King of The Dragons (Wings of Fire X Monster Hunter)

Part 1: Chapter 1 &2

Part one: The Edge of the Ocean

(3rd Pov Stormcaller)

A wave roared onto the beach and crashed around his talons. 'The ocean,' he thought. 'Moonfish and Brook's home.' The Ceadeus and Namielle always came to mind when he saw the ocean. How could he not? His talons sank into the sand as he remembered Longfin. A Goldbeard Ceadeus that had died during the great war. He was a friend of his grandfather's and a friend of his. He felt the wind blow against him. He took a breath, breathing in the wild sea air that always seemed to calm him.

"Let me guess," Glory said mockingly behind Tsunami. "You guys, that's the smell of freedom."
Freedom smells a lot like fish," Starflight observed. "Which, to be clear, is kind of nose-curlingly awful."
"I love it," Tsunami said. Stormcaller could guess that she felt at home here.
"The smell of freedom is different for everybody," Stormcaller explained. "For you, Glory. It might be the rainforest."

The RainWing looked thoughtful for a moment. Starflight glanced up at the sky and edged back toward the dark foliage that lined the beach. "Shouldn't we stay under the trees? What if a patrol spots us? I mean-" He stopped and took a deep breath. "We must stay under the trees. All right. Yes. Everyone back into the trees right now."

Stormcaller looked back at Starflight, eyes narrow. He recognized the slight assertive tone in his voice, something the young NightWing had tried to do in the few day he had known him. It was also something Stormcaller was not used to, being told what to do. 'Those NightWings told him something,' he thought.

All the other dragon ignored the young NightWing, although Sunny gave him a pitying glance. Stormcaller looked back over at Tsunami. The SeaWing was studying her claws and the ocean, something was bothering her. He didn't know what.

"You know what I love?" Clay said mournfully. "Fish. Lots of fish. Big fish I can eat, not these little wriggle-scraps." The MudWing sat down on the sand beside Tsunami. His stomach growled loud enough for all of them to hear. "I don't know how you can do it Storm." The NightWing hadn't eaten since escaping from the Sky Kingdom.

"Storm?" He questioned.
Sunny giggled. "Clay, it's only been a day since you caught that enormous pig for al of us."
"You know, Storm. It's just part of your name. Because your name's a little long," Clay explained. "And that pig was the smallest pig in the whole world."

Stormcaller knew what the MudWing was talking about, but why Storm. There were many other options to pick from what picking a simpler name. And as far as he knew, Starflight wasn't called Star, and Clay had known the younger NightWing his whole life. Was it because Stormcaller had a slightly longer name?

"You should have eaten my carrots." Sunny clambered up to sit on the MudWings back and peer out at the ocean. The sun was just rising in a peach-pale sky, casting broken paths of light across the water. Two of the moons, barley slivers like thin claws, were vanishing behind the mountains.

"I'm serious, everybody," Starflight said. "It's not safe out on the beach, not with all the MudWings and SkyWings looking for us." The NightWing was standing well out of reach of the waves, trying to shake sand off his talons.

On the way here Starflight had worried and complained until everyone (minus Stormcaller) agreed. The SkyWings were probably mad about the part where Glory maybe killed their queen on the way out. But they didn't have to stop and hide as much as Starflight wanted.

"Why are you so worried?" Tsunami asked him. "If they do recapture us, won't your NightWing friends come swooping in to rescue you again?"
Starflight fluttered his wings indignantly. "I'm not worried for me," he said. "I'm trying to keep all of us safe." He glanced at Sunny and ducked his head.