Destiny

There were no SkyWing dragonets hatched on the brightest night. At least, that's what Queen Scarlet had planned for. But two eggs had somehow managed to slip through her talons that fateful night - one with NightWing blood and one the guards called "runty". Ember is a small, lost dragonet who has had to live her life in hiding. But with a certain turn of events, she'll soon discover a destiny far greater than anyone could have predicted - one that could change her life forever.

"There should be eight."

"We'll find it, Your Majesty. I promise. She won't get far. And it was a runty one anyhow."

An orange-yellow SkyWing streaked across the sky, a small orange egg cradled in her talons. Topaz wasn't going to stop until she and her soon-to-be-hatched dragonet were out of the Sky Kingdom, away from the wrath of Queen Scarlet.

She looked up at the three full moons in the night sky. Her egg was supposed to hatch tonight. That was why Scarlet wanted it destroyed - to destroy the Dragonet Prophecy. She wanted no SkyWing dragonets hatched on the brightest night.

I won't let that happen, Topaz thought fiercely. She'll have to kill me before she gets her claws on my egg. I promise, I'll protect you, my little one. No matter what. I swear, by the moons and all the stars, you'll be safe.

Topaz flew as fast as her wings could carry her, away from the Sky Kingdom. She knew Scarlet would send guards out looking for the egg, so she had to go somewhere she could hide it, and herself.

The closest place was the Mud Kingdom. Swamps and mud and thick cover; perfect for hiding away for a while to let the egg hatch safely. She just had to make it there before any guards found her.

Even though SkyWings were the best fliers, the flight to the Mud Kingdom seemed to take forever. Topaz kept looking over her shoulder to see if she was being followed, her heart beating so hard and so fast she thought it might leap out of her chest.

Finally, she made it to the swamps, with the cover of night being able to hide her and her egg. She ducked into the thicket of trees and caught her breath.

Topaz looked at the egg with hope and love. I wish you were here to see this moment, Saker.

Saker was a soldier in Queen Scarlet's army, as was Topaz. They'd entered the breeding program to supply the SkyWing army with more soldiers and had brought forth their egg with pride. However, not long after, Saker had participated in a particularly gruesome battle against Blister's army and was one of the many casualties that had been suffered on both sides.

Topaz had mourned his death for months. Even now, she still hadn't recovered. Their dragonet would never get to meet their father, no matter how much Topaz wished for it. She could only tell them just how brave and strong Saker had been, and how much he would have loved them.

Hearing the wing beats of the guards above, Topaz quickly dove into a thick bush partly submerged in mud as the soldiers passed.

"I don't see her!" said one.

"Me either!" said the other.

The first one roared in frustration. "Let's keep going south. Maybe she went to the Kingdom of Sand."

Hearing the guards' wingbeats fade into the distance, Topaz finally allowed herself to breathe again.

Crack, Crack, Crack.

Feeling the egg in her claws begin to wiggle and shake, Topaz's heart fluttered. It's starting to hatch! She desperately hoped that no one was near enough to hear.

She'd forgotten that MudWings and SkyWings were allies in the war. If any of Queen Moorhen's subjects found her hidden in a muddy swamp, they might inform the SkyWings, and then Queen Scarlet would find Topaz and her dragonet, and have them both killed spectacularly.

"Please be quiet," Topaz whispered. She didn't know if her dragonet could understand the words she was saying, but she had to try. "Mommy wants you to be safe. Be a good dragonet and don't make too much noise, please."

The cracking paused, then resumed a minute later. A claw poked through the shell and wriggled gleefully at her. The eggshell cracked in half before her eyes. The pieces fell away, leaving a small orange dragonet sitting in her claws, shaking bits of eggshell and goop off their wings and tail.

"Oh!" Topaz gasped.

They were small, smaller than Topaz had anticipated. But she was here, she was safe, and most importantly she was alive.

She. This is my daughter.

She wasn't entirely orange, Topaz realized. Her wings were pink, like the sunrises Topaz and Saker used to watch together in the early mornings. The dragonet blinked her orange-pink eyes up at Topaz's smiling face, which was illuminated by the three full moons in the night sky above them.

"Don't be afraid," she cooed gently. "I'm your mother." She raised her daughter up to her eye level and gently nuzzled her. "You're so beautiful. I'm going to call you Ember."

Ember snuggled up to her mother, a yawn escaping her tiny snout.

Something rustled nearby, and Topaz jumped. Was someone there? Had the SkyWings found them? Or was it a MudWing?

Topaz tucked Ember to her chest and curled up into a ball. The dragonet chirped, sounding confused, and her mother shushed her. "Be quiet."

There was another rustle, then the flutter of small wings.

Topaz sighed in relief. It was just a bird.

"Ember," she whispered. "It's not safe for us here. Do you understand? We need to get away from the mountains, and the swamps. We can't let the SkyWings find us. Whatever you do, don't ever stop running and hiding. Not until Queen Scarlet is dead. Not until the war is over."

The tiny dragonet blinked at her mother, confused. But she snuggled against Topaz's chest, and she liked to think that somehow her daughter understood what her mother was saying.

Topaz didn't know how long it would take before she and Ember would be safe. From what she'd heard, Princess Tourmaline planned on challenging Queen Scarlet soon, and even if she was the only heir to the SkyWing throne left, Scarlet was a dangerous dragon. The war might end before there'd be a new, better queen of the SkyWings.

We just need to last until Queen Scarlet is gone. Then we'll be safe, and maybe we can go home again.

I'll keep our daughter safe, Saker. I promise.

It had been a year since Ember hatched. A year of rain and mud and mosquitoes. Even in their little hidden cave, Ember felt cold and wet all the time. And the mosquito bites itched terribly.

Ember leaned against her mother's scales, seeking some manner of comfort against their unpleasant living conditions. "Do we have to stay here forever, Mommy?"

"Not forever," Topaz promised. "Just until I know we're safe."

Ember nodded. She wished she could know when the world was safe for her and her mother. Every time she asked why they had to hide, Topaz would say the same thing - "There's an evil queen who wants us both dead. That's all you need to know right now."

Ember didn't know anything about dragon queens. She wished she was brave enough to ask her mother about them. About everything, really. All she knew was that the world was too dangerous for her, and the only place she could really be safe was under her mother's wings.

"I don't like this place," she confessed.

Topaz gave her a sort of half-chuckle. "I rather dislike the swamps as well."

Ember sighed. She wished she didn't have to hide because her life was threatened. But what could she possibly do? She wasn't big or strong or smart. She was just...Ember. There was nothing special about her; she was just an ordinary dragonet. Maybe even less than ordinary. Why would any queen, no matter how evil they were, want to kill a less than ordinary dragon?

"Are there yucky swamps everywhere?" she asked curiously.

"No, Em," Topaz laughed. "There are mountains and forests and valleys and beaches. And someday we can go see it all together, just you and Mommy."

"I wish that someday was right now," said Ember.

Topaz sighed. "So do I."

They lasted another half-year in the swamps. Which was shorter than Topaz might have expected, but Ember wound up getting sick from one of her mosquito bites, so they needed to find a doctor.

Topaz didn't know if she could trust any of the MudWings in the marsh to help her. Even though they were supposed to be allies, if word got to Queen Scarlet that there were two SkyWings mucking about in the Mud Kingdom, she'd surely demand their heads. But if she tried to approach another SkyWing, they'd surely capture her and Ember and bring them to the queen.

Could she trust anyone?

In the end, her daughter's life was more important to Topaz than her own safety.

Topaz had the fortune of having heard of a place called Possibility, a town which bordered the Sky Kingdom, in passing from some of the MudWings in the swamps. If what they'd said was anything to go by, it was the best place to hide from the war. There was a doctor there named Mayfly who could help Ember, and Topaz knew it would be a huge risk, but she had to take it...for her daughter's sake.

She flew without stopping for the rest of the day. Ember was curled up into a ball on her mother's back, shaking like a leaf. Topaz didn't want to think about what horrible illness her daughter might have caught.

Privately, she wondered how the MudWings, who had to deal with mosquitoes on a daily basis, didn't get sick. Then she remembered that the tribe had been living in the swamps and marshes for thousands of years, so, logically speaking, they had to have built up an immunity to whatever diseases the mosquitoes would spread; an immunity that the other tribes would lack. Plus they spent a good amount of time wallowing in the mud, which would deter any insect from getting too close.

SkyWings didn't wallow in the mud. And they certainly didn't have to put up with mosquitoes when they lived up high in the mountains.

Finally Topaz flew out of the edge of the hot and muggy swamp, into a cool orange evening somewhere in the borderlands between the Sky Kingdom and the Kingdom of Sand. The marshes were behind them, and the sun had not yet set below the horizon.

"We're almost there," Topaz told Ember.

Soon she saw the Great Five-Tail River ahead of them, a vast green-brown-blue vein stretching from the desert to the delta. According to the history scrolls, this was the most disputed piece of territory in all of Pyrrhia, as the SkyWings and SandWings had fought over ownership of the river for centuries. Topaz had heard a rumor that Princess Burn had promised it to the SkyWings in exchange for their alliance in the war.

But for now, the banks of the river were peaceful. Near the delta, the SandWing settlement on the west side had slowly merged with the SkyWing village on the east over the last fifteen or so years during the war, so that now red and orange and sandy-yellow wings dotted the sky and the streets side by side. A wide white bridge had been built across the river, line with shops where dragons traded and bartered all day.

As Topaz got closer, she could see that it wasn't just SandWings and SkyWings in the town - SeaWings and MudWings and even some IceWings were bustling about. Any and all dragons that were trying to get away from the war and live a more peaceful life with friends and family would come and move in if they could.

But how long would she and Ember be safe there?

Topaz flew down to land on the east side of the town, earning a few odd looks from passersby. One of them, a violet blue SeaWing, padded up to her with a questionable look.

"I need directions to a doctor," Topaz said breathlessly. "My daughter is sick." She pulled back her wings to reveal Ember still curled up on her back.

The SeaWing nodded and said simply, "Follow me." She darted off to the bridge, where merchants were already rolling up their carpets and packing up their products to put away for the night.

Topaz followed her, brushing past some curious-looking SkyWings. For a brief, terrifying moment, she thought maybe they recognized her - maybe they'd fought in some battle together? - but they didn't speak up as she rushed after the SeaWing.

Topaz and Ember were on the west side of the river now, originally the SandWing side, but neither of them would have been able to guess which tribe had settled there first. The structures were spread out in a haphazard, almost lazy sort of way, some with gardens planted around them, some pressed up against a crowded row of other buildings. Some were magnificent towers that could have fit into any queen's palace; others were barely more than simple mud huts. There were cascading fountains and several bejeweled statues of stone dragons.

It's like they're trying to make all the tribes feel comfortable here, Topaz thought. Mud huts for MudWings, fountains for SeaWings, towers and fancy statues for anyone who may have lived in their queen's palace.

A few young dragonets burst past her, laughing joyfully - two SandWings, a SkyWing, a MudWing, and a SeaWing - and veered toward a bigger building with pictures of tumbling, acrobatic dragons painted of the side. Several more dragonets scurried around inside under the watchful eye of a serious-looking IceWing. An orphanage, most likely.

"There it is." The SeaWing nodded at a compact structure with white walls whitewashed bricks and a roof of dried reeds. A small green flag stuck out of the wall next to the door, with the word 'doctor' printed neatly on it.

A brown dragon with a wide, flat face came bustling out the door as they approached.

"Lapis Lazuli," the MudWing said with a friendly nod. "What brings you here?"

"This SkyWing's dragonet is in need of medical attention," said the SeaWing. She gestured to Topaz, and the mother stepped forward.

Mayfly examined the yellow SkyWing suspiciously. "I haven't seen you around here before," she said. "Where are you from?"

Option one: Tell the truth.

Option two: Make up a lie.

Option three...tell a version of the truth.

Topaz took a deep breath. "I defected from Queen Scarlet's army to save my daughter's life. I've been in hiding near the swamps, and I think Ember may have caught something from a mosquito bite."

That was all true. No need to tell them Ember had hatched on the brightest night. With her small size, she could easily pass as being only a few months old. And Topaz wasn't the only SkyWing mother who'd left her tribe to prevent the queen from drafting her dragonet into the army.

"Come on in," Mayfly said. She retreated into her house, her expression neutral.

