"But why?" asked Scandia. "Why can't this fool just learn to keep his trap shut?" she was in a rage.

"You pothoc Brass! I had a reason for turning you in and you know what that is!" the Black wasn't going to give up without a fight.

The Judge looked down at his gavel with a grim look on his face. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"The jury finds the defendant guilty as charged," the jury foreman stood and declared.

"WHAT? I've never heard more ridiculous words in my life!" Scandia blared at the judge. "You might have won, but I'll return the favor, darastrix!"

Falangar was covered in trees and hills farther than a human could see, but Dashmir, a greatv Silver dragon, saw right past the hills to Eastern Igrang. The Trolls lived there. They had no problem with dragonkind, but humans were food to them. So few came now they had to resort to Plankricks, the fish that swim in their waters.

Dashmir didn't know a Troll who liked Plankricks, what with their tough scales and terrible meat. Personally, he hoped he never ate one again.

"Well, look here," he whispered to Han-sho, a Gold dragon. The two and a couple other draconians, Amirax, a small Bronze, and Galin, a clever Copper, had taken on human form. They thought the humans' anatomy was easier to live in for everyday tasks, but they were no use for fighting.

"A Brass, do you think?" Han-sho murmered to Dashmir. "She seems lost. Amirax, go talk with her and see if she needs some help."

"Why do I have to?" the little Bronze moaned. "You said..."

"I am giving you permission to go, child," Han-sho interrupted. "So go. I'm right here."

"The boy seems scared, Han. Don't just push him out like that," Galin complained.

"Since when are you concerned with what I'm teaching him?"

"I just think you should encourage him a little more... like with an incentive."

"You're gawking about money? We can't just go in town looking like this, pothoc!" Dashmir spat. At least his pointed dragon tongue wasn't present. "The only place you can get money is the old worksmith's shop, but he's retired now. Besides, we can go make stuff and sell it."

"Make stuff out of what? The only things to make are hoes and garden stuff, and those aren't exactly in high demand here, Dash," Galin retorted.

Amirax returned just then with the Brass behind him, looking like she just came back from hibernation, like the Rattok bears in the North Islands. "This lad just told me you three could help to show me around town. Will you? I just took a ship here, and I haven't half a clue where I am," the Brass, who has also taken human form, asked.

"Well, we could, but..." Dashmir said, nonchalantly picking at his nails, so much smaller and weaker than a dragon's huge claws. "But, you have to promise us something. You have to come with us to Anjinat north of here. We'll give you free travel and food, and such, but first you have to tell us your name and where you're from."

"Dash, what are you doing? You can't just pick some random Brass off the street and offer to help her like that," Galin whispered in Dashmir's ear hurriedly. Dashmir flashed him a threatening glance.

"Okay... Well, I'm Scandia, and I'm from Raginor. And you four are?" the Brass replied.

"Right. I'm Dashmir, and these are my buds, Galin, Han-sho, and Amirax," Dashmir said.

"And you're going where?"

"Just to Anjinat. I heard there's a protest going on there, and we thought we'd check it out."

"Well, he dragged us into going," Galin threw a sarcastic look at Dashmir. Dashmir elbowed him quite hard in the side.

"And why do I need to go?"

"So, you'll come, then?"

"I guess I don't really have a say in the matter, do I?"

"Watch. The secret is to wait until they turn around, then you jump out and scare them off," Dashmir murmered over his shoulder.

"Dash, why do like to scare things twice as big as you are? As a human, I mean," Scandia questioned.

Dashmir smirked. "Just watch."

"Wait, I need to tell you-" but before Scandia could say more, Dashmir ran out of the bushes and shouted at the great Yurnik boar. It squealed and fled toward a cluster of trees.

"See how fun that was? You have to try now," Dashmir raised his voice to cover the short distance he had run with his human legs.

"Maybe later. First I need to tell you something," Scandia yelled back.

Dashmir hurried over to her in the bushes and sat down in the flattened foliage where he had been lying a minute before. "What is it?"

