He stared the Seawing down incredulously. She stared back and just shoved the scroll at him again. "You're joking, right?"

She just raised an eyebrow at him. "Surprised to see me again?"

"The last time we met was four years ago and I was going to kill you." Wolf grabbed the scroll from her and opened it. "So you can imagine my surprise when you suddenly show up with the scroll Scorpion and I have been using to correspond."

"Look, I don't like you more than you like me," she started, earning a short snort from Wolf. Understatement of the year, he thought. "But Nysnö and Boreal couldn't make it this time, so they asked me to deliver this."

Wolf shook his head and began reading the letter from Scorpion.

Regarding what you asked me in your last letter; no, I can't say that I've ever tried walrus. I know you claim it's good, but it sounds horrible. I would rather eat a charred lizard (which is absolutely atrocious) than a walrus. It's like you Icewings have no decent taste in food.

As for Nysnö's health. She's doing fine. Nothing bad has happened to her. In fact, she rarely ever leaves the hideout, except to deliver our messages. If you don't believe me, why don't come by and see for yourself, sand snorter?

I do have interesting news though. Maybe you know, but hey, I don't give two shakes of a lizard's tail. Riptide came clambering in one day, Webs trailing him, going off about how the Dragonets of Destiny were going to end the war soon. Isn't that exciting? We can finally rest!

Anyways, I hope I can see you again sometime soon. Preferably without ambushing you because you didn't bother to tell me you were coming, unlike last time.

Wolf rolled his eyes but laughed softly. He looked back up at the Seawing and narrowed his eyes. "What's your name again?"

"Siren."

He rolled up the scroll and wrapped his tail around it carefully. "Thank you for bringing this to me, Siren. You can go back and let Scorpion know I received her message."

Siren eyed him cautiously before sniffing haughtily. "What does your Queen think of this?"

Wolf narrowed his eyes at her. "She doesn't know. Why?"

"Because I highly doubt Glacier would ever accept the fact that one of her prized assassins is in love with a Sandwing. A criminal Sandwing no less."

Wolf wrinkled his snout at Siren. Him, in love with someone? It wasn't possible. Or was it? He snarled slightly at the voice in the back of his head. You, shut up. "I'm not in love with Scorpion."

Siren snorted and shook her head. "Tell Nysnö that." She then turned without another word and flew off, leaving Wolf alone at the edge of the jungle.

Him, in love with Scorpion? It was absurd. That's when Ghost-Shatter appeared in the back of his mind. "Why are you so stubborn?"

I am not!

"Yes, you are. Mammoth and Husky would tell you the same thing. If my own daughter, and a Seawing," Shatter hissed out the last word. "can see it, then surely you've figured it out already."

And why do you say that? Wolf screwed up his face and stuck out his tongue lightly.

"Because I'm a figment of your imagination, and the fact that you're having this conversation with yourself just proves that I'm right."

I hate you.

"I love you too."

Wolf snarled lightly at Ghost-Shatter but sighed softly. She, or rather he, was making a point. It'll be fine. This will sort itself out eventually. I don't need to worry about it.

He arrived at the palace quickly, carrying several notes given to him from Anubis and Blaze for Queen Glacier. He'd been instructed by Anubis to go straight to Glacier, as the notes were of extreme importance.

As Wolf had gone to leave, Anubis had stopped him, his black eyes unsettling. "Don't mess this up," he'd growled.

Wolf narrowed his eyes and swept his tail through the sand slowly, moving into a defensive stance. "Why would I mess it up? I get my jobs done swiftly."

Anubis turned his back on Wolf but kept his gaze trained on the Icewing. The black diamonds on his nose and between his eyes glinted sharply in the sun in contrast to his white-gold scales. The gold bracelet with blue and green gems on his upper foreleg clinked softly as Anubis shifted his weight. "Of course you do. You've always followed orders," he replied smoothly with only the barest hint of threat in his voice.

Wolf lashed his tail softly but dipped his head to Anubis lightly before flying off to Glacier's palace.

He'd been tempted to read the notes but the words of his mother and father echoed in his head, stilling him from poking his snout into the Queen's business. He just hoped that whatever Blaze had written was worth Wolf interrupting Queen Glacier's meeting with members of her court.

She fixed him with a stern look and he bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, I have several messages from Princess Blaze and General Anubis. Her Highness says they're of great importance and I was ordered to bring them straight to you."

Glacier took a deep breath before motioning to Wolf. "Bring them here." Wolf stood up fully and walked past the judging eyes of Prince Narwhal, his wife Tundra, and several others. He handed the notes over to Glacier who accepted them gently. "Thank you. You may leave now."

He bowed again before swiftly turning and making his way back to his room. As he got there, he was greeted with a blur of silver-white scales rushing towards him. "Wolf!" Lynx cried as she barrelled into him. He let out a soft 'oof' and stumbled backwards slightly. "Winter and I need your help."

