Spectro dropped from the queen's tail.
He shook his scales, got his bearings, and stood up. Dazzling stared out at the two brown smudges in the otherwise blue sky.
"War," she said matter-of-factly and turned sharply, briskly walking down the path and dragging Spectro with her. He bumped on the smooth floor, bruising his chin, and scrabbled to his claws. She growled under her breath and jumped into the air. Spectro barely had any time to grab ahold of her thrashing tail.
As soon as she lighted down on a platform across the way, she was mobbed by dragons trying to know what happened with the Mudwings. She brushed them aside and kept on going. Spectro knew why. It was her nap time and no one gets in her way of nap time. They passed his room and Dazzling pushed the door open. She gruffly took off his pearls and vines and shoved him into his prison. The door shut, hitting his tail.
He looked back, his orange eyes brimming with fury, but no one was there to receive his glare. Spectro huffed and lighted on his bed. He listened to the clicking of jewel covered talons down the hall. Then he got up, spread his wings, and flew up to a small chandelier. He took out a small apple that was hidden in a socket, then pulled out the real thing he was hiding.
A crystal, carefully carved out in the shape of a scavenger's claw, laid in his hand, and Spectro set to work. He set it on an indent in the door, and twisted the blade into it. Shavings fell out of the hole, and he collected them quickly. He dug deeper into the door. He was almost done with it, and felt the wax of the outer door curl over his claw. He jabbed it into the hole one last time, and felt the seal break.
All that time was worth it. He was able to unlock it any time he wanted to now. Spectro went about, preparing. He had bags of food stolen from the table, other larger crystals, some of the few precious scrolls that the Rainwings possessed, along with his favorite one. Queen Dazzling had ordered all of the copies to be burned, but he had one of the only ones left. It told about Rainwings, that could spit venom and blend into everything at will, strong brave dragons who were the ones that saved the Rainwings long ago from the scavengers at the Scorching. Then they suddenly disappeared after the war was done. The tribe split in half, one going missing, and the Rainwings today who are lazy, bright, and definitely do NOT spit venom. He was depressed by how they were, and wanted to seek out these dragons.
If they are real. Spectro sighed.
He was going to run away to somewhere that may or may not exist. The legendary valley of the mists might be a hoax; this story a lie. But it was better than nothing. Living as a disabled servant and pet of Dazzling is horrible. But maybe he should stay another night or two, to build up more food for the journey. Besides, the clicking of talons that meant the Queen was back. He clumsily shaped the wax back and swept the wood shavings under his bed. Dazzling opened the door.
"Come, Spectro, She snapped when he failed to scramble to his claws quick enough. He did not resist when she laid those heavy jewels over him. He would take it for just a little more. Just one more day. Just one more day.