[IC] Legends of Pyrrhia | Wings of Fire

[PrankFox]

As Viper bustled around the IceWing, he glanced back towards Dreamseeker as she introduced herself and the rest of her troop, "You're welcome. I'm Aardwolf and the healer is Viper," he gestured towards the other SandWing who was in the process of dabbing at the wound on Skua's leg with gauze in order to remove the blood around it. He flashed Dreamseeker a grin, "No need to apologize. I'm told I'm quite the sight to look upon." He flared his wings slightly, the black undersides contrasting sharply with the myriad of other shades that covered his scales.

Viper rolled her eyes slightly as she continued to tend to Skua's leg, "I'll be checking the rest of you over once I get done here," her sharp eyes looking at the wounds on both Dreamseeker and Eclipse, "You're all in rough shape."

"They said they got attacked by SandWings near Jade Mountain, probably those ridiculous Duneprowlers trying to show how tough they are," he gave an exasperated sigh, "Never thought they'd actually be this much trouble." They were just some offshoot of The Outclaws. A group of SandWings who had a problem with how things were run around The Scorpion Den and wanted to try and prove that they knew better. He shook his head, instead they were attacking people randomly across the dunes.

"Will he be alright?" the SkyWing, Eclipse, asked quietly as he shuffled his feet in the sand; looking between Viper and Dreamseeker nervously.

Aardwolf gave him a reassuring smile, "He'll be fine. Viper is the best there is around here. All he needs is a bit of rest and some time to heal up." As Eclipse nodded and continued to stare worriedly at Skua, he looked back towards Dreamseeker, "It might be a bit before you guys can head out, you should make yourselves comfortable."

[Marlowe]

Dreamseeker found herself becoming a little more flustered when the SandWing spread his wings, revealing their dark undersides. Yet, she stared, admiring them; they were almost as black as her scales, if not, just as dark. Luckily, the healer, Viper, broke her from her daze. Oh, right. They were hurt too, and the more she sat, the more pain rippled over her scales. She pressed her claws against a rather vicious cut on her chest and pulled it back to see that her claws were tainted a dark brownish-red. At least her wounds were mending over and she wasn't bleeding too heavily. She glanced at Eclipse and scanned over his form. He wasn't too injured either, she realized with relief. But that worried look in his eye... she ducked her head away, saddened by the sight of him.

The SandWing was named Aardwolf. Dreamseeker liked the sound of that name-- it felt rough, foreign in her mind, not like her brothers' names, Honorseeker and Bighorn, or short and simple like Eclipse and Skua. She returned Aardwolf's smile when he said that Skua would be fine, and she decided to settle on a pillow that was closest to Eclipse. "So, these Duneprowlers... you've met them before? Why are they roaming the kingdom and attacking other dragons?" Dreamseeker asked. From inside Aardwolf's mind, she caught glimpses of SandWings fighting among themselves, pained roars, and the splatter of blood against yellow sand. Her claws curled inwards.

"I thought Pyrrhia was peaceful. That all of the tribes were united and prosperous," Dreamseeker mumbled.

[PrankFox]

Aardwolf settled down on the ground across from the trio. Viper was finishing up with Skua who appeared to have finally given up the fight with rest and was now sporting a white wrap around his front leg. Viper moved on to Eclipse next, who still had his gaze fixed on the form of his resting friend, seemingly unaware of the poking and prodding being done by the healer. Aardwolf did notice the SkyWing shift closer to Dreamseeker and brush their wings together as she settled, and he let out a quiet hum, Interesting...

He turned his attention back to the NightWing as she asked and scowled slightly, his usual smile dropping, "They're a bunch of lowlifes with no respect for any dragon, not even each other," he let out a sigh, "They used to live here and work with The Outclaws, that's all of us here at The Den, but they had some...issues with the leadership and how things were being run so they left." He shook his head sadly; remembering sitting around talking and laughing with many of the dragons who left to join the Duneprowlers. "They thought that we should be doing more to enforce our "rule" around the area. Actually claim territory and force others to pay in some way to pass through it, but our leader wouldn't hear of it, so they left and started acting like a bunch of bandits." He was fairly good friends with several of them as well as many of the dragons who got injured by them. It was all just one big mess that kept getting worse.