Topaz didn't know whether the doctor bought her story, but there wasn't any time to waste. She followed the MudWing inside.

It was a round sunlit room, clean and uncluttered. The only furniture was a large, plain white table in the middle and a few shelves on one wall that held neatly labeled bottles and jars. At Mayfly's instruction, Topaz laid Ember on the table. She stroked her daughter's neck worriedly, and Ember shuddered.

Mayfly laid her talons on Ember's forehead. "She's feverish," she observed. "Has she suffered any chills, headaches, muscle aches, or tiredness? Any nausea or vomiting?"

"Not that I know of," Topaz said nervously.

"Hm," the doctor hummed. "Doesn't seem too serious. Ideally, I'd like to examine her more thoroughly, but I'll need your consent."

"Do what you have to do," said Topaz. "If it is...serious, just...don't let her die. Please."

It was serious.

West river virus.

"The good news is, we caught it early," Mayfly told the anxious mother. "Unfortunately, I am not equipped to deal with such a disease. I need your authorization on this," she said, brandishing a small scroll and inkpot. "To have her transferred to the clinic. Your daughter will be in good talons there."

Topaz scrawled her name on the dotted line designated for a dragon's signature. "You're certain she'll be okay?"

"I'm sure they'll have the best doctors on the case," Mayfly promised. "Lapis Lazuli can direct you there. I suggest you hurry."

The clinic turned out to be one of the larger buildings in the town. Topaz reached the door before Lapis Lazuli did, rapping her talons on the wood desperately.

After what felt like an eternity, but was really only a few seconds, the door swung open, revealing a brownish-yellow SandWing. "How may I help you?" he asked calmly.

"My daughter is sick," Topaz cried. "West river virus. Please, help her!"

Lapis Lazuli brushed past the panicking mother and held out the scroll Mayfly had given them. "We have authorization," she said. "Mayfly trusts you'll have the best doctors working on this case."

The SandWing grabbed the scroll and read it over, his eyes scrunching as he carefully studied the words. After a moment, he lowered the scroll and looked at Topaz, worry evident in his expression. "Right this way," he said. "Quickly."

It felt weird to be walking down a hallway full of SandWings and SeaWings and IceWings, but Topaz didn't have time to stop and stare. Ember's life could be hanging in the balance, and she needed these dragons to save her.

They stopped at a large set of doors, painted white with big bold letters written at the top - AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.

"I'm afraid this is as far as you go," the SandWing told the mother. He reached out for Ember, but Topaz flinched back. "I promise, we'll take good care of her."

Topaz hesitated, but she could see she didn't have a choice. She gave Ember a gentle hug before handing her over to the SandWing.

"Go wait in the waiting room," he said. "Someone will be with you once we have news about your daughter's condition." Then he slipped through the doors, leaving Topaz alone and worried in the long hallway.

Lapis Lazuli was pacing in the waiting room when Topaz arrived. She didn't understand why the SeaWing was still here, but she wasn't complaining. At least she wouldn't be waiting for Ember alone.

The room was about as big as Mayfly's house, with blankets and cushions spread out on the floor for dragons to rest on. Topaz sat down on a pinkish-orange blanket by the window, its color reminding her of Ember's scales. Beside her, Lapis Lazuli plopped onto a purple cushion.

"I should thank you," Topaz said. "For bringing us to Mayfly, and here to the clinic. You may have helped save my daughter's life."

"Think nothing of it," said the SeaWing. "I know I'd be frantic if my son had gotten sick. He may be all grown up now, but he's still my little dragonet, you know? Verglas and I have been talking to him about possibly studying here at the clinic."

"Verglas?" Topaz repeated in amazement. "Your partner is an IceWing?"

Lapis Lazuli shrugged her wings with a smile. "I can't really explain it," she said. "We just sort of...happened."

They carried on chatting for hours before another dragon stepped into the room. It was the SandWing from before.

"How's my daughter?" Topaz asked without hesitation.

"She's stable," he explained, "but still sick. The disease isn't contagious, but we recommend that you receive treatment, too, just in case. If all goes well, Ember should be fine in a few days."

Topaz stood up. "Can I see her?"

The SandWing thought it over for a minute before nodding. "Of course. Follow me."

He led Topaz down the hall again, this time taking a right about halfway from the personnel doors. In the first room on the left, Ember was laying on a bed of blankets with an ice pack on her head.

At the sound of talon steps, the SkyWing dragonet slowly opened her eyes. "Mommy?"

Topaz rushed right in and clasped one of her daughter's talons in her own. "It's okay, Em. I'm right here. You'll be fine in a few days."

"O-Okay." Ember nodded faintly.

Her mother gently stroked her face. "I'll be right here with you until you're better."

Ember looked worried. "Is that safe?"

"You're more important to me than safety right now," Topaz said fiercely. "I'm not losing you."

And that didn't become truer than one fateful day.

Ember was three when her whole life changed. And not for the better.

She and Topaz were at the banks of the Winding Tail River, gathering peaches and catching small golden and silver fish to deliver to the orphanage in Possibility. They'd been living with Lapis Lazuli and her family - Verglas and their son, Typhoon - for the past year or so, and it was quite better than when they were hiding in the swamps. No mosquitoes, no mud, no oversized puddles of rainwater.

Mother and daughter earned their keep by performing odd jobs around the town. Ember had volunteered at the library once, organizing scrolls and dusting the shelves during the closing hours. She didn't mind too much when the SkyWing in charge only paid her half of what was promised, as long as she was doing something useful.

Topaz was muttering to herself as she plucked some large peaches off one of the trees. She always muttered as she worked, and Ember would always try rather hard to not listen for the sake of her mother's privacy. But sometimes Topaz would mention things that were too interesting to ignore.

This was one of those times.

"I'd have thought Tourmaline would be queen by now," Topaz was saying to herself. "Unless Scarlet did something to her... No, she wouldn't. Tourmaline's the only heir she has left. She wouldn't endanger the future of the SkyWings just to remain queen a little longer...would she? Well, not unless she has some other secret heir no one knows about, I suppose. I think I'd have preferred her mother, Queen Firestorm, instead. At least she didn't host gruesome battles in that deathtrap of an arena."

Ember had so many questions, and she didn't think she was brave enough to ask them all. Topaz rarely talked about the SkyWing queen in front of her, and whenever another dragon brought it up, she'd brush it off and try to change topics. Ember knew the queen had a daughter, and she'd learned how throne inheritance worked from reading scrolls in the library and asking dragon from other tribes. What she didn't understand was why Queen Scarlet was wasting all her energy and resources trying to find her and Topaz.

Could they be a threat to the throne? Ember didn't think so. Only the queen's daughters, sisters, nieces, and granddaughters could challenge for the throne, and from what Topaz had said she and Ember were definitely not related to Scarlet.

Ember dipped her talons into the river, watching the ripples. She was three years old now. Maybe her mother would tell her now what she refused to tell her in the swamps. Even if she didn't, it was worth a shot.

"Mommy...why does the queen want to kill me?" Ember finally asked. "I've never heard of her or did anything to her. So why me?"

Topaz's expression was remorse and dread as she sighed grimly and looked at her young daughter.

"Because...you don't know it...but you are special...it's just not as obvious as other dragons. The day you hatched...was the night where all three moons were full. It's called the brightest night. And...that's connected to a prophecy and Scarlet doesn't want it to come true, so she killed all the other eggs due to hatch on that day. But I took your egg away to prevent her from killing you." She started fiddling with some stray leaves on the peach tree. "I knew Scarlet would want to know where you were since you might be one of the dragonets in the prophecy and she'd kill you if she ever got her claws on you, but I vowed I wouldn't let that happen even if it costs me my own life."

Topaz nuzzled her daughter lovingly. "I love you so much, Ember. I want you to live a full and happy life. A life I didn't really have much of, except for when I met your father."

She'd said "might". Ember might be special. To her, that was no guarantee. And she didn't feel special, not even a little bit. She felt completely ordinary. Definitely not the kind of dragon they'd write prophecies about. Wouldn't Ember know if she was special?

"What was my father like?" she asked in a voice not much louder than a whisper. The only thing Ember knew about her father was that he'd died in the war.

"Your father's name was Saker," Topaz replied. "He was...a very noble dragon, Em. When I first met him, he was immediately taken by me. He was a bit rough around the edges, but he...had a good heart." She wiped some of the tears out of her eyes, no doubt thinking about Saker. "He was one of the bravest dragons I knew. He fought for the SkyWings until the very end. I wish you could have met him, Ember. Your father would have loved you."

Ember leaned against her mother's scales and wept for the father she never knew.

"It hurts," said Topaz, "to wake up every day and not have him here. But it was worth knowing him, because something wonderful came of it. And that something was you, Ember." She folded her wing over her daughter. "I know someday you'll meet a dragon who loves you like Saker and I loved each other. And I hope, whoever it is, if you love them, too, that...well, that they make you happy."

Ember nuzzled her mother lovingly. She knew Saker had made her mother happy, and she wanted to find someone who would do the same for her. She didn't know how or when that would happen - maybe a few years from now or longer - but she would remain hopeful until then.

An hour later, Topaz left Ember with Lapis Lazuli as she went to gather some herbs. Typhoon was picking some fruits a short distance away.

Ember couldn't help staring at him; it was quite evident that his parents were from two different tribes. The spikes around his neck and dark black eyes were clearly from his IceWing father, and the phosphorescent stripes under his wings and cobalt-blue scales were undeniably SeaWing. She wondered how Typhoon's parents had met and fallen in love when their kingdoms were so far apart, not to mention at war.

There had been scrolls in the library about the ongoing war between the tribes, and how the prophecy Topaz had mentioned was connected to it. Ember didn't think she was fit to end such a continent-wide battle that had been going on for more than fifteen years. But at least there were some dragons who didn't want to continue the fight, like Typhoon's parents.

Could she fall in love with a dragon from another tribe? There were other hybrids in Possibility - Ember recalled meeting an older dragonet name Gila who she'd discovered was the offspring of a SandWing and a SkyWing. There was also Sandbar, a SandWing-SeaWing hybrid, who had hatched just a few months ago. Around that same time, a MudWing and a SeaWing had announced that they were having an egg together.

It warmed Ember's heart to think that some dragons could find love and happiness outside their own tribes. The residents of Possibility had abandoned the war to forge new, better lives for themselves and who they loved. She felt a lot safer in the town than she'd ever felt in the Mud Kingdom. Maybe even safer than under her mother's wings.

"What is that?!" snarled a chilling voice.

Startled, Ember whirled around and found herself staring into a pair of dark black eyes. For a second, she thought it was a SandWing, but then she noticed his pale blue scales dappled with snowball-shaped blue spots of varying sizes, and his dark blue horns, spikes, and serrated talons.

An IceWing? He didn't look like any IceWing Ember had ever seen before. She was pretty sure IceWings normally had blue or gray eyes, never black. From his size, Ember guessed he was only a year or two older than her.

"This is Ember," Typhoon said. "She and her mother have been staying with me and my parents for the past year."

"You've been sharing your home with a SkyWing?!" the IceWing growled angrily. "And you didn't tell me?!"

"Because I knew you'd react this way," said the hybrid. He calmly set the basket of fruits he'd gathered off to the side. "You really shouldn't hate every SkyWing you meet. It isn't fair to them, or to yourself." He took one look at the dragonet's enraged expression and suggested, with an excellent straight face, "Why don't you head inside and cool off?"

The IceWing snorted and trudged into a small hut right next to Typhoon's house.

"Sorry about him," Typhoon said once the IceWing was out of sight. "I would have introduced you two properly, if I'd known you'd run into each other. I suppose it was only a matter of time before you met Subzero."

"Who is he?" Ember squeaked.

"He was hatched with a rare condition called frostscales," Typhoon explained. "Basically, he has too much frost, so whatever he touches will freeze almost instantly. IceWings like him are normally exiled or killed because of how dangerous they are, but Queen Glacier made an exception. She had Subzero relocated here to Possibility, and my family and I have been keeping an eye on him. We built him his own little house to live in where he can't hurt anyone."

"But why does he hate SkyWings?" Ember asked.

Typhoon answered in a quieter voice, "His parents were both in the Talons of Peace. His father, Hvitur, was supposed to retrieve the SkyWing egg for the prophecy, but Princess Burn caught him and killed them both. After that, his mother, Polynya, went to Queen Glacier for help, and they sent him here. Any SkyWing Subzero sees is a reminder to him of why his father died."

