Wings of Fire: Melting Ice #2

Chapter 24

"Aurora, I'm here!" A voice called. 

Aurora stuttered awake and lifted her head to see Plum standing in the doorway. Her sister seemed to be panting, and blue blood was trickling down her snout. "Plum, what happened?" She asked, immediately rushing to her side.

"The SkyWings are attacking!" Plum gasped. "They just appeared out of nowhere!" She yowled. 

"What?" Aurora growled. She pushed out of the doorway, her tail lashing. 

"No! Don't go, Aurora, you must stay and rest! The others and I will take care of this," Plum panted, looking worried.

"I can still fight with one eye, Plum," Aurora hissed. "Don't worry about me, worry about yourself for now." Great, another problem to deal with! How many are there?

"Aurora!" A voice called. It was an IceWing that Aurora thought she'd never see.

"Snowball?" Aurora gasped. 

As young as he was, he was equipped with armor and a narwhal horn. He had long gashes running across his muzzle. "Take this, Aurora," he insisted. 

"Snowball, you're hurt! Go in that room and rest, please!" Aurora ordered. Not waiting for an answer, she whipped around with the narwhal horn and headed towards the balcony of the palace. "As the queen's daughter, it is my duty to protect those in this kingdom."

Plum rushed after her sister. "Hey, you're literally missing an eye. And it hasn't yet healed. You need to rest!" She pleaded.

Aurora ignored her. She leaped from the balcony, her wings spreading open and catching the air. She could see the red and orange dragons flying around and spewing their flames at the IceWings. 

Bitter was fighting with a smaller SkyWing and was clearly winning. Elk was fighting with a SkyWing as well and had managed to make it fly off. 

Aurora spotted Slick, who couldn't fly due to burns. He was fighting with a SkyWing as big as him, and it seemed to be overpowering him. She flew down towards them quickly, her serrated talons catching on the scales of the SkyWing. 

"Aurora!" Slick gasped.

Aurora whipped her tail directly on the SkyWing's cheek, causing him to stumble over. She rushed forward and dragged her talons along his throat. Blood sprayed her arms and chest, and the snow turned scarlet.

Slick stared at Aurora, unblinking. He looked at the limp SkyWing in the snow. Suddenly he spread his wings and roared. "Behind you!" 

Aurora couldn't turn around in time and felt claws slash her side. She could feel the warmth of the blood trickling down her scales. She turned to face the SkyWing, who was twice her size. Three moons!

Suddenly another SkyWing landed. "Hey, she's a hybrid. Don't kill her, we must keep her alive. We'll let Firefinch take care of her."

"What do you want with me?" Aurora hissed. She charged at the large SkyWing with the narwhal horn clenched in her talons, but the other SkyWing lunged past her, heading towards Slick. "Hey, don't touch him!" She roared. She turned quickly to try and help him, but she felt teeth sink into her tail and drag her backwards. 

"You already killed my friend," The SkyWing hissed. "Only fair that we kill yours."

"Stop!" Aurora screamed. She slashed at the SkyWing's chest and kicked out, her tail lashing. But the SkyWing's grip was too strong. 

Slick leaped on the other SkyWing, his talons digging into the red dragon's shoulders.

"Stop that useless struggling," the SkyWing snarled. He moved fast like a snake lunging for its prey, and his jaws were now clamped around Slick's throat.

Aurora's struggles became greater. Come on, move! Slick will die! She tried to push the narwhal horn right through the SkyWing's throat, but he powered through the attack. His talons clenched around the horn and he was able to yank it from her grip. 

Aurora had been so distracted by the fight that she'd forgotten about Slick. She froze when she heard an agonized roar that was suddenly cut off by a gurgling sound. She turned and saw Slick laying in the snow with blood streaming from his torn throat. By some unknown miracle, he was still alive.

The SkyWings laughed like it was just a game to them. They flew off like cowards before Aurora could do anything. 

"Slick!" Aurora panted. She ran towards him, almost slipping in the blood that puddled in the snow. She crouched down, tears stinging her eyes. The rise and fall of Slick's chest comforted her for some reason. 

"Three moons!" An angered voice hissed. Bitter landed in the snow with a loud thud, his talons digging into the blood-stained ground. "Those stupid SkyWings. Is he still alive?" He asked.

"He's barely alive!" Aurora whined. "We need to get Gellis to treat him!" 

"Better yet.. what are you doing out here fighting with one eye?" Bitter questioned. "Wasn't Gellis supposed to be watching over you?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, but he left to get my sister. Then that's when my sister informed me of the attack," Aurora stated. She shuffled in the blood-stained snow, her gaze dropping. "And yes.. I know I should be resting. But as a princess, it's my duty to protect those that need help."

"I'm sorry, but you can't fight. You must head back into the palace and hide with your sister. You do realize you're a hybrid, right? The reason why those SkyWings are here is because they want to kill the hybrids. Queen Fissure might even take you for personal use. I can't allow that to happen, Aurora," Bitter said, looking down at Aurora. He shifted in his spot, his dark eyes swarming with protectiveness. "Now go ahead and move."

Aurora dipped her head, realizing now that she was being stupid. I can't let myself be captured by the SkyWings. Apple would be sad. My mother would be sad. I can't put that kind of grief or sadness onto anyone! "Thank you, Bitter, for telling me that. I really needed to hear it."

Bitter dipped his head.

Aurora then turned and flew off, the air from her wings blowing snow into Bitter's face. She headed towards the palace, hoping her sister would be there as well.