He gave her a rueful grin as Viper moved on from Eclipse to Dreamseeker; poking at the wounds with a careful claw before cleaning and wrapping them. "If only it were that simple. There's more things that go on behind the veil of peace than one would think." Being generally outside of the control of the Sand Kingdom gave them a bit of an outsiders perspective to everything that went on around Pyrrhia, and he had certainly seen and heard about some things that made it hard to believe that the tribes were considered to be at peace. "This," he gestured around to the injured dragons, "Is just the start of worse things to come I'm afraid."

He flashed her another smile, "Doesn't mean this all has to be doom and gloom. Where were you all headed? You're a bit of a strange company to say the least."

[Marlowe]

Dreamseeker unconsciously returned Eclipse's motion, brushing her wingtips back against his as she tucked her feet under her chest. Her eyes watched Viper as she worked before she scanned Eclipse's body, trying to see if there were any deeper wounds that could cause trouble. At least Skua was asleep. The other dragon appeared almost small upon his pillow as his muzzle was the least bit wrinkled in a semi-scowl and his claws twitched as if he were dreaming.

She turned back to face Aardwolf just as a rather... interesting thought passed through his head. She ducked her head and pretended to notice a rather interesting bug on the floor. What, just because they had brushed wingtips? It wasn't like they were twining tails. Flustered, she took a sharp breath and tried her best to focus on what he said. The Duneprowlers? The Outclaws? These were words she wasn't familiar with. Both of them sounded like some sort of bandits, but maybe the Outclaws were better in a way? They seemed more like vigilantes or guards, separate from Queen Arid's own guard. His words at the end sent a shiver down her spine, and she found herself pressing a little closer to Eclipse for comfort as Viper hovered close to tend to her wounds.

"It sounds like you're dealing with a lot. We are, too," Dreamseeker spoke quietly. It was so weird that she had begun to speak to so many dragons-- Eclipse, then Brightstar, then Skua, and now Aardwolf... she never expected to be so social. "Um... perhaps you've heard the news from the Sky Kingdom? Queen Ember was murdered only a day or two ago. We were on the way to the rainforest because we suspect that the poison that was used against her had been gathered from a beast that lurks there. Well, were, until--"

"Wait, did you say that Queen Ember was murdered?" one of the SandWings nearly jumped off of her pillow. "By who?"

Dreamseeker blinked in alarm. "W-we..."

"Then who is in charge of the Sky Kingdom?" muttered another as he shared nervous glances with the first. Both of them looked at her expectantly.

"I don't know!" Dreamseeker yelped, ducking closer to the pillow. This was so overwhelming!

[PrankFox]

The SkyWing finally seemed to at least somewhat relax as Skua finally fell asleep, and turned his attention to the conversation that was going on between himself and Dreamseeker. He leaned slightly into the smaller dragon, reciprocating the action she made as Viper once again began to clean and bandage wounds. He wasn't sure how long these dragons had known each other but it already seemed that they cared for each other a great deal.

Aardwolf felt his jaw drop as Dreamseeker told them of Queen Ember's death and tried to get his thoughts in order as questions were slung at the NightWing who seemed more than a little bit overwhelmed, "Quiet down!" he snapped towards the other dragons in the infirmary, "You're not helping anything by drowning her in questions." The others settled back down still intently watching and listening to the conversation, but no longer hounding Dreamseeker for information. He also noticed the immediate tensing of Eclipse's muscles and clenching of his jaw at the mention of the SkyWing queen. He had no idea what that was about, but he was sure he'd probably find out at some point. It wasn't nerves or guilt so it must be something else.

"We don't know who did it, that's what we were traveling to find out," the quiet words came from Eclipse who was staring down at the ground and making eye contact with none of them, "At the moment my mother is in charge, but it's only temporary." The young dragon shifted uncomfortably as the eyes of all the dragons in the room landed on him, but he gave no more information than that.

Aardwolf blinked in surprise. His mother, so that meant he was related to the queen somehow. No wonder he seems so stressed and worried, it must've been a rough few days for these guys. "How did she die, if you don't mind my asking?" He shifted slightly and looked between the two dragons who were still awake. He'd never been close enough to anyone really to truly understand the impact of losing a family member. He could see the crushing sadness that was just barely held off. Not being directly connected to Queen Arid made it difficult to know exactly what would come of it, but his only prediction was that war would be coming soon.

