Dan paced around his prison for hours, he was still waiting patiently for his friends return. Although his patients where waring thin. Lukas and Petra were huddled near the far corner of the cage, trying to devise a plan. All the while Jesse was hogging up most of the blankets, water, and food because of how sick he has become. Gabriel was taken out of the cage that morning and no one knows why.

"This is stupid!" Dan yelled. "Why aren't we doing anything? We should be looking for a way to escape!"

"That's what I'm saying, but Mr. Arrogent over here doesn't want to listen to me," Petra argued.

Lukas turned his gaze to Petra and furrowed his eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Petra stood up in a huff. "It means we should get out of here! I agree with Dan, where is Stacy? Why did they take Gabriel this morning? Jesse's sick. Lukas, we need to get out of here! Plus they took my gun... I can still protect myself but to dragons? I need some sort of weapon."

"Don't argue with Lukas!" Jess intervened. "He's doing his best, it's not like we can talk to the dragons anyway. Most of them don't even speak English... most of them don't even speak the same language!"

Jesse coughed and rolled over. "Ruben? Come here, boy..."

"No Jesse. Ruben isn't here." Jess said sweetly.

"But... he's right there..." Jesse argued weakly.

Jess rolled her brother over and made sure the few blankets they had were wrapped around him tightly to make sure he was nice and snug. "Quiet now, you need rest."

See? We need to leave! Petra mouthed to Lukas. Dan nodded in agreement.

And how are we supposed to do that? Gabriel is gone and we have NOTHING! Do you have a plan Petra? Lukas mouthed back.

Dan waved his hands in a dismissive motion.  I have a plan, I've been working on it for a while now. I just nee-

Though Dan stopped mid-sentence when they heard a door open and claws scrape the stone floor. A trio of guards walked by (one Volcano dragon, one Steel, and one Ice) and the volcano dragon stopped to look at the humans. He turned to his buddies and said, "Homines?"

The Steel guard tapped the cage and nodded. "Homines."

The Ice dragon rolled her eyes and said in an angry tone, "Rólegur, við verðum að klára fyrir hátíðina!"

The two other dragons looked at each other then to the Ice Dragon. "Veniam in me?"

Clearly, the Ice guard must've forgotten that the dragons here speak Latin and not Icelandic. She mustn't have known that much Latin if because she looked to be struggling to find the right thing to say. "Sit scriptor moventur." When the female dragon started to walk away the two guards followed her. What's an Ice Dragon doing all the way down here? Lukas thought.

Jesse who was sturring in his sleep started shivering when the dragon of Ice walked past. Lukas and Petra could feel it too, her scales let off this cold feel that just made you feel cold.

"So what's your big idea genius?" Petra asked.

