Shadow Falling

Power

Shade stared incredulously at the scavenger. Had it really just talked?

"You can talk!" Passion cried excitedly, jumping around on her hind legs. "Where did you learn to do that?!"

The scavenger stopped squirming, looking up at Passion with wide eyes.

"Dragons... dragons can talk?" It squeaked, its voice striking Shade as being a young female.

"Of course we can! What do you think we do? Just growl and snap at each other all the time? Come on, we're not stupid!"

"But... but whenever I heard you before, it was all growls. How... How can I understand you?"

Passion froze, looking very confused. Shade felt her confusion. Just seconds before the scavenger had been doing its odd little squeaks. And the other one that was still squealing from the trees sure wasn't speaking Dragon. The only thing that Shade even thought could make a scavenger speak Dragon would be magic.

Animus magic.

"Uh, Passion? Um... can you... can you maybe... be an animus?" he asked tentatively.

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Shade. Only Icewing and Seawing royals can be animus! And my father's not royalty. And not a Seawing!"

"Yeah, well... you could test it? Uh, like, uh... something small. Something that won't make you lose too much of your soul. You could... make a plant turn a weird color?"

She shrugged, scavenger still in her grip. Then she walked up to a plant with glossy, dark green plant with broad fanlike leaves. She screwed up her face, squinting at the plant.

"Plant!" she snapped. "I command you to turn your leaves rainbow!"

The plant immediately shifted into a rainbow of hues. Both Passion and Shade jumped back in shock. How... How? This was even possible? And he, Shade, was with a literal animus. The stuff of legend.

But also quite dangerous.

Passion leapt into the air in ecstasy, drawing a scream from the throat of the small scavenger. Her scales were shifting all across the color spectrum, but the most prominent color was bright blinding yellow. Then she landed, looking so excited that Shade didn't want to bring up the fact that her soul was very vulnerable now that she did know.

"I can do magic!" she whispered reverently. "I can do magic!"

"Please put me down!" The scavenger squealed, interrupting Shade before he could say anything.

"Oh! Right!" Passion set the tiny thing down, before getting really close to it, nose barely touching it. "What is your name? Do you have a name? Do scavengers even have names? Can I name you?!"

The scavenger opened her mouth, but the other had finally darted out of the brush and gripped her by the arm, trying to pull her away. Before he could, Passion slammed her tail down in front of the larger one, suddenly looking very fierce. Her scales had a crimson tinge to them.

Shade tensed. Was this a sign that Passion was already losing some of herself? Maybe he was just paranoid...

"I don't think you want to try that. Little friend, do you trust this one?"

"He's... he's my brother! He only thinks you're trying to eat me."

"Oh, why didn't you say so! I give you the ability to speak Dragon!"

Shade leapt forward, anxious.

"Passion, be careful! Your soul!"

"I'll be careful! I've heard stories, too. It actually takes a bit longer than most dragons think. Anyway, do you have a name, little friends?"

"I'm Vine," the small one said. "This is Hickory."

"They talk!" Hickory croaked.

"Of course, silly thing!"

Passion grinned at Shade.

"I told you it would be okay! And we found out I'm an animus!" she jerked oddly. "I need to talk to Jewel! I need to get to Jewel!"

She bounced around slightly, looking a bit manic, wing waving about wildly. She seemed to be thinking through something very seriously. Then she snapped her wings tight against her body.

"I make myself immune to my sister, Jewel's, frost scales!" she shouted.

Nothing seemed different. The only thing that happened was Shade's heart leaping painfully in his chest. Passion was too flippant with her magic. She had to stop.

Passion spun around, speaking to the scavengers.

"Please stay here! I need to do something! Just be good little scavengers and stay!! Shade, come on!"

She jumped into the air, leaving Shade with little choice. He followed her.