Then a voice called from inside the little hut, "I can still hear you, you know. Stop talking about me!"

"He's sensitive about it," whispered Typhoon.

"STILL HEAR YOU!"

"Well," the hybrid said, "if you can hear me, why don't you come out and apologize to Ember?"

That shut him up.

"He's a good dragon, deep down," Typhoon said assuringly. "He just needs a little guidance. And a lot of patience."

Just then, there was a loud yelp from the east, where Topaz had gone herb hunting. Mom... Ember thought before she quickly rushed to the scene with Typhoon following right behind her.

However, when Typhoon saw the unmistakable red and orange scales of SkyWing soldiers, he grabbed Ember and they both dove into a thicket of brush just thick enough to hide them both.

When they peeked through the leaves, the sight they found was not at all pleasant. There was Topaz, surrounded by about a dozen SkyWings, all holding spears. One soldier had Topaz's wings pinned so she couldn't fly away. She struggled quite ferociously, and managed to free one wing, only for it to be pinned down again by another SkyWing.

"Well, well," said a slithering voice. "Who do we have here?" Another SkyWing, orange in color, landed soundlessly in front of the captive Topaz. Wreaths of smoke coiled around her horns, her yellow eyes narrowing to slits. Even from afar, Ember noticed that a fine coat of golden chainmail, hung with rubies and amber drops, was fitted around the dragon's torso. A row of tiny rubies was embedded between the scales over her eyes, and more rubies edged the top of her wings. Whoever this SkyWing was, she had to be important.

Heavy wingbeats filled the sky, and a large pale yellow SandWing swooped down toward the SkyWings. She was the biggest dragon Ember had ever seen, much bigger than the lead SkyWing. She wore a vest of ruby-studded chainmail, her claws and teeth were stained red with dragon blood, and her scales were covered with jagged scars, including a particularly vicious burn along the majority of the flank under her left wing. There was no white in her eyes at all; they were orbs of pure, menacing black.

"Looks like a runaway SkyWing to me," the SandWing hissed.

"Oh, this isn't just any runaway SkyWing, Burn," the orange dragon said. "I know those scales anywhere. This is Topaz, one of the two mothers who tried to escape my kingdom on the brightest night three years ago. Which means her precious little dragonet must be around here somewhere." She grabbed Topaz's chin in her talons and forced the captive SkyWing to look at her. "How positively thrilling."

Her kingdom. Ember had a guess to who the SkyWing was, but now she knew for sure. This was Queen Scarlet, and she was everything her mother had said she was - sinister, imperious, cruel, and downright terrifying. Which meant the SandWing had to be her ally, Princess Burn.

No... Ember's mind whimpered seeing her mother at the vicious queen's mercy.

"Tell us where your dragonet is, Topaz," Queen Scarlet spat at the mother. "I know you took your egg away so I couldn't kill it to prevent the prophecy from coming true. Just tell me where it is, so I can execute you both together for being traitors. How wonderfully thrilling that would be for me."

"Or else, I'll just kill you right now and find that little runt myself," Princess Burn growled. "I haven't killed anything in under twenty-four hours, and you'd satisfy that just fine."

Typhoon and Ember held their breath; poor Ember was shaking like a leaf. Typhoon draped a wing around her to try and calm her down, but Ember's heart was racing so fast that she thought it would leap out her chest right then and there. Seeing the murderous glare and glee mixed in Queen Scarlet's eyes, Ember now understood why her mother was so afraid of the queen finding them.

Topaz stared at the queen, her dark orange eyes glimmering with fear. She couldn't tell either of them where Ember was, and she knew they wouldn't stop torturing her until she confessed. Or else they'd kill her and tear up the continent looking for the lost dragonet.

I may not be able to stop them...but I can still give Ember a head start.

Her decision made, the mother quietly snarled, as fearlessly as she could manage, "You'll never find her, Scarlet. I won't let you." She glanced at the large thicket as if sensing her daughter nearby. I'm sorry Ember. Please forgive me and stay strong for me.

Then, in one swift movement, Topaz grabbed a spear from one of the nearest soldiers and thrust its pointed tip right into her own heart. She took one last breath, and then her whole body went lifeless and limp in their talons.

"NO!" Queen Scarlet roared furiously.

At the same time, Ember cried out, "MOM!"

Typhoon clamped his talons over her snout, shushing urgently.

Princess Burn tilted her head in the direction of their hiding place. "What was that?"

Both dragons froze with fear.

"It seems our friend Topaz wasn't alone," hissed Scarlet. Then she ordered her SkyWings, "Go investigate!"

Then came the sound of footprints getting closer, and Ember had the sinking feeling that she was about to be discovered.

"Don't move," Typhoon whispered to her. He gently tucked her under his wing, trying to hide her further. Ember didn't know what he had planned, but she knew he couldn't fight all those SkyWings by himself.

There was a light thud, and for a terrifying moment she thought it was one of Burn's soldiers...except it was a familiar voice.

"What are you doing here?!"

Was that...Subzero? What was he doing here?

Hisses flared around them as the SkyWings backed away, seeing patches of frost march over the ground from under the IceWing dragonet's talons. Subzero saw Topaz's body behind them with a spear embedded in her chest and snorted in disgust at Scarlet.

"You SkyWings are all alike!" he spat. "Killing everything!"

"Excuse me!" Scarlet roared. "She killed herself to prevent me from finding her mousey little dragonet and letting her die beneath my claws. And I highly doubt you know."

"Leave this place now or feel my wrath!" Subzero snarled baring his teeth.

Queen Scarlet threw back her head and laughed a strange hollow cackle. "You, a shrimpy little IceWing, against all of us? What could you possibly do?"

"This," Subzero snarled. He lunged at the nearest SkyWing, lashing his serrated talons across their leg. The soldier screamed in agony and fell back, scrabbling across the ground.

Another solider tried to stab Subzero with her spear, but he darted out of the way, slashing into her side. She screamed and flared out her wings, as if she were getting ready to fly. Subzero lashed out again, slicing through her wing. The SkyWing's screams intensified into one long ear-shattering wail.

As the IceWing stepped back, Ember saw the wounds he'd left behind on the SkyWings' scales. From the scratches, there was a layer of frosty ice marching across their scales, leaving only blackened and blistered ruin.

He really does have ice in his scales. Ember hadn't really doubted Typhoon when he told her about Subzero's condition, but witnessing it in action had made it all the more real to her.

It seemed even Burn knew how dangerous frostscales were; she snarled, "Soldiers retreat!" In a flash, she and the SkyWings lifted aloft into the air. Queen Scarlet glared at Subzero before she scoffed and followed.

Once they were all gone, Ember burst out of the bush and ran to her mother's body. "Mom! No, no, no! You promised..." she wailed, her eyes running with tears. "You would never leave me...why would you do this?"

"Because she loved you," Typhoon said softly as he emerged from the shrubbery. "She did it to protect you, Ember."

"You're more important to me than safety."

Topaz's comforting words kept going around and around in Ember's head. "I love you so much, Ember. You are special. I want you to live a full and happy life. I'm not losing you."

Ember clenched her talons and laid her head on her mother's chest. "Mommy," she sobbed. "Please don't go. I love you." Then it hit her - Queen Scarlet had been looking for her since the night she'd hatched, and Topaz had done everything in her power to hide Ember and keep her safe.

Her mother was dead because of her.

"This is my fault," Ember cried. "This whole thing is my fault. I did this to you."

"No," Subzero said fiercely, "this isn't your fault. It's Scarlet and Burn's fault. If it weren't for them, my father and your mother would still be alive."

Typhoon looked up at the sky worriedly. "They might come back with reinforcements," he said. "We should get out of here before they find us."

Ember didn't want to leave her mother, but she knew she had no choice. She took one last, mournful look at Topaz's face, then spread her wings and lifted into the sky. The wind whipped at her face, forcing more tears out of her eyes. She could see the cobalt blue and pale blue forms of Typhoon and Subzero flying beside her. With them, she felt a tiny bit safer.

But no amount of safety would erase the image of Queen Scarlet's sharp yellow eyes and serpentine grin from Ember's memory. She'd be having nightmares about it for a long time.

Suddenly, she remembered something the queen had said.

"Typhoon?"

The hybrid flew in closer. "Yes?"

"Scarlet said that another SkyWing had escaped," Ember reminded him. "A mother, like Topaz. Do you know her? Does she live in Possibility?"

Typhoon looked thoughtful. "There was another SkyWing visitor," he said. "A dragon named Auburn arrived about three years ago, shortly after the brightest night. She only stayed in town for a few days, and she didn't have a dragonet with her. But she was very skittish, especially around other SkyWings. And she kept telling herself, 'They're safe'. I suppose she could have been talking about a dragonet. She wouldn't tell anyone anything about it, though. About a week after she left, some SkyWing soldiers came and started asking if anyone had seen Auburn. We told them no, of course. Some of us have encountered her a few times since then, but she never stays in one place for too long. Auburn is very careful, always covering her tracks. She's pretty adamant about not getting caught."

Ember sniffled sadly. Her mother did mention Auburn sometimes; she and Topaz were best friends. According to Topaz, they'd grown up together and Auburn shared her determination to protect her egg from Queen Scarlet.

Auburn would be saddened once news of Topaz's death reached her...wherever she was, since she too was on the run from Queen Scarlet for a similar reason. Her own egg was in danger from the deadly and murderous queen.

Her egg must have hatched on the brightest night, like the prophecy says. Ember thought to herself. So there's another SkyWing dragonet out there who's actually special and not ordinary. But then why would Scarlet want to kill me, too? Why does she think I might be in the prophecy? I'm completely ordinary, not special at all.

"S-She must have an egg related to the prophecy," she told Subzero and Typhoon. "T-That must be why. D-Do you think...if she's still alive...that I could meet her?"

Subzero and Typhoon looked at each other. "That's a pretty big 'if'," Subzero stated bluntly. "Especially with Scarlet's deadly persistence."

"But who knows," Typhoon added. "Maybe someday your paths will cross."

They flew the rest of the way to Possibility in silence. It was easy to spot Typhoon and Subzero's homes - two houses with blue doors sitting right next to each other near a small oasis on the western side of the river, where buildings began to shift into farmland, which had plenty of room for an IceWing with frostscales to romp around without hurting anyone.

Typhoon's parents were both waiting outside when they arrived. Lapis Lazuli greeted them first. "Are you all okay? Where's Topaz?"

Ember was too emotional to answer.

"Topaz is gone," Subzero said bluntly. "She gave her life to protect Ember."

Lapis Lazuli's face fell. "Oh, dear, you poor thing."

"What happened?" demanded Verglas. His long thin tail cracked like a whip.

"Some SkyWing soldiers found Topaz," Typhoon explained. "Queen Scarlet and Princess Burn were with them. They tried to force Topaz to tell them where her dragonet was, but she sacrificed herself to keep that information from them. They almost found us, but Subzero scared them off."

"Were you followed?" his father asked, his silver eyes narrowed.

Subzero shook his head. "I'm double sure we weren't followed. They wouldn't come anywhere near me after seeing what my frostscales can do."

"Just to be safe," said Lapis Lazuli, "we should have Ember spend the night somewhere else. Perhaps Meerkat and the Enclave can look after her for a short while, just until Queen Scarlet's soldiers have moved on."

Ember had heard of the Enclave. They were a sort of law enforcement society whose job was to keep order in the town. They had the authority to protect the residents, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

She followed the four dragons further into the town, toward a smallish yellow painted house with a window garden containing small cacti. A young, handsome SandWing came bustling out the door as they approached.

"Hello, Typhoon," he said with a friendly nod. "What brings you here?"

"This is Ember," said Typhoon, pointing a claw at the SkyWing dragonet. "She just lost her mother and needs a place to stay for the night. Or the next few days, if you're feeling generous."

The SandWing walked up to Ember, looking at her up and down, as if he were sizing her up. "I'm sorry about your mother. You're welcome to stay here if you'd like. At least until you find your feet."

She nodded at him in thanks.

"Why don't you go and get settled in," Lapis Lazuli suggested. "We'll stay out here and talk to Meerkat. He may want to know what happened."

