Wings Of Honor: Heart of Ice

Chapter 2: Consolidating

No.
"Oh shit." I mumbled. While thunder rumbled through the dark clouds like boulders sliding down a mountain. Lightning causing the sky to light up, as if starburst shells were glimmering overhead, only to fade back into darkness the next instant.
Winter went to ground, his mind spinning. Exactly what, nobody knew now. But I could see in his eyes, those hard, white eyes. The eyes of a good soldier. Eyes that were prepared to kill. I carefully parted from the hug with Bandit and unslung my MKB, prepared to protect Moon and Grace that he was looking at.
"But you're safe now, I promise!" Moon said quickly, reaching toward him as he leaped back. "The rock you're holding - it's skyfire. It can shield your thoughts from me. As long as you're holding it or wearing it close to your scales, I can't hear anything you're thinking."
"Sounds like another NightWing lie," Winter snarled.
"It's the truth Winter." Grace tried to say.
Moon wiped rain from her eyes, gathering on her face, and took a deep breath. "I promise you, Winter. I can't hear anything in your mind right now. And even before, it was very ... confusing."
Behind her, someone let out a snort that sounded a bit too amused, most likely from Qibli for all I know.
"That's how we knew about Icicle and Scarlet," Grace suddenly started. "We heard them talking in Icicle's dream."
"And I heard Icicle planning to kill Starflight on her way to the library. But I can only hear what dragons are thinking right at that moment - I can't reach in and rummage around in anyone's brain or anything like that." Moon finished
However, judging from his expression, Winter did not find that image reassuring in any respect.
"You've been listening to us from the moment you met us," he said. Pointing a claw at Grace. "Deceiving us. Spying on us." He hissed out a wisp of frostbreath, turning the raindrops around him into tiny chunks of ice that clattered to the ground. "I should have expected as much from a NightWing."
But then he seemed to hesitate. Hesitate when he looked towards Moon. There was something between them. Hope? Maybe Winter wanted to believe something? But then he shook his head, and what little light I saw in his eyes was snuffed out.
He's blaming himself. Degrading himself. I half said to Grace, half to whoever was listening.
"Go back to Jade Mountain, all of you," Winter softly said. "Leave me alone." He turned to the cage where Bandit was still standing, staring mournfully out at the rain, half out the door. "And you, GET OUT OF HERE!" he roared as loud as he could.
The Kid stumbled back with a whimper of terror, then bolted out of the cage. In his panic, he tripped and sprawled on the wet leaves, before scrambling upright again, and disappearing into the dark forest. I felt an intense heartbreak come from Moon and Grace. I just stood on the outside. I had given him the materials and opportunity he needed to survive. If he was smart, he would. But then, in the dim light, I spotted a round something in the mud where he fell. I walked up to it. It was a helmet. My helmet, the two painted white bars on the front. I gingerly picked it up. He was long out of my range now, but I continued to look after him. Trying to look through the trees as if they had some sort of sign.
"I mean it. Go away. I'm going to the Ice Kingdom, and if you follow me, you'll die." Winter paused for a moment. "Not that I have any objection to your deaths, just to be clear. I just don't want to listen to you all breathing and flapping and saying stupid things all the way there."
"That can't be your plan," Qibli said, Using my trademarked, patented, copyright "let's be sensible about this" voice. "Go home and beg for help? By the time you get there, your brother might be dead. Your best chance is to catch Icicle." I nodded at his logic. The Ice Kingdom was quite literally on the other side of the world here.
"Before she kills Queen Glory," Kinkajou said fiercely. The little RainWing was now a mango-orange color with streaks of black along her wings. She looked ready to fly into battle, like a painted B52 crew ready to lay down some hell. But even I could recognize Icicle was a deadly warrior who could kill a bubbly rainforest dragon with barely any effort. I sighed. I could kill her with hardly any effort. And that's what scared me.
