Glow felt a prodding in her side and awoke to see Evenstar gazing at her informatively. "Hey, wake up. I have some information for you both." He whispered, trying not to wake them too quickly. A lot more considerate than Kite in the mornings, at least. She pulled herself out of Frigga's wing and stood up. Frigga began to stir, and stood tall, almost with urgency.

       "Ugh, how early is it, Evenstar?" She asked groggily. Evenstar pointed outside the cave towards the warm orange light creeping over the horizon.

       "It's dawn." He answered in his matter-of-fact tone.

       "Where are Kite and Corona?" Frigga asked him.

       "They're still stationed at their posts. Kite is by the sky-hole, and Corona is by the waterfall waiting for Clay and Tsunami to emerge." He answered. Glow looked at him in confusion.

       "Clay and Tsunami?" Glow asked, her memory foggy.

       "Okay, I have a status report. Do you want the short version or the long version?" He offered.

       "How urgent is the situation currently?" Frigga asked. Evenstar merely shrugged.

       "Not an emergency yet, but pretty urgent." He answered his IceWing mentor.

       "Short version." Glow answered without a second thought. Evenstar took a deep breath and sat down.

       "Alright, first of all, the guardians are planning to kill Glory in her sleep by breaking her neck, specifically Kestrel, the SkyWing. The dragonets formed an escape plan which involved Glory using her RainWing camouflage to hide until Clay swims through the cave river to the outside world to open the cave from the outside.

       "RainWings can do that?!" Glow asked, amazed. Evenstar nodded. "Wow, I never knew that!"

       "Neither did she. " The NightWing agreed. "Anyways, Starflight and Sunny are planning to use a signal fire out of one of the holes we were watching them through to lead Clay back to them. They both then used their fire to melt Tsunami free so that she could follow Clay and stay with him." He explained. Glow looked at him worriedly.

       "Any signal of the guardians suspecting anything? Any sign of Clay and Tsunami?" Frigga asked.

       "Not since I last checked. Corona and Kite will return to us once there's an important update." He responded. Glow let out a sigh of relief. Phew, things are going smoothly. I hope Sunny's doing okay. Evenstar looked at her with suspicion, as if he knew what was going on. "You know what you're feeling for Sunny is just a crush, right?" He asked straightforward. Glow jumped back, her voice cracking with embarrassment.

       "Pfffffft, crush? What crush? I don't have a crush! You have a crush! Shut up! It's not like she's cuteorprettyorsuperduperniceoranything..." Glow blubbered out. She looked out of the corner of her eye to see Frigga and Evenstar looking at her skeptically. I hate it when he knows things! He always manages to read me like an open scroll! "Heh heh heh..." She laughed nervously.

       "My young SkyWing, it's perfectly normal to feel certain things for certain dragons. I'm sure that this Sunny is a lovely dragonet, but as long as you understand that love at first sight doesn't exist and it's merely an infatuation based on appearances, that is." Frigga lectured. Wow, that's oddly specific and a really effective way to boil down the butterflies in my stomach trying to kill me. She thought sarcastically.

       "What she means is; don't expect anything to happen or for it to go anywhere. If it does, great! If it doesn't, that's okay too." Evenstar added. Glow simply groaned and rolled her eyes at the both of them.

       "Thanks for the relationship advice, guys, but how did you know, you little snipe?" She snapped at Evenstar.

       Evenstar shrugged. "Well, it was kind of obvious with how you were getting distracted and how you look at her." Glow winced slightly. I guess I wasn't as subtle as I thought. Glow looked off to the side absentmindedly. I wonder if she knew me...would she feel the same way? Would anything ever happen if we met and she knew who I was? If we grew up together with the others? She looked back at Evenstar who was still smiling cockily at her. Well, I hope she'll feel the same way. Just so that he won't bug me about it.

       "Don't tell Kite or Corona, or I'll never hear the end of it from them." She blurted.

       "I make no promises." He said cheekily.

       "EVENSTAR!" Glow squeaked.

