Venom shook out her wings before stepping into the room. She dipped her head at Breeze.
"Hello Venom, do you know why I have summoned you?" Breeze asked.
"No, I don't," Venom answered, digging her claws into the dirt, trying not to turn away from Breeze's fiery glare.
"I have a proposal," Breeze said dramatically, spreading her wings. Venom tilted her head at Breeze. She wasn't summoned often, so it had to be important. Venom allowed dark, calm blue to spread across her wings.
"I want you to be a leader of Group C, a part of Part 8, which you are. I think you are responsible enough for that," Breeze explained, grabbing a chain necklace. It had a gold crown in the middle.
Venom took it and felt the gold as she thought, "Breeze thinks I'm good enough for that. How…? Why…?"
"Do you accept?" Breeze questioned calmly.
"Yes! Of course!" Venom used all her energy not to go jumping around in happiness. She tucked her wings in and met Breeze's eyes.
"Why are they making groups?" she instead asked, "Instead of keeping us all independent?"
Breeze smiled menacingly and shredded a leaf in her claws. "The Menace is adapting and becoming bigger and bigger."
Venom nodded quickly, She didn't want to anger the dragon who let her have… so much power.
"Thank you," Venom said, rushing out of the room to escape. She darted through hallways, dodging dragons until she almost crashed into a Sandwing.
"Oh! Sorry!" Venom yelped and shut her mouth quickly. Why would she yelp? She was startled into meeting the Sandwing's eyes… and they were kind.
"No worries. I do it all the time," the Sandwing shrugged. Venom stared at him. Surely not all the time!
"I'm Cacti," He said, grinning back at her. Venom couldn't help herself smiling back. She had never seen a Sandwing grin before.
"You're… Venom, right? The leader of Group C, Part 8?" Cacti asked with a smile. Venom nodded.
They must have been informed when I was… but still, that was quick. Venom thought, trying to think how their groups would work. Was it one dragon from every tribe? Probably.
"Well…um, nice to meet you," Venom said awkwardly. Cacti smiled at her. His scales weren't plain sandy, they were tail was coiled protectively and his smile didn't falter at all. Venom had never met anyone like him. Most dragons she had spoken to were old, mean and grumpy.
"I have to go!" Venom said quickly, bolting away, down the corridors. She could feel Cacti's eyes travelling after her.
"What is this feeling? …Love? No, no I don't have time for that. We need to control Pyrrhia…and get used to being a leader. But I can do this! I'm Venom, a fierce leader who is going to help rule the world!" Her mind went on. Venom stretched her wings and ducked into her room. The peace in the chaotic base…
"Gong! Gong!" Venom woke to bells being smashed against wood. "It must be Crocodile doing the wake up call" Venom thought, amused. She sprinted out to the main hall, where Breeze was standing on the stage in front of all the dragons she was the boss of.
"Hello Part Eight!" Breeze boomed. Everyone quieted down to listen.
"You have most likely heard of the big change occurring to us! We are going to become big! We will take over!" Everyone cheered and Breeze hushed them.
"You have been assigned to either lead or work in a group. I have labelled the rooms you will plan in every day. Soon you will get your own bases! The rooms are just down the hallway. Enter your group's one and begin!" Breeze ordered and turned to fly in the opposite direction.
"Hope my group likes me. I will try to be a good leader… Oh! Group A, B… C!" Venom stepped into the room. A Seawing and Mudwing were already in there. She recognised the Mudwing.
"Oh! Crocodile, you are here!" Venom cried in surprise. He grinned at her.
"Wow, Venom, you are our boss?" Crocodile asked, pointing at the crown. Venom gave him a friendly shove, almost knocking him over.
"I have got way stronger!" Venom grinned at his shocked face.
"Hello Venom, I am Tidal," the Seawing said, shuffling awkwardly. Venom studied her. She had three rose pink earrings on each ear, the sunlight reflecting on them so much it hurt Venom's eyes just looking at them. But she smiled warmly.
