"Dead."

Flavia grunted as her back hit the hard wooden floor with a sword pointed at her chest. She hated sword training, the victor grinned above her and pulled her up after he sheathed his sword. Drake's blue eyes were shining with amusement and pride. She was ready to stomp on them once they started training for archery.

"I don't see why I need swordsmanship," she took off the training armor placing it back on the racks. "I'm an archer, not a swordsman."

"Swordswoman."

"I'm using the general term, Drake." She rolled her eyes and handed her training sword back to the brunette, "Just you wait. I'll beat you in archery and we'll see who is complaining." She opened a door and entered to grab her civvies.

"You need to practice with close-range weapons, not just a bow and arrow."

"I have my daggers."

"That's too close."

"It's a weapon." She grinned coming out of the room with clothes in her hand. "I know how to defend myself."

"Flavia."

"Drake."

"I don't even know why I bother."

"Because I'm your friend," she batted her eyelashes with a grin, "and you lost the bet."

"How was I to know you could shoot from the back of Fawn at her top speed?"

"I'm the best archer in the legion."

Drake crossed his arms and shook his head, "I got to go. Tribetron is calling apparently I'm late for school." He ran out of the training room with a wave leaving Flavia alone.

Sighing she turned to face the mirror to check that she had no injuries. Her brown eyes scanned her features landing on the small cuts on her cheeks, bruises on her shoulders and when she turned around she winced in pain. She'll wake up with a bruise tomorrow on her abdomen.

'My hatchling.'

'I need to shower Fawn.'

'You are going to be late.'

'It's English.' Flavia scoffed as she ran outside, 'All I need is to tell the chapter, foreshadow and all that and I get my 100%'

'One of these days your pride and cockiness will kill you.'

'Not yet.'

'You already missed Science and the first break.'

'What a pity. Not like I already have an A on the class or anything.'

Flavia grinned as she headed to the showers leaving her change of clothing hanging on the hangers. Minutes later she changed into ripped jeans, an olive-colored long sleeved top, and sneakers. Taking a brush, she brushed her short black hair that framed her face. Grinning she placed her brush back into her locker.

'Flavia.'

Flavia began to run she knew that when Fawn used her actual name she was getting impatient and ready to leave her behind. Fawn was waiting for her behind the big, wooden doors one of the many on the mountain. She was slim and slender, her goldish brown scales shined against the sun giving the illusion of a sunset and sunrise all in one. The membrane of her wings was blood red and if the sun hit them just right it would reflect to resemble a sunset with all the shades of red. Her striking ocean blue eyes stared down at her rider with slight amusement and annoyment while Flavia smiled using a wing to climb her. Fawn shook her head causing her silver horns to almost blind her rider who shielded her eyes from the reflected light.

'Ready to go?' Fawn chuckled in her head and she ruffled her leather wings, 'English starts soon, at least don't miss your second class. You and Drake trained longer than usual.'

'Blame Drake. He wouldn't let me get a hit and you know how I am.'

'Of course, I do,' Fawn mused and turned towards the edge of the platform in the mountain, 'I'm you and you are me. We are one just as we are not. And you are my hatchling.'

'One is us. Us is one.' Flavia repeated the motto of the bond as she seated herself on the saddle. 'Let's go. I have an English class to ace, History to sleep through and Math to suffer.'

With no further questions, Fawn plummeted from the platform and opened her wings to catch herself before they hit the crashing waves. With a laugh, Flavia tightened her hold on one of the many smaller horns of her dragon, her sister, her best friend, her other half, her soulmate. Together they flew above the waves high among the clouds, she would never get tired of flying.

The wind against her face.

The whistling sound of speed.

The freedom.

She loved it all.

Too soon for her liking, Fawn flew above her home and Flavia couldn't be happier that Fawn could camouflage. Her scales shimmered and they became white and blue to blend with the sky and the same power went through Flavia. With a sigh, she looked for the secluded spot they would usually use and once she found she didn't need to tell Fawn. They have known each other for years and already knew what the other thought and/or wanted. Twisting herself Fawn headed to the secluded zone and as they got closer Flavia readied herself to jump.

Seeing her target Flavia jumped off the back of Fawn and landed on the branch with ease. Her dragon landed a little farther away and started to clean her scales. Flavia chuckled as she climbed down from where she was and took out her bag from a hidden area in the trunk of the tree. She turned to Fawn with a raised eyebrow before waving goodbye to her companion and ran towards the gates of her school.

'Remember.'

