Avior

Avior, at first sight, might appear evil. In fact, this is something he has struggled with all his life. He's actually very sweet.

Avior settled himself in a hole in his home, the Plague clan. Most clans viewed his clan as an enemy. Repulsive and vile.
Why, Avior didn't really understand.
Avior sighed slightly.
Then, all chaos broke loose.
Nature dragons poured through the entrance to his home, swamping everything, everyone.
Avior leaped to his paws, and stared in horror at what was going on around him.
Avior leaped at the nearest one and dragged the female off of his lairmate.
He didn't understand why this was happening. He looked around wildly, then yowled as something sharp attached itself to his tail.
He whirled around and came face-to-face with...
An imperial.
A female, with golden wings and snow-white body. Pearly swirls swiveled their way across her wings.
Avior was jerked back to reality as she bit down again.
She lunged at him again, but he did not attack. He had just realized something.
This- This Nature dragon was no more than a hatchling. Why was she in a battle?
Avior pinned the little dragon easily. She was less than half his size.
"LET ME GO AND LET ME KILL YOU CORRECTLY!" bellowed the little golden and white hatchling.
Avior had to laugh at that.
"Oh?" he asked, struggling not to smile. "And how would you manage that?"
"Clawing your face off, that's how!" she said fiercely, her large green eyes full of defiance.
"You're a violent little hatchling, huh?" asked Avior.
"I'll have you know I'm almost of age!"
"Hmm, very nice. But aren't you kind of young to be involved in a battle?"
"WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THAT?"
"Um, because it's true?"
She hissed and spat and struggled to free herself.
Avior was kind of amused by this, and felt rather guilty about it.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"What makes you think I'd tell you?" she spat in reply.
"Well, you can either stay stuck and hiss at me, or we can have a civil conversation. Though with you still stuck, of course." Avior knew he was being aggravating and it was kind of fun.
She snarled at him.
He sighed.
"How is it possible to have a 'civil conversation' when I'm flipped on my back and you're holding me here? For that matter, we're enemies!" She said, tensing.
"I don't fight hatchlings," he said flatly.
"I'm almost an adult!"
"Why are you so desperate for me to fight you?"
"Because I can beat you!"
"Really? And, ah, I suppose you in your current position is all part of your plan to 'claw my face off'?" asked Avior. He just couldn't resist.
She snarled defiance.
Avior, in truth, didn't really know what to do with the young imperial. She was a hatchling, so maybe taking her prisoner wouldn't be the best idea. Especially as Scar, the leader of his lair, was not the most merciful of dragons.
On the other paw, letting her go seemed like a bad idea as well. She was small now, but she would grow. And all her current spirit would probably be channeled into becoming a fierce warrior to fight against Avior's clan.
While Avior hesitated, a male guardian barreled out of nowhere and skidded to a halt in front of Avior.
Scar.
"Scar," said Avior, with a respectful nod. And not an inch lower.
"What have you caught here, Avior?" asked Scar, red eyes narrowing at the Nature hatchling.
"Nature dragon," Avior replied, knowing that was obvious.
"We drove the rest of them out," said Scar, not removing his dark, ominous gaze from the female.
The Nature female's green eyes glittered with defiance, and Avior hoped she wouldn't insult him. Scar would probably attack her, hatchling or not.
As he said, Scar was not the most merciful of dragons.
"Take her to the dungeon," said Scar, malicious gaze finally moving away from the hatchling.
Avior picked up the hatchling by the scruff of her neck and started half carrying, half dragging her to the dungeon.
She squirmed and yelped and basically did her best to 'claw his face off'.
He pulled her as gently as he could into a dark opening in a hill. He put her in a cell and locked the door.
He glanced at her as he did so.
Her wings and small form were relaxed, and looked almost submissive. But her bright green eyes showed the defiance and anger she was feeling. There was no obedience there.
A strangely intense look for a hatchling.
"What's your name?" he asked her quietly.
The little female remained silent, only lifting her chin and looking him straight in the eye.
He sighed and left. He hoped she would be alright. But with the way Scar ran things here, he wasn't sure she could survive.
Somehow, though, she seemed to have more spirit than most dragons... Maybe, just maybe, she would survive this.
Would I help?
The question struck him suddenly and left him feeling startled at the very thought of it. Why would he help his enemy?
Her heart seems to be more pure than most of the dragons here, said the same, small voice.
He shook the thought away. That was crazy.

---

Avior yawned and stretched that morning.
Avior dug up some Plague plants, knowing the Nature female would probably prefer plants, given where she was from.
Avior had never actually seen the Nature clan, but he had heard it was a lush forest, filled with all the kinds of fantastic beasts you could imagine.
He trotted to her den. He wasn't entirely sure why he was being so kind to her, except that she was a hatchling.
Avior wasn't exactly much more than a hatchling himself, but he was still an adult, and he was still older than she was.
Avior trotted into the cave, then felt his jaw drop. The plants fell unceremoniously to the ground.
The Nature dragon- at least, he was pretty sure it was still her- had become of age today. She was no longer a hatchling.
Her golden wings shimmered, even in the dim light of the torches. And her white swirls and scales gleamed like pearls. Her bright green eyes were bigger, and more vivid.
And they still held as much spunk as before.
"Uhh," said Avior, gradually becoming aware he was still staring at her, his mouth hanging open.
"What?" she snapped.
"Uh?"
"What are you staring at?!"
"I brought you breakfast," said Avior, regaining control of himself.
"I don't need you to take care of me!" she snapped, her wings lifting aggressively. "And you see," she added. "I'm not a hatchling anymore. Care to fight me now?"
Avior sighed. It was her, alright.
"Well, I suppose I'll just take this right back then," he replied, feeling himself slipping once more into infuriating mode.
"Fine by me!" she spat.
"Sassy mode, activated," he muttered, then began walking up the passageway. When he didn't hear her call out for him to stop, he added. "Stubborn mode, also activated."
So, he turned around and trotted back down to her.
"You again?" she hissed.
"Yes, me again," said Avior patiently. He shoved the plants through the bars. Her responses was to shove them right back through.
Avior thought about it for a moment, then shoved the plants back through and covered the gap with his tail.
She snarled at him. "Son of the Plaguebringer!" she spat.
"Well, yeah. Duh." Avior WAS a Plague dragon, after all.
The she-dragon snarled at him once, and then lay down again. She watched him with wary green eyes.
He sighed softly. "You don't have to treat me like an enemy, you know," he said softly.
"What? You mean, I should just ignore the fact that you're imprisoning me in this dump of a clan?"
"To be fair, you're the one who attacked me."
"Of course I did! That's how war works, doofus!"
Now, Avior didn't like being called a doofus. But he liked it even less coming from a Nature dragon.
His patience snapped.
"I know how war works!" Avior spat, his mane standing up. "I certainly know better than you do! As you're a hatchling! Why aren't you home with your mommy? Snuggled up with your siblings, hmm? Is the Nature clan so desperate it's using dragons like you?"
Avior instantly regretted his sharp words, but the she-dragon stood, her eyes flashing. He was pretty sure the comment about her being a hatchling would rankle.
"The Nature clan knows more about warriors than this clan knows about compassion," she said icily. "Oh, you look a little bit confused," she said, making her voice sound like she was talking to a hatchling. "I suppose you don't even know the meaning of the word 'compassion', do you? Why does this not surprise me?"
Avior flinched at her words, then returned an equally stinging volley.
"Compassion, you say? It wasn't exactly compassionate of the Nature clan to start this war!" he spat. "WE never wanted it to happen! But now that it has, we'll fling the cowards down at our paws where they belong! Starting with you!"
She hissed, her wings expanding to fill the chamber. She called one of the worst insults a dragon can call another.
Avior's eyes widened, and before he could think, he launched himself at her, snarling.
The bars let him pass through as easily as if they were made of air. For he was a Plague dragon, and they obeyed him.
The Nature dragon was not expecting it and her eyes widened as he loomed over her. He tackled her, pushing her to the ground of the cell.
She was surprisingly strong for a dragon who had been a hatchling yesterday, but his body was more physically developed than hers, and after a few moments of struggle, he pinned her to the ground.
His back legs held down her bright golden wings, and his front paws latched onto her wrists, which by either side of her head.
She lay on her back, glaring up at him and panting heavily.
She was pinned and defeated, but her eyes didn't have a trace of fear. They shone with defiance and anger and determination.
Avior realized with a jolt that, however much he hurt her physically, or with his words, this was a dragon whose spirit would continue to wander free.
He was much more powerful than she was, physically. But mentally? He was way out of his league.
The realization was almost enough to make him let her go. Almost. His anger faded slowly.
She hissed up at him, and he asked the first thing that popped into his head.
"What's your name?"
"What?" she asked, so stunned, the anger faded from her face and voice.
"What's your name?" he asked. His rage had quite evaporated.
"Why do you care so much?!" she spat, her sassy personality coming back into place.
"I'm Avior," he offered.
She glared at him, then said mutinously. "Bella."
It occurred to him that this was a very awkward position to make introductions, so he got off of her.
Why wasn't he angry anymore? Avior didn't understand it at all.
"Why did you join in an attack when you were just a hatchling?" he asked her quietly.
She hissed, her wings expanding to fill the chamber. He wasn't intimidated.
"I joined because my clan needed me, that's why!" spat the imperial fiercely.
Avior sighed softly and met her gaze steadily, probing for an answer. A real answer.
Bella glared at him, her green eyes sparkling with anger and defiance and ferocity. She looked away and began to eat the plants Avior had brought.
"Yuck," she muttered, and he smiled slightly.
Avior turned and walked out of the cave, into the sunshine. He wondered about Bella. She was a fighter alright. But could she survive Scar's treatment?
Avior frowned slightly. He didn't know.
Speaking of Scar...
"Avior!" Scar's voice cut like a whip into Avior's thoughts. He winced and looked at his Alpha, hiding his growing trepidation.
"Yes, Scar?" asked Avior, attempting to conceal the fact that he had flinched.
"What were you doing in the Nature dragon's prison?" asked the guardian, red eyes like drops of blood glaring into Avior's.
"I was-" Avior hesitated. He couldn't say he had fed Bella. That would not go down well. While Scar had never actually said she WASN'T to be fed... He doubted the Alpha would like it.
"I was fighting her," said Avior stoutly. It was true. He HAD fought her.
Scar's eyebrow raised. "Fighting her? Why?" he asked coldly.
"Because she had offended me," replied Avior stubbornly. That was also true. Avior started to hope he could get out of this without having to lie.
Scar eyed him, but Avior could see a pleased gleam in his leader's eyes.
"Good, Avior. We'll make a warrior of you yet. I was starting to think you were, ah, too soft to stay in this lair."
Avior met his leader's burning gaze and caught the threat clearly. Avior swallowed and nodded.
The guardian looked satisfied as he walked away with an insolent swagger.
Avior breathed again.
Avior settled down into his bed that night, still thoughtful about all that had happened.
His leader hated him and would kill him if he showed any weakness. Bella's name was Bella. And she was a dragon whose respect he desired.
That last one startled him.
Avior blinked. He wanted a Nature dragon's respect? Why?
Avior shrugged to himself and plopped his head down, lost in thought. Anger flashed through him like a knife at the way Scar ruled the lair.
A cruel, greedy tyrant. Scar had chased Avior's own mother out because she failed to bring him the seafood he wanted.
Avior was still rankled at the memory.
Avior had been a hatchling at the time, but his mother had told him of it. And Avior had come to Scar's home in order to get revenge.
But something had stopped him.
Avior had realized that it wouldn't do any good. It wouldn't change that his mother had been thrown out for unfair reasons.
It wouldn't change the fact that Scar was a low, cowardly, greedy, cruel dragon.
It wouldn't change anything.
So Avior stayed for a different reason.
He stayed to protect the other dragons in the lair from Scar to the best of his ability.
Avior dwelled on this, and came to a decision. He got to his paws and crept out of the cave, into the warm, tainted air.
Avior snuck along to Bella's cave, looked around, then slipped inside.
Avior padded down the tunnel, his heart thumping wildly.
He made his way in the dark to her cell. He didn't know why he was doing this. Except, perhaps, that he wanted her to have some freedom before Scar executed her.
And Scar always executed the enemy.
Avior stifled a growl at the thought and caught sight of the golden and white imperial, curled up and snoozing gently.
Avior paused for a moment, simply to observe Bella.
She wasn't fighting him right now, or glaring at him, or insulting him. It was the first time Avior had seen the little imperial relaxed.
She shouldn't have to be the way she is, thought Avior, with a twinge of sadness. She should be like this all the time. Carefree, and relaxed. She's too young to be a warrior.
Not that I'm much older, Avior reminded himself ruefully. It was hard to imagine him and Bella as near the same age. She just seemed so much younger than him.
Avior shook away his thoughts like bothersome flies and padded down the gently sloping tunnel towards her.
"Bella," he whispered, shaking her gently with one paw. "Bella."
Bella's startlingly green eyes flew open and she sprang to her paws, eyeing him warily.
"What do you want?" she spat.
"I want to give you a bit of freedom before-" Avior faltered. He couldn't tell her. He shouldn't. But didn't she have a right to know?
"What?" asked Bella suspiciously.
"Look, Scar...doesn't..." Avior stopped. How could he tell her? How could he tell her that she had barely a day or two to live? Scar always executed Nature dragons. Always.
"Just come on," he said, opening the door.
"What?" asked Bella, staring at the open door in shock. "What are you doing?"
"Letting you have some freedom," he whispered. "And keep your voice down, okay?"
"Why?" asked Bella slyly. "Are you doing this against orders?"
Avior glared at her, and then made to shut to the door, saying, "If you don't want to come out, that's fine by me-"
Bella hastily leaped forward and out of the cell. "I didn't say that," she answered, lifting her head high and meeting his gaze fiercely.
Avior resisted a smile at the feisty female and led her up the tunnel.
He knew he was taking a horrible risk. What if she escaped? Scar would have Avior take Bella's place in the execution.
Avior shuddered at the thought.
Avior led her out into the Rotrock Rim's wide domain.
He let her stay and play among the filthy plants of the Plague clan. He kept a careful eye on her, lest she try to escape.
"So," she said, swooping down next to him. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
Avior blinked. He hadn't been prepared for the question, and it had caught him off guard.
"Well, it just- just seems like the right thing to do, I guess," Avior stammered.
The golden and white dragon stared at him, green eyes wide. "You're helping a Nature dragon because it feels right?" she asked in disbelief.
"Well, yeah."
"But we're enemies!"
Avior hesitated. "Just because I was born in the Plague clan and you in Nature? No, I don't think so. Why should we be enemies for something we can't help?" he ventured.
Bella stared at him.
"I..." she said, still gazing at him, shock all over her features. "Hadn't thought of it that way."
Avior smiled slightly and gestured to the trees. "Play. Be free. For a little while."
"What do you mean, 'for a little while'?" asked Bella testily.
"I mean that Scar never lets his prisoners live!" Avior retorted, springing to his paws. He was tired of her distrustful manner, and her blazing eyes, and her defiance.
Bella's bright green eyes held surprise. And also, her familiar fiery temper. "I won't let it happen!" she hissed, lifting her wings.
"Right," said Avior coolly. "Good luck with that."
Avior turned away from her, wrestling with his feelings. Should he help her escape?
The thought surprised him.
Why would I help her escape? he asked himself.
Unbidden, a flash of her face appeared in his mind. Beautiful, sassy green eyes, her elegant face turned up proudly...
Avior blinked. What was that about?
He blinked again and turned back to Bella.
She was gone.
Avior stared at the place where she had been.
"No... No!" he yelped. He put his head to the ground and sniffed, trying to pick up her scent. Fear flashed through him. What would Scar do to him if he found out? Probably kill him.
Where was she? Oh, where was that stupid, stupid female?
"Hey there," said a voice above him, and her face slid down in front of him. She was hanging upside down from a dead tree!
"B-Bella? Why-?" Avior was disconcerted by her face, barely three inches from his, smirking in self-satisfaction.
"Wh-"
Bella shrugged and lowered herself in front of him. "I bet you thought I'd run off, didn't you?"
All Avior could think to say was, "Why didn't you?"
Bella blinked, and her smirk fell away. "Well... I owe you, I suppose." She looked away.
"But you'll die."
"Why do you care?"
"I never said I did."
"Then why did you ask?"
"Because..." Avior stopped.
"Because...?" Bella pressed, looking at him. She didn't have a trace of her usual sassy self.
"Because...I do...care."
Bella stared at him. "You- You what?" she stammered.
"I do care," said Avior quietly, holding her shimmering green gaze. He didn't understand why he was saying this, but...
"Why?" asked Bella, looking up at him.
"Because-" he stopped again. He didn't really know himself.
"Yes?" Bella asked persistently.
"I-"
Bella's bright gaze was holding onto his, and suddenly, he had to look away.
"We should go back," he said quietly.
"No," And a trace of the old stubbornness came back. "Tell me."
"Come on," he said, turning back towards the cave. He walked along, feeling small bones crunching underneath his powerful paws.
After a moment, he heard Bella's smaller, lighter paws coming padding in his footsteps.

---

The next night, Avior led her to a pond instead. As she lay near the shallows, Avior happened to glance down at his reflection, shimmering over the surface of the filthy water.
The dragon he saw was powerful and majestic.
His body was milky white, his wings a vibrant red. Darker, blood-red swirls smoothed their way over his muscular shoulders and legs. His eyes matched his wings.
Avior winced.
He looked evil.
Avior looked away.
"What's wrong?" asked Bella, making him jump.
"Wha-? Uh... It's...nothing," he managed to stammer, hoping he didn't look like she had startled him badly. Which she had.
Bella cocked her head at him, then darted off to go do her thing. Avior breathed deeply, and then let it out.
He glanced at his reflection again. Even his legs looked like they had blood running down them in streams, gathering at the place his claws met his paws.
Avior sighed softly and glanced up for Bella.

---

The next morning, Avior was padding out of his den, yawning sleepily, when he heard a hoarse say, "Yes, he's going to execute her at sunset. Tonight."
Avior froze.
Were they talking about Bella?
Avior glanced over and saw a beautiful white and orange pearlcatcher with eyes like rubies whispering to a huge snapper. She glanced at him through narrowed eyes, apparently wondering if he'd heard.
Avior hastily tried to morph his features into an innocent expression of sleepy ignorance.
As he trotted away from them, he yawned and stretched, just in case they were still watching him.
He padded to Bella's cell, but found it blocked by a burly ridgeback, who eyed him warily...insolently...evilly.
"No one is to see the prisoner," she drawled.
Avior blinked. He wondered if it was worth it to argue. He was only two weeks old, but he was still much larger than most imperials his age. Bella, in fact, was a week old, but she was only eight meters long, and hardly that.
On the other paw, ridgebacks could turn vicious.
What are you thinking? came a frantic voice in his head. You're thinking about fighting your lairmate? For a Nature dragon?! Why?!?
Her green eyes floated in his mind. He pushed it away.
The ridgeback was watching him with narrowed eyes, apparently wondering if he would interfere.
"Not even to give her breakfast?" Avior asked casually, aware he had no food with him at the present moment.
The ridgeback yawned widely in his face, "Nature dragons don't deserve to live, much less eat."
Avior forced his mane not to bristle.
"You've got a lot to learn, youngster," drawled the she-dragon.
Avior resisted a growl and just decided it would be better to walk away now before he did something stupid.
Avior dipped his head to her and padded away normally, his insides screaming at him to attack the insolent ridgeback.
Avior fruitlessly tried to come up with a plan, ignoring the jibs of his inner self, which was asking him repeatedly why he was helping a Nature dragon. He didn't know the answer himself, but he figured he should probably find out later. Bella only had a limited amount of time.
Avior struggled with himself and tossed ideas to the winds frantically, and angrily. He didn't know what to do, and the sun was sinking in the sky.
Avior paced desperately, racking his brains. Then, he heard a sound that turned his blood to ice.
Shrieking.
Bella.
Avior shot towards the sound without another coherent thought.
Bella! his thoughts were screeching over and over like some nanny dragon gone mad.
He skidded to a halt, and with an enormous act of will, he managed to force himself not to leap on Bella's attackers.
The ridgeback and the pearlcatcher he had seen earlier were trying to drag Bella towards the Rock, which Scar waited on, tapping his foot impatiently and sharpening his claws.
Bella, being Bella, was fighting with all her might, shrieking insults to her attackers at the top of her lungs, and managing to get them to back off momentarily. All at the same time.
Avior blinked.
How was it a tiny imperial from the north could scare two hardy Plague dragons who were much older, much larger, and much more experienced.
She's a fighter, said a small, admiring voice inside his head. A fighter.
But it didn't last long. Bella was soon beaten into submission and dragged before Scar, who tensed.
"NO!" bellowed Avior, thrusting himself forward. It was the first and only thing he could think off.
Scar stared at him, shock all over his cruel, chiseled features. But Avior knew it wouldn't last long.
Avior slashed his claws at Scar's face, seized Bella's scruff, hauled her onto his back and took off like a torpedo.
He could not believe he just did that.
For a moment, all he could hear was the loudest silence he had ever heard behind him. Then-
"GET THEM!" shrieked Scar. "KILL THE TRAITOR! BRING THE NATURE DRAGON TO ME!"
Not if I can help it, thought Avior determinedly.
He pumped his wings harder, but he could feel himself tiring. He couldn't keep going like this. His lairmates- former lairmates, he reminded himself- didn't have any cargo. Especially not cargo that was wriggling on his back and spitting insults through her gag. He wasn't sure if they were directed at him, herself, or their pursuers.
Avior decided to ignore her, and concentrate of getting away. But how could he? He could hear the angry and triumphant cries of their pursuers as they pulled forward.
No! They couldn't get Bella! They wouldn't!
That's when his day got weirder.
Go that way, said a small voice.
Avior obeyed without question or thought. He just reacted.
He zoomed down to earth and tugged Bella into a sheltered space under a rotten tree. He pushed her into the hollow space and hid there.
Avior peeked out of the dead, rotting leaves, peering for any sigh of their pursuers.
"Over here!" called a hoarse voice, and Avior hastily ducked his head back down.
"I smell the traitor!"
Traitor.
That was him.
And all for a Nature dragon he hadn't known existed two weeks ago.
He wanted to sigh, but he held it in. He was glad he had chosen this tree, as it was rotting so much, the smell disguised even Bella's sweet, flora-like scent.
Avior held his breath as the Plague dragons marched past, grumbling to themselves. Avior breathed again when they stomped away.
