— Chapter 16 —

Winter

"What?" Winter snapped, bringing his head closer to the small Nightwing talking to him. "What do you know about my family?"

"Huh… I'd say that probably quiiiite a lot? Especially regarding you and your… siblings." Oracle replied nervously, clearly regretting having approached Winter that much to talk to him.

The Icewing looked back towards the other dragons, who were looking forward to these two, then he looked again at the tiny black dragon.

"We'll talk somewhere more private," he said in a low voice as he walked again, but Oracle literally sat down on the ground where he was standing.

"H-Huh… Nuh uh!" He shook his head and Winter huffed at that.

"What do you mean by nuh uh? You just said you'd tell me things," he snarled, glaring not amused at all.

"I-I will say it… only if the others can hear it, part of it is quite relevant and important info in general…" He muttered at him.

Hearing that, the others from behind had approached more, although Umber and Sora still remained several steps behind from the others, Sora still looking nervous.

"If this is about my family, then it has no meaning for others here," was the prince's response, still staring coldly.

"No meaning? Winter you insult me, I'd love to learn more about your family, would give me an edge when you invite me to your great palace for lunch and I can meet your family members like your aunt, Queen Glacier." Qibli replied with a big grin.

"First, I'd never invite you home for lunch, and second, if I did that, it would only be to kill you with frostbite because you couldn't even survive in the Ice Kingdom," he quickly retorted at the Sandwing.

"I'm sure I'd find a way to live, I want to see how's lunch over there," he stated confidently.

"Icewings have bracelets, they're Animus touched, and it allows visitors to go past their cliff and feel warmth in their icy place," Oracle blurted out and Winter's eyes widened at that, and the small dragon saw his face and immediately stepped back, probably now realizing his slip up.

"You know that too!?" He snapped. This Nightwing really carries far too much valuable information, he knows about one of the gifts of the ancient Icewing Royal Family! Really dangerous…

Qibli whistled at that. "Well that is handy, depending on how many bracelets there are you could maybe invite all your friends here for lunch."

"I-I… yes I know that… too… and hm… if you don't accept the others to listen to what I have to say, I… will hm, reveal more stuff…?" He said shakily, and very quickly saw how that was a very bad idea after Winter stared at him.

"Reveal any Icewing secrets and I'll claw your face off before you say anything else," he promised, very seriously.

"T-Then let the others listen and you won't need to hm… claw off any faces?" He said shifting nervously on his feet.

"He was the one that even offered sharing information to you in the first place, I think he can set the parameters." Turtle added, but flinched when Winter's gaze went towards him.

With some more grumbling, Winter finally gives a nod, it'd be stupid of him to outright refuse intel from a literal seer, especially if it's about his family.

"Okay… just spit it out already," he said in reluctant acceptance.

"Oookay so… there's a set of news that you'll hate hearing, and another set of news you'll love hearing, until it gets to a part you won't like to hear…" Oracle said, clearing his throat. "Okay here's the most imminent and significant news, your sister, Icicle, is working for ex-queen Scarlet and planning to murder the dragonets of destiny." He stated, trying to keep a serious face as he stared back at Winter in the eyes.

"What!? My sister is working for Scarlet?" He shouted, being caught completely off guard.

He's gone mad, giving some accurate predictions, then he thinks he can slip fake ones in the middle and have others believe him!

"Someone is plotting to kill the founders, and you didn't reveal that right away?" Qibli questioned, his tone showing he didn't appreciate that either.

"Tsunami's at risk?" Turtle asked with eyes wide.

"And Clay?" Umber followed, Sora looking horrified by that.

Oracle took a step back from the others, looking very scared.

"I… I am sorry! Timeline wise, the whole thing with Sora happens first, I-I have been trying for days to prevent that! You all only know about what I can do for very few hours, and so far I barely talked to most of you. Should I have just said days ago "Hey, princess Icicle is plotting several murders, I just know, help me stop her"?

"If you have the power to stop any plots and assassinations before they even happen, yes you should try talking about it to others as soon as you can." Qibli argued right away.