'I know hatchling.' She could feel Fawn lazily moving her tail, 'Don't let anyone see me. If I feel the presence of someone that is not my hatchling I am to leave and head back to Dragon Mountain, after warning you of course.'

Flavia smiled as she entered her class she checked her phone and grinned. She was only ten minutes late, pocketing her phone she adjusted her bag and knocked on the door waiting for her teacher's response. It didn't take long and Flavia entered the class with a smile an excuse already in mind if asked.

"Flavia," her teacher smiled, "thank you for joining. Why are you ten minutes late?"

"Sorry Ms." She gave her best innocent smile, "I overslept."

"Tardy slip?"

She handed the extra slip she always had in hand, "Sorry again Ms."

"No worries," the teacher gave her one last smile and Flavia walked to her assign table.

While on the outside she wore a sheepish smile on the inside she was smirking with pride. The teacher liked her too much to actually punish her no matter how many times she came late. The perks of being her favorite student. She gave a small grin as she took out the materials for the class before turning to face the teacher.

"Can someone answer my question?" She asked the class, "Do I need to repeat it?" Everyone nodded and she sighed, "Who is the beast in Lord of the Flies?" Nobody bothered to raise their hands as everyone turned to face Flavia who had her arm high, "Flavia?"

"Simon is the first one to figure out who and what the beast is." Flavia explained, "Throughout the book, it is shown how the boys slowly start to lose their humanity, an example is Jack who became a savage. The beast is the savagery of humans, which is why Simon yelled that he was the beast. It was a true statement, he was the beast and so is Jack, Ralph, Piggy, and all the other boys. The beast is inside of them, inside of every human, inside of us. The beast is the savagery of humankind when they have no rules to restrain them and let their survival instinct take over to an extent that can no longer be considered humane. So yeah, the beast is the boys which are the who and the what is the savagery."

The teacher smiled, "Wonderful Flavia." Her friend high fived her from across the table, "Who is The Lord of The Flies?" Once more Flavia raised her hand, "Someone who isn't Flavia."

One of her classmates raised their hand, "The beast?"

"That's incorrect Emily. Anyone else?"

Flavia's arm was still raised.

"Isn't it the head of the pig stuck in a spear?"

"Well done Julian," the teacher smiled as the boy's friends high fived him, Flavia brought her hand down with a pout. "Everyone open your computers and do the two quizzes I send, then continue working on your essay. Remember it is due next class. Your homework is to finish the book."

Flavia grinned, 'No homework then.'

'Then you get to mentor the newest riders on flying.' She could practically feel and hear Fawn chuckle at her misfortune.

'But you'll be there with me! And it depends on how much homework I get!'

'No. Nobody goes against a dragon. You and homework? Get ready to work with the young ones.'

'Unless you are their rider! I have math! Math! Remember I have math today!'

'I am not helping the newbie dragons.'

'Too bad.'

'Do not force me, my hatchling.'

'You would never hurt me.'

'Doesn't mean I can't embarrass you.'

'You would never.'

'Try me. You better hope you get a lot of math homework, my hatchling.'

"Flavia?"

She looked up to her friend, "Yes?"

Nalia smiled at her, "You ok? You've been staring at your computer for the past five minutes." Her eyes held an unasked question and Flavia saw it.

"Nothing has happened," she smiled at her blonde friend, "I was just figuring out how to finish my essay."

"Didn't you finish it last week?" Paula asked, her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail and her blue eyes moved to look at her computer.

Fuck.

Even though she didn't project that thought Fawn still got a general idea of it and she chuckled, "I'm editing to make it better."

"You are already going to get a 100."

"You can never be too sure."

"Flavia, the day you get less than a 100 in English will be the day the world ends."

"I've got 30/31 in our last test."

"The day you get two points less than a 100 the world will end."

"You have too much confidence in me."

"I have to since you don't."

"I have confidence in English, Art, and Science."

"But not on Math, History, and PE." Nalia grinned as she continued to type on her computer, her brown eyes switching between the device and Flavia. "So our confidence goes for those subjects." She moved a bit of her red hair that blocked her view.

"Flavia, Nalia, Paula." The teacher materialized in front of them, "Please keep quiet or I'll have to move you."

'More like "I'll have to move Nalia and Paula because you are distracting my star student".' Flavia held back a giggle at Fawn's comment.

Paula nodded and looked back down at her computer, Flavia gave the teacher a smile before apologizing. Once the teacher left to scold the boys who were being too noisy Nalia grumbled that the teacher hated her. Flavia laughed slightly before declining her friend's comment. The class continued on with few turning in their essays Flavia being the first. They left the class, the girls and some boys being polite and saying their thanks and goodbyes to the teacher who smiled at them.

