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“C’mon Cliff. You should be here by now…” Deepnavy whispered to himself as he sat on a ledge far from any settlement.
Deepnavy wrapped himself with his wings, getting a bit cold. He looked up into the sky, making sure no dragon was spying or flying by, before laying down and placing his head onto the cold ground.
-I hope Cliff didn’t get stuck up by his parents…I don’t wanna wait again like last time.- Deepnavy thought to himself.
Then, Deepnavy heard a quiet hum from a bush and then his voice played the song Deepnavy and Cliff made.
“The beauty of his face was beyond my wildest dreams~…like cherry blossoms blooming in the mountains in the early spring.” Cliff sang quietly while walking out of the bush and Deepnavy smiled.
“As we walked by the river and he softly took hold of my claws~…that’s when I fell deep in love with a dragon made of two.” They both sang quietly.
Cliff booped Deepnavy in the nose with his snout and they both laughed.
“You know, I didn't think we would sing so good together. I mean we both have a lovely talent.” Cliff said as Deepnavy hugged Cliff.
“I didn’t think I would be in love with a prince, especially Ex-Queen Scarlet grandson.” He teased back.
“You got me.” Cliff said sarcastically back. “So, tell me about the Rainforest. How is it?” He asked.
“Some of the Nightwings are still trying to adapt to me,” Deepnavy started as he clasped his claws together, a nervous habit he learned from his dad.
Cliff placed a wing on Deepnavy as he struggled to talk about it more. Deepnavy gave up on talking and sighed.
“The Rainwings love me but I can’t even visit my mom’s side of the family, I can’t breath under water but yet I’m a good swimmer?!” Deepnavy growled angrily, but deep down he was just…sad nor depressed could fit his true feelings.
Deepnavy knew Cliff was the dragon who wouldn’t fake feelings about things like this, and Cliff didn’t respond like anyone else would. All Cliff offered was his presence. Deepnavy tsked and leaned onto Cliff’s shoulder, sighing deeply again. Cliff looked down at Deepnavy, and he placed his head on top of Deepnavy's head, making him freeze.
“Wha-ha-huh?” Deepnavy sputtered nervously, his brain malfunctioning.
“I’m just offering my support?” Cliff asked as he started to take his head off of Deepnavy and he quickly pulled Cliff back.
With that, Deepnavy made them both fall and now, it got worse. Deepnavy was laying on his back now as Cliff was hovering above him. Both of them blushed as Cliff got off him and helped Deepnavy up.
“…so never to speak of this again?” Cliff said nervously, coping Deepnavy’s habit.
Deepnavy looked away for just a moment before looking back at Cliff with a smile.
“I see it as a good memory, huh?” Deepnavy asked with slight confidence which made Cliff laugh.
“I say this, let’s meet up in the Mudwing delta to get some food. I think some shops are still open at night.” Cliff answered back.
“See you there, Prince Cliff.” Deepnavy replied with a sly grin. “See you tomorrow night then, don’t keep me waiting.” He added before taking off into the sky.
Cliff just watched him fly away, a dreamy smile washed over his face.
-See you tomorrow, Deepnavy. See you tomorrow.- Cliff thought before taking off to fly back to the Palace, doing a happy flip in the air.
Next chapter:
-The night is here! Oh I can’t wait, I wonder what Cliff has in mind.- Deepnavy thought to himself as he landed on the only path that wasn't covered in heavy mud.
He folded his wings and started trotting towards a Mudwing Shop that was still open. Deepnavy looked around the shop and found it relatively quiet and very nice for a date. Deepnavy checked his bag, he had a few things to trade for food. He looked up to find an empty table for two and found one pretty easily. There, he sat and waited for Cliff. The Mudwing owner, who had rusty-brown scales and brown underscales, approached Deepnavy.
“Who you waiting for, dragonet?” The Mudwing asked, handing Deepnavy a menu
“Just my boyfriend.” Deepnavy replied back and he saw the Mudwing place another menu on the other seat.
“Well, we’re the only place open at night, so he’ll have an easier time, huh?” The Mudwing cracked a joke and Deepnavy laughed. “Name’s Peatfire. If you need me, just call out for me.” The Mudwing added before walking into the kitchen doors.
-Peatfire…cool name. I bet Cliff would love it…but it doesn’t seem like he has his sibs…- Deepnavy thought to himself.
He knew the Mudwing society depended on their bonds to their siblings. But yet, Peatfire didn’t look like he had any sibs. Deepnavy looked down at his menu, looking for something that seemed good. And before long, the door opened and Deepnavy looked up. There stood Cliff. They locked eyes and they both smiled.
“Took you long enough.” Deepnavy said.
“I thought it would take a bit longer, but thank goodness one place is still.” Cliff replied back as he grabbed the menu from the seat and slid into it.
“So, what seems good?”
“Alligator's tail seems amazing.” Deepnavy answered.
“Seems like that’s my option too.” Cliff said.
Peatfire walked back out with a small notepad and stopped at their table. He seem to recognize the prince. But he didn’t made a big deal out of it.
“Well…interesting…” Peatfire said quietly.
