Chapter Fourteen
"Icicle!" Winter barked. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"Leave, brother," said Icicle, her gaze jumping between Winter and Qibli. Though she no longer squeezed, she kept her claws wrapped around Moon's throat. "This doesn't concern you."
"Oh," Qibli scoffed. "So we're supposed to just unsee you strangling Moon?"
Winter's gaze was dark. "Let her go, Icicle. Now."
"Not another step, brother!" Icicle snapped her teeth, and dug her claws into Moon's neck. The NightWing hissed, feeling the small pop, pop, pop of her scales breaking to the sharp talons. "This is between me and her."
Moon turned her head enough to catch Qibli's eyes. Icicle was distracted enough that she didn't notice Moon point her wing towards the crumpled black form half hidden behind spilled scrolls and broken pieces of table. Qibli followed her movement, and his eyes widened when he saw him.
"Starflight!" he yelled. He moved toward -
"I said not another step!" Icicle shouted. She lifted Moon slightly only to slam her back down, making her cry out. Qibli and Winter froze. The corner of Icicle's mouth twitched into a half smile. "I know how much you both like this one. Don't want me to break her do you? Or, rather, you don't want me to break her more."
"Get… him!" Moon choked out. "She'll… kill…"
Winter looked between his sister and Starflight. "Icicle, is… is this your doing?!"
She did not even attempt to deny it. "If you won't leave, you can at least make yourself useful." She gestured with her tail towards Starflight's unconscious body, meaning for Winter to finish the job. "Or you could go find Sunny and kill her. She should be easy enough for you to handle."
"What are you talking about?" he demanded. "Why would I do that?"
"For our family!"
"Since when did our family order us to murder our allies?!" And then Moon heard Winter's thoughts, speaking directly to her. Help me keep her distracted, Moon.
She was so shocked to hear someone other than Darkstalker address her in her mind that it took Moon half a second to respond. Another whisper of a thought, and she caught sight of Qibli moving slowly, bit by bit, to flank Icicle whilst Winter provided a distraction. Now she understood. Qibli had the uncanny ability to go unnoticed when he wanted, a habit left over from his days on the streets of the Scorpion Den. It made her heart beat precariously with hope.
"Icicle," Moon said. "Scarlet is the enemy - she'll betray you."
"Scarlet?" Winter didn't need to fake his alarm. "Why is she talking about Scarlet? Icicle, what have you done?!"
He's a weak fool. His sister thought. She curled her lip, lifting her nose in the air haughtily. "I have arranged a better alliance."
"With Queen Scarlet?! Are you out of your mind?!"
"Mother always said you weren't as strong or as smart as Hailstorm." Winter flinched back from the cutting remark. Icicle's eyes darted to the side. "I see you edging closer, SandWing! Take another step and I rip out her throat."
For emphasis, she lifted one talon from encircling Moon's neck and pressed her serrated claws against her windpipe. Qibli's eyes widened, and he froze. He and Winter exchanged a frantic glance.
"Try it," Qibli hissed, tail raised, "and that'll be the last thing you ever do."
"I know you're fast, street-rat," Icicle sneered. "But are you fast enough to stop me in time?"
The pair of them reluctantly stepped back, helpless defeat in their eyes. They were at a stalemate.
Darkstalker, Moon called out desperately, what do I do? You helped me before, didn't you? That was you when Icicle's brain hurt? Winter and Qibli can't do anything while I'm her prisoner!
I can only do so when her mind is distracted or unfocused. Came his reply, miserable and distressed. Moon, please, you have to let me out! She's going to kill you unless I stop her!
How-?
"Give me the librarian," Icicle's words dragged Moon's attention back to the present. "Once I'm free and not followed, I'll release him."
"She's lying!" Moon blurted immediately. "She'll kill him the first chance she gets- ack!" her words were cut off as Icicle choked her with one talon and pressed her claws in with the other.
"Icicle, don't!" Winter cried, rushing for them.
Qibli threw his wings around him, trying to hold him back. "Winter-!"
