Sorendár/Sandy {SkyWing Shadows Cave}

Sorendár didn't even flinch when Scorn threw his flames. He wanted to fight his way out. C'mon, one of you, c'mon, he thought. Come get me.
Even though Scorn's flame revealed his hiding place, it also showed him what his adversaries were doing. He was ready when Pyra jumped on top of him - but nothing prepared him for the agony of her grip on his wrist. He tried clawing at her forearm, and trying to pull away. But when that didn't work, he began to get crazed with his anger and desire to escape. He lunged forward and locked his jaws around her forearm just above her wrist. He knew she had the healing pool, so she would be fine in the end, but just now he was only concerned with escaping. He wrestled with her, his bigger build being both a disadvantage and a help. She was quicker than he, but he was heavier.
His tail and wings slashed through the water, making it hard for Sandy to see anything of how the tussle was going. She did, however, shout "Get him, Pyra! GET HIM!" very enthusiastically.


Likus {IceWing Gardens}|Sahara {Flying over unknown territories}

Likus took one look at Peacock's worried face, and he was nearly overcome with the desire to put his wing around her and promise her he'd protect her, no matter what. He wondered if that was too straightforward, so he merely stepped a little closer and said, "Peacock, I swear to protect you while you're with me. While I'm breathing, no one will take you away." The determination in his icy blue eyes told Peacock that every word he spoke was the truth. He truly intended to protect her with his life.
He gave her a reassuring look and lifted off to hover with Viridian. Likus gestured to her with a small smile, letting her know that it was okay.

Sahara flew for all she was worth, hoping with all her might that Peacock was still there, in the IceWing gardens. She was to bring the princess home at once - Likus could be dealt with later.

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Pyra & Scorn {SkyWing Shadows Cave}

Sorendár's sudden attack surprised Pyra. She could hear the crunching of bones as his jaws clamped down on her forearm and it was as if it ignited a fire within her. Until now, Pyra had been holding back, underestimating the prince, but now that changed. Something primal clicked in her head, knowing she had to succeed. She understood the stakes, fully aware that Sandy and Scorn were watching, coupled with the knowledge that Sorendár's size gave him the upper hand.

With newfound determination, she began to fight back ferociously. She clawed and tore at Sorendár with all the strength she could muster, her talons scraping against his scales as she aimed for any vulnerable spots she could find. The pool's water turned crimson with in result of their shared struggle.

Pyra's senses were overwhelmed with adrenaline, and the pain was dulled by the healing properties of the pool. In the chaos of their underwater tussle, Pyra spotted a loose rock at the bottom of the pool. Without a moment's hesitation, she snatched it up and swung it around with all her might, connecting with a powerful blow to Sorendár's head.

As he was recovering from the impact, Pyra saw her opportunity. She swiftly seized the obsidian bracelet and, with determined precision, slipped it onto his forearm.

She burst out of the water, her powerful wings propelling her into the air above the pool. With increasing anger, Pyra began to build up an intense flame, directing it toward Sorendár. But before she could unleash it, a commanding and gruff voice cut through the tension. "That's enough." Scorn barked, his stern gaze fixed on Pyra.
Startled by his interruption, Pyra whirled around, the fire in her eyes fading as she snapped back to reality. "Heard." She muttered in a subdued tone. She then descended, landing at the edge of the pool, keeping her distance from Sorendár. She winced as her crunched arm was submerged in the healing waters, the pain almost overwhelming during the brief moments she spent outside of it.

Peacock & Viridian {Flying over enemy territory}

Peacock brightened up at Likus’ words and gave him an appreciative look. She too took off and joined them in the air, ready to embark on the unexpected journey. Peacock flew closely to Likus, naturally feeling safer with him than she did with Viridian.

