Queen Quiver of the Sandwings
Quiver was never sure she was a good choice for queen. Thorn was an amazing queen so why had she chosen her for the next heir? Quiver never knew why. Sunny would have made a good queen but she had the academy to run. Quiver was queen as Thorn lived out her last years with family and friends.
"Your majesty?" a dragon caught her from her thoughts.
"Yes." she said, looking at him. It was Jackal.
"My mother wanted to know if you could visit. She's not doing that well." he looked down at his claws. "I'm really worried about her. Eclipse and Ashflight don't seem to be very hopeful."
"Oh of course." Quiver said, stepping off the throne. She walked out with Jackal walking towards a part of the palace where Sightkeeper lived. Sightkeeper was a dear friend who was getting older in years. She was also sick and not doing so well. They walked past the sand covered tower that lay in the ground. It was Burns' weirdling tower. She had kept little pale white scavengers and six clawed talons. Different weird things. They walked towards a smaller tower that housed Sightkeeper and her three Dragonets. They were no longer dragonets in fact they were about three or four years younger than her. Jackal's dark sandy scales reflected the three moons' light. She walked up the stairs that brought her into an open space. It split off into four rooms that had more rooms inside them. She walked towards Sightkeepers room. She knocked on the door and waited.
"Come in." said a tired voice.
Quiver walked in. "Sightkeeper?"
"Yes I'm here." she replied.
Quiver walked in to see a black dragon laying on a pile of camel hides. Her breathing looked uneven as she lifted her head towards them. "Hi."
"Hello."
Quiver took a few steps closer. "How are you feeling?"
Sightkeepers eyes were heavy. "I've been better."
Quiver tapped her talon on Sightkeepers. "I know it's been rough but you will get through this."
"Yes you will, mother." Jackal said. "You will get better."
Eclipse and Ashflight walked in and stopped. Ashflights deformed leg dragged on the ground as she walked in. Eclipse looked exactly like her mother. Black in every scale with little hints of pale yellow along her underbelly. She also had two silver scales by her eyes. She had the power of mindreading. It didn't bother Quiver. In fact Eclipse was a very trusted friend who was amazing at keeping secrets. Ashflight was named properly. She looked like a Sandwing with ash spotted all over her. She had a Tail bard unlike her siblings and black eyes.
"Mother." Eclipse said walking up.
"Hi Eclipse." She stretched her claws towards Eclipse.
"Mother, you need to be resting." Ashflight said. Ashflight was the healer here in the palace. She had overseen her mothers treatments and care. "You need rest."
Sightkeeper let out a cough then nodded. "Alright." Then she lay her head down on her claws and closed her eyes. Quiver stepped back and started for the door.
"Wait." Ashfight whispered.
Quiver turned around. "Yeah."
"Thanks for that." she looked back at her mother. "She needed to see you. I don't think she's going to live much longer." Ashflight wiped tears from her eyes. "I've lost my father already. I don't know if I can lose my mother too."
Quiver was trying her hardest not to cry. "I know what it feels like to lose someone. I can't promise anything but I will do my best to help."
Ashflight sniffed then nodded. "Yeah." her eyes went back to her mother. "I'm going to make sure she has everything she needs."
"I'm going to go then. Thank you for having me." she said before walking down the stairs. Her talons took her down the steps and back to the throne room. Her mind was somewhere else. Sightkeeper was like a parent to Quiver. To lose her would be devastating but Quiver would have to go through it. It would break Jackal and the others. She opened the throne room door and walked slowly towards the throne. Her mind was still dizzy with the thought of losing another friend. As she entered the throne room she could see the glistening sun outside. She looked up at the clear blue sky through one of the windows and was almost tempted to fly away. Fly away from all her worries and disappear. She shook her head and stamped her foot.
"Quint," she said to one of the guards. "I need you to get scrolls. Lots of them. All about history. Also some blank ones." Quint nodded his head and walked out heading towards the library. Her mind was buzzing with new ideas that she needed to jot down as quickly as she could.
Quint entered the throne room carrying what looked like about a hundred scrolls in his talons. She motioned with her tail for him to place them down on the table next to the doors. He dropped them off and walked to his post. She sorted through them looking for a blank one. She found one after looking at four others with diseases Sandwings used to get before the medicine was created. She opened the blank opaque scroll and dipped a claw into the black-blue ink. She started writing. She didn't know exactly what she was writing, only that it was important. Something about a Nightwing animus and a Nightwing seer. She fazzed through it only glancing at the scrolls with history written on it. She scanned over the dragonet prophecy and the scroll about Darkstalker and Moonwatcher. She stopped.
