A Lost Story

by SummerSunLucky

Summary:

The lost story of Qibli's father, that only Cobra could tell fully. The main reason she hated Qibli...

Chapter 1: A Lost Story

Cobra glanced around the market of the Scorpion Den. She needed parts to finish building the landmines for her Father's Compound. Vulture, her father, was the most powerful Crime Lord in Phyrria, who would be in full control of this town if it weren't thanks to those do-gooder Outlaws led by Thorn, making business harder for her father. And so, to help keep them from turning up at the front gates of his compound, he ordered her to start building landmines in order to give them a nice surprise next time they decided to come around.

Someone ran into her, bringing her out of her thoughts to glare dangerously at the dragon responsible. “Sorry!” the SandWing said, giving her an awkward smile as his wings fluttered nervously. She frowned. “Mind where you walk,” she said gruffly, pushing past him. Little did she know, this wouldn't be the last time she'd see him. Every time she left the Compound, she'd run into him or he ran into her (on purpose). And then he would talk to her. Normally, it would annoy Cobra to the point of wanting to rip his head clean off, but for some reason, she didn't feel that way when it was him. He had these strange freckles all over his snout, and in the darkest depths of her mind, she found them cute. By now, Cobra had gotten fond of him; he was so precious, far too much for this horrible place. If Cobra brought him back to her father, surely he'd have to agree to it. He did say he wanted heirs, a perfect heir, just like him—male, which is why she wasn't his heir. It was frustrating, but she never questioned her father, always doing as he said. Now, though, she might defy him... if only once.

She counted every single time she ran into Sage—three hundred and forty-eight times. It was definitely time to bring him back to the compound. Her father would have to deal with it. And if he killed her... well, it would be worth it if Sage lived. But Sage was safe with her, an assassin with a powerful and dangerous Crime Lord father who made her the powerful assassin she was and could very well be a threat to Sage.

Cobra spotted him, exactly where he always was, in the back west corner of the market, waiting for her. He was so cute, he was so excited he couldn't keep himself still just waiting for her. Cobra had never thought she'd be one to find love, but here she was, walking over to a dragon who'd become her whole world. He was significantly smaller than her and probably couldn't harm a fly. She could care less about that; her father, on the other hand... she shook her wings out, shaking off that thought along with it.

As Cobra approached, Sage immediately bounded into her arms, wrapping his arms around her neck. She let a tiny smile creep onto her snout for a moment.

"I want you to come back to the Compound with me.”
"Oh," Sage said, eyes wide, "I wasn't expecting that, but alright..." He giggled, his eyes scrunching up in that cute way they always did when he laughed. As he let go of her, he grinned up at her. He was happy because of her; now, who had Cobra ever made happy? She looked down at him, her gaze softening a tiny bit. “Come on,” she said, beckoning for him to follow. “Let's go.” She turned and walked away through the bustling market, ignoring the salesmen calling out to her.

The walk back to the compound was silent, Sage staying glued to her side. She made sure to tell him to only follow in her talon steps, avoiding the secret landmines hidden about the outside of the walls of the Compound. Several dark-cloaked dragons watched atop that wall as she led Sage inside, eerily silent as always, but Cobra paid them no mind, being used to it. But all of the cloaked dragons wondered the same thing: what could Cobra possibly be doing with a small SandWing in tow? Who looked so... pathetic? Sage stayed huddled beneath one of her wings, shooting quick nervous glances at their silent dragons watching them as they entered the Compound. Her father emerged from the shadows of the hallway, his dark eyes staring straight at Sage as he noticed Sage clinging to Cobra like a lost dragonet.

"What have we here?" he asked, a sly smirk creeping up his snout. "A lost weakling looking for a new home?” Cobra's eyes narrowed, her tail lashing. "Father, this is Sage. He's going to be staying here, with me.” Vulture chuckled at his daughter, looking over her. Cobra heard Sage whimper, pressing himself as close as he could to her.

"You're lucky I need a proper heir…” Her tail twitched agitatedly behind her as she maintained her mask of stockiness. Her father tilted his head, giving Sage a toothy grin, and for some reason, that grin sent shivers down her spine. Finally, his gaze moved from Sage to Cobra.

“Very well, as long as he doesn't plan to cause any trouble, he may stay.” Vulture then slithered away. Maybe Cobra was imagining it, but it felt as if he'd left two words out of that sentence… "For now." she thought to herself. No, she thought at her father, as if he could hear her. You will never lay even a claw on him. Not as long as I'm here…

"Come on, Sage, let's get you settled in." She led him deeper into the Compound to her quarters. She ushered Sage into her spacious quarters with her wings. The large room was adorned with dark furniture and red drapes; one side was lined with weapon racks. A bunch of cabinets on the other side held all of her deadly poisons. Cobra turned back and closed the door behind them with a firm click.

"Well, here we are.” Sage finally lifted his head from her neck, opening his eyes and looking around. He was trembling a little. She wrapped a wing around him, pulling him into the curve of her chest. "My father won't hurt you, as long as I'm here," Cobra reassured him, her voice both reassuring and withholding a dangerous promise. He let out a shuddering sigh. She held him for a long moment, feeling his heart pounding in against her chest as she listened to his breathing slow. Once he seemed calm, she gently pulled back, looking him over.

"I'm going to go get you something to eat. Stay here and rest, okay?” She started to back away, heading for the door, but he grabbed her arm before she could reach it.

"No!" Sage cried, flushing, embarrassed about how truly scared he was of being alone here. "I–I mean, can't I just come with you?" He looked away from her, wings drooping. Cobra frowned a little before nodding slowly.

"I don't see why not." She felt him twine his tail with hers, and for now, she let him. "Let's go then." She tipped her head towards the door, slipping out of his arms.