Viridian, although tempted to roll his eyes at the pair, couldn't afford to waste time and took the lead. Flying at a brisk pace, he occasionally glanced back to make sure Peacock and Likus were keeping up. With a sense of urgency, he called over his shoulder to Peacock, explaining the situation. "We'll mainly be flying through Sun Allegiance Territories on our way to where Sorendár was supposedly last seen. An IceWing and SeaWing would draw too much attention in SandWing and SkyWing lands. So, Princess, I have a small favor to ask…could you make yourself look less flashy? Red scales might help you blend in better, like a guard escorting us." When he ventured off to locate Likus, Viridian managed to avoid the Sand and Sky territory by using his swimming abilities. However, it was clear that he couldn't use the same method while guiding the pair.

Peacock regarded Viridian with a puzzled expression at his unusual request but eventually complied. She shifted her scales into various shades of red, creating a gradient pattern. Although, Viridian wasn't quite satisfied. He spoke up, "No, no, SkyWings are much more straightforward. You currently look like an angry RainWing." He pointed out the similarity between her coloring and the ombré of RainWing mood-based scales. Peacock shifted her colors to a more suitable appearance, adopting a plain cherry red with cream accents. "Well this is quite boring." She huffed, not feeling particularly spectacular. Viridian, however, nodded in approval, assuring her, "It's perfect."

As they entered enemy territory, Viridian remained vigilant, his flight rigid and focused. He kept a keen eye out for any signs of SandWing or SkyWing scouts, his tension palpable in the silence that enveloped the trio. After a few moments, he called back to Likus, “Speak up if you notice anything strange.”

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Sorendár/Sandy {SkyWing Shadows Cave}

Sorendár fought for all he was worth. The last thing he wanted was to be tethered at all times to the most annoying, traitorous dragon he knew - who confused and frustrated him. He roared in his fury, the sound coming out in waves of bubbles. He was strong, yes, but as the water turned red he began to realize his weight was now a problem. It would be easier for Pyra to hold him. As he swung his talons blindly, his vision suddenly became filled with white lights and his head with pain. He howled, but that sound, too, merely became bubbles that popped on the surface of the scarlet pool. He felt dimly the obsidian bracelet slip onto his forearm and internally he groaned. He also felt himself float to the top of the pool, where he bobbed for a bit; he was in too much pain, even with the healing water, to do much.
Sandy flew over to her SkyWing friend as soon as Pyra landed. She took one look at Pyra's crushed forearm and moaned sympathetically.
"Did you get it on him?" she asked quietly. "Did you win?"
As if in answer to her question, Sorendár slunk out of the pool, the now-crimson water pouring off his scales. His head hung low with defeat, but his eyes smoldered with resentment. He refused to look at Pyra or Sandy and stared balefully at Scorn instead. The obsidian bracelet clinked against the scales of his right forearm, just below a few ruined scales Pyra's talons had shredded. As Sorendár came out, Sandy gazed hard at the prince. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty! You don't get to ruin my friend's forearm without a little something from me," she snapped as she reached out and gave Sorendár a firm cuff on his ear; it shouldn't have done much more than make his ear ache, so she was surprised when he went sprawling with a roar of pain. Sandy glanced quizzically at both Pyra and Scorn.
"What was that?"


Likus {Flying over enemy territory} | Sahara {IceWing Gardens}

Likus let Peacock come closer. He didn't mind at all. The look of appreciation she gave him made him feel funny and warm inside - he smiled back with his trademark twinkle in his eyes.
When Viridian mentioned that it would be dangerous to have a SeaWing and IceWing flying together in enemy territories, Likus' expression shifted. His pale eyes were cast more to the left and right, instead of looking straight ahead as they had been before. After Peacock had adopted her disguise, he looked at her and began telling her what to do if they encountered a patrol. He threw a black bracelet at Viridian and told the ambassador to put it on. He gave one to Peacock, too, and put his own on. He explained how the SkyWings used enchantments now to bind their captives - so the band she was wearing was 'controlling' his and Viridian's. They weren't supposed to stray very far from her, either. Then he noticed her glum face and the color of her scales, and put two and two together. His eyes softened as he flew close to her and nudged her gently with his wing.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "No matter what color your scales are, you'll always be Peacock - and I'll always be here for you."
He shook his head to clear it; had he really said "I'll be here for you" when he'd meant to say "I'll always be your friend"? He dropped his eyes and flew back to where he had been, slightly embarrassed. That was too forward - especially since she was a princess, and he was just a spy.
He snapped out of it, though, when Viridian mentioned looking for strange things. "Of course I will," he grumbled irritably. Whenever Likus felt inadequate or embarrassed or both, he became snippy. "I'm a spy. Naturally I'll be keeping watch for anything weird. It's my job, Viridian."

