Ashley chose not to shout, as there was no way of knowing if whoever was in there would be friendly to him. There was also no way of going to the hole without falling down the void and dying. So he started searching the platform.

It looks awfully convenient for it not to be used, plus I don't want to have been here for nothing.

So he started looking around his platform, trying to find any dead space, or look behind the vegetation, and was shocked when he stumbled on a bush with what looked like child-head-sized blueberries.

I don't think anyone will ever believe me.

He looked at the crack in the ground. It seemed like it was going inside the mountain. Maybe there could be some sort of small cave system here, and it could lead to the source of the smoke.

But before going in, he noticed something else on the ground. He walked towards it and crouched to take a look at it. Those were step marks from a massive creature. A shiver ran down his spine.

What in the actual fuck, does this come from a dinosaur ???

Whatever made this mark had big clawed talons, and it was probably big and very heavy. He went through all the possibilities in his head. Time travel ? No, impossible, there was never more than one Moon to Earth. He thought that one of the moons he saw might be an asteroid of some kind, but it didn't make any sense in his head.

He had another thought, which seemed much more plausible to him now, and he really did not like it. There was a possibility, that, maybe, for some reason, he ended up in a different realm, or dimension.

But then he heard a heavy stomp followed by a second, and his face went livid, it wasn't the time to think anymore.

"It looks like the skyhole, Starflight and Sunny must be right here !" A loud voice said.

"So we're close !" A higher-pitched voice answered, "But we have to find the entrance."

The same voice continued, "The tunnel must be somewhere nearby- and... Clay look ! That's another Scavenger !"

Ashley was too scared to move, actually, he was also completely shocked at what he just heard.

Starflight ? Sunny ? Clay ? Please tell me this is not true. They said 'Scavenger', were they talking about me ?

His brain was thinking with the speed of a train. He was so focused on his thoughts that he forgot to pay attention and didn't hear the heavy steps coming closer to him. Talons grabbed him and lifted him in the air.

"Yiiick !" He screamed in a very non-virile way, unable to move.

"We just got out and already saw two Scavengers, Starflight is going to be very jealous, even if the first one didn't last long."

The thing that was holding Ashley turned him around, and he met face-to-face with a tall blue creature. His eyes looked everywhere they could, there was no doubt possible, blue scales, lizard shape, tall wings and talons with sharp claws, this was a dragon. And this dragon seemed very curious, staring directly into his eyes with an intense glare.

A bigger dragon came from behind it, this one was orange and brown, and much chunkier with thicker scales, he was looking somewhat amazed.

"Wow, you really caught one alive Tsunami."

"Well, I know that, I'm holding it right now you mudhead." The blue dragon answered.

"Do you think we can eat it ?" The dragon asked.

"I wouldn't recommend doing that, because you're probably going to hear Starflight telling you you shouldn't have done it because he wanted to study it for the rest of your life." Tsunami looked back at Ashley with wondering eyes. "Plus this one looks weird, aren't they supposed to look less... pale ?"

"Maybe you scared him so much that it lost its colours." Clay theorized.

"Ahah ! As he should be, I am a very ferocious dragon." She said in a joking tone.

"Blblbl-" Ashley finally said, not able to make out a single word. He tried to move out of the dragon's talon but failed miserably.

Tsunami reported back her attention to the small being.

"I think it wants me to drop him, I'm going to let it go, but catch him if he starts to run."

She gently put back Ashley on the ground and took a step back, staring at him. Ashley's legs were shaking so much that he fell back, looking back at the tall creature in front of him, and breathing like a maniac. She looked at him with a sceptic expression.

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"It should be right here !" Clay shouted behind Tsunami.

"What ?" She asked.

"The tunnel ! For the exit !"

"Oh yeah ! See, you can be smart sometimes." She said with a grin.

"Ahah very funny." He walked inside the crevasse that was scarring the platform. "Anyways, let's find our friend !"

Tsunami stood up, walking towards Ashley and raising her talons. His eyes widened and he put his arms in front of him to protect himself, panicking.

"Please don't !" He yelled in fear.

"What-" Tsunami stopped a few inches away from him and looked around. "Who's there ?"

Ashley took advantage of her confusion and backed away from her and stood up. She eventually caught a glance with him and he froze as she seemed to realize something.

"Was this you ?" She pointed a claw at him.

He looked around without answering, trying to see what he could do to survive his first encounter.

"Did you just talk ?" Tsunami insisted. She leaned closer, but Ashley still kept his mouth closed.

"ANSWER ME !" She yelled at him, suddenly stepping towards him with her talon raised once more.

"Aaah yes it was me please don't kill me !" He screamed, covering his head with his arms.

It was now Tsunami's turn to widen her eyes.

"Now you are definitely coming with me." She frowned.

"Tsunami ! You coming ?" Clay shouted.

