Chapter Twenty Two
There was silence for only two heartbeats. And then, "What do you think you're doing?!"
Darkstalker's voice roared so loud and so ferociously that Moon leapt away from him in fright. She'd never heard him use that tone of voice before. His pupils were thin slits, his lips pulled back over his teeth. His mind was completely shut off to her, as if he wasn't even there anymore.
The strange SandWing recognised the threat and quickly lost her shock in favour of hostility. She bared her fangs and clutched her findings close to her breast. Her mind was a jumbled mess of desperation and possessiveness. Darkstalker reached his talons out to her with lightning fast movements. The SandWing managed to dodge his first strike. His claws looked so long in the dim light, Moon panicked that he meant to spear the stranger with them!
"Darkstalker! Don't-!"
Her words distracted him for half a second. Time enough for the SandWing to blast him in the face with her fire. He snarled and flinched back. Moon cried out, horrified. She picked up the nearest object - an old table leg - and swung it at the SandWing. It hit her neck, just above her shoulder. She was so thin and gangly, the blow nearly sent her tumbling. She roared at Moon, wings flared wide.
Moon didn't want to fight her, but she wouldn't watch her friend be hurt either.
The SandWing leapt at her, claws on one talon swiping for her face, the other still clutched her treasures. Moon hopped back a step to avoid the blow, but the place was such a mess that she stumbled on debris. The SandWing took her moment, and thrust the end of her poisonous tail straight towards Moon's neck.
A pounding headache crashed through the NightWing's skull. Her powers screamed at her, showing her visions of a barbed tail stabbing into her flesh! The burning pain, the agony of a slow death -
Talons seized her shoulders and hauled her backwards. A blanket of stars enveloped and shielded her from the world. A soft thunk as the attacking tail hit the scales on the other side.
Moon blinked, surprised at not being dead. She looked up, and found Darkstalker all around her. He growled savagely, his focus on his wing that he'd thrown up in front of them both. With a snarl, he shoved his wing back, and batted the SandWing, throwing her across the room. The walls were old and weak, and crumbled under her as she hit it.
Realisation of what he'd done invaded Moon's mind. Frantically, she grabbed hold of the edge of his wing and pulled it down so she could see it. Her heart crashed against her ribs - he couldn't be hurt protecting her! The poison would kill him -
But his scales looked as they always had, as if nothing at all had occurred. It took Moon a moment to remember the old story, that Darkstalker had made himself immortal and his scales invulnerable. A large talon enveloped hers, giving her a comforting squeeze.
A hiss from the other room, they both snapped their heads up to look. The SandWing crawled to her feet. On her side was a satchel, and she quickly put her stolen goods in the old, frayed leather bag. "Can't 'ave it! T'is is my pickin's!"
There was a rumble, and then, Darkstalker stretched his neck and unleashed a torrent of fire at the SandWing. She yelped, ducked and rolled. Her body slammed into a support beam. The wood had rotted long ago from damp and age, and it only took that small amount of stress for it to completely snap.
Above, the ceiling groaned for just a few seconds. Darkstalker and Moon inhaled sharply and both threw themselves down. Shadows swallowed her as Darkstalker covered himself and her with his wings. The crash of the ceiling falling all around them was a cacophony in Moon's ears. Darkstalker grunted as large chunks hit his back and sides.
Peeking from between the curve of his wings, Moon spotted the SandWing clawing her way out of range of the collapse and leaping for a smaller hole in the ceiling at the back of the building. That was how she had likely gotten in. Her ears began to clear as the building finally reached a pause in its own destruction. Darkstalker slowly pulled back his wings, letting Moon stand. Dust filled her nose and she coughed.
"I've got her!" Moon yelled and leapt after the SandWing.
"Moon! Don't!" Darkstalker called after her, but she was already climbing through the hole in the ceiling that her quarry had used. She heard Darkstalker try to follow, but the hole was too small for him, and the collapse had partially blocked the door they had come through. He would have to dig his way out. Old claustrophobia crept across his mind. He roared.
Moon flung herself into the air. She couldn't think about Darkstalker right now, or what she was doing. All she knew was that she needed to stop that SandWing. One, because stealing the heritage of her ancestors felt wrong; and two, this was the first dragon she'd seen since awakening here. She needed to speak to them.
