Crow's Story

Prologue

The attack came suddenly. Cliff had been patrolling the nursery, checking on her egg. It was due to hatch any day now, and she was anxious to meet her son. A minor prince, but still a excitement for her. She thought she would never have any dragonets, until she met Silentdeath. Not too long after, she had found she was with egg. She swore to protect it at all costs. She was about to leave when the cries of panicked IceWings rang out, calling out, "Attack! The SandWings' are attacking!" She and many others quickly took up positions to protect the eggs, their spines bristling. As the first wave of SandWings streamed through, the IceWings in the nursery all attacked with a ferocity that all mothers knew. Nothing would harm their eggs. But there were too many. Several eggs were smashed or stabbed with the poisoned barbs, killing the unborn dragons. Roars of fury and despair rang through the palace. Hearing a sharp crack, Cliff turned, spotting her egg. A SandWing was poised to smash it. Cliff roared and tackled him, blasting his face with frostbreath. She stayed in front of her egg, then realised something: the large egg was rocking. Cliff fought back a wave of panic as she slashed the wings of a SandWing. He hissed and stabbed at her but missed, giving her the opportunity to shoot a blast of ice in his face. He howled, running. Scanning the palace floor, she saw several Nursery guards, slain from their posts, and several eggshells littering the floor with the bodies of tiny dragonets not yet hatched. The SandWings had attacked without reason or warning, going straight for the nursery. The little egg in the room across from her cracked open, revealing a beautiful little dragonet, with one blind eye. Her brother was slashed by a SandWing, and a second later Appaluchin snatched her up and flew towards the Queen's chambers. Her attention turned to the egg as it cracked, and she crouched near it, hissing, snarling, and lashing out at anyone who got close enough. A piece of eggshell fell down, then a pure white snout with darker blue accents poked out, followed by gray horns and green eyes. Her son squeaked, tilting the egg over and falling out in a tangle of wings and tail. She helped right him, but he squeaked almost... Angrily before nudging the egg and squeaking, as if urging something or someone out. Cliff frowned, then gently broke the egg open and gasped. A second, smaller dragonet lay curled up. He had a much more unique scale pattern and wing colors than her first son. His horns were a dark blue. Her first son nudged him and nipped his ear. Fearing the little dragonet was born dead, she gently picked the limp body up. He suddenly convulsed, then gulped and let out a fierce, squealing roar that she smiled at. He blinked sea-green eyes at her, and she smiled down at him as she picked his brother up. The sounds of war faded away as she hugged her sons. "Raven and Crow. Hello, little ones. Im your mother, Cliff." She said kindly. Crow, the dark-patterned one, tilted his head. "Awrrk?" He squeaked cutely, to which Raven responded and they began to have their own conversation. Setting them down, she turned and flared her wings, daring anyone to come near and hurt her children. The SandWings retreated not long after, with a few last blasts of fire at the magical ice palace. Looking under her wing, she saw Crow and Raven tussling, squeaking joyfully. She smiled and softly promised, "You two will live extroadinary lives," as the two young Princes' playfully fought together.