"THIS ISN'T REAL YOUR WORLD DOESN'T' EXIST, IT DOESN'T MATTER…"
The words stabbed through him like paper, digging deeper than any knife could. It felt like someone had found his safe space, his library, and tore it to shreds. The world buzzed around him fading around the edges of his vision. Staring blankly ahead he could see a desk full of drawings and a bookshelf filled with… something, something important. "I'm leaving" the voice muttered a voice buzzing softly from beside him. goodnight Evan" Their words faded as she walked past him, slamming the door behind them.
He lurched forward, pain rocketing through his head.`` Owww" he said laying back down "Ow ow ow."
" Hey don't go hurting yourself right after I saved your ass," a voice grumbled. Turning he noticed a White dragon laying beside him, his wing hanging limply at his side. Looking closer he could see spikes like Icicles running down his spine and ending at his tail. "Their scales are more of a pale blue than white, " he observed. " Icewing" something murmured from the back of his mind.
the Dragon turned his head slightly." You crashed in a nearby canon. Were you attacked or…" The Icewing asked
"I...I don't remember" he said, fear creeping into his voice. Where am I? Who am I? Figures flashed through his head. The sky falling, A dragon roaring, Scales and talons shredding into him… he couldn't remember More images appeared, A rainforest, and a… Rainwing?
" Queen Glory…" but he also remembered Nightwings chasing? Running? A Sandwing.. talking with her companions…" He groaned, clutching his head. It felt so wrong. Like his head was fragmented into little pieces, the shards stabbing into him with every thought. I need to Kill, Run, Help, I'm Sorry …
His body felt uncomfortable as well, He didn't know how to move. He struggled to even get out of bed, accidentally slapping the Icewing with his flailing wings. " HEY, I WILL SHRED YOU HYBRID" The Icewing snarled, leaping out of his cot with him. Wing still limp at his side. His eyes widened and he bit down on his lip. Blue blood dripped down his jaw.
"I'm sorry," he said hurriedly, looking around "I'll get a bandage or-" He wobbled on unfamiliar talons. " I didn't mean to slap you" Even if you deserved it Icewing, his head growled. He blinked, where had that thought come from?
The Icewing hesitated, regret flashing in his eyes. He sighed, unconsciously rubbing his shoulder "Just be careful next time," he mumbled, slumping back on the bed.
His mouth dropped at the sudden change. Is he ok? he thought. Hfm good riddance, He shook his head shaking away the thought. He tried to walk over to the Icewing but tripped, slamming his body into the rough ground.
He yelped, his body screaming in protest as it reminded him of his barely healed injuries. "What is wrong with me?". He growled, clambering back to his feet.
The White dragon raised his head slightly.
Oh, Camel spit I said that out loud. The Icewing lowered his head again.
He reached out his talon but hesitated. I should let him rest. It's not like I'm going to be any help. He turned. Stumbling back to his cot he looked down at himself. Noting the sandy-night scales that covered his body. That Icewing had called him a hybrid. Disgust rippled through his body. He shuddered, deciding to look at the well-lit ceiling instead. "Nightwing-Sandwing '' His head whispered. How did he remember that? Something from my past maybe?
"WINTEEEEE" a vibrant yellow and pink streak barreled into the room zooming over to the injured Icewing.
He blinked at the newcomer. Is his name Winte?
" oh ouch that looks painful, WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THE WOODS WITH MOON!"
"Winte" just groaned, covering his head with his other pillow.
"I heard you found an injured dragon." she continued, oblivious to Winte's clear annoyance.
"OOOH IS THAT THEM!" She gleefully zipped over to his bed jumping up and down. "OOOOh you're scales look SO Prettyyy" She continued. Pointing at him like an exotic animal.
"Why's your tail like That? "YOUR WINGS ARE SO COOL." "HEY, what's it like being a hybrid?" "Why-
WHO IS THIS CRAZY DRAGON his mind screamed.
"BACK OFF RAINWING" he shouted. Growling even as he slipped off his bed. Backing away from the colorful blur until his back hit the wall, even as he felt his face contort viciously.
She stopped. White, lime, and bits of purple flashed through her scales, as she looked at him.
"TAKE IT BACK MOONSORTER" Winte yelled, leaping out of his cot yet again.
"KISS MY TAIL ICEEATER" he shouted. WHAT AM I DOING? He screamed internally, who was this dragon? Why was he yelling? how did he say that?
