"Somebody's coming."
Starflight's urgent whisper woke Hare. The three moons were high in the sky and the stars were glittering. Catfish was asleep beside the water while the others were all asleep together.
The other dragonets and Kestrel began to stir. Hare picked up the sound of someone moving through the ferns. Tsunami and Glory quickly jumped to their talons. Sunny pulled the egg closer to her. Clay and Starflight stood over her protectively. Kestrel bounded over to the front, prepared to tackle the danger first. Hare took her place beside Glory, prepared to fight. Catfish lifted his head sleepily and looked over at them with a quizzical expression.
"It's only one dragon," Starflight whispered.
"We still need to be ready," Kestrel snarled quietly.
The sound of the dragon struggling to move around filled the air. That was the only sound for a while, until a crack split the air. Hare looked back as Sunny gasped. She was looking down at the egg, which had a fresh crack running through it.
"No, not now!" she cried quietly. "Don't hatch now!"
The egg didn't listen. It continued squirming and cracking until the top of the shell split apart and went flying. Just as a tiny dragon head poked out, the dragon burst past the vines. She was carrying a small shell.
"Anemone!" Tsunami cried, rushing forward to greet her sister. "You don't have your harness on. What-"
"I cast a spell on it when mother fell asleep. It let me slip out, but there's no weight difference. Mother still thinks I'm there." Anemone held up the shell. "And before you ask how I found you, I enchanted this to lead me here. It was a struggle, but it worked."
"Enchanted? Spell? Anemone-"
"Yes," Anemone interrupted. "I'm an animus. Mother's little secret weapon."
She looked over at Sunny as the newborn dragonet squeaked. Her scales were green and her eyes were bright. She moved around clumsily on her little talons. Anemone squealed with delight.
"Is that our sister? Oh, she's adorable!"
Tsunami smiled and held out her talon for the little dragonet. She stumbled over and climbed into Tsunami's grasp. Tsunami carefully picked up her little sister, smiling fondly at her. Hare couldn't help but look over at Catfish, who met her eyes for a minute before looking back at the princesses.
Anemone held out her claw. Her sister grabbed it with her tiny claws and began to wrestle with it. Anemone giggled. Hare noticed Kestrel watching with affectionate and sad eyes.
"Mother will love her," she said quietly.
Tsunami looked uncertain, but she eventually nodded. "She will. I'm hoping you'll be able to take her back?"
"Of course," Anemone said, a wide smile spread across her face. "She's so cute. Do you think mother would mind if we named her?"
Tsunami laughed. "Just don't tell her I had any part in it."
"What about Seagull?" Clay suggested, walking over to them.
"Princess Seagull?" Tsunami shook her head.
"Walrus might work," Glory joked as the small SeaWing bit her older sister's claw.
"She's not a Walrus!" Tsunami scoffed. "She's much more dignified than that."
"How about Auklet?" Catfish got up and walked over to join them. He stood beside Hare, but he didn't look at her. He kept his eyes fixed on the newborn princess.
"Princess Auklet." Anemone's smile widened. "I like that."
"Me too," Tsunami said softly.
"Auklet it is then." Anemone gently took her from Tsunami's talons and held her in front of her face. Auklet reached out and put her talon on Anemone's snout, staring at her curiously.
"I'm glad you're here," Tsunami said, moving so she could wrap a wing around Anemone. Anemone leaned against her. "I couldn't let you go without saying goodbye," Anemone said quietly. "I wanted to see you one last time."
"It won't be the last time," Tsunami promised. She placed her snout on Anemone's head. Anemone tilted her head up and closed her eyes. "We'll see each other again," Tsunami went on. "I promise."
You see? Hare looked at Catfish, who finally locked eyes with her for more than a few heartbeats. We will see each other again.
"This isn't the only reason I'm here." Holding Auklet in one talon, Anemone reached out and grabbed the closest stick. "I'm going to help you find the dragon who tried to kill you."
Tsunami's eyes widened. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Very." Anemone held up the stick. "Stick, find the dragon who tried to kill Tsunami and bring them here." When she saw Catfish's worried look, Anemone added, "And make sure they can't see how to get here or how to get back."
Anemone released the stick. Hare watched in amazement as it zipped through the vines and disappeared through the trees.
"Now we wait." Anemone sat down, continuing to smile at Auklet.
"Someone tried to kill you?" Sunny squeaked, looking at Tsunami with wide eyes. The SeaWing didn't answer.
"Are you sure you should've done that?" Tsunami said uncertainly, looking in the direction the stick had gone. "I mean, I've heard stories about animus dragons losing their souls if they use their magic too much."
"I have, too," Anemone told her. "But I'm not like them, I never will be." Her next words turned Hare's blood cold. "I won't be like Albatross."
I know him!
Hare almost blurted the words out, but she swallowed them. "What did he do?" she asked, trying to seem calm.
"Horrible things," Anemone replied without looking away from Auklet. "He murdered almost his entire family. His magic drove him mad."
That's what Cowrie meant when he said Albatross lost his love for his family.
"He took over the kingdom for a while," Anemone continued. "The SeaWings were a mess. Albatross was a cruel king, but somehow he had a group of loyal followers. His grandson, Fathom, had to return and stop him." Anemone shuttered. "That was a messy challenge. Fathom's own son turned on him and sided with Albatross. His sister had to kill him."
