Wings of Fire, Submerged in Fire

Chapter 1

Skylark observed the school from a distance. She wasn’t sure she was ready to be around dragonets in other tribes quite yet. With a SkyWing for a father and a RainWing for a mother, she was different even for a hybrid.
Her parents had reassured her many times that she was going to be fine, she could also for the first time make some friends. They told her that everyone was more understanding than they used to be. Eventually she got enough courage to fly up to the school.  
She wished her parents would have been able to go with her on her first day, but their jobs were demanding. They were both healers, while some dragons just couldn’t seem to keep themselves from getting hurt.  She also wished her brother was still alive to comfort her.
It had been about two years since the painful day Skylark’s family received the news of her brother’s tragic death.  Skylark could still remember the sorrowful expression engraved into her mother’s tired face.  The worst part was the way her father began to act afterwards.  It was rare to ever see a smile creep across his snout, and even then, it was very weak and forced.  At least her mother still had a few ounces of joy left in her RainWing blood.    
Skylark flew up to the school, alone and nervous. She had never been a brave and outgoing kind of dragon ever in all five years of her life. She made it to the school entrance, other dragonets were lining up and collecting scrolls. Her father had told her that the scrolls told you which winglet you were in, and it was also a map of the school, she wouldn’t get lost.
Skylark couldn’t recall what the winglets were, but she was about to find out. She waited in the line and found herself at the front in no time. She was handed a scroll by a NightWing. As soon as she got her scroll, she looked down and walked away quickly.  She wanted to have as little conversations as possible.  
Skylark opened the scroll and read it over, the scroll said that she was in the Silver Winglet. She wondered if which winglet she was placed in meant anything important. After a while she decided she was already thinking too much about little details, she shook her head, trying to not think about the questions that filled her head. Skylark started to walk toward her winglet, following the map.
Skylark felt weird, staring at the map as closely as she was, but she was sure at least one other dragonet was doing the same thing. Studying the map, Skylark realized that the school was larger than how her father described it. She finally looked around at the other dragons, they were all very colorful and unique, it was amazing to see so many dragons in one place.  
Skylark continued walking over to her sleeping cave.  It was a bit smaller than she had hoped.  Yellow globes hung from the ceiling, giving off a shine of dim light.  After hearing a cough, she realized that there was another dragonet in there with her.
“So you are the SkyWing,” he observed, flying off of a ledge that was close to the ceiling.  
Skylark nodded, admiring his shiny pale golden scales and emotionless black eyes.  
“I’m the SandWing,” he informed her.  “My name is Cactus.  How about you?”
“Um,” Skylark said, unprepared.  “Skylark.”
He nodded and observed and landed on the ground in front of her.
Another dragon walked in.  The IceWing had glimmering snow colored scales and kind blue eyes.  She walked in gracefully and her positive thoughts radiated around her.
“I’m Crystal,” she said politely.  
“I’m Cactus,” Cactus said, turning around and flying back up to his stone ledge.
Crystal faced Skylark.  “What is your name?” Crystal asked in her pleasant voice.
“Skylark,” she replied, her voice less shaky than last time.
“That is pretty,” Crystal complimented and went to go find the bed she wanted.
Skylark looked around the cave.  There were two stone ledges,  two hammocks, a wooden platform, and two piles of leaves and moss in the corner.
Crystal took her spot on the hammock.
Weird, Skylark thought to herself.  I thought she would have taken a stone ledge.
Skylark took advantage of Crystal’s choice and flew up onto a ledge.  She sat there for a moment and waited for the rest of their clawmates to come in.
It didn’t take long for a NightWing, a SeaWing, a RainWing, and a MudWing to enter with curious faces. After they introduced everyone all over again for each dragon, Skylark was sure she knew all her clawmates by name. Amber was the MudWing, Seahorse was the SeaWing, Tiger was the RainWing, Nightrider was the NightWing, Cactus was the SandWing, and Crystal was the IceWing.
  

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        Hours past while the dragonets talked, Skylark listening to their conversations. After a few more minutes of observing her winglet, Skylark started to look at her map again, trying to memorize the whole school.  She realized  that there was a library.  Excitement flooded through her and some of her scales turned yellow to show her exhilaration.
        “Woah,” Cactus said, walking away from the rest of the winglet.  “What does yellow mean.”  His face was curious and amazed.  “It’s pretty.”
        Skylark blushed and replied shyly, “It means excitement.”  
        Cactus gave her a lopsided grin, “        May I ask what you are so excited about?”
        Skylark replied, her scales turning both orange and pink along with the original yellow, “Just going to the library.”
“Ah,” Cactus said.  “A scroll lover, have fun.”
“Thanks,” Skylark responded joyfully.    
She flew off her ledge and out of the sleeping cave, and used the map’s guidance to get to the library. As she flew through the dimly lit tunnels, she noticed that she was the only one outside of their sleeping cave.
After flying for a while, Skylark finally reached the library.  There were scrolls everywhere.  A wooden desk stood in front of her.  A blind NightWing’s head popped up from behind it.
“Can I help you?” he asked, distracted by the scrolls in his claws.
“Oh, uh no,” she said, looking at the many scrolls that surrounded her.  “I’m just looking around.”
“Alright, but you will need your library card, and do you want the leather sack to hold your supplies?”
Skylark’s mind was filled with Cactus’s face and the conversation that she has shared with him.  It made her heart melt, and an uncontrollable smile crept onto her snout.
Skylark stopped paying attention and felt someone staring at her. She turned around and saw a strange looking SandWing staring at her, the SandWing looked away quickly. Skylark couldn’t help but wonder why anyone would stare at her.
Skylark slowly advanced towards the SandWing, in hopes of becoming more social, or maybe even make a friend.