RP fanfiction by Sarahyasmine with special appearances by Woowydragon183 and DustyDBOfTheSandWings. Thanks to Woowy for creating, developing and roleplaying in Constellation Academy. Starring Duskfall.
Duskfall landed gracefully outside the school. He was fashionably late, as always. "Excuse me?" he said quietly to the teacher, swishing his tail back and forth in the grass, "Where do we meet our groups?" Duskfall's wings fluttered in the wind, drawing in and eclipsing all the light around him.
"Just head to your dorms and they should be in there. It's a free day!" Mesa flicked her tail towards the left hall.
Duskfall swept gracefully through the halls of the school, eying the other NightWings. His scales practically glowed with darkness as he stepped into his dorm.
Duskfall raised his eyebrows at the two dragons in the dorm, though you could hardly tell thanks to the inky color of his scales. One was a LeafWing, causing plants to grow up the walls. "Pleased to meet you," he said softly. "I'm Duskfall.”
She blinked, looking up. "oh. sorry. Didn't see you there. I'm BirchBlossom." she purposefully left out her title.
"Oh hey," Paradise said. "I'm Paradise.”
Duskfall smiled warmly at Paradise and BirchBlossom. "Can I call you Birch?" he directed his voice towards the pretty LeafWing. "You can call me Dusk.”
"Sure, BirchBlossom has always been a bit long." she returned a small smile, petting Mica.
Duskfall barely glanced at the cockatoo on Birch's shoulder. He examined his bunk, which was a cold, hard rock ledge with little nooks for his scrolls. As Duskfall slid his reading material into their assigned places, he wondered if he would meet any other NightWings. Ahh, he thought. Don't even think of making friends, Dusk. No one can even see you. He glanced down at his black scales, which just looked like a deep abyss to fall into.
BirchBlossom noticed that something green was in her satchel. She opened it, glaring at a sundew inside. It whined. Hungry! "Seriously?" She pulled out the angsty little plant, and it attempted to eat Mica. BirchBlossom put it on a ledge beside her nest. I'm mailing that back to mother. She rolled her eyes- Of course Lady Nightshade would sneak something into her satchel.
Paradise closed her eyes. It was a long flight to get to the school and she was exhuasted.
BirchBlossom had gone back to reading, when she noticed that the sundew was in the process of grabbing Mica's wing again. She sighed, and dropped a bowl over the plant. "You are not allowed to eat him. When you get home, you can eat mother." she muttered sternly.
"Stop talking to planrs, tree hugger. Your making youself look crazy," Paradise said, keeping her eyes closed.
Duskfall glanced sideways at the toothy little plant. "Can you talk to those?" he asked smoothly.
"Great." she shot back at Paradise, while adding mentally, Nobody can be as insane as Nightshade. To Duskfall, she nodded. "Yes, and this one is particularly annoying." The sundew had begun to chant. Hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry.. "Shut up, you obnoxious pest!" she cried, placing her talons over the bowl, trying to stifle the noise. Of course, it didn't work.
"What's wrong with it?" Paradise looked at the bowl. "You seem like you don't like it.”
"Oh, I don't. I'm going to send it home." she was still pressing her talons firmly over the bowl, and the plant was practically screaming at this point. "Nightshade was probably hoping it would eat me.”
Duskfall's mouth twitched up slightly, despite himself. "That's quite interesting," he intoned. BirchBlossom was thinking about a dragon in her mind...Night? Nightwind? No...Nightshade. "Who is Nightshade?" he said cooly, before he could think. Eurgh, he thought. I was supposed to wait longer to reveal myself, wan't I? Oh well.
She blinked at him. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't comment. "My mother. Lady Nightshade." She thought directly at him, So Nightwings can still read minds?
Duskfall took pleasure in the look of hostility that crossed her features. "Yes, they can." he smiled handsomely. "Nice detective work, Miss BirchBlossom," he bowed, half mocking.
"I think it's funny," Paradise smiled at the bowl. "I think it's funny that it keeps trying to eat your bird.”
