Storm is here too?" Calcite sounded even more concerned.

     "We need to get you out of here," Harmony scampered, looking around for a way to get her out.

     Storm spotted a slot for a key to fit in, he stood on his hind legs gazing into the lock. He got back on the ground, whirling around to look for a key. He heard Harmony grunt, picking at the lock with her claws, and he left the cell.

     "Stupid lock.." Harmony said, trying to concentrate.

     Storm flicked his ears, but his mother heard before Storm did.

     "Harmony, leave. Hide, NOW." Calcite said motioning her claws.

     "What?" Storm took Harmony away from the lock, pushing her to hide her inbetween rocks.

     He listened as guards mumbled to each other. He heard them shifting something inside a cell, but whatever, or whoever they put inside didn't fight back. He heard their footsteps fade, and he poked his head out to check. He saw a glint of dull brown scales. It was that Rock Dragon who got blow-darted. They had to save him too, he didn't know who he was or where he came from, but he saved Melody. He deserved to live.

     Harmony ran back up to Calcite's cell, doing the same she had done before and stuck her claw into the lock hole. Harmony stood impaitently, her tail twitching. If their mother was here, did it mean their father was possibly here? What if that mean Ice Dragon took him? He really hated him, but it was more like a fear mixed with hatred.

      He crept down the hall, nothing could be heard but the scraping of his claws along the cold, unforgiving floor. His wings were uncontrollably jittering. He didn't like it here, he didn't like leaving the safety of his home, especially to go to a place like this. He really, really wanted to seem brave, but he had a hard time to distinguish being brave from being flat out risky like Harmony was. Did being risky mean he was brave, or just stupid? Then something caught his mind, what if they're dad was already gone? His shook that thought out of his head.

     He has to be alive.

     Storm heard light tapping of talons from down the hall, jerked his head up, looking around. He had strayed too far away from Harmony, and he couldn't run down to warn her in time. He recieved his acute hearing from his mother. He scuttled up against the walls, when he poked his head out he saw his mother chastise Harmony and she scrabbled into some rocks. It seemed his mother was looking for him.

     Just then he saw another dragon briskly enter the hall, he had large purple wings that swooped the area. He raised his head and bellowed.

     "Calcite! Storm! Are you ready to witness your pathetic daughter's death?"

     Storm stared out with beady blue eyes, he was headed toward his mother's cell- but Harmony was still there. Storm saw Harmony shut her eyes, and her tail tensed as she curled it around her body. Calcite was along the bars, knowing she could do nothing. With every step the dragon got closer, oh ever so closer. He wished he could just use his mind to just- I don't know, lift him up and carry him away? He shut his eyes, but when he opened them the dragon still trudged on. Well, that didn't work, and he was wasting time.

      "Calcite~" The dragon said in a sing-song voice, reaching her cell.

     "Hey Mr.!" Storm called out helplessly, trying not to seem threatning. Not like he could if he tried.

     He stood in the center of the hallway, staring at the dragon he feared the most. This was the dragon who broke into his home, the dragon who took his family away, the dragon who ruined his life. And he was staring Storm back in the face, with piercing blue eyes.

     Storm had the urge to complain, but instead he stayed silent. He didn't want to seem like a wimp. The air was beginning to cool, and the sun had shyed behind the trees in the west. It was late afternoon, but it felt as if time went a lot slower than that. The grass became coarse under their feet, and the two slowed before they crossed the Ice Border.

     "Do you know where we're going?" Storm asked skeptically. He had a slow growing ball of anxiety welling in his chest. What if they were lost?

     "Didn't father teach you anything on basic tracking?" Harmony retorted. Storm opened his mouth to reply, but before he could Harmony spoke again. "Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot you were Mr. Too-scared-to-leave-the-cave dragon." She mocked.

     "AM NOT. SHUT UP," Storm hollered.

     "You literally never leave the cave, you're such a baby," she complained.

     Storm pouted. But as much as he wanted to NOT believe it, it was true. He hated going outside, his mother always told him the world was dangerous, he was the only one who took it seriously.

     'If Melody didn't go outside, she would've still been here, and none of this would've happened,' he thought. But he also didn't know why those Ice Dragons invaded his home. Did they come to take Melody back? Or was there another reason? Who were they? What did they want?

     "C'mon," Harmony said from ahead, motioning her head for him to follow. Storm scampered next to her.

     The air was slowly chilling. How did Melody survive here? Well- HE felt perfectly fine, but he was unsure if Melody could handle the cold, let alone she could barely swim. Harmony suddenly grabbed Storm and pushed him into a tree.

     "YE-" Harmony clapsed her claws over Storm's mouth.

     "Shh!" Harmony hissed quietly, slowly releasing her claws.

     Storm heard footsteps. Large footsteps, crunching through the snow. And another pair of footsteps alongside that.

     "I swear I saw something," one dragon said.

     "You're seeing things. We have the whole family and the Earth Dragon, and no way the Sea Serpents are comin' here," another dragon snorted.

     "You won't be saying that when I'm right," the first dragon retorted.

     "Just go guard the outskirts, we need to wait for the boss to get the egg," the second hissed with annoyance, shooing the other with her wings.

    Storm caught a glint of her ivory scales as she paced by the trees. She stopped and paused, glancing around. Storm met her eyes for a second and flinched, she didn't seem to notice anything. She gave a gruff sigh, flying off. After a while he could finally breathe.

     "C'mon," Harmony trudged on like nothing happened.

     "But what about them?" Storm stuttered.

     "What about them?" Harmony glanced back frowning.

     "They-" Storm started.

     "Look, it doesn't matter how scary, or how big other dragons are. If I want my family, I want my family," she finished. Harmony was always the sassy one. "Let's go." She continued.

     "How close are we?" Storm creeped up beside her.

     "The camp isn't far, when I was underwater I saw which direction they flew," she answered.

     "You can see that far?" Storm asked confused.

     "No," she facepalmed. "I've been tracking them." Harmony flicked her tail toward the footsteps along the ground.

     "Ohh," Storm exhaled.

     "And see that?" Harmony pointed toward the sky.

     "Where?"

     "The yellow."

     "Huh?"

     Harmony took Storm's face and twisted it to look at what she was explaining. He saw eerie yellow glowing from some trees in the distance.

     "Lights. Lights equals camps." She let go.

     "What do we do when we get there?" Storm asked nervously. "We can't exactly fight those big guys."

     Storm heard Harmony snort, like an offended sounding snort. Did she actually think she could take them? The guards were like, twice their size, maybe three times their size.

     "Size doesn't matter. We're small and have brains. It doesn't matter what we have and if it's different from other dragons, what matters is how we use those traits," Harmony said calmly. Sometimes Harmony sounded really smart, except for when she was being all sassy.

     They were getting awfully close and yet Harmony hadn't told him a plan. He felt anxious. What if they got caught? What if their parents and sister were hurt? Or worse, dead? What if they got locked up too? But they didn't know who they were, they didn't know Harmony or he existed. That was one thing they had that the Ice Dragons didn't. He didn't understand one thing though.

     'What egg?' Storm thought. Did they really go out and steal one? Was it special? Why did they need it?
    
     Storm snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Harmony stop him with her tail. He glanced around the endless forest of pine trees. A few dragon paces away was a camp, it was a smaller camp with fewer dragons, but just as dangerous.

     "They're in there somewhere," Harmony mused.

     "So what are we doing now?" Storm asked, his wings twitching.

     "Getting them back," Harmony said plainly, as if he didn't even need to ask.

     "Harmony!" Storm whisper-yelled, but before he said anything else she had already scampered off.

     Wow, she REALLY didn't think this through. He lightly padded after her, trying to keep his footsteps as quiet as possible. He backed up against a wooden crate, using the shadows to hide himself. Hiding wasn't really his strong suit. He poked his head around the crate, eyeing Harmony. She was across from him, doing the same. She slithered along a sidewall that had an entrance, it was late in the evening now so there were less dragons wandering around. Storm watched as she poked her head inside and looked down the hall, then spied the opposite way. She stared at Storm then flicked her tail, disappearing into the cave.

