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Kobicha’s troop had always been considered unusual. Most MudWing troops were five or more, but his little troop was only three. Many MudWings they met assumed they had lost siblings, or were a troop of unsibs. But Kobicha, Landslide, and Blackgum were a perfect troop just as they were. A small troop, but one just as close as any other. Kobicha actually liked having just two siblings. It made his role as Bigwings easier. A spot under each wing for his siblings, and a better fate than most low-born troops. Large troops from the Diamond Spray Delta were on the frontlines. A small troop was thought to be too easy to overpower in a battle. Instead, they were used for scouting, message delivery, and guarding.

Which meant they should never be in this situation.

The troop was paired with an older SeaWing to head inland. It was supposed to be simple and safe. Up the Diamond Spray river, skirting the scavenger’s den and rainforrest, then take the Winding Tail river into the mountains. Meet a SandWing spy. Then retrace their steps to deliver the spy’s information to their superior, then on to Blister. Simple.

At the first major bend of the Winding Tail river they were spotted.

Kobicha damned SkyWing’s and their incredible vision.

The wing that spotted them had two SandWings and three SkyWings. Kobicha and his troop were traveling in the water, as any sensible dragon would. Kobicha and his siblings were near impossible to see as they blended into the muddy shore, but the SeaWing was certainly easy to see. He had insisted that none of Burn’s troops would be this far south.

It was only fair the SeaWing died in the skirmish.

Landslide was the first to spot two of the SkyWings swooping in on the clueless SeaWing. Landslide exploded out of the water, by far the fastest and most vicious of the troop. One of Landslide’s horns was in a SkyWing’s heart before it knew the MudWings were there. Landslide’s horn slipped out as easily as it had sunk in, letting her continue past and tackle the other diving SkyWing.

The SeaWing launched from the water in surprise, then quickly flying up toward the remaining opponents. Kobicha reluctantly followed, Blackgum in the current under his right wing. The second SkyWing’s throat was already missing and Landslide was disengaging from the corpse. She would only be a few wing beats behind them.

The opposing groups of dragons dipped and angled in a bid for advantageous position. The SandWings were around Blackgum’s size. The SkyWing was far older,a young adult, easily outsizing Kobicha. Blackgum kept just below and behind Kobicha, hiding in his shadow. Every second was an advantage, a second closer to Landslide joining them and completing their invincible troop.

The SeaWing lurched past them, flapping loudly and roaring with rage at the SandWings. Kobicha focused on the SkyWing, thundering toward him with powerful wing strokes. Blackgum spun and shot left as Kobicha dipped right, circling wide. Blackgum kept pumping his wings, running to face the SkyWing head on like a dragonet in their first battle. The gurgling hiss of fire built in Blackgum’s throat as his fire readied. The SkyWing looked delighted by the mistake. SkyWing fire was stronger, and the difference in size meant Blackgum would roast in a second.

Fire burst from the SkyWing with a loud, hissing breath. Blackgum flared his wings and spun upward, gracefully flitting left, circling the fiery blast with grace other MudWings lacked. The SkyWing’s aim chased the flighty MudWing, leaving Kobicha an afterthought. It was the last mistake the SkyWing made. Kobicha tumbled forward, tail striking and coiling the SkyWing’s neck. He twisted as he completed the forward roll, tail constricting. He felt vertebrae rip from one another, crushing under his powerful tail. His tail slipped free as the SkyWing tumbled, head flapping around in a hideous way, small puffs of fire sputtering out its mouth.

Blackgum was already dipping back into his spot below Kobicha’s right wing. Kobicha glanced toward where the SeaWing should be. The bright red beast fell away, its massive wingspan revealing sandy yellow and black just behind it.

“Kobicha!” Blackgum shouted as he swooped upward toward his brother.

The SandWing’s deadly tail struck forward, too fast for Kobicha to avoid. He had failed his role as Bigwings. He would never protect his siblings again.

The SandWing’s left wing yanked up and back. Her body twisted, the tail striking Kobicha with brutal force. It hurt, but it didn’t hurt the way it should have. The tail had turned just enough, the deadly barb angled wrong, the bulb housing venom behind it crashing into Kobicha’s chest instead.

The twisting, errant draft- from the enormous SkyWing’s wings, or the sputtering bursts of fire, Kobicha would later speculate- sent the Kobicha upward as it caught his wings. The SandWing spun, dropping significantly before she righted herself.

