Antonia

Antonia hails from the Plague tribes far from the ocean, she was exiled from their number because of her kind, nurturing, and submissive nature and because of her desire to become a doctor rather than a warrior. The only reason she came to the seaside was because of the agreeable climate and the abundance of resources which means less time scavenging for food and more time studying.

Internally, she hates herself for not being good enough for her Tribe and for being weak enough to be simply cast aside by her plague brethren, and even her own family. Antonia especially misses her mother, who was in high standing in Plague society, because she feels that her mother could have protected her from all of the mocking and ill-treatment from her fellows.

Its only in being exiled, however, that Antonia meets Khormoi, a young but very proud Pearlcatcher who is out seeking rich life experiences. The two meet by chance one day while Khormoi is out in a terrible thunderstorm with his friend Ambrose. Ambrose, hating rain with a passion, suggests that they stop at the next shack they see and ask for shelter from the storm. Said shack happens to be the home of Antonia, and she gladly takes the two males in, though she was very guarded with them she offered both Ambrose and Khormoi every kindness she could. At first Khormoi was dazzled by her plumage and kindness, but he noticed a sadness in her ruby eyes; a longing for connections and experiences and yet fear of the unknown.

Antonia noticed the young Pearlcatcher watching her attentively and shied away from the curiosity in his eyes, feeling as if she weren't interesting enough for the indigo dragon. Her shyness only intrigued him more. The pair, Khormoi and Ambrose left at the break of the next day for home, but Khormoi couldn't get the lovely Skydancer off his mind and soon he came back to the shack bringing a basket of hearty foods and several flowers to repay Antonia's kindness.

Antonia meanwhile was charmed by the gesture but remained reserved around her new (and first!) friend and couldn't understand why he wanted to be friends with her in the first place or why he insisted on bringing her along with him everywhere he went from then on. Antonia and Ambrose also got along quite, with both dragons sharing the effort of pitting up with the zany behavior of Khormoi. Eventually, Antonia and Khormoi spent an evening on the beach to watch the sunset, a moment that changed her life forever.

After so many weeks spent together Khomoi finally got Antonia to open up about her past, her dreams, fears and her hopes for the future and how she doubted herself. Finally he understood why the beautiful feathered dragon had so much sadness in her eyes. So Khomoi shared his inner resentment towards his parents as well, how angry he used to be towards them. Then he held up his pearl to Antonia to hold. He told her that it didn't matter what his parents thought about him, or what her Tribe thought of her. Like his pearl, Antonia's love of medicine was what was precious to her even if it was worthless to someone else, it was everything to her and that's all that mattered. Antonia finally came to see Khormoi's view of the world, that it didn't matter what other dragons thought and her love of medicine was like his pearl worthless to others but everything to him.

Antonia fell in love with Khomoi and realized right then that she had everything she could ever need, friends, love, and her pearl-medicine.