In The End

This story is content of SilverflameTheSwiftwing. Please do not steal or copy it.
=== Characters ===
These pages might have some useful background info and personality traits of the characters. I apologize if any characters have one of your characters names, I promise it was a coincidence and that these dragons are supposed to resemble different dragons.
Scorpion
Caracal
Sage
Queen Auburn
Silverflame
Crimson
Peak
Queen Cougar
Camel
Cobra
Jackal
Xerus
Coyote
Spider
Hyena
=== Extra Information ===
This story is the prequel to The Hardest Battle, a fanfiction I am still writing. It takes place in a Sandwing village called Dunes, two generations before the war of The Sandwing Succession, during a time of trouble between the Sandwings and Skywings. The story will switch perspective between different dragons.
== Prologue: Cinder ==
Cinder had no desire to have anyone's death on her talons.
And yet the night before the attack, Puce and Cinder sat in the darkest cave, right outside the town that was their target.
Cinder was studying Puce intently. She didn't understand how he could be ready to ambush a bunch of innocent Sandwings so effortless with no doubt that they were doing the right thing. Cinder knew she shouldn't be having these doubts about the plan, but it just seemed cowardly and wrong. Besides, it wasn't like their were any Nightwings nearby to read her mind, since all the Nightwings were in their mysterious hidden kingdom. Not that they needed mind readers and seers around- it wasn't as if they were in a war. Just a battle... that the other side probably didn't know about.
But in the cave on such a dark night, Puce's scales looked more black the puce, giving off the illusion that he was a Nightwing himself, rather than a Skywing. His dark scales would help him blend in, but... Cinder studied her own scales, which were a bright orange. Exactly what you would expect of a Skywing, but still not the best camouflage.
It didn't matter anyway; they would attack in the morning, when they could find their way around the town. In the darkness, both the attackers and the targets would be blind, but the targets knew the town better than the Skywings. So, it made sense that the Skywings should attack when they could at least see properly.
Or at least, that was what Puce said. But Cinder somewhat believed that somewhere deep in his heart, he didn't want the venerable Sandwings to be taken completely by surprise- the Skywing's war was with the grown Sandwings that were stealing the Skywing's land, not the defenseless dragonets that were caught up in a battle they hadn't known existed.
It doesn't matter, Cinder thought sadly. Day or night, we are still attacking them and defenseless dragonets will be harmed, no matter what. 
It was good that they were so prepared -they had fifty well trained fully grown Skywing dragons attacking a town of Sandwings that would be too busy trying to defend their dragonets rather than fight back- but it felt unnatural after fighting in wars, face to face with a strong opponent.
And the queen didn't even bother to come out and fight with us, Cinder thought angrily. She's probably inside her palace playing with her jewelry without a care about how we turn up, if she even remembers that she sent us out.
Queen Auburn might just be the worst queen the Skywings have had yet. She hadn't even become queen the right way; her mother had been so strong that she had defeated all of the dragons that had challenged her for the throne. When she died, Auburn had been the only female heir left, and automatically became queen, much to every Skywing's disappointment. All she focused on was staying queen and jewelry, and the Skywings were forced to act for themselves without a clear ruler, although they could never agree on anything.
But when they discovered that the violent queen of the Sandwings, Queen Cougar, had put a Sandwing Village, Dunes, on unclaimed land between their boundaries that was closer to the Skywing Kingdom than the Sandwing kingdom, one thing had become clear.
They had to take back their land even if it meant war. Knowing Queen Cougar, it would.
"We have to," Puce growled suddenly, jerking Cinder out of her thoughts.
"Wha- what?" Cinder stuttered, confused.
"I know it isn't anyone's favorite thing to attack innocents. But they are the ones who staked territory on unclaimed land that if it belongs to anyone, it should belong to us," Puce stated. "They knew what dangers they would face when they moved here. This isn't our fault."
He's right, Cinder realized. They had it coming. This is NOT our fault.
She looked outside, where the dragons of Dunes slept peacefully.
I'm sorry. But soon you will be too.
== Chapter 1: Scorpion ==
It seemed like a perfectly fine day in the town of Dunes.
Traders and merchants were selling their products in booths along the streets. Laughter of small dragonets as the chased each other echoed along paths, making their mothers smile as they weaved jewelry. A group of older dragonets were preparing for a hunting trip, and their fathers were practice sparring in a training arena.
Scorpion and Coyote were too far away to hear or see any of it.
"Stay low," Coyote advised in a low tone. "Stop moving your back like that, you look like a snake with its legs cut off."
Scorpion had to bit his tongue in order not to laugh as he positioned himself again. They had been chasing this bird since they left to go hunting at the first light hours of the morning. Scorpion had no idea what type of bird it was, but it was huge. His family was too poor to always buy their food, and when they had a rough day they counted on Scorpion and Coyote to go hunting and bring back enough food to last them through the day. This bird would do exactly that, it wasn't as if Sandwings ate that much anyways. And if they could catch a couple extra rabbits and rodents they would complete the best hunting chance they had gotten in months. And in the process Scorpion got to get extra hunting tips from his brother.
"Wait... wait... and... pounce!" Coyote shouted, and Scorpion jumped on to the bird. It was a lot more hassle than it would've been if Coyote had been the one to jump, but Coyote insisted Scorpion get a chance to practice his pounce.
Scorpion pinned the bird down, and Coyote sprinted over, slashing the birds neck easily with his sharp talons. Sometimes Scorpion wished he was as strong or quick as Coyote, but he didn't resent his brother for it.