     Storm followed suit, shifting silently along walls and inbetween trees and boxes. The air was now increasingly colder and light little snowflakes fell from the sky. He poked his head indoors and slid into the cave, trailing behind Harmony. The cooridors seemed eerie. Like he could feel the presence of those who used to be here. It felt... depressing. Harmony made a small gasping noise, pushing Storm into a new hallway and cowering behind a stalagmite with him. Storm looked around wildly, but Harmony yanked his wings until he was flush against the wall with her.

     Another guard passed by, dragging his tail behind him tiredly. He was probably too tired to even notice them down the other hall, but he walked past stretching his wings and yawning. He mumbled something under his breathe then disappeared around a corner. Strom flicked his ears, hearing something. Harmony pulled Storm out again, making sure the coast was clear, then darted back into the main hall. She dashed to each stalagmite, keeping her body tensed. Storm transfered to the opposite side of the hall, doing the same.

     Harmony made another small gasp, and gave Storm a 'STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE' type of look. She curled her body and tried cramming herself into the smallest crevice she could find in the stalagmites. Storm heard it again. It sounded like faint murmurs of a conversation, but that conversation went sour VERY quick.

     "Yes, we're taking the egg, HOW MANY TIMES MUST I EXPLAIN," Storm heard a familiar voice roar.

     "But the deal-" Another dragon quivered.

     "The deal is off, I can gain the throne without her, all I needed was her egg and she'd hand it to me," Peak said dangerously, hissing at the cowering dragon next to him.

     "But what if she sends her dragons after us?" He said shakily.

     "Then I'll threaten to smash her egg," Peak growled, storming down the hall. Storm flinched when he stomped past, lashing his tail around. He ducked behind a tall stone and dared not show his face.

     "But boss, what about those prisoners?!" The unknown dragon called out, scampering down the hall.

     "If she refuses to give up the throne," Peak said. "I kill them all," he hissed. "Even the egg."

     Storm gave a worrying glance at Harmony, she held the same terrified face. Smashing an egg? That was murder. Everything he was doing was murder, blackmail, and backstabbing. He thought the assassin was working for the Queen, more like the Queen was working for him.

     If Peak managed to take the throne, there would be no stopping him. This war would last for another 20 years, and so many more dragons would die under a corrupt leader.

     "No.." Storm said quietly in disbelief.

     They had managed to outrun those Sea Dragon guards. Not like they wanted to venture into the mountains anyway. It was midday and the Earth Kingdom was silent and peaceful, Earth Dragons didn't even know what was happening right now. Storm's mind raced with thoughts. If word got out, there was a possibility of a 4 way war. The entire land would erupt into chaos.

     No one would be safe from war.

     Storm overheard Harmony sigh, she'd been silent this whole time.

     "I miss Melody," Harmony said frowning, curling her tail inward.

     "I saw her," Storm replied. "On the beach. Mother flew after her," he said, the memories flashing through his head.

     "You did?" Her face lit up, then returned to the ground. "I didn't even get the chance to say anything." Harmony mused.

     "Who was the big Ice Dragon who attacked dad?" Storm looked up to his sister with wide eyes. She squinted back down at him, not seeming to have an answer.

     "I don't know Stormy," she paused her sentence. "I just-" she slowly shook her head.

     "What?" Storm piped up.

     "He just looked..so much like you," she strained on her words like it hurt to say them.

     "Huh??" Storm reeled back with semi- disgust and semi-confusion.

     "I don't know Storm, I don't know," she finished.

  • • • • • • • • • • •

     Storm yawned, he heard talking down the hall but he couldn't hear all of it. He kept his face hidden around the corner, but kept his ears perked for info. He heard soft murmurs from his mother.

     "I know, I know, it just- it terrifies me." She spoke softly.

     "Now I highly doubt Junior has an inch of evil in him," he heard his father say doubtingly.

    "But I can't let it happen Storm," his mother said, her voice wavering on the edge of panic. "He looks so much like him every coming day that it scares me that junior will end up like him."

     "Our Stormy isn't like that, and never will be. If we raise him the right way, then he'll never turn out like him," his father said reassuringly. "I promise."

     Him? Him. Who was him?

• • • • • • • •

     Storm remembered what happened so vividly, like he was watching a live reenactment in his head. He heard Harmony screech and as fast as she did a dragon busted into their cave. He and dad were almost the same size, but the stranger was still bigger. And they were fighting.. Storm had never seen his father fight. He had never seen Harmony so scared. And had never seen his mother cry so hard. He remembered a small table made from a log that had gotten toppled over. He glanced at the shell necklace he still had in his palm and set it around his neck.
     The animal hyde carpet was torn, he really liked that carpet. Then the fight was brought outside, when Storm reached the door Harmony was gone, and his father was in the air yelling. Suddenly there was a Rock Dragon with a smaller Ice Dragon trailing him. And Melody. He missed Melody. He thought she would never come back. Then his mother darted out the door onto the beach- more dragons came, yelling, screaming, fighting, then they were gone. All gone.

     "Melody! Melody my baby! EUGH-" Storm saw her get tackled from the side, her head hitting the sand.

     "Peak." She said squinting her eyes.

     "You most of all," The attacker spat. "You've lied to me, lied to our nation, and went behind our backs."

     "Brother, wait-" his mother pleaded.

• • • • • • • •

     It hurt to see his mother upset, but what intrigued him was that she called the stranger a brother.

     "She said 'brother'," Storm's head stared blankly at the soil.

     Harmony lifted her head, squinting her eyes. She gave him a look that said 'Are you crazy or something?'

     "She called the dragon brother," Storm repeated and looked up at her.

     "Mom had a brother?" Harmony asked.

     "I don't know, she said brother," Storm sighed.

     "Mom never told us she had a sibling," Harmony scrunched up her snout. She looked like she'd just been betrayed. Well- she did talk to mother a lot more than Melody did. Melody got along better with her father. "Why wouldn't she tell me."

     "If he was our uncle then why would he attack us. I thought families were supposed to love each other," Storm said.

     "Maybe he was mad at mom," his sister guessed, shrugging.

     Storm's mind replayed thoughts. After that he got the sea dragons, but that was a bust. But when he got back, there were more. About 20 more Ice Dragons in the sky, all glittering silver and white. They were all laughing.

     Storm remembered something that his possible-uncle said.

     "RAGH, DEAL'S OFF, TAKE THE EGG AND TAKE THE PRISONERS."

     What egg? Why did they need an egg? And who's egg were they planning to take?

     "We have a weird family." Storm finally said.

So I had an idea for a Wings of Fire story but it doesnt actually take place in Pyrrhia, hmmm
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Its about a SkyWing and IceWing, trust me it's good hehehhehe
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I could give a sneak peak of a quote I have already:

"He glided over to a isolated mountain peak, but no matter how cold it was, it never felt the same. No matter where he was or what he touched it would still feel the same.
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He missed her.
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He curled his tail inward around himself, the mountain air wooshing by his face, he tucked his wings in closer. He glanced down as the snow around him began to pool. In one brisk movement he stepped forward, and dove down the mountainside, heading toward the volcano.
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It didn't feel the same."

I JUST FINISHED READING BOOK 9 OF THE SERIES, I AM SHOOKETH. BUT NOOoOOOoOO TURTLE, I ACTUALLY STARTED TO LIKE HIM. SUTHERLAND WAS RIGHT, NEFORE I FOUND TURTLE SO BORING LIKE WHEN I STARTED ON MOON'S MOON, I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT HIM. But that was her plan ALL along, because in his book he actually WNATED to be boring. ACK AND NOW MR. DARKSTALKER BOI IS GONNA RULE THE WORLD AND TURTLE CANT STOP ANYTHING NOW BECAUSE HE'S NOT AN ANIMUS ANYMORE AGGAHAGAHA

I've already started Qibli's book, my friend tells me theres yet ANOTHER cliffhanger, UGH SUTHERLAND EHY DO YOU LIKE CLIFFHANGERS. JSHEJEKEBKESO

Medibang is being a bitch to me right now and wont let me post a drawing on here so I'm mad

I JUST FINISHED READING BOOK 8 WHICH IS PERIL'S BOOK AND even tho I kinda knew what was going to happen because I used context clues and the prophecy- I WAS STILL SHOOOOOOOOK.

