Iris flew silently along the southern coast of the Rainforest Kingdom. She squinted. Rainwings didn't have the best eyesight, but she was certain she would have seen him already.
'How hard can it be to spot a columbine blue dragon, especially with two full moons? Maybe the meeting place is farther inland than I remember. I haven't seen him in so long, six months maybe?' Iris thought for a moment before turning and drifting north.
The luscious rainforest began thinning into temperate woodland as she sailed along, and she could see the mountains in the distance.
Her wings were tiring and eyelids drooping when she passed Jade Mountain. Usually, tree gliding saved her a lot of energy, but she had been flying for three hours, not considering the long flight earlier; her stamina was fading.
'If I just drop down for a quick rest, I'll be able to search better later. He'll have to wait for me,' Iris thought, falling more than flying towards the tree line on the bank of a small river. She gripped the trunk of one of the trees and nestled into the crook of the branch. She brought her satchel to her chest and folded her wings around her. Her wings relaxed and she shifted into a deep blue, matching the dark night around her. A part of her wanted to keep searching, but that part was muted as sleep overcame her.
"One of these killed Queen Oasis? Really?"
"Can we eat it?"
"Starflight says they're endangered."
Iris shook her head slightly, 'Who is that? It doesn't sound like any Rainwing I know.' She blinked rapidly, only her eyes moving to look around her. The sun was rising above the mountains, its warm rays creeping up the tree she was residing in.
The pine needles digging into her side brought her back to reality, and the memories from that night began swirling around in her head.
'Did I imagine those voices? Who's Starflight? What time is-'
A sharp scream interrupted her thoughts and Iris's eyes shot down towards the sound. A scavenger was sprinting away from two dragonets, a Seawing and a Mudwing.
The Seawing poked a claw into a sack on the ground; Iris assumed the scavenger had left it.
"There's treasure in here!" The blue dragon lifted up a small stone pendant from the bag, "So... pretty..." she said, mesmerized.
The Mudwing glanced at the Seawing questionably, "Can we keep all this?"
Suddenly a sharp voice came from the forest below the tree bound dragonet, "Certainly not. Unless you want to fight me for it."
A massive dragon stepped out from the shadows, a dragon that commanded respect from all of Pyrrhia, a dragon who murdered for fun, a dragon with more riches than all of her kingdom combined.
Queen Scarlet, Ruler of the Skywings, an ally of the Mudwings and Queen Burn of the Sandwings, stepped out onto the river bank.