"Hey, you down there!"  Cheetah looked up sharply, and whacked Masai with her tail. 

"Wake up!" She hissed as four SeaWings landed around the two SandWings, bristling dangerously. 

"We aren't here for trouble," Cheetah rushed.  "I just need a few berries."

"Berries?" One of them snorted.  "You flew all the way from the desert for berries?"

"Yes," Cheetah replied.  "Skya berries.  My girlfriend is really sick.  It's Blazing Sickness, if you've heard of that.  I need someone to help me find the berries.  There isn't much time.  Please."

"I'll help," a small, grey-green dragoness answered nervously.  "I've seen those around.  I'll take them to the island where I saw them, let them take some, and see them off."

"We should check with the queen," one of them said.

"For something as small as this?" Masai asked.  "You can all come, too, if need be.  We aren't dangerous."

"Fine.  Jade, take them to the berries.  And no dawdling."  Jade nodded, beckoned to Cheetah and Masai, and took off.  The SandWing exchanged a glance.  Cheetah nodded, and they followed Jade, away from the beach and out to sea.

It was uncomfortable, having nothing but water underneath her, like she couldn't land if she needed to.  Masai must have been nervous about it too, because he soon asked Jade, "how much longer?"

"Not long," Jade replied.  "If you look close, you can see the island in the distance already.  So, what are your names?"

"I'm Cheetah," Cheetah answered.  "That's Masai."  He grinned charmingly at her, and she smiled back shyly. 

"I'm Jade," Jade said, "if you didn't pick that up by now."

"Ha, yes, I assumed," Masai laughed. 

Cheetah sensed something crackling between the two dragons.  Something like lightning, but softer, gentler.  Something that Cheetah wasn't part of, and didn't need to be.  The last time she felt this, it had been much stronger, because it had been coming from her own heart—when she met Ice.  Was love at first sight really possible? 

Cheetah smiled, flying behind them, as they continued talking.  Masai was handsome and charming, so she saw why Jade got all fluttery when he spoke to her.  Not so appealing to Cheetah—she had only one love, and she'd only ever wanted to love a fellow dragoness—but Jade seemed to like him a lot. 

Finally Cheetah thumped down on a sandy beach.  She stared hopefully at every bush in sight, but she saw no specks of blue anywhere.  She whipped to face Jade.  "Where are they?"

Jade smiled, tilting her head toward the sky.  "Look up," she told Cheetah, and Cheetah did.  Bright azure berries studded the trees above, ripe and round.  Cheetah pulled the folded slip of paper from her pouch and glanced at the illustration—it was a perfect match. 

"Three moons, there they are!  Thank you, Jade!" Cheetah cried, bursting into the air and scooping talonfuls into her pouch.  "Ice will be okay!"

If I make it back on time.  If she's still alive. 

"Why don't I go with you?" Jade offered nervously, with a wistful glance at Masai.  "I'd love to get to know you better."

"I'd love that!" Masai exclaimed.  "But... you'll have to ask Cheetah.  This mission is really crucial to her."

Cheetah landed in front of them.  "Sure, you can come," Cheetah said kindly to Jade.  "As long as you don't slow us down."

"Great!  And where exactly are we going?" Jade asked. 

"The Night Kingdom," Cheetah responded.

"The Scorpions?" Masai asked.  Cheetah nodded, unsurprised that he knew about them.  Most SandWings did.

"Scorpions?" Jade puzzled, wrinkling her snout.

"Maybe I'll tell you about it later," Masai said.  "Once we know for certain we can trust you."

The three young dragons exchanged determined glances and launched into the sky.  Cheetah found her wings powering stronger than ever before, back toward the Night Kingdom, back toward Ice.

If she's alive, Cheetah thought fretfully, squinting against the sunset.  Please let her be alive.