"What are you going to do?" Icicle demanded, relenting her attack to berate her brother. "Fight me off? You never won when we fought in the hatchery! Don't bother trying now. And for what? A couple of runaway NightWings? Don't you remember what they did to our tribe? What they did to Hailstorm?"
The NightWings killed him, said Winter's mind, his body stilled. All of them. All of Queen Scarlet's IceWing prisoners.
Moon saw the memory play out in his brain, the source of all his self loathing and anger. An older brother, the only one in the family that Winter knew truly loved him. Memories of him were surrounded by feelings of pride and awe. But they'd left the Ice Kingdom, alone, and had been caught by SkyWings. Hailstorm had surrendered in return for Winter going free. Winter had wanted to rescue him but had been too young and inexperienced. And then the news of his death had arrived…
"The NightWings came out of the sky," Icicle said, and for the first time her voice sounded hoarse from an emotion other than anger. "They killed every last IceWing prisoner in Scarlet's arena. Whilst they were still bound and chained - unable to fight back! Remember? And do you remember why? To make Scarlet free that one!" she jabbed her tail towards Starflight. "And do you remember who gave the order?" She glared down at Moon. "Her father!"
Another one of his horrible crimes, Moon thought mournfully.
The IceWing prince was silent for a moment. "I...know…"
"What?!" Qibli whirled on him. "Winter, you can't possibly be -"
"Yes!" Icicle nodded, further relaxing her grip on Moon to eagerly goad her brother. "We lost family - we lost comrades! And we're supposed to forget it? Don't we deserve retribution?"
"Starflight isn't to blame!" Moon cried. "He's the kind of dragon who will stop the killings, Winter. He's good inside, just like you are!"
"Good? Would you rather be good or strong?"
Winter stared at his sister.
And then spun, and smashed his tail spikes over her face!
Icicle screamed and reeled away, talons automatically going to her eyes, blue blood spurting from her nose. Moon sucked in a great breath as she was released. Talons grabbed hold of her under her arms and pulled her away from the homicidal princess. Warm scales brushed her back as Qibli helped her to stand.
Winter was advancing on Icicle, driving her further back. "Starflight and Moon didn't kill Hailstorm! Queen Scarlet did! She's the one who took him prisoner! How can you work with her? How can you do anything she says?"
With a roar, Icicle threw herself at her brother. They tumbled over one another, a blur of white and blue, of spikes and claws, wrestling and snarling. Icicle came out on top, her feet pinning Winter's wings and her talons reaching for him. Winter held her head back with an arm whilst trying to bite her with his own teeth.
Qibli rushed in to help, Moonwatcher behind him. Icicle saw them coming. She whipped her tail into Qibli, clubbing him in the face and sending him down to the ground. Moon dodged around the princess' wings, and leapt onto her back. This turned out to be a mistake. Icicle's many spikes and spines stuck into Moon, giving her a thousand small cuts on her soft underbelly. She tried to reach around to grab Icicle's head, but with a savage yowl, the IceWing turned and threw Moon off.
Rolling across the floor, Moon barely had the sense to get her feet under her so that she could stand - Icicle would not hesitate to rip out her throat if she caught her again. She turned and blew a jet of fire. Icicle ducked underneath it and went to bite Moon's arm. But she kicked her back, further aggravating the wound on her snout that Winter had inflicted upon her. Something seemed to catch Icicle's eye and she leapt aside a split second before Qibli's tail thrust into the spot where she had been. He was up! Even if bleeding from a cut on one brow. Winter was also getting to his feet, and leaping for them.
Icicle thrust her talons into Qibli's shoulder and threw him into Winter's path. The two collided and tangled. With the pair of them struggling, Icicle took her opportunity and opened her mouth for her frost breath. Moon refused to let her. She leapt in the air enough to beat her wings around Icicle's head, kicking and scratching at her face as she did so. The princess tried to back up, and when Moon would not relent, she thrust her head forward, ramming her stone-cold brow and horns into Moon's sternum.
