Dawn on the Horizion

Chapter One 9

Chapter Two 13

Chapter Three 18

## Prologue

“If you would like to take up that challenge, I am willing.” Queen Vengeance of the NightWings hissed. “But don’t forget the stakes.”

“Yes.” Queen Permafrost of the IceWings replied. “We shall battle for the others’ land, the winner will get both kingdoms. We are allowed to make alliances. The losing tribe will have to serve the winning tribe for as long as they live!”

*Come on! Just be done already. Or give me the signal, my queen. Void thought. I’m ready. Well, that IceWing, Iceberg, looks pretty tough. I better prepare my fire.*

“We both agree?” Vengeance asked.

“Yes. This is final. It will happen.”

Vengeance's tail twitched an inch. *It’s time!* He remembered the signal.*I must kill the Queen of Ice, before that lunatic Iceberg gets to Vengeance,* Void thought, unsettled if this was about to be the death of his queen.

“Well then.” Vengeance said. “Goodbye and bow to your new queen, Queen Vengeance of the NightWings and IceWings!”

“What! You haven’t won, you fool!” Permafrost said, outraged.

“Oh, but I will, your hour is here, and now you’re useless tribe of pathetic Ice dragons will be ruled by *me*!”

That was when Void struck from behind. He stabbed a chakram into Permafrost’s neck, killing her on the spot. He then, standing with the IceWing queen’s blood on his talons witnessed an enraged Iceberg leap towards Queen Vengeance who said to the dead body of the IceWing queen, not seeing the IceWing beside her. “I always get my vengeance you pathetic dragon of Ice.” Those were her last words, as Iceberg leaped toward her, his talons outstretched. Void tried in vain to reach Iceberg first, but he was too far away and too late. Iceberg ran his claws straight through Vengeance’s neck.

“Now.” Iceberg said haughtily. “Learn not to mess with the superior IceWings.”

“How *dare* you!” Void screamed, horrorstruck. The power of fear drove him on, towards his unsuspecting victim. Iceberg turned, one second too late. Bright orange fire encased his cold blue scales like the sun was surrounding him. Iceberg screamed with a terrible sound, full of horror, and sure he was about to die.

“You will pay!” He screamed. When the flames died down, and showed the dragon again, he was no longer blue. He was pure black, burned to a crisp.

Void heard dragons growling outside.

*IceWings coming to kill me! I must go or I* WILL *pay!*

When the IceWings entered the room, the only saw the dead bodies of the queens, and a scorched Iceberg. They raced outside, to see who had done this, and saw a small black shape winging away, too far to catch. “This means war,” the leader growled.

                                                                                      \*\*\*

The prophecy still rung in Pitch’s ears. *I must get to the eggs!* *This is my only chance!* He swooped down by the edge of the sea, his visions telling him exactly where to go. He saw some driftwood, and in the middle of it was a light sea-blue egg. He touched the egg with his talons. *I enchant this dragon to have to power to control all water*. All of a sudden, a spiral of light-blue water swept over the egg, then hid it in the shallows. *I hope they know where to look,* he thought.

Then he leaped up, wings aching, already wording his next spell. He had to go to three more kingdoms tonight, and the last one he would never leave. This was his last night alive, and he couldn’t fail his mission. The paths ahead said that if he did, it would mean Pyrriah’s downfall. He climbed higher, to be more invisible in the clouds.

Later, he was above where he needed to be in the SandWing kingdom. He saw a SandWing egg, very well camouflaged against the desert sands. When he landed next to the egg, he thought of something else he would give this dragonet, to make her power even with the others. Laying a talon on the quiet egg, who, when hatched, would be the fiercest, and strongest of them all. She would be the leader, or die in the attempt. He could see the paths, not change them. It was up to other dragons to make the choices after tonight. “I enchant this dragon to have the power to convince anyone the war’s not worth fighting, and—” He was cut off because he heard a dragon coming near. He finished the spell quickly in his mind, and then shot off into the sky.