Blackgum was back in his pocket, once again in their formation. Kobicha righted himself. An anguished howl of pain earned a brief glance from Kobicha. He saw the SeaWing thrashing. The male SandWing shoved the blue beast away with all four legs, his tail barb pulling free of the SeaWing’s spine, just between the bases of his wings.

Kobicha looked away. He couldn’t care less. The arrogant beast had deserved it, and the SandWing was far enough that their formation was safe.

Instead, Kobicha’s attention turned to the SandWing below. She was diving to engage Landslide. Kobicha tipped and began to dive, watching closely as the female dragons collided and entangled in battle. The impact dazed both, their grappling talons and bites clumsy as they dropped toward the river bank below.

The other SandWing was diving in the periphery of Kobicha’s vision. Both sizes prioritizing regrouping with the female dragons below. It was a mistake Kobicha treasured. Either SandWing would struggle versus two MudWings. Three MudWings together would be impossible. Especially when it was Kobicha’s impervious troop.

If he made it in time.

Kobicha studied every movement as he pumped his wings, diving faster and faster. Landslide was grappling, clawing, and- most importantly- wrestling her tail against the SandWing’s. At least, trying to. Kobicha had never seen a SandWing’s tail move like this one. The tail seemed to slither and jump, slipping and winding even as the pair opened wounds with bites and their talons.

The tail arced as it was freed. Kobicha’s heart faltered.

“Landslide!” Kobicha and Blackgum screamed in unison. But the scream couldn’t stop the SandWing. The tail barb stabbed Landslide's chest, right into her heart.

Landslide didn’t roar in pain. She didn’t flinch. Her deep, dark, beautiful eyes turned even sharper. She had already tightened her grip, her head striking forward and engulfing the SandWing’s throat with a sickening crunch. Fire blew out the sides of her muzzle, turning the throat to ash as they fell.

“No!” screeched the male SandWing, nearly simultaneous with Kobicha and Blackgum’s scream.

The entwined corpses of MudWing and SandWing hit the damp earth of the riverbank first. The earth trembled as Kobicha and Blackgum’s bulk slammed into it. The forgotten male SandWing landed just to their left.

“Diamondback!” he screamed, grabbing dead SandWing’s talons.

Kobicha slowly sat back on his haunches. He held firm as Blackgum’s body dove against him. The smaller MudWing was sobbing so hard. Kobicha tucked his wing over his smaller sibling, shielding him from the sight.

Tears poured down Kobicha’s muzzle as he looked over the bodies. All four eyes were dull and dead. Their bodies were horribly tangled from the fight, doubly so from the impact.

The dead SandWing looked strange. Black marquis dotted her lower throat and the end of her tail. Kobicha had noticed similar markings on the male SandWing, around his armpits, groin, and the belly of his undertail. And he had no idea why he was noticing something so unimportant at a time like this.

“Diamondback,” the male SandWing sobbed, crying just as hard as Blackgum was against Kobicha’s side. The Sandwing still held firm on the female SandWing’s talons as though he could force life back into her. Holding his sister’s talons, Kobicha corrected himself.

“Fuck this war!” the SandWing roared into the air, and collapsed the ground, releasing his sister’s talons.

“Just kill me.” He choked out between sobs.

Sobbing dragonets was the only sound for a long time. Kobicha looked up to the sky. Tears cascaded over his cheeks and down his neck. The sky was absurdly blue, cloudless in every direction. An affront to Kobicha’s sorrow. Half his soul had just been destroyed. The sky shouldn’t still be so beautiful.

“Fuck this war.” He softly echoed. “We’re done killing.”

The quiet only made the sound of crying dragonets seem louder. Kobicha slowly lowered his gaze from the sky, looking back to his sister. To half his everything, laying before him, but also gone.

He finally looked to his left. To the crying SandWing dragonet. He looked a year or two older than the troop, given his similar size to Blackgum. The SandWing’s forelegs were over his muzzle, muffling his crying.

Kobicha’s wing slowly reached out and gently touched the SandWing’s far side. It rested there for a long time before the SandWing finally raised his head and looked at Kobicha. His expression was nothing but confusion and grief. Kobicha gently tugged with the edge of his wing and tilted his muzzle toward the space under his wing. The SandWing looked to his fallen sister for a lingering moment. He slowly stood, taking a few shaking paces to the MudWings. His weight collapsed against Kobicha’s left, mirroring Blackgum. Kobicha lowered his wing and gathered the SandWing against his side. He held each of the smaller dragonets close, wings shielding both from the hideous scene. He lowered his head, closing his eyes.

And together, they cried.