Below the cliff, the sea crashed against the sand with a muffled rushing sound. Two dragons stood side-by-side while five dragonets argued on the edge.
Well, three dragonets.
The NightWing was squawking something about visions from the safety of a rock while the SkyWing laid on a separate rock. His head rested on his talons as he watched the fighting with tired, annoyed eyes, his tail tapping the ground behind him.
The MudWing, SandWing, and SeaWing were all fighting, though. It was embarrassing, to say the least. Nautilus shifted uneasily.
"Well, they're energetic," Morrowseer muttered.
"They were a last minute plan," Nautilus explained quickly.
Morrowseer scoffed. "They're clearly all you had. Now, who are they?"
Nautilus pointed to the NightWing. "That's Fatespeaker. She's horribly insufferable."
Morrowseer nodded slowly. "Well, then we may need to replace her."
Nautilus brushed off his comment and pointed to the SandWing. Her teeth flashed as she bit down on the MudWing's wing. The MudWing let out a loud whine. "That's Viper."
He then pointed at the MudWing, who was struggling to escape from Viper. "That's Ochre." Nautilus pointed to the SeaWing, who had resorted to hiding behind a rock. "That's Squid."
"He's pathetic," Morrowseer hissed. "You shouldn't have put him in just because he's your son, Nautilus."
"He has promising traits," Nautilus shot back.
Morrowseer narrowed his eyes, then looked at the SkyWing. "And him?"
"That's Flame." Nautilus tilted his head. "He seems awfully tired these days, though he does the basic tasks he needs to."
Morrowseer nodded approvingly. "He seems like the most promising. Better than whatever your fellow Talons got."
Nautilus looked down in embarrassment. "Well, we had no say in that, you know."
"Right." Morrowseer flicked his tail. "Well, who's been training them?"
"We have, of course," Nautilus replied, a little shocked at the question.
Morrowseer's tongue flicked out of his mouth. "Hmm. I may regret this, but these dragonets need some proper training. I will take over their training, they will leave with me."
"Are you sure?" Nautilus asked nervously, glancing at his son.
"Very," Morrowseer replied. "There's already a dragon on his way to get rid of the dragonets we know need to be replaced. These ones need some real training." He looked down at Nautilus.
"The prophecy will be fulfilled the way it's supposed to be. The NightWing way."
The cliff was quiet.
It was different from the one they normally met on, Blister didn't want to stay too far from the destroyed home of her allies.
"Do you have the alternates?" Blister asked, examining her claws.
"Yes, and their training is in my talons now." Morrowseer puffed his wings. "Everything is going according to plan."
"Wonderful." Blister flicked her tongue. "And I assume you have a plan for getting rid of the current ones?"
"Of course I do," Morrowseer said. "The ones that need replacing will be gone before sunrise in the next seven days. That is, if he can do his job right."
"Or travel fast enough," Blister murmured. "Who knows where those pathetic creatures have gone now?"
"We'll find them," Morrowseer assured her.
"You'd better." Blister looked up at the three moons in the night sky. "I also have another request."
Morrowseer glanced at her. "And what could that possibly be?"
"My niece and I didn't exactly get off on the right talon," Blister explained. "She'll be incredibly useful for this plan, she may be the key we need to get it to work. I'd like you to bring her to me. I can do the rest."
"Sounds simple enough," Morrowseer grumbled. "How exactly do you expect us to take her without the others intervening?"
"Oh, come on Morrowseer," Blister snapped. "You really think a few dragonets and a SkyWing could do anything about it? Just swoop in and take her. You've had no problem with taking things before."
Morrowseer bristled. "Very well," he snarled between bared teeth. "We'll get you the princess."