Air burst from Moon's lungs and she fell, winded. Two sets of talons caught her, steadied her. It took a panic-inducing moment to remember how to breathe. When she came to her senses, Icicle stood several feet away, panting, and Moon read in her mind the fatal mistake all three of them had made. She was between them and Starflight.
"I won't be stopped now!" she cried raggedly. "I refuse!"
She turned and ran towards Starflight. Moon cried out and tried to jump up-
"Wouldn't do that if I were you…" came a voice from the air. Icicle stopped, looking for the threat. She bumped into solid air right above Starflight's prone form. A second later, a face appeared, bright orange and red streaked with black. Kinkajou opened her mouth wide with a flash of fangs. "BOO!"
Icicle shrieked, reared and stumbled back from the terrifying face. Her footing became precarious on scrolls that had fallen from their shelves, the bindings of them having come undone. Before Moon's eyes, the bindings tangled themselves around Icicle's ankles, tripping her up. She fell, and as she hit the ground her talons and wings became more tangled in the ropes and debris that littered the floor. Though she struggled at first, believing to be able to shake it off, when her limbs would not move, Icicle began to thrash wildly like a fish in a net.
"What?! Impossible!" she raged.
Moon couldn't believe their luck. Which was exactly why she looked to the door, where she saw a pudgy green SeaWing, crouched low, one talon pressed to the floor, muttering something under his breath. Grateful for his and Kinkajou's sudden appearance, Moon ran over to him and threw her wings around him. "Turtle!"
"How did you two find us?" asked Winter.
"Well," huffed Kinkajou as she let go of the stalactite she had been coiled around. She quickly went to check on Starflight. "You let everyone see you running towards adventure - which you didn't invite us to!"
Icicle attempted to cut her bindings with her teeth. But before she could try, Qibli pressed his venomous barb against her throat. The IceWing went still, glaring dagger at her captor. Qibli met her stare without flinching. "It's over."
The others came to gather around her. Upon seeing Winter, Icicle growled. "Idiot! You've ruined everything!"
"It seems to me like you're the one who's done that." he retorted.
"Our brother is alive, you fool!"
Silence. Moon could feel Winter's entire mind go blank.
Seeing their reaction, Icicle smirked. "Scarlet told me. She kept the most important prisoners in a secret, separate prison."
Winter spun to Moon, eyes fearful and desperate. Moon tried to search Icicle's mind, but couldn't find anything to suggest she was lying. She nodded, and Winter had to grab hold of the nearest wall to support himself. "Hailstorm… is alive?!"
"Well," Qibli whistled. "That makes things a little more complicated."
Tsunami paced the length of her bedroom, which had somehow become the new meeting place for the Dragons of Destiny since the war room exploded. How she had agreed to that, she couldn't recall, but still, they needed a place to talk in privacy, and no one ever dared disturb her when she was in here.
They'd been talking for half an hour, though Starflight had yet to make an appearance. Strange. He was usually very punctual, Tsunami thought, even if it aggravated her at times. Should she send one of her soldiers to look for him? Or should she say, Glory's soldiers. They mostly belonged to the RainWing tribe, but Tsunami had been the one to train them. They felt like hers.
Stood off to the side, the SeaWing twirled her spear in her talons lazily. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the letters piled on her desk (more like a wooden box she had converted into a chest). The letters were smuggled notes and short messages, mostly from her sister, Anemone, but one was from her mother. They felt too personal to be left out in the open, so she hurriedly stuffed them away.
"Do we have any idea yet about how the explosion started?" Sunny was asking.
Clay shrugged. "Peril and I found the flame-cactus-of-death -"
"Just to be clear," Glory groaned, "we're not going to keep calling it that."
"But no. We still don't know who set it. I'm doing my best to keep everyone calm - turns out SkyWings are a lot like MudWings! Give them some food and they're happy."
Sunny smiled. "I knew you would find a way, Clay." She turned to Glory. "I just finished briefing the head rangers. They're rounding up their scouts as we speak."
Tsunami twirled her spear again. It didn't seem right, doing all this just to save face. She wanted to be out there, doing something! Not the odd jobs to make her feel better about herself. But the SeaWing also knew that it would do her no good to go jumping headfirst into situations without knowing what was ahead. She'd learned that lesson in the Kingdom of the Sea. Caution and subtlety also made for a good warrior.