I wanna draw some badass art now hehhehe

Sorry I haven't been writing chapters for Balance, last week was homecoming week and it was so busy

Then this week came and now its taking FOREVER

Anyways I might post some of my Inktober stuffs, I mostlly post them on my instagram though, I might post one tonight but idk

Anyways I've had some ideas for that wolf story I wanted to write. I also have a dog story but that was literally going nowhere

Ok thats the speel, cya.
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*INCOMING RANT*
Also theres this thing where people say goodbye to Medibang and make it all dramatic and say "I'm sorry, I am leaving Medibang..."
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Like ok, you're gonna leave, people say they miss you, then you come back, and if you don't, you don't.
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But there's no point in saying that, don't say ur gonna leave and then eventually come back a while after you say that, I've done that once but then I realised how stupid it was. Just don't post, or instead of saying "I'm gonna leave, byyyeee" just say "Might not post alot".
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Ok sorry if you've done that, and trust me I did it once too, but I've seen the same people say they're gonna leave or they've left Medibang then came back. Its just so rediculous, like do you want the attention by saying bye? Like you know you're gonna eventually come back so why say goodbye, maybe when you do get back you could say "yeah Im back, hi" but dont mention you're gonna leave when ur not.
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And I see friends and friends of friends copying each other saying life is so hard and they wanna leave Medibang, its ok if life is tough and its ok to rant but dont say ur gonna leave if ur friends do it. I know like 8 people rn who say their leaving or left, so whyyyy.
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Ok this is the longest rant ever, and if this person I am describing is you then just know I don't hate you, I just find it annoying, and yes you can call me a hypocrite because yes, I HAVE done this but I've learned that I don't like it so I won't do it anymore. If you STILL do this its ok because I'm not telling you to stop or anything, and if you do ever feel like you're tired with art and having trouble with life in general its ok because I get it.
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Ok if you read that then you my friend have determination

     Storm zipped back inside of their cave, their home had been broken into. He glanced around the room, their rug had been swept across the floor and their nests trampled. He walked over and lightly grasped the stone pot his father gave Harmony. It held a crack on it's side, he lightly set it back onto the table. He found a shell Melody had found a long time ago, their father had turned it into a necklace for her. He held it in his palms. He plopped on the floor, gazing at the sea. His family was gone, and they weren't coming back. He dangled his claws over the edge, listening to the lapping of water.

     "Stormy!" He heard a voice yell from below. He sat up and darted his eyes around. "Stormy!"

     He glanced along the outcrop of their cave, and saw the familiar glimpse of pastel scales.

     "HARMONY!" He gasped sprinting to his sister down from their cave. She was standing on the sand, water dripped from her scales. She had just gotten out from the water. She swam away from the attack.

     "Storm- UFF," Harmony said as her brother forcefully ran into her chest to hug her.

     "I thought everyone was gone," Storm squeezed his sister.

     "Storm- Storm it's okay," she said quickly, trying to calm her brother down. "Don't cry-"

     But before he knew it tears streamed down his face, and he quietly wept into his sister's neck. His lip quivered and his talons quaked.

     "They're gone- they're all gone, Harmony- they're gone," Storm gasped, shutting his eyes.

     Harmony didn't say anything, she only stayed still staring at the ground. She wasn't crying though.

     "Storm, everything's gonna be okay," she said reassured. "I'll get them back."

     Storm flinched and gazed up at her. What did she just say?

     "What do you mean?" Storm asked shaking her arm. "No! Don't leave!"

     "Storm, my family is in danger. Our family is in danger, and I'm getting them back," she said sternly.

     "Atleast get the Sea Kingdom to help," Storm pleaded.

     "No," Harmony slowly shook her head. "There's no way they can survive in the mountain areas, and no way they're letting us leave the Kingdom," she said.

     "But-" Storm started.

     "Just promise me one thing," Harmony covered her brother's mouth. Storm nodded. "Promise me you'll stay safe and out of sight, I promise I'll be back."

     "MMMH-" Storm yanked her claws off of his face. "WHAT." He shouted. "YOU CAN'T GO ALONE," he urged.

     "There's no other choice Storm. The Sea Kingdom will detain us here, and if I don't they'll eventually find me anyways," she shot back.

     "Then I'm going too-" Harmony shook her head again. "What? WHY NOT."

     "It's dangerous," she said stamping her foot.

     "Oh~ but not for you," Storm retorted sarcastically. "They're MY family too, and if you go I'm going," he said trying to be assertive.

     "Storm," Harmony said annoyed.  "Ughh."

     "Melody needs us, and mom, and dad," Storm begged. He wasn't adventurous like Melody, or creative like Harmony, but he wanted to show he could do something too. He wanted to show we wasn't a baby like his sisters said he was. He wanted to show he was more than they said he was.

     "Hey! There's two dragons over here!" A Sea Dragon hollered.

     "GO GO GO," Harmony dove into the water and darted toward the Earth Kingdom. Storm dashed into the air, following his sister's scales under the water. She leapt out of the water to make sure she was seen from time to time.

     "They're leaving!" The Sea Dragon called out.

     Storm craned his neck around, Sea Dragons huddled around their home, exploring their cave. Some stared at them as they fled, and others gathered around the beach.

     He was going to get his family back, and nothing would stop him.
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This story is probs gonna be 20 chapters.

He was panicking. His mother was being attacked, and there were literally a million Ice Dragons hovering above them. He didn't know what to do, he didn't want to see his family die. Oh why did his mom leave the cave. Why.

Without thinking he shot outside of the cave, darting in the opposite direction to avoid being seen. He had an idea, he just hoped it worked. Maybe those Ice Dragons would think he was just one of them. Wait- he was too tiny. Gahh, whatever- just do it for them. Do it for them.

"Hey do you see that?" A Sea Dragon asked.

"What? Where?" Another asked, climbing on top of his friend.

"It's coming this way," the first spoke.

Storm crash landed into the sand, his wibgs flailed out about the ground.

"ICE DRAGON!" A Sea Dragon shrieked, pointing at Storm. A small crowd had come to observe him.

"An Ice Dragon in the Sea Kingdom?"

"Look how pretty his scales are."

"He kinda looks like an Air Dragon."

"Shut up Dolphin."

So many comments at once. Storm rubbed his head, standing up and shaking the sand off. He gazed around at the group of Sea Dragons. They looked like they didn't want to hurt him, they were just overtly curious.

"Help!" Storm blurted out, the Sea Dragons stared at him. "I need help!"

"What's wrong?" A Sea Dragon in the front asked, his face held sincerity.

"There's Ice Dragons here!" Storm yelped.

"Well, besides you?" Another said confused.

"No, they're attacking my family! Please-" he urged.

"What do you mean little guy?" Someone asked.

"There was an Earth Dragon, and an Ice Dragon, and he tackled my dad- and now there's more Ice Dragons," Storm pointed toward his home.

Little glints of Ice Dragon scales scattered the sky. Sea Dragons squinted and some slowly sank into the water, afraid of what they saw.

"We need the patrols!"

"Ice Dragons are in the territory!"

"What if he brought them here!"

"Where are the guards?"

A Sea Dragon came, dragging a guard with her and pointing toward the bay between the Earth Kingdom and Sky Islands. Sea Dragons swam out of the water, overhearing commotion. The area soon crowded, and more and more guards filled the beach. Storm's body shook, he didn't know if he did the right thing.

"Ma'am, we don't have orders from an offical to attack." A guard talked to a concerned Sea Dragon.

"The General!" Someone shouted, and the Sea Dragons parted aside. Storm stood in his place, quivering and backing up.

"Now you do," a larger Sea Dragon with a rough voice said, growling to the guard.

"How did you manage to get here so fast?" A young Sea Dragon asked.

"Aquatic Patrols see everything before Land Patrols do," the general nodded, and the guards left the beach toward Storm's home. "And no way we're letting war come on Sea Dragon territory. " He hissed, running off along the sand.

