- Chapter 22 -
"Surprise!" Copper cheered as she stopped at an archway between two tall sandstone buildings. Her dark orange scales reflected the morning sunlight like a polished mirror. "This is my favorite place to get all sorts of fruity drinks. Do you have a favorite drink, Frostbite?" She stared at him with eyes full of curiosity, as if she still hadn't gotten over the fact she had a cousin.
"Drink?" Frostbite asked as he stared down the wide walkway in front of them, his eyes following the path leading to a dim room filled with chatting dragons and sandy walls. "You mean they have something other than water?"
"Oh, moons, Frostbite! There are so many options available," Copper assured him, brushing her wingtips against his. "At least my father used to let me have cactus cider, though Platinum says I shouldn't drink it. I can understand why, it made me feel-"
Suddenly, a dark-scaled MudWing appeared from the path, stumbling out as if he'd just lost a fight, yet there wasn't a scratch on him.
"Well, like that," she continued with a small nod toward the tipsy dragon. "Don't worry though, none of the other juices seem to have that effect."
"That's good to know," Frostbite decided, not fully convinced it was safe to drink anything but water.
Once the large MudWing cleared the path, Copper reached for Frostbite's talons and guided him into the restaurant. The sandstone bricks that neatly paved the walkway felt a lot cooler than the ground outside. As he tilted his head up, Frostbite noticed giant, cloth tarps draped over the ceiling, giving the room a tranquil atmosphere.
"I love how this place is actually like a square chunk carved out of a rectangular building," Copper mused, her voice nearly drowned out by dragons talking, drinking, and singing around the circular, sandstone tables. "We're actually still outside, but it looks like we're inside. Pretty neat, isn't it?"
Frostbite nodded, trying to adjust to all the voices echoing around. Eventually, he decided that no amount of noise could be worse than the silence of Canary's dungeon.
Once the pair entered the dining area, the small IceWing turned his head left and right. It was unbelievable, seeing so many dragons of different tribes eating together, some even acting as friends. As the aroma of seasoned meat entered his nostrils, Frostbite wished he hadn't filled up on fruit earlier.
"Hey, look! There's my friend, Spine!" Copper shouted, pointing toward a small table in the far corner of the room where the pale-gold SandWing seemed to be enjoying a roasted camel leg. "Let's go sit with him, he's really nice!"
Before he had a chance to reply, Copper darted toward Spine, weaving through the dragons in the room like a snake. Frostbite decided that the last thing he wanted was to be left alone in such an unusual environment, so he chased after her, trying not to disturb anyone eating nearby as the bag of coins Platinum had given him clinked with each step.
Hearing the commotion, Spine looked up from his food just in time to see the pair bounding toward him.
"Hi, Spine!" the cheerful SkyWing chirped as she slid in next to him.
"Oh, hey, Copper!" Spine greeted her after swallowing a mouthful of camel. He turned to Frostbite and looked him up and down. "Looks like Platinum was able to fix that wing for you, eh, Frostbite?"
"Oh, you two already met?" Copper asked with a grin on her face.
"Yep. Platinum… introduced us," Frostbite agreed, surprised the SandWing guard greeted him with words instead of a scowl.
Probably because he has food, Frostbite decided as Spine peered over his shoulder.
"Speaking of Platinum, did he tag along with you?" the relaxed SandWing asked, pressing his talons against his neck.
"Nope! It's just Frostbite and me!" Copper declared, prompting Spine's sunset-colored wings to droop.
"Oh, I was actually hoping-" He paused, then straightened his neck and cleared his throat. "I mean, good. One less pest to deal with."
"Aw, don't be sad, Spine," the kind SkyWing ordered, placing a claw over his shoulder.
"Wha- I am not," Spine insisted, ripping another chunk of meat off the bone.
"Oh, ok! Good!" Copper concluded. Behind them, Frostbite noticed a group of five SkyWings stumble out of the area. Subsequently, the room grew quieter. "Anyway, I was just showing my cousin here around my favorite places in Possibility," she continued as she spread a wing over Frostbite's back.
"Cousin, eh?" Spine questioned with skepticism in his blue eyes, tapping the hard table with a steady rhythm.
