Sei lead Arrow to an empty table and sat down across from him.  Lit candle chandeliers cast a soft glow upon the room.  In one corner a RainWing, her scales amber and gold to match the setting of the room, was playing a harp.  Everyone there was dressed up, covered in glittering jewelry.  It made Sei feel dull and boring. 

"Way too fancy," Arrow grumbled uncomfortably.

"Oh, stop complaining," Sei scolded, spreading her wings.  "This is great.  Just try to enjoy it.  Please?"

"Whatever," he sighed, but cast her a small smile. 

"Hello, folks," greeted a scrawny SkyWing, approaching their table.  "You two here on a date?"

Sei blushed, and Arrow shot the waiter a withering glare.  "No, no," Sei rushed, "we're just friends."

"Ah," the SkyWing said, sidling away from Arrow's scowl.  "Apologies.  What can I get for you?"

"Hmm."  Sei squinted at the menu.  "Can I have... ooh, the salmon melt looks good."  She licked her lips.

"Certainly, miss," the SkyWing said respectfully.  "And you, sir?"

Arrow frowned at his own menu.  "Something cooked," he said after a moment.  "And inexpensive.  Whatever's the most inexpensive cooked meat you have."

"Arrow, I have plenty of gold," Sei told him quietly. 

"Which you should be using for you," he responded, "you deserve all the good things."

"Aww," Sei cooed.  "But so do you."

He ignored her, looking back at the waiter.  "Inexpensive meat, please."  The waiter took their menus, bowed, and shuffled away, looking happy to get away from Arrow.  Sei waved cheerfully.

Before their food got there, a familiar voice startled her.  "Sei?" Currasow asked, suddenly in front of them.  "What are... what are you doing here?  With him?"

"You got a problem with me, RainWing?" Arrow asked, glaring. 

"Arrow, quit that," Sei hissed.  "I'm just eating dinner.  With my friend."

"Oh," Currasow said.  "Can I talk to you?  Alone?"  She knew it wasn't a question.  Dread swelling in her chest, she nodded and stepped away from the table.

"Stay here," Sei said, nodding at Arrow.  "I'll be right back."

Arrow glared suspiciously at Currasow but didn't get up to follow them.  Currasow lead Sei outside, back into an alley behind the restaurant. 

"What's up?" Sei asked casually, praying her voice wouldn't shake.

Currasow frowned, his tail flicking back and forth.  "I don't want you hanging out with that hybrid anymore."

"A-Arrow?" Sei cried.  "What?  But he's my best friend!  He's always been my best friend!"

"If I say not to see him anymore, you won't," Currasow snarled, suddenly looking a lot bigger.  "The last thing I want is for you to leave me for him."

"W-we're just friends!" Sei insisted, though her traitorous mind twinged.  "I promise I won't—"

He whacked her over the head with his wing, and she fell with a frightened cry. 

"I've had enough of you talking back!" Currasow roared, kicking her in the chest.  She coughed and wheezed, trying to drag herself away from him.  He dug his talons into her tail and yanked her back toward him, hitting her hard in the face with the back of his talon.  Tears of pain sprang into her eyes.

"Stop!" She cried.  "Currasow, please!"  In the haze of fear and pain, her mind found Arrow, who would never hurt her or tell her what to do or yell at her. 

She realized how much she loved him. 

Currasow heaved Sei up and smashed her back into a wall.  Her talons scrabbled uselessly against his scales—she'd always been a bad fighter.  She didn't think that would really matter, growing up in a peaceful city like Unity. 

But there were awful dragons everywhere.

There was a flash of blue and red, and Currasow was thrown away from her.  Sei cried out in shock and looked after him.

On top of Currasow, clawing viciously at his scales, was Arrow.