Chapter Six
5013 AS, Six Months Later…
There was no distinction between the sky and the snow covered ground. But it wasn't the pristine white of the frozen north, the impeccable stainless beauty of the ice sheaths. If it were possible, even the snow of the south looked… dirty. Endless grey stretched from a thousand feet below to the far horizon. The sun was blotted behind thick and heavy clouds that made it almost impossible to tell the time of day.
An IceWing was always meant to look beyond the Great Ice Cliff when the depths of winter had taken hold of the rest of Pyrrhia, and imagine the entire continent belonging to them. But for the two soldiers winging their way over hills and forests, they weren't very impressed. Well, at least one of them wasn't.
Prince Winter stayed in position on his sister's flank as they flew, even when his eyes studied the miles of landscape racing by. He'd been beyond the Ice Kingdom before, certainly, but surprisingly not when it snowed. His squadron had not had the opportunity. Funnily enough, his sister had never had that problem. Icicle was always given the best opportunities to lead her soldiers into battle. Their father, General Narwhal, always made sure of it.
The war had raged longer than Winter had been alive, but it was all he'd ever known. He'd hatched and been raised with the expectation that he would be an exemplary soldier. And because of his status as a royal (and his tenacity to win his spot in the higher circles), he was fast-tracked to his own command a year early. Usually, IceWing dragonets were recognised as adults on their seventh hatching-day, when they secured their spots in the circles that would determine their station for the rest of their lives. However, in wartime, when the tribe needed every soldier they could, they pushed dragonets as young as five into the army.
Queen Glacier had no sisters, so that meant Icicle was her only niece, and therefore the only one who could challenge her or her daughter, Princess Snowfall, for the throne. Narwhal, the Queen's brother and one of her top generals, never let Icicle or Winter forget that. Icicle had been raised with the expectation to one day challenge her aunt for the throne before Snowfall did. And to make it possible, Icicle had been given opportunity after opportunity to show-off her prowess in order to remain in the First Rank of the aristocracy. Which was probably why Narwhal had always given her missions outside the Ice Kingdom to lead troops to victory. Whereas Winter had always been given rather simple tasks. Defend this border here, guard that supply-run there.
But now, things were different. He was on a mission, talon-picked by Queen Glacier herself to represent his tribe. Almost like she had orchestrated it as their eighth birthday gift, Glacier announced Winter and Icicle would be leaving on midwinter's day. He could still remember the looks on his parents faces when the Queen had chosen him specifically for this mission.
"I need warriors whom I can trust to act not only in my best interests, but also to act with integrity," she had said. "Prince Winter has proven himself to be of sound judgement and will make a good impression on this Rebellion."
In that moment, Winter felt so proud he thought himself as weightless as a moon-globe. If only Hailstorm were here to see it…
So now he and Icicle were traversing through enemy territory towards Jade Mountain on the southern side of the continent. After months of messages, negotiations and preparations, it was finally time. This was Winter's moment: to prove that he was worthy of this post.
To prove that he wasn't a complete failure.
"Why are there no guards?" he heard Icicle say.
They were staying high in the cloud cover so that their white scales would be better camouflaged. Unless they got lucky and heavy snowfall reduced visibility, their white scales would be spotted by enemies. From this high up, though, they were able to see the terrain around Jade Mountain clearly. This far south, caught between the Rainforest to the east and the desert to the west, the snow didn't really settle, so they could see between the stripped trees. Winter had to agree with his sister's quiet disdain. There were no patrols, no activity of any sort around the mountain. It looked completely uninteresting. In fact, Winter felt his interest in the mountain completely slide away, an inkling telling him there was nothing here he should concern himself with and fly somewhere else. Surely that should be more worrying? Was it a trap? Why did he feel no desire to go to the mountain whatsoever?
A flash out of the corner of his eye, fire amidst the densely packed trees. "Over there!" he pointed.
Far below in a large clearing in the forest, boulders forming a natural ring around the circumference, stood five dragons. A quick assessment told Winter they must be the Dragons of Destiny, for they were each of a different tribe. He and his sister quickly surveyed the immediate area for hidden threats, and then came in quickly to land. The ground was hard enough from frost that the mud didn't dirty their pristine scales.
"Princess Icicle, Prince Winter," said a RainWing, her scales giving Winter a headache already from the sheer amount of colours she bore. It was like she wanted every part of her to be different, from red-orange wings to a blue snout to a green underbelly. "I am Queen Glory of the RainWings. We're honoured Queen Glacier chose to accept our offer."