"Before I met you and the others, I was exiled from Raginor. A... Black," she spit the word out with great scorn, "had accused me of something I didn't do. I kind of wanted to wait before I told you that, because I thought you'd get angry. Sorry I didn't tell you before..."

"Blacks are nothing but trouble. I understand. Didn't you say your parents abandoned you?"

"Yes. I had to go with a few other Brasses who were leaving."

"My father was killed by a Black; I know it sounds impossible, but still..." Dashmir looked down at the ground, suddenly sad; it was odd for him to have mood swings.

"I'm sorry. I never should have mentioned the Black."

"It's all right; you didn't know." A long pause followed.

"I've kept this since I was young. I think you should have it. You need it more than I do." she pulled out a crimson cloth with gold lacing around its edges.

Dashmir unwrapped the cloth to a shimmering round locket with a chain of silver, like the rest of the item. He opened it to see the four Cardinal directions, and one blank space inside, obviously for photos. "Wow. Thank you."

"I thought since you needed a place to hold memories, this would work. You can keep it." She pointed to it. "It's silver, just like you."

"I like it."

Scandia stood and handed the cloth to Dashmir, since she had no use for it now. "Just something to look at when you're down." She walked through the bushes towards the others.

"Your law doesn't rule me!" Dashmir raised his voice at a Centaur who had stopped him and the group.

"Our law applies to all who enter our land, Silver. Even you. Don't think you're an exception," said the Centaur. He trotted back to a marked post he was clearly supposed to stay near.

"Don't make your self the Centaurs' enemy, Dashmir," Han-sho stated. "We don't need any more problems."

The group passed the Centaurian guard, who was watching the only gate into Demerimn. Anjinat was still two thousand miles away, but they could fly, unlike most mythical creatures, including Centaurs. Many were enemies, but when a foe challenges all, they unite, despite blood rivalries over many millennia.

"Centaurs need to put their mouths where their asses are!" Dashmir whispered harshly to Scandia.

"Maybe if you didn't provoke them, they wouldn't give us trouble," she replied.

"I provoke them? They think they're better than us Draconians, and everyone else, for that matter."

"They're just trying to get on in life like everyone else, Dash."

"Well, they can get on somewhere else."

"Sometimes you just have to give them a chance."

"To what? They have no respect for our kind!"

"I'm not going to talk about it anymore. Just let it go."

That night the stars shone like miniature suns, and the sky was dyed a dark blue. Amirax and Han-sho were asleep, but Galin, Dashmir, and Scandia were still talking together.

"I had a ruby once. But the next morning, it was gone! Then when I found it in a rock, I just couldn't get it out!" Galin explained.

"Rubies remind me of lava," Dashmir said. "I think I'm going to get some sleep."

"Scandia, could I have a word?" Galin asked.

"Sure," she replied. The two ventured a little ways from camp, so as to not wake the others.

Galin pulled something from his pocket slowly. "The others don't know, but that riot in Anjinat isn't really a riot... It's a war meeting," Galin said coolly.

He handed the object to Scandia. "This is a diamond compass. You can't tell anyone you have it.

"Why?"

"A spell was laid on it when I got it, so I can't keep it or get rid of it, but I can give it to someone. The spell won't harm you, but don't tell anyone."

"Why are you giving it to me, then?"

He shrugged and said "I figured I could trust you." He smiled and went back to camp.

The group had taken a Lasun train to Halveq, only five hundred miles from Anjinat. On the way, they had seen many different myth creatures, humans of course, and quite a few rivers and forests. The train stopped in Yinsik, a town established by Golds, but only humans lived there now. The Golds established another town,

Hiutey, not far from the first, but surrounded by cliffs. The only access was by Griffons and Draconians.

"The Lasun certainly don't like to travel lightly," Galin commented on the many metal adornments in their car.

"They are a proud people, Galin. Gods are important to them," Han-sho retorted. Scandia and Dashmir sat by a window, away from the others. They both were looking at the rolling hills as they sped past.

"Hill," Dashmir pointed out one of the many indistinguishable hills.

"Again? Didn't we pass one three seconds ago?" Scandia joked.

"If only we didn't have to travel in human form. I want my wings back! This puny little body couldn't go anywhere!"

