Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Wilbur is four years old when he finally asks his mother why his last name is Soot instead of Minecraft like Techno and his father. His mother smiles, taking him into her arms so they can sit by the fireplace.

“When I married your father, I told him that when we had our first children one of them would carry my family name. You see, the Minecraft family is famous for being the descendants of the royal family of L'manburg, before the war happened and Manburg became the new kingdom. And a Minecraft has always stood as acting Mayor of the village of L'manburg.” Wilbur listened to her, hanging off her every word.

“Just like Daddy is now.” He giggled, eyes sparkling as his mother poked him on the nose.

“Yes, like Daddy. But what you don’t know my little fire-spark is that the Soot family also has a rich history. You see, long ago when the land was not under the rule of a king or queen, magic flowed freely through the land. Witches and sorcerers walked between villages, sharing their gifts with the world. And flying through the skies, unchallenged and mighty were dragons.”

Wilbur gasped, eyes wide with wonder and awe. His mother had smiled gently, hands smoothing over his hair.

“And sometimes, those mighty dragons would bond themselves with a human they deemed worthy. These humans would carry the honour of being a dragon chosen through their last names. There had been five families who were chosen by dragons. The Ember’s were the first to be chosen. Next was the Coal’s followed by the Blaze’s and the Flare’s. The last family chosen took on the name Soot.”

Wilbur gazed up at his mother with wrapped attention as somewhere deep inside his soul, a spark ignited. “That’s our name!”

She laughed at his enthusiasm. “That’s right my Starlight. Our family was chosen by the dragons, and we soared through the sky with them for centuries.”

Wilbur stared up at his mother, imagining what it would be like to fly through the sky on the back of a dragon. But as he thought of this he suddenly came to a realization. “Mama, where are the dragons now?”

And Wilbur watched as her smile turned sad, eyes turning to gaze out the window as if recalling a long lost memory. “Humans are greedy creatures my Firefly. Those who were not blessed by the dragons grew jealous and fearful of them. They didn’t see amazing creatures, they saw monsters. The Dragons and their chosen families were hunted down and slaughtered. Only the Soot family escaped, but their dragons were killed in the process.”

Wilbur felt tears running down his face, a deep ache forming in his very soul as he mourned for something he never had. It was a strange experience for one so young, to mourn and long for something he’d never seen or touched. His mother wiped his tears though, smiling gently as she rocked him in her arms.

“Do not cry baby, for our family still has hope.” She soothed before reaching down beside the chair and lifting a small wooden chest up into her lap, resting it in Wilbur’s arms. With careful fingers, she flicked open the latch, peeling the lid open to reveal the treasure kept inside.

Inside the chest, resting on a red velvet cushion was an egg. It was white with black and gold flecks and appeared to have ridges that looked like scales on it. It was large too, about the size of a loaf of bread. Wilbur stared in shock, small trembling hands reaching out to rest against the bumpy surface of the egg.

“It’s warm Mama.” He giggled as he traced his fingers over the shell of the egg.

“This egg has been in our family for generations, waiting for the right moment to hatch. It’s said that some dragons would refuse to hatch until they sensed a human worthy of their magic, but it is very rare for this to happen. This egg is one of those rare few. I have kept it safe for many years but it has not moved once, so now I pass it on to you my son.” His mother whispered.

Wilbur felt his heart swell with determination and pride, gazing down at the egg as if it were the most precious thing to have ever existed. “I’ll keep it safe Mama, I’ll make you proud.”

She laughed, brushing his soft brown hair out of his eyes. “Oh Wilbur, you’ve already made me so proud just by being you.”

Wilbur would place the chest on his bedside table, making sure to open the curtains of his window so it could be warmed by the sun every day. He also made sure to clean it every night with a warm damp cloth. His twin brother, Technoblade would scoff from the doorway, telling him he was wasting his time with a dumb rock. Wilbur would ignore him and continue to care for the egg. His father would also comment on the amount of time and effort he put into the egg, muttering about how his time would be better used in learning to fight like his brother.

“They just don’t understand my love. Your father doesn't believe in magic or dragons like most folks these days. He believes it is just a rock and Techno is very much his father's son.” His mother would explain causing him to puff out his cheeks in anger.

“Well, they are wrong. I can feel the warmth from it Mama, I can tell it's alive.” Wilbur stated clearly while running his fingers over the rough surface of the egg. Sometimes, he could almost swear he could feel something moving inside, reacting to his gentle touch.

“And that is why you are a Soot my love. Our magic might have faded over the years but it's still there, and now you carry it inside you.”

It gives him a sense of pride, knowing he shares something special with his mother. Techno has a bond with their father, has clearly inherited the mans fighting skill and love for adventure. So while they go out to train and explore, sometimes camping overnight in the forest, Wilbur and his mother will stay home and tend to the farm. She teaches him how to care for the crops, how to sew and cook. She shows him how to shear the sheep and clean the wool so it's ready to be sold at the markets. Shows him how to milk the cows and bottle the milk for sale as well. She teaches him which plants to use for different illnesses and which ones to avoid because of their toxic nature. She teaches him how to heard the sheep and keep a lookout for wolves or foxes so to keep them safe.

When Wilbur and Techno are eight years old, their parents tell them they are going to be older brothers. Wilbur is overjoyed, excited to meet his new brother and sister. Techno is happy too, but not as much as Wilbur. When the day comes for their new sibling to be born, everyone is both shocked and delighted to find out it is another set of twins.

Tubbo and Tommy are tiny little things. Tubbo has the same dark hair as Wilbur and their mother while Tommy has taken after their father. Tubbo also seems to have taken after Wilbur in that he looks completely human while Tommy has little bumps on his back, the beginning of a pair of wings like their father. Their mother has piglin ancestry in her which is why Techno was born a hybrid and Wilbur was not. The pattern of one twin being a hybrid and the other not being one had carried over.

A month after the twins birth, Techno and their father start going out to train and explore once again. Wilbur can tell their mother isn’t happy about it but she doesn't object either. Wilbur is just glad to spend time with his baby brothers and mother.

“Are they like us or dad?” He asks one day, smiling as Tubbo sleeps soundly in his lap while Tommy wiggles on the floor at his feet.

“What do you think Starlight?” She asks in turn, tickling Tommy on his sides and pulling delighted laughter from the baby.

And Wilbur stared at his brothers, watching them intently while also reaching out with his mind. His mother said it was their magic. Though faint it allowed them to sense one another, connected them in a way that couldn’t be replicated. Wilbur didn’t share the connection with Techno or their father, both not carrying the magic of the Soot family. But Tubbo and Tommy, Wilbur knew they did. Reaching out he could clearly feel the two along the bond he shared with his mother. They were like two little embers that were growing stronger every day, slowly turning into little flames like Wilbur himself who would one day be a bright burning fire like his mother.

“I feel them Mama.” He whispered gleefully, not wanting to wake Tubbo from his nap. His mother smiled right back as she lifted Tommy into her arms, rocking the baby until he too drifted off to sleep.

“They are flock my Firefly, family. You share a bond, not just through blood but with your mind and soul. You must promise to look after them, Wilbur. As their older brother, they will look to you for guidance.” His mother told him that night as she tucked him into bed.

“I will Mama, I will always look after them.” He vowed, sighing happily when she kissed his forehead.

“I know you will baby. You are my brave boy, and I am so proud of you.” She whispered. For years to come, Wilbur would cherish that night, would hold on to the memory of his mother tucking him in and kissing him goodnight, for it would be the last time he ever saw her.

He would be awoken later that night by the sounds of his parents yelling. He would run downstairs to see Techno standing in the doorway, sword in hand and face grim. Ravagers were attacking the village and their parents had gone off to help leaving Techno and Wilbur behind to watch the house and protect the babies. The two boys would stay up the rest of the night, sitting huddled against one another in the doorway. When the sun would rise, Wilbur would leave to check on Tubbo and Tommy who were starting to wake and fuss. He would feed his brothers, change them and burp them before lying them back down to sleep some more.

And when Wilbur would go back downstairs, he would see their father collapsed at the front door, covered in blood and ash. His face was pale, eyes unfocused and filled with tears while Techno stood beside him, tears running freely down his face. And Wilbur would know at that moment that his mother wouldn’t be coming back. For when he reached out frantically along the bond he would find only two little embers and an empty place where his mother’s burning fire once stood. He would turn away, run to his room and lock the door, curled up on his bed as he held the egg close to his chest while his eyes overflowed with tears.

“I can’t feel you Mama. I can’t feel you.”

Chapter Text

Wilbur is eight years old when his mother dies, killed in a raid while defending their village. His little brothers, Tommy and Tubbo are only six months old. Techno grieves quietly, training out in the forest most days by himself. Philza, their father, locks himself away in his room. When Wilbur sees him it's normally on his way back from the bathroom or when the little boy takes food and water in for his father. The man is silent, a shell of himself. Wilbur is eight years old when his mother dies and he’s left to look after his brothers and father.

For three months Wilbur cares for Tubbo and Tommy as well as his father and twin. For three months Wilbur tends to the farm and takes the wagon into town once a month to sell wool, milk and produce at the market. For three months he takes charge hoping for his father to get better. When Philza finally pulls himself from his grief he thanks his son for looking after everything. He starts looking after his children and the farm for one month, and then things change.

Wilbur is nine years old when his father and twin brother leave for the first time. It's only for three days, but it feels like the start of something. They will leave for a few days and then return home for a few weeks. Each time they leave, they are gone for longer periods. Three days turn into a week, a week turns into two. By the time Tommy and Tubbo are a year old Phila and Techno will leave for up to a month at a time, exploring the world and competing in fighting tournaments.

One day, when Wilbur is twelve and the twins are three Philza and Techno come home with another little boy who is the same age as Tubbo and Tommy. He a hybrid of some kind, half enderman and half something else. His green and red eyes are filled with wisdom and fear. Apparently, Philza found the child abandoned on the road, starving and scared. They bring him home, drop him off with Wilbur and leave the next day again. Wilbur had looked the little boy up and down before smiling gently, welcoming Ranboo into the family.

Tubbo and Tommy latched onto Ranboo straight away, acting like triplets they were so close. But there was more to it than that. Wilbur could feel it deep inside his soul and Ranboo’s. There was magic running through the child’s blood, ancient magic that reached out eagerly and desperately to theirs. Wilbur isn’t sure how it happens, but he finds himself reaching back, curling around the presence that is Ranboo and pulling him into the bond. He feels the boy just as clearly as he feels Tubbo and Tommy, all three a constant presence in the back of his mind.

That night, after putting the three to bed, Wilbur goes into his room and takes the egg his mother gave him so long ago into his arms. He still feels the warmth emitting from the egg, still sometimes feels phantom movement under the rough shell. He carries it down into the living room, sitting in the same chair by the fire he and his mother had sat in all those years ago.

“I wish you were here Mama. You’d like Ranboo. He’s a very quiet and polite boy. He balances out the chaos that is Tubbo and Tommy.” Wilbur mutters softly, hands running gently over the egg. “I don’t know how I did it, but I connected with Ranboo. He’s part of our family now, part of our flock.”

In his hands, Wilbur feels the egg tremble. He pauses, looking down at it with the same wonder and awe he’d had when he first laid eyes on it. This egg had belonged to his mother, had belonged to her parents before her and their parents before them. This egg was their family legacy, their pride and joy. His mother had gifted it to him, knowing he would care and protect it just as their ancestors had done for hundreds of years. A tear slid down his face before falling onto the white, black and gold shell, pooling in the ridges.

“I miss you so much, Mama.” With heavy eyes, Wilbur pulled the egg close as he drifted off to sleep.

That night, he dreamt he was flying through the clouds. The world was far below and the sun shone on his body, warm and loving. The wind rushed past, howling with joy as he raced against it. And along the bond, he could feel his brothers, could feel the joyful sparks that were Tubbo, Tommy and Ranboo. He couldn’t see them but he knew they were flying alongside him. But there was something else too, another spark that was wrapped tightly around all of them, but especially around Wilbur. This presence was warm and loving, strong and protective. Wilbur found himself sinking into it, allowing it to wrap around his mind and soul.

‘Mine’ a voice seemed to say, possessive and loyal. Wilbur pressed against the other, curious and ever so slightly wary. A feeling of amusement and fondness that wasn’t his own flowed over him. ‘Yours’

His. Yes, that sounded right, felt right, was right. Wilbur sunk into the feelings, drifting through sleep and comforted by the presence. He would wake the next morning to the sun streaming through the window, egg still clutched protectively in his arms. He would take it back to his room, setting it down carefully in its chest before going to make breakfast. Wilbur would find himself having the same dream almost every night after that, of flying and being surrounded by his brothers and the unknown mind. His brothers would also mention having similar dreams, but not every night. It obviously had something to do with the bond and that’s all Wilbur needed to know about it.

Life carried on as usual. Wilbur tended to the farm and started teaching the boys how to help out as well while their father and Techno would leave for longer and longer every year. It is two days before the triplets seventh birthday, when Wilbur and Techno are fifteen that Philza and Techno leave for good.

“You’re leaving, for two years?” Wilbur asks softly while his father packs the last few supplies. He and Techno had been home for nearly a whole month, the longest they’d been home in almost a year but now they were packing again and for much longer too.

“Techno has been selected to train in the King’s army. If all goes well he could even become a Knight or General.” Philza said, pride evident in his voice. “I myself was a Knight many years ago before I had to come back here to be mayor of L'Manberg.”

Wilbur watched silently, brow furrowed and fists clenched by his sides. “Are you still not the mayor? Who’s supposed to oversee the town while you're gone for two years?”

“I’m sure you’ll do a fine job Will,” Philza muttered distractedly.

“And Tubbo, Tommy and Ranboo?” Wilbur snapped.

“They are big boys, they’ll help around the farm. You’ve got this sorted mate. We’ll be sure to send ravens as often as we can.” Philza smiled, clapping a hand on his son’s shoulder as Techno lumbered past and out the door. “If anything happens send a raven, and don’t forget the Halo family is always just around the bend if you need help.”

With that, father and son saddled up their horses and rode off. Wilbur watched them go, eyes hardened into a glare while resentment bubbled in his chest like lava. They hadn’t even stayed long enough to say goodbye to the boys who were out playing in the fields, hadn’t even had the decency to stay for their birthday. Though Wilbur had a suspicion that the two didn’t even know when the boys birthday was. With a growl, Wilbur snatched up a basket and went to the private family garden to gather ingredients for dinner.

An hour later, with the sun slowly sinking behind the tall trees of the forest Wilbur goes outside onto the patio to ring the brass bell. It’s the signal to the boys it's time to head home, that dinner is ready. Wilbur has also trained their sheep and cows to head towards the barn at the sound so he can lock them up for the night. He heads back inside, plating up four bowls of warm chicken and vegetable soup.

“Wilby!” The teen braces himself just in time to be able to catch the weight of Tommy who all but throws himself into his brother. There is dirt on the boy's nose and grass stains on his pants. Behind him, Tubbo looks a similar mess while Ranboo is miraculously clean.

“You boys better not have been digging more holes in the field,” Wilbur warns.

“We’d never!” Tommy yells while Tubbo nods frantically in agreement. Wilbur raises an eyebrow at them before turning to Ranboo who smiles sheepishly.

“I tried to stop them.” He shrugs, yelping when Tommy swung round to lightly hit him on the arm for ratting them out.

“Tommy, don’t hit your brother. Ranboo, thank you for being honest.” The eldest looks his brother’s up and down, sighing fondly as a smile tugs at his lips. “Tommy, Tubbo, go wash up. We’ll wait for you.”

The twins are quick to rush deeper into the house, straight for the bathroom where Wilbur can hear the two of them giggling and splashing water everywhere, no doubt making another mess for him to clean up but he doesn’t mind. When the two reemerge their hair is dripping wet, their clothes have damp patches and Tommy still has dirt smudged on his nose. Wilbur shakes his head but allows them to sit at the table where all three happily dig into their food.

“Where’s Dad and Techno?” Tubbo asks after a few minutes of shovelling as much food into his mouth as he can.

Wilbur tenses, eyes hardening ever so slightly and it's enough for the boys to pick up on. They quiet down, all three slumping in disappointment as they know what their brother’s reaction means. The sight is enough to make Wilbur even angrier at his father and brother. “They left around lunchtime. Techno has been selected to go train in the Kings army so they’ll be gone for quite a while this time.”

“And they couldn’t have at least waited till after our birthday?” Tommy demanded, face set in a scowl but Wilbur could see the hurt hidden under the boy's anger.

“I’m sorry Toms,” Wilbur sighed before pulling on a smile. “But don’t you three worry. I’ll make sure you have a great birthday like I always do.”

It appeases the three who look much happier at the prospect of what Wilbur has in store for them. Their brother always gives them the best gifts after all. When dinner is finished they help their brother wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen. Tommy runs outside to lock the chickens away while Ranboo goes to lock the back door. Tubbo goes with Wilbur to lock the barn and help him count the sheep and cows to make sure no one is missing.

“Right boys, off to bed. It's market day tomorrow so we’ll be up bright and early.” Wilbur declares once all the evening chores are done.

“Can we get some treats from Niki and Puffy’s bakery when we go?” Tubbo asks excitedly while Tommy and Ranboo give Wilbur large puppy dog eyes.

The brunet chuckles, ruffling Tubbo’s hair. “Sure, it can be an early birthday present. You can all chose one treat from the bakery tomorrow.”

The three cheer as they rush into their beds, waiting patiently for Wilbur to tuck them in. He kisses them all on the head, Ranboo and Tubbo giggling softly while Tommy makes a big show of complaining about how big boys don’t need goodnight kisses anymore. Wilbur gives him one anyway, laughing as he smooths soft blond locks out of the boy's face.

“Sleep well you three.” He whispers when he leaves the room.

As tired as he is Wilbur doesn’t go to bed himself. Instead, he goes to the bathroom, cleaning up the mess Tommy and Tubbo had left before heading to the storeroom where they kept the dried meat, wool, eggs and milk that would be sold to the market as well as spare blankets and wood for the fire for winter. He began to pack the produce into boxes so they would be ready to go in the morning. The process took Wilbur a good two hours, his arms aching from all the lifting while the rest of his body longed for his bed. He did one last check of the whole house, making sure all the doors and windows were locked before stopping by the boy's room. Peeking inside found all three sound asleep. Tommy had kicked his blanket onto the floor which Wilbur was quick to pick up and place back over the boy, Tubbo was snoring loudly and Ranbo was curled into a ball.

With the knowledge that his brothers were safe and sound in their beds, Wilbur finally dragged himself to his own. His head had barely hit the pillow before he was drifting off to sleep.

In an instant, Wilbur felt his mind expanding, stretching out along the bond he shared with his brothers. He felt the wild raging storm that was Tommy, the whirlwind that was Tubbo and the steady wall that was Ranboo. This is how it was every night for Wilbur, falling into the bond and just basking in the feeling of his family surrounding him. If he wanted to, he could reach out and pull them in, sharing the experience with them. But tonight he let them dream on their own, simply happy to feel them there.

‘Flock,’ And of course, every night there would be the addition to the bond, the faceless member that was as tightly wrapped around Wilbur as his own brothers were. Over the years he’d come to accept this mystery presence that only spoke a few words. Wilbur was unsure if the presence was just a construct of his mind or if it truly was another living being. When he’d tried asking all he got in return was the voice telling him that it was his.

‘They are sleeping my dream.’ Wilbur murmured softly to the presence, relaxing further into the bond as he felt the unknown mind curl around his own, only just skimming the sparks of the boys as it did so.

‘Mine, my Alpha,’ It whispered in Wilbur’s ear. He wasn’t sure why it called him Alpha, it was a term it had started using not long after it had first connected to him in his dream. He just knew it felt right.

‘My dream.’ He hummed back, floating in the pleased feelings of the other.

‘Yours, flocks, mine, ours.’ On the last word, the presence reached out, brushing against Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo. Wilbur felt his brother’s push back, leaning into the mental touch. They weren’t as familiar with the presence as him, weren’t as tightly interwoven as he was to it, but they still recognised it and felt safe with it. Tommy and Tubbo were quick to retreat back into their own minds, content to be in their own dreams. Ranboo, however, latched onto the nameless mind, allowing it to pull him deeper into the bond. Wilbur reached out, helping guide his adopted brother into the center where he and the dream mind curled protectively around the younger.

‘Safe, Alpha safe.’ The being purred happily, content. Wilbur hummed right back, happy to just float in the feeling for the rest of the night.

Chapter Text

As promised, the next day arrives bright and early. As always, Wilbur is the first awake, rising just as the sun begins to turn the sky a pale blue. He leaves the boys, for the time being, bustling about the kitchen to prepare them all breakfast. Eggs sizzle away on the stove as Wilbur adds chopped up onion, capsicum and zucchini to them. Tubbo had been asking for his special ommlets lately so he decided to surprise him. While breakfast cooks, Wilbur ducks outside to quickly let the chickens, sheep and cows back out for the day. He collects the fresh eggs from the coop, sprinkles some feed down for the hens and retrieves a bale of hay from the shed for the grazing animals.

“Boys! Time to get up, breakfast is ready.” Wilbur calls when he comes back to the house, quickly plating up the food as he hears the shuffling of tired feet heading down the stairs. All three of the kids are bleary-eyed, looking like they would much rather still be in bed. The sun has risen a fair bit in the time it has taken Wilbur to cook breakfast and take care of the morning chores but it is still quite early. “Eat up, we’ve got a busy day ahead of us.”

Tommy grunts, still not fully awake as he slowly makes his way over to the table. Tubbo is also slow-moving until he sees and smells what Wilbur has made, then he’s shoving his twin aside in his haste to get to the food.

“Hey!” Tommy shrieks from the ground while Ranboo snickers from his place at the table.

“It's Wilbur’s omelettes, Tommy!” Tubbo yells right back with glee. Tommy huffs but doesn’t argue the point anymore, choosing to sit down and enjoy his own breakfast.

“When you're done I’ll get Ranboo to collect the fresh produce from garden C and Tubbo, you can start loading the lighter boxes onto the wagon. Tommy, you can help me hook Henry up to the wagon and then we’ll help Tubbo.” Wilbur states. He receives three muffled sounds of agreement as the family once again digs into their meal.

When plates are clean and dishes put away they all split up to do their assigned tasks. Ranboo collects two baskets and makes his way over to the side of the house where five large garden beds grow, all labelled A to E. Tubbo leaves the front door propped open so he can carry the packed boxes from the storeroom out to the wagon that sits parked at the front of the house. Meanwhile, Tommy and Wilbur head to the small paddock on the other side of the house where a single cow grazes.

Henry is the oldest animal on the whole farm, having lived there even before Wilbur and Techno were born. His coat is a soft brown with light caramel patches across his body and a tuft of caramel hair on top of his head. Two small horns just out from the mane of hair and are a faded dull white. His old age meant he wasn’t able to keep up with the main herd and he was also bullied by the younger males so Wilbur had decided to build him a private paddock just for him. He was also the designated wagon puller as he was the most mild-mannered cow they had, never angry and always willing to help. He also got a bucket of oats after each trip as a reward.

Tommy adored Henry, always wanting to be the one to give him the oats and always willing to spend a bit of time each day with the animal. Henry in turn seemed to have a fondness for the young blonde, patiently putting up with the six-year-old and even allowing him to ride on his back on occasions. When the old bull spotted Wilbur and Tommy by the gate he happily trotted over, pressing a cool wet nose into Tommy’s hands as a greeting. It pulled a delighted laugh from the boy who was quick to offer up a carrot while Wilbur went about putting the halter on and harness for the wagon.

“Come on old boy,” Wilbur urged and with a gentle pull the three began walking back over to the front of the house. Once Henry was secure the two brothers went to help Tubbo, Wilbur carrying the heavier boxes while Tommy and Tubbo worked on the lighter ones. After 30 minutes the wagon was packed and Ranboo had two full baskets of freshly picked beans, strawberries, tomatoes, blueberries and chillies. Wilbur helped lifted the boys onto the back of the wagon before taking the reins in hand and leading Henry down the dirt path and towards the village of L’Manberg.

The Village of L’Manberg was the farthest settlement in the North of the Kingdom of Manberg. Centuries ago it had been a kingdom itself before the war between it and Manberg was waged. The old castle lay in ruins North-west of the village by the coastline, a forgotten part of history as no one had visited the site for decades. The Village itself was small, though by far wasn’t the smallest settlement in the kingdom. But everyone knew everybody and there were no secrets kept among the townsfolk. Many had lived in the village for generations like the Minecraft family who were the descendants of the old L’Manberg royal family. Niki’s family had run the bakery in town for nearly just as long while young Ponk who was the towns new physician had been practising medicine along with his family for generations.

There were of course new faces around who hadn’t been living there was long. The Halo family had moved to the village just a few years after Wilbur was born. Originally from the Badlands Outpost, the couple had moved to L’Manberg after adopting their two young sons, Sapnap and George, as they wanted to raise their family away from the hostile desert that they had come from. Captain Puffy, Niki’s girlfriend had come from far away lands across the sea. She had also brought with her a young boy named Foolish who she had adopted as a younger brother/son. Puffy also liked to volunteer at the orphanage, spending time with the two boys Fundy and Purple who had lost their families in the same raid that had killed Wilbur’s mother.

All in all, L’Manberg was a quiet little town and the perfect place to raise a family and grow up. The Minecraft house was located a half-mile walk from the village atop a hill with their closest neighbour being the Halo family who was just down the road from them. The walk was a bit of a hassel from time to time but Wilbur enjoyed it most days, taking in the scenery and beauty of the surrounding forest.

Pulling into the village square found other locals setting up stalls to sell their wares, calls of well wishes and greetings filling the air. Wilbur led Henry to a spot by the old Church where a tall oak tree stood proudly. He tied Henry to the post under the tree, quickly fetching a bucket of water from the well to sit by him as well.

“Morning Wilbur!” Niki called from across the square, leaning over the counter of her bakery to wave at the little family.

“Morning Niki, ovens running hot yet?” He called back while the boys jumped from the wagon and started to run around the square in a game of tag.

“Been running since first light,” Niki assured as Puffy walked over with a tray of freshly baked bread.

“We’ll have your regular order waiting out the back for you at the end of the day,” Puffy yelled as she vanished back inside.

“I’ve also said the boys can each pick one treat too,” Wilbur warned with a smile causing Niki to chuckle good-naturedly.

“I’ll be sure to have a selection for them to chose from.”

“Thanks, Niki, I appreciate it.”

“Any time Will.”

Wilbur then got to work setting out the boxes of different items while also keeping an eye on the boys to make sure they weren’t causing too much trouble. By the time the town clock rang out signaling it was 10 in the morning the stall was set up and the first customers were starting to file through. Wilbur took the coins and handed over a selection of different articles while also handing out pouches of money to local businesses that did trade with the other villages and cities. Being the Mayor meant Wilbur would receive the payment for the supplies and would then distribute it to his people.

“Here you are, Mary.” Wilbur smiled, handing over a pouch of money to the elderly woman who would sell embroidered tapestries to wealthy citizens of Manberg. She had lived in L’manberg all her life as had her mother and her mother before her. She was one of the eldest residents of the town and one of the wisest.

“Thank you, dear. Do you have a spool of that special wool for me?” She asked making the teen smile as he quickly fished out a spool of bright navy blue wool.

“Friend needed a shear so he was more than happy to surrender it for you,” Wilbur said pulling a soft chuckle from Mary. She handed over two copper coins for the wool and Wilbur threw in a basket of four eggs as well.

“Your far too kind, dear. But thank you. Frank does love your fresh eggs,” Mary smiled before heading on her way.

“Wilbur!” The brunet turned at the call of his name, looking up into the pure white eyes of BadBoyHalo, a demon hybrid. Despite his imposing height and frightening appearance, Bad was the kindest soul Wilbur had even met and was always happy to babysit the boys when needed. His two sons, Sapnap and George were also good friends of his with George being the same age and Sapnap being three years their junior.

“Hey Bad, what can I do for you?” Wilbur asked.

“I thought I’d bring you and the kids some lunch.” Bad smiled before pulling out four bowls from his bag. He then pulled out a large thermos from which he poured a warm stew that smelled heavenly.

“You didn’t have to,” Wilbur began only to have the demon hybrid wag a playful finger at him.

“None of that you muffin head. You know I don’t mind and besides, Skeppy and I made far too much the other night. Even Sapnap won’t be able to eat it all.” Bad scolded teasingly. Wilbur went to respond only to grunt as a heavyweight slammed into his back sending him tumbling to the floor. Only seconds after did he hear the loud excited laughs of Tommy and Tubbo and the softer giggles of Ranboo.

“We got you good Wilby!” Tubbo cackled as he rolled off his brother. Tommy decided to wrap his arms around Wilbur’s neck forcing the older to lift the child into his arms as he stood, shifting the weight onto his hip with practiced ease while Ranboo shuffled over to lean against his side.

“You certainly did. But I bet all that running around and sneaking has made you hungry.” Wilbur huffed.

“We’re starving!” Tommy shouted.

“I am a little hungry.” Ranboo agreed softly from his side.

“Well lucky for you, Bad brought us some lunch.”

The kids swung round to shout their thanks to the hybrid who smiled happily down at them, ruffling Tommy’s hair and bopping Tubbo on the nose. Ranboo wasn’t big on physical contact with people who weren’t family so Bad opted to wave at the younger hybrid who happily waved back.

“Go eat your lunch and when you're done you can take Henry over his hay biscuit.” Wilbur laughed, setting Tommy down and gently nudging him and his brothers over to the wagon where Bad had set the bowls down.

“So,” Bad muttered, looking much more serious now that the children were out of earshot. “Philza and Techno off on another trip?”

Wilbur sighed, shoulders slumping as he gazed down into his own bowl of food. “When aren’t they on a trip? They hardly spend any time here anymore.”

“How long are they gone for this time?” Bad asked, face set in a frown.

“Two years.”

“What?!” Bad looked appalled. It was no secret that the people of the village disapproved greatly of Philza constantly leaving his teenage son alone for months on end to look after his three youngest children, the family farm and the village all at once. Bad and Skeppy especially disliked it, having children of their own and not understanding a parent who didn’t seem to want to be there for and raise his own kids. Bad could imagine leaving George, who was the same age as Wilbur alone to look after their little farm and his brother.

“Techno has been selected to train in the Kings army with the possibility of becoming a Knight.” Wilbur shrugged as if that explained everything, and in some ways it did. Philza Minecraft had clearly picked a favourite child and would drop everything if Techno was involved. It didn’t make it right, however.

“If you boys ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call. Even if it's in the middle of the night you are always welcome.” Bad said, watching as Wilbur gave a small, weak smile.

“It’s not like I haven’t done this before. But I’ll keep the offer in mind.” The fifteen-year-old promised. With a final glance at the three younger boys Bad bid his farewell, Wilbur promising to bring the empty bowls back after they were cleaned.

The rest of the day passed in much the same fashion. Villagers would come to either collect their money or buy products from the wagon, Wilbur would make small talk and watch his brother’s run about the square having fun. As the sun started its slow descent from the sky the stall owners began to pack up. The wagon was almost completely empty, only a few baskets of eggs and bags of wool left and one box of dried beef strips. The wool Wilbur would save for the next months market day but the eggs and beef would end up on the family dinner table sometime during the next week. As Wilbur packed the last few boxes away he handed a few silver coins over to his brothers so they could buy their sweets as well as collect their usual order from the bakery.

“Thanks, Wilbur,” Ranboo called for the three of them as they dashed off across the square, excited for their treat. While the boys were distracted, Wilbur snuck over to the wood carving store where a man named Lorenzo worked.

“I was wondering when you’d swing by Soot.” The man called as he brushed wood shaving from his bright red hair. From the wild mane of red sprouted two small antlers and a pair of brown ears, marking Lorenzo as a deer hybrid.

“The kids are distracted with picking out a treat from the bakery so now's my only chance,” Wilbur explained causing the man to laugh and nod in understanding.

“They certainly keep you on your toes. Well, I’ve got your order all ready to go. Its packed away in a box so the little ones won’t see it till the big day.” Lorenzo huffed as he dragged a decent-sized crate out from the back of the shop.

“Thank you so much for this. I know they’ll love it.” Wilbur sighed, handing over three silver coins as payment. He also handed over a bag of dried beef strips and a basket of eggs. “On the house, we had leftovers and we were just gonna eat them ourselves anyway.”

“You’re a good lad Wilbur. Thanking you kindly.” Lorenzo bowed his head in thanks, taking the money and food and placing it behind the counter before helping Wilbur carry the crate to the wagon. “Be sure to let me know what they think of it.”

“Will do,” Wilbur called as the deer hybrid wandered back to his shop to finish closing for the day. No sooner had he left when three whirlwinds of energy came rushing over to the wagon. Tommy had a jam-filled doughnut while Tubbo had a honey slice. Ranboo was nibbling away at choc chip muffin while holding a brown paper bag in his other hand.

“You got what you wanted?” Wilbur asked, gaining three happy nods in response. “Alright then, hop in and we’ll head on home.”

By the time they had made it home, the sky was a fiery orange and red and the sweets were devoured. The boys helped put the leftover boxes away before going to wash up for dinner and bed. Wilbur put Henry away, rang the bell and locked the chickens back up. Dinner was a quick salad with dried beef and as a treat, the boys were given cups of warm milk after. The sheep and cows were locked away in the barn, doors and windows were shut and locked, and the family made their way up to their beds. Tomorrow would be the triplets birthday and Wilbur knew they would be up at the crack of dawn. The Halo family would be by after lunch and would be staying for dinner so he had a busy day ahead of him. Then again, most days for Wilbur were busy.

He double-checked on the boys, making sure they were safe in their beds before heading to his own. He glanced at the egg sitting by his bedside, running the cloth he always kept nearby over it to clean away any dust that had settled on it. As he gazed at the egg, Wilbur could feel something pulling and tugging at his mind, feel something reaching out. There was a stirring in his soul as if sensing that something big was about to happen. The bond he shared with his brothers pulsed and hummed, reacting to the tugging feeling. It wasn’t the first time he’d felt this, but it certainly was the strongest the feeling had ever been. But he wasn’t sure what it all meant, wasn’t sure what the bond was trying to tell him.

With a tired sigh, he changed into his nightclothes and climbed into bed. He took one last look at the egg, reaching out and running his fingers over the rough surface before closing his eyes and surrendering to sleep. He had a big day tomorrow after all and needed all the rest he could get.

Chapter Text

There are only two times of the year when the boys wake before Wilbur. Yule is one of them, the kids always excited to open presents and go into town to gift everyone with freshly baked cookies. The day will end with fireworks and the lighting of the Yule tree in the town square. The other time they wake early is on their birthday, eager to see what their brother has put together for the day and of course open their gifts. It's because of this that Wilbur isn’t all that shocked to be awoken by three excited children bursting into his room and lunching themselves onto his bed at the crack of dawn.

“Wake up Wilby, wake up!” Tommy yells while crawling up to sit on his brother’s chest.

“It's our birthday! It's our birthday!” Tubbo hollers, equally as enthusiastic as his twin.

“Can we have blueberry pancakes for breakfast?” Ranboo asks as he slips off the bed to stand near Wilbur’s head, red and green eyes wide and hopeful.

Wilbur is dead tired, arms and legs sore from the busy day before and wishing for just a few more hours of sleep. But he doesn’t let it show, instead he smiles while willing himself to rise from his nice warm bed. He takes Ranboo into his arms, holding the hybrid on his hip while grabbing hold of Tubbo’s hand, allowing himself to be dragged down the stairs and towards the kitchen.

“Settle down boys,” He chuckles as the three dash about his feet, helping gather the needed ingredients for the pancakes. “Go do your morning chores and by the time you come back the food should be done.”

“I call chicken duty!” Tommy yells while running for the back door.

“No fair, you always do the chickens!” Tubbo complains, giving chase while Ranboo dutifully collects a basket and wanders off to the personal garden.

With practised ease, Wilbur begins to make the batter while also cooking up a side of eggs and bacon. With three growing boys, he always made sure to have protein in most of their meals. The blueberries are sweet and freshly picked from the garden and are Ranboo’s favourite thing to snack on. Tubbo is more partial to strawberries while Tommy liked to pinch the mangos from the orchid. With that in mind, Wilbur also slices up some strawberries and grabs a mango for Tommy as well. He’s just finished plating everything up when the kids come thundering back into the house.

“Happy birthday boys.” Wilbur smiles as they happily dig into their food.

After breakfast Wilbur hands each of them a new hand-knitted jumper, a personal little gift for them. Tubbo’s is a dark forest green while Tommy has bright red and Ranboo has a soft sky blue. The kids are awed by the colours, Wilbur confessing he’d bought the dyes from a travelling merchant a few months back when the caravans had last passed through the town. He also gives them two handmade cards from Purpled and Fundy, wishing them a happy birthday. They also receive a card from Puffy and Niki each and inside each one is a single copper coin.

“And we can spend it on anything we want?” Tubbo asks, hardly daring to believe it.

“It's your birthday money, you can do whatever you want with it.” Wilbur smiles while the boys beam with joy. As mid-day approaches Wilbur heads outside to set up a table with snacks and drinks in preparation for the Halo family’s arrival. They arrive just after the mid-day bell tolls from town.

“Happy birthday kids!” Skeppy calls as the kids all run wild. Already the youngest ones are demanding Sapnap show off his fire abilities from being a Blaze Hybrid while George and Tommy begin a playful argument.

“They are full of energy.” Bad comments with a laugh as Tommy shoves George to the ground, leaping onto the older boy who dramatically cries out for his brother’s aid. Sapnap sprints forward, snagging Tommy by the waist and throwing the younger boy over his shoulder, Tubbo and Ranboo cackling as Tommy shrieks to be let down.

“Breakfast pancakes with fruit, all that good sugar for the birthday boys,” Wilbur explains with a huff. “Here are the bowls you gave us yesterday, all clean.”

“Now if only we could get our boys to clean the dishes.” Skeppy bemoans causing Bad to shake his head softly.

“Save us, Wilbur!” Said teen turns, laughing as all three of his brother’s dash behind him to hide from a giggling Sapnap. Smoke is wafting from his ears, a sign he’s been using his powers to make the game of tag more interesting.

“Perhaps the big bad Sapnap can be swayed by a nice juicy mango?” Wilbur suggests, smirking when the younger boy perks up slightly and Ranboo darts off to the table to grab said fruit.

“An offering. A mango for our lives!” Ranboo bows, Tubbo and Tommy trying and failing to smother their laughter.

“I accept your offer,” Sapnap says solemnly before snatching the fruit from the offered hands, humming with joy as the sweet flavours melt along his tongue. “You guys always have the best mangos, I’d sell George for a whole basket of these.”

“What?!” George looks affronted at his brother, blue and brown eyes narrowed with anger. “I’m worth more than one basket!”

“I don’t know George, one basket might be a bit too much, to be honest.” Wilbur teases right back, laughing as the other teen wacks him on the arm playfully.

“Gogy is probably only worth four eggs.” Tommy snickered. He yelps when George leans over to flick the now seven-year-old on the nose.

“I suppose you don’t want the birthday muffins we brought then.” He threatens to which the three kids imminently start apologising, desperate for the famous Halo muffins.

“We are very sorry for insulting your sons Mister Bad and Mister Skeppy! Please let us have the muffins!” Tubbo begs. The adults chuckle, Bad moving to the table to pull the cloth off the tray of muffins he’d brought. They are an assortment of choc-chip, carrot, sesame seed and blueberry muffins, all made with the secret ingredient that all Halo muffins were made from that made them taste like heaven on earth.

“Come pick one each then, there’s enough here for you all and Wilbur to have one a day for a week. Our present to you boys.” Bad said.

“Thank you!” Ranboo cried while grabbing a blueberry muffin.

“Best birthday ever!” Tommy declared. This had Wilbur smiling as he started walking over to the shed where they stored the hay, chicken feed and gardening tools.

“Not yet it isn’t. you boys haven’t gotten your main present yet.”

This had the three pausings. Normally Wilbur would give them their gift, either it being newly made clothes and then they would have gifts given to them from a few of the villagers. Never had they gotten two gifts from their brother before. They watched with bated breath as Wilbur vanished into the shed, eyes nearly popping out of their heads when he reappeared wheeling out what looked like a sleigh with attachable wheels. It wasn’t painted, being its standard wooden colour but it was perfect in every way to the triplets. It was large enough for all three of them to sit on and had a rope attached to the front so it could be pulled.

“Happy birthday kids.” Wilbur beamed, eyes shining as they rushed to look over and touch their new toy. “Lorenzo cooked this up. The wheels can be removed so you can use it as a proper sleigh in winter.”

The next thing Wilbur knows he’s being tackled to the floor by three excited seven-year-olds who crush him in a group hug smiles almost splitting their faces with how much joy and happiness they are feeling. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

They scramble off their brother, quickly pulling the sleigh over to a small hill to try it out. Sapnap and George follow, eager to also have a go as well as help the kids pull the sleigh back up the hill. It's how the rest of the day is spent, either riding the sleigh down the hill or Sapnap and George pulling it by the rope while the kids laugh in delight. They even get Skeppy and Bad to have a go down the hill, all of them laughing when it tips halfway down sending the couple flying. Ranboo begs Wilbur to ride a few times with him which then turns into Tommy and Tubbo demanding a go with Wilbur as well. As the sun starts to sink below the trees of the forest the Halo family bids them farewell.

“This was the best birthday ever Wilbur.” Tommy sighed happily as they pack up the table and start locking all the animals away for the night.

“Yeah, you didn’t need to get us two gifts this year. We know the dye for the jumpers must have been expensive enough without the sleigh.” Ranboo adds in.

“Don’t you boys worry about the money, that’s my job. And it's not every day your brothers turn seven, I wanted to do something extra special for you boys this year.” Wilbur assured them, assuring them all inside and to the living room where he gets the fire going.

“It was the most special birthday ever.” Tubbo agrees, snuggling into a warm blanket on the couch with Tommy while Ranboo stretches out across the floor to soak up as much heat from the fire as possible.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Wilbur says, sitting beside the twins and running his fingers through Tommy’s hair. As they sit by the fire Wilbur feels the bond between them all hum in contentment, the happiness they all feel being shared along the threads that connect them. He can feel Ranboo sinking deeper, always the most willing and eager to just float in the shared mental space while Tubbo and Tommy drift along the surface. He mentally reaches out, brushing against all three of them, pulling them close in a mental hug. They are no longer tiny embers glowing in the night. They are now little flickering sparks, like candles in the evening light. He is now a strong torch, a beacon to them that lights the way and keeps them safe.

Wilbur drifts in the bond, not quite sleeping but not fully awake. He allows his flame to flare, warming his brothers and casting them in a loving protective glow. He feels their love, their contentment. He also feels the tugging from the night before. He hadn’t paid it much thought last night, simply brushing it off as nerves for the day ahead. Now though, he couldn’t help but follow it, tracing it along the bond. He could see it within his mind's eye, see how this strand was interwoven along the pathways between all of them, how it was wrapped securely around himself and each of the boys. He feels the tug again, allows it to pull him further, deeper into the bond.

Feelings start to wash over Wilbur, a sense of urgency and excitement that isn’t his own filling his being. This presence was familiar, was one he’d felt for nearly seven years now. The mystery entity from his dreams, that is what was tugging at his mind and the bond. Never had he felt it while awake before nor as strongly as he did now buried so deep in the bond as he was.

‘Alpha’ the voice is so close, he can feel the ghost of a breath along his neck. The word sends shivers along his skin while his heart and soul flood with warmth. It's calling him, seeking him out, drawing him in. He needs to find it, needs to finally find the owner of the voice.

‘Yours.’

“Mine.” Wilbur breaths, reaching out and connecting, sinking into the other mind and allowing it to connect with his own.

“Wilbur?” This voice doesn’t belong to his dream voice, this one is distant and foggy but familiar too. Wilbur feels the other mind reaching out to the other voice, reaching out for the three sparks along the bond.

“Wilbur!” A sharp tug and a hand shoving against his side has Wilbur snapping back into the physical world, eyes flying open and looking around in dazed confusion.

“Wilby! Somethings happening, someone is here in our heads.” Tommy is frantic, shaking Wilbur’s arm while Tubbo and Ranboo huddle together. And Tommy is right, Wilbur can still feel the other mind clearly sitting in the back of his own and bleeding out into the bond. He should feel fear, that some unknown stranger is connecting to the flock bond, is inside not just his head but his brothers as well, but Wilbur is calm and collected, no fear to be felt.

‘Alpha.’ He sees the boys tense, tilting their heads, hearing the voice as clearly as he does. The presence brushes over all of them, comforting and gentle. ‘Flock.’

Ranboo chirps, Enderman side bleeding through while Tommy unfurls his wings. They are still too small for him to fly with, hence why he keeps them hidden most of the time, but they are still beautiful with their snow-white colouring. They all feel the tugging, urging them to follow, to come find. Wilbur is moving without even thinking about it, feet moving on instinct alone. He knows his brothers are following, equally as drawn to this presence as he is. They walk up the stairs, straight to Wilbur’s room and the sight that greets him has his heart soring.

The eggs sits on the chest, shaking as whatever lays inside fights for freedom. Soft growls and chirps can be heard along with cracking as the shell is pushed and knocked against. Wilbur nearly collapses by the side of the egg, trembling hands reaching out to lay on the shaking surface. Inside, a soft coo sounds while the bond flares with love and calmness.

“That’s Mama’s egg isn’t it?” Tubbo whispers. Wilbur can only nod, lost for words as a large crack sudden appears along the surface of the egg. More cracks start to appear as the creature inside grows more desperate for release, straining against its prison. The whole time Wilbur keeps his hand on the egg, eyes watching its every movement.

‘Come on, you can do it.’ He thinks, pushing the thought along the bond. He feels the presence react to his thought, feels like grow more determined to break free. The egg shakes, rattles and then splits right down the middle. The shell falls away, revealing the wonder that had laid hidden inside for centuries.

Bright Emerald green eyes lock with Wilbur’s soft hazel ones, a deep understanding and intelligence shinning inside them. The dragon stands on four wobbly legs, wings laying limp by its side as it raises its head to gaze up at its audience. The scales shine like freshly fallen snow with black scales dotted along the body like freckles. Two horns sit atop its head, gleaming a metallic gold. The little reptile is no bigger than a loaf of bread and is covered in mucus membrane from the egg. A small trill escapes the dragon, head tilting to the side as it continues to soak up every detail of Wilbur’s face. A shaky laugh slips past Wilbur’s lips, eyes brimming with tears of joy as he reaches forward to gently lift the wonderous creature into his arms.

“Hey there little guy.” He breaths, gazing down at the reptile with wonder and awe.

‘Alpha.’ The dragon responds, curling its, no, his mind tightly around Wilbur’s. He turns his head, looking at the stunned faces of the triplets and chittering happily at them. ‘Flock, mine. Yours, your dream.’

“Yes, mine. My little Dream.” Wilbur laughed, holding the dragon closer. The boys moved closer as well, the urge to just sit huddle around one another surging through them. One by one, the kids reached out to run gentle hands along warm smooth scales, minds connecting with the little reptile, expanding and strengthening the bond.

“Ours,” The boys says as one, tone certain and absolute.

‘Yours, mine, flock.’ The dragon affirms, curling up in Wilbur’s lap and drifting off to sleep. The boys lay down to sleep as well, not wishing to leave for their own room. Wilbur doesn’t mind, basks in having his family close and where he can see them. He feels complete as if he’s finally found the missing piece to his life that he didn’t even know had been lost. He knows there will be repercussions, that this will flip their lives completely on their head but he doesn’t care. This is right, this is how things are meant to be. He feels it deep in his soul, knows it as surely as he knows the sky is blue and that the sun will rise each day. This is his flock, happy and complete.

“Welcome to the family Dream.”

Chapter Text

In many ways, raising a baby dragon is like raising a baby human. When Tommy and Tubbo had been babies, Wilbur had to feed them every few hours, burp them, hold them to help them feel safe and loved. With Dream, it is similar. Every few hours Wilbur will feed the little dragon slivers of meat and would carry the little reptile around almost constantly. The first time they had tried leaving him by himself Dream had screamed and cried out in a panic, the bond flooding with fear a deep primal need to be with a flock member. After that, if Wilbur needed a break one of the boys would take the little dragon with them to keep him happy and calm.

There are also large differences between raising a dragon to a human. After only a few days Dream was already moving about on his own, running across the floor and climbing up pant legs to perch on shoulders. He still couldn’t fly, and Wilbur suspected he wouldn’t be able to for a while yet. He was also learning at a breakneck pace. With his mind being connected to all four of the boys he was quickly picking up on language, human concepts and feelings and how to differentiate right from wrong. Everything Wilbur and the kids knew Dream would quickly figure out and understand as well.

Already the young reptile understood the concept of a farm and why it was so important for everyone to pull their weight and help out. Nearly a whole month after his hatching, Dream sat perched on Tommy’s shoulder, watching as Wilbur sheared the sheep, Tubbo and Ranboo would clean and wash the wool and then Tommy would pack it up into boxes to be sold. They had been doing this for a good few hours now and Tommy was starting to get fidgety.

“How much longer Wilbur?” He called after packing yet another box away.

“Only a few more sheep Toms, I promise,” Wilbur said, moving to the pen where the last few remaining sheep waited to be sheared. The young blonde sighed, bored out of his mind and wanting nothing more than to go out into the fields and play.

‘Soon, patience,’ Dream hummed, talons lightly digging into Tommy’s shoulder in comfort.

“It's so boring though.” Tommy huffed as he got to work on packing the next box.

‘Important work. The flock must work together to get work done fast. Play after work is finished.’ Dream murmured, mentally pushing closer to Tommy and surrounding the boy with love and fondness.

“I suppose,” Tommy mumbled, giving in to the logic. Dream purred happily, perking up when he felt Wilbur’s presence surround his mind, thanking him for keeping Tommy in check.

‘I help Alpha keep the flock in line.’ Dream pushed back to the eldest causing Wilbur to smile. It was true that Dream helped him keep the boys in line, would step in mentally when they were getting a little too rowdy, would snap at them when they were starting to get a little hot-headed and rude towards their elder brother or each other. It was odd that despite being the youngest of the family, Dream was the second most responsible, coming short just behind Wilbur himself. He was also always partially in the back of Wilbur’s mind, a constant support and grounding weight. With a chuckle, Wilbur got back to work.

It took them another half hour before the shearing was all done and all the wool was cleaned and packed. The humans all snacked on apple slices afterwards while Dream was given some ground beef to eat, happily sitting in Ranboo’s lap while he ate.

“That’s all the chores done for the day so you boys can go and play now. Just don’t go too far, don’t dig up the fields and if anything happens you know how to call for me.” Wilbur said, the boys cheering as they rushed off to collected their sleigh and enjoy the rest of the day. Dream jumped from Ranboo’s arms, scurrying over to Wilbur who was more than happy to scoop the hatchling up into his own arms. Dream chittered softly, leaning up to press his warm snout against Wilbur’s throat.

‘You worry.’ Dream stated.

“They are my responsibility. It's my job to keep them safe.” Wilbur sighed as he walked out to the field where the sheep were grazing.

‘An Alpha’s job is to protect and lead.’ Dream agreed, green eyes tracking the slow-moving herd. Wilbur could feel the cool reptilian logic of the other's mind, the way he assessed the herd for weakness and potential prey. He knew Dream wouldn’t act on it though, it had been one of the first things they had taught him, that the livestock was completely off-limits along with other people.

“I worry that I’m not doing enough sometimes, that I’m not giving them everything I can,” Wilbur confessed, making sure his mind was closed off from his brothers. Dream growled softly, moving up to sit on Wilbur’s shoulder while resting his head along his jaw.

‘You are enough, you are the Alpha. You protect, provide and lead. You are ours.’ The words are possessive and loving, warm scales pressing into soft skin while the sharp cool mind curls tightly around Wilbur’s consciousness. A knot inside his chest loosens, fears and anxieties soothed for the time being. He leans against the fence, watching the sheep and listening to the distant laughter of his brother’s.

‘Something still worries you.’  Dream hummed knowingly.

Wilbur smiled despite himself, warmed by the knowledge of having someone who knew him so well. “Market day is tomorrow, that means we’ll need to head into town to sell our goods and pay the villagers. It's already strange for us to not have visited since last market day so we can’t skip tomorrow.”

‘You worry they will try to take me away?’ Dream asked as protective fury began to swell in his tiny body. Wilbur reached out, physically and mentally, soothing the growing anger and distress.

“I will never let anything happen to you. You are as much my responsibility as the boys are. And I trust my people to be accepting. I just can’t help but worry.” Dream relaxed, leaning into the gentle touches along his neck. The three sparks that were Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo pressed closer, feeling Dream’s spike in emotion as well as some of Wilbur's worry bleeding through. With practised ease, Wilbur reached across the bond, gentle and soothing, assuring all that everything was fine and all were safe. “We’ll get through tomorrow together, as a flock. I trust the village but I will defend you and the boys from them if I have to.”

‘Alpha,’ It’s a statement, an absolute, something that cannot be challenged. Wilbur can feel the trust Dream holds for him, the confidence that he will protect and defend the Flock as an Alpha should. With that trust and confidence is the willingness to follow, to do as the Alpha bids. A part of Wilbur knows that when Dream gets older when he grows larger he could challenge him for the position of Alpha, but that he won’t. This bond they share is special and one where everyone is happy and content with their rank in the Flock. Wilbur is the Alpha, and that will never change. Dream has taken his place by Wilbur’s side as second in command despite his young age, has taken up the position as the Flock Beta while the boys sit as the lower ranks but equally as loved and important. Dream will not usurp Wilbur’s position as Alpha, this they both know.

The next day starts bright and early, the boys once again packing the wagon and helping to hook Henry up to pull it along. The boxes and baskets are placed with care, a biscuit of hay packed for Henry, a basket of sandwiches for the humans and a sack of dried beef for Dream. The triplets sit in the back, Dream purring happily in Tubbo’s lap as the boy pets his white and black scales. He’s grown in the month since his hatching, slightly larger than a cat now but still small enough to sit comfortably on people’s shoulders.

All four youngsters can feel the tension in Wilbur the closer they get to town, can feel the building worry and fear. Ranboo grips at a grass block he’d brought with him for comfort, fingers digging into the soft earth while Tubbo hunches protectively over Dream. Tommy bounces along the bond, jumping from brother to brother in an attempt to soothe and comfort. He spends most of the time with Wilbur, sensing he needs the comfort most as well as just wanting to be surrounded by the strong mental presence that is his older brother.

‘We’re here. Stay close boys and stay calm. I want the best behaviour from all of you.’ Wilbur suddenly sent out, commanding and strong, projecting calmness and stability. Dream rises, crawling quickly over the boxes to place himself on Wilbur’s shoulders where he sits proud and tall, golden horns shimmering in the sunlight.

At first, none of the villagers notices anything amiss. Most are too preoccupied with setting up their own stalls and double-checking last-minute preparations. Slowly, however, eyes begin to follow the wagon, chatter falling away into hushed silence. The boys fidget in the back of the wagon, Ranboo growling softly under his breath while Tommy gives agitated whistles and Tubbo hunches closer to his brothers. Wilbur remains calm and collected, head held high and eyes gazing straight ahead. He holds a tight grip on the younger one's minds, keeping them steady and calm even as he feels their agitation rise. He feels Dream reaching along with him, helping to keep the boys in check as primal instincts demand for them to posture, snap and growl at the threat to their flock.

‘Easy boys. Just take it slow and focus on me.’ Wilbur breathes. They settle, leaning into the comforting mental stability. They are still on high alert, but no longer ready to attack at the slightest sound. ‘Good job. Now let's set up and go about our day as normal.’

They move like a perfectly well-oiled machine, setting out baskets and boxes, tying up Henry and providing him with water and organising the special orders. The little family ignores the stares, the hushed murmurs and just carries on with life. The villagers are tense, skirting around them, unsure on if they should approach or not, if questions will be welcomed or denied. The tension lays heavy in the air, pressing down on everyone that even Wilbur is starting to struggle with his own urges to start snapping and growling when two whirlwinds of energy come barreling over.

“Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo! Where have you guys been?” Purpled shouted looking put out.

“Yeah, you guys promised to come to show us your birthday gifts but you’ve been gone ages,” Fundy added on while crossing his arms.

“We thought you’d died or something.” Purpled snickered.

“We’re sorry guys, we’ve been kinda busy.” Ranboo smiled guiltily, ducking his head behind the grass block he still held.

“With your new pet?” Fundy asked only to wince when Dream gave a spitting hiss at the comment while Tommy and tubbo snorted.

“Dream isn’t a pet, he’s the newest member of our family.” Tubbo declared proudly, preening when he felt the happiness from Dream.

“Yeah, we’re super pog now. No other kid can say they have a dragon as a brother!” Tommy gloated.

“Tommy, be nice.” Wilbur cautioned. The younger boy winced, smiling sheepishly before turning back to his friends.

“You guys are really pog too though.” He amends.

As the children continue to talk and bicker playfully the rest of the village slowly moves closer, the fear and tension slowly fading from their faces to be replaced by awe and wonder. At the head of the crowd stands Mary and her husband, the elderly couple smiling brightly with tears of joy in their eyes.

“Bless my soul, never thought I’d live to see the return of the dragons,” Frank mumbles while bowing his head to Wilbur and Dream who watches all the new faces with calculating green eyes.

“I grew up with stories from my great grandmother about the dragons, how they roamed freely all across the land and sky and brought wonder and good fortune wherever they went. She also talked about the bonds some would make with chosen humans, a bond that went deeper than any shared by living creatures before.” Mary whispered though everyone heard her and hung off her every word. “L’Manberg is where the last of the dragons fled too before they were wiped from our world. Rumours circled about a single egg that survived the massacre, protected by the last living descendants of one of the chosen families. Now I see those rumours were true.”

Wilbur stared at Mary, at the villagers, at his people who looked up to him as their mayor. He saw no fear in their eyes, no hatred or greed, no malice or disgust. He only saw wonder and joy, saw the people he had grown up with and trusted the most. He smiled at them all, standing atop the wagon so he could be seen by all.

“My people, I thank you for your acceptance. Dream is a part of not just my family but our community now. He is to be treated the same as any citizen of our town. He will not harm you, your family or your livestock. He is one of us.” Wilbur called out, drawing strength from the proud being that was Dream that sat curled tight around his mind and neck. “Because of this, I must ask you not to tell any outsiders of him. He is the last of his kind, a treasure to be protected and allowed to remain free, something that won’t happen if word of him gets out to the other settlements or the capital. I know it’s a lot to ask, but can I trust you all to keep this secret?”

There is silence at first, everyone gazing up at him and Dream. Then, one by one they step forward and place their right fist over their heart, a vow to keep his family’s secret and look out for the newest member of their community.

‘You are a leader, they respect and look up to you.’ Dream whispered, pleased and full of pride. ‘You are strong, you are enough.’

Tension bleeds from Wilbur’s body, a blinding smile stretching over his face as relief, hope and happiness blooms in his chest. The boys, sensing the peace and safety are quick to dart off with Fundy and Purpled to play. The rest of the villagers disperse, going about their day as usual, content and happy. This is a life Wilbur could get used to. This is the life he was always meant to live.

‘Mine.’ A promise, a claim, one he echoes back just as fiercely as he sinks into a new way of life.

Chapter Text

Raising a baby dragon brings with it the joys of experiencing first milestones all over again. Wilbur had delighted in watching Tubbo and Tommy take their first steps, having their first birthdays and traditional holidays, watching Ranboo collect his first grass block, being there as the boy’s learnt to write their names and plant their first seedlings. Now, he got to be there for all of Dream’s firsts.

The first time the little dragon had seen the herd of cows and sheep he had hissed angrily, seeing them as both prey and a threat because of their size. The first time they had filled the basin with water to bathe the reptile Dream had been wary, unsure of the large pool of water until Tommy and tubbo had jumped in first. After seeing it was safe Dream had followed the boys, leaping into the water and churring with happiness as the warm water enveloped his body. The first time the Halo family had come for a visit since his hatching Dream had been standoffish, not trusting the strangers that weren’t Flock. Wilbur had been the one to calm him and show him the same family meant no harm.

One of the most memorable firsts had been Dream’s first thunderstorm. The rain had already been new and unnerving for the hatchling but when the thunder and lightning had started it had been too much for him.

Dream had shrieked with terror as the first crash of thunder rolled in, the living room lighting up as lightning flashed outside. Quick as a flash, Dream had dived to hide under the little coffee table, body trembling in fright while the bond spiked and rippled with fear. The boys had jumped, Ranboo chirping softly in comfort while Tubbo and Tommy huddled further into their blanket. When the next batch of thunder rolled in Dream had howled with fear, tail lashing behind him.

Wilbur had stepped forward, reaching under the table to pull the trembling form close to his chest, allowing Dream to press his head into his chest to hear his steady heartbeat. He closed around the whole Flock mentally, projecting safety and calmness. He had shared his memories of other storms with Dream, shown him that while they could be dangerous if caught outside in them, there was nothing to fear while inside. Dream had relaxed but he still hadn’t liked how loud the storms were.

Looking back on that moment filled Wilbur with fondness, loving watching Dream experience new things in the world and learning from them. The young Dragon was now four months old, growing larger every day and learning more as well. No longer could he comfortably sit on their shoulders, now he was the size of a small to medium dog. He would still curl up in their laps or lie across their bodies at night when they slept, craving the physical contact with his Flock mates.

Today, the small family was out working in the fields, harvesting the last of the crops before winter set in. The days were already growing shorter and colder and the convoy from the Capital had been through the town just last week to collect their taxes of money and grain for the year. Most of the winter preparations around the farm had been done, Ranboo helping Wilbur set up the protective greenhouse around their private gardens so they could keep growing their own food over winter while Tommy and Tubbo had collected a wagon of firewood from the Halo family in exchange for some warm wool blankets and a bag of grain. Now all that was left was to harvest the remainder of their crops so they could store the food and gather the seeds for sowing the fields in spring.

Henry was standing off to the side, hooked up to the wagon that was slowly filling up with potatoes, turnips, carrots and other root vegetables.  It’s hard demanding work, their arms, legs and backs aching from all the pulling and bending they had been doing for the last few hours. Wilbur hates having to make his seven-year-old brothers help him but there’s just no possible way for him to harvest the fields by himself. Thankfully the boys understand this and only complain a little bit.

It’s close to evening, the sun sinking behind the trees when the four boys feel a spike of fear, uncertainty and wariness flare along the bond. Wilbur turns instantly, hazel eyes scanning for the flash of white, black and gold that normally sits curled at one of their feet. Instead, Dream sits huddled under the wagon, lips pulled back in a snarl as his bright green eyes track the path of a falling snowflake. It takes a moment for Wilbur to understand, to remember that despite his maturity and intelligence Dream has never experienced a winter before, has never seen snow.

“It's okay,” Wilbur calls out, smiling gently when slightly fearful green eyes lock with his own. “It's just snow Dream.”

‘Snow?’

Tubbo smiles while leaning down to be at the young dragon’s eye level, not caring about the dirt that is getting on his hands and clothes seeing how they are already dirty from the hard days work. “Yeah, snow isn’t scary. It’s actually really fun.”

“You can make snow angels and snowmen when enough falls and have snowball fights,” Tommy adds on, his excitement bleeding into the bond, helping to soothe Dream’s lingering fear.

“We can also go proper sleiding without the wheels,” Ranboo says which does have Dream perking up. The little reptile loved when the boys would take him sleiding down the hills, the fast pace and wind whipping at his face making it seem like they were almost flying.

‘It’s very cold though.’ Dream made sure to let them all feel how much he disliked this aspect of the snow.

“Snow is rain that has frozen due to the cold temperature of winter. I know you don’t like the cold but it's something you’ll have to get used to. Winter lasts three months after all.” Wilbur explained, chuckling when Dream grumbled unhappily. Tubbo just smiled, urging his adopted brother to come out from his hiding place as more snowflakes began to fall.

Dream murmured softly, still unsure and wary. Wilbur just sent a mental nudge, assuring him that it was perfectly safe. Slowly, with his head lowered he crept out from under the wagon. He quickly locked onto a falling snowflake, watching it twist and turn on its way down. The bond suddenly lit up with cool reptilian instincts, a drive to hunt and stalk. Dream moved slowly, never taking his eyes off the snowflake as it drifted closer to the ground. When it was finally within reach the little dragon darted forward, springing into the air to snap his jaws around the little white speck. All four boys felt Dream’s happiness at a successful hunt as well as his eagerness to try again.

Before he knew it, Wilbur was watching the four younger members of the flock stalking and catching snowflakes, looking like little kittens chasing feathers in the wind. The field they had been working on was nearly finished so he didn’t mind doing the last of the work himself, content to let the youngers play.

By the time the next morning arrived a soft blanket of snow had fallen to cover the ground and trees. The boys were more than happy to put on their coats and boots to go play, though Dream hung back. It was one thing to play with the first few snowflakes of the season, it was another to see the whole world covered in it. He also didn’t like that the more there was of it the colder it became. Wilbur had a sneaking suspicion that Dream would be spending most of the winter curled up in front of the fire, only venturing outside if he absolutely had to.

With the arrival of winter also came with it the promise of Yule. The kids were excited, already making handmade gifts for their friends and family as well as gathering the needed items to celebrate the holiday.

Dream watched as the four humans set up a small table by the fire. A red velvet cloth was placed over it while three candles were placed towards the back. The candles were red, green and gold and had sprigs of holly around their base. A small loaf of buttermilk bread was also placed on the table that none of the boys dared to touch along with a branch from a yew tree. Dream also watched as wreaths of evergreen were hung from every door and vines of ivy were strung along the fireplace.

‘Why do you hang plants? Why the table?’ Dream finally questioned from his place on Tommy’s lap where the boy was gently tracing his fingers along his smooth scales.

“It's for the holiday of Yule.” Tubbo stated happily.

“With the end of the longest night, the dark is defeated with the Return of the Sun, the return of light, hope and promise. The Goddess gives birth to the Sun God. The Sun begins to wax and the days grow longer. All that is hidden will begin to emerge.” Ranboo said, remembering the stories Wilbur would tell them every year, always making sure they understood the importance of the holiday.

“It’s the time of year where we give thanks to not only our friends and family but to the spirits and gods as well. That’s why we set up the altar, to show respect to the spirits.” Tommy further explained while nodding his head over to the altar.

“Evergreens represent everlasting life with holly believed to be able to repel unwanted spirits and ivy representing immortality and resurrection,” Tubbo said. “The yew branch on the altar is also important as it is deeply connected with the spirit realms and our ancestors.”

“The lighting of candles is also important round this time as it symbolises light overcoming the darkness. Red, green and the gold of the Returning Sun are the colours of Yule which is why we burn candles of those colours.” Ranboo said.

“The final part of Yule is on the day we all head into town to gift people with either food or handmade gifts and watch the lighting of the Yule tree. A big fire is then lit and we all sit down for a feast. At the end of the feast, we put some of the food into the fire as an offering to the spirits.” Wilbur finished with a proud smile on his face at knowing how seriously his younger brothers took the holiday. He’d always worried they would only see it as a time to get presents but it would seem all his lessons on the traditional holidays and their rituals had paid off.

‘When is the day of Yule?’ Dream questioned, mind open and eagerly taking in the new information, soaking it all up like a sponge.

“Yule will be in two days. It's on the shortest day of the year.” Tommy said while pulling the dragon further up his body, cooing happily when Dream laid his whole body over the boy’s torso with his head resting against his shoulder.

‘Can I join you in celebrating?’ The question had all four boys at attention, the connection they shared with Dream flooding with approval and acceptance.

“Your flock, a part of our family. It wouldn’t be Yule without you.” Wilbur said firmly, hand reaching out to scratch under the reptile's jaw. Dream purred happily, leaning into the touch while the three younger boys closed ranks around his mind, a solid wall of love and protectiveness.

‘Ours,’ Was echoed all across the connection.

On the day of Yule everyone was up early to exchange gifts. The triplets gave Wilbur a handmade beanie that was a soft yellow colour. They admitted to having Puffy and Niki helping them make it but Wilbur was overjoyed by their kind gesture. To the boys, he gifted them some paints so they could decorate their sleigh. They then surprised Dream when all four turned to present him with a gift.

Wilbur held up a small silver chain. On the chain was a white feather from Tommy’s wings, a chip from an enderpearl that Ranboo had found and with the help of the town blacksmith had smoothed down into a bead, an amber bead from Tubbo and a polished bone fragment from Wilbur. With gentle hands, Wilbur placed the chain around Dream’s neck so that it sat like a necklace.

“Now we’ll always be with you no matter what.” Tubbo cheered happily.

Dream preened under their joy before turning his head to his side. Carefully, he pulled four loose scales that were due to shed soon from his body and presented them to his flock mates. ‘And I will always be with you.’

The four boys didn’t have a chain to use so they opted to use rope instead, Wilbur making a small hole in the scales to loop the thread through to make the necklace. The family of five wore their new gifts proudly into town as they handed out freshly baked cookies to everyone. The Yule tree that stood in the centre of town was lit on fire at the end of the day after the last of the suns light faded from the sky. The town then sat down to eat, everyone putting a small portion of their food aside to throw into the fire at the end. The day ended with singing, dancing and laughter as everyone, even the kids all celebrated long into the night. The next day would be spent in beds and homes warmed by cosy fires, a day of relaxing and laziness that was well deserved.

Chapter Text

The woods surrounding the village of L’Manberg were a bountiful source of food for the townspeople. Groves of wild berries could be found if you knew where to look while the streams were filled with fish, freshwater plants and even the odd crayfish. The woods also had deer, rabbits, wild boars and Guineafowl. It wasn’t all that strange for the kids of the village to be taught how to hunt and kill wild game from an early age so as to help feed their families. Wilbur had been taught alongside Ponk by an old woodsman when he was just six and had in turn taught his younger brothers when they were seven. It was an important skill to have and one that was passed down through the generations.

It’s why it wasn’t that surprising to find the triplets stalking a stag through the trees in the late summer, the soon to be nine-year-olds being mindful of where they placed their feet so as not to alert the animal of their presence. In Tommy’s hands sat a bow and arrow while Tubbo held a slingshot. Ranboo didn’t hold a weapon, but he didn’t need one. The other two didn’t really need one either but they liked to have them just in case.

The three boys were crouched low to the ground, eyes locked on their target, ears straining to pick up on the slightest sound. Their minds were bleeding into each other, acting as one mind in three separate bodies. They began to fan out, Ranboo and Tubbo moving to the sides while Tommy kept in the centre, all three knowing their roles in the hunt, knew what they had to do. With a sharp call that echoed through the trees and their minds, the triplets sprung into action, leaping from their hiding place and startling the stag into a run, herding it in the direction they wanted it to go.

It was a dance they all knew well, Tommy keeping on the stags rear while Ranboo and Tubbo took the sides, all three shrieking and snapping their teeth to drive the frightened animal on. The uneven ground was navigated with practised ease, neither of the boys stumbling as they leapt over fallen trees, skipped over small streams and dashed across rocked paths. Whenever the stag tried to break away from them one of the boys would surge ahead, cutting it off with a snarl or sharp whistle, driving it back on course. Normal people, even hybrids would struggle to keep pace with the stag, especially through the woods but the three boys weren’t normal. They were bonded with each other, were flock, and were bonded with an ancient creature of magic and wonder.

A spark of pride, a flash of excitement racing across the connection was all the warning the boys had before a blur of white, black and gold exploded from the underbrush. Dream sank his razor-sharp teeth into the stag's neck, twisting his head to snap the animal's spine and kill it quickly. Warm blood filled his mouth and splashed across his muzzle, staining his white scales while a pleased rumble echoed deep in his chest. The three boys added their own hums of happiness at a successful hunt.

‘Good job boys, bring it home. Suns setting.’ The flock stood at attention as the Alpha’s voice flowed over their minds, proud of their teamwork. The triplets preened under the praise while Dream snorted softly as he began to drag the kill towards the house. The horse-sized dragon hummed in amusement as the three boys clambered up onto his back, content to let his brothers have a free ride home after doing such a good job on herding their prey to him. Besides, if they were riding on his back it made it easier to keep an eye on them and protect them.

By the time the house comes into view, the sky has turned different shades of orange, red and yellow and Wilbur is waiting patiently by the shed. The triplets rush inside, heading for the washroom where Wilbur has already filled the basin with water warmed over the fire. Dream headed to the flocks Alpha, laying the kill at his feet for inspection. The brunet ran a soothing hand down Dream’s neck, the touch of smooth skin on warm scales grounding both of them.

“You did well, go make sure the little monsters aren’t making too much of a mess.” Wilbur smiled, Dream rumbling in amusement as he wandered into the house through newly renovated doorways that allowed him to enter the building with ease. With his family home and washing up, Wilbur sets to work.

He expertly skins the deer first, setting the pelt aside to dry so it can be used for either clothing or a rug later on. Next, he gets to work on carving the carcass up into pieces. He sets aside some meat for tonight's dinner as well as some to give to the Halo family. He then cuts up some strips to dry so they can be sold at the markets as well as removing the antlers that can be used for either weapons or furniture. Once all that has been done there is still a large body laying on their front lawn but Wilbur is not worried. He gives a sharp whistle and suddenly Dream appears, eagerly tearing into what’s left of the kill. Wilbur makes sure to fill a nearby trough with water so the dragon can clean his face after his meal before heading inside to start cooking the rest of the flocks' meal.

“Now I want you all going to bed at a reasonable time tonight. The Halo family will be here just after the mid-morning bell so we have to get through all the morning chores before then.” Wilbur stated as the boys cleaned their plates. Across the hall, Dream hummed by the fire.

“We should be allowed to stay up late on the night before our birthday!” Tommy protested as they all slowly made their way into the living room. Tubbo and Ranboo were quick to join Dream in the large nest of blankets and pillows on the floor, settling into his side happily as his tail came to curl protectively in front of them.

“Well, that’s not how things work around here Toms.” Wilbur smiled, flicking the boy on the nose. “I say young boys need their rest and so must have an early bedtime.”

“I am a big man.” Tommy huffed even as he too settled into the nest, humming with joy when dream pulled him down to rest in his front legs, pressed against his warm chest.

Wilbur chuckled, pulling blankets over Tubbo and Ranboo before moving to Tommy, brushing the hair from the kid's face. “Even big men need their rest. Besides, the faster you get to sleep the faster your birthday will come.”

“I suppose that’s a good enough reason to sleep,” Tommy mumbled, eyes already falling shut as the soothing rumbles from Dream began to lull him and his brothers to sleep. With a few sleepy words, all three were out in seconds, Wilbur smiling softly as he went to finish the last of the nighttime chores. Once all that was done he too settled into the nest, Dream watching with bright green eyes that glowed in the dark as he climbed under a wing.

When the sun rises the next day Dream is the first awake. He gazes down at Tommy who lays sprawled over his front legs, drool pooling along the scales of his right leg as the boy snores softly. Leaning down to blow a soft gust of warm air over the sleeping boy he turned to look at Wilbur who lies against his side, Ranboo and Tubbo lying on top of him. With slow gentle movements, Dream leans down to nose at Wilbur’s head while being mindful not to wake any of the sleeping boys. It takes a moment to rouse the elder, eyes screwing tight to try and remain in the world of sleep before hazy brown eyes peek open to gaze up at bright green ones.

‘If you wish to get everything ready for the party you will need to rise.’ Dream hummed to which Wilbur gave a tired groan. He’s careful to gently roll Ranboo off him, knowing the chimaera is a light sleeper while Dream leans down to gently grab the back of Tubbo’s shirt in his teeth, lifting the boy into the air before setting him down in his curled front legs with Tommy. The twins mumble and shift for a moment before curling around one another, drifting back to sleep with ease. Wilbur can’t help but smile fondly at the sight, watching as Dream proceeds to lay a wing over Ranboo’s form protectively. ‘I’ll keep watch. Go do what you have to do, Alpha.’

A tender hand runs along the underside of Dream’s jaw, fingers gently digging into smooth warm scales. Love and pride echos along the connection, settling over the wildfire that is Dream before Wilbur turns to the kitchen, ready to start the day.

The morning chores and breakfast are all done by the time the three boys rise from their slumber, Dream having to nudge Tommy up when the now nine-year-old misplaced his hand and nearly stumbled. The haze of sleep is quick to vanish with the excitement of a birthday breakfast of pancakes and jam. Dream meanwhile is treated the leftover venison mixed with scrambled eggs and ground beef. The now two-year-old dragon normally hunted for his own food as with his rapid growth is was near impossible for the farm to keep pace with his appetite. However, Wilbur always insisted on providing Dream with meals on his hatching day and the dragon wasn’t one to deny his Alpha.

As always, after breakfast comes presents. Tommy is gifted with a new wooden sword as his old one had finally broken after years of abuse from the excitable child. Ranboo is given new seeds for his flower garden that he has slowly been growing over the last few months. Tubbo is shown to the window where he is delighted to see a wooden beehive sitting by the front paddocks of the farm, bouncing with joy at the thought of raising his own bees and collecting his own honey. Lastly, Dream is presented with his customary chain that each Yule and hatching day is made longer as more little trinkets are added to it. Now, along with the feather, enderpearl, bead and bone fragment from his first Yule the chain now holds an amethyst fragment, a gold nugget the size of a coin, a sea shell, a little piece of braided rope that was green, red, blue and yellow, a smoothed piece of obsidian, another feather from Tommy, a metal bead from all four of them with all their names engraved onto it, a wolf tooth, a tiny jar of glow squid ink, a polished opal, a fragment from a deer antler and finally a feather from a red parrot.

The chain no longer sat around Dream’s neck. Instead, it was woven between his two golden horns, a symbol of the love his flock held for him and his love for them in how he proudly wore their gifts. The little family enjoyed a quiet morning together before heading outside to wait for the Halo family. When they arrived, Dream gave a loud roar before leaping onto Sapnap and George who after their first introduction where Dream had hissed and growled had quickly become his two favourite non-flock humans.

“Dream! You are getting way too big for this!” George shouted as he pushed against a scaley snout, yelping when a warm wet tongue flicked out to drag across his face. Sapnap thrashed about before crying out as he was given the same greeting, Dream making a gurgling sound low in his throat that everyone had quickly learnt was his version of laughter.

“Let us up you overgrown lizard.” Sapnap moaned dramatically causing the triplets to snicker.

“You have to ask him nicely, it's his birthday/hatching day too,” Tommy smirked, walking over to stand above the two trapped teenagers, hand coming to rest on the side of Dream’s neck to steady the dragon. Dream could feel the playfulness of Tommy bleeding across the bond as well as the soft request to hold the two Halo boys hostage for a bit longer. A soft snort blew past his nostrils, hot air being blown right into the two trapped boys faces.

“He tackled us, we shouldn’t have to ask nicely.” George huffed good-naturedly. Dream gave a soft coo, gazing down into blue and brown eyes sadly while Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo gasped loudly.

“Are you saying you don’t love Dream Gogy?” Tommy accused.

“How dare you hurt our little brother so!” Tubbo howled.

“You’ll have to be punished.” Ranboo solemnly stated.

“Wait! No! We do love Dream, very much! George is just a little scatterbrain from the fall.” Sapnap rambled seeing the mischief gleam in the brother’s eyes including their oversized ‘little’ brother. “Quick George, say you're sorry and that you love him!”

The older boy barely opened his mouth before he and Sapnap found paper plates filled with whipped cream shoved into their faces. With evil cackles, the three human boys leapt onto Dream’s back as the dragon gave a loud call of joy before rushing off down the yard, two cream covered teens in hot pursuit.

“I see the triplets are slowly turning into quadruplets.” Skeppy chuckled as he watched Sapnap throw himself against Dream’s side, the dragon giving a dramatic cry as he fell over only to sweep a wing under the blaze hybrid sending him face-first into the dirt.

“They have certainly passed on their love for chaos.” Wilbur agreed.

About half an hour after the Halo family arrived, Puffy and Niki appeared with Foolish, Fundy and Purpled in toe. The three kids were quick to rush off and join the game of tag/play fighting, their laughter filling the air.

“At least they will all sleep good tonight.” Puffy smiled as the younger kids began to climb onto Dream’s back before sliding down his lowered wing like a make-shift slide. George and Sapnap were taking turns to hold onto Dream’s horns before the dragon would throw his head to the side sending the teens flying with shouts of glee. “Dream certainly is a great babysitter considering he’s only a two-year-old.”

“You forget how young he actually is with how mature he acts,” Niki added while Wilbur smiled proudly.

“He’s the flock beta, he keeps the boys in line and looks after them when I’m not there. He takes his job very seriously and I’m proud of him for it.” Knowing green eyes turned to lock with Wilbur’s, a warm and loyal presence pressing in against his mind for a brief moment before backing away. “He’s young and likes to help with the boy's mischief but he’ll always look out for them and keep them safe.”

For the most part, it was a good day. The four youngest members of the flock got to play with their friends and enjoy presents and special treats. Bad even offered a chocolate chip muffin to Dream who was surprised to find he enjoyed the strange food. Everyone was feeling light and happy, laughter and shouts of joy echoing across the farm and helping to put everyone at ease. The arrival of a messenger raven brought everything to a standstill for Wilbur.

It wasn’t often he got ravens. Theirs was a small town where everyone was within walking distance of each other so there was no need to send letters to each other. At most Wilbur would receive a few ravens a year with letters from the other villages and outposts in regards to trading as well as from the Capitol in regards to taxes and trades. The letter that the raven had brought today was sealed with a wax seal from the Capitol which had a small sense of unease filling him. Their tax wasn’t due for another two months and the caravans for the mid-year trade had already passed through the town last month. Knowing Bad, Skeppy, Niki and Puffy were watching him Wilbur walked off to the side of the house, still in view of his flock but at least he had a sense of privacy. With slightly shaking hands he broke the seal and opened the latter. What he read filled with him both anger and hurt.

Dear Wilbur,

I know it has been a while since our last letter but things have been pretty hectic here that I just haven’t had the time till now. I hope things are going well and that the boys aren’t causing too much trouble for you.

I know I said when Techno and I left we’d only be gone for two years but things have been happening so fast here at the Capitol. Techno has been promoted to head Knight and is now training a new battalion. I’m very proud of how fast he has climbed the ranks. I myself have been asked to act as an advisor to the King himself, an offer I couldn’t turn down. The pay is amazing and I also feel like I should stay by Techno’s side, for now, to offer help and support as it's quite an important job to be the head Knight of the Kings army.

At this stage I cannot say how much longer I will be here but for now, I will settle on an extra year. I hope you understand and don’t mind keeping an eye on things for a little longer. I know you’ll be alright though, you’re a very capable young man after all.

I’ve sent through some money to help with things around the farm and I’ll send some more every few months to make sure you and the kids are provided for. Give the kids my love and I’ll try to send more letters in the future.

Love, Dad.

Wilbur could feel the burning resentment and anger bubbling just under the surface, could feel his body trembling ever so slightly from the force of trying to keep his anger in check. His heart ached at the blatant dismissal of his father, at the little care he showed to his three youngest sons. The fact he wanted to support and help Techno and not his other kids left a bitter taste in his mouth, hot angry tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He was so caught up in his own thoughts and feelings he didn’t notice the looming presence behind him till a warm snout pressed up against his face.

Wilbur gasped, looking up into the concerned eyes of his Beta who gave a soothing rumble. Slowly, Wilbur felt Dream close ranks around his mind, soothing his raging emotions and grounding him in the present, a steady anchor.

‘You are distressed, hurting.’ Dream hummed while curling his body around the elder. Wilbur could still hear the kids laughing in the distance, could also feel the barrier Dream had put up between himself and his brothers, preventing them from feeling his spiralling emotions to which he was grateful for.

“I’m alright, just need a moment to process.” He assured which earned him a small huff that ruffled his fluffy brown curls. “I promise I’m fine, just got some news that upset me a little.”

‘The news the black-feathered one brought.’ Dream acknowledged, mind bleeding over Wilbur’s but not diving too deep, not prying for the contents of the letter. He would wait and let his Alpha tell him.

“Its just my father and brother. They left two years ago for a special trip, said they’d be back in two years. Just got a letter saying they are actually gonna be gone longer than anticipated.” Wilbur said, leaning back to rest against Dream’s side as the dragon laid down on the grass, wing lifting to wrap around the other as he did so.

‘You are angry at your Sire for leaving, for lying.’ Dream is calm, but Wilbur can feel the cool anger from the other that is directed at Philza, can feel the others disgust at the thought of abandoning flock.

“Honestly, I’m not surprised about it, just disappointed. Dad has always favoured Techno, even before Tommy and Tubbo were born. He and Techno would always go off into the woods for days or weeks at a time to explore and go on adventures. After mum died, he and Tech would begin to leave for longer and longer, leaving me behind to look after the boys, the farm and the town. One day when they returned from a trip they brought Ranboo with them. They left again the next day.” Wilbur can feel the growl reverberating through Dream’s body. The dragons mind is sharp and deadly, angry and protective on his Alpha’s behalf.

‘It is not a younglings job to look after hatchlings, to look after nestmates. Your Sire disgraces himself for abandoning his flock and young.’ Dream snapped, teeth bared and tail lashing. Then, he calms himself and turns to Wilbur, eyes shining with pride as he nuzzles against his face. ‘You bring honour for looking after your nestmates as if they were your own. You are a true leader, a true Alpha.’

Wilbur can’t help but flush at the words, a small smile tugging at his lips while he reaches up to scratch along the crest of Dream’s horns. “They are flock, you are flock. I will do whatever it takes to protect and provide for you.”

A spark of approval, a flicker of pride and a glow of love surrounds Wilbur, soothing the last of his anger and hurt. His father has chosen his path, has made his stance in the family clear. Philza Mindcraft is now his father in blood only as far as Wilbur is concerned. The man left him and his brothers, neglected them in favour for his twin and Wilbur owes him nothing. He will continue to raise his brothers to be good people, will continue to look after the farm and town without Philza. He doesn’t need him. Dream warbles softly, nudging him to his feet and leading him back to the party.

He hands the letter to the other ‘grown ups’, letting them read its contents and voice their own anger. They offer their continued support, telling him he is worth more than Philza will ever know before they all collect their kids and head home. At dinner, Wilbur allows the boys to read the letter and Dream is at the ready to surround them physically and mentally when their own anger and hurt race to the surface. They cry, scream and finally quietly accept it as Wilbur did. The eldest can see it on their faces that they have also cut ties with their father and older brother, have decided to just stop caring for them as he has. It hurts him a little, knowing that kids as young as they are have come to such a decision on their own but he doesn’t fault them. They barely know their father and older brother after all.

“We don’t need them, we have you Wilby.” Tommy mumbled as he drifted off to sleep, snuggling into his brother’s side. Tubbo and Ranboo echo his words, quickly following their brother to the land of sleep. Dream hums, curling around them all tightly, a protective wall of scales, teeth and claws.

‘And you have us.’ It’s a statement, a promise. They are all connected, wrapped so tightly around each other that they are more one unit than five separate ones. They will never abandon one another, will always stay by each other's side and defend each other to their last breath. Wilbur clings to it all, allowing his mind and magic to flow and wrap around all of them, claiming them, protecting them, loving them. They are flock, and they will always be flock no matter what.

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/437482551314435134/ - link to map of Manberg Kingdom on pintrest

Chapter Text

Wilbur thinks that if he were to pick a favourite season it would have to be early spring when the last of the snow has melted away leaving the rivers close to bursting. The days are neither too warm nor too cold and the new life that sprang up always brought a smile to his face. Walking down the road towards the village, Wilbur couldn’t help but enjoy the warm sunshine and the sounds of birds calling. They helped to settle his nerves.

Just before the end of winter Bad and Skeppy had visited with a letter in hand. The letter was from one of Sapnap and George’s old friends who would visit them in the Badlands once a year from his home village of EL Rapids. In the letter was a request to move to L’Manberg at the beginning of spring. It wasn’t the first time they had received letters from people wishing to move to their village, but it was the first one they had gotten since Dream had hatched. That had been five years ago now and Wilbur had been silently dreading this day, knowing it would one day come. 

He had opted to leave the boys at home for the meeting knowing they would just cause trouble. The four of them had made their opinion of a stranger moving in quite clear. Tommy and Dream had practically hissed at the news, eyes flashing in anger before they had stormed from the house. Tubbo had scowled, stating they didn’t need any new people while Ranboo gave anxious trills, wandering off to find a nice block to help comfort him. So Wilbur had decided to leave them at home under the watchful eye of his Beta, even if Dream wasn’t happy with him.

‘Our territory, strangers not welcomed.’ The dragon had snarled, presence sharp and unsettled.

“If we refuse then people may start to talk, may start poking around in things we don’t want them to. Besides, George and Sapnap know this guy and George has been practising his magic and has found a spell to swear someone to secrecy. I promised you I would keep you and the boys safe no matter what, I won’t let anything happen to you.” Wilbur has soothed. Dream was still distant, still upset but he’d seen his Alpha’s logic and had relented, taking up his roll as flock Beta and settling in to watch the triplets.

Now Wilbur was walking into town, heading to the town hall where Bad and Skeppy were already waiting outside. Next to them stood a short teen who looked to be around fifteen wearing a blue beanie. He also had a pair of yellow wings sprouting from his back, duck wings. The only thing to kid had on him was a small duffle bag and the shoes on his feet. The sight was slightly pitiful and not what Wilbur had been expecting.

“You must be Quackity. I’m Wilbur Soot, mayor of L’Manberg.” He greeted, holding a hand out for the teen to shake. “This meeting is for us to just go over some ground rules, get to know you and also see if you are going to be a good fit for the village.”

“Sounds fair.” Quackity smiled an easy-going feel about him that helped settle some of Wilbur’s concerns. The four men walked inside the town hall, moving to a table that had been set up for their meeting.

“So, I’ve already heard a little bit about you from Sapnap and George. You guys were friends before they moved from the Badlands, correct?” Wilbur asked.

“Yeah, I grew up in El Rapids but my folks would spend one month a year at the Badlands outpost to visit distant relatives. That’s how I met Sapnap and George and we just sort of clicked. Even after they moved we kept in close contact.” Quackity explained, eyes shining as he spoke of his friends.

“The boys were always so excited for your visits. They cried for weeks after we moved.” Skeppy chuckled.

Wilbur smiled, quickly warming up to the young man before him. “From what I’ve heard from the Halo family you sound like a smart and respectful young man. But I have to ask, why have you decided to move, and where are your parents?"

Here, Quackity wilted. His eyes turned down and shoulders curled inward as a heaviness fell over him. “I’m sure you’ve noticed in the last few years that the tax rate has been increasing. Well, for places like El Rapids and the Badlands Outpost where little grows it's been extremely hard to meet the quota.”

Wilbur frowned even as he nodded. Each year the money and grain tax was increased. So far he and the villagers had managed to find enough to pay and still live comfortably through the winter but it hadn’t occurred to him that other villages would be struggling, especially the desert settlements.

“El Rapids is a small town. We’ve always been on the poorer side, have always struggled with our taxes and with providing enough for our people. With these increases, some people just haven’t been able to make a living. My parents barely had enough for themselves this winter, let alone enough for the royal guard that came to collect their payment.” Quackity trails off but everyone in the room can tell what had become of the boy's parents. Looking him up and down Wilbur can see how thin he is, how it has been a while since he had a decent meal.

“I’m so sorry Quackity.” Bad whispered, white eyes filled with tears.

Wilbur feels sick knowing that families are starving through the winter, unable to meet the demands of the Capitol. The only reason his people can get by so comfortably is due to the money Phila sends every month. Instead of using it for himself and the boys, Wilbur had decided to use it for the town’s people to give them an easier life.

“I’m sorry too for what has happened to your family and people. You seem like a good person Quackity, so I’m willing to give you a chance. Bad and Skeppy have offered to take you in until you are older and able to build your own place. There’s just one condition to becoming a member of L’Manberg.” Wilbur said, smiling softly when a hopeful gleam began to appear in the younger boys eyes.

“I’ll do anything, thank you!”

Here Wilbur grows more serious, clearing his mind and assuming the role of an Alpha. He projects an aura of power and control, demanding respect from all in the room. In the back of his mind, he feels Dream rise ever so slightly, a steady weight for him to lean on, ready to defend him and do as he bids. Wilbur draws strength from his Beta and locks eyes with Quackity. “There is a member of our village whose identity must be kept secret from outsiders. This is for his protection and his family’s. If word got out about him then I have no doubt he would be hunted down along with his family. If, and only if you are willing to submit to a secrecy spell that will prevent you from telling anyone about him then I will grant you citizenship.”

Quackity pauses, looking uneasy and nervous. To agree would be to deceive the crown itself, which would be considered treason when one really thought about it. But in the end, it doesn’t really sound like a bad thing to do in Quackity’s eyes. The crown took his family from him, has brought his home town to its knees and it keeps taking without care for the lives it destroys. He sits up straighter, shoulders set and eyes determined. “I accept your conditions.”

“Very well, George! Come in.” Skeppy called for his eldest who appeared through a side door. The two teens smiled at one another, pulling each other into a brief hug. Skeppy smiled at the scene before going to stand by his son's side. “George has recently shown an aptitude for magic and has been studying it for the last three years. He will be casting the spell on you.”

“Alright, just don’t go changing my skin a different colour or give me donkey ears,” Quackity warned pulling a snort from the blue and brown-eyed boy before him. George opens a small book, quickly finding the page he needs before closing his eyes to focus. When his eyes open again they are no longer blue and brown. Instead, they shine a bright purple, pulsing with power. When he speaks his voice echoes as if ten of him are speaking at once. The language is one Wilbur has never heard before but he can feel the power they hold, can feel the way the air grows heavy with magic. Dream and the boys are pushing closer to the front of his mind, feeling the magic through the bond. Wilbur holds them steady, a firm grip on all their minds to keep them calm and settled.

When George finishes the spell the magic settles over Quackity’s body, sitting mainly around his throat and hands. The purple fades from George’s eyes and the brunette sways slightly where he stands causing Skeppy to reach out to steady him.

“You alright George?” Bad asked hands clenched tightly to his chest in worry.

“Yeah, just a little tired. I’m still getting used to actually casting spells.” George muttered before turning to Quackity, “You alright there?”

The younger teen flexed his hands, shivering as the last of the magic settled over his skin. “I’m good. It felt like pins and needles but it wasn’t bad. I still look as handsome as always?”

George snorted, shoving his friend playfully as he did so. Wilbur sighed as the knot of worry and anxiety that had sat ever-present in his chest finally loosened. Now, even if Quackity decided not to move to L’Manberg, Dream would be safe.

“Well, now that the formalities are over with, I think it's time we introduce you to our special resident.” Wilbur cut in. Quackity smiled, eager to meet this mysterious person that required such protection while the Halo’s shared a knowing look between them. George in particular looked like Yule had come early knowing Dream wasn’t too thrilled at having a new member to their community. They all pack up and head out of the hall, Sapnap meeting them outside so he can reunite with his childhood friend and tag along for the meeting of Quackity and Dream.

As they begin the walk back to the farm Wilbur reaches out along the bond, zeroing in on the bright flame that is Dream. ‘We’re on our way home so if you lot want to put on a show you better get ready.’

At once the bond is alight with mischief and playfulness. Wilbur can feel the way Tommy vibrates with energy, ready to cause chaos and terror. The eldest is quick to remind them not to go overboard, that Quackity is a guest and possibly a future citizen. Despite his obvious displeasure at the situation, Wilbur feels how Dream closes ranks on the three lower-ranked members of the flock, assuring his Alpha that he will keep them in check.

When they finally reach the house the triplets are waiting for them outside. Tubbo has a too-sweet smile on his face while Ranboo clutches his favourite grass block, mismatched eyes tracking their every move. Tommy stands with his back straight, arms folded and a scowl in place for all to see. His body language screams hostility and a challenge. Out of the three triplets, Tommy is the high ranked one in the flock so it's clear he has been chosen to represent them in their displeasure. The group comes to a stop before the boys, George and Sapnap smirking at each other as they know what is coming.

“Quackity, allow me to introduce you to my three younger brothers, Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo.” The duck hybrid stepped forward and held a hand out, smiling softly to himself in the face of the three twelve-year-olds.

“Nice to meet ya kids.” His hand hangs in the air, none of the boys moving to take it.

“What’s your game bitch boy?” Tommy snapped, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. Quackity blinks in surprise, lowering his hand and looking back at the adults for answers.

Wilbur sighed, though he honestly expected much worse from Tommy. “Please forgive him, he’s recently discovered swearing and has decided to incorporate it into every sentence he says.”

“Aye, no worries man. I get it can be nerve-racking to meet new people.” Quackity waved it off only to yelp when Tommy stepped forward and jabbed a finger into his chest.

“We ain’t scared of you.” The words are practically growled at this point.

“We are just here to warn you,” Tubbo spoke up, his too-sweet smile still plastered across his face.

“Warn me of what?” The teen questioned, looking faintly amused.

“That if you hurt our little brother then they will never find your body,” Ranboo stated.

Quackity stared, baffled by the fact he’d just been threatened by children and that they looked completely serious with their threat. “Younger brother, so it's not you three that I have to keep the secret for?”

Now all three are smiling, eyes alight with glee as they shake their heads as one. The raven-haired boy opens his mouth to question further when a loud shrieking cry splits the air followed by the shadow of a massive creature flying over their heads. The teen screamed in fright, throwing himself to the ground and covering his head with his arms when he felt the creature land, the ground shaking ever so slightly as it did. For a few moments, all is still and silent, Quackity breathing shakily as he cowers under his arms. When nothing happens, he dares to finally peek at what had just descended from the sky. When brown eyes lock with emerald green the teen feels his heart nearly stop in his chest, mouth going dry as a scream gets stuck in his throat.

Dream stands behind the triplets, wings mantled over them and teeth bared in a snarl. At five years old he stands taller than a horse by a good few feet, now the size of a small carriage and much more intimidating than the little hatchling that the rest of the village had been introduced to. Quackity is frozen in fear, face pale and eyes wide as Wilbur slowly walks around him to stand by Dream’s side, hand resting on the smooth scales of his neck.

“Quackity, meet Dream.” A hissing growl is pushed past razor sharp teeth making the boy flinch. Wilbur clicks his tongue in warning, eyes narrowing at the youngest member of the flock. “Play nice Dream.”

“He…that…your…your younger brother is a dragon?!” Quackity exclaimed in a high voice only to flinch back again when Dream growled low in his throat, head lowering to rest just in front of Wilbur.

“He is and has been a part of my family for the last five years. You don’t need to worry though. As long as you don’t pose a threat to him, myself or the boys he won’t harm you.” Wilbur assured.

“And how can you be so sure?”

It’s a fair question, Wilbur knows most people think of dragons as just mindless animals that would kill you as soon as they saw you. But after explaining things to them the villagers had quickly learnt that Dream was just as intelligent if not more so than they were. He smiled gently down at Quackity, projecting an aura of calm and control. “He isn’t a mindless beast Quackity. My family on my mother's side are descendants of those that could bond with the dragons. That magic still runs deep through our blood to this day. Dream won’t hurt you because we are connected, our minds and souls are one. He understands everything I say, everything you say and will listen to me no matter what.”

“But your human, why listen to you?”

“Because I’m the Alpha.”

Dream hummed in agreement, leaning over to nuzzle against the eldest before turning back to the newcomer. He stalked forward, Quackity freezing in terror once again as the massive dragon loomed over him.When Dream leaned down so his muzzle was just inches from Quackity’s face the boy whimpered and screwed his eyes tightly shut. He heard the other sniff, felt a gust of warm air being blown into his face before a rush of wind surrounded him. When he opened his eyes Dream was gone and Wilbur was standing before him.

“Don’t worry, he’s standoffish with every new person he meets, though you are the first one he’s met since he went into the village for the first time. Back then he was the size of a cat and much less scary.” Wilbur chuckled, helping pull the trembling teen to his feet. They locked eyes, Wilbur looking far more serious now than he ever had. “Knowing that Dream lives here and is a part of this community are you willing to move here and help keep him hidden?”

Quackity stood there for a long moment, mind processing all he had learnt and seen in the last hour. His heart was still beating a mile a minute and faint tremors ran through his body as the adrenaline wore off. He looked at where Dream had stood, looked back at the Halo family who were smiling encouragingly at him before turning back to Wilbur. “Yeah, I’m willing to help ya hide a dragon my man.”

Papers are drawn up to officially register Quackity as a citizen of L’Manberg before he heads off with the Halo family, Sapnap and George teasing him for how scared he had been in the face of Dream as they went. The triplets were laughing amongst themselves as they ran off to play with a ball in the field, pleased with how terrified they had made the poor teen. A shadow falling over him alerted Wilbur to Dream’s return, his large head appearing over his shoulder to rest ever so gently on it.

“You certainly gave him a right scare.”

‘In the face of danger and fear one reveals their true self.’

“Mhm, and it had nothing to do with the fact you just wanted to cause trouble?”

‘I’m only here to help you Alpha.’

Wilbur can feel the mischief coating the others words, can feel the way Dream revels in the fright he’d given their guest. He huffs out a laugh while bringing a hand up to rub under Dream’s jaw pulling a deep purr from the dragon. “Give him a chance, he’s a good kid who’s been through a lot in the last year.”

The connection is open and inviting, Dream surging forward to see the memories his Alpha wishes to share. He picks through them, listening to the conversation that had taken place in the town hall and seeing through Wilbur’s eyes how Quackity had looked as he told his story. When he pulls back he is calmer, eyes straying to where the triplets are playing.

‘It will take a bit, but I will learn to trust him as I did with the village. He isn’t flock, but he could be an ally or friend in the future.’ Dream concedes.

“That’s my boy.” Wilbur smiled, tracing patterns onto white and black scales, laying down with Dream as they settle in to watch the boys play and enjoy the warm spring sunshine.

Chapter Text

With L’Manberg being such a small close-knit community, there wasn’t a lot of independent jobs that existed. Most families had their own personal farms that they would manage, trading goods with other towns and the Capitol to make a living. Sometimes they would enlist the help of a neighbour in exchange for a basket of produce or a stack of firewood but most families had enough members in them to cover the workload. Then there were those like Lorenzo who owned their own small businesses in the village. There was also Yohan who was their blacksmith and of course Niki and Puffy who ran the bakery and Ponk who was the village doctor.

One job, however, that wasn’t connected to a family farm or stall in the town was the position of a Ranger. Shortly after his mother's death, Wilbur had gone to Bad and Skeppy with the idea to train some members of the community in hand-to-hand combat and weapons so that they could patrol the village, surrounding forest and farm boundaries for threats. The idea was then run by the village at their annual town hall meeting and it was readily accepted with Bad and Yohan taking up the role as head Rangers, training new recruits and drawing up patrol schedules. When George had turned sixteen he had signed up to become a ranger like his father and Sapnap had followed in his brother's footsteps shortly after.

Most heads of the families took turns patrolling their borders and the forest, keeping an eye out for predators, bandits and pillagers. Wilbur would patrol once a month, often accompanied by Dream while the triplets would be sent either to the Halo family for the day or to the village to spend it with Niki, Puffy, Foolish, Fundy and Purpled. Today, however, Wilbur was checking the fences around the farm, a job that often took most of the day with how large their property was. Sapnap and George were out patrolling the farming boarders while Yohan and another head of a family kept watch in the village centre and forest edge.

Today was also the first day of Quackity’s training as a future Ranger. The fifteen-year-old was adamant in signing up to help protect his new home, eager to join his friends and learn how to fight. It gave Wilbur great delight in telling him what his first task would be in his training. The boy had shown up at the Mindcraft home at the crack of dawn just as Wilbur had instructed, eyes struggling to stay open and hair sticking out of his beanie haphazardly. The elder had shoved a cup of hot coffee into the duck hybrids hands before throwing a shepherds staff at him, smirking at the confused look he’d gotten in return.

“Today you will be watching over the sheep flock. I’ll lead you out to the paddock they will be grazing in and will come to fetch you in the afternoon to help you herd them back. I’ve packed some lunch for you as well as a few nuts and berries to snack on.” Wilbur had handed over a brown paper bag, amusement growing as Quackity had blinked owlishly at him.

“I thought I was starting my Ranger training today?”

“You are. This is to teach you about responsibility, to help you understand what it feels like to have those that are defenceless under your care. If you can keep a flock of sheep safe, then you can keep a village safe.” The boy had looked put out, scowling down at the staff in his hand. “Don’t look so glum, everyone who wishes to become a Ranger has to go through this as well.”

That had seemed to pacify the younger, though he still hadn’t looked thrilled about his assigned task. Wilbur had shown him the flock, pointing out Friend the blue sheep who was the leader of the flock. He made sure that Quackity understood that as long as he could herd Friend in the direction he wanted the rest of the flock would follow. He had then helped to lead the flock to the paddock at the far east side of the farm that boarded the forest.

“Now remember, there are 25 normal sheep and one blue one making 26 all up. Your right by the forest so keep a lookout for wolves, foxes and coyotes. You have a horn with you that you can blow to call for my help. You also have a flare that can be seen by the whole village in case of an extreme emergency only as it will have the whole town running to your location. I’ll see you an hour before sundown.” Wilbur had said before moving off to start his rounds of checking the fences.

The four boys were left to their own devices for the day, breakfast waiting for them for when they woke up and only their morning chores to complete. With Dream keeping an eye on the troublesome triplets Wilbur was confident that they would be safe and kept out of trouble.

And so Wilbur spends the rest of the morning walking along the perimeter fence line, fixing any parts that need it, replacing wooden stakes and making note of what paddocks need a break from the animals and which ones are overdue for a graze. For the most part, there aren’t a lot of breaks in the fence line that needs fixing, mainly since with Dream, Wilbur is able to do the checks more regularly without having to worry about his younger brothers. Of course, this line of thinking comes to a halt when the sun is at its highest point and Wilbur is just settling down for lunch.

‘Can we eat him?’

Wilbur pauses in taking a bite of his mango, eyes furrowing as he reaches out along the line of connection. He can feel the laser focus of all four of his brother’s, their minds bleeding into one another as excitement, anticipation and eagerness whips between them, all the signs of a hunt in motion. “What?”

‘Can we eat him?’ This time it isn’t Dream who asks but Tubbo, the elder of the twins humming with restrained energy.

Wilbur blinks, confused before reaching for Tubbo’s mind, sinking into the youngers mind and urging him to open up. Tubbo is more than willing to submit to his older brother and Alphas request, lowering the shields around his mind and thus allowing Wilbur to almost piggyback in his head, seeing through his eyes.

Through Tubbo’s eyes, Wilbur is greeted with the view of tall grass that the boy is crouched down in. Around him graze the herd of sheep, not bothered in the slightest by his presence. A few feet to his right is Ranboo, the chimaera giving soft chirps now and then in joy as he slowly leads a sheep away from the herd. On Tubbo’s other side is Tommy who is also in the process of leading a sheep away. Wilbur is baffled, trying to understand what he is seeing when he feels Dream pressing in close radiating amusement and annoyance.

‘He will get himself and the herd killed.’ His Beta snips, clearly unimpressed. Wilbur shifts, mind jumping from Tubbo to Dream with practised ease as the dragon welcomes him into his own mind readily. Dream is hidden at the forest edge, crouched low to the ground only a few feet away from Quackity who is lounging on a boulder. The teen has a small carving knife out, witling away at a branch he’d picked up earlier and not paying any attention to the herd or his surroundings. At once, Wilbur feels a surge of anger and frustration wash over him. Shepard duty wasn’t fun for anyone but it was a vital job that almost everyone in the village did at least once in their life. For some families like the Lowwoods who lived on the other side of the town, their sheep were their only source of income and so the job of guarding their herd was by far the most important job there was. The loss of just one of their sheep could be devastating for the farm.

‘So can we eat him?’ Dream presses, creeping ever so slightly forward. His mind is cool and animalistic, focused on the hunt. Despite this, Wilbur knows the other won’t attack the teen unless Wilbur tells him to.

“Stay where you are, all of you. I’m on my way.” Wilbur commands, already marching his way back towards the far-east paddock. Tommy is a ball of excitement knowing Quackity is going to get chewed out relentlessly for his severe lapse in judgement while Tubbo and Ranboo grumble at having their hunt paused. Dream is silent and steady, acknowledging his Alpha’s order and reaching out for his brothers, helping keep them in check while they wait for the elder to arrive.

It takes Wilbur about twenty minutes to make it back to the paddock and during that time Dream had begun to grow impatient, edging ever closer to the unsuspecting teen. Wilbur had been forced to turn most of his mental strength towards his Beta, taking a strong mental hold of him to keep him from pouncing the boy to teach him a lesson. The boys had also begun to creep closer, instinctively cutting off all escape routes Quackity may have had as they zero in on their prey. The thrill of the hunt and the anger at having a stranger in their territory who clearly has no respect for their Alpha’s orders have the four younger flock members on edge, instincts urging them to show the outsider his place.

‘Stand down boys!’ Wilbur throws it along the connection, radiating power, control and respect. He feels the anger of the others spike, feels them wanting to pounce, growl and snap their teeth. But he also feels them relent, backing off slightly but still keeping close and out of sight. By the time he arrives the triplets have settled amongst the sheep, still hidden from view in the tall grass while Dream stands at the tree line, frozen like a statue. The dragon had discovered only a few months ago that he could camouflage, his scales changing colour to match his environment if he remained still enough. It was a deadly advantage for him to have, making an almost silent killer when he and the flock when hunting. Wilbur stepped up beside him, hand resting against a tense shoulder, the muscles coiled and ready to fling him forward at a moment’s notice.

‘Good job buddy, you did well.’ Wilbur soothed before stepping from the tree line to walk up behind Quackity who still hadn’t noticed him. He scowled, arms crossing over his chest before he cleared his throat loudly causing the teen to yelp and fall from the rock. Flashes of amusement echoed through his head, Tommy, in particular, taking immense glee at the older boys suffering.

“W-Wilbur! Uh, what are you doing here so early? I thought you said you wouldn’t be back till an hour before sunset?” Quackity muttered a shaky smile on his face that faded as Wilbur just scowled harder.

“Care to explain yourself?” He asked instead.

“Well, I…I was just…um…It was just really quiet and I got a little bored.” Quackity rambled as he averted his eyes, unable to keep looking at the older boy’s disappointed face. He flinched when he hard Wilbur grind his teeth together in anger.

“Quiet was it? How many sheep are here?”

“Uh, twenty-six?” Quackity looked confused down, especially when Wilbur’s face grew even stonier. Panic began to set in as he turned quickly to the flock, counting rapidly and then three more times as his heart sank to the pit of his stomach.

“How many sheep?” Wilbur asked again through gritted teeth.

“Twenty-four.” It came out as no more than a whisper. Desperate brown eyes scanned the area frantically before turning back to Wilbur. “But I didn’t hear anything! They made no sound to show they were in danger!”

Wilbur gave a long drawn out sigh, dragging a hand down his face as he felt the beginning of a headache coming on. “Guess it's time you learnt how easy it can be to sneak up silently on unsuspecting prey.”

A sharp whistle cut through the air and suddenly three heads popped up from the grass. Quackity gapped at the triplets, eyes growing wider when Ranboo and Tommy moved to the side where they had stashed the two missing sheep behind some bushes. The three boys came forward, neither making a sound as they seemed to float through the grass like ghosts. Wilbur looked the three up and down, one eyebrow raised in question.

“We finished our chores and thought we’d practise our hunting,” Ranboo spoke up, an innocent smile stretched across his face.

It's silent for a moment, Quackity looking between the three boys and their older brother before Wilbur sighs and shakes his head fondly. “You did well. I’m proud of you.”

Tommy preened at the words, white wings stretching out in pride only to give a disgruntled chirp when Tubbo gently batted at them. The two look only a few moments away from starting a play fight so Wilbur is quick to give them both sharp mental tugs, reminding them to behave.

“I had no idea they were even there,” Quackity whispered in disbelief.

“Danger can come from anywhere. You must always be on alert for possible threats to those you are watching over. And yourself.” Wilbur cautioned while also nodding his head behind Quackity. The duck hybrid swung around quickly, paling as Dream seemed to materialize out of the trees. The dragon stalked forward, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. “Dream has been watching you and slowly creeping closer for the better part of an hour.”

Quackity makes a strangled sound, knees buckling as he sits heavily on the ground. The massive creature looms over him, snout only centimetres from his face as he blows hot air over his head. He slinks past Quackity, making sure to smack him upside the head with a wing as he does earning him a startled yelp and a warning tug from Wilbur.

“Dream, take the boys home. Knowing you lot you haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast.” Wilbur says. The boys blush slightly while also protesting, clearly wanting to see Wilbur tear into Quackity some more but Dream is quick to snap his jaws at the lower-ranked flock members, herding them back in the direction of the house. The group slowly vanishes over the hill leaving Quackity at Wilbur’s mercy.

“I’m really sorry.” He says once the silence becomes too much.

“Your lucky it was just the boys teaching you a lesson. If it had been a wolf pack things would have ended very differently.” Wilbur growled causing the other to wilt. As much as Wilbur wanted to keep chewing the teen out he knew the other had learnt his lesson. Dream had been sure to give him a good scare to hammer the message home. “Look, this may seem like a pointless task and one that has nothing to do with being a Ranger but it is to help you understand how easy it is to make mistakes. It only takes a second of disinterest for things to go wrong and if you can’t protect a herd of sheep then how can we trust you to protect our village?”

“I…I’m sorry.”

Wilbur looked Quackity up and down before nodding, placing a gentle comforting hand on a bony shoulder. “I know you are, and I know you won’t let this happen again. As much of a pain in the ass as they can be the boys have helped teach you a valuable lesson today.”

“Yeah.”

The younger grips his staff tightly, eyes locked on the herd and counting them again just to be safe. Wilbur smiled, giving the younger a playful shove. “Don’t worry yourself too much. Be thankful it was Dream who found you and not Bad. He came to check on Sapnap his first shift and caught him climbing trees. Poor guy couldn’t sit down for a week after that.”

Quackity laughed, the knot of anxiety in his chest easing at the reassurance. “Yep, defs wouldn’t want to be caught slacking by Bad. He may be the sweetest guy you’ll ever meet but he’s scary when he’s angry.”

They laugh together before Wilbur heads off with the promise to be back before sunset. Quackity jumps back up onto the rock, eyes watching the sheep and counting them every half hour. It's almost two hours later that he gets a prickling sensation on the back of his neck, the hairs along his arms raising as the feeling of being watched overcomes him. Turning slowly to the tree line behind him he scans the foliage slowly. It takes him a moment, but eventually, his eyes find the near invisible shape sitting at the forest edge watching him intently. Quackity tenses as Dream locks eyes with him, green gaze seeming to peer right into his soul. They hold eye contact for a moment before the dragon nods his head once and vanishes into the trees once more. Quackity is left with the distinct feeling that he has finally started to get on the dragon’s good side.

Dream heads deeper into the forest to do some patrolling of his own, making sure there are no wolves or bears close to his flock’s den. Wilbur sits as a backseat driver, pride and love flowing from the Alpha.

‘Young learn from mistakes. He will learn quickly.’ Dream hummed.

‘He’s a good kid. Just needs to understand responsibility a bit more. You did well today, I’m proud of you.’ Wilbur praised, giving a final mental nudge before retreating back to his own mind to finish his patrol of the fence line. Dream snorted before dashing off into the trees, intent on keeping his territory and flock safe. 

Chapter Text

One of the busiest times of the year for the village of L’Manberg was the last month of autumn. During this time families would be harvesting the last of their crops and sorting them for the winter, one batch going to their personal stores, one going to the emergency town store and a final one going to the caravans from the capital as tax. The caravans always came during the last week of the season, collecting the food tax along with the money and other utility taxes. Often, two sets of caravans would leave the capital, one going up the south side of the country while the other went up the west side. The south side would collect from the villages of El Rapids, Las Nevadas and Snow Chestor while the west side collected from L’Manberg, Kinoko and the Badlands Outpost.

Wilbur stood at the town hall, collecting the money from all the families for when the caravans arrived while Niki and Puffy were sorting the food, measuring out what needed to be taken down into the storerooms and what needed to be packaged for the trip back to the capital. The day was overcast, the scent of rain heavy in the air. Wilbur had sent the boys out into the woods to collect some firewood for the winter while also asking Ranboo to collect some herbs for Ponk as his stores were growing low. The young doctor was worried that his current supplies would last the village through the winter as already many people were falling ill, the weather growing colder much quicker than it had in years previously.

Wilbur was worried, over the years things had gotten worse for many of the villages in the kingdom as taxes continued to rise. Even his people were starting to struggle. He smiled tiredly as he took another sack of coins, thanking the person and placing it inside the chest beside him while ticking off the family’s name on the register, looking back up at the line of people before him. “Next please!”

A young woman stepped forward, strawberry blonde hair cut just below her ears. Her eyes were downcast, hands trembling ever so slightly as they placed a small handful of coins into his hands. Looking down found three silver pieces and two bronze, not nearly enough for what the capital was demanding.

“Juniper, I’m sorry but this isn’t enough,” Wilbur muttered, heart aching when the girl flinched slightly.

“I know, but it's all we have.” She whispered causing his eyes to widen.

“But I thought your family’s apple cider was doing well? Has something happened?” Wilbur couldn’t understand it. As far as he knew, Juniper’s family farm that grew apples that they turned into cider was flourishing. Her father hadn’t come forward with any issues, hadn’t said they were struggling at all.

Juniper sniffed, eyes red and filled with tears. “We didn’t want to worry you any more than you have been. We thought we could handle it. Father grew ill at the beginning of the season, something to do with his lungs. Ponk had done all he could but he said that the herb he needed to properly fight the illness doesn’t grow here but in the mountains surrounding Manberg. It's incredibly rare and he couldn’t afford to have it delivered so we sold most of our apple trees for wood to pay for it.”

Wilbur feels sick. How did he not notice one of his people struggling so much? “Juniper, we could have used the emergency money that Philza sends, you didn’t need to sell your farm.”

The girl just smiled sadly. “Even that money wouldn’t have covered the expenses. Besides, you had said you’d hoped to use the money to improve the orphanage, provide the kids with better clothing and toys, fix up the roof so it wouldn’t leak during storms.”

The twenty-three-year-old bit his lip, looking down at the coins he held and feeling a heavyweight settle over his shoulders. He knows that without the money then there is a good chance that Juniper’s father won’t make it through the winter, that her and her siblings will go hungry as they won’t be able to afford food. He sighs, handing the money back to the young woman who gaps in astonishment at him.

“There’s still some money left in the emergency fund. I’ll cover the rest for you.” Wilbur said.

“Wilbur! No, you don’t have to!” Juniper tries to hand him the money back but he steps back shaking his head.

“I want to. With the loss of most of your farm, your family will struggle greatly this winter, I won’t add to that by taking the last of your money.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a single gold coin, handing it to the stunned girl with a gentle smile. “If you need anything else this winter, food, extra blankets or firewood don’t hesitate to ask.”

Fresh tears fill Juniper’s eyes but they are tears of joy. She bows her head to Wilbur, thanking him profusely as she scurries off to find her mother and siblings. Wilbur watches her go, hoping with all his heart that her father will recover soon. Beside him, Niki smiles proudly.

“You did well there Will.” She mutters causing him to chuckle softly.

“I did what is right.”

The rest of the morning runs smoothly and by the time the mid-day bell tolls all taxes have been collected and Wilbur is quick to make his way into the woods. He walks silently through the trees, ears listening to all the sounds around him while his mind zeros in on the four bright bonfires that are his brothers. The wood has been collected and stored back at the shed along with the herbs and now the four youngesters are out playing in the woods. Wilbur can feel the buzzing excitement from Tommy as he stalks a wild guineafowl, giving off slight jealousy due to the fact Ranboo had managed to catch and kill one before him. Ranboo is following his brother, radiating smugness while also playfully trying to mess up the hunt. Tubbo is busy digging at a rabbit burrow, determined to one-up his brothers by catching one of the fast-footed animals, something none of the triplets has managed yet. And off to the side is Dream, lying in the grass and relaxing.

Wilbur steps out from the trees into the clearing Dream has chosen to lay in, quick to walk over and sit down against the dragon’s side. A single eye opens, watching him lazily as the tip of his tail flicks ever so slightly.

“It's gonna be a hard winter this year,” Wilbur says, eyes gazing into the trees in the direction he knows the triplets are.

‘We’ll be ready.’ Dream hums right back, moving his head to rest next to Wilbur. The elder feels his Beta dance briefly across his mind, dipping in ever so slightly to get impressions of what his morning had been like but not enough to breach privacy. ‘You worry for the villagers.’

“A lot of them are struggling right now, many only just managing to put enough together for their taxes. I’m afraid we might lose some people this winter.” Wilbur confessed.

Dream raised his head, turning to look Wilbur in the eye. The now eight-year-old dragon hadn’t grown much in the last few years, only slightly bigger than a carriage now. He leaned down to rest the tip of his snout against Wilbur’s neck, knife sized teeth grazing the soft skin there but Wilbur didn’t flinch, he kept eye contact and gazed at Dream with complete trust, something that pleased the dragon greatly. ‘We will do what we can to help them, but whatever happens, it is not your fault. You are not the one stealing the food from their mouths.’

Wilbur smiled, leaning his head against Dream’s jaw while his eyes slipped closed. “Thanks, buddy, you always keep me right.”

‘It's my job to keep you and the others right.’ Dream snorted, amusement and fondness washing over Wilbur’s mind as he did so pulling a laugh from the other. They sat in silence, minds bleeding into each other and enjoying the cool weather. Off in the distance came an enderman-like shriek followed by the playful self-satisfaction thrumming down the connection from Tommy who had successfully killed the guineafowl he’d been hunting and had proceeded to pounce on Ranboo. Only a few seconds later came the sound of a startled avian call as Tubbo, who had abandoned the rabbit burrow, came charging through the trees to tackle his blonde twin. The triplets are quick to dissolve into a game of tag/playfighting, their happiness lighting up the bond. A spike of indignation from Tubbo flows down the bond as Tommy bounces along it giving a distinct impression that he is laughing. Pressing in closer Wilbur catches snippets of images, of Tommy using his wings to flutter off the ground only to drop down onto his brother’s back sending him crashing to the floor. White wings snap out and lift the boy into the air as he makes a quick getaway into the woods, vanishing before his two brothers can follow.

“At least they will sleep well tonight.” Wilbur chuckles as Dream gives a low rumble of agreement, head laying back down and eyes slipping shut to doze for a bit, Wilbur quickly following suit. They only have their eyes closed for about fifteen minutes when a rush of fear, terror and pain rips through their minds. Wilbur is on his feet in an instant, Dream rising with him with a vicious snarl.

‘Boys!’ Wilbur is racing down the connection, Dream hot on his tail as they reach for the triplets. Tubbo and Ranboo are frozen, minds filled with confused panic. In his mind's eye, Wilbur can see the two huddled together in a thicket having taken cover when they too felt the rush of emotion. With growing horror, Wilbur realizes that Tommy isn’t with them. A shriek of fear and pain splits through all their minds, images of blood, hands grabbing tightly at thin wrists, rope being tied painfully tight across hands and feet flash before their eyes.

Wilbur has moved without thinking, swinging himself up on Dream’s back as the dragon takes off running through the trees towards Tubbo and Ranboo. The whole time, Tommy continues to call out along the bond, screaming for his brothers, for his Alpha and Beta to come save him. When his mind goes suddenly silent Dream practically howls with rage, molten hot fury flowing from his mind in waves as the bright bonfire that is Tommy splutters and dies down in a flickering ember. The enraged dragon crashes through the trees, wings flaring as Tubbo and Ranboo rush towards him, hiding under his wings as tears stream down their faces. Wilbur throws himself from Dream’s back, pulling the two into a bone-crushing hug.

“What happened?” His voice is sharp, fear and anger filling his heart.

“We were looking for Tommy after he ran off. Everything was fine, we didn’t hear anyone nearby!” Ranboo sobbed, face steaming as his own tears burned his cheeks. Wilbur pressed the boys face into his chest, clothes soaking up the tears before they can cause further damage.

“We have to find him! Wilbur, we have to find him!” Tubbo is all but screaming. Wilbur can feel his own tears falling, his mind racing and filled with panic. Things are spiraling, happening too fast for him to make sense of things. He can feel himself starting to drown in the panic, starting to lose himself when a strong presence wraps around him mentally, Dream pressing in and keeping him from slipping under.

Bone-chilling growls echo all around them, Dream’s jaw hanging open to bare razor-sharp teeth while his eyes turn into terrifying slits. Wilbur can feel the primal rage, the thirst for blood, the desire to tear apart the ones who dared to harm a flock member. He locks eyes with Dream, feeling how the other trembles where he stands, waiting for his Alpha’s orders. Eyes growing cold, Wilbur pulls Tubbo and Ranboo closer as his voice drops into a low dangerous growl. “Find him, bring him home and make those that hurt him pay. Show them no mercy, show them what happens when you hurt a flock member.”

Dream screams in rage, chest glowing with burning fire before he’s surging up into the sky. The three humans blink once and he’s gone, racing off in the direction he can feel the weak spluttering flame that is Tommy. Wilbur remains crouched on the forest floor for a moment, breathing heavily and just holding his two little brothers close before standing. “Come, we need to get back to the house.”

“But we have to help!” Tubbo cries.

“Dream will find him Tubbo. Trust in Dream. Right now all we can do is get home and get the fire going, heat up some water for a bath and be ready to care for Tommy when he comes home.” Wilbur stated firmly, looking into tearful brown eyes. Ranboo chittered anxiously beside them, moving to gently brush up against Tubbo to help soothe the others panic. Wilbur looks at them both, can see how they tremble in fear, eyes filled with worry and guilt at having not been there to help their brother. “I need you both to be strong now, for Tommy.”

The two boys take a shuddering breath, squaring their shoulders and nodding shakily. Wilbur takes their hands into his own, leading them back home while closing ranks around them mentally, projecting love, safety and reassurance. Right now they both need him, need their older brother and Alpha. He steps into the role, trusting his Beta to find and save their brother.

Chapter Text

Wilbur had always made sure to teach the boys all he could about the dangers of their world, always made sure they were prepared for anything. When they were seven he taught them how to hunt, how to track, how to tell what plants were safe to eat out in the woods. Before that, when they were as young as four he had shown them how to care for the gardens, how to re-sow the fields and harvest their crops. When the boys had turned fifteen he had allowed them to start weapons training with the village blacksmith Yohan so they could start their training to become Rangers. One of the things they had been taught about, one of the things the Rangers kept an eye out for were hybrid hunters. They would often try and grab young hybrids as they were easier to traffic, easier to smuggle out of the country to be sold in black markets across the sea.

Tommy had heard the horror stories, been warned countless times by not just his brother but by Bad and Skeppy too. Avian hybrids were worth lots of money in the black market trade so he had to be extra wary. But in all the years he’d been alive, never had Tommy encountered a hunter, never had reason to fear for his safety while out playing or hunting in the woods. Perhaps he’d grown complacent over the years, had assumed he’d always be safe with Dream acting as an overprotective guard dog. Whatever the reason was, he hadn’t noticed the men silently sneaking up on him till it was too late and an arrow had lodged itself into his right-wing.

Tommy had screamed out, his pain quickly turning into panic and fear as then men descended on him, hands grabbing harshly at his arms, legs and wings. He’d screamed vocally and mentally, mind reaching out to his brothers in a panic, desperate for them to come save him. The men hadn’t taken kindly to his loud yelling and the last thing he’d known before blacking out was sharp pain racing across the back of his skull.

Returning to the waking world was a struggle, his mind sluggish and filled with pain. He could feel the rough material of rope tied around his ankles and wrists as well as a dull pulsing pain in the back of his head. The hair surrounding the area felt wet and sticky, most likely covered in blood if Tommy had to guess. He could also hear the sounds of talking, people moving about and horses snorting softly. With great effort, the fifteen-year-old peeled his eyes open, fighting down the nausea in his stomach when the world around him spun slightly. Things came into focus slowly, allowing Tommy to see the remnants of a campsite being packed up. He was leaning up against a tree while five men slowly loaded up their saddlebags, getting ready to move on from the area.

“Little birdy finally awake I see.” Tommy flinched at the voice that sounded from just over his shoulder. Turning found a thin man with yellow teeth and frizzy black hair gazing down at him almost hungrily. The man reached out, hand resting against his right wing just below the arrow wound causing the teen to hiss in pain. The hiss turned into a yelp when the hand grab a feather and yanked it free. “Been a while since we’ve had an avian in our clutches. You’ll fetch us a pretty sum.”

“Fuck you.” Tommy knows his mouth can get him into trouble most of the time. He was hot-headed, strong-willed and had a heart of fire. He was always the one to push boundaries, to butt heads with Wilbur and test Dream’s patience. Looking back he knows swearing at his captors probably wasn’t the smartest decision he could have made, but at the moment it was all he could think to do. A hand striking him across the face had him re-thinking his choice of words.

“Feisty little thing.” Another man chuckled while the others smirked down at the blonde. Tommy glared up at them, face stinging and most likely developing a hand-shaped bruise. The thin man is quick to grab his chin, jerking his head around to look him dead in the eye.

“I’d watch yourself little birdy. You are in no position to act all big and tough. We’ve dealt with far worse than a spoilt little brat like you.” Tommy cringed at the stench of alcohol on the man’s breath, body trembling ever so slightly in fear. The man felt his tremors and smiled, leaning closer. “I see we’re finally on the same page. Now, tell me little birdy. You got any birdy siblings running around in this forest?”

Fear floods Tommy’s mind terrified these horrible men will find Tubbo and Ranboo, will take them too and hurt them. He shakes his head at the man, desperate to keep his brothers safe. The fingers on his chin grip tighter pulling a whimper from his lips while the thin man scowled down at him. “You ain’t lying to me birdy, right?”

“I don’t have any avian siblings.” Which is the truth. Tubbo and Wilbur are human, Ranboo is half enderman and half something else and Dream is a whole ass dragon. The thin man frowned before shoving Tommy’s head backwards, releasing his chin.

“Shame would have been better if we had a whole flock of avians to sell.”

The word flock has Tommy straightening, eyes sharpening and lips pulling back in a snarl. He will not let this man harm his flock mates, will not let him touch them. Another hit to the face is his reward for his display, the men laughing as they once again go about packing up their campsite. Tommy feels the tears wanting to fall, feels the sobs wanting to bubble up from deep inside his chest but he holds them back. He can’t show weakness, has to be strong just like Wilbur and Dream. The thought of his brothers just makes the aching in his chest worse, a single soft chirp slipping past his lips as he mentally calls out for his family.

‘Tommy!’

He jumps, eyes widening as a wall of protective fury washes over him, cool reptilian instincts brushing across his consciousness that call for blood. Dream is here! Dream is calling out to him!

‘Dream! Dream! Please help me! Where are you? Dream!’ He throws his mind out towards his younger brother, panicked and desperate for comfort and safety. He feels the other reaching back, his presence curling around Tommy’s mind to ground him, surrounding him with love and assurance.

‘I’m coming, I’m almost there. They will pay for touching you.’ Dream’s voice drips with venom, the promise of pain for those that dared touch his flock-mate and brother echoing in every word. His mind is sharp and dangerous, all teeth, claw and fire yet Tommy finds solace and comfort in it, pushing closer, beckoning the raging fire to come and ignite his spluttering flame. A kick to his side momentarily severs the connection, Dream growling down the line between them with pure hatred as he feels the pain echoing back to him.

“Little birdy getting sleepy is he?” It’s the thin man, yellow teeth bared in a sickening smile as Tommy fights to regain his breath that had been kicked from him. The young teen gazes up at him, normally soft baby blue eyes turning icy and dark with anger. He feels his younger brother sitting at the front of his mind, curled and ready to strike, instincts screaming for blood and fire.

Tommy looks at the thin man and his goons who stand behind him, laughing at his pain and suffering. Tommy looks at them while his mind tracks the burning fury that is rapidly approaching them from above the trees and smiles. The men frown, confused by his response while the thin man looks only a second away from either striking him across the face or kicking him again. Tommy smiles at them and makes sure to lock eyes with the thin man, an animalistic spark lighting up inside his eyes as he does so. “You are all fucked.”

They all blink, looking ready to laugh at his cheek when a scream of fury and rage rips through the air, one that has a primal part of their brains screaming back danger, run! The men turn skyward, blood-freezing and hearts hammering as a rain of fire crashes down on them.

Tommy closes his eyes against the blinding light of the fire, ears ringing with pain screams and the frightened calls of the horses as they bolt for safety. He feels the ground shake when Dream lands and when he opens his eyes it's to the sight of his brother standing protectively in front of him, wings mantled and teeth bared. A man who was either brave or foolish rushes the dragon, sword raised but Dream simply looms over him before snapping his jaws closed over his head and shoulders. The man screams, arms waving wildly for a moment before Dream throws his head to the side, flinging the man violently into a tree. He’s dead before he even hits it. Two more try to attack but are quickly killed by the enraged reptile, claws cutting through soft flesh like a knife through butter, teeth tearing into skin with ease. Bones are shattered under the force of a tail slamming into bodies, flesh melting under the searing heat of dragon-fire, limbs ripped apart by strong jaws.

It's violent, messy and brutal, the work of a wild animal. Humans have always been off limits to Dream, it was one of the first things he’d ever been taught. He was to never cause harm to another human, was never to attack or kill. But these men weren’t human, they were monsters who had no morals as they kidnapped and beat a child. These hunters were not people, did not deserve the protection that being human gave everyone else. They had hurt a flock member, had taken Tommy and tried to take him even further away, had hurt him. Dream had seen the bruises on his brother’s face, the blood on his wing and for that, he made sure the hunters paid dearly. Once no movement can be seen in the burnt campsite he calms, chest still glowing faintly with fire just in case.

Dream’s white scales are covered in blood, especially around his mouth, chest and front legs. The sight would normally be the stuff of nightmares, but to Tommy, it is the image of salvation. He sobs openly as his younger brother gently bites through his bindings, a warm tongue gently licking the dirt and tears from his face while soothing rumbles echo from a warm chest that Tommy is quick to throw himself against.

‘I’m here, I’m here. I will always come for you, your safe now.’ Dream purrs softly, nuzzling against the blonde’s cheek.

“Thank you.” Its nothing more than a whisper but it rings loud and clear between the two.

‘You don’t have to thank me. You are mine and I am yours. I will always protect you.’

“Are the others okay?” Tommy asks once his sobs die down, desperate to know the rest of their family is safe and sound.

‘They are safe. They wait for us back home, they will take care of you.’ Tommy sighs, leaning his head against Dream’s as they simply breathe together, minds melding with each other to assure them both that all is well. Dream then crouches, nosing the teen up onto his back to sit safely between his shoulder blades and wings. ‘Hold on tight.’

It is not the first time they have been flying together, the both of them actually learning to fly alongside the other while Wilbur watched on proudly. It is the first time Tommy has ridden on Dream’s back while he flew though. He wishes he could fly alongside his brother, but the arrow wound on his wing is deep and will take time to heal. For the time being, he is grounded.

The flight home is quiet, Tommy happy to simply float along the soothing presence that is Dream who has wrapped around his mind so tightly it's hard to determine where Tommy begins and Dream ends. It only takes a little over twenty minutes to reach the house, Wilbur, Tubbo and Ranboo standing outside ready to welcome them home. Wilbur reaches them first, pulling Tommy down into his arms where Tubbo and Ranboo are quick to join, Dream curling around all of them in a group hug. When the eldest pulls back he cups Tommy’s face in his hands, brown eyes shining with tears as a small shaky smile spreads across his face.

“I thought I’d lost you.” Wilbur choaked out, thumb swiping away the tears that continued to fall from Tommy’s eyes.

“I thought I’d lost you all as well.” The teen admitted. A gust of warm air ruffled all their hair, the four humans looking up into soft emerald green pools.

‘We will never lose each other.’ It’s a statement that leaves no room for argument, a promise that will be kept until death.

Wilbur smiled, gently pushing the triplets towards the house. “There’s a warm bath waiting for you. Ranboo and Tubbo will help clean the blood from your feathers and once you're done we’ll all sit by the fire to treat your wounds and snuggle.”

There are no complaints or protests about being too old for snuggle time. The triplets head inside without a word, all three holding hands, happy to be together once more. When the three boys vanish into the house Wilbur turns to the youngest who has already lied down on the grass before him, eyes knowing and trusting. The brunette grabs a bucket and cloth, setting to work on cleaning the blood from hard smooth scales. A part of Wilbur knows he should feel fear, should be horrified by what Dream had done, but he only feels pride and gratitude. He had seen the attack as it happened, had been sitting as a passenger inside the others mind the minute they had gotten home. The attack should leave him feeling sick and fearful but he only looks back on it with the cool animalistic logic of a flock member protecting their family.

‘I won’t ever attack the villagers. Only those that have evil, greed and hatred in their hearts, those that would wish harm on those I love and care for.’ Dream gazed deep into his eyes, solid and unwavering in his loyalty for his Alpha.

“I know, I trust you wholely and unquestionably. You did the right thing today. I am so proud of you.” Wilbur assured, hands running along the underside of the others jaw.

The sun has set by the time the family of five settle down in front of the fire in their nest of pillows and blankets, the triplets all curled up in Dream’s front legs and pressed flush against his chest. Wilbur lays against his neck, a hand running through Tommy’s hair while the other one traces patterns on Dream’s scales. Tomorrow the family will take a day to themselves, to simply reaffirm the flock bond and relax. Wilbur will send word to Bad and Yohan to double the patrols in case other groups of hunters decide to come snooping, will warn the villagers to be on high alert. This had been too close for comfort, had hit too close to home but he will make sure his family and people are safe.

Far to the south where thick blankets of snow have already fallen and rivers have frozen over a raven flies through the window of a tall castle. Long nimble fingers pluck the scroll from the bird's leg, reading the message inside with narrowed eyes that light up with greed and hunger. This could prove to be quite promising indeed.

“Send word to my head Knight and Advisor!” The man called to the servant standing by the chamber doors. “Inform them that we will have to start making preparations. Seems we’ll be taking a trip up North once the snows have thawed.”

Chapter Text

A few days after the incident in the forest the first snowfall swept over L’Manberg. The caravans from the Capital arrive shortly after, collecting the tax and leaving just as quickly. During those days the small family of five stays hidden away from the rest of the village, curled up by a roaring fire and just taking comfort in each other. Wilbur is gentle in bandaging Tommy’s wing, cleaning the wound with care and making sure the feathers are preened and straightened to perfection. Dream becomes a permanent fixture to the triplets, following them wherever they go like a shadow. The boys don’t dare venture into the woods, wary and untrusting of what once was an integral part of their home. Dream is the only one to still go into the woods, late at night when the boys are washing or having dinner to hunt for his own food and to patrol the area.

Three weeks after the incident, with snow now sitting like a heavy blanket across the land, Wilbur concedes to the fact that they will need more firewood. He is unable to go collect it as he will be doing the rounds of the village to make sure everyone is well and comfortable.

“I know that you all are still working through what happened, but we need the wood,” Wilbur said to his brothers, face drawn tight at the fearful echo he could see in their eyes. He wishes they didn’t have to do this, wishes he could spare them the pain and fear they still feel. From deep within, Dream rises like a vengeful guardian angle, spreading across the connection, covering them all in protective warmth. He stands tall beside them, eyes filled with love and devotion.

‘I will be with you the whole time. Nothing will happen as long as I breathe.’ His eyes bore into Tommy’s, regal head lowering to be at eye level with the teen. Tommy still looks unsure, still tense and unsettled, but he reaches out to press his face into the side of Dream’s jaw. “I trust you.”

The boys go to dress in their winter clothes while Wilbur straps a special saddlebag he’d made onto Dream so that he could carry the heavy wood back to the house. After tightening the straps and making sure nothing was digging into the softer scales on the dragon’s belly Wilbur stepped back to rest a hand on a long elegant neck. “Keep them safe for me.”

‘Always.’ His green eyes are soft, breathing a gentle gust of warm air over his Alpha’s head.

The four youngsters watch Wilbur walk down the path towards the village, Tommy sitting perched on Dream’s back while Tubbo and Ranboo stand on either side of him. A pair of wings press into their backs, urging them to start walking towards the tree line. ‘Come, the faster we collect the wood the faster we can return home.’

They walk slowly through the trees, Ranboo and Tubbo pressed close to Dream’s side while Tommy hunches low on his back. All four are tense, jumping at the slightest sound and constantly checking on the location of the other. When they reach the clearing that the village uses for firewood harvesting Tubbo and Ranboo get straight to work. They cut down a tree, planting seeds after and begin to chop the wood into smaller pieces. After that, they head back to Tommy who packs the wood into the saddlebags. The whole time, Dream stands on guard, watching and listening for any possible threats. It only takes the boys a few minutes to collect enough wood, Tubbo and Ranboo retreating back to Dream’s side, waiting for him to start leading them back home. What they aren’t prepared for is Dream walking in the complete opposite direction, heading deeper into the forest.

“Dream, stop,” Tubbo calls, pushing against the hard scales on his right front leg. Dream eyes the boy but keeps pressing on. ‘A lesson must be learnt, we are going to the place of the attack.’

Anxiety is rising between the triplets, Tommy being the loudest in his unease. He pushes and pokes along the connection, jabbing insistently at the bright beacon that is Dream. Home is echoed by all three boys, jittery and on edge. Dream snorts, head shaking as he shoves back, commanding and firm, the flock Beta demanding respect. Tubbo and Ranboo are quick to fall in line, settling despite their fear. Tommy is not so easily quelled.

While all three triplets are classed as the lower-ranked members of the flock, Tommy has always sat at the higher rank, has always held more dominance over his brothers. He likes to test the waters, push boundaries and cause trouble for Wilbur and Dream. Now, however, he is pushing back with fear and anger, all playfulness was gone from his being. He shrieks with anger, his left wing that remains unbandaged flaring out in a display of defiance and challenge. He leaps from Dream’s back, crouching low in the snow while hissing angrily up at the younger. Tubbo and Ranboo fall back, both chittering softly in worry, unsure how Dream will take this challenge to his position. At the back of all their minds, they feel Wilbur reaching, confused and worried by the influx of emotions that flare and spark along the bond. Dream does not move, does not acknowledge their Alpha’s call, something he’s never done before. Instead, he gazes down at Tommy, eyes cutting into the boys very soul while his own wings flare out.

Tommy growls, low and threatening, frightened and angry. Dream snarls back, lips pulled back to bare his teeth as he looms over the boy. The two lower-ranked flock members pace at the edges of the clearing, hissing and shrieking themselves as the bond explodes with emotions. They want to protect their brother, want to comfort and help, but they instinctively submit to their Beta, instinctively know that what Tommy is doing is wrong. Wilbur is surging forward, trying to regain control, to understand why things have suddenly gone so wrong but Dream snaps mentally at him. This is between him and Tommy, not something the rest of the flock can meddle with. He focuses back on Tommy who has started to lower his body to the ground, is starting to submit, but Dream presses on. He snaps his jaws at the smaller, growling low in his throat while closing in mentally on the other.

‘Submit! I am the Beta!’ His voice is cool, firm, leaving no room for argument. He may be younger, but mentally he is stronger, is wiser. Tommy trembles, body tense before he relaxes, dropping limply into the snow as the anger and fear finally leave his system. In its wake is shame, grief and sorrow. He whimpers, tears falling down red cheeks as he calls for forgiveness.

‘Hush, I am not angry.’ Dream noses him to his feet, head guiding him to his chest where the boy curls up, crying softly.

‘Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.’ It's chanted, filling all their heads and souls. Wilbur croons back love while Ranboo and Tubbo continue to pace at the edges, both physically and mentally. Dream moves, pushing his head into Tommy’s chest so they are eye to eye, so that Tommy can see the love and forgiveness in his eyes.

‘You were frightened, you did not mean harm. I am sorry for being so hard on you but you needed to learn.’ Slowly, the sobs die down and the bond calms once more. Sensing that all is right once more, Tubbo and Ranboo rush forward to join the group hug, humming love and happiness between them. Wilbur nudges them gently, urging them to explain what just happened. Dream opens his mind willingly, allowing him to see what transpired and to listen to what he has to say. ‘Fear is one of the best teachers there is. Without fear, you will make mistakes that can be fatal. But fear can also be a prison, can keep you from learning. You must overcome your fear to be able to learn from it. Don’t let it hold you captive.’

They all hear it but they all know that the words are for Tommy to understand. He stands there, biting his lip while his heart races with anxiety. Memories of the attack, of pain and fear and hands grabbing him flash before his eyes. He feels himself slipping, giving in to the panic, but Dream wraps around him, grounding him. Just like Wilbur, he draws strength from the flock Beta, allowing the other to support and anchor him. The younger hums with pride, pushing forward his own memories of saving Tommy, of taking him home, of watching over him and the rest of their brothers. ‘We’ll always be there for each other, will always come when one calls out for help.’

His wing still throbs with a dull pain, heart still beats with fear, but he stands tall and walks beside his brothers towards the place where he was taken. They are a united front, strong together and untouchable. When they reach the sight Ranboo takes great delight in digging his claws into the tree that is still slightly stained with blood. Tubbo sniffs at the air, kicking up snow to express his anger and hatred for this place. Tommy stays by Dream’s side, looking around at the trees, rocks and leaves.

‘This place cannot hurt you anymore.’ Dream soothes. Tommy looks at the tree that Ranboo has all but torn to shreds, at the ground that Tubbo has kicked up and made a mess of and feels something inside him uncurl. Never again he thinks, moving to join his brothers in causing chaos to the surrounding area under the watchful eye of their younger brother.

A few miles away at the edge of the village, Wilbur shakes his head fondly. He’d been alarmed by the sudden surge of anger, fear and rebellion he’d felt spike across the connection, shock to feel the way Tommy was challenging Dream in his position. But as always, Dream had handled the situation with a calm levelheadedness that made him such a brilliant flock Beta. With the drama over the brunette focuses back on the task at hand. He’d checked in with pretty much everyone in the village and thankfully there were no issues or emergencies. Though he had a feeling that was about to change.

While walking through the village centre he’d been stopped by George who was on Patrol duty in the village for the day. The duel coloured eyed boy had been tense, face drawn and eyes filled with worry as he told Wilbur that Bad and Skeppy needed to see him at their farm as soon as possible. When asked for more details George had just shaken his head and walked away. They are barely three weeks into winter so the idea of something going wrong so early leaves Wilbur feeling sick to his stomach with worry. Things are only just starting to calm down from the incident with Tommy, he doesn’t feel ready to deal with more problems.

Nevertheless, Wilbur begins the small trek to the Halo Farm. Compared to the Minecraft farm it is tiny, one of the smallest farms in the village. The Halo family has a few pigs and goats, some chickens, a small vegetable and herb garden and a field of wheat. With their main income being the muffins they supply to Puffy and Niki’s bakery they didn’t need the large expanse of land that Wilbur’s family had. Their property was located halfway between the Minecraft farm and the main village making them Wilbur’s closest neighbours. Walking up the snow-covered dirt road towards the little one-story cottage the young man laughed as a small white dog ran out to greet him.

“Hey Rat, I’m happy to see you too.” Wilbur chuckled, leaning down to shower the small dog with pats and scratches. “Come on, best get you out of the cold before you freeze. Poor Bad would be beside himself.”

Rat yipped happily, running ahead of Wilbur and through the doggy door. Walking inside, Wilbur was greeted by the sight of the two heads of the family standing by their fireplace while Sapnap and Quackity sat anxiously on the couch.

“What’s happened?” Is the first thing out of Wilbur’s mouth, mind already racing with possible outcomes.

“Will! Thank you so much for coming.” Bad smiled even though it didn’t reach his eyes.

“What’s happened?” The demon wilts looking so unsure of himself.

Skeppy places a gentle hand on Bad’s shoulder, offering comfort where he can before turning to Wilbur. “I think its best if Quackity explains.”

When all eyes turn to him the eighteen-year-old shrinks in his seat, eyes wide with fright. It reminds Wilbur of the skinny fifteen-year-old that had come stumbling into their village all those years ago, begging for a safe place to call home. The young boy had come a long way since then, proving himself to be a strong and capable young man who Wilbur was happy to call a friend. “You can tell me Quackity, I won’t be angry.”

The duck hybrid flinched at his words, not looking at all convinced. But he steels himself, taking a deep breath in to help settle his nerves. “I have a friend who I met when I was just a kid. He’s from the Las Nevadas city and he would visit me regularly when I still lived at El Rapids. You see, the thing is he’s a hybrid, a special kind of one that allows him to travel vast distances in a short amount of time. What would normally take someone three weeks only takes him a few days at most.”

“Where are you going with this, does your friend need a place to stay?” Wilbur asks, confused about why he’s being told this information.

“No, that’s not why I’m telling you this. The reason is that I’ve kept in contact with him using ravens these last few years, the both of us respecting the privacy of the village by not having him just pop up here unannounced. But something has come up, something bad.”

Shuffling from the hallway has Wilbur turning, coming face to face with a young man with green skin that droops and shines, a slime hybrid. He’s dressed in brown dress pants, a white button-up shirt with a brown overcoat. A pair of glasses frames his face, blue eyes peering up at Wilbur while a gentle smile spreads over his cheeks. “Hello Wilbur Soot of L’Manberg, I am Charlie of Las Nevadas.”

A hand is held out for him to shake but Wilbur can only stare in shock, baffled at how this man was able to enter his village without being spotted. He faintly feels the boys stirring, trying to push closer to the front of his mind but he shuts them out knowing they won’t be happy by the sudden appearance of this intruder in their territory. Dream especially would probably fly straight to the cottage to confront the man and Wilbur was dubious in his ability to hold the angered dragon back.

“Why are you here?” It's incredibly rude, ignoring the offered hand and going straight on the defensive but this is the safety of his brothers that he’s dealing with so Wilbur doesn’t feel much guilt for his actions.

“We’re really sorry Wilbur, he wouldn’t have come unless it was an emergency.” Quackity rushes to explain while coming to stand beside his friend.

“And what is the emergency?”

“It's to do with your little brother Dream,” Charlie speaks up, still smiling.

Wilbur feels his heart stop, blood-freezing in horror while his body tenses. His barriers fall, the boys surging forward to comfort and protect. They pick at his mind, catching snippets of the conversation before rising as one in a defensive wall of fury. Dream is frantic, frightened for the safety of his Alpha and brother, desperate to get to him, to protect him but Wilbur scrambles for control, grasping firmly at the agitated minds of his flock.

‘Stand down! Focus on me boys! Calm.’ He’s commanding and solid, keeping a strong grip on them mentally as he hums calmness and assurance down the line of connection. They are sharp and lethal, predators circling wounded prey, but they heed his orders and don’t move closer, just continue to circle with teeth bared. Breath hissing between clenched teeth, Wilbur turns back to the slime with narrowed eyes. “Where the hell did you hear that name?”

The Halo family and Quackity have backed off, standing to the side as Wilbur looms over Charlie who just smiles up at him. “When you are as closely connected to the land as I am you hear things.”

“Explain.”

Charlie softens his face, seeing the distress on the others face and wishing to soothe it. “Being a Slime hybrid means I am connected to the earth. The Slimes are from the deep caves, have been connected to the earth and the magic within it since the dawn of time. You have done well these last few years in keeping your brother hidden and safe from humans, but the moment his egg cracked all those connected to the land and magic felt it.”

“You’ve known about Dream since he hatched?” The knowledge leaves Wilbur weak in the knees.

“I have, and I’ve kept his secret ever since,” Charlie says. He looks out the window, watching the snowflakes drifting slowly through the air. “The earth sang the night of his birth, rejoiced at the return of the dragons and in turn, magic. Ever since his birth magic has slowly been returning to the land. It's why George was able to awaken his gift three years later, why your bond has continued to grow even stronger.”

“But why are you here, why come forward now?” Wilbur asks, stomach tied in knots of anxiety and fear. To think that some stranger has known about his baby brother since the beginning leaves Wilbur wanting to run home and fall into their nest with his flock.

Charlie sighing made him refocus on the slime who for the first time was no longer smiling. “Three weeks ago, a group of hunters captured a young avian in the forest of L’Manberg. These hunters were later attacked by a winged beast that breathed fire, killing all but one and taking the young avian away.”

“One got away?” The anxiety has reached its peak. Wilbur is standing on the edge of a cliff and he can’t see the bottom. He’s going to fall and he’s going to fall hard.

Charlie nods, sombre like a lone mourner at a funeral. “These hunters had an arrangement with the King. He would allow them to capture, smuggle and sell hybrids in exchange for a cut of the profit. Three weeks ago, the King received a raven from the surviving hunter and once the snows have melted he will make the trip North with a battalion of imperial soldiers.”

Wilbur can barely breathe, fighting to keep control of his brothers who have grown more agitated, more violent. He needs to keep a level head, needs to be the Alpha and figure out what to do to protect his family, to protect his people. He’s not stupid, he knows the King will go after the entire village to get to Dream. He needs a game plan, one that will protect everyone. Bad and Skeppy are watching with, their faces drawn and pale while Sapnap and Quackity huddle between them and Charlie. He locks eyes with Bad, back straightening as a plan begins to take shape inside his head. “Send out the emergency flares, full town meeting. If the King wants to play with fire, then we will gladly make him burn.”

Chapter Text

L’Manberg had a system that let the villagers know if an emergency was happening. If a single red flare was seen shooting up into the sky it was a call for help, a call for all able-bodied people to come as quickly as possible. If a horn was blown it was a call that signalled a small emergency, that a few extra hands are needed but not many. If three orange flares were shot into the sky it meant a forest fire and to prepare for a firefight. Finally, if three red flares were shot into the sky it meant an emergency town meeting, for all villagers to converge on the town hall. It was a system Wilbur had set up shortly after his mother’s death, wanting to protect his people from the same pain he had felt when he lost her. Since the system had been developed a full town meeting had only been called twice. It had been years since three red flares were seen shinning in the sky since the whole village had felt a sense of dread and doom looming over them. When they saw the flares just a few short weeks into winter they felt their hearts drop and blood freeze.

The Halo family plus Quackity and Charlie rush from the house after setting off the flares, Wilbur staying behind as he waits for his brothers. Snow is falling in slow gentle waves, a peaceful day contrasting violently with how Wilbur’s world is slowly falling apart around him. He hears the sound of flapping wings, snow crunching under the weight as Dream lands beside him. The triplets huddle on their brother's back faces grim while Dream just gazes steadily back at their Alpha.

‘We knew this day would come eventually. You couldn’t possibly hide me forever.’ Dream whispers, warm scales pressing up against Wilbur’s side.

“I thought we’d have more time.” He confesses.

“Doesn’t matter, we’ll get through this together like always,” Tubbo speaks up, Tommy and Ranboo humming their agreement.

‘Flock.’ It’s echoed between all five of them, a reminder and a promise. They fly through the cold sky as one, drawing strength and comfort from one another as they head towards the town hall where the rest of the village has already gathered. They all are used to the sight of him that none flinch when Dream lands before them, head raised and wings flared. The dragon is quick to lock eyes on Charlie, lips pulling back in a threatening snarl, body tense as his aura screams intruder, threat, defensive, anger.

“Easy boy, eyes on me.” Wilbur hushes, sliding off Dream’s back to stand beside him, a gentle hand resting on his neck to ground him. The younger snorts, backing off but still wary as he settles into a crouch behind his Alpha who stands before his people. His other three brothers move to lay against his side, a united front of support and love.

Wilbur looks out over the sea of people, his people who he has strived to protect and care for, who have stood by him through thick and thin. They look back at him, faces filled with both worry yet determination to fight whatever trouble may come their way. These are his people, the ones who have stood by him and his family since day one, who he trusts and cares about as fiercely as his own flesh and blood.

“Citizens of L’Manberg! The day we have dreaded has finally arrived.” Wilbur called out and a hush fell over the town. “I have been informed that on the day my brother Tommy was attacked by hunters, one managed to escape and sent word to the King. Our King has betrayed us by working with hunters, allowing them to kidnap children and sell them as if they were nothing but animals. But not only that, he plans to march on our home when the snow falls to either capture or kill one of our own.”

Murmurs rise and fall like waves, faces showing anger and shock at the knowledge that their own King has willingly turned a blind eye on the hunters for years. At the news of his desire to invade their home and harm a member of their community, the villagers growl with anger, eyes shifting to gaze at the dragon that sits behind their mayor. Dream stares right back, silent and calm.

“We won’t let him touch a single scale on Dream’s body!” Niki calls out.

“He messes with one of us he messes with all of us.” Ponk declares, gaining shouts of approval.

Wilbur smiles, hand raised to call for silence. “I know you all care for Dream, and I can’t thank you all enough for your support. But this is bigger than all of us. What I’m about to ask of you all is treason, if we are caught then we will be executed. It's why I won’t hold it against anyone here if they wish to back out. I will not force you to put the lives of your loved ones or yourself at risk.”

At first, no one speaks, many looking at Wilbur in shock. From the head of the crowd, Mary steps forward, cane clutched tightly in her hand to help her move. She stands alone, her husband Frank having passed on the year before. Everyone gives her space, waiting to see what the eldest member of their town has to say.

“I remember the stories my own grandmother used to tell me. Stories of a great Kingdom in the far North, a beautiful Castle overlooking the wild sea, of a land filled with magic and peace. This was L’Manberg before it was a simple village before the land was torn apart by war and suffering before magic was stripped from the world.” Her voice is withered and soft with age but it carries over the crowd. Her eyes bore into Dream’s, the mighty dragon bowing his head in respect before she turns her eyes to Wilbur. “We were a proud, noble people. We bowed to no one but our King in the North. That weasel in the South who calls himself a King is no ruler to me. I think I speak for everyone in this village when I say that I will follow my mayor, my true King to hell and back. You, Wilbur Soot, are our leader, our King, we stand by you and you alone. You are the King of the North, the King of Dragons, the King of L’Manberg.”

He stands there in shocked awe as slowly, a call rises up from the village, as every single one of them declares him a King, their King and their loyalty. Tears fill his eyes, a fear brushing across his consciousness that is snuffed out by his brothers closing ranks on him mentally, unified in their support and love. Dream stands, rising behind him and calling out his pride and love for his Alpha, fire licking through the air above them all as they cheer his name. Ranboo, Tubbo and Tommy come to stand on either side of him, standing together as a flock. And distantly, as if it were an echo from the past, Wilbur swears he can hear his mother’s voice telling him how proud she is of him.

“If this is what you all wish then I swear I will lead you with kindness and give back the same loyalty you have given me. We will face this threat together as one and leave no one behind.” Wilbur shouts, a breathy laugh slipping past chapped lips as the villagers yell in joy. “We only have the winter to prepare, but if we work together I know we’ll be ready.”

“What do you need us to do then?” Puffy asked with a smile.

They divide into groups, all knowing their tasks and roles and all working hard to get them done as quickly as possible. Bad and Yohan get to work teaching everyone willing person how to fight, the blacksmith working overtime in the forge to make more weapons to help defend the village. Skeppy leads a team of miners under the village, a network of tunnels taking shape that connects to all the houses and meet up into one large tunnel that leads out of the village and deep into the woods. After scouting the area, Sapnap, George and Quackity get to work on building a hidden base in the woods, constructing houses and setting up pens for livestock and garden beds for crops. They also set up a storeroom that is quick to be filled.

Most of the grain store is moved to the hidden base, farmers also sending a small portion of their own products to be stored away. Ranboo, Tommy and Tubbo ran back and forth, taking extra blankets and clothes, helping to make new temporary furniture to put in the houses. Ranboo is especially helpful in giving seeds of many different plants that will be sown once the snow melts. It is the boys who name the hidden base, beaming smiles on their faces as they proudly tell everyone of the progress of Pogtopia.

Wilbur is the one to rig the tunnels with TNT, to connect all the deadly explosives to a single button in the house. It had pained everyone to do, but they knew that if they needed to evacuate then the tunnels needed to be destroyed to cover their tracks, even if it meant blowing up their home. With this in mind, most people move important items to Pogtopia, things that cannot be replaced.

As everyone rushes about to prepare for the arrival of the King and his army, Dream slips away unnoticed. He moves silently through the trees, white scales helping him to blend in with the environment and giving him a ghostly appearance. He follows the person who had beckoned him into the woods, follows them to a small pond that has frozen over. He comes to a stop directly next to the person, peering down with narrowed eyes.

“I know you don’t trust me, but I promise I mean you and your family no harm.” Charlie smiled, keeping his head lowered in a sign of submission. Dream huffed, moving to lay on his stomach as he regarded the slime hybrid before him, his eyes conveying the message to talk causing Charlie to chuckle. “I may not hear you as your flock does, but I can feel your intentions, your magic. The earth has wrapped itself tightly around your essence and power.”

Dream hummed, leaning down to be at eye level. He leaned closer, nostrils flaring as he took in the scent of the boy before him who did not move a muscle. When Dream moved to make eye contact Charlie met him front on, open and willing to allow the other to peer into his soul, to see the truth of his words and heart. It was a moment that almost seemed to stretch on for an eternity, the two just gazing deep into the eyes of the other while the earth sang with power around them. Then Dream pulled back, eyes softening as he chuffed softly. Charlie smiled, slowly extending a hand and laughing in delight when a warm snout was pushed into it. Dragon huffed softly, head tilting as if to tell the other to speak his mind and tell him why they had come out here in the first place.

“You know that no living person knows the dragons and their gifts, that no one can tell you what powers you may hold and have yet to uncover?” Dream nodded once, curiosity sparking in his eyes. “While the living may have forgotten, the earth has not. It whispers things, and if you know how to listen it can tell you many secrets.”

Green eyes widen as words are whispered into their owner's ear, the magic that ran hot like lava in their blood sparkling like fireworks. Charlie nods in encouragement, a hand laying on the snow-covered ground that glowed with power and promise. Dream could feel the magic in the air, how it flowed over his scales like water, how it seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. He arches against it, purring when it pushed back. He could feel it reaching out to him, eager to help, eager to mingle and taste his own magic. He reaches out and grabs hold, pulling this power close and allowing it to energize his own, giving him strength and knowledge. Everything rises with him, waiting for direction, and he tells it to change, tells it to form and modify. It surges across his magic, brushing against every cell and atom of his body as it rushes to obey. Dream feels things shift and move, feels his centre of gravity change and muscles arch and twist. It's not painful, but not comfortable either. He growls softly, feels how his throat works in different ways to create the sound.

