Chapter 1

Canopy

Canopy stared down her nose at Abyss. Abyss snarled playfully and tackled Canopies leg. Abyss might have been the smallest in the group, but he made up for that in his strength. Canopy rolled with Abyss still stuck to her.

"Hey!" Abyss yelped. "Look out!"

"In battle you use everything you got." She sat up. "Come on. Let's go check on the others."

She and Abyss started down one of the wide corridors of their massive cave. It was a big open cave with torches lit everywhere. The Elder had hidden them well before they too had gone into hiding.

"Canopy!" A dragon called out.

Canopy sighed. "Coming." She and Abyss raced to the main cavern, where they had learned how to fly.

Stratus was sitting on one of the rock ledges overlooking the cave, her pale green wings outstretched in a panic. Below her Aries and Dusk were entangled with each other, gripping to their claws. They were fighting again.

"Hey!" Canopy yelled at the two. "What are you doing?"

Dusk let go as soon as he heard Canopie's voice. He looked at Aries one last time. "She wouldn't give me the scroll I need to study."

"I need it," she hissed. "I wouldn't trust you to take it as far as I could throw you."

"That is enough," Canopy said before either one of them could say another word. She turned to Aries. "Why do you need the scroll?"

Aries let go of Dusk's tail. "I need it to research things. This is the only tribe guide we have,"

"You have looked at it about a hundred times!" Dusk snapped.

Canopy gave a sigh. "Dusk, take a walk with Abyss. Do some more training with him as well."

"But…" He trailed off as she gave him a look. He ducked his head. "Fine. Let's go Abyss."

As the two walked down another corridor Canopy looked at Aries. "You need to share, Aries. I know you love scrolls but nothing is going to harm them."

"I know." she looked down at the scroll she was holding. "I wish we had some new ones."

"Don't worry. The guardians will be back sooner or later." Canopy said to her.

"Hey Canopy?" Constellation said to her, poking her head out of another cave.

"What's up Constellation?" Canopy walked towards the cave.

"I've found something interesting in these scrolls." Constellation retreated back into the cave. "It's something about hybrids before they were sought after. Oh where is it?" she grumbled to herself. "Aha. Here it is."

Canopy had walked into a crowded library. It was always a little messy by the time Constellation was done with it.

"What did you find?" Canopy asked, curious.

"Something about an old hybrid thousands of years ago. He was an animus like you." Constellation looked through the scroll. "Here," she tapped a talon. "See. His name was Darkstalker. He was a Nightwing Icewing hybrid who could see the future, read minds and an animus." Constellation trailed her tail along the ground.

"I think I've heard of him. One of the Guardians may have talked with me about it. I don't remember." Canopy sighed.

"Well if you want to look at it you're more than welcome to. I was-," Constellation cut off as another dragon spoke up.

"It's raining again!" Stratus hopped over to the Library cave. "Come on guys. It's raining!"

"Alright, alright." Canopy thanked Constellation and walked out to see Stratus dancing in the rain. It may have been an illusion she had enchanted to mimic the outside sky, but it still felt real to them. "Stratus ring the rain bell."

Stratus darted towards one of the hanging bells. He grabbed onto one of the strings hanging from a bell and pulled hard. It started giving loud dings as the rock on the string banged the sides of the bell. Stratus went back to where the rain was pouring.

In the distance she could hear claws scrambling on stone as Dusk and Abyss raced towards them. They both tripped over each other trying to get to the main cave.

"Rain!" Dusk raced into the rain.

Abyss gave a squeal of delight before jumping into one of the puddles. Canopy gave a laugh and sat where the rain barely touched her talons. Her tail was wrapped around her back talons neatly. She sat watching the others play in the, now waning, rain. She looked up at the ceiling that mimicked the sky in the outside world. The clouds had begun to disperse and stars started to appear.

Abyss started to slow down with his movements as he grew tired. He yawned and shook himself trying to get the rain water off his scales. He padded over to Canopy and sat down heavily. He stretched his wings and layed down on his front talons. Canopy glanced over to see Dusk and Stratus cleaning up the cave as the stars above shined brightly.

"Why don't you head to the cave, Abyss?" she nudged him slightly. "We'll all be in there soon."

Abyss slowly got up and yawned. "Ok." he began walking towards the sleeping cave they had used. It was smaller than the main one but still enough room for all of them to sleep in.

"Stratus, Dusk. It looks good. Why don't you two head to the cave as well."

"Alright." They both replied.

"Aries." She looked over at Aries who had her nose in a scroll. "Aries. It's to head to bed."

Aries looked up and yawned. "Ok." She put the scroll on a small scroll rack and walked behind Dusk and Stratus.

Canopy stood up and walked to the library. "Constellation." She called out. "It's time to head to bed."

"Alright," Constellation called out after a bunch of scrolls fell.

Constellation rushed out of the cave and came to Canopy's side. "Hey." she whispered to Constellation. "What would you think about leaving the caves?"

Constellations head shot up. "Leave? We're not allowed to."

"The Guardians aren't here. We don't have anyone to boss us around." Canopy pointed out. "We could save the world with our power. At least think about it." She stopped with Constellation

Constellation stood there for a moment. "OK," she replied. "I'll think about it." She then began to walk to the sleeping cave. Canopy stood in the entrance to the sleeping cave watching the others sleep. A smile graced her face.

"Maybe we can all get out. Safe." she whispered to herself.