"If we were traveling normally, we wouldn't be traveling at all, Dash."

"I think we should go away from all the towns, and just fly. Just you and me."

"We're not in Metallic territory anymore."

"Yeah," Dashmir looked out the opposite window. More hills. Just hills. The trip was becoming monotonous fast.

"What'll happen after you and the others get to Anjinat? We'll have to split up, won't we?" Scandia asked sadly, looking at him with desperate golden eyes.

Dashmir put his hand on Scandia's, smiling and looking back with ice blue eyes. "No, we won't. We can stay together if you like."

"I only wish it were true." Clearly she hadn't believed him.

"Do you mind if I swear?"

Scandia looked shocked at this random comment. "O...Kay, sure..."

"I swear that when we get to Anjinat, we'll stick together." He had his hand over where his heart would be if he were a human.

"Don't surprise me like that!"

"You said I could swear, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah."

Qwtins was a small town. Torches lined every street, although there were only three large enough to be called roads. A pub, a livery stable, a hotel, a butcher, and a market all made up Main Square. Houses dotted the outskirts of the town. Otherwise, desert choked the land with sand and palm trees. No hills, no valleys, just desert plains. The group stayed at the hotel when they arrived. They had two rooms; Galin, Amirax, and Han-sho in one, Dashmir and Scandia in the other. Cots were set up for them, seeing as this was a small town in scenic nowhere. Travelers only made stops in the town, and only the locals lived there permanently.

"Why did you four decide to go to Anjinat, anyway?" Scandia asked.

"Actually, I kind of lied when I said we were going. I don't even know that there is a place called Anjinat. I guess I just...wanted some company."

"So I'm here because of a lie?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. I thought you seemed like a nice Brass, so I lied. I'm a fool for tricking you."

"You're not. You're the smartest Draconian I know. I'm glad I came with you."

Dashmir turned his head to look at her. She was glad. He smiled. She actually cared about him. He thought of himself as an outcast, but she cared. "I found something to put in the locket."

"Like what?"

"A picture of it." He took it out and showed Scandia. A little picture identical to its carrier. It seemed fitting. No one could have thought to do that except Dashmir.

"I never would have thought of doing that."

"My mind is a swirling mess. I figured it would happen!"

She sighed. She had never known anyone who took so much interest in her. He was perfect. Clever, funny, sweet. He wasn't a Brass, but she didn't care. He didn't care either. They set their differences aside the minute they met. She was comfortable around him, and felt safe. "The strange thing is, I wasn't surprised you lied.

I just didn't think it was that strange."

"I'm glad I did. Otherwise-" he stopped, the words catching in his throat.

"What?"

"You would have met someone else." He looked away. He couldn't bear to think about it. Her... with someone other than him.

"I suppose it was fated. You couldn't have changed it, and neither could I."

Then it hit him. They were actually headed towards trouble. Anjinat, from what he thought he had heard, was an Orc colony, but Chromatics had moved in.

The five of them couldn't fight hundreds of Chromatics. Unless there were only five Chromatics... Unlikely. "We can't go to Anjinat! There's no riot, it's a city loaded with Orcs and Chromatics just waiting for us! Galin must've told them."

"How do you know that?"

He flashed her an angry look. "I've seen the diamond compass Galin gave you. I just didn't say anything. He was trying to hide it from me. But I know he had it. I know the gypsy who gave it to him, and she put a curse on it. He thought he could trick me!"

"I had no idea... He's lying?"

"Well, of course! I thought I could trust him! Obviously not." He reached one big hand out to her. "Let me see the compass."

"All right." She took it out and handed it to Dashmir. It was silver and round, like the locket.

"No wonder I hadn't recognized it." His cobalt eyes examined it, shining like, well, a Silver dragon's scales in the sun.

"We need to get Amirax and Han-sho and get away from Galin now!"

"Then we need to act fast."

The floor creaked under their feet as they sneaked down the hall. Dashmir sneaked ahead toward the door. He nudged the door open slowly. Cold iron on his neck told him...