"It's a bit of a long story, but I promise I'm not only calling him that because I want to," Copper assured him. "Oh, I still can't get over how wonderful he is!"
"Uh-huh," the muscular SandWing hummed through a mouth full of food, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Well, as nice as it is to see you two, I get the feeling you didn't come here just to talk with me."
The excited SkyWing nodded.
"That's right! You're never going to believe this, but Frostbite said he's never had anything to drink besides water!" The small IceWing drew his head back slowly. Somehow, that trivial fact made him feel embarrassed, as if he'd done something wrong.
"Anyway, we're here to change that," she declared. "Frostbite, could you please pass me that bag Platinum gave you?" Frostbite complied, relieved he would no longer be the one looking after it in such a crowded area. "I'm going to the counter to get us one of my favorite drinks, but you can sit here with Spine. Oh, Spine, do you want anything?"
He shook his head. Copper nodded, then departed to the other side of the room, leaving Frostbite alone with the somewhat intimidating SandWing. For a moment, he stared after her longingly, anxious to be seated with a dragon he didn't fully trust in a place like this.
"So…" Spine began after moments of silence, "I get the feeling this is your first time in the Sand Kingdom, let alone Possibility." Frostbite nodded, trying to be polite. Spine chuckled. "Well, how do you like it here? I'm sure you've noticed the desert isn't exactly the most forgiving environment toward IceWings." He nodded again.
"Yeah, but I like it here in Possibility, though. It's a little noisy, but it feels almost magical to see so many different types of dragons in one place."
"Glad to hear it," the gold dragon assured him. "But that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. Just because this place is untouched by war doesn't mean it's untouched by cruelty. Always be cautious; I learned that from my mother after she learned it the hard way."
"Is she ok?" Frostbite asked, wondering if Spine was already warming up to him. He seemed to have that effect on dragons.
"Oh yeah, she's fine now. Just a little heartsore after being betrayed by someone she thought she could trust. Still, you should always be cautious. That's why I had to stop you and Platinum earlier; it was real suspicious seeing him with another IceWing, especially since there are barely any here in Possibility, and I wanted to make sure he wasn't- err…" Spine closed his eyes, preparing to choose his next words carefully. "Nevermind, forget I said anything. And don't even think about telling Platinum I really did recognize him."
"I won't," Frostbite promised, unsure of where Spine was going with his speech.
The pale-gold SandWing turned his head left, then right, as if checking to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them.
"Alright," he whispered, leaning over the table, "it seems like you've known Platinum for at least a little bit longer than you've known either me or Copper. What do you think about him?"
"Um…" Frostbite started, uncomfortable with Spine's advancements. "Well, he's actually the first IceWing I've been introduced to, so I wouldn't know how to compare him with others. I mean, the only other IceWing I've ever seen tried to kill me, so that's something. Anyway, he seems really nice, and really smart too."
"Smart?" Spine echoed. "He's logical, I'll give him that. Every move he makes seems to have a purpose, which makes me wonder why he decided to spend so much time helping you. You look like you have nothing to offer in return but that earring, though Platinum never struck me as the type to wear jewelry."
Unsure of how to respond, Frostbite remained silent.
"Ah, well. Don't think too hard about it," the bulky SandWing decided, easing himself back into a sitting position. "If he expected anything from you I'm sure he would've made it clear from the beginning."
"You, uh… sure do like talking about Platinum," Frostbite offered, trying to break the silence.
"No I don't!" Spine hissed, startling the small IceWing into shifting his head back. "I just want to know what his deal is! He's completely fearless, but in a way that could get him hurt. When we were at the oasis, I could've run him through with my spear at any second, yet he didn't even flinch. If he's really that smart, then wouldn't he have made sure he could've protected himself if I attacked?" The bright SandWing paused, then placed his talons on his forehead. "Does he really think I'm too pathetic to be a threat?"
Frostbite turned his head around the room, hoping Spine wasn't drawing too much attention to their corner. Luckily, most other dragons seemed too invested in their conversations to notice them. At the opposite end of the restaurant, he spied Copper, now first in line at the counter.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I thought you were very threatening," the uneasy IceWing offered. "Maybe Platinum wasn't scared because he trusts you not to hurt him."
