The War of Ice and Sea

Chapter 11- Threatening

Screaming. A dragon with a knife. Attempted murder. No, no, NO. Snowstorm thought, memories flashing through her head. Not again. The hooded dragon leapt onto the SeaWing Queen's back, diamond-studded green tail lashing. Sea-green. It's the same dragon who killed my father and brother, she realised, revenge coursing through her veins. She slashed at the attacker, who's blade was waving around dangerously. He hissed, and suddenly steadied his position, his knife pressed against Dolphin's throat threateningly. 

"Don't move," he snarled, and Whale's eyes widened. "I want to make a deal with you," he growled, his voice hoarse as though he hadn't drunk water for days. "And you know what happens if you disagree," he flicked his tail at Dolphin menacingly. "Your mother dies," he glares at Whale. Dolphin looks shocked and confused that Whale knew she was his mother. "How do you know that?" Snowstorm hissed. The dragon threw his head back with a laugh that echoed off the cave walls. 

"I know everything. About Whale, and you, Snowstorm. About how you're really an IceWing, not Aqua. I know how you're hiding two hybrid eggs that I could destroy easily if you displease me. And I also know..." he flicked his head back up, his hood flopping back, revealing scars that bubbled over half of his face, leaving only one bloodshot green eye. Snowstorm knew those scars. She knew the diamond-studded tail the queen's cousin had described. This was her brother's, father's, teacher's and friend's murderer. This was the dragon that had tried to kill her twelve years ago, and the killer who had attacked the party. 

"I know how you still feel guilty about the teacher I killed," Snowstorm stumbled back, clutching her head in her talons. "What's your deal?" Whale growled. The murderer gave a thin, pleased smile. 

"She lives," he motioned to the queen. "On one condition. You kill her." He said simply, flicking his tail at Snowstorm. Tears dropped down Whale's snout as he gazed at Snowstorm, no doubt thinking about their eggs. "Why do you want her dead," he demanded, voice wavering. 

"I want the whole royal IceWing family dead. Ever since my grandfather, Frost, who wanted the same thing, was killed. He died trying to kill their princess, Radiance. But Radiance demanded it was not enough punishment. So their queen gave me, his only living relative, these scars. Frostbreath wounds that never heal. She had a tiny fraction of NightWing blood in her, and she was an animus. Those wounds," he hissed. "Still hurt the same as when I first got them. If she can punish my family, I can hurt hers," 

The cave was silent for a second. Then, a quiet, almost inaudible hissing sound came from the tunnel. The green dragon whirled around, just before a silvery blue dragon leapt on top of him, freeing Dolphin and pinning him to the floor. "Seagrass," Queen Radiance hissed. "You are under arrest," Seagrass squirmed uncomfortably under the IceWing's weight. "Mother!" Snowstorm cried, leaping into her mother's wings. Radiance wrinkled her nose at the unfamiliar Aqua dragonet hugging her, and Snowstorm stepped back to remove her earrings. Her scales morphed into pale blue-white, and Radiance embraced her with a gasp of surprise. 

"Snowstorm! One of my spies reported that she had spotted this criminal in the Kingdom of Sea, and I realised that it wasn't Dolphin's fault Freeze and Blizzard are dead. Seagrass is part IceWing, and he's wanted in the Ice Kingdom. I enchanted earring so I could breathe underwaterI had come to offer an alliance once again," Dolphin smiled. "Of course. And Aqua..." she raised an eyebrow. "Never mind that. Did I hear that you're expecting my son's eggs? Well, I've always wanted to be a grandmother."