That night, after both of them had slept, Scarab and Qibli started flying back to the city. Scarab was painfully aware at how much both of them stuck out against the night sky, like rippling reflections of the sun over a dark lake. She hoped their cloaks protected enough of their appearance to not be recognised.

They swooped low over the sand, particles scattering in their wake. It was harder to fly down there, but harder to be seen.

Soon the city came into view and Scarab almost immediately veered to the right, planning to go around the city in a wide arc to come in from the south side. Scarab could see lights from inside the city, but no movement. She felt a pebble of doubt fall in her stomach, sending ripples of worry throughout her body.

When they got to the south end, Scarab and Qibli landed behind a dune. Scarab pulled the hood of her cloak up and peeked over the edge. The city was probably no farther than 300 meters. Not far.

"Qibli, what's the best way into the Outclaw camp from here?" Scarab asked in a whisper.

Qibli popped his head up beside hers. "There's a secret entrance from the outside that we can access from the outside." Qibli said. "We'll need to be careful."

"How come? Surely they'd recognize us." Scarab said. "The Outclaws, I mean. Thorn's daughter and sidekick? Surely."

"Sidekick? Really?" Qibli asked.

"Well you're not her partner."

"True. Are we partners?" Qibli asked unexpectedly.

Scarab blinked at him. "What do you mean?" She said flatly.

"That's what friends are! Partners!" Qibli said. "Someone you can count on."

"Well, I've never had a friend before you, so I'm not the dragon to ask." That wasn't true, Scarab remembered. She did have a friend once. She remembered the dark yellow-brown SandWing dragonet that would play with her. Arid. The daughter of one of the Talons that would come to the base almost everyday. Scarab taught her fighting moves and Arid told her about the city. Scarab felt the pain of the memory of Arid's surprise when she learned Scarab hadn't gone out into the city her whole life. They had made foolish plans to leave the base and explore the city together. But Saguaro had found out about it, and the next day Arid's father wasn't in the base, and she never saw Arid again.

"That's sad." Scarab jumped at Qibli's unexpected intrusion. "You've never had a friend before?"

Oh. That. "Not important. So the plan is to go up to the secret entrance, reveal our identities and be invited in. Right?" Scarab asked.

"Unless you can think of a better one." Qibli said.

"I did think of that one." Scarab replied irritably.

Scarab crept over the sand dune and started moving towards the city, staying low to the shadowy sand. Qibli came up next to her and she followed him to the edge of the city. The outside of the Scorpion Den was mostly tall wall that kept out harsh weather and kept in the wandering market stalls. There weren't any places besides the main gate that the wall opened, so she was interested to see how the secret entrance worked.

Qibli paced along the outside of the wall, his tail flicking back and forth. He was inspecting the rocks around the wall intently. As far as Scarab knew, the rocks formed a sort of bonus foundation for the wall and a sunning place for desert lizards. But to Qibli they must have been somewhat important.

He found a large rock leaning against the wall and started feeling around the edges of it with his talons. "What are you looking for?" Scarab asked.

"Aha!" Qibli whispered and they heard a soft click. The rock sung upwards like a door and Scarab saw that it was hollow and revealed a tunnel. Qibli beckoned her forward as he slipped into the hole.

It was dark and sandy, and extremely claustrophobic once Qibli closed the rock door. Scarab felt him brush her side as he walked ahead to lead the way.

They walked for about ten meters before the tunnel slanted up and they emerged into a sheltered tent. Scarab blinked in the warm torchlight.

There were barrels everywhere, so much that she assumed this was some kind of storage tent. Qibli crept forward, twisting around the barrels and crates. Scarab followed him out of the tent into the dark camp. No one was around. The tents were empty and quiet. It was eerie, and Scarab's tail twitched nervously. Qibli's face was confused and she guessed this wasn't normal.

Scarab took the lead, walking past lit torches and weapons racks. Every corner she past she paused and listened before crossing. The camp had the feel of impatience around it. Like it was waiting or dreading something. But no one could be seen.

Eventually Scarab heard the sounds of rustling wings and as they continued, the sound of someone talking loudly to a group. Qibli and Scarab ran forward and saw the Outclaws all gathered in the center of the camp. Thorn stood in the middle of them, giving what sounded like a pre-war pep talk.

"...They've tried this before! We can't let them threaten us! Tonight we-" Thorn had glanced past Qibli and Scarab while she was talking, but her head whipped back mid sentence. "Qibli!" She started pushing through the crowd, which quickly parted as they all recognized the dragonets too. "Scarab!"

Qibli had run forward as well, while Scarab followed more cautiously.

"What in Phyrria have you two been doing?" Thorn cried. "Qibli, what happened to you?" She was staring at his messily bandaged neck. She glanced warily at Scarab.

"It wasn't me!" Scarab said indignantly.

"We can explain everything." Qibli said.

"I sure hope so, I almost invaded the Talons' base because of you two!" Thorn said.

Scarab's eyes widened. "You what?"