Her wings beat fast against the wind. The SandWing had a lead and was headed for the northern mountains. She must know the way through, Moon guessed, or else she would never have found the Night Kingdom in the first place. The SandWing looked back only once, eyes wide, and put on a burst of speed to escape.
"Wait!" Moon called. "I mean you no harm! I just want to talk!"
The SandWing paid her little mind, and soon they were swooping through the rocky slopes of the mountains. Moon tried to keep the SandWing in her sights, but she could already feel the subtle deep-magic of the mountains trying to confuse her. Ahead, the SandWing kicked out a loose rock she passed. It teetered for a heartbeat, before tumbling down the mountainside. Moon had to veer to the side to avoid it crushing her. She saw the SandWing about to turn a corner - a corner which Moon might be able to cut by flying over the low-rocks above. It was a risk, but Moon had no time to second-guess herself. She sailed over the rocks and came downward just as her prey had turned the corner as she'd predicted.
They collided quickly, Moon highly aware of the SandWing's dangerous tail. But in the short scuffle, her claws had managed to slice at the old leather satchel, and it came away in her claws. Moon hurried back several feet. The thief stared at her satchel in Moon's claws and let loose a terrible screech of fury. She dove for Moon, claws and teeth bared. The NightWing yelped and tried to dodge out of her way.
"Please - stop!" she tried, narrowly avoiding a second swipe. "You need to listen!"
"Giv' it back!" the SandWing raved like she was mad, foam flying from her mouth. She changed direction mid-dive, catching Moon by surprise and leaving her unable to escape the claws that came for her throat -
A tree trunk hurtled past Moon and hit the thief with what surely had been bone-shattering force! The SandWing went down, a ledge on the mountain catching her before she could plummet to her death. She lay dazed, one arm bent at the opposite angle it should sit.
"Moon!"
She turned, and saw Darkstalker winging his way towards her. His blue eyes were alight with worry, but his mind was still closed off to her and his spine was still tense.
"Are you alright?" he asked, looking her over.
"I'm fine," she replied automatically, feeling a little numb. "I got the bag."
"Good. That's-"
A whimper. They both looked as the SandWing flew away as best as she was able. Her mind was filled with pain and fear. Moon went to go after her. "She's hurt!"
"You get back to the Castle," Darkstalker ordered, pushing her behind him. "I'll catch the thief."
Was that wise, Moon wondered, considering the anger she could still see visible in his frame? But before she could think better of it, he was already soaring away. Hovering in the air, Moon stared dumbly after them, unsure of what to do. Darkstalker was in pursuit but… what would happen next?
There was little else for her to do, she slowly realised. She couldn't help catch the thief as they were both too far ahead now and she did not know the ways of these mountains. Yet. With little else available to her, she did as she was told and returned to the castle of stars. On the flight back, she inspected the satchel of treasure. Mostly it was odd objects that had either a glimmer of gold to them or a pretty jewel. One or two had neither and instead were small pots with intricate paintings. They all looked expensive. The thief knew what she was looking for, it seemed. All of these would sell for good money on a market.
She decided to wait in the entrance hall of the castle, so that she might see Darkstalker as soon as he returned. She placed the satchel on the ground, propped against a stone column. It felt wrong to hold it. The objects inside felt foreign, unknown, an intrusion. That was something to pick apart later, when she felt less agitated. An hour ticked by. She paced, her mind and wings twitching anxiously.
Finally, she felt the brush of another mind, Darkstalker's! She threw open the doors for him, eyes scanning the stars until she found him, just a slight shade lighter than the pitch black of the night. He landed a little heavily, his expression tight, his eyes tired.
"Are you alright?" Moon asked quickly as soon as he stepped inside. "What happened? Where's the thief."
"Gone," he grumbled, frustrated. "The conniving snake used the mountains against me."
Moon didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved. It meant that there must be land beyond the northern border. And that there was a way, however unlikely, through the magic of the mountains.
"What was she even doing here?" she heard him ask.
"I'm not entirely sure." She gestured towards the discarded satchel. "But it seems she was picking through the skeleton of this place to find anything of value."
Darkstalker got very quiet, his silver-blue eyes narrowing. He swiveled his head to look through the great doors that would lead to the throne room. His claws twitched violently. "You once told me the SandWings are considered the richest tribe, yes?"
