Part One: North's Tale

6 years earlier

North looked up at the sky. High above, a group of IceWing soldiers were doing a drill.

Someday, he'd join them. But until then, there's a lot of training to do.

He'd wanted nothing more than to be a soldier ever since his first hatching day 3 years earlier. The general talked about the glory and honor of those who had fought for the IceWing kingdom.

Every day, he trained and fought his way through the rankings. It was during these exercises that he met Rime.

She wasn't like the other dragonets. Instead of trying to bump him off the charts, she encouraged him to keep going. They soon became great friends.

North had memorized the Dragonet Prophecy. According to the NightWings' prediction, the dragonets would be coming in several years time.

After North turned 4, he still hadn't been sent out to battle, mainly because of his age. He was the best in his group, but rules were rules, and dragonets had to be at least 6 years old before they graduated from training.

North also noticed that Rime didn't share in his enthusiasm towards the Great War. Instead, she seemed to be looking forward to the day it would end. She would confide her feelings to him during breaks in between training sessions.

North was careful not to let his superiors find out how much time they were spending together. He wasn't entirely sure what the protocol regarding fraternization between dragonets-in-training was, but he didn't want to find out the hard way.

As for the dragonets of the prophecy, he didn't really believe in or care about them. How could a talon full of dragonets bring peace to all of Pyrrhia when full grown warriors had been fighting for almost 13 years? Besides, if they really existed, where were they? No one could hide 5 dragonets for over a year.

Rime, on the other talon, had faith in the prophecy. It was the main difference between the two of them. North could tell that Rime didn't like the war one bit.

Rime is strong, but when it comes down to it, would she kill another dragon?

He wouldn't have to wait long to find out.

Well, actually, he had to wait two YEARS.

After turning 6, both he and Rime graduated from basic training, were promoted to the fourth-circle, assigned to the 41st scout platoon, and called out for a reconnaissance mission.

Their goal was to fly as close to the MudWing kingdom's border as possible and report back.

As North flew, he could here some of his fellow soldiers grumbling. "Two whole years of training, and we get the scouting mission. Two whole YEARS!" Like North, they were fresh out of basic training.

"Hey, I'm not thrilled about it either," said Rime. "But someone's gotta do it."

"I bet they chose us because they think we're not ready," said Quartz, a young IceWing who, while not very strong, was an extremely fast flier.

"Hey! Cut the chatter soldier!" their sergeant snapped. "We're almost there."

"Yes sergeant!" they chorused.

As they approached the border, North kept a sharp eye out for MudWing scouts. He noticed the sergeant seemed a little on edge. Then again, the sergeant always seemed like that, even during training.

North also saw that Carnage, a 9 year old dragonet with previous battle experience, had a grim expression on her face. Why is everyone so tense? It's just MudWings. We're better than them.

They continued to fly cautiously along the borderline. As far as he could see, there were no MudWings.

Quartz was uneasy. "It's too quiet," he said. "Where in the name of the Darkstalker are all the MudWings?"

"I know, right? You'd think there'd be a camp, or at least a patrol. It's their border after all," Carnage agreed.

"Everyone keep it down!" the sergeant yelled. North rolled his eyes at Rime, and she stifled a giggle.

After flying another mile, there was still nothing strange or unusual, except, of course, the fact that there were literally ZERO MudWings in sight. North was beginning to feel a little edgy himself.

The other two dragons, both SandWings dragonets whose names he didn't know, were clutching their spears very tightly.

"Well, I've seen enough," said the sergeant suddenly.

"But sir!" exclaimed Carnage. "We haven't seen anything yet!"

"Exactly. Which is what I'll be reporting to Queen Glacier. The fact that there are no MudWings near their own border means they're all off doing something important, like attending some big meeting. Probably a large scale attack."

Carnage looked at him skeptically.

"What? It's a possibility!" protested the sergeant.

Carnage laughed. "All right, let's go back. I'm sick of flying through this wasteland."

