Chapter Text
“Ugh, fine. That’s enough for today.”
Kamado grunted before collapsing onto the rocky floor, his wings making a loud “FLOMP” at his sides. Panting heavily as smoke erupted violently from his nostrils, the dragon couldn’t help but cough and groan before rolling to his side. It was only a few coughs before he finally let out a fiery belch followed by a pile of lava, scalding the floor beneath him.
“Oh grow up already, Momo. I wasn’t even coiling that hard.” Tephra mocked, watching the scarlet red dragon heave and shudder. “Next time, you have to try to get out of it. It’s an essential skill. And it’s not hard. Hatchlings can figure it out.”
Oh, sure, for you guys it is! I have to keep from turning you into a burnt crisp in the process! Kamado hissed in his mind as he shot the rusty feathered Skywing a look of contempt.
She returned his snarl with a smile, eyes half lidded and a fang protruding.
“Whatcha sayin’ up there, huh? Are you gonna get up and talk or lay there pouting?” She teased, slithering to his side.
“I’m thinking about what I’m eating for dinner, that’s what.” Kamado grumbled, sitting up as Tephra laid down. “I’m worn out and what I had earlier is on the floor turning into rock now.”
“I can ask Hawkfire to give you extra fish tonight, if that’s what you want.”
“Is that supposed to make up for the torture you put me through today?” Kamado raised an eyebrow.
She drew her claw along the cracks of the floor quietly before smiling up at him. “Perhaps.”
“...Ugh, fine. Whatever. Ask her if I can have 30 red snappers and I’ll forget all of the pain. Thank you very much.” He grunted before stretching his wings.
Today’s training session was an entire four hours; double what the Queen would usually assign after Kamado finished his schooling for the day. He felt like a fried scavenger as he shook out his claws and felt them cramp.
What a pain. He sighed, eyeing the door to the main hall. The session technically wasn’t over; it was about another 20 minutes before the Queen would need Tephra at her side to set up dinner. If the world was in Kamado’s favor, the dragonet would waltz to his room and get in a good snooze in preparation for the feast, but unfortunately this was Princess Tephra he was dealing with; he might die if he had to listen to the Queen scold him for his “disrespect”.
“You’ve gotten a lot stronger, you know.” Tephra nudged the brooding dragon in the side before cleaning feathers from under her claws. “You’re starting to feel like competition.”
“How comforting.”
Tephra tilted her head. “That’s a good thing, Momo.”
Kamado winced, averting his eyes. No it isn’t. Not at all. Not on a feather of my tail is that good.
“When Hawkfire and Cindertail sees how good you’ve gotten, they’ll be a lot more confident about you being crowned as the Sky Palace Prince.”
Oh talons and tails, don’t remind me.
“Haha, yeah. I know. It’s a bit overdue, isn’t it?” He chuckled nervously.
“Hm, not entirely...You’ve still got lots to learn to be a dragon worthy to walk beside me.” Tephra winked before getting to her paws. “I’m a bit tired so we’ll call it a day here. Get some rest; I’ll call for you when dinner is prepared.”
“Oh! Uh...T-thanks Tephra.” Kamado stumbled out.
Tephra turned to look at him before leaving out the training room’s door. Smiling, she nodded before closing it behind her with her feathered tail.
Kamado let a few moments pass for Tephra to be far enough away before letting out an exasperated groan, followed by another dramatic drop onto the stone floor. Prince! Oh frogs and fish, why did she have to remind him. It always made everything so much weirder than Kamamdo would have liked it to be. He was so used to Tephra being someone to look up to, not someone he’d eventually have to call his “mate” and do squishy gushy lovey dragon things with. He shuddered and rubbed his snout with his paws feverishly.
“I’ve gotta get some air.” He finally puffed, getting to his paws to gallop to the door. He couldn’t risk napping and being cursed with some weird dreams from today.
The halls of the palace were a lot brighter and fresher than the dungeon Kamado and Tephra trained in; it was on one of the lowest floors of the palace, isolated away from anything that could possibly catch fire. They were previously prisons during the old queen’s reign but were simply used as storage or training areas for now on. Sure, being body slammed onto bedrock wasn’t ideal for a dragon, but it was a lot better than letting a sneeze burn through everything in the vicinity.