"I don't need help from any of you," he growled. "Especially you." He threw a glare at Moon, who folded her wings closer around herself but didn't look away. Grace stood between her and Winter, covering Moon with her wings.
"You do, actually," said Qibli. "You won't get two steps into the rainforest without our help - it's full of NightWings now, and everyone knows they don't like IceWings. And if you find Scarlet, do you think she'll just tell you where your brother is? Wouldn't it be useful and much more efficient to have a couple mind readers with you?"
"Oh, is that what you are now?" Winter asked Moon. "A clever tool that can be used by whoever needs some quick answers?"
"I won't let anyone use me," she said with a flash of anger.
"And neither will I." Grace met Winter's tone.
"But if I can do something good with this - this gift I didn't ask for - then yes, I'll do it." Moon finally finished.
"Um," Turtle interjected. Winter shifted his glare to the SeaWing, who had been quietly pacing in circles, splashing through the puddles with his huge talons. "Excuse me. What about the creepy prophecy? Is Jade Mountain in danger? Shouldn't we ... you know, warn someone?"
I grabbed my helmet out of the mud, walking back to the group and posting up behind Winter. The grandstanding Icewing didn't even notice me.
"I'm not worried," Kinkajou said. "We know where the lost city of night is. The NightWings abandoned it when the volcano erupted, but we can still get to the island from the rainforest. That's easy. So we go to the lost city and then all those awful things won't happen and Jade Mountain will be fine. Right? Nothing to panic about."
Kinkajou was right, but she was also young and a little naive. Nothing that important ever comes that easy.
Qibli let out a plume of fire, illuminating Moon's doubtful expression.
"I don't think it's that simple," she said. "The things I saw when the words came ... the things I see in my nightmares ... I can't imagine that just visiting the volcanic island could stop any of that from happening."
"Well, let's try it and see," Kinkajou said enthusiastically.
"But if it doesn't work," Turtle said, fidgeting nervously with his claws, "all those dragons at Jade Mountain - my sisters -"
"Hey, I agree with you," Qibli said. "I'm completely feeling the doom right now. But do you think anyone will believe them?" He nodded at Moon and Grace. "When they've been told the NightWings have no powers now?"
"Sunny will," Kinkajou said. "Tsunami might not. She doesn't like prophecies much."
I chuckled under the sound of rain. It was true.
"And then what - shut down the whole school based on a maybe- prophecy?" Qibli went on. "I don't think they'll do that. Besides, Winter's problem is urgent. We have to find his brother before Scarlet kills him, so I vote we do that now and deal with the impending apocalypse afterward."
"Me too," Moon said.
Grace nodded alongside her.
That seems like the best course of action.
But then Winter narrowed his eyes towards Turtle.
Weaknesses, he's looking for weaknesses. Turtle, Turtle, Turtle. If I was going against him. Let's see. He's scared of confrontation, it is possible to bully him into doing what I want. Not that I would ever need to do that. Okay, he's also a Seawing prince, isn't he? He doesn't act like a prince, maybe that honor system could work against him? He's a pretty powerful bargaining chip. But he's also an animus. Anything taken against him must work the first time, or all hell will rain down on us.
"You should go back," Winter growled, making Turtle jump. His tone made me flinch. I knew exactly which tactic he chose to do. "You don't want to tramp around Pyrrhia looking for my deadly sister, who will kill you on sight, or my brother, who might do the same because, by the way, killing SeaWings was a specialty of his. Go keep an eye on Jade Mountain instead."
Turtle's glow-in-the-dark scales flickered, illuminating his anxious face
with a pale greenish light. "But what if the mountain falls on me? Is it dangerous?"
"Not as dangerous as following me," Winter hissed.
"That's a lie." I quickly jumped in, nearly scaring Winter out of his scales.
"It's not going to fall on you, because we're going to stop it," Kinkajou said. "But don't you want to stay with us?"
"It would be safer going with us. Safety in numbers." That was the most hypocritical statement I have ever made, considering I only had two other members of my squad, AND they were scattered on opposite ends of the earth!