Sahara ran through the market, frantically calling Peacock's name. She was fraught with worry and frustrated. Why would Peacock just leave without a trace? Weren't there stories around that royals were being targeted? Sahara trembled from wingtip to talon as she thought about what could've happened to her dear Peacock.
"Oh, why did I leave her alone?" she whimpered to herself.

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Pyra & Scorn {SkyWing Shadows Cave}

Scorn let a sinister smile creep onto his face as Sorendár stared at him with a defiant gaze. “Hey there, tough guy.” Scorn turned to Sandy and echoed her sentiment towards Sorendár. “What’s his issue? Even a dragonet would've taken that blow without making such a fuss.” His words dripped with a venomous edge as he turned to address the prince. “Look, whiny, this is your chance to heal in the pool before Pyra and Sandy drag you around. We’re really quite generous captors, so you should be grateful.”

He nodded to Cassandra. "I'll be outside the cave for a bit… hunting. If you need something, use the gem." He left her with the faintest smile, barely noticeable, as only the corners of his mouth lifted.
Once Scorn left, Pyra emerged from the pool, testing her leg's weight. "I'm alright. It’s fine to walk on, and I can return to the pool later to get rid of any lingering pain. Plus, these scars are gonna look pretty cool." Surprisingly, her injury wasn't causing her too much discomfort; all she needed was for her bones to fuse back together.

She then chuckled and bumped against Sandy. “Scorn's so-called ‘hunting’ is just an excuse to terrorize some scavengers. It’s his outlet for his animus craziness." She then pointed to Sorendár, her demeanor changing as she gave him a hateful look. He still seemed to be in intense pain, so she couldn’t puzzle why he wasn’t in the pool. “What’s his problem?”

Peacock & Viridian {Flying over enemy territory}

Peacock's heart danced as Likus flashed her that familiar twinkle in his eyes. It was a reassuring sight that held a unique charm. With a warm smile, she replied, "I'm luck to have you around."

As she carefully fastened the faux obsidian bracelet around her wrist, Peacock couldn't help but admire it. "This is interesting. I wonder how many animus dragons the SkyWings have to make so many advancements. They must all be quite insane." She mused, her laughter ringing with curiosity about animus magic, a concept she didn't fully grasp. Lost in thought, Peacock was unaware that she had left her golden earrings behind in the garden, the ones she'd been wearing before switching to the ones Likus had gifted her. They likely still lay scattered in the gardens.

Viridian kept his mouth shut, slightly embarrassed that he hadn’t thought about the bracelets before Likus brought them up. It seemed he was the IceWing’s best spy for a reason, because as far as Viridian knew, the SeaWings had no intel on such animus objects. After a moment of silent contemplation, he gave Likus a sideways glance and inquired, "Any other hidden insights into SkyWing advancements?" Biting his tongue, He wisely refrained from adding a snide comment about how this knowledge has never been brought up in council meetings before.

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Downpour (icewing market)

The hybrid landed a bit outside the icewing market and closed her wings. Her claws sank a bit in the snow, as she entered the market. She was off duty today and wanted to buy a present for her cousin, perhaps even visiting the gardens, if there was enough time then she was done in the market. Her cousin’s hatching day was soon and she had expressed that she wanted some exotic jewelry, perhaps from the icewings? Downpour decided to get the present today, since sh didn’t know when she would have time for it again. Perhaps she would get a treat for herself too, if she found something nice.