[Marlowe]

Dreamseeker was grateful for both Aardwolf's interruption of questions and the feel of Eclipse's side against hers. The other SandWings shut their jaws and remained quiet, but their eyes still begged for answers. Honestly, she didn't blame them. She wasn't going to bury herself in their minds; that would be just rude and disrespectful, especially with how nervous they looked. Their thoughts were clearly written upon their expressions, anyway. What would happen now that Queen Ember had been assassinated? Was the killer going to go after the other queens as well? She tossed Eclipse a sad look at his discomfort, wanting to do more other than just lay next to him. Moons, what she wouldn't give up to find the culprit responsible.

She perked up at Aardwolf's question. Oh, right, she had left out that part. "I'm sure everyone's heard about the festival she was hosting. She appeared to deliver a speech, but it was cut short when something sharp and pointy flew out from the crowd and struck her in the neck. None of the guards saw where it came from. And when the healers showed up to help, it was too late," Dreamseeker explained. "That's why we need to get to the rainforest as soon as we can. The assassin might be anywhere now, plotting to take down more dragons with this poison. Speaking of which, do you know anyone who might point us in the right direction when it comes to dealing with RainWings? There's so little written about them, but all of the scrolls I've read only describe them as lazy. We need all the help we can get..."

[PrankFox]

Aardwolf, as well as the other dragons in the room, listened intently to Dreamseeker as she explained how Queen Ember died. He'd heard of about the festival she was hosting, but none of The Outclaws were interested in going. "That's ridiculous. Killing her in the middle of a speech with so many witnesses, but still, no one saw anything." There had to have been at least someone who saw something and either were too afraid to say anything or didn't even realize what they knew.

"RainWings, huh." He'd never been to the rainforest or had any kinds of dealings with them. They tended to keep to their own devices and weren't particularly interested in the affairs of the other tribes. "I've never had any dealings with them or ever done much reading about them, but if anyone is likely to have information about anything it would be the leader of The Outclaws, Drought." Drought had been leading them for quite some time and she had the respect and loyalty of most all of the dragons in The Den. Except for those who left to join the Duneprowlers, but they didn't count in his mind.

Viper finished up her work and gave a satisfied nod, moving on to check the other dragons, leaving the three of them to their own devices. "Maybe once you get some rest and heal up a bit I can take you to go see her." Drought would definitely be interested in hearing about this assassination. She didn't have any particular love for the queens but it still would be vital to keeping The Outclaws in the know and safer than they would be otherwise.

[Marlowe]

Dreamseeker nodded. She was shocked that an assassination had been done in front of so many witnesses, but no one even caught a glimpse of the dragon at fault. Remaining quiet as Aardwolf continued, she couldn't help but frown a bit as he said he didn't know much about RainWings. Not surprising. No one knew much about them at all; she could argue that more was known about the Night Kingdom than the kingdom in the rainforest. The SandWing did mention the fact that the Outclaws' leader, Drought, would probably know something. She wanted to leap to her feet and bolt to go find her, but her body was still sore. I need to be more careful in fights. I was lucky that that SandWing was easy to read, and even then I got a bit slashed up, Dreamseeker thought to herself as she glanced over at Eclipse. I don't even know I'm going to tell him in the first place. I can't keep it a secret forever. Will he even look at me the same way?

In the end, she nodded. "I'm sure that's a good idea. We're not sure of who else to ask," Dreamseeker murmured as she turned back to Eclipse. "What do you think?"

[PrankFox]

Eclipse jumped slightly when Dreamseeker turned her attention to him. He'd been so lost in worry for Skua and concern over what they were going to try and do next he'd only been half listening to the conversation between her and this new SandWing. "Um, I guess it would be for the best," he shrugged slightly, "We're kind of running low on options here." Honestly, they really hadn't thought all of this through. The only idea they had in mind was to get to the rainforest, but after that they had no plans and no ideas about where to go from there. These Outclaws seemed to be fairly well organized and capable. "It'd be nice to get the opinion of someone who is a bit more capable than just the three of us."

He looked towards the SandWing, Aardwolf, as he heard a faint chuckle come from him, "You can say that again. No offense, but I don't know how much longer you guys would've lasted without some kind of help. Having more dragons on your side could prove handy in a pinch." Aardwolf flashed another slight grin at Dreamseeker, and Eclipse felt a bit of irritation and...something else flare up like hot fire.

"We still fought them off. They just caught us off guard." He knew that wasn't completely true but he felt the need to defend them to all these SandWings, especially Skua who was asleep at present and couldn't defend himself. He had no idea what his temperamental friend would do or say about all this, but he imagined there would be a great deal more tension in the room if he was conscious.

