Chapter Text
Soft afternoon light glittered down on the Night Kingdom's capital market square as vendors from various tribes were hawking and shouting to get the attention of NightWings and other dragons passing by.
The afternoon market had a specific reputation in NightWIng culture as a place where you can find the more interesting curios the evening market didn't provide. Seeing as the sleep schedule for NightWings was after all to sleep from morning to around mid to late afternoon it meant a lot of the foreign traders that traded things like SandWing spice's, MudWing woodwork or even the famed SeaWing fish were more likely to appear here around this time. Something that often led to it being the premier place to buy souvenirs or gifts in case for one thrice moon born dragonet whom had come here to secure something interesting for his sister's upcoming hatchday.
This thrice moon born dragonet's name was of course Darkstalker no secret's there, and currently he was getting frustated by the lack of proper things that would fit his sister's interest.
''Ugh why is it that nothing here fits the bill of what my sister would like, I woke up early for this and all I see is tourist trap garbage and niche flimsy replica tools.'' Darkstalker thought as he made his way past a SandWing hawking supposed 'authentic SandWing relics' that were just cheap recently made sandstone tablet's sprinkled with just the right amount of artificial dust to look unique.
Continueng deeper into the market ignoring a haggling battle a NightWing had with a MudWing bone jewelery trader and making a clear b-line away from a shouting match between two female NightWings at a beauty salesman RainWing about some miracle cream (Another reminder for Darkstalker NOT to go shopping with certain dragonesses that kept trying to woo him) Darkstalker found himself stopping before a stall selling exotic pets.
The trader a male SkyWing whom clearly saw the look in Darkstalker's eyes for a unique gift instantly started his sale's pitch ''Hey there young man I recognize that look in your eyes, you want some quality stuff for a loved one right? Well I just happen to have the right thing just for you.'' he said heaving a cage with what appeared to be an eagle with scars from the cart behind himf ''This here is the lord of one of the peaks of the claws of clawed mountain himself, took me 2 hours to catch with just my bare claws. Giving this to your loved will surely showcase how much of a powerhouse she is.'' he added with a tone that sounded like the deal was already closed.
''I don't think my loved one would want something that can claw out her eyes in seconds, are you sure this is the best you can offer for her? Because I am just starting to think that you see her as a money bag.'' Darkstalker said with a hint of challenge as he made a dismissive motion with his talons prompting the vendor to crack his salesmans mask just a second in frustation before going back to his usual chippy tone.
''Well best sir it seems I misjudged you, no need to worry though if it's something calm you're looking for I also happen to have the perfect thing.'' the SkyWing said as he put back the eagle and pulled out an eldery sloth in a cage that looked like it would die in a second if blown at and put it down ''This here is the calmest being I know, and retrieving it from the Rainforest was not easy so if you want it you can except a... slight mark up.'' he said with a tone that sounded like he was ready to extort Darkstalker for all his worth in that pouch of his.
''SkyWing if I wanted a relic I would have gone to a pawn shop, not a pet stall in the evening marketplace.'' Darkstalker said with a bit of rising irritation clearly getting annoyed at the attempts of the merchant trying to hawk him shoddy wares as he was about to turn around and leave before the SkyWing attracted his attention yet again with a hasty shouting voice.
''Wait wait, dearest customer I-I do have something that is a lot younger just give me a second.'' The SkyWing said hastily noticing that he was about to lose a customer as he put the sloth back into his cart and pulled out a cage with in it what appeared to be a small hairy ape wearing... some kind of apparal Darkstalker had never seen before ''This scavenger I picked up just outside the border with the Rainforest, surely your loved one would appreciate this one instead it's got a calm and contemplative nature and is young enough that it won't die of old age quickly.'' he added with a hurried tone which did attract Darkstalker's attention causing him to turn around and study the scavenger.
The scavenger seemed to be a male about the age of someone close to adulthood dressed in what Darkstalker only could describe as a black kind of short shirt and blue pants with a belt around them plus wearing footwear he had never seen before. The scavenger's hair itself was black and the green pupiled eyes of it was looking at Darkstalker with a strange sense of recognition that he found oddly scrutinizing as if they had studied him for his entire life. Finally the brain signals his mind reading were picking up were... Weirdly advanced for any scavenger he had seen before with the central thought being one clear concise message ''Pick me''.
As Darkstalker was studying the scavenger the SkyWing could smell a sale and addressed the hybrid ''They're all your's for just 50 silver coins, if you pay ten extra I will even throw in a complementary 'How to take care of my scavenger' scroll and some starting supplies for taking care of it.'' he added retrieving what appeared to be a cheaply made wooden comb the size of the scavenger's head and an iron bowl that'd fit just barely in the cage putting them next to the cage on the counter.
''20 Silver coins and ditch the bowl, comb and scroll I don't think my sister needs any info on how to take care of a scavenger plus that bowl barely fit's through the cage door.'' Darkstalker said thoughtfully ready to haggle with the SkyWing.
''40 Silver coins I need to at least get something for this unique specimen, that apparal is not common.'' The SkyWing countered pointing a claw at the apparal of the scavenger.
''30 Silver coins no way am I going to spend a fortune on one gift for my loved one's hatchday.'' Darkstalker countered with a pridefull tone looking the SkyWing dead in the eyes.
''35 Silver coins that's my final offer I can give dear customer, you don't want to return empty handed to your loved one after all do you?'' The SkyWing said looking Darkstalker in the eyes with a look that spoke of finality as he reached his talon forward as Darkstalker let out a sigh.
''Deal, just make sure next time I see you you don't try to hawk me garbage like that sloth again.'' Darkstalker said accepting the talon with one of his own and putting the 35 silver coins on the counter as the SkyWing handed him the cage with the weirdly clothed scavenger and put's away the other stuff he tried to peddle to him.
''Got it dear customer, I hope to see you again soon.'' The SkyWing said waving goodbye as Darkstalker walked away from the stall heading deeper into the afternoon market to find other goods for his sister.
Whilst Darkstalker was continueng through the stalls he took a moment to glance at the scavenger he had just bough and was suprised to see it... Smiling? He quickly read it's mind and there was a weird sense of excitement and hope in it's brain almost as if overjoyed to be taken in by him. ''Weird normally scavengers are fearfull and cowardly of dragon ownership but this one seems to take joy in being taken in by me.'' He thought as he made his way forward through the afternoon market.
After the purchase of a new set of pigments from a MudWing merchant and a nice silver picture frame from a NightWing merchant Darkstalker decided that this was enough for his sister and headed back home unbeknowst that he had just made the purchase that would change his fate and that off all major and minor players in the tragedy that was their prophecized fate forever.