She refrained from rolling her eyes at Duskfall. Oh my moons, SHUT UP- She lifted up the bowl, glaring daggers at the little plant. It immediately reached for her, screeching. FOOD! "I swear, I am going to figure out how to choke you," she smacked its tendrils away.
Paradise laughed at Birch's outburst to a plant. "Just feed it.”
Duskfall snorted quietly, turning back to the cave entrance. "I'll see you ladies later," he said softly, inclining his head to the arguing dragons. "I'm off to meet more...ah, classmates." he smiled as he read Paradise's mind; Weirdo.
The plant continued screaming. "Nonono- I will not feed it. These things are demons and will eat us while we sleep if it gets any bigger." Moons, this thing is giving me a massive headache. The plant managed to grab her arm. HUNGRYYYYYYY! "By the blasted moons, will you just shut up?" She cried out, trying to untangle it. It didn't budge.
Paradise laughed, then took out a snack she was saving for later. She tossed it at the plant, letting it eat it. "There. Problem solved.”
"No!" She yelped. The sundew subsided for a moment, before reaching towards Paradise. Yum. Them bring food, and them food! It cackled. "Paradise, this thing just had a massively dark statement about you. I'm going to kill it." She is not food, and I'm killing you. She said stoutly to the sundew. Birch jumped out of her nest, stumbling slightly. As the sundew took in her words, it screamed deafeningly. NIGHTSHADEEEEEEEEEEEEE! "Moons!" she yelped, tossing it to the floor, wincing.
Moonlight frowned, looking up at the ceiling. Loud noises were drifting from a grate in the ceiling. Tucking the scroll into a small pouch on the hammock, Moonlight flew up to the grate and opened it, wiggling into the tight space. Crawling along the dark shaft, she stopped when she heard someone say ‘by the blasted moons, will you just shut up?’ She peeked through the grate. It looked like a dorm with plants, and she appeared to be sitting in some sort of tunnel on the ceiling.
This might be funny. Watching dragons without being creepy or having to talk with them.
"It's going to eat me?" Paradise asked. "That's nice. You've got yourself one funny plant.”
"Uhm- no, its very serious- WOULD YOU SHUT UP?" It silenced. "Finally! You idiotic thing, I should let Mica eat you.”
Moonlight suddenly heard a click. She looked down. Oh no! Why didn’t I see this! Suddenly, the trapdoor opened.
“AUGHHHBHHHHTTTTHHHHH!” Moonlight yelled as she fell, slamming to he ground. When she opened her eyes, there was a sundew right there! “OH MY GOSH! Is that a sundew? I’ve never seen a real one!”
"Don't encourage it!-" The plant reached for Moonlight, and began screaming again.
Paradise looked at the dragon that just fell through their roof, confused.
Duskfall turned around and peeked inside the dorm when he heard a loud crash. To his surprise, a NightWing was splayed out on the floor next to a ruffled-looking Birch. The sundew was snapping brutally at them, making loud noises. Dusk leaned casually against the cave entrance. "You know--I could kill it if you like," he smiled, his quartz-colored eyes crinkling.
Don't kill it," Paradise told Dusk. "I like it.”
Moonlight ignored the LeafWing, taking out a pair of silver tweezers and grabbing in the the tentacles, poking it gently.
“Awwww, it’s trying to eat me! That is some fascinating evolution.” She nodded, examining the tentacle again.
"Nono, its not an 'awww'," she rubbed her temples.
"No, it's more 'ha ha ha'," Paradise smiled.
"Will you give me my mothers sundew so I can deal with it-" her voice faltered as it began screaming again. MORE FOOOD!!
Moonlight looked over at the LeafWing.
“Did you bring it here?” She looked at her sharply. “What do you mean ‘dint encourage it?’”
"Would you just give it to me?" She snapped, her tail lashing. The plant had pushed its luck.
Moonlight clutches the plant to her chest, tilting her head stubbornly.