"Her Majesty understands the importance of this mutually beneficial arrangement," said Icicle, her head lifted regally so that she could look down her snout at those before her. "We all get to exterminate a common enemy in the NightWings."
Winter noticed that two of the Dragons of the prophecy, the blind NightWing and the stunted, strange-looking SandWing, winced.
"So long as you uphold your end of the bargain," Icicle continued. "Queen Glacier would be most displeased if you lost your sense just after gaining it."
"No need to worry," said the SeaWing. Winter had to look her up and down in admiration, for even when at ease, she struck a fearsome image. She was muscular and she already had her fair share of scars from battle. If the stories were true, then this one was set to become the most renowned warrior of her generation. "If Glacier helps us defeat Blister and the NightWings, we'll support Blaze as Queen."
Again, Winter noticed some discourse amongst the group. This time it was just the little SandWing who showed any unhappiness in this choice. Winter had never met Princess Blaze, so he could only follow his Queen's orders and recognise her as the only legitimate SandWing candidate.
Icicle nodded. "Very well. My brother and I stand to represent our Queen in this rebellion."
"Of course," said Queen Glory. "You must be tired from your journey. Come in and we'll see you to your quarters-"
"And then we'll get you some food," said the Mudwing enthusiastically. He looked them over, trying desperately to hide the disappointment in his expression. "You didn't bring anything with you, right? I would've thought you'd bring something to eat on the journey. Like… a polar bear? I've never tried a polar bear."
Winter and Icicle shared matching looks of scorn. A black wing suddenly pushed into the MudWing's face, blocking him from view. "Ignore him, please."
Though Winter wasn't exactly at ease with a NightWing in his presence, he didn't believe his sister's reaction was entirely tactful. "Are you sure it's safe to have one of them around?" she flicked a talon in the blind NightWing's direction.
The SeaWing looked at them sharply. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Doesn't everyone have a problem with them? The NightWings are purposefully manipulating this war in their favour, and our tribes have been enemies for two millenia. They should all be destroyed."
"Starflight's one of us!" the SandWing burst with a ferocity that belied her smallness. "And we have two other NightWings here. We're not fighting for genocide, we're fighting to stop the war!"
"Well, then you're making a mist-" Winter stopped his sister's tirade with a sharp whack of his tail against hers.
"So long as you're up front with them being here, and they stay out of our way, we have no quarrel." he said, and ignored the death-glare Icicle sent his way. Internally, he winced, could imagine his place in the rankings slipping.
Their hosts led the way towards the mountain. Icicle hung back and Winter stayed with her, already expecting the hushed scolding. "You forget your place, brother! I am higher in the rankings and your superior. You do not speak over me!"
"I know, sister," said Winter. "But until the Dragons of Destiny publicly declare themselves in favour of Blaze, we mustn't antagonise them. The Queen wouldn't be pleased if they went back on their word because of our lack of discipline."
Icicle growled and rolled her eyes. "Oh, you and your bleeding heart…"
But at least she left it at that. They followed along behind the others, and Winter was surprised to see that the MudWing, NightWing and SandWing were already out of sight. How could that be? The trees weren't packed closely together, but it seemed that as soon as they entered it, they were out of sight and out of notice. Indeed, as Winter got closer to the treeline, that strange feeling began to creep over his scales. A sense that there was nothing here, a whisper that there were other more important things to pay attention to.
The SeaWing and RainWing stopped, just beyond the threshold of the circle of boulders. Winter wondered why they waited, and instantly became suspicious. What if this was an ambush after all -
His head smacked into something hard and unbending. Icicle must've hit it too, for she was repelled back the same as he. They looked bewildered at each other. But the other two were just waiting for them, as if nothing were amiss. Cautiously, Winter reached out with a talon, towards them. His claws seemed to pass over some kind of invisible obstruction. The moment he touched it, his mind was filled with the need to go around this obstacle, it were as if his eyes found all beyond it boring and uninteresting. Instead, wasn't that to the right more fascinating? Why not go look over there?
It was only because he thought hard enough about his mission and his situation that he shook off the compulsion. The spikes along his spine felt like they would all turn the wrong way with revulsion.
"What is this?!" he demanded.
"Our safety," said Queen Glory in a dark voice. "You cannot pass through unless invited in, you're even encouraged to find this place boring and unworthy of attention."