"I would've appreciated a warning like that…" Turtle admitted, looking down, and the Nightwing had really looked heartbroken for a second there.

"I…" The Nightwing muttered, looking down at his talons in shame.

"Not like you expected things to go with your mad predictions, right?" Winter commented with his usual cold tone.

"Leave him alone," a voice spoke up from the back, and everyone now looked at Sora who was stepping forward.

"Of course the arsonist would support you, do you really think you can tell us what to do?" Winter replied coldly.

Sora looked nervous but still she spoke. "This is unfair on him, and some of you," she directed her eyes at Qibli when saying that. "Can't say he isn't trying to stop bad things from happening, two dragons could've possibly died today because… of me. And you're blaming him for trying to focus on one thing at a time? Assure he can save these dragons?"

Qibli looked more uncertain now "Technically, Moon was the one that saved them, she also had a vision before history class and warned everyone."

"That… wouldn't have happened normally…" Suddenly Moonwatcher was the one to grab the others' attention now, she looked uncertain about something. "I… had a vision earlier too, it showed me having a warning vision… like 20 minutes later, so I wouldn't be able to warn everyone as well," she stated. "And before it was our turn in the music cave…" Moon stopped now, rubbing her head as if something was screaming right into it.

"Before our turn, what?" Winter questioned, glaring at her.

"Moon?" Oracle asked with a strange tone of worry and doubt, as if he was asking something else to her.

She remained silent for a few more seconds, rubbing her head, then spoke up.

"I heard "Soon in the history classroom, soon in the history classroom, it must be stopped." She whispered.

"Huh? I was right next to you, I didn't hear anyone whisper anything like that." Qibli pointed out.

"Me neither! I am sure I'm a very good listener." Kinkajou agreed.

Winter didn't say anything, he technically didn't hear that, but it's not like he was listening too much to others during that moment.

And then one could see that Turtle's expression had shifted to surprise with wide eyes.

"You didn't hear it spoken out loud by others…" He began to say, instinctively seemingly trying to shrink down when it was his turn to be looked at by everyone. "You must have heard that from Oracle's mind."

There was a short silence, and it looked like Moon was having an even bigger headache now.

Heard… from his mind? Is it what I've been thinking since we met? She's able to read our minds? Winter thought quickly, then in shock he also thought. Does she know about my brother? Everything I've been feeling these days? What I think about her? Is she listening to this too!?

He noticed Moon's gaze on him and he hardened his glare.

Everyone was currently looking at her, and slowly while looking at her talons, she nodded.

"That's also true, sorry, seeing the future is not the only thing I can do, I read Oracle's mind on that moment, and your minds too, I can't turn it off." She sounded saddened. "And I feel sure that Oracle's thoughts and what he's done must be what changed the timing of my vision."

But before anyone else could speak, Kinkajou's scales were already getting some red streaks, but most unexpectedly, Oracle began to shout.

"We are NOT doing this! I've seen this plenty of times, you are way too easy to start distrusting a friend who literally just said she cannot turn it off as much as she might want."

Qibli looked baffled by that "She's been reading our minds possibly since the first minute we met! She has no right, what about our privacy and secrets?" He questioned flaring his wings.

"Qibli," the small Nightwing said with a dead serious tone that was unexpected coming from him. "How about a little thought experiment? What if you were born a Sandwing with a super unique and useful gift that carries dangers, but Queen Thorn told you your whole life to not reveal it? Within 4 days would you go to a group of dragons you met recently and say "Hey fellas, funny Qibli here has a big secret which is this!" He made a quite good mockery of the Sandwing's annoying casual tone, Winter at least appreciated him getting mocked.

"Well, of course I wouldn't say it if Queen Thorn told me not to!" He said indignant by the thought.

"And you just assume that Moon here just never was told since forever to keep her own gift hidden? So it's fine if you had a potentially dangerous secret but others can't?" Winter was actually shocked to see that this made Qibli shut up.

