Just thinking these words made Quicksand cringe. The one fact she knew with her whole being was DON'T UPSET MORASS! And she lived in fear of these words everyday she lived. 

     At this point she was used to killing dragons, it was her way  and it didn't bother her anymore, for she had been doing this her whole life.  Morass praised her when she was a bloodthirsty warrior. 

     But there were times a long time ago when her opponent was too strong, or she felt bad for them, and she lost on purpose so she wouldn't hurt them or get hurt herself. And those times when her had failed Morass, he would get angry...and... AND... Quicksand stopped her thought process. She had learned since then. She didn't purposely lose anymore. 

     But Dusty was hybrid dragonet. He had so much life left and had such a terrible life. 

 Dusty marched around in a circle. 

     "What's going on!" He hissed. Quicksand tried to ignore him, but she was still filled to the brim with fear for the young ice/sand dragonet. The way his scales glittered in the light, reflecting the sun, he was such a beautiful young dragon. He didn't deserve to die. "SO?" Dusty said after a while, glaring at Quicksand. Quicksand sat her rump down in the sand and narrowed her eyes. She examined her talons as she was sitting, trying to took annoyed at Dusty. 

     "What?" She said with a fake smirk after a few seconds. Dusty put his talons to his temples. 

     "Why aren't you attacking me!?!? Why am I still alive? What was that fight even all about!?" Quicksand tried to keep up her smug look, even though her insides were exploding. You don't understand. Your probably still going to die anyway. Quicksand tried explaining.

    "Well," She said, "That was challenge 1. And I won. Jealous?" She laughed, getting up and shaking out her wings. Dusty still confused. "Don't you get it? Three challenges. That was the challenge of power. But don't calm down just yet, i'm still gonna kill you." Dusty snarled. 

     "Oh, so that whole I'm sooo so sorry for having to kill you, I really don't want to Thing you said a few minutes ago was all a hoax? Wow. I thought someone if all of Pyrrhia cared about me. You just have to go and rub it in my face. great." Quicksand cringed.   I do care, Dusty! .....just... well, I'm pretty sure I care...... Quicksand tried not to look at him. I'm considering not killing you, and that's an achievement for you. 

     "Just focus on the game, 'All-mighty Dusty'" Quicksand sneered, fake annoyance  and emotion smeared all over her face. "Who gave you that stupid nickname anyway? Ha." SandWings came in from all corners of the gaming arena, moving in objects in and out of the area. 

     Quicksand took this moment to spy the things around her. What the gaming arena looked like. She stood on the large, flat, circular arena with a ring of wooden seats behind a silver metal fence. Behind her was the large entrance stage with a red curtain, where she had entered. Above that was the booth where Morass always stayed, watching and announcing the games. directly across from that was the "fight cellar", where Dusty had came from to start the battle. 

     Quicksand stretched her wings and neck, stealing a glance at a confused Dusty. The Sandwings finished putting up all the equipment for the next trial. Then Morass spoke up again.

     "The trial of agility is easy!" Shouted Morass. "The two competitors will jump around this course, finding the Bronze, silver and gold stones from about this arena! each is worth different points. Whoever has the most points as the end? Wins!" The audience shrieked with joy. Dusty grumbled. "Oh, and one more thing," Said Morass. "There wings? Clamped!" 

      A face of pure rage and confusion went onto Dusty. He growled and hissed at the workers applying the clamps to his wings. He struggled, and it was a long process, but eventually finished with a clamped, enraged Dusty.  

    Hidden, somewhere deep with Dusty, she could see the scared dragonet inside of him. She saw if though those obsidian black eyes. Behind all that fear and sorrow, was a dragon scared for his life. 

For a reason that he couldn't control.