Qibli stepped between them. "Let's talk about this inside." He said calmly.

Thorn dismissed the Outclaws, saying she'd have an explanation soon, and the three of them went into her tent.

From there, Scarab and Qibli took turns telling the story of what happened between leaving the camp last night and returning the next day. Thorn's eyes were wide and unfocused, like she was deep in thought. Scarab and Qibli shared a concerned look. "We knew you'd be able to help us..." Scarab started but she stopped talking when Thorn raised a talon.

"You need to go." Thorn said quietly.

"What?" Qibli asked.

"They're looking for you." Thorn said. "I realize it now. All day the Talons have been more active. They're searching homes more often, being more aggressive. We didn't know what was happening until now. But everything you said lined up with what's been happening."

"Stop." Qibli said. "Why would they be looking for us?"

"Don't be stupid, Qibli! Use your head!" Thorn's voice was rising in something, panic? Fear? Anger? "Scarab was hatched on the Brightest Night! She had to!"

Scarab looked at them with concern and surprise. "Yeah? So what?"

Qibli's face had changed, and he was staring at Scarab now, and Thorn snorted. "Of course they wouldn't tell you. Scarab, you know about the war going on right now, right?"

"Yeah..." Scarab said slowly. "Blister, Blaze, and Burn are fighting over who's going to be queen."

"There is a prophecy saying how the war is going to end." Thorn explained. "There were supposed to be five dragonets that would hatch on the Brightest night that would stop the war."

Qibli started reciting something from his memory, and it's serious implication chilled Scarab to the bone.

"When the war has lasted twenty years, the dragonets will come.
When the land is soaked in blood and tears, the dragonets will come.

Find SeaWing egg of deepest blue, wings of night will come to you. The largest egg in mountain high will give to you wings of sky. For wings of earth search through the mud for an egg the colour of dragon blood.

And hidden alone from rival queens, the SandWing egg awaits unseen."

Scarab blinked. She wanted to deny it, but it was too accurate. If what Thorn said was true, that she was stolen from a hiding place in the desert, than 'hidden alone from rival queens' was definitely her. She groaned. "I never could be normal, could I?"

Thorn didn't answer.

"Remember what we heard Vulture say in the cell? That they need you? If you're a Dragonet of Destiny, than they probably stole you to use you to end the war in their favour." Qibli said seriously.

Scarab glowered at him. "Gosh, thanks, Qibli! Not only have I been a pathetic excuse for a SandWing with no tail barb all my life, but my whole life with the Talons had been a lie as well as a set-up! This is great news! I don't seem to be wanted anywhere, whether it's because I was just being raised as a political tool, or my own parents buried me in the desert!"

Thorn opened her mouth to argue, but Scarab interrupted her.

"Where even is my father? Was he in favour of Bury the Dragonet, Solve All Our Problems?" Scarab asked. "Or did he not even know I existed?"

"Your father wanted you more than anything!" Thorn said passionately. "He just...couldn't. It was too dangerous."

"Right, because I'm a Dragonet of Destiny." Scarab said acidly. Thorn looked like she was going to say something but thought better of it.

Qibli brushed his wing against Scarab's. "How about we talk about this after we leave?" He said gently. Scarab met his eyes. He must know that she would probably take a lot out on him, and he was still offering himself? He must be trying to protect Thorn. By dragging Scarab away, Thorn could think this through herself. She didn't like the idea of being dragged away or being treated like a problem for someone to deal with, but she knew Qibli probably wanted to help. So Scarab consented.

"Fine. We'll go." Scarab said slightly bitterly. She swept out of the tent and padded back the way they came. Deliberately ignoring the Outclaws around her.

Qibli caught up and walked next to her silently. They went through the storage tent and out through the secret entrance.

"Where should we go?" Qibli asked.

"Anywhere. South." Scarab said flatly.

They walked until they were out of sight of the Scorpion Den and it was safe to fly. Qibli hadn't tried to talk to her yet, which she appreciated.

They flew until their wings hurt and they spiraled down at the nearest oasis they found. It was pitch dark, and they saw nothing but the blurry outlines of each other and the moon light reflecting off the water.

They talked about flying again, but eventually decided to spend the night there. They didn't know when they'd find such a good place to rest again.

Scarab dug a small hole in the sand and curled up inside. She heard Qibli doing the same thing a little ways away.

Scarab wasn't sure she would be able to sleep. Everything was happening too fast and racing in her head. She was also feeling something strange around Qibli. Like a cold stone in her stomach when she talked to him.

It was new and unsettling to her and she didn't know how to react besides ignoring it.

Words kept echoing in her mind, things that dragons had said.

Hidden alone from rival queens, the SandWing egg awaits unseen.

Not you. We need you.

That's sad. You've never had a friend before?

Come on! We can sneak out through the window.

Scarab winced. Everything only brought pain. Painful memories. Painful truths. Painful experiences. Why did everything she cared about have to disintegrate so quickly, like sand in a river.