Someday I'll be as good of a hunter as him, Scorpion thought.
They caught a few rabbits and Scorpion followed Coyote, expecting him to lead them back to the gates of Dunes, but he changed direction and soared into another, higher updraft, heading for a cliff overhanging the village. Confused, Scorpion flapped his wings in an undignified way trying to readjust to the new direction.
Scorpion gasped as they landed on the peak to see the landscape stretch on for miles below.
The entire landscape of Dunes was spread out below him, every house, booth, and store was within his eyesight. He hadn't realized how high up they were, but the dragons appeared as no more than mere rabbits, and he could identify none of them. They had a beautiful view of the oasis, positioned right in the center of the city where a crowd of dragons always were, lining up to retrieve their water. Well fortified stone walls surrounded the city with guards routinely circling the city and sharp-eyed lookouts in their watch towers.
Looking at it from above, Scorpion felt like a king, as if he could change the fate of the entire town with one flick of his claw. He spread out his tannish-gold wings and raised his head, his teal eyes shining.
"You're on a cliff, not a throne," Coyote said, laughing at Scorpion's pose. Scorpion quickly scrambled back into a more casual position, embarrassed that Coyote had noticed.
As Scorpion looked over the organized, joyful scene a question occurred to him. "Why are some dragons wasting their time guarding the village? There is no need for anyone to attack us."
Suddenly Coyote ducked his head over his shoulder and wouldn't meet his eyes, like he always did when he was hiding something bad from Scorpion. He also started fiddling with his anklet, which is how Scorpion knew it was bad. Coyote was always toying with his bracelet when he was under pressure.
The anklet was a medium dark brown color that seemed to set off Coyote's light yellow colored scales. It was made of dyed braided leather that their father, Xerus, had gotten for him. Xerus had also gotten Scorpion, and their younger sister, Camel, an anklet; Scorpion's was black to go with his golden scales, and Camel's was white, to go with her brown scales. They all had the same braided leather pattern, and Xerus had said that they would bond the siblings together. As far as Scorpion knew, nobody had ever taken of their anklet.
"Coyote, answer my question," Scorpion said, frowning.
"Well Dunes isn't placed on claimed Sandwing land, this piece of land is unclaimed territory between the Sandwing and Skywing kingdoms. It's actually closer to Skywing territory so it should belong to the Skywings, and we're worried that they'll attack," Coyote explained.
"But that's ridiculous," Scorpion retorted. "Everyone knows Queen Auburn is the worst Skywing queen in history. All she cares about is her beauty appearance and her title. She wouldn't be able to deal with a war, especially one over a piece of unclaimed territory."
"Exactly, which is why the Skywings are starting to think for themselves," Coyote agreed. "They can't agree on most things, but once they find out about Dunes I doubt they will be very forgiving."
Scorpion looked around the peaceful setting. It looked beautiful and peaceful.
But if what Coyote said was true... then how much longer would the peace last for?
== Chapter 2: Caracal ==
"Really Caracal? In the training arena again? Don't you want to do something with your life?"
Caracal frowned at her exasperated mother, Hyena. She was doing something with her life, she was training. In fact, if she were in any other family she would actually be praised for her strength and speed. She thought she had been making enormous progress in her fighting skills- after all, she was far from the clumsy dragon that couldn't control her size. She had always been the biggest dragon in her family, but rather than the fighting advantage that it would be for most dragon she had never been used to her size and was always nocking something over or bumping into someone, but now after much training she was strong as a bear and fast as a viper.
Not that anyone seemed to care.
Her father was a merchant and her mother was a tapestry weaver. Not exactly the kind of jobs where fighting skills mattered that much. They wanted her to go into jobs like pottery making or being a merchant and just sitting outside selling random oddities. YAWN. As if that would help the town, or the tribe, or the world.
Caracal realized she must have spaced out because all of a sudden Hyena was yelling at her to come with her. She sighed and picked up her pace out of the arena, wishing the beautiful day wouldn't go to waste like this. After all, if someone did come and attack, with them focused on moving in and getting settled rather than defending themselves... then where would they be?
:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:
Her father, Spider, was in his shop, organizing different random oddities that Caracal didn't see as something anyone would need or want. No one really did, actually. The iguana claws and blue stones were appealing to no one but Spider. If not for her mothers tapestries they would have little to no income.
Spider looked up from the rabbit tooth he was analyzing when they entered. "Where was she?" he asked although she doubted he actually cared.
"The training arena... again," her mother said, annoyed.
"But we can teach you so much! Don't you want to know about my products?" Spider asked.
Caracal opened her mouth for a heated reply when she saw the twinkle in her fathers eye. Like always, he was just joking. He never seemed to care about her profession as much as her mother, which Caracal was thankful for.
"Tell you what," Spider suggested. "Why don't you walk around town? To get some ideas for tapestry deigns and stuff." He winked at her.
"Just don't let us catch you in the training area again," her mother said sternly.
Caracal nodded and was out of the house before they could say another word.
The day was beautiful, though. She could understand why her parents wanted her out farther then the arena, but that didn't mean she entirely agreed with them.
Walking around the village was crowded and busy, and definitely not a place for a dragon growing as big as Caracal was, and yet she still loved it even if she had to be extremely careful around the smaller dragonets.
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Genre (Adventure)
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Content (SilverflameTheSwiftWing)