*Next, the SkyWing. The Ice must be my last. I must be willing to sacrifice myself for the good of Pyrrhia! But the question is: Will I?* He labored in the sky, every beat of his wings draining his strength. He fought the urge to go back and live with his family. But he was an outcast. He was a fugitive, a runaway, for the sake of all the tribes. He finally reached the Sky kingdom, landed on a mountain peak, and walked towards the egg. *I enchant this egg to have the power of the skies and storms.* He thought out the spell, laying a talon on the egg. He took off, regretting his decision, for every time he chose to continue for the “Good of Pyrrhia,” it brought him closer to his end. Behind him, lightning flashed on the egg, hitting it. *I love you and miss you, my family.* He thought. *Goodbye.*

He flew into the Ice Kingdom, as he went, enchanting his safe passage over the Great Ice Cliff. *I must get to the egg before my time comes.* He stared down the paths, looking for a way to stop his fate. But what happens happens. There was no way to prevent it, AND reach the requirements for the prophecy to come true, on his part. His job was to enchant the eggs, and be willing to sacrifice himself for the ‘world as he knew it’ to be saved. He flew towards the hatchery, freezing winds buffeting his wings. He looked at the sun for the last time. When Pitch dove into the icy hatchery, he knew he was about to face his end. Quietly, sneaking through the chambers, until he came to where the queen’s own egg lied. He reached forward to put a talon on it.

“Well, well, well.” A voice hissed from behind. “Glad I’m here. Catching a thief. Did you really think the new queen, Queen Frost would leave her egg unguarded? Did you think she would leave the eggs deserted while *all* of the tribe was gone? She’s new to the throne, not wisdom, for she has much of that,” he bragged about his queen.

“Well. No queen could be THAT stupid,” Pitch said lightly, determined to face his time not holding a grudge.

The IceWing hissed, ready to pounce on this insolent NightWing. Insulting the Queen of Ice! “Well, YOUR queen wanted to start this war. MINE accepted the challenge because she knows she will win against you stupid night-dragons!”

“Bla-bla-bla!” Pitch smiled about riling this dragon up. When the IceWing was speaking, he had his talons over his ears. “Whatever.” He said to a growling IceWing, removing his talons. “Aanywaay… what’s your name?” He said, trying to be light-hearted and happy.

“Sleet,” he growled. “Now get away from the queen’s egg, Pitch!”

“How do you know my name?” Pitch asked, surprised.

“You’re known throughout Pyrrhia as a criminal, and anyone who killed you would be rewarded.

“Great.” Pitch mumbled, slowly sneaking closer to the egg. “So there’s a bounty on me.”

Sleet saw Pitch move toward the egg, when Pitch was almost touching it, he pounced. They rolled together, with slashing claws. Blue and black blood mixed from their bleeding cuts. “You *fool*!” Sleet spat. “Do you think I wouldn’t notice you trying to take the queen’s egg?” Sleet pinned down Pitch, but the NightWing saw the path to escape. He stopped struggling, then pushed with all his strength. His attacker rolled off him, surprised. He shot a blast of fire at Sleet, who deflected it with his wing. It left a terrible burn scar, jagged and pure black. Sleet screamed and fell back in agony. Pitch used this opportunity to reach the egg. He laid a talon on the egg, but Sleet saw and tackled him, keeping him away from the egg.

“Your mission will fail!” Sleet growled. “And *you* will die!”

“I will die.” Pitch said, watching Sleet’s surprised face. “But my mission will NOT fail.” He touched the egg with a talon, enchanting it with a wave of icy magic. “My power now belongs to this dragonet.” He croaked softly. “I have saved your tribe’s magic.”

Sleet looked in surprise at the egg as ice spread through the room. He tried to run, but his talons were stuck to the ground. The ice started covering his body. “What have you done?!?” He wailed.

“Goodbye.” Pitch said. “My mission has succeeded.” And then they, and the entire room was covered in ice.

                                                                            \*\*\*

Sunrise *hated* her job. *Why do I have to work for the Wings of War? I don’t want a war.* She reflected on her past, the hot sun beating down on her golden wings. *It’s because of my father, Torch. If he wasn’t second in command to The Leader, I wouldn’t have to be the spy. If I could only be with Mom. Time to get back to my job.* She listened to the whispers of gossiping dragons for a while, surprised at the news. She trudged back to her father, standing on the edge of the crowd.

“Any news?” Torch asked gruffly.

“Yes, father,” She replied.

“What do you know?” He questioned, now with a little more interest.