Three moons, Albatross is horrible! And Orca, she must know the story, she's training with him!
"Uhm, I've heard stories about a dragon named Cowrie," Hare said. "Who was he?"
Anemone put Auklet down and looked at Hare with a confused expression. "If you've heard stories, then surely you must know he was the son that betrayed Fathom."
Hare swallowed hard. That explained two of the dragons in the Place of Lost Souls.
How could anyone train there? How could Orca? Surely she must know she's betraying her kingdom?
"Where did you hear those stories?" Tsunami asked. Hare didn't answer.
Suddenly the sound of someone struggling sounded through the air. Hare turned to the vines.
"Ow!" the dragon yelped. "Quit that, I'm going!"
Anemone smiled. "That worked quick."
The dragon burst past the vines and emerged into the small spot. His eyes were furious. Glory laughed in amusement.
"Whirlpool! What a surprise."
Tsunami bared her teeth in a snarl and stepped protectively in front of her sisters. "You," she hissed.
Whirlpool bristled. "I can't say I'm happy to see you either. You're traitors, all of you." He looked at Anemone in awe. "I had no idea you were capable of such powerful magic. Just wait until Queen Coral hears about this."
"You can't tell them!" Tsunami snapped.
Whirlpool chuckled. "And how exactly do you plan to stop me? Tell your mother I tried to kill you? She'll never believe you, not after what happened." The green dragon smiled smugly and began to fidget with his rings.
Hare was about to lunge at him when Starflight spoke.
"I don't get it. What benefit would you get from killing Tsunami?"
Whirlpool rolled his eyes. "Isn't it obvious? Once Tsunami was out of the way, I'd be able to marry a more agreeable daughter." He pointed at Anemone. "Her."
Hare stared at him in disgust. "You're sick!" she snapped. "Anemone's a dragonet."
Whirlpool laughed. "You think that matters?" He held out his talon and admired his claws, which Hare noticed had been painted a dark, dark green. "It's just one step in becoming king." He eyed Anemone with an unreadable look. "Though, once the queens find out about how powerful you truly are, Blister will want you to begin participating in the war. You most certainly won't survive that. Your magic will either wear you out to a tiny thread, or you'll be killed. So perhaps I should ask for her instead." Whirlpool pointed to Auklet.
"Mother will never let you marry us," Anemone snarled. "Never!"
"Oh, really?" Whirlpool leaned closer to her and shot her a toothy grin. "Because once I tell them about your magic, they'll let me have anything I want. I'll be a hero in their eyes, the one who gave them the only key to winning this war."
"You can't tell them!" Tsunami's roar echoed through the air. She lunged toward Whirlpool, but Clay leaped forward and held her back.
Anemone grabbed a rock that was close to her talons. "Silence him!" she ordered. The rock obeyed and flew forward. It slammed into Whirlpool's snout again and again. Whirlpool shrieked with pain. Some of his teeth fell out as the rock continued delivering damage. It only stopped when his snout was too beat up for him to open. His eyes glittered with pain.
"I'll take him back to mother," Anemone told Tsunami. "I'll let her handle him. Once she hears all of this, she'll want to hold a trial." She narrowed her eyes at Whirlpool as she went on. "He'll surely be executed."
Whirlpool just stared with wide eyes as Anemone walked to the edge of the beach. Auklet began to tromp after her, but Tsunami grabbed her and held her. Anemone reached into the water and pulled out a strand of seaweed, then returned.
"I know what the spell said, but it's better safe than sorry." Anemone wrapped the seaweed around Whirlpool's eyes. She took Auklet from Tsunami, then shoved Whirlpool forward. "Let's go, get back to the palace."
Whirlpool stumbled forward. Anemone continued shoving him. At the vines, she looked back at Tsunami.
"I'll miss you," she said sadly. "Come see me when you end the war. Please"
Tsunami nodded. "Of course. And tell Coral I said goodbye, even though she may not want to hear it."
Anemone nodded, then shoved Whirlpool again and disappeared into the trees. Tsunami sighed.
"Well, we're all up." She stretched and shook out her scales. "Want to get going?"
"We should." Starflight lowered his voice, looking back at the vines. "We don't know if we can completely trust her. If we stay any longer, she may bring the SeaWings to us."
Tsunami nodded. "I don't appreciate you talking about my sister like that, but it's a fair argument. Everyone else ready?"
The others nodded, including Hare. Tsunami stretched her wings. "Great. Let's go."
She turned to lead the group away. Hare looked back at Catfish, then went to follow. Before she could take off, Catfish grabbed her.
"Hare, wait."
Hare looked at him again. Her heart hurt when she saw him. The dragon she could never be with.
"I'll miss you," he said softly.
"I'll miss you, too," Hare replied.
They stared at each other in silence for a couple heartbeats before Catfish reached forward and pulled Hare into a hug.
"I love you."
Hare's heart twisted in joy and grief as she hugged him back.
"I love you, too."
"Hare, are you coming?"
That was Sunny. When Hare looked over, the little SandWing was waiting for her on the edge of the water. Hare nodded and pulled away from Catfish.
"Maybe one day, when the war is over and we see each other again..." Catfish trailed off. He didn't need to finish. Hare knew what he wanted to say.
"Yeah," she said with a small nod. "One day."
Catfish nodded. "Good luck, Hare."
"Same to you, Catfish."
She shot him one last smile before taking off after her friends.