Into the Abyss

Memories

          Sand washed over Abyss' scales as he slithered up onto the beach. He stalked up the beach of the lake that had once been full of living dragons. The once proud spires loomed over him. He glanced at the sand covered skeletons that stuck out of the sand, left behind. He watched with sorrow the burning tapestries and brushed a Talon across them.
          The ruins of the Summer Palace.
          It had once been his home. He went there everytime he wanted peace. The sounds of small waves lapping the shore, the cries of tropical birds always eased his wartime life. His whole life his older sister, WhiteTip, the only other hybrid in the family, had been out to get him. She'd always hated him and wanted to get rid of him. She was roaming the bay right now no doubt looking for him with her war party. Both of them had gathered warbands to fight each other but hers was substantially larger. Consisting of SandWings, NightWings, SkyWings and a couple other tribe members, it was a formidable force. He illuminated the space with his yellow-green bioluminescent stripes. The warm glow spread throughout the wreckage. He sighed and sat down. He looked up at the stars...
          How did it go so wrong? Why was his quarrel with his sister a whole nother war now?
          Then he remembered. It was the MudWing his mother had killed. Well she more made sure she was dead by slitting her throat, her face had already been melted when the body crashed into the water that day. A band of MudWings has been furious unbeknownst to a young Abyss. He took her to the outskirts of the Mud Kingdom one day and that's when they attacked. His mother was killed but he got away. WhiteTip blamed his for the loss of their mother because Abyss had been unable to fight. This caused him to stay on the Deep Palace or move from island to island whenever he visited the Bay of a Thousand Scales.
          That's why I'm doing this. That's why I have to fight for the Lost Sea, so that my dragons and friends can live in peace, out of her reach.
         Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop
         The sound of water droplets interrupted his thoughts. He got up and shifted positions. This time he lay down and once he got used to the sound of the droplets forming a puddle he settled back into thought. It was in these long periods of solitude that he found peace. He didn't have to worry about Mamba and Rockslide who depended on him and his quest to find the Lost Sea. He didn't have to think about anything...and he loved it.
          A splash sounded off in the distance.
          What's was that? Abyss thought, Was it a dragon, a spy perhaps? Or was it just a dolphin or manatee and I'm being paranoid?
         He didn't move but he clenched his webbed talons, making small grooves in the sand beneath him. The light of the moons was dim that night but he didn't need it. His SeaWing side provided him with good night vision.
         The water in the lake began to move. As is someone, or something was swimming through the winding tunnel entrance. Maybe it was a shark or manatee that would provide him with a midnight snack. But something in his mind said is was something else.
         He dimmed his stripes until they were nothing. Then he sat and waited, muscles tensed. The water stopped moving but he felt a presence.
          Abyss, you here? Someone flashed in Aquatic, the language SeaWings speak underwater with their stripes. The stripes were a light turquoise like most SeaWing stripes. But this one knew his name.
         I'm here, he flashed his greenish stripes in response, Why dont you get up here before I leap down their and drown you? He added.
         The water erupted, sending little droplets everywhere. "You can't drown a SeaWing, squid brain," the dragon said.
         "Watch me," Abyss replied, relieved to see it was only Deeptide, one of his best friends.
          "Oh I better watch out huh?" Deeptide said, pretending to be scared, "Anyway I thought you'd be here,"
          "I like it here," Abyss said, turning to survey the surroundings.
          "It's so quiet and lonely though," Deeptide said glancing around.
          "That's why I like it,"
          "Why?"
          "Because I dont have to deal with other dragons,"
          "Oh, like me?" Deeptide said, looking a little hurt.
          "Yup," Abyss joked, "I hate my best friend,"
          Abyss lunged and tackled Deeptide sending sand cascading over the beach. Deeptide roard in surprise, a friendly roar of course. The two dragons writhed and wriggled beneath each others weight, black, white, and green scales clashing against each other.
          Finally Deeptide gave up. Their "fight" reminded Abyss of the times they would do this as dragonets. When WhiteTip would scoff and them and fight the winner. It all seemed so light hearted back then.
          "You need to do that more often and quite being such a grumpy gills," Deeptide said after a moment of sand bathing.
         "I'm not grumpy...just solitary," Abyss said looking to Deeptide. 
         "Oh come on," Deeptide said slapping a talon into Abyss' chest playfully. "I know you're a big lover in there somewhere, it shows when Manta's around,"
          "Pfft, no I'm not," Abyss said wryly, is he right? Am I that obvious? "I don't have feelings for anyone," he finished.
          "Oh yes you do. Abyss I know you, you get so caught up in this war and worry way too much when WhiteTip isn't uuh...well...around...anyway, you need to let them out," Abyss' ears perked up and Deeptide continued, "You need to let dragons in, make a physical contact, be reckless, fall in love, I bet Manta would like that," he added in a sing song voice. Abyss rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "Just think about it, get you mind off this whole quarrel," Deeptide said standing up turning toward the lake.
          "Wait, what do you mean when WhiteTip's not around?" Abyss said concerned.
          "A flash of discomfort ran through Deeptide's stripes, "Well a scout, Abalone, said that she was searching islands in the bay, no doubt for you, or the Lost Sea...I wasnt gonna tell you till we were back at the Rainsforest Kingdom,"
          "LEAPING BARRACUDAS!" Abyss jumped up, "We're supposed to be back today!" He said hurredly, "Let's go!" He shot up to the hole in the canopy ceiling, there was no time for the winding tunnels of the entrance.
          As they emerged the sun had started to rise. They dive towards the water and as they splashed they scattered dozens of little tropical fish in all directions. Abyss quickly found a current that took them towards the mainland. It was warm and the bubbles tickled Abyss' underscales. As he was swimming he couldn't shove the "fall in love" talk Deeptide had said. He glanced over his shoulder to see the smaller green SeaWing about a dragon's length behind him. 
        Maybe he's right, Abyss thought, Maybe if I really try with Manta I can reel her in,
        He also thought that in the Rainforest Kingdom anything could happen. He knew a few NightWings and RainWings. His mind drifted back to war again too. I can build up my forces there, more MudWings, RainWings and even SOME NightWings, he was very fond of the night dragons. After all most of the ones who had agreed to join this fight fought for his sister. But who knows...Abyss felt that everything was about to change.