       "Okay okay, fine! I was joking." He said quickly. "Anyways, what are we going to do once they escape? Are we just going to spy on them for the rest of the war, or are we going to actually do something?" He asked. Glow thought for a moment, and realized she hadn't really come up with a proper plan for this. What are we going to do? I didn't really think of what the end result would be. Are we just going to meet them all like "Howdy! I'm the SkyWing of destiny that you thought died six years ago and these are my friends. Ya wanna buy some stuff?"

       Glow's thoughts were quickly interrupted by frantic flapping near the cave. Evenstar rushed to the entrance while Kite and Corona stormed in. "We've got a bit of a problem, Glow!" Kite stammered.

       "A HUGE problem, more like! Huge, orange, covered in rubies and gold, and reeeeeally annoying!" Corona shouted, tapping her claws frantically. Glow rushed over and looked her friend in the eye.

       "W-well, um." Kite stuttered again.

       "It's Clay and Tsunami! They just had a less than ideal run-in with QUEEN SCARLET OF THE SKYWINGS!!!" Corona exclaimed. Her tail was thrashing side to side. Glow could tell she was terrified.

       "Woah woah, calm down, Corona, it's okay. Tell us what happened and we'll figure out what to do." Glow said in a soft voice, trying to calm Corona down, but her black eyes were filled with sparking fear.

       "Queen Scarlet found them when she was chasing a scavenger that was stealing her treasure, and she ran into Clay and Tsunami. It started off alright, but when she demanded that they come with her to her palace, Tsunami stabbed the scavenger's spear through her tail into the ground. They just barely escaped, but she saw their smoke signal and has just left to call for reinforcements to get the dragonets!" Corona explained. Frigga's eyes filled with dread.

       "We leave now. We must catch up with the dragonets before she does." The motherly IceWing rushed to the workshop. "I've met Queen Scarlet and sold some merchandise to her before. She's not known to be merciful, especially when things don't go her way. We must go quickly." She whispered. Glow and Corona nodded to their teacher. "Kite and Evenstar, you will stay here until we return, with or without the dragonets of destiny."

       Kite whined with displeasure. "Wait, you're leaving us behind? Won't you need us?" He whimpered. Frigga merely looked at him sternly.

       "It's too dangerous right now. You will stay here, and that's an order! Do I make myself clear, young dragonet?" She snapped. Kite looked downtrodden while Evenstar simply placed a wing over his shoulder.

       "Yes, master Frigga." He said dully. Frigga moved to retrieve her white cape and motioned to Glow and Corona to follow suit.

       "Now, get ready, we must go immediately. There isn't much time to act." She ordered. Corona and Glow grabbed their cloaks and adorned themselves. The sun was rising over the horizon, and they had to make haste. Corona launched herself first, leading them to the dragonets' cave underneath the mountain, Glow and Frigga following suit. We have to save them. No matter what, we have to get there before Scarlet does.

       They wove their way through mountains, following Corona through them to the dragonets' cave, hoping they were fast enough to make it in time. Please be there, please, please, please, PLEASE be there!

       They finally reached the cave, hope was growing in Glow's heart, but Corona made a sharp dive towards the side of the cave and Glow suddenly knew why when she peered inside. Queen Scarlet, adorning her golden chainmail with amber and rubies hanging off it and her scales studded with rubies in various places. Oh no, we were too late! They'll be captured, or probably killed! Smoke was curling from her snout and her soldiers she brought with her were menacing to say the least.

       Glow listened intently, being careful not to be caught. She heard voices from inside and listened carefully. "How dare you not recognize me?" Scarlet said, spreading her bejeweled wings. "Three moons, it's gloomy in here." She said as she set Starflight's scrolls on fire. Clay was shifting near his friends, trying to protect them.

       "My goodness, you're a NightWing!" Scarlet said, shoving Clay aside without any effort and grabbing Starflight by the chin. "A NightWing not ten years old. How thrilling! They normally don't let their dragonets out into the world. We might corrupt their superior perfection or something, you know." She breathed smoke into his face and he coughed. "I've never had a NightWing in my arena before. Thrilling, thrilling! Tell me, what am I thinking right now?" Starflight only stared in pure terror.