That was why Tsunami had been in charge of interrogations. No one even knew she was doing it, aside from those she questioned. She was on the hunt for the traitor, using all the ferocity that she would when leading troops into battle, to catch the one that threatened everything that she and her friends were building. For the past two nights, she'd had very little sleep, too busy questioning anyone that might know about the explosion. Moonwatcher was at the top of her list, but Tsunami wanted more information before she came at her.
A cough distracted Tsunami from her thoughts. She glanced over, to see the others staring at her, Glory looking particularly unamused. "I said, what about Moonwatcher?"
"Turtle won't talk to me," she said. "I know he's hiding something, but he just says that Moon caught the scent of the fuse or something. I want to believe him but…"
She loved her brother, truly she did; but they were exact opposites and it baffled her. Tsunami was boisterous and loud and upfront, whereas Turtle was quiet and mellow and secretive. For the past two years they'd built on the bond they'd started in the Kingdom of the Sea. Tsunami had only known her sister Anemone for a few days, and her youngest sister, Auklet, for a few hours. She missed them, but they were far away and under the protection of their mother. Turtle only had her, and she wanted to be there for him. So his sudden wish to hide whatever he'd discovered stung. She understood that he wanted to protect his friend - she'd do the same if it were any of the other Dragons of Destiny. And deep down, Tsunami knew that he wanted to tell her, but was waiting. For what, she didn't know. The only thing she could do was trust him.
"Did you talk to your father, Sunny?" Clay asked.
She nodded. "Yes. He says the shield is still up, as he hasn't dismissed it yet."
"Maybe we should ask him to cast a spell that can tell us the identity of the traitor," Tsunami suggested. It was one of the rare times that Tsunami secretly agreed with the pompous iceberg that was Princess Icicle - if they had magic at their disposal, why not use it?
Sunny looked stricken at such a proposal. "But… what about his soul…?"
"I'm sorry, Sunny," said Glory, brushing her tail. "But we also need to think of the rebellion. I have all my RainWings here to protect. I can't let them lose this home too."
Sunny bowed her head, green eyes downcast. She sighed, and nodded.
Talonsteps at the entryway. Tsunami gripped her spear a little tighter out of instinct. They all turned as one and saw the dazzlingly pink form of Jambu stood on the threshold to Tsunami's cave. Whilst he still possessed that same dull-eyed look as always, Tsunami knew from experience that he was anything like the stereotypes of RainWings. He always tried his hardest, whether that be in rescue missions or scouting or sun-time.
"Ah. Jambu," Glory greeted her brother, "just when I need you. Can you go and find Moon for me, please? We need her to grant Stonemover permission for a spell."
"Um, yeah, that might have to wait…" he said slowly. Tsunami gave him her full attention now, her webbed spines standing on end. "Qibli and the sparkly-cold one told me to come get you."
"Prince Winter." Glory corrected. "Why?"
"They said there's some trouble in the library. Apparently you all need to come quick."
"Hailstorm is alive?" Winter pressed. "You're sure?"
Icicle set her jaw. "It was the deal. If I had succeeded in killing the Prophecy Dragons for Queen Scarlet, she would have told me where to find him!"
They all stood around her, trying to gauge whether or not she was telling the truth. Moon couldn't sense any lies in her mind, but it was hard to tell when she could only read her thoughts as they appeared. If she were more powerful, maybe she could pluck the memories out of her brain the way Darkstalker could. She met Qibli's eyes first, as he was the best at reading dragons. He shrugged his wings, but stayed where he was, pressing his barb against Icicle's throat to threaten her from trying anything. Moon then looked to Kinkajou and Turtle, but the RainWing was too busy trying to look intimidating in order to notice Moon's look, and Turtle was a little ways away, wringing his talons anxiously.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Winter asked in anguish.
"Because you're worthless!" his sister raged, pressing against her bonds and straining her head up to him as high as she dared without pricking herself on Qibli's tail. "And because I didn't want to waste time arguing with your sensitive moral sensibilities."