"Wait." she whispered to herself. She traced another claw over the words. "Darkstalker is now incapacitated and will never harm anyone again." She read allowed. "He is no longer alive yet he will always be remembered. A new dragon blooms in his death. What does that mean?" She looked over it again looking for any hidden lines. "Did he have a dragonet?" She didn't hear the light knock on the doors or the creak of the wood.
"Your majesty?" Jackal appeared next to her. "Quiver, are you ok?"
"Hmm." she looked over. "Oh yes I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You seemed pretty shaken up when you saw my mother."
Quiver set down the scroll. "I don't know what to do. I can't have her go. She's almost like my mother."
Jackal put a wing around Quiver. "I know. She's my mother. But I'm doing ok, aren't I?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that." she dropped her head.
"It's ok. I understand." he pulled her closer. "You've lost more than most of us. You can't lose more. But you won't lose me or my siblings."
"Thanks."
"Your majesty. There is someone here to see you." a messenger appeared through the doorway. "They said it was urgent."
"Very well." she nodded. "I'll be right there."
The messenger bowed and walked away.
"I'll leave you to it." Jackal pulled his wing away. "See you around."
"Alright. See you." She waited till Jackal left then headed for the main courtyard. A voice was stirring the eerie silence of the quiet day. Dragons were not out and about today. Very few were in the sky at all.
"I wonder if she'll recognize me." One voice said.
"She should, shouldn't she? I mean you were both raised by the Outclaws you said, right?" Another voice said.
As Quiver came into the quartyard she could see a sturdy built Sandwing looking around. Next to him was a smaller Nightwing.
"Greetings." she said as she came up to them. "What brings you here?"
"Oh wow. You look good, Quiver. I remember the last time I saw you." the sandwing said to her.
She stood taller. "It's Queen Quiver. And who are you? I don't recognize you."
"That might be because it's been about ten years since we last saw each other. It's me Qibli." He said.
"Qibli." she looked at him. "Wow. It really is you isn't it. You look different."
"So do you. I can't believe your queen now." He replied.
"Yeah." she fidgeted her talons. "Who's your friend?" She looked over to the nightwing.
"Oh this is Moon. Moon meet Queen Quiver. I knew her when I was an Outclaw." he waved his talons.
"Hello." the Nightwing gave a bow. "It's an honor to meet you."
"What brings you both here?"
"I wanted to see how you were." Qibli said. "You were one of my closest friends in the Outclaws. When I had time I figured I'd come and say hi. Moon wanted to come and meet you when I told her about it."
"Well it's good to see you." Quiver looked at them both. "Come. I'll show you around."
They both followed her towards the throne room. Qibli spoke up. "You still have the Weirdling tower bits?"
"Yeah. I haven't had the time to get that out of here."
"Here we are." Quiver said as they got to the throne room doors. She opened them showing the inside. It was pale yellow, bright from the sun. "Sorry about the mess." She said seeing the table covered in scrolls.
"It's alright. Our cave is covered with scrolls." Qibli said.
"What were you looking for?" Moon asked, seeing the scrolls.
"I was just going over history and modern medicines. I was hoping to find something for a dear friend."
"Is everything alright?" Qibli asked. "Is it someone I know?"
"No you wouldn't know her. We became friends soon after the academy was built. She's struggling though. Her dragonets are helping her through it."
"Sorry to hear that." Qibli said to her.
"It's alright." She cleared her throat. "Are you hungry at all? I can have them bring in some food."
"That'd be nice. Hey Moon, are you hungry?"
"I could eat something."
Quiver flicked her tail to one of the guards. "Please bring us something from the kitchens."
The guard nodded and walked out of the throne room.
Quiver, Qibli and Moon sat there talking with a platter of roasted camels, roasted scorpions, roasted lizards and dates.
Jackal came running in, out of breath. As he did Qibli stiffened. "Quiver, you must come quick. It's my mother. Somethings wrong."
Quiver got up as fast as she could. "I'm sorry but I must go."
"Do you want us to stay here till you get back?" Qibli asked.
"Follow, stay. I don't care." She raced to Jackal's side. "Take me to her."
Quiver hardly heard Qibli and Moon. "Let's go. Maybe we could help." Moon said to Qibli.
