Shift's End

Snow sat perched on an overhang, sitting stiffly upright. This post surveyed one of the larger rooms of the palace. Many dragons flowed in and out day in and out- petitioners, ambassadors, royalty, servants, scholars, guards like her... It was mostly peaceful. She and whoever her shift-mate was were supposed to break up any conflicts that started, but that hadn't ever happened. Not that she'd been a guard long.

A hulky, deep-blue Icewing rushed in through the entrance she sat over. "Hey! Your shift's up. Ptarmigan and I will take over. Go get food, or... whatever it is you do." Snow could barely hear him over the noise of dozens of dragons. She glanced over at her shift-mate- they already were shimmying down from their post. She shrugged and climbed back down.

The deep-blue Icewing began to laboriously climb to take her spot. Well, that wasn't anything for her to worry about! She could relax for now. She turned towards the exit portal, carefully dodging other dragons as she went. It would be bad for foreign relations if she sliced an ambassador with her tail!

Suddenly, an Icewing, even burlier than the one that took her place shoved past her. She stumbled, and while recovering, the other dragon's tail sliced the tip of her nose. Biting back curses, she grumbled gibberish, shuffling out of the main crowd.