Chapter 2: A Lost Story

Sage had a bad feeling about this place. Okay, who wouldn't? He wasn't stupid enough to miss that this was obviously a Compound run by the most powerful crime lord Phyrria had ever seen. And he had waltzed right in, but it was only now, three months later, that the possibility of never walking back out alive hit him. Vulture was terrifying—actually, everyone here was—but especially him. Sage had thought about convincing Cobra to leave with him, but she seemed too loyal and dedicated to her work—and her father—to consider it. Besides, nothing bad had happened to Sage, yet at least. And he was sure if Cobra thought it wasn't safe for him, surely she would eventually agree on living with him. But he just had this gnawing feeling earring away at him. He just couldn't tell what Vulture was thinking. Whether he tolerated Sage… or if he'd been planning his demise since the first time they locked eyes.

He rubbed his temple. ‘There’s no use worrying…’ he tried reassuring himself. ‘Cobra will know if it isn’t safe here, won't she?’ His talons slowly left his temple, falling down to touch the stone beneath him. His tail carefully curled around them. ‘What could I do to distract myself?’ He thought, glancing around Cobra's room. He decided against messing with her things; he wasn't the type to invade her space. He didn't know what any of the poisons in that cabinet could do, and he preferred not to find out.

He scraped his claws around the stone beneath his talons, wondering when she'd be back. Even if Cobra wasn't big on romance, Sage was sure she loved him. He had never seen her smile genuinely at anyone else—just him, even if it was a small smile. The thought of her small smiles made him smile; he loved making other dragons happy. Especially with his jokes, he'd even managed to make Cobra laugh once. Surely no dragon had ever done that!

He straightened up, feeling a little more at ease, knowing surely she'd tell him if something was wrong. She'd only been gone seven minutes and twenty-four seconds, but that was seven minutes and twenty-four seconds too long for Sage. He huffed. Being patient wasn't exactly his thing, neither was being around scary, hostile dragons all the time. He sat down again in the middle of the room, staring at the door to Cobra's room, wanting her to open it and come inside right then, just so he wouldn't feel as worried. But no, the door didn't open, and Cobra was not there. He groaned, flopping down on her bed that she barely even slept in. He stretched a little before curling up, deciding that napping would be the best way to pass time…

———

 

A soft click brought Sage out of his slumber. He shot up immediately, trying to stay still so he didn't suddenly spring on her in his excitement to see her. Knowing she wasn't a fan of that. Her eyes met his briefly before she walked over to store a small bag in her poison cabinet—likely a new poison, he assumed.

"What took ya so long?" He asked, his tone playful, flopping onto his back and looking at her. She gave him one of those tiny (and only for him) smiles, but it quickly vanished. "Eh, got held up by an aggressive salesman, that's all."

He laughed lightly, tilting his head at the thought. "An aggressive salesman, huh? Sounds like fun." He sat up, his tail curled in, keeping his barb away from her scales. "Lemme guess, you very kindly threatened him with one of your disgustingly detailed threats."

"Should have, would've enjoyed the look on his face."

"Still, that would've been hilarious." He stretched his wings, hopping off her bed and walking over to her. "You know... sometimes I wonder if you ever actually go through with your threats."

She lifted her brows a little at his question. "Would you like to find out?"

His eyes widened a little at her suggestive and slight threatening tone, and he gave a nervous laugh, mentally scrambling. Clearly, teasing the dragon renowned for her venomous wit hadn't been his brightest idea. "Uh, no thanks. I quite prefer my scales attached, you know?"

"Ha!" She barked a laugh, nudging his wing with hers, which she never did. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face at the physical contact, feeling like he really wanted to hug her but knowing he shouldn't. "I'm glad you find my impending doom so amusing, but seriously, thanks for not actually, uh, murdering me."

She rolled her eyes at him. "For now,"

Sage giggled, he was maybe sixty-five percent sure she was joking. "Well, at least I get to live for now.”

He sneaked a little closer, cheekily poking her shoulder. Cobra hummed at that, hooking a blanket with her tail and pulling it over his head, it fell in front of his eyes, blocking his view. He laughed, struggling to get it off. "Hey, what the—! Cobra, let me see!" He tried to pull the blanket off, but she just tugged it back over his horns.

He managed to finally wrangle himself out of the red blanket, stamping on it with one of his back talons. He stuck his tongue out at her, mimicking a mock scowl. "Real mature."

"I don't want to hear about being 'mature' from you, Sage."

He gasped dramatically, his eyes wide. "Hey! I am perfectly mature! I just happen to appreciate good fun."

He stuck his forked tongue back out at her again, playfully swatting at her. "And you're one to talk, Ms. 'I'll rip your ears off and force feed them to you if you so much as look at me funny!'"

"Hm, maybe I should write that one down," She said thoughtfully, tapping her chin.

"Go ahead, add it to your list of disgusting atrocities. Then what’ll you add? 'I'll skin you alive and wear your hide as a rug'?" He recited mockingly, trying to suppress a laugh.

She chuckled darkly. "Keep giving me more ideas, I'll only write them down for later uses."

Sage laughed nervously. He hadn’t meant to give her ideas for her next target's demise. He held up his talons in a placating gesture. "Okay, okay, maybe let's not be too terribly gruesome on victims? Just to be a little kind?"

She tilted her head at him, studying him for a moment before raising her head again. "So," She started, her forked tongue flicking out, "Now you realize maybe it's not the smartest to give an assassin ideas on how to kill targets." She teased, smirking a little as he glared at her, his tail twitching a little in annoyance.

"Oh, yes, because you're the epitome of wit and cleverness."

"Oh, mad now, are we?" She teased once more, her sharp white teeth gleaming.

As she walked past him and his grumpiness, she purposely bumped into him, knocking him over. His wings flailed out as he yelped in surprise. He tried to maintain his balance but ultimately failed, landing with a thud on his side.