A moment of silence passed before Peatfire continued.
“What can I get for you two, dragonets?” Peatfire asked.
And of course both of them ordered the alligator’s tail, and with some water. Peatfire smiled slightly before walking back to the kitchen. Cliff looked at Deepnavy with confusion and he just shrugged back.
“I feel bad for him, it doesn’t look like he has any sibs.” Cliff whispered.
“Me too.” Deepnavy replied back.
They ended up moving to different topics, about Cliff's prince’s roles and Deepnavy's fishing skills. Peatfire came back with two plates of alligator tails and placed it in front of them. Cliff handed Peatfire two gold coins before Deepnavy could move. And after taking the gold coins, Peatfire spoke so quietly that Deepnavy and Cliff thought they had imagined it.
“I lost them all in the early part of the war, I miss my brothers and sisters.”
Peatfire quickly walked back into the kitchen before they could process his words. They both looked at each other, before they quietly ate their food. It felt awkward to even talk after Peatfire’s confession. After they finished eating. Cliff wrote a note for Peatfire before leaving with Deepnavy.
[The note:
:Dear Peatfire,
As Prince of the Skywings, I want to offer you my condolences and prayers for you. The war has taken so many lives that were meant to live long lives.
With this note, I will inform all royals, from different and all kingdoms, to make a time of year to remember those who have fallen in the war.
I almost lost my father due to it and I don’t want those who have suffered from it to suffer alone.
Please keep living, as me and Deepnavy will forever come back to you with our condolences.
From,
Prince Cliff of the Skywings:]
Deepnavy looked back at the shop to see the mudwing crying while holding the note, and he wanted to fly back to comfort the dragon.
“What did you write, Cliff?” Deepnavy asked Cliff, which kept flying.
“A promise I won’t give up on. And a promise to remember him.” Cliff replied back quietly as they flew. “And I will complete my promise for him and for those like him.” He added quietly.
Deepnavy saw a tear fall from Cliff’s eyes and Deepnavy didn’t know what to do but to fly close to him and try to offer his presence, like Cliff always did for him.
Next chapter:
The next day, Deepnavy was quiet throughout the day. He honestly hoped Peatfire was okay after seeing him cry from what Cliff wrote on the note. Deepnavy sighed as he laid down in his bed, just trying to take a nap to keep his mind off of it before his father entered his room.
“Hey Deep, food is ready.” Insomnia said, noticing his son’s quietness. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just…tired.” Deepnavy responded quietly. “You and mom can eat lunch without me. I’ll be there after my nap.” Deepnavy added as his father walked up to him and cupped his snout.
Deepnavy opened his eyes as Insomnia did that.
“Look, my dragonet, if there’s a problem with anything, tell us. We don’t want you to feel like you’re alone. We’re here for you, okay?” His father said before letting go of Deepnavy’s snout.
“Glowsquid will probably check up on you, okay? If you’re more comfortable with talking with her, it’s fine. Love you my Dragonet.” He added before walking out of Deepnavy’s room.
Deepnavy stayed where he was, just listening to his father’s footsteps leave.
-I don’t know how to say anything…especially everything.- Deepnavy thought, curling into himself.
Deepnavy took deep breaths before falling asleep.
It was suddenly like he was falling fast. With clouds rushing past him so fast he couldn’t even see them clearly, and he heard yells from a familiar voice.
“I’ll catch you! I’ll catch you!” The familiar voice yelled as Deepnavy started to struggle to fly.
He tried to open his wings to slow his fall but he felt his wings being ripped apart by the wind. He cried out in pain.
“Don’t open your wings! Let me catch you!” The familiar voice yelled again.
Then, Deepnavy heard the distinct whistle of a skywing rushing down the ground, going faster than any dragon could go. He felt claws painfully grip his tail, back, and arms. Then pitch black filled his vision so fast he jolted awake in a panic.
He clutched his chest, he was breathing heavy and fast and he couldn’t stop it. It felt like it was suffocating him. His father ran into the room because of the noise and froze for just a moment at the sight of his son having some sort of panic attack before rushing to his son and hugging him.
“Deepnavy! Deepnavy, breathe.” His father told him, which Deppnavy tried to.
His Mother, Glowsquid, rushed into the room a few moments later and saw what was happening. She went to Deepnavy’s side and hugged him too, telling him in aquatic to breathe. Deppnavy started to breathe normally now and Insomnia moved back his head so he could see his father.
“What happened, dragonet?” Insomnia asked.
Deepnavy tried to talk, he really did, but nothing came out. Glowsquid flashed if he could talk in aquatic and Deepnavy looked down at his bioluminescent scales to see them flashing what he had on mind, and so, he started talking that way. He flashed his scales, telling his mother what he had dreamt about. About how fast he was falling from the sky, about a voice telling him that he would be caught, about how the pain of the dragon’s claws on him, about his black vision before he woke up. Insomnia picked up some words but didn’t understand most of it.
And then, Deepnavy heard his father’s voice.
“I’m glad Glowsquid taught him aquatic, I know how hard it is to speak sometimes.”