She browsed through the wares of some stalls, that sold jewelry, not quite finding what she was looking for. Eventually she fund a stall selling jewelry she was sure her cousin would like. “How much for one of those pieces?”, she asked the vendor and pointed to the left side of the stall. “Well, those are my more expensive pieces. The gems that were used for those are pretty rare. If you are looking for something cheaper, take a look at the pieces on the right.”, the icewing replied. “Oh, and we currently give out a discount, if you buy a full set consisting of one necklace, one bracelet and two earrings.” Downpour took a look at the items on the right. They were more basic than the items on the right, but sill very pretty. She picked a silver necklace adorned with an icicle shaped gem the color of and a matching bracelet and earrings. After paying for the items, she proceeded to browse through the other stalls. Even though wasn’t really one for jewelry, she bought two moonshaped silver earrings. They perfectly fitted to her silver necklace with a moon pendant. She got it from her mother and usually wore it then she was off duty. Besides that she had some pretty basic earrings and bracelets she only wore on special occasions.

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Sorendár/Cassandra {SkyWing Shadows Cave}

Sorendár scowled at Scorn as he left, but said nothing. He decided to curl up in a corner. While he was there, he shook his wings to get the last of the cloudy red water off of him. He noticed Pyra's hateful look and turned his face away haughtily. If he couldn't get away, at least he could annoy her.
Finally he spoke quietly, his every word dripping with venom.
"What's my problem? You hit me in the head with a rock, Pyra. Then Cassandra slapped me. Obviously-" he jabbed his talon at the side of his head facing them "-my head hurts."
He put his head down and curled his tail over his nose. "If you don't mind," he muttered sarcastically, insinuating he didn't care if they minded or not, "I'm going to sleep for a bit." His breathing grew heavier and his golden eyes drooped shut.
Sandy chuckled. "I know what his problem is. He hates you now. You mentioned you met him on a rock, in the middle of nowhere, right? Well, if you didn't act like he was royal and as a result he probably took to you. Royals are weird like that, especially the young ones. They often feel alone." Despite the lonely position she was describing, Sandy's expression and tone of voice were nonchalant, even cheerful.


Likus {Flying over enemy territories} | Sahara {IceWing Gardens}

Likus' eyes practically glowed when Peacock said she was lucky to have him around.
He could imagine how nice the obsidian would look on her peacock-like scales, and told her it complemented the red disguise she had on quite nicely.
He looked over at Viridian, but decided he wouldn't stoop low enough to tease the ambassador about not knowing anything regarding the SkyWings' animus magic.
"Well, I do know there's a big bad SkyWing animus dragon who leads a spy/assassin group. He's gone a little mad with too much magic, so it'd be best to avoid him. Now that I, uh, think about it, we probably should book it out of here. We're near one of his patrols' areas right now."
Likus glanced at Peacock and flew closer to her again.

Sahara saw Peacock's earrings lying on the snow between the market and the gardens. She wailed in terror and worry, "Oh, Peacock, Peacock, whatever happened to you?"
Poor Sahara's scales turned a gradient blue, worried as she was. She scrambled around the market, asking anyone and everyone where Peacock had gone.

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Pyra {Citrine Quarters}

With a dismissive scoff, Pyra countered, "As if we'd allow you to take a nap. You're bound to us, so if you're not using the pool, we're moving on." She led them out of the healing cave and into a new section of the caverns. This area was circular and filled with various openings, some narrow tunnels, and others grand halls. Each entrance bore the name of a different crystal engraved above it. Pyra nodded toward engraved 'Citrine' and informed Sandy, "That's where our quarters will be."

She proceeded down the hall, which had enough space for two dragons to walk side by side. "At first this place might feel claustrophobic, but you'll get used to it." She explained. "Honestly, I couldn't tell you how many times I got lost in these passages before Scorn gave us those calling gems."

At the end of the hall, the cavern opened into a spacious area, which didn't feel like a typical cave. It wasn't dark and cold, but rather grand and inviting, with pristine limestone and gold accents surrounding the entrances to private quarters. The cavern had a horseshoe shape, and in the middle stood a stone statue of an old SkyWing. Pyra shared a rumor, "They say that’s Scorn's father, whom he encased in stone for betraying the SkyWings by rejecting animus magic. Some say he’s still alive in there, cursed to be forever still in eternal agony… or it might just be a story to scare the new recruits."
She laughed then stopped in front of two golden doors parallel to the entrance. "This one here is mine; you can see it from the nameplate." Pyra said, pointing to the golden plate that read 'Pyra.' Then she indicated the door beside hers, labeled 'Junco.' “He was an idiot, probably close to Sorendár’s age. Anyways, Scorn recently fired him, and by ‘fired’ I mean literally if you catch my drift, so the room is open if you want it. Then we’d be neighbors!” She beamed at Sandy.