“Why, so you can kill it before I have a chance to study it? I’d be happy to take it off your talons!”
"She's going to kill it," Paradise sighed. "I'll plan the funeral.”
"By the moons, NO." To Birch's own dismay, the vines around her nest shot forward, wrapping around Moonlight. Not again! The sundew kept screaming, and as she could only hear it, the vines tightened.
Moonlight yelped as the vines wound around her, but it was more of a curious yelp.
“How- What-“ She sputtered, pointing to the plants. “They grew! FAST! THATS AMAZING!” She poked the nearest vine with an awestruck look on her face.
"Nononono," Birch scrambled forward, grabbing at the vines. They merely tightened and she cursed. "Im pretty sure they aren't going to stop until you let them kill it-“
Paradise ran over and took the sundew from Moonlight. "Don't worry, I won't let you die. Man, this is sticky.”
Duskfall rolled his eyes and blasted fire all over the roots of the sundew, watching it light up and shrivel to ashes. "That was enough." he said clamly, wiping his talons on the stone below him. "I'm quite sorry you two--" he inclined his head towards the NightWing and Paradise, "But it was getting ridiculous.”
"Thank you! Now for the moons sake, let her go!" the vines reluctantly loosened, curling back around her nest,
"No!" Paradise knelt over it's ashes. "It was such a perfect plant. The way it wanted to eat everything. I'm going to miss it.”
Duskfall laughed, a pure, clear sound. "That was fun." he smiled at Moonlight.
"I'm going to go find something to eat my mother." She exhaled, leaving. Her Cockatoo followed with her satchel. A trail of guilty thoughts followed her.
Moonlight’s wings dropped slowly down, her face almost comical as she looked at the ashes of the plant. Then, without warning, she shot a look so full of venom that it could kill over at Duskfall, spread her wings and shot back up through the grate in the ceiling.
"I must make a burial! Off I go!" Paradise bolted down the hall towards the Music & Art room. When she got there, there were a few dragons but she moved past them. She grabbed a few things before rushing back to the room.
Duskfall grinned at Moonlight's dismay. "Your welcome!" he called after her softly. These dragons are hilarious, he thought. Nevertheless, he picked up a fallen sundew seed and deposited it in the little NightWing's room after getting directions to where it was. Here--experiment if you like, he wrote on a scrap of parchment, placing it under the seed. Just don't get eaten. Duskfall slithered through the hallways, looking for the teacher.
BirchBlossom fled to the entrance, and spread her wings as soon as she reached it. She escaped towards a forest for the time being.
Paradise arranged the supplies she had gathered into a small box for the plants ashes to go in. She scooped the plant up then placed it inside the box. She carefully carried it outside to bury under a tree.
Paradise sat over her tiny grave for the plant. She sat in silence then placed a flower on top of it. "Good bye, sundew." She got up and walked back into the school, looking for something else to do.
Duskfall bumped straight into Paradise on his way out. "Well hello there," he said sweetly. "How was the funeral?" he smiled at her, his eyes twinkling.
"Sad," Paradise said. She poked him with a claw. "You're not allowed to go. You murdered him.”
"Oh it's a him now?" Dusk asked incredulously. "And your welcome for saving your life back there by the way." he flashed a grin at Paradise, which looked a little odd, thanks to the fact that his scales were pitch-black and his teeth were pure white.
"You didn't save me," Paradise glared at him. "You broke my heart. He was a majestic plant and you killed him.”
"He was a majestic plant that was probably illegal to have anywhere inside this school," Dusk retorted calmly. "But honestly, I never knew I was so good at breaking hearts," he smiled mischievously.
"You should learn not to break dragons hearts. It's sad that you feel so accomplished," Paradise batted away Duskfall's smile.
"It's sad that your attached to murderous bloodthirsty plants," Duskfall laughed right back. "And trust me, this is the first time I've broken someone's heart. You should feel honored," he said sarcastically, fanning his wings wide in a 'what can I say?' gesture. Ah, I hope she doesn't notice I have no starscales on my wings, he thought bitterly. Oh well.
