So, yeah, I decided to post a preview for my rewritten version of The Legend of Crescent, If this turns out a success, I will post on this and abandon the other story (it will be the same, just rewritten better). Tell me how you like it...remember, it's your decisions that determine what I do...In a way ;) Here is the prologue that was never in the original as the preview...
Prologue
There is no such thing as silence.
Even small drops of rain pattering to the ground, slidingonto the dark tree trunks and slipped of the brushy grass stalks screening the Bau Gu Orphanage, caused noise. Then, light and quick, the padding of footsteps tapped into hearing. Labored breathing, grass swishing to the sides and revealing a strange-looking reptile.
Slim, female, with a round head and a broad, long tail. Silver scales glittered nearly white in the moonlight, and bright green eyes pierced through the forest. Her ragged clothes, most of them hidden by a torn cloak, had briars clinging to the sides that she took no notice of. She looked as if pausing, breathing heavily, eyes drooping in exhaustion, but her gaze stayed fierce.
It was a dragoness, and she looked back in terror as a roar erupted in the distance. Her feet churned into the earth damp from rain, bracing against the mournful wind, so fast she was just a dazzling silver flash. The world sped through her vision in a blur.
She choked back a shriek as a black figure dropped in beside her, then breathed out a relieved sigh; those were dark jade eyes she'd know anywhere.
"Night, you made it...where is she?" The female dragon panted, easing her sprint.
The black dragon, nearly engulfed in the shadows, was barely visible except for themoonbeams bouncing on his scales. "I'm fine, Mistia, it's you I'm worried about,"
"Please, Night-is Crescent safe?" Mistia demanded. Night nodded.
"Sage's bringing her, but we have to hurry-the enemies might-"
A hiss slunk out from the darkness, and the two dragons swapped terrified glances.
"Run!"
The pair pelted through the forest, twigs snapping underfoot and leaves rustling as they whistled by. Their came another sound now; one of more careful quietness, of someone padding on behind them...and taking it's time.
The dragons' sides where screaming at them, but suddenly the skidded to a stop.
"Sage?" Night whispered, after catching his breath. "Sage, where are you?"
"Right here, brother," A deep voice answered. Another dragon strode into the scene, tall and blue-eyed, with the same pitch black scales.
"And Crescent?"
"Safe and sound," The dragon frowned sadly, and yet another reptile popped out from behind Sage, a toddler, with silver scales and icy, crystal blue eyes. She looked up in confusion, then spotted the other two. Releasing her grip of Sage's finger, she trod over to Night and Mistia and tried to embrace both with her little arms.
"Mama! Daddy!" She giggled, burying her head into their stomachs. "I fwound you!"
Night squeezed his eyes shut while Mistia exhaled shakily, stroking her daughter's head.
"Hey, sweetie," she whispered tenderly. "We have something to tell you, Cress...Me and daddy are gonna go on a trip for now-"
"Really? Where?"
"Somewhere for grownups," Mistia chuckled nervously, shifting her eyes around warily. Her heart felt like it was going to crack in two as she stared at Crescent, and she pulled her daughter into a tight hug.
"But remember, Cress, everything'll be okay, don't worry, hon, okay?" she breathed out, feeling something wet drip down her cheeks.
"Okay." Crescent said, looking up trustfully. Her mom laughed quietly, wiping away her tears, though more kept sliding down.
"I promise."
Mistia kissed her on her head and fondled her goat-like ears. "Say goodbye to daddy."
Crescent nodded and ran up, hugging her father's legs, pressing her face in the black silk of his pants. "Goowbye, daddy-have a good time." she said, looking up at Night's forlorn face. Somehow he managed to pull a grim smile on his face.
"We'll see you soon, Cress, we'll be back." he promised, rubbing her head. "Now, Uncle Sage is gonna take you to were you are gonna stay while we're gone-be good for us."
"Okay!" she chirruped. "Love you, mommy and daddy," She said shyly.
"We-we love you too, Crescent." Mistia choked out, mustering all her will-power not to burst out crying.
Sage picked up the little dragon-girl and nodded curtly to the other two. "I wish you luck-we will meet soon."
Then he fled off into the darkness, and then silence ruled, except for the steady fall of rain that mixed with Mistia's tears and dropped to the ground.
"Oh, Night, what have we just done?" She croaked, leaning against him and sobbing into his arm.
"We have just saved her life, Mistia." he said, though he felt like buckling to the ground for the pain in letting his daughter go with so much belief they would be back. He held his mate's arm, supporting her as much as himself. "It was for her own good."
"I know, I know..." she moaned almost inaudibly in misery. "But, still..."
"Well...what do we have hear?" A voice dripped posionously out of the gloom, making the two reptilesswivell around and freeze in chilling horror, eyes wide.
"A couple sad, little...dragons?" The voice snarled. A silver point of a sword sliced out of the darkness, cold against Mistia's neck. She held back a gasp as two wicked golden eyes, burning with fierce hatred, glared out of the shadows.
~oOo~
Sage ran, hoping and praying desperately for his brother and sister-in-law to stay safe, even if that chance was impossible. His feet pounded wearily on the ground but still he tried not to jostle his sleepy, nearly limp niece in his arms.
"Silvering, is everything okay?" He asked.
"Huh?" she mumbled drowsily. "I'm fine, Uncwe Sage. Jus'" she yawned "Don' call me...Silvering..."
Faint snores, and Sage smiled, deep sadness coursing through him. He had wished this day wouldn't ever come, but fate decided otherwise...
Yet he knew, all would turn out right in the end.
He hoped.
The dragon finally stopped, sides heaving. Looming pale overhead stood the frail figure of a building.
Bau Gu.
He cradled the dragon-girl in his arm and stared at her with soft arms. Then, gently, he leaned her against the wall, putting a blanket over her, and then rapped loudly on the door, and only when he heard the skittering of hooves on wood did he speed away, looking back to see a sheep open the door, warm golden light from her candle spearing the darkness.
Sage could see no more as a scream,Mistia's, floated from far away to his ears. With only another remorseful look back, he began rocketing towards his brother.
And when he got there, he stayed rooted to the ground in cold terror.
"Oh no..."
~oOo~
"Mistia..." Night groaned tearfully, on his knees, with dark blood trickling from a long gash on his arm and staining the ground. He rocked back and forth, holding the lifeless dragoness in his arms, with tears flowing to the ground. "Oh, Mistia, I'm so sorry..."
"Night," Sage began, taking a step forward and pushing aside the tall ferns.
His brother looked up in silent anguish, grief and seething anger mixing together like explosive chemistry. "I couldn't make it...Golden Eyes was too fast...too strong...All my fault..."
"No, it's not..."
Night didn't listen, he just kept weeping into Mistia's shoulder, dark green eyes half-lidded.
Suddenly, the ground lurched under Sage's feet. Cackling laughs filled the air, and the night seemed to swallow them in menace. The earth shifted and growled, then roared and shook violently. Sage was flung to the ground, and he looked up to see swords surrounding him, Night, and the motionless Mistia at all sides. He exhaled, and lowered his head.
Hope was lost.
So, yeah, there it is! Tell me what you thought!
-Dragoness of the Stars/Sleet12