Joining the Clan

One early spring day, Harlequin was heading to join the Stormfeather Clan. She decided to take a break around the Moonbeam Portal - she had always been curious about the Portal, and it was along her route. Having been out most of the day, her tummy rumbled. She started to reach in her pouch for her dried zebra crickets, when a sparkle towards the Shifting Expanse caught her eye. Assuming it was a stray spark from one of the wires of the Expanse, she stared as she ate a couple crickets.

It took her a few moments to realize the sparkle was dancing, forming a regular pattern in the air. No spark would do that, she thought. It must be a bird or insect.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Harlequin took off toward the dancing sparkle. As she got closer, she recognized a dragonfly flitting along the pattern, it's wings glinting in the sun. Her stomach rumbled again, a dragonfly would make a good meal.

A moment too late, she realized that what she thought was a normal dragonfly was in fact a giant darner. As she wasn't quite full grown yet, the darner outsized her by a few inches. It suddenly altered course and began to chase her.

She squealed and turned away from the insect, and headed for the nearest tree as fast as she could. She pressed herself as flat against the trunk as she could, trying her best to blend in with the trunk. She could hear the clatter of the dragonfly's wings as it circled the tree, looking for the spot she entered the branches.

Suddenly, there was a woosh followed by a tink. She heard the darner's wingbeats change, it sounded like a struggle was going on. Daring to peek, she crept along the branch she stood on and peered out between the leaves.

The darner was wrapped in a dark line, trying frantically to get free. A mirror with trail wings stood at the other end, slowly pulling the darner down. "I've got it if you want to move," the mirror called up, sensing her watching.

Harlequin wasted no time flying down from the tree, but chose to land on the darner's back. Producing a hidden dagger, a few quick cuts and the creature stilled, falling heavily to the ground.

"Well, that works," the mirror stated approvingly as she unhooked her line.

Harlequin chuckled. "I intended it for a meal, didn't realize until too late that it was big enough for me to be its meal." She looked up at the mirror. "Thank you."

"No problem. Just glad I was passing through the desert and saw the commotion over here. By the way, the name's Dash," the mirror stated as they set to work cutting apart the insect.

The fae stopped and stared. "Wait, are you that Dash, the one that squealed in Grandpa's face when she hatched?!"

Dash groaned softly. "Are they ever going to let me live that down?" She started laughing, "Yes, that Dash. Sounds like you're related to Mom and Dad too."

"Yes, we're distant cousins if I'm not mistaken. My name is Harlequin."

"So what are you doing out here at the Moonportal?"

"I was on my way to join Stormfeather Clan. Since the portal was on my way, I decided to take a rest break there."

It was Dash's turn to stare. "No way."

Harlequin tilted her head with an eyebrow raised, "What?"

"That's the clan that adopted me!"

Harlequin dropped the piece of bug she'd been about to put away. "Really?! It'll be nice to have a traveling companion through the desert."

"Yea, we'll head there after we get this taken care of. You'll like home, mostly everyone is so nice. There are a couple guys to watch out for when they're in a bad mood. Plus, there's more of us living there!"

"So a family reunion of sorts? Sounds like I'll at least fit in with them."

Dash smiled, "No worries about fitting in, Nightrain pretty much has one rule: everyone deserves a home."

Harlequin smiled as she shouldered her pack. "Well, I'm ready if you are."

The mirror stood and stretched, then shouldered her own pack. "Yep. Can you make the flight across to the desert?"

"Yes, it's not as wide as some gaps I've flown over."

With that, the pair flew off for home, Harlequin amazed at the day's adventure so far.