The enthusiasm and energy had long been burnt out of every dragon as they flapped and glided onwards in a group, the few air dragons controlling a steady breeze that continued to propel them onwards. Towards their destination, which Ore felt like she wasn't prepared for, and she had had a lot of training.

Sun shining overhead, the bright rays picked out the large, loud group of dragons like splashes of coloured lights in an otherwise dark room. Clouds had started to form slightly higher in altitude than what the dragons were flying at, wisps of white had condensed into noticeable marks against the endless blue.

Away in the distance, a thin outline of something slightly darker than the sky - but different to the depth of the sea - had appeared, and seemed to be growing like an old dragon with each flap of their wings. Hoping that this was land, the group had pushed onwards, wings aching from the amount of flying but they couldn't give up. Giving up meant a slow decent into the rolling waves, something that only a water or air dragon may survive, and had been learned the hard way by an earth dragon - he'd managed to get out with the help of some water and air dragons.

This was an opportunity to learn how to survive, to adapt, and to keep your loyalties, Ore decided as she watched the long blob grow, her scales were getting a bit too warm and her wings were straining to keep her in the sky. Deciding to glide a little, a soft breeze propelled her onwards, an air dragon somewhere behind her helping with the flight.

Quickly glancing behind revealed a relaxed Mercury taking slow beats with her large wings - as if she was flying leisurely, not as if they had been flying for ages over something that could kill her. Seeing her gaze, the air dragon beat her wings quicker and caught up like Ore had just been flying slowly.

"It is in times like these, that I wish that I was an air dragon," Ore concluded, eyes watching the dragon gliding next to her.

"Being me has its uses," Mercury agreed. "Although, keeping everyone else going is hard work, some others are already worn out, so we are taking turns at helping everyone. What is on your mind?" The air dragon stopped, but it seemed like she was going to say something else, but didn't.

"The loyalties of those around us," Ore said, watching the air dragon carefully as she agreed. "I do not think that everyone is going to come back, that the feeling of freedom is too tempting to give up."

"It has crossed all our minds," Mercury said, glancing back at the other air dragons. "But apart from killing the poor souls, there is nothing that we can do. I apologise for my earlier aggression, all I could see was the crazy, grieving hatchling that you were when we last spoke. I feel as though you have changed, Ore, you cannot be who you once were, and embrace that."

Ore was silent, the conversation had changed so suddenly, from others to herself, that her mind was still going over it.

"Thank you for that, and what you did on that day," the metal dragon said and their conversation grew quiet as they continued to switch between flying and gliding and grew closer to their destination.

Continuing to fly together, the pair of dragons watched the group of dragons, wondering which would not return with them, and which would. It was hard to guess as neither really knew the other dragons that well - communication between groups were rare.

Darkness fell over the flying dragons, closely followed by a deafening rumble of thunder that threatened Ore's future hearing. One of the clouds which had been growing darker and darker as the group flew was now ready to release its load. Due to the dragons' gradual decent, the waves now rolled a short distance beneath them whilst the clouds now slithered over the sky above. Now, they were in danger as the gradually strengthening winds pushed at the water which now lunged for the young dragons.

Wind propelled the flapping dragons upwards, away from the water and danger, as their destination grew clearer and closer. The thin blob that had been on the horizon had separated into multiple small islands, which were now visible to the youngsters.

"Do you require some assistance?" A voice said from beneath, Ore looked down and saw a blue-grey dragon rise in altitude from the waves. "Sometimes I wonder why we keep meeting in such perilous circumstances, angel dragon, but isn't that our purpose?"

"My name is Ore, and I don't think I caught your name," Ore replied, voice rising against the winds that continued to propel them.

"It's Seaspray, I'll allow you to know," the male said as he rolled up in the air and past the two females.

"I am sorry, but apart from stopping us from getting us wet, or helping us out of the waves, I am not too sure what a water dragon would do to help us," Mercury said, Ore glanced over to see that the air dragon had narrowed her silver eyes.

"You never know, we could be related, air dragon, for I'm only half a water dragon."

So he was a hybrid, which meant that the weird colour of his scales actually made sense, as most water dragons were blue - or had a green tinge to them. But Ore hadn't seen him board one of the crafts, and everyone else had gotten on before her.

"Which craft were you on?"

"Thought you may ask that question, to be honest I was surprised that you were sent with the success, and not with those of us who were also released due to our freedom-seeking urges. Although, my trainer did take a wrong turn and took me to the hall, but we managed to slip away to go where we were meant to be," Seaspray said, his voice carrying as easy as the clouds drifting across the sky.