"Why should i feel honored? Being sad isn't something to honor. And I had every right to like a murderous plant," Paradise crossed her arms, glaring at him.
Duskfall let an amused smile play across his snout. "I didn't get your age," he said, changing the subject for fun.
"And why would you like to know? What's your age?" Paradise poked him.
Duskfall tried no to laugh as Paradise poked him again. "Eleven," he said. "I know that's a little old to be going to school, but what can I say, I was bored. Now how aout you?”
Paradise glared at him before answering. "I'm nine. Why did you want to know anyway?”
"Oh, I'm not sure..." Duskfall was cut off as a RainWing with gold and purple scales bumped straight into him. "Oh hello," he said politely, brushing off his scales--though no one could tell, because his inky scales made him look like a silhouette. This school is filled with little girls he thought, slightly annoyed.
"Sorry. I was not looking. Normally i do, but i am in a new place" Heaven said. "I'm Heavenly Joy, but I go my Heaven”
Dusk inclined his head. "I'm Duskfall, but I go by Dusk." he grinned, his wing brushing Paradise's on accident.
Paradise glared at his wings.
"Nice to meet you." Heaven responded. "You must be Paradise." Heaven looked at Paradise. She heard the other dragons talking
"How do you know my name? Are you a mind reader?" Paradise looked the dragon up and down.
"I'm a rainwing. I cant read minds even if i wanted to. and no. You dragons get loud and the halls have good acustics." Heaven shrugged like it was no big deal
"Oh," Paradise looked at her skeptically.
Duskfall rolled his eyes. "Yes--you're not going to meet a dragon louder than this one," he snorted quietly. Outiside, the sky rumbled and rain started to pour from the clouds. "Ah, excuse me ladies," he said softly. "I'm going for a flight." Dusk walked gracefully towards the main entrance, his large, dark wings sweeping out beside him as he took off into the wet sky.
Paradise rolled her eyes and flew after him. "Where are you going?”
Duskfall barely glanced at Paradise. He had known she would follow him--her mind gave it away. Heaven, still sitting inside the school was debating whether she should join them as well. "Haven't seen you in a while," Dusk said jokingly to Paradise. "It's been so long! And I'm not going anywhere. I just like the rain." Dusk lifted his head to the sky as water poured down from the grey clouds, thunder roaring above them.
Paradise gave him a friendly glare. "I don't care about the rain. I'm more interested in the lightning." She shot up into the sky, passing into the clouds. They lit up around them as lightning flashed through them.
Duskfall laughed with glee, shooting up into the clouds to join Paradise. He flipped in a circle, the lightning illuminating his eyes as he flapped his wings to hover next to the hybrid. "I like it too," he said, yelling over the sound of falling rain and thunder. Water gushed over Dusk's scales, making him feel unstoppable.
Paradise closed her eyes, listening to the booming from the lightning around her. She stopped beating her wings to let herself drop through the clouds. As she reached the edge of the clouds, she caught herself, flying along the bottom of the clouds.
Duskfall joyfully swooped down after Paradise, his wings stretching out as far as they could go, catching the cold, bitter wind beneath them. He felt exhilarated--like he could do anything. "Isn't it wonderful?" he asked Paradise smoothly, a bolt of lightning trying to illuminate his pitch-black scales and failing.
"Yes!" Paradise called back. "It's so hard to find a thunderstorm. This is perfect!" She swooped up and down through the clouds, leaving a trail of them when she came to an opening.
Duskfall tucked his wings in, and whirled in circles, causing a miniature tornado of clouds to form around him before throwing open his wings and blasting water everywhere. He laughed when some of it splatted on Paradise, hovering in the air below her, teasing her to follow.
"Hey!" she shouted, smiling at him. "Watch where you spray that!" Paradise followed Dusk through the clouds.
