Prologue[]
Princess Spessartine's talon splashed into a small puddle, rain pounding down on her orange scales. A tiny yellow bundle of scales dangled from her jaws.
She turned back as a faint roar echoed from the palace. She gasped. "Falu!" She looked around frantically for something to mask their scent. Her flame-gold eyes fell on a large, muddy puddle. "Hold your breath, Amber!" she said, dunking the dragonet under the water. The then jumped into the puddle herself, making sure to leave no part of her clean.
Footsteps pounded behind her as she grabbed the golden dragonet and continued running. Falu couldn't track them now that they didn't bear the same scent.
Spessartine darted into a crevice between two rocks and prayed Falu wouldn't pursue them. With the roar of fury from her sister echoing behind her, Spessartine knew she was safe now. She panted, blood still dripping from the claw wound on her neck. She looked down at her dragonet as her vision began to blur.
"I can't keep you with me." she sighed sadly. "If I die, I can't bear the thought of leaving you alone."
The dragonet squeaked, looking up at her. She had the same flame colored eyes.
Spessartine pulled her daughter closer, a tear rolling down her wet cheek. "You have to stay here, Amber." she said as she set the dragonet down on the cold ground.
The princess pulled herself to her feet, staring back at her dragonet one last time. "Goodbye, darling." she whispered. "Be safe." She then pulled herself from the crevice and ran in the direction of the Mud Kingdom.
The tiny dragonet stared as her mother disappeared from sight. She laid down, curling her tail over her talons as she began to shiver.
A candle light alerted the young dragonet to another presence nearby. It was coming from the window of a complex across the dirt path.
Amber pulled herself out into the rain and ran to the complex, putting her talons against the door. A small hole caught her eye as rain puttered down on her small scales. She slipped through the hole and into the home of another dragon.
She looked around the den, her ears perking up. There didn't appear to be anyone in the den. The lights were off and the candle was the only source of light. A thud came from another room, catching the dragonet's attention. She followed it to a partially closed door.
She poked her head inside. Inside the room, there was a golden-yellow dragon resting on a bed. He was mumbling something quietly, something Amber couldn't make out. He suddenly yawned, revealing razor sharp teeth.
Amber jumped back and ran out of the den and back into the rain. She returned to the crevice where her mother had left her and laid down, drifting off to sleep.
Chapter One[]
Amber's eyes opened. She stretched herself out, yawning. She squeezed herself out from in between the two rocks. Shaking the dust from her scales, she looked back at the rocked. "Gettin' too big for 'dis, hey?" she chuckled, shaking a stone from in between her claws. "Aw well. Have to be findin' a new place to stay anyway."
A yellow dragon exited his den from across the path. He had a burlap bag slung over his shoulder. His blue eyes fell on Amber. "Good morning, Amber." he called.
Amber turned to look at him, her ears twitching. She walked over to him. "Good mornin', Hazard." she said. "Nice day, isn't it?"
Hazard nodded. "It sure is."
"Got anyt'ing important for me to do today, or no?" she asked.
"Well, actually." Hazard said, reaching into the bag on his shoulder. He pulled out an envelop and handed it to Amber. "I was wondering if you could run this to my father. I would do it myself, but I have a ton of errands to run today." he said as he slung the bag back onto his shoulder.
Amber took the letter with a smile. "Sure t'ing, Mister Hazard."
Hazard gave her a half-smile. "And at about noon, we can meet back here for lunch."
Amber's smile grew wider. "Absolutely! I'll be across't da' street from ya' if ya' need anyt'ing!" she said joyfully as she began to walk the opposite way of Hazard. She hummed softly to herself as she grabbed an apple from a cart and bit into it. "Well, it ain't no five star meal, but breakfast is breakfast."
A dragon suddenly bumped into her, nearly making her drop the apple. "Hey, watch it! I outta hang ya' out to dry!" she hissed.
The dragon in front of her regained his composure, taking a few steps back. "S-Sorry, miss! I didn't mean to!" His silver scales were very unusual for a Skywing.
Amber took another bite from her apple. "Well, I s'ppose if it was an accident, I can let ya' off da' hook d'is time."
The silver Skywing gave her a confused look. "Why do you... talk like that?" he asked, raising an eye ridge at her.
Amber swallowed her mouthful of apple. "Oh, you t'ink I talk funny, hey? Why I outta..." She balled up a fist and waved it around.
"N-No, you don't talk funny. It's just unusual to hear someone talk like that." the silver Skywing said quickly.
Amber scowled at him, a curl of smoke leaving her nostrils. "D'at's what unusual means, ya' idiot. It means somet'ing funny, somet'ing weird."
The silver dragon rubbed the back of his neck. "M-Maybe I phrased that wrong. I didn't mean unusual, I meant unique."
Amber raised an eye ridge at him, her scarred eye still scowling.
He took a step back looking worried. "I think it's cool you talk like that. I've never heard someone speak like that. It's unique."
Amber tossed the finished apple over her shoulder and into a trashcan behind her. "Oh alright. I can forgive ya' d'is one time. But don't ya' do it again or I'll hang ya' out to dry."
The silver dragon looked relieved. "I'm Mercury by the way. What's your name?"
"M'ah name's Amber." she responded, her flame-orange eyes locked with his.
"Well, Amber, do you want to go down to the water fountain and get a drink with me?" Mercury asked.
Amber began to walk with him. "Ya' mean da' bubbler?"
Mercury laughed a bit. "That's going to take a bit of getting used to."
Chapter Two[]
The large town square was paved with small stepping stones, each a dull grey. A large fountain sprayed up from the very center, surrounded by dragons talking and doing their daily errands.
WIP