“The Talons of Peace are re-forming.” She said. “More dragons are joining them.”

Torch cursed under his breath. “And we need more soldiers. Goodbye, I must talk to The Leader about this.” He turned and flew away, leaving Sunrise staring after him.

*Of course he knows who The Leader is,* her mind grumbled. *Only he knows The Leader’s true identity. But, at least he doesn’t know my secret.* She tried not to think about it much, for she imagined Torch swooping up to her, and demanding that she tell him her secret. *He can never know that I am secretly working for the Talons of Peace. If he did, he would certainly not put me before his job.* She weaved through the throng of dragons, almost tripping on a poor, half-dead, cut and bleeding dragon. She helped him up, while he croaked “Thank you.” She smiled, passing him a fish from her lunch pouch around her neck. She then walked toward the spy, Iris.

“Hello.” Iris whispered, camouflaged. “Have you any news?”

“Yes.” Sunrise answered boldly, prepared for what came next.

She climbed up on Iris’ wing, as she tilted it down for Sunrise. Iris flapped unsteadily into the air, but at least she was hidden. They landed in a grove of trees, where Sunrise whispered her news.

“I am proud of you, Sunrise.” Iris said at last.

“Th-th-thanks?” She stammered at last. *What if my father finds out?* Rang through her head for the millionth time. *But he won’t.* She thought, determined to make this true. *I will keep my secret. I will—*

Her thoughts were interrupted when a pure-white IceWing burst into the clearing. *Blanch.*

“What have you learned, you double crosser? I heard you telling your father secrets we told you!” He bellowed at her, making Sunrise cringe. *I’m going to kill you!* She heard in his head.

“Blanch!” Iris yelled.

“What!” He roared back.

Sunrise listened in at Iris' mind. *I loved you. But, harming my friend like that, now I’m rethinking my decision.*

She held back a joyous start. *Iris is my friend!* She had very few friends. *But not for long, a voice inside her whispered.*

Blanch stared daggers at her. “Tell me what you know, traitor, or you won’t live to tell another secret!”

Sunrise saw a shadow move in the forest, but then it disappeared. *What’s that?* She wondered. She shook her head. *I must be hallucinating.* “No,” she said. *There’s nothing there–* She realized her mistake one second to late.

“What did you just say to me?” Blanch growled and pounced on her, pinning her to the ground.

“Get off!” Iris wailed, clawing at him.

*You’re in for something,* a joking voice said in her head.

*WHAT! Who are you?!?* She frantically thought back.

*It doesn’t matter who I am. I can save you. Just let me immobilize that IceWing, kill that pesky RainWing–*

*Don’t you DARE touch Iris!* She roared back, seeing a sliver of silver appear between the trees but then disappear when she thought her response.

*Okay, okay! But this is a one time offer: Come with me and be saved, or don’t.*

*Soon,* she promised. *Just let me make it up to them….*

“Blanch, Iris, you were right. But, please, give me a second chance. I thought that was what the Talons of Peace all was about.” She sneakily manipulated them.

“That is true,” Blanch said. “But what will you find out? Is it worthy of saving you?”

“I will find out the name of The Leader.” She said boldly.

“Agreed.” Blanch responded rapidly.

She turned to Iris. “And I’m going to need your help.”

## Chapter one

*And that was how the Dragonets of Destiny ended the War of the SandWing succession,* Barb read. *Of course I’ll never be that famous. Oh well. But we have a war to stop also.* Barb stretched and climbed of her cold, stone sleeping ledge.

“Barb?” A voice called.

“Yes?” She replied.

Misty appeared around the corner. “Do you want to train together? It’s not like Falcon or Avalanche are going to do anything with us.” She said disgustedly.

“Alright,” She groaned, “thanks for letting me finish my scroll first, though.”

“You finished that *entire* thing?” Misty cried. “I’m still on chapter ten!”

“Yeah. Funny that 4000 years and *they’re* still known. First point wins?” Barb said, walking off to the training center.

“Fine.” Misty replied, running to catch up. “Powers or none?” the SeaWing asked.

“Powers.”

“Ugg! You have the good one! You just yell at me to stop fighting and I stop!”

