Stratospher hatched last of his litter as the only fae and never felt attached to his pearlcatcher sisters. Instead he felt far closer, yet more distant, towards glowing clouds that appeared to the sky some time after the sunset. Clan’s hatchling-sitter Kaamos, who took care of the three dragons as their parents didn’t care, was worried about his lack of interest towards other dragons and gave Stratospher a lot of attention because of that. Stratospher though didn’t care about his company and spent his time dreaming about flying among the clouds he felt so attached to. Soon after leaving the hatchery Stratospher was targeted by few dragons who tried to pressure him to do work for them. As a loner who didn’t like spending time in public he was often out of clan’s supervisors’ sight and was an ideal target for Skye and Fea who as faes too were able to reach his hides easily. Stratospher had very little knowledge and interest to actually understand what they asked him to do and usually ignored them which lead them to mock him which he didn’t understand either. Later Stratospher was ordered to participate in clan’s observatory project and received conflicting orders from left and right. He wasn’t very good at understanding them whether they came from another fae or totally different species and was very stressed not knowing what he was supposed to do and how that was supposed to be done. To calm himself down Stratospher sneaked to the telescope and used it to watch nebulae. They didn’t feel the same as the night clouds but they were close enough to act as replacements when the clouds were not visible. That was not unnoticed by his clan mates and they started to mock Stratospher for being in love with clouds. That started during the observatory project and continued long after it ended but Stratospher didn’t try to fight back. He didn’t like being mocked but wasn’t sure if it counted as bullying and along with having been always silent he didn’t want to be mocked for ”being able to talk” too so he remained silent and tried to ignore them. That continued for weeks and even though most of the most vocal dragons had left the clan Fea and Skye still remained. The older faes tried to make him do work for them but Stratospher couldn’t understand why they asked him and how his love for night clouds had anything to do with that. One night they were once again asking him to do something and ended up arguing like usual when a younger fae came to told them to stop. Stratospher had already sneaked out of the scene when that happened but he was still able to hear their conversation. After it ended the younger fae, Trooper, came to ask if he was alright. Stratospher told he was and Trooper left him alone. After that Trooper often came to drive away other dragons that came to mock Stratospher and after they started to avoid him he came to watch clouds with Stratospher. Stratospher was a bit confused by that and one night asked Trooper why he spent time with him to which Trooper answered that they were brothers. He also explained how no one in the clan wanted to interact with him and feeling lonely he came to his brother who was also lonely looking. Stratospher didn’t feel himself lonely and at first was a bit annoyed by his younger brother but at the same time was happy to have someone who kept his bullies away.
Nearing the end of the year the clan was asked to move by the Observatory and Stratospher was forced to participate. As a fae he was considered too weak to carry stuff and had to pack it with other faes instead. The work was very annoying as Fea and Skye were arguing all the time and Trooper had to make them apologize. While Stratospher observed their argument he realized why no one liked Trooper: he was naive and forced others to forget their arguments without knowing what had caused it in a first place.
In the new clan Stratospher observed how Trooper tried to figure out why he was always left alone before after few nights he decided to come talk with his brother. Stratospher told what he had noticed and Trooper was a bit shocked by that. Stratospher not being very social dragon couldn’t give his brother tips on how to improve and sad Trooper left him. After that Stratospher didn’t see his brother for few nights and started to worry about him till he spotted Trooper solving an argument with someone who seemed to help him. After the situation was solved Trooper noticed Stratospher watching and showed a crest sign that told he was improving and thanked Stratospher for that.
After that Trooper started to gain some recognition in the clan and spent less time with Stratospher who continued watching clouds dreaming about flying among them one night. Trooper joined him every now and then to keep him company and listening his dreams.
Stratospher still missed the great light show from when the poisoning incident had happened and after missing the beautiful southern lights he decided to visit a prophet to tell him when the next show would be. Stratospher had never interacted with Itameri before and found him a bit scary and it didn't get better when the pearlcatcher was having his vision. That was all well though as he was able to tell a magical lightning storm was going to happen on worse side of the midnight on a terrain further from the lair.
That made Stratospher excited and he rushed to tell Trooper begging him to come with him. Fen walked by with his familiar and told he was going to the same place with Malvadust about the same time and suggested they'd go together. Stratospher became excited realizing Malvadust could carry him and his brother and plead Trooper to come hugging him when he said yes.
