The Calm Before The Storm

4

And Crystal flew. Something like this, you didn't show up late. And with the ice dragons dying off, she would take any chance she could to save them.

Of course, the only way to get to the High Palace was to fly straight up, into the clouds. Crystal's tired wings beat furiously.

Crystal pushed through the cloud cover and gasped heavily. So heavy, in fact, that her ice breath froze the air around her, making little snowflakes. She cautiously put her foot down onto a cloud and floated. She walked to the huge castle before her.

Normally an Ice dragon trotting into the palace would be normal, they would barely be seen against the cream colored walls and marble floors. Because of Crystal's strange coloring, she was one of the main attractions. There was one other dragon, a storm, that was being stared at too. There was another storm dragon, what Crystal assumed was a parent. Crystal never knew her own parents, she was told they were deemed unworthy and banished from the shrinking colony.

The High dragons sat upon thrones and once everyone had found a place, they started. The huge Gem dragon's voice boomed across the room.

"Representatives of the Monarchy of United Dragons, we called you here today to discuss several important issues that have arisen from the old wars. First of all, we must address the shrinking Ice population. Without them, we will no longer have winter snows. How are you fixing this on your own?" The Queen nodded to Crystal and she spoke.

"We have yearly tests to see who is the strongest. Those who fail or don't meet our standards are banished from our tundra and must live elsewhere. This gives us more food to stay alive. We then have more space to live in the melting glaciers we move to and from."

A Fire dragon spoke. "What if all of the dragons being tested are worthy to stay?"

Crystal glared. "They have a competition. Whoever wins, stays."

"Has this been working?" An Emotion dragon, the King, asked.

"With the recent egg layings, we do not know."

"Add a restraint to egg-laying, we'll see how that impacts your population and survival rate."

"Second of all," the Queen said. "We must take into consideration the threats from enemy tribes."

"The Earth dragons will send our Rockwings to the Western borders," a snub-nosed dragon said.

The Fire spoke again. "We will keep our smaller territories on alert."

This went on for about an hour, the different types throwing out resources. Finally, the Queen thought it was sufficient enough to protect the dragons.

"Thirdly, we will acknowledge the presence of dragonwings."

Dragonwings?