Terror From the Deep

They flew out to the Summer Palace, the part that was above water that was, as they entered they heard laughing and rambling about a huge dragon that was brutally killing everyone, they followed the sounds of insanity to an enclave. There was a Seawing and Sandwing in it, the Seawing was the insane one, while the Sandwing was trying to keep him quiet. The Sandwing bristled when they walked up to her. Muck growled at her, while Ash got moon-eyes at her. Starhunter and Wingshredder kept their distance, seeing firsthand the threat a Sandwing posed to a dragon. From where he was standing Starhunter introduced them, "My name is Starhunter, I'm traveling with Wingshredder, Ash, and Muck." He pointed at them when he said their name. "Would you mind telling us your names?"
"Jerboa, and this is Ripple, he's gone deranged. Look if you're here to aid that psychopath that is tearing this place apart, I will take you down."

"Chill lady, we're here to pop his head off."

"I want my freedom; and a good time."

"I want yo- I mean my freedom." You can guess who said what. She relaxed a bit, but glared at Ash. "Simp." Wingshredder said and chuckled. Jerboa spoke, "I came here with a group, but they went under the water looking for the problem, the huge dragon that is."

"Can you help us?"

"Yes. I can give you guys the same thing I gave them."

"What was that?"

"The ability to breathe water."

"Breathe water...?"

"I'm an animus."

"Um. Sure, go for it."

"I grant Starhunter, Wingshredder, Ash, and Muck, the ability to breathe water for the rest of their lives."

"Would now be a bad time to tell you I'm severely afraid of water?" Ash said. He was pale, shaking, and shivering at the mere sight of water. They all looked at each other. "We should leave him here." Starhunter finally said. "I agree."

"Me too." Wingshredder and Muck were in agreement, "You stay with Jerboa and Ripple, and we'll meet up with the others." As the three of them slipped into the water, they swam around a bit, completely excited at the ability to breathe water. After playing a bit they heard a loud yell and other dragonets screaming, they swam as quick as they could to meet with them. They found the screaming dragonets at the outskirts of the Deep Palace, with him, Deepreef standing there. They swam over to them and hunkered down with them. Deepreef was growling and screaming psychotically at the dragonets. He was ranting and raving about the Nightwings and how he was going to kill all of them. He swiped a huge claw at them, it almost missed, but still caught Adefticus in the right foreleg. He started bleeding into the water, they knew they couldn't fight Deepreef so they started to run away. Behind them they heard Deepreef start enchanting things, then knives, daggers, swords and other sharp things. Despite being hit multiple times they were able to crawl up back into the summer palace, where it was dry. Jerboa, Ash, and Ripple were waiting there for them. As soon as they heard the yelling and seeing them peel out like crazy they got ready to leave. They all rushed through the huge doors, trying to get away from the raging Seawing. As they took to the air, Ash looked at Jerboa longingly, "See you again?" he asked, actually sounding sincere, "Maybe." She replied. With that they went their different ways. Deepreef in his blind rage had gotten stuck in a small place, as he destroyed all the debris covering his body, he roared in anger. The dragonets had escaped his claws yet again, it didn't matter, Ripple hadn't followed them anyway. He walked into the room where Ripple was trying to hide in the corner...

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They flew south towards the Mudwing Kingdom. They were all exhausted, Starhunter was anxious, Muck and Wingshredder were always angry and growling, and Ash was lamenting being away from Jerboa. Despite his constant flirting with pretty much every female dragon he came across, he seemed to actually really like Jerboa. The Peacekeepers landed and built a small fire, they ate some much needed food and drank some much needed water. Starhunter curled up around the fire and almost instantly fell asleep. After the last incident they decided two people needed to be on watch, Ash and Wingshredder stayed up. Wingshredder sat with Ash watching the fire. "Ash."

"Yes?"

"How do you feel right now?"
"Content. Maybe a bit heartbroken." he said dramatically.

"That's. Good."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"Do you ever feel like you're empty, or a part of you is missing?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I just want someone to be with me. Why do you think I flirt all the time."

"I just thought that was you."

"To an extent." He flashed one of his grins at her. She smiled back and stayed quiet. Ash spoke up next, "Well what about you?"

"What about me?"
"You ever feel like somethin' is missing?"

"Yeah, sometimes. I long for just, well I just want, I - I don't know. But I just don't feel right."

"Yeah. Yeah." Ash stared into the fire, the flame reflected up into his eyes like hell-fire. He tried being quiet, he really did, but his compulsion to speak drowned out any common sense. "I'm tired, I am well and truly tired."

"Sorry to hear that."

"I'll bet you are."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know." He grinned at her again and started laughing. She punched him in the forearm before chuckling herself. After that they stayed silent, watching the fire until it was time to sleep themselves. Starhunter and Muck were on watch next. There were no such emotional talks.