Dan smiled. "I think you'll be a fan of my master plan."

~~~

Dan's plan mostly made up of trying to communicate with dragons and making them believe they were with Ein. "But that won't work," Lukas contradicted, "they might be big but they aren't stupid. I'm almost positive that they can smell that we aren't werewolves."

"I didn't think about that. I always assumed dragons where like flying sharks." Dan admitted.

"When I was a girl you could see dragon migrations from Champion City. When that happened some people would go missing, but they always came back a few days later. And whenever they did come back they learned some Latin and it was really weird." Petra said. Though it seemed like useless information.

Lukas rolled his eyes. "How does that help with the fact that we need to escape exactly?"

"Because dragons kidnap humans when they need them for parties or events. At least that's what some of those people told me. Granted a few never came back..." Petra dozed off.

Dan wrinkled his nose. "So you're saying we need to pretend to be servants of these dragons?"

"Probably, they might let us go after. I think they only use humans when they have smaller guests with them. So like Fairies, or Seahorses, or Pigeons. or even the Monkey King. Maybe that's why they took Gabriel? Maybe they were running low on humans, so we just have to wait for a servant to come back and come get us!" Petra explained, her face gleaming with pride.

"I don't like that plan, I say we try to jump to that window since Lukas hates my original plan so much." Dan offered.

When he pointed to the windowsill Lukas shook his head. Jump from here to a window? I'm not a fan. Petras idea is smart, but when is a servant going to come down here and get us?  Maybe we can ask one of these other dragons for help... if they speak English. For the love of blocks, this is hard! I shouldn't even be in a stupid birdcage... a sad excuse for a human prison...

As Dan and Petra argued, Lukas went over to the bars of the birdcage and peered his head out. A lonely dragon with charred scales was coiled up in the corner of their big dragon size prison. "Hey!" He called out to the dragon. "Do you speak English?"

Its ears perked up and they slightly shifted their head so they could see Lukas. "English? You speak?" Lukas asked again, simpler this time.

The dragon nodded and watched ad Lukas rounded up Dan and Petra to where he was standing. When the dragon got up they shook off some of the dust and coal that stained their scales, and Lukas saw some spots of white start to appear. It was an Ice dragon, a young one at that. They looked to be six, quite young to be in a prison.

"What were those guards talking about a few minutes ago? Can you translate that?" Lukas said to the dragon.

Though the dragon just stood there and clawed the dirt and soot under their claws. "Oh right, you probably don't want to listen to a human. I'll introduce myself. I'm Lukas and this is my friend Dan, and my... special friend Petra." A soft snicker from Jess was heard behind Lukas.

"Hm." Went the dragon. "I'm Yin. And that guard said 'Quiet, we have to finish before the festival!' the other two just said you were humans."

"I told you there was a special event Dan! I can smell the burning from here." Petra boasted.

Though Lukas continued his business with Yin. "Can you get us out of here?"

Yin backed up towards the fall wall of his cell. Surely he didn't like it in there if he was all covered with soot and dirt. Maybe he's just afraid. I understand that. "It's not that easy." Yin started to explain. "I mean, I could get out of here easily. But you guys are so small... and fragile. One wrong step and you're dead. Sorry, but I don't want to get in trouble with my uncle and King Ignis."

"Who's your uncle? Why did he put you down here? That doesn't seem like a very uncle-like thing to do. It sounds like a punishment Dan got once." Lukas said. Dan knew what he was talking about, the barn where he had to stay the night. It wasn't nice.

"My uncle is Ex-King Blizzard. He's an Ice Dragon like me, but he retired recently and gave the crown back to Ignis's family. As for why I'm down here, well, no one really wants me wandering around a volcano. Ice and Lava don't mix... This is also a punishment for calling Ignis's new ally a wolfman, and that Ignis wasn't a very good king." Yin explained.

Petra hissed. "Yeah, I know how that feels."

"Enough! Can you help us or not?" Dan growled.

"Alright, alright! I'm coming!" Yin rushed.

Yin used one of his claws to pick the lock on his cell and went over to the bird cage, using his same tactic to unlock the cage. Yin held out one open hand and held it near the open cage door "Hop onto my claws!"

Lukas and Jess made eye contact and almost communicated with each other as if they could read one another's mind. "I'm staying with Jesse. They might kill him if I don't stay."

"Fair enough. We want Jesse to live," said Lukas. Then turning his attention to Yin whos hand he was now standing in. "Do you know what happened to our friend Gabriel?"

"He's probably getting ready for the very important feast. I know where it is, it's not like I sleep down here!" Yin joked.

"Mush!" Dan shouted, slightly kicking Yin's thumb.

"Watch it before I mush you, human." Yin threatened.

In no time the cage was closed again and the three were getting closer to Gabriel, finding Stacy, escape, and although it seemed impossible, to kill Ein.

~~~

For a while, it didn't seem that Yin knew what he was doing, he just continued to wander around aimlessly through the dungeon. Although it could have been worse, sometimes you could hear the faraway screams of tortured dragons. Once when Yin stopped to rest he placed Lukas on the windowsill and when he looked outside he could've sworn he saw a young Steel dragon being taken away from his mother. He could hear a muffled cry through the glass, and the loud Thump of the mother falling when the guard hit her with his tail.

Though Lukas knew it was real because Yin started to translate what she was saying. "She's begging the soldier to not take her son to the court."

"There's a dragon court?" Dan asked cocking his head to the side. "I never would've guessed."

Yin nodded. "The kid is a Steel dragon, right? When their steel scales finish growing in they're forced to work. That's all I know, I don't see too many Steel dragons to know what happens to them. I'm sorry. Are you ready to continue Lukas?"

Lukas jumped back into Yin's hand and they continued their journey. They saw dragons in chains and some bones. Corpses and rotting flesh was all you could smell, and you had to be careful not to step on something you wouldn't wish to step on. This (at least Lukas thought it was) was where the peasants went. Those dragons who took one extra cow or got into a fight with a soldier.

"Don't feel bad for them," Yin said. "The dragons found guilty of real crimes have it worse. Haven't you heard the screaming? There's probably a torture dungeon underneath here where all of the dirty deeds are done. Ugh, I'm disgusted just thinking about it. Though we had it lucky. We were in the 'nice' section, where they actually clean the floors and feed us with some decent food. I can't say the same for everywhere else down here."

"And I thought Werewolves where monsters..." Petra muttered.