Bella squirmed and wriggled, making Avior remember he hadn't untied her. Overall, he decided, it would probably be better if he didn't loosen Bella. She was quite temperamental and noisy as well. She would probably give them away.
Avior loosened her bonds just enough to be comfortable, without letting her fully go. He glanced at the gag to make sure it was still firmly in place.
Bella stared at him in disbelief when he didn't let her go, and he couldn't help but give her a mischievous smile.
Bella began spluttering what sounded like more insults through her gag, and this time, Avior was positive they were directed at him.
He grinned and glanced up for another peek at their pursuers. They were gone, but their scent was very fresh. Avior doubted they would be gone long.
Avior lifted Bella again and slid as quietly as a snake through the hideous, scarred land.
Avior then realized with a jolt what the voice in his head had been.
It had been memory.
He remembered this path. His mother had taken him through here as a hatchling.
Avior sped forward, following his nose, his thoughts, his memories... He darted through, trying to be as silent as possible. Bella did not help matters. She was squirming and struggling and growling insults through the bit of cloth in her mouth.
Avior shot to the shelter of a hunched bush and put her down, pulling the gag out of her mouth.
Her green eyes burned up at him, as she leaped to her paws, then promptly fell back down with an indignant squawk. Her paws were still tied, and she began to work at the cloth with her teeth.
When she was finally free, she whirled on him, her eyes blazing with familiar ferocity.
"You idiot! You carrion-breathing, vulture-winged, JERK! What were you THINKING? Did you just randomly decide to-"
Avior slapped his tail over her mouth and glanced back for his former lairmates. "Do both of us a favor and shut up, okay?"
Bella spat his tail out, her mane standing up in spikes. "I most certainly will NOT!" her voice was shriller with fury. "You-"
"Bella, do I have to put your gag back in?"
"Try it! I dare you! You won't get two paces before I claw your face off!"
Avior had to smile. He remembered the first time he had met her, when she was a hatchling. She had said something very like that, if not those exact last words.
"Wipe that grin off your face or I'll do it for you!"
"Oh really?"
"Yes really! Don't think I can't, carrionbreath!"
"Huh," said Avior lightly, enjoying their banter. "Is that any way to speak to your rescuer?" He hid a grin at her reaction.
"I would have gotten away!" she spat angrily.
"Oh of course. Right after Scar murdered you on the spot, of course."
Bella glared at him, her eyes flickering with green fire. "I don't need help from any Plague dragons," she said, endeavoring to make her voice cold, but he could tell she was relieved.
"I'll remember that next time," said Avior courteously. "Now, shall we try to get away before our faces actually ARE clawed off? Though by Plague dragons."
Bella glared at him for a moment, then followed him through the scarred land.
They traveled all day, managing to avoid their pursuers, even though Bella's brilliant white scales and golden wings were a dead giveaway.
Bella didn't speak to him the whole way.
As they approached the Shadow clan, Avior glanced at the smaller, slighter she-dragon and said, "We'll get deeper into that clan, then find a place to rest."
"Yes, Your Highness," Bella retorted mutinously.
Avior rolled his eyes and glanced at the sky, which was lightening. It was almost dawn, and he was exhausted. He suspected Bella was too, but highly doubted the Nature dragon would admit it.
They entered the Shadow clan, and Avior stopped for a moment, his paw hovering over the border.
One more step, and he would be farther away from home than he had ever been.
Avior glanced back at the wasteland. Hideous or not, scarred or not, it had been his home.
But he had betrayed the Plaguebringer by saving Bella.
Why did I save her?
The question stuck in his mind, as stubborn as Bella in its refusal to leave him alone.
Avior looked at her. "Why did I save you?" he suddenly asked.
Bella looked at him. He saw the anger in her face abate slowly. "I don't know," she returned, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. "Why did you?"
Avior stared at her, thinking. "I don't know myself."
Bella and Avior, two dragons who should have been, by all rights, enemies. Just staring at each other, searching for words.
Avior tore his gaze away from her searching green one. "We should...keep moving. I have to get you home."
"What?"
"The Nature clan. The Viridian Labyrinth. Isn't that where you live?"
"Well..."
Avior looked at her. "Yes?"
"Not really. I did. Once. But I'm not sure if I'm welcome there anymore."
"Why wouldn't you be?"
"Uh..."
Avior looked her, unblinking. It was a tactic that had worked before with other dragons. And sure enough-
"I was, um, a princess. In the Nature clan, that is. And, um..."
Avior stared at her, vaguely aware his mouth was open. This- This little, temperamental she-imperial was a PRINCESS?
"And what? Princess Bella."
Bella winced. "Don't call me that. Anyway, I wanted to be a warrior. So I snuck away and-"
"Battled against the Plague dragons. As a hatchling," Avior finished, working it out for himself.
Part of Avior was impressed at her courage, the other was unsurprised at the rather reckless move.
"Yes. Now I don't know if I'm welcome there anymore," said Bella, not looking at him.
He sighed softly. "How do you get yourself into so much trouble, Bella? And you're hardly a week old."
Bella looked rather flattered, though she tried to conceal it.
"Well, come on. You don't have anywhere else to go, and I doubt your family would throw you out over that. Come on."
Avior started through the Shadow territory. The sun was rising, bathing the Plague clan in harsh light, but the trees of the darkest clan quenched it.
Bella followed him, and they made their way through the clan.
Eventually, the found a hollow oak, wide enough even for Avior. They settled in and went to sleep.