"You really thought I didn't know what you were doing?" Galin hissed on his neck.

"You realize I could snap that in half like a twig? I know you gave Scandia the compass," Dashmir said, struggling under Galin's unbreakable grasp. For a

Copper dragon, he was very strong.

"So you do... well, you won't."

Dashmir spun around and held the knife on Galin. "You tricked us. You thought you could get away with the compass in the hands of an innocent person. I trusted you."

"Good. My work is done."

"Amirax! Han-sho! Get up! Run!" The two sleepy souls jolted awake, and ran as soon as they understood the message. Down the hall and stairs, and out.

"I'll make you a deal. If you let me go, I'll take the compass back, and you and the Brass get away with your lives," Galin had haggled before. Why not now?

"Liar! You thought you could just mislead us like that. I'll show you what a fool you are!" He prepared to slice into the traitor's artery...

"Dashmir, stop!" It was Scandia. "He may be telling the truth."

"I highly doubt it!" Dashmir growled over his shoulder.

"In fact, I am. You've always been a slow learner, Dash, but the Brass has the smarts to match three of you."

"Don't mock a Draconian twice as strong as you! You're the one who's slow!" Dashmir yelled. He dropped the knife and ran with Scandia close behind.

Galin leaped from an open window into a narrow street two stories below. It was too quiet to bring on a fight. Dashmir had himself trapped.

A cone of green, twisted wind hit Galin into the side of an old shack. Not enough. He crouched, and then emerged as a fully armed Copper, with bright, shining scales, ready to fly. He pounded into the air, in pursuit of the larger, faster Dashmir. A tongue of fire erupted from his mouth, scorching Dashmir's wing, pulling him down to the Earth. He shifted back into a human, but that alone wasn't enough to boost his energy. He collapsed; face down in the fine sand. Galin folded back to human form while landing silently on his huge clawed feet. The threat was gone. "Now listen, you sorry heap of scales! Go back to wherever you came from, or I'll call the Chromatics right now!" He raised a hand clutched around a whistle that was in the shape of a Black dragon's head, the deadly curved horns remarkably accurate.

Dashmir turned his head, and managed to strain out "That whistle won't work. You think I'm a fool?" before drifting into unconsciousness...

Someone was poking him and shaking him, but who? Dashmir opened his eyes to Scandia standing over him, tears welling up in her eyes. She grasped him, and he hugged her back, grateful for a trusting soul.

"We thought you were gone," she rasped beneath tears.

He picked up his torso to see Amirax and Han-sho glowing at him. Young Amirax, the Bronze, looked tired.

"Where's Galin?" Dashmir moaned from pain he couldn't recall enduring.

"We don't know," Han-sho answered. "He left after you fainted."

"I what?" he was almost too shocked to think, and he shrunk back into the cot, pain overtaking him like a great northern wind. He felt Scandia's hands on his shoulder and back, helping him down.

"After he hit you, you said something and fainted. None of us made out what you said."

"'You think I'm a fool?'" he recited his victorious words. He truly was a fool. He had dragged his friends to danger unknowingly. "Where are we?" the place seemed different.

"Kolonus Port. We had to leave Demerimn because no other medics had the supplies to help." Scandia sounded calmer now. Good. She was horribly tired, but she couldn't sleep until Dashmir had woken up.

The words were a blur in his mind. Kolonus Port? Where on Earth was that? Were they by the ocean? And why was he starting to question his sanity? "What country are we in?" He hadn't a clue.

"Hanintu. Our visas couldn't take us anywhere but here." Han-sho answered smoothly.

Visas? He was lost again. Surely not the stamps that got you to and from places? Visas? What? He lay his head down, tired of the small, weak muscles in

the human neck. "I'm tired of running. All of my three hundred years I've had to run." He blinked slowly. "No more running. Not with so much to lose." He clenched his hand into a fist, so tight he could see his knuckles were white. Scandia held his hand between her fragile looking ones. She knew what he meant. So much to lose... Their lives, each other...

"The doctor will be in any minute," Han-sho announced. "Amirax, find him and see if he's busy. I'll be behind you."

