Sunlight pierced his eyes. The pink-colored dragonet was lying down in his home cave. The willow ferns provided almost nothing against the sunlight, but the sunlight was a natural light—all of the plants, the animals, the dragons all needed it.

"Ryoto! Come!" The dragonet's mother cried from outside the cave. Tatsuo beckoned to her son as he scrambled out from the cave, his eyes blurry with sleep. She was sitting on the cool stone surface. The lake in front of her was glimmering in front of her. Small phoenixes glided across the surface, their movement a streak of red against the pale purple sky.

Ryoto didn't understand why his mother was out in the morning so early. His mother was a lilac dragon, her light-purple scales flashing. But she still seemed as radiant as ever. In the eyes of a 9-months old dragonet, she was the best mother anyone could ever have. His father, Oto-san — what Ryoto called him, which means 'papa'—was a general in the city, Ecilar. But after the murder of General Gethynth and the great Lord Falkor, no one could ever be trusted. Oto-san always kept them safe from Ecilar's enemies, and every day, after he came back from doing his work, he would wrap his talons around Tatsuo and Ryoto, hugging them tightly.

"Did Oto-san already go to work?" Ryoto asked, snuggling deep into Okaa-san's arms. Hugging Ryoto tightly, Tatsuo whispered, "yes he did, my dārin. He will be back in the afternoon."

Ryoto sighed, wanting to feel Oto-san's talons around him. "Okaa-san, I miss Oto-san." He mumbled, fumbling for his breakfast, which was on the rock in front of them. Juicy dragonberry jam was resting on top of a slice of wheat bread, and Ryoto bit into the sweetness.

As the flavor danced on Ryoto's tongue, Tatsuo sighed and looked at the violet sky. "Ryoto, Oto-san is busy these days. As the new assistant of the new Lord of Ecilar, he is very busy and he has started a new... project. Many dragons don't agree with him. I don't agree with him either." She stared off into the distance, watching the phoenixes glide across the water.

"What project?" Ryoto asked, cramming the whole sandwich into his mouth. Seeing the sadness in Tatsuo's eyes made him more curious than ever. "Why do you look so sad, Okaa-san?" He hugged Tatsuo, squeezing her.

"He's... persecuting dragons." Tatsuo whispered, her eyes watering. "He is targeting a specific type of dragon. They are just like us; they are just normal dragons with a different appearance. They can all mate, have dragonets, live, and die. They are no different from us."

"Why?" Ryoto pressed. He looked around, plucked a dragonberry from its bush, and offered it to Tatsuo. Tatsuo just shook her head no, and sank into the rock bench, her shoulders drooping.

"Sometimes we must fall forward to keep moving. Remain motionless—remain unyielding—and you are as good as dead. Death follows indecision, like a twisted shadow. Fall forward. Keep moving. Even if you must pick yourself up first." Tatsuo whispered, quoting. She stared up at the sky once more, and took a deep breath. "He hates them."

"Why?"

"He is a brave dragon, but it will take a long time for him and the new lord to change their minds." Tatsuo whispered. "But now, Ryoto, let's go on a walk to clear our minds." She stood up from her spot gracefully like the wind. "As swift as the wind, as silent as the forest, as fierce as the fire, as unshakable as the mountain." She floated towards the park, Ryoto at her side.

"Okaa-san..." Ryoto whispered. He suddenly whistled into the air, startling a group of phoenixes. "You know I always know what's happening." He glanced at Tatsuo, and then looked up at the sky again.

A loud screech sounded from the sky, and then a brilliant red and orange phoenix landed on Ryoto's back. He couldn't stop but laugh at Tatsuo's bewilderment. "Okaa-san, meet Kota. Kota, meet Tatsuo, my okaa-san."

Kota flared his wide wings, and dipped his head, one of his talons raised. He let out a low rumble, held the position for a while, and then settled back onto Ryoto's shoulder.

"D-did you train a phoenix?" Tatsuo gaped at the magnificent bird, and then quickly bowed. "Good to meet you, Kota."

Kota sang a short melody, then fluttered his wings. Then he nodded at Ryoto.

"Kota, what's wrong?" Ryoto asked, concern edging his voice. "What is happening in the city right now?" He looked into Kota's amber eyes.

Kota cocked his head and let out a series of musical notes. Ryoto listened carefully. Lunar... Dragons...Hunting... Killed... Lord... Hate... "Is the Lord of Ecilar hunting and killing Lunar Dragons?" Ryoto asked. The phoenix nodded.

Tatsuo sighed. "Unfortunately, the Lord is doing that right now. There is a big conflict in the city now. The other emperors of the other countries are seeing our country as 'stupid'. Kutabare, Lord of Ecilar!"

The silence was awkward. Tatsuo just shook her head. A breeze whistled by.