"Yes," Moon nodded, unsure of where this line of questioning was going. "Part of the reason for the SandWing civil war was because Blister stole the majority of the SandWing treasure."
"In my time, the SandWings were one of the poorest." He flung open his wings and let loose a beastly roar. "Thieves! All of them! Our tribe left and they couldn't wait to plunder what was rightfully ours!"
"Darkstalker!" Moon tried to get his attention, a little alarmed at his passionate temper. She leapt forward and put her talon over his. Instantly, he froze, shocked. "Please don't be angry. There's nothing we can do about that. Let's not make enemies based on what we perceive others to have done wrong. When the war is over, we'll do our best to get back our heritage."
He took a deep breath, and slowly released it through his nose. He patted the back of her knuckles with his other talon. "You're right, of course. I'm sorry this night hasn't turned out the way either of us had hoped."
She was relieved that he'd calmed, and so chose to further put the situation at ease by making light of it all. "Look at it this way: at least we know you've still got it."
"Still got it?" he quirked a brow at her.
With the claw of her wing, she poked his ribs. "We're lucky these old bones are still holding together. You should take better care of yourself for someone of your age…"
Darkstalker threw his head back and laughed, the rich, merry sound she was coming to adore. "Oh! That's does it - your dinner is getting chargrilled!"
It was on that following morning that the correspondences that the Dragons of Destiny had sent out all finally reached all of the queens. The messengers had flown as swiftly as they were able whilst also keeping out of sight. After passing their message to soldiers that had already proven to be trustworthy to the Rebellion, those soldiers then took the messages to their superiors who in turn presented it to their Queen. Each one read the message of the attack, of the mysterious NightWing animus that had suddenly appeared. Each one responded differently and undesirably.
Upon seeing the words laid out before her, Queen Glacier had not at first not believed it to be true. But the more she read and reread it, the more her panic began to take over. The stories of the Darkstalker, the history of what had happened to Prince Arctic in the forgotten Kingdom of Night, it was as real to her tribe as the ice and snow upon which they stood. The Queen of the frozen north immediately realised the reality of the threat she now faced, and so chose to act with all haste.
"Generals!" she bellowed, her voice echoing off the thick, glittering icy walls of her palace. Servants sent word of her urgency and they came running. She waited until all her generals, advisors and commanders were present. "Pull back our forces! All our soldiers are to retreat immediately! I want every IceWing behind the great ice wall!"
"B-But, your Majesty!" one of them dared to stutter. "All of the land we have secured - Blister will take it!"
"And what of Princess Blaze?" asked her brother, Narwhal. "Her fortress is south of the wall."
"We shall hide her away. I will personally see to that." Glacier said rather cryptically. "And I do not care about the lands right now! I want every IceWing protected behind our wall. It is our only defence!"
She threw the letter down in front of them. Upon reading it, her advisors all jumped to do her bidding.
Far to the east, and deep beneath the sea, Queen Coral looked over the letter that had been presented to her - it was even the kind of parchment that didn't deteriorate underwater, and the ink that wasn't washed away. It made her heart ache to miss her eldest daughter. Tsunami was so far away, but she still remembered the things she'd been taught in her brief time home. Coral could not understand why her daughter stayed away, especially when Coral wanted her home so badly. She still felt ashamed at how they had parted, and wanted to make amends. Auklet and Anemone asked about their big sister every other day.
The contents of the letter itself made no difference to her. She didn't know if she fully believed all of the claims in the letter, it seemed all a bit too fantastical, even by her standards. Yet even so, she knew that a NightWing animus was an unknown in this equation, one that she would need to watch out for. For now, she was content to wait and see what happened next.
However, unbeknownst to the Queen of the Sea, her daughter, Anemone, caught sight of the letter and allowed her imagination to run wild. The idea of another animus being out there in the world somewhere fascinated her. For most of her life, she'd thought she was the only animus in all the world. It made her feel special, of course, but at the same time, her powers scared her on occasion, and she wanted someone to teach her, reassure her.
"Can I meet this Darkstalker, mother?" Anemone asked as sweetly as she could. "Oh please, please! We might learn so much from him -"
"Not yet, darling," said Coral. "You should practice your own lessons first."
But the young princess would not let it go that easily.