Distantly, he noticed Winter lunge toward him. He clutched his head as he curled into a ball, trying to piece his brain back together. The shards in his brain stabbed deeper. Why am I like this…
He felt a tiny paw on his curled wings. He realized he had covered himself with them.
"Hey.." a calm voice said. Gently tapping his wing before pulling back.
He uncurled his wings, looking up at the small Rainwing. She smiled slightly, and he noticed that her scales were a calming blue color.
"I'm Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I swear," she said softly, backing off.
His wings uncurled as he slowly stood up. He realized that he dwarfed the small rainwing, although he wasn't as tall as Winte
"Hfm "Winte growled at him. "You're not the one who should be apologizing. "
He looked down at the ground "You're right. Winte." I shouldn't ha-
"WINTE" Winter yelled, he tried to lunge again but yelped grabbing his shoulder.
The rainwing giggled. " yeah Winte, play nice"
"It's Winter, not Winte" he snarled.
"Sorry, Winter," he said, turning to the small rainwing "You too, I don't know why I said that." Well, he did deserve it… his head whispered, And it scared him. It reminded him of how he used to be. He shuddered. I can't ever be like that again. But when was that exactly?... he couldn't remember.
The rainwing smiled. Yellow and pink returned to her scales. "It's fine, '' she said. Her smile widened, "Winter just needs to take a chill pill" she giggled.
Winter ignored them, turning away from their conversation.
He felt something tug at the back of his head, Like a memory struggling to break free. He looked closer at the rainwing.
But before the memory tugged loose, Another dragon entered the "HealingCenter." "Yeah Winte, Why you gotta act so cold towards everyone."
A wide smile broke across the dusty dragon's face. The color of their scales was more of a sandy yellow, more like the sand you'd find in a book than on an actual beach. With freckles and a small scar jutting across his snout.
Warning bells blared in his head, a different thread tugging at the back of his mind.
Winter blushed slightly, "Shut it Sandsnorter before I make you shut it"
"At least take me out on a date first," Qibli chuckled.
QIBLI. Right now I remember. He smiled as he remembered the jokester Sandwing. Definitely my favorite out of the Jade Winglet. He'd always liked how calculating Qibli was. Great another talon licker.
"Who are you," he muttered softly. Qibli's eyes flicked to him for a second, Studying him.
Dread shot through his body, he felt like a fly under a microscope. He shifted uncomfortably. Why am I so scared of him? Even with his scattered thoughts, he had always liked reading about Qibli. Wait. reading? That didn't make any sense. Maybe he'd picked up a scroll somewhere?
Qibli's eyes softened " Hey you ok," he said quite enough so it didn't freak him out but loud enough so everyone could hear. " My name is Qibli. And This he gestured to the room around them. '' is Jade Mountain,"
" You crashed in the nearby forest, and my buddy Winter here" he pointed. "And another friend of ours found you and carried you back here. " He nice of him if you ask me. " He's never carried me on his back"
"And I never will" Winter shot back
Qibli ignored him, gesturing toward the Rainwing, who was still giggling.
"That's Kinkajou, Sorry if she overwhelmed you. She can be pretty… energetic"
"I'm not THAT enterwhatever" Kinkajou protested " I just love meeting new friends.
He blinked leaning back against the wall. Friends? He had never had friends before. Not any he could remember anyway. His mind scoffed, as if I'd ever be friends with a weak Rainwing. Some of his disgust must have leaked into his face, as he noticed Qibli's smile waver slightly.
He can read body language well. he thought. Somewhat Proud for some reason. He's still a Thorn-loving slimeball. His mind shot back disdainfully. He managed to keep his face neutral, trying to keep the disdain from showing.
"So what's your name? '' Qibli asked, still a safe distance away.
" Ohh it's aa…." he hesitated. What was his name? The last thing he could remember was the rainforest, although it still felt... Separate. Like he had experienced it at the same time, but in two different places.
" You seriously can't remember your name," Winter growled. Back still turned." Qibli shot a warning glance at Winter.
" No, it's not that it's " he looked down at his glittering scales… Sand And Night…. "Obsidian," he said confidently.
" Wow, the cool name," Kinkajou exclaimed, pink and yellow brightening on her scales.
"Hfm '' Winter Acknowledged, flipping himself to turn towards him.
" So how did you crash in the first place?" he asked.
