Keahi

Silence fell when Keahi hatched. Struggling to break out of the shell, she kicked and scratched until she broke free. Blind and stumbling, she clawed out to the air, limbs swinging wildly, until finally, she opened her eyes. Fire-orange eyes looked up at the crowd, flames licking at the edges. Gasps and murmurs could be heard all around. Primal.

Surely she was the one they had been waiting for, the one the prophecy foretold! For certainly, with those bright, fiery eyes, she had been blessed by the Flamecaller herself! The clan believed that one day, one would be born to them that would be able to call upon the power of the gods to defend their clan in times of great peril. They'd be born to flame inferno, completely molded by power. Surely, this was her.

And so they raised her as best as she could. She never knew any troubles or strife, for her parents were at her every whim, the whole clan at her beck and call. The other hatchlings knew to show her kindness, for one day she would be their savior. She was fed well and pampered all her days, and when she was old enough, she began training.

They trained her hard. She knew to show no mercy or kindness in battle, for she was the chosen one. Her clan came first and foremost, and that meant keeping all enemies at bay. Rival clans, Beastclans--all fell to her claws. She was strong, and fast, and able to wipe out her opponents with ease. The clan was quite impressed.

This continued, until one day, she was forced to put her prowess in battle to the test. A rival clan attacked at the crack of dawn. Every dragon sprung to its feet, ready to defend their home on a moment's notice from the surprise attackers. Keahi led the defenses, her flaming eyes filled with pride as she scratched and clawed at the enemies. But oh, there were too many. Too many for the poor clan to handle.

And so Keahi turned her eyes to the sky, crying out for the gods to save them. To lend her their power so that she may smite their enemies, so that their clan may live to see another day. To bless her with fire inferno, strength multiplied, and speed like no other.

Silence.

The gods answered with silence.

Confused and terrified, Keahi continued to fight, but the enemy overpowered her, as they had so many. She fell to the ground unconscious as their hoard was looted, their food stores burned. And when she awoke, she saw a battlefield cleared, with several of her comrades dead on the ground. Tears sprung to her eyes as realization hit her.

It wasn't her. She wasn't the one the prophecies foretold.

And so Keahi ran. She fled from her clan, leaving behind her life and her home. She couldn't stay, couldn't face the families of the deceased and know that she had failed them. That was all she was, wasn't it? A failure. She was normal. Typical. Ordinary. Not the one the clan thought she was.

No, she couldn't stay.

She wandered for quite some time. Having always been treated as a hero, she wasn't used to life on her own. She had to hunt for her own food, and treat her own wounds. It was hard without having anyone watching her back, and because of it she found herself never sleeping in the same place twice. She was ashamed of who she was, and refused to seek out a new clan because of it. How could she face another clan when she had so brutally disappointed the last one? Shame forced her to hide her face from the world, and she was okay with this.

Or so she thought.

She found herself on the Starfall Isles one day, wandering through the Starwood Strand. It was nighttime, a peaceful time. She was seeking out a place to rest her weary head, when she heard dragons soaring above. They landed not far from her, and curiosity drove her to them. She kept at a distance, slowly creeping up on them, until she could just barely overhear their conversation.

They were warriors, it seemed. Fighters. It was clear from their battle scars and poise that they were proud of who they were. They were imperials like her, too. So she got closer. And closer. Until...

She stepped on a branch.

A stupid, amateur move. She cowered back, afraid the others would attack, but they simply stared at her. Watched her. Studied her. At least, until the leader spoke. He said his name was Arthur, the head Knight of the Lucent Cosmos. That he and a few members of his clan had been out hunting, and what in Sornieth was she doing out alone this late at night?

Realizing their intent was not to attack, she crept a bit closer, straightening out her back. She stated that her name was Keahi, and she was simply wandering. Nothing of concern. But to them, there was plenty of concern. The dragon was skinny, obviously malnourished. It was clear from the scars on her hide that she'd faced quite a bit over time. Oh, how the mighty fall.

Perhaps, just perhaps, she'd like a place to stay for the night? Some food to fill her belly? That didn't seem like a terrible idea to Keahi, who was beginning to shiver from the cold. She followed the dragons back to their lair, a large cavern named the Starless Chasm. Inside she found all different dragons, from small faes to other large imperials. They were warm and welcoming, and she found that she seemed quite comfortable in their home. They gave her food, and chatted for a while. Eventually, the obvious questions started surfacing, and she found that she couldn't necessarily lie. Where was she from? Was she alone? Where was her clan?

She answered honestly, and poured out her heart to the strangers' clan. And then, the strangest thing happened. They accepted her. They welcomed her with open arms, and offered her a place among their ranks. Arthur, the dragon she had first met, even offered her a place among his Knights, the guardians and protectors of the clan. She wasn't just another imperial. She was strong, and fast, and powerful. She was beautiful, and graceful, and important. She held her head high.

She had found a new home.