Duskfall ducked through the clouds, whizzing towards the ground. He landed behind a tree and stood stock-still, hiding in the shadows. She'll never see me here, he thought. Then he spotted BirchBlossom next to an overflowing stream, humming quietly to herself. She hasn't noticed me yet he thought, listening to her quiet brain, but she will once Paradise comes bounding over loudly.
Paradise dove through the clouds after Dusk, but lots him in the storm. She looked around confused until she spotted Birch sitting by a stream. She rolled her eyes then dove down to her. "Hey, tree hugger. Have you seen Dusk?”
She blinked, looking up. "No." She got the distinct feeling that he was nearby, but didn't bother to look around. "And I've discovered that trees have a better vocabulary than you." BirchBlossom wrinkled her snout. Especially Tiffrid.
"That definitely makes sense," Paradise said. "Well, if you spot him, tell me." She turned to fly away, she thought she saw something move by a nearby tree but it was just a shadow. She lifted off into the sky to scan the area from above.
Dusk rolled his eyes when Paradise didn't spot him. He quietly crawled out of the shadows and walked over to Blossom, scaring her out of her wits. "Sorry," he said smiling. "Not to pry in your thoughts, but do you have a crush on a tree?”
As Paradise flew over the treetops, she realized something. Shadows can't move on their own, she growled at her own stupidity and banked back around. She flew fast back to the stream where Birch and Dusk were.
She glared at him. "Dogwood isn't a tree. He's a very real Leafwing, and he's like a brother to me." Her thoughts drifted- briefly revealing. A calm village.. before everything. And then the chaos. The destruction and the death- everybody, everybody but her. She had been in the forest. She remembered the squadron arriving too late to save anybody, and only finding her, scared witless in the ruins of her own home. BirchBlossom shook off the thought, looking back at the water.
Paradise flew over the two dragons chatting by the stream. "I knew it!" she landed down next to Dusk, glaring at him. "I knew you were here somewhere.”
Moonlight spotted movement over in the trees and swiveled her telescope over to them. It looked like that LeafWing from before and that stupid NightWing. She growled, wishing a tree would fall of them. What a funny thought. She thought, amused. Maybe if I think about it for long enough it’ll happen. One can only hope.
Dusk smiled at Blossom as Paradise landed next to him. "Yes, I'm here," he said softly as the rain subsided to a dull trickle. "Took you long enough." he directed his attention back to BirchBlossom. He heard terrifying thoughts in her head; loss, betrayal, death...a little dragonet huddled up in the wreckage of a home. "I didn't mean your brother," he said with amusement, trying to ignore what was in her head. "Although you do think of him a lot. I mean the tree you talked to earlier." Suddenly, Duskfall heard something in his mind; I wish a tree would fall right on top of their heads. He swiveled his head, making eye contact with a telescope peeking out of a window that didn't seem to be there--which confused Dusk, but he ignored it. "Hello Moonlight!" he called over, wondering if she could see his dashing smile.
Moonlight ducked down as quickly as she could, twisting her talons. Ugh. Stupid mind reader. She thought spitefully, shaking her head as she continued to watch. Mother warned me about them. Told me to keep my mind closed. Well . . . I don’t think staring at a wall and thinking ‘close mind’ is going to help much.
"I'm not in the mood to talk right now." She muttered, gathering her satchel.
"Where's Moonlight?" Paradise asked Dusk, trying to find where he was looking at.
Dusk frowned slightly as Blossom picked up her bag, readying herself to leave. "I didn't mean to offend you," he said softly, and anyone who looked into his eyes at that moment could see that he truly meant it.
"You didn't." She snapped back. Her mind kept trailing back to the village- she couldn't shake herself free of the thought, now that she had pictured it all again. BirchBlossom knew that he had seen it. But she didn't care. Not even a mindreader will ever understand. She told herself firmly, spreading her wings. She barreled back into the forest, unknowingly, back towards Tiffrid.