       Glow could feel the queen's imposing nature and psychotic thoughts from her perch. "Too hard? I'll give you a hint. I'm thinking– now why would a NightWing, a SeaWing, and a MudWing be hiding out under my mountain? Along with whatever those two are that the MudWing is cutely trying to protect?" She flicked her tail at Glory and Sunny. "This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain prophecy, would it?

       "What is going on out here?" The SandWing grumbled, limping into the cave. He stopped after the sight of the SkyWings and his black eyes were suddenly filled with fear. "Webs!" He yelled, and then hurled himself across the room at the SkyWing queen.

       "Stop! They'll hurt you!" Sunny shrieked.

       He seemingly ignored Sunny and threw Scarlet off of Starflight. "Don't touch them. You'll never get your claws on them." He roared.

       The queen twisted in midair and landed on her feet, hissing at him. "They're mine now." She snarled and hurled herself at the maimed SandWing.

       Webs came pounding into the cave and spared no hesitation when launching into action. He knocked three SkyWings back and raked the underbelly of another.

       "Stay back!" Clay said to Sunny. "And you should hide yourself." He added to Glory.

       "Disappear while you try to die for us again? No, thanks." Glory pushed past him and went after Tsunami who was already fighting alongside Webs.

       "Wait, I can help! Can't I?" Sunny called.

       "These dragonets are sacred." The maimed SandWing shouted as Queen Scarlet smashed him into a stalagmite. She was smaller than him, but deceptively strong, and the SandWing's injuries were clearly slowing him down. His scarred wing was trailing crookedly beside him. "They're the dragonets of destiny. You can't have them!"

       "But what if it's my destiny to play with them?" she said, slashing her claws at his stump, blood welling from the freshly opened wound. "Oh wait, that's right. I don't care about prophecies or any of that NightWing silliness." She ripped the scars on his wings open sadistically. "Besides, they made me awfully mad and then ran away. That happens to me far too often, but you know what? I always find the ones who betray me in the end. Even if I have to wait seven years." She pinned the SandWing up against the wall by the neck. "Right, Kestrel?"

       The battle froze and all the dragons looked towards the entrance where the SkyWing slinked in. "Poor, poor Scarlet. Everyone betrays you. Well, you've got me now. Let these worthless others go."

       "Kestrel. That sounded like an order. Have you switched from disobeying orders to giving them now?" Scarlet hissed mockingly.

       "I won't fight. I'll come with you. Just leave them. These dragonets have nothing to do with the SkyWings." Kestrel offered.

       "You will come with me. Funny that you thought you had a choice about that. We've got a thrilling trial planned, followed by an even more thrilling execution. But as for these dragonets..." Queen Scarlet swept her tail towards Clay and his friends. "You can't really expect me to give up prizes like this."

       "They're no prizes. They're useless, every one of them." Kestrel snorted.

       "Plus, I'm weird looking." Sunny chimed from above her rock. Glow winced with sympathy. No you're not, Sunny. You're the most beautiful and kind dragonet I've ever seen in my life. The queen's tongue flicked out and smoke curled out of her snout. Oops, I mean we need to save them from Queen Scarlet...but how?

       "Oh, they're just the new blood my arena needs. It would be terribly sad to let them go. I would be too, too devastated." She paused, observing the situation in her presence. "Take them all. Except this one, of course." She said, shaking the limp SandWing in her talons. "I mean, what use is a crippled dragon who can't fly? I'm surprised you haven't killed yourself already, SandWing. But I can take care of that for you."

       "No!" Sunny screamed, leaping at them.

       But it was too late. With a chilling crack, Queen Scarlet snapped the SandWing's neck and dropped his body on the stone floor. "Dune!" Sunny howled, squirming past Queen Scarlet and crouching beside Dune's limp lifeless body. "Dune, wake up!" She screamed again, grief ringing in her voice.

       Glow felt a cold chill run down her spine. A dragon was just killed in front of her. She didn't know how to react to the situation. She's only heard about and practiced death. It was far different seeing death yourself first-hand than just hearing about it. He just died...right in front of me. He was just killed without a second thought. He's just...dead.