"It's all right," Moon said. "Turtle, you can go back to Jade Mountain. You can tell them that we're safe and where we've gone."
"That's true!" he said, perking up. "That would be useful of me, wouldn't it?"
"Are you sure?" Grace asked Moon. I think she had the same idea as me.
"Probably," Qibli agreed. "Although you could be useful with us, too. But it's your choice."
"There's... a few things you might know that you could teach her." I motioned to the two Nightwings, but only Grace and Moon knew which I meant, Grace why.
Turtle shuffled backward. "I'll tell Tsunami and the others not to worry about you. And I did promise Mother to watch out for Anemone, so I should, uh, I should really do that, you know? But you go catch the bad guys and stop the prophecy, and then I'll see you all when you get back to school, okay?"
Not a moment later, the seafoam green SeaWing had slipped away into the trees, followed by muffled, wet, wingbeats nearly drowned out by the sound of thunder and storm.
"Hmm," Kinkajou said with a frown. "That was disappointing. How can we be the second coming of the five dragonets of destiny if there's only four of us?"
"Well, we still have five." Grace stepped up. But we all knew what she meant.
"I highly doubt we're destined for anything special," Winter said.
"You're not getting rid of the rest of us that easily," Qibli said sharply to Winter, as though he knew exactly what Winter was trying to do. I stood with him, my Springfield at the ready. The lightning illuminated my face, and my intentions.
"All right," Winter growled. "Fine, let's all go to the rainforest together like a soppy pile of MudWing siblings. I can look for Icicle and you can go dig around in the ashes of the Night Kingdom."
"And I can save Queen Glory!" Kinkajou said, leaping into the air.
"Besides," Qibli pointed out, flicking his tail at Winter, "that'll actually bring you closer to the Ice Kingdom, since then you can use the tunnel that comes out north of Queen Thorn's stronghold."
That was true. There was an animus touched tunnel that led out of the Rainforest. Although it was still through the desert, then still a long flight. At least a three week march at quick step, no rest. Although Winter just scowled at Qibli, probably because he was smart like me, but he hasn't yet learned to hold his tongue and not get into trouble.
"I know," Winter said, looking down his nose at the SandWing. "Obviously I figured that out. That's the only reason I'm agreeing to this." I shook my head almost imperceptibly.
"Oh," Qibli said with a goofy grin. "I thought perhaps it was because I'm so charming and convincing."
Me and Grace rolled our eyes.
"You are neither," Winter spat. "In fact, if you don't shut up at once, I will change my mind."
Qibli pretended to wrap invisible chains around his snout and lifted his front talons, pleading innocence.
"Let's go," Moon said, spreading her wings and lifting off. Qibli and Kinkajou leaped after her.
I swung back onto Grace, but Winter stayed still. I didn't realize we were out of sight. He thought about something, something I wish I could hear. Something important. Something about his family I guessed.
"Winter!" Qibli called from above. The others were hovering up there, waiting for us. "Come on!"
Winter had a far look, thinking. He had that look, the look I've seen before. On Wessly, on Goldman, even on McManus. That look of not totally behind the cause. Not behind the operation. That look of doubt, of double talk, of backstabbing and traitors. He shook off the rain on his tail, clattering his spikes against the rocks. He spread his wings, raising into this storm and rain. He banked in a circle, then headed towards the rainforest without a second look at the dragons waiting for him.
He's tortured.
Yeah. I'm keeping an eye on him. Let's move.
Grace spread her wings, a rainbow of colors rippled across them. I held on tight as we sharply ascended

Swiftly catching up, I finally noticed just how large Grace was now compared to the other dragons. And I thought she towered over me, she was as big as Winter now. Grace giggled as we came to cruze alongside Moon.
"You know, that scavenger on your back."
"What about him?"
"Whenever I see it, he's always with you."