One of the SandWings didn't seem very enthusiastic about heading back. "MudWings are good at camouflaging in the mud," he said. "Maybe we just missed them."

"If that were true, we'd be dead right now," replied the sergeant. "Let's head on back."

No sooner had he finished speaking when two MudWings shot out from under the mud. They tackled both SandWings out of the air. Rime screamed.

As the four dragons rolled around on the floor, North saw claws slashing and blood flying everywhere.

"NORTH! Get your head out of the clouds and help them!" yelled the sergeant, already diving towards the scene.

North aimed carefully and threw his spear. It embedded itself deeply into the larger MudWing's heart. She shrieked in pain and died.

He looked around frantically for Rime. Then he spotted her and Carnage pulling the other MudWing off one of the SandWings. Carnage pinned him to the ground, digging her razor-sharp talons into his shoulders.

"Rime! Kill him, quick!"

Rime raised her spear. North saw her look directly into the MudWing's terrified eyes. This MudWing couldn't be much older than himself.

Instead of plunging her spear into the MudWing's face, Rime just stood there looking even more terrified than the MudWing trapped underneath Carnage.

What is she doing?

Just then, the other SandWing rushed over and slit the MudWing dragonet's throat with his dagger.

The red blood splattered all over Carnage and Rime's silver scales. Carnage didn't seem to mind, but Rime looked like she was about to faint.

Without a second thought, North flew over and landed next to her, resting his talon on her shoulder. With a gasp, Rime pulled herself back together. "I'm sorry, North," she said, wiping her eyes.

The sergeant came toward them, looking both concerned and furious. "Why didn't you kill him?" he demanded. North noticed Rime flinch at the word "kill."

Carnage grimaced at North and walked away to check on Quartz.

The sergeant continued. "He could have killed Carnage if he'd gotten out from under her!"

He wasn't sure, but North thought he saw Carnage rolling her eyes at that comment.

Now the sergeant was yelling. "Answer me soldier Rime! Why didn't you kill him!?"

"I couldn't sergeant!" Rime yelled back. North blanched. Rime never yelled.

"He was helpless sergeant!" she continued. "I looked into his eyes, and I just couldn't!"

The sergeant sighed. "Rime," he said, "the number one rule of killing an enemy is: Don't look them in the eye."

"Really? I thought you said the number one rule was something like, I dunno, do it quickly?" Carnage said over her shoulder.

Ignoring her, the sergeant regarded Rime for a moment. When he spoke again, it was in a gentler tone. "This is war, Rime," he said. "You have to be ready to kill for the cause. We are dragons. That is how we are."

Rime nodded.

"Good," said the sergeant. "It's for your own good. Do not show mercy to the enemy, as you will most certainly receive none in return."

Rime modded again, and North saw there was a real danger of tears now. Luckily, at that moment, the sergeant remembered the SandWings. One of them was still lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

"Hey! SandWing! Get up!" he barked.

The SandWing didn't move. "Medic!" the sergeant yelled.

Another IceWing who looked like he was almost 90 years old, "Fracture," if North remembered his name correctly, came running over. He checked the SandWing's pulse and frowned. "Dead," he confirmed.

Rime looked horrified. North wished he could say something to her, anything that would calm her nerves, but he couldn't do anything with the sergeant standing there.

"All right, let's move out," the sergeant called. "We need to get back and tell the queen what happened."

As the others dragons lifted off the ground, Rime hesitated. "Sir, what about the body?"

The sergeant frowned. "Leave it. No time for a burial."

"Sir," said Quartz timidly. "I thought MudWings weren't good fighters. That's what they told us in training. Multiple times."

The sergeant fixed him with a scrutinizing gaze. "You sound scared, soldier."

"No, sergeant!" Quartz protested.

The sergeant smiled grimly. "You should be."

Joining the formation, they flew back toward the IceWing kingdom in silence.