"Halt! Do not move!" A new voice sounded. Kota reared up, singing warning notes. Tatsuo and Ryoto tensed, ready to take flight. Dragons wearing gold-and-white armor crashed into the clearing, smashing bushes and destroying leaves.

"What is it?" Tatsuo yelled, her voice bouncing. "As the mate of the Great Assistant of Ecilar, I order you to stop and tell me what is happening!" She stomped her talon down, her long whiskers flowing in the wind, jerking with every movement.

The dragons' eyes widened for a moment, and quickly bowed down to Tatsuo. "Our apologies, my sovereign." The head dragon bowed so low that his snout nearly touched the ground. "We thought you were-"

"A Lunar Dragon?" Tatsuo huffed, glaring at the soldiers. "I am not a Lunar Dragon! Why would my Lord ever mate a Lunar Dragon?" Ryoto thought he saw a flash of regret crossing her face, but he pretended not to notice.

"But, my sovereign, you have purple scales-" The head dragon started again.

"Many dragons have purple scales, General Takaya!" Tatsuo demanded. Kato remained seated on Ryoto's back, glaring disapprovingly at Takaya.

General Takaya stuttered. "We are very sorry, my sovereign. We will leave now." He turned and swished his tail, motioning the other dragons to take flight after him. He dipped his head in apology once more, and pushed from the ground.

As the army glided away, Tatsuo sighed. "It is unfortunate for me to have lilac scales." She looked at Kato, and Kato looked back. "In the small land we are standing on, covered in blood, sweat, and tears, is the prison we cannot escape." She sighed and looked into the air. Even the phoenixes cannot escape. Fly across the border, their bodies will disintegrate. And the murders of Lord Falkor and General Gethynth..." She fingered a petal that was floating in the air. "Have possessed complete control of Ecilar. We have to follow them."

Ryoto sighed, but then he remembered the flash of regret on Tatsuo's face. "Okaa-san, are you a Lunar Dragon?"He whispered, the air chilling around them. He saw the color drain from Tatsuo's face, but the color returned to her face fast.

"Ryoto, my dārin, I am not a Lunar Dragon. Why would I ever be?" Tatsuo whispered, squeezing Ryoto's talon. "I just feel uncomfortable mentioning them. Not because I'm racist, but because I feel bad for them."

Kato let out a huff, rubbed against Ryoto's cheek, then took off into the sky. Ryoto watched Kato plummet into the clouds, nothing but a brilliant red streak. He saw a feather slowly drifting down, and when he touched it, he knew it was a gift from Kato. He could use it as a pen.

Tatsuo touched Ryoto's shoulder. "Ryoto. Let's go back."But Ryoto didn't budge. He sat down on the stone bench and stared off into the sky. He could sense something was... wrong.

The sound of dragons approaching startled them. Tatsuo turned around and saw the familiar group of dragons. "General Takaya! I told you that I am not a Lunar Dragon!" Tatsuo barked.

"My sovereign, I am here to bring news from the Assistant of the Lord, also known as your mate!" General Takaya sighed and bowed.

"Well, what news?" Tatsuo mumbled.

"We have to bring you to the Grand Ecilar Castle. The Great Assistant of the Lord of Ecilar requests you to be there. He has a suspicion of you being... Lunar."

"What?" Tatsuo reared up, lashing out her talons. "He would... dare?!" She smashed into the dirt. "Tell him that I am zero percent Lunar! He loved me with all his heart! He wouldn't dare kill me!" Her face flushed with rage.

General Takaya sighed and said, "the Great Assistant requires you to be there, my sovereign." He nodded to the other dragons, and the dragons formed a big square-shaped formation, with some dragons leading and some dragons behind the square. Tatsuo groaned. "He would never do this... Question his mate? No way..."

Ryoto suddenly gasped. "Phoenixes can predict the future!" He whistled again, and Kato the phoenix dived from the skies again, but this time holding a dragonberry. He offered it to Ryoto, and then he cocked his head. Ryoto pointed at Tatsuo, and Kato's eyes fixed on Tatsuo, looking into her eyes.

Then Kato fell.

In a ruffle of feathers, Kato fell to the ground, hitting the ground with a big thump. "Kato!" Ryoto gasped, rushing to the fallen phoenix. Kato whimpered weakly, and shook his head. "You mean Okaa-san?" Ryoto asked the mystical creature. Kato nodded weakly.

Ryoto's mind froze. "No... No no no no no," he gasped, realizing what Kato was trying to say. He gathered the phoenix in his talons, carried him carefully, but when he turned around, Tatsuo was gone. She had gone with the Ecilar army to be questioned.

But her fate couldn't be changed. Ryoto held on to Kato's feathers, and Kato slowly started to move. Kato sang a sad melody, long and pure. The song brought tears to Ryoto's eyes.

Would it be the last time he would ever hug Tatsuo?