The dragonet lie down on the beach with his sides heaving. He heard the waves lapping gently on the shore and the seagulls crying over his head as they wheeled around him. He felt the pain in his throat worsen. Bryde knew if he didn't get this poison out quickly, then he would be a goner.
He once he felt the pain, he quickly swam to shore scaring four scavengers. He watched them fled to the jungle. One of them tripped an stumble, to his amazement, this scavenger didn't runaway from him. It slowly got up on his legs. It warily approached him and patted his snout with his tiny paw.
Looking into his eyes, he saw what seemed dragon-like, awe, compassion and pity. But that was impossible, scavengers never have emotions and feelings. They are like wild animals. So why did this little one came up to him?
He watched the scavenger curiously moved around the beach, putting wood in his mouth to keep it open. He was confused. Then he saw the scavenger made a string out of vines with it's paws. I never knew scavengers could do that! The scavenger went into his mouth and he felt the fish bones moving in his throat. He reached out and grabbed the string and pulled it out of his throat.
Bryde felt the poison stopped spreading and he got up and stared at the bones in disgust. It was kelp wrapped around some fishbones laced in poison, cleverly made to look like a fish. There was a thin thread at the head that was badly visible. He tossed it away, he felt the stinging sensation in his throat. If it have entered his stomach he would be a goner. He was glad that little bit of the poison was not strong enough to kill him.
Bryde looked down at his scavenger and picked him up and patted his head. "Thank you." He looked down at him, "Hm, since scavengers are rare. I heard they taste good." "Yib yiiiiiiibleeee yibb yibble!" Squeaked his scavenger. "I won't eat you since you saved me," he assured it. "I guess it is fate that brought us together. You know I heard a Sandwing prince have a pet scavenger." He spread his wings and flew away.
"Who could have made that fake fish?" He pondered, "It could be from an assassin trying to attack the royal Seawings. I know that Aunt Coral has a lot of enemies." Bryde squinted his eyes down the shore line. He was thinking who could pull the puppet from that distance. Whoever it was the killer must have went deeper into the ocean and hid somewhere. Vent wanted to dive in the water and track down the assassin. But he was careful not to hurt his new pet.
Bryde basically wasn't interested in anything else, but he couldn't settle his grudge at someone for making the attempt for taking his life away or taking care of a scavenger who saved his. But this little guy risked his life to save mine. He knew I might eat him, but he wouldn't leave me. He sighed and looked down at the scavenger. "Let's go." He turned around a flew to a an island.
Bryde haven't been home for a long time. It felt different and he felt at odds with it. Bryde have fought in the war for the Sandwing Succession. He was fighting in the Kingdom of Sand close to Burn's Stronghold until he was severely wounded and unable to joint the fight. He touched his scars gently. It was a miracle that he was able to survive somehow. He was thankful that the Outclaws found him in the desert and hid him in the Scorpion's Den. He spend years hiding and spying on the enemy by collecting intel and sending the information to the Seawing Council in hopes of ending the war. But now the war was over, he thought about his father. As far as he knew about him, his father considered him as dead. His father holds the highest rank in the military, he was very strict and demanding, he would not tolerate failure, even if it was a loss from a fight.
The Kingdom of the Sea was just as he remembered when he left. It was mostly ocean with islands. On the boarder were the sea cliffs that divided the Kingdom of the Sea from the Mud Kingdom where the Mudwings lived. He circled around the circle of islands that made the Bay of a Thousand Scales. He circled around and found an island there were a lot of Seawings were busy building the new Summer Palace, visible for any dragon to see. He circled the island a few times, searching for a certain dragon.
Soon he found five dragons standing together. The enormous blue dragon was looking at a scroll and discussing about the design of the new palace to the other dragon. She have a baby green dragon harnessed to her. Standing next to here were two dull gray and green scale dragons, standing closely next to her, one was wearing armor watching the construction in progress, while the other was staring at the blue dragon with hero worship eyes and bobbing her head. Bryde rolled his eyes, Tail kisser. He thought and landed behind them.
Everyone turned around and stared at him. Moray's eyes widen in surprised and then they narrowed down in suspicion. Shark turned and stared at him with his tiny, pale and unblinking eyes as if they were boring holes in his head. Yeesh, intimidating as always. Bryde spread his wings and bowed low in respect, careful not to squish his scavenger. "Hello your majesty."
The queen blinked her eyes a couple of times, "Hello, ah, what is your name again?"
Somethings never change. He through wirly, "Bryde, your majesty." He said outlaid, "I was one of your soldiers who fought for you in the Kingdom of Sand."
She nodded thoughtfully, "Ah yes" Bryde was sure she didn't remember he was her nephew, after all, everyone in the kingdom knows she couldn't remember the names of her sons, thirty two of them to be exact. He decided to stretch the truth. "I came to warn you that as I came to visit my father, I saw an assassin and he tried to attack me." He omitted the fact the assassin was targeting him. Even though Coral was his aunt, she was still his queen and her safety was his top priority.