He huffed up at her, dusting off some imaginary dirt from his scales. "Wow! Really very kind of you!" He sputtered indignantly, climbing back to his feet with exaggerated slowness, as if daring her to interrupt him again. "I ought to retaliate somehow..."

"Oh, and how would you do that, Tiny?" Cobra teased him, turning her back to him as she placed a dagger from her satchel back on her weapon rack.

He clutched his chest “Now, who are you calling Tiny!?”

His dramaticness caused her to scrunch up her snout in an attempt to not laugh. Sage blinked, momentarily stunned by the sight of Cobra trying not to laugh. It was rare, and he was the first and only dragon to witness it.

He erupted into giggles himself, covering his snout with his talons.

"Quite the intimidating figure you are." Her brows scrunched up with a smile still on her face.

"Ah yes, bow before me, you peasant."

"Okay, okay, Drama Queen," she rolled her eyes, nudging his arm with her elbow.

He pretended to stagger back under her light nudge, dramatically clutching his arm. "You wound me, Cobra! You wound my pride!"

"Okay, shut up," she said, rolling her eyes—something she did often, especially when he acted like this.

He dramatically collapsed, clutching his heart and looking up at her with wounded eyes. "Curse you, you've slain me with thy indifference!” He looked back up at her slyly. "But alas, I am immortal."

She snorted, making him look at her. "I believe I've said like fifty times that that's enough. Now why don't you try sleeping, so you'll be silent?"

She gestured to her bed, looking from him to the bed. Noticing the way he playfully narrowed his eyes at her, she groaned. She frowned at him for a long moment before finally relenting. "FINE. For five minutes, I will let you snuggle me—just five minutes."

He grinned. "Now that wasn't so hard, now was it?" He entwined his tail with hers, waiting for her to get comfortable in her bed before doing so himself. "And five minutes, you say?" He whispered against her chest, laying one wing over the both of them. "Who's counting anyway?"

Notes:

I feel like this looks alright so far? I'm making Sage a lot like Qibli, being charming and humorous and light hearted. Showing how their related. But I would like for ideas on how to make any of this story better! :D

Chapter 3: A Lost Story

(One Year Later)

Sage had always wanted to be a father; he loved dragonets. He had always dreamed of big, excited eyes looking up at him, little talons outstretched for him to scoop them up. Finally, that wish had come true. But there was a problem: Cobra didn't want eggs. She hated dragonets, thought they were just another problem underfoot.

They had fought about it—about her keeping the eggs instead of smashing them once they hatched.

“Cobra, please! I’ll take care of them. You won’t have to worry about them ever being in the way!” Sage had begged. He was starting to sound desperate because he was. The thought of staring at broken eggshells instead of happy, squeaking dragonets was unbearable.

Cobra narrowed her eyes at him. He tried not to shiver under her intense gaze. He wouldn’t waver, no matter what she did. He wouldn’t let her take his dragonets away.

“Fine,” she spat, jabbing a talon at him. “But you keep them outta my way, got it?”

He nodded, shrinking back. In the back of his mind, a doubtful voice whispered that they might have made a mistake falling for this dragon. What if she snapped and tried to kill him or something? No matter how hard he fought, he would lose. He silently cursed his body, wishing he was bigger and stronger than her. Maybe then his opinions would matter more—because he’d be more.

“MOMMY!”

His heart dropped as he whirled to see Rattlesnake tugging and biting at Cobra's tail, trying to get her attention. Panic set in as he bolted over, prying the dragonet away just as Cobra had had enough. Sage backed up, clutching Rattlesnake to his chest.

“LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU LITTLE RAT!” she roared, baring her teeth.

Rattlesnake started crying. Sage frantically tried to calm her while keeping Sirocco hidden behind him in case Cobra decided to get physical.

“CONTROL THEM! THAT’S THE ONE THING YOU PROMISED!” Cobra’s tail lashed, and her wings flared. Every muscle in Sage’s body screamed for him to run. But how could he even make it to their bedroom before her claws caught him?

“IT WAS ONE TIME!” he roared back, desperate to defend himself.

He wasn’t expecting her to lift her arm and strike him across the snout, leaving a deep claw mark along the side of his face.

He froze, breathing hard. This had to be a nightmare. This wasn’t happening. Cobra had never hurt him physically before. She wouldn’t...

“Don’t you talk to me like that,” she hissed, low and dangerous.

Behind him, both dragonets were crying, their tiny claws digging into his scales. Cobra snarled at their whimpers, rolling her eyes.

“Shut them up!”

Sage tried, but the poor little babies were too scared and upset. He saw Cobra raise her talon again and bolted, rushing both dragonets into their bedroom and slamming the door shut behind him. He locked it with shaking claws.

“Shhh, it’s okay, don’t cry, come on...” He ushered them into the closet, deciding it was the safest place for them. “No, stay. I’m gonna go calm Mama down. Stay here with your brother.”

He whispered softly, pushing Rattlesnake back down when she tried to cling to his arm. “Don’t come out until I come get you, okay?”

Rattlesnake sniffled, her big, tear-filled eyes breaking his heart. He hated leaving them in the dark without him, but this was the best way to protect them. He closed the closet door behind them, hoping it would muffle most of the noise.

Suddenly, the bedroom door snapped off its hinges and crashed to the ground.

Sage knew he was in for it now.

Cobra stormed in, her eyes wild with rage and her teeth bared.

“Cobra, leave them out of this. It was my fault!” he begged, blocking the way to the closet.

“Move, Sage. I’m sick of those little rats! I’m going to dispose of them properly—like I should’ve done when they were just eggs!”

She shoved him aside, but he flared his wings, smacking her in the face.

She snarled, turning on him with claws outstretched. Her slashing talons tore through his left wing.

He hissed, staring in horror at the fresh tears in his wings.

“COBRA, PLEASE!” he screamed, his voice cracking with desperation.

She had already torn open the closet door. Sage rammed into her, clawing at her scales and hitting her with his wings.