"You tried to-" Mercury begun, but was interrupted by the male.

"No. They thought that I was trying to escape but in reality, I was trying to stop others from escaping. Too subtle a difference for some humans though, so I was condemned with the dragons I attempted to stop."

The gliding air dragoness muttered something inaudible to Ore, but the male flinched and grew silent. Rumbles of thunder and rolling waves filled the silence between the three dragons as the islands grew larger and larger for the large group of tired dragons.

- - -

Now drenched with the falling water - and an unanimous decision to save the water dragons' strength - Ore and the large group of dragons flew over rocks being beaten by endless waves, the spray crashed upwards in an attempt to catch the tired dragons. The clouds had caught up to them and had darkened the world a while ago and there wasn't any light, just water and the rocks which were slowly growing in size and quantity.

Seeing the nearest island that had greenery and hills wasn't so far away, they had picked up speed and now flew over the water at a pace solely fuelled with hope and excitement. Rather than stopping the wind from blowing the dragons off-course, those with control over the air redirected the gusts to help the group, or away so they wouldn't bother them.

Up ahead, Ore could see trees (although any caves were hidden by the foliage or just weren't there) as they approached, she glanced at the two dragons next to her, the winds pushing them forwards. Mercury's wing flaps had become slower and glided for a few moments before pushing again. The air dragon's eyes fluttered closed before snapping open with a shake of her head.

Seaspray wasn't much better, his wings continued to flap, although they too were becoming slower. His eyes were open and watching the dragons ahead, only briefly closing when a dragon started to struggle before being propelled into the air.

A splash turned Ore's head to her right, where-

"Mercury!" Ore roared, watching the air dragon flail against the waves, wings beating the water in an attempt to get back into her domain. The pair met eyes, the air dragon's were wide and glanced around, her jaws releasing a cry as a wave went over her head.

Ore's swoop downwards was interrupted by a sharp scraping noise and her name being called as she plummeted towards the rolling waves. Water dragons dived downwards into the water after the dragon, wings pushed tightly against their bodies.

"You would be of no use; you would decrease her chances as the dragons would also go after you!" Seaspray roared down at Ore, who whined in response.

"Keep flying! They'll catch up soon!" A feminine voice roared over the murmurs, Ore glanced over to see the familiar dark scales and lighter eyes of Carbon, who was watching her and the waves below. Once one had continued their flying, the remainder of the large group winged their way towards the island whilst Ore, Seaspray and a few others consisting of air, water, and fire dragons stayed behind.

Eyes remaining upon the waves, Ore remained in the air whilst her mind whizzed numerous scenarios through her head. What if Mercury had been bashed into the rocks? What if she'd drowned? What if the water dragons could not find her? What if the water dragons couldn't get her out? What if...

A fire dragon called out as he spotted movement under the waves, his scales and wings had remained dry - most likely because of a water dragon - during the flight. Ore's eyes scanned the waves, searching the area before going back over before seeing a water dragon's head break free of the waves.

Moments later, the rest of the water dragons resurfaced, carrying a limp air dragon as the water moved upwards before flinging them into the air. Flying after them as fast as she could, Ore watched as the water dragons flapped onwards slowly, their claws clutching Mercury's limp form.

Catching up, Ore's eyes were glued upon Mercury, whose chest was rising and falling rapidly as she gasped down the air. The others caught up soon after Ore did, and before long, they were flying towards the island ahead.

The waves crashed against rocks and cliffs as they searched for the main body of the group, who had landed in a large clearing in the woods. Some dragons were rolling over the vegetation whilst others had curled up and were falling asleep, but they all looked upwards towards the small group who landed.

Helpless, Ore landed and watched as the fire dragon sat next to the shivering air dragon and began the slow process of warming her back up whilst the others walked away and lay down, casting glances as the last water dragon to leave ensured that her scales were dry before lying down next to some other water dragons.

"She'll be alright, she has to be. Or I do not know how we're going to get back," Carbon said next to Ore, their eyes fixated upon the sleeping silver dragon.

"There will be less of us, and she is with the right species," Ore said as the metal healer sat down next to the collapsed dragon and placed her paw upon her head.

"Excuse me," a female voice said from behind the dragons, Ore turned around and saw a group of a wide variety of species - and was a little smaller than their own - watching them with narrowed eyes. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"