When the Stars and Moons Fall - a Duo Fandom Mafia

The Game Has Only Just Begun (MudWings; Prologue)

Yes, it's been named. I couldn't help it, okay? :S 

.xXXx.

The spray of the river painted Delta's already-dark claws black as he waded in, searching for fish. His small nonsib battalion was suffering; every day they were close to starving. The SandWing War of Succession kept everyone alert as they watched the shadows stalking them, paranoid that even they would soon ambush them. 

And ambush they would. 

A certain shadow stood, watching. Waiting. Ready for the demise of a leader too tyrannical to live. Xe flexed xyr talons, mud squelching beneath. This was the day. This was the day they would take over the sib group and rid them of their selfish bigwings. Everyone would applaud xem and follow xyr leadership happily. 

After all, none of them were attached to him, right? 

Delta snarled out loud. "Three moons, fishing shouldn't be this hard!" His teeth bared, the MudWing lunged forward at a flying silvery shape, only to miss its tail by a scavenger-length. Don't roar. Don't roar. You're fine. Just don't roar. — already thinks you're evil; xe doesn't need more fuel to add to the fire. 

A short, sporadic gulp was all the air the bigwings needed before he dove down, vanishing under the water's pearly surface. Fish, fish, fish. How do those SeaWings do it? 

No! Come back up, you idiot! — thought frantically as Delta disappeared. I need to do it now! Not later! We need to be united before we see the front lines! 

"Ahah!" Delta roared as he reared his head, dropping the scaly carcass clenched between his teeth. "I got one!" Actually, I won't eat tonight. That'll show —! Tyrant? Nah, of course not. 

Now's my chance. Now's the time to free us from his choking grip. 

The whisper of the cattails was the only warning Delta got before his snout was shoved into the muddy riverbank. Xyr talons hadn't even squelched in the mud; a sign of years spent training to be a silent, deadly assassin. 

Delta wheezed, the wind knocked out of him. He needed to struggle, to fight. What if they got to his sibs!? What kind of bigwings was he if he couldn't protect himself, let alone the others!? 

No! I can't leave them to —'s judgement. Xe'll tear them apart! 

Kicking the mud with his back talons, Delta felt himself slowly gaining the upper ground. His attacker pushed him into the ground as forcefully as xe could,  but they were nothing compared to Delta's strength. Hope was a beautiful puddle of warm mud, coaxing him with its intoxicating appearance. I'm going to win! I'm going to survive! I can protect them, protect them a- 

Talons pulled back, xe struck him between the eyes so hard he immediately was out cold. His mind, once so blinding with giddiness and relief, was dark. Murky. 

And it would slowly dim more as the life leaked out of him, never to brighten again. 

Good. Now we'll be free, — thought with a dark grin smeared on xyr snout. A sinister chuckle tickled xyr tongue as xe tore Delta's stomach open, gutting him as one would the fish carcass lying on the bank. Now we'll all be free. 

They'll thank me. I'm doing the right thing. I'm prying us from Delta's never-ending selfishness. 

It's not like any of us loved him. Of course not. 

Right? 

.xXXx.

Dawn gently nudged Mossy the MudWing awake, their bright green eyes staring into the mist. 

Rargh, I hate waking up in the morning, they thought grumpily, glaring at the fog in the air. I wish it was night time. 

"Mossy," Coontail growled once he saw they were awake. "Where is Delta?" 

"I don't know," they snapped, baring their teeth at him. Stupid dragon who can't be manipulated. "He went fishing last night. Maybe he fell asleep by the river?" 

"Really? He 'fell asleep by the river'? We're in the middle of a war, for Pyrrhia's sake! You don't even suspect that he was, I don't know, murdered?" 

Mossy tried not to roar at their sib — mostly because it could wake the others and lower their opinion of Mossy, and possibly making the others harder to manipulate -- and instead settled for letting smoke seep out of their nostrils. "Oh, so now we always have to jump to the worst conclusion there is just because we're in a war. Good to know, genius." 

"What's going on?" Mink asked with sleep tinging her voice, shrinking away when both Mossy and Coontail swung around to glare at her. 

"We don't know where Delta is," Mossy replied softly, wincing when Coontail growled at them. "I think he's still by the river, but we haven't checked." 

Coontail nearly snarled at the gray dragon before composing himself. "I'll go check now. Mossy, I think you should stay behind and keep Mink company." 

Mossy smiled sweetly and nodded, replying, "Yes, that's a great idea! C'mon, scoot over, Mink." 

Mink frowned but complied nonetheless, watching Coontail's tail vanish into the tall reeds surrounding them. 

"Why do you two hate each other?" Mink asked after a moment of silence. I mean, I know you guys can't manipulate each other, but that doesn't mean you should be enemies. You could join forces and be even more powerful! 

Mossy blinked, their tail tip just barely flicking in aggravation. I underestimated you, Mink. But don't worry, it won't happen again. 

"We don't hate each other," they replied gently, shifting. "Coontail just. . .doesn't believe in Delta's ability to lead. I have to protect our bigwings from his ambi--" 

A startled roar swallowed the rest of Mossy's sentence. 

Nutria, who had been quietly reading(and listening to Mink and Mossy's conversation, but not that she'd ever admit that), shot up. "Coontail!?" 

Mossy growled mentally, yet the mask on their snout stayed in place. "Coontail, what happened!? Did you find Delta?" they called out, worry accenting their tone. 

Grunting and the sliding of mud was soon heard by the three -- and the others, who were beginning to stir -- as Coontail exploded from the reeds, dragging a lump of dried mud behind him. 

"Delta's dead," he snarled, throwing the body into the ashes of the fire. "And one of us killed him." 

Ah. I'm late. 

Hey, it's just like old times! 

Truly, I am sorry. Something came up and I wasn't allowed to come back home until recently. I'm sorry. 

PMs will be sent out in a few hours. 

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