Kamado let his wings flutter past the pearly white pillars of the Palace bridge before running in a full gallop into the Great Hall. It was bustling as usual, Skywings and Mudwings chatting along the balconies as scrolls were passed off through the Mailery. Kamado noticed a couple of dragons here and there, giving them a toothy grin and wave before zooming off before they could respond or scold him for his running.
He eyed the exit of the Hall, prepping his wings for liftoff; he’d make it out the window in a straight shot if he timed it just ri-
“Kamado! Oh! Oh, wait, don’t go just yet!”
Kamado stumbled over his paws as he tried to stop before colliding into a dark purple bundle of scales. Quickly, he held his breath and went still until they settled into a pile of wings on the floor.
“Oh heavens and moons, you almost killed me there.” The purple dragon got up dizzyingly, getting a decent distance away from Kamado. “You can breathe now.”
Kamado let out his breath as his scarlet color slowly returned. “Please...figure out another way to get my attention that isn’t so...abrupt, Junco.” He mumbled, giving her a look. “Or you will get fried.”
“Well That isn’t fair, you’re not even supposed to be running through the palace anyways for that exact reason!” Junco’s scales ran magenta as she pouted. Kamado always found her Rainwing traits being more prominent than her Nightwing’s quite funny given her scales; if she ever wanted to pass as being only a Nightwing, she’d have to be stripped cold of her emotions to convince a mouse she’s one.“What’s got you in such a rush?”
Kamado rolled his eyes before shaking out his feathers. “I have somewhere to be.”
“Somewhere to be? But where? It’s so late in the day!” Junco perked up. “Does Cindertail know where you’re going? Or Queen Hawkfire? You know how they are about you being out on your own for so lon-”
“Dude, I’m just going to get air!” The Skywing couldn’t help but bark. “ Just. Air. Out in the palace’s garden. And I’ll be back. Ugh, what were you even stopping me for anyways?”
Junco shifted on her paws, scales fluttering between blues and purples. “I...U...Uh...I…” The Rainwing placed her claw on her chin with a deep thinking face before going yellow. “Ah, right! I got some new scrolls I thought you might want to see! They’re not boring, I promise; it’s more of those types of legends you’re into. I thought we could look over them together and I can count it toward some of your school work so it’s more fun.”
Kamado blinked. Part of the Skywing wanted to see the scrolls now, hoping to finally find one featuring a firescales like him, but…
“Oh cool. Yeah, that sounds great. Can we start them tomorrow?”
“Absolutely! I had a feeling you’d be excited for them!” Junco squealed, doing a little tappy tap against the palace’s floor before cheesing. “Okay, I’ll have everything prepared tomorrow so we can look them over in depth, no interruptions, okay? Okay. That was all, I’ll see you later! Bye!” Junco skipped away, flowing like a rainbow.
Shaking his head as onlookers giggled in his direction, Kamado did a running start out the Palace’s door before soaring into the sky.
The Palace always seemed so small from the height Kamado would soar, becoming as small as a anthill beneath him. He burned fiercely among the clouds , letting out breaths of relief to finally let himself scorch. This was really the only place the Skywing could do so. Palace dwellers often teased him about being the fireball of the night, or night sun due to how brightly he glowed during his flights. It actually made him feel a bit special to be compared to something all the dragons of Pyrrhia needed to live.
The Sun of the Night.
It had a nice ring to it.
A heroic one like those seen in legends.
Many legends had curses like his...Perhaps this was a hint for his destiny?
He felt a bit sheepish for entertaining such ideas. Legends were legends for a reason. Just entertainment for silly dragons like him to latch onto, believing there's something more to his issues. He was going to be Prince and have dragonets with his best friend. Nothing more.
He sighed, letting his embers fizzle out as he prepped for landing. He could see Tephra sitting at the Palace entrance, laid on her side with her paws crossed, watching him intently.
Nothing more.