"You have magic?!" Icicle hissed. Winter was inclined to agree. IceWings had a very precarious relationship with the concept of magic.
The SeaWing flicked her wings dismissively. "Came with the place. Noone can come in unless we say so, and if we say so, you'll be expelled just as easily."
"Why tell us this?" Winter demanded. "We'll tell the Queen."
"Tell her anything you want," said Queen Glory. Slowly, a subtle warning red began to grow across her scales, striped with black. "Tell the whole of Pyhrria. All the tribes' armies could lay siege to this mountain and all of them would be repelled. We have nothing to fear."
"Everyone inside this mountain is ours, and under our protection," growled the SeaWing, the markings along her scales beginning to glow brightly. "Threaten any of them again, and you'll pay for it. Do we make ourselves clear?"
Winter nodded. Icicle was a little slower, but she still dipped her head stiffly. By the faint glimmer in her eyes, he could see she was slightly impressed with all this.
"Good," said Queen Glory, her scales returning to their former shades. "Now, Princess Icicle, Prince Winter, I invite you into Jade Mountain."
Oh, what an absolutely horrendous day! If it weren't that less than perfect introduction setting a bad mood, then it was everything else that happened afterwards.
Winter had been surprised to see that a few examples of other tribes were already inside the rebellion, mostly those who had deserted the Talons of Peace because they were apparently falling apart. There were even a couple of SkyWings acting in the same capacity as Winter and Icicle; envoys for their Queen. But other than that, the rebellion was mostly made of RainWings. Whilst Winter could admit to himself (because of course he would never say it aloud) that they weren't as lazy as he'd believed… they weren't exactly inspiring.
During the tour, he'd spied the RainWings in battle training and had to cringe. If any IceWing recruit behaved as they did, they'd be at the bottom of the rankings faster than they could blink. Something about his dismay must've shown on his face because Glory got a little defensive, but was mercifully called away to deal with incoming scouts.
The 'prey centre' was an absolute mess. The MudWing, Clay, had tried to catch prey for them and kept them corralled so they could be killed fresh. But the animals ran riot in their panic and the multiple RainWings complained loudly because it disturbed their fruit-eating. Not to mention that as aristocrats, Winter and Icicle found it abhorrent to think that someone would just hand them their prey. That was for commoners who had the Gift of Subsistence, for no one who cared about their ranking would accept food which came so easily.
And then had come the awful SandWing.
Icicle had chosen to retire to her chambers early, Winter had no doubt she was already writing her first report, to tell their father of Winter's behaviour. So Sunny had called a SandWing to finish off the tour with Winter - even when the prince swore that it wasn't necessary. And the SanWing that appeared only had to look Winter up and down and smile for Winter to instantly regret this turn of events. And he was right. Qibli - as he introduced himself - opened his mouth and would not close it again! Words just spilled out in an endless flow, and he stuck to Winter like a third wing. Several times Winter tried to tell him to leave him alone, sometimes plotielty, most of the time rather bluntly. But Qibli just smirked and shrugged it off as if Winter was joking! How infuriating!
In the end, he tried to flag down a passing RainWing and said: "Remove this SandWing from my presence. As the nephew of Queen Glacier, I demand a more sophisticated guide!"
The RainWing looked rather confused - possibly because he didn't understand half the big words Winter used. And then Qibli had to smile and open his big mouth again. "Ignore him. He's just getting used to the fact that we're destined for each other."
"Leave me alone," Winter growled. "Or I swear I will slice your face off!"
The SandWing had the audacity to look completely unafraid. "Can't do that, sorry. Sunny said we're clawmates now, so we're best friends forever!"
"That… will never… happen!"
He'd finally managed to gain a reprieve at evening when everyone gathered in the prey centre for dinner. Qibli had thought to introduce Winter to his friends, Kinkajou and Turtle. Winter at first thought he'd find a kindred spirit in the SeaWing when he discovered he was also a prince, one of Queen Coral's many sons. Instead, Turtle was quiet and always deferred to the others, especially the chatterbox RainWing. He would be eaten alive in the Ice Kingdom. At least he was inoffensive. And thank the Great Dragon for small mercies, as Qibli's friends helped to distract him away from Winter.