Wolf placed one of his talons on her head softly and looked to the second figure waiting outside his room. Winter raised his nose upwards slightly and eyed Wolf silently. The two dragons had never formally met until now, but Wolf had been told by Mammoth and occasionally Husky that the young Prince was grumpy and haughty. Wolf looked back at Lynx curiously. "What do you need me to help with?"

"You know how you have plenty of scrolls stashed away?"

Wolf snorted in amusement. "Did Nysnö tell you that?" he asked playfully.

"No, but she did sneak me into your room several times so I've seen your collection."

"Of course my niece did…" he muttered. "Yes, what about my scrolls?"

Lynx was about to answer when Winter stepped in and beat her to the answer. "I was wondering if you had any scrolls on scavengers and their behaviour."

Wolf pushed the doors to his room open and walked inside, the two dragonets following him. He led them to the other side and turned to face them. "Prince Winter, you know there are no published scrolls by Icewings on that subject."

"But don't you have scrolls written by other tribes?" Lynx asked.

He let out an exasperated sigh and fixed Lynx with a pointed look. She just grinned at him in response. "I have very little scrolls on the subject, and yes, most are written by dragons from other tribes."

"Most? I thought you said there were no scrolls published by Icewings."

He smirked and rose on his hind legs, grabbing about six scrolls. "There aren't. But there are scrolls written by Icewings." He opened his wings to help keep balance, revealing a large streak of black across his right wing, close to his old wounds. Lynx let out a tiny gasp while Winter just stayed silent, but his eyes widened slightly at the sight. Wolf looked back at them before snorting. "Don't worry about that. I just got into a fight with a Mudwing who narrowly scorched my wing." He dropped back onto one of his front legs, clutching the scrolls in his other.

"But it looks painful."

"It isn't, trust me."

"All right, if you say so," Lynx muttered softly. "So, who wrote the scrolls?"

"You know Nysnö's father Mammoth? And her friend Snow Leopard?" Lynx nodded while Winter shook his head. "Well, they wrote two essays on scavengers. But neither of them care to get their works published, so they gave me the scrolls for safekeeping."

He gave the scrolls to Winter and sat down, folding his wings gently. The young Prince looked at the scrolls before looking back up at Wolf. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. In fact, you can keep them if you want, seeing as how I have no use for them."

Winter thanked Wolf again before pushing Lynx off of him after she practically pounced on him to get a better look at the scrolls, and dragging her out. As they got to the entrance of Wolf's room, she turned her head and waved at the assassin. "See you around!"

Wolf laughed lightly and nodded to her. "Have fun."

The two dragonets soon disappeared, leaving Wolf to sit in silence. He turned his slender neck to look out at the courtyard before he pulled out the message scroll and began writing to Scorpion.

Several Icewings sat above the sandy wring in Burn's Stronghold, Queen Glacier at the front, watching the three Sandwing princesses fight for the throne. Blaze kept hopping out of the way, shrieking lightly when Burn released some dragonbite vipers as she opened Blister's gift.

It had appeared as if though Scorpion was correct about the Dragonets of Destiny putting a stop to the war. Unlike her, he'd had very little faith in the group, but at the same time, he wanted this war to end. With a wry, almost cruel laugh, he lamented about how he couldn't keep killing dragons at the orders of his Queen despite getting a twisted joy watching the life leave his enemies. So now, he threw caution to the wind and prayed that the Dragonets could end this war once and for all.

Burn gave a mighty roar as one of the dragonbite vipers killed her, getting crushed as she fell. The one she was holding wiggled out of her grasp and made its way towards the Dragonets. Wolf turned his head away from the scene, backing further into the shadows.

Soft murmurs filled the air and Wolf whipped his head around as he heard Blister let out a low, dangerous hiss. She approached Blaze who was rapidly backing away from her older sister. "Glacier, help me!" she cried, looking at the Icewing Queen in desperation, eyes wide.

Glacier shook her head. "You have to do this, this is your fight, not mine."

Wolf looked down at the Sandwing princesses with icy disdain, before retracting his gaze. He was about to quickly scan the crowd comprised mainly of Sandwings when a hot talon poked his side. He released a small yelp of surprise, drawing Glacier's gaze to him. She raised an eyebrow in silent question and he just shook his head. "I was just surprised by a lizard crawling over my talons," he whispered. She nodded before returning her eyes to watch Blaze and Blister.

Wolf turned around and looked at the dragon who had semi-attacked him. A smirking Sandwing wearing a white hooded cloak greeted him. He narrowed his eyes at her before widening them in recognition. "Scorpion?" he whispered.

She backed further into the shadows of the floor where the Icewings and some of Blaze's Sandwings were sitting. He looked back at Glacier before standing and following Scorpion. "What are you doing here?"

"For the same reasons you are. I want to see who becomes the next ruler."

"Do you know how dangerous this is?" he hissed furiously.

