Tikki awoke that afternoon, well rested and ready for another flight. Most of her pride was still sleeping, so she quietly crept towards the entrance of the cave, the moon already at the tip of the mountains. She looked around, finding Adrien off to the side of their cave, staring at the Valley.
"Good Evening Adrien," she chirped, startling the warrior out of his thoughts.
"Good Evening Tikki, did you sleep well?"
"Very much so. And how was your day. Any new dragons come in after we we turned in?"
Tikki loved hearing Adrien's reports on the incoming dragons, trying so hard to describe their patterns and colorations that Tikki would attempt to identify when she went flying.
"The black dragon came. With Princess Marinette."
Tikki gasped, scooting closer to the edge so her face was next to Adrien's.
"Did you see her? Was she alright? Did you talk to her?"
Adrien sighed, leaning against the side of the mountain, Tikki able to see the disappointed frown on his face.
"She was more beautiful than I remembered. We almost talked, but then the dragon took her away. Said only those who are worthy can have the princess."
"How does he know you aren't worthy? You just met again and the dragon doesn't even know you."
Adrien shrugged.
"I don't know what to do. I don't know what cave they are in. I've been searching all day, but I couldn't find them."
Tikki frowned, trying to think of a possible solution. She could get the elders involved or even her pride leader involved, but maybe it would be better for a dragon to talk to a dragon. Help him to see the error of his ways.
"I'll try talking to him."
Adrien looked up as Tikki raised her head, scanning over the valley as the sun disappeared, dragons rousing from their slumber.
"Really?"
"Sure, nothing like a dragon to help another dragon see sense."
Adrien jumped up and hugged Tikki's leg.
"Thank you. At least try to see if he'll let me talk to Marinette. Her parents are really worried."
"I'll see what I can do."
Tikki shook her wings, from their folded position, spreading them out over the landing. Adrien stepped back as Tikki launched herself into the air, several other dragons joining her in flight.
Tikki scanned the crevices for all the dragons, searching for the black elder dragon. But then she remembered the elder dragon's secret hue. In moonlight, their scales reflected a different hue. So who knew what color the dragon would even be.
"Good Evening Tikki," greeted one of the elder dragons she had made acquaintance with when bringing Adrien to the valley. Elder Wayzz was one of the oldest dragons of the valley, his normal green scale glinting a bright yellowish hue.
"Evening Elder."
"Your human behaving I hope."
"Of course Elder," Tikki giggled. Not that she could ever imagine Adrien doing something so terrible to the dragons of the valley, but she found it funny how the other dragons called Adrien 'her' human.
"I am glad to hear it. Have a lovely night."
Tikki nodded, suddenly remembering what she had to do tonight.
"Elder Wayzz!"
The older dragon turned to her.
"Can you tell me more about the black dragon? I just realized that the only chance to spot him might be at night, so…"
"His color shine is dark green. A great contrast between elder's bright night hues."
Tikki nodded as Wayzz flew off to join the other dragons. This dark dragon would be trickier than she thought.
Tikki's pride soon joined her, Tikki flying with them the rest of the night while searching for the black dragon. Granted they didn't not cover much of the valley, feeding close to their side of the valley.
Tikki dove into the water with the rest of her pride, dragons splashing as they grabbed their fill of the fish in the water.
As Tikki swam, she notice a brief shimmer of something green in the water. Making sure she wasn't just seeing an unusual colored fist, she focused her attention on the spot.
She saw the shimmer, only this time it was longer.
She rose towards the surface, seeing a flicker of a dark tail splashing in the water a ways from the rest of the group. Tikki dove back down and began swimming towards the shimmer. The shimmer gradually grew larger, revealing to Tikki one of the longest dragon she had ever seen. Unlike her where she like to consider herself average among her kind, with a neck as long as Adrien, her tail slightly longer than that, and her body built wide to carry loads; this dragon had a neck twice as long as hers, the tail twice as long, and a lean body built for speedy flights. None of the elders looked like this dragon, having her type of built on a larger scale. Tiki paused in her swim, watching him gracefully spin in the water, catching fish.
When he spotted her with his bright green eyes, she felt frozen in fear as he stared her down. His eyes were completely green with the exception of a sliver of black running down the middle. The dragon suddenly turned and sped out of the water, Tikki regaining her composure enough to follow him. She swam up to the shore, shaking the water off her scales as she searched for the dragon. She looked up to find him flying in the sky towards the mountains opposite of her. She quickly took off and followed the dragon, finding him going into one of the smaller caves close to the lake. She dove down and landed at the entrance.
"No one appreciates being followed," chided a nasally voice.
"Sorry, I just, had never seen you before. Here in the valley."
"First time for everything. Now leave."
Tikki frowned, not liking this dragon one bit. The dragons she knew were polite, and often friendly. This dragon was neither. No wonder he kidnapped a princess.
"I said leave," the dragon appeared at the mouth of the cave, his head towering over her as he looked down with condescending eyes.
No time to be intimidated. Adrien was counting on her.
"You need to return the princess home."
The dragon squinted his eyes.
"And who are you to order me to do that?"
"My name is Tikki. I am here on behalf of Sir Adrien."
"Never heard of him."
"He said he met you and Princess Marinette today."
"That twig? Ha! Prince Ego had more meat on him than that kid."
"Prince Theo."
"Same difference. And tell your little knight that the princess is staying with me. Only those who are worthy can take her."
"And how do you know he's not worthy?"
"If he was worthy, she would have told me."
"She?"
"The princess. Who do you think?"
Tikki looked up at Plagg confused before looking into the cave for the princess. He had probably hidden her further in.
"The princess decides who is worthy?"
"The dragon can be taught."
Tikki glared at the male dragon.
"Listen here dragon." Tikki stepped forward, forcing the dragon to back up into his cave.
"Plagg."
"Whatever. I don't care if you are an elder dragon, seasons older than me, world traveled or whatever. But my knight is going to return Princess Marinette home. And if you put up any more trouble for him. You are not only have to deal with me, but my whole pride, and I will not be ashamed to get the elders involved."
Tikki had back Plagg up against a wall of his cave, growling at him as their noses met snout to snout. Plagg grinned mischievously.
"I like your spunk bug."
"Bug?"
"Would you rather I call you shrimp."
Tikki glared at Plagg, but said nothing.
"If your knight has that kind of spunk, he might have a chance."
Tikki relaxed stepping back, "You think?"
"It up to the princess to decide. But they have all winter. Whether or not she wants him is up to her."
"Sir Adrien is only here to take her home to her parents."
"Then you better hope he can convince her."
Tikki nodded. Adrien did persuade her to take him to the Valley, but her pride said it was because she was little soft hearted like that. Maybe the princess would miss home enough to be willing to go back.
"Can you please leave now?"
"Oh right, sorry," Tikki shuffled out of the cave, turning back to see Plagg looking off to corner of the cave with a soft smile, his tail moving in the same direction, adjusting a blanket over something behind a rock.
Tikki smiled and took of back towards her pride. Maybe the black dragon wasn't so bad.