Duskfall was taken aback, but he understood what Blossom must be feeling. He didn't know exactly what had happened to her, but he knew he couldn't just let her sulk by herself. He turned apologetically towards Paradise. "I'm sorry--I'll be right back," he said, trying to smile at her. He bolted into the trees, following BirchBlossom. "Hey!" he called quietly towards her, catching up to her footsteps with long strides. "What happened there... where you used to live?" he asked softly, trying hard to refrain from brushing her wing with his. This dragon had nightmares, nightmares of the past that plagued her constantly...similar to his own.
"It doesn't matter." BirchBlossom muttered, avoiding looking at Dusk. She leaned against Tiffrid. The tree spoke skeptically. You're terrible at lying, Blossom. She shot a look at the tree. Yeah. Thanks.
Dusk sat gracefully down in front of Blossom, trying not to touch the tree's roots. "Is this the tree you were talking about earlier?" he asked increduously, looking up into the branches above him.
She kept her gaze low, mumbling. "Yep. He's called Tiffrid." You should not be mad at him.Tiffrid stated. He read my mind, Tiffrid. He saw something he shouldn't have.
"Hey, Tiffrid." Dusk nodded towards the old tree awkwardly, and then focused back on Blossom. "Hey--I understand why your mad. I'm sorry for whatever I said, but you need to understand..." Dusk ducked his head sadly. "Your not alone," he whispered softly.
She glaced up at him. Another memory flashed through her mind- Ma, killed protecting Irini and Cherry. The first of the fiery blasts, raining down. She had seen them through the foliage of the forest.. and then she'd heard the screaming. BirchBlossom shook, her head ducking. Despite how much she was willing herself not to, she began to cry.
Duskfall knelt over next to BirchBlossom, his eyes filled with worry and understanding. "Your mother?" he asked quietly, and then looked down at the ground. "My father did too.”
Paradise nodded and flew back to the school. She decided to rest a little.
She calmed herself for a moment. BirchBlossom reached out, touching his forearm. He was flooded by another memory. She was darting through the foliage, towards the village. Smoke rose high above the forest, choking the sky. Dragons still screamed- she could put a name to every one. She burst out of the the edge of the forest, frozen by what she saw. Her brother- her twin. Clove was trapped beneath the talons of another dragon. Murdered before her. One tribe squadron plagued the sky, spreading the fire. The other destroyed her village, killing everybody they saw. Nightwings and Hivwings. She pulled away, shaking.
Duskfall was filled with pain as Blossom's memories entered his mind. "I'm so sorry..." he said quietly, trying not to cry. He placed his head against Blossom's and channelled his thoughts into hers. The ground, rumbling violently underneath his talons. Lava pouring everywhere, crawling towards him as he fled through tunnels in a volcano. Two dragons, his brother and father screaming hoarsley as fire engulfed them, the whites of their eyes dissapearing in the thick smoke. Duskfall felt tears running down his snout, and pulled away from BirchBlossom quickly, looking away. "I didn't know I could do that," he whispered.
She stared at the ground. BirchBlossom didn't trust herself to speak, and instead used sign language. Her talons shook, almost creating the effect that she was stammering. 'I-I'm sorry. For the two.. and just for being myself.' Her head ducked. 'I didn't trust you. For being a Nightwing.’
Duskfall brushed Blossom's wing with concern. "It's alright," he said softly. "I understand--NightWings haven't really earned anyone's trust. But It's okay that you were being yourself; you wouldn't be interestong any other way." Dusk smiled at her sadly.
She returned a small smile, but it faltered. "On the flip side, my powers didn't glitch out." Her gaze dropped. Yet.
"What do you mean?" Dusk asked, furrowing his brow.
"With the sundew.. the vines.." her voice trailed. "I didn't have control of them until you killed the sundew- they would have.." BirchBlossom didn't finish, though her thoughts did. They would have kept tightening.
Duskfall patted Blossom's tail with his own awkwardly. "I know," he said. "It was worth two dragons wanting to kill me, right?" he smiled playfully.
Blossom returned the smile. "Its definitely worth Paradise wanting to kill you.”