A lasso of rope tangled around her snout and pulled tight. Qibli lifted his tail away to focus on tying her mouth shut, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
Winter stomped away from Icicle in a flurry of blue-white wings and rattling spines. He was breathing heavily, and his mind was being brushed by a wall of ice, built with the bricks of self loathing and the belief that every word his sister spoke was true. Moon wouldn't stand for it. She followed him gingerly, wanting to help but not wanting to offend. Slowly, she laid her wing across his large back.
"She means she didn't want to be talked out of it," she told him gently. "And she knew you would try, and you might even have succeeded, because you're not worthless." Winter slowly turned his head towards her, his blue eyes wide. Moon smiled. "You're smart and brave and capable of caring about other dragons."
For a second, he stood still, staring at her. Then, with a tiny curve of his lips, he closed his eyes and pressed his head to hers. It was only a brief contact, little more than a brush of cold scales against her cheek, but Moon still felt flustered!
"Not to seem rude," Qibli's voice called. They turned around. "But what do we do now?"
Winter drew himself up. "I have to find my brother. He could be out there, at Scarlet's mercy-!"
"I agree." said Moon.
The others stared at her. "You do?" asked Turtle.
She studied Icicle's bound and gagged form. "Scarlet gave Icicle an ultimatum. She had to kill the Dragons of Destiny before sunset, otherwise…"
"Otherwise what?" Qibli asked.
"I'm not sure. Something's coming and maybe Hailstorm is to do with it. I don't know."
"But how would we find him?" Winter demanded.
"Scarlet talked to her in her dreams. If we make her sleep…?" Moon locked eyes with Turtle. She didn't want to ask this of him, not with the threat to his soul, but they had no choice. If he did not want to do so, that was fine. But either way, it would be stupid to say it out loud and reveal his secret in front of Icicle.
Luckily for her, he understood her and chose to help. He stood behind Icicle, out of her field of vision. Plucking a discarded fragment of table, he muttered something intelligible under his breath, and tapped Icicle's shoulder. Her eyes rolled, lids heavy. With a groan, she slumped to the floor, mind going blank. The rise and fall of her sides confirmed her slumber.
Kinkajou brushed Turtle's wing with hers. "How're you feeling?"
He tried to smile, even if it came off a little strained. "Just a chill."
"If Scarlet's been talking to her in her dreams," Qibli thought aloud, "that must mean she's using a Dreamvisitor, right?" At everyone giving him odd looks, he held up his talons innocently. "What? I read about them!"
"And if Scarlet's waiting for confirmation from Icicle," Moon continued for him, "that means she'll be checking in often." She laid down in front of Icicle and hesitantly placed her talons on either side of the Princess' head, hoping the touch would help amplify the activity in her mind. She closed her eyes. "Hopefully, she'll respond quickly."
"Shouldn't we tell Queen Glory and the Dragons of Destiny, then?" said Kinkajou.
Moon heard Winter stamp a talon. "No. They'll stop us from searching for my brother. They'll want to deal with Icicle and make sure the mountain is secure. By the time they'd put together a rescue party, Scarlet would already have figured out Icicle failed. She'll kill him!"
"Then we need to act quickly," Qibli said grimly. "Jambu would've given them our message by now. They'll be on their way."
"You all don't have to come with me…"
"Winter," Kinkajou cried, "we're your winglet!"
"If it's important to you, it's important to us." said Turtle.
"No way am I gonna miss watching you spring into action with that heroic look on your face!" Qibli laughed.
Maybe Moon might've joined in with them, or at least appreciated the special moment between her friends. But at that moment, Icicle's brain became alive with activity. She saw a dream unfold, not much happening in it, except for a dragon that suddenly popped into view. She was horrendously scarred, one half of her face a ruined mess. It had to be Scarlet. Moon was so repulsed by her haggard appearance and the scarily deep slither of her voice, she almost pulled away. But she stayed connected, concentrating to try and see.