And as for Queen Moorhen and Queen Ruby, they both were skeptical of such claims, and in Ruby's case, had more pressing concerns on that particular day. But Moorhen sat and stewed over the letter, tapping her claws on the arm of her throne. She had been a supporter of the Dragons of Destiny since Burn's death. She'd had nowhere else to turn to, really.
But now, as the standoff between the allied forces and Blister and her NightWings dragged on with no payoff in sight, the MudWing queen grew frustrated. She was beginning to doubt that the Dragons of Destiny had MudWing interests at heart, more concerned were they with appeasing the IceWings. That was fine with her. If they wouldn't take care of her tribe, then she would. Prophecy be damned.
She looked over her wartable, at the coastline that separated her kingdom from the sea. For all she'd done, all she'd been promised, her tribe was owed those lands. The letter she'd received had more than likely also had copies that went to the other queens. Even if none of them believed it, they would still have their attentions elsewhere. The chaos was worth capitalising on.
Moorhen decided it was time to push prophecy aside, and take back what she was owed.
Whispers zipping in his ear awoke Winter at dawn. He could hear the voice coming from the cave across from his own. It was Qibli. Who was he talking to at such a dreadful hour?
Winter had to remind himself that he shouldn't care. Qibli had made sure to let him know that he still wasn't happy with him when they'd turned in for the night yesterday. Not that Winter could blame him. As he'd admitted to Perill, he had behaved rather poorly.
A second voice joined Qibli's whispered conversation. With a jolt, Winter recognised it as Moon's voice. Had Qibli decided to contact her, without the rest of them? He immediately surged upwards, outraged at his duplicitousness. How dare he!
The IceWing prince charged out of his cave and across the hallway. Qibli had taken up his cave close by Winter's when he'd moved into Jade Mountain - probably to ensure he was always around to annoy him. But as he came to the threshold of Qibli's cave, he heard Moon's voice, and stopped. Quickly, he ducked to the side of the cave entrance, out of sight.
"Is Winter still angry with me?" she asked in a small voice. Winter felt his insides shrivel up like a defrosting corpse quickly festering. He knew he wasn't wrong about Darkstalker, but he now regretted his outburst yesterday.
"You know Winter," Qibli used his usual jovial tone that made it sound like everything he said was a joke. "Brooding and moody is his default personality."
"Qibli…" Moon sounded like she wanted to scold but was too amused to do so. The stirrings of a bitter, hot emotion pierced Winter's brain to hear Qibli be the one to make her sound so carefree so easily.
"No, I don't think so," Qibli said at last. "No one can stay mad at you. Least of all Winter. But… he is worried about you, you know. We all are."
"I know." she said quietly. "But I promise, I'm fine."
"For now. But what's the plan to get you out of there, Moon?"
"Right now… there isn't one." Before either Winter or Qibli could interrupt her, she quickly went ahead. "Listen, I have a plan - or the beginnings of one. I'm learning about Darkstalker, a little bit every day. I want to learn what really happened two thousand years ago. If I do that, then maybe I can use it to help Darkstalker. Make him into a better dragon, one that could help us."
"I doubt that will work," the words left Winter's lips as he poked his head around the cave entrance to stare into Qibli's chambers. The SandWing lay upon a camel-hair rug on the floor, holding the seashell in his talons. He swivelled his head to stare at Winter, wide eyed. Neither of them spoke for a while.
"Qibli?" Moon asked when the silence went on for too long. "Is something wrong?"
Cupping one talon over the seashell as if to muffle any noise, Qibli then asked Winter in a soft voice. "Do you want to talk to her?"
Winter was awfully tempted. But, with a weary sigh, he shook his head. "You finish. Lift her spirits before she sleeps today. I have to… go and talk to my sister."
It was the first excuse he could think of, but one that once he said it, he recognised that it was a duty he had been neglecting to see to. Tsunami and the other Dragons of Destiny had locked up his sister somewhere in the mountain and had done their own interrogations. Yet after everything that had happened, he needed to talk to her himself.
Leaving Qibli and the magical tether that anchored them to Moon, Winter set off down the corridors. He didn't really pay much mind to where he was going except downwards. All he knew from pieces of information he'd gleamed in conversations with Tsunami, Icicle was somewhere in the lower regions of the mountain. Not paying much attention to his surroundings, he almost didn't see the smaller male SeaWing until he almost trod on him.
"Oh," said Winter, awkwardly. "Um, hello… Turtle."