They left at the sunset and eventually reached the place where to show was supposed to take place. They arrived early and Stratospher tried to name more constellations than Trooper while Fen and Malvadust did their thing. Eventually the sky was alight by beautiful pinkish purple lightning clouds and Stratospher was mesmerized. He barely heard the loud scream that sliced the air until Trooper asked his attention.
He saw a weird dragon with no arms in the lightning cloud firing a lightning at them. Fear hit Stratospher as Trooper pulled him on Malvadust's back and they started running Stratospher's eyes frozen to the thing as its huge claws hit the place the tundra had been just a moment ago. It soon pulled its claws out and flew after them its fierce gaze fixed to them Stratospher feeling like its eyes alone could swallow him.
He had not payed attention to where they were going nor had he been holding on and fell off as the tundra jumped to glide. On the ground the beast rushed towards him Stratospher staring at it being frozen with fear. The thing prepared to pierce him with its claws when he felt someone hopping on taking the hit in his stead. Stratospher was shocked when he realized Trooper had taken the hit bleeding badly. He asked Stratospher to fly and being confused by what was happening he took flight hearing the thing screaming behind him.
On Malvadust Fen urged Stratospher to get to them and he reached in time to see the thing shoot Trooper down with a lightning. He was not sure who screamed loudest but he knew for sure that his power vanished and he fell against Fen. They started running towards the lair Stratospher feeling like having passed out hearing Fen somewhere far away.
They eventually stopped moving and Stratospher was not sure if they had reached the lair or had the thing caught them. He though thought having heard Fen talk to him followed by Kanerva. He later woke up in the healing offices Kanerva being there to ask how he was feeling. Stratospher didn't hear the question and asked where Trooper was. Kanerva said he was alive but spoke quietly and Stratospher feared she didn't want to say Trooper had died. She asked him to calm down and offered to take him to see their brother and Stratospher was already holding on to her mane before she could finish.
She took him to the room where Trooper lied motionless having been wrapped with so many wraps he looked like a mummy. He breathed slowly and Kanerva explained he was alive but in critical state. Startospher barely heard his sister gliding next to his bother holding his arm but avoided moving it. He felt like to be blamed for Trooper's current state: it was he who asked him to go there, it was he who had fallen. Malvadust seemed to notice that and came to say it was not his fault as no one knew that was going to happen. Stratospher ignored his words.
Stratospher spent his time with Trooper begging him to stay alive sleeping next to him when possible. He was reluctant to leave him when the healers changed the wraps and had Milla take care of him when that or a bigger operation was going on. She took him to see night clouds and listened his worries about Trooper and blames he had for himself. She made him realize that by blaming himself he downplayed Trooper's dedication to protect him.
Startospher understood that Trooper was very dedicated to keep him safe and started to feel bad for not being able to take care of himself. After Kanerva decided to turn herself into a guardian Startospher started to think about breed change as well feeling like being too small to fly high where he wanted, and to not get crushed by bigger beings. After thinking about it for some time he asked Milla if she could help him to turn into a skydancer.
Milla asked Stratospher to not do hasty decisions but Stratospher had done thinking. Besides, he could always turn back if he felt like that. That seemed to be enough reasoning to Milla and she cast the spell. The new body with new sense was hard to get used to but Afrodite helped him with that. Practicing to take care of his new feathers he had not visited Trooper in some time and got scared out of his feathers when Azul came to remind him about him.
Stratospher rushed to the healing offices not being used to run so fast and upon arriving heard Kanerva talking with Trooper. He stepped in and saw his brother still motionless but his eyes were open and they fixed on Stratospher upon noticing him. Stratospher hoped he didn't look too different and came closer explaining what he had done while he had been out. Upon finishing he noticed Trooper's crests tried to move to sign happiness but he was still tied too tightly for them to reach right positions.
After that Trooper started to get better fast Stratospher helping him and taking him out as he was still too weak to walk himself. Eventually he recovered enough to leave the offices fully and they promised to meet in the place they often watched the night clouds. The Sun was setting and Stratospher waited his brother to appear but he was nowhere to be seen. Stratospher started to get worried when a deep voice greeted him. He turned around to be face to face with a guardian. He explained that Stratospher could not prevent him from protecting him by changing breed and Stratospher realized that was Trooper. He told he had heard him blaming him for what had happened and had changed his breed so he had a reason to act as his shield. Stratospher was happy to have his brother in good shape again and they admired the clouds coloring the sky together as guardian and his charge.
