Eclipse followed Morrowseer back to the dragonet dormitory and Eclipse remembered why he didn’t like being there. The thoughts of every dragon flared in his head.

  Look at how healthy he is. He’s one of those dragonets isn’t he? This is what mother died to protect?

  The two of them landed down and walked down the halls; Eclipse heard dragonets whispering about.

  “What is the mainland like?” One of them asked.

  Eclipse looked at Morrowseer who was walking faster and seeming angrier than usual. A dragon popped their head out from one of the den areas and then darted back into the room.

  “Morrowseer is coming with that one dragon,” they yelled.

  Eclipse felt scrambling thoughts as both of them entered and everyone trying to act natural and asleep as they all leapt in their beds leaving Starflight alone.

  “Starflight!” Eclipse exclaimed but Morrowseer shot him a look and he crumbled slightly.

  “The Queen of the NightWings wants to see you.”

  “Um, m-me, I mean should I be, I mean—”

  “Stop blithering and follow me.” Morrowseer said sternly as he turned.

  “Do what he says,” one of the NightWings whispered to Starflight.

  The three of them all walked out together as they went back to the council chamber.

  “Hello Starflight it’s so nice to finally be meeting you,” Eclipse whispered softly.

  “Um… it’s nice to be meeting you too?” Starflight whispered back.

  “Oh where are my manners I’m—”

  “Stop talking, both of you, now.” Morrowseer threatened.

  They were silent the rest of the way into the council chamber. The whole way there he was worrying about his friends and Eclipse wished for a moment he was one of those dragons he worried about; one of his friends and someone who Starflight wanted to be around.

  “My friends— Sunny and the others— are they— when can I go back to them?” Starflight asked softly.

  Sunny!? Eclipse leaped, Starflight knew where Sunny was? Now he had to make sure to follow this dragon, one because he already wanted too but also Sunny.

  “Watch your step.” Morrowseer said as they stepped into the center chamber.

  So many dragons were watching all of them now but especially Starflight.

  “Three moons, it’s my worst nightmare. Hundreds of NightWings! Glaring at me! And they’re all reading my mind!”

  Starflight screamed in that way Eclipse would have to get used to. He worries a lot, Eclipse glimpsed, but he’s also admirable in that way.

  Starflights thoughts then began to scream at Eclipse. “They know I’m terrified and weak and useless and I don’t think Blister should be SandWing Queen at all!”

  Blister as queen wasn’t impossible and somewhat likely in a lot of futures but oh what a terrible queen she was; so many dead dragons and even Sunny. Eclipse saw that future and it was awful, Sunny’s death made him mad, worse than anything the continent had seen, he destroyed Blister and all the SandWings, everyone feared him and he became so bitter and cold. That future can never pass, never.

  “I think this place is a horrible place to live and— Stop thinking things you don’t want them to hear!” Starflight exhaled. “Think about what you see, nothing else. It’s not ‘hundreds’ of dragons. It’s only about forty and all of them are horrifyingly thin.” He looked up at Greatness, “that can’t be The Queen. She doesn’t look very majestic.”

  Eclipse wondered how Starflight had noticed that so quickly, he only noticed because of that enchantment but Starflight figured it out so fast. Then again that shouldn’t have surprised Eclipse, Starflight was super smart anyway.

  “The Queen must be behind that screen, watching us. But why hide from her own tribe? Wait, she can probably hear that! Um beautiful skies, massive lava pit…”

  Oh Starflight if only you knew, I’m the only one who can read your mind, none of them possess even a fraction of the necessary power. Eclipse said to himself, not that Starflight knowing that would comfort him.

  “This is it? This is the Dragonet of Destiny? He doesn’t look like someone who can save our tribe, let alone the continent.” One dragon said aloud.

  “Has he said anything about the RainWings plans now that she and that little one escaped?” Another on the wall hissed.

