My small self was still asleep as the rain persisted into the early morning. The red dragon didn't seem to mind as she continued to cover it with her wing. "Maybe I can use it as food later...'' The dragon mused to itself with a quiet growl. Using one of her talons to lift up my head as she looked down and inspected me but my eyes shot open and I quickly retracted my head back away from her.

Now that I was awake, I quickly opened up my map, now stained with blood as I looked for any safe place on Pyrrhia since I'll probably die before getting back into the Invincible City. Maybe the beach, sure there are sea dragons but they're mainly in the water, but in the rare case they do end up getting out. I shiver at the memory of the sight of those refugees that came from a baytown that had been destroyed by a single dragon, the man was practically a walking corpse and yet he was all that was left.

Definitely not the Rainforest, no one survives in there, but then the last time anyone went there was like fifty years ago so maybe our information is a little dated. what about-

I was cut off as the dragon let out a low growl as it shifted to where one of its talons shoved me out of the way, hard, to the muddy floor.

"Hey! What was that for?" I cried out as I got up from my now soaking brown clothes but I quickly shut my mouth as she turned her still bloody maw in my direction.

"Such a noisy little pest." She mumbled to herself as she then turned back to the map. "I almost wonder you even stole this pet, but you aren't that thrilling." Scarlet growled before motioning to her other wing... what was left of it. "Be useful and maybe I won't shove you down my throat!" She snapped at me.

I flinched back but saw her stump and pointed to it. "You want me to fix this?"

She growled back as she then snapped at my clothing and lifting me in the hair before throwing me to her stump. "Fix it!" She growled before setting her head back into the map but glancing at the map. She let out a curious hum.

I started to use some leftover herbs and gently applied it to her wing. "Stupid red lizard! I could have been in the Invincible city right now if it weren't for you!" I yelled at her but of course the dumb animal just laid there and inspected the map. I just groaned before starting to grab some bandages and slowly starting to wrap it around the stump of the wing.

"D-damn you, you stupid little creature!" She hissed and slammed her tail down against the floor in pain.

"Just calm down!" I yelled at the colossal creature as it just hissed at me in return. I roll my eyes at its hiss before finally finishing tying the wound. "You done being an infant?" I asked the dragon as it just roared.

"Damn you!"

I just sighed and got back under the wing, now soaking wet from the rain outside combined with the mud before I noticed she had was dripping blood from her head where a string of jewels use to be, now on the floor. "Are you kidding me? Why are you hurting yourself?" I then notice it had literally marked the mountains with some of its blood.

I yelled at her, only to take a step back as she responded, but no longer in an angry and frustrated tone. "You spoke."

My eyes widened. "Y-you can talk?"

"No, it must be I'm dying, I'm hallucinating, wait no! I can't die! I won't die! No!" Scarlet started to panic.

"Relax! I just healed you!" I groaned before I took a step back.

"Stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"Stop... talking! You're... you... you're just a parrot!"

"Who you calling a parrot?"

"You! You insignificant little pest!"

"At least I'm not some stuck up giant flying shark!"

"What did you just say?"

"I said what I said!"

"That's the point! You shouldn't be saying anything! You are nothing but a dumb, and simple animal!"

"Look who's talking, the dumb flying lizard!"

"I am Queen Scarlet! Queen of the Skywings! I will not be disrespected by some lower form of life!"

"A Queen? Look around! What are you the queen of?"

She just roared before slamming her tail towards me, but I just managed to dodge out of the way as she then shoved her snout towards me as she growled. "Listen here scavenger, the only reason you're alive right now-"

"Is cause I'm keeping you alive, without your wounds being constantly treated, you will drop dead, do you understand... your majesty?" I said in a mocking and sarcastic tone.

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Her eye twitched and she breathed heavily as she stared me down, before finally huffing angrily and jerking her head away as she got off me, but also letting her wing follow, dousing me in rain. "Damn you!" She hissed quietly as I just stared at her angrily.

"How can you talk?" I asked in a low tone as I quickly tried to find cover under some nearby trees.

"Me? I'm talking normally! It's you who's talking!"

"I don't speak dragon! i've never even been around dragons! Let alone some dragon queen!"

"Then how can we understand each other?" Scarlet yelled before sighing to herself. "Forget that! Can you and will you still heal me?"

I nod. "As long as you won't eat me."

"Then we have some sort of understanding."

"I guess so then." I say as I stared at her as she turned away and looked at the map.

"What do I call you?" She finally said after tapping her claws against the ground while using her wing to shield her face from the rain.

"My name is River-" I started.

"No."

"No? What do you mean no?"

"I don't like it. I think I'll call you... Teardrop instead."

"Who in three moons do you think you are?" I ask angrily but then my mind switches back to her words. "Why Teardrop?"

She huffed. "Cause you're always crying?"

"What are you talking about it?"

"Look at your face!" She hissed as she gestured to a puddle.