Quiver raced after Jackal as he led the way through the palace. He tripped slightly over a stone and continued his way there. He made his way up the tower skipping a few steps at a time. Quiver was behind him close to his tail. Behind her more slowly was Moon and Qibli.
Jackal erupted into the main room and crashed through the doors. Quiver came behind him seeing sightkeeper laying there.
"Sightkeeper!" she raced to her side.
Sightkeeper raised her head slowly. It shook as if it was about to collapse.
"It's going to be alright. Where's Ashflight? Isn;t she supposed to be looking after her?"
"She left a little bit ago to find some calming cacti. I've sent Eclipse out to find her but I don't think they'll make it back in time."
"No. Jackal go. Find them. We need to find them." she looked at Sightkeeper who had laid her head down as was now sleeping. Her breathing seemed to be getting worse. "Before it's too late."
"But we can't leave her alone." Jackal said, coming up to his mother. He whispered in a quiet voice. "What if she goes while I'm gone." He looked up into Quiver's eyes.
"She will always be here, in your heart, no matter what." Quver paced a talon on his chest.
He looked down at the talon. He nodded. "Alright. I'll find them." He looked around then jumped out one of the windows. It was faster than running down to the platforms. She heard his wings flap hard as he looked for his sisters.
"Your majesty?" a voice said from behind.
She whirled around to see who it was. She relaxed when she saw Qibli and Moon in the doorway. "Qibli? Sorry." she turned back towards Sightkeeper.
"Is everything alright?" Moon asked.
Quiver hung her head low. "No."
Qibli came up to her and looked at the Nightwing. "Is this the friend you were trying to help?"
Quiver gave a slight nod. "This is SIghtkeeper. She has been a close friend to me for a long time."
"I'm so sorry." Moon spoke up. "What happened to her?"
"She lived on the volcano with her tribe. She was badly injured from it and never recovered."
"Secretkeeper is that you?" Sightkeeper stirred. Her eyes opened slightly as she gasped for air.
"Shh. You need to rest, Sightkeeper."
"Sorry. I thought I heard my sister." she moaned a little. "You know she was one of the sweetest dragons I knew. She was so upset when she lost her egg."
"She didn't lose her egg." Moon spoke up.
Quiver turned her head towards Moon. Sightkeeper spoke up. "She did. It was before your time young one."
"Actually I was an egg when that happened." Moon looked between Sightkeeper and Quiver.
"My sister told me herself. She lost the egg. She even told Morrowseer. He was furious. That was going to be his only dragonet. He wouldn't have made a good father though." Sightkeeper spit out Morrowseers name.
"Why?" Moon asked.
"You're a Nightwing. Surely you know. He was a tyrant. Telling the others to go experiment on Rainwings, the poor dears. He even faked the prophecy just to take over the rainforest." she sniffed.
"Wait what?" Qibli looked at Sightkeeper.
"So. My mother was right. I wouldn't have wanted to meet my father." Moon looked at Sightkeeper.
"Secretkeeper wanted nothing more than her dragonet. I told her I'd have a dragonet for her to help me with." Sightkeeper gave a sigh. "I haven't seen her in a long time."
"Is she really your sister?" Moon asked.
"Yes. I'm older but it didn't make a difference. We were inseparable."
"Then I guess you're my aunt." Moon said quietly.
"Not possible. Secretkeeper never had another dragonet."
"She hid my egg. She said that my egg came out broken and crushed. But really she hid me in the forest, away from the volcano."
Sightkeeper wrestled her wings and tried to get to her talons. "Sightkeeper no! You can't get up." Quiver rushed to her side.
"I'm already dying. I need to look at her." Sightkeeper snapped. Quiver sighed and helped her up. Sightkeeper turned to look at Moon up close. "Oh. Oh my. You look just like her."
"My mother said that all the time." A tear slid down Moon's cheek.
"How is she? Can I see her?" Sightkeeper asked.
"No. She passed on a few years ago."
"Oh." Sightkeeper faltered. "Oh no."
"Easy." Quiver caught her. "You need to lie down."
Sightkeeper didn't say anything but allowed Quiver to help her settle down in the camel hide bed.
"You said you have dragonets? Where are they?" Moon asked. "I would like to meet them."
"They're out right now. Ashflight has gone to get some herbal remedies to help with Sightkeepers breathing." Quiver explained to Moon.