When everything settles and calms he lays in the snow, body shaking from how cold everything is. Charlie beams down at him, gentle and encouraging. Limbs stretch, appendages flex, joints rolls and click with foreign movements. Excitement is buzzing as wobbly legs struggle to hold their owner upright. Charlie only blinks and Dream is gone, stumbling and crashing his way through the woods back to the farm where his brothers are, the slime shaking his head with a laugh as he wonders what they will all think when they see Dream.

~~~~

The boys are helping Wilbur load up wooden stakes into the wagon that will later be taken to Pogtopia so that more pens can be added to the base as people draw up lists of how many animals from their farms they will be sending there once the weather warms. Wilbur himself is writing up a list as the triplets work when he feels Dream mentally crashing over all of them, almost drowning them with his excitement and happiness. It's enough to make the four humans stumble in their movements, stakes falling to the floor as they fight to regain control and composure.

“Easy there, buddy! Calm down! What’s got you so riled up?” Wilbur laughs as the triplets snicker softly.

‘Wilbur! Look look look! I’m like you! I’m like you!’ Dream crows happily while also urging them to look to the tree line that sits a few meters away. They all turn, confused by his words only to have their mouths drop open in shock. Sprinting from the tree line on long gangly legs that wobble and buckle is a young boy with snow-white hair, bright green eyes, pale skin that is dusted with freckles, and he’s completely naked! The boy trills happily only to yelp when his legs get tangled with each other sending him sprawling into the snow. By this point he’s practically at their feet, face split in a giant smile despite how their fingers and toes are turning blue from the cold.

“What the fuck?” Tommy yells as the boy warbles up at them in a familiar way.

“Wha…Dream?” Wilbur asks in disbelief, the boy cooing happily as the bond sings with joy.

‘I’m like you! I can hide better now! Look!’ Dream shrieks proudly as he shivers violently.

“Prime! Your gonna catch your death out here!” Wilbur is quick to shed his coat, throwing it over trembling shoulders before lifting the smaller into his arms, rushing to the house with the triplets in toe. Dream hummed softly, burrowing into Wilbur’s shoulder as he basked in the warmth, purring when they came to a stop by the fire, all settling down into the nest. He sits cradled in Wilbur’s lap, coat covering his body as Tommy and Tubbo hold his very human hands, Ranboo nuzzling into his soft white hair. “How in the world did you manage this?”

‘The slime showed me.’ Dream cooed, enjoying being able to snuggle into his Alpha’s arms like he used to when he was a hatchling.

“Charlie?”

‘Mmm, he showed me how the earth whispers of things long passed, helped me figure out how to tell my magic to change me.’

“That is wicked.” Tubbo breathed, Dream turning his head to bare his teeth in an attempt of a smile. Tommy cackled at Dream’s face, baring his own teeth, in turn, causing the dragon boy to laugh as well.

“You guys are so stupid.” Ranboo chuckled, yelping when Dream tugged in dow further into the nest.

‘I smile! Just like a human!’ Dream beamed.

“I still can’t believe you ran through the woods butt-naked.” Tommy howled while Dream tilted his head.

‘Dragon’s don’t wear clothes so obviously, I didn’t have any when I changed. I don’t need clothes.’

“You will now. I won’t have my brother walking around in the nude.” Wilbur warned playfully, tickling the younger’s sides and causing him to shriek with laughter.

“He looks about Tommy’s height, he can probably borrow some of his clothes,” Ranboo suggested.

“Hell yeah, you’ll get to be just like me big man! I’ll teach you the ways of being a Bossman.” Tommy puffed out his chest proudly while Dream chittered excitedly.

“No! Don’t corrupt Dream! One of you is enough.” Tubbo moaned while shoving his twin. It quickly dissolved into a play fight between the two, Ranboo and Dream content to curl up in Wilbur’s arms to sleep while the elder watch on fondly. He gazed down at Dream, wonder in his eyes as he ran his fingers through fluffy white locks. The younger never ceased to amaze him. With this new trick up their sleeves, he felt even more prepared for when the snow melted. He felt ready, ready to face the King and protect his family, ready to become a true leader.

Chapter Text

When the weather warms the villagers have the advantage of the snow melting in the North first. It gives them an extra few weeks to prepare for the arrival of the king, an extra few weeks to set up the vegetable gardens at Pogtopia and move the animals there too. Wilbur makes the call to send Friend and six other sheep to Pogtopia, the rest of the animals staying behind to not raise suspicion.

The snow has completely melted away for two weeks, the rivers are flowing at full capacity and the plan is set in motion. Wilbur and the boys have been hard at work in teaching Dream how to act human, helping him to walk on two legs and learn how to hold things in his hands. His motor skills are underdeveloped, unused to having hands to grab and hold things. He grumbles at having to wear clothes but submits in the end, though he refuses to wear shoes. He wears one of Tommy’s white tunics and a pair of brown pants, feet bare and following after the triplets who have quickly become quadruplets. The villagers welcome the new change, agreeing that it will be easier to hide Dream in human form. They decide at the end of the two weeks that it would be safer for him to remain as a human in the event of the King’s army showing up earlier than expected.

The whole winter the village had been tense, preparing for a fight, a confrontation. But today there was a relaxed feeling in the air as the village got ready to celebrate Ostara, the holiday that marked the beginning of spring, the time of balance between light and dark. Chains of daisies, lilies and daffodils hung from every doorway and window while loaves of fresh bread were sitting out for anyone to take. Ostara was a time of plenty, a time where food was in abundance and new life was beginning. Wilbur helped Ponk as the young man laid down logs in the fire pit that sat near the village centre, everyone getting ready to light the pyre and begin their celebration.

Nearby, Fundy shrieked in protest as Dream ran after him, the dragon turned human dashing across the ground on all fours as he still wasn’t the best at walking on two legs. Tommy was right behind the white-haired youth, laughing in delight as he helped his brother to terrorize the fox hybrid. Off to the side, Tubbo, Ranboo, Foolish and Purpled sat under a tree weaving more flower chains. They looked up when Fundy gave a loud scream to see the seventeen-year-old laying face first on the ground with Dream perched happily on his back.

“Yeah! You show that bitch who’s boss big man!” Tommy cowed happily.

“Language!” Bad called out as he brought a platter of muffins out to the large table that was set up by the pyre.

“I will not be censored! Fuck! Shit! Damn it!” Tommy yelled back, Dream howling alongside his brother as he felt the excitement and rebellion thrumming down the connection. Bad seemed to swell where he stood, looking seconds away from lecturing the teen when Wilbur stepped in, face set in a stern warning that had the younger two backing down.

“Behave you two. I’m not above sending you home while the rest of us celebrate Ostara.”

“Killjoy.” Tommy huffed while Dream grumbled softly beside him only to yelp when Fundy suddenly pushed himself up and thus dislodging the smaller boy from his back. The fox hybrid was quick to scamper over to the other teens to help with the chains leaving the brothers to face their Alpha alone.

Wilbur walked over, holding his hands out for Dream to take. “Come on buddy, two legs this time.”

Dream whined but allowed his Alpha to pull him upright, legs bowing slightly as he tried to adjust his centre of gravity. When standing on two legs he was just short of being the same height as Tommy making him look like he was the same age as the triplets instead of the eight years he actually was.

‘Don’t like two legs.’ Dream growled, Tommy stepping forward to take his hands so Wilbur could get back to work.

“We know big man, but it's something you’ve gotta learn. I hated learning how to read and write but I had to do it.” Tommy assured him while leading him over to the tree. Dream was quick to flop down into Ranboo’s lap, purring happily when the enderman hybrid ran his fingers through his hair. The chimaera chirped softly, humming when Dream churred happily back.

“You got him to say any words out loud yet?” Foolish asked.

“Not yet but Tommy is hell-bent on his first word being a swear.” Tubbo laughed.

“I will make it happen! Just you wait.” Tommy declared.

Purpled snickered, watching as Dream snuggled closer to Ranboo. “Honestly, his first word is probably gonna be Wilbur’s name. He’s basically Dream’s dad anyway and kids first words are always their parents.”

“No! Dream, if your gonna say anyone’s name it should be mine!” Tubbo cried dramatically as he moved to try and pull his younger brother into his arms only for Ranboo to growl softly at him.

“He’ll say my name before yours.” Ranboo hummed while pulling Dream up to rest his head against his chest, ear pressed into his chest to hear his heartbeat.

“You wish, my name will be the first out of his mouth!” Tommy argued. Ranboo stuck his tongue out before nuzzling into Dream’s white hair, both purring happily. The blonde huffed, moving closer so he could catch the younger attention. “Come on Dream, say my name.”

‘Tommy.’ Green eyes crinkled in amusement.

“No, no, out loud. Say it out loud.”

‘Why? You can hear and understand me like this. Why speak out loud when I don’t have to?’

“What if you need to talk to someone who isn’t flock?” Tubbo asks.

‘You can talk for me.’

“We might not be there Dream,” Ranboo muttered while brushing the bangs from Dream’s face. This caused the younger to frown in confusion, a brief spark of worry flowing over them all. Wilbur brushed against them mentally, checking in and making sure they were all safe before returning to his work. Ranboo cooed softly, hands cupping Dream’s face as he pressed his forehead against the others. “We would never willingly leave you, but something might happen that separates us from you so it would be a good skill to have to be able to talk to others.”

Dream grumbled, pressing his face under Ranboo’s chin while clutching at the back of his shirt. He wasn’t happy about the idea, teeth grinding as he turned the words over inside his head. He jumped when a hand gently touched his shoulder, turning to see Foolish smiling softly at him.

“It would be nice to talk to you one on one. Don’t you want to talk to us by yourself?” Foolish asked. Dream gurgled up at him, tilting his head in thought. He slowly nodded, still looking unsure. He relaxed when Ranboo nuzzled his head, humming soothingly while happiness and pride pulsed along the bond.

“So you should either say my name first or a curse word,” Tommy spoke up causing everyone to chuckle.

Shortly after their little discussion, the kids were called over to the pyre where the rest of the village had gathered. Each villager held a flower chain in hand, watching as the fire slowly began to grow. When the flames are at their highest point they all begin to throw their chains into the fire, everyone cheering and singing as they began to eat and drink. Flutes and fiddles are played, women dressed in brightly coloured skirts and blouses dance around the pyre with moons and suns painted on their faces. The children run about with sparklers, chocolate sweets passed between them all. Dream ran about with his siblings and friends, everyone laughing and enjoying the day.

It brought back fond memories, back when Dream had still been a tiny hatchling enjoying his first Ostara. He had spent most of it curled up either in Wilbur’s arms or draped over one of the triplets shoulders. Now he spent it running alongside his brothers, holding their hands and laughing with them. When the sun began to set everyone ran to grab pouches of coloured powder, throwing handfuls into the air and covering themselves in it. By the end of the celebration, all the boys are covered in bright yellow, red, blue, green and purple powder and they are smiling so wide their faces hurt. Wilbur bundles them all up, herding them back towards the farm. Dream is exhausted, legs trembling from walking and running all day so Wilbur is quick to lean down and pull the younger onto his back. Within a few minutes, Dream is fast asleep, arms draped over Wilbur’s shoulder and legs dangled over Wilbur’s hips.

They clamber into the house, heading to the washroom and cleaning the powder off their bodies. Wilbur has to shake Dream awake so he can clean the boy properly. Once they are all clean and changed the four younger ones are settled into the nest, curling around each other and drifting off to sleep. Wilbur stokes the fire, tidies the kitchen and cleans the washroom before joining them in the nest.

The day after Ostara was normally spent cleaning the village as well as going out into the woods to plant a seedling each, a way for the villagers to thank the spirits for a bountiful harvest and for bringing them safely through the winter. That is how it had been for nearly nine years, how things had gone for the small family for most of their lives. Wilbur is cooking breakfast, the boys are in the living room still in the nest but awake and talking. It's normal, it's expected. The sound of horse hooves coming up the dirt road is not.

There are no horses in L’Manberg, no one having a need for one or the money for that matter. Instead, they have donkey’s and cows to help pull wagons and plough their fields. The last time there had been horses in L’Manberg was when Philza and Techno had left, taking the only two horses with them. The sound of hooves on the dirt road is strange, unknown. It sends chills running up Wilbur’s spine while the chatter in the living room dies down. He’s moving into the hallway quickly, looking into the room where his brothers are. They are huddled in the nest, wide-eyed and tense. The bond is spiking with fear, tension, confusion and anger. A stranger is on their farm, has invaded their territory and they want them gone. Dream is growling from the middle of the nest, the triplets leaning over him protectively as they bare their teeth in warning.

“Stay there, don’t make a sound.” Wilbur orders. Dream yowls in protest, wanting to change, wanting to stand by his Alpha as his Beta. But brown eyes narrow, a strong mental presence bearing down on him so dream relents and settles back into the nest.

Wilbur waits by the front door, listening to the sound of horses snorting and shuffling. He hears two voices, male and muffled by the door followed by the sound of them dismounting. There is more shuffling, more talking and Wilbur has a hand on a dagger strapped to his hip, ready to protect and defend his family if needed. The footsteps start walking up the wooden steps onto the porch and now Wilbur can hear the sound of metal clinking together, chain mail. It has his heart beating a mile a minute, sweat pool along his brow. The boys are a wall of agitated anger near the front of his mind, the phantom feeling of teeth and claws resting along his shoulders in a sign of support.

They all wait with bated breath, waiting to hear a fist knocking on the door. Instead, the door is thrown open, this gaining hisses of anger from all five family members. Wilbur is ready is throw himself at the intruders, to tear out their throats for even daring to invade his home. He steps forward, body tense and ready for a fight when he finally sees who has just barged into his home.

Large black wings, bright pink hair, sky blue eyes, piglin tusks and ears, blond hair and red eyes. They are dressed in fine silks and expensive armour. They are healthy and fit looking, clearly having never missed a meal or had to ration their food. The elder has some more wrinkles on his face from the last time Wilbur had seen him while his twin has filled out and developed an impressive amount of muscle. Philza and Technoblade Minecraft stand in the doorway, smiling and laughing like it’s the most natural thing in the world when in reality it’s the most unnatural thing in the world.

The two men pause, eyes locking with Wilbur’s own. Techno nods his head in greeting while Philza beams happily, looking Wilbur up and down. “Surprise Will, you miss us?”

Wilbur stands there, eyes wide and mouth open slightly. A million different thoughts rush through his head before settling into a cool bubbling anger. He frowns, tense and defensive while the boys snap and growl mentally. They remain in the nest but it's clear they are getting restless and will soon break formation. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?”

Philza blinked in surprise while Techno raised an eyebrow while stepping back slightly to watch how things would unfold. “Can’t a father come and visit his sons?”

“Normally yes but when it's you? No.” Wilbur practically sneered, rage building with every passing second.

Philza gave a weak laugh clearly unbalanced by the response of the other and not understanding what was happening. When he saw no amusement in Wilbur’s eyes he coughed and began to frown as well. “What’s with the attitude mate? Aren’t you happy to see your dad and brother?”

Wilbur is honestly impressed his teeth don’t break from how hard he’s clenching them. He takes a deep breath, trying to centre himself. Dream is quick to move closer, wrapping around his mind to help ground and anchor him. He draws strength from his Beta, allows the other to cover him with calmness and love to ease his anger. “Why are you here? Why now?”

“There’s been a report of a monster roaming the forest around here so the King is coming personally with his army to see if the claims are true and to protect the people,” Techno speaks up, never one to beat around the bush. It had been a comfort growing up, knowing his twin would never try to mislead him and would always be honest with him. Wilbur gazes at him, taking in his tanned skin, robust shoulders and confident stance. The years have been good to Techno and he has become a very capable warrior.

“You look good,” Wilbur says. He’s angry at Techno but not as much as he is with Philza. Techno had been following his dream, had made something of himself. He’d never asked to be the favourite, never asked Philza to go with him or to stay. He could have helped Wilbur in the early years raise the boys, could have helped convince Philza to step up and be an actual parent but Wilbur doesn't hold it against him.

“You look like a bean pole,” Techno responds in turn, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“It's what happens when you ration your food between five mouths and a whole village.”

“Five mouths?” Philza cuts in, confusion painted across his face. “I’m pretty sure we only adopted Ranboo.”

“We did, but we also adopted another kid shortly after you left.” Wilbur snipped back. There’s no point in trying to hide Dream if the two of them are going to be living in the house again. He turns to the hallway, looking at the archway that leads into the living room. “Boys, its alright. You can come out now. It's safe.”

There’s shuffling, low mutters exchanged before four teens move to stand by Wilbur. Philza and Techno instantly look towards the head of snow-white hair. Emerald green eyes glare up at them from a freckled face, lips pulled back in a feral snarl as the boy clutches at Wilbur’s hand tightly. The look on his face speaks of his displeasure and distrust of them, body language screaming of hostility and slight fear. Tommy stands beside him, holding his other hand just as tightly while gazing at them both with suspicion. Tubbo stands on Wilbur’s other side, silent and still while Ranboo looms over them all like a vengeful guardian angel.

“Wow, you boys sure have grown since I last saw you.” Philza smiled but the triplets just gazed back with narrowed eyes.

“That tends to happen when you leave for almost nine years.” Wilbur snarked, smiling when the elder flinched at his words. It’s tense, the air heavy with the feeling as the two groups just look the other up and down. Philza clears his throat before turning to the new face, trying to smile even though his heart was hurting from the biting words Wilbur had thrown at him.

“Hello there, my name is Philza. Who might you be?” All he got was a low growl, the boy pressing closer into Wilbur’s side. Tommy gave a soft whistle, an action of comfort while pressing his chest into the boy’s back.

“Dream doesn’t talk yet, he also doesn’t like strangers,” Wilbur stated as he placed a hand on Dream’s shoulder to help soothe and ground him.

“And where did you pick this feral gremlin up from?” Techno asked.

“In the woods a few years ago. He’s part of our family now as well as part of the community.” It’s almost as if Wilbur is challenging Philza to step in and argue this point. When the elder remains silent he sighs before ushering the boys towards the kitchen. “Your rooms are untouched, just as you left them. We’re going to have breakfast and then go into town to finish the Ostara rituals with the seedlings. You can do whatever you want for the day.”

The kids are already in the kitchen tucking into their food. It leaves the ‘adults’ alone once again, Wilbur glaring up at Philza while Techno hangs back awkwardly. “I will be civil while you are here for the boy's sake but know that as far as I am concerned you are no longer my father. You abandoned us and I will never forgive you for it. The boys may one day forgive you which is why I will be civil, but we are done.”

Philza stood in shock, heart hurting as his second eldest stormed into the kitchen. He could hear low voices and cutlery clinking against plates and it is so domestic is leaves him of balanced. Techno walks past him, head down and silent as he headed up to his old room. He’d always made off-handed comments to his father that he should at least go back for a visit during the eight years they had lived in the Capitol but Philza had always brushed them aside. He’d always said it was better for him to remain as the king's advisor, that it paid well and that he wanted to keep an eye on Techno. Now, standing alone in the entryway of his home he begins to think that maybe he had made a mistake.

Chapter Text

It takes two days for the king to arrive. It's two days of walking on eggshells, of the boys dodging Philza at every chance they get. They still sleep in the nest by the fireplace, Tubbo and Tommy practically spitting with rage when Philza had mentioned packing the pillows and blankets away so the boys could sleep in their own rooms and beds. Its clear Philza is trying to spend time with the younger kids, is trying to form connections but the boys are angry and mistrustful. It also doesn’t help him that every time he tries to get close to them, Dream will appear, standing between them while snarling and growling. The white-haired boy wants nothing to do with Philza or Techno, is clearly distressed by their presence.

On the second day since they arrived back the two walk down into the kitchen to find that the other members of the household have already had breakfast. The four younger ones are outside tending to the vegetable gardens, pulling weeds and picking what is ready. Dream then comes in to dig a hole when needed, Ranboo planting a seed after he’s done. Wilbur is cleaning out the barn, raking up the old hay and shovelling the dung into a wheelbarrow. When it's full he takes it down to the back end of a paddock near the tree line where their compost pile sits.

“Bit early to be working isn’t it?” Philza called out from the porch. The kids pause briefly before continuing with their task though Dream bares his teeth for a moment. Wilbur scowls at the elder, shovelling a bit more forcefully.

“It's not going to do itself. This is what you do when owning and running a farm, though I suppose you wouldn’t know that, would you?” Wilbur growled.

Philza flinched, face flushing while Techno rolled his eyes at their father. He throws off his coat before making his way over to his twin, picking up a shovel and starting to help. Wilbur eyes the pink-haired male along with the boys. He can feel their interest peaking, both looking up from the garden beds as well as pushing closer mentally. Dream in particular moves closer, abandoning the garden as he creeps closer on all fours. He runs to Wilbur’s side, gazing up at Techno with narrowed eyes while making soft grizzling sounds.

“Easy buddy, he’s alright. He’s just helping.” Wilbur assured. Dream hummed, still looking Techno up and down. The piglin hybrid gazes back before crouching so he can be at eye level with the wild boy. Wilbur watches on as Dream creeps closer, ready to pull the other back mentally and physically if needed but also curious to see how his Beta reacted to his twin.

Techno kept his eyes lowered, body relaxed and hands where they could be seen. Over the last two days, he had observed the newest member of their family and how they acted more like an animal than a person. It made him wonder just where Wilbur had found the kid and what his life had been like before he was taken in by his twin. From what he’d seen, he could tell Dream was very protective of Wilbur and the triplets, always looking out for them and making sure they were safe. He seemed to take direction from Wilbur, looking to the elder for instructions and orders. Techno also knew that despite his thin lanky form the boy was strong. He was all lean muscle and flexibility, agile and fast. He wanted to get to know this mysterious feral kid, wanted to try to mend the broken bonds between himself and his brothers.

It's silent as Dream finally comes to a stop before Techno, sniffing the air and eyeing the piglin warily. He growled when Techno lifted a hand towards him, both freezing in place as they make eye contact. Techno hummed softly, lowering his eyes but still offering his hand to the other. “My names Techno, it's nice to meet you Dream.”

Dream grizzled softly, unsure and tense. He turned to look at Wilbur, seeking guidance on what to do next. Wilbur stared, assessing everything before nodding gently. Dream huffed, turned back to Techno and softly placed his own hand on top of Techno’s. The pink-haired male looked up, smiling at the wild boy who gave one last huff before dashing back across the yard to the garden beds.

“He likes you, he normally takes a lot longer to warm up to strangers,” Wilbur commented.

“He’s an interesting one. A good kid too despite his feral tendencies. You’ve raised him and the other boys well.” Techno said as they got back to cleaning the barn.

“Yeah, well when your father abandons you for nine years you kinda have no choice but to raise your brothers to the best of your abilities.” Techno frowned, a sense of guilt starting to form in his heart. Wilbur eyed his twin and sighed. “I don’t blame you. You didn’t ask Philza to accompany you or to stay for as long as he did.”

“I still left you guys behind. II should have helped you more, should have tried harder to get Dad to stay and be a parent.”

Wilbur stopped, looking his twin in the eye and feeling some of the resentment that he’d harboured towards him fade. It's not a quick fix, he’s not going to just accept Techno fully back into the family straight away, but it’s a start in the right direction. “You’re here now, granted only to hunt down a so-called monster but you’re here. And you’re actually helping with the farm work too so consider yourself halfway there.”

It gains a laugh from Techno who goes back to shovelling, the tension that had existed between the twins easing as they fall into a rhythm. Wilbur can feel the boys in the back of his mind, wary and suspicious but also relaxed. They trust both his and Dream’s judgement of the situation so for now they will reserve judgement of their estranged elder brother.

By mid-day the barn is cleaned, the gardens tended too and the sun is high. The kids have filled up an old water trough and are using it as a makeshift pool, splashing the cool water at each other to cool off. Wilbur sits on the patio, a glass of orange juice in hand as he watches them. Techno has left to meet up with the King and his army outside of the town as they are scheduled to arrive sometime today leaving behind Philza who stands next to Wilbur awkwardly.

“I know you're angry with me.” The blonde starts, words failing when the younger scoffed.

“What gave it away?” Brown glare at blue, hand clutching tightly to the glass of juice.

“I did what I thought was right Will. The pay was amazing which meant I could provide for you and the boys better and Techno needed me.”

“And we didn’t? Prime do you even hear yourself?” Wilbur stood to face his father. “Look, I’m not getting into this right now. I have a town to run and keep in safe while your ‘buddies’ are in town.”

“You act as if they are going to hurt the people living here.”

“And you act as if they won’t. Have you truly had your head so far up your own ass that you haven’t seen how the other villages have been treated in the last few years? The man who calls himself a king doesn’t care about us, he only cares about himself and lining his own pockets with gold.” Wilbur hissed causing Philza to frown, lips thinning in anger.

“Hold your tongue, what you speak right now could be viewed as treason.” He warned.

Wilbur scoffed in disbelief, hardly believing what he was hearing and seeing. He felt a presence behind him, heard the low threatening growl his Beta was making as Philza took a step back in shock. “And have care how you speak to me. This is my home, these are my people and I will not be threatened.”

Father and son stood there glaring at each other, Dream pressed into Wilbur’s side and snarling up at the threat to his Alpha. The splashing and laughter had stopped, the triplets watching on tensely, ready to spring into action should their father make a move to attack. The moment is broken when a loud horn sounds in the distance. All eyes turn in the direction of the village knowing that the King and his army are about to arrive. The boys rush to Wilbur and Dream’s side, faces cold and angry while Dream rumbled angrily.

“If you’ll excuse us, we have an uninvited guest to greet,” Wilbur muttered before gesturing for the younger ones to follow him. The five brothers rush off down the path towards the village, Philza huffing angrily as he takes to the sky to fly there. When they arrive at the village center it is to the sight of a sea of armed soldiers. They carry swords, bows and arrows and many ride atop horses. Their helmets conceal their faces giving them a menacing appearance. At the head of the army stands Techno and beside him is a carriage pulled by four white horses. The carriage is gold in colour, large and decorated with precious gemstones.

“Citizens of L’Manberg, may I present to you his royal highness King Jschlatt, Lord and protector of the realm,” Techno called out before falling to his knees, head bowed as the door to the carriage opened.

All was silent as the King stepped from his carriage, everyone but the five Minecraft boys dropping into a bow as he passed them. The man was tall and thin, with curved ram horns jutting out from the sides of his head and dark brown hair. He has a goatee that is trimmed to perfection and wears black dress pants of the finest silk and a white silk dress shirt. Atop his head rests a golden crown encrusted with rubies and obsidian. He came to a stop before Wilbur, gazing down his nose at the young man with narrowed eyes before a sickly sweet smile stretched across his face.

“So this is the famous Technoblade Minecraft’s twin brother and mayor of L’Manberg? I must say, you don’t look all that much like your father.” King Jschlatt commented causing Wilbur to give a tight-lipped smile.

“I take after my mother more.”

“Ah yes, the dearly departed Kriston Minecraft nee-Soot. Terrible news it was to hear of her passing. You wouldn’t have been very old when it happened.”

Wilbur narrowed his own eyes, shoulders squaring as his younger brothers pressed in closer. “It was a long time ago, your majesty.”

Jschlatt chuckled softly looking incredibly pleased with himself. “That is was. Seems you’ve grown into quite the capable young man since that.”

“It would appear so.” Wilbur smiled sharply. “So what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“Wilbur.” Philza was suddenly beside the brunette, tone reproachful and eyes glaring before turning back to the King with a sheepish smile. “Forgive him, Sire, living out here in the countryside hasn’t taught him the proper manners one should use when addressing royalty.”

“Of course Philza, of course. Though the young man is within his right to question my arrival, especially with the guests I have brought with me.” Jschlatt laughed, giving off the appearance of a laid-back and easy-going person. Wilbur wasn’t fooled and neither were his brothers, all five of them sizing the man up. “To answer your question, Mayor Soot, we received reports of a beast roaming the forests surrounding L’Manberg so we have come to investigate and potentially kill or capture the beast if it is real.”

“It's very kind of you to come all this way to make sure we are safe,” Wilbur commented. The King smirked, eyes knowing. “Though I must confess, we haven’t seen anything that resembles a beast around these parts. Where did these reports come from exactly?”

“I have many eyes and ears around my kingdom to make sure my people are safe.” The king said. Wilbur hummed softly but his eyes stayed narrowed. The King smiled wider before he turned his attention to the four figures standing behind Wilbur, eyes sharpening quickly.

“And these must be the younger Minecraft’s. I have heard stories from Philza about them.”

Wilbur has to fight down to urge to snarl with fury and step in front of his brothers protectively. He wants to rush them to safety, to keep them far away from this man who looks at them in an almost hungry way. He can feel them all growing agitated and scared, the nervous shifting in the back of his mind telling him just how unsettled they all are. Dream especially is running on a short fuse, nerves on edge as he snaps and howls mentally at this threat to their flock. With a steadying breath, he reaches out to them mentally, grounding them and soothing the fear.

“Allow me to introduce you to Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo and Dream,” Wilbur says, gesturing to each brother respectively. The King hums, looking the four boys up and down before his eyes land on Dream, the youngest member of the flock growling ever so softly in response.

“Strange, I thought there were only three younger boys.” Jschlatt questions.

“Dream was adopted a few years ago. He is part of our family.” Wilbur reaches out and pulls the white-haired youth to his side, protective and on alert. He can feel the faint tremours running through the other body, can feel the others desire to change and rip the man before them to shreds.

‘Threat.’ Its hissed with white-hot venom along the connection.

‘Threat.’ Is echoed back by the triplets, the four surrounding their Alpha mentally, hissing and growling in anger.

King Jschlatt hums, smirking once again at Wilbur who wants nothing more than to punch the man. “You Minecraft’s are always taking in strays.”

The man chuckles and Wilbur gives a forced laugh as well, watching the King as if he were a wolf stalking their flock of sheep. The King gives a short speech to the village, stating why he has come and that they are only here to help and protect them. None of them believes it, they just stand in silence, watching like ghosts in a graveyard.

“We are happy to have you, your highness. Your troops are welcomed to set up camp in one of our vacant fields while you can reside in our home.” Philza beamed after the speech is done. Wilbur hisses quietly under his breath, the boys giving their own soft hisses and clicks as they glare at the elder blonde.

“Thank you for your hospitality.” The King smiled before heading back to his carriage, Philza leading the large group through the village and down the road towards the Minecraft farm.

‘He has no right to invite them into our territory.’ Dream spat as they all vanished from sight.

“He thinks he can leave for nine years and then just come back and act like he’s in charge?” Tommy sneered.

“He’s not the one who’s looked after and run the farm after all,” Ranboo muttered.

“I know boys, but there's nothing we can do about it right now.” Wilbur sighed, hands pulling at his hair.

‘I don’t want them near our den. I don’t want them near our nest while we sleep!’ Dream was almost foaming at the mouth with rage, fingers digging into the dirt as a constant growl slipped past bared teeth. The poor boy was trembling in fear and anger, his mind flooded with anxiety and stress. Tubbo whimpered sadly, moving to pull his younger brother down onto the ground laying stretched across his lap. Tommy swooped down to join the cuddle pile while Ranboo stood over them protectively, duel coloured eyes scanning the area for potential threats.

“Wilbur?” The voice of Sapnap has them all turning, watching as the Halo family plus Quackity and Charlie walk up to them.

“How are you holding up?” George asked gently.

“Honestly, by a thin thread,” Wilbur confessed. “It's been hard enough the last two days with Philza being around. Now that man is going to be living in our house too.”

Dream yowled from the cuddle pile, distressed and angry. Sapnap moved to sit by the boys, hand reaching out to run through Dream’s hair in comfort. The whole village is tense, everyone waiting and watching. Wilbur has never felt the weight of his position as Mayor and leader as strongly as he did at that moment. He looks at his brothers, his flock who are distressed and angry. He looks at his Beta and baby brother who looks only seconds away from a complete meltdown and comes to a decision. “Bad, can I ask a favour?”

“Of course.” The demon hybrid smiled.

“Can the boys stay with you for the time being?”

“What?” Tommy shouts, eyes wide. The rest of the flock is just as shocked with Dream churring with confusion.

“It's not safe for you boys to be at the house while that monster is there, Dream especially. I won’t put your lives at stake like that.” Wilbur stated. Dream whimpered, standing to rush to his Alpha’s side. He wrapped himself around the elder, tears welling up in his eyes.

‘Don’t want to leave you!’ The words pull at Wilbur’s heart as he wraps his arms tightly around the smaller.

“I know, I don’t want to leave you either. But it's not safe at home for you anymore. We’ll still be together during the day, it's just at night that you’ll stay with the Halo family.” Wilbur soothed. “It’s not forever, just until this whole mess is sorted.”

“It's not fair.” Tubbo sniffed as he and his brother’s joined the hug.

“It’s not, but it is what it is.” Wilbur sighed before turning to Bad. “It’s just for the night that they would be staying with you. I don’t trust that man anywhere near my brothers while they sleep.”

“They are more than welcome to stay with us,” Bad assured. “You as well.”

“I know but it would be suspicious if we all vacated the house. I can explain this away with Dream not liking strangers and needing his brother’s. It would be harder to explain my absence.”

“Just keep your wits about you Will, that man won’t stop until he has what he wants,” George warned his friend.

“You as well, and that goes for everyone in the village,” Wilbur called out to the rest of the people standing around them. “You know the signal to look out for, you know the plan. Stay safe and remember that now the walls and trees have eyes and ears so be mindful of what you speak of.”

A murmur rises from the gathered crowd before they begin to disperse. They all know that its now or never, that things are quickly reaching boiling point. They trust in their Mayor and true King, trust in the plan. They will look out for each other, will protect their own no matter the cost. King Jschlatt may think he’s in charge, that he holds all the cards but the people of L’Manberg are a united front and they are the ones holding the royal flush. Wilbur just hopes that they haven’t played their hand too late.

Chapter Text

The village does its best to go about their business as usual and ignore their guests. Farms are tended too, fields sowed and sheep shorn. But wherever they turn or look the black cloaks of Manberg imperial soldiers can be seen patrolling past. Three days into the King and his army’s arrival the questioning begins. Villagers are rounded up at random and taken to see the King personally, questioned on if they have seen anything strange lurking in the surrounding forests. Everyone is walking on eggshells, nerves cut thin as they are all made to feel like criminals in their own home.

Wilbur is run off his feet having to sit in on every interview as he has refused to abdicate his position as Mayor to Philza. Being over the age of eighteen allowed Wilbur to claim the title for himself instead of just being the acting Mayor and he would sooner shave all his hair off than give the title back to Philza. So he grits his teeth as he sits through each interview, hating how his people are being treated.

At present, they sit at the dining table, the King enjoying a lunch of roast chicken and steamed vegetables along with Philza. The two men make small talk, discussing matters of state and coin as well as laws that they are thinking of passing once they are back in the Capitol. Wilbur glowers at his plate, fighting the urge to throw his knife and fork at them both. He wonders if he would get away with smothering King Jschlatt in his sleep, claiming the man had suffered a heart attack in his sleep. It’s a tempting thought.

‘We’d rather you stab him.’ Tubbo’s voice whispers along his mind. Wilbur smiled as he felt the mischief of his younger brothers, the four boys offering up different ideas on how to kill the King.

‘And just why have you all thought so deeply about this? Aren’t you supposed to be keeping busy?’ Wilbur shot back.

‘We finished sowing the wheat field and the potato field.’ Ranboo stated proudly.

‘So we thought we’d come and make sure the bastard isn’t trying anything.’ Tommy jumped in.

‘Threat.’ Dream hissed along the edges. Wilbur felt a pull, head jerking up towards the window above the sink and sure enough, he could see his four brothers prowling at the edge of the tree line. He could feel the restless anger buzzing across the line of connection, the laser focus as their eyes tracked pacing soldiers and the shifting of the two other men at the table. Briefly, he caught a flash from Ranboo as the chimaera snapped his head towards a foot soldier who was walking with a slight limp.

‘Easy prey.’ Ranboo hummed gaining the other threes attention. Tommy practically vibrated where he stood, body instinctively dropping into a crouch while Tubbo churred with interest. Dream stayed to the side, watching the boys and oozing pride.

‘Boys, you know the rules.’ Wilbur’s firm voice cut across the bond, the four younger ones whining at the denied hunt.

‘Wouldn’t kill, just scare.’ Dream huffed even as he turned his attention away from the limping soldier. Wilbur gave a warning mental nudge, smiling when Dream playfully nudge him back.

“So Mayor Soot, have you seen anything strange in the woods lately?” Wilbur jumps at the sudden address, blinking up at the King who smirks down at him.

Wilbur glared, ignoring the reproachful look Philza sent him as he sat up straighter. “Can’t say I have, other than the occasional bear or nomadic traveller. Like I told you when you first arrived, no one here has seen or heard anything strange.”

“It would seem as if you were right. Everyone we’ve spoken to has said the same thing.” Jschlatt nodded in agreement but Wilbur wasn’t buying it. The man across from him chuckled before standing, not even bothering to take his empty plate to the sink as he headed to the front door. “I might go for a stroll around the farm. It’s not often I get to enjoy the countryside being cooped up in the Capitol all the time.”

The minute the front door closed, Philza swung on his second eldest son. “You need to start showing respect young man. That is our King you are speaking to and I know I raised you better than this.”

“Raised me?” Wilbur scoffed, eyes flashing. “You didn’t raise me, you were hardly ever here! Mum raised me, she taught me everything I know, not you! So don’t even try to pretend.”

“That is not true! I was here, I made sure you had a roof over your head and food on the table.” Philza snapped only to blink when Wilbur slammed his hands on the table as he surged to his feet.

“You were never fucking here! You left every chance you got! Christ, the boys barely even know you. And as for providing a roof over our heads, that is complete bull shit! Mum tended to the farm, she sowed the fields, she cared for the animals, she harvested the crops, not you! And when she died, instead of stepping up and acting like an adult you continued to go off on your little adventures leaving me to take over!” Wilbur screamed at the man, face red and tears welling up in his eyes. Distantly, he could hear the enraged calls of his brothers echoing in his head, promising pain and suffering for the man who had upset their Alpha. He took a deep breath, centring himself as he gazed back at Philza coldly who was watching him with wide eyes. “You don’t get to just come barging back into our lives pretending like you know us. You're only here because of some imaginary monster, not for us so when the King finally decides to leave I want you gone with him.”

“Wilbur.” Philza breathed but the young man only shook his head.

“No, you’ve made it clear where your loyalties lie. You will leave with the King and you won’t come back.” Wilbur hissed before storming from the house. He marches straight into the woods where he is imminently tackled to the ground by four worried brothers, all humming, cooing and purring in comfort.

“I’ll kill him,” Tommy growled as he burrowed into Wilbur’s left side, wings ruffled from agitation.

“We’ll help hide the body.” Tubbo smiled while Ranboo purred happily at the idea.

“Boys, it's alright.” Wilbur soothed, looking the triplets in the eyes as guilt tugged at his heart. “I know our relationship with our father is complicated but just because I am angry at him doesn’t mean you three have to be. If you want to try and get to know him you can, don’t think I will love you any less if you do. I just want you all to be happy.”

“We are happy. We’re happy with you.” Ranboo said.

“Yeah, we don’t need Philza to be our Dad when we have you,” Tubbo added on.

‘Ours.’ Dream hummed as he curled himself into Wilbur’s lap, head resting under the elder’s chin. The eldest feels tears filling his eyes as an overwhelming feeling of love and happiness flooded his heart. He wraps his arms around all four of the kids, hugging them to his body protectively.

“My boys.” Wilbur smiled fondly at his boys who all purred happily at his words. They stay like that for a few minutes before standing, heading back towards the farmhouse. Wilbur leads the boys towards their orchid of mango trees, instructing them to go through the rows of trees and check for any pest infestations. Ranboo in particular takes great joy in tending to the trees, gently pruning the leaves and spraying vinegar over them to keep the bugs away. Wilbur stands by the ladder as Tubbo climbs up it to tend to the higher branches. Tommy and Dream break away to go down a separate row, churring and chirping between each other.

“Come on big man, let’s see if we can find any rat nests. You like digging those up.” Tommy grinned while Dream gurgled happily.

They dash between the trees, Dream running along on all fours with his nose to the ground as he scents the area for rats and mice. When he finds a burrow he’s quick to dig it up, Tommy pouncing on any rodents that flee from them. At some point Tommy is able to coerce Dream into a round of play fighting, the blonde delighting in being able to play with his normally serious younger brother. With Wilbur distracted there is no pressure for Dream to be the serious Beta of the flock so it’s easy for Tommy to drag him into his games. They roll across the dirt, jumping on each other and playfully growling. Tommy uses his wings to help him, flying up into the air only to then dive down onto his brother.

Dream is running down the rows of trees, shrieking with laughter as he dodges between the trees to hide from Tommy who is flying up above. He skitters across the ground, looking behind himself to see if he can spot his brother. When he turns back around he gives a startled yelp, grinding to a halt as he gazes up at the figure that is suddenly standing before him. King Jschlatt looms over the lanky boy, a sharp predator like smile stretched across his face.

“Well hello there.” He almost purrs, smile getting wider when Dream snarled, body hunching down further to the ground. Jschlatt takes a step closer, Dream flinching as terror, anger and a primal urge to attack fills his body.

‘Dream!’ There’s panic from his brothers, Wilbur flaring with protective rage.

“You’re an interesting little guy, aren’t you?” Jschlatt chuckled, continuing to walk closer to the trembling boy. “A wild boy who shows up out of nowhere. Who doesn’t speak? I think there’s more to you than appears. I think the village is hiding something from me, and that you are somehow connected to it all.”

Dream gave a spitting hiss, eyes wide as he backed away from the towering man. Just when it looks like the man will reach out and grab hold of Dream a loud scream of anger sounds from above as Tommy dives between them. He flares out his white wings to provide a barrier, baby blue eyes flashing in warning as the King takes a startled step back.

“I would suggest stepping away from my brother,” Wilbur growled as he stepped out from the trees followed by Tubbo and Ranboo who were quick to join Tommy in shielding Dream.

“We were just having a friendly conversation.” Jschlatt smiled, hands up in surrender.

“I highly doubt that,” Wilbur muttered coldly as he came to a stop right before the King. He glared deep into the other man’s eyes, body language screaming a challenge. “This is your only warning, stay away from my kids.”

Jschlatt’s smile vanished, eyes narrowing as anger began to form. “I think you forget yourself Soot. I am your King. I don’t take orders, I give them.”

“And you forget whose town you’re in and whose family you are terrorizing.” Wilbur snapped back. “If you have questions about the boys you bring them to me. You are not to be alone with them and you are not to frighten them. As I said, stay away from my kids.”

The two stood, glaring daggers at the other. Jschlatt sneered before turning away. “You’ll regret this Soot, mark my words.”

“As will you, your highness.” Wilbur hissed as the man vanished through the trees. He stays there glaring for a few moments more before swinging around and dropping to his knees so he can pull Dream into a bone-crushing hug. “Are you okay, did he hurt you?”

‘I’m fine, he didn’t touch me. Tommy stopped him.’ Dream chittered anxiously, burrowing as close as he could into his Alpha’s arms.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner,” Tommy muttered, fingers digging into the soft white locks.

‘You came, that’s all that matters.’ Dream hummed back while leaning into the touch.

“He seemed really angry.” Tubbo pointed out. “Do you think he’s going to try something?”

Wilbur winced knowing how he’d reacted probably wasn’t the best. He should have handled the situation with more care and tact but feeling the terror and panic coming from his baby brother had sent his protectiveness into overdrive. The thought of that man being anywhere near his boys sent anger and rage surging through his body. Now though, he feared his rash actions may have put them all in even more danger. “I don’t know boys but we need to be extra careful now. I don’t want any of you out by yourself anymore. You need to either stay together or in pairs.”

“We’ll keep each other safe,” Ranboo promised pulling a weak smile from Wilbur who leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the chimaera’s head.

“I know you will.”

Wilbur stands and is quick to usher them off in the direction of the Halo Farm as the sun has started to set. The boys whine and protest, not wanting to leave him especially alone with the King in their house. They relent to their Alpha though, knowing his strong and capable and able to defend himself if need be. They are rushing off into the trees of the woods when Dream pauses and turns back to gaze proudly at Wilbur.

‘You showed true leadership today. You are our Alpha, but you are also a King. You will be a great King to the village.’ The younger beamed before dashing off into the woods after his siblings.

‘Thank you.’ Wilbur sends back, warmed by his Beta’s trust and loyalty for him. It was daunting to know his people looked to him as their leader and ruler now, saw him as their true King who would lead them in a revolt against the rest of the kingdom. But with the support, trust and love from his family and people he knows he can rise above and be what his people need.

Chapter Text

It creeps in like a snake in the night, silent and deadly as it enters the hen house to devour all in its path. Wilbur had returned home for dinner, a silent tense affair as none one spoke with words, only through harden gazes. Philza and the King had retired after the meal, leaving Wilbur to clean up after them before he too laid down for the night. He had gone to sleep with a sense of dread, a feeling that the fall had finally begun and there was no turning back. He had tossed and turned all night, not even the flock bond able to settle his nerves. He could feel his brother’s through the connection, could feel their restlessness and worry. It is their feelings of worry and fear spiking violently in the early hours of the morning that pull Wilbur from his restless slumber.

‘Boys?’ He calls out, confused and worried as waves of terror crash over him.

‘They are raiding houses! They are ransacking the village!’ Ranboo reaches desperately back followed by his siblings.

In his mind's eye, Wilbur sees what the boys see. He witnesses armed soldiers forcing their way into the homes of his people, violently throwing them aside as they try to protect their loved ones and homes. He watches as they rip through chests, cupboards, draws and closets in their search for anything incriminating. He sees children crying in terror as they stand out in the cool morning air, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. And he sees as Philza himself leads the charge, directing men to different buildings, calling for them to leave no room unturned. It ignites a fire in Wilbur’s being as he watches and hears his people crying out for help. He is dressed and running for the village centre before he has even properly woken up.

He arrives to pandemonium, to screaming and crying. His eyes grow cold as he watches one home go up in flames while the family kneels on the ground sobbing at their loss. Without thinking, Wilbur charges at the soldier holding the flaming torch that had set the fire, tackling him to the ground with an enraged yell. The man is caught off guard, doesn’t know what is happening before Wilbur is raining punches down onto his face. More shouts rise over the chaos, feet thunder towards them and then hands are yanking him off the fallen soldier. A metal covered fist slams into the side of Wilbur’s face, pain racing through his face as blood begins to flow from his now broken nose.

“Bring him forward!” The King’s voice is sharp as a whip, the man himself standing atop the steps of the town hall as he just watches the chaos unfolding. His smile is wide and vicious as Wilbur is dragged before him and thrown at his feet.

“Why are you doing this?” Wilbur growled up at him as blood dripped down his chin.

“I tried to be nice, tried to give you all a chance to prove your loyalty.” Jschlatt sneered. “You all forced my hand in this.”

“We didn’t do anything! These people do not deserve this!”

“You should have thought of that before you crossed me Soot. I did warn you that you would regret it.” Jschlatt smirked before turning back to the chaos before them. He remained stoic and cold in the face of screaming children and desperate families begging for their homes to be spared. Wilbur watches as poor Lorenzo’s carving shop is also set aflame, the deer hybrid only able to stand and watch as his livelihood turns to ash.

‘Wilby.’ Tommy’s soft voice sends fear racing through Wilbur’s heart, eyes snapping up to the far end of the village where he can see the Halo family and his boys standing hidden in the shadows with wide horrified eyes.

‘Get out of here, head back to the Halo farm and hide!’ Wilbur orders, hating the pained look that crosses his boys’ faces.

‘What about you?’ Tubbo questions as tears begin to fall.

‘Don’t worry about me, just get to safety and stand by for the signal.’

‘We can’t leave you! I can help, I can stop them!’ Dream is pushing forward both mentally and physically, Sapnap and George rushing to grab hold of his lanky arms to prevent him from rushing into the village.

‘NO! You need to leave now!’ Wilbur snaps causing Dream to freeze. They lock eyes, firm brown on tearful green. ‘Go now!’

Dream howls with grief before turning around and dashing off into the woods, Tubbo and Tommy hot on his tail while Ranboo mutters to Bad and Skeppy, obviously telling them what Wilbur had said before they too leave.

“Any word on those little urchins?” Jschlatt suddenly called out making Wilbur freeze in place.

“We searched the property but there was no trace of the children.” A soldier called back.

“Then look harder!” Jschlatt yelled angrily before turning back to Wilbur with a cruel twisted smile. “I’m sure once we have a little one on one chat with your brothers that we’ll finally get some leads on where the monster is hiding.”

Red fills Wilbur’s vision as he lunges at the man, teeth bared as a blood-thirsty snarl rips from his throat. Strong arms wrap around his body, preventing him from ripping into the King with his bare hands as a familiar voice hisses in his ear. “Calm down, he wants to get a reaction out of you. You’ll only make matters worse if you attack him.”

Technoblade holds his twin firmly as Jschlatt cackles where he stands, Wilbur glaring hatefully at the man as he struggles. He knows Techno is right, that he needs to calm himself and think before he acts but rage is thrumming hot through his blood and burning in his heart. His instincts are screaming at him to tear the threat to his flock apart, to kill him and keep his kids safe. He goes limp in his twins hold, glaring at the King with the hopes he will burst into flames from his gaze alone.

“Hold it,” Jschlatt calls suddenly, his eyes zeroed in on Wilbur’s chest and filled with utter glee. He walks slowly towards the brothers, hand reaching out and grabbing hold of something that hangs from Wilbur’s neck. The brunette feels his heart sink in horror as the man lifts a single white scale into the air that was strung along a chain necklace, the first Yule gift Dream had given Wilbur all those years ago. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

Techno has tensed in shock while Wilbur feels a cold sweat break out across his head mixing with his blood. His necklace must have slipped free from his shirt when he was struggling or he forgot to tuck it under his shirt when he left the house. He wanted to slap himself for his stupidity, he’d been so careful these last few weeks, had made sure to keep the scale hidden at all times. Now he may have just put his whole family in danger.

The king gave a soft laugh, face alight with victory and smugness. “I think we need to have a little chat Mayor Soot. Seems you haven’t been completely honest with me.”

The attacking soldiers are called off and told to make their way back to their camp. The villagers watch, eyes filled with fear as Wilbur is put in chains and led away with them. He looks up and makes eye contact with Niki and Puffy, giving a single barely noticeable nod that they return before he puts his head down and walks off. Philza stands behind his son, face stormy and cold while Techno just looks shocked and conflicted. He looks at his father who looks angrier than he’s ever seen him and then looks at his twin who just offers up a weak smile.

The group makes its way back to the farmhouse where Wilbur is forcefully pushed into one of the kitchen chairs facing the King and Philza. Techno stands by the entryway to the kitchen, face pinched while worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. It's clear he is conflicted, that he wants to help his twin and be there for him but that he also still feels loyalty to the crown. Wilbur feels a small amount of guilt at having put his brother in such a position but he can’t dwell on those feelings too much as the King leans forward with narrowed eyes.

“So Mayor Soot, care to explain?” Jschlatt asks innocently.

“I have a necklace. Didn’t know that was a crime.” Wilbur shrugged, fighting down to urge to laugh in the man's face.

“This isn’t a game Wilbur, you are facing multiple charges of treason right now,” Philza growled causing Wilbur to tilt his head at his father, face impassive.

“I’m well aware of what I am doing. What I’m doing is protecting my family and my people. Something neither of you could understand." He hissed, eyes boring into Philza's with a deep-seated hatred.

“And just what does that mean?” The avian snapped back.

“You stood by and let our people be attacked and dragged from their homes. You allowed their homes to be ransacked and damaged, allowed some to be burned to the ground. You bring shame to our village.” Wilbur seethed.

A loud slap echos through the room followed by deafening silence. Techno has flinched in shock, eyes wide as he stares at his father who stands before Wilbur with his hand still raised. His twin’s head has snapped to the side, a red handprint quickly forming on the side of his face as he just sits there in stunned silence. The whole time, Jschlatt smirks at the small family breaking apart, clearly enjoying the drama going on before him.

“I rest my case,” Wilbur mutters as he turns to glare up at his father who looks slightly shocked by his own actions.

“As entertaining as this all is, I think we should get back to the questioning.” Jschlatt drawls as he steeples his fingers, smiling at Wilbur. “Where did you get that scale?”

“Found it a few years ago,” Wilbur responded.

“And you didn’t find it strange? Finding such a large scale randomly? Surely you would consider that as noteworthy when we arrived and started asking about a possible beast in the area.”

“I find a random scale and my first thought is that there should be some monster nearby? It probably came from some unknown reptile, a lizard most likely.”

Jschlatt glared while Wilbur just smiled back innocently. The King straightened as he took a deep calming breath. “We both know you are hiding something, that the village is hiding something. If you confess and cooperate then I shall show mercy. If you refuse then I will have no choice but to use extreme force.”

For the first time since the interrogation had started, Philza looked worried. He was eyeing both the King and his son, looking incredibly unsure of himself. Techno had tensed, eyes growing cold as he glared at the King for threatening his twin. Wilbur just stared back at the man blankly, with no fear to be seen. Instead, he leaned over the table while maintaining eye contact, lips pulling up into a small smile. “Our loyalty is not to you. We are of the North, we protect our own. We will not bow to a Southern fool.”

Philza stares in open horror while Techno gasps quietly. Wilbur knows he has effectively declared war on the Kingdom of Manberg, knows he has just spoken treason and he revels in it. He continues to smile as the King frowns, slowly standing from the table as he waves two guards into the room who are quick to haul Wilbur to his feet.

“Very well, you will be restrained outside for the night. When dawn breaks tomorrow you will be publicly executed. Any who continue to oppose me will meet the same fate.” King Jschlatt growled, ignoring Philza who began to desperately plea for his son's life. Wilbur just smiles, allowing himself to be dragged outside where his hands are tied behind his back over a wooden stake, falling on his behind when the guards release him. The two guards move a few meters away to stand watch, preventing Philza and Techno from approaching when they try.

That is where he remains for the rest of the day, tied to a post in the baking hot sun with no food or water. The guards change twice and at one point Jschlatt approaches him with one last chance to confess but Wilbur just continues to smile while once again declaring himself a separate individual from the country of Manberg. When the sun starts to set turning the sky hues of angry red and orange he turns to the tree line of the woods surrounding the forest. There, keen eyes spot Dream standing beside Niki, Ponk, Bad and Yohan. He nods once to them, the gesture returned before they melt back into the trees. With the stage set, Wilbur takes a deep breath and begins to sing.

I want to return to my home by the sea,

Back to the land of the wild and free.

Where the sand is white and there’s salt in the air,

Where our rulers were strong and just and fair.

The guards jump, turning to stare with wide eyes at their prisoner who hasn’t uttered a single sound since he was tied to the post. They shuffle nervously as the words of the song wash over them, filling them with a sense of sudden fear and dread. From the window of the farmhouse, Philza and Techno listen. Philza scowls, hating the old folk song that he had forbidden anyone in the village from singing years ago while Techno listened with growing interest. The song was old, passed down the family lines of all the citizens of L’Manberg who were descendants of those that lived in the Kingdom of L’Manberg. Philza had banned the song from the village, stating it was treason to sing such words, to think such things but Wilbur’s mother had made sure her son knew the words who in turn made sure his brothers knew them too.

Take me home, to my castle by the shore.

Take me home, where we lived once long before.

Take me home, to where we were young, wild and free.

Take me home, to my castle by the sea.

Jschlatt stormed from the house, stopping a few feet away from Wilbur to glare hatefully at him. The young man locked eyes as he continued to sing as distantly, a murmur rose into the air. Everyone grew silent and still, ears straining to hear what was causing the sound only to have their eyes widen in shock. It was coming from the village and it was singing, hundreds of voices singing together the song Wilbur was singing. Jschlatt gaped in befuddlement, turning wide eyes back to Wilbur who smirked up at him.

I want to return to my home by the sea,

Back to the land of the wild and free.

Where the sand is white and there’s salt in the air,

Where our rulers were strong and just and fair.

The voices singing in the distance began to fade away till Wilbur was once again the only one singing. The sudden silence from the village left a bitter taste in the King’s mouth, heart hammering in his chest as panic began to set it. Something was happening, something was taking shape, something he had no control over and he hated it. He looked at Wilbur who’s eyes seemed to glow with power, a fire dancing in his heart and soul for all to see.

Take me home, to my castle by the shore.

Take me home, where we lived once long before.

Take me home, to where we were young, wild and free.

Take me home, to my castle by the sea.

The last note is dragged out softly, seeming to hold a promise in its sound. It falls from Wilbur’s lips, fading away into the evening air as distant rumbling sounds. The rumbling turns into a roar as the ground shakes and a violent flash of fire erupts from the direction of the village. Everyone yelps, shielding their eyes from the blinding light and confusion sets in. When they are able to see again they are presented with the sight of flames surging into the air from the distant village, the fire so large it can easily be seen from the Minecraft farmhouse. Jschlatt, Philza and Techno stare in confusion, shock and horror, not understanding what has just happened as Wilbur gives a low chuckle.

“What did you do?” Jschlatt whispers, all eyes turning to the young man tied to the post.

Wilbur smiled up at them all, mentally tracking the approaching wildfire that was steadily making its way towards him. He looked at his father who was pale in shocked horror, at his twin who while also shocked seemed to also understand to a degree before finally turning to the King. His smile grew razor-sharp, eyes alight with fire as he stared the man down.

“It was never meant to be.”

No sooner had the words left his lips when a loud thundering roar sounds from above followed by a wall of fire that falls between the two groups. Dream lands heavily on the ground beside his Alpha, wings flared and teeth bared. He growls low and threatening, his tail whipping around the snap against the rope around Wilbur’s wrists. The bindings fall away and Wilbur is quick to jump onto his brother and Beta’s back, smirking down at the awe and shocked faces looking up at him.

“I, Wilbur Soot, Mayor of L’Manberg and Alpha of my flock declare war on the country of Manberg. From this day forward, L’Manberg is its own separate country, its own Kingdom as it was in days of old. We declare independence and promise fire and blood to any who oppose us.” He calls out, voice strong and commanding, the voice of a King and Alpha. Dream screams his approval to the sky, flames licking through the air before his wings snap out, propelling them up into the night sky and away from the slowly gathering crowd of armed soldiers.

They fly over the burning ruins of the village, houses destroyed and deep gouges in the earth. It fills Wilbur with a sense of grief to see his childhood home in such a state, to know he had a hand in its destruction. Beneath his hands, Dream gives a low rumble of comfort.

‘It can be rebuilt. It is not lost forever.’

“I know bud. It’ll just hurt for a while. But a home isn’t a patch of land, it’s a people, the people you love and care for.” Wilbur smiled, fingers tracing gentle patterns on smooth warm scales. He’s missed Dream’s true form, missed his true self. He loves being able to hold the younger in his arms again, loves watching him play with his brothers as a human, but he will always be a dragon and Wilbur wouldn’t have him any other way.

‘Then we go home, home to our flock.’ Dream hummed, pleased with his Alpha’s words.

“Yeah buddy, let's go home.”

Chapter Text

Pogtopia was a well-hidden base, built into the walls of a towering ravine that was hidden from view by thick forest at its entrance and on top of the ravine. Caves are dug out along the sides of the two cliff faces, torches and beds placed in them to house families with wooden bridges and staircases connecting them. On the ground are houses as well for people along with pens for animals and multiple gardens for vegetables, fruits and wheat. A small stream runs through the middle of the ravine, once a raging river that had carved down deep in the earth’s surface. The tall walls of the ravine help shelter the community of people from rain during storms and the blazing sun during the middle of the day. All in all, it is the perfect place for the citizens of L’Manberg to set up their base and hide away from the rest of the country.

It was midnight when Wilbur and Dream finally arrived, the great white dragon landing just outside the ravine’s entrance where Bad, Skeppy, George, Sapnap and the triplets are waiting for them. The minute Wilbur has his feet on the ground he is tackled in a group hug by the triplets, Dream huffing down at them fondly.

“We were so worried.” Tubbo sniffed.

“When they took you away, we thought…” Ranboo couldn’t even finish his sentence, whimpering at the very thought of losing their older brother.

“Hush, it's alright. I’m here now, I’m safe. I’ll never leave you.” Wilbur soothed, making sure to hug them all individually and press a soft kiss to their brows. The relief at seeing his boys safe and sound has him sagging from exhaustion, hand reaching up to press against Dream’s neck to simply feel the smooth warm scales.

“So are we wanted criminals now?” Tommy asked once emotions had calmed. It pulls a laugh from Wilbur who playfully ruffles the blondes hair.

“I suppose that’s one way to put it.” He looks up to Bad and Skeppy knowing he will need to have an in-depth discussion with them soon. His actions tonight won’t just affect himself or his family, they will affect the whole village so he has a duty to do what is right for them. “Come on boys, off to bed. It’s way past your bedtime as it is.”

“But the sun will be up in a few hours anyway! Why can’t we stay awake?” Tommy moaned. Dream intervened, cuffing down at his brother warningly while gently nudging him towards the ravine. Wilbur gave his Beta a grateful smile as he watched Dream usher the triplets off to bed. With the four youngsters gone it leaves the Halo family with Wilbur, a tense silence stretching between them.

“I’ll address the whole village tomorrow, make an official declaration but you all should know that as of tonight, we are at war.” He warned them.

“We’re with you dude, no matter the outcome,” Sapnap promised.

“We’ll face this together. We trust you, Wilbur, we know you’ll do everything you can to keep us all safe.” Skeppy smiled while resting a hand on the younger man’s shoulder.

Wilbur smiled weakly before turning to Bad, eyes worried and desperate. “Did we lose anyone in the escape?”

“No, everyone is accounted for. No injured either. You did good Will.” Bad assured him and Wilbur felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

They all shuffle off to bed after that, Wilbur all but collapsing into the new nest with his brother’s. He’d missed sleeping in a nest, had missed being able to reach out and hold his brother’s, missed the love and warmth he felt when Dream would curl protectively around all of them, a wall of warm scales and undying loyalty. He smiles as his Beta leans down to press his snout against his head, hot air ruffling fluffy brown locks. For the first time in weeks, he falls into a gentle slumber, the flock bond humming with happiness and love.

The next day dawns early, Wilbur forcing himself from the warm nest and the strong grip of Ranboo who had attached himself to Wilbur sometime during the night. He doesn’t want to be awake, wants to stay asleep for a few more hours but he knows he has work to do. He can already hear the sounds of his people moving about the ravine, tending to the farms and the animals. He knows he needs to speak with them, knows he needs to let them know what has happened and what they have gotten into. With a sigh, Wilbur rises from the nest, stretching out the kinks in his back as he does so. An amused snort has him turning to smile at Dream who is watching him fondly.

‘I will keep watch, you go do what you need to.’

“Thanks, buddy.” A gentle hand runs along the underside of Dream’s jaw, fingers digging into the smooth scales drawing a contented purr from the dragon.

Wilbur leaves the little cottage his family had claimed as theirs, looking out at the other houses before him. He sees familiar faces all around, watches them plough little gardens and sow seeds, feed pens of sheep and milk the cows they brought with them. They all slowly notice him, stopping their tasks to stand and approach him. Before long, the whole village stands before him, waiting and trusting.

“My people. As of last night, we are now officially at war. We have declared ourselves a separate kingdom and country from Manberg. We are our own nation, our own people. But I must warn you all now, this is only the beginning. We face a tremendously hard battle ahead, one that not all of us will survive. I ask you not as your Mayor or King, but as your friend to stand by my side and fight for our freedom.” Wilbur called out, loud and strong. Silence stretched on for a long moment, tension hanging in the air before a single voice began to sing, the rest of the village slowly following suit.

I want to return to my home by the sea,

Back to the land of the wild and free.

Where the sand is white and there’s salt in the air,

Where our rulers were strong and just and fair.

Take me home, to my castle by the shore.

Take me home, where we lived once long before.

Take me home, to where we were young, wild and free.

Take me home, to my castle by the sea.

Wilbur laughs as the song rises into the air, lifting their spirits with it. His brothers appear by his side, adding their own voices to the song as it loops back around. Dream stands over them, protective and supportive, crooning softly along with them all.

Things fall into a rhythm after that. Everyone works together to grow crops and care for the animals. Each day a different group of people join Bad, Skeppy and Yohan in battle training, both men and women stepping up to learn how to fight. An archery range is set up a few days later with many of the younger kids taking up the hobby so they can both defend themselves and help with hunting for food. When people go out into the woods they travel in groups of three or two so they can stay hidden easier. No one is nieve enough to think the King isn’t looking for them, that he has given up and gone back South. Charlie becomes an essential part of the scouting process with his ability to travel underground unseen and unheard. He makes daily trips back to the ruins of L’Manberg to see what the King’s army is doing.

“The TNT did its job. The tunnels all collapsed so they are unable to track where we went.” Charlie informed Wilbur after one of his scouting trips.

“Are they looking any closer to returning South?” George asked from his place next to Tubbo, the younger boy reading through his enchanting book with wide eyes.

“Not yet but it shouldn’t be too much longer. They have no supplies left for them to be able to stay long term. In the last week alone they have stripped the Minecraft farm clean of all produce.” Charlie said. It earned a low growl from Wilbur, the young man hating how they had just taken everything from their farm with no regard to all the effort put into building and maintaining it.

“We could speed up their departure, but it means doing something drastic,” Sapnap spoke up causing all eyes to turn to him. “I could sneak back tonight and light the remaining crop fields around the village on fire.”

“It's too dangerous.” Bad shook his head straight away to which Sapnap gave a scoff.

“It's war Dad, everything about this is dangerous.”

“Your only twenty-one Sapnap. Someone else can go.”

“I’m a Blaze Hybrid, fire is natural to me. I won’t need to waste time lighting a flint or waiting for the fire to catch. I have the best chance of lighting the fires quickly and escaping quickly without being seen.” Sapnap growled at his father before his face softened. He could see the fear in Bad’s eyes, the worry for his youngest child. “I know you're scared for me Dad, but I can do this. Trust me.”

Bad still looked unsure, worrying his bottom lip between his fangs so Wilbur decided to offer an ultimatum. “What if Dream went with him? If things go south he can get Sap out of there in no time.”

Dream rose from his position on the ground, moving slowly to stand behind Sapnap while maintaining eye contact with Bad as if to assure the elder that he would keep his son safe. The demon hybrid sighed, shoulders still far too tense and eyes still overflowing with fear and worry, but he nodded his head in agreement. He jumped when Dream leaned closer to him, a low hum sounding from deep inside his chest.

“He’ll keep Sapnap safe Bad, he promises.” Wilbur smiled, proud of his Beta.

It seemed to finally be enough for Bad who gave a weak laugh, a hand coming up to run along the side of Dream’s jaw pulling a pleased rumble from the dragon. “Thanks, Dream, I trust you’ll keep him out of trouble.”

“Hey, if anything I should be the one keeping him out of trouble. I am the older one after all.” Sapnap huffed playfully, yelping when Dream pushed him over with his head and giving his gurgling version of a laugh.

“Dream is way more responsible than you are.” Ranboo snorted. It starts a playful argument that quickly turns into a game of tag that Sapnap, George and Quackity are dragged into. It’s a welcomed break from the stress of battle planning and survival planning, something to help them all relax from the crushing weight of responsibility that sits heavy on their shoulders.

When the sun starts to sink past the trees they get to work. Wilbur attaches the special saddle to Dream’s back while Sapnap dresses in all black, even going as far as to wrap a black cloth around his head so only his eyes are visible. George shoves his younger brother playfully, snarking about how he is just using this mission as an excuse to live out his childhood dream of being an assassin. Sapnap just cackled with glee along with Tommy and Tubbo who thought the elder boy looked sick.

“Dream will fly you within a mile of the outer fields, you’ll have to walk from there. Charlie has said they have soldiers patrolling the farm boundaries in case anyone tries to sneak in for food and resources so you both need to be extra careful. Sapnap, stay by Dream’s side at all times, his senses are better than yours so he’ll be able to see, hear and smell danger long before you could.” Wilbur instructed as the blaze hybrid climbed up onto the dragon’s back. His orange eyes were a little nervous, having never ridden on Dream when the younger was flying before but he was also brimming with excitement.

Bad stood off to the side with Skeppy, face pinched and filled with worry. “Remember, if you're spotted you come straight back. You are not to fight any soldiers! Promise me Sap that you’ll be careful.”

“I promise Dad.” Sapnap sighed but his voice was filled with love and devoid of any real annoyance. He looked down at Dream who snorted softly up at him, almost as if in question. “Ready when you are big guy.”

Dream gave a soft roar before surging up into the sky, Sapnap giving a startled yelp that turned into an excited yell as they quickly vanished over the treetops. Bad hummed with worry, nervously biting at his fingers only for Skeppy to gentle take his hand from his mouth. “They’ll be just fine, trust in your son, love. He’s more capable than you think.”

“I know, I just can’t help but worry.” Bad sighed causing his husband to chuckle.

“That’s what parents do. No shame in worrying. You just have to know when to let them go, even if you are scared to do so. We can’t protect them forever, after all, they need to make mistakes and get hurt sometimes so that they can learn.” Skeppy laughed before taking Bad’s hand and leading him towards their own cottage. As they walked away, Wilbur stared after them as he turned over Skeppy’s words inside his head.

High above the ground in the steadily darkening sky, Dream glided along the warm spring air currents with practised ease. Sapnap had calmed his joyous yelling and now laid silent against Dream’s back, eyes taking everything in while a small smile pulled at his lips. When the ruins of L’Manberg started to come into view Dream began his descent, landing in a small clearing with barely a sound for his massive size. Sapnap jumped from his back, body thrumming with nervous energy as they both began to creep through the trees.

“Charlie said that the only farms left that hadn’t been stripped clean were the Abdon’s, Bramhall’s and Hackney’s farms. The Hackney farm has more variety so we’ll hit that one first.” Sapnap whispered to his companion who rumbled gently to let him know he understood.

They moved silently along the tree line, the still smoldering ruins of the town centre ignored in favour of the wide paddocks and fields of the farmhouses. They could see torches bobbing through the darkness of early evening, soldiers on patrol. Dream growled low at the sight, scales rippling with colour before taking on the colours and patterns of the environment around them to better hide from them. After all, his normal white scales would stand out like a sore thumb in the night air. By the time they reached the Hackney farm night had truly begun, the moon in a waxing phase making it almost pitch black.

“I’ll head to the crops further out in the fields. I’ll be able to hide better than you. Once you see the fires start igniting then you can start setting the ones close to the tree line alight as well.” Sapnap hissed to Dream who hummed softly.

The blaze hybrid dashed across the open fields, body kept low to the ground so as not to draw attention. He arrived at his destination, right beside the abandoned and destroyed farmhouse that once held the Hackney family. The sight brought a wave of grief to Sapnap who knew the family well, had played with the children growing up and had also helped them harvest their crops from time to time. Now he stood there, ready to destroy what was left of their home and it sent a spike of guilt through his heart. He looked at the rolling hills and fields that he, George and the Hackney kids had run along in games of tag, looked at the little dam that sat down the hill where they had swum in the heat of summer. With a heavy sigh, Sapnap called on the hot fire that constantly ran through his blood, fingers sparking to life with flames that eagerly caught on the grass and leafy heads of the growing crops. He ran along the rows of crops, fingers leaving trails of fire in his wake as he went.

In the distance, a horn sounded followed by panicked shouts as light from the fire drew attention to the patrolling soldiers. To his right, he could see more flames rising into the air as Dream began to set the remaining fields ablaze. As the shouting voices draw closer the pair ducked back into the trees and began to circle back, now heading to the Abdon family farm and their apple and orange tree orchids.

They moved like a well-oiled machine, Sapnap once again tackling the rows of trees furthest from the tree line while Dream took care of the rest. They could hear the panicked cries rising, overlapping with confusion as they moved towards their last target, the Bramhall grape vineyard. Here they didn’t separate, they worked side-by-side to light the fires as they knew by now the Soldiers would have figured out this was a planned attack and not just some freak accident. As they suspected, a wave of armed men on horseback came charging over the hills, their armour catching the light from the fires making them stand out in the night. Sapnap jumped onto Dream’s back, laughing with delight as the dragon screamed with rage before taking to the sky once more. Looking down at the burning mess they had created, Sapnap hooted with glee when he saw the King himself glaring up at them with hate-filled eyes.

“Hail King Wilbur, the one true King. Get fucked Schlatt you Southern weasel!” He screamed down at the man while Dream called out happily clearly agreeing with the statement.

“I’ll have your heads! All of you! I will kill you all!” Jschlatt’s voice echoed from below, fading to nothing as Dream began to fly away from the ruins of L’Manberg and back towards Pogtopia. Sapnap just snorted with amusement, smile widening when Dream glanced back at him with an almost playfully look in his eyes.

“Man won’t know what’s hit em’ when we’re through with him.” Sapnap chuckled, Dream giving his soft gurgling laugh in agreement. The pair laughed and smiled the whole flight back, basking in the afterglow of a successful mission and at having caused the fool King such a problem. The man had stirred the pot, had awakened a storm that had been brewing since before he set foot in the village. Now the storm had arrived and he was severely unprepared for the ferocity of it all. He was floundering, drowning and Dream especially was loving watching him struggle.

Chapter Text

With the burning of the crops, it doesn’t take long for the King and his army to run out of supplies. Just a week after Sapnap and Dream had launched their attack Charlie reports the army packing up their camp and beginning the long march south. Everyone knows that it isn’t the end of things, that the King will be back with more soldiers, more supplies and with more anger. They also know they don’t have the numbers needed to even stand a chance against his army. Quackity is the one who suggests contacting the other nearby villages, that the people of El Rapids, Kinoko and the Badlands Outpost will be the most likely to join their side and fight against Manberg. Letters are drawn up and ravens are summoned. It's risky using the ravens but Wilbur also knows they can’t ask poor Charlie to deliver all the letters. Kinoko is a good 2 weeks journey and that’s if you were to not stop for sleep or food.

“We can only hope that the King will be distracted with his return trip south to intercept any ravens he sees.” Niki had sighed when concern about using the ravens was brought up.

A week and a half after the attack on the crops find the Minecraft family and Halo family sitting in the sunshine just outside the entrance to the ravine. Around them are families enjoying the warm spring sunshine, children playing in the tree lines of the surrounding woods while their parents watch on. The triplets are playing with Fundy, Foolish and Purpled, a game of tag that is very quickly turning into a game of wrestling when Tommy tackles Purpled to the ground. Wilbur is standing with the Halo family, Quackity, Charlie and Ponk, all of them standing over a map of the country and trying to make plans of attack.

Off to the side, only watching them from the corner of their eye, Dream stands staring into the woods. The triplets had tried to get their younger brother to join in their game but Dream was adamant in keeping his vigil by the trees, refusing to move a single inch. Wilbur had gently probed at the younger but Dream had just huffed and brushed his concern aside. All Wilbur had been able to get from his Beta was that something was out in the woods, something that was searching. When pressed about it the dragon had assured them all that whatever it was wasn’t a threat to them, wasn’t a spy for the King.

“How do you know though?” Wilbur had asked.

‘The Slime, they have been teaching me to listen to the earth. The earth doesn’t lie.’ Dream had responded before going back to his vigil.

The white dragon stared deep into the trees, mind splitting between his flock mates, his own thoughts and the magic of the earth.  It was hard, listening to what was whispered between the trees, rocks and streams. It was an old language, one that he both instinctually knew but also didn’t. He was too new to this language to understand it completely which was frustrating. But he also knew the earth wouldn’t and couldn’t tell him everything, that some things he needs to discover and understand by himself.

Dream listened and straightened when the whispers grew louder, clearer. He breathed deeply through his nose, claws digging into the soft ground while his wings flexed slightly along his back. He can feel Wilbur reaching out, feel the concern building in his Alpha and brother but the whispers were growing louder. They were calling him, urging him to follow them. Wilbur was reaching, mentally and physically but Dream wasn’t listening to him anymore. His wings snapped out, sending him into the air faster than one could blink. Wilbur and the boys called out, worried and confused but Dream ignored their voices, only having ears for the voices of the earth.