I scoffed and looked at the puddle reluctantly before seeing myself, my bluish gray hair, my tanned skin, and the silver tear birthmarks I was born with, or scars that were carved into me, I never asked... never could... not like they gave damn about me. "They're marks. Nothing more." I say as I look back at her.

"Hmm, Teardrop suits you, makes you seem... less pathetic."

"I'm not crippled like you, I bet it's something you did though, I couldn't understand you till you ripped those jewels out, maybe that had something to do with it."

"You really have a thing for getting on my nerves, don't you?" She growled as she glared at me.

"So, I'm guessing we're heading to the mountains?"

"Yes, I'll go there and claim my kingdom back, then I'll tear Glory and her friends into literal tiny pieces, that and then I'll make them fight in the arena where everyone can watch a thrilling show! Or maybe I'll do that the other way around?" She said with a wide grin. "Then me and Peril will...'' She trailed off and her face fell to a frown. "Peril... she's gone now..."

"Was... was Peril your daughter?" I hesitate asking.

"Ha! No! She was better than my daughters, she was my champion, my executioner, she was always thrilling... and now she's somewhere else, probably with that no-good mother of hers, I'll tear her throat out when I find her."

"Does anyone ever tell you you're a bit of a narcissistic psychopath?"

"How dare you! My subjects shouldn't dare call me-"

"I'm not your subject though."

She stayed silent but just glared at me. "I really want to eat you." She growled before whipping her head back and holding her head up.

"Those wounds... what happened to you?" I said as I saw her melted face.

"My face or the rest?"

"Both?"

She sighed angrily. "This... is all thanks to some stupid Rainwing dragonet, I don't understand why she'd betray me though, she was my art piece, all she had to do was stay there on the tree and not move, she was beautiful and I treated her as such, she was magnificent, but she had to betray me for her 'friends...'" She hissed. "The rest is thanks to Burn." She then looked down and with a softer tone, "She wasn't so... aggressive before... not to me at least..."

"I'm... sorry... I guess?"

"You guess!?" She roared.

"Well what do you expect?" I asked.

"I lost everything! Even my fucking wings and all you have to say is, 'I guess,' you stupid creature?"

"You aren't the only one! You said you were a queen? I didn't have a kingdom! I had a family, and you know what they did to me? They left me tied to a fucking tree to be eaten by some random dragons? And when I did find someone, they died! And when I finally am on the verge of achieving my dream of finally being safe in the one damn place where you dragon's can't get to me, you have to come along, you ruined everything! YOU! You are nothing but a monster, finally getting what you deserve it!"

She just glared at me, "I had everything and lost it, you had nothing to begin with, that's the difference between us. At least I'll get everything back when I'm done."

"You arrogant-" I let out a loud grunt of pain as she hit me with her tail, sending me into a tree.

"You... you're stupid standing up to me like this... not brave."

"What have I, to lose?"

She raised her head before inspecting me more closely. "Your own life?"

"You would know about that wouldn't you, that's all you seem to care about-"

"Because that's all I should care about, you would be best to learn to only look out for yourself you pest, only caring for others when it suits your own purpose because at the end of the day, it has to be all about what you want, that is a fact, do you understand!? Just because I care about myself first doesn't mean I'm a narcissist!" She snarled.

"If I did then would you be alive?"

"..."

"..."

She then started to walk away from me as she hissed occasionally in pain as she moved further and further away.

"Damn it!" I cursed to myself as I quickly followed her.

"So you did follow, good, maybe when I get back, I'll make you into my personal pet." She thought aloud.

I scoffed. "I'm not some pet!"

She just gave a short chuckle. "We'll see, small one."

I groaned. "That's something though... that your first instinct was to keep me alive rather than treat me like a snack."

"Don't be so sure, if I ever get hungry, I know just where to find you."

I roll my eyes. "Sure thing. Queen... Acidface."

"No."

"Yes."

"NO!"

"Yes! If you're calling me Teardrop then you should have no problem with me calling you Acidface."

"I really hate you."

"Well, despite that, we're in this together!"

"I guess so, Teardrop." She growled.

"Acidface." I muttered under my breath as I followed her.

"Pest!"

"Lizard!"

"Gah! You're insufferable, no wonder you were left to be a meal for one of us!"

"You shut your mouth!"

"Did I touch a nerve?"

"I said-"

"I heard you the first time."

I groan. "You're so annoying!"

"Look who's talking."

I just huff but stay quiet as a long silence follows as we walk along the river.

"So... you're intelligent?" I ask, changing the subject.

She scoffed. "Of course we are. And unfortunate it seems you are too."

"So, what'll happen if they don't open you with open arms when you get to the kingdom."

"You mean if my daughter tries to takeover. I've ruled for many years without challenge, you know why?"

"Why?"

"Fear! With fear, I could control them all, so even despite this mangled form I find myself in, I can still assume control, if anything, it shows me having more power, how I was able to come back from the dead and rise to reclaim my throne. Legends and stories will be told in my name, yes... I like that idea."

"Narcissist." I mumbled.

She huffed. "I'll show you Teardrop, and I'll show that Rainwing."