As she said that three pairs of wings sounded from one of the other rooms. Jackal came running in towards Sightkeeper with Eclipse and Ashflight at his heels.
"Jackal. What are you doing here?" Sightkeeper asked tiredly.
"Getting you some medicine." He nudged his mother. "Ashflights going to get it ready."
Ashflight nodded. "I just have to get some supplies from the other room."
Eclipse slid past Ashflight and sided right next to her mother. "How are you feeling mother?"
"Tired." Sightkeeper mumbled.
"Well You rest. We'll make sure everything is ok." Eclipse got up and flicked her tail for the rest of them to follow her. They followed her into another room, bigger than Sightkeepers room. "Thank you for watching her."
"Of course Eclipse." Quiver gave Eclipse a kind look.
Eclipse looked at Moon and Qibli. "Who are your friends?"
"This is Qibli and Moon. Qibli was an Outclaw. I knew him when I was younger."
"It's lovely to meet you both. It's been a while since I've seen another Nightwing." Eclipse acknowledged Moon.
Moon nodded her head. "Nice to meet you as well. I live in the rainforest where most of the tribe lives. Your family must live here. I haven't seen you around the camp at all."
"Yes, I live here with my mother and Siblings. My mothers tribe would be displeased with our 'tainted' blood." Eclipse growled a little.
"What do you mean 'tainted'?" Qibli asked. "You look like a normal Nightwing."
"I'm a Nightwing Sandwing hybrid. My mother, as you saw, is a Nightwing. My father was a Sandwing." Eclipse said to them.
"Qibli, you may remember him. You knew him when you were an outclaw." Quiver said to him. "Swerve left the outclaws soon after Thorn became queen."
"I remember him. I didn't know he left." Qibli put a talon to his chin. "Why did he leave?"
"Because he met my mother." Eclipse looked back into the room where Ashflight and Jackal were taking care of Sightkeeper. "He had always said that he would do anything to protect us. I guess that included leaving his home."
"We all miss him. He was a good soldier and a good friend." Quiver bumped wings with Eclipse.
"How'd he go?" Qibli suddenly understood.
"It was an accident. He was on a patrol with his wing when a sand storm caught him off guard. One of the dragons he was patrolling with got hit with its own tail so he flew to the closest town. He didn't know it was being attacked by Skywings. He flew into the battle well prepared but he lost. The dragon he tried to save survived. She still has the scar though." her wings drooped a few inches.
"He will always be with us, Eclipse." Jackal came up behind his sister.
Eclipse smiled. "How's mother doing?"
"Alright for right now. She's resting. She was saying something about that one though." Jackal pointed to Moon.
"Why?" Eclipse asked.
"Something about her sister and a dragonet named Moon. I put to and to together. Moon must have been the dragonet she was talking about. Only you're no longer a dragonet." Jackal went on.
"She must have been thinking about my mother." Moon said to them. "My mother was her sister apparently."
Eclipse and Jackal looked at each other then to Moon. "So we're related?" Eclipse said first.
"Yeah. Took me by surprise too." Moon said.
"How is that possible? Mother never told us about aunts. I thought she was an only child." Jackal said to Eclipse.
Ashflight popped in. "What's going on?"
"We have an aunt." Eclipse spoke to Ashflight. "And a cousin apparently." she pointed to Moon.
"Wait. We have more family? Why wouldn't mother tell us that?" Ashflight sounded skeptical.
"I suppose she kept it a secret because of her life on the volcano." Quiver turned to the three siblings. "Whenever she told me about her life before she came here, she always sounded distraught. I think the pain from living there got the better of her actions. If she didn't tell you, it was for good reason, don't you think?"
Jackal slowly nodded. "Mother never let us know much about her home. The only reason we know so much is because Eclipse read it in her mind."
"That's true." Eclipse said.
"You're a mind reader?" Moon sounded surprised.
"Yes. Don't worry though. I'll stay out of your head. I do with most dragons." Eclipse gave a little laugh.
"I don't mind. It's been a while since I've heard of another Mind reader." Moon gazed at Eclipse.
Eclipse gasped. "Your one too?"
Moon gave a slight nod. "Yes. Also a future seer."
"Imagine that. A future seer." Jackal bumped his sister's wings. "It would be nice to have a future seer."
Eclipse gave him a playful scolding look. "You'd just want to know who won the next camel race. Then you could bet on it."
He shrugged his shoulders innocently. "If I did then we could get more camels."
