One-shots of Vernada

[Ranger of the North]

I read MoV ages ago and I don't remember all of it, but I'm definitely reading these anyway c: Good so far!

Thanks! :D I haven't reread it for years tbh XD

[Woogwoo Wren]

I read MoV ages ago and I don't remember all of it, but I'm definitely reading these anyway c: Good so far!

Thanks! I haven't reread it for years tbh XD

Yay! Thanks! I read it the other day, to get back into the world and characters. And boy is it bad. Like wow. Really, really bad. XD

[ArtsheepNZ]

These are amazing so far, oh my gosh. The one about zappy is literally the cutest thing I've read all year. Hands down.
Also you guys' writing has improved so much since the actual book was finished !! The amount of writing talent between you two is unfair... Share some with me ?? x'D

[Woogwoo Wren]

These are amazing so far, oh my gosh. The one about zappy is literally the cutest thing I've read all year. Hands down.
Also you guys' writing has improved so much since the actual book was finished !! The amount of writing talent between you two is unfair... Share some with me ?? x'D

Thank you!
And you can have some of our writing talent if you give us some of your artistic talent XD

[Ranger of the North]

These are amazing so far, oh my gosh. The one about zappy is literally the cutest thing I've read all year. Hands down.
Also you guys' writing has improved so much since the actual book was finished !! The amount of writing talent between you two is unfair... Share some with me ?? x'D

Aw, thanks so much!
And yes, I second Wren 100%. Trade? XD

[Ranger of the North]

27/03/18

The third fragment — Zappy

xxxxxHe is the glue, the cement, the barnacle. He will not let go and he will not give up and he will hold them together with claws that tear and teeth that snap and words that fray and a heart that bleeds. He is stubborn, he is love beating strong through the pain, he is hurting and he is healing.
xxxxxShe was his sister and he will not forget.

[Ranger of the North]

29/03/18

Stars

xxxxxWhen he was small and his eyes were large and he soaked up the beauty of the world like a sponge soaks water, he saw the stars. They were insubstantial — pictures — ink on shattered wood — but they gleamed with an otherworldly beauty that entranced and enthralled him, capturing his imagination and taking off on silver wings of radiance and stardust.
xxxxxThey shone and he loved.
xxxxxHe looked at the world around him, and it danced with every colour imaginable and every colour not. Millions of pale scales shone with potential, and two dark eyes shone with adoration.
xxxxxOne day, he would join them — one day he would eclipse them! — one day, when he was big and strong, he would fly up — up — up! — and take his place amongst the very brightest of the stars. He would be the most beautiful of them all, and his name would be on everyone’s tongues. Sparkle.
xxxxxOne day, he woke up with darkness clinging to the edge of his scales like some foul demon from a nightmare and his heart thundered in his chest and his breath shuddered in his throat and tears of terror stung at his eyes. But there was still hope; the night sky shines, doesn’t it?
xxxxxOne day, he was the darkest of dragons. The dullest. The ugliest. Laughter chased him down the halls with mocking wings, faster than he could ever hope to outrun, and the shadow of loss in his heart grew.
xxxxxOne day he snapped, and he slashed another dragon’s face, and for a shocking instant the jeering stopped. It felt good.
xxxxxThat night, he cried himself to sleep.
xxxxxHe was hurt and he was lost and he was dark in a world of light beauty, and in a world of companions he was alone.

[Ranger of the North]

27/03/18

The fourth fragment — Snow-fang

xxxxxInnocence purer than a new-bloomed lily graced the claws that would have been stained with thoughts of blood and violence. She was the baby, the comforter. Love was the gift she gave and the gift she received. She was the gurgling laughter on a ticklish afternoon, and she was the light that kept the darkness from her family’s hearts and eyes. Love was her legacy and mischief its companion.

[Woogwoo Wren]

