The days were gloomy and nefarious. It was as if NightWings had clouded the sky with their dark hued scales.
Cloudburst watched the rippling water above with narrowed optics. She slid back into the Royal Hatchery, her egg was just minutes from hatching. Though she wasn't exactly Royal, she was brother of Gill, the King of the SeaWings.
Her wings spun the water around her, making minute whirlpools. Barracuda, her beloved mate, was at the moment battling SkyWings whom had gotten to close to their land. But with their egg just at the corner of breaking…
Her stripes lit up and dimmed in her anxiety. Her aquamarine flecked silver eyes grew dull with concern. She couldn't stay any longer…
She tossed an egg a loving glance, hoping to the Three Moons that it wouldn't hatch without them. With that, she darted out; her sleek form an arrow going toward the surface.
"Here I come…" she said in the Aquatic Language.
Cloudburst launched herself into the air, slapping her tail onto the water to get airborne. With a massive heave of her wings she was in the sky, soaring gracefully.
"Where are they?" she murmured, staring around to catch sight of glowing stripes or at least a glimmer of scales. Her heart started to pound.
Then with a startled squeak, a SkyWing collided into her. She let out a roar of surprise and fury, as she made sure her talons shot through his cheek.
The SkyWing backed-winged, his gaze narrowed at her, but a look of shock remained in his speckled eyes.
"Where did you come from?" he demanded, and Cloudburst noticed as he said this, that he was slowly inching away.
She smirked, glancing at how injured he was. Each wing-beat was a struggle for him. Pity sank into her heart, but it was there for only a second. These dragons had intruded; they were going to pay!
Instead of answering his question, she said, "Did you not know that SeaWings play with their prey before they devoured them?" She beat her wings and could tell as the SkyWing started to get agitated.
"No… no," he stammered, his eyes widening. Then it returned hard. With a pitiful roar, he allowed fire to rage out of his jaw. With ease, Cloudburst veered to the side, just feeling the heat it.
"That wasn't such a smart move," Cloudburst complimented, diving at the SkyWing with such force, that it sent him plummeting to the left. He let out a startled growl, righting himself before he could plunge into the ocean.
"Why you…" he started.
"I have better things to do. Like find my mate," Cloudburst snarled in disgust.
The SkyWing's eyes lit up, and she was sure he had a devious gleam in them.
"Was your mate in that fight?" he questioned as Cloudburst tensed.
"None of your business," she snapped, swooping just right overhead of him.
"I saw one of those SeaWings die. And…" His eyes glowed in the dark, now reflecting the moon as he looked at her.
"We stole your king," he smirked. With a mighty roar, Cloudburst twisted into the air, tackling her skull-crushing tail onto his chest. With a satisfying crunch, and an agonizing scream, the SkyWing splashed into the sea.
"Think before you speak," Cloudburst called after the carcass, before darting away, her eyes fixed on the now rising sun.
How about he was right? How about he was speaking of Barracuda? Her heart quickened as she thought of Gill. No, she wouldn't believe they had taken her only sibling.
"Barracuda!" she yelled. No one replied, only the swift sound of the crashing waves below.
"Gill!" she added, hoping to hear her brother respond. Again nothing.
She flapped her wings, trying with great difficulty to think about her only hatchling that was close to shattering her egg.
An outline broke the surface of the water. "Barracuda?" she cried, diving down. She spotted him, though her relief was short-lived.
"What happened?" she asked, seeing his grim-face. He shook his head sadly. "Has the egg hatched yet?" he questioned, and his optics seemed to brighten lightly.
"Not yet," Cloudburst sighed. Suddenly, Barracuda's eyes flickered from grief to anger and horror.
"What are you doing outside the nursery?" he demanded his eyes went into slits. "You could have gotten hurt! We already lost-" He froze, and whatever he was going to say was quickly discarded.
The SkyWing's words echoed in her mind. "Gill…" she moaned and by the expression of her mate's she could tell she was correct.
"No… No!" she let out a horrid roar, directing it to the sky. "Why him!" she cried, her gaze becoming filled with tears.
