Amber…
Huh? Where am I?
Amber…
W-wha? Who's there?
You left us behind… Amber…
Who are you? Show yourself!
…
AMBER!
…Willow?
Sis! There's too many of them! I can't hold this door forever!
Amber, you have to take Shale and get out of here! If this door goes down, you're both going to die!
Quake! Is that you? I don't want to leave, I want to fight! I can't leave you guys behind!
Amber, take your brother and get out of here. We'll be fine!
Wait, no, I-
CRASH!
Run, Amber! RUN!
"Amber!"
"Eep!" A young Mudwing jumped slightly as a stern voice yanked her out of her trance. As the fog of daydreams in her mind parted, she became painfully aware of her current situation.
Amber had zoned out. Again.
And in the presence of Principal Tsunami of all dragons, she growled internally. Great. As if I wasn't in enough trouble already.
As Amber squirmed awkwardly in place, Principal Tsunami let out a sigh of exasperation. "Amber, I want to ask you a question," she said. "Do you know why my friends and I founded this school?"
Hmm, I think so. "To be snobby do-gooders?" Amber sneered. "You know, some of us don't have it as easy as you guys. A home, food, family… some of us are lucky to have any of that. You think we go around telling other people what's right and what isn't? No, because we'd do anything to get by, no matter what it takes. So while you dragons sit around here telling everyone else how to act, the rest of us have to suffer."
Tsunami narrowed her turquoise eyes, glaring at Amber. Even though that probably wasn't the wisest move, Amber couldn't hold it in anymore. She had found herself in this room five times in the past month, and it was starting to piss her off. She couldn't help it though. With a few exceptions, everyone here just seemed so… mean. Like they were just asking to get their face clawed off.
I wish I could just go home. Not there was anything left at home. Not since her 'best friend' had… crossed over, to put it lightly.
"Look, Amber, I want to help you. I want you to learn, to have fun here." Principal Tsunami said. "But none of that will happen if you keep picking fights with the other students. So, I will give you one last chance. You can go back to class, and try to be on your best behavior for the rest of your time here. Or," she paused, her tone becoming more threatening. "You can leave. Forever. Your choice."
Amber glared at her, then blew a puff of smoke out her nose. "I'll go back to class," she snorted, and proceeded to get up and stomp over to the doorway.
Tsunami smiled. "Wise decision." Scrolls rustled as she went back to sorting the papers on her desk.
"Be on your best behavior, meh meh meh, do this, do that!" Amber savored the small amount of quiet time she between walking from the Principal's office to her class by mocking Tsunami. "Why don't you just go stick your nose in a fire!" Nothing answered her, except for the clickity-clack of her talons on the stone floor.
To tell the honest truth, Amber had actually been excited to come to Jade Mountain Academy. Getting to learn, make friends, do things she had longed to do years before, such an opportunity was almost surreal. When she first came here, it was pleasant. For the most part everyone was nice to her. She had begun to grow close to people, and the familiar feeling of home came crawling back to her.
But, that had all changed one fateful day. Disaster, it seemed, came in the form of a simple, drab piece of parchment, licked at the edges with dirt and mildew.
To whom it may concern,
We regret to inform you that a young Mudwing, aged 4, died in the presence of doctors and nurses at the Mud Kingdom's main infirmary several days ago. He has not yet been identified; however, it appears the cause of death was Pneumonia. In the condition he was found, his case was beyond our help. If you receive this message, we suggest that you visit Queen Moorhen's palace so we may give him a proper burial.
We are deeply sorry.
-Pine, Head of Medical Staff
That was all the letter had said.
That was the day, Amber had decided, that her life officially lacked meaning. Everything was pointless. Her best friend, no, her only friend, had died.
And she hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye.
Amber stopped in the middle of the hallway. Her whole body tremored as she tried to choke back a sob. "D-don't cry, don't c-cry, don't cry dammit!" She choked as the tears began welling up. "S-stop thinking about it! After all you've been through, you be happy to still be alive! B-besides," Amber paused in an effort to calm her breathing. "It's what he would have wanted anyway."
It took Amber only a few minutes to regain her composure.
She had been through that same situation time and time again, ever since her friend's death. Panic attack, calm down, walk it off. Panic attack, calm down, walk it off. Again and again and again. The cycle seemed to never end.
Everyone had grown more hostile to her as well. Everything they said was always some sort of snarky insult, purposefully directed at her, in an effort to hurt her conscience. And it usually did.
But was it really true, had dragons grown to hate her?
…Or was it just her?
She could never tell. Her mind was too clouded with grief and rage to think straight anymore.
"Ah, Amber, you're back! That's good to see."
Amber realized she was now standing in the entrance to a classroom. An older dragon, a Sandwing, presumably the teacher, stood next to her with her talons slung over her back.
