Author: read Puckworld Isn't Quite Home first. Over the past few days, Shadow Haven has become a permanent location in my head and keeps expanding. I always wondered why Duke seemed to like the Magic Anahiem so much and now I know. Jade, Dagger, Shadow Haven and the Underground belong to me. Hope ya like
"Get your tail feathers out here Duke!"
"Yeah yeah! I'm on my way!"
He grabbed a case of drinks and headed down the stone stairs that led from his home to behind one of the black smith's shops.
One of the younger members of Brotherhood was coming of age and the entire city loved a good party.
He laughed as a few ducklings ran by him, chasing each other through the street.
"Duke?"
Duke groaned and buried his beak in his pillow, wanting to hide back in his memories.
"Duke?"
There was a soft hiss and his room lite up as his door opened.
"Go away." He groaned.
Footsteps entered his room and stopped beside him. A hand gingerly touched his shoulder, shaking him carefully.
None of the team came into his room without a good reason... He liked his privacy.
"Wake up." an urgent tone hissed.
The voice cut through his sleep clouded mind this time and he recognized it as Wildwing's.
"Dragonus?" He yawned.
"No. Borg." Wildwing told him.
He stared at the younger drake for a moment. "Borg? The prince from the magic Anaheim?" He asked.
"He contacted us and said we need to come to his Anahiem." Wildwing told him.
"I'll be ready in a few." Duke sighed.
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"Owww." Tanya groaned as she got up.
Traveling to the alternate Anahiem was never easy on them, no matter how much Duke enjoyed the place.
"Friends. Thank you for coming on such short notice. And I apologize for having to wake you Duke." Borg said with a warm smile.
"It's alright. I would've woken up soon anyways." Duke shrugged.
"Is something wrong Borg?" Wildwing asked.
"No signs of dragons so Asteroth isn't back." Mallory said, looking around.
"No, no my friends. My kingdom is quite peaceful since you defeated Asteroth." Borg smiled.
"Then why'd you call us little dude?" Nosedive asked.
"A pair of friends to one of you came to my realm quite recently." Borg told them.
They all glanced at each other, thinking of friends and loved ones they'd left behind.
For Wildwing and Nosedive: Canard and few others.
For Mallory: her father.
For Tanya: a few scientists she had known and worked with.
For Grin: his master Tae Quack Do, who could very well have passed.
And for Duke: members of the Brotherhood and residents of Shadow haven.
"They said that you would know how to find them once you arrived." Borg said, looking up at Duke.
Duke raised an eyebrow at the prince as he felt something warm and thick brush his arm.
Magic... One of the reasons he liked this alternate Anahiem so much.
The entire city was saturated with it... A lot like his home had been.
"What's he talking about Duke?" Mallory asked.
"Where I come from on Puckworld, magic still exists and we use it routinely." Duke whispered.
"Where is that?" Grin asked.
"The Underground." Duke breathed.
"Dude... The place isn't just a bunch of stories." Nosedive said, tugging on Wildwing's arm.
"Shh." Wildwing whispered as something crackled around Duke.
Duke took a deep breath, reaching for the magic around him to draw it to him. "Come on." He whispered.
The magic resisted for a few seconds before it poured through him, making him laugh hoarsely.
"Duke?" Tanya called.
"I'm alright sweetheart. Just forgot what this feels like." He chuckled.
Duke shoved the magic away from him, casting it like a net.
There was a flash then he saw a pair of chains wrapped tightly around each other, one gunmetal grey and the second a soft shade of gold.
"There you are." He whispered, grabbing a hold of the chains and pulling.
"What took you so long? You should have known we were here as soon as we got here." A voice called, sharper than he remembered but still familiar.
Two figures stepped out of the shadows to his right and one immediately ran up to him.
"Jade... I've missed you sweetheart." He laughed, hugging her tightly.
"I knew you were still alive. Even after you disappeared." Jade whispered, buring her beak in his shoulder.
The second figure limped over and hugged them both, squeezing him tightly and growled, "A lot of us thought you were dead."
"Dagger.. Babe." Jade hissed.
Duke sighed and looked them both over.
Jade's coppery feathers were dark with dirt and grime and her chocolate hair was cut shorter than he remembered. But her mis-matched eyes, one brown and the other hazel, were still full of warmth.
Dagger was favoring her left ankle some as she leaned against him. Her smokey grey feathers and silvery hair were dark but he knew once she got a shower, she'd look like herself. What worried him was the haunted look in her bright blue eyes.
"We need to get these two back to the Pond." He called.
"Who are they?" Mallory asked.
"Old friends." Duke told her.
Jade looked past Duke at Wildwing who looked the two new ducks over before nodding.