Startide was on high alert. She stood tense, ready to run, or jump, or fight, nostrils flared, ears swiveling, eyes darting, for any sign of her prey.

She was chasing a SeaWing named Barracuda. Back in the war, he had murdered the brother of a SandWing named Venom. So Venom had hired Startide to get rid of him. 

Startide had followed him here, to Possibility. She had tried every trick she knew-stalking, traps, spying to see if his name came up in random dragons conversations, asking dragons about him. Nothing. 

Something caught her ear.

"...so he said 'Barracuda is eating me out of house and home!' and I said, 'You don't LOOK eaten."

"So, wait, who was this?" 

"Gingko. Sap-LeafWing."

Startide knew Gingko. She walked quickly to his house, and knocked on the door.

"Yes? Oh! Startide! Come in!" 

Startide walked into the small house. She wasn't sure quite how to say that she was going to kill Barracuda. She settled for, "I can't stay too long, Gingko. I'm looking for a MudWing named Wetland, and I heard that you know Barracuda, because I think Barracuda has something that could help me find Wetland."

Gingko nodded. "He got his own house. Somewhere near Meerkat's." 

"Meerkat's...Got it. Thank you so much, Gingko. Do you mind if I stop here once I complete the assignment? It's just my parents are always worried about me going on missions on my own, and I feel like..."

"Of course! You're welcome here anytime, Startide. Good luck with Wetland!" Called Gingko. She felt a little guilty about lying to him, but her number one assassin lesson, from both of her parents and from the short time when she'd known Deathbringer, was to push aside all feelings of guilt.

She was at Meerkat's house by the next morning. Now she had to actually find Barracuda. 

Surprisingly, she spotted him walking into his house that evening. In the middle of the night, she picked his lock and crept inside the house. 

Barracuda lay in a bed of assorted fabrics and other stuff. He was muttering in his sleep, saying, "Yes, I killed him. I'd (Snore, snore) do it again and again." 

All feelings of pity for him were gone in an instant. She pulled out a knife and silently slit his throat. His snoring trailed off abruptly. She sliced off the tip of his tail as proof that she had successfully killed him, and flew off into the desert. She delivered the tail tip, collected her pay, and flew back to Possibility. 

She hung her head and went to knock on Gingko's door again.

He answered quickly. "Startide! Back so soon! Did you find Wetland?" 

"I did. But I found him right after he murdered Barracuda. I can only assume he didn't want news of his whereabouts getting out into the world."

Gingko nodded. "It's alright. Actually," he lowered his voice. "Barracuda threatened me into letting him stay here. Something about an assassin on his tail. I assume that was Wetland." 

Startide nodded. 

Gingko gave her some food and told her to sleep at his house. She took off the next morning, arriving just in time to help her parents pack up the camp.