The War's Prophecy

Darkstalker? Is That You?

Her earliest memory was the voices outside the world. She was only an egg. Life in the egg was like a long sleep. But lately, she had woken up. She felt just a bit of rustling. Her egg was being moved. A few moments later, whoever had moved it had set her down. "Alright." Said a voice. "I think we're safe here." The dragonet wondered why the dragon outside was making random noises. As far as she knew, this shell was the whole world. It was all that existed. Just her and the shell. But this was different from how it had been for the past several years. Fine, one year. The faintest silver light filtered through the shell. But it was no ordinary light. Somehow, she knew, that this light was not ordinary light. This light carried power. And all that power could be hers, if she came out of her shell now. Her egg rocked a little. I didn't make a dent in the shell. She had to try harder. She rapped at the shell with her back talon. She heard rustling outside, but that was probably The Voice moving. "It's hatching!" The Voice whispered. The dragonet paused. Did she hear wingbeats? Her egg was moved again. "We're further now. They both should have enough time to hatch before they get there-- what are you doing?" The Voice said. Something was knocking at the dragonet's shell. "Helping it hatch." Another voice replied. "That's not- you don't- you're supposed to just let it hatch." The first voice argued.

"That egg is silver! What if it's diseased?"

"None of my dragonets are diseased."

"And what's even with that egg? It's not one of ours."

"Her father died."

"How do you know it's a 'her'?"

"Mother's intuition."

"Who even was her father?"

"A NightWing named Morrowteller."

"A NightWing?! Are you insane?!"

"You love who you love."

The second voice sighed, then stopped. "Was he more attractive than me?"

"Not really." The first voice replied.

"Good. You've gotta be pretty good looking to out-handsome this mug." The second voice said.

The first voice sighed. The dragonet was fascinated. She wanted to join them. She wanted to see the world. She wanted to meet her parents. She kicked her shell with all her might. "Cortinarius! Look! She's hatching!" The first voice exclaimed. The first voice, that was so excited about the dragonet's existence, this was Mother. Mother loved her, even though she hadn't even hatched yet. And this other voice... this was Father. Father loved Mother, but he hardly cared for the dragonet. The dragonet kicked again. She kicked as hard as she could before the light could go away. Finally, a small crack appeared in the shell. Her back talon shot out of the shell. The air outside was cool and damp. She pulled her talon back in. The light flooded into the shell. She hit the shell around the hole to make it bigger. Finally, it became big enough to crawl out. She crawled out the hole into the light. The light was purifying, quenching, beautiful, energizing. She loved it. Mother knelt down next to the dragonet. "She's beautiful." Mother said, picking up the dragonet. "Hello, Leafspeaker." Mother was dark green speckled with gold and hints of pinkish red. Father was bright green covered in gold spots.

"Leafspeaker?" Father demanded. "What kind of name is that?"

"A unique name." Mother answered.

"Why do her scales look like she's crying?" Father asked.

"...I don't know."

"Told you she was diseased."

"SHE IS NOT DISEASED! She's just... different."

"Mmhmm."

Leafspeaker jumped up and down in her mother's talons to get her attention and distract her parents from arguing. Then she noticed that there was another egg in the nest next to her own eggshells. Suddenly, she saw things.

Herself, but a little bit older, playing with a dragonet with green scales dappled with gold, and brown wings.

The other dragonet, several years older, challenging the queen for her throne.

The other dragonet, walking with several other different multicolored dragonets, while Leafspeaker stealthily followed.

The egg being carried away by a big black dragon.

Herself killing the other dragonet, for the attention of their parents.

Her and the other dragonet, sitting by their parents' graves.

The other dragonet being arrested by the Queen's guards.

Her, the other dragonet, and the other dragonet's friends fighting in a big battle, searching for a red and orange and black dragon.

The two of them learning to fly together, falling several times.

Them picking berries together. Leafspeaker squished a few berries into the other dragonet's face and burst out laughing. The other dragonet took an entire talonful of berries and smashed them into Leafspeaker's face. They both laughed their heads off.

She didn't really know what those visions meant, but she did know that the other dragonet was inside that egg. She knew she wouldn't kill the other dragonet. And she knew that she may lose her sister. Soon. She hopped out of her Mother's talons and waddled over to her sister's egg. She touched it and climbed on it. It was a green color that faded into brown. It was also smaller than her own egg. She could feel a slow heartbeat inside it, as well as hear slow breathing. "Rrrrrk?" She chirped. "Awrk?" She considered breaking open the shell, but she was worried she might hurt her sister. So she just stood by the egg and waited for any signs of life. The egg didn't move. The heartbeat didn't speed up. The dragonet inside didn't make a sound. The surface of the shell didn't crack or dent. Suddenly, a shadow covered them and the tree platform they were on. "They found us." Mother whispered. Leafspeaker looked up. In the sky above them was the big black dragon from her vision. "Dey fow ush..." Leafspeaker imitated, knowing what Mother meant by her tone of voice. "Shishder..." She stepped closer to the egg. The big black dragon landed on the tree platform. "Three moons, Nightshade, I am simply asking for your egg. Why is that so hard?" He said. "Is one dragonet not enough?"

"Are you sure it's my dragonet you need?" Mother asked him.

"Positive. I am a mindreader and seer. You do not question my judgement."

"Can't you take another dragonet with leafspeak?"

"Blah doe ta shishder." Leafspeaker agreed.

"What is your opinion, Cortinarius?" The big black dragon asked.

"Go ahead." Father said. Mother stared at him with a betrayed look on her face.

"Please... take a different one..." Mother begged.

But the big black dragon picked up the small egg and carried it away into the night. At the last second, he turned around. "Oh, one more thing." Said the black dragon. "Does it have a name?"

"Yes..." Mother said. "Her name is Juniper." Mother just stared at the egg in his talons as he took the egg to... wherever he was taking it. Leafspeaker watched, too. Slowly, all the visions with a sister in her life faded. All except for two...

Good-bye, sister. Leafspeaker thought. We will meet again.

Gaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh