The Mixed-Up Files Of Rowan_The_Dreamer

Morrowseer's Doubts (A WoF Oneshot)

A/N: TO HECK WITH BLISTERSEER!!!

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"You-you USELESS son of a RainWing!" Morrowseer yelled at the dragonet of destiny cowering beneath him. "Why can't you fight like a respectable NightWing! You're supposed to lead, not  run and hide." 

Starflight. Morrowseer remembered, His name is Starflight. 

"S-sorry," the failure stuttered. Tears shook his words and threatened to shatter them like glass. "T-to be fair, you-" 

"Do you really think life is fair, coward?" Morrowseer bent his neck down, down, until his snout was almost touching the little NightWing's. "Well, let me tell you a well-kept secret." He hissed the tiniest plume of flame into the scarce distance between them. The light reflected in Starflight's wide black eyes, illuminating fear and a little determination. "It's...NOT." The dragonet took a step back. "Go hide behind your annoying sorry excuse for a girlfriend. NOW!" He barked the last word into the failure's ear, scaring him and making him run, just as expected. 

Morrowseer watched Starflight turn tail and bolt down the hall of the NightWing fortress. He sort of reminded Morrowseer of himself, he thought as he walked back to his own quarters, innocent and curious and clueless and in lo- 

Don't. Don't think that. You'll show too much weakness... they know you to be strong. You can't let them see otherwise.  

But it was too late. Morrowseer could already feel the tears rushing in, his throat constricting, talons shaking. Stay strong...

He ran into his quarters and slid the rock-door closed. The large, fierce NightWing slumped to the ground against his door... 

And welcomed the tears, welcomed the pain he always had to keep hidden until he was alone. 

Weakling. 

You failed once, and it keeps happening. 

The tears came more and more often nowadays, since the dragonets (mostly Starflight) showed up, but Morrowseer wouldn't admit it even if he'd been tortured. 

He looks so much like me when Duskpainter was alive. 

Duskpainter... 

Gulping down his pain, Morrowseer pulled a picture from his neck pouch. In the photograph, there were two radiantly happy NightWings holding talons and beaming like they'd just won the three moons in a bowl. 

Life for the NightWings was still awful back then, twenty-two years ago. 

But it hardly mattered when you and your boyfriend had just turned ten, had just been given permission to leave the island, to go live somewhere else.

Together. 

It hardly mattered when you were together. 

A dragon who loved scrolls and science and life altogether, fiercely protective of the other, the one named Duskpainter, who was handsome, artistic, and kindhearted. 

The Scorpion Den had been their home for one blissful month after the picture was taken, but one night, Morrowseer's life changed forever, because his loved one's ended. 

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A mile outside the Scorpion Den, two NightWings lay side-by-side on a tapestry blanket. They would have been invisible under the darkening sky, except for the lanterns placed on all four corners of the blanket, forming a diamond of protection.