Flavia returned the book she borrowed giving one last thanks before running after her friends. Rushing down the stairs was something she hated to do, but she had to since it was her turn to save a spot in the line for Break. What she hated, even more, was when she tripped she couldn't use her training. After all, it wouldn't be normal for a fifteen-year-old to do a handstand, and land in a defensive position just because she tripped. However, what took the cherry of the things she hates was that she not only tripped but also fell on top of someone.

"Sorry." She murmured as she scrambled to stand up, which caused for the bruise on her abdomen to hurt. She winced in pain but she continues on grabbing her stuff.

"Are you ok?"

She took the book from the extended hand and looked up. "Yeah, I'm fine Julian. Thanks." She smiled looking up at the boy, "Sorry again. I was rushing. Thanks again for the book but I need to go now." With that, she ran towards the line pleased that it wasn't so long. She noticed that Nalia, María, and Paula were already on the line. "It's my turn to save your spots!"

"We know," María grinned her curly brown hair bouncing with her movements, "but we saw you tripped and fall on top of Julian." Her brown eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Don't even think about it." Paula's grin caused Flavia to groan, "No."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I always knew you were meant to be!"

"We don't even talk! And you say that about every guy you decide to ship me with!" Flavia countered as the four friends moved forward on the line, "You can't possibly ship us!"

"Then why is he staring at you?"

Paula's grin widened even more, María held back a giggle and Flavia stared at Nalia who had her eyebrow raised and a smirk.

"What?"

"Turn around, he is staring at you."

Flavia did and her brown eyes met with green. They stared at one another for a while until Flavia turned away and muttered what she wanted to her friends before leaving the line. She left the building that held the small bar and headed to the green area her school had. Groaning she sat down on the base of the lone tree and stared at the direction that held Fawn. She had such a great record of not being shipped as well, it was only a matter of time before the class joined in too.

"I saw them."

She turned at the voice to find Julian staring at the same direction she was.

"What?"

"The marks."

She froze.

Her mind turned blank.

Her heart beat fast.

Her world shattered.

She looked away from the green eyes that were now staring at her and subconsciously she took hold of her sleeves, curling up within herself. She knew what she should do. It was the first thing she was taught when Fawn first took her to the Dragon Mountain near her home. It was the first thing every new Rider is taught first.

Deny. Everything.

And she knew she should follow the training and any other day she would, but she couldn't. Her mouth was dry, her throat hurt. Her eyes burned and she was sure she felt herself sinking into the ground. She wanted to speak and deny it all. She wanted to tell him that they were just sharpie marks from doodling. Oh, how she wanted to lie but she couldn't. She knew she should deny them but her actions would say otherwise. Instead, she said nothing and let her silence confirm the deadly truth. She was a Rider and her marks were seen.

Her marks were seen.

Nothing good comes out of that, she knew.

Her mind ran wild as it formed a plan to keep her alive. To keep her and Fawn alive. Because being caught was not an option.

Being caught meant suffering.

Julian sat down beside her causing her to flinch. The hand she had on the ground fiddle with the grass blades golden sparks emitting out of her fingertips. "You are, aren't you?" More sparks came out of her fingertips as the shape of a dagger kept of appearing and disappearing.

"Are you? Will you?"

"No," he shook his head, "you are as human as I am. You just have... unique features."

She flinched at the wording before grabbing her things, "I–I should go." More sparks and the dagger shape seemed to almost materialize.

"Wait!" Julian stood up going after her and the weapon in her hand disappeared again, "Show me? Your dragon."

"I don't know."

"Show me and I promise I'll keep it a secret!"

Flavia weighted her options. On one hand, nobody might believe him if he told, who would believe that such a smart, well-behaved girl was an evil, stupid and rude Rider? But on the other, they might become suspicious. She always wore long sleeves, never short sleeves. With a sigh, she didn't turn back and simply nodded her head as she headed to her friends who were walking towards her with her holly banana bread.

She knew she had no other choice.

Her mind kept racing.

More sparks came from her fingers.

A dagger almost fully formed.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" She didn't need to turn around to know that her words struck.

We can't get caught, her mind continued to race. Being caught is bad.

Being caught meant death.

'I'm going to kill that human.'

Flavia smiled.

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First chapter is here! I hope you liked it.

Vote, share, and comment.

It doesn't necessarily need to be in that order :)

~Dani