The five dragons walked under the trees whilst still following the river to avoid air patrols. It was quiet for the first half of the journey until Sunny began chattering about what their family was like. Celestia couldn’t blame them for thinking about what family is like. She could relate to them. These dragonets didn’t grow up with their parents. I wish I knew my mother.
A wing brushed up against Celestia’s left wing. “Um, Miss Skywing, what's your name again?” Sunny asked politely.
“Oh, my name is Celestia,” she replied.
“So Celestia, why were you watching us when we encountered Scarlet.” Tsunami whispered.
Celestia couldn’t dodge the question. “We were on a mission on looking for a dragon, but we spotted you and Clay nearby. We waited for the right time to act but we were caught.”
“Wait a minute, you had no business with us or Scarlet. But you decided to involve yourself anyways?” asked the colorful dragon at the back of the group.
“Well, when you put it that way. We thought you needed help, but it didn’t end up as well as we thought.” Celestia confessed.
She didn’t lie to them, her words were just vague to give up any sort of information. Nevertheless, it was the truth.
“Anyways, while we are on the topic of uh you. Could you explain what happened at the arena? One minute you were getting burned by Peril then the next you were completely fine.” Tsunami announced.
“ And also the fact that you transformed into another dragon.” Glory cut in.
Celestia sighed, “There's no point hiding it if we are to work together.”
Celestia paused for a moment to think of what to say. “It is a sort of... a power that I have. She is essentially a stronger version of myself.” Celestia explained.
“She? Does that mean you have another dragon living inside you?” Sunny said with curiosity.
“In a sense, yes. But it is more complicated than that,” she explained.
“Oh, okay!”
Celestia smiled at the small dragon as she walked closer to Clay hoping to start a conversation. She reminded her so much of Sunset. Oh Sunset, what have you been up to?
The group soon arrived at a nearby MudWing settlement along the Diamond Spray River. Clay was practically radiating joy, standing next to him would make you feel happy. The others shared his mirth, but Celestia stayed vigilant. There could be trouble as soon as we drop our guard.
“Let’s go find my parents!” Clay announced. The other dragons followed but were stopped by Celestia.
“Wait, you can’t go trotting over there.”
“Why not? We're just going to find Clay’s family.” Tsunami said.
“There's nothing wrong with that, or did you forget that there is a war going on,” Celestia stated.
“She’s right, we're all from tribes that would be considered an enemy to the MudWings. Well apart from me and her.” Glory mused.
“I should go alone, it would make finding my family easier. If I don’t come back by sunrise, come look for me.”
“What if we're too late?” Sunny asked, worried.
“I’ll go with you,” Celestia said suddenly. “It would make sense since SkyWings are allied with MudWings. I’m a SkyWing escort of a MudWing survivor.”
“Sounds convincing.” Glory said.
“Alright, I hope this works.” Clay said nervously.
“Don’t worry about it, we will be waiting here by the waterfall,” Sunny reassured Clay.
The two flew down towards the marshes, spotting a few MudWings to ask for any sort of directions. There was a small group practicing formations and all sorts of movement. Celestia could detect a good combat formation a mile away. “Down there, we could ask them.”
Clay nodded and followed Celestia down towards the group of MudWings. The MudWings heard them land then jolted back, ready to fight. Celestia remained neutral while Clay tried to look harmless.
The MudWings stared at them for a while until the largest of the group signaled the others to continue their training. “Sorry, we’re not looking to add anyone. We haven’t lost anyone for a while and we aren’t bringing in any unsibs.”
Unsibs? I guess it is a MudWing thing. I would ask Clay but he probably doesn’t know, since he grew up away from all this... Clay looked like he wanted to know as well but he knew asking would make him too suspicious.
“I don’t know what Unsibs are, care to educate me?” Celestia asked.
The dragon let out a humph and explained. “Don’t they teach you SkyWings anything up there? Fine. MudWing troops are composed of sibs or siblings. When a troop receives too many casualties, the remaining are classified as unsibs and will need to be assigned to another troop.”