Scorn {Scavenger Arena}

As the caverns loomed behind Scorn, he ascended into the open SkyWing territory. High above in the atmosphere, his scavenger arena was easy to spot, even from a distance. A circular, flat expanse with rugged boundaries marked the site.
The Queen had granted Scorn this peculiar place as a concession of sorts, understanding that he needed an outlet for his animus-driven madness. The arena was where he channeled his chaotic power, tormenting scavengers who'd been captured, prisoners in their own horrific fate.

Scorn descended toward the arena with an air of malevolence and determination, casting a sinister silhouette. The barren ground and chilling spectacle had seen countless horrors, its purpose known to few beyond those who dared to venture near. After landing in the midst of the scavenger arena, Scorn took a deep breath, unleashing a colossal stream of flames into the air. His fiery proclamation notified the scavenger prisoners that he had returned, and that another cycle of madness was about to begin…

Peacock & Viridian {Flying over enemy territory}

Viridian scoffed, “How do you propose we avoid this area? The southern reaches of the SkyWing territory are the quickest way to the NightWing border. Unless you two can swim there, we stay on our route. There’s no time to waste going around. Besides, it's just one SkyWing, if he's even around, and there are three of us. I like our chances.”

Peacock exchanged a look with Likus, obviously annoyed by Viridian’s attitude, but chose to not comment on it. She couldn't risk upsetting such a high-ranking diplomat. Instead, she offered Likus a reassuring smile. “I’m sure we’ll be alright. We’ve been flying for a while now, so we must be close.” Once she became aware of how long she had been gazing and smiling at him, she let out an embarrassed chuckle and shifted her attention back to the flight ahead.

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Sorendár/Cassandra {SkyWing Shadows Cave/Citrine Quarters}

Sorendár stood with a groan of frustration and limped after them, shaking his wings noisily in defiance.
Sandy didn't mind how tight the tunnels were. She looked at the Citrine Cavern in awe and bounced happily when she saw the door to her new room. "Of course I'll take it! But where are we gonna stash Sullen over here?"
Sorendár huffed angrily.


Likus {Flying over enemy territories}

Likus noticed she was embarrassed and smiled to let her know he didn't care. He even flew a loop-de-loop around her playfully.
The spy rolled his eyes and Viridian's insistence, but stayed quiet. He knew he'd see something somewhere that would convince them to go the long way.
Suddenly Likus caught sight of Scorn's column of flame and he flinched so hard he nearly barreled into Peacock. His ears flattened onto his skull and he hissed ferociously to Viridian, "If you want to get out of this trip unscathed, you will go the long way around. RIGHT. NOW."
His tone was ominous and frightened all at the same time. He was obviously urgent, and began shoving Viridian off course. "Don't say anything," he whispered. "We'll be safer if we go around. Don't you mess with Scorn or when we get out I will personally have a beef with you forever."

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Pyra {Citrine Quarters}

“Hm that’s a good point… it’s like we’re babysitting him.” She added under her breath. Tapping her talons on the rock, Pyra was deep in thought. After a few moments she piped up, “You were an assassin right? Maybe we should interrogate him- he’s bound to know something… otherwise he really is useless.” She looked at the prince who was still quite irritated.

Peacock & Viridian {Flying over Scorn’s Scavenger Pit}

Viridian roared in defiance as Likus shoved him but quickly shut his snout, realizing how serious the spy was. “Jeez… fine.” He huffed, then spoke to Peacock. “Start flying east. When you can’t see the base of the mountain range anymore, lead us South. We shouldn’t be spotted if we aren’t flying directly over the SkyWing territory.”

