Cloudwatcher was supposed to be dead.
On the brightest night, several eggs were supposed to hatch. Prophesized to hatch. And the most wicked of the three SandWing sisters, Burn, tossed one of these eggs off of the cliff that she sat on.
By some stroke of luck, a stray NightWing was flying by as this happened. He caught the falling object out of reflex, keeping his grip tight as he put on a burst of speed to get away from the screaming IceWing. Looking down at the stray object when he was out of sight of where it was thrown, the NightWing nearly fell out of the sky when he saw it was an egg. Not just any egg, a SkyWing egg. And not just any SkyWing egg, the SkyWing egg.
Tightening his grip a little, the NightWing made up his mind. He would take care of this egg. It didn't matter if the prophecy was real or not, no egg deserved to be crushed.
Twisting into a dive, the NightWing dove into one of the various caves dotting the valley's sides. When he landed, he continued walking as he navigated the maze of tunnels. After a while of walking through the labyrinth that would confuse most, the NightWing eventually emerged into the open air and onto a ledge. The area in front of him was a small meadow and forest hidden behind the mountain peaks, rock ledges and a few trees clinging to the mountainsides covering most of it from the air. Jumping off of his ledge, the NightWing glided down to the meadow floor.
Landing perfectly, the NightWing didn't pause to admire the meadow as he darted into the forest. The NightWing stuck relatively close to the mountainside, watching carefully until he came to a few familiar trees. Two of them were beside a cave, the others covering the sight of the dark hole. The NightWing jumped down into the cave, landing with a soft thump. Despite his night vision, he found himself lighting a torch.
The cave lit up, showing three entrances. One was to the NightWing's room, one was to an unclaimed cave, and the third was to a giant cave with a small underground pond. Speaking of the unclaimed cave, the NightWing darted into his room to get a spare fur blanket before moving to the unclaimed cave.
Placing the fur on the ground, the NightWing bunched it up into some type of a nest before sitting in front of it. Behind him, some of the wind pushed at him while a few of the raindrops from the room's skylight landed on his back. He used his wings to block some of the whether from the egg, watching the egg closely as he waited.
Eventually, the egg started rocking a little. Tiny crack after tiny crack appeared on the egg, making the NightWing hold his breath. Suddenly, the shell exploded apart as the dragonet burst out of its prison.
In what little light he had, the NightWing could see that the dragonet was mostly crimson although he had highlights of dark orange that were most prominent on his wings, snout, and shoulders. The most interesting part about the little dragonet was that he had a few copper scales on his forehead, the light orange around them creating a diamond shape. The two colors created an ombre effect that greatly stood out against the dragonet's crimson scales.
The little dragonet let out a chirp, staring up at the NightWing in awe. Before the NightWing could speak, the dragonet let out a trill and start grabbing towards the skylight. Glancing at it, the NightWing chuckled before turning back to the dragonet. "Hello, little one," he said, his voice attracting the dragonet's attention easily. "I'm Courtesy and I think I'll call you... Cloudwatcher, Cloud for short. I have a feeling that you're gonna help change the world, little Cloud."
Cloud, of course, didn't understand and instead tilted his head at Courtesy. "Urr...?" he spoke in baby dragonet. Courtesy chuckled at the other's lack of understanding, standing up and starting to walk away.
Evidently, the dragonet didn't like that. "Mmurr!" Cloud pounced on one of Courtesy's talons, growling as he tried to pin it down. The remainder of his egg was left to topple over, tumbling out of the makeshift nest and cracking a bit more.
Courtesy barked a laugh of surprise and amusement at Cloud's sudden strength. "Determined aren't we, little one?" teased Courtesy as he lifted his talon. Cloud gave a surprised squeak as his feet left the ground, staring at Courtesy with wide amber eyes. Courtesy chuckled, his green eyes twinkling in amusement as he stared back at the dragonet. "I guess you aren't going to stop, even if I put you back down.
"What to do with you, what to do with you..."
Finally recovering from his shock, Cloud scrambled for a more firm hold on Courtesy's talon. Silently, Courtesy watched the dragonet to see what he would do. Cloud managed to get his feet onto Courtesy's talon, turning and hooking his talons around Courtesy's wrist for a more firm hold.
Standing up and balancing, Cloud put on a determined face as he stepped forward. Two steps later and Cloud fell. He managed to catch himself before he fell to the ground, growling lightly as he hung off of Courtesy's arm.