*I find it hard to find anything “good” about my useless power. She thought. It’s so unmatched. I’m supposed to be the leader, but it’s more like I’m the failure.*

They reached the training cave. It was a large cave, shaped like an almost-perfect rectangle. There were few torches, but there was a small in the middle hole open to the bright, warm sun.

Shadows danced across the corners, making it even darker. The purpose of this was to fight in the dark, and use your other senses to defend and attack. Barb thought this was a great idea, but she wished it wasn’t so *dark* in here.

“Dark or light?” Barb asked.

Misty replied, “dark.”

“But then you have to be blindfolded, Misty.” Barb said.

“Uh, why?” Misty questioned.

“You can *see in the dark*! You know the rules! I’m not going to let you cheat!” Barb retorted.

“Alright.” Misty groaned, and was led over by Barb to be blindfolded with a piece of white cloth.

“Eww! This is so gross!” Misty complained.

“Ready,” Barb said.

“Nooo!”

“Too bad. Set, go!”

Misty lifted her talons and Barb heard a tendril of water splash on the ground then lift into the air. Then Misty’s tail smacked into her face *hard*. She tasted blood in her mouth.

I must find the tendril of water, then I can ride it, just like Misty! She stumbled around blindly, talons grabbing at the cold, empty air. Finally, her talons hit something...wet. *Got it.* She leaped over her front talons, to surf the tendril of water. Misty heard her, and the tendril reared up, and slammed into her chest, hard. She thought she heard a tiny crack in her chest. All this happened while Misty yelled, “get *off*!”

“*STOP*!” Barb screamed back at her.

Misty hesitated, then replied, “no thanks!” She slammed another tendril of water into Barb’s chest. She was really starting to hate this stupid water.

She jumped again. This time, she was able to surf the tendril. She made the mistake of crying “ha!”, so Misty could hear her, and all of a sudden her not-so-safe-now tendril started rising until she thought she was almost at the roof of the cave. So that would be at least twenty-five feet in the air. She felt the tendril slide underneath her. She fell, hitting the ground roughly on her side.

“Ow.” Barb almost blacked out from the pain. But, of course, blacking out wouldn’t have made it *any* darker in here then it already was.

She thought she heard Misty say, “forfeit?”

“Yes.” She croaked.
Misty came down and helped her up. “I won? I *won*! Told you!” Misty gloated.

*No. I can’t stand this!* Barb ran back to her cave, crying. *I never win! I can’t be this weak! I’m supposed to be the leader, not a failure!*

A little bit later, she heard a knock. “Come in,” she called.

Falcon appeared in the doorway, and she gasped. The normally bright orange and sunset yellow dragon’s scales looked like they were made of ice, and a scratch was bleeding on the right side of his face where a small shard of ice stuck out.

“What?” He asked, then followed her gaze down to his body. “Oh, that. Got into a fight with Avalanche, you can see how it went.” He sighed and sat down on her sleeping ledge. “I’m the weakest of us all.” He poured out his self-pity on her, tossing her feelings around.

“You? The *weakest*? Are you *crazy!?!* Look at me! You can at least control the wind and basically shoot lightning! What can *I* do?” She roared. “Speaking of lightning, why didn’t you just blast that pesky ice dragon?”

“I would *never* harm a scale on her head! How dare you!”

“Why? ‘Cause you’re in looove?” She pestered.

“No! Don’t ever say that!” He snarled.

“It’s true. *I* know. *Misty* knows. And that’s saying something,” she teased.

“Don’t tell anyone else, please?”

“Alright. I’m sorry.”

“Barb.” He said.

“Falcon. *I’M* the failure.”

“Barb,” he continued, agitated. “We don’t care how strong you are. We love you anyway. I do. I *care about you*. You are my sister, my friend. Nothing can change that.”

It was too much. She leaned into his shoulder and cried more than before.She looked up at him and smiled. “You should have a job of making dragons feel better.”

“Why thank you,” he got up and bowed.

“Falcon!” A voice called.

“I got to go, Barb, that’s Avalanche calling! Bye!” He walked out the door and called back, “you have a visitor, too.”

She sighed. “Come in.”

Misty poked her head in the doorway. “Wanna come hunting with me?”

“Sure.” She got up and walked after the disappearing multi-colored SeaWing.

“Stop, please,” the sea-dragon asked.

