𝘼 𝘽𝘼𝙇𝙇𝘼𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙎 𝘿𝙀𝘼𝘿 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝘿𝙔𝙄𝙉𝙂, wings of fire

Chapter Two

THE MASSIVE SANDWING folded her wings as she stared down at the smaller dragons occupying the room, her charcoal eyes settling on Aether for a noticeably longer moment before an unsettling grin overtook her face. She said nothing more to them, slithering between Metalmark and Siphonophore toward the chambers she would be sharing with the hybrid.

     Aether shifted uncomfortably, but offered a smile toward Fire Opal when it noticed his expression. "Hey, don't jump to conclusions. Maybe she's nice."

     Appleseed turned up her nose. "Sure didn't look nice." She commented. "Did you see the way she looked at us? Like a predator before the pounce."

     "It was a bit unsettling," Chimpanzee remarked, the scales along his back blooming with green. "What if she decides to kill you in your sleep?"

     "That would be a bit difficult, considering I don't go down easily." It replied, swishing its tail back and forth, glancing around at everyone before it huffed, only to be interrupted by a roar coming from the room. It jerked to the side and spun, slithering quickly into its room just in time to see Mirage snap her jaws toward a small blue bird that dashed through the air, arcing toward the hybrid and diving under one of its wings.

     The SandWing raised her wings, landing a few paces away from Aether in a threatening manner. Her white fangs were bared into a threatening growl, enough so that the young hybrid found itself cowering back in surprise and terror.

     A soft, strangled chirp emerged from its wing, and the bird peeked out, wiggling from the interesting hiding place and fluttering to sit upon its horns. Mirage narrowed her eyes.

     The dragon stepped back, tail swishing low to the ground. Three moons, she was massive, larger than itself.

     "I take it that you're my roommate, then?" The SandWing stared down at the hybrid, interest sparking in her near-charcoal gaze. She then moved, slithering around it and brushing the venomous tip of her tail against its scales, the gesture vaguely threatening. "Aether?"

     Mouth dry, the young dragon flinched away from her tail. "Yeah." It grunted, tucking its wings closer to its sides and ducking its head as the bird chirped out nervously.

     "Hmmm . . ." She lowered her snout in turn to brush against the side of its face. "You look more like a sparrow to me." Her teeth bared slightly. "A little sparrow."

     I'm not little. Aether thought indignantly, but wisely didn't move or retaliate against her, not with her fangs capable of tearing the scales off its face.

     The massive SandWing pulled back after a long moment, teeth bared in an unsettling grin as she curled her tail just slightly. "Well, I assume you already know, my name is Mirage."

     "I read your name on our door earlier."

     "Oh, but introductions are so much more personal, darling."

     Aether tensed. "Don't call me that. I'm no one's darling."

     Mirage raised her head, a motion scarily similar to a serpent rearing before the strike, but she said nothing else, that smirk never leaving her face as she turned and slithered toward her own side of the room.

     The young hybrid took a step back and felt for the door, pushing it open lightly and returning to the common area.

     As soon as it was no longer trapped in that room with the fearsome SandWing, Aether let out a soft exhale, twitching one wing as a signal to the little bird perched on its horns. In response, he let out a soft chirp, shaking out his feathers and rubbing his beak against its face in a preening motion to calm the both of them down. It would admit that the way her presence alone instilled a thrashing heart was not something common with the young hybrid, and without saying anything to anyone lurking in the common room, it slithered out, emerging into the hallway.