Dark mist swirled around him, tendrils spinning slowly in the endless darkness. "What if I decide not to?" he heard himself saying. His mouth moved automatically. It felt like he was in a glass box. Shoved to the back of his mind with someone else on the reins.

" Oh, You know what happens," A dark laugh echoed from the darkness. Swirling and echoing with the mist, as it spun faster.

I've heard that voice before! he thought. But from where?

" You wouldn't…" he whispered. He felt the color drain from his face.

" Oh I very much would dear, They are heading to Jade Mountain. "I trust you know where that is?" the voice questioned.

" I-Yes I do," he said, shoulders slumping.

" Goooood" The voice purred, " I'll keep in touch, Monarch."

Ignoring the voice he turned and walked into the wall of darkness.

Obsidian sprang up, his chest heaving violently as sweat dripped down his face. Looking down he realized his sheets and pillow were soaked in sweat. "Great," he muttered. Sighing, he spotted a soapy basin in the corner, grabbing his sheets and pillow. He dragged the damp blankets to the basin before dumping them in. Well, that's convenient… He hesitated, Talons hovering over the basin.

" Ok, so how do I do this?" he thought. He tentatively grabbed the sheets first. Attempting to rub out the stains in the soapy water with just his talons. Someone snorted behind him " Is that really how you wash sheets? " He jumped, turning to see Winter limping over. Wing firmly bandaged to his side.

Grabbing the sheets from his talons he began to scrub the dirty sheets on the abrasive stone of the basin.

" See you scrub the sheets on the stone and clean it," He demonstrated. Grabbing the pillow Obsidian tried to do the same scraping the pillow against the rough edge of the basin as he mulled over the dream.

" I know I've heard that voice before…" he thought. but where. Whoever they were, they didn't sound human.

" BY THE GREAT ICE WALL DON'T PRESS THAT HARD''Winter cursed. looking down he noticed the pillow he was scrubbing had torn spilling stuffing into the water. Winter yanked the pillow out of his talons, he stumbled forward from the force.

" I'm sorry," he said, backing away quickly "I didn't mean to, I swear." He flinched as his head throbbed painfully as he backed away from the raging Icewing.

Winter's eyes flashed as regret rippled across his face. his hard scales seemed to soften briefly as he took a deep breath.

" It's fine," he muttered. "Just be more careful next time" Winter sighed tiredly, throwing him the torn, soggy pillow. "There's some thread and a needle in the corner." He pointed to a small basket in the corner of the room. "See if you can patch it up." He said before turning back to the basin, grabbing the remaining pillow in the process.

He blinked. Turning his head thoughtfully as he studied the Icewing. Slowly walking over to the basket, He felt the throbbing subside into the back of his head. " He acts cold ;) But he is a nice person. He noted, threading the silk through the needle. Glancing towards the now clean sheets. " He's trying to be nice but. Why does he do it in such a roundabout way? He continued to glance at Winter every once and a while, Still patching the torn pillow. Winter finished with the other pillow shortly. Hanging it along with the sheets on a line that he hadn't seen earlier.

"I'm going back to bed," Winter said. Walking over to his cot, before collapsing on top of his blankets.

"Thank you," he said quietly, his voice barely echoing in the small room.

Winter grunted in reply.

He smiled softly. Setting the now patched pillow on top of the basket. I wonder what his story is… he thought dimly. Trudging over to his empty cot.

He's been through more than you could imagine. He felt his mind answer. Almost in reply. He blinked as memories began to form at the back of his mind. A dark tunnel, a sandy desert, A laughing dragonet. Wings Of Fire. "But what does it mean?" he growled. His head gave no answer. Growling he followed Winter's example, crashing on top of his blankets as he tried to ransack his brain for clues.

How did he get here… Who was he? He stared up at the jade ceiling, asking himself similar questions as he slowly drifted to sleep...

He awoke to the sound of footsteps approaching. Turning his head groggily, he shot to his feet, his stomach leaping into his throat as a Nightwing appeared in the doorway. Her scales, unlike most Nightwings, were a strange fluid mix of blacks, blues, and greens in which all colors were present but they seemed to switch as you focused on one color or another. " not her, not yet shi* this isn't good." The other voice said. The Nightwing frowned slightly as she walked over to Winter. Who is she? He thought back. The other voice hesitated

Mindreader. The voice finally replied. "And how would you know that?" he muttered.

"Know what exactly?" Winter replied eyes narrowed.

"Nothing" he quickly shot back. "Just talking with myself." What's your name? He asked. Mamba, she replied cautiously. Chills ran down his spine at the name. he could've sworn he'd heard her voice before. But where?

Moon stood up, extending a talon to him as she walked over. " Hello," she said smiling " My name is Moon, What's yours?"

"Be careful, I can shield out most basic thoughts, but not loud or extreme ones," Mamba explained
"Ev-err Obsidian '' He said nervously. He tried to shake her hand but failed awkwardly. Thankfully Moon either didn't notice or decided to ignore it.

"Sunny asked me to show you around." She said.

And find out how I got here, he remembered how certain people were able to at least partially shield their thoughts. Flame, Glory, and even Winter were able to shield thoughts. And apparently, Mamba could do it too. He pictured putting a soft veil over his mind readable and there but only allowing emotions and small thoughts to Filter through. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" he screamed internally as loud as he could, still picturing the filter.

