Oh. Nightwings.

## Chapter I

*New school. It seems awesome maybe I'll get to meet some friends! Besides other rainwings, of course.* Yes! New school, new tribes, it was rather exciting. There were all colors and all kinds of dragons. Red dragons with massive wings, blue dragons with glowing stripes (rainwings cant glow, even more exciting!), and funny silvery dragons with many spikes. So many dragons, so beautiful! So many new friends! If they'd talk to her, obviously.

It was exciting! It was wonderful! Siamang turned around, looking at the brilliant blue sky, the fresh air, the pretty white clouds, and all the wonderful plants! Siamang could roll around in the grass and climb in trees all day, but she had a school to get to. And dragons to meet!

Siam turned happily, running through the grasses, looking at all the pretty dragons, some with pretty jewels and shiny things. The school entrance was massive, like being in the rainforest, instead of a gloomy, dark cave. Sunlight poured in from windows and openings, making everything bright and cheerful, showering everything in light, pushing back against the darkness of the walls. Fearless, Sia ran through the halls, poking her head in all the school caves, climbing in cracks, and running full through the prey center.

The prey center had to be the best place ever in this mountain! It was HUGE, A massive opening fell way to the sky, smiling back at Sia from the grey walls. Sheep and birds and cows and fruit and EVERYTHING were free in this cave, running around, getting chased and caught by so many other dragonets! Bursting with chaotic dragonet energy, Sia happily chased chickens and smashing into other dragonets, some confused, other not seeming to care as they hunted the stray animals. Any attempt to control her colors were hopeless, but why bother? It was too great and overwhelming to be stopped.

She trotted back out into the hall, only to hopelessly realize, *oh no, I'm lost.* The illuminated golden halls seemed endless, with each new cave leading to more caves and dragons which lead to *more* caves and dragons and-

"Excuse me, but are you lost? Your scales were turning green. That means worry, right?" Sia looked back. Behind her was a dragon of gold, like the halls and walls of the cave. SHe had a kind smile, holding a talonful of scrolls, and a long spine going over her back. She radiated warmth, which Sia could feel from here. She didn't know many dragons here, but she had a sneaking suspicion who it was.

Getting of the floor, brushing cave soot off her scales, Sia admitted, "Yep! I am totally lost. Lost through and through. I don't know where I'm going or where I'm supposed to be. Can you help me?"

The dragon smiled, as warm as her scales. "It's okay. I'm Sunny, the headmistress of this school. It's Siamang, isn't it? I'm so happy you could be here. You're in the Silver Winglet, and your cave is right down the hall, three on the right. It's a few caves right after that one. " Sunny pointed behind Siamang, to another dorm, with a crimson dragon storming out, probably to do, who knew, skywing things probably.

Sia smiled, and ran off to her cave, carefully avoiding the fuming dragon, running past the cave, catching a glimpse of burning yellow (another rainwing so close to her cave! She should totally meet them!) And looked at the line of caves. Sunny said "three," which meant numbers. Ugh, numbers suck sometimes, mostly when Sia had to think of them. But three wasn't a large number, so this should be mostly easy.

Sia lifted a brownish talon, pointing to the first cave. *That's one.* Sia moved it to the next cave. *Two.* And finally, she moved it to the third cave, feeling a slight burst of achievement. *Three!* This must be her cave. That wasn't hard! Clever Sia, figuring out numbers and their confusingness. Sia happily trotted into the cave, thinking to herself about her wonderful accomplishments and how she didn't even need help counting.

Three glass lamps lining the ceiling cast everything in more of that lovely gold color, all over the walls. There was also a few wooden shelves, shinier than a pool, and the color of bark, about as high as her forearm. Each was filled pale pachments, marked with funny squiggle marks. Probably letters, that Sia couldn't read, YET.

She looked around, staring from ceiling to floor- Wait, was Sia going to sleep on the floor? That's just horrible! The dragonets are supposed to be kind and good and wonder- No, wait, a hammock was hanging from the ceiling, dragonet-sized and most definitely made for sleeping. There was also a small pool (very convenient for drinking in), and a dirty, mossy pile, probably not for eating because no one eats dirt.

But a hammock was perfect for sleep. Sia leaped up and landed in the fabric, wrestling with the sheet as the ropes threatened to overthrow her. As a hammock would do. No matter how much Sia twisted, the hammock twisted back, trying to throw her off it. But this dragonet would not be bested by a bed! As the world spun around her, canvas jeering left to right, she twisted her tail around the base of the ropes, and wrestled her talons through the careful weaving of the ropes, locking her in place. But the hammock had more tricks in it, and it flipped Sia over, leaving her wings trailing on the ground and her head flopped to one side.

There was a set of dragon talons in her line of sight, obstructing a perfectly good pool and the scroll shelves. The talons were dark, dark as the nighttime. It might have been shadows, but as Sia looked up to meet the new dragon, more light casted on the giant shape looming above her, and it was all black. The color of the sky, littered with tiny white stars. The same tiny white star that speckled the undersides of the dragon's wings, open just slightly. The figure was thin, yet still it loomed over her. It stared down at Sia with disgust, maybe pity, in it's cold, icy eyes.

Oh, it must be a nightwing.

## Chapter II

The nightwing frowned, looking down upon Sia. Her voice was gristly and rough, probably from the volcano, and being dumb enough to live there.