"Do you remember what we were doing?"
"No, Miss Pale."
"It was the writing assignment, for the Starfall Festival."
Ah, yes, that was it. That strange scavenger tradition that the Dragonets of Destiny had presumably heard about, and were now forcing them to take part in.
"Yeah, I remember now. I'll get back to work."
Amber picked up a sheet of dark blue paper and went to her desk. It sat at the back of the room, where she was the least likely to be noticed. As she got to work, she glanced up to see what the other students were doing. Most had gathered into groups at each other's desks to talk, or worked with a friend in silent cooperation. They smiled and laughed nonchalantly, as if there wasn't a thing to worry about.
Amber just frowned at them.
If only my friends were still here.
"Alright, everyone, calm down! The meteor shower should start in a few minutes, so be sure to let the dragons behind you see too!"
Amber wanted to scream. Even though the Dragonets were working to keep everyone under control, the commotion still raged. Here she was, stuck in a crowd with about a hundred other dragons, all crammed onto a tiny ledge jutting out from the side of Jade Mountain. Every few seconds, somebody would accidentally whack her in the face with a wing or stomp on her tail, and she had to resist letting out a burst of flame at each one.
Eventually, though, they all quieted as a wave of anticipation swept over the crowd. Amber craned her neck to see at the midnight sky above her, where the crescents of the moons gazed down upon Pyrrhia, surrounded in all directions by an army of stars. Tonight would be great night to view any stellar activity; the weather was perfectly clear, save for a lone cloud drifting into the distance.
And so, with baited breath, they waited.
…And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
"Huh. Well, this is awkward." Tsunami and her friends quietly argued amongst each other about what to do in their current, unfortunate situation. Meanwhile, the audience of young dragons had started to grow restless. After a few minutes, The Dragonets stopped, and Tsunami turned to the students, a droopy expression on her face.
"Attention! It seems, to our disappointment, that the meteors will not be coming this year. I know this is not what you guys had expected, but there's nothing we can do about it. I'm sorry. Now, I wish for everyone start making their ways back to their respective dormitories, so you can get some sleep. Goodnight, and see you all tomorrow."
A fervor of turmoil erupted amongst them, with dragons spitting spurts of fire into the air, grumbling, yelling, and lashing their tails.
"Aw, man! Come on, I waited all day to see this!"
"This is stupid, Why'd I come out here anyway?"
"You guys said there would be a meteor show!"
Principal Tsunami appeared to be getting angry as well. "Everyone, calm down, please!" No answer. The hooting and howling continued. The crease in the Seawing's brow grew deeper and deeper. Tsunami was known for her short temper, and it had almost reached its boiling point.
And then, she snapped.
"QUIET!"
The noise seemed to explode out of her mouth. It echoed through the mountain canyon, shaking the leaves of trees and scaring flocks of birds, who flapped their wings in a frenzied effort to escape. Instantly, the startled dragonets became silent. Amber yelped and nearly fell over.
Tsunami let out a sigh. "Look, I'm as disappointed as you guys, but please, go back to your dorms. We'll see you tomorrow."
Slowly, and with much reluctance, the students started trickling back into the school. Amber caught up with them at the tail end, and started walking back in. But suddenly, she halted, an unexpected urge to look back creeping over her.
She watched the last of the group disappear into the dark corridors, then turned to look back.
A lone dragon sat, unmoving, in the now-empty space, staring upwards.
"Hey, Icewing! Didn't you hear we're supposed to go back inside?"
The Icewing just ignored Amber. She sighed and started pacing towards him. As Amber got closer, she recognized the long tail and dark spotting of her supposed 'clawmate', Nordic.
"Hey, Nordic what are you-""Look." Nordic interrupted her, his icy voice coming out in a soft whisper. He trailed one claw up until it pointed at a dark patch of the sky, absent of stars.
A small blip of light streaked across the darkness just seconds later.
A minute later, another followed in the first's wake. Then, a third. And a forth, and a fifth.
Amber watched, soon mesmerized. "…Is that…?" "The meteor shower," Nordic finished, proudly.
They watched together in silence, as the shooting stars came down in droves. Like bright snowflakes, here, there, everywhere they came down, encircling the two. They blocked the stars, blotted out the moon.
And as soon as it had started, it was over.
Nordic's smile slid from his face. "It must have been hard," he said. "What?" Amber replied confused.
"To lose your brother like that."
Amber's eyes widened. "H-how… How do you know about that?"
Nordic gazed at her, emotionless, his violet eyes revealing nothing.
"How in the moons do you know about that!?"
"I was the one who brought the letter to you, remember?"
Amber gritted her teeth. She did remember. Now, at least.
"Well, what would you know, anyway? I know you, aren't you a Noble among the Icewings? A Noble, who's never had to deal with hardship in his life? Who has never had to go without food, or family?"