"Sorry, yes, clearly you all handled yourselves and made it here," Aardwolf raised his claws in a placating manner, "I simply meant some outside aid could do you good is all.

Eclipse let out a sigh and tried to settle himself a bit. He didn't know why he was getting so worked up over this. Maybe everything that happened over the past several days was finally pushing him to some kind of breaking point. He'd already lost Ember and now he wasn't even sure how close he'd come to losing his best friend. He could still feel the heat beating down on his scales as he took on more and more of Skua's weight in order to drag him this far. If they'd been much later, well he didn't want to think about that.

He turned back to Dreamseeker, "Should we wait for Skua to wake up before we go see this leader of theirs?" He wasn't sure if he'd be up to going to speak with anyone, but he also didn't want to leave him to wake up without one of them there.

[Marlowe]

Dreamseeker's eyes shifted between Eclipse and Aardwolf as she listened to them speak. What Aardwolf said made sense. They needed all the help they could get, and they were lucky they were able to get to the Scorpion's Den before Skua fell even more ill. She ducked her head as Eclipse's words became even sharper, so much so that even the SandWing had been caught off guard. At least he was able to smother whatever frustration had been bubbling up in his mind. Even now, she sensed the tension that clustered in his mind like dark storm clouds. She frowned at him as she pondered upon his well-being. Oh, Eclipse, she thought, curling her claws into her palm. You really need to relax sometimes. You can't carry the world on your shoulders.

Her gaze drifted back to Skua. The dragon was still in a deep sleep, albeit in a much more peaceful one. "I think we should go ahead of him. He might not be able to walk, even if he does wake up soon. Rest is important," Dreamseeker suggested as she got up to her feet. Her body still ached a terrible amount, but she forced herself to stand as straight as she could as she stepped closer to Aardwolf. "I'm ready when you are."

[PrankFox]

Eclipse frowned slightly at Dreamseeker as she struggled to her feet, but she didn't let it show for long as she walked over to Aardwolf. He glanced back towards Skua for a brief moment, hopefully he wouldn't be too upset with them for going on without him. He pushed himself to his feet, thankful that the only injury that really impeded his movement was the wound on his shoulder, "Lead the way."

He saw the SandWing's eyes flicking between the two of them, well hidden concern on his face. "Alright, if you think you're up for it. Viper will keep an eye on your friend." Aardwolf spun about and walked out of the open flap of the tent back into the burning desert heat. Though he kept his pace fairly slow which Eclipse was begrudgingly grateful for.

He glanced around the sprawling streets of The Scorpion Den where dozens of other dragons wandered about. Some armed with spears and armored and others who weren't. There were even several dragonets bounding through the legs of the older dragons. They got some odd looks as they followed Aardwolf, but no one appeared to be outwardly hostile. He supposed being with a guard probably eased their minds a fair amount rather than two foreign dragons walking their streets. As they approached the center of town he could see a large oasis with clear water that reflected the sun and many more guards that milled about. Most of them were congregated near a large tent, similar in size to the healer's but slightly taller. As they approached the tent two massive, older SandWing guards stepped up in front of them barring entry to the tent.

"What nonsense have you brought this time Aardwolf?" he sneered back towards the two of them, "You should know by now that Drought doesn't have time for you."

Eclipse stiffened at the hostile words, ready to turn and run back to Skua in case they needed to flee. "Stand down Jackal," Aardwolf drew himself up to his full height and scowled at the other dragon, "They have important information about the assassination of Queen Ember."

He saw both of the guard's jaws drop open in shock and they had to take a moment to process what Aardwolf said before he stepped back into the tent, and a moment later stuck his head back out and waved them inside.

[Marlowe]

Silently, Dreamseeker walked after Eclipse and Aardwolf. Now that she could actually take the time to look around, the Scorpion Den certainly was... something. Vendors lined the street as they waved about purple prickly pears and strange-colored roasted snakes. She caught the scent of spices in the air, along with roasted meats and other types of fruit that littered the desert. What she noticed the most, though, was the fact that much of the population of the Scorpion Den didn't necessarily looked friendly. Many of the dragons there had a curious sheen to their eye and an interested expression upon their face. She caught sight of more than one dragon staring at them. Dreamseeker didn't even want to know what rolled around in their minds. We're with the Outclaws, we're safe, now, she told herself over and over as she made sure to keep up with the two other dragons.