“PLEASE!” he shrieked, his voice almost unrecognizable as he heard one of his babies wail in pain.

He clawed and bit at her until she threw him off her back. He hit the floor hard, watching in horror as she kicked the closet door, nearly splitting it in half.

He curled into himself. What had happened? She’d been angry with him before, but never like this. Never with that look in her eyes.

“You say it’s your fault, huh?”

Her voice was low and dangerous, trembling with restrained rage.

“Y–yes,” he stammered. It was his fault. No matter what she did to him, it was his fault.

Notes:

Woah, rly late update also yes, I made Cobra abusive because she actually quite literally is, but it's even worse here. Baby Rattlesnake and Sirocco are innocent rn so no hate on the babies (until they hurt baby Qibli >:[)

Chapter 4: A Lost Story

Sage waited until he heard the slam of the entryway door before he pulled himself up. His limbs were bruised, and his scales were torn. Would Cobra come back later and regret what she did? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t understand her anymore—not like he thought he had. She’d been serious and intimidating from the day he met her, but he’d seen her crack. He’d seen her smile at him and let him snuggle up against her. Maybe after almost two years of knowing her, she’d just changed that much. Or maybe it was the environment—or the day he begged her not to smash their eggs.

Her softer side had become almost rare. He’d been trying so hard to keep her happy while also keeping his precious little babies out of her way. But all it took was one slip-up, and she tried to kill them. He’d been lucky she had settled for taking it out on him. If he had to walk into that closet and see his tiny, innocent dragonets with bloody, torn limbs… he would’ve died right then and there just from the sight and overwhelming amount of loss.

He stayed on the floor for a moment longer, his body screaming in protest with every slight movement. His limbs felt stiff, his wings trembling from the effort of folding against his back. His sides ached from where her talons had struck him, and some of his scales had been torn away completely. He let out a slow breath, steadying himself before forcing his sore body to move.

He slipped down the cramped hallway as quietly as he could, poking his head into his dragonets’ room. A sick sense of dread ate away at his stomach. What if she’d gone in there? What if she had strangled them while he'd been too weak to think, making their deaths silent?

Then, finally, he heard it. Tiny sniffles. Scared, hiccuping squeaks.

Weak with relief, he exhaled shakily and stepped inside.

“Hey,” he said softly, quickly moving into the closet, ignoring the bolts of pain that shot through his body as he moved too quickly.

A pair of wide, terrified eyes peered up at him from the darkness.

Rattlesnake hesitated for a moment, her little body trembling. Then, slowly, she wobbled forward, her steps unsure. Sirocco was right behind her, clutching her tail as if afraid to let go.

“D–Dab–Dabby!” Sirocco cried as Sage encircled his wings around them, pulling them close to the safety and warmth of his scales.

“Shh, you’re alright. I’m okay.”

His poor, tiny little dragonets. He prayed to the Moons above that they hadn’t seen what Cobra had done to him or heard his cries of pain.

He hoped that if his dragonets ever fell in love one day, they wouldn’t end up like him. But alas, love was blind, and he couldn’t not love her with a snap of his talons.

Maybe it was his fault. She had so much on her shoulders; maybe it had made her a ticking time bomb, bound to explode and destroy. Maybe Rattlesnake annoying her had finally driven her over the edge.

He gently nudged Sirocco and Rattlesnake forward with his wings, guiding them out of the closet and toward the tiny bed they shared in their cramped bedroom.

“Stays? Wif me’s?” Rattlesnake asked, her voice shaky. She tugged on his arm with soft, tiny talons.

Her brother was hugging his other arm, nuzzling his snout into his scales with big, tearful eyes.

“I will,” he answered quietly, being careful as he lay down, not wanting to accidentally squash them or knock them off the bed that barely fit him.

Sirocco let out several squeaks, aggressively snuggling into his chest. Sage gritted his teeth as the baby accidentally hit a particularly nasty claw mark.

“…Mama mad ats me’s?” Whispered Rattlesnake, nudging his much bigger, freckled snout with her own.

He wasn’t sure how to answer her. Would it be good to lie? Or would it be better if he told her the truth…?

“Mama is… she’s really tired and stressed all the time. She’s not… she just needs some alone time sometimes.” He decided on a half-truth, assuming that stress was the reason for Cobra’s violent outburst.

“Oh… she hurted you, Dada?”

He winced at that question. How was someone so little so observant?

“She didn’t mean to.”

Rattlesnake tilted her head curiously at him. “Weally?”

“Really.”

She stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to make sense of his words. Then, slowly, she curled up below his chin, her tiny body warm against his own.

Sirocco, still sniffling, let out a soft hiccup and nuzzled deeper into Sage’s chest.

Sage rested his chin over them both, shielding them with his wings. He listened to their slow, sleepy breaths, the occasional twitch of their tails against him. They were so small. So innocent. They didn’t deserve this.

He tightened his wings around them protectively.

One day, he would get them out of here.

Notes:

Father and babies bonding time>>>>>>

Chapter 5: A Lost Story

(Ten Months Later)

“No, no, no, oh moons, what do I do? What do I do?” Sage whispered to himself panickedly.

Cobra had another egg. Again.

There was no way he’d be able to convince her not to smash this one. He felt tears welling in his eyes from the helplessness and frustration of this whole situation. Sirocco and Rattlesnake, despite being so young, had learned quickly to stay out of their mother’s path—to avoid a repeat of Cobra’s first… outburst.

He wiped his tears. Crying like a wimp would do nothing for his baby. Finding a way to convince Cobra to keep it would. But how? He’d barely managed to convince her the first time, and after one little slip-up, she’d nearly finished the job.

But he would let her take it out on him, tear him down and step on him. Whatever it took for his dragonets.

He hated this feeling. He was starting to hyperventilate. No, no, no! Having a panic attack was the last thing he needed right now. He was lucky Cobra was on a mission today; she’d probably scream at him if she caught him pacing and behaving in such a way.

