Author's Note: I'm back! I'll be updating regularly again, and I have four more choices on my poll!
"And if you feel lonely or sad or scared or anything, don't hesitate to write to us."
"You probably won't even need to. I'm sure you'll make tons of friends. And I'm even more sure this will help get you over the arena."
Crimson narrowed her eyes. Though she had been over this with her parents (or, as she usually called them, Gust and Jay) about a million thousand times, she still didn't get how going to stupid Jade Mountain Academy with all of those disgusting SkyWings that once were loyal to Scarlet would help her get over her experiences in Scarlet's arena. No, that wasn't the real reason that Crimson's parents had volunteered her for the new Lapis Winglet. Ever since Crimson had returned to the Talons of Peace from the arena, her parents had been behaving awkwardly around her, especially when Crimson learned that while she was imprisoned her parents hadn't even tried to rescue her. They just assumed she was dead and had another dragonet: Starling. They probably wanted all of that awkwardness gone.
"All Jade Mountain Students over here!" a SeaWing called from the cave that the academy started in. Without a word, Crimson flew towards her, barely hearing her parents' final farewells. Crimson flew awkwardly thanks to a chunk of wing that she had lost in an arena fight with a SeaWing. A harsh gust of wind slammed into her, and she toppled over, slamming into a SandWing flying just below her.
"Three moons! Watch where you're going!" the SandWing exclaimed. Shoving her aside, he glided into the cave. Crimson gradually followed.
The cave was packed with dragons, thirty at least. Crimson could see four SkyWings near her, and with a hiss she turned away and flew to a ledge halfway up the left cave wall. Sighing in relief, she spotted the scarred face of her friend right next to her.
"Crimson! You're here!" Flame whispered excitedly.
"Gust and Jay made me come. They said it would be 'a good chance to get used to other SkyWings'. What nonsense. At least you'll be here to make this bearable." Crimson muttered. The two disfigured dragons leaned in to each other, huddled against the strong wind blowing into the cave.
"As you all know, two weeks ago we had an unfortunate accident in which an enchanted scroll was blown away from the Jade Winglets' hands to who-knows-where. Moonwatcher is now going through some…issues, so we'd like you to stay away from the healing cave. Yes, it has been discovered that she is a mind reader." the SeaWing (who was probably Tsunami, head of the academy) began. Gasps and murmurs filled the cave. Crimson gaped. A NightWing that could actually read minds? And even worse, a mind-reading NightWing with "issues"? Good thing Moonwatcher was in the Jade Winglet!
"I know that these are troubled times, but we have to stick together here at Jade Mountain Academy. This could be our only chance at eternal inter-tribe peace. So, to encourage parents to not pull their dragonets out of school, we have started a new winglet, the Lapis Winglet. Please welcome Crystal of the IceWings, Princess Tadpole of the MudWings, Forseer of the NightWings, Majestic of the RainWings, Cobra of the SandWings, Gull of the SeaWings, and Crimson of the SkyWings to Jade Mountain Academy. That concludes this meeting." Tsunami finished. "Lapis Winglet, follow me." Tsunami lead them down a long hallway to a series of three smaller caverns.
"These are the sleeping caves. Princess-," Tsunami started.
"Oh, don't bother with that title. Just call me Tadpole." Tadpole requested.
"Okay. Tadpole and Gull will be sharing the first cave. Crystal and Majestic will share the second one. The third will be shared by Cobra, Forseer, and Crimson." Tsunami explained. Upon hearing this, Tadpole and Gull raced into their cave and started talking excitedly.
"Um…yeah. It's kind of late, so you should get some sleep. There's discussion circle tomorrow morning, so meet me by the underground lake. Here are some maps so you don't get lost. See you later!" Tsunami said, then turned and walked away.
Crimson scampered into her cave and settled on a rock ledge along a wall. A small NightWing, that must have been Forseer, and the SandWing that Crimson had bumped into earlier, that must have been Cobra, followed and settled into their respective sleeping spots. Crimson looked down from her ledge. It was a lot higher up then she had thought. It was almost like…no. Memories swarmed into Crimson's head, memories of being up so high on a stone pillar with no walls, looking down and seeing dragons bleeding to death. Crimson trembled. Stop this. You aren't that high up. It's only a ledge.
"Oh, great. A SkyWing that's afraid of heights, sleeping almost directly above me. What could be better? Try not to fall on me, peace monger coward." Cobra growled. Crimson wished that whoever had told him that she had been raised in the Talons of Peace was right next to her so that she could bite them.
"Oh, I'm a coward? A coward who would run away from any fight? I got this in a battle, pigeon-brain. A battle with an IceWing. I won. Ask Ruby if you don't believe me. If you aren't too scared." Crimson retorted, showing Cobra her injured wing.
"Too scared? Did you fight in the War of SandWing Succession?" Cobra snarled.
"Oh, and fighting for Burn was so amazing?" Crimson spat. Cobra definitely seemed like a Burn supporter.
"Burn? Three moons, no! I fought for Queen Blister and none other!" cried Cobra.
"Queen Blister? Blister died before she could become queen!" Crimson exclaimed.
"Would you two please quiet down? I'm trying to sleep!" interjected Forseer. Crimson sighed and turned her back to Cobra, trying to look at the stone wall and not the floor so far beneath her. Falling asleep, she barely heard Cobra's final whisper.
"That's what you think."
And then weariness made her eyes droop and she fell into a dark nightmare.