That's horrible to think about, I would never want to lose Luna again.
Clay whispered something to Celestia. “Ask about my parents.”
Celestia asked the lead dragon another question. “What about their parents? Do they do anything about it?”
The MudWing chuckled at her question, “Sorry SkyWing, we MudWings don’t do parents.”
Clay looked depressed at the statement, but Celestia continued to press more questions to find more about Clay’s origin.
“Maybe you could tell us if there was a possible egg stolen from here?” Celestia asked.
“A blood-red egg to be specific,” Clay interjected.
“What? Stolen?! I’d like to see any dragon try that.” The dragon was enraged at the thought.
“Or maybe taken. By a dragon named Asha?” Clay suggested.
The large MudWing relaxed “Oh Asha. Her sister Cattail had a blood egg around six years ago. I can tell you that there was no stealing involved.”
Clay wanted to leave, the thought of ‘parents’ not being a part of their children’s lives broke his heart. Maybe they even gave him away as if he were expendable.
Celestia thanked the MudWing for the information before turning to leave with Clay. “Clay, are you okay?” she wanted to comfort him, but she didn't know how.
“I— I just don’t know how to feel. I learned that I didn't have parents to go back to. MudWings and their stupid culture.” he felt a wave of depression hit him.
“What about your siblings?” Celestia suggested. “I don’t know much about MudWings but they did mention that all MudWing troops are all siblings, why don’t we look for them?”
Clay suddenly brightened up at the thought, he did have a family to come back to. “You’re right. Thanks, Celestia.”
Celestia smiled as she was able to help the dragon. She tried not to think about her failures, she was going to make up for them. One way or another.
“Hey, you!” a dragon called out to them. They turned around to see a group of six dragons. Celestia noticed they looked younger than Clay or not full grown. The biggest one was a bit smaller than Clay, with warm golden-amber eyes.
“Hello, can we help you?” Celestia asked nicely.
The MudWing dragonets glanced at each other. The biggest one said, “We heard you were asking about a blood egg from one of Cattail’s hatchings.”
Clay nodded in response.
“Do you know what happened to it?” the smallest MudWing blurted. “Did it hatch? Who came out? Where’s the dragonet?”
“Why? Who’s asking?” Celestia was a little suspicious.
“I’m Reed,” said the biggest dragonet. “This is Sora, Pheasant, Marsh, Umber, and Crane.” The smallest one, Umber, had his eyes fixed on Clay again. The others had a nervous atmosphere around them.
“I’m Clay and this is my escort, Celestia,” Clay answered.
“Are you the one who hatched from the blood egg? Are you our missing sib?” Reed asked.
Clay was tearing up tears of joy. “Yes... That's me. I hatched from the egg. I’m your sib!” Clay jumped forward to embrace his siblings.
“I knew it! There was something familiar about him. I told you!” Umbra exclaimed.
Celestia smiled at the sibling reunion that unfolded in front of her. It reminded her of how she felt when Luna returned. She knew the strong bonds that siblings share.
“You’re our brother,” Reed said with a grin that warmed Clay to the tips of his claws. “You should have been with us all along.”
“He’s not just our brother,” Pheasant pointed out. “Look at him. He should be our bigwings.”
The grin faded from Reed’s face as he studied Clay from wingtips to talons. “That’s true,” he said. Crane approached Reed in an attempt to comfort him.
Celestia looked at Clay, he possessed a determined look. “Let's talk,” Clay said.
They talked about MudWing culture and lifestyle. Celestia was amazed at how each dragon tribe was so different in many ways but at the same time so similar. They discussed how ‘bigwings’ are the eldest and leader of each sibling group. One of bigwing’s first acts was to help his siblings hatch.
“So from then on, the bigwings takes care of all the others,” Pheasant said, nudging Reed with affection. “Some of them can be pretty bossy or too weak, but we got a good one.” She stopped, realizing what she’d said. “I mean … you would have been good, too, I’m sure. . . .”