Clambering back to stand on Courtesy's arm, Cloud turned his focus to something else. With a crouch and slightly extended wings, Cloud jumped onto Courtesy's shoulder. It was anything but graceful, Courtesy's face lightly batted at with the dragonet's wings as he struggled to get his footing. At the end of his struggling, Cloud sat proudly on top of Courtesy's shoulder. Courtesy managed to get past his chuckling to look somewhat impressed.
"You are very determined," Courtesy commented with one last chuckle. "Well, I guess you're with me then," said Courtesy, shaking his head lightly in amusement before continuing his earlier journey.
Throughout it, Cloud maintained his balance, looking around at the cave walls and area with great curiosity. Courtesy entered his cave again, grabbing a couple more fur blankets before returning. Despite the trip not being long, it still fascinated Cloud to no end.
Courtesy placed the two blankets to the side, shaking out the makeshift nest and sweeping the eggshell to the side. He laid down with the two blankets he brought, bringing the last one beside him. Picking Cloud up, Courtesy let out a small chuckle at the squeak he let out before he was placed beside Courtesy. "Currr?" said Cloud, turning his head towards Courtesy in confusion.
"Time to sleep, little one," said Courtesy as he curled himself around Cloud with a yawn.
"Currteh..." mumbled Cloud, trying to work some words out of his mouth.
"Shh... sleep..." said Courtesy, extending his wing to tent over Cloud as he put his snout on Cloud's head.
"Currteh... Currtes... Courtesy!" chirped Cloud, a grin on his face as he figured it out.
Courtesy lifted his snout from Cloud's head, giving the small dragonet a surprised look. "You already said your first word," murmured Courtesy, not quite believing it himself.
"What a clever little viper," cooed Courtesy, nuzzling Cloud's head as the other chirped in glee. "You must be tired. Rest, little Cloud," Cloud let out a sound that sounded like a purr before cuddling into Courtesy's side with an adorable yawn.
"Good night, little hero."
{(:)}
When Cloudwatcher turned one year old, Courtesy started teaching him how to fly.
"Is this safe?" shouted Cloud, nervously looking below him where Courtesy sat on the flat meadow rather than beside him on the ledge. Most dragonets couldn't normally speak in full sentences at only one year old but Cloud had practiced endlessly.
Sometimes Courtesy had to throw a scroll at him to get him to shut up. Not that Cloud minded, he got to practice his reading instead. Courtesy would force Cloud into some activity every couple of days, whether that activity was sparring or hunting was up to Courtesy's mood.
"Yes! I'll catch you!" Courtesy shouted back. "Remember, keep your wings open and flap them when you start falling! You got this!"
"I got this, I got this," Cloud mumbled to himself as he took a few steps back. "Courtesy is here if I need him. Courtesy is here if I need him," Cloud took a deep breath, releasing it in a harsh exhale. With that, he took a running start and leaped.
For a terrifying moment, Cloud was falling. Freefalling with nothing but gravity in control. Weightless for a moment, a singular moment.
Instinctively, his wings snapped open and they luckily caught a gust. Cloud was nearly flipped over but he turned to the wind, getting a boost forward as a result. Angling his wings down, he dove a bit before leveling out. Turning to be parallel to the mountainside and flapping his wings, Cloud started grinning as adrenaline pumped through his veins.
A roar came from below him, Cloud looking down to see Courtesy take off. Courtesy quickly got to his altitude, grinning at the dragonet as he hovered in front of him. Taking that as a challenge, Cloud tried to hover as well. It took a few tries and gave Cloud several heart attacks, but eventually, he was shakily hovering. Courtesy only looked amused at Cloud's attempts, giving him an encouraging smile while he tried and afterward as well.
"Good job. You really are a clever little viper," said Courtesy, chuckling when Cloud rolled his eyes at the pet name. "We're going to try a few things. It won't be anything extreme since you just started flying but it will be kind of hard. You up for it?"
"Of course. Flying is kinda my tribe's thing after all," said Cloud, a determined yet excited expression making its way onto his face.
"Alright alright," said Courtesy, shaking his head in amusement at Cloud's remark. "We're gonna fly forward for a moment but stop and shoot up into the air. Got it?"