Deppnavy looked at his father in confusion, but his father wasn’t talking, his father just stared at him back with a little confusion.
“What is it, Deepnavy?” His father asked him.
“Did you say something a few seconds ago?”
“No, why?”
“But I heard you say that you’re glad that Mom taught me aquatic.” Deepnavy said with certainty and Insomnia’s jaw dropped.
Glowsquid looked at Insomnia as Insomnia looked at Deepnavy. Insomnia slowly approached his son, cupping his claws on Deepnavy’s snout.
“Say any number.” Insomnia said and thought at the same time, “7.”
“7?” Deepnavy replied aloud instantly and both Insomnia and Deepnavy froze.
Deepnavy only read scrolls about Nightwing’s powers, how he wanted to meet the one and only Moonwatcher of the Nightwings. How she had two nightwing powers. How she was the only one since the Nightwings never wanted those powers anymore after Darkstalker.
“Glowsquid, Get Moonwatcher at any cost.” Insomnia said to his wife without looking at her.
“May I ask why?” Glowsquid asked quietly, the idea of her dragonet having them started to dread on her.
“She may not be the only one.”
Next Chapter:
Deepnavy’s mind was spinning, how did he have nightwing’s powers while dragons like Sunny, one of the dragonets of destiny, didn’t have them? He only thought hybrids with nightwing’s mothers had nightwing’s powers. And he wasn’t even born in the nightlight, he was born underwater, in a shallow pond. He paced his room, how was he gonna tell Cliff now? He never even had visions or mind reading powers until now.
“Deepnavy! Come here please.” His father called out.
Deepnavy let out a shaky breath, he didn’t want to admit he had powers, but he forced himself to move. He walked out of his room and into the living room, and his heart was beating. There, he saw his father, his mother, a sandwing, and the one and only…Moonwatcher. Moon looked at Deepnavy and they locked eyes. A red flash hit him and he hid behind the wall. Trying to breathe once more. Glowsquid walked over to him and flashed to him if he needed a moment. He flashed back that he just needed to breathe again.
“Give him a moment, Moon and Qibli. After his first vision, he’s very anxious.” Glowsquid told the sandwing and Moon.
“It’s okay, it happened to me the first time.” Moon smiled.
Deepnavy felt a tingle in his mind and he immediately shut down, causing Moon to shift and the tingle stopped. Deepnavy breathed again once more before finally walking out from the wall and hiding behind his father.
“Hey there, it’s okay. All who’s here is just Me and Moon.” The sandwing said to Deepnavy.
“The sandwing is Qibli, Deepnavy.” Insomnia whispered to Deepnavy.
“So Deepnavy is a Seawing-Nightwing hybrid?” Moon asked Glowsquid.
“Yes, he is. It’s just…he was born underwater. In a shallow pond. With two moons.” Glowsquid told Moon and Qibli, which both of them were surprised.
“Was his egg shell silver by any chance?” Moon asked,
“No actually. It was this dark navy blue. Like deep underwater.” Glowsquid said.
“Does he have a teardrop scale?” Qibli asked. “Like Moon?” he added.
Insomnia looked at his son hiding behind him before turning back to Moon.
“What colors should they be?” He asked Moon, which she now looked confused.
“Silver, they should be silver and only silver.”
“Well…sometimes his teardrop scale is silver and sometimes it changes into his scale’s color.” Insomnia said to Moon, which she became even more confused. “Deepnavy, please show them.” He asked Deepnavy.
Deepnavy finally stepped out behind his father and let Moon approached him. Moon hesitated to touch Deepnavy and he gave a small nod. Moon gently grabbed his snout and moved his head so she could see his teardrop scale clearly. But she didn’t find one.
“Use mind reading real quick.” She asked Deepnavy, which tapped into Moon’s mind and she saw the teardrop scale go silver.
“Now stop using mind reading.” Moon asked Deepnavy, which he stopped reading her mind, and the teardrop scale faded into his scale’s colors.
Moon looked confused as she thought to herself.
-That’s…weird. The teardrop is supposed to be silver, not change color. It’s lighting up again.- Moon thought before realizing Deepnavy could hear her thoughts.
“This is the first time I’ve seen something like this,” Moon said, looking towards his parents. “Has this happened before?”
“We noticed his silver teardrop when he hatched but it disappeared shortly after.” Insomnia said.
“He usually hangs out with his friends most of the time, so you two will maybe have to ask his friends.” Glowsquid said.
Deepnavy suddenly realized he didn’t have his rings on.
“Give me a moment, I-I forgot something.” Deepnavy said before quickly going to his room, and he put on his ring and returned back.
Moon was just staring at him, with an unreadable expression.
“What is the ring made of?” She asked.
“I found it from a comet that landed near the water.” Deepnavy said as Qibli’s face lit up.
“Have you been wearing that for a long time?” Qibli asked.
“Yes?”
“That’s skyfire! It blocks dragons from reading your mind and it also blocks a dragon from using their powers!” Qibli said as Insomnia looked at his son.
“This is getting weird.” Insomnia said as Deepnavy nodded too.
-This is too weird-