Turtle swept his tail to the side, as if to be sure Winter wouldn't step on it. "Hey. Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm just… going to see my sister."
The SeaWing tilted his head, soft brown eyes studying Winter deeply. But… not in the 'checking-for-weakness' way he was used to, especially other IceWings. Instead, Turtle's gaze was almost a 'let-me-see-what's-wrong' kind of look. And then, he surprised Winter when he said softly: "Do you want me to come with you? I promise not to be as outspoken as the others."
At first, Winter was unsure of what he meant. But then, all at once, it hit him. He didn't want to go down to Icicle alone - he knew that was the brave thing to do, the option that showed him us strong. But to do so felt like he was going into battle unarmed and with his snout chained shut. He wanted someone else there. But if he brought someone like Peril or Kinkajou, they would be too intrusive and he'd never get anywhere. And Qibli would just ask too many questions and get into pointless details that only revealed how cleverer he was than everyone else. But Turtle… He was quiet and observant, he'd be able to notice everything and would be there for support and yet would never think to intrude on Winter's business.
And perhaps, also, Winter recognised that out of all his friends, Turtle was perhaps the one who could relate to him the most when it came to horrible families. He didn't know the particulars of Turtle's home-life, surely his family didn't degrade him or demand perfection. But they hurt him in other ways, like ignoring his very existence. Winter nodded, and they set out.
Turns out, it was the right choice. Tsunami had talked to Turtle about where the dungeons were, and so Turtle took the lead and Winter obediently followed. As he'd suspected, they travelled further and further down the mountain towards the ground level. They turned down a steep and narrow tunnel that came out into a small cave lit by torches on four walls. In the centre lay Icicle.
Winter didn't know what he'd expected. After learning everything that his sister had done, his mind had exaggerated her in the past few days, twisted her into a monster he barely recognised as the ramifications of her deeds unfurled. But now, as he looked upon her, he felt more horrified to recognise his perfect sister rather than a monster.
The mountain had not had the luxury of housing prisoners before, Icicle was their first. So, Winter was guessing that the Dragons of Destiny had to improvise. Her cell was little more than a wooden cage constructed in the middle of the cave so she wouldn't be able to hide anything. It was barely big enough for her to lay comfortably. Her ankles were shackled to the floor, at least. And it appeared as if the blacksmith had had to crudely replicate the iron muzzle used in the SkyWing prisons, for one was clamped around Icicle's snout to prevent her using her frostbreath. Winter briefly wondered if Peril had helped to make it.
As soon as he and Turtle entered, Icicle's eyes snapped open. For a long moment, she glared at him through the wooden bars, silently seething. Slowly, she sat, though the cage didn't allow her to move much, and she ended up hunched over. Squaring his shoulders, holding his wings in the correct position, Winter prowled into the dungeon and began to circle her cage. Turtle scuttled in after, and put himself against one wall, silent and observing, like he'd promised.
"Ahh. So you've finally come to visit me, brother." Icicle's hissing voice was muffled slightly through her muzzle. Her scales were dirtied and scratched, far from the pristine and perfect princess she'd always been. "I'd begun to wonder when you'd show your traitorous hide."
"You're the traitor here," he retorted quickly, coming to a stop in front of her. "You'll be lucky to be in any of the circles once Queen Glacier hears of what you've done. That is, if she doesn't leave you at the mercy of your hosts."
"Do you want to see me quake in my cell? Beg for my life? Like you did for the SkyWings?" She wrapped her talons around her bars, watching avidly for any indication that that barb had stung. It had, and Winter did his best not flinch. "The SeaWing and the RainWing queen I might rouse myself to feel the slightest bit intimidated. But the weakness of the others infects and restrains them. I fear nothing in here, so don't think intimidation will work on me."
"Then listen to sense, Icicle," he pleaded. A part of him had to believe his reasonable (if proud) sister was still in there. "You worked for Scarlet against our allies. Why? What could possibly drive you to do such a thing."
"To do what you were too weak to! Save our brother."
"So, helping Morrowseer take down the Dragons of Destiny, thereby also helping him to defeat our tribe - Hailstorm would approve of that?"
"You would rather he rot in some cell?!" she screeched indignantly. "Where is your pride?! He deserves better than the fate you lumped him with."