"Yes Han," the little lad replied, walking out the door. That left the Silver and Brass alone. The boy couldn't be more than one hundred sixty, or sixteen in human.

Dashmir felt tears well up in his eyes too. "Nothing makes sense anymore. Everyone either wants to kill you or trick you."

"I don't. Amirax and Han don't. People care, Dash. They give everything to help others. I gave everything to come with you. I'm not going to trick you." Scandia said, clearly concerned and relieved.

"I know," he said gently. "I wouldn't trick you either." He felt all his energy drain just then. He didn't want to keep his eyes open. He felt one tear roll blindly from his sharp blue eye down his cheek, off his jaw, gone. That one tear drained so much more power from him he was beginning to question whether all of his tears would roll down his face.

"I found the locket." she sighed. That locket was something special. No replacement could really replace that one silver memory keeper, or how she felt giving it to him. "You need to get some rest."

He let his hand relax and sighed heavily. He didn't feel like resting. He wanted to find Galin and kill him for what he did to them. "You look lost. Like the first time I saw you." He put his hand on her cheek for a brief moment before he felt Scandia put it down. He shut his eyes, wondering if this was the last time he would do so.

Death wouldn't be so hard. Not now. He finally felt at peace with the world.

"We're all lost. Even with a compass." She laid a gentle peck on his forehead. He couldn't believe she cared so much. So this was what caring was like? Really caring.

Loving...

A train's engine roared in to the station, screeching to a halt, swallowed in all the passengers, each of different species. "Well, there it is," Dashmir said slowly. He couldn't believe he and Scandia really did have to leave each other. Their attachment was... indescribable.

She squeezed him so tight he thought he would shoot up in the air like slippery soap. "You were wrong," she yelped under tears. "You said we wouldn't split up."

He instinctively squeezed back, hoping it wouldn't be the last time. He laid his head on her hair. "I tried so hard to convince myself it was true," he rasped. His throat felt as if someone had shoved a lead ball down his gullet. She released her choke hold long enough for him to say "Like you said, some things are fated. You couldn't have changed it and neither could I." He felt tears building up behind his vision. Nothing got in the way of his feelings for her. "And to think I trusted Galin."

"He's gone, Dash. Everyone's gone. Except you and me."

"But I'm a fool still."

"I have an idea." She suddenly looked cheerful. "You can come with me."

It was a good idea, but he had to go home. "I can't. I'm sorry." He wasn't abandoning her; he really needed to get home.

Scandia looked down. "Well, then, I'll see you again, right?"

He smiled. "I hope so." He took a round silver object wrapped in a cloth with gold lacing out of his pocket and said "Just something to look at when you're down."

Scandia held the locket in her hand, her eyes watering. He took her face in his big hands and landed a peck on her forehead.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY YEARS LATER

Gammorre was a little town in the middle of nowhere, but the grass was green and the children scurried around, chasing each other in a game of tag. One stood alone leaning on the side of a building. But this one was the son of a Silver dragon, and, judging by his size, about fourteen in human years. He walked up to his father, a hint of submissiveness on his face. He was speaking to him about something. He skulked away, hands in his pockets. "Be careful." the father said as the boy walked off. It was a shame he had never met his mother; she would have equally loved him. But the father would write to her, telling her the boy was growing to be such a strong young Silver, and asking for her to visit. But seeing as many Mail gryphons were carrying messages to and from army stations, it could take a while for it to reach her. He would try anyway, because he missed her; they had been on a journey that had bound them together so tight nothing could pull them apart. She was his life. He went inside and got a pen and parchment out:

You can guess who this is from, judging by the writing, but I only hope you can come to visit, or even write back. The Mail gryphons here are scarce because of the war, but hopefully one will be available. Qansid keeps amazing me; he's so smart. He's nearly as tall as me! Anyway, I'm sending you something special. I wish I could write faster, I'm so anxious to get this to you. You're probably reading this thinking I'm writing all this to keep you busy. A hundred forty years... It seems like yesterday I was in the port, you helping me... If you can't visit, then you can always write. I only have one more thing to say.

I love you.

Dashmir