'Ello! Sooo, you know how I said a chapter a week? Well, yeeeaaah, I kinda got busy, and kinda sorta maybe forgot about this story. Anyway, sorry to keep you readers waiting. It's been about a month. But anyway, I'm back. As I said in the previous chapter, I am hoping to make chapters as long as possible so you guys have lots to read in between posts. Really quick, I just want to say, looking back at my layout for this story, I realized that I kinda messed up in terms of chapter order. The original first chapter is now going to be the chapter after this one. And it's a bit different (ahem, hint, hint, it gives you a little backstory).

Anyway, onward to chapter 2!

POV: Tsunami

I'm gonna find out what they're hiding. I'm gonna find out why they're acting so secretive.

Ever since last week, our three guardians, Kestrel, Webs, and Dune, have all been acting more nervous and more–I guess the closest word to it is kind. They've been acting more kind.

It's weird and unnerving since they almost never act this way, especially to Clay, myself, and Glory.

I watch the others sleep peacefully, their chests rising and falling evenly. Tonight, no one's snoring, not even Clay, which I'm very grateful for.

Through the sky hole, I see one of the three moons in a crescent. Its light is not as bright. Unfortunately, unlike the other four, I can't fall asleep. My mind won't let go of the unsettling behavior the guardians are showing.

But I'm also rather annoyed that I'm the only one who even cares that they're acting differently.

Oh well, if I'm to try and figure this whole thing out on my own, then so be it. I don't need the other dragons' help.

I make a move to get up, but just as I'm doing so, my legs stop me. It's as if they're paralyzed. They're so stiff I can barely move them. And it's not just my legs. My whole body aches and all the muscles go rigid.

It must be all the training blows and somersaults catching back up to me. I decide that I should just sleep through the night and work out a way to find out the motive behind all this secretiveness tomorrow.

Realizing how tired I am, as soon as I close my eyes, I'm asleep.

The next day, I open my eyes after a nice long sleep and seem to be the last one up as everyone has already cleared out of the sleeping cave.

I walk into the dining cave and see that everyone's eating a breakfast of fish and clams. I sit down to join them, but I don't feel like breakfast. I instead stare intently at our three guardians, who are still acting rather strangely.

"So, what's our agenda today?" I ask, breaking the cold silence. The guardians shift around uncomfortably, giving each other brief glances as if to confirm whether or not to tell us.

By this time, my peers are all looking at the three elders curiously.

"If it were a normal day, battle training after breakfast, then lunch, and then school in the afternoon. And after that is mostly personal time and open recreation," Starflight says.

"That is correct," Kestrel says, a hint of a sneer in her unusually calm voice.

"Alright then, let's get to it," I say, hoping to spark a change of attitude in the three guardians.

"Well," Webs begins. Then he looks at Dune and then at Kestrel, as if unsure if he should tell us.

But all I can muster is a satisfied smile. "Well, what?"

Webs sighs. "Well, we need to have a quick meeting with you guys first."

"No, actually, we'll have a meeting with you after you finish your daily studies and battle training," Kestrel corrects. The other two look at her with confused expressions, but she ignores them.

I guess I could wait until the end of the day.

We finish our breakfast but don't get up. Normally, since battle training is first, we wait in the dining cave until it's our turn.

And on an orderly basis, Clay goes first. He gets up and walks to the battle training cave when Dune stops him.

"Hold up, Clay," Dune says in his hoarse voice. Clay stops but looks perplexed. "We're starting with Starflight."

"Why?" Clay asks.

"Because he and Sunny didn't train last time."

"Yeah, but that was you guys' call, not theirs. Just let me go first," Clay practically pleads, determined with his life to protect Sunny and Starflight from the worst battle training blows, because normally, whoever goes first for training gets the worst of it. And that's regularly Clay.

"Nope," Dune responds flatly, taking a step around the MudWing.

Clay puts his talon in Dune's path, blocking him. "I won't let you take Starflight first."

"Honestly, this was not my decision. Talk to Kestrel."

Clay ponders this a moment. I, on the other hand, am already standing up and heading to the guardians' cave where Kestrel and Webs are having a quiet conversation. They stop immediately at my appearance.

"Yes, SeaWing?" Kestrel sneers half-heartedly.

"Why are you making Starflight and Sunny go first for training?"

"Simple. Because they didn't train last time." She stared at her talons, looking bored.

"Yes, but that was your call. It wasn't their fault. I don't think you realize how unfair you're being."

"Well, okay then, SeaWing," Kestrel says, looking up from her claws. "If you're so very concerned, how about you go first?"

I stare at her a moment, not particularly wanting to go first for battle training, but I do agree. "Fine."

I stomp back to the dining cave where the others are waiting expectantly. "You're welcome," I say to the four confused looking dragons. "I'm going first." I walk back out of the cave.