Icicle had even chosen to make an appearance, wearing some of her finest jewels which she'd brought from home. His perfect sister was of the opinion that the dragons who always looked their best were by far the most dangerous, and grubby dragons deserved to stay in seventh circle. Her most valued pieces were a pair of cuffs made of the finest silver and inlaid with glittering black gemstones. She'd had them made especially, in celebration of her greatest victory, when she'd killed one of Burn's former generals. That had been just a few days before Burn had been killed.
Winter had carried in his own prey and went to join his sister to eat. That was when he saw her.
A flutter of black amidst a sea of purples and yellows and greens. A tall and slender frame that would make her on par with his own height. Flashes of silver scales by her eyes, like teardrops. She was a NightWing, and Winter found himself torn on how to respond to her presence. Everything he'd been taught his entire life told him to hate her instantly. All the woes that had befallen his tribe was the fault of hers. And yet, she smiled so gently at the RainWings, didn't hold that expression of superiority. She looked… kind.
"Hey, Moon! Over here!" shouted Winter's idiot clawmate, waving his wing to catch her attention. The NightWing made her way over, and before Winter could slip away, the SandWing was introducing him! "We got a new one! This is Winter, he might be in your next class."
"What?" the NightWing, Moon, blanched.
"Class?" Winter asked at the same time.
"Moon teaches the RainWings," provided Turtle gently. "How to read and write, and recently about the different tribes."
Winter threw a glare at the SandWing. "I need no education on learning the basics of dragon society! I am-"
"The nephew of Queen Glacier," Qibli finished for him with a wink at Moon. "Thought I should mention it, quick. Before he made a paragraph out of it."
"I only mentioned it," Winter said through gritted teeth, "because there has obviously been a mistake and that you shouldn't have to stay around me. As Queen Glacier's envoy, I don't need an annoying SandWing constantly up my snout!"
"Well good for you, I'm here," Qibli grinned. "I'll be sure to keep your snout free of the annoying variety of SandWing. Just because I'm awesome like that."
Prince Turtle sniggered.
"Moony," said the neon pink and yellow RainWing with the most ridiculous name of Kinkajou. "Say hello to Winter! Isn't he the most sparkliest dragon you've ever seen!"
Am I? Winter thought, trying to fight the urge to check his ice-blue and white scales. And then he stopped himself. Does she really listen to this silly RainWing?
"Yes," said the NightWing.
Everyone looked at her. "You think he's sparkly?" Qibli asked, failing to hide his own glance at his scales.
She blinked and shook her head. "What? No!"
"So, you don't think I'm sparkly?" Winter asked, unsure whether he should be offended or not.
"I didn't mean to say that you're not… but, um, I mean-"
High pitched giggling broke through the group before another comment could be made. Everyone looked over to see Kinkajou trying to smother her snout with her wing, her scales rippling orange and pink. And then Turtle snorted, biting his tongue to try and stop himself laughing too.
No self respecting dragon would allow themselves to be laughed at. And NightWings were supposed to be vindictive creatures, or so Winter's father always said. Yet Moon merely bumped her wing against Kinkajou's and smirked. "You little mastermind. You did that on purpose."
Kinkajou nearly doubled over with laughter. "You… you should see your face!"
And then Qibli was chuckling as well. "Can't be any worse than mine was."
Even Winter had to smirk at that. The SandWing had looked rather comically crestfallen. And then to his surprise, Moon giggled too.
Oh wow. She looked nothing like what Winter expected when she smiled like that. From all the things he'd been taught, all the horror stories, he'd expected NightWings to look cruel and homicidal, grinning with all their teeth and laughing like maniacs. But Moon looked… she looked like the warmth of the sun was captured in her smile.
A stiff cough at his tail, and Winter went still as stone. Instantly he shut his mind down, erased the hint of a smile that had been growing at the corners of his mouth. He adopted the guard position, his wings stiff, his neck held in perfect posture. Stepping aside, he allowed Icicle to make her way towards the little group.
His sister eyes him skeptically. "Making friends, Winter?"
There was enough emphasis on the word 'friends' that Winter knew he was in serious danger if he put another claw out of line here. "Sunny declared this SandWing to be my guide for today."
And thank the moons for small mercies, for Qibli kept his mouth shut. Instead he was looking Icicle up and down, his big brown eyes narrowed in study. Icicle didn't even give him a passing glance. Winter already knew she viewed him as beneath her, not just because he was of another tribe, but because he had openly introduced himself as a former resident of the Scorpion Den. He was worse than a commoner, he was a street rat.
