Spark of the Sky

Mature Content

This page may contain profanity, violence, mild gore, or other forms of mature content.

## Prologue

The dragoness scraped her coal knives against the sharpening rock. Striking again and again with burning passion. Every time she’d finish a knife, she’d start a new one. She was planning something. Something big. And only she knew the ultimate goal.

*I will avenge her.*

Her knife struck the rock.

*I will destroy my bird-brained half-sisters and take the throne for myself.*

She struck the knife again, this time bringing it toward her face and breathing a plume of fire onto it and it burst into flames.

*I* will *restore mother’s kingdom to what it once was.*

With a flick of the wrist, she skillfully shot the flaming knife across the dark cave. It hit the bullseye point she’d marked on the wall with charcoal.

Suddenly, she heard talonsteps on the cave floor. She narrowed her eerie yellow eyes and turned her shadowed body toward the noise. A lime-colored dragon appeared, his scales illuminated by the light of the candle he was holding.

“Father…” said the dragoness, her voice dripping with venom.

“Daughter dear, are you plotting without me again?” asked the lime dragon silkily, almost mockingly.

“No.” she lied. *Father can’t know. He can’t know what my plans for… him, might involve.*

He looked her up and down. “Good.” he said after a few moments of scrutinization. “Now get back to work. We’ve got a legacy to uphold.”

## Chapter 1

The sun beat down on the two SandWing’s backs as they flew above the desert. The sandstone walls of the Scorpion Den were hazy on the horizon. To the west, an oasis mirage wavered in the afternoon light. The caws of vultures sounded far away, most likely alerting each other of a carcass nearby.

Serengeti did a flip in the air and dove down to fly next to Gobi. She brushed wingtips with him in flight and he smiled.

Gobi yawned and looked over toward her. “Aren’t you tired? We’ve been flying so much today, your wings must be sore.”

Serengeti smiled. “I guess I’m tired. But today was so fun, I’m more excited.” Serengeti thought back to the hours she and Gobi had spent at the stronghold that day, Serengeti teaching Gobi new combat moves, Gobi teaching her how to make weapons, and hunting together.

They flew on for a while in silence before they came to the Scorpion Den. They landed at the entrance and walked through the archway. Crowds of dragons bustled around the town. Merchants selling their wares, dragons chatting about the newest in fashion, customers browsing the stands for new appliances and jewelry.

Serengeti bumped his shoulder and he turned his head toward her. “Hey, Gobi. So I know it’s kinda a big deal that I live in the stronghold and all, being Six-Claw’s daughter. I know it hasn’t been a long time since I’ve told you. Or knew you for that matter. I should’ve told you earlier. I shouldn’t have kept that from you. It was unfair to you and..., I’m sorry.” She turned her head away from him with a saddened expression.

“It’s okay Ser,” he took her chin in his talons and turned it toward him. “I understand that you didn’t want to tell me. In fact, if you had told me, I might've thought you one of those palace snobs and I wouldn’t have gotten to know you.”

Serengeti smiled and hugged him with her wings.

A younger SandWing dragonet ran up to them. He had dusty-colored scales, like Gobi, but with a slightly yellower tint. He also had a few small, black diamond patterns on his neck and the base of his tail. Serengeti noticed him as Fennec, Gobi’s younger brother.

“Gobi’s got a girlfriend!” Fennec taunted.

“Fennec! How and why are you here?” Gobi asked him with an exasperated laugh, chasing after Fennec who had darted into the crowd. “See you, Serengeti!”

She waved to him. “Bye, Gobi!”

She spread her wings and launched into the air, flying home towards the stronghold.

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“Serengeti!” Queen Thorn called to her as she flew into the palace, pulling the younger SandWing into a hug. “Finally, you’re here. I forgot to mention earlier that we’re going to the Sky Kingdom tomorrow for a Peace Meeting. As Six-Claws’ daughter, you are obliged to go.”

“Oh, sorry I forgot.” Serengeti replied. “I should go get ready-”

Thorn grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “One more thing; will you be Glare’s guard until Barren gets off leave. I know you’re still in training but-”

“Of course I will! Thank you for the opportunity Your Majesty!” Serengeti said excitedly. Glare was Thorn and Smolder’s first daughter together. She was only 3 years old so it was an honor to Serengeti to be given this important position, especially when she was still in training.

Serengeti waved goodbye to Thorn and leapt into the air, aiming for her home. Tomorrow would be a good day. The peace meeting would go well and Serengeti would fulfill her new guard duty as best as she could.

She was ready for this.

## Chapter 2

“Queen Coral has arrived!” The SkyWing guard announced.