  The room divulged into discussions and petty questions of what about this, what about that. Starflight wondered exactly what Eclipse did, what are they planning and what do RainWings have to do with it. Then it hit Eclipse; armor, RainWings subjects, this horrible place. They want to leave the island, they want to invade the Rainforest!

  That revelation was cut short as Greatness spoke. “The Queen says silence, all of you and ask him what the RainWing knows.”

  Starflight began to blubber until Morrowseer threatened, “Speak or I kill you right now.”

  Eclipse could sense the truth in Morrowseer’s statement, but Eclipse would never let that happen and it was unlikely anyway.

  “Her… uh, her name is Glory. She said that you have RainWing prisoners?” Starlight said and begged the moons that it wasn’t true.

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  Eclipse wished it wasn’t true either, but it was he’d seen it with his own eyes, he participated in it.

  “What if I fix everything? You asked Glory to let you come up with a peaceful solution so where are those words when you need them most?” Starlight begged himself.

  “Are they going to attack us!?” A dragon shouted.

  “Yes— I mean I think so.” Starlight stuttered out.

  No Starflight, why would you say that? Then a dragon burst in. His face was disfigured and he had such a grumpy demeanor that Eclipse intrinsically despised.

  “It doesn’t matter if they do,” he said confidently. “RainWings are no match for us.”

  “Yeah I think the future begs to differ.” Eclipse whispered to himself.

  “What was that?” Morrowseer turned to him.

  “N-nothing just that they are, whatever that venom they have is, I saw it in Mastermind’s lab, it just eats through armor.”

  Morrowseer actually smiled at that and it made a chill run up Eclipse’s tail. “Yeah and you see why I said spending time with him was a waste, but I guess you had to learn the hard way. We should just wipe out their whole tribe now and perhaps… you can help us with that oh so wonderful gift.” The words hung at the end.

  “Vengeance, you weren’t invited to this council,” Greatness warned.

  “I noticed, and yet I know more about RainWings and what they can do. Funny how you’d choose to not include me in such a relevant discussion.”

  The way he spoke, Eclipse knew, it was going to get him killed.

  “And I can guarantee you,” Vegence pointed to his snout. “This was a fluke. When I stole their queen— or rather one of the queens—and she did this. She never meant to, they never mean to. They could be the most dangerous tribe in all of Pyrrhia and yet they are too pathetic and weak to do so.”

  “Maybe they were before Glory appeared. From what Morrowseer had told us, she’s not weak.” Someone chimed.

  That’s for certain, Eclipse thought. He remembered Scarlet, how such a powerful queen was brought down by a lowly RainWing.

  “This is your fault, Vengence. You went into the Rainforest even though we told you not to, even though Deathbringer warned you and us the dragonets were there.” Greatness looked down at him.

  “Oh yeah, Deathbringer. How is that little pet of yours Greatness? I’ve heard a lot of interesting stories pertaining to him. Bring him in,” Vengeance commanded.

  Guards ushered Deathbringer in and Vengeance grabbed him by the horns and threw him hard on the ground.

  “Deathbringer?” Starflight looked shocked.

  “Oh, hello Starflight. Come here often?” Deathbringer joked.

  “Your little pet assassin was actually conspiring against us and brought the MudWing here; allowing the prisoners to escape, he helped them!” Vengeance accused. “I have witnesses who can testify they saw him with them.”

  Greatness looked at him, “Is this true Deathbringer? You know such a betrayal… the punishment is death.”

  Deathbringer bowed. “I swear your highness, I’ve done everything that was in the best interest of our tribe.”

  Eclipse knew on some level Deathbringer believed that, but he also was lying.

  “Oh yeah, then why are the dragonets still alive?” Vengeance shot out at him.

  “My mission is not complete yet. I need to return to the Rainforest and—”

  “And betray us more!” Vengeance interjected.

  “I assure you that I’m a loyal Nightwing, perhaps it’s worth discussing if the Dragonets truly need to die.” Deathbringer proposed.

  “Greatness can’t you see he’s—”

  “Enough,” her wings flared. “The Queen has spoken. You, Vengeance, have endangered our tribe.”