Kestrel is already waiting for me in the battle cave, flexing her menacing claws. "Ready?"

"Always." I also flex my claws and put on a growl, baring my teeth.

And then without a warning, Kestrel leaps up and slashes at my side. I dodge it and slash her side. She's surprised, I can tell, and doesn't at all acknowledge the thin stream of blood trickling down her side.

"Well done," she says, but I know it's a distraction. She blows a small spurt of fire in my direction. I almost don't see it, but I dive roll just in time.

We do this for quite a while longer, with me dodging her every move and then countering.

After a few more minutes, we're both getting tired.

"I think we'll call it a day," Kestrel says, panting but trying not to show it. It's going to be a long day for her, considering she still has four other combatants to train with.

"Yep," I agree. Just as I turn to leave, I feel something burn my side and turn to see that Kestrel has just blown flames full-force at my side.

I roar out of anger and agony as the burn wound steams, slightly charred. Kestrel looks satisfied watching me struggle, which makes me even more furious.

I glare at her coldly, knowing why she did it. Today, I was winning in battle training, so she just felt the need to land one hit on me, even if it wasn't a fair one.

I stomp out of the cave, feeling her pleased stare following me. I reach the dining cave where everyone is still sitting patiently. They look rather startled when they see the burn wound on my side. Why do I always get a burn mark down my side?

"Tsunami!" Sunny jumps up. "What happened?"

I wince as I sit down. "Let's just say, Kestrel was more than a little pissed that I was doing so well in training today."

This seems to answer some questions for Glory and Starflight, but Sunny and Clay are as confused as ever. Typical.

But I don't feel like explaining.

They have Starflight go next. I know how scared he gets before this kind of stuff since it isn't exactly his forte, so I reassure him that Kestrel's really tired, which is rather uncommon.

Everyone gets through battle training with Glory being the last one. She comes out without a single scratch on her, which tells me that Kestrel wasn't even trying at that point. Probably too exhausted.

We eat lunch which consists of more fish and clams, but also some oysters and mussels that Webs had found while out for food.

Lunch is another silent meal, which disturbs me because normally lunch has a little bit of chatter. This just proves that something fishy is going on. But I'll have to wait until the end of the day to find out.

After lunch, we pile into the study cave and take our normal seats. I sit on the floor with Clay while Glory, Starflight, and Sunny occupy the stone bench.

Webs comes in a few minutes later, holding some fresh scrolls which can only mean one thing. We're learning about something we've never learned about before today. To me and most of the others, that's not a good thing.

But Starflight looks in heaven. "Webs, may I see those scrolls?" he asks politely but desperately.

Webs sort of favors Starflight's personality and knowledge, so he can't help but say yes. "Of course, Starflight." He hands Starflight two out of the three scrolls he was carrying.

Starflight takes them gingerly with shaking hands and delicately rolls them out. He mumbles to himself about the topics, the information, and what an honor it is to be learning about this stuff.

By the time we start our science lesson, Starflight has already read the scrolls three times and is able to answer many questions.

Next is history, which is a review since Webs didn't get any new history scrolls, but Starflight loves every subject no matter what.

Unfortunately, today is the day for a history quiz, according to Webs.

"But, Webs, we had a quiz yesterday," Clay complains.

"Yes, but that was geography, not history. And for your information, Clay, you might need a retake on yesterday's quiz. Actually, all of you do except for Starflight and Glory."

I frown, but it's not like I expected the best score anyway.

We get handed our quizzes, which I'm relieved to find that the questions are limited, but I can't think of the answers to the questions. My mind is elsewhere, thinking about what might be so important that our guardians would hold a special meeting at the end of today.

When I realize I should be focusing on the quiz, I see that I haven't answered a single question. And then I see that Starflight and Glory have both already handed in theirs, and both Clay and Sunny are on the second page.

I frantically scramble down answers, not knowing or caring if they're correct. Finally, I finish, right as Clay is handing in his, and Sunny is finishing hers.

We move on to arithmetic, which I hate even more than history or geography. I am never able to get a grasp on the formulas and equations.

Luckily, we don't have a quiz for arithmetic. The next part of our studying is personal studies, which I'm excited for. Everyday, the last period is personal studies, which means you can study or read anything you want, as long as it's educational.

I'm not usually excited for any period of the day, but during personal studies, I can think about the importance of the special meeting being held later today.

Starflight grabs his favorite scroll, and I grab mine. As I pretend to read it, my mind is lost in another world, thinking tirelessly about all the possibilities. I have a feeling it's something obvious, but when it's something obvious, I'm never able to wrap my mind around it.

Webs grades our quizzes with his thinking face on. After he's finished, he looks up. "Tsunami?"

I look up, surprised and puzzled. "Hmm?"

"Could you come with me for a second?"

I'm even more confused, but I know this can only mean one thing. I've failed the test.