"Welcome Tidal, to Group C!" Venom said cheerfully. Tidal seemed to brighten, standing up tall.
"Wow, this is our room?" A grumpy voice asked. A Skywing, Icewing, Nightwing and Cacti walked in.
"Yes! Oh! Hello Venom! Let me introduce you to everyone! The grumpy Skywing is Crimson, the twitchy Nightwing is Futureseer, the proud Icewing is Frozen, the amused Mudwing is Crocodile and the jewellery-covered Seawing is Tidal. And of course, I'm Cacti!" He grinned at her.
"Yeah, he is the overly happy Sandwing. Doesn't sound right, does it?" Crimson grumbled, rolling her eyes.
"Crimson, the whole point of us is to stop stereotypes," Frozen said in an icy voice. She smiled cheekily at Venom.
"What was this all for? An annoying Icewing going on about that first group? With his Nightwing girlfriend, ironically" Crimson replied, snorting a small flame.
"The reason is more than that," Futureseer said defensively. Venom could see the hatred radiating between them.
"Well… let's think. What is a way to get dragons to notice us?" Venom said quickly, trying to change the topic. The group fell silent thinking.
"An…attack?" Crimson suggested, with a frown. Venom shrugged.
"But don't we want dragons to agree with us?" Frozen shot back. Crimson let out a snort and earned a glare from Futureseer. Crimson rolled her eyes at Futureseer and turned to Frozen.
"If they fear us, they will listen," Crimson hissed coldly. Frozen glared at her and shook her head.
"No, they will only fight us. We need to win and earn their trust," Frozen insisted.
"How about you tell that to the dragons you tricked," Crimson growled frostily. Venom gulped and met Cacti's eyes.
"HOW ABOUT TO TELL THAT TO THE DRAGONS YOU HAVE TRICKED, TORTURED AND KILLED!" Frozen roared, sending frost breath at the wall next to Crimson in rage. Crimson must have thought that was an attack instead of a fit of rage and sent flames that just missed her face. They were about to tackle each other when Venom shot her venom out of her fangs. It flew past the two angry dragons, just missing their noses and hit the wooden wall, causing it to sizzle. They both jumped back, Crimson crashing into the wall and Frozen falling into Futureseer's wings.
"You guys stop, or I will aim better next time," Venom hissed, her scales turning deep red.
"An attack is a good idea but try not to kill too many," Venom went on, ignoring Frozen's shocked and Crimson's openly horrified faces.
"Where though?" Tidal asked, shaking. Venom met her eyes.
"Good question, Tidal," Venom said thoughtfully. Tidal beamed and Crocodile nudged her affectionately.
"Maybe a palace?" Crocodile suggested nervously. Crimson snorted.
"I don't know. It might be going… too far," Frozen said quietly. She met Futureseer's eyes if to say 'you agree?' Futureseer nodded.
"I agree. We might get in too much trouble," Futureseer said worriedly. Frozen let out a sigh and lent into Futureseer. Venom shivered and felt Cacti put a wing around her.
"Yeah, maybe somewhere less important," Cacti agreed. He looked at Venom.
"Yes, a school perhaps," Venom said slowly. Realisation hit her and Venom and Cacti met each other's eyes, evil smiles appearing on their faces.
"Oh… oh!" Tidal realised. She nudged Crocodile and whispered in his ear. Futureseer and Frozen were nodding thoughtfully. Crimson seemed to be fuming, but before she spoke, Futureseer dipped his head at Venom.
"I can be very useful," he said, smiling.
"How?" Venom asked, eying him.
"I know the layout of this continent," He replied. Venom lifted her head and grinned at everyone in the room
"Wait," Crimson interrupted, smoke rising from her nostrils.
"
What? Are you gonna help us plan or not?" Venom asked, eying Crimson.
"Where are we attacking? You haven't even told me!" Crimson growled. Frozen rolled her eyes. Venom sighed then turned to Crimson and couldn't resist the evil smile at her. She spread her wings for effect and turned a light purple.
"Crimson," She said dramatically, "We are attacking… Jade Mountain Academy."