A Silver Lining

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

-Star Snatcher's POV-

I adjusted my wings, tilting slightly to fly more with the wind. The scarf I always wore kept messing up my vision, soaking me. I caught sight of the Storm Seekers' second in command, Everglade, and tried to fly over to her. She was a good friend of mine.
"Everglade!" I yelled to be heard over the wind.
"Star Snatcher!" Everglade smiled. I admired her ability to stay positive, even when the storm seemed intent on bringing us down.
I continued to follow Everglade as we made our way across the cloud-covered sky. It was much easier for a small NightWing like me to follow the slipstream that she left in her wake than to waste all my energy flying so far so fast.
But I always follow Everglade.
"What's the news? Is the SkyWing-"
"We got him."
I smile. This is why I joined the Storm Seekers. To help, when I couldn't do much on my own. And, joining them was probably the best thing I've ever done. I have friends, when I barely had anyone before. I thought back to the last time I saw my mother and father.

"Now Star Snatcher, you must never take this off."
My mother tied a scarf around my neck.
"If you do, you will be hunted."
I blinked sleepily, not knowing what she had meant. I was a very young dragon.
"Okay!"
I smiled, sure of everything. My father took hold of my arm and carried me to the portal between the Rainforest and the volcano where the NightWings used to live.
"Go."
I obeyed without thought. At that moment, the memory ended. It always ended. I blinked, fighting back a tear for my family that I had barely known. I didn't even know why I wore the scarf. Just that I had to.
"Hey, Star Snatcher. I got something for ya."
Everglade tossed me a small red ruby heart. It had "STARGLADE" carved into it.
"Just so you always remember our friendship."
She smiled.
Everglade was always so nice. It was absolutely unbelievable. Even to Chinook she could be kind. Believe me. That's hard.
I gasped.
"Where'd you get it?"
"I picked it up at a market back in the SeaWing kingdom. The dragon I got it from was offering custom message jewels for only a couple of fish! Can you believe it?"
Another thing about her is that she always finds the best gifts. She never forgets a birthday or occasion. Even on a night when the three moons are full she's got something to give everyone. I looked over at her while we flew. Her face was so perfect. Even under all of the armor that shadowed her face and eyes, you could tell that she was the most beautiful MudWing ever. Everglade's snout sloped at a perfect angle and ended with her nose which rose slightly from the top of her muzzle. Her face was slightly round and you could see her cheekbones, but not too much as to make her seem thin or malnourished. She had freckles under her eyes and spread out across her face making her all the more friendly-looking. She even jokes that they placed her as a blacksmith instead of a warrior because the generals didn't have the heart to be mean or harsh with a dragon who's face looked as accepting or friendly as Everglade's. She really was talented at her work though. Once she made me a small leaf out of metal. She put every detail in down to the smallest vein. I thought such work with metal was impossible before the day she handed it to me with a wide smile on her face.
"I want you to have this. I found this leaf in the forest and thought of you. So I did a metal replica of it since I knew the leaf wouldn't stay alive or beautiful forever."
The leaf was a strange and intriguing shape. It reminded me of a dragon's paw. It had three points at the end like talons which came together in a big round base. I loved it. Now I keep it on a shelf in my den, where no one can take it and I can admire it.
"Thank you so much!"
I hugged her in mid-flight making her wobble a little in the air.
"I'm just glad you like it."
She was beaming. Then, she changed the subject.
"Hey, did you hear what this SkyWing Typhoon just saved said?"
Everglade was like that. Never staying too long on the topic of her kindness. Every time I try to tell her how amazing she is, she changes the subject. But if I try to change it back, I'll sound like I want to talk about that topic desperately. So I just go with it.
"No, I was a little bit farther back with Chinook and Clam."
"Oh. Well, apparently, he didn't WANT to be saved at all. After we explained that someone wanted him to live and told us to come and rescue him, he seemed more inclined to live, but it was pretty strange."
"Huh. Some dragons are weird."
"Yeah. I'm sure he has a good reason though. Said something about not being welcome in the SkyWing kingdom. That's pretty rough. It means Ruby or Scarlet got involved. I can't imagine what that was like. If Queen Moorhen ever got mad at me and had to banish me I'd probably want to die too."
Everglade had a deep respect for all queens, but her loyalty to Queen Moorhen was off the charts. I'm sure she really would want to die as badly as this dragon did if Moorhen ever even made a disapproving face at Everglade. But I hope she never dies. At least while I'm still around to witness it. Without Everglade life is pretty meaningless. She's my best friend. The only dragon I've shared all of my secrets with, ask for advice from, cry with, laugh with... I don't know what I'd do without her.

-Written by Mysticreamsicle