"And Kinkajou, I can see your red scales, what's there to be so angry at Moon about? Friends are allowed to keep their secrets, yes, intruding into your mind is not nice per se, but be honest… are you hiding many things in there or you mostly already say what you think, with your own scales also saying plenty for you?"

"Well, because…! She… could have just told me, that's it!" Kinkajou attempted to argue weakly.

"So it's all about just not being told, that's it. In the timeline I've seen, you both unfairly stay angry at her for a full day, even though wanna know something? She literally saved you all from burning to death earlier today in both timelines." He finished stomping a talon on the ground.

Everyone looked at each other after seeing the small and extremely shy Nightwing just snap like that, he looked for a second at Moon and gave a small smile, and she gives a thankful nod, then suddenly he turned at Winter "And now, you, Winter," he followed in the same tone he used with the others.

And what did I do now? Winter thought baffled at the little dragon glaring up at him like that.

"So now you know, these Nightwing powers exist, big deal, Moon is trustworthy, and I am not a liar about the future, tomorrow your sister will try to assassinate Starflight, in the name of Scarlet, to free your brother." He directly stated and Winter took a step back in shock.

"My… brother? You mean Hailstorm? You truly just keep on lying, Hailstorm is dead!" He snapped bitterly, and took two steps forward now, being literally inches in front of Oracle.

Nightwings are confusing, annoying, and great liars, what is this one trying to accomplish? He thought, angered.

"He is not dead. Winter, I know very well that your personal reason to hate Moon and I as much… is because you think that when the Nightwings raided Scarlet's arena to free Starflight and killed the Icewing prisoners, that your brother was among them, right?" Surprisingly, Oracle didn't step back, standing his ground in front of the prince.

"You are stepping on very dangerous ground here, are you in my mind too?" Winter said slowly with a growl being heard.

"No, I know from Icicle's own admittance tomorrow that it's not as you think, Scarlet didn't keep all of her prisoners in one place, she placed important ones in other spots. Your sister allied herself with the queen that captured your brother because she was promised his release. Do you believe I am lying? That I am making a massive elaborate story to… what? Give you false hopes?"

Everyone was staring at both Winter and Oracle, Winter was sure everyone was expecting him to snap, to freeze his face, or cut his throat.

But in reality, his mind was a mess, and he didn't even care right now if the other Nightwing was listening there. Is this true? Is Hailstorm alive? Why would Icicle hide that from me for so long? Does he know where Hailstorm is? Could I free him? Maybe if Icicle learns where he is, we could search for him together.

But then a very small part of his mind was wondering if that last part was a good idea.

The prince shook his head now. "Tell me where Hailstorm is." He ordered, but didn't find his own tone as harsh as before, he just wants to know where his brother is.

By this point, Oracle's expression had calmed down and he was taking a deep breath, and he looked at Winter with uncertainty.

"Sorry but… I know where he is, but I can't tell you right now, you'd probably just fly off by yourself right away and… we still need you, your sister will try to attempt an assassination, she's been visited by Scarlet in her dreams for days, the next time she sleeps, they'll probably talk about more plotting, I… think I have a plan, but I'd need your help, and everyone else's…" He said with a nervous expression, looking back at the others, who've been quite silent since the small dragonet snapped.

After a few seconds, Turtle stepped forward.

"I don't want Icicle to murder my sister, or anyone else, I would've appreciated a heads up a while ago… but I don't think I can back away from this, not this time, the Seawing stated and there was a smile on the Nightwing's face.

Seeing what's happening, Moon had started to talk too. "Nightwings with gifts should probably stick together, we help each other, and maybe… we can get the best future."

"Aww, we're doing one of these things? Well, as much as I don't like big secrets, I also don't like stuff like assassins! And especially not one who wants to kill the other best friends of Queen Glory!" Kinkajou said with certainty and energy.

"Queen Thorn would be mad at me forever if I didn't join the group literally meant to save her daughter and friends from an Icewing… So I'll have to join in, of course, I have to check the plan you have in mind to see if it's effective at all." Qibli joined in as well.

The two Mudwings were about to talk, but Oracle shook his head, "You've already had to deal a lot with Icicle, I think we could deal with the issue and you can rest," he said with a tone that sounded worried, looking mostly at Sora, who looked down.