Icicle took a step past Winter into the circle of friends, her eyes fixed on Moon. The NightWing was gawking at Icicle as if she'd never seen anything like her before. "So you're one of the NightWings we were warned about. I already met the imbecilic other one and the blind one. If you three are prime examples of the NightWing tribe it'll be a wonder if this war lasts a year."
"Hey," Qibli interjected hotly. "There's no need to get nasty!"
"Yeah," Kinkajou said, bouncing next to Moon, ruff flaring. "Quit being such a prickle-weed and leave us alone."
Winter's sister didn't acknowledge Kinkajou's existence. She instead turned her head to fix her gaze on Winter. He immediately dropped his head in submission. Of course she would think the worst of him. Of course she would believe him weak. He was meant to uphold his family and tribe pride, to be strong, and here he was -
"It's not his fault."
His eyes snapped up to Moon simultaneously with Icicle. Though she still looked petrified, the NightWing had the courage to stand a little taller and meet the princess' stare. "We were only trying to make friends. That's what we're here for, to work together to stop the evil outside. Winter didn't do anything wrong. He's not weak."
If his jaw spontaneously unhinged itself and hit the floor, Winter wouldn't have been more surprised. Moon too seemed to rethink her words, shrinking away from Icicle's low growls.
"Excuse me," she muttered and pushed past her friends to quickly leave the prey centre. Winter watched her go, unable to deny the sense of admiration he felt in knowing she'd stood up to his sister, something few others had ever done. But he couldn't help a creeping suspicion.
The Dragons of Destiny said the NightWings couldn't read minds after all, he thought. So why does it seem like she read mine?
And here I thought you wanted to lay low, Darkstalker said in a rather irritable tone.
"I couldn't just let him think so lowly of himself," Moon said as she soared lazily through the updrafts circling Jade Mountain's peak.
You risked exposure.
Moon was surprised at her defensiveness. "You're the one that's been telling me it doesn't matter if they know or not. That they will be drawn to my power, regardless."
Revealing yourself in this way could prove a little more dangerous than I'd previously foreseen. He said it as though each word pulled out a tooth. And shouldn't we be focusing on the more important issue?
Indeed. Moon had almost done something stupid when Icicle had come along and Moon had realised she couldn't hear her thoughts. There was nothing. No blockage, no wall of numbers, no clever trick to hide her real thoughts. Instead, the only thing that emitted from Icicle was a low, quiet hum, and nothingness. "Some dragons I've met can shield their thoughts sometimes, but nothing like that. Can you not even see into her mind?"
No. This is entirely new to me. Which is disconcerting.
"And why couldn't I put Winter's thoughts into the raindrops?"
Was it her imagination or did Darkstalker give a quiet growl? Because the little idiot wouldn't stop thinking about you. It's much harder when the thoughts are directly about you.
Moon was so surprised, her wings missed a beat. "Winter couldn't stop thinking about me?"
Moon, be careful, he warned. IceWings despise us, always have done. That prince was looking for reasons to hate you. You should stay away from him.
"As you have said for the three dozenth time," Moon muttered. "Well I have to work alongside these ones and I don't intend to make enemies."
You might find you don't have a choice. IceWings are all the same, too rigid in their obsessions with rank and pride to care about anyone or anything but themselves.
"Now that's not fair." Moon pulled up and hovered, as if she intended to turn and find Darkstalker physically beside her so that she could berate him. She'd been doing that a lot, lately. Getting so caught up in their mental conversations that she slipped into thinking they were real. "They live a different way than we do, is that so bad? All the tribes live differently. The MudWing way of abandoning their own young to raise themselves seems alien to me, but it works for them. That's all superficial. You've been inside the heads of other dragons, the same as me. Can't you tell how alike we all are?"
He didn't answer. Whether out of stubbornness or thinking over her words, she did not know.
Wait, Moon thought, twisting in the air. Did you hear that?
Distant thoughts called to her, and not those of a dreaming mind. It was intriguing, as she was usually the only one up at this hour. With a soft beat of her wings, she soared to the south-eastern side of the mountain. Whilst her night-vision was naturally good and the moonlight helped, it wasn't nearly as good as a SeaWing's.
