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"Are you positive that we can swim all that way?" Azure's voice was doubtful as the drake hesitantly stepped into the lapping waves. "I've never tried except for the lake."

Alaine barely lifted his head from where he used his sharp teeth to tear at the leather that held his wings pinned down to his sides. It was awkward, but he was able to hook his fangs just beneath the strap and yanked it outwards with a twist of his head that neatly sliced it in half. After the journey to the shore, it was strange to feel the wing drooping again, the long fingers dragging towards the ground and the faint pain throbbing before he turned to the other wing. He needed them to swim, no matter that they felt better bound up. He tore off the rest of the leather from his other wing and shook them out, feeling the muscles protest the movements and the bones ache faintly as the joints slipped along one another.

"I swam it, and I wasn't well fed and cared for." He rumbled and pulled one of his wings out as far as it would go, flexing it experimentally. "And with two good wings."

The blue drake snapped his jaws shut and tilted his head to one side in embarrassment, but Alaine ignored them while he stretched his back muscles. He didn't bristle as he had before when contemplating the youngsters with their fine strong wings, instead he watched the way they moved them avidly. One day he would have them as well, he didn't care if he had to bribe or threaten or ingratiate himself with the elves, but they would repair his wings. He needed to only take back the Isle and he could bring Amber and Oake with him, he would heal there and grow strong, watching the little fawn become larger by the day, stronger and more independent while his own clutch matured in the warmth of the volcanic sands. He had a future, a dream, a hope for what was going to happen.

The time away from the elves had made him feel more secure, he was no longer watching people out of the corner of his eyes, waiting for them to attack. It felt natural being around the drakes, it felt as if he belonged here. They were all younger than he was, but they were at an age where they should have been seeking out a mated couple to help with the nest tending duties. He was already eying them with critical looks, imagining if they would be trustworthy around his nest of eggs when Amber was ready to lay them. They were certainly impressionable, and they tried their best to show off for him rather than trying to challenge him. What would it be like to take them with him and introduce them to the heritage that they had lost?

Crimson was trying the water himself, already up to his chest with the waves crashing against him and forming a white foam. He pushed forward, fighting the waves with a happy snort as some of the salt water crashed against his muzzle and Alaine gave a stretch before letting out a soft sigh and started into the water as well. The weight of his broken wings was soon relieved as the waves made them float just beneath the water. The waves hit against him, lifting him up the further out he went, his paws churning up the sand beneath him. Crimson was more daring, able to slip deeper into the water and surged forward with the paddles of his powerful legs, snorting happily. Sapphire was close behind him, rumbling to himself.

"Come on, you can fly or swim, but swimming will be less tiresome." Alaine tilted his head back to Azure who was staring nervously at the ocean. "We need to meet up with Thronnos when they arrive at the Isle."

"I'll fly for now." Azure shifted restlessly and watched as the other young drakes set out into deeper water to follow Alaine. "I don't see why we all have to swim." The last was muttered, obviously attempting to be unheard so Alaine ignored it.

"What if we arrive before them?" Sapphire finally came closer as they swam away from the Spit, paddling steadily past the crashing waves and currents that swirled around them. "What are we supposed to do?"

"There is another island nearby, not suitable to be inhabited for a long period, but we will be able to remain there and wait." Alaine snorted out hotly, his tail moving behind him as they plunged deeper, his head just above water while his wings spread out to churn through the water to propel him on. "And I need to see if the mines are empty, the old ones."

"Minos' dragon could do that." Crimson chimed in brightly. "He's the smartest of all of us. I heard that he thinks we'll only have to fight for less than a day to overtake them all."

"Minos' dragon.." Alaine almost spat the words out. "Is too concerned with his elf to risk being the first to go in. I know the mines, I know the Isle, I will get in to make sure it is abandoned. And if I can, I will find the others who are enslaved there. I'll bring them out if I can, they will aide us for the sake of what has been done to them, and they deserve that chance."

"But the jewels, you should bring the gems out first. The elves need them to fight with, their magics are weak without them." Sapphire surged ahead as he spoke, riding over the waves as they left Hayden's Spit behind them.

"You speak like the elves." Alaine snarled the words out. "We are not elves, nor are we pets or war horses, we are a people whole and complete on our own. And furious fighting dragons who know the current mines will be of more help than a handful of jewels. They are your kind, they could be your family, your brothers or cousins or uncles and you would leave them there and deny them a chance to fight?"

