Listen, And The Stars Shall Speak

The Result

It was late in the afternoon. Joy grinned as she and Kelp cleared the table, occasionally flicking pieces of fruit at each other. Slowly, the tossing grew to an all out food fight between the two of them. Joy shrieked as a smushed peach landed on her face. Kelp slipped on the floor and grabbed ahold of her, trying to steady himself. But instead she fell to the floor with him, both of them laughing.

"Am I interrupting something?" Glory asked from the doorway. Their laughter stopped, and Kelp couldn't help but feel a bit foolish that he'd been caught lying on the ground, covered in fruit. Joy scrambled to her feet, wiping peach from her face.

"Uh, no." She admitted, smiling slightly. But Glory's serious expression quickly ripped the grin from her face. "Did something happen?"

"Just come with me."

Joy found Rainkeeper and Deathbringer already waiting in her mother's office upon their arrival.

"Glory, would you please just tell me what is going on?" Deathbringer pleaded. She had been dead silent the entire way back from the meeting, her face a blank slate of utter shock. Rainkeeper glanced at Joy and frowned.

"What happened to you?" He asked, noting the fruit still coating her scales.

"What?" Joy questioned, snapping back into reality. Her mind was racing with dozens of horrible things her mother could say. Her scales paled suddenly. Was someone dead? One of their friends perhaps? Had one of the dragonets been kidnapped without them realizing it yet? Glory swallowed hard before looking at them. Her eyes lingered momentarily on each of their faces before she replied.

"We're at war."

"What!" Rainkeeper exploded. "With who?" Joy gasped, one talon clamped over her mouth. War? But why?

"The Icewings and the Seawings have already allied together against us and the Sandwings. Ruby and Moorhen have yet to take sides." Glory explained. Deathbringer started pacing the room, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"Why?" Joy asked. Glory and Deathbringer exchanged a glance.

"Snowfall issued an order announcing something she calls the Hybrid Hunt. Any dragon who brings them a dead hybrid and their parents will be rewarded. Thorn and I objected it, whereas Coral approved. Things turned ugly fast, and now they're only getting worse." Rainkeeper and Joy stared, their faces frozen with fear.

"They're trying to kill us." Rainkeeper repeated. Joy clenched her fists.

"They're trying to kill my dragonets." She seethed.

"What do we do?" Deathbringer asked. Glory sighed.

"Honestly? I have no idea. But I am not letting anyone I care about get hurt." Joy's eyes widened.

"That's why Coral is against us, isn't it?" She questioned, her voice higher in a slight panic. "Because she wants to kill Kelp and me and our children." Glory's silence only confirmed the answer.

"There's something else." She admitted. "We can't hide hybrids here. It's against the laws of war."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that Icewings and Seawings are allowed to come here and search everyone, just to make sure there aren't any hybrids around. And they don't have to give any advance warning." Rainkeeper winced.

"So our families are in danger all the time."

"Unfortunately."

"I have to go home." Joy declared, rushing from the room. Rainkeeper rubbed at his eyes.

"This isn't going to end well."

Joy entered her home, a solemn look on her face. She paused for a moment, watching her dragonets. Shore was attempting to balance a fruit on his snout, to no avail, of course. Rin and Ander were playing some game that only made sense to them, although they were trying to teach Kelp. Joy smiled lightly. They looked so peaceful. It didn't make sense in her head. Why would anyone want to kill these innocent dragonets? They hadn't done anything wrong, and yet they were to suffer for it. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. 

Shore dropped the guava he'd been trying to balance and spotted her in the doorway. 

"Mother!" he announced and the girls looked up from their game. Kelp eyed her carefully, trying to read what Glory had told her. His face grew serious, understanding that whatever was going on was no joking matter. This was something that required a more private conversation.

"Kids, could you go play in your rooms for a little while?" Joy asked, glancing at Kelp with worry. Ander hung her head.

"And thus, our fate has been sealed." she declared. "Adiuva nos omnes in kalendis." 

"Do I even want to know?" Rin questioned, leaving the room with her sister. 

"No. But I beg of you, tandem. Ora pro viribus." Shore's eyes widened.

"That doesn't sound good." he admitted, following them out. At the sound of a bedroom door closing, Kelp stood up. 

"Well?"

"We're at war." Joy said meekly. Kelp sunk back into the chair.

"About what?" 

"Us." she explained. "Dragons like us, that have children like ours." 

"Is there anything we can do?" Joy shook her head.

"No."