They flew over to the hunting grounds that was nearby to kill some time. Scattered palms and small pools of water allowed camels to frequently visit this area, which turned it into a haven of free food.
Vireo dove, tucking his wings tightly. Just before he hit the ground, he stretched them out and pounced on a panicked camel. The kill was brutal, and quick. In the distance, he saw Peyote do the same.
"Hey!" Vireo yelled. He waved his talon in the air. "Bring it over here!"
"How about you come over here!" a quiet voice bit back.
Vireo sighed. He took a step forward and hollered again, cupping his talon. "How about we meet halfway!?" Vireo noticed nearby dragons giving him a strange look, but he had not a care.
"I'm staying right here thank you!"
So stubborn, Vireo thought. He'd just brought down a full-grown camel. The least he could do was meet him halfway. With a grunt, Vireo began moving, grabbing the camel by a leg, and dragging it across the uneven terrain towards the area where Peyote stood over his own kill. The gravel and sand shifted though his claws, and the smell of fresh blood was strong in his nostrils.
He reached Peyote, who was already tearing into his camel quite vigorously. Vireo dropped his own prey with a thump and joined him, ripping off a large chunk of meat with his venomous fangs. The silence was broken only by the sound of breaking flesh and the occasional snap of bone.
"Good hunt," Peyote mumbled, his mouth full, juice dripping from his chin. He licked his snout clean. "Nice weather for it, too. Not too hot, no sandstorms brewing. We don't have to worry about those huge tornadoes forming like they do in the grasslands."
"Yeah, perfect," Vireo agreed. He savored the rich, warm taste of the camel. He chewed slowly, then looked out towards the horizon. "I just wonder when this travel shutdown will end in Ventifact. Yeah, we don't have to deal with huge tornadoes, but I still want to see other places. This travel ban happened before my family even went on a trip with me. I've been stuck in this lame desert all my life. My father said it was different a while back. They didn't even say why they were shutting the country down." He grunted, shifting his body. "So stupid."
Peyote nodded, ripping another chunk of meat from his camel. "Yeah, it is a pain. My father says the same thing. Used to be able to fly to the coastal cities of Atoll Bay, trade spices and gems, then fly back in a week. Now it's just… nothing." He shrugged. "But honestly, I'm pretty content here. We've got good hunting, warm sun, and the city's not so bad. Besides, most of the stories about other kingdoms sound like a lot of trouble. Too much rain, too many trees to get lost in, too many strange dragons."
Vireo sighed. "I know, I know. You like your sand."
"Exactly!" Peyote grinned. "But speaking of new places…" He wiped his snout with a foreleg. "That island we're going to tonight? It's not like this at all, from what I've heard. It's supposed to be really green. Like, actual green plants, not just the scrubby stuff we have here. Caliche said it's almost like a tiny patch of forest, right off our coast, and it isn't even that southern."
Vireo paused, with a half chewed piece of meat in his mouth. "Yeah, yeah, you said it before. But I just can't that. It's practically right next to us. This desert is massive and stretches for days in every direction. There's no way such a small island, so close, could escape it. It doesn't make any sense." He looked out at the familiar expanse of sand and rock, then back at Peyote. "How would it stay so green?"
"I think the leading theory was something about the water surrounding the island changing the climate. I'm not too sure." Peyote picked a piece of meat off his tooth with a claw.
"But how would anyone know that?" Vireo pressed. He was perplexed. "No one's allowed to go there, let alone study its climate. How would you even study a climate?"
Peyote shrugged, flicking his tail. "I don't know. It's just what I've heard. Maybe the monarchy sent some scholars or mages there before the ban, and they figured it out. Or maybe it's just a rumor that got out of hand. All I know is, Caliche and Barchan swore it's green. They heard it from some older dragons who claimed to have snuck over there years ago." He gave Vireo a conspiratorial wink.
Vireo shook his head. He was still greatly skeptical, but also intrigued. The idea of a lush patch of land so close to their dry desert home felt almost impossible. He was excited to see it for himself tonight, if it did exist.