"No," Sapphire cast him a startled look. "I just meant that it would make more sense-"

"Why must you speak like elves?" Alaine shifted his body, keeping his eyes on the horizon as he started to lead them further away from the island, aiming for the current he knew ran through the archipelago.

"Why do you hate that we do?" Crimson countered. "They saved us, did you think we should all be slaves like you were? We'd still be slaves and most of us would probably be dead or not born at all. Instead we're an army, a strong one, too!"

Alaine shifted his eyes towards the red drake who was falling into pace behind him, and he tilted his head with a touch of respect for the point made. He didn't snarl like he wanted too, he didn't want to put them on the defensive or make them believe him blindly, they should think at this age, not blindly follow.

"Because I think you're stunted," Alaine considered his words carefully as he felt the water swirling faster around his legs, and suddenly there was a crash as Azure dove into the water a dozen feet behind them. "I think they've taken away your chance at your own culture or even your gods, and now you don't really become what you should have been. You don't grow up listening to the old stories, you grow up tending an infant elf. How do you grow intelligent and wise with that?"

"There are no gods." Sapphire piped up, starting to pant less as the current gave them a break from paddling. "Just.. old myths. And you can't believe old myths."

"The world has gods," Alaine gave his wings a careful beat beneath the water. "They just are taking more of you away, you were meant to be proud and strong, a race whole and unique, not adjacent to the elves. They do not even allow your parents to name you, they give you colors until you have a Rider. Why must you be content with this?"

"B-because it's an honor to be given a name by our Riders." Azure's voice came a bit uncertainly, but it was picked up by the other pair.

Alaine fought not to rumble his small victory, instead he simply remained quiet and allowed them to think as they worked on the first leg of their journey. They were young, they were still growing, would they even care to know the heritage they had lost? He hoped they would, he hoped that these three wouldn't be content being ridden by scaleless elves who waged pointless wars.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Amber shifted on her belly and hooded her eyes slightly so that she could concentrate on soaking the sun into her hide. It felt positively glorious to be baked beneath it, her head stretched out on her forelegs while the sounds of the world faded away. It was noon, and most of the dragons that lived here were either full to bursting and asleep or out on the wing to get rid of any excess energy. She had eaten well, enjoying a meal that had been cooked with rich fatty meat, though it had been slightly chalky thanks to the powder the elves insisted on scattering over her meal. Calcium to help her eggs grow thick firm shells instead of risking them becoming too soft. She tolerated it, but she was going to bypass a prepared meal tomorrow in exchange for something still writhing and hot in her claws. It was a good life.

Her hide had started to darken with her pregnancy, the pale topaz color darkening to a richer gold along her muzzle and legs. Eventually she would be entirely gold once she was near to clutching, a vibrant color that would surely make Alaine feel pride in what they had created together. Even in her drowsing state her tail twitched at the thought of him and a soft rumble vibrated her throat before she subdued it and stretched her wings out a bit wider. It was hard not to allow her thoughts to linger on him, the strange drake was unique in so many ways that she couldn't help but feel drawn to him, and knowing she carried his genes was a source of pride for her, and envy for the rest of the dragonesses on the grounds.

There had been a mad scramble for him when he first showed up. The dragonesses were largely content, but they competed with the Riders for a drake's attention. They would get plenty of it once they were in heat, and truly couldn't complain, but afterwards the attachment faded away. Amber had had a male before this, and he had been a bold fellow full of boasts and eagerness, but once she had come out of heat he had left with his Rider. Any times she had seen him since then, they had been casual friends, but he had made no move to reignite their passions or even acknowledged the son that she had borne him. In Alaine, they had all seen a unique chance.

He was so different from the males that came here, even her own son. He wasn't filled with boasting to impress her on what he had done or what he planned to do, he was quiet. His scarred hide and dark angry eyes attested to his past, but in that anger there was a gentle innocent soul. The rest of the dragonesses had wanted to claim him because he was new and strange, and so had she, but knowing him had brought something beyond a desire for eggs from her. He had a wild fierce temper, not hesitating in threatening, or even hurting, those that he perceived as a threat, but the tenderness beneath that was almost shocking. She knew his story, knew where he had come from, that he could come from such pain and still carefully carry a fawn in his jaws or curl himself around her without waking her amazed her.

I am besotted.. Amber's muzzle twitched slightly in a smile at the thought. She hadn't found a breeder, she had found a mate, something that was all too rare in their lives. A strange mate, but one that she was going to-

"H'A'BER!" The only warning was her name squealed before scrabbling hooves and a furred body hit her nose and began to climb up.

"Seas and Storms, Oake!" She jerked her head up, careful not to cast the fawn off her. "Ow! Hey, stop using your hooves!"

"C'mon! We're goin' ta play!" The little fawn's tail was wagging with excess energy while she tried to wrinkle her lips up to keep one of his hooves from lodging in her nostril.

"I'm sleeping, you should be too." Amber tilted her head and spilled the little one onto her forepaw and frowned down at him.

She had taken her duty to Oake seriously, but she had never had experience with a species that had so much energy. He was positively trembling with it when he wasn't passed out sleeping. She'd never met a drake willing to leave his Rider, but Alaine had been content to allow her to take care of the fawn. She wasn't going to prove his trust mis-placed, but she had no idea what to do with him. He was always on the go, running and poking his nose into things. He tried to climb the cliffs when she wasn't watching and oftentimes tried to swim even when she was positive he'd drown. She was half tempted to tie him to her side to keep him out of trouble, especially when she was tired. Something that was happening more often as her pregnancy progressed.

"I suppose you're not going to give me any peace, pest." She sighed indulgently with a shift on her paws and looked out over the main ground.

"Play?" He wriggled slightly back and forth on her forepaw. "Ride?"

Amber nosed him lightly with her broad nose, whuffling a little bit to feel the small hoof-like hands gripping against her muzzle. She needed to keep him entertained, she also needed to keep him out of trouble. With a sigh she heaved herself up onto all fours, pulling in her sun warmed wings against her side and picked her head up with Oake clinging to her. They had brought many youngsters over in the rescue, perhaps she could have some sent here with their nurses. The little fawn would have to learn to read and write, and it would do him good to have clutchmates to play with instead of just her. Perhaps she could even surprise Alaine and teach the little fellow how to speak properly.

"Come along, little pest." She prummed and turned her head so she could drop the wriggling bundle between her wing shoulders. "I think we need to see about changing things for you, hmm?" The only reply was an eager bleating noise as he clung to the back of her neck.

_I wonder how he'll behave once the clutch comes. _ She thought indulgently.

~ ~ * ~ ~

The grasses were long and hid the movement of the group easily, but Rowan was struggling as her hooves continued to sink into the mud time and again. It was wet, the entire place was wet, the interconnecting lakes and ponds were only loosely parted with swamp like hands. Her fur was damp and streaked with it, to say nothing of her hooves. The satyr paused in the grasses and lowered her head to watch as the humans came up behind them at a slower pace. Each one was well armed with short spears and swords that had been blackened so that they didn't reveal their position. That was their first prize, and Heartwood still preened under the compliments that came his way for being able to sneak into one of the elven settlements.

She wasn't surprised that he managed a raid with four young bucks at his side, she had actually anticipated it from the start. Her presence in the group meant that they wanted to show off, perhaps not on a higher level, but part of them yearned to catch the eyes of a female, even if that female wasn't in season and already mated. The four young bucks had started to pester her, not in any violent way, nor trying to fight each other, but they had begun to scramble and show off when her eyes went to them. Or they would try to crowd her when she was in the midst of their group, only stopping when Heartwood took notice and sent them off towards the edges of the group. She had purposefully pressed him to bring along the four oldest bucks that were not yet mated, wanting them well away from the female satyrs that had come, but it was trying for them all.

Heartwood had been the one to get them together for the raid, perhaps he sensed their excess energy and need to prove themselves, had taken them off one night when they'd bedded down in the marsh and slipped towards a small elven outpost. It had been a quick in and out, but it had brought the young bucks back with bright eyes and bearing weaponry stolen from the elves, as well as a bundle of clothing and personal items. They had been proud, and the humans in their group, as well as the lone dryad, had been eager to show their appreciation and praise them. Rowan had done her best to give them praise as well, not showing any of them favor as she spoke of their skill and stealth, grateful that for the last day they had been reasonably well behaved.