Walking into Meerkat's house was like walking into a desert. At least, that's how it felt to Ember. It was quite warm inside, with a potted cactus here and a tapestry of desert scenery hanging on the wall there. There was a fireplace with lizards roasting on a spit, and Ember's stomach rumbled hungrily at the sight.

Then she remembered how her mother would bring lizards for them to roast together, and her hunger was replaced by nausea. It would be a long time before she recovered from seeing Topaz die.

It was several minutes before Meerkat finally entered. "Your friends told me what happened," he told her. "I know that must have been hard for you. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, but if you ever need anything feel free to ask. You're under the protection of the Enclave now."

"Thanks," she said quietly. Her wings drooped. "I'm tired."

"There's a spot in the corner," Meerkat said, pointing. "I wasn't prepared for any guests tonight, but it should get you through the night." He plucked one of the lizards out of the fireplace and held it out to her. "Would you like something to eat before you turn in for the night?"

Ember shook her head. "No thanks. I'm not hungry."

She slept uneasily that night. Her mother's suicide replaying in her mind all night long, depriving her of any sleep.

For the next few days, she barely ate or slept, much to the worry of Typhoon and Subzero, despite the latter denying it many times. By the end of the week, her stomach was aching terribly, but still not as much as her heart was.

Typhoon and Subzero had come to see how she was doing, and it wasn't good news.

"I'm worried about her," Meerkat told them. "She hasn't eaten or slept in days, and she barely talks. I tried everything, but she hasn't responded at all. I think she was more shaken up by Topaz's death than we thought."

"Let us talk to her," said Typhoon. "Subzero can be very persuasive."

The IceWing dragonet snorted at him.

The two dragons entered the house, Subzero's tail grazing an empty flowerpot and leaving a trail of frost in its wake. They found her curled up in the corner of the room, half-buried in yellow blankets that were uncannily resemblant of the color of Topaz's scales.

"Ember," Typhoon nudged the grieving dragonet. "You need to eat something. You're starving."

"I'm fine..." Ember said in a monotone voice. Actually, she felt sick to her stomach, which she assumed was from the memory of Topaz's death.

"No, you're not," Subzero frowned. "You haven't eaten anything, and you've haven't left this house."

Typhoon spoke in a much gentler voice. "Please Ember, this isn't what your mother wanted. She died for you, remember? You still have something to live for."

Ember looked up at them. Her orange-pink eyes met Subzero's black ones. They weren't like the obsidian-black orbs of Princess Burn; she could see faint sparkles in them, like falling snowflakes or stars in the night sky. Or was that her imagination?

He saved me. He hates SkyWings, but he still saved me. Or was he protecting Typhoon instead? Or both of us? He couldn't have been following me, right? Compared to him and his special scales, I'm nobody. Just a runty little dragonet with no special purpose or extraordinary powers.

...I wonder what he thinks of me.

Her stomach growled loudly. She needed to eat, preferably right now.

"Are there any roasted lizards left?" she asked meekly.

Like magic, Meerkat was there holding a skewer with two lightly smoking lizards on it. "Help yourself."

Ember carefully took the skewer. The smell of the roasted food wafted into her nostrils, and she licked her lips. She wanted to be polite, but she couldn't resist scarfing the lizards down. Turns out, Typhoon knew exactly what he was talking about, since she actually felt less sick after she ate.

"Are you feeling any better?" Meerkat asked.

"...Maybe." Ember trailed on sadly.

Meerkat could tell Ember was still grieving about losing her mother, but he didn't want the poor dragonet to waste away because of it. "Listen, Ember, I know losing your mother was a devastating blow, but there's still hope for you. If you give up now, you'll miss seeing things get better."

"Like what?" Ember asked.

"Well, there's still Topaz's friend, Auburn," Typhoon suggested. "If you ever meet, I think you'd both get along with each other quite well."

Ember looked up at him in surprise. She hadn't even thought about that option.

"And you have us," Typhoon added. "Me and my parents, and Subzero, and now Meerkat. We're here for you, and we'll do everything in our power to make sure you're safe here in Possibility."

Ember glanced at Typhoon for a moment. Would she really be safe here? Without her mother now? Scarlet and Burn would search endlessly for her, but they were scared off by Subzero's frostscales, and dragons did say the town is the best place to hide from the war.

Ember gave the SeaWing-IceWing hybrid a halfhearted smile. "O-Okay...Y-You're right...I-I do have you guys."

Typhoon smiled at her. "Don't worry about Scarlet and Burn, they know Subzero has frostscales now. The chance of either of them sending soldiers here is pretty slim with him around."

Ember couldn't help but slightly chuckle at that. Her heart didn't hurt so much anymore. She still couldn't say she was okay, not by a long shot. But in time she would be.

By the time Ember was five, she had become a fairly well-integrated resident of Possibility. She still didn't have her own place of residence; she'd been moving back and forth between Typhoon and Meerkat's homes. But she was happy that way because she wouldn't be alone in the house.

She knew Subzero lived alone. He had to, because of his frostscales. But did he ever get lonely?

Ember would try to stay out of his way, to avoid angering him. But she never once had the courage to ask him how he felt - about living alone, about having frostscales, about Typhoon, about his parents, about the prophecy, about SkyWings, and, most of all, about her.

On one particularly ordinary day, after she'd finished her work at the library, Ember was crossing the town bridge when she saw Subzero sitting by the river. There was a large patch of frosty ice under him, indicating that he'd been in that spot for quite a while. His eyes were locked on the water, darting from one direction to the other, watching the fish as they followed the current to wherever the river was taking them. He didn't dare to touch the water, knowing it would freeze the instant his claws broke the surface.

"Hello," Ember called out to him.

He grunted at her in greeting but didn't look up.

Maybe now wasn't a good time to ask him. But Ember was afraid that if she didn't ask now, she'd never have the courage to ask later.

"C-can I stay with you?" she stuttered.

Now he did look up at her, his black eyes flashing with confused fury. "What?!"

"Just for one night," she quickly amended. "Then you'll never have to see me again, if you don't want. I just thought...well, I don't feel like staying with Typhoon or Meerkat tonight, and you looked kind of lonely. So, if you'll allow it, I'd like to stay at your house tonight, so neither of us will be alone. Is that okay?"

Why is she acting so strange? No wait, I shouldn't even allow her near me! But then again... Subzero's mind wavered for a moment before he uttered, "Uh...sure."

Ember walked over to him, keeping enough space between them so she couldn't get frost bitten by him.

"So," he said, "any other reason why you want to be with me and my frostscales?"

"Well," Ember said, "I've heard of firescales in SkyWings where they burn everything they touch, so...I imagine it's difficult for you to touch even the smallest of things without making them freeze."

Subzero snorted. "I've learned to deal with it over the years. The other IceWings wanted me dead because of my scales, even though IceWings are superior fighters, so Glacier sent me here for my own good. Pfft."

"Do you ever wish that you didn't have frostscales?" Ember asked.

This surprised him. "What do you mean?"

That made her nervous. "Like...if you were like me. A completely normal IceWing, with normal abilities - frostbreath, super sharp claws, and icicle spikes. No extra secret powers or anything like that."

Subzero didn't really know how to answer that. Yes, he had wished for his frostscales to be gone forever at times, but there had been situations where it was useful. Like when Princess Burn and the SkyWings were threatening Ember and Typhoon. They'd retreated because of him and his frostscales. If he didn't have them, he likely would have been killed on the spot, like Topaz.

"I have sometimes wished that," he finally said. "But my frostscales have saved my life at times. In situations where I would have died without them. Like Burn and the SkyWings. So, I guess they are a blessing and curse at the same time."

Ember shifted her claws. "And about being normal...?"

He shrugged. "I guess I am normal...in my own way."

There was a moment of silence between them before Subzero stood up and faced Ember fully. "You really want to spend the night at my place?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Then follow me," he told her bluntly.

They walked in silence, Ember staying a good distance behind Subzero as he led her. She watched as he left talon-prints of frost behind as he walked, which quickly thawed out in the heat of the sun. She could hear dragons whispering amongst each other as they walked by, likely wondering why a runty little SkyWing dragonet was following the untouchable IceWing.

"You're lucky," she finally said.

"Lucky?" Subzero parroted, sounding offended.

"Frostscales are rare," said Ember. "Sure they're dangerous, but they're still a part of you. And you're the only IceWing who has that kind of power, right? That makes you special. I'd do anything to be even a little special."

Subzero's expression softened a tiny bit. "I never thought of it that way," he admitted.

When they reached the oasis, they found Typhoon sitting on his front porch, filling out a scroll. When Ember asked him what it was, he told her, "It's my application for medical school. The thing is, I used to be a soldier, but I couldn't choose between my two tribes, so I thought I'd try something different. There's a lot of dragons out there who come to towns like Possibility to escape the war, and they need all the help they can get. I'd like to be the kind of dragon who helps others."

Ember hadn't put much thought into her own future, but she couldn't imagine it without Subzero and Typhoon. They'd taken her in and helped her when she had no one else, and for that she was immensely grateful.

"Go head inside," Subzero said, flicking his tail toward his house. Then, to Typhoon, he explained, "Ember asked to spend the night with me."

"Well, that's nice," the blue dragon simpered. "I knew you'd warm up to her eventually."

"I have not 'warmed up to her'!" the IceWing snapped. "I'm just doing her a one-time favor! It doesn't mean anything!"

Ember took that as her cue to leave. She didn't want to hear whatever nasty things Subzero was likely to say about her. He would show a softer side of himself whenever only she was around, like he had just earlier, but he'd never admit they were friends, not to her, not to Typhoon, and not to himself.

The inside of Subzero's home was almost blindingly white - white walls, white floor, clear glittering crystals hanging from the ceiling like icicles. On one wall hung a tapestry of mountains capped with blue and white snow. Ember wondered if Subzero had chosen the decor himself, or if Typhoon had been trying to evoke the Ice Kingdom for him to make him feel more at home. There was nothing else in the house. It occurred to her that he probably couldn't sleep on blankets or read scrolls because his frostscales would freeze them solid.

How was Ember going to sleep without anything comfortable to lie down on? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

She heard the crunching talon-steps of Subzero coming up behind her and sidestepped out of the way as he swept into his home. "This seems nice," she said.

"It's not much," he grumbled, "but it's fine with me. There's a soft spot in the far corner you can rest in."

Ember gently laid herself down. She wondered how the one spot had remained so comfortable when everything else had surely been touched by Subzero at some point or another. Maybe this spot was designated for visitors like Typhoon? If so, then Subzero must have willed himself to stay away from that area so it would remain untouched by his frostscales.

She watched as the IceWing lowered himself into the opposite corner. His wings brushed against the walls, leaving trails of frost in their wake. His dark eyes met Ember's for half a moment before he turned his head away.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked.

"You just did," he snorted.

"A personal one," she clarified.

He sighed. "Fine."

Ember twiddled her claws nervously. "Do...do you hate me?"

If he said yes, her feelings would be hurt, but she wouldn't be mad at him. Not after what she'd heard had happened to his father. She wasn't really expecting him to like her, because why would he? If he hated SkyWings as much as Typhoon said he did, then of course he'd hate her.

"No," Subzero said after a long while. "I don't hate you. Not anymore. It's not your fault my father died. I just hated the reminder."

"So," she said meekly, "does this mean we're friends?"

Against her better judgment, she hoped he'd say yes.

"No."

Ember's wings drooped sadly. She should have known. How could she be friends with a dragon she couldn't touch?

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him, for reasons she wasn't entirely sure of. Then she lowered her head down to the floor and covered herself with her wings. It was going to be a long night.

Ember woke up the next morning to the sun glaring into her eyes. She blinked, trying to figure out why everything was so bright, then remembered where she was and why. The one small window in Subzero's home was casting the glow of the rising sun onto the white walls, illuminating the entire room.

Subzero was still asleep, curled up in his corner. He looked peaceful - his entire body was relaxed and there wasn't a single frown line in his face. His scales seemed to be glowing in the morning light, like polished jewels, and his claws glinted like little crescent moons.

She'd never seen him like this before. He seemed almost like a completely different dragon - calm, quiet, and gorgeous.

...Gorgeous?

Did she really think that? How would Subzero take it, if he found out?

Maybe I should go, Ember thought. But, at the very least, I should thank him, right?