---

Avior woke with a yawn, blinking sleep from his eyes. He glanced around, momentarily surprised to find himself inside a tree that wasn't dying.
Then he remembered.
He looked down at Bella, who was still asleep.
Again, for the second time, Avior was amazed at how different Bella looked when she was asleep was opposed to when she was awake.
She was relaxed here, her side rhythmically moving up and down with gentle sighing sounds.
Now that Avior knew who she was, he was surprised he hadn't guessed sooner that she was royalty.
Her elegant face reminded him of kings and queens he had seen in his early life. And her shimmering wings would look like gold if they weren't covered in bits of purple plants, decaying wood, and half-healed cuts.
She was beautiful.
The thought struck him like a battering ram.
Bella was beautiful.
Avior blinked. Okay? So what?
Avior sighed softly, then gently shook Bella awake.
"Bella? Bella, it's time to get up."
Bella lifted her head sleepily, and for a moment Avior found himself just staring.
Her elegant face was tired, but her green eyes shone with resilience. Her graceful form shook slightly as she yawned widely.
Avior blinked and got rid of his momentary speechlessness. "Ready?" he asked.
She smiled. "Ready when you are."
They squeezed out of the tree.
"Bella?" asked Avior as they started through the Shadow clan once more.
"Yes?"
"Why were you mad at me when I saved you?"
"You didn't sav- Well, you did. But you didn't need to!"
"Fine. Why were you mad after I unnecessarily saved you?"
"Because you kept me tied up!"
"You would've made us lose our cover!"
"No I wouldn't! Besides, you STILL should've let me go!"
"What? So you could get captured again?"
"I could get captured again? What about you, you idiot? Flying off with me like a lunatic."
"I didn't hear you complaining then! At least, not coherently, as you were gagged then."
"Argh! You're infuriating!"
"Why thank you," said Avior, rather pleased with himself. "I return the compliment with all my heart."
"You- You are such a-"
"Yes?"
Bella contented herself with an angry toss of her head and increasing her speed, forcing him to catch up.
Avior trotted by her side, suddenly in good spirits. Even though he was covered in dirt, bits of decaying plants, and goodness knows what else.
"You really are fun to annoy, you know," he informed her.
She threw him a murderous look.
"And you always have the sweetest expressions," he added, struggling not to smile.
Bella growled at him, then continued, her head held aloofly high.
"What? I'm not allowed to tease you?"
Her only answer was a sniff, and he fought the urge to smile once more.
They got through the Shadow clan with almost no incident, but once they got to the border of the Nature clan and the Shadow clan, Avior found himself searching for reasons to prolong his stay with the princess.
"Avior," said Bella, turning to face him. He read in her expression several emotions, some of them unfamiliar, some of them completely normal for Bella: Nervousness, obstinacy, hope, and fear.
"You- You could come with me. To the Nature clan."
Avior didn't say anything. Just looked at her.
"Come on, Avior. You can't go back to the Plague clan! You're, well, you're a traitor. You HAVE to come with me."
"There are nine other clans I could go to, Bella," said Avior with a small smile.
She glared at him. Now THAT was familiar.
Avior couldn't suppress a grin.
"Avior! So will you come with me?"
Everything inside him wanted to say yes.
"No," he said quietly. "I'm sorry Bella. My place isn't in the Nature clan. And," he added with a small sigh. "I suppose it isn't in the Plague clan either."
"Avior! You- You're so confusing! I don't understand you at all!"
"What don't you understand?" he asked mildly.
Bella glared at him, green eyes smoldering. "Why did you save me?"
Avior blinked, and then lowered his eyes. "I don't kn-"
"Yes you do. Tell me."
Avior gaped at her, trying to find words.
"Tell me, Avior," said Bella forcefully. "Why did you save me?"
Avior stared at her.
"Tell me!"
"I don't know!"
"Yes you do!"
"Do you already know?"
"I suspect. Now tell me."
Avior hesitated, thinking. He remembered Bella as a hatchling, fighting him with all her might. He remembered the defiance in her blazing green eyes when he had pinned her. He remembered the wonder in her face when he said he wanted her to have freedom.
His mind raced.
He remembered how she came to him and asked him if he was alright, that time when he had been looking at his reflection. He remembered when he defied Scar to get her to safety. He remembered the ferocity of the realization...that he would not let anything harm her.
Avior blinked and almost staggered as he finally understood...
He looked at her, opening his mouth, three words pushing against his lips.
Then the cruel streak of reality sliced through that charade.
He closed his mouth.
No. No, he couldn't.
"Bella," said avior when he could speak again. "We live in different worlds, figuratively speaking and literally speaking."
Bella just looked at him, not a word escaping her lips.
"I'm a Plague dragon-"
"You're not anymore."
Avior hesitated, then continued carefully, "I'm still bound to the Plague clan because I was born there. And...I'm also a warrior. You live the wild life of a Nature dragon. And not just any Nature dragon, a princess! There is no place for an enemy warrior in your life."
"Yes there is!" Bella retorted. "There is if I want there to be! If- If we want there to be..."
Avior gazed at her, knowing her face would be forever branded in his mind.
"I'm sorry, Bella. But you're wrong."
Avior turned. And walked away.
He ignored her cry to stop.
He ignored her stamp of frustration against the ground.
He ignored her.
And kept going.