  “What!?”

  “You disobeyed orders, brought a Rainwing that was a viper disguising as a garden snake.”

  “What? How was I supposed to know that it was a special RainWing? She didn’t look any different from—” he tried to defend.

  Eclipse knew though, his fate was sealed and he closed his eyes.

  “In addition you are irritating your queen.”

  Guards came from behind and grabbed him. He tried to fight and beg and his mind was a minefield of thoughts. They threw him in the lava and it bubbled and hissed as it took him. He cried out for only a moment before sinking under. Eclipse tried to fight back the tears forming in his eyes. Sure he probably wasn’t a good or kind dragon but he didn’t need to die.

  “Thank you, your majesty.” Deathbringer bowed.

  “Don’t, Deathbringer. We're not done with you. Guards take him to the dungeon while we’re investigating the claims.” Greatness ordered.

  As he went out Deathbringer looked at Starflight and thought. “Get out of here, get Glory, and stop them. You’re the only hope left Starflight and if I don’t survive, tell Glory how much I care for her.”

  They all left the chamber and followed Morrowseer across the island to the forest. Morrowseer landed down and began to eat his prey. Some rotting giant albatross.

  “Won’t you get sick eating that?” Starflight asked.

  “NightWings don’t get sick.” Morrowseer answered with his mouth full. “Don’t tell me your stomach is weak along with everything else wrong with you.”

  “No but that wound probably has horrible bacteria in it.” Starflight recoiled.

  “Yeah of course it does. How do you think it died? My bite infected it. You don’t hunt like this?” He asked, turning back to look at them.

  “No Morrowseer most dragons don’t. This place is just horrible that you all do.” Eclipse replied abrasively.

  “Well uh… whoever this dragon is, is right. Usually Tsunami and Clay hunt for us. But even then I’ve never seen any dragon like this. You just bite your prey and wait for it to die and only eat it once it’s rotting? Is it some kind of venom?” Starflight asked.

  “Some of our scientists think so but there’s no evidence.” He threw a piece of the dead bird at them. “Here.”

  “Uh, no. Thank you.” Starlight backed away slightly.

  “What do you think you’re going to eat? This is the Nightwing way.” Morrowseer grumbled.

  “I’ll catch something else. A lizard or something.”

  “You know, we assumed you’d be born naturally superior like other NightWings.” He pointed to Eclipse. “Like… Shadowclaws for example, but apparently you're just defective.” He took a bite. “So either eat the wing or starve.”

  “Look it may not make you sick, but it could make me sick.” Starflight began. “I’m not used to eating infected carrion. Scientifically I would assume it’s just something you adapt to over time. Dragonets do it so they build immunity, but I don’t have the antibodies.”

  Starflight wasn’t entirely wrong. There were at least three timelines where he ate it and got sick, one where he died— but that was unlikely. However eating that wing was certainly not a good choice and at least he didn’t have to convince him of that. Another reason why Starflight is so smart.

  “Well that answers that question.” Morrowseer began to pick his teeth.

  “What question,” Starflight asked.

  “Now I know who your father is.”

  Starflight’s mind raced. This is what he wanted the chance to meet his parents. He thought of Sunny and how that’s what they’d hoped for. It reminded Eclipse of his ache, of his want. Mother… Father… He wanted to see them so bad and yet he knew… he knew never could. Alone he’ll stalk. Those words were haunted into his mind. A fate he couldn’t shake.

  “He talks just like you and now he’ll be even more insufferable as he claimed it was his egg that was taken six years ago.”

  “Can I meet him?” Starflight beamed.

  “Oh there’s not getting out of that. I’m surprised he didn’t track you down the moment we dragged you in. Must have his nose in scroll. Probably hasn’t even noticed we’re about to go to war. And Ecli— Shadowclaws has already met him.”

  No… no that can’t be… Starflight I’m so sorry your father has to be, “Mastermind?”