They finally came upon a larger tent, though they hardly got a chance to speak before they were approached by two large SandWings. Dreamseeker shuffled behind Eclipse, somewhat intimidated. SandWings can be so harsh with one another, she thought as she made sure to keep her head low. Maybe they'd relax a bit if they saw they were no threat? To her surprise, Aardwolf's sharp reply earned them passage into the tent, and before she knew it they were being ushered inside.

The tent felt like it was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. Dreamseeker arched her head around to peer at the cobalt blue and golden carpet spread over the floor, embedded with ornate images of golden lizards and hawks and snakes. Incense burned within tiny brass containers, and a smoky, light lavender haze hovered about the tent. And right in front of them lounged a large SandWing the color of parched dirt. Her underbelly was an ashen gray, and her eyes were as dark as night. Her right ear was bejeweled with a cluster of small, colorful earrings, and a long, gruesome scar ran deep over her throat. Dreamseeker shuddered as the dragon's black gaze scanned them.

"Welcome," Drought's wings spread open in greeting, revealing the cream color under her wings. "I am Drought, leader of the Outclaws. I hear you bring news from the Sky Kingdom."

Dreamseeker did not like this dragon. Firstly, she was bigger than her, and could easily claw her in half with one swipe of her talons. Secondly, the look in her eye was accepting, but not friendly. And thirdly, even though this dragon's mind was void of nefarious plots and thoughts, she just didn't seem right. There was something strange about her, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

"O-oh," Dreamseeker jumped when she saw that Drought and Jackal were looking at her. "Y-yes, we come from the Sky Kingdom, actually. We... w-well, uh, Queen Ember has been assassinated, you see, and--"

Drought narrowed her eyes. "I already know this. We received word about it at dawn," she interrupted in a cold voice. Her tongue, long, black, and forked, poked out from between her jaws and slithered back again.

"U-uh... well," Dreamseeker tried her best not to panic; it was difficult, because her heart was practically beating out of her chest. "She was struck by a dart, which had been covered in black poison, which has in turn been unidentified for now. We suspect that the poison comes from a beast in the rainforest, and we were heading there in order to garner aid from the RainWings."

There was a very long pause. Drought turned her head to look at Eclipse, her eyes scanning him up and down. "Is this true, SkyWing?" she asked.

[PrankFox]

Eclipse flared his wings slightly to better hide Dreamseeker from view as she moved to stand behind him. SkyWings probably weren't the most uncommon to see, but a NightWing would certainly raise more questions. He felt that same irritation bubble up as the SandWing guard belittled the both of them and verbally brushed them to the side. To both his and Dreamseeker's surprise the laid back SandWing they'd been with this whole time snapped at the guards who, after a moment, vanished inside the tent.

The decor of the inside of the tent was a bit over the top. Even Queen Ember hadn't had this many different things decorating her throne room. The incense that was burning tickled his nose in an annoying way and he had to focus on not sneezing in the presence of the leader of The Outclaws. She definitely looked like a dragon that would be named Drought. Her scales the same color of a dry lake bed and just as unpleasant to be around judging by her demeanor. A pleasant smile that didn't reach her eyes and a rough voice. He felt Dreamseeker shudder next to him and he couldn't help but shift uncomfortably at the black gaze that, from Aardwolf appeared warm and friendly, but from her seemed to pierce into his soul.

He watched as Aardwolf stepped off to the side, not towards the other two Outclaws, but definitely out of the line of scrutiny. He looked back towards the guard and Drought as Dreamseeker began to explain what had happened. He bristled slightly at her cold and uncaring response, but kept his jaws firmly clamped shut.

At Drought's question he forced himself not to glare, "Yes it's true. During the speech at her festival someone in the crowd, we're unsure who, launched this dart and struck her in the neck. I was there when she died on the pulpit. Her scales were melting around where the dart struck." He kept his voice even and matter of fact, just stating exactly what happened without any of the emotion that was fighting to push it's way free. "We're hoping by finding the source of the poison it may lead us in the direction of the responsible party. We were on our way there when we were attacked by a group of bandits and came here to help our friend who was injured," he bowed his head respectfully, "We thank you for your aid. I hope we did not cause any inconvenience." He glared down at the floor for a moment before raising his head back up, expression neutral.