"Yes !" In a fast movement, Tsunami caught the terrorised Ashley and swiftly made her way inside the crevasse.

Completely taken by surprise, Ashley was only able to let out another "yirk" as Tsunami made her way inside the cave. They eventually joined Clay who was searching the wall around a heavy boulder. He tried to push it from the side but it didn't moved an inche.

"Are you sure we can open it from this side ?" He asked Tsunami.

"Of course we can, it will be a lever or something !" She started looking, keeping Ashley in her claws, careful not to crush him on the floor.

"What if it's a magic word or a talisman of some sort ?" He said while still rummaging through the cave.

"They would need an animus to enchant it, and we don't even know if they ever really existed."

Ashley was looking at the scene, finally getting the pieces of the puzzle back in place.

I guess I'm about to meet the Dragonets of Destiny, but that also means... ho jeez I'm fucked up. What am I saying ? This doesn't make any sense ! He looked at Tsunami. She doesn't seem like she wants to eat me anymore at least.

Clay found a stick poking out of the ground, he tried to pull it at first but then noticed it could move sideway, and after looking at Tsunami for a brief moment, he pushed it, and the boulder started to roll, similarly to a sliding door. As it opened, a gold-coloured shape turned towards them and smiled with wide green eyes.

Sunny. Ashley guessed.

"Shhh." Tsunami looked into Sunny's eyes who was about to say something. She closed her snout and came closer.

"You did it !" She whispered, "And who's that ?" She asked, looking at Ashley.

"Just a scavenger I found outside the cave, where are the others ?"

"I'll get Starflight." She glanced around, "Glory... I don't know."

Clay took a worried look as Sunny went searching for their Nightwing friend, but soon a piece of empty air seemed to move and materialized into a colourful dragon. This vision left Ashley agape, it was a thing to know those dragons thanks to books and art, it was another to see them for real, and Glory was beautiful. She was the brightest and most colourful creature he ever saw.

And she's not even outside yet. He thought.

Clay and Glory discussed for a moment, and they wrapped their tails, even if it clearly made Glory uncomfortable.

Because of her relationship with their 'guards', who, for some of them wouldn't hesitate to hit her, so now she has a trauma. Ashley's eyes became sad for a moment, but he didn't get more time to think as Sunny came back with a black dragon. Which was... Limping ?

"Oh no you don't ! We don't need these, and you've already read them all a thousand times !" Tsunami suddenly said, talking to the newcomer.

The dragon wasn't limping, he was just carrying a bag of scrolls with a worried look. But Tsunami pushed the bag away. That dragon was definitely Starflight, no doubt possible.

"We might need them ! They'll tell us what's safe to eat, and also all the different tribal customs, and how to fly in bad weather, and-"

"You can tell us all those things." Clay stopped him, "You're going to anyway."

"But what if I forget something important ?" He talked back.

"Ah ! You'd be a lot more likeable if you did forget anything." Glory said.

Ashley laughed at this comment, he might be in a scary position, but he always thought this line to be funny. Probably because he could somewhat relate to it. However, it drew the attention of all dragons, especially Starflight, whose eyes widened, and he instantly regretted it.

"You caught a scavenger !" He exclaimed, looking at Ashley.

"No shit Starflight." Tsunami responded, "I considered eating it but then I thought you would annoy me until my death if I did."

"Whoa, that's cool." Starflight approached, looking curiously at the uncomfortable human. "He looks so different from the scrolls, are they still up to date ? How is it not screaming and wriggling to escape you ?" His curious look remembered Ashley of Toothless for some reason.

Tsunami glanced at the human. "I think it knows it shouldn't or else I will eat it."

"Can- can you at least let me out ?" He choked. "It's not like I could go anywhere anyways."

"Hum..." Tsunami seemed to think as the 4 other dragons took shocked expressions, especially Starflight who looked like his whole life was a lie.

And it actually is. Ashley remembered.

"Yeah I can do that, but if you run I'll bite you." And she placed him on the ground.

Ashley lost his balance for an instant, but managed to stay standing, and looked at the band of 5 dragons looking at him. Starflight reported his attention to Tsunami.

"Did it just talk ?"

"Now that's just rude." Ashley said before anyone could respond anything, "You don't talk about someone in front of him that way."

The black dragon blinked 5 times, and finally opened his mouth, "Right... Sorry."

"Wow, now I wish I was able to make him shut up that fast." Glory said with a semi-amazed tone.

Clay stepped up, "Hey guys, I'm sorry to break it to you, but I don't think we should stay here any longer. We need to leave right now before Webs and Dune wakes up."

"Right." Glory added, "And before Kestrel comes back."

A voice raised from behind, which instantly sent a shiver down to the whole group.

"What thrilling news ! Kestrel is a part of this ? I've been looking for her for an awfully long time."

Ashley jumped so high he nearly struck his head on a stalactite. His mind could think of only one thing.

Oh no-