"But… I wanted to help…" Sora whispered.

"Sora, I think he's right, you should rest when we're back, try to calm down, and I assure you that we'll protect Clay and the others, nothing will happen." Umber said kindly to her.

"Huh?" Sora asked upon hearing that, and Umber looked at Oracle.

"Hey, I want to help in some way, even if at least for some back up, she wants to threaten one of my sibs after all." He requested, and Oracle eventually nodded.

Then everyone's eyes were on Winter.

"... What? You really want me to just go against my own sister here?" He questioned.

"If you want to find your brother with as little issues as possible, yes." Oracle stated seriously. "And besides, this is for Icicle's best too, in the timeline I've saw, she fails to kill Starflight and escapes through a window to the rainforest to attempt murdering Queen Glory," Kinkajou let out an angry gasp from that, "And when you find her, she'd have spent over half a week without sleeping, so Scarlet won't see in her dreams that she failed, and Icicle would hurt herself to stay awake, then she's imprisoned and in the Ice Kingdom she'll fall to the bottom 7th circle and end with some punishment." He said pretty much all in a row without breathing.

And Winter's thoughts once more started to be scattered.

She falls that deep down? All to save Hailstorm… she'd hate me for this… but maybe this could end better, if not and I end with neither Hailstorm or Icicle, then I'll kill this Nightwing. He could tell from Moon's sudden startled expression that she heard that, good, have it known to someone the stakes of this.

"... Fine, I'll listen, if your plan is good enough, I might accept it."

A happy expression flashed on Oracle's face, and Winter hoped he wouldn't come to regret this.

Some hours later in the late afternoon, Winter was walking down the hall that leads to the sleep caverns. They all had returned half an hour ago, with Moon checking if all of the founders were alive just in case Icicle actually attempted something earlier, and luckily they all were, she also had located Icicle in the cavern that she ironically shares with Oracle, so Winter headed there.

"Icicle?" He called into the cave, trying to keep his usual tone, he can't let anything of what he thinks to accidentally spill out.

It only took two seconds for her to come down and meet him face to face.

"Oh, brother… Now what could you need of me at this late hour?"

"Sister, I've been filled with all the details very recently in my dreams." Winter stated proudly and confidently, and Icicle looked confused for a second.

"In… your dreams?" She questioned after a second.

"Icicle, I've talked to her, I know what you've been doing, and I am here to help you," the Icewing prince said and Icicle actually looked baffled.

"She talked to you? She told you everything? Why would she ask for your help?" She said, and Winter tried not to wince. I still look useless to her…

"She said something along the lines of "This whole thing is going too slowly, tell Icicle you're in, and kill at least one of these dragonets soon if you want to see your brother again." Winter whispered without hesitation in his voice.

Icicle huffed "Too slowly? And can you tell me how it is possible she reached you?"

"Apparently she had seen me from a distance during a battle years ago and that was enough, seems like she decided to try her luck if it was actually me," Winter rolled his eyes at that.

"Hm… I guess that maybe it could be of some use to have another Icewing…" She sounded uncertain of his usefulness, Winter just made a smug smile.

"I am very confident we could do something, perhaps even tonight, we know where the sleeping caves of the teachers are, maybe we could ambush one of them like Starflight tonight, she said just one dragonet from this place should be enough, then we have to kill Queen Glory… and she'll release Hailstorm." Winter tried his hardest to breathe normally.

"Two targets, including the queen of the Rainwings…" She stood upright and flared her wings, "If that impatient ex-queen wants us to be fast, then we'll be, within the next two days, we'll finally free him… I didn't think you'd show any interest in this task, I believed you'd be too afraid, too weak to go through with it." She stated smugly, Winter held his gaze up, looking at her in the face.

"I am quite sure, sister, that you may be surprised by what I can do." He said coldly and began to walk, Icicle moving by his side, heading to Starflight's office cavern for when he isn't in the library.

Winter was heading for the trap where he'll have to betray his sister.