Lukas shivered, Petra was right and Yin's description of the different dungeons made it all too real. "I'm sure not all dragons are bad Petra. But this... whoever chose to do this is just... inhumane."

"Well they aren't humans, they're dragons." Dan pointed out.

"I know that! I was just making reference!" Lukas barked at his friend.

A few minutes later they came across a door which Yin opened and it leads to... "The kitchen?" Lukas asked.

"Sorry, I took a long way. If we went through the other door we would've been in big trouble. And I think all the other doors are guarded by soldiers..." Yin explained.

Dan stared wide-eyed at the dragon. I would've done the same if we didn't have to rely on this guy to get us out of here. Don't do anything stupid, Dan! Lukas thought.

Yin put his new human friends down on a countertop and rummaged around to find something to eat. "I'm starving! I'll see if I can find some food for humans, though I'm not sure if I'll find anything."

Dan stepped forward. "Come on dragon buddy, throw us a bone here!" Though he was hit in the head with a bone a second later. "Not literally, but thank you."

"Lukas, can I talk to you for a minute?" Petra asked. Though it was more a statement since Lukas didn't get to answer before he was pulled to another part of the countertop. "I forgot to bring this up earlier but, how exactly are we going to find Gabriel?" She whispered.

"We just will. How many black humans are there in this castle? I assume not a lot because we're most likely the first humans who've arrived in centuries." Lukas pointed out.

"Okay, true. But there'll be giant dragons roaming around! We could be stepped on like a piece of garbage!"

"You know Petra, you're usually more consistent with your emotions. Are you okay?"

Petra gave Lukas a look of hatred but shook it off as if she just blew off some steam. "I'm fine, Lukas. I'm just not in my element. I miss the simpler times where people would hire me to hunt a deer and I would get paid for it. Now you're supposed to be mayor of New Growler, and apparently, I run the forest now? Werewolves and Dragons aren't my thing is what I'm trying to say. None of us should be here! What are we going to do when we go home? Axel is dead and was a werewolf. What if Stacy and Dan are werewolves? What if we go back and Stampy died from brain damage or something? What if Gabriel was eaten by a dragon? What if the town is up in flames? I'm not used to this whole teamwork and saving the world thing, Lukas!"

"Petra, you know I love you but get it together! We cant crack under more stress. Remeber what happened last time? Yeah, we cracked. I won't let another one of my friends get hurt just because we couldn't handle it."

"Hey, guys!" Yin shouted. "I found human food!"

The two humans looked at each other and nodded in a We'll finish this later way, and they walked over to Dan who was ripping apart a piece of meat. But one thing about it caught Petra's eye. Dan was eating that meat raw. Raw as in it was just killed a few hours ago and it was put away to keep cool. She also noticed the bone at Dan's feet had bite marks and drool on it.

There's no way he could be that hungry right? I've seen people resort to eating grass and fruit not ready for eating, but never a person eat freshly killed meat. What even is that? Chicken? Lamb? Cow? I don't even know what that is. Petra thought. Maybe he is a werewolf and he just isn't telling us. I'll have to keep an eye on him.

Yin handed Lukas and Petra another piece of raw meat but they turned it down for it would take too long to cook. They weren't that hungry anyways. Though their little relaxation session was interrupted when someone opened the door and a dragon walked in. It was a Steel Dragon, and this one had a dumbfounded look on his face. The dragons ears flared up and smoke rings came out of his nose. "Cos'è questo? Cosa sta succedendo!" The dragon hissed, his tongue flickering in and out of his mouth like a snake.

Yin was about to run away but stopped himself and smiled at the dragon. "Well if it isn't the Italian Stallion himself. Hows it been Rocky?" He asked with a smile.

The Steel dragon almost backed up in horror as if h just saw a ghost. In much surprise to the trio of humans, the dragon said in perfect English, "Yin? Is that you?"

"Who else would it be? A bugbear?" Yin joked.

The Steel dragon snorted from laughter and ran over to Yin for a hug. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be learning how to be a diplomat or a lawyer?"

"For the love of Starfinders Holy Grail, Rocky no! My uncle brought me here." Yin said.

Rocky (the Steel dragon) gasped, though jokingly. "Blizzard is your Uncle? That settles it. You're going to become king!"

"Um hello? Little humans down here. Yin who's this?" Lukas interrupted.

"Oh right. This is Rocky the only Steel dragon to have diplomatic immunity and my best pal!" Yin cheered.

Lukas leaned towards Petra and whispered, "Diplomatic immunity means-"

"I know what diplomatic immunity is Lukas. Tell that to Dan." Petra growled.