       Kestrel lunged at the SkyWing soldiers, and ripped Webs free from one of them. "Tell the Talons!" She snarled, shoving Webs towards the river. Webs without any hesitation and before anyone could stop him, bolted into the water. He doused the SkyWings in the room and vanished into the dark water.

       "Oooo." Scarlet said, wiping her crest dry with one talon. "The Talons of Peace. I hope they try storming my sky palace to save you. That would be thrilling fun. Especially the part where we slaughter them all." The SkyWings wrapped tight iron chains around their victims and turned towards the entrance. Glow watched in horror and the three of them instinctively flattened themselves against the stone to avoid detection. "Let's fly! We have some thrilling arena matches to plan!" Scarlet called enthusiastically.

       Luckily for the eavesdroppers just above them, they didn't look behind them when they flew towards the Sky Kingdom. Glow looked onward and prepared herself for flight when her mentor grabbed her tail and kept her stationary. "We cannot give chase yet. It would attract far too much attention and suspicion if we showed up directly after they just captured the dragonets of destiny." Glow knew her master was right and sat back down. Frigga got up and looked towards the distancing cloud of sky dragons. "We leave tomorrow morning." She said quietly. Glow looked up at her hopefully while Corona was riddled with anxiety.

       They returned to their cave and dropped their capes off at the entrance. Evenstar and Kite barreled into them, asking questions and bumbling excitedly. After dinner, Frigga began preparing a bundle of things to carry. "Start packing, all four of you. Tomorrow morning, we leave at dawn for the SkyWing Kingdom." Frigga announced.

       Without a word, Kite excitedly left to his room to pack his things and Evenstar followed. Glow walked to her room to pack her bags with her own things. Let's see. Scrolls, money, merchandise, diary scroll, ink, weapons... Her thoughts were interrupted by Corona walking in, a fabricated aloof expression donned on her face. "Hey, Glow." She said quietly. Glow smiled at her best friend and motioned her to come closer with her claws.

       "Hey, Corona." She paused, noting Corona's unusual expression. "Are you feeling okay? Is there something you wanna talk about?" She asked considerately. Corona glanced in Glow's direction, trying to avert her gaze again.

       "Yeah, there is, in fact." She said sternly. She padded up to her and sat down. Glow diverted her attention away from her packing and instead onto Corona. She looked really nervous, as if she was about to share some kind of huge secret. You can tell me anything. I'm here for you, Corona. "I...I ju-I...I wanted to tell you that...Well, where do I start?..." She stammered. Glow started to feel nervous and flustered herself. Butterflies were igniting in her stomach and making her nauseous with crippling anxiety.

       "Well, for starters, I honestly never imagined that you'd be part of something this big. It turns out you're an important dragon who's part of a big important prophecy and a mission to save the world. It's kind of a shock, you know?" Corona started. "I just...I always thought that it would just be us, all living together and doing business as merchants and living a peaceful life." Glow nodded, sharing her sentiments. "But that doesn't mean that I didn't see something like this coming." Glow turned her head in confusion, raising an eyebrow at her friend.

       "What do you mean?" She asked.

       "I mean, there's something about you that I noticed since I met you. Something that made me feel like you'd become someone important, or be part of something bigger. You always had a strong sense of justice, and I had a feeling that it would come in handy someday. Like it would change the world, somehow." Corona answered. She shifted closer to Glow and started again.

       "The day that I met you, you, Frigga, and Willow were the first dragons other than my other friends that saw me as anything other than just a thief. I mean, Tarantula and Dust were my friends, sure, but we still saw each other as fellow thieves, really. You saw and valued me as more than that. You saved my life, and when Frigga offered me a better life and I took it, it was honestly the best decision I ever made. Even though, Tarantula made me feel really guilty for it." She paused. She turned to Glow, only mere inches away from her snout. "But I don't anymore. Part of me will, a small part of me always will, but you've been helping me leave it behind me. You're the best decision I've ever made, and the reason I don't feel guilty for choosing a better life anymore." Glow felt her face grow warm the longer Corona went on, their closeness making her breath quicken.

       "I remember that day in the Scorpion Den. I was just doing business with Willow and Frigga that day. That was about three years ago, right?" She reminisced.

