Fire and Ice

Chapter Two

Warm talons tugged at his wings and then yanked but he wouldn't budge. He dug his claws into the frozen earth below. "Move aside, let me." The low voice grumbled. And then he was pulled out of the snow with ease.

He held his fire back, wanting it to be secret. "Brugmansia! I could've just enchanted him!" the high voice grumbled. Opal was set down by the large dragon who'd picked him up. This dragon was a LeafWing, his wings were curved like leaves and it looked like he had roots spiraling messily all through his deep green scales. Gold lined his eyes and the tips of his claws. He must've been the biggest dragon Opal had ever seen.

Right. Brugmansia, A LeafWing who fought in the MudWing Massacre and helped overtake the desert. Very powerful plantspeak. Extremely dangerous.

The other dragon was tiny, much smaller than Opal. And smaller than Dryas too somehow. She had a tan underbelly and the tip of her tail. A green sail ran down her back with flecks of brown and red. Her eyes were deep magenta and the frills on either side of her head flared with gold and red. Most of her scales were currently dark green and black with speckles of red.

Yucca, a RainWing/SandWing hybrid. Able to camouflage all scales except for her underbelly , face, and legs. Not a skilled fighter yet extremely stealthy with moderately powerful venom.

"I can just take him out right now, even without magic. He's just a puny IceWing!" she cackled manically, more like a squeak and a high pitched wheeze. "You're not even close to as big as him, Yucca." Brugmansia growled grumpily.

Opal stepped back cautiously, and then took another step and another. Why are the Scales of Power here?! What do they want with me? What do they know about me?

Brugmansia lifted a talon and dragged Opal back without even looking at him. "Just kill him before he can escape." the giant LeafWing growled. Yucca looked at Brugmansia then back at Opal.

Opal couldn't take this. He needed to get the Queen's quest not get captured by the Scales of Power! He let fire curl through his body and burn Brugmansia's claw. "OUCH!" The LeafWing boomed, his claw jolting to his chest.

"WHAT THE-" Yucca screeched. Opal jumped into the air, but he needed a better plan. They could just enchant something after me so if I distract them- He blew a plume of fire, not expecting it to be as big as Brugmansia. It consumed the two dragons and melted the snow beneath them. Stunning them at least.

Opal shot in the other direction, speeding to the palace. I guess there won't be a feast- he thought bitterly. He ignored the thought of how angry Caribou would be when he came back empty clawed. And when he reported the Scales of Power. That is, if he reported them.

Why does she need to know? She'll just deny it anyways.

He careened over, angling to soar straight through the window. He shot in, wing grazing the sharp ice ledge and he tumbled into the hall. His scales scraped on the ice. Of course she was there. She was always there when he made a mistake. Always there when he messed something up. She was monitoring him because she could. Because she could do anything she wanted. Because she was the Queen.

"Opal, what a lovely surprise.." She hissed sarcastically. Opal slowly came to his feet, head ducked but still glaring at Caribou. "I'm here." He grumbled, dusting himself off. Caribou raised an eyebrow and scanned him from horns to tail. "Clearly." She growled.

"Well I don't see any prey, you didn't catch anything did you?" She asked, pointing a long curved claw at him. He shook his head slowly. "But that's not the point. I'm here for the quest." The Queen rolled her stunning blue eyes. "Well it isn't midnight yet. I still have guests to take care of, perhaps you can find something for them to eat. It won't be a feast but, at least it'll be something." she said, slowly pacing away.

I can't go back out there, those animus dragons would surely find me. It's even dangerous to be here alone. I need to find Dryas. She's probably not at the party downstairs..what was the queen doing up here then? Nevermind, that's not my concern right now.

His wings swept on the smooth, cold floor as he rushed down the hall. She probably wasn't in her room, she told him all the time about how much she hated her room. Not in the meeting room, nobody was allowed in unless there's a meeting and besides, the queen just came from that room. Dryas didn't really like any room in the palace, or the palace in general. Not the tower, nobody really liked to hang out in the tower.

Then the only place left is..

He found his room and the doors swung open as he rushed in. He didn't bother to close the doors this time. He leapt off of his balcony and angled his wings to soar right.

He made sure to stay above the first floor so that nobody would see him through the windows. He finally landed on the dock with a loud thump. Surely enough, there she was. Dryas was sitting at the very end, talons and tail in the water. She didn't even look back to see what made the noise.

He approached and sat down beside her. She didn't look up. Her eyes were glossy with tears. "Dryas? Why are you-" he began until three silver rings that hung around her neck caught his eye. "Oh no..she didn't.." he sighed.

She buried her snout in her claws and began to sob. Opal was surprised by this. He awkwardly patted her back, not exactly knowing how to comfort her. "Opal, I-I'm one more mistake away from losing my place in the Council a-and my room i-in the p-p-palace." She wailed, voice muffled.

"..Well uhh it's not like you enjoy living in the palace, right? You'll live somewhere you like, that's an upside right?" he asked. Opal really thought it would cheer her up, but it only made things worse. She just sobbed harder. "B-but that means I-I'll have to live in Pika!" Dryas cried.

"..Where..?" he muttered. She glanced up from her talons and glared at him as if he'd just eaten his own tail. "The village for the lower ranking dragons! Duh!" she said.

"R-right.." he responded quietly. She sighed, burying her snout in her claws again. "It's fine, whatever. I just have to be more careful.."

"Wait, what did you even do?" Opal interjected quickly. Dryas paused, claws slowly sinking into her lap. Then she dipped her head again. "Because there was no food for the guests."

Opal felt like he was about to explode. This was outrageous! "WHAT?! But I was the one who was supposed to get the food! Why would she punish you?" His claws clenched at his sides and he shot up to his feet. "I'm gonna kill her-" he growled, beginning to storm back to the palace.

She punished Dryas because she was too scared to punish me! She thinks that I'd kill her because of that! But she's wrong, She's a coward! I'll just kill her for this instead-

He heard a scream behind him and then a loud splash. He whipped around as fast as he could. The water rippled under the dock, and surely enough. Dryas was gone.