She stood up slowly and treaded lightly across the room. She reached out to tap one of his wings but drew back at the chilling cold. She'd been so enchanted by the sight of his peaceful sleep, and the way the light reflected off of him, that she'd forgotten about his frostscales.

Ember's talons fumbled around, trying to find something she could use to touch Subzero's scales without making contact. Finding nothing, she slinked outside and looked around. There was a small tree by the oasis; she broke off one of the branches and snuck back inside.

Subzero was still asleep. Gulping nervously, Ember maneuvered the stick in her talons and poked the IceWing's shoulder with one end. The tip instantly frosted over with a light crackling sound.

Subzero stirred a little, but didn't wake up.

Ember tried again, this time poking at his snout.

The IceWing sprung awake. His eyes snapped open, he lashed out with his claws, snapping the stick cleanly in half. Ember yelped and leapt back, holding one end of the branch while Subzero held the other. His end of the stick was quickly swallowed by a layer of ice.

"You better have a really good reason for sticking that up my nose!" he roared at her.

Trembling with fear, Ember let her half of the branch fall out of her talons. "I just..." she squeaked, "I wanted to say thanks...for letting me stay here for the night. But I see you're really mad at me, and I'm sorry that I woke you up like that, but I didn't know how else I could. I'm just gonna leave you alone now, and I understand if you never want to see me again."

Subzero's ice-cold glare softened, as if his face was melting. His black eyes were wide, and his anger had completely vanished. It occurred to Ember that she'd never seen him look so emotional, or seen him look at her with such intense guilt. She pushed herself to her feet and started for the door. Then, out of the blue, she heard him speak.

"I'm sorry," he relented. "I haven't been fair to you. I never took the time to make any lasting friendships because of my frostscales. Typhoon's the closest thing I've had to a friend, and he's sort of an older brother type of friend. I thought that if I pushed you away, I'd be keeping you safe...safe from me. But you just won't quit. Why are you so determined to be my friend?"

Ember thought for a moment. "Because...because you're always alone. And I know how it feels when it seems like there's no one there for you. I thought that if we were friends, we could...help each other not be so lonely all the time."

Subzero was silent for a moment.

Is that what he really wanted? To not be lonely anymore? With Ember...?

"Well, I guess I can try to be...nicer to you and to be...friends," Subzero stammered a bit, rubbing his right leg with his left claw. "But I'm not going soft," he added with a scowl.

Ember just smiled. "Okay. I'd like that."

Another year had passed, and Ember's sixth hatching day had come around at that time. Ember was neutral about it since she always pictured it would be her and Topaz together. Her mother would always bring her special treats on her hatching day, like date cake or chocolate or really whatever sweet foods she could gather while in hiding.

Typhoon and his parents threw a meager party for the SkyWing dragonet. They'd figured she'd be too uncomfortable with a big, fancy celebration. It was just them and Subzero, though Meerkat had stopped by to see what was going on and agreed to stay long enough for dessert - ice cream, of which chocolate was Ember's favorite flavor.

It turned out Subzero also liked ice cream, probably because it was one of the few foods he could eat that was supposed to be cold. Ember had asked him what flavor of ice cream he liked best, but he chose not to answer. So then she asked him how many flavors of ice cream there might be, and all he said was, "I don't know." He was still trying to figure out the whole 'be-nicer-to-Ember-because-she's-your-friend' thing.

Typhoon was quite pleased (maybe a little too pleased) to learn that Subzero was trying to be nicer and more open to Ember. He'd been trying to convince Subzero to move past his hatred of SkyWings for years, and this was a very important step in that process.

Ember had just finished her ice cream when Typhoon came walking up to her, holding a small rectangular box tied with ribbon in his claws. "This is for you," he said, "from all of us."

Curious, Ember carefully took the box from him, then gently unwrapped the ribbon and opened it. Inside was a delicate golden chain with a small bluish-white diamond hanging from it.

"A necklace," she realized. She lifted it out of the box, smiling gratefully. "It's beautiful."

"You should thank Subzero," said Typhoon. "He picked it out."

The IceWing snorted, but he didn't look too angry.

Ember lifted the necklace over her head and let the chain settle around her neck, with the diamond resting in the center of her chest. "Thank you," she said. She looked from Typhoon to Subzero, then to Lapis Lazuli and Verglas and finally Meerkat. "Thank you all. For everything." Her smile faltered a little. "I wish my mother were here to see this."

"We all do," Lapis Lazuli said. "But don't worry. You'll always be safe here."

Ember wasn't sure how long it was after that - days or weeks or even months - but she would never forget the day.

She was strolling through the streets of Possibility, ten feet behind Subzero, thinking about what kind of fish they might have for dinner and if she should tell him what she thought of him.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked out of the blue.

"You just did," she said, grinning like a fool.

He rolled his eyes. "A personal one," he clarified. I know what you did there.

"Sure."

"Do you like me?"

Ember wasn't sure how to answer that. "Uh..."

"I mean," Subzero said quickly, "just like, not like-like, you know?"

"Like, as a friend?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Well, yeah," she let out a sigh. Her secret was safe for now. "I mean, we are friends, aren't we?"

He gave her a half-smile. "Right."

She smiled in response. "Can I ask you a question now?"

Only the look of patience on his face answered her.

"Why are you so angry all the time?" she asked in a soft voice. "I mean, when there are lots of other dragons around. When it's just me, or Typhoon, you're like an entirely different dragon. Why is that?"

Subzero didn't quite know how to respond to that...until he looked down at his claws. "I'm used to being alone," he said. "A lot of dragons around here are afraid of me because they know what I can do. I can't even touch another IceWing for more than a few seconds without giving them frostbite. I figure if I act hostile, everyone will leave me alone and that way I won't hurt them, accidentally or on purpose if they make me mad enough. My mother and Typhoon were the only dragons who saw me as a real dragon, the only ones I ever opened up to...until I met you. Somehow you got under my scales, and now you're hanging out with me like we've been best friends our whole lives. I don't know what it is, but when I'm around dragons I trust I feel like I can be almost normal. You said you'd do anything to be special, right? Well, I'd do anything to be normal, even if it's just for a little while. To actually touch other dragons, to eat warm food and drink water without it freezing...to hug my mother when she comes to see me...or nudge Typhoon whenever he makes one of his jokes that I'll never admit are actually kind of funny...or to hold you when you're upset and missing your mother..."

That last one made Ember's heart ache. "I'd like that, too," she admitted.

He turned to face her, his black eyes shining with emotion. They held each other's gaze for what felt like an eternity.

Suddenly there was an uncomfortable, tingling feeling in the surrounding air, and Ember heard an unfamiliar, nasally voice as clearly as though the dragon it belonged to was standing right next to her.

"This message is for anyone and everyone in Pyrrhia who can hear me. My name is Windracer. I am the son of Auburn of the SkyWings and Killer of the NightWings."

Ember's ears perked up at hearing the name of her mother's friend, Auburn. I was right, she thought. She did have a dragonet.

"I'm a dragonet of destiny. For those of you who know the prophecy, there is something about it that you need to know. But there's something else you all need to know. I hold in my talons the diary of Queen Diamond, the IceWing Queen from two thousand years ago. The NightWings and IceWings haven't always been enemies. Allow me to read to you what really happened. 'My son has left our kingdom. I fix him up with the perfect mate, and this is the thanks I get? He's gone and eloped with a NightWing. My subjects can never know what has happened, I will never hear the end of it! Arctic was our best chance of passing down the animus genes, and he's betrayed us!'"

There was a brief pause before he continued. "'I finally captured the NightWing that stole my son. I should have known that Arctic would never kill his own dragonets. And now his own son has killed him. I will see to it that this NightWing will spend the rest of her life suffering for what's she's done to our tribe. Every IceWing, today and tomorrow, will hate these stalkers of the night as much as I do. The NightWings are thieves, and they will eternally remain our enemy. They shall forever rue the day they stole our prince.'"

Another pause, this one longer. Enough time for Ember to think about what she'd just learned. She was no stranger to the ancient hatred between the NightWings and the IceWings, but had it really all started because Arctic had fallen in love with a NightWing? How could two dragons from different tribes falling in love with each other go so horribly wrong? It didn't seem fair.

"Just like how Queen Diamond lied to the IceWings to start a war, someone else has been lying to all of Pyrrhia to win a war. And that someone is Morrowseer."

Morrowseer. Ember knew that name. Morrowseer was the NightWing who had delivered The Dragonet Prophecy. What could he be lying about?

"The NightWings haven't had telepathy or precognition for several generations. Except for me. We get our powers by hatching in the light of the full moons. That's how I got mine. I was underneath the three full moons of the brightest night when I hatched. I am also an animus. That's how I'm sending you all this message. But you don't need to be afraid; I'm not like the dragons who have gone mad from using their power. I don't fully understand it myself, but I know that there's more to animus magic than what we think. The thing is, I haven't used any of my powers until most recently because I was too afraid of who I was. Afraid of what I'd become. But I'm not afraid anymore. The prophecy you all know, the one Morrowseer delivered, it's all a fake. But there is one I've given that I can assure you is real."

"Blood and tears soak in the sand,
In the fight for an empty throne.
Three in battle, two shall fall,
And one shall stand alone.

Find the eye that sees the worthy.
Fear the dragons of the night.
Fear the ones who seek to conquer.
Find the dragons of full moons bright.

Wings of mud and sea and rain,
Wings of sand, ice, night, and sky.
All seven form the wings of fire,
And the time for peace shall be nigh."

"If you feel you have nothing else to believe in, believe in that prophecy. Believe in me. Believe in us. We can't do this alone, which is why I'm asking for your help. Only when we unite all talons in this world can we succeed in helping each other. I'm not asking as a dragonet of destiny, but as a friend. Help us end this war. We can't fix the entire world, but we can fix some of it, if you help us, if we all work together."

After that, the message stopped and there was a long moment of silence.

The Dragonet Prophecy isn't real, Ember thought. No wonder I've always felt so ordinary. I was right about Auburn having an egg that hatched on the brightest night. I was never a part of any great destiny. Auburn's son - Windracer - is more special than I could ever be. If any dragonet deserves a destiny, it's him, not me. Never, never me.

Subzero blinked. "So, Morrowseer's prophecy isn't real." His expression was a neutral mask, but his voice was a bit shaky. "Prince Arctic ran away with a NightWing. Your mother's friend, Auburn, had an egg that hatched on the brightest night. Whoever this Windracer is, he seems to be the real deal."

"So...what now?" Ember asked.

"Maybe Typhoon will know what to do," Subzero said by way of answer.

They found the SeaWing-IceWing hybrid at his home, conversing with his parents. There was another IceWing with them, her scales, wings, and eyes all different shades of purple, which was unusual but not unheard of, while her underbelly, claws, and spikes were as white as snow.

Subzero recognized her immediately. "Mother?"

The purple IceWing whirled around at the sound of her son's voice. She shoved past the other three dragons and rushed over, stopping just in front of Subzero. Her claws and wings twitched as she resisted the urge to hug him, which she couldn't do without getting frostbitten by his special scales.

Subzero's eyes were swimming with emotion - anger and fear and happiness and longing. He didn't like that Polynya wasn't around much, mostly because of her work with the Talons of Peace, and that she had, in his words, dumped him in Possibility with other dragons who had little to no idea how to handle his frostscales. But he still loved his mother, and he knew that she'd done what she did because she loved him and wanted him to be safe and happy. He felt a wrenching stab of pity for Ember, whose own mother had made sacrifices for her dragonet's happiness and safety and had died to protect her daughter.

Typhoon padded up to them. "I'm guessing you two also heard that magic message," he said. When Ember nodded in affirmation, he added, "We were just talking about it."

"This war has torn all of Pyrrhia apart all for the sake of the three SandWing sisters," Lapis Lazuli lamented.

"Not to mention those conniving NightWings lying about the prophecy," Verglas snarled. "I'll bet they've been pulling the strings for the war to last for so long this whole time."

Typhoon thought for a moment. "We have to end this war now, and I think this Windracer, and his friends, may be our best shot. If there's any chance to end this without more bloodshed, it lies with the Dragonets of Destiny."

"I imagine Morrowseer isn't going to be very happy about this," Subzero said. "I would be, if an animus hybrid came out and said he had all of my tribe's lost powers."

Ember, who had been silent through the whole conversation, asked meekly, "Typhoon, what do we do?"