[Marlowe]

"Hhhhmmmm..." Drought narrowed her dark eyes at Eclipse's explanation. Her tap, long and spindly and tipped with the trademark SandWing stinger, flicked to and fro thoughtfully. "The rainforest, then. Luckily for you, I have the perfect solution to your dilemma."

Dreamseeker's eyes widened. She might not have liked Drought, but she seemed genuine in her own way, and didn't appear to harbor any malignant thoughts. In fact, what thoughts she could pick up from that tangle of a mind were ones that expressed slight concern for her kind. The SkyWing kingdom was not too far from the Kingdom of Sand. It wouldn't make any sense if she just outright refused to aid them. With a lazy sigh, the large SandWing lifted herself up from where she laid and approached. Now that she was closer, Dreamseeker saw that her pale gray scales were littered with scars of all shapes and sizes, as if she herself had been in fights that may as well have killed her.

"Come. I'll show you to the holding cells. Jackal, Tortoise, keep watch over the tent. Aardwolf, come along," Drought said nonchalantly. Dreamseeker remained silent, waiting for Eclipse to lead the way. She didn't want to hover too close to the SandWing-- her ebony stinger was absolutely huge, and she didn't want to risk getting scratched by it.

[PrankFox]

Eclipse blinked in surprise at the sudden change of tune from Drought. She had seemed so ambivalent and uncaring when they first came in, and now she was offering to help them. He wasn't sure the reason they were going to the holding cells and that made him a bit nervous. Despite his misgivings he turned to follow after the large SandWing as Aardwolf bowed his head respectfully and moved to stand a few steps behind and to the right of the Outclaw leader.

He gave Dreamseeker a confused glance. He was so out of his element in this kind of situation that the best he could do is try to keep the two of them alive. He didn't think that Drought wanted to do anything to harm them, but if she did then he wasn't sure what chance they'd have at getting away as sore as they were. He also had Skua to think about, still asleep in the healer's tent. He would have no idea where they were if something should happen and the likelihood of him leaving without them was incredibly slim. His friend would tear the city apart to find him.

Following the two SandWings out of the tent he could see the immediate quick snaps of guards correcting their stances and other dragons moving to get out of the way to allow them to pass by. Heads were lowered with respect and the guards kept a close eye on anyone that might be creeping a bit to close to them. He didn't really think it was necessary, the massive black stinger on the end of Drought's tail would be enough to keep him away, and he imagined many others wouldn't want to tangle with the experienced leader. As they weaved their way through the streets of the city he couldn't keep track of all of the twists and turns between buildings and past market stalls. He was so used to flying through the air around the mountain peaks of the Sky Kingdom that walking on the ground of a city felt weird. He'd just have to trust that the intentions of The Outclaws was at least somewhat good.

He dropped back a couple of steps to walk next to Dreamseeker; still keeping near enough to the SandWings to not get left behind, but far enough that he could whisper without being heard. "What kind of help do you think she's offering us?" he kept his voice quiet, "And in the holding cells no less. It feels strange."

[Marlowe]

Dreamseeker was also very much confused. She still couldn't read Drought's mind properly, and the more she prodded the haze that surrounded her thoughts became thicker and thicker. Maybe she was just well-guarded against dragons who tried to read her? Or maybe she had a piece of jewelry that prevented her reading her mind, even if she didn't know it? Her gaze drifted to Eclipse and she shook her head. "I don't know. I'm just as confused as you are," she whispered back as Drought circled behind the tent and made her way into a somewhat narrow alleyway. Dreamseeker gave one Eclipse one last curious look before she slipped in after her.

It was a rather tight space, even for her, who was a bit smaller than Eclipse. Though, they didn't have to remain uncomfortable for long. The alleyway opened to a makeshift courtyard that was lined with a steel fence. Several large, black boxes dotted the yard here and there, all of them lined with reinforced steel bars. There were other SandWings there, as well. One of them even had reddish scales and longer horns, along with a more dainty appearance. Dreamseeker watched the hybrid approach Drought and dip her head.

"I decided to pay our special guest a visit," Drought said with a large grin. The sight of all of her teeth made Dreamseeker quiver.

The dragon nodded silently and motioned with her wing. Once again, Dreamseeker followed Drought and the other dragon to one of the makeshift prisons. The leader of the Outclaws' smile didn't diminish as she approached the bars. "You. Wake up." Her voice was a dangerous growl.

