"Psst Raindrop" a voice calls in the darkness.
Raindrop hisses, " show yourself!" She snarls.
"Woah calm your scales" a male voice say as a dragon shimmers into view.
" Darkscales" she hisses " don't sneak up on me like that!" She says in a loud whisper.
" hey it's not my fault you fell asleep." The Rainwing-Nightwing hybrid says with a shrug, his dark olive green and orange scales shimmer in the torch light. The silver scale behind his eyes look like small ember trapped in darkness. He laughs and tosses her mango, " Arctic wanted me to bring this to you." He says with a smile.
" thank you Darkscales" she says taking the mango and holds in between her talons.
" I'm sorry about the fire Rain, how's your wounds." He ask quietly rubbing his talons together.
" they're fine. Just sore I guess.... H-have they found out anything sense I've been down here?" She ask looking up at her friend.
He shakes his head," no, they are still looking though, even Ember is helping. I think him and Sapphire are really hitting it off." He says with a chuckle.
" three moons poor Ember" she jokes setting the mango down. " and SnakeFinder?" She ask looking at the fallen ash specks from the torches laying on the stone ground.
" I've never seen a dragon more determined in anything before in my life, except for when Current tried to finish fifty fish in eight minutes. " he laughs.
Raindrop laughs with him until she hears more talons running down the tunnel. Darkscales gasp and shimmers out of sight when suddenly Dandelion and Sapphire come running in. Their claws scrap the stone as they come to a stop.
" three moons! What is it?" Raindrop says jumping back dodging Sapphire heated tail.
" t-they n-need you i-in the lobby" Dandelion stutters out trying to catch her breath.
Raindrops eyes widen and she runs out of the dark cave followed by Sapphire, Dandelion and the hidden Darkscales.
****************************************
She burst into the bright light of the lobby like cave. Only to see Clay, Sunny, and Tsunami.
She gulps and walks towards them slowly.
" Raindrop!!" A voice calls that is automatically recognisable. Snakefinder comes running towards her only to have Tsunami step in his way. Even though he could easily fly over her. He skids to a stop looking, watching Raindrop with hopeful eyes.
" Raindrop, w-we have something we need to show you." Sunny say so quietly in a sad voice.
Raindrop nods slowly.
" come, this way." She says walking towards the scorched art cave. The smell of smoke still hug heavy in the air. Sunny leads her in with Arctic, Dandelion, and Clay right behind.
She glances as the spot where she last saw Starcatcher. She swallowed down a knot that formed in the back of her throat.
" do you see this right here?" Sunny ask waking Raindrop from her thoughts.
She looks at where Sunny was standing. The Sandwing hybrid was pointing at prints, but not just any prints talon prints in the stone and ash. Raindrop walks over to it and her eyes widen. No it can't be. She thinks to herself and puts her talon in the print only to have horror exposed. It was a perfect match. That's impossible....
Sunny gasp, " I didn't want to believe it..." She whispers to herself and looks at Clay with sorrow filled eyes.
Clay sighs, " Raindrop, I'm sorry to do this to you but we will have a judgment trial put on tomorrow two hours after mid-day."
Dandelion jumps up and stands on front of Clay," woah, wait, what going to happen at the trial?" She ask quickly as her eyes become glasses like.
" if she is proven innocent then she will stay at Jade Mountain, but if she is proven guilty th-"
" then she will be exiled " Arctic finishes to herself looking at her ash covered talons. She looks at Raindrop. " I'm so sorry Rain..." She thinks and walks out of the cave with out another word.
" b-but this can't happen, Raindrop wouldn't do any of this! I has to be someone else! She protects the innocent, not kills them!" Dandelion say shaking her head.
Raindrop sighs putting a talon over the bandage on her face over her eye.
" Raindrop, we need you back in that cave for now." Clay says sadly and start walking out of the cave. Raindrop puts a wing around Dandelion hugging her," dont worry about me, I will be okay." She says with a half smile. Her Sandwing friend looks at her and smiles.
" you know you are a horrible lier" she says with a sniff. Raindrop chuckles and sighs," I'll see you soon Dandelion " she says quietly and catches back up with Clay. They walk back into the large open cave. She sees Arctic talking to Darkscales. And Sapphire talking to the scared Skywing, Ember. He looks at her and nods his head in respect. A smaller Skywing sits behind him flicking pebbles at the cave wall, Vulture, he looks at her and Raindrop suddenly has a shiver that runs up her spine like Arctic just breathed her frozen like fire on her back. She shook her head and kept walking until she walked by Tsunami and SnakeFinder arguing.
" So what if sh- Raindrop!" He say and goes over to her. " what's going on? Why are they saying you could get exiled? " he ask quickly taking her talon into his.
Tsunami walks over to Clay, her gills flaring in anger.
" not right now Greenie." She whispers and glances around and slowly takes off his skyfire necklace setting on the stone beneath them, giving her access to his mind.
' meet me in the holding cave an hour after midnight tonight and bring Arctic and Darkscales' she sends to him and places his necklace back around his muscular neck. She looks at him and he stares back, pine green meeting golden yellow. It felt like time stopped just for them.
" Raindrop, this way" Clay calls breaking the silence.
" remember Greenie" Raindrop whispers and with that, she walks into the dark tunnel to the dark cold holding cave. Her mind in deep thought. We have to figure out what's going on.....