But then she saw him. His pristine white scales almost glowed under the moon, as bright as candlelight amidst the dark rocks. Once again she was transported inside Winter's mind. Bright and dazzling like the sun reflecting off so many layers of ice. He hadn't noticed her yet, crouched on the top of an overhang and peering down the mountainside. When surrounded by dragons, Winter's thoughts always went in the same circle, that he needed to do his best, appear his best, act his best. But now that he was on his own, Moon could see inside him so clearly: an abundant curiosity and patience and eagerness. What was he looking at?
Evidently, Moon must've come too close, her wingbeat perhaps a little too loud where she hovered. Winter's gaze snapped up at her. She caught bright thoughts of wonder and questions, before he slammed a wall of ice on them.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded, though not very loudly.
Tell him you couldn't sleep, Darkstalker supplied. He cannot sleep himself, he'll easily believe it.
"I… I like to fly under the moon." Moon found herself saying.
Orrrrrrrr do that. He won't be suspicious at all…
Winter's knotted brows seemed to confirm this, so Moon hurriedly went on. "I mean, I've always been more alive at night. I suppose that's why my mother named me Moonwatcher."
"Moonwatcher," Winter muttered deflating a little. There was something shivery about him saying her name.
She landed some ways to the side of him, mindful of giving him personal space. She cocked her head at him. "What're you doing out here?"
"Nothing." he said a little too quickly. He kept his eyes focused on her, but his mind was filled with images of little hairless bipedal monkeys. Don't look! Don't let her notice. She'll go away soon, her and her distracting eyes. I just wanted to watch them - there's so few in the Ice Kingdom.
Moon tried to follow his thoughts as subtly as she could and peered over the edge of the overhang. Some ways down the slope was a small group of the hairless monkeys she'd seen in Winter's mind. There were five of them, three adults and two youngsters of differing sizes. Though without hair, they somehow had garments around their bodies and miniature tools in their hands or across their backs.
But what fascinated Moon was that she could hear their minds! Not in words, merely as impressions of emotions that flared bright on her brain. It was extraordinary, for usually animals didn't have emotions past the basics, such as fear, hunger or lust. Yet Moon could clearly sense amusement in them, love even. This was a family.
"Are… are those scavengers?" Moon whispered, hunkering down beside Winter without realising she was doing so. "I've never seen one before, but I've read about them."
"You're not going to eat them, are you?"
She turned her head to look at him, appalled he would even think that. But he was staring at her intently, and Moon realised that he was very serious. "Of course not. No one can eat them, not ever."
"Good, that's exactly how I feel about it," he said, and a tension Moon hadn't even known was there relaxed in his shoulders. "We don't get very many of them in the Ice Kingdom. Last time I saw one, I was two."
Moon saw flashes of that day in his head. He'd been hunting for a polar bear, but was distracted by the little scavenger. He'd lost the hunt and lost the chance to win his parents' favour. Yet he didn't regret a thing.
"It's strange to think one of those killed Queen Oasis," Moon said. "They're so small, so helpless, and Oasis was a formidable warrior."
"Scavengers are much smarter than we give them credit for," Winter nodded. "Just look at the crude tools they've made for themselves! What animal does that?"
"Oh, I agree with you."
He looked over at her in sharp surprise. Moon was a little taken aback by how bright blue his eyes were. "You do?"
"Yes. You can see they're much more complex than ordinary prey."
"If we weren't fighting a war, I'd love to study them." Winter laid himself further onto the overhang, and Moon felt a little proud to see that she'd managed to get the corner of his lips to twitch into a smile. But then it all vanished and he looked most despondent. "Although, such a profession would be most unbecoming of a prince. And there's not much need for the study of scavengers."
The lines were rehearsed, what he thought he should say. An IceWing appeared in his mind: older, greyer, chipped around the edges. There were no feelings of fondness associated with this male, but he was in a lot of memories. Winter's father? Again, Moon listened to Winter cutting himself down with the voices of his family, telling him he wasn't good enough, no matter how hard he tried.
She knew what that felt like. She couldn't stand to see him go through it. "You could study them while you're here."
Winter snorted. "I am here to be my Queen's eyes and ears, to act in her interest. That takes precedence."
"If you need help, I can-"
"I don't need help!" he snapped. His voice was a little too loud. The scavengers heard him and finally turned to look up at the dragons several hundred yards away. They gave out loud shrieks and vanished into the forest. Winter swallowed back his disappointment and shook his head. "I have a mission to prioritise. I can't indulge in silly dragonet games."