"Well," said the SeaWing-IceWing hybrid, "I have a feeling those dragonets are gonna need all the help they can get." He turned to Subzero's mother. "Polynya, meet us in the heart of Possibility, and bring every other dragon you can find; tell them there's going to be a town meeting."

The purple IceWing nodded and took off, flying straight to the busier streets of the town.

In about fifteen minutes, the town square was overrun with dragons of different colors - red and orange SkyWings, brown and hazel MudWings, blue and green SeaWings, white and silver IceWings, yellow and gold SandWings, and hybrids of mixed colors. Ember spotted some dragonets she'd seen at the orphanage she passed by almost every day - fraternal twin SkyWings Red and Cerise, a MudWing named Everglade, and, bizarrely, a black and white dragonet named Snowflight.

He was obviously a NightWing-IceWing hybrid. His scales were a dark gray, his underbelly snow-white, his head narrow and diamond-shaped, his front talons sharp and serrated, and his eyes and forked tongue a deep blue. On the outside corner of each of his eyes was a small, teardrop-shaped silver scale. Ember wondered how a NightWing and an IceWing had met and fallen in love when they were supposed to hate each other, and with the war practically tearing the whole continent apart.

"Not all NightWings and IceWings hate each other," Snowflight had said when she asked him. "At least, my mother and father didn't. They threw away their lives in their own kingdoms to be together here in Possibility. But that didn't stop their tribes from catching up with them."

Ember didn't need him to explain what that last part meant. She was pretty sure she knew.

There was a long discussion among the dragons about Windracer and his powers. Some were questioning the authenticity of his NightWing powers and the prophecy he'd delivered, while others, like Typhoon, argued that the dragonets needed help and were the best chance they had at stopping the war as soon as possible.

Ember jumped in to talk about how she and Topaz had been running and hiding from Queen Scarlet since the night she'd hatched - on the brightest night, under three full moons - and how her mother had given her life to protect her from Scarlet and Burn for the sake of the prophecy, even if it was fake, because Topaz had had faith in her daughter where she couldn't see it for herself.

Polynya added the story of Hvitur, who had died trying to obtain a SkyWing egg for the prophecy out of a similar faith and had also made sacrifices for the greater good.

Finally, after a long discussion about the new prophecy, Windracer's powers, and the discovery of the root of the hatred between the IceWings and the NightWings, the dragons of Possibility wound down into thoughtful silence.

The silence was broken by the arrival of another SkyWing. "Typhoon!"

"Harrier, what is it?" Typhoon asked.

"It's Queen Scarlet," Harrier announced, "she's dead!"

"Dead?" asked a disbelieving Subzero. "How?"

"She was about to kill this hybrid NightWing dragonet named Windracer after he released all of her prisoners with his magic," Harrier explained. "I was there; I saw it! Scarlet was going to kill him, but one of her prisoners, Prince Frost of the IceWings, killed her in revenge for killing his sister. Tourmaline is now the queen of the SkyWings!"

Ember was speechless, as was Subzero. The dragon from her nightmares that she'd seen a few years ago, the most powerful and dangerous SkyWing in all Pyrrhia, was now dead...dead because of Windracer revealing himself and Prince Frost saving him.

"I heard the dragonets might be heading to the Mud Kingdom next," Harrier finished, "and there's no doubt the NightWings and the SandWing sisters may try to kill them to get what they want."

"Then we have to find the dragonets before they do!" Snowflight declared.

Ember stiffly nodded in agreement. Typhoon looked at the other dragons in Possibility and could see that they also agreed. Some of them have been hiding from Queen Scarlet as well, but now that she was dead, they could finally stop looking over their shoulders worrying over their safety all the time.

"Then it's settled," Typhoon finally said. "Some of us will go to the other kingdoms to try and find the Dragonets of Destiny and help them end the War of SandWing Succession." He turned to Snowflight. "You can come if you want to, but I'll need someone to watch out for the other orphans."

"You can count on me," the NightWing-IceWing hybrid said loyally.

"Can't we go with them?" Red asked.

Cerise shook her head. "I don't think it's safe for us yet."

"Me neither," said Everglade. "I already lost all of my sibs, and I don't want to lose you guys as well."

"And our other friends still need us," Snowflight added.

Other friends? Ember wanted to ask.

Lapis Lazuli padded up to her son, Verglas following her close behind. "We'll go with you," she said. "Just in case."

Ember turned to Subzero. "What about you?" she asked. "Will you be going to find the dragonets with Typhoon?"

The IceWing stirred the frozen sand beneath his talons. "Not until I feel like the world can be safe from me," he said.

She inched a little closer to him. "Then I'll stay with you."

"That's fine," Polynya said. "I have to get back to the Talons of Peace before they start suspecting where I've gone. I'll try to be back as soon as I can." Once again, her wings and claws twitched toward her son, but she didn't reach out. Before he, or Ember, could say anything, the purple IceWing spread her wings and launched herself into the sky.

"She really loves you," Ember said observantly.

"I know," Subzero replied with a curt nod. Then he asked, "Why would you want to stay here with me? I thought you wanted to find Auburn and her son."

"I do," she said. "But if Typhoon and his parents are going to look for the dragonets, and Polynya is with the Talons of Peace, we're gonna need to keep each other company."

Subzero was silent for a moment before he shook his head again. "Er...fine...I guess...we could keep watch over the Cerise and the others."

Ember nodded.

Soon Typhoon had organized the dragons of Possibility to go on an expedition to find and protect the Dragonets of Destiny.

Ember watched them go while Subzero was silently brooding nearby. Her mind wandered to what Windracer might be like. The fact he freed all of Queen Scarlet's prisoners must have taken some amount of courage, given how bloodthirsty and psychopathic she was. Not to mention exposing the true history of the IceWings and the NightWings' tribal hatred for each other. Whoever he was, he clearly wanted to help.

I wonder how he'll react once he meets me. Or when I meet Auburn. Ember thought to herself.

A week later, Ember was summoned to the Sky Kingdom by the new queen. She'd never met Tourmaline before, so of course she was nervous.

She was flying there now, with Harrier and another SkyWing named Eagle serving as her guides. She would have wanted Subzero to come with her, but he still didn't want to leave Possibility. Also, it turned out that Eagle didn't like IceWings at all.

The Sky Kingdom was mostly consisted of mountains, with temperate forests and some meadows in the lower areas. Ember could see a large stone palace in the north, undoubtedly where the queen lived. There was a large arena directly outside the palace, with tall empty spires of rock circling it. Ember was pretty sure she didn't want to know what that had been used for.

Harrier and Eagle brought her straight to the throne room. The floors were made of grooved rock, the walls were inlaid with gold with some wisps of cloud shapes here and there. There was a large dark orange dragon sitting on a tall column carved in the shape of clouds - the throne, Ember realized. The wall opposite the throne was open, giving the queen a sweeping view of the kingdom.

The three SkyWings landed at the foot of Queen Tourmaline's throne. Eagle and Harrier both bowed, and Ember quickly copied them. Her insides were churning uncomfortably, like she'd just swallowed a den full of snakes.

There was a thud of talons on stone, and she looked up to find Tourmaline standing right in front of her.

Ember tried to speak, but the words died in her throat. She didn't know what to say to the SkyWing queen. So Harrier spoke for her, recounting what he'd heard about Ember and Topaz, with Eagle jumping in to add the parts he had missed.

"I am so sorry to hear about your mother, Ember," Queen Tourmaline said. "I saw what Scarlet did to the SkyWing eggs on the brightest night. Maybe if I hadn't let my fear get the best of me, I could have challenged her and become queen sooner, and then none of this would have happened."

"I-it's not your fault, Your Majesty," Ember squeaked. "No one was brave enough to face her." Except Subzero.

"That may be true," said Tourmaline. "But I still shouldn't have let Scarlet get to me the way she did. Seeing her kill those helpless dragonets, I was just so disgusted. I knew my mother would have had no qualms with killing me, even if I was the only heir left to the throne. I threw myself into training so I would be sure I could beat her in a royal challenge. I didn't want the SkyWings, especially Scarlet, to know how terrified I really was." She knelt down to Ember's height. "It should be obvious, since I called you here, but just to make it official, you are welcome in the Sky Kingdom anytime you wish. I can promise you will be safe here, and anywhere I go."

The queen held out her talon, and Ember took it gingerly. "Thank you," she said solemnly.

Eagle stepped forward and asked, "So, Prince Frost of the IceWings killed Queen Scarlet?"

Queen Tourmaline nodded. "Yes, that is true."

"And you've met Windracer?" Ember asked.

"Yes," Tourmaline nodded again. "I hosted a party for him and his friends last week before they left for the Mud Kingdom. They said they were going to look for their families."

Ember shifted her talons. "What about Windracer's mother, Auburn? Topaz said she was her friend."

"She went with him," said Tourmaline. "She was as brave as Topaz was, defying Scarlet's orders to save her own egg. I think you'd like her."

Ember nodded at the queen, her mind racing at the possibility of meeting Auburn and Windracer. Maybe Queen Moorhen would know where they were. Should she go to the Mud Kingdom? Would she see them there?

There was a rumbling sound from far off in the distance, and Tourmaline turned her head to look out the big empty spot in the wall. Even from far away, she could see a large spot of dark clouds on the horizon.

"Looks like we're in for some bad weather tonight," the queen said. "Ember, you're welcome to stay here until the storm has passed. I wouldn't recommend flying in such a strong squall."

The SkyWing dragonet bowed her head in thanks.

There was still quite some time before the storm hit. Plenty of time to cover up the windows and secure the doors. Ember guessed that the SkyWings had dealt with storms like this before. It made sense, seeing as the Sky Kingdom was right by the ocean.

"There are mountains and forests and valleys and beaches. And someday we can go see it all together, just you and Mommy."

Topaz would never get to see the ocean, or the beaches. But that didn't mean that Ember couldn't. Yes, she'd be sad that her mother wasn't there to see it with her, but there would be other dragons for her to share the moment with - Typhoon and his parents, Meerkat and the Enclave, Auburn and Windracer and the Dragonets of Destiny, when she met them...and Subzero.

Ember's talons drifted to the diamond necklace she'd been gifted on her hatching day. Wearing it now, it made her feel like, in some weird way, Subzero was still with her.

She was pretty sure she was in love with him. He was everything she wanted to be - strong and brave and special. She wanted to be brave enough to tell him what he meant to her. But how could he ever love her back? She was nothing compared to him. Even before she knew Morrowseer's prophecy was fake, she knew that she had no super-special destiny at all. And she couldn't even touch him because of his frostscales; they could never have a future together.

"I know someday you'll meet a dragon who loves you like Saker and I loved each other. And I hope, whoever it is, if you love them, too, that...well, that they make you happy."

"I miss you, Mom," Ember whispered to herself before her mind drifted to Windracer and Auburn - the last two links to her mother. She wondered if Auburn had heard of Topaz's death and how she would have taken the news. Topaz had said Auburn was very caring to young dragonets. I wonder what she'll do for me.

So many questions and so few answers. Maybe a walk around the kingdom would help clear her head. She still had time before the storm arrived.

Ember headed for where the land met the ocean, taking in her surroundings as she went. The mountains weren't entirely barren - there were evergreens and brambles and pines and ferns and grass. Every now and again she'd spot a mountain goat or a rabbit feeding on the flora, or a bobcat stalking unseen prey. Her only real companion was the sound of the wind whistling.

The first thing Ember noticed when she arrived at the edge of the continent was how beautiful the sunset looked over the ocean. The contrasting colors of the sky and the water all blended together so elegantly. It was something she never really had the time to notice before - how the colors in the world worked so majestically to create such breathtaking sights. The blue, yellow, orange, pink, purple, it all just...worked.

I wish Subzero was here to see this with me.

It would be dark soon, and the storm would arrive shortly thereafter. But Ember wasn't ready to head back to the palace yet. She just couldn't look away from the spectacle. She'd been in hiding for her whole life, and now that Queen Scarlet was dead, Ember could finally relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of life - at least for now.

There was still a war to end, and a very real and very important prophecy to fulfill. But Ember wasn't going to worry about that right now. There were lots of dragons out there who wanted the war to be over, dragons who would gladly join talons and work together to bring peace to Pyrrhia. Ordinary dragons, like her, with no amazing super-special destiny, were trying against all odds to change the world for the better.