"You two are the most insufferable dragons ever." Quiver rolled her eyes.
"Aww but you love having us here." the three of them smiled.
Quiver snorted. "Maybe."
Ashflight gave a laugh then looked back into her mothers room. "I'm going to go back there. I need to make sure she has everything she needs."
"Aright. We should be going anyway." Quiver turned her head to Moon and Qibli.
"Take care of her." Jackal called to Ashflight. "I'm coming with you guys." he turned to Quiver.
"We'll be ok with her." Eclipse started towards her mothers room. "Be careful little brother." she said before closing the door.
"That was eventful." Qibli said following Quiver down the flight of stairs. This time they walked slowly, no need to rush.
"Yeah." Jackal looked down a little. "So I guess we're family," he said to Moon. "Who would have thought?"
"Yeah. Do you know what happened to my father? My mother never told me and she had always blocked everything about him from me." Moon asked Jackal.
"I only know what Eclipse learned from our mother. What was his name?" He said, stepping down the last seat.
"Morrowseer. That's all I've gotten from my mother." Moon said thinking.
"Wait," Jackal stopped. "Morrowseer? He's your father?"
Moon stopped next to him. "Yeah."
Jackal's eyes turned to slits. "Hmf. He was an evil dragon. My mother thought of him quite a bit. How he treated his own tribe," Jackal continued walking. "How he treated other tribes. All the lying and cheating. That was his idea. I don't think Queen Battlewinner made any decisions without him. He was always there telling others what to do, like he was in charge."
"Really?" Qibli asked.
"Yeah. When the dragonets of destiny stopped the Nightwings from experimenting on the rainwings the volcano erupted. They got everyone out as fast as they could. But the last dragon to leave was Morrowseer. They wouldn't let him pass. He tried to get through. They stopped him and he got caught in the lava." Jackal explained to Moon.
"Wow. Wait, Moon, do you remember the statue in the tunnel opening on the island?" Qibli pulled Moon back a few paces and started whispering to her.
Jackal looked back at them then looked forward. "I feel like everything I do makes things worse."
"How can you make things worse? You just found out you have more family. I'd do anything for that." Quiver nudged him.
"I didn't ask for more family. Besides, I have you." He looked her in the eyes. His dark green eyes shone into hers.
Quiver looked away. "I know." Ignoring the feeling inside her chest. "But more family means more time spent with dragons. You can't always hang around me. I'm the Queen."
"I'd rather eat my tail then spend time with dragons I barely know." he groaned quietly so Moon and Qibli couldn't hear him.
"She's your family. And by the looks of it he might as well be related to you now." she looked back at the pair.
Jackal slightly turned his head. "Hm. It also doesn't help their older. They look a few years older than me."
"I'm older than you. About 5 years older." she pointed out to him.
"That's different," he rolled his eyes. "I've known you all my life basically. I don't know them at all."
"Would you stop fussing about it?" she sighed. "How about I come with you for a flight. I could get out for a while."
"Would you really come with me?" He perked up.
"Fine." she rubbed her talons together.
"Thank you thank you thank you." he jumped.
"Hey Qibli, Moon. Do you wanna go for a flight?" Quiver turned to them.
"Oh sure. I haven't flown in the desert for a while." Qibli said, looking at Moon.
"Why not." Moon shrugged her wings.
"Follow me." Quiver said, turning down a corridor. They followed it leading them to a big sandy opening. Quiver opened her wings and flapped them, throwing sand everywhere. As she lifted up into the sky the others copied her, gathering in the sky. She waited for them to come up next to her before heading off into the desert.
"Where are we going?" Qibli asked.
"I figure we let Jackal pick." She looked at Jackal. "It was his idea after all."
"Hmm? Oh ok. Uhmmm." he thought about it for a minute. "Follow me I guess." He took off to the west, his wings slicing the air.
Quiver followed behind him. Moon and Qibli were next to her flying quietly. She watched the sky as she flew on.
"Moon look." Qibli suddenly took Quiver out of her head. "Wild camels."
"Whoa." Moon gasped. It really was a rare sight to see wild camels anymore. Most dragons kept them in fenced off areas to keep them in captivity for food and hide. As they flew on, Quiver got a better look at them. One looked big and old. The others looked a little smaller and not that far in age. A few babies roamed near their mothers.
They flew past the camels and kept edging west. Where is he going? Quiver wondered. He was flying closer and closer to the sea. She flew ahead to catch up with him. "Jackal, where are we going?" It seemed he didn't hear her because he kept flying on.
