Peace or Power

== Chapter 1-Cliff ==
For most of my life, I thought that I would be miserable forever. Mostly because everyone confuses me with Queen Ruby's son, because of my name. Its Cliff, by the way. So, here is my story. One day, when I was three years old, it was time to finally go to Jade Mountain. "Mom," I say, "I don't want to go. I like it in the Sky Kingdom." Mother looks down at me, and sighs. "I know," she says, "But this will be good for you. Better than the Sky Kingdom." I don't argue with my mother, and I was quiet when I entered the school.
A NightWing walked towards me, her face lighting up when she saw me. "Hello!" she says. "Let me guess. Your Cliff?" I nod, suprised she knew my name. "Good! Lets see, you are in Copper Winglet, please go to your dorm. Its the eighth cave on the right." I follow the dragons instructions, going to the eighth cave on the right.
I walk into it, noticing there are two dragons there. A green RainWing with little pink splotches on it. It was sleeping on a hammock, snoring loudly. And a SandWing. He seemed to be writing something in scribly handwriting. He seemed to not notice me coming in. I walked around the dorm room. There were a lot of sleeping spots in the room, as well as a scroll rack. I walk over to a small ledge that reminded me of the sleeping dens back at home. I layed down on it, resting my eyes, until I am interrupted by a loud, 'rrrrrip!' sound. I look over the ledge, realizing that the SandWing had ripped the paper he was writing on. I shrugged.
"What?" I heard the SandWing say. "Hmm?" I mumbled, turning towards the SandWing. "Whats your deal SkyWing?" He snapped. I glared at him, not wanting any trouble or social interactions. I think he muttered something to himself then turned away, pulling out a different piece of paper. I decided not to stay here, not with lazy RainWings or rude SandWings. I walk through the halls, looking at all the dragons in the other dorms. Eventually, I reach a cave that says, "Library."
I walk in, seeing another NightWing there, which I recognize as Starflight. The blind librarian looked up. "Hello?" He calls. "Its Cliff," I say, walking closer into the room. "Oh." He says. "Have you come for your library stamp." I make a confused face. "...I guess." Starflight takes out a black pouch, and puts something in it. He explains to me how to check out a scroll, and gives me the black pouch. I read a little in the library, besides the fact I'm not really a good reader yet.
"Can you read?" Asks Starflight. "I mean, yet?" I look up from my scroll, gazing at the librarian. "Sorta." I say, a little emberassed. I hope I'm not the only one who can't read yet! That would be so emberassing! I think.
"Hmm. Well, I'm sure you will learn." Starflight says. "Clay is a good teacher." I don't really listen much to what Starflight says, I just put away the scroll and walk out the room. I go back into the dorm, realizing the RainWing is now awake and is eating a mango in his hammock. I also see that the floor is covered in ripped paper.
The SandWing looks like he's having a panic attack, so I leave him alone and go to the prey center. I realize pretty quickly that its chaos in there. I can barely even step somewhere without someone bumping into me. Then, I smell something. Something... squishy. And furry. I follow the scent, seeing a weird looking animal running from an IceWing. The creature runs right to me, not realizing I was there. I pick it up, and get ready to try something new. But the IceWing runs over to me instead and growls.
I stare at it, growling. "This is my scavenger." He hisses. "Give it back now." I smile smugly at him. "Oh, I'm sorry Prince Igloo-Face can't catch his own prey. Tsk, tsk, tsk."
A SandWing walks up to me, but not the one in my winglet. "Oh, this is Prince Winter the nephew of Queen Glacier. He would've told you sooner or later by the way." He says.
"You know what?" I say, "I'm out. This is stupid." I give Winter back his scavenger, not understanding why I have to share with a stupid, spoiled prince.
== Chapter 2-Pronghorn ==
I always try to impress Queen Thorn or the Outclaws, but does it work? Nope.
My name is Pronghorn, and I have probably had the toughest life ever. First of all, I grew up in the Scorpion Den like most SandWings, but my parents basically used me. Literally. I was starving half of the time, because any food I caught I didn't get to eat. Thats why I was so happy to join the Outclaws, and so happy to go to Jade Mountain. There is actual food there. Not the scraps my parents gave me, and the millions of boring desert rats and too boring coconuts.