Spine looked up, a puzzled expression on his face.
"I guess I never thought of it that way. Come to think of it, if I had to choose somebody, I'd probably trust him too. He's trustworthy enough… for an IceWing, anyway."
"Hey," Copper called, returning to their table with a platter made of terracotta, "what are you two talking about?" She lowered the dish, revealing two halves of a watermelon filled with tangerine-colored liquid.
"Platinum, I think," Frostbite offered, wary of the unusual color of the potion-like concoction.
"No!" the impatient SandWing objected, his blue eyes widening. "Well, yes, but, ugh!" He moved his claws to his head in frustration.
"Oh, I love talking about Platinum!" the orange SkyWing agreed, sitting snugly next to Frostbite as she spread a warm wing over his back. "He told me he was working on his 'lung capacity.' I'm not really sure what that means, but now he can breathe frost about two dragons' lengths away and hold his breath much longer. Pretty neat, isn't it?"
"Huh," Spine replied in a slow voice, leaving Frostbite to wonder whether he feigned his interest.
"Anyway, isn't it a little funny that we're talking about him even though he isn't here?" Copper wondered, taking a sip from her bowl as Frostbite stared at his with eyes full of skepticism.
"That's… Three moons, you're right!" Spine realized, his mouth ajar. "How in Pyrrhia does he make us do that?"
"I'm pretty sure he can do anything," Copper stated in awe.
"Sure seems that way," the pale SandWing sighed with an unreadable expression. "I better get going; my father won't like to hear about me spending so much time in town, especially if I'm chatting with an IceWing. He's a bit of a war-head, if you ask me."
"Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't mind you talking with Frostbite," the orange SkyWing insisted. "Just look how adorable he is!"
"He looks like what my father would refer to as an 'easy kill,'" Spine argued. "But hey, he's still alive, so who knows for sure?"
Frostbite closed his eyes.
I don't think I'd be very hard to kill, but he's right; I made it all the way out here without dying. If I'm lucky, I might even make it to the Ice Kingdom too.
"Well your father sounds not very nice," Copper decided, taking another sip from the watermelon bowl. "And I know a thing or two about not very nice fathers."
"What do you think my father will be like?" Frostbite asked as he rested his head on Copper's shoulder. "If I can even find him, that is."
"Oh, I'm sure you will, Frostbite," Copper assured him. "And I know he's going to absolutely adore you. In fact, he's probably worried sick about you; you've been missing for so long."
"I know… but what if he doesn't want me? How could I end up so far away from the Ice Kingdom if he really did?" the small IceWing wondered, feeling hopelessness seep into his bones.
"Oh, Frostbite, who wouldn't want you? I only just met you and I hope we can stay close forever." She turned to Spine, who was trying to sneak away from their table. "Oh, come on, Spine. Say something to make him feel better."
The tall SandWing stopped in his tracks, then turned around with an awkward expression.
"Well…" he groaned, "if there's one thing I can say about IceWings, it's that they're loyal. To their own tribe, I mean. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure they'd love to stab any other dragon in the back given the opportunity…" He noticed Copper staring at him, her wide, honey-colored eyes full of disappointment. "Erm, nevermind that. Look, my point is that there's no way you were willfully abandoned by your own tribe. I don't know what happened to you or where you came from, but you can't give up all your hopes. This world is already hard enough to live in, especially if you think the future holds no reward for you."
"See, Frostbite? Even Spine knows that everything will be alright. You don't need to worry," Copper chirped, shivering at the sensation of Frostbite's scales.
"Hey, I didn't say that," Spine objected, turning his back to them and flicking his tail. "If you want things to be alright, then you need to make them that way. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's high time I got out of here."
"Oh, ok. See you later, Spine! Thanks for talking with us," the orange SkyWing called graciously. He smirked at them, then slithered out the door, weaving through the now deserted tables of the room's center. Once the pale-gold SandWing was out of sight, Copper turned to the small IceWing with a concerned glint in her eye.
"You don't need to be afraid of him, Frostbite," she whispered in a gentle tone. "He likes to act all tough, but I know he wouldn't hurt you."