~~~~~~~

For years, Technoblade Minecraft, the eldest child of Philza Minecraft had been sure of himself and his place in the world. His father had told him that it was his job, his responsibility to be the strongest of his siblings, the best fighter, best tracker, best hunter. He was a natural when it came to handling weapons, shared his father’s love of adventure and travelling. That wasn’t to say he had regrets. He wished he’d spent more time with his mother and twin growing up, wished his father hadn’t taken him on so many trips when he was a child. He wished he’d gotten to see the triplets grow up, had been there when their newest member, Dream, had been welcomed into the family. He wished he’d seen the struggle poor Wilbur was going through, wished he’d stayed at the farm to help him raise the boys and care for the farm.

When the King had ordered them to march North to L’Manberg to hunt a so-called monster that had been sighted he had been excited to see his younger brothers and childhood home again. When they had arrived and he’d seen his twin for the first time in nearly nine years he felt like he’d just been punched in the face before being plunged into ice-cold water. The anger, hurt and resentment shinning in his brother’s eyes felt like knives through his heart, the venom-filled words like acid on his skin. Techno had his eyes opened by his brother’s anger and cold behaviour towards their father, their wariness towards him. They were clearly angry with both of them but were at least a little more lenient with themselves. Philza was refusing to see the mistakes he’d made, was refusing to accept he’d done the wrong thing but Techno wasn’t so blind.

Techno helped his twin with the farm work, helped care for the animals, with preparing meals and kept an eye on the younger boys. He wanted to repair the relationship between them all, wanted to make amends for his mistakes. He’d been making progress, he knew he had been because Wilbur and the boys were warming up to him, Dream was warming up to him. It had thrilled the Piglin Hybrid to see the skittish wild boy becoming more comfortable with him, made him feel like he was being trusted with something special.

And then everything had fallen apart. The King had seemed to snap, ordering all homes to be turned upside down in search of evidence of them hiding the monster. Then Wilbur had come flying in, yelling at the King, threatening to attack him. The King found the necklace, the scale, had questioned his twin who declared war on Manberg. His twin had been sentenced to death, his twin had smiled, his twin had sung the old folk song, his twin had blown up L’Manberg and flown away on a dragon.

In the resulting chaos that followed Techno had slipped away into the woods. The things the King had been doing, had been saying had slowly been disillusioning Techno to the great Kingdom of Manberg. His father had wanted him to be the strongest of his siblings, the best fighter, hunter, tracker. His father wanted him to become a Knight, had wanted him to keep pushing himself till he rose up the ranks and became head Knight. Techno had spent his whole life doing what his father said even though he just wanted to live with his siblings on their farm. When his twin blew up their village and flew off on the back of a dragon, Techno slipped away into the woods to try and find his family so he could apologise properly and finally do something he wanted to.

Finding his family was proving to be another matter entirely though. Techno thought he knew the surrounding woods like the back of his hand having camped in them so often during his youth. He thought it would only be a matter of days before he stumbled across the campsite of the villagers yet after two weeks there is still no sign of them. You’d think that a large village of people and a dragon would be easy to find but clearly, they were more prepared to disappear than Techno had first believed.

The Piglin hybrid sighed as he stomped out his campfire once again, the warm spring sun quickly rising into the sky signalling it was time to get moving once more. He only had his armour and sword with him, no sleeping matt or tarp to protect him if it rained. Techno was no stranger to roughing it out in the wild but he hoped to find his brother’s soon. His back was starting to complain from sleeping on the hard cold ground every night.

With a groan, Techno set off through the trees. He kept a sharp eye out for anything that would indicate a person had been in the area recently, ears constantly straining to pick up even the slightest sound of civilization. The sun was blazing down on his body, swelteringly hot even under the cover of the trees and quickly reminding Techno that he hadn’t had any water for nearly two days as he had no waterskin to take water with him when he found a stream or pond. He could feel his mind growing hazy from dehydration, head pounding in pain and vision starting to grow blurry. Techno would later blame his lack of water and food for why he never noticed the sound of approaching wings heading towards him.

One moment Techno was stumbling his way through a small clearing, hoping to find a water source down a gully. Next, he was snatched from the ground, feet dangling in the air as the wind rushed past him at an alarming speed. Techno screamed in shock and fright, hands flying up to grip tightly to the scaley paws that were clamped around his shoulders. Looking up he felt his stomach drop at the sight of the massive white and black dragon that had spirited his twin away two weeks ago. The long curved golden horns gleamed in the sunlight, emerald green eyes locked on the horizon as powerful wings moved in graceful strokes through the air, carrying them effortlessly over the treetops.

“Oh my Prime, this is it, this is how the great Technoblade dies.” He muttered to himself as he eyed the ground far below, hands gripping at the paws holding him even tighter. He flinched when the dragon gave a low rumble in response to his words, red eyes glancing up only to widen when they locked with bright green. Those eyes, he felt like he knew those eyes, had seen them before but he just couldn’t place them.

“I really hope you're not going to eat me.” The dragon snorted, head shaking before turning its gaze back to the horizon. It wasn’t a yes, but it also wasn’t a no so Techno couldn’t only hope that this wasn’t how the so-called Blood God would meet his end.

~~~~~

Wilbur was worried, pacing back and forth as he bit at his fingers. The whole morning, Dream had been off. The youngest member of the flock had been closed off and distant, aimlessly staring off into the surrounding woods and ignoring all attempts from his brothers to talk. When Dream had suddenly taken flight, disappearing into the sky faster than one could blink it had sent a spike of fear through Wilbur’s heart. He had reached out, racing along the bond to try and understand what was happening with his youngest brother only to have Dream lock him out, throwing up a barrier between their minds. The action left all the flock members reeling, none of them having ever completely shut the others out in such a way before. Poor Ranboo had let out an Enderman-like scream before teleporting to Wilbur’s side seeking comfort. Tubbo and Tommy had wrapped themselves around each other, Tommy’s wings ruffling in agitation as they did so.

It had been nearly two hours since Dream took off and closed the connection. Two hours of constant worry as the small family waited by the tree-line while their friends watched on from a small distance away. Niki and Puffy had brought over some bread and cheese for lunch but it lay untouched, the four brothers too worried to eat.

“I’m gonna smack the bitch boy upside the head when he gets back,” Tommy growled though they all could hear the concern in his voice making the threat seem pointless.

“You're not the only one. I’ll be having some choice words with him.” Wilbur frowned. He knew Dream was capable of handling himself, was mature and responsible for his age but he also knew the younger was still a child, was barely nine years old. None of them knew how age worked when it came to dragons, but Wilbur was confident in saying Dream was most certainly still considered a child in dragon years.

“He’ll be back soon, he’ll be fine,” Tubbo muttered seemingly trying to comfort himself more than anyone else. The bond was alight with concern and agitation leaving them all fidgety and off-balanced. So when the bright beckon that was Dream finally opened back up and allowed them close again it was like a box of fireworks had exploded.

‘DREAM!’

‘Where are you?!’

‘Are you hurt?!’

‘You bitch! You scared us!’

All four of them were throwing themselves down the line of connection while their hearts echoed with anger, hurt, worry, relief and confusion. Wilbur was quick to pull the triplets back, however, not wanting to overwhelm the younger too much even if he was a little miffed with him. As they all calmed and settled they were surrounded by the mental presence of the youngest sibling, Dream crooning guilt and sorrow for causing such fear.

‘Didn’t mean to scare. The earth was calling and I couldn’t ignore it.’ He apologised, gently rubbing along each of them mentally, seeking forgiveness. Ranboo was quick to forgive, chittering love and happiness to the dragon who swelled with joy. Tubbo followed shortly after along with Tommy who also made a point to jab at the Beta in warning.

‘Are you okay? You left in a hurry?’ Wilbur pressed.

‘Had to collect someone for you. I’m almost back.’ Dream assured them and seemed to snort with amusement at the confusion that once more flooded the bond.

‘Did a villager get lost?’ Ranboo asked.

‘Not quite.’ Dream hummed. Wilbur was reaching out, ready to question his Beta further when a loud roar split the air. Dream swooped low over the treetops, diving towards his flock but angling up at the last second to rise into the air once more. As he rose over their heads they watched as he dropped the poor person he’d been carrying who yelped in shock and slight pain as they rolled across the ground. Dream circled back around, landing gracefully by Wilbur’s side where he lowered his head in submission, rumbling softly in apology.

“We’ll talk about it later buddy. Right now I’m just glad you are safe.” Wilbur sighed as he leaned his head against the dragons. Dream purred happily before turning his gaze to their guest, snorting softly as frazzled pink hair stuck up in a tangled mess. Wilbur felt his eyes widen in shock as he stared at the rumbled form of his twin who looked a few seconds away from either passing out or losing his breakfast.

“You found Techno!” Tubbo yelled causing ruby-red eyes to snap in their direction.

“Will.” The pink-haired male breathed only to freeze when Dream hummed low in his throat, green eyes pinning him to the ground. “Uh….thanks for not eating me?”

All was silent for a moment before Tommy broke into loud cackles, tears of laughter quickly starting to roll down his face. Tubbo and Ranboo snickered, eyeing their younger brother who simply gurgled back playfully at them. Wilbur shook his head fondly, a small smile tugging at his lips as he walked towards his brother who refused to look away from Dream.

“Relax Tech, he’s not going to eat you any time soon,” Wilbur smirked while offering a hand to the other.

“And you can promise that?” Techno asked warily as Wilbur helped pull him to his feet.

Wilbur turned to look at Dream, raising an eyebrow in question. Dream just huffed, laying down on the grass and allowing Tommy to clamber up onto his back without complaint. When Wilbur turned back to his brother he chuckled at the wide-eyed look on his face. “As long as you pose no threat to me or the boys you’ll be fine. He knows people are off-limits.”

Techno coughed, looking between his twin and the dragon in shocked awe. “So, mind telling me how you ended up with a dragon?”

“Mind telling me why you are here?” Wilbur shot back. Sure, he and Techno had slowly been mending their relationship over the last few weeks but that didn’t change the fact his brother was the head knight of the king's army. He had a right to be wary.

“Your pet kinda brought me here in case you’ve already forgotten,” Techno stated blandly only to flinch when a low growl echoed across the clearing. Turning found bright green eyes glaring at him along with his three younger brothers. Tommy was perched on the dragons back while Tubbo and Ranboo were nestled between the front legs of the beast and leaning against its chest.

“He’s not a pet,” Wilbur warned with a narrowed eyed look. “And that also doesn’t explain why you are in the woods, to begin with. You scouting for your precious king? Looking for the traitorous rebels so you can drag them back to be executed?”

“The opposite actually,” Techno confessed causing Wilbur to frown. “I’ve abdicated my position as the head knight and deserted the army. I no longer see that man as my king.”

For a moment no one speaks. Techno is acutely aware of his three younger brothers watching on in silent interest, eyes darting to Wilbur to see his reaction, deferring to him to let them know what to do. The brunette himself is contemplative, looking Techno up and down with a searching gaze. “What changed your mind?”

“You did. The things you said to father, they got me thinking. I started watching the man more closely, listening to his words a little harder. The things I saw and heard, made me realize that I had become the one thing I swore to fight against, to protect people from. Jshclatt doesn’t care for this country, doesn’t care for the common folk. He only cares for money and power, for himself. I refuse to serve a man like that.” Techno said. He looked Wilbur in the eye, silently begged him to believe his words and see how truly sorry he was for all that had happened. “I should have been there for you, for all of you. I should have helped you raise the boys, should have tried to get father to stay, should have shared the burden of caring for the farm and village with you. I’ve spent my whole life trying to be what Philza Minecraft wanted me to be, being a soldier on the wrong side of war. Please believe me when I say I am here for you and the boys, for our people. I want to be better, want to be more like you than Phil.”

Wilbur stared in shock, his mind running a thousand miles a second. A part of him ached for his twin who clearly had been living his life for other people instead of himself. Another part bitterly hissed that yes, he should have been there and helped them more. And another part of him was in stunned disbelief that Techno wanted to be more like himself, that his twin looked up to him more than their father. He longed to reach out, to accept his twin and mend their broken bond. He had always tried to deny it but he had dearly missed his brother all these years, had longed to have him home and by his side again. But he was wary, was afraid it was all a trick and that he would turn around and either kill Dream or hand him over to the king. He wared with himself, struggling with what to do when a gentle nudge was pushed against his mind. He turned to Dream who was watching on with a calm expression, eyes knowing and full of love.

‘He is true to his heart. He hurts deeply, longs to rekindle the flame that has dimmed between you both. Trust him, trust yourself.’

Wilbur smiled, thankful for his brother and Beta who he knows will always have his back. He turns to Techno who is watching him with guilty eyes, body hunched in on himself in shame. He reaches out and lays a hand on the other’s shoulder, eyes soft and welcoming. “If you promise to stand by your family, to protect and look out for the people of our village and to keep our secrets safe then I’m willing to give you a second chance, am willing to try and forgive you.”

Techno stared before a smile began to tug at his lips, his own hand coming up to rest on Wilbur’s shoulder as well. “To a fresh start then brother.”

“To a new beginning.”

Chapter Text

Techno settles into life in Pogtopia quickly, helping train the people in weapons and hand to hand combat as well as helping tend to the farms. That wasn’t to say there were bumps in the road. The kids were obviously wary, they barely knew him and he had been working for the King just weeks prior. They could see he was trying though, could see he wanted to fix things between them, they just couldn’t help but be cautious. It had also caused quite a stir when just two days after Techno had been welcomed into the village Dream had changed to his human form right before the Piglin Hybrid’s eyes. Techno had been left speechless, Dream and the triplets giggling amongst themselves while Wilbur rushed to explain things.

Techno stood watching as his little brother’s stalked and tormented Sapnap, George and Quackity. His twin had explained that it had been a while since they had been hunting and were restless hence why they were turning to play hunting the older boys. Sapnap and George were taking it in stride while poor Quackity was left flustered and exasperated. The duck hybrid was constantly being pounced on by Tommy and Tubbo while Ranboo would randomly teleport in front of him. To Techno’s right sat Dream, in human form with his hands flat on the ground and legs bent like a grasshopper with his eyes locked on the triplets.

“You sure take your job as guardian over them seriously.” He muttered to the dragon turned human. The white-haired youth hummed, head tilting to the side slightly but not taking his eyes off of his brothers. Techno huffed, amused that a nine-year-old was so serious. “Protective little thing.”

That gains a bigger reaction, a side glance followed by a huff. Techno smiled, resisting the urge to reach over and ruffle the others hair. They may be on friendly terms but he knows that physical touch would not be appreciated. Instead, he leans forward to look the other more directly. “You knew I was out there looking for my brothers, you knew I wasn’t looking for them to hurt them.”

Dream finally turned away from the triplets, bright green locking with ruby red. They simply stared at one another for a long while before Dream snorted softly and darted off to join his siblings in their play hunting.

“He’s curious about you.” Techno turned as Wilbur walked up beside him, his twin watching his younger siblings with a fond smile. “Curious but conflicted. You are technically family but you are also not flock. You’ve shown yourself to be trustworthy, but you also worked for the man who is now hunting us.”

“I won’t hurt you.” Techno was quick to assure to which Wilbur chuckled.

“I know you won’t and he knows you won’t. But he’s still very young despite how mature he behaves. He’s still a child and children struggle with their emotions and rational thoughts.” Wilbur said before turning to face his twin with a gentle smile. “Just give it time and take things slow. He’ll warm up eventually.”

The brothers were startled at the sound of Quackity yelling in anger. They watched as the duck hybrid chased after Dream and Tommy who were shrieking with laughter as they went. Techno chuckled, smirking at his twin when he saw the exasperated look on the brunette face. “You better go rangle your kids.”

The look Wilbur gives him, wide-eyed but thankful at the acknowledgement that the boys are his lets Techno know he is on the right path to forgiveness with his family.

~~~~~~~

It takes two weeks after the ravens were sent for the first reply to come. The rough gritty paper that is made in the deserts of the Badlands bears the signature of the Outposts current leader, Awesamdude or Sam for short. Bad had said the Creeper hybrid was a trusted friend with a sensible head on his shoulders. He was young but intelligent, a strategist that helped the people survive in the arid landscape. While the two had lost touch over the years they had remained loyal to each other, Bad often sending extra money to the younger man to help pay their ever-growing taxes. The letter the raven had brought was short and to the point, something Bad had expected from his old friend.

The people of the dunes stand with the North. I request an audience with the new King as soon as possible.

• Sam

“We should head back to L’Manberg soon, see what we can salvage from the ruins. We might need more supplies if we are to expect visits from the other villages.” Niki suggested after they had all read the letter.

“Not all of us, despite Charlie scouting the area regularly there still might be soldiers standing guard that he hasn’t seen. A smaller group can be in and out quicker than the whole village.” Ponk warned.

“I’ll go with Dream,” Wilbur spoke up.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Bad questioned warily.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Will, your not just a mayor now. You’re a King, the head of a revolution. We can’t afford to lose you.” Puffy explained only to have Wilbur scowl at her words.

“What my title is doesn’t matter, it doesn’t make my life worth more than everyone else. I will not hide behind others in this war. We stand together as one.”

“We aren’t saying that,” George said. “We’re just saying that you are going to be the biggest target in this fight. The King wants your head above all others so its more dangerous for you to go out there alone than for anyone else."

“I won’t be alone, I’ll have Dream with me.” Wilbur pointed out.

“And us.” Everyone jumped before turning to the doorway of the makeshift war room/hut they had built. The triplets stood there with Techno, the three of them glaring at their older brother defiantly with Tubbo standing at the head of the small group. “We are a flock, where you go we go.”

“No, I will not risk you boys like that,” Wilbur said.

“If Dream can go we can go!” Tommy shouted.

“He’s younger than us after all.” Ranboo added on.

“He’s also a dragon.” Wilbur huffed. “He can breathe fire and fly.”

“I can fly too,” Tommy smirked, his wings unfurling from his back to stretch mockingly behind him. He kept smirking even when Wilbur gave him a sharp look.

“It's too dangerous –”

“We aren’t little kids anymore Will.” Tubbo cut his brother off. “We’ll be sixteen in a few months, the age where it is acceptable to start training to be a Ranger.”

“This is different to being a Ranger!” Wilbur snapped. “This is war, an actual war against armies and trained knights. This isn’t a game.”

“We never said it was,” Ranboo said calmly. “Despite what you might think we do understand the risks. You might not like it but we will be involved in this fight one way or another. Isn’t it better for us to be by your side where you can keep an eye on us in the end?”

Wilbur stood tall before his younger brothers, eyes narrowed and heart aching for a childhood lost. They were still so young, shouldn’t have to carry such a weight on their shoulders, shouldn’t have to worry about such things like war and death. He wants to protect them for as long as he can, wants to shield them from a world that had never been easy for them. But Ranboo’s words echo in his head, stabbing into his heart with their truth and wisdom. He looks to Techno who stands behind the triplets like a vengeful guardian angel. “What are your thoughts on the matter?”

The eldest of the brothers seems surprised that he’s being given a chance to voice his thoughts. He may be the eldest but Wilbur is clearly the leader, the one who calls the shots and makes the final call. “I think you should let them go with you. This is just a simple recon mission with minimal risk involved. It's not like they are asking to go fight the King’s army by themselves.”

“Yeah! What Techno said!” Tommy said while crossing his arms and sticking his chin out.

Wilbur wants to keep arguing his point, wants to put his foot down and use his position as Alpha to cement his resolve and decision. A gentle nudge from Dream calms him, the strong presence of his Beta helping to soothe the raging thoughts and feelings that battle inside him.

‘They are ready. It's time we started working together as a flock outside of hunting. Trust in them, they are stronger than you think.’ Dream hummed in his mind, comforting yet firm.

He sighed, looking to his younger brothers who were practically shaking with restrained excitement. They could feel the acceptance through the connection but wanted to hear Wilbur say it out loud, something which only annoyed the elder slightly. “You stay by my side, you listen to my orders and you listen to Dream as well.”

All three boys cheered, pleased with how the conversation had played out while Techno snorted softly at their excitement. The triplets rushed out of the war hut, scrambling for their own hut to get dressed for their extra important mission while Wilbur and Techno stood outside watching them with small smiles.

“They certainly have your stubbornness.” Techno mused.

“I believe that’s Mama’s stubbornness. She was always a force to be reckoned with when she had her mind set on something.” Wilbur countered.

“I still remember when she mad Dad sleep on the couch for a week straight because he wouldn’t let her go into town for the market day when she was pregnant with Tommy and Tubbo.” Techno laughed. Wilbur joined his twin in laughing, heart filled with both joy and sadness. They stood there in silence for a long moment, both thinking of their mother and allowing themselves to feel the familiar hurt of missing her before Techno turned to his twin with a sad smile. “She’d be proud of you for all you’ve done for them.”

Wilbur doesn’t say anything to that. He hums softly while his mind drifts back to that night so long ago, to the last time he saw his mother and heard her voice. The last words she ever spoke to him loop around his head and heart, filled with such love it brings tears to his eyes. ‘You are my brave boy, and I am so proud of you.’ He holds the words close to his heart, knows he will never forget them for as long as he lives.

When the boys return dressed in their work clothes Wilbur gets to work on saddling up Dream. The dragon stands still as his Alpha tightens the straps and packs little things like some weapons, food and a medical kit to be safe. The rest of the bags lay empty, ready to be filled with anything they deem worth taking with them. Wilbur sits at the front of the saddle, hands pushing into hard smooth scales at the base of Dream’s neck while the triplets scramble up behind him. When they are all settled they turn as one to look at Techno who blinks up at them.

“Well, you coming or not?” Wilbur asks with a smirk.

The eldest Minecraft sibling turns wary eyes to Dream who growls low in his throat, emerald eyes shining with mischief. Techno is confident the other won’t hurt him but there’s still a small voice in the back of his head that whispers doubts about it as he cautiously climbs up onto the reptile’s back. “If he eats me I am so coming back as a ghost to haunt you all.”

“Duly noted.” Wilbur laughed along with his siblings, smile widening when Dream reared up slightly and flared his wings causing Techno to yelp in slight fear. He winked over his shoulder before leaning down to press his hand against the base of Dream’s neck, smiling when he felt the muscles tensing under his hand with anticipation. “Take us home bud.”

Dream threw his head back, calling out to the sky before he started to run, wings flapping by his side as he did so. Techno gave another startled yell, arms flying to wrap tightly around Ranboo’s waist as he pressed his head into the chimaera’s back. His grip tightened as he felt them starting to climb up into the air, eyes screwing shut so he wouldn’t have to look down. Ranboo patted his hands gently in comfort while Tommy and Tubbo snickered amongst themselves, Wilbur shaking his head fondly while Dream rumbled with amusement.

“Is the Blade scared of a little height?” Tommy cackled, smiling wider when his elder brother lifted his head from Ranboo’s back to glare at him.

“Unlike you bird-brain, I like my feet firmly on the ground.” Techno huffed, yelping when Dream twisted to the left slightly.

‘Pussy.’ Was echoed across the connection pulling snorts of laughter from Tubbo and Ranboo while Tommy howled with delight.

Wilbur scowled, though his lips twitched with mirth as he gently tapped Dream on the side of his neck in warning. “Language young man, you’ve been spending too much time with Tommy.”

“I think he’s not spending enough time with me.” Tommy laughed, eyes dancing with joy when he felt Wilbur give him a small warning nudge mentally. The young blonde giggled when he felt Dream playfully push Wilbur back while also surrounding him in a mental hug. “I’m clearly Dream’s favourite brother.”

“You wish!” Tubbo cut in while cuffing his twin over the ear. “I’m the one who sneaks him chocolate muffins so clearly I am the favourite.”

“That was you?!” Wilbur called, swinging around to glare at the younger who froze under the gaze, face sheepish while Dream gurgled happily under them. “What have I told you about giving him sugar? You know how he gets when he has too much of it.”

“I was just doing my duty as an older brother and looking out for him.” Tubbo defended himself.

“He was sick for two days the last time he ate too much,” Wilbur said.

“I never said I was a good judge of what is good for him.”

“You don’t know what’s good for yourself most times. Anyway, we all know Wilbur is Dream’s favourite.” Ranboo spoke up earning a happy rumble from Dream. This of course led to Tommy and Tubbo arguing against what he had said with Wilbur trying and failing to mediate the argument. Ranboo just smiled, staying silent through the playful argument and feeling the amusement and love that was Dream surrounding them all. He moved his left hand down to trace mindless patterns onto smooth scales, counting himself so lucky and blessed to be part of this family and flock.

‘Ours.’ Dream whispered in his mind, possessive and loving.

‘Yours.’ Ranboo whispered back, chuckling at the spike of love and joy he felt.

Not long after they had taken to the air, Dream began his descent. Large powerful wings carried them safely to the ground, landing in a small clearing in the woods a few hundred meters from the tree line where he kneeled to the ground to allow his brother’s and Techno to safely hop off his back. On the ground, Wilbur handed each of his younger human siblings a bow and arrows while Techno strapped his sword to his belt.

“Can you hear anything Dream?” Wilbur asked, hand resting against his Beta’s neck.

‘Only the sounds of nature. The village is silent.’ Dream said before leading the way through the trees, moving as silently as a ghost despite his large size. When they finally reached the tree line and were able to see the ruins of their home all six of them were filled with a sense of loss and sadness. The smouldering remains had finally gone out leaving nothing back black skeletons of builds and deep gouges in the earth behind. Most of the small shop fronts and homes were either completely gone or nothing more than a hole in the ground. The Town Hall was only one lone stone wall covered in cracks and soot with a few twisted wooden beams that were burnt to a crisp. The village centre where the well was and where the markets were held was split down the middle by a large crack in the earth as that is where a lot of the tunnels filled with TNT interconnected.

“I knew it would be bad, I just didn’t think it would be this bad,” Tommy whispered, eyes wide in disbelief. Dream crooned softly, leaning down to nuzzle the others blonde hair. Tommy gave a weak smile, patting the side of Dream’s jaw before moving to help his brothers sift through the rubble for anything worth salvaging.

Slowly, things were added to the saddlebags. Old family photos that villagers hadn’t had time to take with them, glasses and cutlery, old books and slightly singed toys. They found some tools that were still in good condition in the burnt remains of Lorenzo’s wood carving shop and some vials of potions in Ponk’s dilapidated doctor’s office. Techno was able to find some weapons and smith tools in Yohan's workstation that were also quickly added to the bags. It was a grim and silent affair, a heaviness hanging over them like the feeling after heavy rain on a summers day. By the time late afternoon had set in they had gone through the whole village centre.

“We should start heading back,” Wilbur spoke up as he tied up the last of the bags on Dream’s back.

“Can we go home first?” Tubbo asked in a soft voice.

Wilbur paused, looking the triplets up and down while Techno winced beside him. None of them knew what state the family farm was in as it was the only building that hadn’t been rigged with TNT. They had no idea how the King and his army had left it when they finally retreated south and both older boys were slightly scared to find out. “I don’t think that’s a good idea Tubs.”

“Please Wilby,” Tubbo whispered, eyes watering.

“We want to see,” Ranboo said while Tommy pressed into Tubbo’s side to offer support and comfort.

‘It’s still part of our home.’ Dream sighed as he too went to stand by the triplets side.

Out-numbered and faced with the combined effort of four puppy-eyes from his brothers Wilbur knew a lost battle when he saw it. They started the slightly long trek down the dirt road towards the Minecraft family farm, fully prepared for the worst. And the worst it was.

The house that had been their childhood home and held so many fond memories was nothing more than a blackened ruin, burnt completely to the ground. The barn had also been burned to the ground along with their Mango and Apple orchids. Walking up the front path to stand before the rubble of their home the brothers felt their eyes flood with tears. The triplets gave chocked sobs when they saw the shed had been torn down and their sledge, the one they had gotten on their seventh birthday was broken into pieces. Wilbur and Techno ran shaking hands over the charred wood of their childhood home, minds filled with thoughts of their mother and how much she put into keeping the house tidy and full of life.

The twins jumped when Tommy gave a heartbreaking cry, running to one of the side paddocks beside the ruins of the house. When Wilbur turned to see what his brother had seen he felt his breath stutter to a stop. Henry, the old cow who faithfully pulled the wagon into town every month, who had a special connection with little Tommy, who had lived on the farm before even Wilbur and Techno had been born lay in the field. A single arrow was lodged in the old cow's chest, the blood crusted and dried and the only thing letting them know he wasn’t just sleeping. Tommy threw himself onto Henry’s side, sobbing into the coarse brown fur. He was quickly joined by a whimpering Tubbo and mournful Ranboo who was trying desperately to stop his tears so he wouldn’t burn his face.

“Why would they do this? He was just a cow, why kill him?” Tommy cried, throwing himself into Wilbur’s arms when the elder sat down beside him and opened his arms.

“Shh, shhh, I’m sorry Tommy. I’m so sorry. Shhh, I’m here.” Wilbur soothed, hands running through soft golden hair while pressing the boys face into his chest. Quickly, Tubbo and Ranboo clambered into his lap as well, snuggling into their older brother’s hold as they silently wept. Dream gave a soft woeful croon, curling protectively around all four of them while Techno stood beside the cuddle pile, heart aching for his siblings.

“He was my friend.” Tommy whimpered into Wilbur’s chest.

“I know love, I know.” Wilbur sighed, cupping Tommy’s face and gently wiping away his tears with his thumbs. “I’m so sorry, I should have taken him to Pogtopia. This is my fault.”

“No Wilby, it's not. It's that stupid Jshclatt’s fault.” Tommy growled while hugging his brother tightly. “I don’t blame you, I’d never blame you.”

They stayed like that for a while, grieving together. To Techno’s great surprise, he was allowed to join the cuddle pile with Dream even nudging him gently into the protective wall of smooth hard scales. They sat basking in each others warmth, offering comfort through gentle touches and soft-spoken words. The triplets were finally calming down when Dream began to growl low and threatening, lips pulled back to bare deadly fangs as he glared at something a few feet away from the small family. Wilbur was standing in an instant, bow drawn and arrow notched faster than one could blink while Techno held his sword at the ready. The two brothers froze when they saw what had upset Dream so badly.

Philza Minecraft stood before them, a bow of his own drawn with the arrow pointed directly at Dream’s head, something that instantly had Wilbur on the defensive, moving to stand between his father and younger brother. By now the boys had emerged from the protective cocoon that was Dream’s body and were glaring up at their father looking just seconds away from charging the man for daring to threaten their younger brother.

“Boys, get away from that thing,” Philza said causing Dream to hiss angrily. The man flinched slightly, raising his arrow higher only to have Wilbur do the same back, face a cool mask of protective fury. “Wilbur, that thing is dangerous.”

“That thing is my brother so unless you want an arrow between your eyes I suggest you lower your weapon,” Wilbur growled.

“Are you mad? That thing is a monster! A killer!” Philza snapped, wide eyes turning to the three younger boys. “Kids, get over here now!”

“We don’t take orders from you.” Tommy hissed, wings arching in his anger as he pressed back into Dream’s chest.

“I am your father! You will do as I say.” Philza near enough shouted as his own wings began to arch.

“Don’t you fucking dare yell at my kids.” Wilbur sneered as he took a step forward.

“Your kids?”

“My kids!” Father and son glared into the eyes of each other, faces cold and filled with anger and hurt. Slowly, Philza lowered his bow and Techno his sword but Wilbur kept his bow raised, eyes never leaving his father. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I knew you would come back eventually. I needed to make sure you were alright.” Philza said pulling a mocking laugh from Wilbur.

“Don’t act like you care.”

“Will –”

“No!” Everyone, even Dream jumped at Wilbur’s shout. His voice was sharp and dripping with venom, eyes burning with a wildfire that had been growing stronger for years and was now finally at its boiling point. “You don’t get to abandon your kids and then show up years later pretending to care.”

“I did not abandon you, stop being dramatic,” Philza warned. Wilbur scoffed, bow finally lowering as he just stared at the man and shook his head.

“Dramatic? I’m being dramatic? You left for nine years!”

“For your own good! I had to help Techno and the job offer meant more money. I was doing it so you had a roof over your head and food on the table.”

“Bull shit! Not once did we ever use any of the money you sent back. We gave that money to the village instead. I kept the roof over our heads, I put food on the table.”

“Yeah, well that still doesn’t give you the right to be so ungrateful for all that I’ve done for you, doesn’t give you the right to say I don’t care or to claim the boys as your own. They are my kids, I am their father.”

“When is the triplets birthday?” Wilbur asked suddenly causing Philza to pause, the anger leaving his face to be replaced by confusion.

“What?”

“When is the triplets birthday?” Wilbur asked, voice low and dangerous. Everyone was silent as they looked back to Philza who could only stand there with his mouth gaping like a fish. Wilbur grit his teeth as he began to stalk forward, eyes hard and fists trembling by his sides. “What is Tommy’s favourite colour? What is Ranboo’s favourite block? What is Tubbo’s favourite pass time? Which is the triplets favourite holiday? What were Tommy and Tubbo’s first words?”

With each question, Philza shrunk in on himself a little more and Wilbur stalked closer and closer till he was standing right before his father, eyes burning into the man’s very soul. It was silent between them until finally, Philza turned his gaze to the ground. “I don’t know.”

“Their birthday is June 12^th, Tommy’s favourite colour is blue and Ranboo’s favourite block is river stone because he finds the smooth hard texture comforting. Tubbo, when he’s not playing with his brothers like to tend to his bee farm or just watch them and the triplets favourite holiday is Yule. And finally, Tommy and Tubbo’s first words were Wilby.”

Philza stared at his second eldest son, chesting aching with every word spoken to him. He looked to the triplets who were gazing back at him with anger and hurt shining in their eyes. Techno looked both shameful and disappointed while the dragon kept growling softly. Looking back at Wilbur he struggled with what to say. “Will, I made mistakes but I still care for them.”

“They barely even know who you are!” Wilbur hissed.

“I’m still their father, their still my kids.” Philza pressed only to have Wilbur shove him harshly away from them all, eyes filled with tears and teeth bared.

“They are not your kids!” Wilbur screamed, chest heaving with anger. “You deserted us, gave up your right to call them yours when you left.”

“I didn’t desert you! Will I love you boys.”

“You were never fucking here! You left! I was eight when mum died. Eight and taking care of you, taking care of all of us because you just wanted to lie in bed all day feeling sorry for yourself.” Wilbur yelled with years worth of hurt and anger.

“I was grieving, I had just lost my wife.” Philza snapped only to have Wilbur shove him again.

“And I had just lost my mother! But unlike you, I couldn’t afford to wallow in my grief. I had to make sure the twins were fed and cleaned, that Techno had food and brushed his teeth before bed, that you didn’t waste away in your room!” Wilbur was seething with rage, tears falling freely down his face as he finally spoke up against his father. “I was nine when you started leaving on your trips, leaving me behind to look after the twins and the farm. I was eleven when you brought Ranboo home and then left again.”

“Will…” Philza breathed but Wilbur wasn’t done, wasn’t about to let the man off easy.

“I washed the twin's shitty diapers, I helped Ranboo through his panic attacks. I taught the boys how to read and write, I stay up all night with them when they were sick, I showed them how to re-sow the fields and harvest the crops. I taught them how to hunt, track and clean a kill. I fixed their clothes when they ripped them, I organized birthday parties and holiday rituals. I bought them presents, I taught them how to cook and wash their own clothes. I did it all, me, not you cause you weren’t here! So yes, they are my kids, I have every right, the only right to claim them as mine.”

By the end of Wilbur’s rant, everyone was silently crying. The triplets because they knew how hard their brother worked to give them a good life and how much he loved them, Techno because of the guilt he felt for never being there to help and Philza because he finally saw how much he had hurt his children. He reached out for his second eldest desperately but Wilbur just moved away while shaking his head.

“Wilbur…son, please. I’m sorry, please.” Philza begged as he watched his five children climb onto the back of a dragon, all their faces cold and distant.

“Mother would despise the man you’ve become. Think about that when you go back to your precious King.” Wilbur spat before gently pressing on the back of the dragon's neck. With a final cry, the dragon took to the skies leaving behind the burnt remains of a once loving home and a broken man who no longer held the title of father, all happiness and joy washed away like shells on the shoreline.

Chapter Text

Preparations are made for the arrival of Sam and his chosen delegates. Bad and Skeppy are chosen as the ones to meet the group on the outskirts of L’Manberg to then lead them back to Pogtopia to prevent them from being followed. It is also decided to have George accompany them so as to perform the same spell he used on Quackity to protect their location. Ponk, Lorenzo, and Sapnap get to work building huts for the group to stay in while Quackity, Charlie, Yohan and Niki take turns patrolling the forests close to the ruins of the village in case the King has left or sent in spies. As Wilbur and Techno wait for Bad and Skeppy to return with the Badlands party the quadruplets wait outside at the entrance to the ravine with the other young children of Pogtopia. Amongst the group of friends were two of the Lowwood family kids, the two youngest. Luna was thirteen years old with dark urban hair and chocolate brown eyes. Her brother, Yoko was the youngest child of the family at two years old and he had midnight black hair with grey eyes.

“Do you think the Badlands will really help us?” Luna asked from her place on the ground holding little Yoko in her lap.

“Bad seems to trust this Sam guy.” Fundy shrugged.

“Doesn’t mean he ain’t a bad guy though. For all we know, this Sam dude is just waiting to find our hideout so he can turn us all in.” Purpled said.

“Bad wouldn’t do anything that would put us all in danger,” Tubbo said, eyes narrowing at the slight dig at his honorary Uncle.

“I’m not saying he would.” Purpled was quick to assure the younger boy. “I’m just saying it's been a long time since he’s seen this guy and people change over time. He might not be the same friend Bad remembers.”

“But then that means if he is a bad person then the King will come for us.” Luna whimpered while hugging her younger brother tightly.

“He won’t hurt you, Luna, we’ll protect you and your family,” Tommy assured her, chest-puffing out proudly. “We have Dream and the Blade on our side after all.”

Dream cracked an eye open from where he’d been dosing in Ranboo’s lap in human form, huffing softly at his older sibling before turning to face the still worried girl. When she looked to him he gave a comforting warble, eyes softening when the toddler in her arms giggled happily at the noise. Luna smiled back at him, soothed by his gentle assurance of safety and protection. Pleased that the children were happy once more, Dream snuggled back into Ranboo’s warmth to continue with his nap much to the others amusement. 

“Things should be fine. My mums said that Bad and Skeppy have been training hard so will be ready to defend themselves should the group prove hostile. Not to mention with George and his binding ritual we’ll be as safe as possible. Even if they wanted to betray us to the King they won’t be able to tell him where we are.” Foolish said to help assure Luna and his friends that things were perfectly fine. 

~~~~ 

While the children entertained themselves, Bad and his husband and eldest son stood at the designated meeting place waiting for the arrival of the Badlands delegates. The group of three stood atop a small hill that bordered the burnt remains of the village and forest allowing them a clear view of the road leading away from the village and towards the distant woods that led south. It wasn’t long before two figures could be seen emerging from the woods. One road atop a horse while the other was a creeper hybrid with a centor-like body though instead of a horse the main body resembled a large cat. The fur was a soft forest green colour while dark patches of green dotted the coat. The upper part of the body that was human held the tanned skin of a young man who also wore a golden circlet encrusted with rubies that were mined from the Badlands.

Each town, village or outpost held different traditions for their leaders. In L’Manberg the highest ranking official was the Mayor and were distinguished both by their being a Minecraft and by a silk sash worn at formal events. The sash was white, red, blue and gold in colour, the old colours of the Kingdom of L’Manberg along with their sigil which was three black crosses. They shared the crosses with Manberg as they were meant to represent the loss of the war for L’Manberg and the conquest for Manberg as their crosses were gold. Wilbur had been quick to remove the black crosses however and replace them with their new sigil which was a White Dragon.

The Badlands Outpost had a Commander who was normally selected as their best fighter as well as best strategist as careful planning is a must have when living in the deserts. The Commander was distinguished by their gold circlet that was worn to formal events and meetings with other heads of state. On the shoulder plate of their armour would also be the sigil of the Badlands which was a bright yellow Desert Marigold flower.

Kinoko, one of the few villages that bordered the oceans had what was known as a Maester as their leader. The Maester was often selected due to their intelligence and kindness. Almost all Maesters in Kinoko’s history had been healers and scholars. They also didn’t wear jewelry to show their elevated status. They were the only village other than L’Manberg to have this practice. The Maester would wear a deep indigo robe to events and meetings that was covered in orange and green swirl-like patterns that surrounded the village sigil of a Panda.

Snowchestor, which was the second furthest settlement south of L’Manberg had a Chieftain leading them. Often, the Chief was selected by the people based on popular vote. Experience was also taken into account when choosing one. The Chief would wear a silver chain around their necks that carried a sapphire pendant. being held in the jaws of their sigil, a silver Fox.

Las Nevadas was a more politically driven settlement with a Headman governing them. More often than not the Headman was the richest citizen or whoever held the most favor with the King at the time. It was also the only village that refused new citizens that weren’t from the capitol. Located beside an oasis in the desert it was seen as a paradise filled with spas, casinos and other luxury businesses. The Headman could always be seen wearing a large golden ring encrusted with rubies and turquoise stones with the sigil of the Desert Rose in the center.

The last settlement, El Rapids, was the smallest and poorest village in the Kingdom. They were led by a Governor who was also voted in by the villagers. Despite living beside two rivers the village was also in a semi arid location where not much grew leaving them with very little trade. The Governor would wear a silver pendant with their sigil of a Salmon carved on it as the fish that lived in the river were their main source of income and trade. 

It had been years since the heads of a village met with another, the king himself often discouraging such meet ups from happening. The man felt that if the villages were divided then there would be less chance of a revolution taking place against him. He didn’t want them to foster relationships between them that went beyond that of trade. If they were kept separate then alliances won’t be formed. It was one of the main reasons that Bad and Skeppy had grown distant with the people of their home village, communication between them was limited and it was easy over time to lose contact. Bad could only hope that today sparked a change in how the villages would interact with each other in the future. 

When the two reached the small family they were able to see that the second figure was a cat hybrid with light blue eyes. He looked young, probably in his early twenties if George had to guess and he seemed to have a calmness about him. He dismounted his horse before moving to stand between the two groups, back straight and face a calm stoic mask. 

“May I introduce the leader of the Badlands Outpost, Commander Awsandude.” The young man stated while gesturing to the Creeper hybrid behind him. “My name is Ant Frost and I am one of the leading officers in the Badlands core. It is a pleasure to meet you all.”

“Likewise Ant.” Skeppy nodded in respect to the two high ranking men before turning to gesture to the rest of their group. “This is my husband BadBoyHalo who along with myself, Skeppy, act as advisors to our King. This is also our eldest son George who is a Mage in training.”

Sam moved forward till he was standing before Bad, the demon and creeper hybrid being the same height meaning it was easy for him to reach out and clasp the others hand. “It is good to see you old friend.” 

“You as well Sam. The years have been good to you.” Bad smiled at the younger man.

“Same with you.” Sam smiled back before his face grew serious. “However, I was under the impression I would be meeting with this new King of yours to discuss future alliances. Not that I’m not happy to see you both.”

“Its a precautionary measure, Sir.” George spoke up. “We are currently hiding from the King and his army and spies. It wouldn’t do us any favors to bring you into our base without making sure you won’t betray us.”

George expected the man to be slightly offended by the remark, he had just basically told him that they didn’t trust him after all. But much to the young boys surprise, Sam smirked while nodding his head in approval before turning back to Bad. “Smart move, you’ve raised that boy right.”

“I like to think we have.” Bad chuckled. 

Sam gave a soft laugh of his own before straightening up. “I can only assume that with the inclusion of your boy who is a Mage in training that Ant and I will be placed under a secrecy spell of sorts before being taken to meet with King Soot?”

“That would be correct. We will not hold it against you if you refuse and wish to return to your home but we would greatly appreciate fostering an alliance between our people in this upcoming war.” Skeppy said. 

Sam glanced at Ant with a smirk, body relaxed as he turned back to his old friends. “We’ll accept the ritual.”

George gets to work quickly, enchanting and weaving the magic of the earth into the spell. The runes form before settling onto the Badlands Outpost natives skin, latching onto their life and soul to bind them to the spell. Compared to the first time he’d performed the ritual on Quackity the process was much smoother and easier, the magic flowing easily over his fingers and bending to his will. He also no longer feels tired after the spell, standing straight and tall beside his fathers while Sam and Ant shake out their bodies from the strange feeling.

“That was…interesting.” Ant settled on, tail twitching in slight discomfort from the forgine feeling. 

“Don’t worry, the feeling will pass after a few hours.” George said. 

With safety measures in place the group began the long trek through the forest towards Pogtopia, Bad and Skeppy quickly filling the two men with everything they could. The whole time George has a small smile on his face, excited to see their reaction to Dream who will most certainly want to investigate the newcomers himself. 

~~~~~~ 

Wilbur stands at the entrance to Pogtopia, face a calm mask as he watches the group make their way towards him. He is dressed in long black slacks with brown leather boots. A white dress shirt with a brown trench coat lays over his torso while the ceremonial sash is placed across his chest. By his side stand his brothers, all dressed similarly to himself. With Wilbur being declared King it also meant the triplets had gained the title of Princes so Wilbur was determined to make sure they looked presentable. Techno had declined taking on such a title, preferring to stay as a Knight as he was far more comfortable on the battlefield than as a political leader. He stood to Wilbur’s left, sword strapped to his side and ready to be used if needed while the triplets stood to his right.

Wilbur spares a glance to his younger brothers, pride blooming in his chest at seeing them all standing at attention. He can see and feel how Tommy shifts ever so slightly with nervous energy, the young boy wanting to posture and growl at the strangers in their home but holding firm. Wilbur can feel how Dream lays mentally over the other, soothing and gentle in his reminders to stay calm and still. While the triplets have fallen into line perfectly, deferring to Wilbur and doing as told, Dream has stepped into his role as Flock Beta seamlessly, helping Wilbur to keep the boys in check. The youngest member of their Flock waits nearby, hidden in the tree line as his normally white and black scales shift and change to match his surroundings. Unless you knew where to look and what to look for he remained completely hidden as he tracked the two newcomers with narrowed eyes.

‘Easy now Bud. Hold steady.’ Wilbur murmured across the bond as he felt the protective wary anger rise in his Beta. He feels the sharp reptilian mind push up against him and the triplets, possessive and protective, watching and waiting and ready to defend that which was his. 

“Commander Awesamdude of the Badlands Outpost, may I introduce you to the King of L’Manberg and leader of our revolution, King Wilbur Soot and his younger brothers, Princes Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo Minecraft-Soot.” Skeppy called out before bowing to the family quickly followed by his husband and son. 

Sam walked forward to stand before Wilbur, shoulders back and eyes piercing as they gazed into Wilbur’s own. From the back of his mind Wilbur hears Dream growling softly but pays it no mind as he focuses on the man before him. “Commander, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

“Likewise your majesty.” Sam bowed his head in respect before the two leaders reached out to shake hands. “I hope with this meeting we can establish a strong alliance between our people and in doing so make each other stronger.”

“As do I Commander.” Wilbur said.

“Please, if we are to be allies in this war I think we can skip formalities. Call me Sam.” 

“Then you can call me Wilbur.” The two smiled at one another before Wilbur turned to his younger brothers. “These are my brothers Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo and over there is my twin brother Technoblade.”

“Technoblade, as in the Head Knight of King Jshlatts army?” Sam questioned with a raised brow.

“Former Head Knight.” Techno grunted.

“I trust Techno, he’s one of us.” Wilbur said firmly in defense of his twin. “He has our trust and the approval of the fourth Prince.”

“Fourth Prince?” Ant turned with furrowed brows. “I thought there were only three younger Minecraft children?”

“Our little brother has been kept secret for his own safety. And we are Minecraft-Soot’s.” Tubbo stated with a slight huff. Wilbur clicked his tongue in warning while Dream pushed closer to the young brunette, a gentle nudge to remind him to stay focused and calm.

“And just why was it so important to keep this boy's identity a secret?” Sam asked.

Wilbur smiled, eyes fond and playful as he could feel the mischief building in his youngest brother. “Dream isn’t like the rest of the village. He holds power that many would seek to exploit and abuse and that is something we will never allow to happen.”

“Are we permitted to meet him?” Ant questioned.

“As you have both allowed for the secrecy spell to be placed on you I don’t see why not.” Wilbur smirked while the triplets began to shift excitedly. Wilbur glanced to the tree line behind them before giving a sharp whistle. Both Sam and Ant watched with wide eyes as the large dragon seemed to materialize from the trees, walking gracefully across the open field to stand proudly by his family’s side all while maintaining eye contact with them. The pair took a step back in slight fear as Dream lowered his head to be at eye level, lips pulling back to bare razor sharp teeth while a low growl rumbled in his chest. Wilbur chuckled softly while lifting a hand to run along the underside of the dragon’s jaw, smiling at the dumbstruck pair before them. “He’s not the biggest fan of strangers but he’ll warm up to you eventually.”

Ant looked close to passing out from shock and fear while Sam was a slightly paler shade of green in his face. He looked at the fearsome dragon before him that hissed softly when they made eye contact before turning back to the dragons supposedly older brother. “I take it he’s the reason you changed your Sigil to what you did?”