“What?”

“I-I-I just wanted to tell you…” She trailed off.

“What? What? What? WHAT?”

“Uh…”

“Please tell me. I won’t repeat.” Barb begged.

“Fine,” she groaned.

“Thanks!”

“I’m sorry for gloating earlier.”

“I forgive you.”

## Chapter Two

“Hey,” Misty asked Barb, “do you want to ask Falcon and Avalanche to come hunting with us?” She continued with a twinkle in her eyes, “as long as Falcon doesn’t lightning-shock our food? I mean, Avalanche’s ice isn’t that bad. And her magic is great, but her soul… she’s already a little proud and bossy….”
“Whoa, slow down!” Barb replied, “I’ll answer those one by one. Yes, yes, it’s not bad at all, but I have to heat it with fire after wich is annoying…, and her soul is fine. So come on!” She dragged Misty over to Avalanche’s cave. “Shhhh!”
“You promise? Forever! We will always be together?” Ah, that was Avalanche.
“Yes,” Falcon said.
Barb leaned in and looked around the door. Falcon and Avalanche both cut their palms with their left claws. One light scratch that was bleeding lightly. They then pressed their cut palms together, and both said “we shall be together
forever.”
Barb turned to Misty with tears in her eyes. “They really do love each
other,” she whispered. Misty looked back with a hurt look in her eyes. Does she— she couldn’t—love Falcon? But that look— but I don’t know.
Misty surprised her by making a stomping noise and looking like she was “casually” walking to the door of the cave. Barb scrambled behind her. “What are you doing?” She hissed softly.
Misty gave her a “follow my lead” look.
Falcon and Avalanche turned around. “What the— what are you doing here?!” Falcon said. He turned to Avalanche with terrified eyes. Barb knew what he was thinking: Did they see us? Like that?
“We were just gonna ask if you’d want to go hunting with us,” Misty blurted before Barb had a chance to give themselves away.
Barb looked at Misty. Thanks, she thought. Misty gave her such a hurt look, Barb wanted to bury herself deep in a sand dune to escape it. Then Misty fixed her face and mouthed back “no problem”.
What was that all about? I guess she really does love him. Then this must be a shock to her.
“Uh, sure, I’ll go,” Falcon said. “If Avalanche wants to.”
Avalanche looked at Falcon and said, “I—”
“No,” Misty replied. “I meant just Falcon.”
“Well I’m coming too! You can’t stop me!”
“Come on, Misty,” Barb grumbled, “I’ll hunt with you.”
Avalanche tugged at Falcon’s wing.
Misty shot her a hateful look. “I can take care of this myself, thanks very much.”
“No,” Avalanche mocked her, “let Barb take care of you. Falcon is mine and you can’ have him now or ever!”
“Alright, stop.” Barb demanded. “Avalanche, Miss BossyFace, you go with Falcon. Misty come with me.” Please don’t argue. “Whoever catches the most prey wins. The winner wins this argument and gets to pick from what we catch first. Deal?”
Misty grumbled, “fine.”
“Alright,” Avalanche said. “But for the record, if you’re too stupid to know, my name’s not Miss BossyFace, it’s Avalanche.” She rolled her eyes. “C’mon, Falcon. Let’s go beat those boring dragons.”
“Uh, do you ever know what a joke is, Avalanche?” Barb replied, “c’mon, let’s go.” She raced out the door dragging Misty behind her.
“What’d you do that for?!” Misty cried as soon as they were out of the room.
Barb ignored her as Falcon and Avalanche exited the cave. “Let’s go,” she said and boosted into the air and sunlight. Barb stretched her wings to catch every warm ray, and then thumped down next to Misty.
“You really love Falcon, don’t you?” She asked.
“Do I have to answer that?”
“Yes. No ducking the question.”
“Fine. Yes, I do love him. But now…” she trailed off, her eyes turning cold. “Since he’s—”