Storm shot into the air, following the parade of Sea Dragons.

"Wait! He's leaving!" A Sea Dragon hollered at Storm.

He gazed at the beach, the Rock Dragon who saved his mother was being attacked by three different Ice Dragons. He felt bad for the stranger. His dad zipped along the air, and his mother was protecting his sister. Oh my gosh Melody- he hadn't seen Melody since her birthday. But..she looked terrible. Storm couldn't see where Harmony was, and that Ice Dragon who trailed the Rock Dragon was trying to get to Melody. Storm hoveref in the air, holding his breathe as he watched the Sea Dragons meet the Ice Dragons.

"Ice Dragons," the General's voice boomed from the beach. "Leave Sea Dragon territory."

Storm saw the Ice Dragons slowly stop and stare. A large Ice Dragon a little bit bigger than the General came from the 20 dragons. He had indigo hair and speckles like his mother did. He fluttered toward the ground and stood over the Sea Dragon.

"My my, I haven't seen you in a while.." the Ice Dragon said cunningly.

"Peak," the General hissed.

"Yes, hello Delta," he smirked, pacing in front of Delta. "It's been long hasn't it?" He said observing his talons.

"DELTA," Storm heard his dad yell, but he was dragged by two Ice Dragons and held in place.

"Leave the territory at once," Delta narrowed his eyes.

"So you gave up on healing and went into the military?" Peak said laughing. "You're so small."

Delta's expression didn't change, but he stood his ground, glaring at the Ice Dragon with purple wings.

"PEAK, LEAVE HIM ALONE. DON'T DO THIS," Storm heard his mother scream as Ice Dragons held her back as well. Her own kind, trying to kill her.

"We'll just be taking what's ours and leaving," Peak said still pacing.

"You will leave them here," Delta said, taking a step forward.

"We wouldn't want to cause trouble," Peak said slyly.

"You already have," Delta growled.

There was a tense pause. Peak gave off a low growl, looking around. Sea Dragons had lined the sand, and who knew how many were under the water at this moment.

"If you refuse to leave we are forced to charge. You are calling war on Sea Dragons, and we will not hesitate to attack," The General yelled.

"RAGH," Peak roared. "DEAL'S OFF, TAKE THE EGG AND TAKE THE PRISONERS." The Ice Dragons scattered and scooped up his family. Her sister and the Ice Dragon from before were holding claws. Dragons swarmed the area yanked the two apart. He heard his mother shriek and blast some Ice, only to be taken by three more Ice Dragons.

Sea Dragons had rushed along the beach and others leapt out of the water, nabbing onto wings and tails, hissing poison at them. His father was taken away and they'd begun to fly toward the mountains. The Rock Dragon's roar could be heard from miles away, but they had trouble getting him to stay still. One Dragon shot a dart at him, he camoflauged into the sand and materialized closer to the forest, only to get shot by another dart. Storm watched as he yanked the dart out and slashed another Ice Dragon. A second dart was shot onto his shoulder, and at that point he slowed and plummeted toward the ground.

His family was being taken away from him. First his sister, now everyone else.

What was he going to do.

     "I'm sorry," the deep voice spoke again. "I just heard. I felt-" the voice kept hesitating.
     "I apologize if I startled you." A huge Earth Dragon spoke, materializing in front of the two. Frostbite never knew Rock Dragons had camoflauge. The dragon was gigantic, he was about 3 times their size. He was a dusty brown with a faded umber snout. "I'm TimberWings." He grinned.

     Frostbite heard Melody gasp then release from his grip, running up to the Rock Dragon.

     "It's you!" She said happily.

     "Huh?" He said, bending his head down to meet her.

     "It's you," Melody said again. "You're Storm's friend."

     The dragon stood back up, rubbing his chin.

     "How do you know him?" He inquired curiously.

     "You can help him! You can help us!" Melody said quickly. "My father-" Melody exclaimed.

     Frostbite saw the Rock Dragon's eyes slowly light up.

     "He's still alive," the Rock Dragon held his head. It was a moment realization. "Storm is still alive?" He asked again.

     "Yes yes, and we need help," Melody pleaded. "My family is in danger-" she coughed and struggled on the last words of her sentence.

     The Rock Dragon glanced at Frostbite, and for some reason he felt fine. He didn't feel threatened at all. The Earth Dragon was friendly.

     "C'mere," he said taking Melody under his wing and carrying her. "Tell me where they are." He said determined.

     "Okay," Melody said muffled in his wing.

The Rock Dragon glanced back at Frostbite.

      "You can fly right kid?" He asked quickly.

     Frostbite nodded vigorously, and before he knew it the Earth Dragon was off stomping through the trees. Frostbite darted into the air, listening to the thud of his footsteps and glimpse of his scales. He gazed ahead and saw the Sea Kingdom, they had passed the Sky Islands. Why did Melody live there? Air Dragons can't swim.

     As they came closer he saw a tiny island in the center of the sea. It was miles away from the closest town and far away from Terragon Heights. He saw the Rock Dragon- what was his name? TimberWing? He saw TimberWing dash out of the forest and into a clearing, sand kicking out behind him. He looked like a tank. Frostbite thought it was pretty cool that an Earth Dragon was helping other dragons he didn't even know.

     "YOU," before he knew it Frostbite plummeted into the water.

     He opened his eyes, seeing nothing but blur around him. The water was salty, and stung his eyes. He clasped his throat as air bubbles escaped his mouth. He flailed his claws around and inhaled water. Suddenly, he felt talons around his body, and he saw the bright color of the sky again.

     "Are you okay?" A new voice asked him, bringing him closer to the shore. Frostbite vomited out water, rubbing his eyes and staring at the dragon who saved him.

     "Melody?" He squinted. He felt the sandy floor and continued walking on his own, he glanced down the beach and found TimberWing roaring with Melody on the sand behind him. "What?" He looked back at the dragon in the water with him.

     She spat out sea water, taking seaweed off of her claws. She looked back up at him in a concerned way, tilting her head. She had the same scales and same eyes with the same hair and everything. One thing was different though, she had no wings.

     "LOOK OUT," She ducked and darted back into the water, Frostbite whirled his head to find the assassin stretching his claws out to kill him.

     "WHY DID YOU FOLLOW ME YOU NUSIANCE," He roared, slashing at Frostbite's neck. He darted away from the water.

     "YOU-" The assasin was tackled by a dragon about his size, he was a deep cadet blue with the same colored iridescent scales as Melody. He looked like an Air Dragon.

     "And you," the assassin hissed. "You should've been dead Storm," he said shoving the Air Dragon off of him.

     "I knew there was something off about you," Storm growled, gliding into the air.

     Frostbite's eyes landed on the island with a cave in the distance. A small little dragonet stood terrified at the door as a larger Ice Dragon flew from the cave onto the beach. She was a pale blue with dark freckles.

     "Melody! Melody my baby!" She gasped landing onto the sand and holding out her arms to embrace her daughter. Before she could reach Melody she was shoved to the ground.

     "AGH," the Ice Dragon said clutching her head. She gasped and gazed up at the assassin.

     "Peak." She said squinting her eyes.

     "You most of all," Peak spat, eyeing the mother. "You've lied to me, lied to our nation, and went behind our backs." He spat.

     "Brother, wait-" she pleaded.

     Peak was rammed from the side by TimberWing, the Rock Dragon stood like a tower over him. And pinned his head down, glaring him in the eyes. Peak began to laugh manically.

     "Why are you laughing?" TimberWing asked confused. "Have you gone insane?"

     "No," he cackled, looking beyond TimberWing's head.

     TimberWing glanced toward the sky, his expression changed.

     "Thought they might come in handy," Peak chuckled as everyone paused to stare at the sky.

     Ice Dragons hovered above everyone, staring and laughing at them.

     This was it.

     This was the end.

     Frostbite raced as fast as his wings could fly him. That Ice Dragon was going to tell the Queen, he needed to stop him. He darted through branches and between trees, nearly clipping his wings off. He saw the camp just ahead. What would the Queen say? What would happen to him? Would his rank be lowered? Would he be exiled? Would he be killed? Hm, that was a large posibility.