They finished their meal in silence, the last of the camel meat picked clean from the bones. The sun had began to set, melding the barriers of shadow and light closer to each other under forming clouds.
Peyote stretched, his long body extending, and let out a satisfied grunt. "Alright, I should probably get going. My mother's got me on chore duty today. i bet it'll be real thrilling" He nudged Vireo playfully with his snout. "Don't forget tonight. Dusk, east bell tower. Be there."
"Wouldn't miss it," Vireo replied. "See you then, Peyote."
Peyote nodded, already turning to launch himself into the air. With a flap beat of his wings, he ascended, heading back towards the city.
Vireo watched him go, then took a moment to rub his talons over his still-full belly. The desert wind was starting to pick up. He looked back at the discarded camel bones, then up at the sky, already imagining the flight tonight. He still had time before dusk. And the best part, he had time to figure out what excuse he'd give his mother regarding his late return.
Vireo launched himself into the air, the wind rushing beneath him. He circled once, gaining altitude, then set a direct course for his home in Chert. The city below was beginning to glow with the light of early evening, lamps coming to life in windows and along the main roads. His thoughts raced, planning his next moves. He needed to find a few things to bring for the journey. Water, snacks, maybe a little jar to catch something.
He glided down towards his house and landed in the front. It was a modest adobe home with large windows. He opened the front door and he was surprised to see his mother right in the kitchen, making something. She was home. Early. Far earlier than usual. He felt a mix of annoyance and panic. He quickly adjusted, trying to appear casual.
His mother stood by the stone counter, chopping what looked like desert hare for their evening meal. Her scales were tan, just like his, but dotted with smaller, darker brown patches that blended in with the lighter areas. Unlike him, she lacked a scorpion stinger. Her tail ended in a broad tip, but her fangs were just as prominent as his own, that's where he inherited them from. Her green eyes, sharp and intelligent, met his as he entered.
"Vireo. You're home early," she observed, her voice calm. She always made him feel like she was reading his mind. "How was your day?"
Vireo forced a casual shrug, trying to play it cool. "Oh, good, Mother. Just… hanging out with Peyote. We did some tail wrestling, went for a hunt. Pretty standard stuff." He walked over to the water skin, taking a long drink. "Actually, I was thinking of going out later, you know, for some nighttime games. With Peyote, Caliche, Barchan, and a few other friends."
His mother stopped chopping, her green eyes fixed on him for a long moment He held her gaze, trying to project an aura of innocence. Finally, a small, knowing smile played on her lips. "Nighttime games, eh? Well, just be back before the first light, dear. And try not to get into too much trouble." She turned back to her desert hare meat, resuming her chopping. "Good luck with your games. Just don't get into any trouble and don't do anything stupid. I know you're smarter than that."
A small tingle of unease washed over him as she said that. What she was saying not to do was exactly what he was going to do. But he'd pulled it off. For now, at least. But now he was faced with a new dilemma. His mother was home. He couldn't go snooping around for supplies, packing a bag for a secret, illegal flight to a forbidden island, not with her eyes watching. She would definitely think he was up to something, and she was far too clever to be fooled by a simple "nighttime games" excuse a second time.
He needed to appear calm, normal. He couldn't just wander off. He decided the best course of action was to simply retreat. "Thanks, Mother," he said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "I think I'll just… head to my room for a bit. Get some rest before the games tonight."
Vireo turned and made his way to his room.
"Wait," his mother cut in. Vireo instantly stopped in his tracks and looked back at his guardian.
What is it this time? Vireo thought to himself anxiously.
"Your father will be back in a few days, just wanted to let you know. I forgot to tell you."
Vireo silently nodded and ran to the short hall in their house. At the end on the right side, he entered his room and closed the wooden door behind him, clicking the latch shut softly. He glanced around his space, the rough adobe walls, the simple sleeping mat. He couldn't pack. Couldn't prepare. All he could do was wait. He went and lied down on his mat, the camel meat a little heavy in his stomach, and tried to quiet his racing thoughts. A short nap, he decided. That was the safest plan. I can do this. He thought. Even if I can't get any supplies, there will be food and drink there. I'm sure I'm fine. Genuinely sure.