Inscrypion x Wings of Fire : Leshy's Endgame

Chapter 2 - Leshy

Leshy was standing around nervously. He was with Darkstalker, helping him with a "hawk problem" (truth be told, Leshy didn't think there was a problem. And thanks to his mind-reading, he knew that Darkstalker was hunting them simply to make Arctic be at least a little happy with someone other than Whiteout) when they had heard yelling. Just yesterday, things had taken a turn for the worse when it comes to Foeslayer and Arctic's slow falling-out... just yesterday, it had turned from off-talon comments and nasty thoughts to arguments so loud that everyone in Pyrrhia could be kept awake for all the two dragonets know. Darkstalker had gone in to break it up.

Eventually, the yelling died out. Leshy approached cautiously. "Oh, hawks again," he heard Arctic say, his voice dripping with bitterness but his mind thinking If Whiteout was the one to catch them, then maybe I'd have been more appreciative.

"I thought they reminded you of the Ice Kingdom," Darkstalker responded. That was a new one. Seems like Darkstalker learned how to hide a few select thoughts from other mind-readers. Leshy assumed that Arctic simply enjoyed hawks. He turns to walk away...

Out of nowhere, Leshy heard Arctic's angry thoughts whipping through his, Darkstalker's, and (if she isn't just out and about) Whiteout's heads Stay out of my head, moon-eyes! Leshy stumbles, looking back. He's never heard so much rage and anger against mind-readers in anyone's mind before.

"Wish I could," Darkstalker replied, briskly, to the thought. "Whiteout, time to eat." That answers that question.

Darkstalker's response was admirable yet a fool's choice in Leshy's eyes. I don't need P03 saying how much of a bad play that was, he thought before catching himself. Three moons, who is P03? Why am I thinking about him... or her... or it... or whatever? It's pretty strange when weird things like that happens. Hopefully no one but Darkstalker and Whiteout find out... otherwise the nightmare of an explanation he had to give them would be repeated.

There is a slow, ominous silence. Leshy considered coming in to talk to Whiteout, but he doesn't know how Arctic will respond. Arctic always liked him for helping Whiteout hatch... which means that Foeslayer must certainly dislike him, though she tries so hard to hide it. But then again, there was a fight that had just happened. Arctic may be a bit too high-strung for anything if Leshy suddenly pokes his head in to chat. However, Leshy realizes that the slow, creeping dread wasn't just him. Darkstalker was feeling it too.

The NightWing/something hybrid turns around again and walks in, not being noticed except maybe by the two mind-readers. He heads to where Darkstalker is. He's too lost in thought himself to pick up on Leshy's presence. There is a note poorly-hidden, but Leshy didn't need to read the note. And that was because it was rolling through Darkstalker's mind on repeat, out in the open for him, for Whiteout, for everyone who can read minds within the area to know what the letter said.

Dearest Arctic,

We want you to come home.

You must have realized your mistake by now. You must be growing to hate that insidious NightWing, the source of all your misery. You know she was only sent here to tempt you away. But now you have seen through her, haven't you? You're starting to realize that your mother was right all along.

So I'm giving you one chance to take it all back.

Come home.

We'll call a truce with the NightWings. The war can be over. You can return to my palace, rejoin our tribe, and all will be forgiven.

At this point in time, Leshy couldn't help but feel sorry for the IceWing... however... the next parts of the letter made it clear that it will, hopefully, be an easy choice considering how much Arctic loves his daughter.

And we have only one condition. One small, easy request that can save so many lives -- and give you back your destiny.

It is this: Kill your dragonets.

Kill them and bring us proof, and you can come home.

A small price to pay for your life back, isn't it?

I love you, Arctic. Despite your poor choices and terrible mistakes.

I hope to see you soon, back in the tribe where you belong.

Queen Diamond.

Leshy takes a step away from Darkstalker, pulling himself out of his friend's mind. He takes another and another before he runs out and goes far away, breathing heavily. He stops to puzzle over it. Arctic probably wouldn't hesitate to kill Darkstalker if it meant having his life back, but there is no way in Pyrrhia that he'll kill Whiteout... and if he tries, he'd have to get though Leshy first. After all, no one hurts one of the two potential dragons he's meant to love. He won't let Arctic take away Leshy's ability to choose.

Leshy shakes his head and looks at the place where his friends live. He knows that he's the only one of the three who can see futures caused by the choices of others and not just himself... but there is another dragonet elsewhere in the Night Kingdom who also has that gift... one who Darkstalker has had clear interest in recently, but Leshy can see several futures where the hybrid and the mysterious dragon, Clearsight, will fail to get along and it will lead to an unspeakable amount of horrors from one or the other. It all depends on the choices the two of them make. Leshy could warn them, but there's a multitude of ways Darkstalker could react to that information, and all of them are bad.

Well, he thinks, there's no point in removing any choices by introducing one that shouldn't be given. Go ahead, Darkstalker, be with Clearsight once you meet her. Thank the moons he's too far away for Darkstalker to read his mind unless he's specifically trying to read it. Maybe Clearsight could help things be cleared up. That's also a possibility... not one Leshy particularly likes as it'll remove the freedom to choose, but he's always had a saying for himself: "Let the challenger's fun come before yours, for you are there to open the way." He doesn't quite understand it, but at the same time, he kind of does... he ought to let others choose before he does so he doesn't ruin their choices.

The night draws to a close and Leshy falls into a restless sleep, in a part of the Night Kingdom that he hasn't been in before... on a stage that, according to the nightmares he's beginning to have, could be bloodstained in the next several years, though that's so far away that there's too many possible alternatives for the young hybrid to actually be scared once night comes and he wakes back up and sorts things out.