Scorpion unclasped her cloak and threw it off of her, narrowing her eyes at Wolf. "So, I'm supposed to stay in the Talons of Peace hideout while you get to witness all the fun?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

Wolf took a calming breath and huffed lightly. "Anubis," he drawled. "is one floor beneath us. What if he sees you?"

Something deadly flashed across Scorpion's expression briefly before she schooled her features back into irritation. "But he won't. Besides, I can't stay in hiding forever."

Wolf was about to snap back at her but closed his mouth realizing she had a point. She fixed him with a smug look as if to say "See? I'm right and you know it." He snarled slightly but remained silent.

"Oh, by the way," Scorpion said, her tone light. "You look ridiculous, even stupid, in all that jewelry."

Wolf gaped at her and looked down at what he was wearing. It wasn't anything extravagant. Just a simple gold chain around his neck carrying four polar bear teeth; three black rings, one on his left claw, two on his right claws; and a black earring in his left ear. "I do not!" he protested.

Scorpion snickered lightly and poked a claw into his chest. "You look worse than the time you showed up in Possibility wearing a headscarf."

Wolf looked at her scandalized. "What was wrong with the headscarf?'

"It was so stupid looking." Scorpion shook her head at the memory. "I nearly choked when I first saw you."

Wolf huffed and looked away from Scorpion. "Well, I think I look nice."

"Whatever you say," she snorted.

He looked at her and smiled as he easily fell back into their old routine of insults. Wolf was going to say something when a sharp yowl caused him and Scorpion to whip their heads in the direction of the wring. They watched in barely concealed horror as Blister lunged at Thorn, her talons outstretched, grasping a strange-looking necklace, and disintegrated while shrieking in pain.

"Wait, is Blaze Queen of the Sandwings now?" Scorpion's voice came out softly.

"I- I think so," Wolf replied breathlessly.

A new voice joined their conversation, calm and collected. "No, Thorn has been chosen." Wolf looked over at Glacier who now stood beside him. Her gaze flicked over to Scorpion, and the Queen regarded the Sandwing carefully. "Who's this?"

Wolf swallowed the growing lump in his throat and he avoided Glacier and Scorpion's eyes. "Her name is Scorpion."

"You're a friend of Wolf's?"

"Yeah. We've known each other for about four years."

Glacier looked at Wolf sharply, and he shrunk under her intense stare. "So she's the one you've been corresponding with?"

Wolf's mind went blank and he felt his heart stop. "I- What? How do you know about that?"

"Boreal is very helpful when it comes to providing me information."

Wolf gritted his teeth and stared murderously at the wall. If he ever got his talons on Boreal, he swore he'd kill him.

Meanwhile, Scorpion stared down Glacier, her tail twitching. "Let me guess, you're going to kill me?"

"No," came Glacier's calm reply. "You're not a threat to me or my tribe." She looked to Wolf and took a deep breath. "Wolf, I need to know if you love this Sandwing."

Wolf looked up at Glacier in shock. Scorpion looked at Wolf eagerly, while Glacier remained expressionless. He looked between the two several times, heartbeat picking up pace. This was not a question he wanted to answer right now. Especially not in front of Scorpion. Finally, he looked back at Glacier and took a steadying breath. "Er, no?" Wolf's voice came out quietly, but the sharp intake from Scorpion indicated that she'd heard it.

Glacier hummed thoughtfully while Wolf looked over at Scorpion. The Sandwing pulled herself up to her fullest height and held her wings back in defence. "I see, well, it was nice to know you Wolf," she snapped, tone heavily laced in venom.

His heart gave a sharp, almost painful tug as he watched Scorpion turn her back on him and fly away. She didn't look back at him once, and soon her form disappeared into the sunset. Wolf turned to look at Glacier who kept looking at where Scorpion disappeared. Finally, she looked down at Wolf and gave him a tiny, sad smile. "Why?" he asked, voice breaking slightly.

"I did nothing," she replied. "Wolf, I have nothing against you being with a Sandwing. However, I implore you to think about what's best for your tribe. Think about what your parents wanted for you."

"What did they want for me?" he hissed, lashing his tail.

"They wanted you to have the best life possible. Before your father died in battle six years ago, he asked me to make sure you didn't do anything brash."

Wolf snarled lowly and flexed his claws, digging them into the ground. "Is that what this is? Befriending another dragon."

Glacier shook her head and touched one of her wings to his. "Of course not. But you have to remember, your tribe comes above all else. Your tribe comes before yourself, your family, and even me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you must do whatever benefits the wellbeing of our tribe. Even if it means sacrificing what you hold dear."

Wolf's chest tightened at her words and he looked down at his talons. "I've sacrificed so much already."

"I know."

"So please, Your Majesty, don't ask me to choose between the Icewings and Scorpion."

Glacier sighed in response and started walking back to her guards. She stopped and without turning back to face him, she spoke again. "The war is over. I suggest you take some time to relax, clear your head, and fully think things over before deciding on what to do."

Wolf looked away from her retreating form and walked to a balcony, staring up at the sky, wishing for the first time in years, that Shatter was here to help him.