Sirocco and Rattlesnake were playing in their room. Their squeals and playful growls helped to calm him down enough to slow his pacing.

Would he ever get to hear his unborn baby’s squeals? Their tiny talons making soft thuds against the floor. Tiny wings, tiny everything. An innocent little face, much like his own, watching him in wonder—like he was the most amazing thing they’d ever seen.

He couldn’t lose that. He couldn’t.

“Oh, my poor baby…”

He swallowed hard, fighting the tears for as long as he could before they spilled over his eyelids and ran down his snout.

Why was love so hard?

Was it supposed to hurt this much?

He loved Cobra. He knew he did.

But how she’d been acting… he hated it.

Sometimes, he questioned if loving her was worth it. It put his dragonets in danger. And himself.

Bang.

The door swung open before he could even take another breath. A blast of dry, stale air filled the room as Cobra stepped inside, her golden eyes narrowed, her dark red scales caked with dust. She hadn’t even bothered to remove her travel cloak. That wasn’t a good sign.

Her gaze locked onto him immediately. “Why do you look like that?”

Sage barely managed to swallow down his panic. “Like what?”

“Like a lost scavenger about to get eaten.” Cobra shut the door harder than necessary. “What’s wrong?”

Sage hesitated. He couldn’t lie. Cobra could always tell. But if he told the truth—

Her tail flicked, and she exhaled through her nose, puffing out some smoke.

“You’re not still thinking about the egg, are you?” she asked, her voice dry.

His claws curled against the floor.

She knew. Of course she knew.

She just… didn’t care.

Not enough to deal with it right away. Not enough to destroy it immediately.

But now that she was home—

Sage’s heart pounded.

Cobra stretched her wings slightly, rolling her shoulders. “It’s been a long trip. I’ll get rid of it tomorrow. It’s not like it’s going anywhere.”

Sage’s breath caught.

Tomorrow.

She was putting it off. Not because she was having second thoughts—because it was too much effort right now.

She would wake up tomorrow and smash it like it was nothing.

Sage felt sick.

She turned toward the small wooden chest in the corner—the one where he’d hidden the egg. Not because he thought she wouldn’t find it. But because, deep down, some desperate, foolish part of him had hoped that maybe, just maybe, she would look at it and hesitate.

That part of him was an idiot.

Cobra’s claws scraped lazily against the floor as she took a step toward the chest.

Sage’s instincts screamed.

He moved without thinking, stepping in front of her. “Cobra, wait.”

She stopped.

Not because he told her to. Because he was in her way.

Slowly, she tilted her head.

“…Move.”

Sage’s claws trembled. “Just—just listen to me first.”

Cobra’s tail flicked again. “Sage.”

He couldn’t let her do this.

He saw the moment her patience snapped.

A claw shot out—fast—grabbing his shoulder and shoving him aside. He stumbled, nearly falling. Before he could stop her, Cobra reached the chest and ripped it open—

And stared at the egg.

She exhaled sharply, like she’d just remembered it existed.

Then—she sighed.

“Sage, we talked about this.”

“No, you talked,” he said hoarsely. “You never listen.”

Cobra’s expression barely flickered. “Because you say the same thing every time.”

She lifted a claw—too casual, too detached—and Sage’s vision blurred.

She was going to do it. Now.

Before she could, he lunged forward, grabbing the egg and pulling it close to his chest.

Her tail lashed. “Sage.”

“No,” he gasped, stepping back. “Please.”

Cobra stared at him.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then—her eyes darkened.

“You’re making this a bigger deal than it is.”

Sage’s claws tightened around the egg. “It is a big deal. It’s our baby.”

Cobra exhaled, like she was losing patience with a stubborn dragonet, which maybe in a way she was. “We don’t need another one.”

Sage’s breathing turned shaky. “You mean you don’t.”

Cobra’s tail rattled against the floor.

Then—she took a step forward.

Sage backed up.

Another step. Another. His back hit the wall.

She loomed over him.

“…Give it to me, Sage.”

His whole body was trembling.

She wasn’t asking.

For the first time, he saw it—the truth.

She wasn’t going to change. She didn’t care about him. Or their dragonets. Or anything that wasn’t her.

She never had.

Something inside him broke.

Notes:

Y'all are not prepared for the chapter after this one, trust.

Chapter 6: A Lost Story

“No…” Sage whispered, his claws tightening around the egg. “I won’t let you.”

Cobra’s eyes narrowed, her claws digging into the floor as she took a slow, menacing step forward.

Despite the tremble in his limbs, he stood his ground, pressing his wings tightly against his back. He kept the egg close to his chest, shielding it as best as he could.

“What did you say?” she hissed quietly, her voice dangerously low. She moved closer, forcing him to back up until his spine was pressed against the cold wall.

“I said no.” His voice was stronger this time. “I won’t let you smash this egg.”

Cobra tilted her head slightly, her slitted pupils sharpening as if calculating something. A slow smirk crawled onto her face, but there was no humor in it. “It’s either that egg,” she purred, “or the little rats you already have.”

Sage felt his stomach drop. His wings flinched against the wall, his grip on the egg tightening instinctively.

“NEITHER!” The word ripped from him before he could stop it. His throat burned with desperation.

Cobra’s expression immediately darkened.

“You dare raise your voice at me?” she growled, her barbed tail twitching. She took another step forward, her claws clicking against the floor.

Sage’s chest heaved. “Cobra, wait! Please—” He edged away as far as he could, his heart pounding so hard it drowned out all other sounds. She wasn’t like this before. He remembered the way she used to touch him—used to smile at him. What had changed? When had her love turned into this?

Why couldn’t she love him and their dragonets?

“I’m giving you a pretty simple choice.” Cobra spread her wings wide, casting a looming shadow over him. “Which ones will you hear scream?” Her teeth gleamed as she tilted her head mockingly. “Not that egg.”

