The Other Side of the Story: The Treasure Thief

Prologue

Avalanche crouched beside her father. The sickness had come in the night. Treeline had gone to bed healthy and had woken up like this. He had a fever, and his scales had a grayish film over them, which was especially noticeable on the white parts of his wings.

Avalanche had spent the morning fetching water for him and keeping him cool. She'd tried to was the gray off his scales but had not succeeded. She didn't know what else to do.

I'm not capable of helping him, she thought desperately, maybe I should go get Aunt Kite. She rejected that idea in an instant. She wasn't about to leave her father alone in this condition.

He coughed. That was new. It made Avalanche worry more about her father.

He coughed again. And again. And again.

"Avalanche," he rasped suddenly, "You need to get Kite." Avalanche looked at her father.

"But then I'd have to leave you alone," she protested.

"I'll manage," he coughed.

"But-."

"Go!" Avalanche reluctantly turned and flew out of the cave. She knew the way to Aunt Kite's cave, for sure. The problem was, the sun was setting. Avalanche was surprised. She didn't know it had been that long.

It'll be dark soon, I shouldn't go, she told herself, but she flew on. Her father had told her to do this, so she was going to do this.

Soon the moons rose. One was full, but the other two were crescents and cast minimal light on the peaks around her. It was icy cold. Normally, Avalanche could tolerate all the cold the mountains could throw at her, but for some reason, she shivered violently, almost falling out of the sky.

She spotted other SkyWings flying around the mountains. In the faint moonlight they all appeared to be either shadow dark or snow pale. She shook herself. She couldn't let herself get distracted.

She turned and flew on.