Falling for you - Qinter Fic

15.Stolen

Winter's stomach hurt from how worried he was.They'd looked away from Sundrop for less than a minute and she was already gone? And the carnival was so huge, he didn't know where to look.Would they ever find her, or was it hopeless looking?

"Split up, we'll cover more ground that way.Yell if you find her!"Qibli gasped, leaping behind the game table and searching around where they'd last seen their daughter.

Winter nodded briskly, turning and searching the crowds for familiar faces.
If he could tell Sunny or Tsunami, they could help look, but now all he could see were strange faces he didn't recognize.Some students, some not.

He ran through the crowd, pushing and shoving.He needed to find a spot where he could fly, and get an air view.It was the only way he'd find them in this mass of dragons.He spotted a platform, and smiled despite the circumstances.

He leapt up on the stage, and turning around to face the sea of dragons.He began scanning everywhere, eyes flicking between stands and games.
But he didn't spot Sundrop, or the mysterious cloaked dragon. He was about to leap into the air, when a small dragon let out a laugh.

"The IceWings going to give us a show!"he cheered, clapping his talons together. "Dance for us, clown!"

Winter scowled. He was NOT a clown!

They really think I'm preforming?

"No, I-"Winter opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced rudely as someone in the crowd threw a tomato at him.It landed smack-dab on the middle of his snout.It smushed between his nostrils and teeth, and he glared fiercely at the dragons gathered.

"I am a Prince, for Moons sakes!"he snarled, grasping a piece of curtain that lay on the ground and furiously wiping his muzzle off.Then he launched himself into the air and quickly flew away.He couldn't stand another minute with those infuriating young monsters.

As he flew he scanned the ground for his daughter, but he saw no trace of her. Where could she be? He was worried sick, even though he found her annoying.He had grown extremely fond of her, despite her not being his own species.She was actually a new dragon.

He pictured her gentle face and dark black eyes, and her matching black scales with glittery golden specks in shapes of suns.Her small, tiny talons that clutched onto Winter will all their might.Her little wings that flapped wildly as she tried to follow Winter through the air.He closed his eyes.

I'll find you, Sundrop. I promise.

And when I do, that horrible dragon is going to pay.

When he opened his eyes again he saw a flicker of black head between two game stands.He flew down and landed, following after a shape that was moving in front of him.He saw the black cloak, an knew it was the same dragon from before.And if he was here, then Sundrop must be, too.

He was right.

When Winter took a closer look, he let out a choked gasp of pain. Sundrop was strapped to his back, unconscious and tongue lolling.She had a small stuffed frog clutched tightly in her talon.

"Sundrop-"he whispered, and the dragon whipped around.His eyes widened, and he ran faster, harder.His claws slammed noisily down on the ground as he ran between dragons and stands.He was headed for the rainforest, and Winter knew he'd never be able to find them in there.

Putting on a burst of speed, he flapped his wings, leaping in the air.He soared in the air, above dragon heads, the wind in his face.Then he slammed roughly into the dragon and sent them all crashing into the ground.The rope tying Sundrop to the kidnapper snapped, and she went tumbling aside.

"Get OFF of me! You don't know what you're doing!"he snarled, thrashing under Winter's weight.His cold scales pressed into the other dragon's.
He couldn't move, his cloak being pinned down by Winter's claws.

Sunny and Qibli found them a few moments later, and the hybrid cradled Sundrop in her arms, whispering to her softly.Qibli raced to Winter's side and crouched down beside the kidnapper.

"Who is this horrid guy, anyway?"Qibli pulled back his cloak to reveal an angry red face.Pale and dark red scales mixed together, and green eyes glared up at them.A snake of inky black tattoos reached down his neck, disappearing beneath the rest of his covering.

"Why- that looks like the owner of the carnival!"Sunny gasped, walking over with Sundrop curled around her neck.
"But why would he do such a thing?"

"I-I'd never seen such a dragon as her,"he wailed, whimpering as Winter dug his claws into his scales. "I'm sorry, okay? Greed took over me and I just needed to have her."his claws flexed, and his eyes glazed over.

"Where's your wife?"Qibli snapped coldly. "Does she know you're kidnapping dragonets?"

"N-no,"he mumbled. "And you can't tell her either! Softspeaker would kill me!"he then began to sob uncontrollably, wiping his nose with his clothing.

"Great.Just great."Winter sighed. "Scram, dragon."he leapt off of the owner, and he dashed away, quick as he could. "We seriously have to protect Sundrop better."

"Yeah."Qibli agreed, then mumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously a lot like, "I wish he'd sit on me like that."

"I can watch her more, if you'd like."Sunny shrugged. "I'm sure Tsu wouldn't mind me taking some time off of school until she's older.Or I could always take her to my classes with me."

"Thanks Sunny, but I have another idea."Qibli smiled warmly at her.
"What if we took her into the rain forest? There is a daycare there.We could drop her off every morning and she would be safe, and have other dragonets to play with."

"That's a great idea! I'll take you first thing tomorrow and we can speak with Glory about it."Sunny nodded. "I'm sure she'll enjoy it."

"Now let's get out of here,"Winter growled. "This carnival is crazy."

***
Winter tucked Sundrop into her bed, then sighed. "Are you going to be okay, sweetie?"

"I-I don't know."Sundrop frowned, her snout streaked with drying tears.
As soon as she'd came to, she began crying, and hadn't stopped for a while.
She said Twiggy and her didn't know what was going on when the dragon lead her away.Then he smacked her on the back of the head and she fell asleep.

"I'm scared."she mumbled.

"Don't be, you're safe now.Tomorrow you, Qibli, Sunny and I are going to the daycare so you can make some friends."he curled up around his daughter and let out a deep breath.

"It's going to be fun."he promised her.

"Otay."Sundrop yawned. "I hope so."