“—Betrayed you. Loved Avalanche instead.” Barb finished for her.
“Exactly. But don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t, but I think they already know. Or at least Avalanche does. Now can we just hunt and stop chit chatting before Avalanche and Falcon beat us?”
“Says the chitchat queen.” Misty mumbled.
“Hey!” Barb spun around and faced her. She raised her snout to sniff the air. “I smell...scavenger?”
“Scavenger?” Misty cried. “C’mon, let’s catch it, I’ve always wanted a pet scavenger!”
Barb groaned. “Fine. Then can we get something to eat?”
“Yes, but let’s gooooooooo!” Misty said.
Barb laughed. “Then what are you waiting for?”
“You, to be exact.”
“Well, not anymore!” Barb bolted through the forest. As she ran, she watched the trees go by and Misty fall behind.
“Hey!” Misty called from behind her, “wait up! I thought I was gonna lead this charge!”
Barb slowed down so the colorful SeaWing could catch up and pass her.
“For your information, it’s not a charge, it’s a mission. Mission catch a scavenger.” Barb retorted.
“Whatever it is I’m leading it. This way!”
She veered off and Barb followed.
Of course she’s leading. When do I ever get a chance to lead? Barb still followed Misty, though.
Wait— the scent seemed to go away…, thought Barb.
Misty skidded to a stop in front of her. Barb flapped her wings and lifted into the air then landed on the ground to stop a lot more quietly then Misty. Misty rolled her eyes at Barb, and she rolled her eyes right back. Barb snuck down next to Misty.
“Something’s wrong. The scent. It veered away…” Misty trailed off.
“I know,” Barb replied. “I was just about to tell you. Let’s see if we can find it again.”
They tramped around the forest for a while, until Misty shouted to her.
“Found it?” Barb asked quietly.
Misty turned, looked at Barb, and nodded. Barb cautiously placed a talon forward, and Misty did the same.
Barb whispered, “so you really do want to train a scavenger?”
“Yes. To teach it to speak dragon.”
“What? A scavenger isn’t capable of everything dragons are!”
“How do you know? Do you have any concrete evidence?” Misty snapped.
“Well, no, but…” Barb stammered.
Then ha!”
“Um ha what?”
Misty retorted, “ha, you have no concrete evidence that a scavenger can’t learn everything dragons can!”
“Well,” Barb hissed, “I’m using something called common sense, which I’m not sure you even have, to tell me that a scavenger can’t do everything a dragon can. And common sense is juust about as good as concrete evidence.”
“Common sense? You’re saying I don’t have any common sense?” Misty roared.
Barb heard a muffled laugh in the distance. Falcon. Or Avalanche. Most likely Falcon, Avalanche is too proud to laugh, I think… I actually don’t know her as well as Misty, I guess. It’s sad that she spends all her time with Falcon, but I know Falcon, because he at least tries to spend time with me and Misty when Avalanche doesn’t keep him with her, which is most of the time… but I know Misty very well because Avalanche doesn’t keep a close hold on her… I actually think Misty might hate Avalanche because she loves Falcon. Well, probably.
“Barb?” Misty asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice. “Are you even here anymore?” She waved her talons in front of Barb’s face and Barb drew back, shaking her head to clear her mind.
“Huh? What were we talking about again?” Barb asked, confused.
“Ugg,” Misty said. “Nevermind.”
“Oh, common sense!”
“I said nevermind!”

```
Well that’s a way to ignore a subject from Misty, Barb thought, but she settled for saying “okay, okay,” instead so Misty wouldn’t know what she figured out.

