Marina glided through the air with her mate, when they suddenly split apart, one of them laboriously hovering while the other continued to circle around. Then, when both were in place, they began diving. Ecru landed first, roaring. A small puff of blue fire smoked from his mouth as he did so. The prey that they had chosen was a dove, but not what Man thought was a dove. This dove was just beginning it's meal of a rabbit, and so it's beak and grayish, off white feathers were slightly splattered with blood. A dead carcass laid on the ground before it, and, upon seeing the honey colored dragon land, the dove, the size of a cow, hissed at Ecru. Then, it turned around, picked the broken body of the rabbit and began lift off, but Marina was there right behind it. Marina snarled, and snapped her jaws at the bird. The dove made a screeching sound, lowering both dragon's defenses for a while, and the dove flipped back and began attacking Ecru. The dove snapped it's beak at Ecru's scales, and it's saliva began making a sizzling sound as it made contact with the dragon scales, dissolving it. Ecru roared, and shot bursts of fire at the bird, or rather, around it, trying to herd it with fire back to the ground. Marina circled around from above and intercepted the dove, snatching it's neck with it's powerful maw and landing promptly. The doves neck was broken from the impact, and so the two dragons began cutting the dove open- they couldn't eat the feathers- and digging into their meal.
"I have to say, doves are a bother to try to catch," Ecru stated with a mouthful of meat in his mouth.
"True," Marina nodded, "but they are a great delicacy."
Ecru admitted that it was well worth the effort, and when the two dragons finished, they flew off so scavengers could finish off the body. Not surprisingly, ravens soon landed and began picking at the remains. Not long after, several doves landed and the ravens flew off, not wanting to be appetizers to the much larger doves. The doves hissed at the ravens flying away, and they began feeding on the body of their fallen comrade.
"Doves are savage," Marina muttered as she swung her head up and stopped watching the birds fighting over the carrion.
Ecru sighed, smoke curling from his nostrils. "I suppose there's no stopping the flow of things. I mean, doves are considered a symbol of violence and all things evil, aren't they?"
Marina shook her head. "I don't think so. I think those are some other animals. I think doves are something like violence and crooked ways."
"Really? I was almost sure that it was violence and evil! Oh well. Maybe we can ask some other dragon."
"Good idea. I wonder if Aquaflame as a mate yet?" wondered Marina.
"Ah yes, Aquaflame. Actually, I heard she forced herself back into egg state to await her destiny." Ecru tilted his head to one side. "Yes, I heard that from a green dragon. What was that green dragon's name again?"
"I think I know who you're talking about. Are you talking about Orion?"
"Orion! That's his name!"
"Last time I talked with him, he was telling me how he hoped to become Aquaflame's mate."
Ecru nodded. "He seemed really crushed when he told me about Aquaflame."
"Do you know where her egg is? Or does he know?"
"I think she forced herself into an egg in a cave, but I don't think Orion knows."
"Let's take a dive and find Orion. Maybe we can ask him."
Ecru nodded, then swerved sharply left, Marina following. Both dragons crashed into the water, and began twirling and twisting their bodies to keep diving. It took a while, but Marina's gills eventually began to kick in, and she continued to swim deeper. Ecru, however, didn't have gills, so he continued to hold his breath and wait. The two dragons had agreed if Ecru needed air immediately, Marina would use her sea dragon powers to create an air bubble for him long enough to take another breath. Removing water so that there was an air bubble and keeping the air bubble in one place took a lot of effort, so Ecru just tried not to give the signal until absolutely necessary. Fortunately, Ecru didn't have to wait long, as, soon, Marina appeared from the depths of the black ocean and shook her head. Orion wasn't there.
Marina and Ecru surfaced, and Ecru burst out, "What do you mean Orion's not there? That's his lair, isn't it? And he's not nomadic!"
Marina shook her head and shrugged. "I looked around and all I saw was, well, his gems, but that's it!"
Ecru's eyes widened. "You don't think he found out where Aquaflame's egg was, do you? Do you think he'll force her to hatch?"
Marina yelped. "I don't think he'd be that cruel, do you? He loves her!"
Ecru jumped out of the water, and flapped his wings furiously which shook all the water off his wings. "More like obsessed! Or infatuated."
Marina followed suit and was soon in the air as well. "Ecru, we have to find Orion. We need to make sure he's safe!"
Ecru thought about it for a while. "Well, I suppose. Let's fly to the mountains. They have plenty of caves there."
Marina agreed and both began flying over the forest towards the mountains.
Meanwhile...
The unicorn with purple stripes whinnied and transformed into a pure white mare. Her slate gray rock-like horn transformed into a golden spiral.
The unicorn with the blue stripes snickered. "Nice disguise, Miasma." He also transformed white with the spiral, and they jumped into a nearby pasture.
"Okay, so," smirked Miasma. She tossed her mane. "Here's what we'll do. Let's eat that cow, and blame it on the wolves!"
"Hm, good idea. Then maybe we can appear and lead the farmer to the dead body just in time for the human to think it was the wolves!"
Miasma cackled. "Let's go eat the cow now, Cyanide. Hm, that one looks fat."
The two unicorns trotted up to the cow, who was lowing. She turned and looked at the strange creatures with horns. Without warning, the two began feasting on the animal, tearing it apart with their teeth.
"Chewing would be easier with our regular teeth," Cyanide mumbled. "Stupid herbivore teeth!"
After they were done, Miasma and Cyanide went into the woods and, using magic, binded a pack of wolves. With that, the unicorns pushed the wolves into place, and the wolves, panicking, began trying to run back into the woods. Miasma and Cyanide quickly trotted to the farmer's window.
"Grace! Look! Unicorns! Oh, look!" the farmer shouted, then ran out to the unicorns.
His wife followed and nearly fainted. "They're beautiful!"
Before the unicorns showed themselves to the farmer, they had cleaned away the blood splatters. The unicorns began running towards the carcass of the farmer's best cow. The farmer and his wife followed.
Miasma lifted the wolf binding spell once the wolves came into the farmer's view.
"Look Grace! Wolves! Oh! Bessy! Our best cow has been murdered! Those thieving wolves!"
Miasma and Cyanide both reared up and whinnied. Then, they began following the wolves, as if in pursuit. The farmer cheered.
"You get them, unicorns! You make them pay!"
Miasma and Cyanide changed back into their regular forms as soon as the farmer could no longer see them. They both laughed.
"That stupid farmer thinks the wolves did it," snickered Cyanide.
"Yes, we have successfully planted suspicion into his heart!" cried Miasma gleefully.
"Let's go back to the Dark Woods- OUR woods. We can plot more misdeeds for Man later."
The two unicorns nodded to each other, and melted into the shadows.