       Corona nodded. "Yep, three years since you changed my life forever."

       "Oh, come on, Corona. We couldn't just let that Outclaw kill you. We just did what was right. It wasn't special or anything– we just saw a dragonet that deserved more in life than she got. Desperate for an easy meal."

       "And I can't thank you enough for that." Corona shifted even closer and tucked her head under Glow's chin. "You gave me the kind of life where I don't have to worry about if I'm going to bed hungry, or where my next meal would come from." She couldn't tell whether she was feeling warm from the heat generated from Corona's scales, or if she was suddenly getting a fever. "The point I'm trying to make is that you've been my best friend since then, and I've made such amazing friends since being here that they're the closest thing I've ever had to a family." The small SandWing put her talon on Glow's, and the SkyWing reflexively nuzzled her head into Corona's neck. "So, what I'm trying to say is– no matter what, through all of this destiny stuff, I'm here for you. Every step of the way, I'll be there for you just as you've been for me. We're friends, and I'll act like one as long as I live, Glow."

       Glow didn't know how to respond to that. She guiltily began thinking of Sunny's chipper and mellow attitude and her beautiful golden scales. She simply wrapped her wings and arms around her and hugged her tight. "Thank you. And I'll be there for you too. Always."

       Corona was finished packing her bags while Glow still wasn't done. When she was stuffing her scrolls into them, Corona quipped at her. "You're seriously going to take your own scrolls with you? You can't sell those! You're not planning to, right?" She said.

       "Why? Do you want 'em?" Glow said.

       "No. It's just, who would buy those anyway?" Corona joked. Glow gave her a playful shove and poked her nose.

       "Yeah, right. You don't want me to sell them because you love reading them too much." Glow teased.

       "I do not! I mean, they're good, but they're not that good." Corona said, turning her face away embarrassed.

       "Right, 'cause that's why you take them from my sleeping cave to read them at night." Glow teased. Corona immediately recoiled and hid her face in her dominantly black flame-patterned wings. "Hey, don't sweat it. That's why you're my best critic!"

       "I'm going for a drink of water. Don't follow me!" She exclaimed. Glow turned her long neck towards the SandWing's fleeing shape.

       "You know you looooove me!" She called towards her embarrassed friend.

       "In your dreams, Glow!" The deep red SkyWing rolled her eyes and packed her scrolls in her bag. Alright, that's everything. She heard her IceWing teacher call from outside the sleeping caves.

       "If you're all done packing, I highly suggest you get your rest. We're waking up early tomorrow and you need to be fully rested for the journey we're about to go on." Frigga instructed. "I do not know when we will return, if ever," the IceWing paused, her face grim. "So bring whatever is most valuable to you. And pack rations to last around two weeks. I wish you all well." Glow heard her walking to the caves of the small dragonets.

       She curled up in her sleeping cave, eyeing her pack to the side of the room. She heard Corona fly back in and saw her slink in her cave. She curled up just below Glow and rested her sandy head on her forearm. "You have everything you need for tomorrow? Frigga said we might not come back after this." Glow inquired.

       "Yeah, I expected that and prepared accordingly. I've got everything." She responded drowsily.

       Glow nodded at her and shifted with her back towards the opening. "Goodnight, Corona." She called quietly.

       "A-actually, um..." Corona started. Glow craned her neck over underneath her to look at Corona's tired eyes.

       "Yes? Do you need something?" Glow prodded.

       "Yeah, um...could you sing Frigga's lullaby for me? So I can fall asleep easier?" She asked. Glow blinked at her. I've never sung before, and I don't know if you'll like how I sing. Corona's expectant gaze was something Glow couldn't say no to, especially like this.

       "Alright, I can do that for you." She cleared her throat, and from her throat, a deep, gravelly, but not unpleasant voice was slithering out with a rich accent to it. By the time she finished the lullaby, Corona was sound asleep.

       Glow smiled and pulled her head back in her sleeping quarters and curled up tightly. Her eyelids were feeling like lead, weighing down and dropping slowly. She allowed them to close and let out a long breath. This is it. Tomorrow, everything's about to change.