"I didn't mean for that!" Winter finally exploded. His voice rang around the cave, the flames of the torches flickering. Years upon years of those words being lumped on his shoulders and swallowing down the desperate denial finally burst. His eyes burned with tears at his sister. "You don't think I live with that guilt every single day? Knowing that it was my fault he was taken? I hear his voice every night, bargaining for my release with his own life. Sometimes it is all that haunts my mind. And the likes of you and mother and father have never let me forget it no matter how hard I try to do Hailstorm proud."
"You would've made him proud by dying a warrior's death and let him come home instead!"
Had she literally stabbed him in the chest, her words could not have hurt more. A lump in his throat threatened to choke him. "Is that really what you wish? That it had been me instead of him?"
Icicle didn't respond right away, but her eyes said everything. For a moment, his wings drooped, and he wanted the earth to swallow him up. He'd tried so hard… he'd fought and he'd led troops through this horrible war. He'd been a good commander - he'd even earned the respect of his Queen. And still… it meant nothing to his family.
"If Winter had fought the SkyWings," Turtle's voice cut through the room, making the IceWings startle. They'd completely forgotten he was there. But the SeaWing's eyes were filled with a quiet, furious passion. "It's likely that both he and Hailstorm would've died. Then you'd have no brothers at all."
Refusing to show any vulnerability in front of outsiders, Icicle put her muzzled nose in the air. "At least they would've died with honour."
A pause. And then, Winter said quietly: "Honour…?"
He leapt for the cage. He reached through the bars and clamped his talons around his sister's muzzle. With a wrench, he pulled her forward until her face was almost smashed into the wooden cell. Icicle's eyes widened with brief fear. The chains on her ankles held her back, stretching out her body so that her front legs had to work to hold her weight, and she couldn't scratch and claw at him. Winter's pressed his head against the bars, baring his teeth in her face, the hint of frost at the back of his throat.
"You think you have any right to talk to me about honour?!" he demanded furiously. "You, who served the snake that murdered our brother?!"
Regaining her composure, Icicle tried to shake him off. "Hailstorm isn't dead! He's being kept-"
"It was a lie, Icicle!" Winter roared crashing one fist against her cage. Icicle went still. "Scarlet didn't have Hailstorm, he was kept in her arena prison and escaped when the Dragons of Destiny caused her downfall."
"No…" she murmured. "No, that's not possible. He would've come home to us!"
Again, Winter felt like he was being choked. He released his sister and backed up. "He died."
"Liar!"
"While you were in here, I faced Scarlet when she and her allies tried to storm the mountain. She told me herself, gleeful at my pain. Our brother died trying to come home years ago." He couldn't tell her the full extent of Hailstorm's fate. It was too awful, and she likely wouldn't believe him. "She lied to you, Icicle. She used your love of Hailstorm to get you to do her bidding."
"But she told me… she told me she would show me where to find him!"
"Yes. Find his bones."
And then, Icicle let loose a piercing cry as she crumpled to the ground. Winter screwed his eyes closed, wishing he could tune out the sound. He and his sister shared a moment to grieve for their brother. It was strange, that Winter realised that only now had he properly acknowledged what had been revealed to him. The sadness swallowed him up, like fresh blood from an old wound now reopened.
He knelt by his sister, and tentatively dared to reach through the cage to take her talons in his. "Help me, Icicle. Help me stop her and avenge our brother. Tell me what Scarlet said to you. Did she ever reveal anything about her plans to you? Any hint at the plan for what the NightWings and SandWings will do next?"
Slowly, she looked up, eyes meeting his. There was a moment where she looked like she would finally open up to him. But then she pulled her talons from his, and curled up into a ball. "An IceWing must be thorough in their conviction. Once you're set on a course, never let anything dissuade you from it."
Words that their father had drilled into them numerous times as a dragonet. They came from a hollow throat and lingered in Winter's ears like a poisonous fume. It was in that moment that he knew his sister was truly lost to him. She would rather recite the principles that had awarded her First Circle and stick to them rather than follow sense and cooperate with him, thereby dooming herself. Winter stared at his talons, feeling helpless.
A soft touch on his shoulder. He looked over, numb. It was Turtle. The SeaWing gently led him across the room, and they kept their backs to Icicle. "Don't listen to her." he said. And then, wringing his talons worriedly, he quietly offered: "You probably don't want it but… I could do something to her chains to make her tell the truth?"