     He darted into the camp and dashed into thr caves, his breathe trailing behind him in cold puffs. Older guards stared at him like he was insane, but none stopped him. Frostbitr whipped around a corner, abruptly stopping when he heard voices.

     "Well, then find her," Frostbite held his breathe, trying not to be heard. "You haven't finished your part of the deal." The Queen said, pacing the room.

     "Calcite." The Ice Dragon from before spoke. "She has a family." He said dropping the book on the table, he scattered the papers Frostbite had found and arranged them for her to see.

     "This," he pointed. "Is that hybrid's father." The Ice Dragon sneered.

     There was a pause.

     "Him!" The Queen roared. "STORM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD." The Queen stamped her foot and growled, bringing her talons close to his neck. "YOU PATHETIC FAILURE."

     The Ice Dragon reeled back and hissed, spreading his wings and keeping his head low.

     "I wouldn't touch me if I we're you," he smirked, standing straight.

     The Queen stepped back, her tounge slithering in and out of her mouth. The early morning sun shone through windows at the top of the walls, making her eyes glow with envy.

     "Just kill her, I don't care," she said hastily.

     "She has a family," the Ice Dragon added slyly.

     "Then kill them all too, I don't care," she answered raising her voice and lightly waving her claws.

     "What about the hybrid?" The Ice Dragon lowered his head to bow.

     "I will deal with her.." the dragoness said, a low growl eminated from the room.

     Frostbite's talons shook. Her whole family was in danger now, and that assassin was heading there now. Frostbite darted down the hall, flying through the corridors. The Dragon the Queen was after and Melody's parent were the same dragon.

     "EY! NO FLYING INDOORS!" A guard hollered as Frostbite zipped past.

     Frostbite landed in front of Melody's cell, glancing inside.

     "Melody," Frostbite whisper-yelled.

     He heard Melody cough then sit up, slowly loping to the bars.

     "Melody," he quickly opened the bars and dragged her out. He felt her flinch her arm away.

     "You're so cold-" she said concerned. "Colder than usual."

     "Come on, we need to go," he clutched her arm and brought her outside, ignoring what she said.

     "What's going on?" Melody rubbed her eyes. She still looked tired.

     "We're leaving," Frostbite said quickly. Melody had a hard time keeping up with his hurried strides.

     "Where?" She asked, looking behind them.

     "Away from here," Frostbite said, venturing into the forest of pine trees.

     "Frostbite," Melody rubbed her head. "I don't get what's happening." She said weakly.

     "Look, I need your help," Frostbite shook her by the shoulders to wake her up. "Your family is in danger, we need to find them now."

     "What? My family?" She said, her eyes seemed to replay memories.

     "Yes, so we're leaving the Ice Kingdom," Frostbite said, looking back to check if anyone was following them. "Can you fly?" He asked, looking down at Melody.

     Melody opened her wings, she had bare spots with little scabs here and there.

She was sick.

     "Yeah, let me just-" she stepped forward and outspread her wings, feathers falling everywhere. She fluttered into the air uneasily, Frostbite followed after.

     "You look too sick to fly," Frostbite urged.

     "No-" she said. "My home," she kept pausing. "My family is over there." Frostbite saw her talon pointing toward the Sea Kingdom.

     "The Sea Kingdom?" Frostbite asked confused.

     Melody nodded, lightly flying in that direction.  Her irridescent scales glittered whenever sunlight bounced off of them. They were only about 4 miles away from camp, they had a lot more to go.

     Until Frostbite heard a siren.

     It blared so all dragons within the radius could hear, Frostbite's heart pounded. They knew Melody escaped. Most of all, they knew he was the one who set her free.

     "Melody, we need to get out of eyesight," he said stuttering over his own panicked words.

     "Ugh," Melody said clenching her teeth.

     "What's wrong?" Frostbite asked, glancing behind him then back at Melody.

     "NO," Melody suddenly darted forward, Frostbite was taken by surprise.

     He quickly glided along to keep up with her pace. So the sayings were true, Air Dragons were the fastest around. She was staring straight ahead, he couldn't tell at what though. He saw a glint of white scales flying toward the Sea Kingdom. The figure stopped, hovering in the air, then quickly continued it's way to the sea.

    It was the assasin. He knew where her family lived. But how? He was always a step ahead, he didn't know how they'd make it now.

     They were above the Earth Kingdom now, the snow and ice had faded away. Where did Melody go? Frostbite stopped in midair, whipping his head around to find where she went. He turned behind him and saw Melody fall out of the sky. He darted into the trees to find where she went. She had landed on the ground, her feathers spread over the ground. She sat up coughing, rubbing her head.

     "Mom, dad-" she said shakily standing up.

     "Melody, you're too weak," Frostbite tried calming her down.

     "Harmony, Storm-" she choked on her words, trying to push past Frostbite. What was she saying? Was she babbling?

     Frostbite heard something, he didn't know what though. Like shifting of leaves, or a crunching twig. Something wasn't right. Frostbite shushed Melody, clasping his talons over her mouth. Frostbite's eyes landed on a bush, they stood still, waiting for something to happen.

     "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," a voice spoke. It was deep and calm, but Frostbite couldn't tell where it was coming from.

      Frostbite looked at Melody but then she screamed, gazing up at something above Frostbite's head.

     Someone was here.

     How long had it been? Six days? Six days since she's been here. Six. He was being stupid, he knew. Infultrating Mellowbrook camp at this time? He was asking for it. His training as a scout should help though, he hoped.

     The sun had slowly risen in the east and procrasted its light on the vast canopy of leaves. Frostbite took his same route, edging around the front desk. It was still early enough so dragons weren't awake. Good, it meant he could still get the evidence. The books looked like they hadn't been touched since he scavanged the office two days before. His eyes darted back and forth, checking for any wandering dragons. No one. He silently slid under the desk and dug around the back, someone had moved the books around. He needed to find the same year.

     He glazed his eyes around corners, up on shelves, under desks and along the walls, he had no clur where the book went. He waa running against the sun, which was steadily rising in the horizon. He was digging through a shelf in the back when he caught a glimpse of something. He arched his head toward the main desk and peeked outside. Still no one. He glanced at a small stack of books underneathe the desk and found the ones he had moved two daya before. Bingo.

     He lightly grasped the book he needed in his talons, opening the pages to find the same dragons he saw before. He wondered who these dragons were, or who they used to be. He skimmed his eyes over so many missing dragons, removing them all and keeping on Calcite and Storm. How did this institution manage to incorporate all dragons? How did Melody's parents meet? Was it the camp or them that caused them to leave? Could the beginning of the war be the answer?

     Calcite. It sounded like such an elegant name. And Storm, it sounded strong and chaotic, but from his reputation, also calm and recollected. He wondered how they managed to do it. How did they manage to survive all odds? Two entire kingdoms working against them. It was incredible how they survived. He closed the book and took time to observe the cover.

     "Now to destroy this thing," he said holding it tightly.

     "Well well well," a voice said. Frostbite felt like he'd heard that voice before, but he couldn't remember from where.

     A large dragon loomed his head over the desk He stood on the outside and laid his talons on the stone, scraping them creating streaks. He had metal around his wrists, those were only for soldiers or guards. He had either taken them or they were given. He had deep indigo spikes and pale purple wings. The Ice Dragon gave a menacing toothy grin.

    "What's there to hide Frostbite?" The dragon asked stepping over the desk and into the room.

     "Nothing-" Frostbite said trying to toss the book like he didn't care for it, but before he knew it it was swatted out from his claws. "Hey!"

     "Hmm," the Ice Dragon flipped through the pages, finding a certain page. "Calcite, Calcite, Calcite. You've evaded me for so long," he sighed. He stopped on Calcite's description, then paused, looking at a yellow page that had stuck out from the book.

     "WAIT," Frostbite tried grasping the book, but the Ice Dragon darted outside and glided into the air, hovering while reading the book. Frostbite tripped over the desk.