"It talks doesn't it?" Qibli interjected.
"Yeah. I do."
Everyone but Grace skipped a wingbeat.
"Wow!"
"I've never met a talking scavenger before!"
"He's so cute!"
I gawfed. Kinkajou was just how I remembered. She didn't change at all with time.
"Not if you make him mad." Grace tried to defend me. I just rolled my eyes, fixing my rifle slings.
"Why?"
"You see those things on his back? Those are guns. They can kill from a long way away."
"I saw him with them at Jade Mountain. It nearly killed Icicle. Don't you think he's dangerous?"
"Like Grace said. Only if you make me mad."
The wing went silent.
"But uh... he's my friend."
"Really?"
"What use is a Scavenger?" Winter grumbled.
Oh. I aught to shove a bayonet up his snout.
Grace shivered, likely because she knew I'd actually do it. I didn't like Winter to be honest. He was stuck up, maybe a little spoiled. But he was also tortured, with redeeming value scattered about him. Right now we were incompatible, I hoped that was soon to change. At least to respect each other.
"Uh. I just told you-"
"But what good is killing! I mean- we all can do that." Kinkajou trailed off on that.
She has a point. I actually don't bring anything unique to the table.
Hush. I blinked at that. "Okay. Marvin's with me. But he's not a pet. Let's get that thing straight."
We flew on in silence for a while.
"So um... how's he like?" Qibli began. "I mean, I had to deal with Bandit, but he looks..."
"Different?" Qibli widened his eyes. "Don't worry, I can't read your mind you doofus."
I tried not to gawf or smirk.
"So..."
"Marvin. His name is Marvin."
I grabbed hold tight. Here we go.
"He's a soldier."
"Soldier? What war?" Kinkajou asked, then gasped. "Was he a part of the War of the Sandwing Succession?"
Grace died.
"No. World War Two."
"World War?" Moon and Qibli looked surprised. Moon was moreso.
"A second one?" He asked.
"Not here. And not any war you know." I clarified.
"He's not actually from here." Grace just layed down my bombshell. "He comes from a place really far away." I could see on Kinkajou face before she even spoke.
"How far away?" She interrupted.
"So far he doesn't even know. They've tried to find out before, but they couldn't."
"You said 'they.' Who's they?" Qibli gave Grace the side eye.
"My squad. Well... what's left of it anyway."
"Two other scavengers. Travers and McManus."
"Huh. Marvin, Travers, and McManus." Qibli toyed with our names.
"Y'know, I never heard where you came from Grace." Kinkajou looped around over us and barrel rolled next to us. Grace chuckled, meeting Moon's gaze.
"Actually, funny story. I was hatched in the rainforest." Now Moon was paying attention.
In the forest? Mindreading and future sight? Like me! She really is like me!
"Marvin was actually the one who took care of me." All eyes turned to me. I just hung my head. I could only imagine the thoughts they had. Although Moon's mind was indicative of the others.
Really! I had my Mom, but Grace didn't. How did she survive without a dragon looking after her? How could a scavenger have raised a dragon?
"It was a few rations and a prayer."
Grace smilled. "A water still, mangos and coconuts." She laughed.
"A Nightwing surviving on coconuts. Never thought I'd hear the day."
"Well... now you've heard two."
Qibli tilted his head at Moon. "Really?"
"So why'd you come to Jade Mountain?"
Me and Grace fixated on some thing off on the ground in the distance. "That's actually a totally different story. I told you how Marvin wasn't from here." The wing nodded their heads. "Well, turns out that here, a different here, is actually in the future."
"Woah woah woah, hold up." Qibli gripped his head.
"I'm from a different place from here. But we're also from a different time, from here." I clarified, but Qibli was still deeply confused. Moon was looking back at us, Grace only nodded to her. She gasped, just barely audible over the rapidly dying storm.
"Don't ask us why or how. Actually, he does know why, and how, but that's besides the point. We're here to help, that's that."
We flew on.