Sage choked on a breath. His claws trembled around the egg, his vision blurred with tears.

“There’s a baby inside,” he whispered hoarsely. “A helpless baby. Our baby.” His voice broke. “Why can’t you love them? What did they do wrong?” His chest ached with grief. He looked at her, pleading, his voice cracking. “Why can’t you love me?”

For the first time, Cobra hesitated.

Her wings remained spread, still blocking his escape, but she didn’t move any closer. Her expression was unreadable, her gaze locked onto his as if searching for something.

Sage saw his chance. He swallowed down the sob in his throat and tried to steady his breathing. “I’ll leave,” he whispered. “If that’s what you want. I’ll take the dragonets and this egg and we’ll go. You’ll never have to deal with us again.”

Cobra’s expression twisted into a scowl. She curled her barbed tail inward, her claws flexing. Sage could tell that she was considering it—that she was imagining a life where he and their dragonets no longer existed in her world.

For a moment, hope flared in his chest.

Then—

“No.”

The word shattered him.

His breath caught, his talons pressing harder against the smooth shell of the egg.

“Then I’ll run away,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll take them, and I’ll run, and you’ll never find us.”

Cobra’s wings twitched. There was a long silence, her tail flicking behind her.

“...FINE!” she suddenly roared, making Sage flinch. “KEEP YOUR STUPID LITTLE WRETCHES!”

He nearly collapsed from relief.

But then she leaned in close, her snout nearly touching his.

“You better hope they’re useful to my father,” she snarled, her breath hot against his scales, “or you’ll be the one to pay.” Her lip curled. “And if this keeps you quiet, then fine. Keep it.”

Sage’s legs were trembling so hard he wasn’t sure he could stand. His heart hammered against his ribs. He had never been more terrified in his life—except, perhaps, the night she had truly lost it on him.

“I will be,” he whispered. “I promise.”

He hated how his voice sounded—shaky, high-pitched, pathetic. What kind of dragon was this afraid of his own mate?

But was Cobra even his mate anymore?

Maybe she still loved him. Maybe that’s why she had agreed—why she was letting him go without a fight.

Maybe.

“Get out of my sight,” she spat, turning away. She stalked toward her desk, dropping a heavy pouch of coins onto the surface. The clinking of gold filled the silence as she greedily counted them, already done with him.

Sage’s legs nearly buckled as he stood. He clutched the egg against his chest, forcing himself forward despite the weakness in his limbs.

He needed to see his dragonets.

He needed to hold them.

When Sage reached Rattlesnake and Sirocco’s room, he barely managed to push the door open without stumbling inside.

The two dragonets squeaked in surprise, immediately crouching as if about to flee—until they realized it was him.

“Mama mad?” Rattlesnake whispered, her black eyes wide.

Sage shut the door carefully, making sure to lock it. He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he moved toward the pile of blankets, his talons shaking as he gathered them into a small nest. He gently placed the egg in the center.

Sirocco padded closer, his wings tucked tightly against his sides. “Whatz in theres?” he asked, reaching out to poke the egg.

Sage quickly caught his talon. “Be gentle,” he murmured. “A baby is inside.”

Sirocco’s mouth formed a small ‘o’ of surprise.

“You have to be very careful,” Sage continued, lowering his voice, “because if the shell cracks, the baby inside could get hurt.”

Both dragonets oohed in unison, their tails flicking with curiosity.

Rattlesnake hesitated, then suddenly backed up, pressing against Sage’s leg. “Do you loves baby in there's more thans mes?” She whispered.

“More than mes?” Sirocco added, his wings drooping.

Sage’s heart twisted. He immediately pulled them both into a tight embrace, wrapping his wings around them. “No,” he whispered, pressing his snout against their heads. “I love you all equally.”

Rattlesnake blinked up at him. “Oh…” She glanced at the egg before nodding solemnly. “Then I supposes I loves baby in theres too.”

“Me toos!” Sirocco chirped, beaming.

Sage let out a soft laugh, warmth filling his chest.

He loved his dragonets—more than they would ever know.

He would die for them.

Without a second thought.

Notes:

I was going to make this sadder, mostly by Sage begging desperately for her not to but I think this works as well :)

Chapter 7: A Lost Story

"...Cobra?" Sage whispered, slowly slipping out of his dragonets' bedroom and shutting the door softly behind him. It had taken a while tonight to get them to fall asleep—they’d been so curious about the tiny egg and the sibling growing inside it.

He walked as quietly and slowly as he could as he approached her. She was still counting money, and it made his stomach twist. Had she always been this greedy? With that money, he could buy so much food for the tiny, orphaned dragonets, along with the homeless and disabled dragons thrown onto the streets to die.

He'd been one of them once—an orphan surviving on scraps other dragons discarded. Back then, every little thing had felt like treasure. Luckily, life had gotten easier as he grew older and learned to fend for himself. And once he could, he started sneaking food to those who needed it more. But he hadn't been able to do it as often lately. Cobra had been letting him go to the market less and less.

Did she think he was going to try and escape? Without his dragonets? He'd rather die from one of her deadly poisons than even consider abandoning them.

There was another possibility. A new power had risen in the Scorpion Den—a dragon named Thorn. She and her Outclaws had become a problem for Cobra and her father. But Sage thought what they were doing was wonderful. They were saving those left to die, building orphanages, healing the wounded, protecting those who needed protection.

He wondered why Cobra couldn’t be that way.

A heavy sigh from Cobra yanked him out of his river of thoughts.

"What is it, Sage?" she asked, sounding annoyed but not exactly angry. Lucky for him.

He hesitated, curling his tail around his talons as he tried to work up the nerve.

"Do… do you l—love me?" he blurted out.

It was only after he said it aloud that he realized just how badly he was trembling.

