Wings Of Honor: Heart of Ice

Chapter 17: Possibilities

With a shaky breath, I gave Kinkajou and Grace one final embrace, before I tore myself away and went to find Winter. I don't know why, but it was his business that got us here. I found him talking with Halestorm and Moon.
Part of me wanted to shoot him, for hurting Grace and Kinkajou. But I knew that it would only cause trouble, even if I only used The Spirit of America. But, the consequences of his decision had trickled down, and now it was my business. It was Grace's business, now it was my business.
Kinkajou was my friend too. She didn't know it yet, but she had earned my respect and loyalty a long time ago. It was her and Moon who wanted to talk to us before assuming anything. She was a part of the rescue party who freed me from RainWing custody. She showed me around Jade Mountain, and I think she lobbied Sunny and the other Founders about just how valuable we were. I flew with her to rescue my squad from Goldman, which would have been almost impossible with someone else. She helped evacuate the Invincible City, against a truly superior foe. She stood alongside us to defend Jade Mountain. I remember the red and silver dragon not far on our left flank. So, believe me when I say that I take her as a friend. A good friend. Not an acquaintance, or a "throwaway friend." She helped me, and took Travers when nobody else wanted to. She always looks on the positive sides of things, even when shit was hitting the fan. No matter what, I could rely on Kinkajou, the same as I could rely on McManus, Kish, Moon, or Grace.
She was family. And Jerez's always protect their own.
"I have no idea," Hailstorm answered to Winter about something I missed. "The SkyWing patrol took me straight to Queen Scarlet, I think. And then there was a yellowy-orange dragon who ... did something to me. Wait." He dropped his talons and frowned at them. "She looked like me. How did I do that to myself?"
"I bet Pyrite is a kind of mask," Moon offered. She was still watching Kinkajou, so she didn't see the look of repugnance that Hailstorm shot at her — but I did. "Not a real dragon at all. I bet the other dragon was wearing the Pyrite mask when you saw her, and he or she put it on you." She looked up at Winter. "Maybe it was that NightWing. Scarlet's ally. Scarlet had a lot of confused thoughts about what he could do for her, changing dragons into other dragons ... I couldn't understand them because I had no idea this was even possible."
I gently exhaled. It all made sense.
"Your SandWing is coming back," Hailstorm said, nodding at the river, where Qibli was swooping down towards us.
"Directions to a doctor," he said as he landed, holding up a small, scribbled map. "Meerkat is going to fly ahead and tell her we're coming."
Grace groaned to her feet. Her knees trembled from exhaustion. Moon and Winter began to set up to bring Kinkajou down to carry.
"No." Grace boomed. "I can carry her the rest of the way. Stop asking." She sighed. I'll tell you when I need help. I made a promise to her. I got her.
Another shaky breath.
But Winter withdrew the Pyrite pouch from Grace as she took a few careful steps forward. I walked alongside her, rubbing down her legs. I was here. If I could help, I would.
"I'm here." Grace, already hanging her head, nodded at me with almost an imperceptible smile.
Our little half-squad got a few odd looks as we flew through the town, but not as many as Winter looked to have expected. Most dragons were still asleep, and those that were up were far too busy getting ready for the day. The smell of bread baking and meat cooking wove through the streets, I could make out the metallic ringing of hammers, the clattering of mugs, and voices calling to each other within the walls of the houses. Some kind of stringed instrument greeted the sunrise with musical scales and hints of mishmashed, half-played melodies.
We were on the west side of the river now, originally the SandWing side, but I wouldn't have been able to guess which tribe had settled here first if I hadn't been told. The structures were spread out in a haphazard, lazy way, not with any of the somewhat organized or strictly organized architecture I've come to know. Some of the buildings had gardens planted around them, some were pressed up against a crowded row of other buildings. Some were magnificent towers that could have fit into Buckingham palace; others were barely more than adobe and straw huts. There was cascading fountains and several bejeweled statues of stone dragons; and also a discarded, bloated crocodile carcass, gathering flies, and a brackish puddle with a red tint that had to be blood. Not blood of anything I knew at least.
"What a strange place," Winter said over to Qibli. "There's no order to it at all."
"Let me guess, all your igloos look exactly the same?" Qibli retorted.
"We don't live in igloos," Winter said, looking down his nose at Qibli. "Not aristocrats anyway."
