I recived the message from Virtuous in the early morning. I had been walking through the garden when he came to me, flying frantically.

"Sir, there's some dragons at the gate. They want to come in, but I've never seen them before. One of them's hurt, too, what should I tell Sunspire?" Virtuous asked, clearly out of breath.

I thought for a moment.

"Take me to them," I replied flatly.

I followed Virtuous through the crowded city streets. Dragons moved to let us pass, and many greeted us with smiles. When we reached the gates, Sunspire opened them and let us out. There were two large Imperials standing before me. Well, one was standing, the other was collapsed on the sand. There was a blue Banescale too, and a white Spiral. I gasped. I recognized the Red Wildclaw instantly. I had seen him before, and a friend of mine had seen him once before as well. Then, I saw him; Rattle. I hissed and looked up at the red and gold Imperial.

"Why are you here?" I asked loudly. I didn't know if he heard me or not.

The red and gold Imperial bent down so that we were eye level, "My brother's hurt, and Rattle here told us that your doctor could help," He said calmly.

I nodded, "He can help. Follow me."

The dragons all followed me through the streets. I led them into a building, where I had them place the injured Imperial on a bed of straw. Our doctor, an Obelisk named Liandrin, examined him. The lower half of the Imperial's body had gone completely stiff, and his breathing was slow and raspy. Finally, after ten painful minutes, Liandrin looked up at us.

"I can help him, but he won't be able to use his back legs ever again," Liandrin sighed.

The red and gold Imperial nodded. He looked down, then back up at Liandrin, "As long as he lives," He said.

We left Liandrin to do his work afterwards. I brought the group up to my palace and let them stay in a room. I stayed with the red and gold Imperial, who introduced himself as Feros. He seemed quite worried, and he wouldn't stop fiddling with his tail and claws. Just before I left the room, he stopped me.

"Have you seen any odd Wildclaws lately?" He asked me.

I told him that I had, in fact, seen a suspicious Wildclaw the day before. He was black and blue, wearing deep blue silk and had weird wings. Feros looked at me like I had six eyes.

"That's the Blue Wildclaw..." He said in disbelief, "He must have been looking around for someone... or something."

"The Blue Wildclaw? Does that mean the White Wildclaw might be nearby too?"

Feros nodded slowly, "The White Wildclaw knows that we're looking for him... so if the Blue Wildclaw was here... they must be planning to come here."

"But why would they want to come to my city?"

"The Wildclaws have been strategically targeting us for a while now. If they hurt Tai, then they could easily follow us to the one place that could save him. And destroy it."

"Why, though? We never did anything to provoke him!" I exclaimed angrily, spreading my wings and thrashing my tail.

Feros shook his head, clearly disappointed, "Because," He said solemnly, "If he can corner us all in one place, he can wipe us all out at once." Feros stood up and looked out his window, "We can try to fight him... but... he's burned cities greater than this one. He's hurt others more powerful than us. We can't take him in a fight. At least... a fight where we all survive. He'll have it his way. This city will be rubble and ashes, regardless of what we do."

"Then let him come," I hissed, "I will do anything to fight for my home."