Both dragons shifted their feet uncomfortably with Petras remark but Yin continued to praise his friend. "You probably already guessed that Steel dragon diplomats aren't really a thing. But when my uncle was king he made Rocky here the first Steel diplomat. Sort of like an apology that he can't do anything about the steel dragon laws. Oh boy... those laws are a mess."

"So what are a bunch of humans doing here? I heard munching and I came in expecting some sort of food robbery." Rocky said.

Food robber. Axel would be great at that. The three friends thought.

"Pardon me, Mr. Rocky. Have you seen a black human roaming around? He's our friend." Lukas asked.

Rocky stared at the humans with a puzzled expression on his face. "Black human? You mean the one with brown skin? Yeah, I saw him a few minutes ago! Or heard him, I think it was him. He was in the King's Throne Room and he was weeping. I can take you there if you wish."

"Yes! Thank you so very much, Rocky!" Dan cheered.

The three hopped onto Yins head this time, each grabbing on tightly to either of his back horns. Careful to not stab themselves with them. They held on tight as Yin chased Rocky down the halls to the King's Throne Room. Rocky was right, weeping could be heard. And when they reached the room they quietly cracked the door open to reveal a wagon with a missing horse, and a black man weeping dry tears beside it.

"I'm sorry Boxer. If I'd known they would kill you... but you brought Jesse and Stacy back from the dead... though you had to die in order to do so. You're a hero Boxer..." Gabriel wept.

"He must've really loved that horse..." Dan whispered.

"Of course he loved it! That horse was his best friend beside Radar and the old order! You know what happened to the old order, so I guess Radar is all he has left." Lulas explained.

I did this... Petra realized. I asked for the horse liver... I made them kill Boxer. How are we doing to get home? I'm sorry Gabriel, I'm the one causing you this much sorrow. Wow, that was really poetic Petra. You've been hanging around Lukas for too long. Stupid, gorgeous Lukas... no, stay on track! I'm sorry Gabriel!

Gabriel turned to see the two dragons and the three humans peaking into the room. He panicked and hid inside the wagon, shielded by what was ever inside. "G-go away! Or I'll fight you!" He stammered.

"We aren't going to hurt you human. We brought your friends." Rocky said in a reassuring voice.

Surprisingly Gabriel poked his head out of the wagon and got out completely when Yin lowered his head to let Lukas, Petra, and Dan get off. When he pulled the three in for one big group hug Dan asked, "Do you know where Stacy is?"

"Oh... yeah I saw her," Gabriel muttered. It sounded like as if it was an unpleasant surprise to see her.

"Where is she? We can get out of here once we find her!" Petra cheered, though mostly to herself.

Gabriel stayed silent and rubbed his hands together in an uncomfortable manner. That was when Lukas started to question what he was wearing. Gabriel normally wears his armor everywhere he goes, though now he was wearing some sort of butler outfit.

"What's with the outfit? You work for the dragons now?" Dan pointed out, apparently, he noticed it too. Gabriel nodded as a reply.

"I told you, they use people for their festivals." Petra boasted.

Lukas shut her out and turned Gabriel's attention back to himself. "Gabriel, I'm sorry about Boxer but Jesse's sick and Stacy is still missing. Do you know where she is so that we can go get her?"

"I don't know where she is right now but I can tell you that she's a werewolf," Gabriel admitted.

"What!" Lukas and Petra shouted in unison, Dan just looked pleasantly surprised.

"Mhm. She had ears and a tail, and these strange gold eyes. It was weird. I only got to ask if she was alright and she told me 'Never better!' I find that strange." Gabriel explained.

Golden eyes? That bastard... he put a spell on her, didn't he? All the more reason to kill him! Dan thought.

"Anything else, Gabriel?" Lukas asked, almost in a plea.

"I know how you can see her, though briefly. This whole outfit? There's some sort of festival a few days from now. There's going to be Monkey guests, Seahorse guests, Werewolf guests, Fairy guests, even Pigeon Queen Skyler is going to attend! So they need humans to help the Steel servants with serving food and stuff to the special guests." He said. The word 'Werewolf' and 'guests' did not go well together, his voice was a little hoarse when he said it too.

"Alright. Thank you, Gabriel, I guess we'll decide whether to go back or not..." Lukas moped.

"Wait, there's one more thing I have to say, I know who you can find her with," Gabriel said. Lukas, Petra, and Dan turned to look back at Gabriel (Rocky and Yin went outside the room a while ago) and waited for him to finish his sentence.

Gabriel took a deep breath and said nice and calmly, "She keeps saying she's his fiance but... Stacy is with Ein... They're engaged."