"Oh, that's right," Qibli said. "Didn't you say you're related to someone important?"
"Very funny," Winter said.
"Yes," Hailstorm interjected at the same time, a little too loudly. "We're Queen Glacier's nephews. EVERYONE knows that." He lifted his chin and regarded a pair of passing SandWings with enormous disdain.
To his credit, Qibli managed to stifle a laugh, although Winter looked relieved that Hailstorm didn't notice the mischievous glint in the SandWing's eyes.
"So, your not-igloos don't look like this?" Qibli asked.
"Our cities are all very carefully planned," Winter explained. "It's always clear where the power and the wealth is, and who has it, and who can influence it."
Like cities in Europe.
Hailstorm was nodding along with me, which Winter found reassuring. Maybe his IceWing memories were taking over. Working his way back to being an Icewing. Jeez, that would be terrible for me. I can only imagine. Actually, I didn't have to. Goldman did that to me for a moment.
"Order and clarity are built into our architecture," Winter said. "The only thing that seems to be built into the architecture here is absurdity."
"I love it." Qibli inhaled deeply. "It smells like freedom. Freedom to be whoever you want to be, not who someone tells you you have to be."
"It smells like rotting water buffalo," Winter said.
Ha. I remember Fat City in Gonzales. When the wind was just right, the wafting smell of cow manure swept over the land. It was so bad sometimes, you had to breath into your shirt for relief. The smell permeated evrey building and shelter. But it would last no more than a day. And you always valued that first breath of clean-ish air, stepping outside to welcome the sun back onto your glowing skin.
But I couldn't help but notice the way Moon was looking at Qibli, as if what he said made more sense than what Winter had said. I couldn't help but smile, but my mind turned. I looked back at Winter, and he was thinking something similar. Was that what she wanted? Freedom at the expense of order? How much freedom do you want, how much are you willing to give up? Would you rather spend your whole life searching for your purpose, or be confined to the one given to you for eternity? I want control over my own destiny. The freedom to say two plus two equals four. At least-
A few young dragonets rushed past us, laughing — a couple SkyWings, 'couple SandWings, and a MudWing — all veered toward a bigger building with pictures of tumbling, acrobatic dragons painted on the side. A rec-center, of all places.
"Does Sunny know about this place?" Moon asked Qibli, still looking towards the group of dragonets. "It seems like her dream come true."
"Well, it's not quite as utopian as that," Qibli said.
He pointed to an alley where someone had scrawled DESERT-MUNCHERS GO HOME! in red paint. At least, I hope it was red paint. A few more doors down, a MudWing sat on a corner with one leg wrapped in bandages and his wings drooping. A hollow coconut half shell sat next to him, into which someone had dropped a pitiful couple of fried grasshoppers.
A beggar. I recognized. Grace left behind one of her rations, earning a gleaming eye from the dragon.
"Take care." Is all she said, before stepping lively.
"But it's the right idea," Moon said. "Dragons from different tribes living together and getting along, for the most part."
"That's true, and Sunny does know about it," Qibli said, consulting his map. "But I don't think she's been here yet. Look, that's the house." He nodded at a small, compact structure with whitewashed, brick walls and a roof of dried reeds. A small green flag stuck out of the wall by the door, with the word DOCTOR neatly printed on it.
There was a younger, more fit looking, SandWing who came rushing out the door, reaching for Kinkajou. Grace layed down in the street, letting the SandWing cut the ropes. I winced for my hard work, but I could always make more. Kinkajou was worth it.
"Hello, I'm Meerkat," he said along with a friendly nod. "Wait out here."
"We're staying with Kinkajou," Winter insisted.
The SandWing shook his head. "Sorry, there's not enough room in there for eight dragons. Mayfly is very strict about her space. Extra visitors can wait in the garden." He pointed to the back of the house, where a wave of greenery was trying to vault over the roof.
"Mayfly?" Winter said, surprised. "Your doctor is a MudWing?"
"The best in Possibility," responded Meerkat.
From his look, he couldn't have imagined any MudWings smart enough to be doctors, let alone the best in town. Maybe there wasn't much competition. Or maybe... this was the exact wrong place to bring Kinkajou.
"One of you can come in with her," Meerkat said, as he carefully lowered the pale white dragonet. Both he and Moon, along with Kinkajou, disappeared into the house.