```

“So… do you want to go find that scavenger?” Misty asked, “before the scent goes away entirely.”
“Um, sure? Whatever you want, I just want to come back with some prey.”
“This isn’t about prey this is about me! Do you not care about me enough to find a little scavenger with me?”
“Misty. I care about you so much that I would die for you, if your life was in danger.”
“No, I’m sure you wouldn’t. No one would. That’s the thing about dragons. they only care for themselves.”
“But we’re different! I’M different!”
“Yeah, yeah. Can we just go find that scavenger?”
I’ll show her one day. I swear I will.
Hurt, Barb replied, “fine,” and shot off into the forest after the scavenger scent. She shouted back to Misty to hurry up. Misty twirled and burst ahead of her. She doesn’t care. Barb slowly covered the distance, and came to the clearing right before Misty. She skidded to a stop when she saw what turned around at the noise of her flying. It was a… scavenger.
Well, what did you think you’d find, dummy?

## Chapter Three

Misty caught up to Barb. She stopped. Just stopped. Barb saw her eyes shining with joy.
I guess I finally did something right after all. But there was no time to stand around watching happy Misty all day, even though that was Barb solely wanted to do.
“Barb, I~” Misty tried to speak, but Barb shushed her.
Misty placed her one of her talons forward, but Barb halted her. “This one’s mine. Trust me. Be my backup.”
Misty nodded, and Barb smiled. But then she remembered what Misty had said to her earlier, and her heart dropped so much that she wanted to kill herself right then and there.
She won’t trust me that I’d die for her. But would I have the courage, could anyone? But I love her so much….
“Bring me back a scavenger,” Misty demanded.
Barb stared at the scavenger for a minute, exploring its escape routes in her mind. The best possible way is to fly to the other side and dive at it from above, and then I might scare it into Misty’s talons… but I want to catch it myself, and prove to her that I love her… so scare it to run to the sea, and race after it. Beat Misty to it when she thinks it got away. But isn’t that sneaky? No. I’m doing it this way and I won’t stop. Nothing will stop me, not even Misty or a puny scavenger.
Barb took slow talon steps toward the scavenger, willing it to run. It did, and Barb let out a (pretending to be) frustrated growl. Misty called if she needed help, and Barb ignored her. Part one completed! Now scare it to the water.
She ran a step behind the scavenger, pretending to be tired.
“Barb!” Misty called from behind her, “let me take the chase!”
“You didn’t trust me to do anything for you! So I’ll kill myself if I have to to get you your scavenger!” Barb pretended to pant.
Misty tried to protest, “I never—!” but Barb ignored her again.
Barb kept running. Ok, we’re at the cliff. Next part is to drive the scavenger straight off it, then catch it in the air. More dramatic. As Barb thought, she stumbled through a group of trees that were too close and thick for the SandWing to run through, but big enough for a scavenger. She twisted her wing on one of the trees, and it bent back, in agony, and stuck in a branch. Barb roared in pain, and hissed as she thought her wing was dislocated so she couldn’t fly. But then I’d better beat the scavenger to the cliff.
She burst out of the trees, and saw the scavenger backing up to the edge of the cliff. No, no, don’t jump!
It was too late. The scavenger saw the dragon approaching, and looked at the cliff. She jumped.
“No!” Barb screamed. Just as Misty caught up, Barb leaped off the cliff. She winced at the pain in her wing, but grabbed the scavenger. She pushed her broken wing, but couldn’t move it. Darn it, I need to fly back up, but I can’t. Then I’ll aim for the ocean past the rocks.

```
Barb turned her fall so she would hit the water and hopefully no rocks. I have to cushion the scavenger’s fall, I can’t give Misty a broken scavenger.
Suddenly, a water tendril rose up out of the water and pulled itself up to Barb and the scavenger. Misty, was Barb’s last thought before she hit the tendril and fell unconscious. “I got you your scavenger,” she whispered.
Where— where am I? Barb thought as she tried opening her eyes. Ow, my head hurts.

```

A voice asked, “Barb?”
Is that Misty? The pale yellow SandWing forced her eyes open, and saw Misty leaning tensely over her. “Barb!”
She saw Falcon holding Misty’s scavenger, and Avalanche looking worried at Barb. Wait, Avalanche is actually worried about me?
“Misty,” she whispered, “do you believe me now?”
Misty looked furious, then turned away. “No.”
Still? Barb stood up, nodded to Avalanche, and walked toward Falcon to look at Misty’s scavenger.
“Pst. Barb.” Falcon whispered.
Barb turned around, exasperated. “What. Do. You. Want?”
Falcon looked hurt. I’m trying. Misty is just…. She saw Avalanche coming over. Hurry up! “Yes?”
“What doesn’t Misty believe you about?”
“I told her,” She’s coming closer! “that I love her so much I’d die for her!” Barb spoke quietly and rushed.
“And she…” Falcon said.
“Doesn’t believe me!”
“Wow. I would believe you, Barb. I told you earlier today.”
“But Misty won’t!” Barb nearly screamed.
“Well, I’m not Misty and I can’t control her.” Falcon stated sharply.
Barb paused. “I’m sorry, Falcon. I just lost my temper. I won’t let it happen again.” She whipped around, and flew towards the closest island to the one they were on.