Maybe I do have a destiny after all. I just need to find it...or make it.

As the sun sank below the horizon, Ember sat down and shut her eyes, imagining the warm, smiling face of her mother. Topaz had believed in the prophecy, real or not, and she'd believed that her daughter could be a part of it. She'd risked so much to keep Ember alive, not just so the prophecy could be fulfilled, but because she loved her so much.

Then there was Lapis Lazuli, the SeaWing who led them to Mayfly when Ember got sick and needed medical help. Another dragon who had thrown away her life with her tribe for someone she loved. Even before Topaz died, Lapis Lazuli had become like a second mother to Ember.

Ember had done volunteer work in Mayfly's clinic a few times. The MudWing was very professional and wasn't prone to making any lasting relationships, but she was friendly enough to the SkyWing dragonet.

Typhoon was almost like an older brother to Ember. She only ever thought of him as a friend, but he still gave her a roof over her head and helped her get around Possibility. It was a little weird to think of him and his parents as family, but they'd really grown on Ember over time.

Verglas was a bit firm, but fatherly - protective and supportive, and surprisingly affable. Ember had heard, mostly from other dragons, that IceWings tended to be arrogant and full of themselves, but Verglas wasn't like that at all, if ever. He'd left his tribe behind for Lapis Lazuli, and he hardly ever raised his voice at his wife, or Typhoon, or even Ember.

Meerkat was somewhat like Typhoon - friendly, welcoming, protective, and brotherly. He would always have fried lizards for Ember whenever she stayed at his place, and he'd even introduced her to other members of the Enclave, so she'd know she was safe with them.

And Subzero...he was such a complicated dragon. Cold on the outside, but warm on the inside. It hadn't been easy for Ember to get close to him - physically or emotionally - and she was afraid of him at times, especially when she first met him, but now that she'd gotten to know him so well, she couldn't imagine her life without Subzero in it. Maybe they weren't exactly friends, but he was getting better at being nice to her.

My friends. If they believe in me...then why can't I?

There was a loud booming sound, and Ember's eyes snapped open. It was dark, and the storm was rapidly closing in.

How? She must have dozed off. She had to get back to the palace, and quickly.

Barely had Ember stood up and started to turn when the rain started coming down in buckets. She couldn't risk flying in this weather. But something else made her stop - the sound of a dragon crying out.

Someone was flying in the storm. And whoever it was, they needed help.

Ember turned back around, just in time to see an injured dragon fall out of the sky and land right in front of her.

He looked almost like a SkyWing, with his dark red scales and enormous wings, one of which was bent at an unnatural angle, obviously broken. But his wings were as black as night and had a scattering of sparkling silver scales...like a NightWing.

Is that...Windracer?

His eyes opened dazedly, and he saw her. A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, and Ember saw about fifty or so dark shapes descending upon the injured hybrid. Overcome with fear, she dashed into the nearby woods.

Hidden in the brush, she watched helplessly as several large black dragons landed near the hybrid dragonet, surrounding him on all sides. He mumbled something quietly before his eyes slid shut. One of the NightWings leaned down to examine the dragonet's broken wing, then ushered one of his companions forward. The second NightWing knelt down, and the first lifted the unconscious hybrid onto the second one's back.

Ember wished she was brave enough to run out and confront them, and strong enough to stop them. But she wasn't brave, or strong, or special. She was just plain old Ember, a runty little SkyWing dragonet with no destiny.

The NightWings all opened their vast wings and took off, heading north to where Ember didn't know. And they were taking the dragonet with them.

It must have been Windracer, she thought. Harrier said the NightWings would be after him. What are they going to do to him? How can I save him? Can I even save him at all? What can I do?

Ember had never felt so helpless before, except for when her mother died. How could she help to end the war when she couldn't even aid an injured dragon?

Windracer has magic. And mind-reading, and foresight. He'll be okay...I hope he'll be okay. If I knew where they're headed, I'd tell Queen Tourmaline, or the Enclave, or Typhoon, and they could help me save him.

Or what about Auburn? Maybe she can help.

She turned and ran inland, her scales and wings soaked by the pouring rain.

I just hope I can find her before it's too late.

Ember was in Possibility again. She didn't know where else to go. She'd waited out the worst of the storm in Tourmaline's palace, but the new queen of the SkyWings had no idea where Auburn was, and Ember wasn't sure where to look.

She'd remembered from Typhoon that Auburn had stopped in Possibility after the brightest night. Maybe it was a long shot, but Windracer's mother and friends might come to the town looking for him...right?

She was sitting on Typhoon's porch, watching the sky despondently. Subzero was inside his own home, pretending not to watch her when he actually was. Ember liked to think that maybe he loved her the way she loved him, even when she knew he didn't. Being around him, even several feet away, always made her feel less ordinary.

Ember was just about to give up waiting when she spotted something - a large cluster of figures against the light blue of the morning sky. Countless dragons colored red, yellow, white, brown, blue, and green, were all headed for Possibility.

It was easy to spot Typhoon's cobalt blue scales and icy blue spikes at the front of the group. But any one of the SkyWings, SandWings, SeaWings or MudWings could be Auburn and the Dragonets of Destiny, if Typhoon and his friends had managed to find them.

"Subzero look," Ember said, "Typhoon's back."

She heard the crunching sound of the sand freezing below his talonsteps, and she saw him creeping out of his home out of the corner of her eye. He stopped about five feet away and sat down next to her.

"So it would seem," he said bluntly.

"Should we go greet him?" she asked.

Subzero shrugged his wings. "There's a lot of dragons there. With any luck, I'll brush against someone by mistake and give them frostbite. You go ahead."

Ember looked at him, then back up at the arriving dragons. There was a lot of them, and, if she was being honest, she didn't feel like being in such a big crowd at the moment.

She scooted a bit closer, not bothered by the chilling cold being emitted by his scales. "Are you sure? I mean, you don't mind being alone right now?"

"I'll be fine," he told her. "It's nothing I'm not used to. Go."

Ember hesitated for half a moment, but ultimately stood up and began walking to the heart of the town. It wasn't that long of a trek, but for Ember it seemed to take forever. She was already anticipating what might happen if she were to meet the Dragonets of Destiny.

She heard Typhoon before she saw him. "This is Possibility. A lot of dragons from all seven tribes have moved here to escape the war."

"Huh," said a voice, "I imagined it being much bigger."

"Feel free to explore," Typhoon said. "Unless you want to go looking for Windracer with us."

Windracer! Ember crept a little closer.

There were too many dragons for her to count. Several were grouped together in the town center, and many more had gathered to see what Typhoon had brought back with him. She found the SeaWing-IceWing hybrid in the heart of the cluster, next to a white dragon with a sand-colored frill running down her back and a scorpion-like barb on the end of her whip-thin, spiky tail.

"How are we going to find him?" the white dragon asked, her voice the same one Ember had heard seconds ago. "He could be anywhere on Pyrrhia, or halfway across the ocean by now."

Ember wanted to run out to the dragonets, but she was too nervous. Would they believe her if she told them about seeing a squadron of NightWings kidnapping an odd-looking dragonet? Would anyone believe her?

"We'll spread out in groups," said Typhoon. "Scour the continent as best we can. It's all we can do right now."

A SkyWing with auburn scales tapped the blue hybrid's shoulder. "I'd like to go with you," she said, her voice full of emotion. "Please. I'll do anything to find my son."

Auburn. Ember realized. Windracer's mother. This could be my chance to finally meet her.

What will she think of me? Does she know Topaz is dead? Will I have to tell her? What if she doesn't like me? What if none of the dragonets like me?

Mother would want me to meet her friend. She'd want me to meet the Dragonets of Destiny. This could be my only chance.

But what about Subzero? Will meeting Auburn and the dragonets mean I'll have to say goodbye to him? He may be used to being alone, but he shouldn't have to be.

I can't go with them. Not without Subzero. I need him, and he needs me.

Ember crept away silently, headed back the way she came.

When she got back, Subzero was still in the exact spot he'd been when she'd left. He looked surprised to see her, but he quickly hid it behind the neutral mask he always wore to hide his emotions.

"How did it go?" he asked. "Did you see the Dragonets of Destiny?"

"I-" Ember stuttered. What could she tell him? "I did see them, yes."

"And?" he pressed.

"Windracer's missing," she said slowly. "They're heading out to look for them. But I'm staying here. With my friends. And with you."

Subzero looked equal parts bewildered and scandalized. "What? Why?"

Ember stirred the sand with her claws. "You told me you didn't want to leave town until you felt the world could be safe from you. But what if that never happens? What if you feel you have to stay here forever? I don't want to leave if it means I have to say goodbye to you. You shouldn't have to be alone, even if you are used to it. Subzero, when I first met you, I was completely lost. But then, when my mother died, you helped show me the way. And now all I want is to be near you, frostscales or no. Because..." She hesitated.

"Because why?"

Because I love you.

"...Because you're my best friend, and friends don't leave friends behind. I wouldn't even be here right now if it wasn't for you. You saved my life, I owe you that much."

Subzero was silent for a moment before he huffed, trying to sound annoyed. "If that's what you want," he said.

Ember smiled. She knew Subzero well enough by now to know that he secretly liked having her around. Maybe, if she was lucky, he might actually love her, too.

The following week was probably the craziest week Ember had ever experienced. First, a whole slew of NightWings arrived in town, carrying a very tired-looking dragonet with a broken wing and badly infected leg, asking for a doctor. It was the same dragonet she'd seen the night of the big storm - Windracer; it had to be him. She didn't imagine it after all, it actually really happened.

Next, Typhoon had assigned messengers to contact the queens with information on Windracer's whereabouts and status. As nice as it was for Ember to see Queen Tourmaline again, seeing Queen Moorhen, Queen Coral, and Queen Glacier flying in from different directions was too overwhelming for the little SkyWing. Would she have to explain her story to them, too? Would Moorhen be upset that Topaz and Ember had spent a year hiding in her swamps? And the SkyWings were enemies of the SeaWings and IceWings; she didn't want to risk getting too close to Coral and Glacier if they didn't trust her.

Ember had decided to visit her friends at the orphanage. It had been almost a week since the NightWings had arrived, and she was starting to worry for Windracer. Mayfly had been treating his wounds longer than she would've hoped. Would he be okay? Was he dying? Would he have to lose the leg, or worse, his wing?

A dragon could still get around minus one leg, but without their wings? Ember shuddered at the thought.

She was sitting in the recreation room, where all of the orphans would engage in harmless play and social activities. Every month, dragons who were interested in adopting would file in and watch the dragonets in thoughtful silence, considering their options. Sometimes the adoptions were intertribal, but most of the adoptees chose dragonets of their own tribe.

Ember had once considered residence at the orphanage, but truth be told she didn't like the idea of being adopted by strangers and calling them her new parents. Verglas and Lapis Lazuli had become like parents to her, but they never officially adopted her. She couldn't imagine how weird it would be for a SeaWing and an IceWing to have a SkyWing for a daughter, and she didn't plan on asking.

Her four friends were with her, all snuggled up in a pile, which Ember understood made Everglade feel much more comfortable. The MudWing dragonet was at the orphanage because all of her siblings had died in the war, and MudWing parents hardly, if ever, cared about their own offspring. Well, except for the royal family, which Everglade was not a part of.

"You're more quiet than usual," Snowflight observed. "You must really be worried."

Ember nodded wordlessly.

"We're all worried," said Everglade. "Some more than others. I can't imagine how his mother feels."

Cerise's tail curled over her claws. "She must be worried sick."

"It must be nice to have such a loving mother," Red sighed.

Ember scooted closer to them. "I'm sure you'll have a mother like that someday," she offered.

"I wouldn't mind if we all stayed together," Everglade said. "You guys are like my sibs now. I'd be devastated if we had to say goodbye to each other."

A sharp pang of sadness hit Ember's heart; she knew how it would feel to say goodbye to a friend, not knowing when and if you'd ever see each other again. She'd almost experienced that herself nearly a week ago.

She curled up beside Snowflight, draping her wing over him and Red and Cerise and Everglade like a blanket. Or at least she tried to - SkyWings had the largest wings of any tribe, but Ember was unusually small for her age. She could reach over the NightWing-IceWing hybrid and the SkyWing twins, but not the MudWing dragonet's wide shoulders.