Wilbur laughed. Of all the things Sam could have said he chose that. It was clearly the Creeper Hybrid’s way of telling him that he didn’t care if they had a dragon as both a friend and family member, that he would still stand by them despite this new revelation. He felt Dream’s reluctant respect for the man at how well he held himself in the face of danger and knew the other wouldn’t cause their guests too much grief.

‘Still good to keep them on their toes.’ Dream murmured across the connection, purring with delight at the eager agreements the triplets gave him and the playful warning nudge Wilbur sent his way. 

‘You lot can have your fun later. I need to have this meeting with them first and secrure an alliance with them before you go an terrorize them.’ Wilbur cautioned them. All four of the youngsters grumbled but backed off, accepting the order and willing to wait before pestering the newcomers. “If you both will follow me I will give you the rundown of our situation and from there we can draw up peace treaties and agreements for our people.”

The adults walk towards the ravin leaving the younger ones behind to play and enjoy the rest of the day. The triplets are quick to charge their younger brother, slamming into his side and laughing when Dream gave a dramatic cry as he fell down allowing them to scramble up onto his side and stomach. George smiled as he settled down a little ways away to simply watch the brothers play while also reading through his magic book. At some point Sapnap and Quackity join them and manage to pull George into a game of tag and play fighting, Dream changing into human form halfway through and causing Sapnap to shriek as the naked boy tackles him to the ground much to everyone else's amusement.

“Come on you little devil, you know the rules. Pants, now.” Quackity laughed while pulling out the spare set of pants they all carried for when Dream ever decided to change. The dragon boy grizzled softly as the duck hybrid lifted him by the armpits off of Sapnap who was quick to help Quackity get the pants on him.

“Don’t look at us like that.” Sapnap chuckled when Dream sat pouting up at them while his three brothers surrounded him in a cuddle pile giggling at his antics. “You know the rules buddy. If you're human you have to at least wear pants.”

‘You humans have strange customs.’ Dream huffed making the triplets giggle as they translated for the older boys.

“It’s not the worst thing in the world. We could make you do much worse things.” Quackity smirked, causing Dream to stick his tongue out at him.

“Don’t worry Dream, we’ll protect you.” Ranboo smiled while leaning down to rub their noses together. Dream trilled happily, nuzzling into the gesture while leaning back into Tommy’s waiting arms. When Wilbur finally arrives to take them all home Dream is barely able to keep his eyes open, grumbling and snuggling deeper into Tommy’s arms when they try to get him to stand. In the end Wilbur has to carry the white-haired boy back to their hut, leaving the boys to dish up their own dinner of roast beef while he painstakingly feeds Dream small pieces of meat to make sure he won’t wake up in the middle of the night hungry.

Being in a revin and in hiding none of the huts have fireplaces but the little family still has a nest room. Blankets, pillows and cushions are thrown onto the floor and placed just right to make a nice, warm and comfy nest. Techno claims the only bed in the house as his, content to have his own space and understanding that a much deeper bond runs between his younger brothers. The little Flock all crawl into the nest, snuggling up to each other as the heaviness of sleep begins to fall over them. Wilbur sits at the center with Dream curled up in his lap, Tommy also partially in his lap and curled into Dream’s side while Tubbo and Ranboo take their spots on either side of their older brother.

“Wilby.” Tommy mumbled, fighting against the pull of sleep to gaze up at the elder. “Can you sing Mama's special song?”

The older paused, heart aching ever so slightly like it always did at the mention of his mother. It had been a while since he’d sung her old lullaby for the boys, the last time being over a year ago when Ranboo had come down with a fever leaving the poor boy feeling miserable. He looked down at his four kids, all of whom were gazing up at him hopefully, even Dream who looked seconds away from succumbing to sleep.With a gentle smile he brushed the bangs from Tommy’s face and kissed the top of Tubbo’s head as he softly began to hum. The boys sighed, snuggling deeper into the warmth of the nest as their brother hummed the familiar tune, waiting patiently for him to start singing.

Sleep now my little firefly,

Hear my voice and close your eyes.

Let your dreams come to life,

While I hold you through the night.

Don’t ever you cry my little moon,

My voice, your pain it will soothe.

Let all your fears wash away,

Mama is here, and here I’ll stay.

As the last note faded away Wilbur allowed a single tear to fall. All four boys were fast asleep, soft smiles on their faces and minds calm and still. He kissed them all on the head, heart filled with love and loss. He wished his mother was here with them, wished she got to see Tommy and Tubbo grow up, got to meet Ranboo and Dream, got to sing them her song herself. 

“You’d be so proud of them Mama. They all have your kindness and fierce loyalty. I hope you’ll be proud of how I’ve raised them, that you’ll be so happy when you finally get to hold them in your arms again.” Wilbur whispered to the still dark room. These last few weeks had been trying and filled with anxiety and stress but now, Wilbur felt like the sun was finally breaking through the clouds. Sam had agreed to stand by them, to follow them into battle if needed which brought a ray of hope to their cause. Wilbur could only hope the light continued to grow.

Chapter Text

King Jschlatt liked to think of himself as a strong willed and controlled man. One couldn’t simply run a country on charm alone after all, you needed brains as well, needed a strong head on one's shoulders. You also needed a strong will to be able to make the hard calls, the decisions that would leave most people crying with guilt and shame. Jschlatt had never had such a problem when it came to taxing the poor, taking what he wanted and executing those that opposed him. Even from a young age he had shown his crul lust for power and lack of moral compass. When he’d been just a child he’d had his nursemaid put to death after telling his father she had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving children. He watched from the Castle balcony as her head was removed from her body, a small smirk stretched across his young face.

From the moment he’d been born, Jschlatt had things handed to him on a silver platter, and had been told of his importance and how those below him were nothing compared to him. His father had nurtured his malicious tendencies and encouraged his bigited way of thinking. When his parents had passed after their ship sunk off the coast of Manberg when he’d been only sixteen he had been just as cold hearted as his father had been if not more so. His sister was gentle and kind like their mother had been, weak in his fathers eyes. While he didn’t like how she would protest in defense of the peasants he did care for her in a way. It was why he confined her to the Castle, never allowing her to leave. The furthest she could go was the Castle gardens and that was only if under heavy guard. He wouldn't lose her nor would he allow her to fraternize with those beneath them. 

His distaste for the common folk had only grown after the failed trip to L’Manberg. The village had always left a sour taste in his mouth as he saw its continued existence as an insult to their Kingdom. That village had once been a Kingdom, had stood against his ancestors and had nearly won the war all those years ago. Even decades later Jschlatt didn’t trust the people of L’Manberg, always believing they were plotting against the throne. When the Great Philza Minecraft and his eldest son had arrived at the Castle to sign up for Knight training he’d been wary. The Minecraft’s were the descendants of the L’Manberg royal family after all. But then he got to know Philza and he was delighted to see that the man was completely loyal to the Kingdom of Manberg, and was a perfect little follower. Technoblade Minecraft was also an amazing fighter, climbing the ranks at a pace never before seen until he stood as Head Knight. He had used Philza’s blind devotion to his advantage, playing the man like a fiddle to help him pass laws that would normally be shut down by his advisors. Philza Minecraft might not be a King like his ancestors but he was still a well known and respected figure in their country. 

But of course the man’s other children couldn’t be like their father. No, instead they took after their mother, Kristen Minecraft-Soot. Everyone knew the woman had been spirited and wild, having connections to the Nether, hence Technoblade being a Piglin hybrid. There were also rumors of old magic running through the Soot family line though Jschlatt had always brushed those aside as stories. Seeing the Soot brat flying away on the back of an actual living dragon had made him reconsider those rumors. Nothing had been going right since he’d first laid eyes on the five younger Minecraft children. He hadn’t managed to capture the dragon, had lost his Head Knight who had fled like the coward he was and now had a revolution on his hands. All of it leading back to Wilbur Soot.

Wilbur Soot, the embodiment of Kristen Soot who had never liked the royal family. The boy was too much like his mother, too headstrong and spirited. The boy needed to die, he was a dangerous enemy to have with his intelligence and connection to the old magic of the earth. 

Jschlatt gave an enraged yell as he threw his glass of whisky across the room. Sadly, the sound and sight of broken glass didn’t help his mood like he’d hoped it would. His contacts in Las Nevadas had just informed him of the alliances being formed between the hidden traitors and the other two desert communities. He also heard rumors that Kinoko was planning on siding with the North and this left Jschlatt at a severe disadvantage. 

While Manberg was the largest settlement in the country with the largest army they weren't the only place that had armed soldiers. Both Kinoko and the Badlands were famous for their military forces. Kinoko had a legion of the best archers who never missed a target and were highly trained in stealth. In comparison, the Badlands had the Dies Irae, a group made up entirely of Creeper Hybrids. With them being the size of a small horse with deadly claws and their explosive powers they were feared on the battlefield. The loss of these two armies had Jschlatt seething with rage.

“If you clench your teeth any harder they’ll break.” The man sighed tiredly before turning to the doorway where his sister stood. Long dark hair fell down her back like a waterfall with purple highlights while her long lashes framed her soft brown eyes. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” He asked.

“I heard the glass break. Thought I’d come see what has you so upset.” The Princess smiled.

“It's nothing of concern to you, Minx.” Jschlatt growled even as his sister glided into the room to stand by his desk. Her eyes scanned the different scrolls, mirith dancing in her eyes which just had his anger and frustration rising. 

“Having a bit of trouble with the common people?” She asked innocently. Minx had never agreed with his extremist views, had always protested rises in tax or the execution of people. Jschlatt knew she despised him but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't bring himself to hate her. She was his sister, the last connection he had to his mother who, while never approving of him or his fathers actions, had loved him. 

“A small group of people who think they can start a revolution. They will be quickly dealt with, nothing to worry about.” Jschlatt smiled.

Minx hummed, sitting on the desk and smoothing out her purple gown. “So the loss of the Kinoko archers and Badlands Dies Irae isn’t worrying you at all?”

Teeth grinding together, eyes narrowing while Minx just smiled. “They won’t be allied for long.”

“And how can you be so sure of that?” Minx asked.

Schlatt stared at his sister for a long moment, mind running through different options before a thought struck him. With a vicious smirk he turned to the guard standing by his door. “Guard, inform the second regimen to prepare to leave. I think its time these rebels know their place.”

The guard bowed before marching off down the hallway, Minx frowning after him before turning back to her brother. “What are you planning?”

He gazed back at her, eyes cold and lips pulled back in a cruel smile. “As I said dear sister, nothing that concerns you.”

Minx sighed, standing up and making her way to the door where she paused to look back at her brother. “Be careful Schlatt, the more brutal you are the more enemies you’ll create.”

“You have a soft heart Minx. Fear is how you keep control.”

“Or how you lose it.” 

With that said the princess left the room. Schlatt sat at his desk, brows furrowed while he waited for the commander of the second regimen to arrive so as to receive his orders. He knew what he was about to do was drastic but sacrifices must be made for the greater good. In the end, if blood needed to be spilt in order for him to regain control and power then it was a price he was willing to pay. When the commander arrives all morals about the situation have faded leaving only cold determination.

“You have a new mission, and this time I don’t want any survivors.” Schlatt growled.

~~~~~~~~ 

El Rapids was the smallest settlement in the country with less than one-hundred residents. They were a fishing village, relying on the river that flowed by them for everything. The salmon that called the river home was their gold, their only trade they could have. Living on the edge of a desert meant very little grew and what did had to be kept for the people themselves. Their homes were made from the mud and clay of the river banks while Camels were their main source of transportation and milk. It was a simple life the people lived, one of hard work and long days. 

Even before the massive rise in taxes that left the village struggling even more than usual the people had lived a poor lifestyle. They didn’t have a military or soldiers of any kind like the other settlements did, everyone needed to help man the fishing nets. They were a people who knew nothing of violence or crime. It is why, on the late February afternoon none of them were prepared for the battalion of Imperial soldiers on horseback that came charging into their home. 

It wasn't a fight, not even a proper siege. It was a slaughter house, soldiers cutting civilians down as they tried desperately to run to safety. Women cried and begged for their children’s lives while their husbands tried in vain to protect their families. The soldiers were merciless in their attack, burning wagons to the ground, murdering whole families and even slaughtering the animals. The once pristine river that was the lifeforce of El Rapids turned red and black with blood and ash. In the end, it only took the soldiers fifteen minutes at most to completely wipe out the community of El Rapids. And, as quickly as they had arrived they vanished leaving behind burning ruins and a sea of blood and death.

Perched atop of burning ruins of the grain tower that was slowly crumbling to the ground a Raven called out. Beady eyes peered down at the devastation below, feathers ruffling at the feeling of the earth itself crying with grief. The Raven crooned, head lifting as a small flock flew overhead. Wings spreading, carrying the bird up to join its kin, they began the long journey North, all of them following the burning fire that was a creature of old magic. They could hear the earth crying, knew that what had just happened was wrong and that the only one who could even hope to help soothe the earth’s pain and right the wrong was the young dragon. 

All the living creatures had felt it when the dragon had finally been born, had felt the magic returning to the land. This is what they had been waiting for, what the earth had been waiting for. The cruel King’s of the South had been hurting the balance of the world for far too long and now it was finally time for magic to return and for the royal family of the North to rise once again.

Chapter Text

In the last few weeks of February, Sam and a select few people from the Badlands Outpost would come and go from Pogtopia. Wilbur and Techno were already making plans with the Commander on different areas to set up scouts with the main positions being along the roads leading to the ruins of L’Manberg, the ones leading to the Badlands themselves as well as the roads connecting the Badlands to Kinoko and Las Nevadas. Everyone knew the settlement of Las Nevadas would be one to watch as the people would never side against the Manberg Royal family. Many high class nobels travelled to the desert paradise for little holidays and owned holiday homes there. The native residents profited greatly from the wealthy Capitol guests and would therefore stand against Wilbur and his allies. 

A raven had also appeared during the last few days of the month from Kinoko stating that they would also stand with the North and that the Maester himself would be making their way to the ruins of L’Manberg within the next few days to meet with Wilbur. The support of Kinoko had Wilbur feeling much more confident in their position in the war. They had the backing of two of the country's best military forces now meaning they had a fighting chance. Sam’s younger adopted brother, Punz, had also started helping Techno in training the people on how to fight and handle weapons. All in all, things were looking up for the people of Pogtopia. 

“We should hopefully have a response from Snowchestor in the next few weeks. Eret has always said good things about their Chieftain so hopefully that will add another ally to our ranks.” Wilbur sighed as he looked over a map of the country. 

“The Imperial army is large and strong but they are mainly Foot-soldiers who are trained in sword fighting.” Techno nodded. “The Kinoko Archers and the Dies Irae will be a force they are not used to fighting which gives us a large advantage. The Snowchestor regimen are also mainly versed in sword combat but they are also well known for their spear work.”

Wilbur hummed in understanding. The people of Snowchestor were the only ones that lived in an area that had snow fall all year round. They were people of the ice with many taught to spear fish from a young age. They were also renowned for their almost symbiotic relationship with the local wolf pack that would help the villagers to hunt and bring down elk and bison. The furs from the elk and bison were their main trade along with the fish caught in both the river nearby and the frozen ice shelves that bordered the ocean. Wilbur also knew that there was slight discontent among the people of Snowchestor with the Kingdom of Manberg. Like the other settlements they had been suffering under increasing taxes and many families were struggling to make ends meet. When Wilbur had been still a child Eret had moved south to the village and had kept in contact with friends still in L’Manberg and so had been a great source of information on the goings ons of the place. 

“In that case I think it would be best to have small groups of soldiers stationed across the Badlands desert.” Puffy suggested while drawing a line right through the center of the map. The desert stretched across the whole length of the country right through the middle. The largest part was to the east side which is also where El Rapids and Las Nevadas was located. The desert terrain thinned out towards the west side where the Badlands Outpost stood. 

“I agree with the suggestion.” Ant spoke up. “Most people believe the Badlands natives only live at the Outpost but in actuality our people live across the whole desert. We have our main village but we also keep to our ancestral roots of being nomadic travellers. We have cashays all across the sand dunes that help us survive the harsh climate.”

“If you had spies stationed along the desert you’d be able to warn us of any surprise attacks marching north.” Techno nodded.

“Its agreed then.” Wilbur said before turning to the cat hybrid. “Ant, please send word to Sam of these new changes. We have faith the Dies Irae will handle this task with expert precision.”

Ant bowed to Wilbur before exiting the hut. Wilbur gazed over the map, eyes scanning over the vast mountain rangers that dotted the southern part of the land. He knew they would have to make sure Schlatt brought his army to them for the Imperial soldiers would have the upper hand if they were to fight among those mountains. The Badlands people would struggle in the cold snowy climate seeing how even in winter no snow would fall in the desert. The Kinoko archers alongside the L’Manberg natives were also more used to flat forested terrain. It frustrated the young King that the Manberg Castle was situated along the rocky coast line and surrounded on all sides by towering mountains and hilly valleys. He knew that at some point they would have to storm the Castle, he just wished it wasn’t located where it was. 

The group spent a few more hours pouring over maps and discussing different approaches of attack before they broke away for lunch. While those like Niki, Puffy, Bad and Skeppy went back to their personal huts to have lunch with their families, Wilbur rounded up the boys and led them into the woods while Techno elected to stay behind on the basis of this being a flock thing. 

Wilbur stood by a large boulder as he slowly cut up apple slices, ears straining to hear even the slightest sound. His mind was split in two, one half focused on cutting the fruit and setting up the little platter with cheeses and dried meat while the other half tracked his brother's progress. He had sensed the restless energy growing in them over the last few days and had finally decided it was time for them to burn it off and go on a hunt. The four of them had gone charging off into the trees, Dream with his nose to the ground as he went about finding them a good target. 

Already, Wilbur could feel the rising excitement as the boys tracked down a wild boar. The triplets were quickly to slink into the tall grass, slowly moving to cut off escape routes while Dream circled behind the animal. He lay crouched in the underbrush, scales shifting to match the colour of the foliage so his natural white colouring wouldn't give him away. Realistically, he could have brought the boar down by himself already but he enjoyed working together with his brothers, liked teaching them how to hunt prey and improve their skills. 

Like a dance they had been born knowing the triplets erupted from the grass with loud shrieks and trills to startle the animal. Boars are tricky, they are more aggressive than deer and are more likely to charge their attackers. However, if given a good enough scare they would normally choose to bolt rather than stay and fight. As they had hoped the boar gave a loud squeal of fear, trying to make a break for the side only to have Ranboo snarl angrily, hands flashing out to straff his claws along the animals side. It had the desired effect of driving the boar back towards the thick shrubs where Dream lay in wait, body coiled and ready to leap forward at a moment's notice. In the end it is over very quickly with Dream pouncing from his hiding place and biting down on the back of the boar's neck, severing the spine and killing it instantly. Tommy and Tubbo preen with pride at the successful hunt while Ranboo hums with pleasure when Dream praises him for his quick work in getting the boar to run in the direction they wanted.

“Alright kids, bring it on home.” Wilbur probed gently. The triplets chitter happily, darting off into the trees while Dream follows at a slower pace, their kill held safely in his jaws. 

The family of five sit in the meadow enjoying their meal, Wilbur having skinned the boar so they could use its hide and allowing Dream to take care of the rest. They don’t get days like this very often anymore where they can just slow down and relax. Running a kingdom while also planning a war was time consuming, especially when one had no experience in war. Wilbur was just thankful to have Techno by his side as his twin was well versed in the art of battle and on how to plan attacks to insure they had the upper hand. They all take hold of this moment, determined to enjoy it while it lasts.

It's nearing sundown when their luck runs out. Wilbur had been sitting with Tubbo, watching as the young boy focused hard on the flower he held in his hand that slowly began to bloom. George had quickly realized Tubbo also had an aptitude for magic and had been slowly teaching him the basics much to the younger boy's delight. Tommy, Ranboo and Dream had been playing a game of tag, the two human boys against their younger but larger brother when Dream suddenly came to a grinding halt. Almost immediately the bond is flooded with confused agitation as Dream hunches low to the ground with a nervous growl.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” Wilbur rushed to the youngers side, Ranboo and Tommy giving worried trills as the re-group with Tubbo to pace anxiously around their Alpha and Beta. 

Dream whined softly, head shaking from side to side as the distant calls of ravens echoed through the trees. ‘Somethings happened. The earth mourns.’

“What do you mean buddy?” Wilbur asked only to yelp when he’s suddenly tackled to the ground by a very human Dream who trembles in his grasp. The boy's thin shoulders shudder with sobs while his fingers grip at Wilbur’s shirt so tightly he fears they’ll tear right through.

‘Wrong! Something is wrong! The magic is sad and hurting!’ Dream wailed while trying to burrow deeper into his Alpha and brothers arms.

“Shhh, shhh. Deep breaths for me now. You're okay, I’m here, I’m here.” Wilbur soothed, gently rocking the sobbing boy while running his fingers through soft white hair. With a gentle nudge he calls the triplets over who are eager to comfort their sibling, Ranboo nuzzling against Dream’s tear stained face with a gentle hum while Tubbo and Tommy push themselves into his sides. “There you go, we’re all here, you’re safe. Can you try and explain what’s happening?”

Dream crooned sadly, hand reaching out to grasp at Tubbo’s for extra comfort. ‘Something happened down south, something bad. It hurt the land and magic greatly and sent a wave out when it happened. The wave hit just now and it was filled with so much pain and grief.’

The dragon turned boy gave another heart-breaking wail, leaning into the soothing touches of his brothers who whistle and coo sadly. Wilbur bites at his lip, stomach turning with worry for just what could cause such a violent reaction in the magic of the earth to affect his little brother in such a way. Shedding his brown trench coat he wraps it tightly around Dream’s body before lifting him with ease into his arms, the triplets falling into line beside him as they make their way back to Pogtopia. When the ravine comes into view the sky has turned blood red with the setting sun and the calls of ravens can be heard all around them. Dream shifts in Wilbur’s arms, looking up at the circling birds and growling low in his throat.

‘Death, there’s death in the air.’ He whispers causing his brothers to tense in fear.

“The ravens?” Ranboo questioned warily.

‘They bring news, they saw what happened. They are here to warn us.’ Dream said before pushing his face back into Wilbur’s neck, body trembling with fear, sadness and anger. He feels his Alpha’s steady presence blanketing his mind, blocking out the screaming cries of the earth to help him relax. After the shock of experiencing such a strong overload of magic it only takes a few moments for him to drift off to sleep.  

Wilbur sighed, the triplets gazing between him and Dream’s passed out form with worry. The ravens scream loud above them, some flying down low to call frightfully right beside their heads before flying back up into the sky where they circle. And when they think things can’t get any worse George and Sapnap come running towards them with wide fearful eyes and pale faces.

“What’s happened?” Wilbur demands, voice firm and strong.

“Its not good.” George sighed while Sapnap shifted nervously on his feet.

“The Maester of Kinoko is here to see you. He and apparently the ravens have brought news with them and it isn’t good.” The blaze hybrid muttered.

Wilbur froze, the dread growing heavier by the second. He looks at the boys then down at Dream. “Sapnap, please take Dream and the boys back to our hut and don’t even think about arguing with me boys. You’ll go with Sapnap and stay in the hut with him until I return.”

Tommy huffed, clearly put out while Ranboo and Tubbo grumbled softly. Sapnap moved forward, gently taking the sleeping white-haired youth into his arms before jerking his head at the other three kids in a clear sign to follow him. They begrudgingly follow the older boy, glancing back at Wilbur and George every so often as they do.

George grimaced before waving his hand in an indication for Wilbur to follow him. “They are waiting for us in the war room.”

Arriving at the war room finds the rest of the Halo family barring Sapnap along with Techno, Sam, Ant, Punz, Niki and Puffy. They stand by the far wall with pale drawn faces while on the other side of the room stands a young man about Wilbur’s age with soft brown hair who wears the ceremonial purple robe of the Maester of Kinoko. Sitting on his right shoulder is a raven that gives a low mournful caw causing the young man to lift a hand to gently pet the animal. 

“Wilbur, may I introduce you to Karl Jacobs, Maester of Kinoko village.” George said before turning to face the other boy. “Karl, allow me to introduce King Wilbur Soot of L’Manberg and leader of the Pogtopia rebellion.”

Karl gave a weak smile, bowing respectfully as he did so. “Your majesty. It is good to finally meet you in person.”

“Likewise Maester Jacobs.” Wilbur greeted back. “Though I hear you have some news for me, and not the good kind either.”

Karl sighed while the raven clacked its beak, feathers ruffling with agitation. “For a bit of context, the Jacobs family also has old deep magic running through their blood like the Soots. Ours is more in tune with nature and the magic that connects us all and also connects us to our pasts, presents and futures. We’ve always had a history of seers and empaths in our family.”

“Am I to assume you have either seen something or heard something troubling?” Wilbur asked, pushing through his surprise at another family having connections to the old magic. 

Karl nodded, face grim. “On my way here to meet with you I felt a wave of grief and pain from the earth. Shortly after I bumped into a flock of ravens heading North who were calling out a warning of death and murder.”

Wilbur tensed, mind flashing to his family and hoping that whatever has happened won’t happen to his kids. He can tell that whatever has happened is terrible. For the earth to cry with pain, for Dream to feel that pain and for a human and the animals in the area to feel it meant it had to be catastrophic. He nodded his head to Karl, telling him to continue. 

“Four days ago, in the early hours of the evening the village of El Rapids was attacked by a legion of Imperial soldiers……and there were no survivors.”

It's like the air has been forcefully knocked from his lungs with how hard it is to breath all of a sudden. His mind is a mess of white noise and confused horror, trying to understand what he’s just been told and make sense of it all. It was only last week that he had received a letter from the Governor of El Rapids stating they would support L’Manberg/Pogtopia in the coming war. It was just over a week ago they had received a wagon of freshly caught salmon from the fishing village and had in turn sent them a wagon of eggs, dried meat and spools of wool. Wilbur had always known Jschlatt was a cruel man but he never thought he would go so far as to attack a simple fishing village that had no means to defend themselves. 

“How many dead?” Wilbur asks in a low voice.

“Wilbur, don’t do that to yourself.” Niki began but the brunette just shook his head.

“I will not dishonor them by ignoring what has happened to them. How many dead?”

“123 civilians.” Sam muttered softly. “A party of Dies Irae only saw the smoke from the remains of the village a day after the attack and the raven with the letter arrived only moments after Maester Karl and the other ravens did.”

“What did the party do with the bodies?” Wilbur breathed deeply, trying to keep calm.

“The people of El Rapids are descendants of those that broke away from the nomadic tribes of the Badlands to settle down. though they had lived separately from us for hundreds of years they still practised the same beliefs and traditions. They were burned on a pyr so their spirits could join their ancestors among the stars.” Ant spoke up.

Wilbur sighed, hands rubbing at his face while he hunched out the table that the map was spread over, eyes quickly zeroing in on El Rapids. So many innocent lives were stolen simply for siding with him. Its enough to leave him almost drowning with guilt.

“It’s a warning to the other villages.” Techno growled, gaining everyone's attention. “Schlatt has always been skilled at psychological warfare. He likes to prey on people’s weaknesses and also uses fear to control people. He’s hoping that the other villages will redact their support because of what happened to El Rapids.”

“He’s a fool and a coward then.” Sam sneered while smoke was blown from his nose, the scent of gunpowder heavy in the air. “He attacked innocent people, people who are part of the sand dunes, our sister tribe. We will not back down, will not submit to such a man. We stand by you King Soot.”

“As do the people of Kinoko.” Karl declared. “The royal family of Manberg have been tearing this country apart for centuries, and have been hurting the earth since they first claimed this land as their own. Under their rule they have near enough completely killed off all magic and if the magic dies we all die. Magic is what keeps our world healthy and strong, which is why for the last few decades we have all struggled with our crops and livestock. The magic has been fading, until your brother was born Wilbur.”

All eyes turn to Wilbur and the single white scale that hangs proudly around his neck. Gentle fingers trace the outline of it while Wilbur reaches out mentally to brush along Dream’s mind. Everything keeps leading back to that fateful night almost nine years ago when an egg cracked open and the final part of their flock had been found. It was true that ever since Dream’s birth the village had found their crops growing bigger and better every year, had seen more wildlife returning to the woods. Never did Wilbur imagine that the egg his mother gifted him when he was just four-years-old would have such an impact on his life, would change the lives of all those living in the world. It was almost as if the world itself had been waiting for this moment and that thought both frightened and excited him. He feared for his brother’s safety, for just what this all meant for him. Despite being the size of a large carriage in his true form Dream was still his little brother, his baby that he held just seconds after his birth. He was still the boy who sought comfort from Wilbur during his first thunder storm, still the little hatchling that would chase falling snowflakes and snuggle with their flock at night. Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo were his kids but Dream was Wilbur’s baby and he would do anything to keep him safe. 

He turned to his fellow leaders and friends who looked to him for guidance and direction. He squared his shoulders while also sending a silent promise to make sure the people of El Rapids' deaths would not be in vain. “No more playing around. It's time we show that southern weasel why you don’t mess with the North.”

Chapter Text

Within two days, Wilbur and his brothers alongside Sapnap, George, Quackity and Ponk have packed up their belongings and have joined Sam, Ant and Punz in their return trip to the Badlands. A wagon is loaded before being attached to one of the horses Sam and his delegation had brought with them as it is decided it will be safer for Dream to remain in human form during their trip in case there are any spies along the way. For the quadruplets it is a time of adventure and wonder as they head further south than they have ever been. Only a day after leaving Pogtopia and passing the ruins of their old home they come across a massive lake that is five times the size of L’Manberg. They camp beside it for the night and Wilbur allows the boys to spend the evening playing in the cool refreshing waters though obviously Ranboo sits out on the game.

With the lake comes the river crossing, a large wooden bridge stretching across the raging waters that head down stream towards where El Rapids once stood. It is at the crossing that Quackity pulls away from the group to crouch beside the waters edge. His hands dig into the sandy banks, tossing a handful into the air while muttering an ancient prayer as he did so. From his pocket he pulls a single silver coin that has a salmon carved into it, pressing his lips to the cool surface before tossing the coin into the river as silent tears slid down his face. Sapnap comes up beside him, hands moving to send little embers into the air that dance like fireflies while George moves to his other side to take his hand. 

“I might not have had any blood relatives left in El Rapids but it was still my home. I knew every face by name, helped the other families with their chores and made sure they had enough blankets and food during winter.” Quackity muttered softly. “They didn’t deserve what happened to them.”

Sam came up behind them to rest a soothing hand on the duck hybrid's back. “They will not be forgotten. They were our kin, our sister tribe. We will honor their spirits and make sure they are avenged. They did not die in vain.”

The tears fall hard and fast, body shaking sobs tearing themselves from the young man as he collapses to his knees, pants quickly becoming wet from the river. Sapnap and George fall with him, arms wrapped tightly around his trembling form as silent tears of their own begin to fall. With a deep stuttering breath Quackity gave a loud wail of despair as he finally grieved for his old home and friends and family. 

From the wagon Dream gave a low warbel of distress from his place in Ranboo’s lap. The half Enderman hybrid churred, arms wrapped tightly around the smaller frame while nuzzling into soft white hair. The twins sat closer to the end of the wagon, watching the scene by the river bank with deep sadness while Wilbur and Techno just stood between the two groups. When the group starts moving again it is at a slow somber pace, grieg hanging heavy in the air around them. 

The reprieve from the heavy mood arrives when the first of the great expanse of sand dunes finally comes into view a few days later. The group barely has time to react before the quadruplets are charging from the wagon and running full speed towards the dunes with Wilbur racing after them. He tries calling out both physically and mentally but he is met with a wall of excited wonder and awe from the boys. They pause before they reach the sand, eyeing where it meets the dusty hard packed earth with wariness. Dream in particular crouches low to the ground, sniffing at the hot grains as he hums nervously. 

“I’ve never seen so much sand before.” Tubbo stated as he poked the sand with his shoe. He yelped when Tommy shoved him playfully with a wing.

“It's a desert Tubs, what did you expect?” The blond snarked.His twin scowls, lips pulling back in a snarl only for Ranboo to push himself between the two with an exasperated huff.

“Honestly you two.” The taller muttered fondly while Dream gave a hacking cough of amusement. 

“I’d appreciate it if we could go at least one day without any sqwabbles breaking out.” Wilbur said as he came up beside the group. “I’d also like it if you all didn’t go charging off like a pack of wild dogs too.”

‘We were excited.’ Dream ducked his head while reaching out to ghost his fingers over the back of Wilbur’s hand in apology. 

From the corner of his mind Wilbur feels the triplets playful yet still genuine apology ghosting along the connection. He can see how they all look at him with wide pleading eyes, bodys thrumming with excited restrained energy as they wait for his approval. He smiles before giving a small mental nudge. “Go on then, get it out of your system.”

The triplets bolt onto the sand, hands digging into the hot grains and legs tensing as they get used to the feeling of how the ground shifts beneath their weight. Ranboo is quick to grab a block, soft Enderman-like sounds slipping past his lips as he inspected the new texture of the block. As they explore and get used to the new terrain Dream hangs back, sniffing at the sand and grumbling softly to himself beside Wilbur. The older smiles down at the youth, mind flashing back to when Dream had seen the first snow. He waits patiently, allowing Dream to compose himself and gather his thoughts all while giving him the mental support. When he eventually takes that first hesitant step it only takes a few moments for him to be racing across the sand with his brothers. 

The kids are quickly rounded up so they can be dressed in clothing that will protect them from the burning hot sand. Long sleeved cotton shirts and pants that are loose and baggy help to keep their skin safe from the sun, allow air to circulate to keep them cool and also prevent their sweat from evaporating too quickly which also helps to cool them down and prevent dehydration. They are also given Shemagh Keffiyeh head wraps to protect from both the sun and the harsh winds that can kick up a sand storm at a moments notice. It’s a struggle to get the Shemagh on Dream who hisses and growls at having something wrapped so tightly around his head with only his eyes visible but he does eventually submit to Wilbur’s demands.

The wagon is abandoned, the wheels not suitable for the loose shifting sands and is instead swapped out for a sled. The horses snort and paw at the ground, getting used to the texture and feeling once again after spending so long on the firm solid ground of the North before they start the long trek into the desert towards the Badlands Outpost. Sam takes the lead, his large paws acting like snow-shoes would and spreading his weight out across the sand. He moves fluidly, in his element and perfectly at home alongside the other Badlands natives. For George and Sapnap, they stumble and falter for a bit having only been three and six when they left the desert behind for the North but it would seem like old habits and muscle memory are stronger than first thought for it only takes them an hour to find their rhythm. 

They pass rocky outcrops, spiky bushes that are a dark dry green in colour and towering cacti that stretch at least 12 meters into the air. Punz tells the younger ones that they are called Saguaro and that they grow a fruit which is one of the main sources of food for the people of the desert. When they pass one that has some fruit Punz quickly takes his staff to knock it off, avoiding the prickly spines of the plant itself. Cracking the fruit open and scooping out the seeds he hands it to the boys with a smile, encouraging them to try the new food. 

“It’s so sweet!” Tubbo yelled as he shoved the rest of the sweet red flesh of the fruit into his mouth. 

“We use the bahidaj for many different things.” Ant said as he too grabbed one of the fruits that Punz was continuing to collect for the group. “The fruit can be eaten both raw and cooked, processed into syrup and jam, and the pulp dried into cakes. The seeds are eaten raw or dried and ground into flour.”

As they ate their food, Wilbur and the boys watched as the Badlands natives took some of the seeds and planted them along the path as they went. Sam explained how it could take over 100 years for the Saguaro to grow to full size and that they always made sure to give back to the earth that provided for them. 

“Our ancestors understood that the spirits of the earth only provided for those that gave back as much as they took. We must live in harmony with nature, not against it. If we start to disrespect nature and the spirits then they will punish us. By keeping peace with them and giving offerings they help us to survive where others would perish.” Sam muttered as he planted some of his seeds.

Dream looked up at the creeper hybrid, chirping softly before he rushed to the side of the path. His fingers dug into the hard sunbaked dirt, gently placing the seeds into the hole before carefully covering them up. He looked back to Sam who was smiling down at him, front legs bending so he could be at more eye level. “We thank the sisters three, Coatlicue, Chimalma and Xochitlicue for bringing life and fertility to the land.”

Dream perked up at the names of the three Goddesses of the Badlands Natives. Hearing those names made the magic in the air spark and pulse with power and he felt it dance across his skin and own magic. He could feel the shifting of his brothers in his mind and knew they could feel it too. Each part of the country had their own spirits and gods, had their own traditions and rituals they performed to give thanks and celebrate them.

L’Manberg had their seasonal holidays of Ostara, Yule, Mid-summer festival and Samhain. Many of their traditions and rituals circled around those who have long passed, celebrating their lost loved ones and giving thanks to the spirits of life and death. They were an open minded people and so never really named any God or Goddess in their rituals, instead opting to give thanks to all. It was one of the main reasons why L’Manberg had been the original Capital and royal family as they were seen as a representation of all the settlements. 

The people of the Badlands and El Rapids had their three Goddesses, the sisters Coatlicue, Chimalma and Xochitlicue who were the Goddesses of Fertility, life and death, guide and rebirth. They didn’t have a set date where they celebrated, instead they showed their thanks and devotion through the constant planting of seeds, of offerings of food and water. They would hold massive parties when a birth or death occurred, burning sage and the feathers of ravens as they sang to the sisters to either bless the newborn with a long happy life or to look after their deceased loved one for them until they joined them in the stars.

For Kinoko they believed that all who have lived wait and watch over them in death, that all living things are connected and share a bond. In July they have the Festival of Obon where they believe the dead come to visit their loved ones. During this time they will clean their loved ones gravestones and light lamps to help guide the spirits home.

The people of Snowchestor believed that every living being had a inua or ‘soul’ and because of that they treated all life with respect. They also believed that the sun, moon, lakes, mountains and rivers also had their own inua and so made sure to respect the land they lived on. They would wear amulets and sing to the spirits to insure they had good hunting and health.

Manberg and Las Nevadas were the only places that didn’t practice any of the old ways or give thanks to the spirits and land. They didn’t give back to the land, didn’t thank the spirits for providing them with food and shelter. They took and took, never thinking of others and believing they were entitled to everything the world had to offer. The unbalance had been growing stronger over the decades as the two wealthy settlements continued to take from the poorer ones, continuing to drive them further towards death and famine.The magic, spirits and gods were angry, crying out for things to change lest everything fall apart at the seams.  

Dream hummed, hands digging into the earth as he felt the magic ebbing and flowing like water. If he focused hard enough, stretched his mind and magic far enough he could almost feel the bright burning stars that were the Gods and Goddesses of the world, could almost feel them prowling at the edges of the veil that divided their worlds as they stalked and hunted those that had forsaken them. He growled, low and deep in his chest with the urge to join the hunt. The triplets chittered, mentally closing ranks around him, eager to help with the hunt, to follow his lead. He purred happily, arching against them while also moving to sit mentally at Wilbur’s side, ever loyal to his Alpha.

‘The earth waits for us to start the hunt, to bring down those that hurt her.’ Dream cooed to the flock, claws and teeth bared and ready to be used.

‘Hunt, hunt, hunt, hunt.’ It is chanted down the line by the triplets as they move to stand physically by their younger brother. Tommy flares his wings, pulling Dream so his chest is flushed against the younger's back while Tubbo noses into the dragon-boys neck with a huff, sharp eyes watching Sam who just snorts softly in understanding. Ranboo looms over, Enderman-like chirps bubbling up from his throat that soothe the restless energy thrumming between them. 

‘Easy boys. Eyes on me.’ Wilbur pulls them back, smiling proudly when four sets of eyes snap to attention. He gives a short sharp whistle, chuckling when the boys dash across the hot earth to stand before him, eager to listen and please. Dream stands tall, one eye on the boys to make sure they are listening and behaving and another on Wilbur, waiting for orders. ‘Good job. We’ll be setting up camp soon so stay close and be on your best behaviour. This is not our territory so we need to listen to Sam and his people.’

The bond is alight with agreement and excitement at being in a new environment. The kids scatter when Wilbur jerks his head, keeping within eyesight and earshot but also exploring the area as much as possible as they continue walking along the road. They set up camp beside an outcrop that shields them from the cold winds of the night, a small campfire and the stars in the night sky the only source of light until Ranboo gives a startled warble, looking into the darkness where glowing eyes can be seen drawing closer.

“It’s alright, they aren’t going to hurt us.” Sam assured them. From the darkness a group of creeper hybrids emerge, dark forest green fur helping them to hide in the night. They move to stand by their Commander, heads lowered slightly in submission which has the kids churring softly by the fire.

“We have set up lookouts along the center as you ordered.” One of the hybrids spoke up. “They have the vultures to send word of suspicious activity or of small parties seen and they have flares to signal large convoys.”

“Thank you. Stay on guard and let me know of any updates.” Sam said. As quickly as they had arrived the pack of creeper hybrids vanished, disappearing into the night as silently as ghosts. 

Arriving at the Badlands Outpost the next day is a relief for everyone. After the attack on El Rapids there had been a persistent fear that the other desert settlement would be targeted next. The Outpost is larger than the fishing village had been with houses made from granite bricks mined from the small canyons and rocky hills that dot the landscape. A large tower stands at the center of the village, the rookery where the ravens and vultures roost for the night as well as acting as a look out for the guards that are always on patrol. The houses are small, the floor also made from the granite rock while the beds are thin and made from camel fur. Pickaxes and shovels line the outside walls of the houses as mining is one of the main sources of trade and income for the people of the desert.

The people of the Badlands are a mixed group. Many are creeper hybrids, the hot arid landscape their ancestral home and preferring it over the frigid cold of the south and shifting climate of the North. There are also spider hybrids, vulture hybrids and normal humans living amongst the sand dunes as well as a few demon hybrids scattered amongst them. They move amongst the houses, carrying buckets of water collected from the well, moving camels, goats and horses or carrying their tools to mine for iron, gemstones, gold and stone. They pause when Sam walks past, nodding in respect to their Commander and leader and offering polite greetings to the newcomers. 

“We have a guest house you can use beside mine but it's the only one we have so you’ll all have to share unfortunately.” Sam explained.

“It’s alright, the boys and I prefer to sleep together in a nest so the beds can be used by Sapnap, George, Quackity and Techno.” Wilbur said.

“Flock stays together.” Tommy stated proudly, laughing when Dream tackled him with a happy gurgle. 

“I’ll be sure to get you extra blankets for you then to make the nest.” Sam chuckled. “You’ll have the rest of today to get settled. Tomorrow we will go over our maps of the landscape so you can see where hidden water wells are located and then you’ll be paired up with a squadron that will take you on patrol.”

The group part ways with Sapnap, George and Quackity quickly throwing their bags into the house before dashing out to explore their old homeland, eager to see if they can find old friends they remember or old hang outs. Techno is also quick to put his things away before going off to find Punz and Sam to discuss more battle tactics. It leaves the flock to their own devices, all five of them humming softly in each other's minds. 

‘Time to start hunting.’ Tubbo whispered in glee.

‘Make the weasel suffer.’ Tommy hissed.

‘Take back our land.’ Ranboo hummed.

‘Free magic.’ Dream rumbled, curling around them all mentally. 

Wilbur smiled, warmed by their love and devotion, proud of his kids. ‘Tomorrow.’

‘Tomorrow.’ It's a promise, one they are all looking forward too.

Chapter Text

Life in the desert is not for the faint of heart. The days are blistering hot with little shelter to be found while the nights are bitterly cold, enough to turn your fingers, toes and lips blue. Food is hard to find if you don’t know where to look and many dangerous animals stalk to dunes and sunbaked flat plains. Snakes, spiders and scorpions hide in the crevices of rocks and cliff-faces while Jackals and Creeper mobs stalk the open. It's a hostile environment where all non-natives know to stick to the path lest they get lost and succumb to the elements. The desert natives guard their knowledge of the land closely as it is their main defence against a possible attack. They know if the need arises they can simply vanish into the sand dunes, wait out their enemy and strike when they least expect it. 

But desperate times call for desperate measures and so for their first time in history the Badlands natives find themselves sharing their secrets with outsiders. Wilbur and his brothers are shown maps of hidden water wells and of caves that have been carved out of cliff-faces to provide shelter. They are taught which plants are safe to eat and which are not. They are told how to mix certain herbs together to cure snake, spider and scorpion venom and how to use the stars to navigate at night. The six of them take to the information like a duck to water, soaking up everything like a sponge. Tommy in particular shows great skill in being able to ride a horse bareback while also using a bow and arrow. His wings help him to stay balanced on the animal's back, even allowing him to stand up straight when it is running at full speed. All those who are not Creeper hybrids and therefore are not a part of the Dies Irae are taught how to ride a horse from a young age and how to shoot an arrow from the animal’s back. The people of the desert are survivors and believe that everyone should be given the same opportunities to fight and protect their people and home. 

They move under the cover of night, avoiding the burning hot temperatures of the day as well as using the darkness to help hide from possible spies. The flock is paired up with Punz and a young human named Boomer who was the adopted son of Sam and in turn Punz’s adopted nephew. Boomer also had a younger sister, Hannah who had a special connection with the flora of the desert. The group had been moving for a few days, making their way to the center of the Badlands and closer to Las Nevadas. There were no roads leading to the center of the Badlands so they felt confident that they wouldn't stumble across any patrols of Imperial soldiers. Their goal was to circle to the back of the oasis settlement to do some recon work and potentially disrupt trade lines if they could. Techno in particular wanted to get a closer look at the lake that provided Las Nevadas with life to see if it was possible to do something to make the lake dry up. Without a source of water the settlement would fall apart as many of the locals had long since forgotten their traditional roots and teachings.

“The lake is man-made. When the tribesmen of Las Nevadas first settled they dug a network of underground tunnels that connected many different hidden water wells to form the lake. After that they built their little city and gave up their nomadic lifestyle, forgetting the ways of the land.” Punz explained as they silently made their way over the ever changing sand dunes that surrounded Las Nevadas. 

“Do you still know the location of the wells that supply the lake?” Wilbur asked, causing Punz to smirk.

“We never forget such important information.”

“You always keep track of your neighbours' weaknesses, just in case.” Boomer added while adjusting their frog hat.

“I like you.” Tommy said, causing the elder to chuckle fondly.

By the time the sun was starting to rise, turning the sky a pale blue, they were able to see the bright lights of Las Nevadas. The little city was like a beacon with how bright it was, the distant sounds of music and people cheering and celebrating carrying over the sand dunes. The towering buildings were made from white marble, expensive and flashy that bordered one side of the small lake. Palm trees swayed in the soft morning breeze while rose bushes bloomed in every colour imaginable, adding to the wealthy look and feeling. The sight that normally filled visitors with awe just had the small group scowling angrily. These people were living like royalty while other settlements were starving to death. Ranboo snorted softly, head shaking as disgust and anger curled its way along the line of connection causing Tommy to give a low trill, Tubbo to narrow his eyes and Dream and Wilbur to bare their teeth.

“How many wells connect to the lake?” Techno asked.

“Six in total, all within a few kilometers of here.” Punz said. “A squadron of Dies Irae are in the area, I’ll send word to them to meet up with us and we can close off the tunnels by tomorrow morning.”

“They’ll know it was your people quickly, is there someplace you could move your people too that will be safe?” Wilbur asked. No one was naive enough to think this attack would go unpunished, especially after what had happened to El Rapids.

Boomer hummed, eyes lighting up. “Just north of the outpost is the Tlālōcān cliffs. Centuries ago, our ancestors carved out caves into the cliffaces and made sure to plant an abundance of Saguaro trees. There is also an underground river that they built a well over so that would be the best place for the residents of the Outpost to go.”

“What about us?” Ranboo spoke up. “They’ll come for us as well, where do we go to hide?”

Punz was quick to pull out a map, finger tracing the lines of sand dunes, rocky outcrops and hills that surrounded Las Nevadas. “We’ll split into two groups, tackle three wells each. First group will flee to the Chimalma mountain range by the coast line while the second group will head to the ruins of Xochitlicue’s temple in the south.”

They are quick to set up a plan of attack. Boomer takes one of the horses to race back to the Outpost to warn the people and get them moving while Punz takes off into the dunes to track down the nearby Dies Irae squadron. The squadron will go after the three wells on the east side of Las Nevadas while Wilbur, Techno and the boys will take the ones of the west side. This leaves them with the temple as their safe house location. According to Punz and Boomer, the ruins of the temple are about a half-day's journey from Las Nevadas, located near the west road that leads to either Kinoko or Manberg. It's risky going to a place so close to one of the main roads but it's also a smart move as most would assume they would hideout deeper in the desert.

Vultures circle high above, bringing with them messages from Punz that the squadron is in place and to wait for the signal that will be three coyote calls just after sunset to attack. They are armed with TNT that will be dropped down the wells to destroy the tunnels, cutting off the lake's water source. It will take a few days for the water to start drying up but eventually it will run dry and force the people of Las Nevadas to either find a new source or leave. When the call of a coyote echoes through the night three times they move.

Wilbur and Techno split, heading to their own respective well while the kids dash silently across the sand towards their target. The bond is thrumming with the excitement of a hunt, all five minds bleeding into each other as laser focus settles over them all. Dream leads the triplets, his human body moving with the same speed and grace as his true one, fingers and toes practically flying across the sand. The well they are heading to is the furthest from Las Nevadas, Wilbur wanting them in as little danger as possible. Dream and Ranboo are the lookouts, Dream taking the front and Ranboo the back while Tubbo and Tommy carry the TNT and their bows and arrows just in case. A soft but sharp warbel from Ranboo has them all freezing, eyes and ears alert and straining to find what he startled their brother. 

To their left, an Enderman wanders by aimlessly with a sand block in its hands. It turns to gaze at the group briefly, purple eyes finding the green and red of Ranboo who gives a soft vwoop in greeting that seems to appease the mob as it gurgles back before continuing with its journey. Dream humms, sniffing the air once before jerking his head in the signal for his brothers to follow as they dart off across the sand once more. 

‘There! I see the old well.’ Tubbo pointed to where what appeared to be a crumbling lump of rocks stood. The group rushed over, eyes shining with glee at seeing the deep hole at the center of the crumbling structure. 

‘Time to cause chaos.’ Tommy hissed, gripping the TNT in his hand tightly as his body trembled with excited energy. 

Dream snapped at the blonde in warning, mentally pressing down on him to keep the avian hybrid in check. ‘Wait for the signal. Do not act until then.’

Tommy huffed but backed off. The four of them turned around to gaze at the distant lights of the city, scowling when they noted how the bright lights blocked out the stars. 

‘They’ve turned their backs on nature.’ Ranboo growled from his place behind his brother’s, always looming over the younger and smaller three like a guardian angel.

‘Make them pay.’ Tubbo whispered eagerly, gently nudging his shoulder against Tommy who churred softly at his twin, wings fluffing up.

‘Bitches won’t know what hit them.’ Tommy was almost preening with joy.

Dream huffed fondly at his brothers, proud of how eager they were to help and protect those that lived in harmony with magic and nature, proud at how they followed their Alpha’s orders and worked together as a flock. His head snapped up, eyes locked on the distant flash of light from torches being lit. Slowly, five dancing lights appeared in the darkness surrounding Las Nevadas, the signal that everyone was in position and ready to act. Dream turned to Tommy who was looking back at him with wide eyes, practically vibrating with repressed excitement. Dream smiled, all teeth as he felt that excitement wash across the connection. ‘Light it up.’

With a delighted whistle, Tommy ignited the TNT and dropped it down the well. Quick as a flash the triplets were scooped up into gentle scaled paws, the razor sharp talons acting more as a protective barrier for them than the deadly weapons they were. Dream fly quickly into the air, purring happily at being in his true form and being able to stretch his wings. He held his brother’s in his front paws, careful not to hurt or drop them as they all peered down below, waiting for things to kick into gear. 

It's silent and still for a moment, the cool air currents holding Dream afloat without him needing to flap his wings. Then a rumble followed by a small flash from below them. The rumble grows, turning into a roar as the TNT explodes, ripping the earth surrounding the old well apart. Fire races across the cracks and into the air, the signal to the others to set off their own TNT. Not long after identical explosions cut through the night all around them, flashes lighting up the desert as confused and panicked screams sounded from the city. 

‘Dream, come.’ The command wraps around the dragon's mind, gentle but firm. Dream screams into the night, wings folding and sending him into a dive as he homes in on the burning pyer that is his Alpha. The triplets are shrieking and howling with joy and excitement, always loving it when Dream would take them flying. When they landed they were quick to scramble up onto Dream’s back, beaming when Wilbur and Techno appeared out of the darkness and also climbed up to join them.

The small family stood in the dark, flashes of fire and casino lights dancing across the white scales of Dream’s body. Techno shudders as even he feels a sudden pressure rising through the air as magic sparks through the earth. Dream growls, low and threatening as he feels the anger and pain of innocent lives stolen, the spirits of the dead that were restless and angry pushing along the magic of the earth. The triplets hiss and snarl, wanting to help sooth the pain of those passed while Wilbur bares his teeth, leaning down to rest a steadying hand against Dream’s neck. ‘Avenge them, rain fire down.’

Dream gives a blood curling road, flames licking through the air before his wings are propelling him into the air and straight for the city. The confused screams are quick to turn into horror filled ones, people scrambling to try and flee while the few Imperial Soldiers that stand guard back up while clutching their swords and spears. With a final ear splitting roar Dream unleashes hell, head ramming into towers, tail swiping into buildings and flames burning structures to ash. His flames burn so hot they melt the scaffolding of skyscrapers and boil soldiers alive in their armour. If a soldier on a balcony tries to land a hit they are either ripped apart by teeth and claws or cut down with Techno’s sword as they pass or filled with arrows from the triplets. 

It's violent, brutal and frightening but the Soots and Minecraft boys don’t feel any regret or remorse. The flock allows Dream to curl around them mentally, helping them to process everything in a cool animalistic way while Techno allows his knight training to take over. They are at war and in war there is bloodshed. They put morals and kindness aside, fighting for their home, freedom and lives. The magic of the earth and the restless spirits floods their minds, urging them to keep attacking, keep avenging them. Normally, Wilbur wouldn't have chosen to do such a dangerous thing but the whispers of magic are strong and loud, drowning out common sense, something he will regret for the rest of his days.

Dream is swooping low, flying around one of the main buildings when he jolts to the side with a pained filled scream. The triplets cry out, huddling closer to his back while Techno snarls in rage when he spies the spear now lodged in the dragon’s right side. Wilbur feels like he could breathe fire himself with how angry he feels. His eyes lock on the soldier who threw the spear, burning hot embers lighting up his eyes as he flicks his wrist sending a dagger flying through the air. It buries itself in the man's throat, blood spurting from the wound as gargled pained filled cries fall from the man's mouth before he falls from the balcony. He’s dead before he hits the ground. 

“Dream!” Ranboo calls as the dragon wobbles through the sky and away from the now burning city. 

“Dream, you need to land! You're too hurt to keep flying!” Wilbur yells over the roar of the wind. His voice goes unheard as Dream continues to fly south, mind clouded by pain and fear. “Dream! Please stop!”

“Wilbur, he’s losing a lot of blood!” Tommy called, face pale with fear.

Wilbur looks at his brothers who are frightened and worried for their youngest family member, reaches out to Dream mentally to try and make him understand only to be met with a wall of confused pain and fear. He shudders, wanting to let his own fear overwhelm him before squaring his shoulders and calming his mind. He is the Alpha, he is in control. He reaches out, grabbing hold of Dream’s mind and pushing his will onto the other. He feels the younger panic, pushing back in fear before freezing when Wilbur throws his love, protectiveness and devotion over the other. ‘You’re safe.’ It’s whispered softly in the other’s mind, comforting. Wilbur smiles when he feels Dream release control, sitting not at the back of his Beta’s mind but at the very front. Suddenly, it's as if they are Wilbur’s wings carrying them through the sky, they are Wilbur’s claws that flex along his paws. He Zeros in on the spear lodged in his brother’s side, hissing with rage as he masks the pain, dulling it down into an ache rather than the burning agony it was.

Wilbur takes the rains, moving Dream’s body as if it were his own towards the ground. He can faintly feel Dream floating somewhere in the back of his mind, offering up small suggestions on how to angle their wings just right, how to slow their descent and land without crashing. It's still a bumpy landing with Dream quickly falling onto his uninjured side with a pain filled cry. The triplets scramble to his head, chittering softly in comfort while Wilbur and Techno move to the spear, eyes filled with fear and horror.

“Hold on Dream, you’re gonna be fine. You’re okay, you’re okay. Just hold on.” Wilbur breathed, tears running down his race like rivers as he looked into unfocused green eyes. Dream croons sadly, mind foggy and distant as darkness creeps into his vision. He can hear his brothers calling out for him, begging him to stay awake but the pain is too great and his body so tired from blood loss. With a final croon he lets darkness take him, hating the fear and panic he can distantly feel from his brothers and wishing he could take it all away.

Chapter Text

The ruins of the temple of Xochitlicue were some of the oldest in the country. Made from sandstone thousands of years ago, they were cracked and worn from time. An arch way rose high into the air with carvings of the Goddess herself etched along the pillars. Towers of sandstone dot the area, ancient script carved into their surfaces that speak of respect, gratitude and love for the Goddess while crumbling structures that were once beautiful buildings sit at the center of the area. Inside one of the old buildings is a statue of the Goddess, her hands extended so that travellers could place offerings into them. Years ago, two more temples stood beside this one dedicated to the other two Goddesses, Coatlicue and Chimalma, but they had been torn down to make room for trade routes and for Las Nevadas.

Hidden amongst the ruins of a once great temple, Wilbur and Techno keep watch as the children sleep. Blood covers both of the twins' hands, Wilbur looking far too pale and haunted after the last few hours. Not long after Dream had passed out his body had reverted to his human form, almost as if he instinctively knew it would be easier for his brother’s to move him and treat him as a human. Techno had managed to stop the bleeding, roughly stitching the wound before wrapping the young boy’s torso with strips of clothing. As soon as the wound was covered and Dream settled into a makeshift nest the triplets had descended on him, curling around their little brother protectively as they drifted off into a restless sleep.

The sun was slowly starting to crest the horizon, turning the sky a soft orange and Wilbur could feel the bone deep exhaustion settling in. He longed to collapse beside his brothers but he knew they couldn't stay at the temple for long. Schlatt would have been informed about the attack on Las Nevadas by now meaning search parties would soon be dispatched so they had to keep moving. 

“Boys, time to get up.” Wilbur gently nudged them awake, heart aching as he watched them glance desperately down at Dream’s still form only to wilt when they saw him still lost to unconsciousness. 

“What are we going to do Wilbur?” Tubbo asked.

The brunette paused before glancing at his twin who held the map. Techno squinted at it, trying to find the best path for them to take. “Our best option is to head south-west of here towards Kinoko. They have some of the best healers around so they will be Dream’s best hope.”

“How long will it take us to reach the village?” Wilbur asked, peering down at the map.

“If we use the roads and go through the Outpost it’ll be at least a week and we’ll be at higher risk of being found by Imperial Soldiers.” Techno sighed. “Or, we take the off-road path that cuts through the desert and the surrounding forests of Kinoko. Only issue with this option is we’d have to go through the Mictlan Canyon.”

“What’s wrong with the Mictlan Canyon?” Ranboo asked as both the twins bit their lips in worry.

“In the legends of the Badlands people, Mictlan is the underworld, the place where the souls of evil go when they die. They believe that the canyon is the entrance to this place as many who travel through it either never return or report hearing the screams of the damned echoing along the walls.” Wilbur explained.

Tubbo and Ranboo shifted uneasily, soft nervous clicks and chitters slipping past their lips while Tommy scowled, wings fluffing up with agitation. “If it's the fastest way to get Dream help then that’s the way to go.”

“Tommy, people have gone missing in this place.” Techno warned but the young blonde just growled low in anger.

“Dream is hurt! He needs help. We can’t waste time. Besides, you said Mictlan is the place evil souls go when they die so unless you haven’t been completely honest with us we should have nothing to worry about.”

The Piglin hybrid blinked, shocked by the younger’s words before a smirk began to pull at his lips. He reached out to ruffle Tommy’s hair, laughing when the boy yelped in protest. “You’re braver than I thought you little gremlin. We better start packing, it looks like we’re going on a family trip to the underworld.”

The boys move around the ruins of the temple, scavenging for roots, fruit and even bird eggs from nests to take with them. They also find one of the old hidden water wells to fill up their water skins for the trip as the map has no information on whether there are water sources within the canyon. While they take care of previsions, Wilbur and Techno get to work on making a sleigh with the pieces of wood lying around the place. They line it with their coats to make it softer before gently lying Dream down onto it, the boy frowning in pain but other than that he doesn't react or stir. Techno takes hold of the ropes, pulling the sleigh along behind them as they start their trek towards Mictlan canyon. Wilbur hangs back, carving a tiny dragon into the stone of the main temple to let Punz and Sam know they were there if they come looking for them.