Peacock nodded, understanding as she veered off the previous course. After a few minutes she broke the tense silence. “Likus… have you ever met this ‘Scorn’?” She noticed how freaked out he had become, and the fact that Viridian had complied with little resistance was strange since those two were always at each other’s throats.

Scorn {Scavenger Arena}

Before Scorn could commence his activity, an unusual sound echoed from above. A roar? Indeed, it was an odd, stifled roar. Scorn simmered with frustration, annoyed that his leisure time was abruptly disrupted. He swiftly ascended into the sky and spotted three dragons flying to the east. One of them appeared to be a SkyWing from afar, which almost tempted him to ignore the situation, but something didn't add up. Why would they be heading east when there were prisoners to handle? Curiosity piqued, Scorn decided to follow them, quickly closing the gap to approach the SkyWing on duty. The whole situation was puzzling. If one of his dragons had captured a SeaWing and IceWing, he should have already been informed. "Halt." He demanded, his voice resonating with an irritated tone as he soared towards the trio from behind.

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Downpour (icewing market/icewing garden)

She thought a moment about going home, after she was finished on the market. To hear all those thoughts from the other dragons on the market could be quite exhausting. She had developed a method over the years to keep the thoughts that weren’t hers, but she couldn’t completely shut them out of her mind. This method worked on some days better than others and today was one of the days it didn’t work so good. In the end she decided to go to the gardens as planned. She heard the gardens were beautiful and had always wanted to see them. She hadn’t had the opportunity until now and the gardens weren’t far away from the market.

On her way to the gardens she noticed a rainwing, who seemed to search for someone or something. An idea crossed her mind: She could offer her help. She debated that idea for a moment. It’s not like she has anything else to do today and she might even learn something useful. So she made her decision and approached the rainwing. “Hey, can I help you?”, she asked with a friendly smile.

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Cassandra {Citrine Quarters}

Sandy flexed her talons, smiling at Sorendár slyly. "Yeah, you're right. I can interrogate him. Have you got a more... uninhabited place to take Whiny?"


Likus {Nearing NightWing Territory}
Likus veered away from Viridian once the SeaWing had agreed to his unspoken - more like incredibly physical - insistence. He let himself soar back to Peacock's side, but he was obviously very worried. There was a raw fear in his eyes, as if Death itself were coming up behind Likus to take him away. Finally he breathed and looked at Peacock with those wide, horrified eyes.
"Yes... I know Scorn. And if I know anything about him, we need to fly."
Likus heard Scorn's "Halt!" and moaned. He looked at Peacock and murmured, "Forgive me for my roughness, princess, but-" he flew underneath her and gave her a monstrous push forward "-you need to FLY!"
Likus, though he was terrified of Scorn, flipped in midair and launched himself at Scorn, tackling the SkyWing Shadows leader. "Get out of here!" he howled after Peacock and Viridian as he grappled with Scorn, though he knew he couldn't win. He would just have to escape Scorn's madhouse, like last time, only this time Scorn would likely be watching him...


Sahara {IceWing Market/Gardens}

Sahara looked deep into the eyes of the Nightwing hybrid facing her to decide whether to trust her or not. Finally she relented.
"Hi... I'm Sahara. I'm looking for my very dear friend, Peacock. She's a RainWing and she's colored... like a peacock. She disappeared along with an IceWing I thought was shifty. Turns out he was a spy. I think Peacock likes him - he's really cute - but I'm afraid of what will happen to her."
The words tumbled out of Sahara's mouth desperately, and the RainWing couldn't even stand still for worry.

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Pyra

“Of course we do. With a leader as unhinged as Scorn is, he’s thought of everything necessary to deal with prisoners.”
Pyra led Sandy to an area near the entrance of the complex cave system. Unlike other areas of the cave, the walls here were dark and primitive in structure, having no intricate carvings or design. It looked simple and untouched, without the bells and whistles seen throughout the cavern.

Peacock

Peacock felt the urgency in Likus's actions and the fear in his eyes. She nodded in understanding as he propelled her forward. The princess spread her wings wide and soared, glancing back to see Likus bravely grappling with Scorn. Her heart pounded with worry, and Peacock's concern for Likus overwhelmed her. She discreetly descended into the cover of the trees, skillfully using her scales to camouflage with the foliage. Hidden from sight, she watched the ongoing struggle.

