Scales to Skin

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Moonwatcher

It was strange, but when I first saw Turtle in my dreams, I didn't initially think he was using a dreamvisitor. I had been having these strange dreams featuring all of the dragons in the winglet since I became a scavenger, so I thought that it was just part of the dream. But when I heard him talk, that was even more strange. Because I understood him.

I thought that maybe, in my dreams, I could understand him, and he could understand me. But as the dream went on, it became clear that there was still a language barrier.

"RO-argrrrrrr," I growled, mimicking the way that he pronounced it. For a name that I had said so many times, one would think that when I learned it again, it would just click. But whatever animus magic was taking control of me, it was strong. Because the second I said the word, it vanished from my vocabulary. I retained the memory of having said it, but there was no memory of how.

But I did succeed in one thing. The talon that was clutching the dreamvisitor, that one second ago he was bringing up to his forehead in way of escaping the dream, was now back on the ground. He was giving me time.

I pointed at him, then at a picture of him holding the stick, hiding from Darkstalker's mind.

"GrRArgh," He snarled.

"Grrargh?" I asked. He shook head, in some sort of wonder.

"GrRArgh!" There was some factor of excitement on his face, even though he had no clue that I was the Moon he was, indeed, looking for.

"GrRArgh!" I spat back. Even Turtle, who was the most gentle and caring dragon I knew, sounded downright maniacal as he roared, so I had to put as much growl and venom into my voice as possible. He nodded, a smile lighting up his face. 

I flinched away, suddenly not so sure. His teeth were big. The smile slowly faded from his face, and he looked down. I felt immediately bad. I don't know what came over me. He was my friend, and I knew he'd never hurt me.

"These sca-human instincts are contagious," I muttered, a slight smirk on my face. I pointed at an image of Winter, way above both of us, looking sadly at Bandit as he let him go.

"ArgrROARgh," He roared viciously. I covered my ears and looked away. Slowly, I removed my hands from the sides of my face and slapped myself. I needed to stop. We were so close to making a breakthrough! Even if I couldn't remember any of the words later. I couldn't even remember the one that he just said.

"ArgrROARgh?" He said again, waiting for me to copy.

"ArgrROARgh," I sighed. What was the point of this? This is my dream, I thought to myself, Anything I want can appear. I can say anything I want, as long as he can see it. And then I knew.

I closed my eyes and concentrated as hard as I could. I pictured myself, as I had seen in the underground lakes. The reflection that they cast as I was flying above them. When I opened my eyes, she was there. I was there, except it wasn't me. It was like a statue, completely still.

Turtle's eyes widened, and he whipped his head back and forth from me to the statue.

"ROrgharGroR ORagraOrgrorrrr?" He snarled venomously.

"RorGhargRor oRaGraorgroRrRRrr?" I winced. I completely butchered that. It was too long, and I had already began to forget it once he stopped. He shook his head, clearing the angry glare from his eyes.

"Moon," He said. I perked up.

"Can you understand me?" I asked immediately. He cocked his head and grunted.

"RarghrrA," He snarled.

"RarghrrA," I copied with a sigh. Why does this keep happening? I wondered to myself.