Moon Jumped slightly, shooting a glance toward him. Before turning back to Winter. " Dang it, I'll have to work on it later." he thought, still trying the filter.

You don't need to, idiot, I'm right here. Mamba said.

And where exactly is it here? He shot back.

Quite down. She hissed.

Moon shook her head. " Anyway, shall we go?" She asked, motioning for the door nervously.

" Sure," he said excitedly. He didn't know why he felt so… happy. He wanted to learn more about why he was here, yes. But there was something else too. He eagerly followed Moon out the door and into Jade Mountain.

"And that's about everything," Moon said, turning to face him.

" It was certainly something." Obsidian thought. He had enjoyed the tour immensely, Although. He frowned slightly. They hadn't run into too many other dragons, but the few that he did notice gave him some prolonged, uneasy glances. With a few of the Rainwings openly gaping at him.

" Is something wrong with me?" He felt his ears droop slightly. Remembering what Winter's reaction was.

" Sorry about the Rainwings" Moon apologized "They mostly live only in the Rainforest so they haven't seen many hybrids." He blinked "Thank you," he said nervously. She'd make a good therapist.

He turned his head quizzically " Are Hybrids… Rare?" He asked.

Moon hesitated " Yes and No. They were rare before the Sandwing Succession War but have recently grown enormously in population.

" Huh figures, peaceful times breed prosperity," he said

" In more ways than one," She quipped.

He gaped at her, blushing slightly. Moon's face turned redder than a Skywing's, and she quickly hid her head in her wings

" I'm sorry I'm Sorry. Qibli must have rubbed off on me" she sputtered. her voice muffled slightly from her wings.

"In more ways than one," he thought. Moon seemed to shrivel deeper into her Wings. "Hey, it's fine if I was around him that much I definitely wouldn't have as much of a filter."

Moon stood face still beat red but was quickly returning to normal. She pointed to the room beside them " This is our room, The Jade Winget quarters ( rooms?Caverns?, IDK) the one next to it Is Peril's room."

"Nice deflection," Mamba noted. Glancing in, he noted that most of Peril's room was charcoal black, with glittering pieces of obsidina sparked through most of the floor and walls. Although most of the ceiling remained untouched.

"Toasty," he said. Peril also sounded familiar for some reason. Although my brain certainly Isn't helping. He thought frustrated.

" She's not here today," Moon said, reading his expression. Moving to the room across from it she motioned at the empty room with her head. " This is where you'll stay for now," she said. "Sunny decided that because you already knew most of us, that it would be better if you were in a closer cave."

" Makes sense," he said, brushing past her and into his new room. The room was mostly empty except for a few bed crevices in the wall and a small hammock dangling from the ceiling. " Huh" pretty cozy," he said. He climbed into the vine hammock easily. Stretching his wings before settling back into the comfortable leaves and vines.

Moon blinked slightly " If you need anything Go to Tsunami's, or Sunny's office they'll be happy to help with anything" She lowered her voice slightly

"Although I recommend Sunny"

He smiled " Thanks I'll be sure to remember. Maybe…"

Moon also smiled. " Welcome to Jade Mountain Obsidian." She turned, jogging off in the direction of the library.

Laying back his head he thought about the day. He was grateful that he remembered more but. " It's annoying that I remember more about dragons I've never met, but remember almost nothing about myself." he snorted. Black smoke jutted from his nostrils, fading away quickly. "Ya there Mamba?.." He got no reply. He shot up realizing what he had done. Can I breathe fire? He smacked his forehead. Well yes duh he was a dragon. Of course, he could breathe fire.

Breathing in deeply he concentrated, imagining fire building up inside of him, ready to be released. He felt it build in his throat, billowing towards his mouth. He felt heat burning in his throat as he opened his jaws wide and… Jet Black smoke billowed out of his mouth filling the entire room in seconds. He coughed, the smoke stinging his eyes and lungs. He fell out of the hammock, yelping when he came down hard on his bruised ribs.

He gasped for air on the stone ground. His only saving grace was that the smoke dissipated quickly. That definitely could've gone better. He coughed clambering back into the swinging hammock.

"Let's save practice for when we won't suffocate." Mamba cut in. "Also why can't you breathe fire? Even dragonets can breathe fire, why can't you?"

"Hey cut me some slack alright." he thought back. "I can't even remember last week. Let alone when I was a dragonet."

" Really" she purred. " I can see a lot of your memories right here."

He shot up again. "Really? How, When?"

"Shut the face hole" she hissed back. He realized he had said that last part out loud."

Sorry," he thought back quietly. Laying back into the hammock."Can you really see my memories?" he asked, letting a little bit of desperation creep through his thoughts.

She growled mentally "Some, only about a week or two back."

"Can you show me?" he asked again, inhaling sharply.

"Yes, but I won't yet" She laughed. "I will tell you that there's a reason you don't remember being a dragonet however…" she drew out the last sentence letting it tease across his mind. His head reeled with the implications

"Are you saying that I'm…I'm somehow not a dragon?" He got no reply.

He cursed out loud, coming up with some new colorful swear words to call her when she finally decided to talk to him. Soon, however, he felt his eyelids slowly growing heavier and thick. As if someone had balanced a bucket of sand on each of his eyelids. I'll deal with her tomorrow. He thought drowsily as he closed his eyes.

He would wake up the next morning screaming.