     "Storm huh?" The Ice Dragon's eyes lit with fury. "I thought he was dead." He hissed.

     "Give the book back, or else-" Frostbite yelled.

     "Or else what, you'll hurt me?" The Ice Dragon laughed. "The Queen will be pleased with this information, thank you for doing the work kid." He sneered and flew off.

     Frostbite stood up, ran, and darted into the sky. He needed to get back to the Ice Kingdom before it was too late.

     He needed to save Melody.

     The next morning was chilly. Snow flurried around the camp, covering trees and wooden crates that lay outside. Frostbite silently treaded through the snow, his talons leaving marks. He enetered the prison camp, it was a quiet morning.

     Tap, tap, tap.

     Frostbite heard Melody shift inside her cell, then slowly get up as he entered. This morning was different, she was quiet. Like she was tired. Not sleep deprived, but tired.
     The hallway was eerily noiseless, the only sound that could be heard were the scraping of their talons along the floor. Well- here we go again.

     "Your majesty," A guard spoke, letting Frostbite inside then leaving.

     "Ah, well if it isn't my favorite little dragonets," she grinned. "Anything?"

     Frostbite hesitated.

     "No, your highness," he said lowering his head. "There was nothing there." He lied, shutting his eyes.

     He heard the Queen give a low hiss. His talons quivered. He wasn't willing to tell her anything, atleast- not yet.

     "Well then," she said suddenly with a cheerful voice. "Obviously you do not deserve food if you refuse to speak," she spat at Melody. "Bring her to interrogation." She said menacingly.

     "Wait- what." Frostbite looked up, the Queen only glared back down at him.

     "Did you not hear my words?" She narrowed her eyes.

     "I-" Frostbite stammered. "Yes- yes your majesty," he quickly bowed and continued off, tugging Melody along. He knew what this meant. He knew wbere they were going, and he knew it was bad.

     The walk down the hallway seemed like it took hours. Frostbite was trying to walk slowly, like he had done many times before. This time was different though. He hesitated, he didn't want to go there. Anything but there.

     They had reached another large cave opening, this cave led deeper into the mountain, so there were no windows. The walls were smoothly carved, the ceiling was low and lanterns hung along it. He stood infront of the entrance, and reluctantly stepped inside.

     "Oh my, what do we have here?" A sly voice said. It came from a lean dragon, he was a pale mint color. He wore a thick belt with multiple weapons on it. He leaned against a stone table full of items. "A hybrid I see?"

     "Frostbite, what's going on?" Melody said nervously, darting her eyes around.

     Frostbite didn't say anything, and instead handed Melody's chains to him, closed the entrance with bars, and stood on the outside guarding the door. He listened to what the dragon on the inside said.

     "Let me see what my schedule says.." the dragon said clicking his tounge and glancing at a paper. "Ah, Melody."

     "Frostbite-" Melody said again.

     "Awe, the featherling calls for her friend?" The Ice Dragon chuckled.

     "What is this?" Frostbite heard Melody move across the room. Her voice shook.

     "I'm the one asking questions," he yanked her chain, the air being squeezed out of her neck. She sounded like she had been choked, then a clank of chains and bang of metal. Frostbite heard Melody's quick breathes, he heard her trying to flail her wings and scrape her claws.

     "It's not that hard," the Ice Dragon said. "Just give me two names. Mama and papa, hm? How's that sound?" He said cunningly.

     Frostbite heard a pause, and Melody stopped moving, he only heard her breathing.

     "No," she said. "Never."

     "Oh. They're always stubborn." The Ice Dragon sighed and Frostbite heard a clanks, then something being grabbed off the table.

     WHICK.

     "AGH." Melody hissed. Frostbite flinched.

     WHICK. WHICK. WHICK.

     He heard Melody take sharp inhales, the sound of the whip stinging her scales, the sound of the Ice Dragon laughing, and the sound of his heart pounding. He wanted to barge into the room to stop him. He wanted to tackle that Ice Dragon. He wanted to strangle him and use the whip to choke him until he couldn't breathe.

     And every single time he heard a whip, that feeling would get worse.

     WHICK.

     "HNNGH-" Frostbite heard Melody reel in pain between clentched teeth. Her breathing changed, it sounded shallow and quick instead of deep and sharp.

     "Little miss water-works here has a hard time learning the rules around here," the Ice Dragon threatened.

     She was crying.

     Frostbite scraped his talons on the floor, making a small screeching noise. He grit his teeth, but kept a straight face. He heard Melody try to flail her wings again, only to hear a blade slice her scales. Melody screeched, the chains made violent clinking sounds, she wanted to escape.

     "Y'know this would be much faster if you spoke," he said politely.

     Frostbite flicked his ear, he glanced down the hallway to see another guard with another prisoner. He came to the entrance and tapped the bars. Frostbite turned around, and when he saw Melody she was bound to a wooden guillotine, just without a blade. Tears streamed down her face and her claws were shaking uncontrollably. Her feathers on her right wing were bloody and some had fallen off.

     "Session over, I have another appointment," the Ice Dragon said sadly. "I know we'll meet again. Good day." He took her chain and thrusted them into Frostbite's claws.

    Thank the heavens that was over.

    "I should've stayed home," Melody said coarsely, her voice shaking.

     They didn't talk the way to her cell.

      His feet landed delicately onto the thick canopy of leaves. The Earth Kingdom was so green. Too green for his scales. He darted in and out of trees, hiding in shadows and bejind boulders. There was a main office around jere somewhere, he just needed to find where. Crickets chirped and owls hooted every now and then. The camp was silent.

     He had absolutely no clue where he was going, he saw things he had never seen before. Racks of fish, stone carved seats and shelves, odd looking houses built into trees. He darted his eyes across the area, large paths split the weird tree houses and seperated them. He followed the large paths, one reached an open area full of seats. An eating area he guessed. Another path lead to a huge stage, it looked like thousands of dragons could sit to watch whoever was on the stage.

     He came across another path that led to a cliff, and a cave dug into the base of it. Frostbite slithered along the side of the entrance and peeked his head around. The area was silent, no one made a peep. He silently slid underneath a desk and found book and papers galore. Was this some sort of library? It looked awfully small for a library. A little lamp had been put out in the corner of the cave, and a huge book laid underneath the lantern. Frostbite quietly opened the book, sifting through pages. His eyes glowed in the dark. The front cover showed the year, this year. He turned back through paged amd found dragon names with descriptions. He looked to his right and saw several other huge books from different years. How the heck was he supposed to find her parents, he didn't even know how old they were.

     Something from a certain book caught his eye though. Papers jutted out of a large book, it was bigger than any of the other years. He opened to a random page and found a seperate sheet saying which dragons from the pages were missing.
•

     'Arctic : Ice -Female, Powder Blue, 28 -Missing.'

     'Iceberg : Ice -Male, Pale Blue, 26 -Missing.'

    'Polarmist : Ice -Female, Lilac, 27 -Found Dead.'

     'Sleet : Ice -Male, Silver, 29 -Missing.'

     'Snowstorm : Ice - Male, Pearl, 27 -Missing.'

•
     Frostbite frowned. Almost all of the Ice Dragons from this year were dead or missing. Something happened during these years that he didn't understand. He glanced around the room, looking for an explanation. His eyes fell on a poster hung up on the wall, the year of the hook he had been reading had been circled. Words wrote 'never forget' just off in a margin.

     His eyes widened with wonder. That was the year. The year the war started.The book from this year had neatly no Ice Dragon students. But this was the year everything changed, and Ice Dragons stopped appearing in the books. yellow pages stuck out and caught Frostbite's eyes. He took out the first one and it read,
•
    'Flora : Air -Female, Paled Turquoise, 29 -Dead.'

     She was documented as the first Air Dragon to die. He came across a plethora of yellow papers.

'Stratus : Air -Male, Silk White, 27 - Dead.'

Okay. So far all the Air Dragons he read had died. Air Dragons had died.

