When The Clocks Stopped

== Prologue ==
General Desire stood at the mouth of a cave, watching the distant figures circle round to head towards her. "Buzzard, help me light the beacon - just in case they can't see us."
She spun around, preparing to shift the heavy beacon. Buzzard nodded, his scales glowing as he built up his fire too. Desire pushed the beacon into place, and Buzzard brushed the coals lightly - causing them to burst into flame. She smiled at him, nodding as the head of the group let out a spurt of flame to signal they had seen the beacon light and were heading into land. 
Red and orange wings beat the air. General Desire waved a talon and the squad of dragons descended. "Sangria, report." she called out. The cave behind her rung with the thumping talons of the dragons landing.
"Still no sign of the killer." Sangria said, shifting uncomfortably. "We'll catch them. I'm sure of it, General."
"Did you manage to catch any idea of where they may be heading?" Desire said.
"Last rumours we heard were that they were heading to the Sand Kingdom and they were last seen around..." he trailed off. 
"You don't know?" Desire said quietly. Sangria flinched and Buzzard's face fell.
"We have to leave now." Buzzard said. "We've already attracted enough attention. We're sitting ducks."
The squad started to take off after a nod from Desire, but there was a sudden whoosh, and one collapsed to the ground - his throat slit. Buzzard rushed over, screaming "EVERYBODY GET DOWN!"
The SkyWings landed again, but some broke rank and took off screaming in panic. There was another whoosh and then all five of them faltered, dripping blood onto the trees below as they drifted down, limp and dead.
The figure landed quietly - blocking any escape route. 
Buzzard and Desire stepped forward at the same time - and then they looked at each other.
"What do you want?" Desire demanded.
The dragon's pitch back eyes looked from her to Buzzard, then at the squad that was slowly and sloppily getting into battle position. "Disappointing," it said. 
"Wait... You speak Dragon?" Desire said before she could stop herself.
"Somewhat." it shrugged. "Did you think I didn't?"
"The posters made you out as a monster." she responded.
"Well I guess that's true." the dragon's deep voice made the words sound more garbled and terrifying than they actually were. Desire spotted its claws tighten and visible sharpen around the rock it was standing on.
She took a step back and stood slightly behind Buzzard. He shot her a quick terrified look. 
"Unfortunately I can't kill you all." it shrugged. "Well - I can kill all but one. And I'm sure you'll do something horrible to me if I do that right?" it skewered Buzzard with its gaze. He nodded, after a long hesitation.
So it can't kill Buzzard? That might be useful...
"So what do you want?" he asked. "Why are you speaking to us - instead of... killing them?"
"I need something. And only you," it gestured to the entire troop. "Can get it for me."
Desire felt confused - like she shouldn't agree to what it said and that it was a trick, but the charm in its voice swayed her mind and opinions. She thought, her mind spinning in bewilderment. "What do you need?" she asked.
== Chapter 1 ==
I land in the entrance to Jade Mountain Academy.
My chest is seized with a tightness I can't explain, like excitement and anxiety rolled into one and bouncing about in my ribcage in an excited crazy flutter. I grin at Fatespeaker who waves back in a friendly way.
I wonder who I'll meet today! I think as I walk towards the cave.
My parents had waved goodbye to me back at my home in the Rainforest as I left the front door - so I'm alone which has the effect of making the butterflies multiply intensely with every dragonet I see glance in my direction.
Suddenly, a glint catches my eye, and I look over to see a lone SkyWing dragonet. She is sat in the grass, squinting at a scroll. I walk over, feeling the excitement build in every limb. This could be a possible new friend!
"Hey!" I say, and the dragonet looks up. I see that she's a little smaller than me - with the typical large wings that SkyWings have - spattered with... dark-ish yellow flecks? that spread out across the membrane in a spray of droplets. The main colour of her scales is pale yellow and the shade of yellow her horns and feet are match the spray on her wings.
"Oh, hello." her voice is kind and soft. 
I sit down next to the dragonet, at the right angle to glimpse what's on the scroll. "What's your name?"
"It's Sunstone, what's yours?" the dragonet says. She looks me in the eyes, studying me. I would feel more uncomfortable with being scrutinised if I wasn't so anxious.
"I'm Tanno - well my actual name is Protanopia or Protan - but I prefer to be called Tanno." I laugh. Once my parents realised I was colourblind they didn't hesitate to name me after it.
Sunstone's eyes light up in realisation, but she asks, "Why are you called that?"
"Oh, it's what I have." I shrug.
"Hah!" Sunstone laughs loudly. "Sorry sorry. I shouldn't be laughing. I just thought about how creative your parents must have been to name you that. Although... don't they name you directly at hatching?"
"Not my parents." I say. "It took them too long to figure out why whenever I looked at my scales they would change colour to specific colours. It's really weird though, because I can camouflage easily - yes - and my scales show colours that correspond to my emotions yes - but I can't actually see those colours. Well - unless I'm staring at them directly - and then they change - it's kind of subconscious - it's like my scales change to what I expect them to be whenever I look at them. It's kind of hard to explain."
"Nah, nah. It's fine. I understand." Sunstone pats me on the shoulder. "Uh. Can you help me read this?"
"Oh! Sure!" I exclaim. 
But just then, the gong sounds. "Oh, nevermind." I say happily - feeling almost euphoric at making a new friend already. "We have to head inside. I hope we're in the same winglet!"
WIP
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)
Category:Content (Queen Dusk)