The Silver Scales

The Silver Scales Chapter 16

The Disgruntled Diplomat

(A/N: A little shorter chapter this time but I am setting up some bigger conflicts in the next few chapters to come so be on the lookout for more conflicts as the Abyssalwing's try to reintegrate into the wider world!)

Abyss made his way down into the Academy's tunnels, ignoring the stares he drew from the students, most of which haven't heard of his tribe yet, and therefore weren't sure what to make of a strange dragon walking through the halls with a crab claw for his upper right arm. He pricked his ears up as he began to hear someone talking, the dragon sounded ancient, it must be this "Waves" Teacher he was told to see.... Or was it Webs? Welsh? Abyss shook his head. 'These names are too short, whatever happened to the nice old-time seawing names like Coralbreaker, Sharkslicer, or even just Shipsinker? It seems everyone wants simple names to keep their heads below the water instead of standing out! Disgraceful.' The Abyssalwing grumbled to himself. Turning into the class his echolocation-like sonar that allowed him to see let him identify 8 Students, one he recognized as Spirit, and Webs, who stopped his lesson as he noticed the newcomer. "Can I help..." He paused suddenly, staring at Abyss's right arm, blinking in stunned silence.

Abyss couldn't stop a growl from emitting from his throat, lifting his arm and snapping it at Webs, causing the old dragon to jump. "Yes, it's...... real, get... over... it," Abyss grumbled. "Is this the history cave?" He asked, hoping to get that old dragon to finally speak rather than just stare at the prince like he had three heads. "Yes, It's the history cave." Spirit's voice suddenly said after another long moment of Webs staring. Spirit, unlike everyone else, was the only one who didn't seem bothered by Abyss's appearance. However, that was more because of Abyss having taken Spirit by force down to his kingdom, where she had seen a LOT stranger than just a claw for an arm in the kingdom. "What are you doing here?" Webs finally spoke, snapping out of his confoundment.

"I'm the... new diplomat... between... my tribe... and your... seven... tribes." He said, looking back at Webs. "And... according to... my queen's... agreement... with your... queens, I... am... to observe.... this school... and how.... it works. Determine... if... it.. is an app-" Abyss Suddenly had to stop talking as a fit of coughs came from Abyss, some blood being coughed up. "Are you alright?" Treefrog Asked, concerned. "He's fine," Spirit said, walking over and handing Abyss a small camel cloth. "This happened with the queen, they've spent so much time underwater not talking like we do that they can't speak for long amounts of time without hurting themselves. Time and practice should let them speak without this happening." Spirit said as she sat back down at her desk. "And let me guess," Avalanche growled, her angered eyes having never left Abyss. "You are going to have to be the one who translates his thoughts to ask all the questions and comments he may have?" She asked, not trusting this abyssalwing since the prince had kidnapped Spirit and dragged her to the Abyssalwing kingdom, to begin with.

"That would seem to be the plan, yes," Spirit said, jotting down the last bit of the sentence she was writing for her notes on the current lesson. Before Avalanche could protest for this Spirit suddenly added. "Hey I'm not happy about it either i'd rather be down in the trench training rather than up here with you surface dwellers." Caused her winglet members to stare at her, and she pointed her quill at Abyss to indicate it was his thoughts she had relayed, not her own.

"Well, what in the moon did we ever do to you?!" Avalanche snapped at him. "We weren't the ones who kidnapped a dragon from your tribe and dragged him out of the ocean to bake in the sun!" Avalanche snarled, "Or held your crab claw against my throat while threatening me over a misunderstanding!" quickly added Alligator. Abyss looked over at the two outbursting dragons.

"Well do forgive me if we don't trust your tribes. Considering what your queen did to her daughter," Abyss pointed at Wavegiver, "What your queen did to anyone and everyone." He moved his claw to point at Falcon. "What your tribe did to your children." He pointed at Avalanche. "What your tribe do to the literal most kind, calm, friendly dragones on the entire continent" He pointed at Mindreader "And what ALL of your tribes do during a 21-year-long war over something as stupid as who should rule the sand kingdom when it as obvious no one was fit to rule that kingdom in the first place." He snarled. "None of your tribes gave us any reason to trust you, so forgive me if I wanted to make sure Spirit was the one we have been waiting for to reintroduce us to your world. Maybe next time don't do things to other tribes or your flesh and blood that is LUDICROUS!!"

The room fell silent, Abyss's points having hit hard for many of them. "True," Spirit said, causing her friends to all snap their heads at her with a shocked look. "But if that is how you feel why would your tribe trust me? I'm half-sounding, the disastrous tribe who started the war in the first place, and Nightwing, the "Monsters" who kidnaped and imprisoned rainwings who were behaving a lot more like plants and sloths than dragons. So why does your tribe trust me at all?" She asked, her chin on her talon as she stared at Abyss with an admittedly cocky look.

Abyss paused, lowering his claw arm as he saw both Spirit's cocky look and statement and her friends, particularly Alligator and Avalanche, smirking at him. "That is different. I knew you were the one because of a prophecy by a close friend of our queen back then." He countered. "A prophecy by a-" Spirit began. "Yes, but Nightwings back then weren't frauds making up a prophecy just to get their way and they certainly weren't kidnapping peaceful dragons." Abyss cut her off with a snarl.

Spirit shrugged. "How about we all just stop criticizing each other and get on with the lessons?" Webs suddenly interjected. "Abyss you can sit there, I am in the middle of a lesson, you can ask all the questions you like after I am done." Abyss glanced at Webs, not liking he was going to have to take such orders, but he kept his mouth, or rather more accurately Spirit's mouth, shut for the time being. Sitting at the spot Web's had gestured to.

'You didn't need to have defended them.' Abyss grumbled into Spirit's mind. Before he could say anything else Spirit whipped her tail onto his leg, causing him to jump at the sudden act of hostility. "If I'm going to be to your mouth you don't get to start criticising what I do just because you dislike it. And I can defend whoever I want to," She glared at him. "So shut your trap, and let me focus on my lessons." She snapped at the prince. "And if you open your mouth I'll whack you with my tail too, Avalanche," Spirit said, not even needing to look to know Avalanche had her mouth open for a snarky comment. "Fine," Avalanche grumbled, turning back to her notes to keep up with Web's lesson.

Spirit gave a quiet sigh as she kept writing her notes. She had only ever wanted a normal life, but now it looked like she was to be the diplomat's mouthpiece for the foreseeable future. Half of her wanted to wish she had never had mind reading, but if it wasn't her, then someone much more callous and with their agenda might have caused much more trouble than Abyss We could have been in her place.... Spirit gave another quiet sigh but made no further comments. She would just have to adjust and adapt to life like she always has done. She just hoped and prayed that she could prevent Abyss from fighting with her friends in the future.