'Storm : Air - Male, Cadet Blue, 27 - Missing.'
•
Why was this Storm dragon missing instead of dead? Did the Ice Dragons plan a mass genocide in this camp? Maybe he was the only one who escaped. Pieces didn't fall together, and he didn't know what he was doing. He opened up to see the Dragon's info. He had had a good reputation. A smart dragon with a good personality. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary about him. Frostbite found a note written on a margin of the paper, like they planned on writing something but never did. A half written outlined news article was attached.
~~~~~~
'Ceremony~ For his heroic deed we will be holding a ceremony this weekend. He will be honored for saving the life of one of our beloved students, Dove.
It happened a peaceful night, just after the death of OakScales. Sea Dragons have reportedly claimed they saw a group of students walk to the lagoon, only to come to a horrific sight. Two fellow Sea Dragons were seen to be shoving a poor defenseless Air Dragon into west side lagoon. It was said after a few minutes, Storm, decided to take action and save his fellow student.

What do you think about those two Sea Dragons? Were they out of line?

"I don't really think anyone should be blamed. It was a harmless game that turned out to be a mistake."

What made you-'

~~~~~~


     The text was scribbled out and the rest hadn't been written. But Frostbite began to fit pieces together. He flipped back to a few Ice Dragons. He remebered a date somewhere. The day the war had started. They never finished his ceremony because he disappeared before they could do it, it was scheduled a week after he went missing. Frostbite's eyes scanned the pages.

He got what he came for.

     All he needed was two names. Just two. Two. Then he could finally be over with this nuisance. He managed to get her talking, but for how long? A part of him just wanted this over with, and other half felt guilt. Guhh, why though? Why should he care about some hybrid? Hybrids were just scum from the ocean floor, or the sulfur from a volcano.
     So why did he feel guilty about Melody.

     "Well what if we can?" Frostbite heard Melody shift in her spot, sitting upright.

     "Yeah sure, like the adults'll listen to a bunch of 20-year-olds," Frostbite scoffed.

     Frostbite heard Melody sigh in frustration. It was true, he hated this war. There was no point.  Maybe if he just flew REALLY far away, then he'd be free, but of course, he'd be killed for his unloyalty. The Ice Nation was corrupt. One thing, just ONE thing has to go wrong and your seen as a traitor or exiled. But who'd be willing to take in an Ice Dragon? Frostbite glanced at Melody, who had placed her head on the ground. She was blowing the grass watching it sway everytime she did.

     "My parents managed to get along, so what's the big deal with everyone else," Melody blew again sending snowflakes onto the frozen lake.

     Frostbite's eyes widened. Now could be a good time for some info. How the heck was he supposed to coax the names out of her?

     "Well everyone else probably grew up in their own nations, that's why," Frostbite said. "I wish I could be proud of my dad, but I'm not." Frostbite scrunching up his snout. It was true though. "Frigid, known for his success in interrogation and torture."

     Frostbite didn't have to glance at Melody to know she was disturbed. He heard her flinch in her spot and fix her wings.

     "My father just went to a healing camp with my mom," Melody curled her hair in her talons.

       "Healing camp?" Frostbite asked. He wasn't stupid enough to not know what a healing camp was- but he needed those names.

     "Y'know, a place where they heal dragons and learn about all that, yada yada," Melody let go of her hair. "I'm pretty sure that's where they met," Melody rubbed her head. "Mellowbrook."

     'Mellowbrook.' Frostbite knew that camp. It was the largest healing institution in the Earth Kingdom, maybe in all the land. That's where he'd go next.

     "My dad told me stories from when he was younger," she said, her eyes filled with wonder. "He told me he rescued someone from a lagoon before." She rambled.

     This was getting Frostbite no where, if he snapped now there was a sure chance Melody wouldn't be talking again. He stood up and turned around, motioning his wing for Melody to follow. Atleast he knew where to go now. He'd be off to Mellowbrook.
•
•
•
     "Your majesty," Frostbite bowed before entering the Queen's chamber. Frostbite glanced up to see her talking with another dragon.

     "No," the male hissed. "Mellowbrook says she's been gone for years." He said narrowing his eyes. "I have no leads to finding her."

     "RAGH," Frostbite jumped as the Queen roared. "YOU'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH." She slammed her talons on the floor. The other dtagon seemed unmoved. He was tall with broad shoulders and piercing eyes. His wings were a pale indigo, with deep purple spikes along his back. He whipped his head around.

     "You have a visitor," he slowly.

     "Leave me," the Queen flared her wings and ushered him outside, hissing. "And what is so important that you must disrupt my meeting?" She spat at Frostbite.
     "And where is that little hybrid creature?" She narrowed her eyes. "Disobeying are we?"

     "No my Queen," Frostbite quickly bowed, leaving his head down. "I have a lead though," Frostbite said obediently.

     "Continue," the Queen held her claws together curiously.

     "Her parents went to Mellowbrook for a healing course," he continued lifting his head. He came to meet her eyes, they lit up with manical joy.

     "Oh! Really?" She said lookinh off into the distance as if she was thinking.

     "And I ask of permission to leave camp in order to complete my task," he finished.

     "Hm," the dragoness paused in thought. Then answered after a short while. "You may." She grinned. "Then we shall find and murder her family."

     "Right in front of her eyes." She laughed.

     Frostbite's heart pounded at that thought. Even he couldn't ever bear to see his father die in front of him. She shooed him away with her wing, abd he quickly scuttled out the door, making it into the cooridor.

     "Frostbite-" Frostbite heard a familiar voice.

     "I know you might be busy-" he turned to stop at a prison cell. "I just wanted to say-" she hesitated. "Thank you."

     Frostbite stared at Melody who gave a soft smile. He nodded and gave the same soft smile back. He hurried down the hall and his grin soon faded. He was going to ruin her life. He knew he shouldn't feel guilty, but somehow he did.

     He rushed outside into the cool night air, silently floating then darting off.

     "Mellowbrook, here I come." Frostbite said.

     Melody heard the bars of her cell creak open.

     "Hey," Frostbite said quietly into the cell.

     Melody sat up and yawned, she outsretched her wings and blinked a few times. Was it morning already?

     "Morning," Frostbite said, barely any emotion on his face. He made a gesture for Melody to silently follow, he didn't bother getting the cuffs.

     "Where are we going?" Melody yawned, catching up to him.

     "You'll see," Frostbite answered. Melody got a sinking feeling in her stomach, a bad feeling, like something was going to happen. Her heart pounded.

     It was still dark outside. Frostbite had said good morning, it was probably early. Real early. Their breathe created trails behind them, like small plumes of smoke. The snow had hardened and crusted over into a sheet of crunched ice. They were travelling through the forest, but Melody didn't know where to.

     "I'm sorry," Melody said quietly.

     "What for," Frostbite said looking straight ahead.

     "You lost someone you loved," Melody stared at the ground, then came to look up at him. "I'm tired of this war too." Melody said hushed.

     "Yeah," Frostbite sighed. "And all the younger generations have to deal with this blubber."

     "I don't even understand why this war is happening in the first place," Melody said, she looked up and gazed around. Before them was a frozen lake, the grass had frosted over like crystals. Frostbite went over to the edge of the lake and sat down, staring at the frozen water.

     "How do you not know about the Air and Ice Dragon feud. It's lasted over 200 years," Frostbite stared at her skeptically.

     "Well- erm," her eyes widened. She never actually thought about these situations. How we she supposed to explain how she's never seen the outside world? "I uh- I never actually knew."

     Melody stared at her reflection. It was the first time she got to see herself in a while, and to be honest, she had seen better days. She had dark circles under her eyes, her hair hadn't been fixed, and she just realised she hadn't cleaned herself in 4 days. Eek. She used her claws to straighten out and brush her hair, geez what a birds nest.

     "What do you mean?" Frostbite frowned. Maybe he was thinking she was stupid or something.

     "I mean," Melody hesitated. "I mean that my parents never really told me about all this. Yeah, they told me about the war, but they never got real into it." She said turning her face to the side to check her horns.

     "My parents just wanted me to be a part of the military," Melody saw Frostbite's talons tense. "Never thought about what I wanted." He frowned at the water.

