Shadow Falling

Interloper

Shade stared blankly at Passion, not quite processing what he was hearing. What? Three moons... that did explain why she looked so sharp and was so much more confrontational than any other Rainwing.

"Uh... okay... good to know..." he stammered.

Jewel and Passion shared a look. Destiny was hiding slightly behind Passion. Now that he was looking, Shade could see that both sisters gave Jewel a fairly wide berth. What had Passion said? That she had too much ice? How would that even happen?

With a slight jolt, Shade thought of the weird images he had seen when he was with Passion. He had seen an Icewing. Was... was that their parent? But that didn't make sense, he didn't have prophecy. No Nightwing did. Not anymore. And there would be no chance that he of all Nightwings was the exception.

He ignored the little voice in his head that whispered, But you did see the Icewing, didn't you? And this is the first time Passion told you...

"See, I told you he'd be fine. After all," Passion said loftily to Jewel and Destiny. "Isn't one of the Dragonets of Destiny a hybrid? Sunny, right?"

They all nodded, while Shade still cowered away from Jewel. There seemed something just a little unstable within her. Sure, Passion had something that slightly matched that, but Jewel...

He was abruptly cut off by a slight rustle in the trees. He whipped around; ears flattened against his head. Passion seemed to notice, too, long thin neck snaking from side to side. Her nostrils widened and her tongue flicked out like a snake's. There was a long moment where the dragonets stared into the trees, and all was still.

Then a black and blue dragon leapt out of the trees, frighteningly close to small Destiny. She cried out, scrambling away in terror. Shade watched in stunned amazement as Passion shot forward with incredible speed, knocking the interloper aside. Fangs bared and almost ready to drip venom, Passion pinned the dragon down, wings flared at her sides and scales swirling with lava-like hues.

"Who are you and why are you here?" she spat, jaw unhinging.

"I'm Whale!" the strange dragon yelped, talons up by his snout, shaking like a leaf. "Jewel, searching for Jewel, Jewel, Jewel, Jewel..."

"Get off him!" Jewel yelled.

Slowly, Passion closed her mouth and warily back away. Jewel grinned slightly at Passion, then looked over at Whale. Looking at him full on, Shade saw that he looked like a hybrid, too. Shadowy black on most of his body, except a few stray scales and the membrane of his wings was pale blue. Icicle-like spines crested his head and neck. He had to be Nightwing Icewing.

"This is Whale, I raised him!" Jewel said happily.

Passion drew back in shock.

"What?"

"So, you see, I found this Sandwing carrying this tiny squalling dragonet, couldn't have been more than a few days old. This Sandwing was a big ugly brute and had smacked the dragonet in the head with his tail. I got mad, and I attacked him. He got some pretty nasty injuries; I don't think he even made it back to the desert. But that's beside the point, I decided I would take care of him, and I named him Whale." she explained, mouth spread in a toothy grin.

Passion pressed a talon to her face. "And you didn't even think to tell mother? She would have loved to raise another dragonet."

"Uh, no, I guess not."

Sighing, Passion turned to Whale.

"I'm sorry I attacked you, I didn't know."

Whale muttered something indistinct. Shade was just starting to relax a bit. He looked up and realized that the sun was sinking. He carefully crept up to Passion's side and tapped her shoulder. Flashes of a tawny spotted pelt danced across his vision, along with pale scales and dark glistening blood. He pulled his talon away, kicking himself. He should have learned. Passion turned to him, not seeming to notice anything amiss.

"Can you take me back? The trees all look the same to me." he asked.

Passion nodded, saying good-bye to her siblings and Whale. Destiny, Jewel, and Whale all started off in the other direction, away from where Passion was leading him. Away from the Rainwing village.

"Don't you live in the Rainwing village?"

"We go there a lot, but Jewel can't because of her frost scales. And my father is an Icewing, he's not supposed to be in the rainforest. So, we stay with him most often." She changed her scales into the Nightwing disguise, Dreamwatcher "Are you coming?"

Shade nodded, and together they spread their wings, flying back to the Nightwing village.