"Quiver is everything ok?" Qibli asked her from behind.
"Yep all good." She called back nervously. She leaned closer to Jackal. "Jackal. Jackal, come on. What's going on?"
"What's that?" Qiblis voice called. He was pointing ahead of them to a small oasis. Around the water was a tent covered in sand.
Jackal flew towards it ready to land. Oh Jackal. She thought to herself. This was his home. Before his father died and his mother got sick. She landed next to him and put a wing around him. His eyes clouded with emotion.
Qibli landed with Moon and looked around. "What is this place?" He went near the tent and poked a pot. It gave a little rattle and settled.
Quiver took her wing back from Jackal and walked to Moon and Qibli. "This was his home. Before everything happened to his mother and father."
Jackal slowly walked into the sand covered tent. It looked as if it was about to fall. His tail slipped away inside as he walked in. Quiver followed him, making sure he was ok. He stood near the table with scrolls sprawled all over it. He looked through them. "My mother loved scrolls," he said quietly.
"She still does." Quiver comforted him.
"This one was her favorite. She loved reading about animus dragons." He pulled one out of the pile. It was in good shape considering it had been sitting there for more than a decade.
"I have an idea. Let's bring it back for her to see." Quiver put a talon on his. "Maybe it'll cheer her up some."
He looked up into Quiver's eyes. "Yeah."
"Come on. We should get going." She pulled her talon away.
"Wait." he grabbed it back. "I… Thank you. I couldn't have gotten through the few years without you."
Quiver smiled. "Let's go."
They walked out quietly to see Qibli and Moon sitting at the water's edge. Qibli had a wing around Moon as he looked out at the horizon. That's sweet. She thought to herself. She looked over at Jackal. Isn't that how I feel about him? She shook her head. You're the queen. Stop this thinking. Thorn had already chosen for you. You need to obey Thorns instructions. She sat a little ways off as Jackal went up to the others. She dug her claws into the sand, gouging out a hole. Sand moved around as she went deeper.
She kept scraping out sand when she heard a clink. She lifted her talon and just barely visible at the bottom of the hole was the top of a jar. What's this? She pulled at it causing sand to cave in underneath it. It shifted out with ease. She held it in her talon. It was a heavy glass jar with a metal top. She couldn't quite see what was inside of the jar. The years of wear from the sand had caused the glass to become opaque.
She moved the other talon to the top to try and pry it open. The top of the jar was solid, unmoving. She squinted at it and gave a quiet hiss. She tried again, this time twisting it harder. It gave a slight noise then popped open. Quiver lifted her talon up with the top in her palm. She looked inside the jar. A bunch of golden jewelry was inside. They all sparkled at the same time, glowing in the forgotten sunlight. She set the top down and held out her palm, dumping the contents into her talon.
One piece stood out to her. A ring. The ring was a simple ring, wound out of gold. She turned it with her claws to look at it. It had letters engraved in it, but it was so worn she couldn't read what it said. Quiver looked back to the hole she had found the jar in. Something was poking out from underneath where the jar was. She tilted her head at it.
She set the jewelry back in the jar and set it down. She slowly put her talon in the hole grabbing more sand. As she dug it got hooked to her claw. She pulled it up carefully. It looked like a sack. It was a sack. It was torn in almost every corner, covered in sand and had an awful foul smell. What in the three moons? She set it down next to the jar. She looked back in the hole seeing something else. She jumped back when she saw it. It can't be. You'er just seeing things. She looked again. There deep within the hole, was a skeleton. Not really a skeleton even, It was fresh. Maybe 1 or 2 weeks old. She could tell because of the smell.
Qibli seemed to notice the smell because he looked around, his nose messed up. "What is that?"
Moon and Jackal both sniffed and revolted back. Quiver sat there horrified at the scene she had just found. A dragon buried where no one would find it. Except the few who knew about the oasis.
"Here." she whispered just loud enough for them to hear.
Jackal turned to look at her. "Quiver? Are you alright?"
Qibli came up to her and looked down the hole she dug. He jumped back not expecting to find a body. "Whoa."
"What?" Moon came close. She peeked inside and backed up fast. "Oh my. Is…Is that…"
"Yes." Quiver answered her. She recognized the dragon almost instantly. He was a paler yellow than most dragons she knew. Down in the ground of his home, lay Swerve, dead.