---

Avior settled himself in the Light clan and gazed unseeingly at his paws. He sighed softly, but didn't say anything.
"Avior!"
Avior's gaze shot up and his heart leaped.
Bella!
Wait.
No.
That wasn't Bella. She just looked extraordinarily like Bella.
The only difference between the two females that he could see was that this one was a little heavier and her wings were duller than Bella's vibrant gold.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" asked Avior, not getting up.
"I'm Lucky. I'm Bella's sister. Now come on! Bella's trapped!"
Avior sprang to his paws. He didn't doubt her words for an instant. "Where?"
"Our f-father's keeping h-her locked up!"
"Why?"
"Because she refused to mate a-anyone! Sh-She wouldn't even tell ME w-why!" the imperial was starting to cry.
"Wait, wait," Avior said hastily, handing her a scrap of blue fabric. He was unused to crying females and wasn't really sure what to do with them. All the while, panic was engulfing him like a wave. Trust Bella to be too stubborn to let things go.
In a flash, he worked out what happened.
Bella was a princess, so her father would've wanted to marry her off. Then the little golden and white idiot had decided not to mate anyone because-
Avior blocked that thought before it could form.
She wouldn't be so foolish, she couldn't!
But Avior knew Bella well enough by now to know she was.
"How did you know to come to me?" asked Avior, impatiently shouldering his pack and following Lucky out of the tunnel.
"Bella told me to find a dragon named Avior. I followed your scent."
"How did you know what it was?"
"Bella threw me this." Lucky handed Avior a dead plant. It had the faint scent of himself.
Avior stared at the plant and realized...
This was a plant from the breakfast Avior had given Bella.
He ground the plant into dust.
Stupid, stupid, stupid princess!
"Take me to her!" gasped Avior, picking up his speed. Despite that fact that he was older and larger than Lucky, she was still keeping up a steady pace ahead of him.
She led him back to the Nature clan faster than Avior thought possible. And somehow, he wasn't tired.
Magic, he decided. Bella's sister was magic.
Was Bella?
He snorted. He wished she had BRAINS instead. Much more attractive.
He sighed. He knew he was being hard on her.
"There," whispered Lucky, gesturing to the Behemoth with her tail. Avior hadn't even noticed he was in the Nature territory. More magic.
He glanced at Lucky. "Do you have magic?"
"You mean aside from dragon magic?" asked Lucky with a faint smile.
"Yes."
Lucky blinked green eyes identical to Bella's. "Maybe," she whispered. She turned her vibrant gaze back to the Behemoth. "She's up there."
Avior looked up, and saw Bella perched on one of the branches, apparently arguing ferociously with a guard.
He couldn't help a grin. That was Bella, all right.
"How do we get to her?" asked Avior quietly, his gaze riveted on Bella.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Lucky raise an eyebrow. "I hoped that's what you would know how to do."
Avior glanced at her. She kinda had a point. He HAD rescued the Nature princess before. But he still felt a little annoyed. Come on, a sister to his...friend, comes up randomly and asks him to rescue her without even knowing how? Geez.
Avior sighed softly and shook his head. "Alright," he began in a whisper. "We can't get to her at night. She's bound to be too closely guarded. We'll try in the daytime. You're her sister and also a princess, so they should let you see her, right?"
"Yes."
"Okay, well, you tell Bella to be ready. And ask her if she knows anything about where the keys are kept."
"Righto."
"Okay. Go."
"Right NOW?"
"Yes, right now! The longer we wait, the more likely I'll be found! I'm a Plague dragon!"
Suddenly, it occurred to him how odd this was.
A Nature dragon was asking a Plague dragon, sworn enemy of Nature, to help rescue another Nature dragon.
Truth is stranger than fiction, thought Avior, shaking his head in disbelief. Especially as I'm actually trying to save her.
He doubted Bella's father would hurt her. Well, HE had certainly felt like clobbering Bella at one point or another, but if he could restrain himself, her father certainly should be able to.
Unless she really did push him over the edge, thought Avior, glancing at Bella once more.
No no, her father wouldn't do that.
Right?
Avior remembered the fairy tales, where the king would hurt his daughter. Lock her up or force her into marriage.
He shoved that out of his head. This wasn't a fairy tale. This was real life. And she needed him right now.
In a few moments, Avior managed to slip inside Bella's cell with Lucky's help. It was good thing Lucky had magic.
Or at least, Avior was fairly sure she had magic.
"Bella?" he asked, slipping inside.
"I've already told you, I REFUSE to mate that puffed-up, arrogant- Avior!"
"Well, I see your opinion of me hasn't changed much."
"Avior! I didn't mean you! I meant-"
"Okay, okay, but we have to get out of here!"
Avior sneaked back up to the entrance and stopped suddenly. A guard was right there.
Fortunately, he hadn't seen Avior, but there was no way they could escape.
Avior backed up, out of earshot.
"Bella," he murmured over his shoulder. "Listen, there's a guard out there and-"
"I know. If you'd asked me, you would've found out they change guards every hour."
Infuriating mode, activated.
"Bella! Why am I trying to rescue you?" he muttered to himself after his exclamation.
"Maybe for the same reason you brought me breakfast, gave me freedom, and eventually, rescued me there," Bella's voice was warmer, and he looked over his shoulder at her.
The three words he had kept in a cage threatened to break loose.
He mentally shook himself. This wasn't the time to tell her. If he told her.
"Bella, we need to find a way to get-"
"Avior, do you care about me?" interrupted Bella, her eyes hard. "Or are you just doing this because you think it's your duty?"
Avior stared at her, mouthing wordlessly. "What?" he managed to say.
"You heard me."
"Well, yeah, I heard you," answered Avior, still stunned. "I'm just not sure if I understood you."
Bella snorted and glared at him.
Avior closed the distance between them until her face was inches away from his. "Listen you infuriating, irritating, aggravating, maddening, calculating, agitating, amazing dragon. What in flightrising makes you think I don't care about you? Do you think I risk my life for kicks?"
Bella blinked, looking like she didn't know whether to be offended or pleased.
"Well- well," she stammered, looking at a lose for words, which was very much unlike her.
"Yes?" asked Avior innocently.
Bella glared at him, and he grinned, savoring their old banter.
Bella looked away. "Alright," she muttered.
He nudged her fondly. "Did you think I hated you or something?"
Bella didn't answer, and Avior was confused. He couldn't worry about it though. He had to get her out of here.
"Come," he breathed, creeping forward. He slid onward, towards the entrance. Once there, he blinked in startled surprise.
The guard was knocked out.
Avior wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth though. He plunged forward, taking Bella with him.
They sped into the forest, where Lucky met them. "Hurry!" she hissed. "They know we're here! They found the guard!"
"Did you knock him out?" puffed Avior, swerving to avoid the nearest tree.
"Yes," Lucky answered. She didn't even sound winded, which reinforced Avior's belief that there was more to Lucky than met the eye.
Eventually, they slowed and Avior looked around for Lucky.
She was gone.
"Where's Lucky?!" Avior exclaimed loudly.
"I don't know. She never stays long."
Avior looked at Bella, and everything came crashing down onto him.
"Are you going to leave again?" Bella's voice was quiet, but her eyes flashed with defiance.
Avior hesitated, then slowly nodded.
"I'm not a Nature dragon anymore as well," Bella returned, her voice colder. "I ran away. I can go with you. Wherever you go."
Avior shook his head slowly. He couldn't explain it, but he knew Bella had her place and he had his.