She paused her counting, rolling her shoulders before speaking gruffly.

"Would you believe me if I said yes?"

Now it was Sage’s turn to pause. Now that she had said it, he wasn’t sure if he would.

"I dunno…"

"I do," she said simply.

But still, it sounded genuine. Even for her.

He had studied her well. He could tell from her posture, from the tone in her voice, that she was telling the truth. And the thought that she still loved him, even if not as deeply as before, filled his heart with warmth.

They fell into silence, the only sound the soft clinking of coins as Cobra continued counting.

He had so many questions, but most he was too afraid to ask. How many could he get away with before she got mad at him?

"Are you mad at me?" he whispered. So quiet, surely she hadn’t heard him.

He wrapped his wings around himself, wishing they were her wings instead.

"C-Cobra?"

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, tapping a claw against the wooden table.

"I'm not mad at you. At least not anymore. It seems your brats learn quickly—they haven’t made another disturbance since the first."

Sage nodded in agreement.

He wondered if he nudged his way beneath her wing, would she let him stay there? The need to be close to her again was overwhelming.

"Okay…" he murmured, inching closer.

He decided to test the waters first, brushing his wing against hers in what could pass as an accident.

She didn’t even notice, just kept counting the silver and gold coins spread out before her.

Taking a silent breath, he carefully nudged his way under her wing, shivering at the warmth of her scales against his own.

She side-eyed him but did nothing more.

For some reason, he felt safe. Loved. Despite everything she had done to him. Despite what she had tried to do to his precious babies.

He didn't say another word. He just rested his chin ever so carefully on her shoulder.

He wondered if other dragons thought it was strange that she was bigger than him.

Who was he kidding? No one cared in the Scorpion Den. They couldn’t care less if you had twenty-six dragons at your house every night.

This city was the birthplace of crime, murder, assassins, hit-dragons, and illegal weapons. No one cared about anyone’s love life.

Except maybe for Cobra’s father, Vulture.

And if Sage thought Cobra was scary, Vulture was on an entirely different level of terrifying.

He was like a snake—sneaky and dangerous. You never knew his next move until it was too late.

Sage knew the real danger here wasn’t Cobra. It was the dragon who had shaped her into the assassin she had become.

The King of the Scorpion Den.

Chapter 8: A Lost Story

Summary:

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️:

CUTE BABY QIBLI

(3 Months Later)

Sage shot up. Something had cracked—it had been soft, but he’d heard it, despite being deep in sleep. He had been resting at the foot of Sirocco’s bed, where both dragonets had snuggled up and fallen asleep. He’d come back in to check on them after Cobra had gone off to speak with her father last night. He must have been tired because all he remembered was seeing them asleep—then the soft crack.

He stumbled as he hurried to stand, getting a little lightheaded from moving too fast. Quickly, he made his way to the side of Sirocco’s bed, where the egg was twitching, a big crack running along its side. He had never been more relieved that Cobra was gone.

Crouching down, he leaned closer as the egg continued to crack, pieces of its shell snapping off. Finally, tiny talons poked through, and soon enough, a miniature version of himself sat before him, nestled in a pile of broken eggshells.

It was like staring at his own reflection as a hatchling. The dragonet had the same snout, freckles, eyes—every feature. He looked nothing like his siblings or Cobra. He looked entirely like Sage.

“Hello, Qibli,” Sage whispered, holding out a claw.

Qibli, impossibly small, had to use both of his tiny talons to wrap around just one of Sage’s fingers. Sirocco and Rattlesnake had been much bigger when they’d hatched, but Sage couldn’t care less. It was one more thing they had in common—being small.

Gently, he scooped the hatchling into his talons, pulling him close to his chest. “Aren’t you just a handsome little guy?” Sage cooed, lifting Qibli so he could see his face. Tiny talons reached for his snout, grasping with uncoordinated determination, making Sage chuckle softly.

“Aren’t you just lovely?”

The hatchling’s black eyes blinked up at him—wide, curious—and Sage felt his heart squeeze. He had done this before, held Rattlesnake and Sirocco when they hatched, but this moment felt different. Maybe it was because Qibli was so small, or maybe it was because he looked so much like Sage. Either way, warmth spread through his chest as he gazed down at the little dragonet.

“You’re so tiny,” Sage murmured, brushing a talon gently over Qibli’s soft head.

The hatchling let out a soft chirp, his snout scrunching as if in protest. Sage grinned. “Yeah, yeah, I hear you. You might be small, but I bet you’ll be loud enough to make up for it.”

As if on cue, Qibli let out a high-pitched squeak, wiggling in Sage’s hold. The movement was so uncoordinated and floppy that Sage had to stifle a laugh. Adjusting his grip, he cradled Qibli closer, feeling the little dragonet relax against him.

Behind him, Sirocco stirred. Sage glanced back, watching as his son mumbled something in his sleep before sighing and curling deeper into the blankets. Sage huffed a quiet breath of relief. The last thing he needed was for Sirocco to wake up just yet—he wasn’t ready for that chaos.

Qibli, however, was very much awake. He wriggled again, his tiny wings twitching against Sage’s claws. Sage lifted him slightly, watching as Qibli blinked up at him, his expression already brimming with curiosity.

“You’re gonna be a little troublemaker, aren’t you?” Sage mused, shifting to sit more comfortably. He curled his tail around them, shielding Qibli from the cool air. The hatchling was still damp from the egg, and Sage wasn’t about to let him get cold.

Qibli let out another squeak, stretching his minuscule talons toward Sage’s snout. Sage dipped his head slightly, letting the tiny claws latch onto his scales. Qibli’s grip was barely anything, but the effort made Sage smile.

“You’re strong already,” he whispered, brushing a talon over Qibli’s tiny wing. “Just like your big brother and sister.”

At the mention of his siblings, Sage glanced toward the bed, where Rattlesnake was sprawled out, completely unbothered, and Sirocco remained fast asleep. A wave of affection settled over him. He’d done this before, but it never stopped being incredible.