"Amber, I-"
"Go on! Tell me, Nordic! Tell me!"
"My father," Nordic said, shakily. "He… he died too, in the war."
A pang of guilt struck Amber. She hadn't known Nordic for very long, but this was the first time she'd really seen him sad. It was… strange.
Strange, because it made her feel sad too.
Wait, what am I talking about? Am I really pitying this nosy jerk!? Me, of all dragons?!
"…You ever had a brother, or sister, Nordic?"
He shook his head.
"I did. Two brothers, and a sister. My mom and dad, too. And do you know what happened to them?"
Nordic looked as if he already knew the answer.
"They died. Murdered, in that stupid war. You wanna know who killed them?"
"Amber, please, I don't-"
"Icewings!"
In one swift movement, Amber raked her claws across Nordic's chest. Not enough to cause any real damage, but enough to cause some pain. He hissed, fog pouring out of his mouth as he recoiled in surprise.
"I don't care what you've been through, Nordic. Because it'll never be as bad as what I saw the night my family was killed."
The Mudwing whirled around, and began walking briskly back towards the school, fuming.
"A-Amber, wait… I'm sorry, I didn't know! Please…" Nordic choked, clutching his chest. Iridescent blue blood was dripping out of the wounds and staining his claws.
Nordic looked up at her fading form. Then, suddenly, he jumped to his feet, and launched himself across the stone. When Amber heard the footfalls behind her, the Icewing barreled into her, sending them both tumbling head over tail.
"What are you doing? Get off me!" Amber growled. She tried to push Nordic away, but found he had wrapped his arms tight around her neck. "Please, Amber…" he whimpered, staring up at her.
"Don't leave me here."
Amber froze, her eyes widening. Don't leave me here. Her body wouldn't move. Her mouth wouldn't speak. But her eyes… she saw them. Her family.
The ones she had left behind.
Quake…
Willow…
Shale…
I'm sorry.
I won't make the same mistake again.
As Nordic buried his face in Amber's shoulder, he was surprised to feel her hug him back. "Nordic… I-I have to thank you…" she said. The Icewing cocked his head in curiosity. "For what?" Amber took a deep breath. "For reminding me what it's like to have a friend." Nordic looked surprised, then mildly amused, and pretty soon he was beaming. "Get that goofy grin off your face," Amber said, trying to smother a laugh.
The two untangled their wings and claws, and dusted themselves off. As Amber rubbed dirt off her wings, Nordic held his talons out to her.
"Friends?" He asked.
Amber paused for a moment, then spit in her palm and took the handshake before Nordic could pull away. He cringed, shivering from head to tail-tip. "Whatever you say, seal-breath." Nordic smiled sheepishly. "Gross."
Suddenly, a voice made them both jump. "Hey! What're you two doing out here? I thought I said it was bedtime!" Amber knew that sound.
Oh, boy. Here we go. She turned to see none other than Principal Tsunami standing in the cave archway.
Nordic gulped. "Oh, h-hi Principal T-Tsunami! I-I didn't see you there! Me and Amber, were just, uh, out here, watching the stars, hehe!" He stuttered. He whirled to face Amber. What do we do?! His expression was one of sheer terror. Amber just shrugged her shoulders.
Tsunami paced up to them, visibly irritated. She plopped down in front of them, wiping sleep out of her eyes. "I thought I heard something out here," she said. She blinked at Nordic, who looked about ready to faint. "Nordic, I expected better of you. You're a good student, but we do this for a reason. Now get to bed."
The Icewing quickly shook his head, gave a small "yes, Principal Tsunami", and started walking towards the school. "NOW!" Tsunami yelled. Nordic yelped and scurried off into the mountain, nearly tripping over himself in the process.
When she was sure he was gone, Tsunami turned back to Amber. She glared hard at the Mudwing, who closed her eyes, bracing herself for the beating her ears were about to receive.
"You like him, don't you?" It took Amber a second to comprehend Tsunami's words. "Huh?" "Oh my… you do! Imagine that! Amber the troublemaker, having a crush on an Icewing!" The Principal burst into a fit of giggling.
"I what?" Amber was taken aback. What in the world did Tsunami mean by that? "I have a crush on Nordic?"
"You totally do! I could see it in your eyes, when you look at him!"
Amber stood slack-jawed, before growling and stomping past the incapacitated Tsunami. "Tsunami, you moron! You scared the crap outta me!"
This time Tsunami didn't even answer her except with a wheezing hoot of laughter. The situation was too unbelievable to take seriously.
Ugh, what an idiot. Amber desperately tried to stamp out the enormous blush on her face. I can't believe she would say something so… so… ridiculous!
…
Nordic was kind of cute, though.
Realizing what she had just thought, the Mudwing turned an even deeper shade of red.
Tsunami, you suck.