~Cactus

I went to the monthly Talons of Peace meeting, and, like I always was, I was late.  

I could hear Nautilus's voice drifting out of the cave,  "She will be joining the Talons."  I entered the cave, hoping to sidle in unnoticed, but Nautilus saw me.  "Cactus,"  he hissed, "I am giving you the task of making the new-comer feel welcome."  I looked at the Nightwing standing at the front of the cave.  Her eyes were startlingly green, bright against her scales that were as dark as night.  She stood in a way that a young dragonet would, looking around at the world, as if everything was new and exciting and there were mysteries all around her, just waiting to be solved.  I had never seen a dragon, let alone a Nightwing, smile as brightly as she did.  She looked at me, her eyes scanning my face, and I could tell from the fact that the sparkle left her eyes, that she knew that I was sad and forever lonely.  Even though no one else knew even a fraction of it, I could tell that she fully understood my emotions that I carefully hid behind the mask of a trouble-maker.

"Hi!" she said, extending her talon for me to shake, "My name is Truthseeker!"