---

Avior was sitting in a small grove, washed silver in the moonlight.
"Gladekeeper, Plaguebringer, what should I do?" pleaded Avior. "I don't even know who to talk to anymore. Please. Am I meant to be with Bella? Or not? Tell me what I'm supposed to do!"
A loud crack behind him sent him straight up, looking around wildly.
"Who's there?" he called, then immediately regretted it. What if it was Bella? He had left her behind, and if she was following him, she know knew vaguely where he was.
But it wasn't Bella.
It was a bright, vibrantly green she-dragon with a bundle of herbs in her jaws.
She blinked slightly, her piercing blue eyes startled as she dropped her herbs.
"Er, hello," offered Avior awkwardly. This she-dragon was beautiful, but not young. Her dark green scales were vaguely tinged with gray nearer to the edges, but her sky-blue eyes were bright and alert.
"Hello," she returned, so softly he almost missed it.
"I'm Avior," he said, padding slowly forward. She was a Lightning dragon, he realized. What was she doing here? Interesting.
"You look troubled," the she-dragon commented, gathering her plants. It occurred to Avior that she was probably a Healer.
Avior shrugged ruefully. "I guess you could say that, yeah..."
Her bright eyes flickered up to his face. "Female trouble?" she asked shrewdly.
Avior blinked. "How did you-?"
"I'm sorry," she said. "I should not have said that. It wasn't any of my business."
Then, another thought shocked him.
He had been praying to the dieties for help.
What if she was help?
But that's crazy, he protested. It was just a coincidence!
But instinct, overwhelming instinct, was telling him he could trust her. And if he wanted an answer, he had to trust her.
Before he knew it, he was pouring out his story to the elderly she-imperial.
"And now, I don't know what to do. Or who I am, really," he concluded.
"Who you are?" asked the imperial slowly.
"Yes. I mean, I'm not exactly a Plague dragon, am I?"
"By birth, you certainly are. But birth is not always what is most important."
Avior's head tilted. "What is most important then?"
Her piercing blue eyes seemed to read all of his secrets. "Different things are important to different dragons. In this case, what is more important to you? The Plague clan, which you've left behind? Or this fiery young female you love?"
Avior's head snapped up, ready to protest that he did not love her.
But that would be a downright lie.
"Bella," he whispered. "Bella is more important to me."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Avior searched her face, thinking up a thousand reasons why Bella could not be his mate.
But the words died on his lips.
"Thank you," he whispered.
He turned and trotted into the undergrowth, his pace quickening.
To look for the infuriating, irritating, aggravating, maddening, calculating, agitating, most amazing dragon in the world.
Then he skidded to a halt.
"Wait!" he called behind him. "What's your name?"
Her blue eyes pierced the gloom.
"My name is Terra."

---

As Avior lay in front of the fire, his wing draped over Bella.
He felt completely content.
He had a home now, he knew who he was, and best of all, Bella was his mate.
At least, he was pretty sure she was.
Better make sure.
"Hey, um, Bella?" he asked tentatively.
"Hmm?"
The three words in Avior's mental cage broke their boundaries at last.
"I love you."
Bella blinked slightly and looked up at him, her green eyes smiling. "I know, stupid."
Avior smiled at her, not at all upset at being called stupid, because he knew she didn't mean it.
If someone else called him stupid, that would be a different matter.
As Avior draped himself happily on the ground, he caught sight of a familiar dark green shape in the shadows.
He blinked and sat bolt upright.
Terra's blue eyes winked at him, and Avior felt unable to speak with gratitude. This was the she-dragon who had helped him understand who he was. He had to thank her.
But before he could, Terra gave him a last, approving smile, and then slipped away into the night.