Qibli was starting to get anxious. The summer sun beat ruthlessly on his peach colored scales. Where was Peril? She had said she would visit today. He was sure of it. The letter from Clay said so.
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Perhaps she got held up? Maybe… Or she was a bit late getting up? A number of things could have happened. He was trying to be optimistic but It was starting to get difficult.
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Another thing was starting to worry him as well.
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The dots on the horizon were starting to get bigger and it was starting to get to him. They were kicking up dust by the pass of Jade mountain. What were they?
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From what he heard from Six-Claws they could be preparing for an attack of some kind. For what he did not know. And from whom he also did not know. Only time would tell.
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He decided he would act if it ever came. If it did. For all he knew they would turn around and go back because of the sweltering heat by itself. Yes…perhaps. But that was just hopeful thinking. The small black smudges in the distance ebbed closer with each minute.
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He had to stop thinking about it. Anything to take his mind off things for a while. Qibli really wished Winter were here to entertain him with his sarcastic attitude.
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Last he checked his friend was all the way across the desert in Sanctuary. He also had not seen Moon in a while. And that was not very well in his mind. He was so lonely….
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Perhaps he could visit his Girlfriend later in the week. As well as Winter along the way. It would be nice to see his buddy again. It would cheer him up quite a bit.
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But for now he was here.
With nothing to do.
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He would go see Thorn. See if she needed anything. He was a loyal subject and he felt that it was the least he could do for his queen.
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At least it would distract him for a while.
He promptly got up from where he lay to do just that.
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The fortress was quite large, so she could be just about anywhere. You could get easily lost around walked down and over searching for a while but he found nothing. Great…just what he needed. More worries.
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He saw many dragons, but none were her.
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Qibli sighed with a slight boredom. He was sure she was around here. Right? He then had a thought. He looked up and over the wall. Just as he thought. She was over again in her little tent with Smolder.
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He knew she occasionally hung around the side of the wall to get out of the sight of the inside of the claustrophobic fortress for a while. It was only fair.
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From the looks of it they were both lazing around inside that tent to keep away from the heat a little. He also thought he could see them holding some drinks of some kind.
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Boy now he was feeling thirsty.
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He flew up and over the wall down below. His feet landed with a thud on the sand.
Thorn noticed him almost immediately. She beckoned him over.
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As soon as she saw him he promptly bowed to show respect. Smolder gave him a cheerful smile but other than that he stayed quiet. He was still quite interesting looking with his varying black and tan scales.
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"Hello Qibli, what might you be here for?" Thorn asked.
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"Just checking up on you, anything you might need?" he replied
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She thought for a moment before she spoke. "Yes actually, I Need You to Go Find Six-Claws for me," she said as she sipped her drink. That was interesting.
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"I can do that, I saw him earlier," he replied.
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"Good, I have tried looking for him myself earlier but he seems to be nowhere when you really need him. Him and I have some things we need to discuss in private." she said.
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That intrigued him a little but it was none of his business.
He was no eavesdropper.
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At least not anymore.
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Smolder spoke up, " I think you will find him up by the west side." He said.
" I doubt it." Qibil replied gruffly.
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Smolder looked a bit hurt but he did not say anything. He was just trying to help.
"Well it is worth a try," He stated. That was true. He turned around back to Thorn.
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"I Will have him here as quickly as I can." Qibli said as he went off on his way.
"Thank you!" she called from the tent down below.
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He flew off to go do as asked.
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What was he thinking?! He had just taken an hour just to look around for her to find her. And now he was supposed to look around for a dragon like Sixclaws?!
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He quickly calmed down and put his brain back together.
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He had done it before and he would do it again. It would not be too hard. All he needed was some pointers to where he could be.
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He saw the training yard and took advantage of that.
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As he searched around he asked a couple of Sandwings where Six-Claws might be. He got many answers but none did really narrow it down.
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He sighed with discontent.
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Qibli guessed he would have to do it the old fashioned way. He would search for him by himself. Exactly what he did not want to do. Oh well….
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He started looking for him on the ground. The air was no use. If he did see him he would never even notice. He searched around through the fortress courtyards and such.
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Then he saw some familiar white scales.
Just a flash.
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Was it what he thought it was? Is it who he thought it was? Could it be? He turned the corner and saw his best buddy in the whole wide world. What a pleasant surprise!
He promptly lept out and tackled Winter.
Winter was far from his sneak attack.
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"Qibli?!" He yelped.
The sandwing laughed with joy.
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"It has been so Long!" He said gleefully.
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" Qibli! Get Off!" Winter demanded.
He obliged, not wanting to ruin the moment.