Viridian

Despite his reservations about Likus, Viridian was aware of the urgency of the situation. He veered towards the ongoing conflict between Likus and Scorn, lending his strength to the fight.

Being a diplomat, Viridian was never properly trained to fight, but he knew that Likus would need all the help he could get against such a daunting opponent. Not having much combat strategy to go off of, he flew straight into Scorn, using all his weight to throw him off balance in the air. Scorn was a bigger dragon by height, but Viridian was sturdy and able to use his weight to his advantage. While attempting to distract and disrupt Scorn’s focus, aiming to create openings for Likus to capitalize on, Viridian recognized the need for cooperation against the powerful SkyWing.

Scorn

Without warning, the IceWing launched an attack, catching Scorn off guard. Fueled by anger, Scorn was seconds away from releasing a torrent of flames toward the IceWing when his balance was disrupted by the forceful intervention of the SeaWing. It was as if they were pests, one assailant striking, only for the other to appear seemingly out of nowhere. Eyes glazed with rage, Scorn released a brief circle of flames around him as he tried to created distance between him and the attackers.

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Downpour (icewing market/gardens)

She smiled at Shara, while she listened to her. A spy, huh? she thought and wondered, if she knew him. She has already worked with some icewing spies, perhaps it was with him too. “I’m Downpour. I haven’t seen your friend.”, she said and thought for a moment. “Could she simply have gone home without telling you?”, she asked. That was the obvious what had happened. If something happened to Peacock, there surely would have been a turmoil and she would have noticed that.

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Cassandra {SkyWing Shadows Cavern System}

Sandy laughed. "Scorn may be unhinged, but he's growing on me," the lithe SandWing admitted. "You guys are like a... second family. Like a real family."
The golden-scaled female stretched her wings as she walked with Pyra, Sorendár limping begrudgingly behind. Although she'd only known Pyra for a short time, Sandy had already acquired a fierce sisterly affection for Pyra. She closed her eyes and decided at that moment that this would be her new home, her new life. She would leave everything else behind her.

She looked at the dark cave, her amber eyes becoming filled with a dark pleasure, almost reminiscent of an expression Pyra might see in Scorn's eyes. She turned to Pyra and requested that her friend stand close to the doorway, so Sorendár couldn't escape. Truthfully, it also made it hard for Pyra to see.

"Now," Cassandra stated. Then she lunged at the already injured Sorendár. She pinned him down in a few moments, his belly to the floor, his left wing in her talons. "Now," Sandy said again. "Come here, Pyra, and ask your questions. There's a small break in his wing, again, so whenever he doesn't answer, well..."
Sandy twisted his wingbone and a grinding crunch and snap emanated from the awkward bend. Sorendár wailed - a mixture of an angry roar and a sob of pain.

Likus {Nearing NightWing Territory}

Likus reared away from Scorn's blast of fire, but expelled his own burst of icy breath and extinguished Scorn's flames. He moved to barrel the SkyWing Shadows' leader over again, but as he passed Viridian, he hissed to the diplomat, "Please! Get her out of here!"
He aimed a solid swipe at Scorn's face, hoping to create a long enough distraction that Peacock and Viridian could make it to the NightWings. He could feel Scorn's huge talons ripping into his legs and he roared a blast of icy breath as the Skywing's claws found his chest. Likus finally found purchase for his jaws on one of Scorn's wings, flipping the crazed animus dragon over. The only problem with this fight for Likus was that he was smaller than Scorn, and Scorn was devilishly fast. Likus shook his head and hurtled himself at Scorn again, buying as much time as he possibly could before Scorn captured him.

Sahara {IceWing Garden}

Sahara shook her head fervently. "If she'd been going home, she would have waited for me. She always does. I'm just afraid she flew off with Likus, or even worse, that he captured her to sway the RainWings. Oh, I'm so nervous..."
Sahara's shimmering pink scales shifted to orange and green in her fear.

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