Icicle must've been affected by the Dreamvisitor's magic, as she didn't react to Scarlet's surroundings, but Moon saw them clearly. Her talons patted out for parchment, for ink, to sketch down what she saw. But then, she realised that she recognised something behind Scarlet… She'd seen that landmark before…
Her eyes snapped open.
"I got it!"
Glory was the first one to burst into the library, the others on her heels. All of them stopped in their tracks when they saw the devastation. A table had been broken, a scroll-shelf had been overturned, scraps of parchment littered the floor. In the middle of the room lay Princess Icicle, tied and tangled and… asleep?
"By the Scorching," Tsunami cursed as she came in. "What happened here?!"
Glory's eyes searched the room frantically, and she did everything in her power to keep her scales from reacting to her emotions. Starflight hadn't been at the meeting earlier. The only other logical place for him to be was the library - he was always with someone otherwise. Her heart slammed against her ribs. If anything happened to him, she didn't know what she'd do…
"Starflight!" Sunny cried and darted forward.
She went to a lump at the back of the room, half concealed in the debris. The others rushed over, each of them displaying their panic and concern in different ways. Clay helped Sunny. They checked over the body of Starflight. Glory held her breath,waiting for confirmation… and then Clay relaxed and nodded. He was still alive!
A groan. The four of them jumped. The cloth that usually covered Starflight's eyes had fallen away. They watched his lids flutter open. Glory couldn't stop the happy pink that speckled the edges of her wings. He tried to move and winced. Clay and Sunny helped him to sit up. A type of bandage had been tied around his head, made out of scrunched up parchment tied with vines. Blood had dribbled down underneath it, but at least someone had attempted to give him aid.
"Ow, ow, ow, my head," Starflight hissed. Talons brushed his shoulders and he stiffened. He reached out to pat those closest to him. "Sunny? Clay? Please tell me that's you."
Clay's relieved smile was huge. "It's us. What happened?"
"Icicle," he moaned. Glory glanced over at the sleeping princess. "She's the traitor. Tried to kill me."
"Tsunami," said Glory tightly. To her, there was no question as to if Starflight was right or not. She wouldn't take the risk. "Can you drag her to the dungeons? We'll interrogate her when she wakes up."
Her SeaWing sister grinned evilly. "With pleasure. I'll be sure to hit every rock on the way down."
"I should find Peril…" Clay mumbled. Glory held back an eye-roll. Poor Clay. It was obvious to everyone and Stonemover's pet bird that Peril loved Clay irrevocably. But the big idiot was oblivious to the fact that he needed to tell her that he felt the same. It was only in moments like these that Glory saw the romantic in him.
"Let's get him to Fatespeaker," Glory instructed the other two whilst Tsunami began to drag the IceWing away. "She can look after him. We have no idea what Icicle's put him through."
Sunny cocked her head, frowning. "I wonder how she got tied up…"
"You mean Moon won?" Starflight asked hopefully. "She's not dead?"
Glory whipped her head around. "Moon caught her?"
"By herself?" said Clay.
"Unlikely," Glory stepped out into the centre of the middle of the wreckage. Her eyes assessed every scrap of scroll and broken furniture. "Icicle is a princess trained from hatching to challenge Queen Glacier, as well as a decorated soldier. No. It must've been a group. Qibli and Winter sent Jambu to get us. They were here."
"But then where are they now?" Clay stood with Starflight leaning against his shoulder; he looked about worriedly.
"If they're not here to make sure Icicle is safely captured, then that must mean something more important needed their attention…" she turned and shouted, "Jambu!"
"Glory?" asked Sunny. "What're you doing?"
"I have a bad feeling about all this." Her brother came in, his usual pink hue fading into a more cautious pale blue. "Jambu. Get everyone accounted for and then have them prepare. I think a battle is coming our way."
Moon led the way, beating her wings as hard as she could to race with the wind. The others followed close behind her. Gale gusts of wind buffeted them, threatening to snatch away their wings and send them hurtling off into the ether. All of them had to fight to keep themselves on course. The storm was almost overhead. They didn't have long before it would break. From the changes in pressure in the air, Moon could feel it would be a bad storm. It left them very little time to complete their task.
