"Why don't you leave?" He asked.

She stared into the dragons eyes waiting for a response, *he kinda reminds me of myself* she thought tilting her head

Shift hears her thoughts again: he kinda reminds me of myself. She tilts her head, and Shift, not thinking clearly, says: "Im dont think im anything like you"

She stumbled back in surprise, her eyes widened, she opened up her wings to balance herself, revealing the star like silver scales under her wings. "I...." She trailed off

Shift realizes his mistake, and quickly mumbled "Um, i mean, i should take Cactus back home, so..." He gently and quickly guided Cactus out of the alley with his wing, and glanced back and noticed star-looking scales under that sandwing's wing. Wha? he thought

"Because I'll die without the rocks queen Crimson gives me, she's the only one who has them, and I have to eat them or else my insides will burn!" Calamity said like it was obvious

She watched him go, her eyes filled with confusion and wonder. She shook her head, "Sixclaws?" She said "yes?" Sixclaws replied, "lets get that lost dragonet back to the palace", Sixclaws nodded and roared for the dragonet waiting in the ally way. The male drogonet scrambled over to them and grabbed hold of Sandstorm's wing. "Lets go" she said, she then scooped up the dragonet in her arms and took off.

"Oh..." he didn't buy it completely, but what did he know about the Skywings and Calamitys power? She was probably right. "Well, maybe you can take some with you."

Shift looked back again and saw that sandwing flying away, her thoughts getting quieter, and her weird wings flashing. He could also hear Cactus mind, which was not going very fast, which is fine, because she's just a newborn. they walked into Shift's house, where his father and mother were talking very urgently with a terrified and desperate looking sandwing, who is Cactus mother. Cactus immediately bounded into her wings, and she looked down and gave a sigh of relief. Shift could hear all they're thoughts: Cactus thank goodness! Where were you? Did you get hurt? Why... Shift shook his head and said. "I found a dragon glaring at her in an alley where i accidentally stumbled through, so i took her back here. I was afraid she was going to get hurt." He shifted on his talons. Cactus's mother hugged him, saying, "thank you thank you thank you i was so worried." She smiled gratefully, then led Cactus out the door

Bubble saw two dragons further up. Maybe they knew where some good shells were