Reed tugged up a clump of marsh grass and started shredding it without looking at Clay. “And then we all stick together,” he said. “For always. We learn to hunt and survive together, we grow up together, and we live together for the rest of our lives. And when we’re at war, we all fight as a group. Every MudWing troop is a hatching of siblings. Except for the ones who’ve lost too many, and then they try to find unsibs to form a new troop with.”
“Have you— we lost anyone?” Clay asked.
Reed stared back and smiled, “No one yet, but I want to keep it that way.”
Celestia shared the sentiment. She would rather keep her sister alive than have her gone. I have wronged her, but I loved her too much to have her gone forever. Especially since it was my fault.
“But it’s all right now,” Reed said. “Because you’re back, and you should be our bigwings.” He smiled.
Clay wasn’t convinced. Besides, Clay knew nothing about being a MudWing. Reed was the only Bigwing they ever knew.
Clay shook his head. “No,” he said to his brothers and sisters. “Reed is your bigwings. You trust him and you need him. I couldn’t replace him, even if I tried.”
His brother raised his head, pride warring with disbelief on his face. The other dragonets looked relieved and sad at the same time.
Clay smiled at his brother’s relief. Soon, Clay’s smile disappeared. “Just promise me one thing. Please, don’t lose anyone until I end the war. It’s my destiny.”
“Destiny? Like the prophecy? That's you?” Crane asked with an inaudible gasp.
“We’ll try, anyway,” Clay said. “But maybe after that, once the war is over … maybe then I could come back?”
“You’re one of us,” Reed said. “You can come back anytime.”
“I hope you do,” Umber said. The others nodded.
“I hope you are all still here by the time this is all over.” Clay grimaced at the thought of losing them again. “I don’t want to lose you guys, not again.”
Clay and his sibs gathered for a hug. Celestia was still watching around the area just in case of any suspicious figures lurking around.
“Hey, you! Send of Queen Moorhen. We need backup at the Sand Kingdom. IceWing attack.” A SandWing shouted at a MudWing troop.
Celestia quickly alerted Clay and they made their farewells. “Please Reed, promise me you will all stay safe.” Clay pleaded.
Reed stared at Clay, then glanced at his siblings. “I promise, now good luck.” Reed nodded.
“Thank you...”
Clay and Celestia made a hasty retreat to avoid getting caught. They returned to the group hiding along the waterfall.
“Welcome back! How was it?” Sunny said.
“It was... overwhelming I think.”
Glory appeared behind Celestia and gave her a little tap. “Tell me, what happened with Clay? He seems more emotional.”
Celestia smiled, “He found his family, but one he didn’t expect.”
“Your vagueness is really getting to me you know.” Glory said with an eye roll.
Celestia chuckled at her comment, “Well, let's get going. We have to find Twilight and Starflight. I only hope we make it in time.”
“Hope so too, I just want this crazy non-sense over. Y’know?” Glory mused.
“Come on, let's go you slow salamanders. Starflight won’t save himself.” Tsunami hollered.
“Yeah! We got a prophecy to complete!” Sunny said.
Clay smiled at his friends, they had been his family since birth nothing could replace them. They had to stop this war, they needed Starflight for that to happen. The group took off heading towards the Rainforest where the NightWings are possibly hiding.
Celestia silently thought of everyone she care about. Luna, Sunset, Twilight... I got Luna back. I will get everyone else back too.
Celestia needed to find Sunset, not because getting the element back would save Equestria and this world. It is for Celestia’s own selfish needs. She wants to see Sunset again, no matter what. She was torn between finding her long-lost daughter and saving Twilight to complete her mission and save Equestria. So many times she wanted to take off to find Sunset and trust that Twilight would be fine. But why didn't she? If she wanted to so badly, what’s stopping her?
The truth is, she is scared. She is afraid of failure. She wanted so badly to find Sunset that she had failed to keep Twilight safe. She had failed to save her sister. She failed Sunset. She only hoped that she could save them all.