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[center][i]The next morning...[/i][/center]
Eclipse stretched his wings, appreciating that the heat of the desert hadn't yet become sweltering this early in the morning. Their little oasis also kept the air cooler around where they slept with the added bonus of attracting small animals that they could catch and eat. He felt a mixture of nerves and excitement as their small troop got ready for the last leg of their journey before they reached the rainforest. As he glanced up at the sky to try and gauge where the sun was his eyes caught on three dragons flying towards them, SandWings by the colors of their scales. He squinted slightly against the sun, they didn't appear to be wearing the armor of the Sand Kingdom but they were certainly armed.

[color=ed1c24][b]"Skua,"[/b][/color] he kept his eyes trained on the SandWings, [color=ed1c24][b]"We've got company."[/b][/color] He backed up closer to where Dreamseeker and Skua were as the three other dragons landed, sending sprays of sand up around them. Now that they were closer it was easy to see that these were not guards in any sense of the word. They looked rough, with a multitude of scars scattered across their scales and old, rusty spears in claw.

[color=919191][b]"Now isn't this interesting,"[/b][/color] the largest of the three sneered, [color=919191][b]"Some weird lookin' young dragons and a NightWing, how strange."[/b][/color] He flicked his tail at the other two SandWings who immediately moved to surround the three on all sides, [color=919191][b]"Didn't your parents ever teach you not to trespass."[/b][/color]

Eclipse tracked the other two dragons with his eyes as they moved around, [color=ed1c24][b]"There wasn't anyone here when we arrived. How could we have known?"[/b][/color]

The head SandWing scowled, [color=919191][b]"Don't get smart with me,"[/b][/color] he took a few steps closer, [color=919191][b]"Clearly someone needs to teach you some respect."[/b][/color] With an easy flick of his tail he signaled to the other two who lunged forward towards Skua and Dreamseeker, teeth and spears bared, before leaping towards Eclipse with an angry roar.

Eclipse was able to dodge out of the way of the first lunge, but the sand underneath his feet shifted as he moved throwing off his balance as a wide swing of the spear the SandWing held slammed into the side of his head sending a ringing pain into his ears. He staggered to the side, shaking his head to clear the stars and was just able to bring up his claws in time to bat the sharp end of the spear away from his neck. He backed up slightly a low snarl bubbling up as his eyes flickered between the other fights going on around him.