Trees stretched around Cinder. Their bark was ash-gray, and their leaves dark, almost black, their trunks curving oddly like no real tree did. Cinder couldn't decide if this forest was beautiful or terrifying, or a bit of both. A fiery glow lit up the end of the trail. Curiously, Cinder sped up into a trot, drawn to the light like a moth.

After what might have been forever or only a moment, she emerged into a wide clearing. Cradled in a silver nest sitting on a tree stump was a smooth, sand coloured egg.

And then it cracked.

Cinder gasped, her eyes popping open. Breathing heavily, she glanced around frantically, seeing Treason sitting not far away. His tail flicked back and forth impatiently, and Cinder glanced up at the sky. Moons above, it was nearly night! Had she slept all day?

Cinder leapt up, snapping Treason's head toward her.

"Welcome back," he said sarcastically. "Shall we get going?"

"Y-yes, sorry," Cinder agreed.

"Walking, still?" He asked.

"No, we can fly," Cinder replied. She'd feel a lot better—safer—walking, but Treason was already worried enough about her. She didn't want to give anything away until she was sure... at least she didn't need an explanation for flying extra slow; she always did that, to let Treason catch up.  His wings were that of a NightWing—strong and capable, but not the fastest. 

They flew silently through the night.  It was odd, because they usually talked as they flew.  Of course, Cinder was the more talkative of the two, so if she wasn't talking, he wouldn't either. 

She realized that he might get suspicious if she stayed quiet the whole flight.

"So... where to after Unity?" Cinder asked, glancing over at him. 

"Strength, maybe," he said with a shrug.  "Or Sanctuary.  It doesn't really matter."

There was a pause.  "Maybe..." she started, but drifted off, shaking her head.

"What?" He asked.

"I was just gonna say... maybe we should find somewhere safe and settle down.  Just for a while," she added quickly as his eyes widened.

"Settle down?" He echoed in bewilderment.  "But... that's the opposite of us.  I know you wouldn't say that for no reason.  What's going on?"

Cinder looked down at the dark mountains zipping by below.  "Nothing," she assured him.  "I just think it would be good to have... you know, a break."

"A break," he said dubiously.

"Well, you know, it's probably a lot more stressful than we even realize to be on the run all the time.  If we just took some time to relax... a little vacation..."

"I don't need a vacation," he grumbled.

"I think it would be good for both of us," Cinder countered.

"But—"

"Treason," she said sternly, as if talking to a dragonet.  "This is one of those times where I call the shots.  We're definitely, most positively and certainly going to take a vacation."

"Where will we go?" He asked after a moment. 

"Remember my friends, Rye and Whiskey?" Cinder asked.

"Those annoying pickpockets?" Treason soughed.  "Afraid so."

"You know how they disappeared a few years back?  Well they sent me a letter, saying they found a secret beach for runaways, organized by some cheerful hybrid dragon.  It's somewhere around The Bay of a Thousand Scales.  They said to 'follow the RainWing's tail', whatever that means.  Worth a look, don't you think?"

"Mph," Treason grunted in response. 

"From what Whiskey wrote, it seems beautiful... crystal white sand, aquamarine water, beautiful climate... that hybrid even set up bars for the more troublesome of us," she added with a wink, and Treason's eyes brightened slightly.  "Rye was particularly enthusiastic about that part."

"Fine, lets go to the dumb beach," Treason sighed, brushing her wing with his.  "Whatever makes you happy."

Awww, Cinder thought. That was what she loved about Treason; he could act s fierce and dangerous as he wanted in public, but in the end, he was always a gentleman to her.

She smiled.  "Thanks."  They turned east, gliding instead toward the thin line of ocean on the horizon.