Chapter 1

Star

"Wake up, Star! Come on let's go hunting!"

Star woke up to her little sister bouncing on her back. Opening her eyes she looked up at the skylight to see only one of the three moons full….or was that sunshine? She opened them fully to find that it only looked darker because of the thick layer of snow on the ground. Star unfolded her large SkyWing-like wings and stretched; then got up and shook herself. Her glossy scales glinted off the small amount of sunlight that filtered through the cave and she shifted her amber-gold eyes to where her sister sat.

Star and her sister were both odd looking. Star herself looked more like her father, Spark, and had humongous wings that almost touched the top of the cave ceiling and has glossy orange-y red and black scales, yet she wasn't a true SkyWing. Her mother, Sunset, was an odd looking NightWing and had eerie blue eyes and at the bottom underside of her wings where the scattered silver scales lay, was a hue of orange red that faded as it went up her wing. Like a sunset, hence her name.

Cinder, her sister, was more like a NightWing. She was glossy blackish purple with some orange near her eyes, neck spikes, tail and some random patches all over. She also had silver scales on the underside of her wings and near the corners of her eyes like mother, which means she has visions of the future, and her eyes were also blue, but darker like the ocean at night."Do you want to head to the beach? I heard is gonna be sunny today!" Cinder chirped excitedly. Even though she was only a few hours younger than Star, she could act like a few years.

"Sure." Star answered. Maybe I'll be able to see Sapphire fly over, racing Ray like she always does. "Then come on! Mom and dad are out already, most likely working, so we can go now!" Cinder called. Star scampered toward the mouth of the cave and launched herself out into the snowy forest that covered the mountain they lived in. She soared upward, beating her wings fast. Was this how it felt like when swimming underwater? Ray, one of her best friends, was a SeaWing NightWing mix and was an expert at describing it to her. Pretty cute, but not as cute as his half brother.

Cinder caught up with her, panting. "W-will you slow down?!" She choked out. Star giggled. "It's not my fault I'm fast." "I-I know but still." They both swooped in a big circle and headed toward the sparkling mass of blue in the distance. When they neared the water, Star wondered if any other dragons knew about this small random island in the middle of the ocean; a ways off the coast from the Rain Kingdom. It had a few mountains that narrowed into a small valley. There was a small rain forest-like place near where the sun mainly hit ( sadly on the other side of the island) and a sparse landscape perfect for SandWings.

The mountain she and her family lived on was just high enough that snow had gathered on the top and apparently never melts. Their parents told a story to them once when Star and Cinder were only two about how when they fell in love, they found this island and decided to move here. They still fly back to their kingdoms every day to work though; buying necessary items while at the mainland with the gold and silver they earn. Star and Cinder flew for a few more minutes before landing on the soft white sand beach.

Cinder immediately created a small trench to lay in so she could sun, but Star trotted into the woods by the beach to catch something. She tasted the air around her, picking up the scent of a wild boar and quietly taking off after it. A second later, it ran out of the brush to the right of her and made a dash to avoid Star's dagger-sharp claws. It was too slow. She sank her claws into its back before it got inches away from her and she killed it with a blow to the neck.

Wolfing it down in a few bites she turned back to check on Cinder. Her sister seemed to be more SandWing then NightWing sometimes. She just loved to be outside in the heat and had a tendency to fall asleep anywhere it was warm. The sun hit Star's scales and warmed her back and the sound of the clear aquamarine ocean was music to her ears as she walked back out onto the sand. And, of course, Cinder was snoozing peacefully in her little trench.

Just before waking her up, a large shadow was cast across the beach. Looking up, Star saw the back and blue shape of Ray flying at top speeds toward the crooked rock that looked over the water. A second later, Star's best friend came barreling after him. Sapphire was a smallish lean dragon with a RainWing like body but the colors of an IceWing. She had a few patches on her that changed colors like the ones near her eyes and the ruff behind her ears but other than that she was a very light icy blue that faded darker near her spikes.

Sapph landed near her after glancing her way mid-flight. "Hey Cinder." She said quickly before turning back at me and smiling. "Star!" She chirped happily, her color changing scales shifting to a bubbly pink as she squeezed Star in a hug. Ray landed a few paces away near a tide pool and had found a crab. Sapph immediately turned from pink to crimson as the crab latched onto one of Ray's claws and he flung it off with a surprised yelp. "Ooooooooo you like him." Star mused with a smirk

"No I don't, don't be such a seal brain."

"C'mon admit it."

"Maybe a little."

"Boom who's right!"

A darker shade of crimson worked its way up to the surface of her scales: embarrassment. Well, it's not like Nile doesn't make me feel the same. Star thought.

Later that evening after Star, Cinder, Ray, and Sapphire had played in the ocean and had a game of sky tag, they all gathered on the beach to set off for hunting. By the time most of everyone was here, Star's mother and father had come back from work and decided to join the hunt. It had always been amusing for Star to look up to her father and seeing that he was a few feet taller than everyone. Star herself was only 6' 8".

Ray and Nile's mother and father had come as well, Droplet the SeaWing and Striker the SandWing. Ray and Nile are half siblings, yet even though Ray's real dad, NightWing, never came around, Striker was an even better father and was very nice to all of us. Sapphire's parents always are here for the hunt, Opal the RainWing and Frost the IceWing. Exceptionally kind, yet sort of over protective of Sapph just because she's their only daughter.

The hunt was fun but short with so many dragons helping. The four dragonets laughed until their stomachs hurt and they scared away all the prey like they always did. When they finally ate their dinner and flew back to the cave they shared, Star had a moment to just fly.

Sometimes she forgot she was a NightWing hybrid; saying that because sometimes she forgot that she had scattered silver scales under her wings too, and that sometimes her friends lost her. "Just look for some dark red." Cinder called. "Or just listen for several wingbeats in sporadic bursts." Nile snickered. Star flew near him, thinking of the perfect prank. She silently followed him until the reached the cave and she landed behind him.

"AAAHHH!" He yelled as she landed on the ledge. She laughed and so did the others. Cinder told them that she was tired and was going to bed, so she opened the hidden latched door to the cave and walked down the tunnel that led to their cave. "Yeah guys I think we should get to bed." Sapphire muttered sleepily. Humph. I'm not even tired. Star thought, yet she said goodbye anyway and walked through the passage and into the tunnel, following her sister.