"Oh, um, uh…" Frostbite stammered. "Did I look scared? I guess I sort of was, but I'm ok with you here."
"Well, you started snuggling up beside me, which is what I did with Platinum whenever someone frightened me," she explained. "Also, you still haven't touched your juice. Aren't you thirsty? It's so warm outside."
Frostbite stared into the pool of tangerine-colored liquid and felt his stomach churn.
"I am, but is it really safe to drink that?" he wondered. "Usually when water's a different color, you're not supposed to because of sand or mud or something."
"Well, it's a lot better than the cactus cider I used to have to drink all the time," Copper assured him. "Besides, if it really was dirty, I'm sure they'd sell it for a lot cheaper." Frostbite let out a small laugh, soothed by her words. "I mean it! The day's just started and we're already almost out of coins."
"Ok, ok, I'll try it," he decided, placing both claws around the watermelon bowl and bringing it closer to his snout. The strong scent of citrus stung his nostrils as he took a deep breath, then let the juice enter his mouth.
"I'm glad you liked it, Frostbite," Copper informed him as the pair walked along the thin, sandy path between the rectangular buildings that surrounded them like a maze.
"Liked it? That might have been the best experience of my entire life!" Frostbite cheered. Though the sun was beating down on him with the intensity of an inferno, the aftertaste still lingering around his throat ensured that it wouldn't slow him down. "I just wish I could show it to Topaz… I hope she's ok."
"Oh, Frostbite, you're so sweet. I'm sure cousin Topaz is safe. Canary didn't want to hurt her, right?" the orange SkyWing stated, turning her head to face him as she led the way through town.
"I know, but first, Nimbus died, then I disappeared, and now Amber's gone too. She's all alone," Frostbite realized. "And I miss her."
"Oh moons, that sounds awful," Copper concluded, slowing down her steady pace to stand closer to Frostbite. "I can't stand the thought of being all by myself. Even though I haven't met her, I wish I could fly over to the Sky Kingdom and wrap my wings around her. I know that one day, one way or another, you'll get to see each other again."
"I hope so," Frostbite mumbled, trying to drown out his thoughts in the sound of his tail slithering over the pavement.
As the pair turned the corner into a thin alleyway, Copper suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Oh no," she whispered, her eyes wide with shock.
"What is it?" the curious IceWing asked as he darted to her side and stared down the hall. Beyond the piles of barrels and wooden crates, he spied a vendor's stall leaning up against the side of a sandstone wall. Beneath the cloth covering, a gruff-looking SandWing was making conversation with a SkyWing standing before him.
The dragon's scales glistened like rubies in the sunlight while the scar of a single scratch ran over his stone-gray eye, studying the SandWing's wares.
"It's my father," Copper continued, her legs shaking as if her weight had suddenly become more than she could bear.
"He looks… familiar," Frostbite noted, staring at the leather satchels tied to his leg and chest.
"He looks like me," she concluded. "Alright… let's try to sneak past him. He seems busy, and even if he notices us, I doubt he'll want anything to do with me."
"What will he do if he sees us?" the worried IceWing wondered, hoping his fate wouldn't make another turn for the worse.
"Probably just scowl, but it really hurts to have your own father do that to you," she sighed, staring at the red dragon with a wary expression. "Ok, stay close behind me and don't touch him. He hates that."
Frostbite nodded, then followed Copper as she hugged the right side of the alleyway. His heart was pounding, warning him of the danger of getting near the red SkyWing. With each step, he felt his blood run colder and colder until finally, they were less than a dragon's length from him.
Copper lifted her tail from the ground, careful to avoid tapping him with it. Frostbite did the same, staying so quiet he could hear the large SkyWing breathing. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd met this dragon somewhere before. Letting his curiosity get the best of him, Frostbite made the mistake of turning his head to study the mysterious dragon's face. He was met with two stone-cold eyes staring directly back at him.
"You," he grunted in a voice that Frostbite found all too familiar.
"Eep!" Copper squeaked, turning around faster than a rabbit fleeing from a wolf. "H-hi fath-"
"No, not you. The small one," he interrupted, his gaze piercing through Frostbite's scales. "I never expected to see you alive again."