Qibli yawned, his tiny jaws stretching wide before he let out a soft, contented sigh. Sage watched as the little dragonet nestled closer, already trusting him completely.

“I’ve got you,” Sage murmured, tucking his snout close to Qibli’s. “You’re safe, little one.”

Qibli gave a sleepy coo, nuzzling against his scales. Sage held him close, already knowing that this tiny dragonet, this little bundle of warmth in his talons, was going to change everything.

Notes:

Awww BABY QIBLI!!! 😭😭

Chapter 9: A Lost Story

Summary:

Grammar might be bad I deleted grammarly cuz I had no storage on me old phone andddd I never go it back and I'm too lazy too get it back anyway. So sry if my fuckass grammar is super bad. I haven't touched docs in months HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA JUS KILL ME NOWWWWW. :((

Vulture? Summoning Sage? Oh moons above was he about to be water boarded for some sort of crime to the King of the Scorpion Den. How peachy.

"Sage. Walk straight." Cobra hissed in his ear, he almost made a face at her, almost. But he personally liked having a face to begin with so he refrained from doing.

'Old Cobra would've found it funny...' he grumbled, internally, of course. "You don't know why he's summoning me? Is he gonna feed me to a caravan of camels?? Force feed me dragon bite vipers??"

"Sage, it involves both of us. I think I would tell you so you don't say something stupid and get your eyeballs carved out." Cobra sneered at him, purposely looking down on him. Months had gone by since Qibli's hatching, and in that time, Saga had managed to toughen himself up. So instead of just pitying himself when she did that and moping like a loser. He got pissed, not really an actual improvement. Because in order to guarantee his dragonets safety. He had to keep his loud snout shut.

No matter how badly she treated him. But standing up for himself wasn't what he hated himself for. He hated himself because he just kept forgiving her. He could seethe over what she said or did but as soon as she said exactly what he wanted to hear. He was right back in her claws.

And he literally knew it. Huge, burning red flags stood high in front of him, and all he did was fly into it.

Like a moth to a flame.
What a fuckass saying.

Even now, as he thought it, he shifted closer to the warmth of her sandy scales as they neared the gaping entryway to Vultures favourite room.

The one he was always sitting around rotting in.

"Ah Sage, Sage, Sage. What a blessing for you to join us!" Vulture crooned as soon as Sage took set foot inside. 'Oh moons above please let my death be clean and quick.' Sage prayed with a surge of dread.

Whatever came out of this crusty old toads mouth would not be for the faint of heart. So not for Sage.

"You've done a very splendid job in producing two healthy, male heirs for me. Congratulate yourself!" Vulture clapped his talons together. The rings wrapped around his old bony claws clinking together.

Sage felt sick to his stomach, be he managed a nod. Even if it was quite stiff.

"Now, I must apologize for my daughtet!" The old, musty fart continued, "Heard she tore you up pretty bad, in an attempt to murder her own dragonets. I must see to that she's punished."

Sage felt as though his stomach had done a whole 360°, carefully, he glanced her way. Cobra's jaw was set tight. Despite being very good a t reading dragons, he could almost never read her... at least the new her.

"That'll be it," Vulture concluded, shocking Sage, and even Cobra. "But I would like to have a little meeting some time soon with my little grandsons, how do you feel, Sage?"

'Never praying to the moons again...' Sage noted, given what he'd just been told, they suck at answering prayers. "That would be alright." He managed to choke out, he hated to allow them anywhere near their grandfather. But it was that or certain death...

"Both of you are now dismissed." With a wave of his talon, Sage and Contra both spun on their heels and slipped out.

Both were dead silent as they headed back through the odd looking halls. Sage had questions, but he wasn't brave enough to ask until they'd returned to their new home.

"What punishment?" Sage whispered, sounding scared, how could he still be scared for her? Or care for her at all!?

"He said that to make it seem as tho hes on your side. He hasn't ever harmed a scale on me in my entire miserable life here on this moon forsaken planet."

'Oh...' was the only thought that passed through Sage's brain. He felt sort of dumb now.

Minutes passed, Sage knew his babies were still asleep, he'd already taken a moment to check. So that left him with... her... and the feeling of aching want.

He took a full three minutes tomentally preparing himself before he slipped beneath her wing. She didn't so much as twitch. "Cobra?"

He could tell she wasn't actually doing anything. Shed been studying the same empty vile for ten minutes now. "Hmm?"

"What happened... to us, I mean."

Sage hated to admit he was shocked when he noticed her wince, a flash of guilt washing across her face before it disappeared completely.

"I..." she began, trailing off, she fixed him with a glare. As if the entire thing was his fault. Maybe part of it was, he could. Understand that. But she'd beaten him till he was broken.

"I'm sorry... for whatever I did." He murmured, not exactly sure what he'd done. Perhaps all that begging? Had he pushed her buttons until she finally imploded?

Cobra didn't answer further with words, she instead dipped her snout to press it against his. A little kiss, when had they last shared one? A year? Two? It left Sage confused, aching, and so in love it heart. How had one little action pulled all these feeling back up to the surface after he'd tried so hard to drown them?

This wasn't good, was he falling for a trick? Was this her way of an apology?

...

Why did he want this... her... so bad? How was he so... love blind?

How could he still trust her, after everything? What was he supposed to trust? His Braun, his heart, or her??

Notes:

Yay I updated, and idk I made Sage sasy cuz I think Qibli is sassy and if he isn't I'm saying he is because he picked it up from Winter like Winter picked up his humor. (Also idk why I add fuckass I just think it's so funny also I kinda confused myself help I need a feww ideas thx :33)

Notes:

I had been thinking a lot about writing this, and decided to give it a go, writing about the father that was never even mentioned in Wings of Fire. Qibli's father :D hope you like!