Dreamseeker peered around Drought's wing and into the prison. There was something moving in the very back of the cell, but she couldn't see it well. But the figure moved in an nonchalant manner to the front of the cage, where the bars prevented it from stepping any further. Dreamseeker's eyes widened with disbelief. This was a dragon she had never seen before. Like the hybrid, the dragon's neck was longer and more delicate, and frills poked out from beneath its horns. Its scales were deep blue splashed with violet. Dreamseeker's gaze flitted up to Drought, who caught her bewildered look.

"This, my dears, is your solution," Drought announced with with a flourish. "What you're looking at is a RainWing, straight from the rainforests."

She couldn't believe it. No matter how much she stared at the dragon in the cage, the more she realized she had to. What in the three moons was a RainWing doing in the middle of the desert? Dreamseeker stepped closer in an attempt to get a closer look. The RainWing's eyes were deep blue, but they were fierce, angry, and... well, just overall furious. Pity struck her. No dragon should be locked in such a tiny cell.

Drought's voice sounded again. "This is our most precious prisoner. She had been stealing from the markets for weeks, but we were never able to catch her. We were only able to get her claws on her just the other day."

"What's her name?" Dreamseeker murmured.

Drought shrugged. "Hasn't bothered to tell us. Don't know, don't care."

[PrankFox]

Eclipse looked around the courtyard, an uncomfortable feeling prickling across his scales. The idea of being enclosed in such a small space with no way to escape or fly was likely one of the greatest fears of many of the dragons across all of the kingdoms. It was certainly one of his. He followed after the others and felt another flash of surprise at another hybrid that appeared to be here guarding the cells. Seemed like this entire place was here just to confuse him.

As they stepped up to the cell he had to stop himself from shuddering at the malicious tone to Drought's voice. He didn't know her at all but he got the impression that it would take very little to set her off, and lose whatever small amount of favor they'd been able to gain. He peered around Drought's other side and stared in shock at the dragon that was inside. He'd never seen a RainWing before nor had any of the scrolls that he read given any kind of description to what they looked like, but this had to be one. He'd never seen any other dragon that looked like this one. This dragon was unique in both form and color with scales that made him think more of a SeaWing, but built more like SkyWing with the slender neck and snout.

This RainWing looked to be anything but lazy though. With fury burning in her blue gaze and a tense posture just on the other side of the bars. Stealing...that still didn't give any explanation to why the RainWing was in the middle of the desert. His eyes flicked to Aardwolf who shuffled uncomfortably from where he stood a little ways off. Wonder if he had something to do with her getting caught.

"So how is she going to help us?" Eclipse turned his attention away from the RainWing briefly to look at Drought, "We just ask her about the poison and see if she'll tell us?" He didn't want to make assumptions, but he didn't think this dragon, trapped as she was, had any kind of interest in helping any of them.

[Marlowe]

Drought's smile only seemed to increase in size at Eclipse's question. "I'm glad you asked. This here RainWing isn't only going to get you to the rainforest, but she'll also help you gain the trust of the other RainWings. It'll be easier if they think you're associated with one of their kind," she answered in a prompt fashion. The RainWing's eyes became even more steely than before, her eyes locked on Drought as she spoke. Dreamseeker glanced over her muzzle and felt even more pity for the thing; her jaws were clamped shut with iron, potentially to prevent her from breathing fire at the guards.

Dreamseeker waved a hand as if she were a dragonet in school. "E-excuse me, Miss Drought, but what makes you think a criminal will listen to what we say? What if you release her and she goes flying off without so much as a word?"

Drought eyed her. "Don't be so silly. As if I would actually let set her free from all of her chains. That would be a grave mistake," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "The muzzle will stay on, along with the locks on her ankles and neck. Aardwolf will also accompany you on your trip. She won't be able to do anything with chains wrapped around her body and a guard on her tail."

The NightWing glanced at Aardwolf, then at Eclipse. It seemed like a good idea, despite how cruel it was. Dreamseeker wanted to believe that this wasn't a bad dragon, that the RainWing was unjustly incarcerated. Though when she tapped into her mind, all she could hear was malignant thoughts. About how she would tear out Drought's throat, how she would disembowel Aardwolf as long as she got the chance. And about how she would get rid of Eclipse and her, if they stood in her way. Dreamseeker's eyes widened with alarm and stepped away, hovering around Aardwolf with slight fear.

"Don't worry. She probably won't even try to escape. RainWings are lazy, don't you know?" Drought added.

