Splash

splash fanned out her disheveled wings at the sound of nearing steps. she stepped forward defensively, shielding the remaining members of her dwindling clan from the sight of any approaching troublemakers. not too far and getting closer, she saw a gruff-looking tundra dragon. her resolve wavered, but she kept her wings up in what was hopefully a display of intimidation.

"stay back," she demanded, but the tundra did not halt. he ruffled his wings gently in acknowledgement. she probed outward with her jewel-sense and picked up a twinge of amusement from the tundra, but primarily a strange neutrality.

finally at conversation distance he slowed to a stop, and splash could make out the silhouette of a dark fae riding on the tundra's shoulder. the fae scrambled up the tundra's neck and perched on his head, no doubt able to see the clan of young skydancers tending to each other's wounds behind splash's wings from that vantage point.

"are you and your dragons alright?" the fae asked. splash paused. she sensed concern from the tiny dragon. she said nothing, and the fae went on, "we were informed of a luminax sighting out this way. we live around its stomping grounds, so we came to see if there was anyone in need of help."

splash bristled. "you- you're not with those luminax idolators, are you? those dragons who sacrifice their hatchlings to the emperor?"

the fae huffed and clung for his life as the tundra shook his head. "is that what other dragons think of us?" the fae grumbled. "fanatic emperor worshipers? really? far from it, we just live here. and it looks like you used to, too." he pointed a claw behind splash.

she resisted the compulsion to look behind her at her clanmates. "y-yes," she admitted after a moment. "we had to evacuate our lair before we were all buried under the wreckage."

the tundra's tail twitched. "i reckon you didn't all make it out," he rumbled.

splash bowed her head and said nothing.

both the strange dragons were silent for a respectful moment. then the fae said in a solemn voice just loud enough for the larger dragons to hear, "your clan is welcome to shelter with us. if you want. we can't offer much, but we can promise you safety from luminax." he pointed down at the tundra he was sat upon. "this is raptor, and i'm rebel. our clan would be happy to take you in."

she hesitated. why was she tasked with making this decision? she was so young. her antennae drooped as she thought of her mother, the clan's elder, buried among the rubble. as her successor, she had to make the decision that was right for the clan.

she let her wings fall.

"i am splash, elder of the skydancer sapphireplume clan. we will come with you."