(a/n: this may include incorrect facts about Dune, but no spoilers unless I'm somehow magically right X3)

Thorn swung her poisonous tail at the chest of the fake dragon, blasting flames at its wooden snout. She slashed its throat, just to be sure. If it was real, it would definitely be dead, the SandWing thought with satisfaction. She sighed. Then again, it would fight back. She turned her head, just noticing the dragon that stood at the doorway.

"Dune," Thorn said. "What is it?"

The scarred SandWing limped forward. He had been injured in battle, fighting for Burn, but then had run away. Dune wasn't a coward- nobody could look at those fierce black eyes and angry scowl and see a coward- but he didn't support Burn enough to fight for her. He'd been forced to join her army, and had come to the Scorpion Den to escape from the brutal princess.

"Blister's forces are coming to this area of the desert," he said, wincing as he involuntarily pressed his stump to the ground, then pulled it up. "We need to prepare in case she comes here."

"SeaWings?" Thorn muttered. "Easy enough."

"SandWings as well," Dune insisted. "And there's too many for us to fight."

"We'll try," Thorn replied. She gave the wooden dragon a glance. Real dragons fight back. Thorn blasted fire at it, and the whole thing quickly went up in flames. Red and gold danced in her black eyes as she stared at it. "Get everyone together. If Blister attacks, we'll be ready."

"Always," Dune agreed, turning to limp away.

Thorn followed him, looking up at the sky. She could see the flashing blue and pale yellow scales of SeaWings and SandWings. They're probably on the way to attackc Burn, and won't pay any attention to a handful of dragons staying out of the war. Still...

She watched as the Scorpion Den's Dragons assembled. They were almost all SandWings, except for a couple of SkyWings and a MudWing who had come here to hide from Burn rather than the Talons of Peace. Thorn wasn't exactly sure, but she did know it may have something to do with how other dragons saw each group. The Outclaws and Scorpion Den- dangerous criminals, but great protection if you wanted to hide from somebody. Unless, of course, that somebody was an Outclaw their self. The Talons of Peace- weak, cowardly, no protection and hated by every queen. The dragons lashed their tails and snorted bursts of fire. Thorn could see wreaths of smoke curling toward the sky. That will attract Blister's attention.

At least, it was clear her dragons were ready to fight. The stereotype that dragons in the Scorpion Den were dangerous savages might be true-at least, to some point. There were at least two hundred possible enemy dragons, but here they were, ready to fight, to kill, maybe even be killed.

"They're gone!" shouted a SandWing in the back. Thorn recognized him from his voice as Armadillo, her closet friend.

She looked upward, and realized that Blister's forces had disappeared. The walls surronding the Den blocked her view of the outside desert. They could be storming Burn's stronghold, or right outside our walls, Thorn thought.

"I'll look," Thorn said, pushing through the crowd. Armadillo joined her. "I'm fine," she insisted.

"I don't want you to get hurt," he answered.

Thorn didn't try to shake the other SandWing off her tail. He wasn't all that annoying, but how would she prove to the Scorpion Den dragons that she really was the boldest, most fierce, most independent of them in Armadillo wouldn't let her peek outside the walls alone? She didn't want anyone trying to take control of the Den. Nobody had tried yet, but she'd seen some SandWings, even SkyWings, glance at her as though sizing her up.

The SandWing walked out of the Scorpion Den and looked around. Her barbed tail was raised before she even stepped outside.

There were no SandWings, other than her and Armadillo.

There were no SeaWings.

Good.

But there was one NightWing.