Thankfully they hadn't managed to run into anyone. They'd slipped out of the mountain, unnoticed, and were winging their way north. Moon scoured the landscape with her eyes, searching for the landmarks she needed. It would be foolish to believe they could pull this off, but Moon had to believe they could do something, and hope more of the rebellion might find them.
"The ring of boulders, at the border!" she shouted to the others to be heard above the howling wind. "I could see it behind her. She must be somewhere on that ridge!" She pointed towards the beginnings of the Claws of the Clouds Mountains.
"I would say we need to go in quietly," Qibli called back, "but from up there, she'll see us coming. So, Winter, you go in the front. Once we spot her, Kinkajou will use her camouflage and lead Turtle around behind her to find Hailstorm. Moon and I will help Winter keep her busy."
Moon, came Darkstalker's voice, stronger and resonating within her brain more than ever before. I know you won't want to hear this, but you have to reconsider this plan.
We don't have a choice. She replied. They swooped low towards the ring of boulders. Her heart was beating wildly, the knowledge that she was once again going towards danger was wrecking her nerves. We have to get Winter's brother back.
But Moon, he stressed, if you do this, there is a likely chance one of you will die today.
Moon pulled short, horrified. Winter passed her to take the lead. What do you -
And then she heard it. Thoughts, just whispers, but they came through loud and clear.
They're coming!
The spy sent them ahead.
They're almost here.
And amongst them all came the thoughts that haunted her nightmares.
500, 499, 498, 497…
NUMBERS! "Winter! Stop!"
She tackled Winter out of the air. They tumbled and slammed into the ground. She might've broken something, had Winer not spun them and taken the brunt of the impact. He cried out in her ear. They rolled, and Moon tried to stop their momentum before they could cross the border. They couldn't cross - must not cross! Dirt was thrown up underneath them, and Moon's claws scrabbled in the earth. All at once, they stopped, tails curled together, inches from the magical barrier.
"Moon," Winter growled as he slowly stood, holding one wing slightly off, his expression twisted in pain. The others all landed behind them. "What is the meaning of this?!"
Before she could answer, they all heard the slither of scales and the crunch of heavy talonsteps. They spun towards the darkened treeline on the other side of the border. A shadow moved. The tops of the trees bent and rustled in the high wind. The shine of an eye or tooth gleamed from the dark.
And then came a SandWing, tall and slender for one of her kind, with black diamond marks running down her neck. There was a gleeful wickedness in her black eyes, and her smile was too sharp and unnerving. Moon had seen her in Tsunami's memories: Princess Blister. Meeting her in the flesh, Moon felt small and vulnerable, as the malicious, cleverest SandWing sister had already picked out several ways to kill her and she was as helpless as a bug struck by a pin. From beside the SandWing came a rasping wheeze, and the monstrosity that was Queen Scarlet's face wormed out of the shadows. Seeing her in person was far worse than in the dreams of Icicle. When those yellow eyes swept over her, Moon was frozen to the spot. Both these queens were older, more experienced fighters, and the pair of them delighted with tormenting their prey.
And then, all around them emerged dozens of dragons, mostly SandWings and NightWings, but a couple of SkyWings too appeared. They came out one after the other, and the Jade Winglet cowered back, realising with mounting terror that nothing could've prepared them for this. The rebellion had been found, and the armies of their enemies were bearing down upon them. The only thing that kept them at bay was the protection spell, but with the eyes of tens of dragons glaring malicious at her, it didn't feel like enough protection.
"It's an ambush…" she murmured to Winter.
And then, from the midst of the invaders walked a large, hulking shape of muscle and simmering anger. It had been years since she'd seen him, but still the sight of him made her want to roll over in submission, terrified and small. Those golden eyes found her, and everything she'd thought she'd forgotten, every conditioning and expectation he'd pressed on her came rushing back. How could she have been such a fool as to believe she was free of him? There was no escaping him.
Morrowseer stepped up beside his allies, and the corner of his lips tugged upwards in a smug smirk. Like he already knew he'd won.