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He sighed. "I Am Glad to see you too buddy," He admitted. So he was here to see him!
Qibli gave winter a big old hug, his wings wrapped around the icewing.
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Winter sighed. " I missed you too Qibli,"
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Qibli took a look before asking. "So what brings you here to the desert?" He asked. Whatever it was it had to be important enough if Winter was willing to go across the dunes to tell him about it.
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"Well I don't want to startle you but there is something going on by the Skywing Kingdom," He said. So what? He was not afraid! Not..yet anyway…
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" So…..Is that it?" He asked.
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Winter shook his head." No, there is something else ... .someone else actually." He admitted quietly. That got Qibli worried.
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" Who is here?" He asked.
"Some Skywing." Winter said. '
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" Is…the Skywing dangerous?" he asked.
" I am not sure, I don't trust him though." He said gruffly
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" I feel like he is hiding something," he added.
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" Were you looking for him?" He asked.
" Yeah, he is around here somewhere. He could be listening to us right now."
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That sent a shiver down the Sandwing's spine.
They decided they would both look for the odd Skywing.
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Safety in numbers right?
Whoever this Skywing was they would find out.
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They had no luck at first but then they got a bit more than they bargained for.
It was midday when it happened.
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He was walking down a walkway when a dragon shoved past him. Winter was following behind what? Qibli turned to the rude Mudwing. He looked a bit familiar.
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He was wearing lockets around his chest and an outdated tail decoration.
Winter scowled.
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The Sandwing recognised this dragon.
The Icewing recognised this dragon.
They knew him all too well.
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It was Bog.
It was Chameleon.
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With anger he grabbed him and shoved him up into a corner where no one would be able to his anger. He did not care if anyone saw them anyway. All he saw was red.
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Winter was taken aback by the Sandwing's anger but he did not stop him.
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Qibli threw the Mudwing to the wall as he tore off the lockets around his neck.
The Rainwing looked at him in pure terror as he grabbed him by the throat.
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He did look different, he had colors other than sickly green now. His snout also looked straighter. Shades of white, green and black rushed across his skin. Qibli did not question it.
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"Why Are You Here?!" Qibli screamed at him. Chameleon grabbed at his neck as he squeezed harder. The poor Rainwing was quite scared.
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The Icewing felt a bit sorry for the Rainwing.
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He remembered how he had brutally attacked Kinkajou. The Sandwing would show him the same act. And there would be no mercy.
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"Are You Here To Hurt Us Too?! Take Me Out As Well?!" he yelled. Chameleon could barely get out his plea not to kill him as he gasped for air. He was trying to explain himself.
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He did not care about the poor wretch.
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"Why Shouldn't I Just Kill You Now?!" Qibli yelled back. The Rainwing could not answer, his face was turning pale from the lack of oxygen.
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His eyes started to roll into the back of his head. Winter gestured this to get his attention. The dragon was no use if he was dead. Qibli let go as he threw Chameleon into the sand below as he rasped for his breath.
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The Sandwing stared at him in anger.
Winter had a bit of pity but he was angered as well.
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Weirdly enough…now that he saw him,
He felt sorry for Chameleon, just like his friend.
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"Why did you do it?" Qibli asked with anger.
"Because I had to." chameleon answered back.
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Winter lashed his tail threateningly.
The rainwing flinched.
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That did not clear anything up.
Should he get rid of him now for the sake of it?
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"I hate other Rainwings, they shunned me and banished me because of the way I looked." he went on.
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"The way you looked?" he asked impatiently.
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"Ironic Isn't It? The Rainwing called "Chameleon" was the only one who could not change his scales." he spat coldly with his neck frill poking up in anger.
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"Qibli just let him go." Winter said.
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Qibli leaned in.
"Is that why you attacked her?" He asked.
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"I thought…She would hate the way I looked as well. The very sight of her yellow and pink scales brought me pain." chameleon added.
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It all made sense now.
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"So I tried to Kill her," he said flatly.
"Killing others does not change things," Qibli said back to him.
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A trickle of greenish-yellow blood ran from the back of Chameleon's head.
Probably because of him hitting him against the wall.
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"Go," he suddenly said.
Chameleon stared at him.
Winter did not object.
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"Go before I change My Mind," he told the Rainwing.
"Why would you spare me?" Chameleon asked Qibli.
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He thought for a moment.
"I was once told that everyone deserves a second chance," he finally said.
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Chameleon staggered up expecting Qibli to have tricked him.
But that did not happen.
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Something else did. There was a whistling sound coming from overhead. What in the three moons was that? Winter could hear it too.
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"What in three moons is that?" His frosty buddy asked.
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Then the wall caved in.
Then it all faded to black.