"You're better than you think you are, Winter." Moon said, standing. The IceWing stared up at her, surprised by her words. "And your ideas aren't as worthless as you tell yourself."
Opening her wings, Moon leapt into the diamond-star sky and soared back towards Jade Mountain. She forced herself not to look back, even when she could hear Winter's thoughts spinning about her. The comfort of her bed sounded good right about now.
That one will be troublesome for us, murmured Darkstalker.
Moon sighed. "When is anything ever not troublesome?"
A month passed by in the dreary, poor excuse of a rebellion. Icicle received and sent weekly reports for her Queen, and separate letters for her father. She'd been trying to hint that she should be reassigned back to the front lines. A fourth circle IceWing could do this. But she was disappointed. Her orders were clear: stay with the rebellion, help them coordinate attacks, send back reports, and keep an eye on her bad brother.
To this day, Icicle didn't know what the Queen saw in him. Winter was her brother, and she was loyal to him, but that didn't erase his past mistakes. It didn't make him any less weak.
His latest scandal came when he openly went against Icicle in a meeting with the Dragons of Destiny. They were consolidating their information, figuring out their next move. The genius of the magic that controlled who came in and out of Jade Mountain meant that the rebellion was safe. Morrowseer and Blister had yet to find them, let alone lay siege to this place. In fact, the idiots seemed completely unaware of anyone in the mountain. Icicle wasn't sure if that was a side effect of the spell or not.
They had all expected that once she had obtained the throne, Blister would go on a rampage of destruction across all of Pyrrhia that she could reach. Well, maybe "rampage" was too strong a word, but the way the Dragons of Destiny worried over it, one would think the situation was that dire. It was true that without the threat of Burn to keep her in check, Blister had no restraint on her conniving mind to take over all the territory that she could. And whilst skirmishes between Blister's SandWings and the IceWings still took place frequently, it seemed both she and the NightWings had slipped back into the shadows for the time being.
The Dragons of Destiny wanted to take advantage of the quiet, to secure alliances and set ambushes for when Blister or Morrowseer next made their appearance. Icicle had advised that they use the element of surprise and attack. She even offered to call in the help of the IceWing army. But the others were too cowardly, too worried about losses or collateral damage. The little annoying SandWing was the one that aggravated Icicle most - she wanted to claw her face off to stop her constantly gibbering about how all dragons' lives were important.
For some time, since she'd decided to study the magical shield that kept this mountain from discovery, Icicle had been making inquiries about its nature. She suspected that these dragons had more magic up their sleeve. At the meeting, she decided to confirm her suspicions, and told them to use whatever magic they had at their disposal, and cut the head off the snake. Kill Morrowseer and Blister with magic.
Of course there had been several shouts of outrage. Glory and Tsunami denying they had that kind of magic (which Icicle doubted), but Sunny, Clay and Starflight had done the most aggravating thing possible and complained how that would be cheating.
But no one had surprised her more than her brother. Winter was meant to defer to her and merely show a wall of solidarity. Yet now, he decided to speak up, dissented against her. He moaned like a RainWing that underhanded tactics were not the way to win their battles.
"Oh really," Icicle had replied hotly. "Then can anyone tell me how it is more noble to send a hundred warriors to die on the battlefield, than to spend a little magic to just kill two dragons?"
Her brother had looked away, but had still said, "It isn't better. But there are codes to these engagements. If we use magic on them, what is to stop their supporters or their generals or disciples from using magic on us?"
And then had come the uncomfortable discussion on whether Blister or the NightWings did have any access to magic. The SandWing treasure had once been full of animus-touched objects, after all.
Suffice it to say, Icicle was getting concerned for her brother's state of mind. Too much time outside the tribe was proving to be a hazard for his mental state.
In the dark of his cave, which was just beside her own, she waited for him to return from supper in the prey centre. He stayed there later than she did, usually spending the time hunting with that insidious group of misfits that were jokingly being called 'the Jade Winglet' in honour of the mountain itself. As Winter came into his cave, he initially didn't spot her. Icicle wrinkled her snout, such lack of awareness would be a grave error that could get him demoted.
Something resembling IceWing honour must've kicked into his brain, because he abruptly drew still, his ears pricked. Icicle confirmed his suspicions. "Hello, brother."
"Icicle," he dipped his head without turning to her.
"The Queen is satisfied with your plan," said Icicle, stepping up beside him. She flicked her talons across his desk full of his own reports. "Getting into the good graces of the dragons here, gaining their trust, learning their secrets…"
"She is?" Winter echoed faintly.
