"Yes" I whisper, a lone tear running down my cheek.

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been devestating to have that happen," she said, catching the tear and freexing it in her wings, "We have something in common then. Both of out families were killed while we could do nothing."

I look into her eyes "that's the point, I did nothing!" I say and look at the ground "what happened to your family".

"The tree we had been living in was knocked down by a red dragon. I had been thrown into a bush while the rest of my family wastrapped between the dragon and the inside of the hallow," she said, shaking, "I didn't what happened, but all I heard were their screams and the crunching of bones."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but I guess it does make two of us" I say and momentairly smile.

"Mama, Papa, and Sis, all gone. Every bit of them, gone," Ece said quietly, wrapping herself around the frozen tear as she began to shake uncontrolably.

I lie down and curl up infrount of the fire and place her in the crook of my arm and rest my wing gently over her. I start to softly sing an old lulaby passed down my family "in to the battle I say, I say oh into the battle I say. We raise our swords and fight for the right, oh fight for the right that is ours. The wolf howls for his pack he will never leave them, oh he will never leave them and into the battle I say.." I don't finish the lulaby because I'm fall asleep.

"We have to let the training grounds recharge first. There's a reason we only do exams  three at a time," the instructor said, filliing out some paperwork, "After three exams, the grounds start slowing down, and the clones in turn are weaker and slower. It takes twelve hours for the grounds to recharge, or, for some odd reason, only four hours if there's a thunder stom going on."

"I coubt she'll get a chance today. The grounds were depleted during our exams and haven't had a chance to recharge yet," Clair said, leaning into Ricken, "It would be intersting to see her fight herself though. Supposedly, anyone's greatest rival would be themselves, or in ancient texts, their shadow."

I wake up a while later from a night mare and look down to see if Ece is awake.

Ece had curled up into a ball around the frozen tear, sleeping soundly, but still shook from time to time.

I smiled and carfully take the frozen tear out of her arms, making sure not to wake her. Maybe she will get warmer and not shake. I curl up a little tighter and try to fall asleep again, not working.

When Storm took the tear away, Ece let out a small sqeek similar to that of a hatchling's cry. before curling up further and shaking more.

"We can rest while we watch. We'd be better suited for when we get home if we do," Clair said, watching Goldenscale leave.

I put her to my heart and curl up around her and start to sing the lulaby.