The Hidden Enemy

"Queen Coral requests that all tribes send any dragons that have Seawing blood to the Summer Palace!"

The Seawing messenger that had flown to the Rainwing Kingdom made the announcement to Queen Glory. The Queen then had a Rainwing relay that same message to Eclipse's tribe, the Nightwings. These were the dragons who had accepted Glory as their queen after the Nightwing Exodus. Eclipse, a young, seven-year-old dragon, was one of them.

"I know you don't want to go, but this could help you," Nightshade, Eclipse's father, urged. "You've always wanted to make a difference in the world. Now is your opportunity."

"Besides," he added quietly, "don't you want to find your mother?"

"You always know the right words to say when trying to convince me to do something, don't you?" Eclipse snapped.

She knew it was true, though. Her mother, whom she'd never met, was a Seawing, forced to leave her mate, Nightshade, a few years ago when she was still a dragonet. Back then, Queen Coral gave the same request, but it was more forced.

"I just don't want to leave you alone," she replied in a calmer voice.

"Neither do I," he replied, tucking Eclipse under his right wing. "However, you'll have the opportunity to see your mother for the first time."

Rain started to fall, the pitter-patter of droplets hitting the roof of our hut, ceasing the silence. Eclipse spotted their shadows as a bolt of white lightning lit up the stone-gray sky.

"Maybe you should get some sleep," Eclipse's father offered. "You have a long flight ahead of you."

Anxious thoughts swirled around in her head. On the one talon, if she flew to the Summer Palace, she might be able to find her mother. But on the other talon, she was going to fly across part of Pyrrhia into unknown territory. She had only just begun to learn how to use her bioluminescent Seawing stripes properly, and her swimming skills weren't as strong as she'd like them to be.

Eclipse grunted, then snuggled closer to her father and closed her eyes, hoping for no nightmares that might interrupt the peace she needed to calm herself. Thankfully, none entered her dreams.

* * *

The following morning, Eclipse woke to find a tiny talon poking her snout.

"Are you awake yet?" squeaked a small voice.

"Who are you?" Eclipse groaned, rolling on her back and spreading her wings out.

"First you need to get up," the voice demanded.

Eclipse rolled back over and stood up, stretching.

"Yeesh," she yawned. "You're pretty demanding for a little dragonet."

"I am not a dragonet," he squeaked.

"What are you talking about?" Eclipse asked. "You can't be more than two years old!"

"I'm actually one hundred years old, thank you very much," he said haughtily.

What exactly are his parents teaching him? Eclipse thought. Or am I still dreaming?

"My parents are long dead, you know."

"W-what? I never said..." she stammered. Can he read my mind?