"That was your intention, wasn't it? I couldn't think of any other reason you would choose to spend your time with outsiders, it's not as if you prefer their company." she shot him a pointed stare. "I know you especially wouldn't stick around that NightWing voluntarily. You do remember why we hate them, don't you? Why you especially have every reason to want them all dead?"
Winter lowered his head further, and said in a quiet voice, "Yes."
Icicle nodded and straightened "Good. I'd hate for you to have to disappoint me, dear brother. Again."
Peril couldn't actually feel cold, but she could see it, if that made sense.
Though her scales made her warm no matter the weather, she could see the piles of snow she turned into soggy messes of mud and sludge. It was utterly miserable. Despite how beautiful the peaks of the mountains could be, Peril had to admit that she preferred the desert. It never snowed there, the weather never made her feel like even the land itself didn't like her. And there wasn't much vegetation there for her to accidentally ignite - BONUS!
But this was where her latest useless hunt had led her. Out into the middle of the wilderness at the edges of SkyWing territory. But just like it had every other time over the past year, her search had proved in vain. Scarlet wasn't here. Peril could find no trace of the former SkyWing Queen. It was as if she had vanished into smoke when she'd fled her own palace.
A crunch in the snow. Peril's brows furrowed. She'd been listening for the clumsy-claws that'd been following her for the past day. They weren't very good, whoever they were. At first, Peril had thought they were more nay-sayers come to yell and throw crocodiles at her to leave their homes and families alone. Apparently, she'd garnered quite the reputation from her life in the arena.
"I know you're there!" Peril shouted, her voice echoing over the snow-covered fields. It was safer to sleep out in the open, less chance of her rolling over and accidentally starting a forest fire. Even if it was really uncomfortable. "I've had enough sneaking for one day! Come on out or I start sweeping this whole valley in fire!"
For emphasis, she flared her bright gold-veined wings. There was a slight gasp somewhere in the empty air to Peril's left. She acted, and spewed forth a torrent of flames from her mouth. There was a loud yelp as someone hurriedly dove out of the way.
"Alright! Alright!" shouted a loud, reedy voice. A shimmer appeared in the sky, hovering above Peril, and then a dragon appeared. Oh. It was a little RainWing. Glory had only ever seen one before in her life, Clay's friend.
She tried not to think about Clay too much, it both made her heart jump for joy and hurt it at the same time.
"What do you want?" she demanded irritably.
"I was told to come and get you!" the RainWing said, refusing to leave the relative safety of the air. "Queen Glory said she wanted you for the rebellion - at Jade Mountain."
"I don't know any Queen Glory," Peril snorted, steam billowing about her horns. She remembered a Glory, Clay's friend, but for all she knew that could be a common RainWing name.
"She said you'd do it for Clay?"
That got Peril's attention. "Clay? Has he asked about me? Is he okay? Does he need me? Not that, you know, I'm expecting anything wrong or whatever, but…"
"Look, all I know is that I was told to tell you that Clay and the Dragons of Destiny want you to join them in Jade Mountain." if it were possible, the RainWing looked annoyed to be delivering such a message.
"Really?" Peril said. "But, I've not caught Queen Scarlet yet… I promised Clay I would…"
The only thing that would've made her leave his side was the promise to keep him safe. After everything that had happened in the Sky-Palace, the Dragonets of Destiny had embarked on their own adventure to find their families, to stop the war. Peril had done some bad things, confused by her own loneliness and selfishness. She could see that now. So to make up for it, she'd promised to hunt down Queen Scarlet, to make sure Clay and his friends were safe. But all for nothing. The one time Peril had thought she'd gotten close, she'd thought Scarlet was with Burn at her stronghold. But then Burn had died and Peril hadn't been able to get close in time. Scarlet slunk away in the mayhem, and Peril hadn't been able to find her since.
What if her failure meant Clay didn't want to see her?
"It's not safe yet-"
It was the RainWing's turn to snort. "What're you on about? Jade Mountain's the safest place in the world. No one's getting us there."
Really? Was Clay safe? If he didn't need her hunting his foes, if he was safe and still wanted her to come to him, did that mean he liked her enough to want her - just her?
"Hey, smoke-breather!" called the RainWing. "It's not a hard question. Are you in or out?"
Well, Clay was calling for her. Who was she to refuse?