A/N: Hey guys, its Dewy! This is my first fanfiction, so I hope you like it! I do not own WoF or any of the tribes or characters from the books. However, I do own the TrenchWing tribe and all of the dragons in it. It is my own creation, and not pulled off the internet or anywhere else. Thank you, and enjoy! :)
CHAPTER ONE: If No One Cares What I Do, Then I Can Do Anything
Once again, no one was paying attention to me. I swam with my head up and my antennae pinned flat along my back, my back wings flicking irritably. And no one even spared me a glance. Everyone knew who I was, of course, but that doesn't mean I get stared at. Even if I was bright pink and massive, no one would give me the tiniest little look.
Starfish swam dejectedly beside me, his pale green scales glowing dimly and his drooping tail dragging on the stone beneath his claws. I give him a nudge.
C'mon, Starfish. If you act all droopy all the time, who's ever going to even know you exist? I say to him, trying to lift his spirits, my scales flashing along with clicks and whistles. He lifts his head.
Who do you think will notice if I do stop being 'droopy' all the time? He replies. I'll still be parentless. I stop and glower at him.
Don't say that. The whole 'parentless' deal is stupid. No one should get credit for how we turned out, I whistle. This is the part of Starfish that I don't like. The dejected, sad, hopeless part that can't stop feeling sorry for himself. Pick your head up and let's go. Blowfish is going to start the lesson without us if we don't hurry.
He won't even notice we're gone, I hear him click bitterly, before pushing off the stone and shooting in front of me, the back wings that stuck out from the base of his tail splayed out for better balance and steering. I bolt after him, and several other adult TrenchWings veer out of our way, baring their teeth and clicking and flashing nasty stuff at us as we pass. I grin, pumping my tail back and forth to catch up to Starfish as we speed along the bottommost level of the Abyss. Hisses, growls, and annoyed flashes were all the attention I've ever gotten my whole life. I'd gotten used to it after a while.
When we reach the classroom, Blowfish has already started the lesson, and barely even glances at us when we slither in through the crack in the wall.
Late again, he clicks, flashing his dull gray-blue scales at us. I stick my tongue out at him behind his back and amused chitters spread through the cave. I curl up in my spot next to a snooty bright blue TrenchWing named Snapper. He gives me a haughty look and flashes, Late again, half-breed, in imitation of Blowfish. I roll my eyes. Snapper could barely see past his own snout.
I dim all my scales and the bulbs on my antennae and rest my tail over my snout. Blowfish drawled in his slow manner of clicking and whistling about the ancient history of the TrenchWings and how they came to the Abyss. It made me want to claw my ears off.
Another thought resurfaced then. One that I had been having for years and never actually had the guts to carry out. What if we leave?
I remember the conversation with Starfish when I'd told him my idea. We had decided to go up to the surface, away from all the nasty looks and the crowded caves and alleyways of the Abyss.
"What if we run away?" I had said to him, "We could do it, you know. Never have to hear of the TrenchWings and their horrible prejudices against parentless dragonets." He had looked at me in disbelief.
"Ray! We couldn't just leave," he said, shocked. "We would never survive out there, and the Abyss is safe. And besides, there's nowhere to go!"
"The Lost Seas, Starfish! We could go look for them, and who knows, maybe they're out there!" I had snapped impatiently. "There isn't a life for us here. I don't know why you can't see that." I had spun around and dove back under the ocean, fuming.
I scowl. There was no way he'd agree to it this time.
Parentless. Get your head up and pay attention, Blowfish drawls in Aquamarine. I'm not going over the whole lesson again for some… half-breed. My scowl turns to him.
Maybe I'd be more intrigued if your voice didn't sound like a sea slug trying to speak Aquamarine, I snap. Blowfish hmphs and continues the lesson. I notice he starts trying to keep his voice animated, which, in my opinion, was a total failure.
I take a stone slate and a chalky type of underwater rock out of my seagrass bag that was slung over my shoulder and begin to sketch. The scene is of Starfish and I swimming through coral reefs, full of fish, the suffocating walls of the Abyss nowhere in sight.
That's what I wanted to see. I wanted to run away, and for Starfish to come with me. I wanted to swim through the seagrass fields and the colorful coral reefs, and never have to see the judging looks and hear the mutters and grumbles as we passed by. I want a better life than this. I want a life in general. So, when Blowfish announces that the class is over, I dart immediately over to Starfish.
Hey, can I talk to you about something? I click and flash to him. He looks at me with amused exasperation.
Oh, no, what now? Starfish whistles, and follows me to our favorite place to hangout.
It was a beautiful large underwater cave, full of glowing fungi and overgrown with coral and seagrass. I settle down on a nest made of strands of kelp woven together and tied down to a stick.
Starfish lays down on another one across from me, and he watches me expectantly.
Well…, I begin, starting to feel a bit nervous. I think you already know what I want to tell you.
Realization dawns on Starfish's face, and he shakes his head. You know we can't do that, Ray. We have too much—.
I shove my self up, scowling and lashing my tail. There is nothing for us here! You're living in the past, Starfish. Get your head in the game and realize that we don't have anything keeping us here, or anywhere else. We can go wherever we want and no one will give a damn.
Starfish stares at me, his mouth wide open. I'm sorry, Starfish, but whether your coming with me or not, I'm leaving, I tell him, bowing my head. I'll miss you, but we can't stay here forever.
Starfish's mouth snaps shut and he stares at his claws as I swim out. I take one last glance as I slip away, and Starfish hasn't moved. I grit my teeth and force myself to look away and keep swimming. He still had time to decide.
When I reached my cave, a small one far away from the central area of the Abyss, I begin to pack my bag. I didn't have much, so I didn't pack much. My slate, a few books. My cave was awfully empty compared to the large ones the upper class TrenchWings had. Those caves were cluttered with jewels and shells, pointless decorations that were only meant for show. I only owned one jewel, and it was the only bright thing on my cave.
I run my claws over the smooth, dark surface, and it glittered with colors of blue and green and purple. The only thing I knew about it was that it had been curled up in my claws when a TrenchWing found me tied to a piece of coral not far from the Abyss. No one knew where I came from or how I had gotten there, but they still took me to the place where all parentless dragonets grow up until they're old enough to be given a cave.
The orphanage had been empty until Starfish had come. The dragoness there had been old and grumpy, and had treated me like a housemaid to do her bidding. She had been ever so happy to see me go, but I don't think she was pleased to have to do her own chores again.
I smile bitterly at the jewel. It was just another reminder that I didn't fit in here. I stuff it in my bag, somehow unable to leave it behind.
Just as I'm about to leave, Starfish shows up in my doorway, a bag even smaller than mine slung over his neck. His hind wings flick nervously and his tail is stiff.
I… couldn't let you leave by yourself, He tells me. What if something happened to you? I grin at him, flinging my wings around his. His scales flash in surprise, but eventually I feel him hug me back.
Thank you, I whistle and flash. I know this is hard for you. Starfish smiles slightly at me, before swimming aside to let me pass.
Let's find the Lost Seas.
A/N: Thats the end of chapter 1! I hope you all liked it, and I'll try to get to chapter 2 as soon as possible! Thank you all and have a great night/day!
-Dewy