A Summer Time Shadow

xxxxMoon bounded through the trees, her wings close to her back as she darted around bushes and bounded over logs. She risked a glance behind her, spotting a telltale bronze blur to her left, and put on a burst of speed.
xxxx She turned her attention to the front again, swerving to avoid a tree, but misjudged the distance and collided into it. She found herself on her face, glaring at the large plant. Shakily, the young dragon stood, shaking her head to clear it.
xxxx “You okay?” Zappy had skidded to a stop beside her, sending leaves flying.
xxxx“Yeah,” Moon said with a slight sigh. “Depth perception is off and I’m still not used to it.” The darkness on the left side of her face still bothered her - she kept trying to open her eye only to find it closed.
xxxx “We’ll walk the rest of the way back then,” Zappy said, beginning to move forward again. Moon bounded forward, catching up with him quickly.
xxxx They moved slowly, talking together as they did. Moon felt a thrum of happiness as she walked beside her friend. They didn’t have to worry, didn’t have to continuously look over their shoulders, didn’t have to fear the other was in danger.
xxxx Zappy’s father was nervously pacing the edge of the trees as they arrived at the Misfits’ camp. Vertigo bounded towards the two young dragons as they emerged.
xxxx “You two haven’t seen Snow-Fang - have you?” he asked worriedly, peering past them as if the young white dragon would appear from the woods. Zappy and Moon exchanged glances and shook their heads. Vertigo's worried frown deepened.
xxxx “She’s been missing since this morning - Flare’s worried out of her mind. I thought she may have gone with you, but since you haven’t seen her - I don’t know where she is.” He lashed his tail angrily.
xxxx Zappy cast a worried look at Moon, then back to his father.
xxxx “Where did you last see her?” he asked. “She can’t have gone far… right?”
xxxx “I don’t know.” Vertigo sighed, digging his claws into the earth.
xxxx “We’ll go out and look for her,” Moon said. She too was worried for the young, innocent hatchling, the dragon she had come to love like a younger sister.
xxxx “Thank you,” Vertigo said. “I’m staying here, in case she finds her way back home. Flare went that way,” he added, gesturing with his tail, “so if you go the other way you might have a better chance at finding her.”
xxxx Zappy nodded, turning and bounding back into the trees. Moon scrambled after him, flicking her tail in farewell to her friend’s father.
xxxx The two slowed down as they moved deeper into the woods, tasting the air for any scent of the young dragon. Zappy was silent, focused, the worry he had for his sister obvious in his body language.
xxxx “Hey,” Moon said as he leapt over a log, missed and landed on his snout. “We’ll find her, don’t worry.”
xxxx Zappy nodded, slowing a little.
xxxx “She’s just so tiny,” he said quietly.
xxxx They moved in silence after that, working as a team - one flying over the trees while the other searched the ground for any clues - the young dragon couldn’t fly very well yet.
xxxx Then, as Moon soared above the forest, her eye peeled for any sign of the young dragon, a flash of white drew her attention.
xxxx At first, she thought it was a reflection of the sun on a body of water, but as she flew around she could see the telltale colourless scales of an undeveloped hatchling.
xxxx “I think I found her!” she shouted, hoping Zappy would hear her, and angled down, heading towards the small figure between the trees.
xxxx As she did, the scene became more clear and she nearly dropped out of the sky.
xxxx It was Snow-Fang alright, but her pure white scales where tainted with red blood and the mud churred up around her.
xxxx Moon half crashed beside the small figure, rushing to her and pressing her snout into the limp body.
xxxx “Snow-Fang. Snow, hey, are you okay? What happen? Snow. Come on, d - don’t do this.”
xxxx She shuddered, the scent of blood filling her nostrils and bringing back memories of battles, death and violence. Her breath was coming in quick gasps as she stared down at the small, limp, still figure of her best friend’s baby sister.
xxxx A screek came from the edge of the trees as Zappy reached the scene.
xxxx “No! Snow-Fang!” He rushed forward, wrapping his wings around the baby dragon, pulling her into an embrace. She didn’t move. Zappy looked up at Moon with anguish in his eyes.
xxxx “W-what happened?” he asked.
xxxx Moon shook her head, still in shock. They were at peace - this couldn’t happen. But the bloody scene, and Snow-Fang’s clawed body said otherwise. Suddenly, she was overwhelmed, the scent and sight of blood making her want to go wild.
xxxx “I - I don’t… I can’t,” she began, then with a few swift beats of her wings, she leapt into the sky, flying as quickly as she could, away from the scene behind her.
xxxx She was crying, tears dripping down her snout. Not Snow-Fang. Not her. Sh was so young, so innocent. She was supposed to grow up in a world at peace. And now her life was gone - cut short by some horrible tragedy.
xxxx Her vision was blurred, but she could still see the two bright spots, winging their way over the trees. She blinked, clearing her eye of tears and beat her wings harder in an effort to catch up.
xxxx They were two Stormriders, one a dark grey, the other a deep orange. Moon growled, deep in her throat - they had to be the culprits.
xxxx She caught up with them quickly, anger fueling her wings. As she neared, she fought back the urge to throw herself onto them - so many things could go wrong because of that. She could be attacking innocents, could be starting the war again.
xxxx So she let out a bellow of rage, causing them to turn to face her. They hovered in the air briefly, surveying each other, then, at the same time, they angled down and landed on the tree tops.
xxxx “You’re Moon,” the grey said. She nodded, digging her claws into the bark of the tree. Were these the two monsters who had murdered an innocent child?
xxxx “A hatchling,” she snarled. “She’s dead back there - you wouldn’t happen to know who did that?”
xxxx The two exchanged glances, then the orange shrugged.
xxxx “She attacked us first,” he muttered.
xxxx That was enough for Moon. She couldn’t hold back her anger at both the injustice of the young life snuffed short and at the helplessness she had felt and leapt at them, fire pooling from her jaws as she did.
xxxx It was over very quickly. She hadn’t even tried to stop the Bloodlust, her anger causing her to think only of revenge for Snow-Fang.
xxxx She returned to Zappy, still lying curled around his sister. Dropping down beside him, she wrapped a wing over him. He looked up at her, his eyes shimmering with tears, confusion and grief.
xxxx “Why?” he asked quietly. Moon shook her head.
xxxx “I don’t -” her voice caught and she bowed her head, staring at the small figure in Zappy’s arms. “I don’t know.”
xxxx They returned to the Misfits' base, subdued and quiet, carrying the limp form of Snow-Fang. Vertigo bounded towards them as they left the trees, the hope in his eyes quickly extinguishing as he saw the burden Zappy carried.
xxxx “No,” he whispered, staring at the small figure. Then, without saying another word, he turned and leapt into the air, his bronze shape vanishing into the pale sky.
xxxx He returned not long after, Flare in his wake. Zappy and Moon were sitting together, silent, when the leader of the Misfits appeared.
xxxx Her eyes were filled with grief as she entered the room, having seen the small form before coming to Zappy. At the sight of her, Zappy rushed forward, folding into her embrace as the mother and son comforted each other. Moon watched them, anger and grief fighting for dominion in her heart.
xxxx “They’ll pay,” Flare said softly. “Every last one of them. They will all burn in a rain of fire and death.”
xxxx Moon opened her mouth to protest, to say that the war would start again, to talk Flare out of it. But then, she remembered the white form of Snow-Fang, scarlet blood staining her innocent scales, and anger filled her again. They would pay. All of them. She would make sure of it. No one touched her family and lived.
xxxx Perhaps it would start the war again. But that was a price Moon was willing to pay for justice.

[sparrow;]

Both of you guys are so good at writing, these are great c: