Colton

He leaned back and watched his brothers soaring, digging his paws into the warm, sunkissed sand. The ocean lapped against the shore. Everything was perfect—his beach-nest lay under the waving fronds of coconut trees, and the ocean waves were capped by white froth. But Colton couldn’t be content. He admired the way all his older siblings soared above the earth, effortlessly riding the zephyrs.

They swooped, dove and waved at him. He pouted back up at them. His parents had buried him deep in the sand, with only his head sticking up, because they’d caught him testing his wings while they were still wet. He couldn’t wait to grow up, and his wings refused to develop fast enough. But now the sun was setting, smearing gold-red across the ocean. His siblings were landing and chattering about how much fun it was to fly. His parents were nodding slowly off, his father’s snores turning to whistles. As he watched, his mother hid herself beneath a large, black-green frond.

When the first white stars peeped out of the black, he slowly wriggled up out of the earth. It was slow going because the sand kept falling down onto him. He struggled not to sneeze. But when he was free, he trundled down the beach a little ways. Then, with a deep breath, he fluttered his wings. Nothing happened. He sighed, looked out at the ocean, gathered his muscles, and leapt. Beating his wings furiously, he finally rose into the air. Fierce joy overtook him. He bit down on his tongue to keep from crying out in joy. Like my inexperienced fliers, he looked straight down, hypnotized by the moon-silvered waters, watching shoals of sparkling fish leap from crest to crest.

But winds near the coast can come up suddenly and violently. When at last he thought to turn home, he looked all around him and found there was no land. Instead, shining water reached out in every direction. And the stiff wind made it so he couldn’t turn his body at all. Panicking a little, he spread his wings wide, and the wind bore him up into the sky. He found he didn’t have to beat his wings, either, but could ride the surge with little effort. The night passed, and when the day came, he spotted it: a shady green island shaped like a turtle, lit by the rising sun, but floating through the sky.

Something about its lushness called out to him. He spread his wings like a sail and landed, clinging to the earth with his claws. Soon a welcoming contingent of dragons surrounded him. One, an old blue Skydancer with a belly like fire, chuckled down at him and helped him up. “We’re getting a lot of wind-borne travelers around these parts. Care to join us for breakfast?” Colton was embarrassed by his disarrayed feathers, but agreed.

Clan Rush is a welcoming haven for all sorts. Ever since being buried in the dirt, then flying and losing his family, Colton hates the feeling of being dirty. He preens using a reflective bowl of water Brent gave him. The other dragons admire his charming, beachy, sunkissed looks, and are happy to have him with them.
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Bio by Caelyn