I follow him out of the study cave, feeling the curious and perplexed stares of the other four dragonets piercing me as I walk out.

We stop a little distance away from the study cave. "So, Tsunami," Webs begins.

I raise my brows expectantly.

"I just graded your quiz and marked it a zero."

I'm about to retort, saying that I'm never good at studying and learning, when he continues. "Now, I know you aren't the best at educational topics, but hear me out. We've studied this topic at least ten times before, and you're not known to miss that many questions, even if you're not known to get that many questions right. I just want to know what's going on."

I sigh, knowing there's no way out of this. "I'm distracted. Ever since Kestrel said that we're having a meeting tonight, I can't stop thinking about it."

Webs' face softens. "Yeah, I've noticed that." His expression is rather sympathetic, but there's something else in there too. Worry? Anxiety? Dread for the meeting?

"How about you use personal studies time to retake the quiz, okay?"

I groan. That is not how I wanted to spend my personal studies time. But I oblige. "Fine."

I trudge back into the study cave, where my peers are all looking at me cordially.

Without them asking it, I know what they're wondering. So I respond before they have a chance to question. "I'm retaking the quiz."

I can see Glory trying to suppress a laugh, but she isn't very good at it.

Webs hands me an identical quiz to the one earlier that day, and I stare at it, concentrating with all my might.

I complete the quiz before study time ends, giving Webs enough time to grade it. He gives me a thumbs-up, indicating that I passed.

Study time is finally over. Next would be personal time, which I, on a routine basis, spend in the freshwater stream that runs through our multi-cave cavern.

But today, Kestrel decided to hold the meeting during personal time, which I don't mind because I'm ready to hear the news after a whole day of waiting and anticipating.

We gather in the dining cave where Webs is laying out multiple food items. I guess we're being served an early dinner.

I sit next to Clay, who is already digging into the small feast, and Starflight, who looks as excited as myself to hear the news.

I grab a clam and crack it open. The meat inside is soft and delicious. Kestrel comes in soon with a solemn look on her face.

We all stare at her earnestly, assuming she's going to be the one delivering the news.

"So, as you know, we've called a special meeting today, which is rather rare, if I do say so myself," Kestrel begins, seating herself and cracking three clam shells. "So, you all must get the idea that this is important."

Everyone nods but stays silent.

"Well, you would be right." Kestrel sighs, as if the information is hard to reveal.

We scooch in closer, wanting to hear her as well as possible, especially since she's now talking much quieter than normal.

"Well, it's been a year."

Next to me, I hear Starflight gasp. He's realized something, he's figured it out. But the rest of us haven't.

It's been a year. What's that supposed to mean? What happened one year ago?

And then I hear another gasp. I look up. Glory's figured it out as well. But me, Clay, and Sunny are as perplexed as ever.

Kestrel, seeing Glory and Starflight realize it, nods. "Yes, it's the time." And then she says no more.

"Wait, what? What happened a year ago? It's the time for what?" I ask, desperate for answers.

"Yeah, can you explain?" Clay asks.

"It seems like pretty big news," Sunny adds.

Kestrel looks at Glory and Starflight, as if expecting them to explain.

And they do. Starflight takes a deep breath. "One year ago…well, 364 days ago to be exact…it was…" and then he trails off.

So Glory continues. "It was the annual reaping. For the annual Shadow Games."

And then I understand. The reaping was a year ago. The reaping of two dragons, one male and female, from each tribe to take part in the annual Shadow Games. And that's also when I understand why our guardians have been acting so weird.

"Even though we are the dragonets of destiny," Starflight explains, "we are still required to take part in the reaping."

I knew that. We've had a few reapings before. But after they ended, I blocked them out of my mind, not wanting to remember the horrors or seeing one young dragon of each gender being picked only to most likely die.

But the worst part is, we're all from different tribes, meaning it's more likely that one of us will get picked than if we were all from the same tribe.

We're now six, and the reaping age range is ages three to nine. So we've had three reapings and have four more left.

The idea of the reaping scares me–it scares all of us, including our guardians–but we have no choice but to participate.

We are the dragonets of destiny. Our destiny is to end the Shadow Games for good. But we're still figuring out how.

I'm not sure how I forgot about such a big event like the Shadow Games and the reaping for it, but those being brought up again as well as our whole destiny begs the question:

How and why were the Shadow Games ever created?

Hey…thanks for reading this chapter. Sorry updates have been slow. And don't worry, we'll get to the reaping soon. There are some really interesting plot twists, so stick around! I just wanna tell you all that the next chapter will be a bit different. You'll see. And then we'll be back to normal with the reaping and all that. Reviews are highly encouraged. Just give me your feedback, thoughts, suggestions, anything like that. Okay, that's all. Thanks for reading and have a nice day!

See ya in the next one.

Ducky :)