"Why do you want to help us?" Dreamseeker spluttered out. She didn't even recall thinking of asking that.

Drought blinked, then became serious. "What a silly question. I'm a SandWing in the Kingdom of Sand-- if something's happened in the Sky Kingdom, which is practically next door, shouldn't I be concerned about what's going to happen next? Queen Arid isn't a perfect monarch, but she certainly isn't horrible. I'd hate to see what'd happen if one of her sisters took control."

Dreamseeker was caught off guard by the sincerity in Drought's voice. Maybe she was being genuine. Maybe she actually cared about the Sky Kingdom. Maybe she wanted the assassin brought to justice. "A-alright," she mumbled. "I guess we have no other choi--"

"Perfect!" Drought suddenly grinned again. The leader of the Outclaws turned to face Aardwolf. "Get her out of there, and quick. I need to get back to work."

[PrankFox]

Eclipse had to admit that Drought had a point. Going into the rainforest with nothing other than a faint idea of what they were looking for and no inside information didn't exactly seem like the best idea. They really didn't think any of this through did they. He looked back towards the RainWing trapped in iron and chains; slightly nervous about letting her come with them. She didn't exactly seem to have a pleasant disposition and the rage that burned in her eyes as she looked at the two SandWings made him twitchy. They had already been attacked once and he really didn't want to experience it a second time so soon.

His eyes snapped to where Aardwolf was standing as Drought said he would come with them, and clearly both of them were not expecting this if the look of surprise on the SandWing's face was anything to go by. His jaws parted for a moment as if he was going to protest before he snapped them shut again and Eclipse saw the stinger curl slightly with unease. Skua is not going to be happy about this. He already had a problem with Dreamseeker and now they were adding another two unknown dragons into their travel party. Skua would see it as more people that could potentially hurt them rather than help them.

Eclipse felt a flash of alarm as Dreamseeker sped away from the cage to hang near Aardwolf, who looked mildly concerned at the fear on the young NightWing's face. "Don't worry. She can't do anything chained up like that," the SandWing said quietly to her.

The RainWing didn't make any kind of threatening motion towards them, so he wondered what spooked her so badly. He turned his attention back to Drought at Dreamseeker's question, curious as to what she would say. He was surprised by her response and how sincere she sounded, but then again he couldn't get a read on the SandWing. Her moods shifted so quickly he could barely keep up with it. She liked Queen Arid, or so it seemed, yet she ran a city of dragons called The Outclaws who seemed more similar to bandits than anything. All of this was starting to make his head hurt.

"Of course Drought." He watched Aardwolf walk off a short ways and pick up a ring of keys from one of the other guards. The SandWing walked back and Eclipse took several steps away to stand closer to Dreamseeker. He had no idea what this RainWing was going to do when they let her out and he didn't want to be her first target.

"I don't know if this is the best idea," he whispered to Dreamseeker, "I mean, I know we don't really have a choice here, but still."

Aardwolf unlocked the cage and brought his stinger around to the side where he could easily use it, "No funny business alright." He stepped back and passed the keys off to another nearby guard before gesturing for the RainWing to step out.

[Marlowe]

Dreamseeker's eyes widened even more when she saw Aardwolf walk toward the prison. Even though he said she wasn't going to be able to do anything, she didn't want to risk anything by getting too close to an angry dragon. Eclipse's thoughts melted into hers. Was this really a good idea? How about Skua? She regretted not bringing him with them, but maybe again, it was for the best. Knowing the very loud and easily aggravated dragon, he might only escalate the situation more.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the gate creaked open. The strange RainWing glared at Aardwolf, though there was no flash of claws or whipping of tails. Instead, it stepped into the light, and Dreamseeker's eyes took in her scales again. They were a gorgeous color, something between plum colored and the hue of twilight, and the azure in her eyes was just as vibrant as the rest of her. Her eyes once again wavered to her and Eclipse, and Dreamseeker found herself averting her gaze to avoid looking her in the eye.

Shaking her head, she shot a glance at Eclipse. "Not only is this a bad idea," she whispered under her breath and hoped that Eclipse would be able to hear her, "but isn't it terrible that that poor dragon's in so many chains just for stealing something?"

Drought suddenly clapped her talons together, and the sound cut through the tension in the air. "Wonderful, wonderful. Now, if I were you, I'd hurry along. Your friend should be awake by now and waiting for you to get back. If you're quick, you might reach the rainforest before evening."