"Got it," said Cloud, clenching his talons in anticipation. Courtesy turned around, flicking his tail as a signal before flying forward. Cloud kept up, making sure to stay on Courtesy's tail as he flew. Halting in midair, Courtesy shot up into the air with a slightly less graceful Cloud following. Hovering in the air, Courtesy waited for Cloud to get to his altitude.
"Easy enough."
"We're gonna up the stakes a little bit," said Courtesy, only nodding to acknowledge Cloud's remark. "We're gonna dive. When you wanna stop, make sure that you flare out your wings so that they're parallel to the ground. Pull out of the dive when I pull out."
"Yes sir," said Cloud, staring at the ground as he nodded. Accepting that answer without comment, Courtesy flew a little higher for a moment before diving with his wings pressed to his sides. Cloud followed suit, doing so once again when he pulled out of the dive.
During the dive, the wind seemed to want to drive him off-course at every moment and the force from his dive made his shoulders and wings hurt. Despite the activity that Courtesy spoke about being over, Cloud still followed the NightWing as closely as possible.
Courtesy noticed, a small smirk forming on his face as he thought of a plan. Flying up, Courtesy leveled out after a moment and aimed for the mountainside. Still following, Cloud was forced into an unfamiliar maneuver, a loop de loop, as Courtesy pulled it off.
At the top of the loop, Courtesy twisted and flew forward rather than completing the loop while Cloud did the same. Stopping and turning around in a heartbeat, Courtesy made Cloud stop suddenly. The dragonet's stop this time being notably better than the last.
Rather than immediately answering the confused look he got, Courtesy lightly flicked Cloud's side with his tail and flew away. "Tag!" shouted Courtesy, giving Cloud a clue as to what was going on.
"Why you snake!" Cloud shouted back, laughing as Courtesy did and darting after the NightWing. The two had a great time, acting like kids.
{(:)}
When Cloudwatcher turned two years old, Courtesy shattered his world.
"What did you need to talk to me about, Courtesy?" asked Cloud, putting away the scroll that he was carrying into one of the various shelves around their home.
The one in question looked uncomfortable, the soft sound of birds in the distance and the small waterfall that fell into the pond next to them serving as background noise. "Do you remember everything that I've taught you and that you've read about the war?" asked Courtesy, deciding to beat around the bush a bit.
"Of course, but we're safe from it here," said Cloud, barely refraining from narrowing his eyes at Courtesy's flinch. Something was up.
"Do you remember the Dragonet Prophecy?" asked Courtesy, his discomfort becoming clearer every second with all of his fidgeting, nervous voice, and lack of eye contact with Cloud.
"Yes, it's where five dragonets are coming to end the war and choose one of the SandWing sisters as the queen," said Cloud, nodding along as he answered the question.
"What if I told you that not all of the dragonets are in one place?" said Courtesy, practically abusing the metaphorical bush at this point.
"Well, that would make sense. They are all from different tribes," said Cloud, shrugging that bit of info off like it was nothing. Although Cloud could tell that Courtesy was trying to say something, albeit as round-about-ly as possible.
Courtesy had to refrain from face-taloning at both Cloud and the fact that he himself had to make this so difficult.
"They are but there is a peace organization that is bent on following the prophecy. They're called the Talons of Peace. They have gathered most of the dragonets from the prophecy and are currently keeping them safe until the time is right," said Courtesy, his fidgeting getting slightly worse.
"Why don't they have them all?" asked Cloud, now curious about the Talons of Peace along with the dragonets of destiny.
"They think that the SkyWing is dead," said Courtesy, spilling everything else before Cloud could ask more questions. "On the brightest night, Burn found the Talon of Peace that was supposed to deliver the SkyWing egg to the other Talons.
"He didn't make it. She killed him and hurled the dragon egg off the edge of a nearby cliff. Luckily, a dragon was passing by and managed to catch the egg. The dragonet hatched peacefully but away from the rest of the dragonets of the prophecy. And I know who the SkyWing is."
"Who?" asked Cloud, curiosity shining brightly in his eyes.
Courtesy took a deep breath and let out a hefty sigh right after. "His name is Cloudwatcher," said Courtesy, glancing away from the one in question for a moment before watching him for his reaction.
Cloud couldn't breathe, his eyes blown wide as his jaw dropped.
Me? I'm supposed to fill out a prophecy? I'm supposed to be the hero? How? How am I supposed to do that? Little old me, a SkyWing dragonet who wants nothing more than to stay in the cave all day and learn and practice?