Heartwood and the rest of the leaders had divided up the landing party into four groups, two small groups that were comprised of two humans, does and a dryad leader that would keep them moving swiftly into the larger settlements. The two larger groups spread out to either side of the Spit and were targeting the smaller settlements to search, mostly comprised of the bucks and humans. They had to make a detailed plan, setting dates when they'd meet up on two points on the island to discuss what they'd found. They had no other way to communicate, not reliably, and they had to keep their goal in mind. Find the children, and retreat as swiftly as possible.

"Rowan.." Heartwood shifted through the rush, his ruddy colored coat blending in with the reeds. "We're going to have to break here. H'I think we're close h'enough to get Johen ready."

"How close are we?" She shifted and felt the mud squelching from between her cloven hooves messily. "Can't we find firmer ground?"

"H'only h'if we risk being seen." He offered apologetically. "H'I'll send Darkbud to h'escort Johen h'in, he's causing more trouble."

Rowan didn't glance back at the young buck in question, he was a rather striking sable satyr and nearly old enough to claim his first doe, which made him one of the worst troublemakers. "Do you want me to set up the camp here?"

"Yes, set h'it h'up cold." Heartwood twitched his split lips slightly and folded his ears back. "H'And set h'up the cribs. Just h'in case."

Rowan cast him a sharp look, stiffening slightly. "Is there any word? Do they have any signs?"

Heartwood gave his head a slow shake, his eyes darkening slightly before he gave her an awkward pat with one of his large hands before moving away from her. Rowan watched him leave, heading towards Darkbud and the humans. Johen was tall, slender and fair of hair, with the help of some cosmetics to give a tip to his ears they were hoping he could pass being an elf well enough to at least penetrate society so he could listen to any rumors or ask questions. They couldn't storm every settlement and pray they found their younglings, they needed to know where they were being held and plan a swift rescue mission. They could be anywhere here, and it was like playing a needle in a haystack as they hunted for them.

Alaine would know.. The thought didn't bring hope, only a sick sensation in her stomach as she recalled her glimpse of the large red dragon. How could he?

Rowan squeezed her eyes shut and drew in a breath before barking out a few orders to the group so they could get settled in for the evening. She didn't want to think about the dragon and what had happened. He hadn't been marked and harnessed, he had simply been in the company of other dragons, but they had been so companionable together. He hadn't even seemed annoyed as he talked with them as they walked, he had looked at home. When he had set off it had been with rage and determination, but they had somehow taken that rage away. She couldn't worry about him now, she couldn't dwell on what if's and how's, she had to get her fawn back and she had to keep her mind on her task.

She drew in a settling breath and began to help lay down the specialized mats she'd gotten from Rouro to cover the muddy grown so that people could rest. The rest of the group began to move slowly with her, careful to keep an eye to the sky as they did so. The dryad was already at work coaxing the grasses and reeds to bow down to offer them shelter. Heartwood kept busy preparing the duo that were going to set off, but she noticed his eyes lingering on her at times as she worked. Was he worried that she would give into her grief? Or was it only concern that this would all be for naught? They'd at least have an answer tonight, she hoped.

~ ~ * ~ ~

It was the wee hours of the night when Rowan was awakened with a push of the hand against her shoulder, jerking her upright and nearly into Heartwood's arms as the buck leaned over her. There was no fire to give her any detail, but the stars and shadows outlined the proud head while his hand rested firmly on his shoulder. Around her, others were being woken up one after another, while a faint tremor ran down the length of his hand against her shoulder. She scrambled upwards, almost crashing into him in her haste to throw off the rough blanket she'd used to cover herself. She didn't care if it fell in the mud, if she was being woken up at this time of night it meant that something was going on.

"What's going on?" She hissed out the words as people everywhere were moving around, the sound of their bodies made her flick her ears about. "Did they find the children?"

"H'enemy captured." Heartwood rumbled and lifted his head a little. The edge of his beard brushed against her arm as he looked above her head towards the rest of the group. "Get h'everything h'up! Quick!"

"They were captured?" A thin line of fear went through her as she scrambled up onto her hooves and saw the dryad parting the reeds to show the moon and stars overhead.

"No, they brought h'us a captive." Heartwood's teeth were white in the darkness as he smiled fiercely. "H'I'm going to get h'everyone moving, we'll question them. They h'are that way, h'out h'of sight."

