Chapter Text
SILVERSCALES
Silverscales watched as Starfruit went to retrieve the letters that arrived that morning. She eyed the scrolls, trying to spot a certain seal on the ribbons that held them shut.
Unfortunately, when Starfruit came in and sprawled the mail everywhere on Silverscales’s table, there was no seal with a mountain and a dragon silhouette.
The approval from Jade Mountain Academy hadn’t arrived yet.
‘Cheer up, Silver.’ Starfruit looked at her friend’s disappointed face, had it been that obvious? ‘We only sent the letter a week ago, the teachers might be busy with other applications.’
Silverscales sighed and nodded a bit, ‘I know, I know,’ she said, looking at the letters again. ‘But I really want to be accepted. Jade Mountain Academy is the best school in all of Pyrrhia! If we don’t get in, we’ll have to go back to RainWing/NightWing School next month.’
Starfruit agreed with a huff, ‘Lobster might be more nervous than you.’ She started to sort through the scrolls, picking up those addressed to her on the ribbons. ‘He’s the only SeaWing going to that school here, and not a lot of dragonets are kind,’ she said.
It was a bit hard to believe that RainWings would be mean, they always seemed like a nice tribe. But Silverscales didn’t miss the light bruises or small cuts that Lobster would get from fighting, nor those times he was sent to detention in the guise of staying back to handle co-curricular activities.
So much for being the good kid.
Instead of continuing their conversation, Silverscales sorted out her own letters. She got two. One was an IceWing academy suggesting her to apply to study there, though she had no plans to. The academy was located in such a cold place, as Silverscales have heard. But even though she wasn’t bothered by the cold, she was not interested.
The second letter was from a friend in the SkyWing tribe. Red Emperor, he called himself. It was a reply to Silverscales’s previous letter, where she inquired about the school in his town. He’d rather go to Jade Mountain Academy like Silverscales.
Three moons, Silverscales thought, putting her letters away. Not even 7 yet and already schools want to take us in. But then again, a lot of schools are trying to earn their name after Jade Mountain Academy proved its worth.
A thump drew Silverscales’s attention to the treehouse’s entrance. She looked over the mezzanine and saw Lobster shaking off some leaves.
Lobster was breathtaking in the sunlight, Silverscales thought. The leaf walls filtered the sunlight in a way that it looked like the floor was the sea. But on Lobster… His scales were almost white if it were not for the blue tint to it, and his pink markings seemed to glow in the sunlight.
Maybe sunlight has benefits for other tribes than RainWings.
‘Lobster! You have a letter!’ Starfruit was yelling over the wooden railing, one claw waving with the scroll grasped in it.
Lobster tilted his head and flew up to the next floor, Silverscales and Starfruit quickly back away to make room for him. Out of all three, Lobster was the biggest, and he practically dwarfed Starfruit. So much for having dwarfism.
‘Apparently the stairs are nonexistent,’ Silverscales said as looked up at Lobster with a petty frown. It didn’t last long when Lobster grinned at her.
‘Apparently not.’ He picked the seal off the ribbon and unrolled the scroll he held. His sigh came quick. ‘It’s the underwater school again,’ he told his friends, he rolled up the scroll again and shrugged. ‘Ah well, they’ll stop when Jade Mountain accepts our application.’
Silverscales smiled at Lobster’s enthusiasm. He was always the more responsible, calm, and optimistic one. It’s a wonder that he hasn’t gone crazy from the shenanigans Silverscales and Starfruit pull him into.
‘When they accept our application…’ Starfruit muttered, no doubt entertaining the idea in her head.
‘And they will,’ Lobster said. He patted Silverscales’s back, as if he had sensed her doubts.
She smiled up at him, trying her best not to stare at his blue and pink eyes. ‘I’m sure you’re right,’ she agreed, ‘after all, our grades are great!’ Silverscales stayed quiet as she thought about it, ‘Maybe,’ she added.
Starfruit rolled her eyes and left for her room, ‘Maybe the letter will come tomorrow,’ she said as her tail disappeared from view.
‘I hope so…’ Silverscales murmured, looking at the letters on her desk. She turned when Lobster bumped wings.
‘It’ll be fine, Silly.’ He said. ‘I saw a nice waterfall on the way back, maybe icy cold water could ease your mind.’
Silverscales giggled and shook her head, ‘Cold to you, maybe,’ she said, ‘I don’t really feel anything cold.’
Lobster nodded, ‘Of course,’ he said. He bumped wings with Silverscales again and made his way out of her room. But before he could leave her sights, she called out to him.
‘Why don’t you go for the underwater school?’
Lobster stopped in his tracks. He played the question in his head, then turned around to look into Silverscales’s room, sticking his head between the curtain made of large banana tree leaves.
Silverscales pawed at the floor, a habit that shows she’s nervous, as some had mentioned. The long spines behind her head bristled bit. ‘They keep sending you letters right? Requesting you to check out their school?’ She forced the spines to settle down. ‘So why don’t you go? There won’t be any RainWings or NightWings to find trouble with you.’
Lobster sighed, and Silverscales feared that she had asked a too sensitive question. He didn’t have a very good relationship with his mother back home.
But he answered anyway. ‘I’d rather stay with you and Starfruit,’ he said, ‘you guys are my best friends, I’m not going to let you two get into trouble without me.’
Silverscales almost laughed, ‘We do get into a lot of trouble,’ she said while nodding. She waved to Lobster before he left, waiting until he was a few steps away before she minded her own business. She swept the letters on her desk to a side, and dragged a small slab of stone to her.
Time to ease her mind.