The group of SeaWings, with Queen Coral at the head, walked into the SkyWing ballroom. They had pre-heard from Queen Ruby that the ballroom would be used as the meeting room was too small to fit all the dragons. As they came in, all eyes turned on them.

Tigershark looked around. Queen Moorhen, Queen Ruby, Queen Thorn, Queen Greatness, and Queen Glory were already here. They seemed to be waiting on Queen Snowfall.

Queen Ruby came over to greet the SeaWings. “Welcome, Coral!” Ruby greeted cheerfully, pulling the dark blue dragoness into an awkward hug. “I see you’ve brought guests, who might they be?”

The SeaWing queen gestured to the other dragons in her group. “I’ve brought my oldest daughter, Tsunami, her husband Riptide, and their four dragonets. My middle daughter, Anemone, and her two dragonets. My youngest daughter Auklet and her betrothed, Torrent. Two of my sons, Fin and Turtle, and their dragonets. And of course, all my council members.”

Coral said it like bringing 30 dragons to a meeting was normal. Tigershark rolled his eyes at his grandmother. She was quite ignorant at times. Even Ruby looked a little startled.

Even so, Ruby pulled herself together and extended a wing to the dragons mingling among themselves in groups or at various food and drink tables. “Care to grab a bite to eat before the IceWings arrive?” Ruby asked Coral.

Coral nodded curtly and followed Ruby over to one of the tables. Tigershark watched as the rest of the SeaWing dispersed to go talk to other dragons. His mother, Tsunami, immediately rushed over to go talk to Queen Glory. And his father, Riptide, went to go talk to King Deathbringer. His brothers, Angler and Azure went over to a freckled SandWing standing beside a pretty NightWing with silver scales near her eyes. By the 2 dragons were 4 dragonets, ages probably ranging from his age to 1 years old.

Then he spotted her. Daughter of the Head of Medicine on Coral’s council, Oyster was betrothed to Tigershark from the day they were born. Unlike other forced marriages, Tigershark and Oyster were a perfect couple. They loved each other and got along well. Tigershark couldn’t wait for him to be old enough to marry her.

With his eyes fixed on Oyster, he accidentally bumped and pushed over 2 SandWing dragonesses. One was pale sandy color with an almost white underbelly. She had tawny spines and wings and wore 2 ruby horn rings on each horn and a necklace with a black stone encased in a golden amulet. She was his age and she jumped up at him, fixing him with her obsidian black eyes. The other SandWing was much smaller, with dustier scales, a golden tiara encrusted with turquoise, and a pale orange cape.

The older SandWing hissed at him. “Who do you think you are, SeaWing?! You just knocked over the princess of the SandWings!” she spat at him.

“Ha, you? Princess? I’d be surprised.”

“Not me you fish-eating snail! Her,” she pointed at the younger, more bejeweled SandWing.

“Hm. Figures.”

“What did you just say to me?!”

“I don’t know. Who are you that I spoke to?”

Tigershark watched as wisps of smoke came out of the SandWings partially opened mouth. “I am Serengeti. Daughter of General Six-Claws. That is Princess Glare of the SandWings, daughter of Queen Thorn. Who are you?”

“I am prince Tigershark of the SeaWings. Son of Princess Tsunami. Grandson of Queen Coral.”

“Ha. A stupid SeaWing prince. Aren’t there thirty plus princes or something? What makes you of all dragons so special?"

Tigershark bared his fangs at her. “Listen here, SandWing. I got claws and I know how to use ‘em.”

Serengeti snorted. “So? I got fire and a handy-dandy poison tail. Wanna fight now?”

Just then, a teal SeaWing butted in the middle of the 2 growling dragons. “Tigershark!” she scolded.

“Oyster!” Tigershark cried happily.

He pulled her into a hug. That was Serengeti’s cue to leave.

Out the corner of his eye, he saw her pull Glare up. “Come on,” she said to the princess, “let’s leave these two lizard-brains.”

Tigershark ignored them. Now he had Oyster. “How are you liking the Sky Kingdom?” he asked Oyster.

“It’s okay, just a lot of stone.”

“I know-”

“Queen Snowfall has arrived!” called a SkyWing guard, cutting Tigershark off.

The huge IceWing queen stared daggers at the assembled dragons. He saw Ruby greeting the band of IceWings.

Ruby went over to a bordered-off podium with seats for each queen. A gold and stone throne for Ruby, a shining pool for Coral, a faux-icicle throne for Snowfall, and other thrones for the other queens.

The SkyWing queen sat down on her throne. “This bi-annual Peace Meeting can begin!”