The moonblI dragonet

Oak and Willow

The two bored looking Rainwings lounged in the royal hut, waiting. They each had a bag strapped around their neck, that Deathbringer would not take his eyes off of. Glory waited for someone to say something. Her queenly talent did not extend to conversation starting. The room's silence was both awkward and deadly. 

There was the light clatter of many pairs of claws on the deck outside. Winter burst through the door, ungraceful and followed by many dragonets. Glory brightened at the disturbance. 

"Sorry," Winter muttered, obviously not enjoying the taste of the word in his mouth.

"It's fine, fine, just... you know what to do, right?"

"Escort the Rainwings to the mudwing border. Watch the trade and then escort them back." Winter answered. Glory sighed.

"Good. The herbs in those bags are valuable, the jewels we are trading them for are even more so. We need them to start advancing our militia. DON'T take your eyes off them."

"Yeah, yeah. And my payment?"

"This isn't some kind of royal mission, Winter. It is a favour... but yes, I'm sure some dragons here would be willing to help with your scavenger sanctuary."

Winter allowed the corner of his mouth to twitch up in an almost-smile. The following silence was almost comfortable with a mutual agreement, then Willow raised her hand.

"Can we get food first? Can we wait until after Sun-time?"

Now the room felt tense. Glory rubbed her head as if she had a migraine.

"Just go, all of you" 

They filed out of the room slowly

***

"So, I guess we should just go," Winter said as they left the treehouse hut and entered the green light of the forest.

"So no Sun-time?" Willow asked. The dragonets let out a collective groan, making their presence remembered.

"Oh!" Winter realized, looking like he had just remembered something. "Where will Birch stay when you're gone?"

"Are you kidding?" Oak snorted incredulously, "He's such trouble, he can't be let out of our sight's. He's coming with us."

Winter looked apprehensive, in an Icewing-ly sharp way, of course. Birch was looking a little green and was hiding some white. After a long pause, Winter flared his icicle spikes. "Fine, but he has... limited access to our conversations." 

There was a little murmuring and some exchanged whispers between the rainwings and Winter, then without another word, they spread their wings and took off, leaving a bunch of bewildered and confused dragonets behind them.

"What... just happened?" Nightcrawler asked.

"I don't know" Ibis answered, looking a little bit sad.

"We will eventually, my Scarlett friend." Hibiscus stretched her wing over Ibis's back, nobody noticed how both their scales tinged slightly pink where they touched. They stalked away across the platform. Nightcrawler and Passionfruit followed. Elby stayed a bit longer, watching as the small flashing figure disappeared into the blue sky.

"But," She whispered, her voice unusually small and timid, "They didn't even let us say goodbye."

***

"Tell me again why we chose the two most boring, annoying, lazy Rainwings in the forest?" Deathbringer asked. For some reason, he had stretched himself out on his back with his wings spread out on the floor.

Glory sighed. "We didn't choose anything. I did. and we chose them for multiple reasons that we've already been through."

"We have? Great, let's hear them again!" Deathy said, jumping up.

"Why am I attracted to you again?"

"Because of my charming personality and startling good looks."

"We need them because 0ne, I need to prove that I can trust my subjects, two, I kind of need my best bodyguards right now," Her voice got increasingly louder until she was almost shouting, "three, they are two of the least dangerous, least smart dragons in the forest and nothing could happen. They won't do anything and nobody will do anything to them."

"Ok Glory, be more chill." Deathbringer tentatively put a wing around her, and she leaned into him. "You're tired. You need some rest."

"Nothing will happen," Glory said, closing her eyes, "Not with those two, right?"

"Right."

SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT. I'm a crazy procrastinator, but I finally gave myself a writing schedule. Haven't bee sticking to it so far... But I will try! For the last two months, I've been on two different softball teams, I just got my black belt and I'm preparing for a karate tournament, and I just have a whole bunch on my plate in terms of school and emotions in general.

Bye!

Sincerely,

Me