When I first got to Jade Mountain, a NightWing named Fatespeaker showed me where my dorm was. I was excited until I realized that I had to share a cave with a RainWing. A RainWing! Luckily it was sleeping, so I had plenty of time to be loud and write stories on paper. Then I realized I hated my stories! Just hated them! I was so mad I didn't even realize another dragonet had walked into the dorm. I ripped up all my stories, and the new dragonet walked out. They were a SkyWing with glossy orange scales. Not that I cared. I dashed out of the room, and immediatly dashed back in realizing there was an entire group of dragons coming. A few MudWings, a few NightWings, (Which I was not happy about) and to my suprise, some more SandWings. And I knew one of them! Qibli!
But, Qibli was talking with Ostritch, so I didn't want to bother him of course. I sighed and walked back into the dorm, looking at the scrolls. They were for hatchlings I tell ya!
"If you don't know the alphabet, your a snail-brain!" I mutter to myself.
I heard my stomach growl, and I decided to go and look for some food. The halls where clear, so I began to make my way to the prey center. I could smell it, and hear it.
"EVERYBODY!!! STOP MOVING!!! CHICKENS ESPICALLY YOU!!!" I heard someone you.
I walked into the prey center, and no better word could describe that place. Chaos. Whenever I got close to any prey, a dragon would scare it away, and I didn't want to eat from the fruit pile. I had to settle for a chicken, since all the mice I was trying to hunt ran away, and I've never been a good fisher. I grabbed a chicken with ease, and bit into it, eating it like a barbarian, gosh I was hungry. I didn't even know there was such thing as food that didn't take more than two bites to finish. And the meat tasted so rich, not like that dry sand covered meat from the desert mice and vultures. I finished the meal quickly, and got a drink of water from the stream.
I walk back to my dorm, and lay down on a the floor where sunlight is peaking through the window. I realize that my clawwmate, the SkyWing came back into my dorm, and they had a grumpy face on, and they were mumbling to themself. I didn't really care, so I closed my eyes and took a nap. At least, I thought it was a nap.
I woke up, and realized it was the next morning. Ack! Why did I sleep that long? Gong, gong, gong! The gong started going off, so I headed to class. I realized the teacher there was Tsunami. We introduced ourselves, and when it was my turn, I proudly said I was an Outclaw. Nobody really look amazed though.
If only there was same way to get others to like me, but I guess its too late.
After class is over, I walk over to the prey center, and saw my clawmate, the SkyWing, come up to me.
I look at them, and they open their mouth to think. "We need to talk."
== Chapter 3-Cliff ==
I finally decided to give my feelings to Pronghorn. And if your wondering, not romantic feelings, but what I knew about Pronghorn since the moment I saw him.
"About what?" Pronghorn snapped. "Well," I began. "When I first came here, you were ripping up paper. Thats when I knew, you are desperate to impress other dragons, but you know it will never happen." Pronghorn's eyes widened, but he was still glaring at me. "Also," I continued. "You had horrible parents, and you've had to struggle to survive. Don't ask how I know these things, but if you were to ask, I'd say that I can see it in your eyes. You have no hope left in your heart, SandWing."
Pronghorn's face became angry, but also seemed confused. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it. I think he was thinking about some things in his mind.
This is stupid. Just say something already. I think, not realizing what the SandWing was going to do. Pronghorn's expression changed from a confused face, to an angry face.
"How dare you!" He roars, tackling me and pinning me. "You can see my past, yes, but I can see yours!"
I make a confused but eager face, and listen to Pronghorn. "You have been bullied. You have been tortured. Your too scared to admit your feelings to anyone, and to proud of yourself to except some shame. You think your better than everyone else. You like to admire yourself. You think because your stronger you are better than everyone else." I didn't know if Pronghorn had finished yet. I didn't realize my eyes had widened either. All of this was true. I had no idea SandWings were so observant.
"Wha-" I start to say, but I am too suprised and shocked too say a word. Pronghorn gets off of me, walking slowly before dashing through the halls. I stand up.
