Chapter Text
Stealthycalws made his way through the tight turns and corners of the volcano. The tightness of the tunnels did nothing to settle his wandering mind, even as far away as he was he could hear the dragons in the hatchery talking about the eggs, or more likely thinking about them. He already knew one of them was half sandwing he had known since they had first been laid... so why keep the egg of his enemy when he could so easily smash it and send the parent to the dungeon for being a tarator? As much as it would be simple he knew it would be much easier to mess with the prophecy and have the sandy-night work for him rather than risk trying to break it. Nobody even remembered the details about it, anyway. He could use that to his advantage, even if someone suspected it to be messed with he could just as easily bluff his way out of it, it was how an outsider became King after all. Plus he was planning to stop the war, by winning it. He already had the Seawings and Skywings he just needed to convince the Icewing's to join them. Easier said than done, but maybe with the sandy-night dragonet following him it would be easier for them to turn on their Sandwing friends.
As the cave expanded outward he could see a few Nightwing's sitting around a carved stone nest in the centre where four onyx eggs laid one with specks of yellow throughout the shell just like specks of gold. Taking his place among them without saying anything he watched as the golden egg seemed to crack. They were all due to hatch that night and as he sat there his tail flicking annoyingly at having to be away from his throne, feeling a much smaller dragon sit next to him he didn't even have to look, Dreamcrusher. He could sense her annoyance as if it were his own yet focused his gaze on the eggs in the centre.
"As we should all know more eggs while a blessing to our tribe also means more mouths to feed. Under the prophecy, Stealthyclaws will be looking after the sandwing mix. This is to ensure they get enough knowledge to lead the effort to stop this wa-" before she could finish the egg had exploded out. A small squeaking sandwing was left lying in its spot as he had to physically stop himself from snarling in disgust. He had hoped it would at least look more like a Nightwing. Instead, he was left with a small pale yellow lump.
'stupid little brat' At least Dreamcrusher seemed to be thinking the same thing as him.
"Are you sure theirs no other way?" the quiet voice of Brightsky spoke through the silence as Stealthclaws took it as his cue to pick up the crying sandy-coloured mess.
"That or you could rot in the dungeon" 'be glad the king is being merciful of your betrayal' ignoring them both he looked over the pale sandwing at least he had the classic Nightwing wings and the sandwing bard, he'd have to see if he developed the venom.
"would you rather I do what I do with all traitors to this little thing?" he held the hatchling up causing the silver-coloured Nightwing to shake her head while backing down. "I thought so" he didn't care what she thought as he waited for the other dragonets to hatch, all of them more Nightwing than the yellow ball settling in his arm. As he watched he decided to listen to Brightsky as her thoughts circled between fear about what he would do, anger that he wanted to take her hatchling, shame for betraying her tribe and above them all the hope of naming them. After the hatching was done and the other hatchlings had their names he looked at her. Unable to think of a good sandwing name any way she looked at him causing her head to perk up a little. 'can I name him?' he gave a small short nod as she almost seemed nervous.
"D-Dreamhunter, I wanted to call him Dreamhunter" he nodded again, of course, it would be a Nightwing's name. How else would they tell he was a Nightwing without the wings and name?
"Dreamhunter it is" he confirmed before taking his leave. It was already getting late and he had a squirming hatchling who needed food. As he left he started to wonder what he was thinking by taking a hatchling, he never wanted one and like it or not he now had one. Half tempted to kill him and say he died accidentally he felt the dragon suckle on his arm as he looked at the sandwing. It was scared of him already, yet too hungry to react to that fear. "you should be scared" he softly growled while heading to his chamber. He could hear the made-up prophecy bouncing around his mind as he walked.
When the land is soaked in blood and the war is loudest,
Beware the sandy-night that will come.
Talons of gold or wings of purple.
Claws of blood and eyes of glass,
one shall die, the other shall fall.
The fallen egg, a broken promise,
beware the sandy-night to come.
Talons of gold, he had made it about him but the small sandwing terrified in his arms also had golden claws so maybe he could push it onto this little sandy-night if they weren't the one meant to try and kill him that is. He couldn't shake a bad feeling in his scales like messing with the prophecy too much could cause his fake one to come true. He had only been in power for twelve years. Was this hatchling meant to kill him? he could take on a weak sandwing if that was the case. If not having a sandy-night of his own would at least help. He tried to shake the thoughts reminding himself, that prophecy was fake, right?
As he walked he could feel a sense of fear and annoyance as the sounds of someone else running nearby caught his attention. Stopping in his steps he turned to look at Dreamcrusher. "what?" he knew she had bad news from the fear dripping from every inch of her scales. Yet, her mind was too caught up on how to tell him. "out with it already" the hatchling started to cry from his sudden snapping as he half-heartedly rocked it hoping it would shut up.
"the last patrol we sent out went missing. I've already sent Deathbringer and Throatslasher to go find them but we think someone tried to escape the island" he didn't have to read her mind to know who. Toungetwister had been thinking about his plan for a while yet he never thought the skittish Nightwing would actually follow through since he always talked himself out of it.
"find him and make sure he doesn't live long" growling deeply he watched her run off barking orders at the other Nightwings as the sandwing in his arms cried out. Sighing deeply he was reminded why he hated hatchlings as the Sandwing radiated fear and hunger drowning out the thoughts of the other dragons around him and even his own thoughts as he headed back to his chamber putting the baby down inside a small nest he had brought there himself. Dropping a random bird down in front of the hatchling he glared at them causing them to forget their fear and shakily start eating. "You better make yourself useful."