~~~~~~ 

Schlatt sat on his throne, eyes glaring across the hall at nothing in particular while nursing a glass of scotch. He had hoped the attack on El Rapids would scare the other settlements into renouncing their alliance with the traitor Soot but it seemed to have only divided the country further. The people of the Badlands Outpost had cut all trade with Manberg, Kinoko quickly following in their footsteps. He had started sending more soldiers to Las Nevadas so they could patrol the desert roads in hopes of either apprehending some of the natives for questioning or finding evidence of Soot being in the area. Now, Las Nevadas was a burning pile of rubble, he’d lost one of the main power locations not just in the country but in the desert region as well and he’d also just been informed that the battalion that had gone to attack the Outpost had found the place abandoned.

Nothing was going the way he wanted it to go. The only thing that brought him some pleasure was the reports that Soot’s dragon might be injured. No one knew for sure but a few people had said they thought they saw a spear hit the dragon and if that was true then it meant the beast wasn’t as indestructible as first thought.

“Are you proud of yourself?” Schlatt sighed tiredly, turning to look at his sister who was leaning against one of the white marble pillars with her arms across. Minx stared right back, eyes narrowed and filled with judgement. 

“Are you still upset about that fishing village?” Schlatt asked, pulling a disgusted scoff from the young woman. 

“You slaughtered innocent people who had no means to defend themselves, who hadn’t even declared themselves as allies with the North. You murdered families, children, and you ask if I’m still upset?” Minx hissed with rage.

“It was a necessary sacrifice.” Schlatt said.

The look Minx gave him would have lesser men shaking where they stood. “You are a spineless coward.”

Schlatt stood from the throne, eyes flashing with rage as he stormed towards his sister. Scotch spilled from the glass as he gripped her by the throat with his other hand, pressing her up against the pillar while leaning in towards her face. “I am your King! You will show me respect!”

“Respect is earned and you will never earn mine.” Minx gasped out, perfectly painted and cut nails grabbing at her brother's hand around her neck.

Schlatt snarled, jerking her head back before turning away to make his way back to his throne. “You will go to your chambers.”

Minx clutched at her throat, feeling the tender skin that was already starting to bruise while her eyes burned holes into her brother. She stood slowly, walking towards the doors with grace before pausing to look back at him with haunting eyes. “And you, dear brother, you will go to hell.”

She was quick to leave, not even flinching when she heard the glass of scotch shatter against the door frame. The guards shifted nervously, watching their Princess stalk down the hallway while their King screamed murder after her. The war had just barely begun and already things were slowly falling apart. They stand at attention when Schlatt stumbles through the doors a few minutes later, eyes burning with fury that has them tensing.

“Bring me the master of coin!” He shouted at the guards who rush to do as they are told while Schlatt leaned against the wall, eyes narrowed and mind made up. “If it's a war Soot wants, then it's a war he shall get. And I’ll tax the people of this nation to death if I have to if it means destroying him and his rebellion.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

It takes the flock a full day of travelling to reach the east entrance of the Mictlan Canyon. The walls stand at least 200 feet tall casting dark shadows that at least provide relief from the burning heat of the day. Along the walls at the entrance are carvings of winged beings, creatures with sharp teeth and claws and old ruins of ancient prayers. Old bottles of long evaporated water and decaying baskets that once held loaves of bread also line the edges of the walls, offerings from people wishing to pass through the canyon safely. The triplets take a seed each, gently planting them at the entrance and whispering gentle thanks to the Goddesses three and asking for safe passage from the God Mictlāntēcutli while Techno cuts the palm of his hand to smear his blood along the stone.

“A tribute of blood, I ask for safe passage for myself and my brothers. May Mictlāntēcutli accept my offering and know I am in your service should you ever wish to call upon me.” Techno muttered softly as they passed two large pillars with carvings of the Gods and Goddesses on them.

“Bit risky, pledging yourself to a God.” Wilbur muses.

“The Gods do as they see fit. They provide us with what we need to survive. I trust in them to do what is best. Besides, I would rather serve the God of the dead than the man who calls himself King.”

Wilbur says nothing more on the matter, watching his twin who continues to pull the cot Dream lays on with a determined frown. He knows Techno regrets all he’s done in the name of Jschlatt, knows he regrets ever serving such a man. He just wished Techno would see that he doesn’t have anything to prove to them, that they have all forgiven him for his past actions already. 

They continue their walk through the canyon, Ranboo and Tommy taking turns scouting ahead for danger. It leaves Wilbur’s heart in his throat letting them do it, terrified they will get hurt themselves but he lets them. They aren’t little children anymore, have proven themselves twice over in their abilities and they keep in constant mental contact when they do it which helps ease some of the fear. It’s nearing sundown, the sky turning a soft purple and pink when Ranboo, who is scouting ahead sounds the alarm. A sharp whistle cuts through the silence, bouncing off the walls of the canyon while his mental presence in the bond becomes laser focused.

‘Spiders, four of them.’ He hisses down the line, Tommy and Tubbo growling low while Wilbur bears his teeth.

“Trouble?” Techno asks, sensing the change in his brothers.

“Spider mobs ahead. Ranboo counts four so far.” Wilbur says back, hand already moving to grab hold of his bow. From over the rocks in front of them, Ranboo expertly darts over the lose ground. His ears are standing at attention, tail flicking with nervous anger while Tommy and Tubbo churr worriedly beside him as the three move to stand beside the cot. Techno looks down at Dream, at the triplets, at Wilbur and then down the path where faint hissing can be heard getting closer. He shifts his cloak, pulling a pickaxe out from under it and handing it to his twin. “Start digging a small alcove out for us. I’ll hold them off while you get a fire going to keep them mobs at bay.”

It's not the best shelter in the world. The alcove is cramped and the taller boys have to duck their heads when inside but it’ll do for the night and is the best Wilbur can fashion in such little time. The boys quickly but gently move Dream into the little cave while Wilbur scavenges some kindling for a fire, head jerking up at a loud pain shriek that rings out through the steadily darkening evening. Techno stands guard, sword dripping with blood as the spider he’d just hit thrashes in pain. It hisses with rage, its companions moving closer while baring their fangs that drip with venom. 

“How’s that fire coming?” Techno calls as he blocks one of the spiders that lunges at him, grunting with effort as he pushes it back while also nicking it with his blade. 

“Nearly.” Wilbur shouts back, hands fumbling with the flint only to curse when he drops it, losing sight of it in the dark. His heart is hammering, hands frantically patting the ground around him as he desperately tries to find the flint when suddenly the area is lit up with bright reds, oranges and yellows. He turns to the kindling, eyes wide as Tubbo settles back down beside Dream with a shy smile on his face, hand lowering to his side as the purple glow of magic fades from his eyes. Wilbur nods his thanks before moving to light some torches with the fire, creating a barrier around their shelter that has the spiders hissing with fright as they turn to vanish back into the night. 

“You're getting better with your magic.” Wilbur praises once things have settled and they are all sitting around the fire.

Tubbo beams at the praise, practically preening as he puffs out his chest. “George has been teaching me more advanced spells. He says I am excelling much faster than he thought I would.”

“I’m proud of you.” Wilbur smiles, giving the boy a quick one-armed hug. His smile grows wider as Tommy tackles his brother to the ground, the pair of them quickly falling into a play fight that Ranboo is also dragged into. By the time their game ends (with Tubbo claiming victory) the three of them are barely keeping their eyes open. The long days travel has left them near enough dead on their feet as well as the stress and worry for their brother. They still grumble as Wilbur ushers them to bed, wanting to stay up late, help keep watch and worried for Dream but they are already drifting off as Wilbur pulls a blanket over them and presses a gentle kiss to their brows. “Sleep well boys.”

With the boys settled, Wilbur turns his attention to his twin who is practically dead on his feet after pulling the cot all day and then fighting off the spiders. “You should get some sleep too.”

“Gotta keep watch.” Techno huffs, sword laid across his lap while his eyes scan the darkness surrounding their little campsite. From outside the range of the torches the groans of zombies, rattle of skeleton bones and hisses of spiders echo leaving the twins on edge.

“You’ve barely slept these last few days.” Wilbur points out.

“Someone needs to stand guard.”

“And it doesn’t always have to be you, Tech. Let me take the first watch.”

In the end, it doesn’t take much more convincing to get Techno to sleep. The piglin hybrid all but collapses once he’s sure Wilbur is prepared to defend them should danger arise. He doesn’t even bother getting a blanket before falling asleep, leaving it to his twin to cover him with one like he’d done for the younger kids. It reminds Wilbur of when they were eight years old, just after their mother had died and he’d had to step up and look after their family. He would often find himself dragging a distraught Techno in from training in the fields, applying cream to blister covered hands, brushing out knotted pink hair and helping his twin to change into his sleep clothes before tucking him into bed. That life feels so long ago, a simpler time where the only thing Wilbur needed to worry about was making sure his siblings had food to eat, that his father didn’t waste away in his bed and that the farm was tended to.

It’s easy to lose himself in memories, to forget for a moment the responsibilities of leading a nation, a rebellion and of being a King. It’s only an hour later that he shakes himself from them when he hears the soft whimpers of pain. He’s up and by Dream’s side in an instant, hands cupping the younger's face and eyes filled with worry. 

“Shhh, shhh, you’re alright. I’m here.” Wilbur cooed as dazed green eyes peer up at him. He feels Dream reaching out mentally, his presence jumbled and confused and seeking comfort. He holds the other firmly with his own mind, acting as a steady anchor for the other to lean on.

“Wiilllllby.” It’s nothing more than a whisper, so quiet he almost misses it. It takes him a moment to understand what he’s just heard and when he does his eyes widen and fill with tears. 

“Yeah, I’m here Daydream. I’m here.” Wilbur smiles while combing his fingers through slightly stiff white locks. Dream hums softly before his eyes fall shut once more, his mental presence growing quiet as sleep claims him.

Chapter Text

South of the Badlands, away from the blistering heat of the desert is a land of ice and snow. In the southern part of the country there is always snow year-round, though during the warmer summer months it is often a thin layer or patchy with small clearings of green grass dotting the landscape. The rich citizens of Manberg have nothing to fear with their cold unforgiving climate, taking resources from the Northern settlements and never having to struggle to survive. The outer villages of Manberg where the poor people live fight to survive year-round, especially in the bitterly cold winter months. Many of the elder residents end up passing in those colder months leaving behind grieving families that glare hatefully at the towering walls of the capitol where the rich laugh and live comfortably. 

North-east of Manberg and Outer Manberg lies the village of Snowchestor and while they too struggle during the winter months they are more hardy than the Manberg people. The people of Snowchestor have learnt and adapted to life along the ice shelves and snow fields and have thrived where others have perished. They don’t grow fields of crops nor tend to paddocks of cattle and sheep. Instead, they hunt for seals and fish along the ice, they work in harmony with wolf packs of track and bring down bison and dear and they breed and look after herds of elk for their meat, fur, horns and milk.  In the same way the tribes of the Badlands have adapted to life in the arid desert the people of the Snow have perfected their lifestyle in a way no outsider ever could. But even with their knowledge of the land the people struggle and flounder as King Jschlatt drives them further into poverty with rising taxes.

A once happy village is reduced to despondent hope as Imperial soldiers march the streets, taking money, food, furs, wood and other resources away from the villagers. War is a messy affair and also an expensive one. To feed his armies and keep them strong Schlatt is more than willing to starve his people if it means winning the war. 

Caught in the middle of a power hungry king and desperate villagers is newly appointed Chieftain, Jack Manifold. The previous Chief had passed during the winter leaving the young man to fill the position just as war came marching to their doorstep. Jack knows which side he and his people wish to stand with but he also knows which side they must pretend to support if they wish to keep their heads. It's why the letter King Wilbur had sent Jack weeks ago had been burnt the moment the contents had been read for Schlatt has made it clear that anyone caught siding with the North will be executed. It is common knowledge amongst every village in the country what had happened to El Rapids so no one is naive enough to think it is an empty threat.

Throughout it all, Jack has been most thankful for the counsel of his close friend Eret. The man had moved to Snowchestor many years ago and had stayed with the Manifold family when he first arrived. It is through Eret that Jack has learnt of the Minecraft family, of the second eldest child who now stands as King of the North. Eret was born and raised in L’Manberg, his family descended from those who had lived in the Kingdom along the Northern shore line before it had been torn to the ground. Before the war he had kept in contact through Ravens with friends and thus still had a wealth of knowledge of the now reborn kingdom. But in times of war, knowledge can come at great cost.

Jack was making his rounds for the day, checking on the sick or injured, collecting reports on trade routes and supplies when young Callahan came running up to him. Just from the frantic waving of the boy's arms accompanied by the wide fearful look to his eyes, Jack knew something was terribly wrong.

“What is it?” 

The younger breathed heavily from his run, trembling hands coming up to sign his response. ‘Imperial soldiers are rounding up people, putting them in chains. They are accused of treason.’

Blood turning as cold as the snow around them, Jack gestured for Callahan to show him the way, both running as quickly as they could through the freshly fallen snow. When they arrived at the edge of the village where the two roads leading either to Manberg or Las Nevadas began it was to the sight of at least ten people being loaded into the backs of wagons with their arms and legs shackled together.

“What is the meaning of this?” Jack cried out in anger as a soldier stepped before them, halting them from getting any closer. 

“These people have been found guilty of conspiring with the Northern traitors. They are to be brought before his majesty where they will be publicly executed for their crimes.” The soldier informed them, causing Jack’s face to turn ghost white.  

“Executed?” Jack whispered, eyes moving to look at the frightened gazes of his people. “What proof do you have that they have committed these crimes?”

“That is none of your concern.”

“I am the Chieftain! These are my people! I have every right to know.” 

The next thing Jack knew was the side of his face exploding in pain before he crumpled to the cold hard ground. He could hear the chained people in the wagon yelling in anger while Callahan gave a strangled gasp, rushing to his side. More people were peering from the doorways of their huts, terrified they would be dragged out if they showed too much of themselves. Jack glared up at the soldier, blood spurting from his split lip as quiet sobs rang out all around them.The glare turned to a look of horror when he saw Eret being brought towards the wagon, arms already in chains.

“Eret! What are you doing? Eret is my advisor! He is not a traitor. On what grounds are you taking him for?”

Another soldier leered down at Jack, yellowing teeth flashing in a cruel smile. “The King wishes to speak with him personally in regards to his former residence. But he has nothing to fear if he has nothing to hide.”

The soldiers turned away, the horses at the front of the wagon urged into a trot as families cried out for each other. Jack scrambled to his feet, desperately trying to chase after them but the same soldier who struck him across the face turned to deliver another blow to his stomach. “Try and interfere again and you too will be arrested.”

“Bastards!” Jack hissed through gritted teeth, looking ready to get back up and try to stop them again.

“I’ll be okay Jack! I promise!” Eret called back to him, shaded white eyes filled with sadness and pain. As the small convey disappeared from sight Jack felt his anger grow. He turned to his village, looked at the people standing before him with heartbroken souls and rage filled eyes. His people were slowly starving to death as King Jschlatt taxed them more and more and now their family members were being ripped from their arms. He had only been in his new role as Chieftain for little over a month and a half but he’d be damned if he didn’t fight for his people.

“Callahan,” The boy turned to face his Chief, eyes hard and determined. “You know these woods better than anyone. Only you can get through the borders unseen. Take your best wolves and head North. Tell King Soot that if he can promise my people safety, food and freedom then we shall stand with him.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

There are two entries into Mictlan canyon within the Badlands and one that leads to the edge of the desert and near the forest that surrounds Kinoko. It is this entrance that the Soot family emerges from a day and a half after entering the canyon. After a night spent sleeping in shifts in the cutout along the canyon wall the family had awoken to Dream battling a fever. Techno had peeled the makeshift bandages from the wound to find it red, inflamed and leaking puss, all clear signs of infection. Entering the forest and leaving the arid sands of the Badlands behind is a relief for the small family with the triplets taking off into the trees in search of herbs to help ease their brother's pain.

Tommy shrieks with excitement when he finally stumbles across a small grove of yarrow, his brothers chittering softly with happiness as he grabs a small handful of them. As they make their way back to where Wilbur and Techno wait Tubbo pauses when he spies a beehive, tentatively making his way over to swipe a small scoop of it out. With the Yarrow and honey Wilbur feels more confident in healing Dream. He boils water over a fire with the yarrow in it while Techno gently smears some of the honey on the wound to hopefully fight the infection. The yarrow should help bring down the fever. Getting Dream to drink the liquid is another matter. Wilbur holds the small cup to the younger's lips, desperately trying to get Dream to swallow it but the dragon boy just whines while turning his head away.

“You need to drink sweetheart.” Wilbur pleaded.

“Noooooo.” Dream whined. It had startled the others to suddenly hear actual words coming from his lips but most of them were either slurred terribly or simple words like the word no. 

Ranboo leaned down, churring softly while nuzzling his brother’s face. Dream crooned back, glazed eyes struggling to make contact with Ranboo who felt his heart twist in pain. The twins whistle and chirp encouragement and love, all three surrounding Dream mentally to help keep him calm and let him know he is safe. When Wilbur presses the cup to his lips once more he gives a high pitched whine but drinks it much to everyone's relief. 

“Tmmmmmy.” Dream grumbles, hands fumbling as they seek the soft white feathers of his brother. The blonde is quick to climb into the cot, pulling the younger into his arms where he lays his head on the avian's chest to listen to his heart beat.

Tommy cooed softly, wings coming to wrap protectively around Dream who purred happily. “You're alright Big Man, we got you.” 

Techno sighs, gently wrapping the wound back up and trying not to disturb the now sleeping dragon boy before turning to Wilbur who is tired beyond belief from not sleeping much and from pulling the cot through the canyon. “We need to keep moving. The longer it takes to reach Kinoko the worse he’ll get.”

“I know,” Wilbur sighed. “If we keep up the pace we’ve had we should reach the river crossing by sundown. The village is right beside it so we should be in the clear.”

“But there might be Imperial soldiers waiting at the crossing or near the forest edge. Just because Kinoko has sworn allegiance to us doesn’t mean Schlatt won’t have some of his men in the area keeping watch.” Tubbo said. “Ranboo and I can scout ahead, make sure the way is clear.”

Wilbur was already cutting in before Tubbo had finished speaking. “Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous.”

“Wilbur, we’re the best option.” Ranboo argued.

“Techno can scout ahead just fine.” Wilbur pointed out.

“No offence to Techno but I’ve seen the maps of the land surrounding Manberg and I don’t think he has much experience in moving silently and quickly through a forest.” Tubbo said with a raised eyebrow.

“He’s got a point.” Techno muttered. “There are no forests around the city, only snow and mountains.”

Ranboo stepped forward, head lowered in submission but eyes cutting into his Alpha in a way that demanded the elder to listen. “We have grown up in the woods, have learnt how to hunt and move unseen. We have been taught by a dragon how to be predators. We are the only ones who can do this.”

Indecision and conflict thrum along the bond, Wilbur fighting with his head and his heart on trusting his brothers to do as they said and his need to keep them close and safe. He feels a gentle mental nudge from Tommy, glancing down to the young teen who watches him with soft knowing eyes. Wilbur finds his gaze turning to the boy's wing, the one that had been shot with an arrow, the one that held a scar hidden under newly grown feathers. He’d nearly lost Tommy that day. The only reason he hadn’t was because he’d placed his trust in Dream, had let his youngest go with faith that he would be alright and bring their missing flockmate home. 

‘Trust them now.’ Tommy urged, his presence gentle and calming for once.

Wilbur sighs, knowing a lost battle when he sees one. “Stay hidden, stay in contact and at the slightest sight of danger you go low or high and keep out of sight.”

“Relax Will, this isn’t our first hunt after all.” Tubbo smirked and suddenly both he and Ranboo have vanished into the undergrowth of the forest without a single sound. Wilbur feels a fond annoyance fill his being at the cheek along with pride at how skilled the two younger boys are with their stealth.

“Your little gremlins will be just fine, let's get a move on.” Techno huffed with a smile before he started pulling the cot along in the direction the two boys had taken off in, Tommy giving a warning chirp as he curled his wings tightly around Dream’s trembling form.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

For Ranboo and Tubbo it is just like being back in the woods surrounding L’Manberg, like they are running through familiar trees tracking down unsuspecting prey to hunt. They effortlessly glide across the uneven ground, never leaving a trace of their presence and making hardly a sound. The two fan out, keeping within earshot but quickly disappearing from each others sight. Neither is worried though, they are in constant contact both mentally and verbally with whistles, clicks and warbles that speak of safety clear danger no safe safe looking watching clear no danger safe. They relay the information back to their Alpha and brother who trail behind them, trusting in their ability to scout for danger and make a clear path for them to follow in. 

This is how they travel for a few hours, the two of them darting ahead through the forest with the rest of their family following in their wake. By the time the sun is starting its descent they have covered a fair amount of ground and are nearing their destination. Tubbo is moving low to the ground, body crouched and feet moving softly along the ground when he hears a sharp whip like whistle off to his right. It has him freezing, the sound speaking of worry unease stop listen. In the silence that follows the young teen feels his body grow tense, lip pulling back to bare his teeth as a low growl bubbles up from his chest. It's too quiet, no birds sing, no animals rustle about in bushes or move about in the trees above them. Something has spooked the local wildlife and it's enough to raise alarm bells.

Tubbo moves quickly, scurrying up a tree so quickly he might as well have had wings like his twin to perch on a branch hidden by leaves. Here he listens and watches, hands and feet braced against the rough bark of the branch beneath him. He feels Wilbur pushing to the forefront of both his mind and Ranboo’s, worried and defensive. Tubbo allows the elder in, lets him see through his eyes and hear what he is without question. Tubbo hums patience as he waits and listens, whistles here me here to Ranboo who clicks back me here too. Then a snap of a twig cracks through the silence and Tubbo is sitting up straighter, alert and ready as the sounds of a group of people moving through the undergrowth becomes more audible. From the way they move he can tell they are stealthy, more so than most people would be. They are closer than he would like, have managed to keep relatively silent and thus have been able to sneak up on him and Ranboo. He feels how Wilbur rests over their shoulders, phantom teeth and claws bared in warning to these strangers while Tommy prowls at the edges of their mental bond. The blond is agitated, wanting to rush to their aid but also knowing he needs to stay by their wounded flockmates side. The whole flock is agitated and off balanced with their Beta out of action to help keep the peace.

Tubbo remains frozen as he watches the group slowly come into view. They are dressed almost completely in black with just their eyes showing through the cloth they have wrapped around their heads. In their hands they hold bows with a quiver of arrows slung over their backs. They move quickly and near silently, their stealth speaking of years of training and practice. Tubbo would almost be impressed but he has run alongside a dragon, has been taught how to move like a wild animal and move through the trees like a ghost. He knows how to truly move unseen through nature.

Through the bond he feels Wilbur both relax and rise with interest, recognizing the group as members of the famed Kinoko Archers, allies. They are no threat to them, they are friends. Already their Alpha is moving quickly to their location, desperate to reunite with his two brothers and to get help for his youngest child. In the distance, Tubbo hears the soft warbles of Ranboo asking play hunt you me maybe play practice hunt? Tubbo whistles back agreement, both ignoring the warning push from Wilbur as they slink from trees and thickets to flank the group of archers. They won’t hurt them, this is simply a hunting exercise, a chance to put their skills to the test and see if they can silently stalk trained fighters without being spotted.

It would be so easy for them to just take one of the archers. Ranboo and Tubbo and closed in on the group to the point they could simply reach out and grab one of them by the leg and drag them off into the darkness of the woods. Ranboo chitters softly, red and green eyes tracking the movement of the smallest in the group, mind quickly finding the easiest target and locking on. He crept along on all fours, tail held low behind him that flicked every now and then with excitement. 

‘Stand down and behave.’ Wilbur cut in, demanding and firm. The pair grumbles softly but continues to stalk the group as their Alpha and brothers finally break through the trees to stand before the group of archers that raise their weapons for a moment before pausing.

“King Soot?” One called out before they all dropped into a bow. “Your majesty, we’d hope you’d find your way to our settlement or to a party in the Badlands. When word got out about the attack on Las Nevadas and your disappearance we grew worried.”

“Unforeseen circumstances came up.” Wilbur sighed tiredly before moving to reveal the cot causing many eyes to widen in alarm.

“That is Prince Dream, right?” A female voice asked.

“He was hit with a spear during the attack and the wound has since become infected.” Wilbur said.

The female archer who had spoken nodded before turning to her comrades, brown eyes looking to the youngest among them. “Lucien, head back to the village and warn them that medical care will be needed.”

The young boy nodded before rushing off into the trees. The group began to make their way towards Wilbur when Tubbo and Ranboo erupted from the undergrowth around them, snarls on their faces as they placed themselves between the two groups. The Archers jumped, arrows drawn in an instant while Ranboo gave an enderman like shriek of anger, tail lashing.

“Boys! Enough, they are here to help us.” Wilbur snapped while pulling the two teens back. They hissed and grumbled, falling back to stand on either side of the cot as guards while Wilbur sent the archers an apologetic look. “Sorry, they can be overprotective.”

“How long have they been hidden?” The woman asked breathlessly, causing a smirk to appear on the young King's face.

“They have been stalking you for the past twenty minutes.”

The looks of shock and slight fear have the triplets smirking proudly, Tommy purring pride and laughter as the other two preen at their success. The woman shudders at the slightly wild and feral children that had been stalking her men without detection before turning to their elder brother, gently turning to show him back to their village. “This way your Highness.”

Chapter Text

Kinoko village was a quiet place surrounded by forest that the villagers called the Uzume forest and about an hour's walk to the western coast. A river called the Hoderi river flowed right beside it connecting a large freshwater lake, called Suijin lake, and to the salt of the sea, the water so clear you could see the smooth river stones, fish and watercress growing along it. The Uzume forest surrounding Kinoko was also famous for the cherry blossoms that dotted the landscape, the soft pink flowers helping to give the place a magical feeling. Small temple-like huts lined the outskirts of the village, each one dedicated to a family and their ancestors, a place where they could honour them and keep their memory alive. Almost all the buildings were made from Bamboo, the plant growing in abundance around the village and also being one of their main resources that they traded. 

It is amongst the cherry blossom trees and small temples that the Soot family slowly recovers their strength and heals. Karl welcomes them into his village with open arms, even going so far as to house the family in his own hut and feed them his own food. By the fireplace in the back room is where a makeshift nest was constructed and where Dream lay slowly recovering from his injuries. Kinoko’s physicians, Pokimane, had made up a polstus as quickly as she could and was now confident that Dream was well on the way to recovery. 

A week after their arrival, Dream is cleared to leave the nest. The triplets pile blankets and pillows into the cot Techno and Wilbur had made back at the temple of Xochitlicue so they can carry Dream around the village without him hurting himself. It becomes a common sight for the villagers to see the brothers rushing about with the cot, the youngest brother buried under the blankets in the cot. Tommy took great pride in being the one to pull the cot around, chest and wings puffed up proudly as Dream warbled and cooed his joy and excitement.

“He’s very lucky that the spear missed all his major organs.” Pokimane muttered to Wilbur, Techno and Karl as they stood watching the children play. “Things could have gone very differently.”

“We know, we were reckless and stupid to launch an attack against Las Nevadas when we did.” Wilbur conceded.

“I didn’t say that.” Pokimane says. “I just think it might be worth looking into armour for him when he’s in his true form.”

“Armour, for a dragon?” Techno blinks in surprise while Wilbur and Karl stare with wide eyes. 

“It’s just a thought.” The physician shrugs before walking away.

Karl clears his throat, a smile tugging at his lips. “If you give me some rough measurements then I can have our blacksmith look into it for you. Can’t hurt to have some extra protection for him after all.”

As the adults talk, the kids watch on from a distance. Dream sits in the cot, humming softly as Tubbo runs his fingers through soft white locks. They all can feel Wilbur’s sudden spike of embarrassment and simmering anger followed by his confusion and acceptance. They play and mutter amongst themselves while prowling at the edges of their mental bond, staying far enough that their Alpha won’t realise they are listening. 

“He’s blaming himself.” Ranboo says. His siblings grumble and huff annoyance with Dream whining guilt and remorse at the end.

“No Wilby fool.” Dream growled, face scrunching up in mild frustration.

“You're right, it's not his fault. He’s just being stupid at the moment.” Tubbo agreed while scratching at the younger’s scalp.

“Sooopid Wilby.” Dream hummed.

Tommy snickered, moving to gently knock his head against Dream’s drawing a happy trill from the dragon boy. “We have to work on your speech, Big Man.”

“He’ll get it soon enough. He just needs to learn how to move his tongue properly to form words.” Ranboo shoved the blonde gently.

‘Human talking is strange. Tongue’s are for eating for dragons.’ Dream grumbled pulling amused chuckles from the triplets as they all settled down to enjoy the warm afternoon sunshine.

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

South of Kinoko, the citizens of Manberg were gathering in the main palace courtyard. Today would be when the first prisoners of war would be publicly executed. Many of the prisoners were from Snowchestor with a few Manberg citizens mixed in. The war had only been going on for a few months and already the people of Manberg were starting to feel the negative effects of it. Taxes were increasing, young men were being ripped away from their families to serve in the army and food shortages were happening. For the most part it was only the people of Outer-Manberg that were feeling the strain of war but recently the richer citizens had started being affected and it was causing a lot of upset. 

In the dungeons of the castle, Eret sat waiting for the guards to come and collect them. They already knew they would be the first to be executed, the King had taken great pleasure in telling them this piece of information. The man had tried many different ways to get Eret to talk and share the inside information they might have from their time living in L’Manberg but they had refused to break. Jshlatt had told them if they didn’t talk then they would die a traitor, Eret had just smiled, stating they would rather die a traitor of Manberg than a traitor of L’Manberg. Now they sat waiting for death with a smile on their face. Soft footsteps making their way to their cell just made the smile grow.

“I hope you bring good news, My Lady.” Eret said as Princess Minx appeared before the cell bars.

“Everything is in place. They know the signal so the rest is up to you.” Minx said

Eret sighed in relief. “I must thank you again for all you have done. Without you we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this. You have put yourself in great danger for us when you could have just as easily turned a blind eye.”

“My brother is vile and cruel.” Minx scowled down at the stone floor. “All my life I have been a prisoner in this castle, never allowed to leave except to visit the palace gardens. I have always seen the monster that hides behind his eyes and I refuse to let him imprison the rest of this country like he did with me. I cannot afford to turn a blind eye anymore.”

Eret stood slowly, white eyes filled with understanding and sympathy for the woman before them. Reaching the bars, they gently took her hands into their own, smiling when Minx finally look up at them. “Change is coming my Lady. You won’t be trapped forever, I will make sure of that. Soon, you and the people of this land will be free.”

A silent tear rolled down Minx’s face as a watery smile slowly formed. She carefully pulled her hands back to her chest, smirking at the pouch now clasped in Eret’s hands. “Give the King in the North my regards.”

Eret bowed with a smirk of their own, moving to sit back down against the back wall while Minx turned to flee the dungeons, feet moving silently to leave no trace of her being there. Not five minutes later the guards arrived to place Eret’s hands in chains and led them out to gallows. A large crowd was gathered before the gallows while high above on a balcony King Jschlatt stood. His crown glinted in the sunlight, face twisted into a cruel smile as Eret was moved to face him, the noose swinging gently behind them. Low murmurs flowed through the gathered crowd, many of the poor people of Outer-Manberg and the poorer people of the lower citadel frowning while the richer people just shifted uncomfortably. 

All noise ceased when Schlatt raised his hand, everyone waiting with baited breath for what came next. “Citizens, the man before you is charged with high treason. They have been found guilty of conspiring with the Northern rebels and as such have been sentenced to death by hanging. Eret Brine of Snowchestor, formally Eret Brine of L’Manberg, you have betrayed your King and Country and so you will die a traitor's death. Do you have any last words?”

All eyes turned from Schlatt to Eret who stood tall and proud. The executioner had placed the noose around their neck and now stood by the leaver, waiting for the signal. All it would take was just one pull and Eret’s life would end yet they showed no fear, only anger and defiance as they glared up at the man who called himself a King. 

“The only traitor to this country is you. You have knowingly and willingly taxed people to death, slaughtered an entire village just to send a message. Blood is on your hands and their spirits demand retribution and it is coming. With fire and blood, this land and its people will be free.” Eret called up to the mad King who scowled angrily in return. From the corner of their eye, Eret could see Minx watching from one of the palace windows, face cold and determined.

“Is that all?” Schlatt drawled down at the prisoner.

Eret smiled, eyes flashing with anticipation as they dropped into a mocking bow. “Just one last thing, your highness. It was never meant to be. ”

Eret watched as the mans face paled, eyes widening in recognition as a faint hissing sound filled the air. Not even a second later the ground between the gallows and the palace was torn apart by the explosion of TNT. Screams filled the air, both of fear and anger as multiple bystanders suddenly pulled out hidden swords, spears and pitchforks and rushed the guards that stood all around the courtyard. A few rushed the stage of the gallows, jumping the executioner who had frozen in shock. Eret didn’t waste anymore time, chained arms reaching into their pocket and pulling out the pouch Minx had snuck into their hands just minutes earlier. Inside was a small pocket knife along with a single red flare. They used the knife to cut the noose around their neck before aiming the flare skyward, pulling the release tag and shooting the bright red light into the air.

More guards were rushing into the courtyard but Eret and the other prisoners who had been brought up and held in a line by the gallows to wait their turn were already disappearing into the rioting crowd. All through the city, people who hadn’t been in attendance to the public execution saw as the red flare was fired into the sky, a signal, a call to arms. The city was plunged into disarray as more and more people grabbed whatever weapon they could find and began to attack any and all guards they came across. Others scaled walls and buildings to grab hold of any Manberg flags that were flying, pulling them down and setting them ablaze with enraged calls. 