"How do you do it? How do you know these things? Your just a SandWing, like I'm just a SkyWing."
== Chapter 4-Pronghorn ==
I dash out of the Prey Center angrily. I think my clawmate said something, but I didn't care enough to listen. I thought me and Qibli were the only ones who could tell what other dragons were thinking! I guess a gift must be shared. I flew out of the window, and went to one of the peaks of Jade Mountain. I layed there for a moment, not saying anything.
I sit there in silence, not talking only mumbling to myself.
Finally, I screech some words out to the world. "WHO CARES ABOUT IDIOT SKYWINGS?!! I AM PRONGHORN, THE ONE AND ONLY PRONGHORN AND NOBODY CAN SAY MY PAST MAKES ME UNIMPORTANT!!! I AM PRONGHORN THE SANDWING, THE FUTURE LEADER OF THE OUTCLAWS AND I WILL FIGHT EVERY DAY TO KEEP MY SOUL SAFE!!!"
I smile, despite my harsh feelings a second ago. "I am Pronghorn. The Pronghorn. The strong, fierce SandWing warrior, Pronghorn."
"Yes, you are." I hear someone say. I look up and see my clawmate! "Sorry," They say immediatly. "I thought you would like to know about what I knew about you. I didn't mean to make you so upset, I just wanted you to see I'm more than a SkyWing." I think for a short moment, then say, "I want everyone to see I'm more than a SandWing. I'm an outclaw." My clawmate nods, and I ask, "Whats your name?" The SkyWing smiles, and thinks for a moment as if he doesn't even know what a name is. "Its Cliff." He finally says.
"Nice to meet you Cliff," I say. "My name is Pronghorn."
"Thats a cool name for a SandWing." Cliff says, smiling at me.
"I'd say the same about you." I say. "Isn't your name the same as-"
"Yes, it is. Everyone makes a big deal about it for some reason." Cliff snarls. "I don't see why. There are like eighty SkyWings named Hawk, but nobody cares about that."
"Sorry," I reply. "Really? There are a lot of Hawks? I thought SkyWing's would be named something like, Mountain, or something like Cloud, or something like that."
"Yes, and there is a SkyWing named Cloud by the way." Cliff says. "She is a hatchling in the hatchery. She likes to play with me, and I find her a little too loud for my taste."
"Hehe, thats nice." I chuckle, imagining Cliff playing with a little lizard.
"I... have to go." Cliff says. I barely have a chance to wave to him before he runs off. I decide to take a small nap, after all the talking that happened today, my jaw!
"Bye," I call, knowing that Cliff probably can't hear it.
"Bye! Cya later Prong!" I hear Cliff call back, even though it was really hard to hear. Huh. Maybe SkyWings have better hearing that I thought. Or maybe he is a slow flyer. I think.
"Goodnight," I mutter to myself, laying down on the cool stone. I think the second I closed my eyes I drifted into sleep. Soon after, I drifted into a fuzzy, quiet dream.
Accepting the dream, and floating into it, I take it in.
"Hello son," I hear someone say. I look up, and there is... my father?
"Its hard for me to see you like this." He says, his yellowish orange scales shimmering.
I run towards him, and hug him close, tears streaming from my eyes.
"How are you here, father? I thought you- you know- remember what happened-"
Father shushes me, and I stop talking. "Yes, son. I know you cannot see me..."
"...but I am still in your heart. Please remember that, Pronghorn."
"Father," I say. "I'm so lost. So confused. Will you help me?"
"Hmm. Yes, I see that you have met a SkyWing named Cliff, who has changed your life, even if you haven't realized it. I know you might have never thought this, but I think there is something that you love about him." I don't know what father is saying is it true? Do I love Cliff? I always thought I'd have to love another SandWing.
Father walks closer to me. "But, I do know one way I can help you." He smiles, tears stream down my face, but I ignore them, and wait for my father to speak. "All you have to do, is answer one question." I get closer, and pull myself into a hug. "Yes, father." I say. "I will listen." I watch as my father opens his mouth, and says, "Would you rather have, Peace or Power?"
~End~
Category:Fanfictions (Completed)
Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon)
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Content (Dogw1ng)