Work Text:
Glory was red again.
Clay saw her exit their sleeping cave first. The two-year old dragonet's scales shone like rubies in the flickering torchlight, mimicking Kestrel's own colouring. She had her head held high, wings back, the ruff around her ears folded close to her neck out of sight, her tail flicking uncurled with every step. He grinned at her reassuringly, though he couldn't ignore the worried, protective feeling that was growing in his belly. He just hoped that it would go better than last time.
Glory strode toward the cave where their guardians were talking. Kestrel was discussing the Talons of Peace with Dune in hushed tones, which was heartening. If she wasn't yelling or roaring at anyone yet, maybe Kestrel would be nicer to her. All Glory wanted was to be the "Wings of Sky" like the prophecy said. It wasn't her fault she wasn't the smashed SkyWing egg, but as a RainWing, she could make her traitorous scales as red as fire to look the part. Last time she'd tried to insist on being their "Wings of Sky", Kestrel had punted her across their training cave, and she'd awoken bruised and battered a while later under Clay's wing, listening to Kestrel and Tsunami roar at each other. This time was different though.
She could Feel it.
Bubbles of excited yellow tried to creep over her nose, but she squashed the feelings down. Glory was getting better at that trick; making her scales change when she wanted them to instead of whenever they felt like it. Maybe that's all Kestrel needed; to see Glory as a SkyWing instead of a lazy, useless RainWing. Then she'd lift Glory up and say proudly: "Here she is! Our "Wings of Sky"! We'll all be saved now! I'm so proud of you!"
Well. Maybe not. But Glory could always hope.
Starflight shuffled out of the guardians cave a moment later and saw her, his talons full of a new scroll from Webs. He froze when he noticed her colouring but said nothing as she marched past him. She didn't notice him tuck the scroll under his wing and signal to Clay to go get the others.
Glory stomped into the Guardians cave and cleared her throat. Webs, Dune, and Kestrel swung their heads to look at her. She lifted her chin, spread her deep scarlet wings, and stared at Kestrel, stomping down any nervous greens or excited yellow that tried to spread over her scales. Kestrel hissed a cloud of smoke, pure rage and something confusing and pained on her face. Webs frantically shook his head at Glory from behind Kestrel's back, but she ignored him.
"I am your "Wings of Sky" whether you like it or not. I'll be the best SkyWing I can be, and fulfil the prophecy with the others," Glory said, unflinching. Kestrel advanced on Glory.
"Are you REALLY stupid enough to think that just being RED is all it takes to be a SkyWing," Kestrel snarled, "Stupid enough to believe a USELESS, WRETCHED RAINWING could EVER be our "Wings of Sky"?" Glory faltered, her wings dropping slightly. This wasn't at all how she'd pictured it.
"Kestrel, hold on. She's just a dragonet," Dune began, but Kestrel shot him a quelling look.
"A dragonet with too big a head and too small a brain," Kestrel replied with such venom that Glory flinched, "we should have snapped her neck when she hatched and found a REAL dragonet for the prophecy. An ACTUAL SkyWing!"
Glory felt tears sting her eyes, but blinked them away. She fixed her face, her pose, everything, and shouted back at Kestrel; "WHAT makes me any less of a dragon than a SkyWing? Why did you even bring me here if I'm a mistake?" Kestrel swarmed towards her, face contorted with fury. Glory sprang back, scrambling into the adjacent cave to get away from the livid SkyWing chasing her. Kestrel stomped down hard on her tail, then dragged her up by it, throwing her towards the river that flowed along the far wall. Glory stumbled to her feet just as Kestrel's huge talons caught her by her throat and hauled her over the water.
"SkyWing's are IN EVERY WAY superior to RainWings! All the tribes are," Kestrel roared, "You will NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH. YOU. ARE. NOTHING!"
Her shouts were cut off suddenly by a hiss of pain. Kestrel dropped Glory on the riverbank and swung around to see Tsunami biting her wing. Clay was barreling towards the battling dragons, looking scared and angry at the same time, while Sunny had pounced on Kestrel's tail. Starflight was nearby, edging his way over to Glory.
Kestrel grabbed Tsunami by her horns and threw her at Glory. The two dragonets collided and fell into the river. Ice cold water swallowed them, suffocating Glory along with the pure panic that had her once crimson scales rippling with acidic yellow-green and white. Her head hit something solid and the world went dark.
~•~•~•~
"....think she's waking up!"
"Are you sure? You've said that three times."
"Yes but I'm EXTRA sure this time! Look, her eyes are opening!"
"I think Sunny's right! Glory? Can you hear us?"
Glory's eyes fluttered, and she became violently aware of the pounding ache in her head and body. Something unpleasantly warm was draped over her side, which helped little and reminded her all too much of Kestrel's fire. She shuddered and tried to brush the warmth away.
"Oh does that hurt? I'm sorry." the warmth was abruptly removed, and Sunny's squeaky voice shifted away a bit.
"Can you move? Is anything broken? Are you alright?" That was Starflight, sitting nearby. She opened one eye to glare at him.
"Yes. I'm perfectly fine. Kestrel barely touched me when she threw me across the cave," Glory growled, trying to lift her head. He looked hurt, and Glory immediately felt guilty.
"Well, NEXT time you get some stupid idea into your head to make fun of Kestrel, TELL ME first so I can be the one to THROW YOU INTO THE RIVER," Tsunami barked. Glory swung her head to glare at the SeaWing. Tsunami was sitting next to Clay, both of them hunched awkwardly and looking pretty banged up. Tsunami was glaring at Glory, her gills flaring with agitation. Glory felt an immediate rush of shame and embarrassment. That's what they thought she was doing? Making a joke? Clay nudged Tsunami gently.
"She wasn't 'making fun' of Kestrel. She was trying to be our "Wings of Sky" like the guardians always talk about. Right?" He looked so hopeful, his big brown eyes wide and warm. Deep purple blue clouded over Glory's wings. Tsunami huffed, looking away.
"Well, whatever you were doing, don't do it again. She nearly killed you. And us. Mainly you though," Tsunami muttered. Glory stood slowly.
"Don't worry. I won't. I don't care how she sees me," Glory replied sharply. Whether or not it was true, Glory accepted that day that she would never be their "Wings of Sky". That she was never going to be loved by any of the Dragonets' guardians. That all she was was a lazy RainWing who would never save the world or be a part of the prophecy.
But looking around at her friends- her family- she realized something too:
She would never be nothing to them.