Metalhide and Opal settled into bed to sleep as the sun descended below the mountains, and two of the moons hung in the sky, one full, the other half. As he fell into the pits of sleep, an uneasy feeling hung over Metalhide, but he managed to slumber nonetheless. The dream shifted to various different landscapes, each holding a different dragon who Metalhide knew. As it went on, his subconscious thought how each of them were faring, as they were traveling around, open to be dragged into the war. His own brother, Midnight, which hadn't seen since he began raising Opal, was the one he worried about most. Despite the fact Midnight and the others could handle themselves in a fight, the sheer numbers of entire army could do anyone in, no matter how skilled. With that, his subconscious completely sunk into the abyss, this time with no nightmares, for the first time in six years.
He blinked his eyes open, a sunbeam painting a circle merely inches away from his snout. He got up, blinked and stretched. After that, he looked towards Opal's bed, only to find it empty. He figured she was already up reading or something, but then several wingbeats from outside confused him.
"Hold it right there, Skywing!" called out a harsh, scratchy voice. Metalhide quickly bolted out of the room and outside. Following the wingbeats, he found Opal surrounded by at least eight Sandwings, with one flying away towards the distant dunes. Rage boiling inside of him, Metalhide didn't even hesitate. He dive right for the closest Sandwing, tearing into the unsuspecting dragon's neck, instantly killing him. Before the others could react, the corpse hit the ground and Metalhide had already sunk his talons into the throat of the next dragon. The rest bellowed at their attacker, charging at him with rage. Despite the odds they considered, they couldn't even dent the armor he wore, and they were all dead before they could get away or try again. When Metalhide landed, he was blood-soaked, as was the surrounding dirt. As he stared at what he had done, he remembered Opal was present, and turned to her. Her eyes were filled with shock and fear as her gaze met his.
"Opal?" She flinched back, completely horrified by what he had just done. "Opal, please, I'm not going to-"
"I know...but, please...just please don't do that again. The look in your eyes as that happened...it scared me. Like you suddenly weren't the dragon who raised me, just something else...sinister, evil...not you." He nodded silently, then remembered the other Sandwing.
"I'm promise. But we need to move, quickly. The one that left will be back, with more of them." As he said that, they both looked in the direction of the desert, seeing multiple pale gold shapes on the horizon.
"Oh no...Opal, we have to go, now!" He set all the bodies on fire to buy them more time, then he and her bolted back into the cave. While he gathered bare essentials into bags to take with them until they could find a new home, Opal watched through the window for the incoming Sandwings.
"Got everything. Opal, you take this bag, in case we're separated." Metalhide strapped the pouch filled with food and valuables onto her, then one onto himself. The two made their way to the animus-touched tunnels that all led to quick escapes if needed in a situation like the one they were in. But Before they could reach safety, several Sandwings burst into the corridor.