It felt like the world was crushing him, the pressure of his newfound role compressing his chest. The world felt so big and he felt so small. An ant, a speck of sand in the grand scheme of the world.
I can't even do it without the other dragonets! Is Courtesy going to find them? Am I going to have to search for them? How am I going to find them? How am I going to work with them after them probably thinking I was dead for forever?
"I--" Cloud had to cough for a moment, his dry throat affecting him more than he would like. "I'm the fifth dragonet?"
"Yes," Courtesy let out a sigh before speaking some more. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I wanted to wait until you were an age where you would understand. Also, an age where you would understand the next thing I'm about to say."
"What else could you say that would be shocking?" said Cloud with a slightly dead chuckle ending off his words.
"I wish that I didn't have to say this," said Courtesy, a heavy sigh escaping him. "Sadly, there is always more from where that came from. NightWings are famed for their mind reading and future sight, right?"
"Even though you've never used it on me, yes," said Cloud, getting a sinking feeling that he knew what was going to be said.
"That's because those powers don't exist," said Courtesy, digging his claws into the stone beneath him as he continued. "NightWings used to have them but they are generations-long dead. The prophecy isn't real, it's just a mirage so that the NightWings can manipulate the outcome of the war."
Somehow that made the idea of being a dragonet of destiny better yet worse all at the same time. "Well then why did you tell me that I was the fifth dragonet if I don't have anything to do with the end of the war?" said Cloud, a sour expression coming onto his face. "They think I'm dead anyway. If it is a mirage then I can just live my life in peace."
"I told you because it's a very powerful mirage," Courtesy snapped back, a sour expression of his own coming into play. "If someone somehow finds out that I saved you from crashing into the rock floor, it will change so many things.
"Some will want to praise you, others will want to kill you. If you had slipped up and told them that your hatching day was on the day it is, that would've pegged you as what you are. All other eggs that were supposed to hatch on that night were burned and what happened to you could've been theorized. There are a dozen other ways that you could've by accident revealed yourself, I had to tell you so you could hide away from the mirage."
A frown crossed Cloud's face as he realized that that was indeed very very true. "I guess that makes sense," said Cloud with a sigh.
"I don't know if this would make you feel any better but..." Courtesy started, continuing when he had Cloud's clear attention. "... I feel like you're going to change the world. Dragonet Prophecy or not, you're going to help change the world."
Cloud decided to joke around a bit to try and lighten the mood. "What? Did you get a vision or something?" Cloud snorted.
Courtesy rolled his eyes and punched Cloud in the shoulder while the other laughed. "It's a feeling, just call it faith," said Courtesy with slight annoyance, huffing out a laugh at Cloud's humor nonetheless.
The two stayed silent for a moment. "Do you think the others will end the war, with or without the prophecy?" asked Cloud, looking slightly subdued rather than humorous like he was seconds ago.
"I..." Courtesy sighed before giving a helpless shrug. "I don't know. Considering how far this prophecy has gone, possibly. Ideas and hopes have power and the dragonets of destiny are one of the most well-known things besides the war they are supposed to end. As long as the others work together and try their best, things will work out as they're supposed to."
"I hope they know what they're doing," said Cloud, a hopeless sigh making its way past his lips.
"Even if they don't, spur of the moment plans aren't the worst thing in the world," said Courtesy, smiling at Cloud despite his defeated attitude. He nudged the other with his wing, almost knocking the dragonet over. "Come on, I wanted to teach you some more fighting maneuvers, both in the air and on the ground. Nothing like adrenaline to get your mind off things, right?"
"... Right," said Cloud after a moment. He shook himself out like he was trying to get water off, said water being the very thought of the prophecy. He stepped away from Courtesy and dropped into a battle stance. "Hope you're ready, old man."
A surprised bark of laughter reacted to the insult. "Excuse you, I'm barely twenty. You should be the one getting ready, pipsqueak," said Courtesy, taking a few steps back to drop into a battle stance himself.
"What did you just call me?" said Cloud, his eyes narrowing a little in faux anger.
"You heard me, pipsqueak," said Courtesy, the tease in his voice quite obvious. He quickly paid for it. That payment being getting suddenly tackled by Cloud.
For a little longer, the responsibilities could be laid off. For a little longer, Cloud could be a true dragonet, prophecy or not.
Prophecy or not...