"I think that's enough worrying for now," said Snowflight. "Why don't we go visit Patch and the others? That'll cheer us up." He smiled at Ember. "You can come with us, if you like. Just try not to make too much noise."

"Why?" she asked worriedly.

"You'll see," Red answered.

Once they all got untangled from each other, the four dragonets led Ember outside and to the east. There were a few trees close to the river and the coast, but nowhere near enough to create a forest. They stopped at the foot of the biggest tree, which towered over them at the height of at least two full-grown dragons.

"What are we doing here?" Ember asked.

Snowflight shushed her. "Just watch." He walked up and knocked his talons on the tree's trunk three times.

A nearby bush rustled, and out scurried six little creatures, the likes of which Ember had never seen before. They each had furry heads, two long, thin legs and two dangling arms that ended in floppy, clawless talons.

Scavengers!

They spotted the dragonets, and the largest of them let out a happy squeak and ran right up to Snowflight, hugging his foreleg. But there was something different about this scavenger - his skin was practically two-tone. There were whitish patches all over his arms and legs, and one over his left eye.

"Hi, Patch," the hybrid smiled. "Good to see you."

The two-tone scavenger - Patch - smiled up at him. "Hello, Snowflight!"

Ember's jaw practically hit the sand. There was a scavenger. Hugging Snowflight's leg. And speaking DRAGON!

"What is happening right now?" she squeaked.

"These are the other friends we mentioned," Snowflight explained. He lifted Patch up onto his shoulder and pointed to the others, who were clambering all over Everglade, Red, and Cerise, who were laughing joyfully. "That's Needletail, Stream, Rubble, Porcupine, and Pepper. They're all orphans, like us. Patch was abandoned by his village because of his weird skin; I met him shortly after my parents were killed. After Red and Cerise lost their own mother and father, they were found by other five. We all met when we found Possibility, and when Red, Cerise, and I became friends with Everglade, we shared our secret with her. And now you know it, too." He then cleared his throat loudly, and all the scavengers stopped wrestling with the dragonets and looked at him. "Everyone, this is Ember. She's a friend."

The shortest - Pepper - was the first to approach. Then came Rubble, the short, round one, and Porcupine with his spiky hair. Needletail and Stream looked almost the same, except insofar that the female - Stream - was taller and thinner and had longer head-fur than the lean, slightly muscular male. Patch, meanwhile, stayed on Snowflight's shoulder.

"Can they all talk?" Ember asked. "Do all scavengers speak Dragon?"

"Not scavengers!" shouted Pepper. "Humans!"

"They call themselves humans," Cerise explained helpfully. "And, to answer your question, our friends are the only humans we know who can speak our language. They're mostly self-taught, but we did help a little. And we learned how to speak their language in return."

It all seemed so bizarre, but at the same time it did actually make sense. Most dragons brushed off scavengers - humans, Ember corrected herself - as mindless prey or bothersome pests, but a human had managed to kill Queen Oasis of the SandWings, something no ordinary pest or prey could ever accomplish. They were a lot smarter than the dragons gave them credit for, so of course they'd find a way to communicate with dragonkind.

Ember leaned her head down to the humans' level and said, as sweetly as she could, "It's nice to meet all of you."

"It is nice to meet you, too," Needletail said fluently. "We've heard a lot about you from Snowflight and the others. Any friend of theirs is a friend of ours, too."

"But please don't tell anyone about us," Rubble added, sounding nervous. "I'm not keen on being eaten by dragons anytime soon."

Everglade patted his head gently. "You're not gonna get eaten by dragons," she promised.

"Not on our watch," added Red.

Ember smiled and said, "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone I met you. That's a promise."

No sooner had the words left her mouth, there was a loud commotion from the nearby town.

"What's going on over there?" Stream asked.

"Whatever it is," said Porcupine, "it sounds exciting."

"We'll go check it out," Snowflight said. "You guys stay hidden. We'll come back and fill you in."

Without argument, the six humans retreated back into the bushes. It was a routine they had done several times before, and this time was no different. They would stay hidden, to avoid getting eaten by dragons, but not stray too far from Possibility so Snowflight, Red, Cerise, and Everglade could still find them.

When the five dragonets returned to the town, the first thing they noticed was that the market square was strangely empty. Even the merchants were gone, and they almost never left their posts, not even for the town meeting Typhoon had held about a week and a half ago.

"Where is everyone?" Everglade asked.

As if to answer her question, there was a loud shout from the western side of town.

"That sounded like it came from Mayfly's hut," Snowflight mused aloud.

Ember gasped. "Windracer!" Is he okay?

"This way," said Red, pointing down a nearby alley. "We know a shortcut."

There were a lot of twists and turns, and some tight spaces for the larger Everglade and Snowflight to squeeze through. And when they reached Mayfly's house, they were immediately confronted by a wall of dragons. MudWings and SandWings and SkyWings and SeaWings and IceWings and NightWings all standing shoulder-to-shoulder, watching and listening to whatever was happening right in front of them.

Ember could hear snippets of the conversation as she weaved her way in through the gaps in the crowd. She recognized Windracer's nasally voice from the magic message he'd sent just two weeks ago. They were talking about the rainforest, and the RainWings, and Morrowseer and the NightWings, and the fake prophecy, and Windracer's prophecy.

She found Subzero standing near a fruit stand a good distance away from the crowd. It was easier to get to him than to Windracer, so that's where Ember went. He filled her in on what was occurring - the Dragonets of Destiny and some volunteers from Typhoon's alliance, or, as they were now called, the Dragonet Defenders, were going to the rainforest to warn the RainWings about the NightWings' plan to kill them and take over their home.

In that moment, Ember could only hope they would succeed in their mission. She didn't care if she never met the dragonets, there were other dragons whose needs were more important than hers. As she turned to find her other four friends, she spotted Auburn through the crowd and her heart started racing.

Should I say something to her? Ember wondered. Would she even know who I am?

"I nominate Subzero."

Ember spun toward the source of the voice and found a very confident-looking Queen Glacier. The dragons surrounding the queen of the IceWings were staring at her as though she'd sprouted three extra heads right in front of them.

"Subzero?" Ember squeaked without thinking. "Are you sure?"

At that point, Snowflight, Everglade, Red, and Cerise had caught up with her. "What's happening?" the black and white hybrid asked.

At the same time, Ember could hear Windracer asking, "Who's Subzero?"

The crowd parted to reveal the IceWing standing alone by the fruit stand. Ember scrambled to stay out of view of the dragonets, whose eyes were following Typhoon's claw as he pointed to Subzero.

"He's my friend," the blue hybrid explained. "He's been living with me in Possibility ever since his father died."

"His father?" echoed a female dragon Ember couldn't see.

"His name was Hvitur," Subzero snarled. "He was caught stealing some stupid SkyWing egg for some stupid fake prophecy by that stupid warmonger princess Burn."

Ember's thoughts tuned out the rest of the conversation. If Subzero is going with the Dragonets of Destiny, if he thinks he can leave Possibility and see the world, then maybe I can go, too. I didn't want to go because I didn't want to leave Subzero, but this way I can meet Windracer and his friends and still be with Subzero. This is my chance, and this time I'm going to take it.

"Guys," she said, turning to face the other four, "the Dragonets of Destiny are headed for the rainforest, and I'm going with them this time. Will you be coming, too?"

Snowflight shook his head. "We need to stay and look after Patch and the others. But don't worry, we'll wait until you come back."

"Thank you," Ember said, her voice full of emotion. "I'm gonna miss you."

"We'll miss you, too," said Everglade.

Red and Cerise said nothing. They just hugged her.

Ember wished they could all go together, but Snowflight was right. Patch, Needletail, Stream, Rubble, Porcupine, and Pepper wouldn't be safe without their dragon friends to protect them from anyone who might accidentally find the humans out in the wild all by themselves. And they couldn't have too many dragons wandering into the rainforest, and not just because of the danger the NightWings posed. Even the RainWings, no matter how lazy and uncaring they may be, would still defend their home from invaders.

"You'd better hurry," Cerise said, "before they leave without you." She and her brother untangled themselves from Ember's wings and smiled at her.

"Good luck out there," said Red.

Ember smiled back at them and said simply, "Good luck."

Suddenly, she heard Subzero's voice. "What are you talking about?"

Jumping in surprise, she turned around and found herself staring into his dark black eyes. "Um," she squeaked, "are you really going with the dragonets?"

"I guess I have to," he sighed. "Queen Glacier seems to trust me well enough. I just hope she knows what she's doing, sending me out into the world like that."

"If you're really going to the rainforest," Ember said, "then I'm going with you. I'm gonna meet the Dragonets of Destiny right here and now, and we'll see the world together, you and me both."

There was a sort of confidence in her voice that she'd never had before. It felt good to be sure of something. She wasn't going to run and hide anymore - there was a destiny waiting for her, and she was going to embrace it with open wings. Wherever it led, she would follow. And she wouldn't be alone.

"Alright," Subzero said. "If you really want to come, you'd better tell them. I think we'll be heading out soon."

She nodded at him and turned to the crowd. The gap had closed, and it was still wall-to-wall dragons.

I can still fly over. I have to.

Sucking in a breath, the runty SkyWing spread her wings and launched into the air above the crowd of gathered dragons. She could see the mismatched scales of the Dragonets of Destiny at the front of it all - a blue SeaWing, a brown MudWing, two RainWings, one green and one orange-yellow, the white IceWing-SandWing hybrid from when Typhoon had returned from the Kingdom of the Sea, and...There he is.

The dragonet from the stormy night - dark red scales, black wings and emerald green eyes. Windracer.

"Wait!" Ember cried out. She swooped down and landed at the front of the crowd, not caring how many dragons were probably staring at her right now. "Can I go, too?"

The red hybrid saw her first, his green eyes locking with her orange-pink ones. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Were you in the Sky Kingdom during that storm?"

Ember's eyes widened in excitement. He remembers me! "Yes, I was," she said. "I saw you fall out of the sky. You're Windracer, right?"

"Last I checked, yes, I am," the red hybrid joked lightheartedly. "What's your name?"

Suddenly feeling nervous, the runty SkyWing dragonet shifted her talons a little before answering, "Ember."

Windracer held out one of his front talons to her with a warm, welcoming smile. "Nice to meet you."

Ember felt lightheaded. Was this really happening? Was Windracer really here, right in front of her, talking to her and smiling at her and offering his talons to her? Or was it all a dream?

She tentatively poked at his claws. She expected that, when they touched, it would all fade away and she'd wake up in Subzero's home in the morning, with none of it having ever happened at all.

But all she felt was honest-to-goodness dragon claws and scales against her own. He was real. I was all really actually happening right now.

Smiling in relief, Ember pressed her own talon against Windracer's. "You, too."

She didn't know what the future held for her. She didn't know what the Dragonets of Destiny, or Auburn, would think of her, if she ever found the courage to tell them her story. She didn't know if she could really help fulfill Windracer's prophecy, save the RainWings from the NightWings, and end the war. She didn't even know how she could do all those things.

But she wouldn't have to figure it all out on her own. Subzero would be with her, and she'd have friends waiting for her in Possibility whether or not she saved the world. And there would be other dragons, like Windracer and Auburn, who'd be willing to help her figure it out, too.

Ember finally had her own destiny to follow. And she knew, somehow, that Windracer and his friends, and Auburn, and Typhoon, Lapis Lazuli, Verglas, Meerkat, Snowflight, Red, Cerise, Everglade, Patch and the others, and especially Subzero would all be part of it.

So, this ended up being a whole lot longer than I thought it would be. But we really needed to know all of how and why Ember got to where she was when she officially met Windracer. It was actually fun to thoroughly explore her character, and I'm glad I got to tell her story.

Special thanks to Snow Nadder for helping me write this. You were a big help!

Auburn - Valka
Windracer - Hiccup
Red and Cerise - Dak and Leyla
Snowflight - Scribbler
Frost - Dagur
Patch - Patch
Needletail - Winger
Stream - Summer
Rubble - Burple
Porcupine - Cutter
Pepper - Aggro

(Yes, those characters are all from the world of How to Train Your Dragon - Scribbler and Patch are from a video game called Dawn of New Riders; Dak, Leyla, Winger, Summer, Burple, Cutter and Aggro are all the main characters of a show called Rescue Riders that's aimed at younger audiences. Also, they will all show up later.)

Next: Prisoners