There was an awkward pause. Grace, Winter, Hailstorm, and Qibli glanced sideways at one another, shuffled their wings, and squinted thoughtfully at the sky.
"I'll be in the garden," Qibli said finally, edging away.
Hailstorm stomped over to stick his nose in the neighbor's pond, muttering something like, "Don't even know why I'm here."
"I'll... be around the corner."
Grace led me into the alleyway nearby. She lowered herself to me.
"Stop it. I know what you're going to do. Don't do it."
I looked at her, confused.
"Why? What am I going to do?" I was genuinely confused.
Grace closed her eyes and sighed. "I was hoping you wouldn't say that. Now there really isn't any other way." She looked away.
Now I was concerned. "Why? Did you see the future? What's going to happen?" Is something going to happen to Kinkajou? Did you see Goldman? Will something happen to me?
Grace flinched when I thought that, but her mind was closed off to me.
"You... you're going to see something. Hear something."
"She looks nothing like an IceWing!" Halestorm's voice suddenly echoed around Ryle corner.
"Get out of my window!" A feminine voice snapped with a hiss. "Stop blocking the light! Shoo!" The unmistakable sound of wings being beat.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Winter said. A word I had never even imagined him saying.
"Go sit in the garden!" she barked, before a deep thud echoed 'round.
Me and Grace both turned to meet it, decided it wasn't much of a threat, then returned to our conversation.
"Just..."
"Just what? You can actually see into the future Grace, I can't. I'm not as powerful as you."
"I... know. It's just..." she sighed. "It's plan Love."
"I see." I nodded in understanding.
Plan Love is an emergency fall back. It means that the knowledge the holder has would be better off unsaid to the asking person. In case of on occasion where unquestioning loyalty is needed, at the cost of risking trust over possible consequences. Needless to say, I trusted that she wouldn't hide anything that would kill me. Or... lead to a death. I hoped I raised her that way.
Suddenly, my radio started beeping. I heard the faint calls of my squad members.
"I think you should answer that." Grace deftly said.
I nodded, picking up the radio and turning up the volume.
"1-1, please check in. This is 2-3 calling 1-1. Please respond. Over."
I clicked the button.
"1-1 here."
"Jesus Fuckimg Chist man!" McManis gasped. "Where the fuck have you been, Marvin? Last night, Travers reported hearing a gunfight in the distance. You said you weren't that far away. I've been calling on the radio ever since then!"
"I'm okay McManis. Everyone's okay." Then I met Grace's face. "Well... almost Everyone."
"What do you mean?"
I took a breath. "We made contact with a hostile NightWing under Queen Scarlet. He was trying to kidnap our VIP and..."
I paused.
"And?" McManis asked, concerned.
"And we kept Halestorm safe, but... we took one casualty... Kinkajou... is... Oboe Alfa. Over."
There was a tense silence.
"Kinkajou?" Travers began. "The..."
"The RainWing who carried you, Travers."
McManus said in a low tone.
I could feel Travers drop the radio, McManus leaning over his.
"I know she's your friend too." I started. "She's one of ours, even if she doesn't know it yet. O-"
"Who hurt her?"
Both McManus and Travers transmitted and harmonized.
"I... A NightWing."
"Not any of ours?"
"No." I shook my head. "A different NightWing."
"I don't even think it was a village NightWing." Grace offered. "But his mind... I don't know why it seems familiar."
"Maybe it was a dragon you encountered before, Grace." McManus offered. "Where are you now?"
I sighed, hanging my head.
"In Possibility, which is..." I consulted my map. A cold shiver ran through me when I made out our location. I gulped, tears forming in my eyes. "On the border along the Sand and Sky Kingdoms, on the Five-Tail River."
"How... far?" Travers asked, shakily. McManus already knew the answer.
"I'm... miles... away. Towards the middle of the contannent-Travers... I'm sorry."
"No." The radio choked out, on the verge of tears. And that was the last I heard from Travers.
A few eternities passed, before McManus spoke again. Starting with a sigh.
"What's the plan now? Captain?"
I sighed, looking to Grace.
"I don't know. Hold where you are for the time being. We'll figure it out as we go-"
Suddenly, an intense feeling rocketed up from my toes, causing my entire being to convulse. Something bad just happened. Something really bad.
I turned to triangulate what glimpse I had, back towards Mayfly's house.
"Kinkajou." I just whispered. Dropping my radio, running as fast as I could back to the little hut.