Obsidian blinked, furrowing his eyes in concentration. " Blood wings tearing, a shattered body, Wings and Talons ripping, breaking, an impact…" he shuddered " I-I don't know I can only remember bits and pieces. I can barely even remember my own life," he admitted. Which was half true, if he concentrated he could still remember his bookshelf and room. But he could also remember a dark cell, water dripping slowly through a hole in the ceiling.
Qibli frowned sympathetically, " Well you did take quite a beating, so your memory will probably return slowly over time."
Hopefully… His entire life felt like a blank slate. Dusty sharp memories swirled in his head. It was like a minefield. It was impossible to wipe away any of the dirt without stabbing himself on 10 other shards. Suddenly one of the shards softened. He remembered the dream he had before he woke up. But was it a dream or a memory… He pondered. Still thinking about the dream.
A golden dragon walked into the room. He gasped, Instantly dragging him out of his thoughts. She was one of the most beautiful dragons he'd ever seen. She walked into the room confidently, slightly taller than Qibli but shorter than Winter closer to his size. He noticed
He never knew how many different shades of Gold there were in the world until he saw her. " Sunny Sunny Sunny '' his mind buzzed with joy, as his memory seemed to sing with delight.
" Thank you Qibli," she said, scales sparkling. " Winter, how's your wing?"
"better," he mumbled, scales relaxing slightly.
So he can be friendly. he noted. He just needs to be around the right dragon.
His memory seemed to hum in agreement. Sunny walked over to him slowly holding out a talon to help him up.
" Are you ok?" she asked gently. Her green eyes were full of sympathy and kindness.
"G-great" he stuttered "Ha-How have you been Sunny? '' Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qibli looking at him.
Oh Sandung, I need to be more careful. Qibli will find out… Find out what?
Sunny just continued to Smile gently helping him back to bed.
"We bandaged up your injuries best we could, Even with Our healing stone you slept for over 2 weeks." She explained.
He grimaced. Two weeks… " What exactly happened to me?" He asked
"We don't know," Winter said, surprising him by speaking up.
" We heard you fall and crash in a nearby canyon so once we found you we carried you back
"That's how he injured his Wing. Kinkajou cut in " He was saving you."
He blinked in surprise " Winter did that for me… he doesn't seem like the type of dragon to do that for anyone much less a… hybrid." he Inclined his head to Winter. He blinked before turning away.
" How are you feeling?" Sunny asked.
He rolled his shoulders, Flexing his wings experimentally. Some pain came from his chest but not piercing like before, more like a dull ache.
" Relatively good I don't know how I'll be able to Fly, but I can still walk around."
"Can I go yet? "Winter asked, rolling over to face them. Sunny looked over sternly " No you tore two major muscles in your Wing. On top of that, you managed to tear one of the tendons in your shoulder." So until you can safely move that wing" she pointed to the Wing hanging limply at Winter's bed.
" You aren't going anywhere. " Winter growled in frustration, trying to move his wing but failing.
Sunny's eyes softened " We just don't want you to end up with any permanent damage." she explained
"Yeah," Kinkajou said, " We wouldn't want the big bad wintee not to be able to fly." She Teased. Winter growled shifting back over. Sunny looked over to Qibli and Kinkajou " Aren't you two supposed to be in class? " She asked " Kinkajou's face paled slightly, scales turning a nervous green.
" Yeah, but we were worried about Winter and were just checking in when we noticed that Obsidian woke up. So we had to talk to him"
Sunny raised her talon " I understand just to make sure you go to your classes. I can excuse you this time but next time I won't
" Thank you," Kinkajou and Qibli said in unison as they left the room.
"See you Later Winter" Qibli said.
"See you soon Wintee" Kinkajou giggled. Dashing after Qibli.
He glanced over at Sunny. She's grown into a great teacher. He thought. Sunny smiled at them.
" I'll come back tomorrow to check in on you and show you around," She explained
."Oh uh, O-ok sounds good" he stuttered. Sunny smiled again and left.
" And I thought I was obvious" Winter muttered
" What's that supposed to mean?" he challenged. Glaring at Winter.
"Nothing," He said innocently, reaching over to grab a letter next to his cot.
Obsidian ignored him, glancing up at the Jade ceiling above him. " This place is oddly calming," he thought to himself. " I hope I get to see Sunny again tomorrow" He felt warmth grow in his chest at the thought of the golden dragon. He smiled, closing his eyes.