Prologue

Claws scraped through the mud, as if the dragon were slashing at something unseen. They were a muddy shade of reddish brown, the claws were, and covered in little cuts and bleeding bruises. The dragon the claws belonged to had a twisted scowl on her face, part pain and mostly anger, as she looked down at the cuts. She snorted, steam hissing out her nostrils, and winced, turning away. Her orange eyes gleamed in the dusky light, and she turned her broad MudWing snout up to the sky.

"You don't know who you're messing with, dragons. One day soon, I'll-" She suddenly let in a sharp intake of breath, as she felt a talon clamping down firmly on her shoulder. The dragon turned her toward him, big MudWing face wrinkled up in a nasty expression.

Oh, great. Crown. Just what I needed. And for once, she wasn't being sarcastic. Her talons reached instinctively for the bag she had set down in the mud by her tail.

The dragon's bright gold eyes gleamed out of sunken eye sockets, the pupils in them narrowing to slits in concentration. He thumped his big MudWing tail on the ground, a snort huffing out of his nose.

"Not afraid, little pathetic worm?" He paused, seeming to be impressed for a second, and her spirits lifted. "Well… I would say that's brave, but it's downright idiotic." He leaned in. His breath smelled like rotten crocodile. "You should be afraid of me, mistake"

"My name isn't mistake, it's Barrow." Her voice shook slightly, even though she had been absolutely, positively determined to keep it level as she looked at the much larger, clearly purebred MudWing dragon.

Crown's nostrils flared in indignation, but he knew she was still weak. He could obviously easily crush her in a fight, not to mention the fact that she was likely scared under that mask of an expression she was trying to keep from slipping right now.

Barrow's talons shifted to the side, and she ducked her head, attempting to look as if she were flinching away. Her talons groped in the mud for a moment, and a flash of true worry flooded through her. But she found the bag, that she had skillfully hidden, and slid her talons into it. The cold feeling of steel met her scales, and she tested the blade's edge against one of her claws.

Crown growled, stepping back and lashing out his talons, just as she swung her own palm up to block him. He looked outraged as she grabbed his wrist, the beginnings of a roar rumbling in his chest, and flung her off. She turned, screwing up her face as the blade spun up in an arc through the air.

Perhaps a year ago, or even a few months ago, she would have had some hesitation to hurt any dragon, even one as cruel as Crown. But now that part of her was gone, and she had no regrets or hesitation as the blade met his throat and he fell backward into the mud, a soft sigh of shock escaping his mouth.

And then he screamed.

Barrow didn't smile, but simply sat there with a heavy weight of shock spreading through her limbs at what she had done. It wasn't a happy moment, it wasn't a satisfying moment. She had thought this would be the best day of her life, when she would finally prove herself, when she would be rid of this tormenter who surely deserved to die.

But she realised, right then and there, that fear, sadness, heartbreak, and pain were all part of the package that was bravery, happiness, and love. If she took away one, she would take away the other, permanently. And she didn't even mind. All she had cared about was getting revenge, to stop the pain, she didn't care that she was stopping what little spark of kindness remained in her heart.

Crown looked up from the muddy ground, blood gushing from his mouth as he attempted to spit an insult at her, before he went limp. His body was twisted, his eyes wide open in almost comical shock. The blade stuck out of his neck, the wound gushing red and still bleeding. Her talons were soaked in the blood, almost as if she had spilled a bit of red paint on her talons… almost… but no, those days of innocent thinking were over.

Barrow took a step back, wiping her slippery talons on the ground. The damage was done, and Crown was dead, but she would be long gone before they could catch her or find out who had done it. Looking down at his body, she knew it wouldn't be enough. It would never be enough. She needed more revenge than this, she needed to destroy all the tribes.

Those bloody arrogant fools, the RainWings, who refused to help me even when I needed them. All they care about is napping in the sun and eating fruit...not that there's anything wrong with the latter… but... they deserve to die.

Fish-brains, the SeaWings, they had an alliance with the MudWings once. Any friend of that miserable tribe deserves to die.

Cold-hearted IceWings, they're just as bad as the other tribes. Having them out of the way would be good for my plans in the future.

MudWings. My own tribe, or so I thought. But instead of being a family, like all MudWings are thought to be, they cast me out. I didn't fit in, because I didn't have siblings. They couldn't understand that, or see that. They will pay.

SkyWings. My other tribe. Just as bad if not worse than the MudWings, for they wouldn't even tolerate me near their kingdom. Apparently I was just a disgrace, a freak of nature, a…. mistake.

SandWings. They have no part in this, but all of the tribes deserve to pay. I will crush them like the pathetic scorpion-hearts they are.

NightWings. Fools, arrogant, overpowered, and pathetic through and through. They might as well kiss their pathetic high-and-mighty position goodbye.

Barrow shuffled backwards through the mud, turning on her talons as she launched herself into the air, wings beating as she flew off.

And that was when she knew. Any dragon that dared oppose her, who dared question her, would be crushed. Only those willing to apologize or help seek her revenge would live, those who stood in her way would die.

A worm of a plan twisted itself into her mind, beginning to take root. She would make sure each kingdom came crashing down, each dragon perished or joined her. She would become all-powerful. She would show them just what a little mistake, misfit, and hybrid could do.

She would convince anyone who had a grudge, help out anyone who was just as chewed up and spat out by the tribes as she was, and she would help them make the tribes pay. Oh, yes, there was nothing sweeter than revenge. She would make sure that it worked, and she wouldn't be alone in this plot…