Barracuda leaned close, wrapping a talon around her neck.
"He was only captured, we can still save him."
Cloudburst looked up, her eyes sorrowful. "And the rest?" she managed, trying to swallow down the knot in her throat.
"They are coming. We still need to report to Queen Coral." The thought of all the sorrow for losing the King and her mate made Cloudburst's tense shoulder to relax slightly. Pity and terrible agony filled her.
"Come on," he said gruffly, but when she looked up, it wasn't Barracuda talking.
"Shark," she muttered, yet dipped her head in respect.
"Cloudburst," he said returning the gesture, yet with maladroit movements.
"You shouldn't be out here," he snarled, and she averted his gaze.
"Shark, it's alright, she was just worried," Barracuda protested, as three more SeaWings appeared out of the purple and pink hue of dawn.
Shark glared at him for a second longer, before signaling toward the rest of the patrol.
"Every toward the palace. We are going to tell Queen Coral the horrid news." Everyone seemed to gain nervousness at this. Getting teeth pulled out wasn't actually a fun experience.
The more she returned to Gill, the more her gaze turned dull and teary.
"I'll escort you to the hatchery," Barracuda murmured in her ear.
"Oh no you don't!" Shark snapped. "You were fighting with Gill. You are going to tell Queen Coral."
There was dead silence; only the bustling of wings was heard.
"You mean…" Cloudburst started with dread.
Barracuda held Shark's gaze. "No," he replied. "I am going to make certain that my mate gets to the hatching grounds safely. I will not cope if she didn't make it."
Shark was the first to look away, which was surprising for he was martinet of the SeaWings.
"I will very much not allow it," he sneered. "The Queen is more important then…" he tossed Cloudburst a look of distain and disgust. "Then mates."
The patrolling SeaWings aroused muttering, yet they commented none of the argument.
Barracuda's unusual purple optics bore into that of Shark's.
"I will only be gone a few minutes and that is all," he snapped.
"Did you not hear me, dragon? The answer is no."
Barracuda drew back his ears in either defeat or distaste.
"I will take full responsibility," he said at last. Shark's eyes suddenly narrowed with interest. "Is that so…" he murmured.
"After all," Barracuda went on. "It was your fault to go with."
Shark's gaze turned hard with hate. "Very well, but one word to the Queen and I will make sure your punish is permanent. And as for all of you, we are leaving. You have until Sun-Up," he added to Barracuda.
With that, they splashed into the ocean, leaving behind the two dragons alone in the dim light.
"How was it his fault?" Cloudburst inquired, her optics suddenly narrowing.
"Later," he told her, and he plunged into the ocean, the droplets drenching her with water.
She dove in after him, her wings parted for a speed.
Her mind couldn't come off the fact that Gill was gone. And on what she had heard about Queen Scarlet… She couldn't bear to think about what they would do to him.
She kicked her tail, swimming leanly like a dolphin.
Cloudburst noted Barracuda had stayed by her side the whole time. Finally, they reached the warm shelter of the Hatchery. The guard posted there, bowed and allowed them entry.
Cloudburst gasped at the sight. Already, the egg had been broken, and a tiny head was busy trying to struggle out.
Barracuda peered at the little hatchling, his gaze returning to their happy state.
"Oh Cloudburst..." he said in aquatic, his stripes glowing at every word.
"She's so beautiful," she replied as the small fledgling slid out in a damp mess. She looked up; her citrine flecked purple sparkling.
The two parents entwined tails.
"A name?" Cloudburst Aquatized. Barracuda nodded.
"Flood?" he questioned, signaling toward the water around them.
She shook her head. "Too simple…"
Cloudburst twirled her talon, her stripes lighting up in a complicated order.
Barracuda's eyes followed every pattern, his gaze tilting in surprise, as if he had forgotten. Although the name was short, it was ancient; therefore it was difficult to spell it in Aquatic.
With a last movement of her talon, Barracuda nodded in approbation. Then they both stared at the alluring young hatchling in front of them. She was always to be known as a fierce, brave fighter, yet with a kind heart. Alluvion.