(A/N: This is in Calcite's view!)
It only took a few months for the Great War to end. Calcite didn't know much about prophecies—other than they were overused in play and story plots, of course—but she was pretty sure they didn't end two years early. At least not without outside intervention. False prophecies were fairly common in entertainment. Why not in real life as well?
Of course, as a lowly IceWing, why would she be told what a NightWing did or did not do? She didn't have anything against the tribe, but she didn't trust well.
Which brought her around to her current situation. In front of her sat Rose Mallow, Jackal, and Caldera—she liked calling them the 'deformed dragonets' to save breath. The trio had held up their offer; they visited her cave-like home a few days after Calcite heard the news from a traveling SeaWing.
Calcite wasn't in her home now, though. Instead, the dragonets had brought her to the oasis town that Jackal lived in. Here, the trio was supposed to watch her talk to dragons without being awkward or over-theatric or sadistic.
Fun.
She looked at the trio. Caldera smiled reassuringly; Jackal seemed impatient or anxious; Rose Mallow shared his expression, but she was flicking her tail a bit but was trying to look like she wanted to be there. Calcite looked out to the dragons around her. Most of them were SandWings, but there were SeaWings and IceWings here as well. Apparently, this oasis town was one of the first to re-accept dragons from all tribes. Tourist boost, maybe.
Calcite walked over to the nearest dragon, opened her mouth, then closed it again. Caldera had suggested to be strictly normal when talking to others—but being normal was so hard! She was used to acting like she was always on stage, but that seemed to be 'wrong.' It made her look bad. That hurt, but it didn't hurt enough for her to be obligated to fix it.
Thankfully (or maybe the opposite), a fellow IceWing came up to her.
"Do I know you?" He asked.
Calcite was startled for a little bit before responding: "Probably not. I don't live here."
"Neither did I 'til the war ended," the IceWing said. "I used to live on an island a ways away. It took me a night to travel from there to here."
"That sounds like Freedom Island," Calcite mused.
"That was Freedom Island!" The IceWing exclaimed. "Maybe that's where I saw ya. If you know what it is, you lived there, right?"
Calcite slowly nodded.
"What village did you live in?" The IceWing asked.
"Um…honestly, I can't remember. I moved away a while ago," Calcite admitted.
"Oh! You're Calcite, aren't ya?" The IceWing said. "I'm Siku. I think we lived in the same village."
"You're that dragon who watched me do my first play." Calcite said slowly. "And you threw roses at me when it was my final act on stage."
"Yup," Siku replied. "I was a bit sad when ya left. You were a great actress. It's a shame—you probably could've made yourself a good career."
"Honestly, that's my dream job," Calcite said. "But…no one would want an actress that actually attacked the other actors. Plus, Pyrrhia is bigger—just about two times bigger. I had more room to slip in unnoticed."
"You're welcome back to Freedom any time!" Siku said happily. "I have to get going, but it was nice catchin' up. I'll see you again soon?"
"S-sure." Calcite said, taken aback. Siku waved then walked back into the crowd, where Calcite lost him.
Calcite walked back to Caldera, Jackal, and Rose Mallow.
"That looked like it went well!" Caldera chirped happily.
"We knew each other," Calcite said. "He was probably terrified of me."
"Everyone has to start somewhere," Jackal replied.
Rose Mallow nodded. "Good job for today, though. You can go back home."
"Thanks," Calcite said. She bowed—in the same fancy way she was taught to when an act was finished. Then she walked off in the quiet footsteps she's grown to use regularly.
I can do this…I can make friends again. Things can get better…for everyone.