Ore glanced at Carbon who met her eyes very quickly before looking towards Mercury, who was watching the newcomers with narrowed eyes. Every dragon had grown very quiet in a very short period of time.

The female water dragon stood with her head held high as she looked downwards upon the mixture of species and experiments that had gathered within the clearing. Reflecting the sunlight, elegant cerulean wings were perched upon her back.

"I will ask again, what are you doing here? Are you from the humans? Or have you come from another island and decided the invade this territory?"

Movement from behind dragged Ore's concentration from the water dragoness and upon a shivering Mercury, who was being followed by a couple fire dragons which were still attempting to warm her up. The female air dragon walked to the front of the group, to the dismay of those trying to help her.

"We have escaped from the human base, seeking freedom and somewhere to live. We have-" Mercury started, but the female cut her off.

"Quite a large group, and I will assume that you all still have your trackers implanted still - cutting them out whilst flying would have been too dangerous and difficult. And you have a surprising shortage of injuries and range of ages to have escaped."

"We escaped during a planned trip to the human continent, and the majority of those injured fell behind and didn't make it. The rest we managed to heal in the air," Mercury said, making convincing lies in Ore's opinion.

The water dragon paused, as if to consider what the air dragon was saying, her eyes narrowed. Eyes concentrated upon the adults that stood in front of the group, Ore waited for the female to make up her mind.

"It isn't my position to tell whether you are telling truths or lies, so I will take you to the alphas, who will decide your fate," the female said before turning towards the other dragons and told them something, which many agreed with. "A storm is coming, which inexperienced shouldn't go near. So we will walk."

Turning away, the female walked into the trees, a few following whilst others waited for the youngsters to start moving. Which they did not long after.

The tops of the trees towered high above the young dragons whilst low hanging branches whipped into their bodies before being broken by a dragon who'd had enough. Roots and other plants dotted the ground, creating an obstacle course which Ore and the other dragons had not been prepared for.

Thunder roared closer and closer as the dragons continued to walk higher and higher up a mountain range. At some parts, the young dragons had to flap over a rock that the adults leapt over, which gave Ore the feeling that the dragons were just making it hard for them on purpose.

And a reason for Ore to not want to live here permanently.

As the storm finally finished growling in the distance and started to pummel the island, the group made their way downwards, back towards the forest. Mercury had to be supported by two fire dragons with a healer right behind due to her weakened state.

The clouds were a dark grey mass as they blocked out any light that had been there previously, which felt like the group were now walking in the night, with a group of dragons that didn't overly like them. So Ore considered the mission to be going... not that well.

As they passed between trees and through foliage, Ore wanted to just go back. Go back to Malim, to the humans, to somewhere warm, dry and safe. But she stayed quiet and continued to sombre procession - which the weather just happened to match - towards the community of dragons.

- - -

The adults were all on the young dragons' right sides, creating a barrier that blocked their view of trees and foliage. But the trees and foliage grew sparser and smaller as they continued towards the relatively bright outside world that still had a thunderstorm above.

Then the trees cleared to view a hill, but this was had cave entrances which were somehow lit up with the natural dragons' non-existent technology. The forest stretched on to their left and the adult dragons remained to their right, blocking the view of whatever was there.

Quickly ushered up the hill and into the bland grey cave with a few piles of burning wood, the dragons waited for something to happen. But at least they were now out of the rain and forest. Thunder had now passed them and were probably wreaking havoc elsewhere as the group huddled together as they tried to dry off and warm up.

"I wonder what will make them trust us, and what has gotten them so suspicious of us, even though we do want freedom," Mercury said next to Ore and Carbon, making them turn to face the air dragon.

"Maybe they are just cautious, and it will take time for them to trust us?" The shadow dragon next to her said, Carbon's eyes flicking around the room at the other dragons which were talking as quietly as they could.

"Perhaps, but we will be here for a while, providing that they don't drive us away," Mercury replied, ears twitching as silence filled their short conversation. They waited for news, or for something to happen concerning the dragons accepting those from the humans.

By the time that the weather had almost cleared and the stars were shining somewhere above the earth above their heads, Mercury's ears twitched towards the cave entrance before her head turned. Ore stood up as they waited for whoever it was to make an appearance to the group of half asleep - or sleeping - dragons.

"Do you want to do the talking again, Mercury?" Ore said, glancing at the air dragon who waited sat down, silver eyes attempting to penetrate the darkness.

"If no others do, then yes, I will," she said, glancing towards the metal dragon.

Every dragon's head was turned to the cave mouth as dragons moved in before standing to the side, making way for the next dragon. His head was held high, scales a variety of colours and shades, including white, blue, silver, green, brown, gold, and many others. Although there weren't any reds, blacks, or any representing the fire dragons or their allies.

His wings were held high by his sides, scales shining and eyes watching each dragon as he stood there. Other dragons created space around the male, as well as not getting between him and the young dragons.

But the amount of species represented by this dragon, it was unnatural. So he must have originated from a human base.

Once every dragon was in the cave, it was close to bursting with the amount of bodies that didn't want to go near to the others. Ore's heart started to quicken as she looked over the adult dragons, but the youngsters held the advantage in such an enclosed space, which helped her to calm her heart. But her brain refused to quiet down as it came up with numerous other scenarios.

Most of which ended up in death.

"If you all are who you say you are, then congratulations on making it off that forsaken island. But the fact that you are all unharmed is worrying, but I hope that even if you were purposefully released here on a mission, that you decide to stay.

"What they must have done to you, kept you away from your families, away from the skies, is a crime that cannot be easily payed," the male said before pausing and turned to the water dragoness who'd brought them here and muttered something that was inaudible.

"You may stay, but only if we remove your trackers, and we watch over you as you live in the caves and you understand that we cannot trust you. Some may genuinely want to stay, others will not, and we will separate you as such. Sleep here tonight; you will be shown to your new home in the morning," the male stared into the mass of youngsters before walking away - back into the night.