It took him a moment to realise what Turtle had said, and then a moment longer to ponder such an offer.
At last, he shook his head. "No. My sister is cunning. Last time she was distracted or otherwise didn't see you. But now she'll figure it out quickly - that's not a secret I want her to have. And besides, I don't want to take away her free will."
Icicle would likely not give up anything to them. He could either carry on this interrogation, or leave his sister to her fate.
"THERE you two are!"
Turtle and Winter both leapt with a yell. Kinkajou appeared out of thin air right in front of them. Her expression was something between a pout and a scowl. "I have been looking everywhere for you both! And that's quite the feat, let me tell you. Do you have any idea how HUGE a mountain is? Come on, you're both needed!"
Without any sort of explanation, she marched back up the tunnel, not even sparing Icicle a glance. Turtle and Winter exchanged a baffled glance. Shrugging, Turtle hurried to follow the RainWing. If Kinkajou had gone to such lengths to find them as she claimed, it must be because of something important. Winter made to follow-
"Taking orders from lesser dragons, Winter?" Icicle's voice called after him. He stopped. "Can you even call yourself an IceWing anymore?"
"Kinkajou has value," he snapped coldly, barely turning his head to look back at her. "Which is more than I can say for the one who obeyed my brother's murderer. And still failed. What value do you have now, Icicle, to anyone?"
He didn't stay to hear his sister's indignant fury. He wanted to dive into the lake to wash off this entire ordeal. For now, he followed Kinkajou back up several levels. Until she brought him to a cave filled with other dragons. Namely, the rest of their Jade Winglet.
"What's going on?" Winter asked.
"We don't know!" Peril said. "Kinkajou said you guys had an emergency!"
Turtle frowned. "What, we didn't…"
Winter turned a glare on the devious little RainWing. "Kinkajou…"
"I brought you all together so that you can apologise." She sat in the centre, head held high and her scales trying to do their best impression of Glory. "We had our spat, and now it's time to make up so we can go back to all being best friends."
"What?!" Winter cried. "I'm not going to-"
The RainWing launched herself at him, and suddenly her snout was inches from his, her talon jabbing into his chest. "Oh yes you will, you big, doofy, muscled mass of sparkles and scowls!" Before he could make any sense of the words she'd just spat at him, she was gone again. "Like it or not, we all only have each other. In the rainforest… I was a nuisance. When the NightWings took me nobody even noticed I was gone - except for Moon. Then the NightWings did horrible things… and then they took my home."
They were all silent. It was easy to forget how much Kinkajou had been through. She was so energetic and bubbling with positivity all the rest of the time, that one tended to forget or not notice how these things affected her so.
"But you know what?" she smiled brightly. "When we're all together, I almost don't care about any of it! You guys make me feel like I'm a… a… a non-nuisance!"
"Kinkajou?" Turtle coughed gently. "That's not a word."
"Well it should be because that's what I feel." She stared at each of them individually. The smallest of the group stared every one of them down. "Okay, so, this is really corny, but you guys have to realise that we're stronger together. And it's up to us to figure out how to help Moony - in whatever way we can. Because we're the only ones that can do this! We took on Morrowsneer and Blizzbut and ruined-face!"
"You mean Morrowseer, Blister and Scarlet?" Peril frowned. "You do remember you received brain damage in that fight?"
"Yeah, and I'm up for more! If we can take on them by ourselves, we can do anything!"
"She's right." Qibli said. "Moon has a plan. And if she's successful in it, then good for her. But until then, we need to be the heroes now."
"From monster to hero…" A smile crept across Peril's snout. "I like the sound of that."
Turtle snorted in amusement, but stared at Kinkajou like she was the sun and all three moons rolled into one. "I'll help so long as all of you keep the spotlight."
Winter glanced at Qibli. The SandWing seemed to be waiting for something. With a long sigh, Winter finally admitted defeat. "I'm sorry, for the way I acted. I was… a cactus-brain."
Qibli's jaw fell open. "You just said the words… I have ascended to a higher plain!" And then he was throwing his warm wings around Winter's shoulders and jumping up and down. Winter fought the urge to push him off. "And I'm sorry too. Not exactly sure what for, because you were being a cactus brain. But I'm sorry, all the same."
And with that, they all banded together as one. Readying themselves for anything.