Conflicting Loyalty

Loyalty is usually expected among family members and admirable in friendships. Sometimes there is a conflict that makes it necessary to choose between family and friends when deciding who deserves loyalty. Through the character of Qibli, an argument is made in Darkness of Dragons that friends sometimes deserve loyalty more than one's family.

Qibli is a SandWing dragonet who was rescued from a brutal childhood. Now, he has become friends with a group of dragonets from various tribes. Qibli and the dragonets are maturing. Part of that process includes learning to discern who deserves loyalty.

Qibli exercises discernment when Vulture, Qibli's grandfather, tells Qibli that he owes his loyalty to his family and his “friends” in the Scorpion Den. Vulture points out that if Qibli helps him, his friends and family will be “happy and wealthy and running the world” (93). Vulture then resorts to threats...