"I want to see them." Rowan kept her ears pinned down as she shook the last of the sleep off herself, and Heartwood gave a gesture to the west before moving on. She knew what he was doing, he was going to get everyone out and on the move before any alarms could go up and risk being caught all together.

She didn't care about anything else, she cared about a captive to question. Hope rose in her chest as she pushed through the reed sand lifted her ears up to listen for the sound of someone hiding just out of sight. It wasn't hard to locate them, the sound of harsh breathing was easy to hear as well as the soft voices of a human and satyr. She struggled through the muck in their direction until she nearly stumbled against Johen, only stopping herself by letting out an ungraceful bleat and caught a hand on the tall human's shoulders from where he stood with a captive kneeling in the muck.

It was too dark to see well, but the elf stood out in a white shirt that was cut up and splattered with filth and muck. He was curled forward, head lowered slightly while Darkbud stood behind him gripping the ropes that were used to bind him. The young buck was just a shadow in the darkness, but his hold kept the young man held upright while he kneeled in the mud. She trembled a little bit when the head lifted up to look at her, a hint of the eyes showing and glittering as Johen moved to one side so that she had more room in the small clearing.

"He followed me." Johen murmured. "He must have figured out something was wrong, he came out behind me and Darkbud took him down. We thought it best to bring him here."

"Seem best to me," Darkbud's voice was rougher than Heartwoods, less clear as he spoke from the caprine mouth. "Filthy h'elf."

"Has he answered any questions? Where they are?" The words tumbled from her lips before she could stop them, her entire body trembling with the need to know.

"We're going to find out." Johen gave her a slight pat and reached down to reach towards the elf's cheek.

It took her a moment to realize that he was peeling a rag down from his mouth, the pale colored cloth had blended into the pale skin in the darkness. The moment the gag was pulled down the elf spit and made a choked noise before jerking his head.

"More animals." The voice was almost a growl. "Let me go, the dragons will find you soon enough, better to surrender."

"Shut h'up!" Darkbud jerked him slightly, the movement was hard enough that she heard the elf's teeth click together.

"Where are our children?" Rowan kept her voice soft as she crouched down so that she was more on his level. His eyes were focused on her, even in the darkness they looked outraged. "You took children from Canith, why? Where are they?"

"I don't know." The elf snapped the answer back, not even pausing to think about it. "Do you really think you can be here without us knowing it? I spotted your human easily, how many others saw him?"

"H'answer the question." Heartwood's voice came from the reeds a moment before the rest of him slipped through. It had a hard edge to it while Rowan stopped herself from slapping the elf to make him answer. "Johen saw them taking the children h'out, where did they go?"

They took the children... Rowan felt her heart jump into her throat. Had she been just a couple of miles away from her fawn?

"I don't-" The last word was cut off with a sudden slap of Heartwood's hand, an open handed blow that cracked right along his cheek.

It wasn't like being hit with a human hand, she knew that, their hands were thick nailed and had near hooves at the tip so being smacked with one was a concussive blow that snapped the elf's head to one side. Heartwood loomed over him, the large buck startling Darkbud back as Rowan remained crouched near his legs watching their captive. The elf's cheek darkened in the shadows, the copper scent of blood on the air as the dominant buck leaned his head down.

"H'I do not have time for h'you, H'I will not waste my time." His words were a low rumble while his head lowered down. He took a dominant pose, one that made the younger buck shift his gaze to one side. "H'Answer h'us. Where are they?"

"At Draeg Bloddym." The elf spit the foreign word out. "They were sent to the breeding grounds. We saved them, damn you animal. We saved all of them!"

"Why?" Rowan narrowed her eyes, watching him as Heartwood continued to crowd above him. "Why did they take them? Why did you steal our children?"

The elf glared at her, his eyes narrowed down before Heartwood came at him again. The buck wasn't a gentle soul, he was not a quiet being, and Rowan couldn't find it in her heart to stop him as he began to question the elf in a way that would pull the truth from him. She needed to know why, she needed to know if any of their children had been lost, killed, harmed in any way. Bit by bit the truth came out, but none of it made sense. The children had been 'rescued' from an assault on Canith by their enemies, the Riders had been heroes. Why would they have done that? Why had they taken her fawn and tried to kill her as an added spice?

_We know where they are... We can find them, we can bring them home. _ She held that hope cupped in her mind as gently as a fallen leaf.