Shark's eyes widen and then they narrowed. "Where and when did this happen?" He asked.
"Over there," he pointed at the direction where he came from, "Not long time ago. I tried to chase him, but he escaped in the sea."
"You let him escape!" Shark hissed. Bryde winced. "How could you let him escape?"
"Because-" Bryde stopped himself and stared down at his claws embarrassedly. How could I explain that I carelessly fell into a trap and I got saved by a scavenger?
"Hey mister, what is that?" Auklet chirped pointing at his talon.
"Huh?" Bryde blinked at the little princess. Then he remembered the scavenger. "Oh, its a scavenger." He held it out for her to look. Everyone leaned closer to look at the scavenger with interest.
"Amazing," Coral murmured, "I have heard about scavengers, but I never seen them this close before."
"I have," Shark said wryly, "and they are hard to catch."
"It's so cute," Auklet patted it's head, "Look, it is as tall as I am."
"It looks tasty," Manta muttered. "No, it's not a snack." Bryde snapped, he wrapped one wing over his scavenger and Auklet, "He saved me when I was poisoned by the assassin."
"Saved you?" Manta asked incredulously, "A scavenger saved you?"
Coral's eyes widen, she leaned forward, "Tell me everything." She said eagerly, "It sounds like a story." So Bryde explained how he got poisoned by falling into the assassin's trap and how the scavenger came to pull it out of his mouth.
"That is so amazing!" Auklet squeaked. "I want a scavenger. Mommy may I have a scavenger, please?"
Before Coral could answer her, Shark instantly responded, "Absolutely not! Scavengers are dangerous. In fact, they were the ones who killed Queen Oasis for her treasure."
The green dragonet rolled her eyes. "But whyyy?" Auklet whined, she poked the scavenger gently with her claw. The scavenger squirmed under her touch. "They are so squishy."
"I don't seen the harm of letting her have the scavenger, Dad." Manta said, "It doesn't have any natural weapons." She studied it. "It has no claws, no wings, no scales, no fire."
"But it might try to kill you while you sleep at night," Shark argued.
"But I heard Prince Smolder has a pet scavenger and he is still alive," Manta shot back.
"Ahem!" Coral coughed. Everyone stopped arguing and stared at her. Coral tried to hide her annoyance for being ignored by everyone since she was their queen. "Auklet, I am sorry but we can't keep scavengers in the palace because they cannot survive underwater." Everyone knew what Coral was thinking. She didn't wanted a scavenger to kill her in her sleep and create another war like the Sandwing princesses. Coral quickly added. "That scavenger is Bryde's pet since he caught it first. When you get older and start going to school, I will consider getting you one for a pet."
Shark glanced at Bryde, "Are you planing to keep that thing?"
"I guess," Bryde admitted, "But I don't know much about taking care of scavengers."
"You can go to school," Auklet suggested, "I know they can help you."
Bryde rolled his eyes, "Yeah right."
"No, it is a perfect solution," Coral said, "Turtle wrote to me that one of his friends brought his pet scavenger to school and they have a no eating policy on scavengers over there. I bet they can help you take care of your new pet. I can write a letter to Sunny, she is one of the teachers at Jade Mountain Academy. They will be happy to welcome you and uh." Coral paused, "What is your pet's name?"
"I haven't thought of one," he admitted. "I was busy thinking about something else."
"I can help," Auklet said, "I'm good with making names. How about Shelly?"
"My scavenger is a boy," Bryde pointed out. But that didn't deter her.
"Lucky," Auklet said, "Because you are lucky to meet him."
"Lucky, huh?" Bryde rolled the name on his tongue, "I kind of like that. Ok, Lucky it is."
"Oh my goodness," Coral covered her mouth, "I just have an inspiration for a new story. Where is my slate?" She searched her slate, "Oh dear, I always carry it around with me, I need something to write on."
"I'm on it," Manta dashed away to find a slate and pencil for her queen.
Bryde noticed Shark was frowning thoughtfully, "We have taken precautions to protect the queen. So far, I have never heard of anyone getting attacked yet."
"But I think the assassin was trying to attack the members of the royal family." Bryde said.
"No harm will come to Auklet as long as she is with her mother, the Queen," Shark tapped his claw on the sand, "The princes were never considered to inherit the throne so they are safe for now. Or maybe someone is planing a coup to disrupt the system? I need to investigate on it. That leaves the other two princesses outside of the Kingdom of the Sea, Tsunami and Anemone. Tsunami left Pyrrhia with Turtle, and they have been gone for almost a month so that leaves them out. But Anemone is at Jade Mountain Academy with Pike. After that incident with the Darkstalker, I am not sure if I could trust Pike and his gang to protect her. I want you to act as a student to back up the others in order to protect the princess. But do it in secret. The assassin might recognize you."
Bryde saluted him, "Yes sir!"
"Oh and Bryde." Bryde paused, "Sir?"
"Don't get killed again."
"Yes sir."