"NO!" Galaxycatcher yelled. He was one of the leaders himself. He had Dark green wings with white star speckles spattered as if it was an initial on his own wings. His snout was a dark dusty color and the rest was all dark grayish-blue. He was born under one full moon and he could read minds, but by now lots of dragons learned how to shield most of their thoughts. Thankfully I'm one of those dragons, Hail thought, Or he would most likely kick me out of school. He also had the silver teardrops under his eyes like some of the mind reading NightWings.

Galaxycatcher snatched Venus from the furious RainWing Queen and tried as hard as he could to save her, but it was too late.

Venus was screaming more than ever before, the venom just missed her heart but hit right on the spot where the wing membrane and her scales met. The venom was fast, so it's lucky that it didn't hit Venus' heart.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH," Venus wailed in agony. The venom cut through her wing and made sinister sizzling noises. Queen Toucan roared in fury, she aimed for Venus' heart again and made the awful hissing noise. The venom that came out was quick and unexpected. This time Venus managed to completely miss it.

Honeylocust landed in the prey center, noted by the sounds on talons hitting stone. “Your majesty, I demand your forgiveness.”

Toucan’s head snapped towards Honeylocust. “Have you not heard me, hybrid?” Honeylocust flinched. Toucan grabbed Venus’s head and bashed it against the floor, “I… have… no… MERCY!!”

Hail had a clear view now. He could see all the Jade Academy leaders along with a side view of Venus sprawled on the floor. Toucan had let go of her, standing with importance written all over. Venus moaned, but did nothing but lay there. Was that tears? Something was dripping from her eyes, but she made no indication that she was in agony anymore.

This is it, Hail thought, Venus might actually die. We might never have to see her again. Hail felt a tinge of guilt at the thought. She was a dragon nonetheless, but he couldn’t help but think, Would she really be such a great loss to this world?

Kiwi nudged Hail, “This is wild!” He exclaimed in a loud whisper.

“I know,” Hail responded. “Hush down and watch.”

Kiwi nodded, and they returned their gaze towards the ongoing drama.

Queen Toucan glared at the school leaders, “She’s unconscious, but not dead,” she sounded calmer.

Galaxycatcher sighed, “Queen Toucan, please leave her alone. We will send for Queen Redwood and give her a punishment for what she’s done.”

What has she done? Hail wondered. Now I’m deeply curious. He looked down at his armband studded with sapphires, then shook his head, I can’t risk it. I’ll figure it out some other way. I refuse to become like Albatross, Darkstalker, or Queen Diamond.

Toucan growled, wrinkling her snout. “I demand execution. And I want to watch her pain as it happens. If I have to kill her myself, my RainWings are prepared for war. I’m not worried about losing.”

“But we don’t—”

“Want a war, that’s what this school was founded for,” Toucan finished, mockingly. “I know, but I don’t really care at all.”

“But Queen Glory…”

“...Would have agreed. Just because she was one of the fantastic ‘Dragonets of Destiny’ doesn’t mean she would disagree with me. After all, she is the one who returned the RainWings to their true power.”

Honeylocust stepped up, “Your majesty…”

Toucan narrowed her eyes, glaring at Honey- locust. “You shouldn’t be talking, hybrid freak. You’re a disgrace to our tribe and to the LeafWings.” she motioned towards her green-tinted scales as they turned a reddish color.

By now, Shrek and Blobfish had landed in the prey center. They looked at each other, then shook their heads.

Shrek was the one to speak up, though. “There’s nothing wrong with being a hybrid. Besides, we can’t control who our parents are, so let’s hold no grudges based on our ideologies.”

Queen Toucan took a moment to settle on that, then shook her head. “No.”

Shrek tilted his head, “No what?”

“NO!” Toucan yelled it this time, “It’s less of the fact that she’s a hybrid and more of the fact that she’s a hybrid LeafWing.”

Venus’ eyes fluttered open, and she groaned. She turned her head towards the venom wound, which had stopped hissing. Then winced at the pain when she tried to move it.

Toucan stepped on Venus’ wing, causing her to scrunch her face hard. 

Blobfish started a sentence, then dissolved into quiet mumbling. Hail couldn’t quite make out what she was trying to say.

“You don’t understand what I’ve been through. Have you ever had your own daughter murdered?”

Oh my, Hail thought. Is that what she was talking about when she said that Venus did something to her? But Venus isn’t the type of dragon to be a murderer… At least I think so.

Shrek took a deep breathe, then began “Your majesty, I–”

“One. More. Word,” Toucan began, slowly, “And she is dead. One more step, and she is dead. One more gesture,” She glared at Honeylocust, who was mid-snarl, “And she. Is. Dead. Do you understand me?”

All four leaders nodded, and stood in place, saying nothing.

“The LeafWing tribe will do nothing to give me justice towards her,” She pointed an accusing talon at Venus. “In fact, Redwood doesn’t care in the slightest about what her tribe has done to ours.”

Kiwi tilted his head, giving Hail that look that spells confusion.

So even Kiwi doesn’t know what the conflict between the RainWings and LeafWings is. Interesting…

“All I want,” Toucan calmly stated, “is vengeance. And this arrogant, haughty idiot doesn’t know how to keep to herself.”

Venus muttered under her breath, but Toucan clearly didn’t hear what was said.

“Would you like to repeat that, LeafWing?”

“Can you get off me… please?” Venus said a little louder, her voice shaky from the pain.

“No. And what I said earlier to these ‘leaders’ now applies to you, too. No more speaking unless I tell you to, no more moving, no faces.”

Venus shut up quickly.

“I wish for nothing more than a little tiny favor.” Toucan turned towards Blobfish, “Send for Queen Redwood. I wish to have a… conversation with her in my rainforest.”

Blobfish nodded, turned around and flew away. Hail extended his left wing, and tried to scrunch him and Kiwi closer together, so Blobfish wouldn’t see them. After a minute of silence, he let go, and waited for more conversation.

“Very well, then. Now, LeafWing, tell me where it is, and I’ll consider letting you go.”

Venus groaned, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Toucan smashed her head against the floor, “You know EXACTLY what I’m talking about.” Her talons were clenched around Venus’ throat. It seemed tight to Hail, but Venus didn’t sound like she was struggling to breathe.

Shrek took a deep breath again once more, “Queen Toucan…”

Toucan glared at Shrek, wrapped her talons around Venus’ snout, and twisted her neck.

And all of Venus’ tight limbs went limp.