Cicada Hive was abuzz as usual in Pantala, with all sorts of dragons coming and going from outside and inside and around. The shops had many-a customer as they sold different trinkets, supplies, food, and jewels that the gatherers found from the mountains and ocean. While some still even traveled to Pyrrhia at times, secretively of course, to look around for anything of value. The neighbouring hives weren’t as brave, or maybe smarter than the Cicada, but that was debatable. Surprisingly no-one was caught, which made the valuables so much more...well, valuable.

Among the shopkeepers was a rather bored Mudwing, talons holding his face as he stared unblinking at everyone. It all became a blur to his red-amber eyes, which watched the little details with little care. Being a grain merchant was the most uneventful thing in his uneventful life, mostly. Aside from being an outcast in a place of outcasts, he was pretty much annoyed by what he had to do in order to even live. Hardly anyone even bought what he selled, so what was the point? At least the hive-queen was nice enough to not make him pay much…..kinda.

He groaned and slammed his head onto the merchant’s table he used, huffing through his nostrils as they flared. What he would do for one day away from this boring life. His ear twitched at a noise and he quickly shot up, hoping for a customer to be standing there. His eyes met his roommate, a somewhat diligent but annoying Hivewing that shared the residence. “Oh, what a surprise.” The Mudwing lay his head back onto the table as his roommate simply chuckled. They put a talon onto a few small bags that he had behind, full of snack foods, and was starting to take a few before the former swiped it back with his own teal coloured talons. “Who said you could take these, Sole?”

She giggled happily, waving away in a knowing manner to him. “Oh, Aestival, you don’t have to be so serious.” Without waiting for a response, she quickly scooped up the bag again, opening it and popping a few pieces of food into her mouth. Aestival, the Mudwing, was very annoyed by this but didn’t speak anymore. Laying his chin on the table, his eyes caught the glare of diamonds on Sole’s body. It always amazed him how that was possible….but she was his roommate, so anything could happen.

Something came to his mind suddenly as he looked to her green-blue eyes, which were wandering for more bags of treats. “Don’t you have someplace to be?” His voice was gruff and maybe just a bit peeved as to why she was still there. Sole looked to him, stared for a few moments, then felt a ding go off. “I’m supposed to be in nursing school!” With that, she rushed off, her great wings flying her to goodness knows where. As long as it wasn’t with him, Aestival couldn’t care less. Alone and bored again, he stood and stretched before starting to pack up. Night fall was soon, and he needed rest for all the sugary high Sole was to be on the next morning.

But before he could even get the first bag, a small and chipper dragon popped in, staring at his wares intently. For a few moments he didn’t notice, as they were silent, but a knock on the hive’s honeycomb designed walls drew his attention. He saw a fair skinned dragon, giving him a glare for whatever reason he couldn’t fathom. Her body had red marks with silver-green spine and horns, and soul splitting eyes. Next to her was a rather large male obviously Seawing, with the same death stare that bore into Aestival. The previously mentioned small dragon was currently being held back by a bigger and stronger one. The smaller was all different sorts of colours with big horn-antlers and a smile that could light up the Nightwing’s abyss.

The bigger one was a darker brown, almost earthy tone, with silver and teal colours on her wings and horns. She seemed more mature than the others, but a bit more into the rules than needed to be. Lastly, to the far right was a bright yellow female that couldn’t care less about the situation she was in. She seemed very tired, green eyes conveying such emotions without words. But still, she smiled. Even as the previous two started to bicker over what Aestival didn’t wish to know. It really was bothering him why they wouldn’t leave and go somewhere else, but finally the dark female spoke, and her voice was like spring rain.

“Excuse me.” Aestival snapped back to reality, and looked at the five strangers in front of him. “Hello. How may I help-” Before the Mudwing could finish, the male scoffed in annoyance. “Is it not obvious? We are here for supplies.” His tone was a bit frightening, someone who had seen and experienced too much, and just wanted an end to it all. The smaller male was taken aback by this greatly, wondering what gall he had to speak to him that way. Both of them bore their teeth to show dominance, but the sandy female stopped it before it went too far. “Now, now Naga. That’s no way to treat someone.” She turned to Aestival with a grin.

“Hello! We would like some bags of grain please.” Her bug-like wings hovered in the way of him and Naga, blocking a possible fight from breaking out. At hearing this, the Mudwing looked around and got a decent sized bag, putting it on the table. “Is this good?” The small dragon looked from under the sandy female’s wings, and her eyes lit up. She jumped up and looked at it with intent, tail wagging like a dragonet fresh out of the egg. “This is perfect!” Without thinking, she grabbed it in her dusty talons and made the motion to put it in her bag, but the larger female stopped her. “Solstice, that isn’t yours and it’s not what we came for.”

Solstice looked at her with an annoyed face. “I don’t see anyone else here saying otherwise. Everglade.” She disappeared while the two argued, Naga shaking his head while grabbing the bridge of his nose with his talons. Aestival felt pretty confused about what to do, or what to say, so in the meantime he sat on the floor and watched the scene unfold. He wasn’t to lie though, it was pretty amusing.