As the city tore itself apart, Eret led the prisoners out of the gates and into the hills and fields that surrounded the capital. They would head to Outer-Manberg, gather supplies before making their way to the Pinga Mountain range. The Pinga Mountain range was west of Snowchestor and where the Akna river began before it flowed down past Snowchestor and to the sea. Eret and Jack had made plans to evacuate the village to the Mountains should things go bad and they knew that most likely Jack would have already moved the village after they were taken. The people of Snowchestor may be known as people of the ice but they also knew how to survive in the cold snow covered mountains. They could easily vanish into those mountains and thrive there so it was the best place to hide out in. At most, the trip would take about a week as they also planned to stay off the main roads to avoid recapture.  

~~~~~~~~~ 

Unaware of the chaos unfolding down south, Wilbur and Techno along with Karl had decided to take the kids to Suijin lake for the afternoon to allow them to play and have some fun. It was made even better when the kids saw Sapnap, George and Quackity were waiting by the lake for them. When the Soot family had arrived in Kinoko, Karl had sent word to Sam of their safe arrival as he knew that not only was the creeper hybrid worried for them but so were the three young men who had accompanied the family to the Badlands. The three boys were quick to pack their things and make their way to Kinoko to reunite with their friends. They laughed as four excitable kids tackled them in a hug, Tommy already loudly telling them about how much of a big man he had been during their trip through Mictlan canyon. 

“It's good to see you gremlins again.” George huffed as Dream clung to his back with a happy warble. 

“Goorge!” Dream crowded happily making the three young men jump in shock as they hadn’t been informed of the dragon boys sudden desire to start talking out loud.

“No Dream, call him Gogy!” Tommy laughed, quickly ducking the swipe George had taken at his head.

“Googy.” Dream repeated much to George’s dismay and everyone else's joy.

“Of course the moment he starts talking you ruin him.” George groaned to the cackling blonde.

“Screw you bitch boy, I’m making him better.” Tommy yelled only to yelp when George shoved him causing the boy to tumble into the lake. Tubbo howled with laughter as he watched his twin surface with a scowl while Ranboo snickered into his hand.

“Who’s a bitch boy now child?” George huffed. He didn’t notice the mischief in Tommy’s eyes or the way Tubbo and Ranboo smirked and turned to watch or that Dream’s weight had left his back. The weight quickly returned when the white haired youth suddenly slammed into George, sending him face first into the water. Laughter filled the air as George sat in the water, eyes wide with shock while Dream sat proudly by the waters edge.

“Googy bith boy!” Dream declared which just sent Tommy into another fit of laughter.

“Dream!” Wilbur cried in shocked horror at hearing his baby boy cursing. “You do not say those words young man!”

“It's too late Wilby.” Tommy laughed.

“He’s right, he’s corrupted now.” Tubbo nodded sadly.

“The innocence has been stripped from his soul.” Ranboo added on while Tommy began to chant ‘one of us’ in the background. 

“No, absolutely not. I refuse to believe or let you three taint my sweet little baby.” Wilbur said as he moved to sit beside Dream, pulling the now chittering boy into his lap while glaring playfully at his brothers. Tommy rushed from the water, throwing himself on top of Wilbur and knocking him to the ground. He made sure to lay himself over Dream and Wilbur, the latter of whom was moaning about getting wet while Dream just yiped and whistled happily. 

“You can’t protect him forever, Wilby.” Tommy sang, shrieking with laughter as Wilbur reached out to dig his fingers into the younger's sides and thus getting him to roll off of them. To the side, George was also getting out of the water, a laughing Sapnap handing him a towel only to shriek when the elder flicked water into the blaze hybrid's face. 

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and having fun. Wilbur and George smirked as they watched Sapnap and Quackity talking with Karl, the three young men blushing and stumbling over their words as they did so. George couldn't wait to tease his brother and friend about their little crush and also couldn't wait to tell their fathers who would also tease the two relentlessly. Wilbur was also looking forward to teasing his friends but for now he was happy to just sit back and relax listening to his kids playing amongst themselves while Techno kept watch. They would figure things out, would continue the fight for their freedom but that didn’t mean they couldn't still have light happy moments in between.

Chapter Text

The Soot family finds themselves often returning to Suijin lake along with the rest of the residents of Kinoko in the coming days. In just a few short days it will be the first day of summer and already the weather has begun to warm so many are drawn to the lake to help cool off during the hotter parts of the day. The village children take great delight in climbing up Dream’s neck when he is in his true form and jumping into the cool clear water, their parents having relaxed around the dragon after seeing how protective and careful he was around the kids. Despite being the youngest in the family it was clear Dream was one of the most observant and responsible beings there were, constantly keeping an eye and ear out for any signs of danger or distress. He also clearly liked watching over the children, taking his role seriously while still joining in with the games.

For the adults it was a slightly sobering thought to realize that the war had been going on now for two whole months now. Things were going both quickly and slowly for them and it still felt like both sides hadn’t made any real progress. For every attack one did the other would counter it just as fiercely. They had received a raven from Sam just a few days after Sapnap, George and Quackity had arrived explaining that a delegate from Snowchestor had arrived at the Outpost with word that people in the Southern villages were being rounded up and executed. They had also been told of Eret’s arrest, something that had sent a bolt of guilt rushing through Wilbur as the only reason they had been arrested was because they used to live in L’Manberg. The only peace of mind they had was the rumours of a riot happening in the capitol where a bunch of prisoners had escaped. 

“Our scouts have seen parties of soldiers coming through the Northernmost Etu Mountain pass.” Karl sighed while pointing at the map of the Southern part of the country. “So far they seem to be staying in the Southern parts of the Uzume forest but they are clearly heading towards us. If they wanted to head to Las Nevadas they would have taken the Eastern mountain pass by the Tia river.”

“Do you think they know we are here?” Techno asked.

“No, if they knew then Schlatt would have already launched an attack.” Karl said.

“He’s most likely trying to intimidate you and your people then.” Techno said. “He’s probably hoping you’ll switch sides and if not then he’ll just launch an attack. But, if he is to launch an attack he is also probably trying to lure you towards the Northern Etu pass as your archers will have the advantage in the forest.”

“There are probably more soldiers staying hidden up in the mountains who will pick us off when we get close enough.” Pokimane said. As the head healer of the village it had been agreed for her to oversee any war planning so she could see what kinds of possible injuries she would have to treat.

“Those mountains are going to be our biggest problem. Even if we have all the outlying villages on our side we won’t stand a chance if Schlatt stays hidden behind them.” Quackity growled.

When Manberg castle had been built it had been done so with military planning in mind. The castle was right next to towering cliffs that dropped down into freezing cold sea water while from the North-West to almost all the way down to the South-Eastern borders was the towering Etu Mountain range. The Etu Mountains were the tallest and most treacherous in the country with only two passageways through them. The Northern pass led towards Kinoko and was the safest of the two while the Eastern pass would take you to the road that either went North to Las Nevadas or East between the Pinga and Heng mountain ranges and onward to Snowchestor. With the frigid temperatures year round the mountains were always covered in snow and ice making them even more dangerous to inexperienced people. The soldiers of the Manberg army often went on month long training expeditions into the Etu mountains which meant they were accustomed to fighting in the terrain. If the fight were to take place there they all knew they would be slaughtered by Imperial soldiers within a matter of hours. 

“We could try starving them out.” George said. “The other outlying villages are the main source of food for the Capitol so we could just wait them out until they have to leave the mountains.”

“It’ll take over a year.” Techno said. “There are underground storage chambers under the Castle that are always fully stocked in case of emergencies. Outer Manberg also provides a small amount of grain that they are able to grow in spring and summer so they’ll be able to last even longer. It’ll give Schlatt too much time to think of a solution.”

Wilbur honestly felt like screaming with rage. Every step forward they try to take ends up being a dead end and he’s starting to lose his mind. The only way for them to win this war is to find a secret weapon, one that wasn’t his youngest kid. He’d already had soldiers from Kinoko asking why they couldn't just send Dream in to burn the place to the ground which resulted in Techno having to hold him back from ripping their throats out with his own teeth. Instead he had spat about how his kid wasn’t a weapon and had already been injured in a previous attack. He wasn’t going to risk Dream again, even if he was covered in armour like Karl was organizing. 

“There has to be something we are missing, some kind of weakness that will turn the tide in our favour.” Wilbur sighed.

“There might be something hidden in the Castle but even as Head Knight I wasn’t permitted in some places.” Techno said with a shrug. 

“We need an informant on the inside.” Sapnap said.

“Good luck trying to find someone crazy enough to agree to that.” Quackity scoffed. “You’d need to have a death wish cause if you are caught you are going to suffer.”

“Enough, I don’t want to send someone into such danger so it's not happening. We’ll figure something out without putting more lives at risk.” Wilbur snapped. The group shuffled and hummed, looking over the maps once more even though they just felt like they were going in circles. As they continued to plan and strategize, so did their enemy.

Schlatt sat on his throne, eyes filled with a burning fury. Out of the twenty prisoners that had escaped during the riots only five had been re-captured and thus executed. While that was infuriating in itself, the thing that really had Schlatt’s blood boiling was the fact that Eret had not been among the five. He wanted them and every Northern scum gone from his land, wanted control over the other settlements back. He had sent men to Snowchestor to round up more people to be executed but they had returned empty handed, the village completely empty with no trace of where they had gone too. Every time he sent his men to make examples of the settlements the people would vanish and it was quickly driving him insane. With Summer to start in a few days he needed a plan of attack, needed to make a move to show every single last rebel why they should never stand against him.

From his left, a raven flew through one of the archways to settle on the armrest of the throne. A letter was tied to its leg, a letter that had spots of dried blood on it. The bird itself was unharmed, preening its feathers without a care in the world and this had Schlatt sitting up straighter with interest. Opening it he found a quick note from one of his generals that was keping watch along the borders of the Badlands and the Uzume forest stating they had shot down a raven that was flying towards Kinoko. The rest of the letter was a message from Commander Sam. The letter itself was vague, never mentioning specifics or names but from the fact it was being sent to Kinoko in the first place let Schlatt know all he needed too. Soot was in Kinoko.

Schlatt was on his feet in an instant, his guards standing at attention. “Ready my horse and tell the remaining regiment to be ready to ride within the hour. I won’t let them escape again.”

From the shadows a Princess felt her heart stutter with fear before turning to flee to her chambers, mind already racing with what to put into a letter to warn the people before it was too late. 

                                                                                                 ~~~~~~~~(Two days later)~~~~~~~~

Despite it only being a few days into the first month of summer it was already starting to rise dramatically in temperature. The air grew stale and humid, the grass turning dry and crunchy as the moisture in the air and environment evaporated in the heat. More and more the people of Kinoko found themselves at Suijin lake. The Quadruplets would take turns amongst themselves on being in the lake as poor Ranboo couldn’t go swimming due to his Enderman heritage. Tommy, Tubbo and Dream would take turns spending time with the eldest brother while the other two would play in the cool fresh water. It warmed Wilbur to see his kids make sure to never leave their brother out, especially whenever Tommy and Tubbo separated from each other as the twins had always been close. 

The Soot family was enjoying the late afternoon as they were planning on starting to move back North in the next few days as not only were they missing their home but Wilbur also wanted to get back to Pogtopia to start planning a more decisive attack. Wilbur and Techno also just wanted to get away from Manberg, they didn’t like being so close to the man who was out to kill them. They had also been speaking with Karl and the Maester of Kinoko was planning on moving his people further North for their own safety. With the people of Snowchestor vanishing into the Pinga Mountain range they knew Schlatt would be out for blood and that he would quickly turn to Kinoko to vent that anger. Wilbur had been quick to offer sanctuary to Karl’s people in Pogtopia which the Maester had happily accepted which was another reason why the Soot family wanted to return to the North. They needed to start preparations for the influx of mouths to feed and families to house.

Dream in particular was excited to return. The young dragon boy had enjoyed exploring the world around him but his instincts to return and defend his territory were growing stronger every day. He wanted to return to their home, to where the flock belonged. 

“We’ll be back home soon buddy.” Wilbur soothed as he gently rubbed under the dragon’s jaw. Dream purred from his position with his head resting on Wilbur’s lap, being careful to not put too much of his weight on the human. 

‘Good, I miss our forest.’ Dream purred. He hummed happily when he felt Ranboo snuggle into his side, the Enderman napping against his sibling while the twins decided to take a break from swimming and instead chase dragonflies around the banks. The dragon then turned to the only member of their family who couldn’t hear him in their head and gently nudged at Techno. Despite not being able to hear him Techno could practically understand what the other was asking. ‘Te Te coming to?’

Techno snorted softly at the nickname the youth had given him. His speech was slowly improving but it was still clear he needed more practice. Because of this he’d taken to giving everyone he deemed either a friend or family member a nickname that was easier for him to pronounce. Techno had been given the name Te Te while Wilbur was now Wilby. Tommy was Tom, Ranboo was Boo and Tubbo was Tu Tu. Wilbur had thought his twin would be annoyed by the name Dream had given him but was pleasantly surprised when the Piglin hybrid had embraced the name. Pinkette smiled at his youngest brother, reaching out without fear to rub the scales just under the dragon's left eye. “Yeah, I’m coming with ya nerd.”

The dragon rumbled happily before going back to receiving scratches from his Alpha while also draping a wing over Ranboo’s body. It pulled amused chuckles from the elder twins while the younger twins paused briefly in their game to check on their brothers before going back to chasing dragonflies. Slowly, Dream moved his head from Wilbur’s lap to rest on the ground next to him so he could properly sleep without crushing his Alpha. 

“He’s grown since we first left the North.” Techno commented.

“He’s a growing boy.” Wilbur snarked back. 

Techno reached out to gently cuff his twin over the head, both smiling at each other. “Do you have any idea how big he’ll get?”

“No, all the information on dragons has been lost or destroyed over the years.” Wilbur said as he continued to dig his fingers into the smooth hard scales. “There’s a lot I don’t know about him, a lot I wish I could provide for him that would help him. Sometimes I’m scared I’ll do something to hurt him without knowing it because of how little I know about him.”

Techno was quick to sit down beside his twin, placing a comforting hand on the younger’s shoulder. “You are doing above and beyond what most would do for not just him but the other three boys as well. You could never do anything to hurt Dream or the other kids. You love them more than anything else in the world and they love you just as much. Never doubt yourself.”

“I just worry, you know?” Wilbur sighed.

“Of course you worry, every parent worries for their kids. But it's the fact that you worry that makes you a good parent.” Techno assured.

Wilbur gave a breathy laugh, fighting back tears as he gazed at his youngest child. Techno’s words fill him with comfort and warmth, settling his nerves. He supposed most parents had no idea what they were doing when raising their kids so all he could do was try his best and keep moving forward. He was about to thank his twin for his kind words when a horn sounded from the west, the sound echoing through the trees and across the lake. Every person who was at the lake froze, eyes wide in horror. Tommy and Tubbo both crouched low to the ground, lips pulled back in a snarl while Techno and Wilbur jumped to their feet. Dream was also on his feet in an instant, his wing pushing Ranboo protectively against his side as a deep rumbling growl sounded from his chest. Despite not being Kinoko natives they knew what that horn meant. Imperial soldiers had been spotted heading for the town.

After the momentary still moment everyone started moving. Parents were calling their children from the water, ushering them into the trees and back towards the village while other villagers who were a part of the Kinoko archers were reaching for their weapons, ready to fight for their home. Tommy and Tubbo were quick to move to their elder brother’s side, backs straight and waiting for instructions. Wilbur could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest, eyes quickly moving to the thin red scar on Dream’s side. Magic and dragon biology had helped the wound heal quicker but it was still tender and would leave a visible scar, a constant reminder of how Wilbur had nearly lost his baby.

‘We won’t make the same mistake twice.’ Dream assured him when he noted his Alpha staring at his side.

Wilbur looks his Beta in the eye, feels the protective love surging from all corners of the bond. “Everyone stick together. We head back to the village but be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice.”

The triplets are ushered onto Dream’s back, the dragon follows behind Wilbur and Techno who have weapons drawn. Walking through the woods leaves them all tense, waiting for attackers to burst from the undergrowth. The tension grows as the closer they get to Kinoko the more they begin to hear the sounds of a fight. People are shouting, screaming and the ground rumbles from heavy footfalls. Arriving at the village edge finds the place under siege, Imperial soldiers on horseback and on foot cutting down any who stand in their way. The Kinoko archers stand on the roofs of houses or perch in tree tops, picking soldiers off one by one as the civilians flee into the trees.

“Karl!” Techno shouts as he spots the Maester holding a crossbow, standing alongside his people.

“You all need to get out of here!” Karl shouts back, ducking as a foot soldier attempts to decapitate him with a sword. The soldier turns, intending on taking another swing only to give a cut off scream as a pair of powerful jaws closes down around his head. Dream flings the man to the side, blood staining his white scales as he screams with fury.

“We can help.” Wilbur says, coming up beside Karl who stares up at Dream with wide eyes. It's a startling reminder for those who aren’t flock that Dream is a dragon, a wild animal that can tear a man to pieces without much effort.

“No, you all need to go. Our scouts have reported a whole army heading our way. Schlatt must know you are here.” Karl says.

“Where are Sapnap, George and Quackity?” Wilbur asked, eyes scanning the area for his friends.

“I saw them making a break for the trees.” Karl said, firing another bolt at a charging soldier.

“Will, we’re running out of time!” Techno warned as more soldiers surged upon them, all of them making a bee-line for the massive dragon.

“Then go with Dream and the boys, I’ll stay and fight.” Wilbur said while cutting down another soldier who tried to get close.

“Are you mad!” Techno screamed.

“We’re not leaving without you!” Tubbo yelled just as loudly.

‘Flock stays together.’ Dream hissed, tail lashing and throwing a line of attackers back.

“You’re a King Soot! You need to get out of here!” Karl said.

“I won’t let others die for me while I flee like a coward!” Wilbur argued only to pale when he turned and saw King Jschlatt himself amongst the battlefield, crossbow raised and aimed right at him, the bolt already rushing towards his unprotected chest.

“WILBUR! ”

Suddenly, Wilbur understands why people say time slows down when you are watching your death approach you. It's almost as if he can see the air moving out of the bolts way, and can hear as his family tries to move to his aid even though they know it will be futile. He wonders if this is how his mother felt on the night she died. Did she see her death coming, did she have a moment to mourn for her children she’d be leaving behind? Wilbur supposes he’ll be able to ask her himself soon, eyes watching as the bolt inches its way towards his chest at both a snail's pace and in the blink of an eye. Wilbur is positive his death has arrived, that he is about to see his mother once again and leave his kids behind. Instead of pain from being shot in the chest by an arrow, he feels a body slam into his side, sending him crashing to the ground where his hands are scraped bloody and raw from breaking his fall.

With stinging hands and a racing heart, Wilbur looks up thinking he’s about to see one of his brothers or friends standing in his place. Instead, Philza Minecraft stands where he once stood, arms thrown wide and wings flared. The man's clothes are stained with mud and dirt, torn in places and fraying at the seams while his face is gaunt from missing a few meals. The most notable thing, however, is the arrow lodge in his chest and the quickly growing blood stain. Wilbur stares, heart thundering in his ears as Philza stumbles backwards, glassy blue eyes glancing down at him before the elders legs give out sending him crashing to the ground.

“Dad!” Wilbur leaps up, catching Philza and lowering him more gently to the ground, the man gasping in pain.

“Never thought you’d call me that again.” Philza wheezed, a weak smile pulling at his lips. “Not that I really deserve to be called that.”

“Shut up.” Wilbur hissed angrily, tears fogging his vision. “What the hell have you done?”

“Couldn’t let you die.” Philza said, chest spasming with pain as a wet cough ripped through him, staining his lips cherry red. 

“You stupid old man.” Wilbur gasped through a sob. “Why are you even here?”

“Followed you.” Philza huffed. 

“Fucking idiot.”

“Language.”

Wilbur jumped at a hand on his shoulder, looking up into the pale face of his twin. “Will, you need to go now.”

“No, we can’t leave him.” Wilbur argued as Techno began to pull him away from Philza.

“Go! I’ll stay with him, but you need to go!” Techno said, pushing the younger away from their father.

“No! I can’t lose you both! I can’t lose you, I can’t!” Wilbur screamed, looking down at Philza who gazed back with eyes swimming with guilt and sadness.

“I’m sorry son.” The blonde choked out. “I’m sorry, I love you. I’m sorry.”

Those few words hold a thousand meanings, hold the weight of countless nights left waiting and hoping for a parents return. They express so much more than what they are said for and they leave a splintering pain deep inside Wilbur’s very soul, a pain that speaks of anger, betrayal, sadness, resentment, longing and love.

“No, no no no no.” Wilbur tried to push past his twin, tried to reach his father only to scream as Dream appeared behind him, jaws closing around the back of his coat and lifting him into the air to place him on the younger's back. The dragon tried to reach out for Techno, but the piglin hybrid waved him away, eyes pain and filled with anger. 

“Go without me! Go!” Techno yelled at Dream who screamed with anguish before turning and taking to the skies.

“Techno!” The four human siblings screamed for the elder brother, watching with horrified eyes as he was surrounded and overpowered by soldiers as he tried in vain to defend their dying father.

“Dream! Go back! Go back! We can’t leave them! Go back!” Wilbur screamed but Dream kept flying away, eyes locked on the horizon and filled with pain. “Please! Please, I can’t lose them both, I can’t lose them both.”

‘I’m sorry.’ 

The triplets watch with silent tears streaming down their faces as their elder brother breaks down, loud ugly sobs tearing through his chest as he howled and screamed at any and all Gods there were. They all feel each other's grief and pain and they all reach out to try and soothe and comfort, the four younger ones making sure to surround their Alpha and brother with as much love as they can. They are all hurting, all grieving, but Wilbur is the one breaking and they will always stand by his side to help piece him back together. They will protect him as he has protected them, and they will all be sure to rain fire, blood and death down on Schlatt for all he has put them through. They will bring the rage of the flock down on the man and make him suffer for the blood he has spilled and taken from them, this they promise.

Chapter Text

Dream flew up the west coast for the rest of the day and all night. By the time the sun was starting to crest the horizon the small family was back in the North, their home and Dream was making his descent towards the ruins of what looked like an old castle. The castle sits atop a high cliff overlooking the ocean, the waves roaring down below and throwing up the smell of salt into the air. Dream landed beside the ruins, body trembling ever so slightly from the long flight. He lays down, allowing his brothers to dismount. The triplets huddle against his side while Wilbur stumbled towards the cliff edge, falling to his knees as silent tears continue to fall down his face.  

“Wilby?” Tommy asked softly, heart hurting for his brother and the loss they had all suffered.

The elder turned, a shaky sigh escaping him as he held his arms out. “Come here boys.”

The triplets rush into their brother’s arms, Dream coming to curl protectively around them all. Wilbur held his kids close, leaning into the warm scales of his youngest. 

“Why did he do it?” Ranboo whispered. “Why did he save you? I thought he hated us.”

Wilbur sighed, pulling back to hold Ranboo’s face in his hands. “Sometimes people say and do things thinking they are right. Sometimes they will hurt those they care about because they think they are protecting them or because they are scared. Philza Minecraft wasn’t a good father, he made many mistakes and hurt us but he did still care. He loved us in his own way, and that’s why he did what he did.”

“I hate him.” Tommy whimpered into the elders chest, shoulders shaking from restrained sobs.

“Shhh love, shhh. Don’t say those things. It’s okay to be angry, it's okay to not forgive him but don’t hate him for it. Hate is a strong word and a stronger emotion.” Wilbur soothed.

“What’s gonna happen to Techno?” Tubbo asked, causing Wilbur’s heart to ach.

“I don’t know sweetheart.” Wilbur confessed.

‘I’m sorry for leaving Te Te behind.’ Dream said, a low hum rumbling from his chest.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Techno made his choice and he would never want you to feel guilty for it.” Wilbur said firmly. He reached out to cup the side of Dream’s head, fingers tracing smooth scales. He looked at all four of his children, at the boys who he had raised as his own and who had just lost their actual father. “I need you all to listen to me. Philza was our father, and he’ll always be our father. But you boys are my children. You are my kids, and you will always be my kids. You can mourn for Philza, you can be angry at him, you can forgive him if you want or not. Just remember he loved us, he loved us till his last breath.”

“I’m sad.” Tubbo spoke up. “I’m sad, and angry and also a little confused. I think I’ll miss him, but will also always be angry too.”

“And that’s okay.” Wilbur assured the boy. If he’s honest with himself, he feels the same towards his father. He was sad, heartbroken really to lose him and he knew he would always miss him. But the anger and resentment was still there, would always be there simmering just under the surface. His final actions before his death wouldn’t erase years worth of anger and abandonment issues.

Despite the sun only just starting to rise the small family curl up around one another to sleep for a few hours. The events of the last 24 hours have left them all physically and emotionally exhausted so they take a moment to rest and just bask in each other's presence. Wilbur wakes hours later, when the Sun has passed its highest point and is slowly travelling towards the west. He’s confused as to what has woken him until he both hears and feels the low rumbles coming from Dream. The sound isn’t one of anger or fear, isn’t the content rumbles of happiness. This sound speaks of curiosity, of interest in something new.

“Dream?” The wall of scales moves as Dream sits up, keeping the boys safely nestled between his front legs and chest while his head turns to look out over the cliff. In the distance, across the wild ocean waves an island sits, innocent in nature yet sending a thrill of something down Wilbur’s spine.

‘Something is out there. It’s calling me, calling us.’ Dream hummed. The triplets stirred, eyes quickly turning to also stare out towards the island as all five of them felt warmth wash over them, tugging on their souls, urging them to come and find.

‘Feels like home.’ Ranboo whispered along the connection.

‘Feels like flock.’ Tubbo answered back.

The bond sparked and popped like fireworks, the triplets waking up more and vibrating with the desire to go and chase the calling. Wilbur was calmer, a large pyer of strength and heat while Dream circled him, a crackling campfire that was low and subdued but could rise into a raging wildfire at a moments notice. He pushes close to his Alpha, minds bleeding into one another, thoughts and feelings shared as a singular unit and felt by all. 

‘This isn’t the false Alpha of the south.’ Dream assured Wilbur, back arching as magic sizzled through the air around them. ‘This is magic, this is the earth. There is no danger here.’ 

It's all that needs to be said, the trust between them is so strong that Wilbur will always take his Beta’s words as truth. The four humans once again climb onto Dream’s back, souls singing as white/black wings pull them into the sky. After a restful nap and time to process their emotions they are all able to appreciate the view before them. None of them had ever seen the ocean before, had never seen such an open expanse of water that rolled and thrashed as wildly as the winds on the stormy day. The triplets whistle and click awe and joy as the waves crash against one another to send a spray of salt water up towards them, Dream crooning softly as the cool water brushes his warm scales. Wilbur reaches outward with his flame, the magic that thrums deep in his veins and connects him so deeply with his children and he feels the answering echo of the ocean. The magic he and his brothers hold is a burning flame that oscillates between a flickering candle and a raging forest fire, the magic George possesses is firm and strong like the earth he connects with. The ocean is a constant push pull push pull, ebbing and flowing. Its hisses and sparks against his white hot coals, steams against his burning pyre yet doesn’t ever try to move closer, doesn't try to smother the dancing fire of his heart.

‘The Gods and Goddesses would never harm another's magic.’ Tubbo said, feeling the way the ocean flowed softly against his elder brother’s essence and the way Wilbur gently pushed back.

They can all feel it now, that behind the magic of the ocean are the swirling vortexes that are the Gods and Goddesses of the water. Sedna, Goddess of the sea and Hoderi, God of the sea are the pillars of all water deities with Nehalennia, Goddess of safe passage over the seas standing just under them. The two deities that ruled over the waters of lakes, streams and rivers were the Goddess, Chalchiuhtlicue and the God Sujin. As the flock reaches out to feel the magic of the sea they can feel the five deities in the background, always watching and always working to help balance the world, and even further in the background were the other Gods and Goddesses of the world.

‘They have been growing stronger. Magic is slowly returning.’ Tubbo said happily, the younger three of the Soot brother’s humming alongside him while Wilbur glanced at the back of Dream’s head, words of a man who also carried ancient magic in his blood echoing in his ears. The thoughts are cast aside as the island looms beneath them, the call of home and safety turning into a dull roar in the back of their heads. Being closer they can now see the large stone structure of what looks like an old fortress sitting in the middle of the island, the walls surprisingly standing tall and undamaged though the crackle of power that hangs heavy in the air gives reason as to why that is.

Landing beside the entrance to the fortress, the flock is surprised to find that Dream can easily fit inside. The building is massive, the hallways able to accommodate a creature five times the size of Dream. Its strange and eerie, the four humans hunching low on Dream’s back as the dragon cautiously makes his way inside the building. Inside is a maze of twisting passageways that go down into the earth, rooms filled with dust covered tomes that line the walls, rooms with worn arm chairs and cold fire places. If it were anyone else wondering about the halls they would have gotten hopelessly lost, would never have found the hidden room deep below the fortresses surface. But Dream is a moth drawn to a flame, soul singing in time with the power that calls out warmly to them, leading them with the eagerness of a child.

In the bowels of the fortress, the flock steps into a massive room, the biggest they have ever seen. It could have easily fit the Minecraft farm house, barn and town hall inside and still had room to spare. Torches that light themselves as soon as the group steps inside line the walls allowing the ancient carvings covering them to be seen. Etched with great care into the walls are images of dragons of various sizes. Some are depicted in mid-flight while others are shown standing proudly on mountain tops with wings spread wide. With the flickering torch light the images almost seem to come alive, dancing in the ever changing light.

“We’re in a stronghold.” Ranboo breathed out loud, his voice both loud and quiet.

“Stronghold?” Tommy asked, Dream nudging the bond with curiosity as well.

“They were said to be places that held ancient libraries of magic as well as portals to the End.” Ranboo said.

“The End is where all life began, it is the birthplace of magic, magic that slowly pushed through the portal into the Overworld and breathed life into it. It is also said to be the birthplace of the dragons.” Wilbur said. Slowly, all eyes were drawn to the center of the room where a raised platform laid, the pulsing magic that had been calling to them all emanating from it. Stepping up found the unlit portal to the end, the air surrounding it practically vibrating with energy.

“The portals to both the End and Nether were sealed after the great war that killed the dragons and drove magic from the land. No one has been to either place since. People tried re-igniting them but nothing ever happened.” Ranboo said.

“How would you activate an End portal?” Tommy asked.

“You apparently needed eyes of ender.” Ranboo shrugged.

‘No, we don’t need those.’ Dream hummed as he stepped closer.

The heavy feeling in the air grew, magic sparking and surging all around them. The triplets gazed in wonder as the carvings of the dragons seemed to glow a faint purple while Wilbur latched onto Dream mentally, steadying his Beta whose crackling campfire was swelling into a firestorm. Wilbur would normally pull Dream back, question him more and be far more wary of the strange magic all around them. But something was pulling at his mind and soul, telling him to trust the younger, that they needed to awaken the portal and get to the other side. He reaches out with his burning pyre, combines it with the growing firestorm, and feels the triplets add their wild sparking fireworks as well.

Heat rises all around them, power almost suffocating them as the portal begins to glow. Dream reared back, maw opening wide as flames and magic lick along his teeth. He breathes the glowing mixture over the portal, wings flaring and bond singing with joy as the portal takes the power and, for the first time in centuries, it ignites. The inky blackness of it seems to hum, silver stars blinking back at them playfully. The humans find themselves thinking the portal looks like the opposite of Dream’s colouration, black with white spots instead of his white and black spots. They pause for only a moment, watching the portal with awe and wonder before Wilbur is pressing against the base of Dream’s neck, urging him to take the plunge. With a snap of powerful wings and a screaming cry the flock vanishes from the Stronghold, diving into the swirling mass of the End Portal. 

Falling through the portal was like falling through ice cold water. The five brothers shiver as the cold magic of the End wrapped around them, pulling them from their world into the birthplace of all life. When they come out the other side, Dream is quick to flare his wings to catch the gentle air currents flowing all around them. They glide through the inky blackness, looking at the floating islands that surround the area. The further they flew, the larger the islands became and the more they began to see. Rocky outcrops, strange glowing purple and blue trees, Enderman moving about in small groups. They stare, wondering why they were called to this place when a large shadow falls over them and a deep rumble echoes all around. Dream shrieked, banking to the right as they all stared up at the massive shape above them.

“Impossible.” Wilbur whispered.

A dragon, four times the size of Dream, was flying above them. The underside of them was a bright burnished gold that still glimmered in the low light of the End while their sides and back were a glowing hot red. Ivory horns twisted up from the back of the dragon's head while a sailfin that was a sunset orange ran from the back of the head to the base of the neck. Amber eyes gazed down at them, a low croon sounding before the massive dragon began to angle downwards, the sound almost seeming to say ‘ come with me.’ Dream did follow, keeping a small distance between them as even though he couldn’t feel any negative intentions from the other he was still wary. 

“Look! There’s more!” Tommy suddenly yelled, pointing ahead of them where the red and gold dragon was leading them.

It was a sight to behold. A massive floating island covered in towering cliffs and stone towers that looked like ancient ruins loomed before them and flying all around it, perched on the towers and cliffs were dragons, dragons of all different sizes and colours. They all were chittering, shrieking, warbling, roaring and singing to each other, swooping around each other and seeming to dance through the sky. As they flew past the towering structures the group was able to see that while they were all different sizes, they were all far larger than Dream was. A gentle rumble from the red gold dragon had them focusing again, watching as they were led to a large circular clearing of sorts and in the center of the clearing was the largest dragon by far. 

It was a deep, almost black purple colour with glowing indigo wing membranes and eyes. Its head alone was the same size as Dream’s whole body which made landing before it even more terrifying. The red gold dragon landed next to the purple one, standing proudly as they both gazed down at the group. Dream growled low in his throat, wings mantling to partially hide his brothers from the piercing gaze.

“Easy buddy, nice and easy.” Wilbur soothed, eyeing the two dragons before them and the many that were starting to circle high above. The purple dragon huffed, leaning down to be at more eye level with the group. Those eyes were filled with amusement, curiosity and happiness and they cut right into the five, seeing right into their souls and also seemingly right into their bond for all five of them felt the bright burning sun that was brushing against the bond, dipping into it without forcing its way in.

‘Welcome hatchling and flock.’ The female voice flows down the bond, curling around all their minds in a comforting and protective way. The triplets all jumped, firework sparks dancing along the line of connection while Dream snarled defensively, pushing back against this burning sun with a spitting hiss of mine! 

Red/gold snarled right back, head lowered in aggression challenge only to pause when Purple turned to snap at them in warning. Red/gold whined, backing away as they pressed their wings flat against their back in submission. Glowing purple eyes turned back to the flock, nostrils flaring as they blew warm air over Dream who grumbled with wary fear. 

‘You have nothing to fear hatchling. We will not harm your nest mates or guardian.’ The same female voice whispered inside all their minds.

Dream backed away, head shaking as he continued to burn with jittery fear. Wilbur reached out, grasping at the hissing popping campfire and soothing it with his warm pyre, grounding his Beta. He turns when he feels eyes on him, facing the purple dragon who gazed back with pride and love. 

‘You have raised a fine hatchling. You are a true flame bond and make your ancestors proud.’ She said.

Wilbur bowed his head in respect, the triplets and Dream hesitantly copying their Alpha. “Thank you m’lady.”

‘A gentleman as well!’ The dragon rumbled in amusement, folding her legs under her body as she laid down before them. ‘Tell me, little flame bonded, just who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?’

“I am Wilbur Soot, m’lady, son of Kristen Soot. These are my brothers, Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo and Dream Soot.” Wilbur introduced to which the great dragon threw her head back and crooned with joy.

‘A Soot! I remember your family line well. Often overlooked and seen as the weaker of the five families blessed by the dragons but I always knew they were far more than they appeared.’ 

“You knew our ancestors?” Tommy asked only to shrink back at the look Wilbur and Dream both sent him. Dream even leaned back to nudge the young avian with his snout in warning.

The purple dragon seemed to chuckle, not bothered by the excited youth. ‘We dragons are ancient beings and can live for many years. I am the last of the ancient ones who flew through the wide open skies of the Overworld, the last who remembers the world before magic was driven from it and we were forced to flee to the End.’

Even Dream was gazing up at the great dragon in awe, all of them feeling the ancient magic she radiated. Ranboo peered around his siblings, eyes respectfully lowered and filled with wonder. “What is your name m’Lady?”

‘You all may call me Amnevar, little one.’ She said before turning to look at Red/gold beside her. ‘This is Ravi, one of my many grandchildren and the one who helped call you all here.’

“So you did call us here?” Tubbo asked, all of them feeling braver as they continued to feel the gentle love and happiness radiating from Amnevar. 

This time, it wasn't the female voice of Amnevar who answered them but a young male voice. ‘My Grandmother has important advice to give you all that will help you fulfil your destiny.’

‘To defeat the false Alpha?’ Dream asked, slowly losing his fear of the larger and older dragons.

Amnevar leaned closer, her aura turning serious and firm. ‘When humans began to hunt and kill all those that had magic, began to kill my kind it was decided by all dragons to flee to our birthplace, the End. As we were fleeing a human seer foretold of a flame bonded and his flock bringing back magic to the land and freeing dragon kind. A single egg was left behind in the care of the last human clan that held the magic of flame in their blood to be passed down until their bonded would be born.’

Wilbur shifted under her intense gaze, his nerves slowly climbing. “You’re talking about us. We’re the ones who are meant to bring magic back and free dragon kind.”

“But then we’ve already done that.” Tommy said, brows furrowed in confusion. “George and Tubbo and do magic and we opened the End Portal to get here so the prophecy is complete.”

‘Not quite, young avian.’ Amnevar sighed. ‘When dragon kind fled to the End the humans used an old ritual to seal all magical portals, trapping us inside. You were able to light the End portal but only you and your brothers can pass through it as your magic is connected to the Overworld and the young hatchling was born in the Overworld after the ritual was performed. The rest of us remain trapped and the other portals such as those that led to the Nether remain closed.’

‘To truly free us you need to break the ritual.’ Ravi hummed softly.

“And how does one go about breaking a thousand year old ritual?” Tommy asked only to yelp when Dream cuffed him over the head with a wing.

‘Watch it.’ He warned, pulling amused snorts from his brothers and the two older dragons.

‘To break the ritual you will need to destroy the binding stone. A ritual as powerful as the one used to seal the portals needs a binding stone to keep it tethered and powered to the earth otherwise it would fade over time.’ Amnevar said.

“And where would we find this stone?” Ranboo asked, causing the two dragons to pull their lips back in a snarl.

‘The one you call the false Alpha.’ Ravi growled, causing all their eyes to widen.

“Schlatt? He has the stone?” Tubbo asked.

‘His ancestors were the ones to perform the ritual. They fear us and magic the most, saw it as a threat. They have guarded the stone for generations and most likely have it hidden in their home.’ Amnevar said.

“Manberg Castle.” Wilbur sighed. That was the last place he wanted his family to have to go too, right into the lion's den. Fighting this war was dangerous enough, they had already lost their father and possibly their eldest brother to it and that was before being told they would need to break into the Castle to destroy an ancient ritual binding stone. This was just asking for death. He paused in his racing thoughts at the gentle mental nudge, eyes moving to gaze into glowing purple.

‘I know it is far more than one should be asked of, but I’m afraid it is both of our only hope in ending this war and being free to live our lives. You have every right to fear for your nestlings safety, you wouldn't be a good guardian if you didn’t. But you need to trust in not only their power but your own little flame bonded.’ Amnevar crooned in his ear.

“How can you be so sure I’m the one?” Wilbur couldn’t help but ask. Amnevar seemed to chuckle again, that deep rumbling purr that rattled his very bones.

‘We dragons don’t choose just anyone to be our bonded.’

Green eyes turn to gaze at him, pinning him under their intense gaze. Dream stares at Wilbur, mind, heart and soul so deeply tied to his own it's sometimes hard to determine where Dream begins and Wilbur ends. Wilbur stares into the eyes of his youngest child, the one who chose him from the moment he’d first held his egg in small trembling hands.

‘You are more than what you think you are.’ Dream whispered for only his ears.

‘You could have chosen anyone of my ancestors.’ Wilbur pushed back only to have Dream huff with annoyance and shove him mentally.

‘You are the one I waited for. You are the one I was born to serve.’

‘You don’t serve me, you are my brother, my equal.’

‘And that is why I chose you.’

An absolute, a promise, a certainty. It's a fact as true as the sky being blue and the sun setting and rising each day. They were made for each other, two halves of a whole, soulmates born from the same star. Its terrifying to think a whole race is depending on him and his brothers to free them, to restore the world to its former glory, but Wilbur knows with Dream by his side he will stand tall and fight to his very last breath. They were fated to stand by each other's side, destined to be together even if one had to wait hundreds of years for the other. Magic ran thick and hot like magma through their blood, connecting them all together, binding them to destiny and fate. They would fulfil their destiny or die trying.

Chapter Text

It's bittersweet when the flock lands in Pogtopia. It was good to be back in the North, in the forests they grew up in and knew like the back of their hand. But it's also lacking in so many ways. Techno was not by their side like he should have been, they weren’t returning to their family farm like they longed to, weren’t coming home to the village they knew and loved. It may still be the same faces, but it wasn’t the same comforting place they grew up in. Niki and Puffy are the ones to greet them at the entrance to Pogtopia, their faces grim and shadowed with guilt and remorse. The flock had spent a week within the realm of the End, long enough for the first waves of refugees from Kinoko to start arriving. George and Karl had arrived with them, Sapnap and Quackity had not.

“As far as we know they are still alive.” Niki said as the small family made their way towards the war room. “A raven from the capitol arrived late yesterday with ransom demands.”

“Schlatt’s taken them hostage?” Tubbo asked, eyes suddenly filled with hope. “Did the letter mention Techno?”

Puffy sighed, handing over the rolled up scroll to Wilbur. “It's better if you read it yourself.”

The boys peer over Wilbur’s shoulder, Dream also looking down but choosing to instead press closer mentally to understand the letter as he was still learning the basics of reading and writing. 

I warned you not to cross me and now so many innocents have had to suffer and die because of your actions and choices. But I am a fair and just King and shall offer you one last chance to bend the knee to this land's rightful King. Myself and my armies will be posted along the road between the Eastern Etu Mt range path and the Heng Mountains. I will have the traitors that were captured during the Kinoko raid with me and will hand them over unharmed in exchange for your surrender and the handing over of the dragon. We will wait until the Mid Summer festival, if you do not show by then the prisoners will be executed and my armies will march North to slaughter every last person who stands with the North.

King Jschlatt, third of his name, Lord protector of the realm and the one true King of Manberg.

At the end of the letter was a single white bandana, a yellow feather that was coated in blood towards the bottom and a lock of pink hair. The bandana and feather were quickly taken by the trembling hands of Bad and Skeppy, George standing beside his fathers with a blank hollow look to his eyes. Wilbur gently picked up the lock of pink hair, blood rushing through his ears and magic sparking like TNT under his skin. A large scaled head the size of a horse lowered over his shoulder, lips pulled back in a snarl as nostrils flared to take in the faint scent of Nether wart and poppy flowers, Techno’s scent.

“We’ll tear him limb from limb.” Ranboo hissed, Tommy and Tubbo growling low with agreement.

From the other side of the room, Sam, Punz and a young man Wilbur hadn’t seen before stepped forward, the young man bowing while his hands moved to sign a formal greeting. Sam placed a hand on the man's shoulder while nodding to Wilbur. “This is Callahan of Snowchestor, he was sent by the Chieftain, Jack Manifold after Eret and other villagers were taken prisoner. He is here to officially swear the people of Snowchestor to you. They are currently hiding in the Pinga Mt range but are ready and willing to fight by your side.”

“As are the Kinoko Archers and any able bodied Kinoko residents.” Karl said.

“And the people of the sand.” Sam said while Punz nodded.

The three remaining members of the Halo family straightened, Bad standing tall as the head of the family and looking to Wilbur with a fire the young King had only seen in his brothers before. “What are your orders, your Grace?”

Wilbur clutched at the lock of hair, his twin's hair, his brother who may or may not be alive, who willingly put his life on the line so Wilbur and the kids could flee to safety. He can feel the triplets bubbling like hot lava, a volcano ready to erupt in defense of their own, can feel how Dream prowls at the fringes of the bond, a low rumble of an approaching fire storm. “Gather your soldiers, Niki get wagons and previsions organised and Puffy, get the citizens who will not be fighting to move into the deeper tunnels. We march south at dawn tomorrow.”

“You’re not gonna hand yourself and Dream over, are you?” Skeppy asked. Wilbur stared the diamond golem hybrid down, the triplets hissing amongst themselves while Dream, who could only just fit his head through the archway of the hut growled low and threatening. 

“If it is myself and my child that Schlatt wants then he shall get it, fire, claw, fang and all.” Wilbur seethed, his brown eyes flashing amber for a moment as white hot magic crackled through the air. The triplets flanked him on either side, eyes flashing while Dream shifted just outside the hut, his massive frame unable to fit inside but still making his presence known. 

The family sleeps under the stars, Dream too large for any of the huts down and unwilling to change into human form. The trip south as well as to the End have seen the almost nine-year old dragon go through a massive growth spurt. When the war had begun five months ago he’d been the size of a horse drawn carriage. Now, he was the size of a small house. The human brothers wondered if one day he would be as large as Amnevar.

When dawn arrives Wilbur is met with an army that answers his call, an army that is ready to follow him into battle, an army that is ready to die for what they believe in. When Karl approaches, a wagon covered in a cloth behind him, Wilbur feels his heart sore with gratitude and shock at what is revealed underneath. 

“I spoke with Sam and he agreed to hand over the last pieces of Netherite that the people of the Badlands had mined and hidden before the Nether portals were closed. It’s not enough to make a full set of armour but we had enough for a chest, neck and stomach plate. George and I were able to find old enchantments to help strengthen it while also making it lightweight so it won’t hinder his flying.” Karl smiled as Wilbur ran trembling hands over the glowing purple armour. The triplets are quick to join their elder brother, eyes wide with awe as they brush against the steady firm magic layered over the armour.

“Thank you.” Wilbur said, voice filled with emotion.

“He is a beacon of hope to all, a symbol of change and better days. He’s also your brother, a Prince and a friend. I’m happy to help.” Karl said, laughing when Dream leaned down to blow hot hair over his head causing his brown curls to ruffle.

The enchanted Netherite covers Dream’s underbelly, chest and neck, his most vulnerable spots and are also covered in a soft padded wool on the inside to prevent chafing against his scales. From the two golden horns atop his head, the triplets hang a silver chain that is covered in feathers, polished stones, bone fragments, gemstones, shells, pieces of fabric and locks of hair. In the middle of the chain, hanging right over the middle of his skull is the lock of pink hair from Techno. 

Horses are saddled, soldiers are armed and fitted with armour, wagons filled with previsions and a raven is sent to deliver a reply to Schlatt. As the sun crests the tops of the surrounding trees the mixed armies of Kinoko, Badlands and L’Manberg begin to march south while their King and Prince’s take to the sky, the loud echoing call of a dragon rattling their bones while the magic of the earth hummed with excitement. 

King Jschlatt, 

The people of the North will march to the meeting place alongside the people of the sand and Kinoko. You wish for this war to end, as do the rest of the people of this country. There has been far too much bloodshed in these short few months so to try and prevent more from being spilled, myself and the other heads of the villages are requesting a brief period of peace where we can all meet and try and talk things out. Commander Sam, Maester Karl and Chieftain Jack have agreed to these terms so we hope you and the Headman of Las Nevadas will also agree to this meeting. I hope we can all come to an agreement that will benefit all.

Regards,

King Wilbur Soot, first of his name, Alpha of his flock, protector of the North, son of flame and soul-brother of dragons.

Normally, it would take three and a half weeks to travel between L’Manberg and Manberg if you were to not stop too often along the way. With the guidance of Sam and the other Badlands natives, the procession is able to deviate from the roads in the desert and cut through Dead Man’s Valley allowing them to arrive at the pass between the Etu and Heng mountains three days before the Mid-Summer festival. The two armies stand on opposite sides of the road that cuts through the flat valley between the two mountain ranges, both equal in size and strength. During the trip past the Pinga mountain range the people of Snowchestor had revealed themselves and joined the L’Manberg army.

The Imperial soldiers were all dressed in silver armour, black cloaks and held swords and arrows. They were a uniform regiment, standing in perfect formation and looking like chess pieces on a board. The L’Manberg army was anything but. The Northerners had silver chest plates, arm guards and helmets but that was it. They carried swords, spears, crossbows and bows. Beside them were the Dies Irae, hundreds of creeper hybrids that were stamping and hissing with energy. Amongst the creeper hybrids were other Badlands natives who were on horseback, dressed in a similar fashion to the Northerners but without helmets. The Kinoko archers were dressed in all black, even their chainmail had been painted black and looked like faceless spirits craving vengeance. Finally, the people of Snowchestor wore leather armour, spears held at the ready and giving screaming war cries that echoed over the valley that was dotted with patches of snow. 

Placed in the middle of the valley, between the two armies was a wooden table with six chairs where the meeting between the two Kings and the heads of the villages would take place. Schlatt and the Headman of Las Nevadas were already sitting there along with Sam, Karl and Jack. The only seat left empty was that of Wilbur, the King in the North having yet to show.

“The usurper requested this meeting and yet here we are waiting for him.” Schlatt growled.

“Our King will be here.” Sam said.

“That boy is clearly unfit to even claim the title of King.” The Las Nevadas Headman sneered. He was a middle-aged man with greying hair and watery grey eyes. He was overweight with barely any muscle, a testament to his lavish lifestyle and how he clearly had never had to work for anything in his life. The other three village leaders didn’t bother replying, instead staring down the other two men in silent judgement. They could see the frustration and impatience radiating off them both and took pleasure in it, waiting patiently for their King’s arrival. 

The first sign they got was a far off rumble that echoed down from the Heng mountains. It had the chanting, hissing and mutterings from both armies falling silent allowing all in the valley to hear the slowly approaching wing beats. Another sound, a shrieking cry that rattled down from the clouds, had Schlatt and the Headman standing, eyes trained to the Heng mountains and the clouds surrounding them. The army of Imperial soldiers shifted nervously as a massive shadow began to take form above the clouds. Then, with a final spine chilling cry, a great white dragon covered in black flecks descended below the clouds, glowing purple armour resting protectively over its underbelly, chest and neck.

Dream gave another screaming cry, flying low over the Northern army and then the small meeting of the heads of state/villages. The Southern soldiers broke formation as he swooped over their heads, frightened yells spreading amongst them as they either ran to the sides or threw themselves to the ground in terror. Dream rumbled, banking to the left the circle back to the middle of the valley, rearing back to kick his legs out under him as he landed beside the set up for the meeting, the ground trembling under his weight when he did so. Sam and Karl remained calm and seated, Jack flinching ever so slightly as he hadn’t had the chance to meet Dream yet. Schlatt and the Las Nevadas Headman were pale and standing, having even taken a few steps back when Dream turned to bare his teeth at them with a hiss as he lowered his upper body to the ground, shoulder turning to reveal his Alpha, brother and rider.

Wilbur was dressed in a long sleeved white dress shirt with a black cloak over the top, black leather boots and  black pants with a dagger strapped to his waist. He stood from the saddle, moving with grace as he gently stepped down onto Dream’s bent front leg before stepping onto the ground, a hand moving to rest against the underside of the dragon's jaw in a soothing manner. In the three weeks it had taken to reach the meeting place he had continued to grow, now nearing the size of the old town hall. He had more than doubled in size since Schlatt had last seen him up close and it was clear the man was nervous about this development. With a final growl, Dream took to the sky once more, moving to circle high above and call out every once in a while to remind everyone that he was there and would not hesitate to unleash hell if anything happened to his Alpha.

Wilbur walked calmly over to the table, taking his seat between Sam and Karl and giving the two standing men an impassive look. “Gentlemen.”

Schlatt scowled, moving to take his seat once more with gritted teeth. “We’ve been waiting for a while.”

“My apologies,” Wilbur said. Schlatt glared as the Las Nevadas Headman also re-took his seat, a tense atmosphere falling over everyone as Dream circled high above. 

“Now that we are all here, shall we get this meeting underway?” Karl asked after a moment.

“Yes, let's. I do hope you are here to issue your formal surrender.” Schlatt said, pulling out a piece of paper and sliding it across the table to Wilbur. “This here is the official agreement that details the terms of your surrender. You will hand yourself and that beast over, the escaped traitors from Snowchestor will also be handed over to be executed and all of the settlements will pay a fee to cover the damages caused to Las Nevadas.”

Jack, Sam and Karl glared but held their tongues, instead choosing to defer to their King who was looking down at the piece of paper with a blank look. When he looked back up again he had a smile on his face while his eyes flashed dangerously. 

“It would seem I must apologise again as there seems to have been a misunderstanding. I am not here to discuss my surrender. I am here to retrieve my friends that you have taken and free the people of the villages you have crippled with taxes. If anything, we are here to discuss your surrender, not mine.”

“You dare!” Schlatt hissed.

“I dare,” Wilbur snapped. “The Schlatt family has driven this country to ruin. You have starved the land of magic, desecrated ancient temples dedicated to the Gods and forced more than half the country into poverty. That is the actions of a coward, not a King.”

Schlatt stood, hands slamming down onto the table while his eyes flashed with rage. The Las Nevadas Headman also stood as he pulled a dagger from his belt. “You dare speak to your King in such a manner, we’ll have your tongue for that boy!”

All movement froze when another ear splitting cry came from above, Dream now circling much closer to the ground than before. A flash of fire raced across the sky, the flames quickly dispurcing into the air without anything else to fuel it. The message it sent was clear, a warning to all what will happen should blood be spilled. Throughout all of this, Wilbur remained seated, face calm and composed as he stared the other two men down. His gaze was quick to settle on the Headman, brown eyes flashing amber causing the man to shudder where he stood.

“I will remind you that I am also a King, a King who has not only the support of the majority of the country but the backing of a dragon as well.” Wilbur said.

“This is a peace talk, you said you wouldn’t attack.” The Headman muttered as his eyes turned nervously towards the sky.

“I did, but my youngest child made no such promise and you did just threaten his Alpha only moments ago.” Wilbur said, his innocent just sharp smile back.

“Child? You call that monster your child?” Schlatt scoffed.

Wilbur locked eyes with the ram hybrid, his smile slowly turning into a smirk. “I was the first one Dream saw when he hatched as well as the first to touch and hold him. He is my child.”

He sees the moment it clicks inside Schlatt’s head, the moment he realises the dragon circling them from above is the same wild boy he’d met back in L’Manberg. Dark brown, almost black eyes glance up once more as Dream banked low between their group and the Northern army, his green eyes flashing up to lock with the ram hybrids, cutting into the others very soul. Wilbur feels the phantom claws resting along his shoulders, the invisible wings mantled protectively over his head, the hot burning wildfire at his back that is ready and willing to consume everything in its path.

Schlatt tore his gaze away from the circling dragon, glaring at Wilbur as his upper lip curled. “You may have the beast on your side but we still outnumber you.”

“Numbers do not win a battle.” Karl said.

“I’ll kill your friends, your brother if you don’t surrender.” Schlatt hissed, only flinching a little when Dream gave an enraged scream high above while Wilbur’s eyes hardened.

“I am a reasonable man who does not wish any more bloodshed.” Wilbur began, fingers gripping the edge of the table in a white knuckle grip and unaware of the smoke starting to rise from them. “However, should you lay a hand on my friends, on my brother I will rain fire down onto your army and your city.”

“You would use your beast to slaughter innocents?” Schlatt taunted.

“Like how you used your men to slaughter the people of El Rapids?” Wilbur countered. The two Kings stared each other down, the village leaders watching with bated breath as Wilbur finally stood from his seat, hands falling to his sides to reveal finger-shaped burn marks on the table that were still smoldering. “The North will not stand down, will not bend the knee. I will remain their King until they no longer wish me to be. Myself and my allies will retire for the day and will hear of your decision tomorrow morning. You have until then to choose what path to follow. Either hand over the hostages unharmed and surrender, or refuse and have war.”

No more words were spoken as Sam, Karl and Jack stood to follow their King leaving a seething Jschlatt and Headman behind. The four men walked back to their waiting army, Dream swooping low and kicking his legs out to land beside them when they arrived at the front line. Many of the soldiers and their horses startled, shifting nervously at the sight of the large dragon while Wilbur just sighed tiredly and all but threw himself against Dream’s head. Warm, hard scales pressed against skin while a deep bone shaking rumble echoed from Dream’s chest. From amongst the shifting soldiers the triplets appeared, rushing to their elder brother’s side and eagerly pressing themselves against the warm scales of their younger brother.

“Do you think he’ll really surrender?” Jack asked.

“I don’t know. He’s unhinged, losing control of so many things in a short span of time. He’s unpredictable.” Wilbur said. “If anything, we may have just made him angrier and more dangerous.”

“One who allows anger to cloud their judgement is often an easier opponent to kill.” Sam said only for Wilbur to shake his head, eyes filled with worry.

“He’s not just angry, he’s desperate and a desperate person will do almost anything to get what they want.”

“Whatever the outcome of tomorrow morning, we’ll stand beside you.” Jack promised.

“It may mean your death.” Wilbur warned.

“Better to die fighting for freedom than starving to death under the rule of a tyrant.” Jack said with a scowl. He jumped when Dream suddenly leaned over him to blow hot air over his head, gazing up at the dragon with wide awe filled eyes.

‘I like this one.’ Dream hummed causing Wilbur to give a startled laugh which had Jack blinking at him in confusion.

“He likes you.” Wilbur translated.

Jack stared at his King for a moment before turning to give a hesitant smile up at Dream who continued to hover over him. “Thank you, Dream. I, uh, like you too.”

It earned him an amused chuff from the massive reptile while the triplets cackled amongst themselves, Wilbur smiling fondly as he tugged gently on the bond to silently call attention from his boys. As one, four sets of eyes turned to face him, minds sharp and alert, ready to listen and obey. “Off to the tent with you boys, we’ll need to be well rested for tomorrow.”

“But the sun is still just above the horizon!” Tommy sighed while waving at the orange tinted sky.

“This isn’t a camping trip Tommy. To bed, now.” Wilbur warned. 

Above them, Dream hummed as he leaned down to grab the back of Tommy’s shirt in his teeth, lifting the teen up into the air before placing him on his back. The young avian grumbled softly but shifted back so Dream could place Tubbo and Ranboo on his back as well, white feathers ruffling as hot air was blown over them. With the triplets rounded up, Dream slipped through the throngs of soldiers, horses and tents that had started popping up as everyone prepared for a long tense night. A roster of guards is drawn up to keep watch on the other end of the valley, everyone knowing there is a high chance of Schlatt ordering a surprise attack some time during the night. It never comes though, the sun rising the next day without a single drop of blood being spilt. It should have been a relief that nothing had happened during the night and yet Wilbur couldn't help but feel a pit of dread growing in his stomach. 

An hour after sunrise both armies once again stood at the ready with the only difference being that the table and chairs in the center of the valley were now gone. The triplets are stationed with the Kinoko Archers who stand at the back of the army, Wilbur not willing to risk them by putting them on the front line. Instead, Sam and his Dies Irae had volunteered to stand at the front. Hundreds of creeper hybrids stand at the front of the army, a sea of green that hisses and paws restlessly at the ground beneath them. Finally, at the very front of the mass of green stands Dream dressed in his glowing purple Netherite armour, golden horns adorned with his silver chain of trinkets and his Alpha standing tall by his side. Wilbur was dressed in simple leather armour so he could be more comfortable while riding on Dream as well as have full range of motion with his bow and arrow. He also carried a sword at his hip, one of the few his father had owned and kept at the farm house when he’d travelled South almost nine years ago.

Wilbur watched as Schlatt rode to the front of his own army, dressed completely in black armour that had a red cross drawn over the breastplate. The ram hybrid dismounted, moving to stand facing Wilbur with a wicked grin as a group of men moved to stand beside him. The sight has Wilbur’s heart stuttering to a stop in his chest while Dream hissed in rage beside him. Two soldiers stand beside Schlatt and held between them, clothes still stained with their father’s blood and arms bound in shackles was Techno. His pink hair is matted and unkempt, face gaunt from starvation and face dirtied from weeks worth of dirt build up. Wilbur stared at his twin, face pale and eyes wide in terror while Techno had a resigned look on his face.

“You demanded my surrender, threatened to wage war should I refuse.” Schlatt called out across the valley that had suddenly gone deathly silent. “You think you can threaten me, little King? You think you can call yourself a King and steal my birthright? I refuse to bow to a peasant boy.”

Blood is rushing through Wilbur’s ears, he cannot take his eyes off his twin. He wants to jump on Dream’s back and fly over there, wants to snatch Techno away from that weasels clutches and burn the man to a crisp for daring to lay a hand on his kin but he knows they would never make it in time. He can only stand and watch as one of the soldiers draws his sword, holding it at the ready, waiting for the command.

“Any last words, traitor?” Schlatt hissed at Techno who was trembling ever so slightly. He’s twenty three years old, two days away from turning twenty four. He doesn’t want to die, doesn’t want to leave his brothers behind.

Technoblade Minecraft, eldest son of Philza Minecraft and Kriston Minecraft Nee-Soot stared across the valley at his twin brother who’s face was filled with terror and anguish, stared at his youngest brother who even in dragon form looked just as distraught as Wilbur. He gazed at them and felt a rush of warmth, love and bravery fill his being that chased away the trembling in his body and replaced the fear in his eyes with a fiery glare. Techno stood tall, pink hair swaying in the wind and soul singing with a burst of magic that flickered like fire and dripped like lifeblood. Behind him, he hears the soldier raising his sword, sees how Wilbur’s face drains of all colour as tears well up in his brown amber eyes. He hears the hiss of a blade cutting through the air, sees the shadow of the sword heading for his neck and he reaches out with his soul, grabs hold of that magic as he screams his final words for all to hear, a promise and a call to arms, a deal sealed with blood.

“Blood for the Blood God!”

And as the words echoed throughout the valley, the sword was brought down.

Chapter Text

Every choice, every action, every step taken has a consequence that can be negative, positive or both. Every decision made eventually leads one to where they stand in the present day, and sometimes, where they stand is the last place they wished to be. Sometimes, they wish they could turn back time, choose a different path, make a different choice. But life is never so simple.

The sound of a body hitting the ground has never been so loud. Somewhere in the masses behind him, Wilbur hears three voices joined as one in a horrific scream of anguish that echoes not only in his ears but his soul as well. Along the bond, three little campfires burst into towering tornadoes of flames that scream for revenge, backed by the wildfire that is Dream and the roaring volcano that is Wilbur. From his chest, a bloodthirsty snarl rips past bared teeth as Wilbur turns to his second in command, Sam of the Badlands who stands pale faced beside him, wide green eyes locking with burning amber.

“Led my army, turn this valley red with their blood but no one touches Schlatt.” Wilbur hissed as he climbed onto Dream’s back, clutching at the saddle with a white knuckled grip that hissed and smoked under the heat from his palms. “I will remove his head from his shoulders myself.”

Wilbur leaned forward, pressing down on the base of Dream’s neck to urge the younger to take flight. With a shrieking cry massive white wings unfurled to launch the two into the air, the powerful strokes carrying them straight up until they vanished into the clouds. At the same time, Sam raised his sword above his head with a screaming war cry that was quickly echoed by the rest of the army as they surged forward towards the opposing side who had also begun to charge across the valley. 

Schlatt does not join his men in the charge, instead he hangs back with the Las Nevadas Headman and a group of at least twenty soldiers on horseback who are surrounded by ten specially made crossbows. They are the size of a horse that shoot spears instead of arrows and the men manning them have their eyes trained to the sky, ready to fire the moment they see any sign of white scales heading their way. It’s not till the two armies are nearly upon one another, swords drawn and ready to fight and die for their Kings that Wilbur and Dream re-appear. Bursting from the clouds with a howling shriek, Dream dove over the sea of Dies Irae towards the wall of silver armour that was the Imperial army. They didn’t even have time to scream or jump to the side before Dream had opened his maw and bathed them in molten hot fire that boiled their insides and melted their armour to the skin.

Screams of agony fill the valley shortly followed by the yells of battle, steel clashing and horses screaming as the two armies meet. Swords, spears, arrows and daggers drip with crimson while the smell of burning flesh consumes the area. Above, Wilbur pushes on the left side of Dream’s neck, guiding the massive dragon to different clusters of Imperial soldiers to be burned without risking any of their own men. Arrows are sent skyward that bounce harmlessly off enchanted Netherite and diamond hard scales, Dream shrieking as he turns to burn those that dared fire on him and his Alpha who hunkered down against his back to avoid being hit by a stray arrow.

On the ground, mini explosions sound as the creeper hybrids click their claws together to ignite the gunpowder they breathe. Sam snarled with fury as he cut down any soldier who came to close, his sword, fur and armour covered in splashes of crimson and black soot. Beside him, a warrior of the Snowchestor village thrust a spear up into the gap between an Imperial soldier's armour that rested over his neck and collar bone. The soldier made a gurgling sound as blood filled his mouth and lungs before toppling to the side. Not even a second later, another soldier appears and drives his sword through the warrior's chest. Sam seethed with anger as he blew out a cloud of gunpowder, front paws raising to strike his claws together. The soldier can only give a startled yell before he’s blown back by the explosion, neck twisting as he hit the ground. Without a second thought, Sam reached down to pluck the dead man’s sword from his burnt hands, holding it in one hand and his own sword in the other.

“Tiiuixallh uil amo tlauitolli!” Sam shouted in his people’s native tongue, a cry that was echoed by his brothers and sisters of the sand around him.

“Tletl iuan estli!” Came the cry of his younger brother Punz somewhere in the battlefield.

“Xalli iuan tonatiu!” Sam yelled back, the two phrases also echoed by their surrounding kin.

Wilbur looked down at the battle, hearing the chants of the Badlands natives and feeling the magic that ran like lava through his blood singing alongside their calls. Beneath his hands, Dream screamed his own war cry as he swooped low over the fighting to snag a few unsuspecting soldiers into his talons. The men shouted in terror as they were carried high into the air only to be dropped and left to fall to their death below. Already, Wilbur could see the ground turning red with blood and bodies piling up. The sight did nothing to quell the burning anger thrumming in his chest that only grew as he turned his gaze to the west where he could see the coward that had murdered his brother standing, waiting, hiding.

‘Burn him, rip him to pieces, tear him apart, burn him alive, kill, kill, make him suffer, burn him, kill him.’ The words are a constant mantra that races like ignited gunpowder along the bond, no one able to tell who’s voice is who’s as all five minds call and bay for blood. Wilbur stared at the man who had taken his home, his father, his brother and now wanted to take his child from him and felt as flames sparked to life at his fingertips, his magic roaring like a fire storm.

‘His life is ours.’ Dream growled, turning to the west as Wilbur pressed on the base of his neck, urging him towards the monster that had taken so much from them.

‘Ours to take.’ Tubbo gurgled like bubbling lava.

‘Ours to end.’ Ranboo hissed like hot coals.

‘Ours to destroy.’ Tommy roared like an exploding firework.

‘To make a living hell.’ Wilbur rumbled, a volcano ready to erupt. Hands that burned hot with fire pressed harder into the base of Dream’s neck, pushing him to fly faster towards the smirking monster. Dream screamed with rage, Wilbur adding his own voice to the call as tears filled his glowing amber eyes. He screamed, voice filled with pain and anger that turned into shock and slight fear when suddenly a hail of spears were launched into the air. ‘Dream!’

‘Hold on!’ It’s the only warning Wilbur gets before suddenly, Dream is twisting to the right, wings tucked into his sides and body spinning to avoid the spears. The whole time, Wilbur clutched desperately to the saddle with his eyes screwed shut that only opened once he felt Dream level out, circling high above the battle and out of range of the spears. ‘They are loading more, I cannot get near him while they have those things at the ready.’

“Then we’ll just have to make sure they waste all their spears.” Wilbur growled, a hand reaching up to rest against the side of Dream’s neck. “Stay alert, keep moving and trust your instincts.”

‘Hold tight then.’ Dream huff, smoke billowing from his flared nostrils as he folded his wings against his body once more, head turning towards the ground and sending them into a steep dive back towards the crossbows and the firing line.

Dream stays calm and steady, eyes narrowing as the crossbows turn skyward to track his dive. He watched as the order was given, leavers pulled to release the hail of spears that fly up to meet him at high speed. He feels Wilbur tense, feels how his brother presses closer to his back while gripping at the saddle more firmly. At the last second, Dream angled to the left, wings snapping open to carry him out of the spears path and around the gathering of Imperial soldiers and their King. Already, the men were loading another round of spears into the crossbows forcing Dream to start ascending once more, twisting and weaving as the bolts were fired again. One spear got lucky, strafing along his back left leg and leaving a long gash that weeped ruby red blood. The pain flared, dancing along his leg as well as causing phantom pain to bloom along his side. It was enough to cause the great dragon to shriek loudly while shaking his head, fear and rage taking hold.

“Dream! Steady bud, steady! Eyes on me!” Wilbur yelled as the dragon thrashed in the air, already turning to dive back towards the waiting men below despite Wilbur trying to turn him back to the main battlefield. “Dream! Leave it Dream! It's too dangerous!”

Wilbur tried to reach out mentally, to soothe his distressed and angry brother but was met with a wall of white hot rage that spat burning embers and hissed with roaring flames. The animalistic fury that was caught in fight or flight, having chosen fight was all consuming and Wilbur had to fight not to get lost in it. The sound of leavers being pulled snapped Wilbur back into his own mind and body, eyes widening at the wall of spears heading straight at them. Dream howled his hatred, diving further down and under them until he was practically right over the top of the soldier’s who screamed in terror as jaws filled with razor sharp teeth opened to unleash hell. Men dived to the side as the flames consumed the massive crossbows, the woods splintering under the intense heat causing them to almost explode under the force.

Without warning, Dream landed as he turned to burn another crossbow, his tail lashing out to smash another to pieces while his claws tore another to shreds. It’s all happening so fast that Wilbur barely has time to smile before Dream jerks to the side with an ear shattering scream. Turning finds Schlatt himself standing on one of the remaining crossbows, a cruel smirk stretched across his face as he gazes at the bleeding gash that sits just under the wing joint along Dream’s back where a spear had grazed it

“No! Dream.” Wilbur cried, yelping when the dragon leaped back into the air. Another spear is fired, just barely missing Wilbur’s own head and making Dream bank suddenly to the side. Wilbur scrambles for purchase but is not fast enough, thrown from the saddle though thankfully the ground is only a few meters below. He lands hard, rolling across blood stained grass and dead bodies and when he comes to a stop he looks up to see Dream vanishing up into the clouds with a roar. He can only stare for a moment before having to jump to his feet to keep a man from driving their sword through his skull, instead blocking the blow with his own sword while he thrusts his dagger into the man’s eye.

He holds a dagger in each hand, moving with speed through the throngs of fighting bodies to cut down anyone who dares stand against him. Distantly, through the fear, pain and confusion he feels Dream finally reaching back, filled with shame and guilt at having ignored his Alpha and also at having thrown Wilbur from the saddle. Wilbur is calm, assuring the younger that he is not in trouble or to blame, that he himself is uninjured and waiting for him. He knows the moment Dream descends from the clouds by the way those around him give startled yells, pushing and shoving against one another to get out of the way as the dragon lands nearby with a howling shriek. Some brave or foolish men try to rush the giant reptile, thrusting spears and swords against scaled skin to no avail. As Dream has grown so has his scales, becoming hard as diamonds and now only able to be penetrated by the spears fired with extreme force from the crossbows.

Iron armour crumbles under razor sharp teeth as Dream tore those foolish enough to attack him to shreds, tail lashing to hit against circling soldiers with bone shattering force. Wilbur started to move towards his younger brother, prepared to continue the fight when a flash of green caught his eye. The young man froze in place, eyes wide in shocked horror and breath stuttering in his chest as he gazed down at the fallen body of Commander Sam of the Badlands Outpost. The creeper hybrid was riddled with arrows and sword wounds, fur stained with blood from his injuries and his slain enemies. Around him lay the countless bodies of Imperial Soldiers, a testament to how many people it took to finally bring the Commander down. Wilburs horror and grief echoed down the bond causing the younger ones to scream with realization as their own sadness took hold, Dream in particular raising his head to scream at the sky. 

From behind, a horn sounded signalling the Imperial Soldiers to fall back and retreat while Schlatt called for his men to return to the castle of Manberg to defend their city. The ram hybrid clearly knew that he would have the advantage back in his city and was ready to exploit it. As the Southern army retreats the Northern one turns to their King, waiting for orders on what to do next, to see if they should chase after their enemy or not. Wilbur looked out across the battlefield, took in the bloodied and bruised faces before him as well as the countless dead scattered around them and felt his heart ache.

“Those who are injured return to camp and seek medical attention.” Wilbur yelled out to his men. “Everyone else, gather our dead so we may lay them to rest properly.”

It's a grizzly affair, wading through the throngs of dead, boots sloshing through rivers of blood and offering mercy killings to those on both sides who are too injured to save. It’s worse stepping into the camp and hearing those mourning friends and family they have lost in the fight, to see how Punz staggers where he stands when his brother’s body is brought forward, to hear Sam’s adopted children Hannah and Boomer howl with grief as they fall to their knees. It leaves Wilbur feeling guilty as he holds the triplets tightly in his arms, relieved to see them alive and unharmed.

That night, the valley is lined with countless wooden pyers that are lit just as the last ray of sunlight disappears from the sky, Dream honoring Sam by lighting his pyer with his own flame much to the gratitude of Punz and his niece and nephew. As the flames dance in the night air, embers racing towards the starlit sky, thousands of voices sing and chant to send their loved ones onto the next life, to ask the Gods to grant them safe passage into the afterlife where they will hopefully reunite with their ancestors. One pyer burns with no body as no matter how much they searched no one could find Techno’s body. The soot family stood by his empty pyer, tears streaming down their faces and praying for their mother to look after their brother, to keep him safe until they would meet again.

As the Northerner’s mourned their dead and the Southerner’s fled back through the Etu mountains a group made their way through the darkened streets of Manberg, ducking between alleyways and behind buildings so as not to be seen. While Wilbur had led the Northern army past the Pinga mountain range, Eret, George, Fundy and Foolish had cut through the Uzume forest just south of Kinoko to sneak through the Northern Etu pass. They had been given a special mission, one that the whole war effort was counting on. Their job was to get inside the castle and find where the Runic Stone that kept the spell of binding over the Magic portals was hidden so George could destroy it. With the Stone destroyed the portals would open once more allowing the trapped Dragon’s to return to the Overworld.

“So how are we going to get inside the castle?” Foolish asked as they made their way past the outer castle walls and into the royal gardens.

“I have an informant on the inside.” Eret smirked.

“And you’re positive they won’t rat us out?” Fundy asked warily. “What makes you think you can trust this person?”

“They helped me escape from execution, she’ll help us with this.” Eret said firmly.

“She?” Foolish asked.

Eret chuckled, nodding over to a shadow covered wall where a figure was standing. The three boys tensed, wary and ready for a fight while Eret just walked calmly over to the person who was revealed to be a woman with raven black hair that had purple highlights streaked through it wearing an elegant navy blue gown. Resting on her head was also a silver tiara that had a single red ruby on the front of it. Eret smiled at their friends' shocked faces, bowing to the woman while gently kissing her hand. “May I introduce her royal highness, Princess Minx of Manberg.”

The Princess smirked at the dumbfounded looks aimed her way, flicking a stray strand of hair over her shoulder with a laugh. “So, I hear you boys need to break into my brother's castle and destroy a rock. How can I be of assistance?”

Chapter Text

Basically, Schlatt would retreat to the Manberg castle where he would make a final stand. During this, Minx would help Foolish, Fundy, Eret and George by giving them a map of the underground catacombs of the Castle which enables them to find and free the prisoners including Sapnap and Quackity and also find the hidden binding stone. George would perform and spell and use a dagger made from enchanted Netherite that is also infused with some of Dream's scales to break the stone which would ignite all the closed End and Nether protals across the country.

While this is happening, Wilbur is leading an attack on the castle and it seems like they are losing when the stone is broken sending a shockwave of magic rushing across the land. Everything would come to a silent standstill, no one moving or knowing what to do when a loud roar would cut through the silence and it would reveal a large red dragon flying towards them and on this dragon would ride Techno.

An Eagle eyed fan commented that back when the flock was entering the Mictlan canyon that Techno gave an offering of his own blood to the God of death and pledge himself to the God's service. Because of this, when he was executed by Schlatt and God used the offered blood to bring him back once magic was fully restored to the land as well as giving Techno his own dragon to ride. The dragon is called Osiris "The blood Knight" and is a great blood red dragon with black horns and wing membranes.

With the arrival of Techno and Osiris, the battle turns in Wilbur's favour, the Manberg soldiers lay down their arms and the war is won. Schlatt is captured and Wilbur sentences him to death for his crimes with Dream using his fire to kill him. Wilbur is crowned the new King with Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo and Dream being Princes. Minx is given a royal pardon and is even allowed to keep her status as a Nobel woman, becoming an important adviser to Wilbur as she understands the inner workings of a royal court better than anyone. Techno regains his title as head Knight and starts a comprehensive training program to incorporate the fighting styles of all the settlements and even travels to each settlement to train the people in combat so they can better defend themselves.

Eret returns to Snowchestor while Punz and Quackity decide to work together to rebuild the settlement of El Rapids, turning it into another outpost for the people of the Badlands to use as a temporary base during their nomadic travels. Many people from Las Nevadas decided to move their to learn how to care for the land and give back to the people they hurt and took from for so long. Bad is appointed the new mayor of L'Manberg village and he and Wilbur work together to rebuild the old Castle of Old L'Manberg which is where Wilbur and the flock move to with Minx remaining in Manberg to become the 'Head of state' of the city. Dragons return to the land and magic is restored.