Chapter Text
Brightstar doesn’t remember when his training started. Maybe he had always done it, maybe he will always do it. He does remember however, the looks and grimaces when he walks around the Island. The feelings of distrust and envy that dig into his skin and bombard his days. His white skin, the large glaring, Icewing level of colorlessness. Contrary to most first glances, he is indeed a full blooded Nightwing. A nightwing with albinism. He is highly valued in this war according to queen Battlewinner. According to lots of others in his tribe, he is a freak of nature.
One more year… just one more and I can leave this place.
The Nightwing tribe doesn’t allow dragons off the Island until they are ten. Brightstar is nine. The Dragonets of Destiny were born when he was three, which sent his training into overdrive. It became more strict, and he was separated to train away from the other dragonets in the tribe, personally vouched for by Queen Battlewinner and carefully watched. This has rooted deep seeds of jealousy among his peers. Many assume he is too prideful and a poser of sorts. Battlewinner has never cared that much of it, telling him to focus on his training, so he has.
He’s learnt how to read body language, sneak around, stay silent, and his specialty, poisons. Learning to pretend how to mind read and maintain the mystery was difficult, but he got it. This mastery has made things tense with others his age, but he trudges onward.
Ignoring most others who speak to him and staying in his room unless otherwise told keeps the conflict to a minimum. Brightstar, however, is no pushover. He has won almost every spar in his training, and a streak of 2 years going undefeated. This young dragon also has maintained a wonderful secrecy training, holding trust with the queen through her daughter is highly useful.
Last year a young princess from the Seawing tribe gave him a gold bracelet embedded with a black stone that she said was from a meteor. Maybe her name was Amemony?… Anemine?… Brightstar suspects that it is just a normal black polished rock though. It shined as he marched and looked very handsome on him, or so he thinks.
Now as he’s walking down the pavilion on his way to Princess Greatness. She had summoned him with no explanation, so he’s essentially walking in blind. Adjusting his glasses, Brightstar settles a serious expression on and struts in. All eyes on him. His white tail trailing behind him, a stark difference between the black room and dark dragons surrounding him.
Greatness levels a stare his way as he is unsure what it is for. Eventually everyone in the room, some including Morrowseer and very highly ranked individuals settle down. He does notice a few glares shooting his way, mostly from Quickstrike.
The thing is, Brightstar is used to hostility, however the tribe has had years to get used to the sight of him, so glares aren’t really common anymore. His stomach starts to roll around and his scales feel itchy with anxiety. Something has happened. Something that includes him.
“Brightstar, glad you could join us,” the Princess stated as if she was more annoyed than glad.
Now everyone was actually looking at him. Cold stares sticking to his scales like leeches. The air tensed while the silence took over his brain screaming anything it could be. Did they decide he wasn’t worth it anymore? Did someone die? So many ideas swirling around until they were brought to a screeching halt when someone flicked him with their tail.
“You’re leaving tomorrow for your first mission, go start packing.” It was someone he’d never met before. It was a rather small lean male adult dragon. Despite his smaller size, he gave off a very scary aura. This strangers voice was also much deeper than one would expect from his stature as well. His glare bit into Brightstar’s soul as he made quick eye contact.
This now explains the glares. Everyone in this room seemed to either hate this decision or just annoyed they were there. Brightstar on the other hand was elated. He had trained for years upon years, trying everyday too prove he’s no freak. This was what he had craved most when he was taunted, when his own parents pretended they didn’t know him, and when he was trained till he couldn’t stand. He gets to leave a year early, surely it will cause some bad blood with his peers, but he doesn’t care about that right now. All he does care about is his relative freedom in the mainland waiting for him.
The books he’s read has told him adventures of flying over mountains ranges, large rainforests, and the vastness of the golden glowing sand of the desert. Glaciers, rivers, mud pits, he wants to see it all. The few conversations he’s had with Amenitie (he’s still not sure what that princess’ name was), the sea kingdom is wonderfully stunning. She described large structures and jewels. Flowing water currents, and whales. The night wing can’t wait to meet one of those dolphin things she described. They must not like coming near the island.
Realizing he had never listened to this direct order, Brightstar jumped and scurried quickly out of the meeting room. He ran down the corridor, startling many other dragonets on his way. At this point he doesn’t care, maybe joy isn’t showing on his face, but it’s fueling his feet to carry him as fast as he can go. As soon as the young dragon reaches his small room, he grabs two bags and begins stuffing them full of his most prized possessions.