"Oh I was more worried about that NightWing," he said with a mischevious grin. "She totally hates me." A flash of sadness crossed Duskfall's face as he thought about his first impressions on the fellow NightWing. Why can't I just get along with my own tribe? he thought, slightly angrily.
"Hey," She brushed her wing against his. "You killed her scientific experiment. She'll come around eventually.”
Duskfall breathed the crisp air, closing his eyes as the last rays of the sun faded below the horizon. It's nighttime, he thought. My time. Where no one can see me. Dusk smiled at BirchBlossom as his scales faded into the dark, melding him with the shadows. "Don't worry, I'm still here." He said softly. "You won't be able to see me for a while though." he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "It's not like you could really see me in the daytime anyway," he said, amused. "But still, I stuck out--now I'm just another part of the dark.”
"At least I can see you smile, since it lowkey blinds everybody." BirchBlossom joked, curling her tail in.
Duskfall laughed warmly, pulling his wings tighter around him to block the cold. "We should probably head in," he said, glancing at the school. "Principal Mesa won't be happy with us.”
"But.." her voice trailed, and she eventually nodded. "Alright." Bye, Tiffrid. She thought as she gathered her satchel. Her snout wrinkled as he responded- See you, shorty.
Duskfall gathered himself and spread his wings wide to take to the air. The only way you could make out where he was was by the deep thrumming of his wingbeats, and paying attention to where there were no stars. "You coming?" he called over his shoulder, hovering in the air. For a moment you could see the flash of teeth and the glinting of his grey eyes.
"Oh- right, sorry." She blinked, lifting off. She strained to keep an eye on the place where there were no stars, following Dusk. BirchBlossom would never admit it, but she had faltered for a moment upon spotting the flash of teeth. She focused her thoughts on the school, with random questions such as 'I wonder what constellation class is.
Duskfall landed gracefully in the wide cave entrance to Constellation Academy, padding his way through the twisting, complicated halls. He made a point to keep his claws constantly clattering on the stone as he walked, so that Birch knew where he was. Sure, there were torches, but fire had never done anything but make his scales even darker. Finally, he spotted the dorm entrance. "Over here," he said to BirchBlossom, walking inside. The large room took him by surprise--it wasn't their dormitory. "Ahh...Blossom?" he said, reaching out a talon to stop her from bumping into him, "You have to see this."
Layed out before them was a giant staircase, inlaid with the most expensive jewels and the purest of gold. Wide windows bordered the sides, letting in the light of the moon, as dark blue velvet curtains fluttered wistfully in the cool night breeze. "Whoah," he said. "What is this place for?”
She blinked. "Urm. I have literally no idea-" BirchBlossom thought vaguely that this looked like Nightshade's manor, and grimaced.
Duskfall grimaced along with BirchBlossom, though he had no idea why. He must have read her emotions...or something like that. He thought.
"We should get back to the dorm--" he said, "--Even though I really would like to explore this place. You lead the way this time," he gestured towards the hall, before realizing that Blossom couldn't see him anyways. He let out a long sigh.
"Sure," Birch stifled a sigh of her own. There isn't one thing here that doesn't remind of something from home. The dragons included. She set her jaw, setting off towards their dorm.
Duskfall followed BirchBlossom all the way to their dorm, and then settled in his bed, curling his tail around himself. "Hey Paradise," he said quietly to the hybrid across the room. "Sorry for abandoning you back there.”
"It's alright," Paradise said, not opening her eyes. "I'm used to it.”
BirchBlossom settled in her nest, and continued messing around with the vines. She lost herself in thought, though the thoughts were hard to follow. Eventually, she settled on one thing to think on. I'll just make this nest a tad more convenient. Birch had the vines travel to the ceiling, before growing back down, and winding back up. She smiled, as they suspended her nest.
Duskfall furrowed his eyebrows. "Well you shouldn't be used to it," he said softly to Paradise across the room. He turned to BirchBlossom, watching the vines grow up her nest. "Could you make some flowers grow over here?" the corner of his mouth twitched up slightly. "I've never met a Leafspeak before."