An Animus's Tale

Queen Carmine and her Statue

Redfeather the SkyWing was shaking from snout to tail. Queen Carmine was visiting Redfeather's small village, testing to see if anyone was an Animus.

"King" Darkstalker had just been defeated, along with Prince Albatross. Every dragon was now horrified of Animuses, so the queens had come up with a solution: if a member of their tribe is an Animus; kill them.

Redfeather did not like this solution at all.

What if she was an Animus? Would her queen really kill her?

She was only seven years old.

Redfeather lived in a small village a good distance from the sea. There were many cottages, but right smack in the middle was a life-size statue of Queen Carmine.

"She's here! She's here!" someone called out.

They were right. Queen Carmine soared down to the square with a few guards following her. "I hear that she's so rich," Redfeather heard her older brother, Jay, whisper. "That her egg was studded with gems."

"I can believe that," Redfeather smirked. Carmine landed in the same pose of her statue. Her scales were dark red, with yellow under scales.

She had golden hoop earrings with teardrop rubies on each ear. She had a golde band thing that warpped around her neck. It made her neck look as tall as a stork, with rubies making a stripe down the middle. Carmine smiled grimly down at her subjects.

"Hello, fellow SkyWings," she said. "I'm sure that you are all aware of all of that... Animus nonsense that has occurred lately."

A series of murmurs swept through the crowd. 

"And, as some of you know, my eldest daughter, Princess Sunset, was killed by the now-deceased Prince Albatross." the queen continued. "Animuses are evil, murderous monsters. But I have come with a solution."

Redfeather gulped nervously.

Queen Carmine grabbed a scroll from the nearest guard. She unrolled it carefully. "Skye of the SkyWings." she read. "You may come forward."

An orange SkyWing about three years old stumbled up to Carmine. 

"Enchant this leaf to turn into a rock," Carmine instructed.

A green leaf was put into the young SkyWing's hand. "How do I do that?" she asked.

Carmine snorted. "Just say, 'Enchant this leaf to turn into a rock!'"

Skye poked the leaf with her talon. "Um," she said. "I enchant this leaf to turn into a rock,"

Nothing happened.

Skye beamed. "I'm not an Animus!" she exclaimed. 

"Yes, yes," dismissed Carmine. She shooed Skye away. She cleared her throat, unrolling the scroll. "Ridge of the SkyWings,"

This time, an adult burgundy-colored SkyWing walked forward. Not an Animus. Then the next, then the next, then the next, and there were no Animuses. Soon the entire square was checked.

Except for Redfeather.

"Redfeather of the SkyWings," Carmine read.

Shaking, Redfeather walked forward. The leaf was placed in her palm.

She could tell that the queen wanted to leave. The sun was close to setting. "Enchant this leaf to turn into a rock," Carmine said wryly. "And do it fast so I can leave."

Redfeather looked down at the green leaf, then at Jay. She wasn't going to be an Animus. Nobody was.

She cleared her throat.

"I enchant this leaf to turn into a rock," she commanded.

Everybody waited intently.

Suddenly, the leaf turned grey. Redfeather dropped it as the leaf folded itself into a ball. it grew and grew and grew to the size of Carmine. Then it hardened into stone.

Redfeather was an Animus.