     "So..why are we here again?" Melody spoke up after a brief pause.

     "I just wanted to leave," Frostbite answered. "I hate this camp." Frostbite grit his teeth.

     Melody nodded.

     "I know how you feel," Melody said aloud, she clasped her talons over her mouth. She meant to say that in her head.

     Frostbite stared at her and gave her a confused look.

     "Hey, an Air Dragon with empathy, that's new," Frostbite said sighing. "Not all Air Dragons are bad," he said staring off into the sky.

     Melody didn't speak. She couldn't exactly say 'Hey- you're not so bad yourself.' Melody had the urge to ask how long they'd be out here, wouldn't he get in trouble? Not like she cared or anything- but, yeah.

     "Y'know I wanted to study stars," Frostbite's eyes glittered as he gazed up at the sky. "If only.." he trailed off.

     "I always wished I lived in Terragon Heights," Melody flopped onto the ground, craning her neck to see the sky islands in the distance.

     "Don't you live in the sky islands?" Frostbite asked, making half a frown, half confused.

     "I- well," Melody stuttered. "No." She answered. She didn't want to make Frostbite upset. Atleast he was tolerant at the moment, it was odd he wasn't grumpy.

     "How does that make sense? You're an Air Dragon," Frostbite rubbed his head. "Well, half."

     Melody bit her lip, she felt like asking but also felt embarrassed about it. She felt like she was too naïve about a lot of subjects.

     "What's... a hybrid," Melody said out of the blue.

     Frostbite blinked at her then opened his mouth as if he was going to answer, instead he closed his mouth and rubbed his head.

     "Hybrids," He said hesitantly. "Hybrids aren't allowed here in the Western Territory, or any territory, really." He said honestly. "They're shunned and looked down upon."

     Is that why everyone hated her? Just because she was a hybrid? Hybrids were bad? Is that why her parents told her never to go out? Because they knew she and her siblings would never be accepted. Melody wasn't used to this side of Frostbite, he sounded so sad and dull compared to his commanding side. Like he was tired, tired of life.
    This opened up so many thoughts for Melody. She knew why her parents had kept her in that cave, they only wanted to protect her. Now she was here, stuck in the Ice Kingdom.

     "Why?" Frostbite asked, Melody snapped out of her thoughts.

     "I-" she started. "I'm just curious." She said turning her face away from the islands.

     "We can all see Melody," Frostbite told her.

     "Huh?" She sat up.

     "We all know. The feathers, the spikes, ehh," Frostbite shrugged. "I don't understand what's so bad about it. It's just the whole racism issue." He said motioning his talons. He glanced at Melody, then down at the ground, using his talons on the dirt next to the lake.

     "I don't know how it started, but from my history lessons it went like this," Frostbite said drawing a line. "The Air Kingdom used to be one large Kingdom," he said drawing a large lopsided circle.
"Until something happened-" he hesitated when he drew a line through the territory. "We used to share the same land, until the Air Dragons became greedy. They wanted the land for themselves." He laid his palm flat on the dirt.
"So we had to move to the mountain regions," he slid his claws across the dirt, making little paths. "Air Dragons still resented us even before this war. I don't even understand," he said solemnly, pulling his claws away. "It's almost like they didn't like us, just because we were different." He scrunched up his snout.
"But this is where it went wrong. By moving us here we were able to adapt and become resilient to the cold, as well as gain many other traits. Using these they started a rebellion, and attacked the Air Kingdom for the land back." Frostbite slashed his talons through the whole kingdom.
"And that's been going on until this day."

"How long has this war been going?" Melody stared at the dirt.

"The war? 20 years," Frostbite said. "This feud? More than 250 years." He said, his eyes half closed.

"I thought we were more civilized than that," Melody said.

"Apparently not, " Frostbite said. "My parents are so traditional it hurts." Frostbite frowned. "I wanted to become someone who changed this, not someone who fuels this war."

"But how do you fight years of racism?" Melody heard Frostbite shift his wings.

"You can't." He said closing his eyes.

But Melody knew he was wrong. There were other dragons, there had to be. Other dragons like them who didn't like this war, who didn't like the petty racism, who thought the same things they thought. There had to be other dragons tired of this 200 year fight, they were just too scared to speak out.

Something needed to happen.

    It was her third day. The pangs of hunger came only once in a while, but it was long enough that she ignored it.

     Tunk, tunk, tunk.

     She slowly raised her head to see Frostbite by the bars, he hadn't slammed on them like he did before. He slid open the bars and stood above Melody, waiting for her to stand. She eventually got up, hee body ached in all places. He grasped her by the arm and pulled her outside of her cell, closing the bars again. How long would this cycle repeat?

     Once again Melody was met face to face with the dragon Queen she despised.

     "Your highness," Frostbite bowed. "If I may speak."

     "Hm. You may," she said.

     "She's not saying anything," Frostbite said with irritation, almost like he was pinning the blame on Melody.

     "That just means you're incompetent." She strained on the last words, raising her voice.

     "My apologies," Frostbite bowed again, his voice slightly shaking.

     The Queen set a cold stare on Melody, hissing.

     "She'll die without food. Let her eat," she spat. "And get out of my sight." She finished.

     The walked out into the cooridor, the guards waiting by the door sneered. Frostbite squinted his eyes, walking past them without eye contact. Melody still couldn't piece anything together, maybe her head was just loopy. They had reached her cell, Frostbite let her inside amd she collapsed on the floor. He closed the bars, his footsteps fading down the hall. Melody clentched her teeth and stood up, edging her way to a wall. Cold puffs of air escaped her mouth as she breathed. It felt so claustrophobic in here.

     She flinched when she heard the bars open again, she saw a glimpse of Frostbite's tail and a slab with food on it.

     Melody jolted awake. She whirled her head around.

     "What's going on?" She rubbed her head. There was no answer, she only saw Frostbite's eyes glowing back at her.

     He hauled her up, forcing her to follow him. She didn't fight back, its not like she could, her shoulder still writhed with pain. They wandered outside into the snow, a chilled breeze past her face. It was nighttime. They parted from the camp, wandering back into the forest. She felt like she remembered this place. They reached a cave, a familiar cave.

     "Flurry," she heard Frostbite say. "I'm sorry it's late."

     "Is there something wrong?" She called from a back room.

     "It's Melody." Frostbite said, leading her to a nest.

     "I thought she was the prisoner," Flurry said curiously.

     "I'm only doing my job," Frostbite retorted. "The Queen only wants her alive long enough to see who her parents are."

     "Mhm," Flurry said stroking her chin, she grabbed some items off of a shelf and hovered over Melody. "If you say so."

     Flurry delicately took Melody in her talons, foing the best she could on her shoulders. A large gash traveled from her lower neck across her right shoulder, her wing joint was awkwardly bent.

     "So how well is she?" Frostbite asked.

     "She isn't well, has she eaten?" Flurry answered.

     "She ate today," Frostbite said, holding Melody firm as Flurry wrapped a sling around Melody, tying her right wing to prevent her from using it.

     "Well if you want her alive I recommend you give her more food and water," Flurry said annoyed.

     Melody heard Frostbite go over to the door and stare outside. It was silent in the cave.

     "I wish this war was over," Frostbite frowned.

     "We just have to wait for it to run it's course," she heard Flurry say. "Because all we can do is wait."

     "It's been 20 years Flurry," Frostbite said. "20 Years." Frostbite shut his eyes.

     "I'm sorry, it's been...so long," Flurry said in a hushed way.

     "20 Years too long," Melody heard Frostbite lean against the wall.

     "I miss them too Frosty," Flurry said, gently setting Melody in another nest.

     "Sometimes I just wonder why any of this happened in the first place. Why now. Why them? Why not anyone else." His voice quivered.

     "I know, I know." Melody lifted her eyelid to see Flurry hugging Frostbite.

      "I miss my brother too." Flurry said shutting her eyes.

     Melody couldn't help but feel terrible. She knew that Ice Dragons were bad and all, but she knew not all of them were.

     Not all Ice Dragons were bad.
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     Evil comes from a midpoint, and if you want to get rid of it you must find the source.