Frigid Straights

Auster's Dawn

Hello everyone! Summer the Fastfin is me and Summer the Fastfin is now posting the first bit of this story! This is just the first chapter, told from Auster's perspective. If I were Auster, I'd probably be put in the 7th circle heh. OMSC! If I keep talking your ears off then you won't be able to read the story. Tee hee! Anywayyyys, (Here's me scolding this dragon). Auster-chan, what in the name of StarClan am I going to do with you? You really need to take a chill pill and cool off! Seriously, Auster-chan, stop being so cold to everyone who crosses your path. Anyways, with all that out of the way, I hope you enjoy reading this story. Now, without further ado, let's take flight.

IceWing circles were essential to functioning society. It kept the palace stragglers in their rightful place and the elite at the top, with positions earned with discipline, hard work, self control. The ranking list was everything. Prey hunting rights, permission to live within the palace, appropriate mate choices, all the intricacies and decisions were made based on that list. The most capable and ambitious rose to the top while the weak willed, immature, ineffectual were punished effectively. The perfect meritocracy.

Well I thought so anyways. Walrus felt the rigid structures limited dragons, cut off their potential and wasted too much time on formalities. What the IceWings needed was clever ideas, new ways of fighting. Take the standard spears for instance. He argued that the spears, though reliable, were too fragile to go up against the fire, poison and better tactics of other tribes.

Walrus could preach reform all day if he liked, but I was still stuck in the 6th circle, only a tier above the lowest dregs of palace society and being banished to a desolate corner of the continent. Avoiding that fate required discipline and strict adherence to the codes.

I stood upright, spear grasped firmly in my right talons, eyes narrowed halfway to appear fierce and ready when the first bell rang, signaling the start of palace activities. My room stood next to the hall entrance, and was always the first to be inspected. The slightest twitch in ears or rattle of spikes could be grounds for dismissal so I took shallow breaths, staring straight ahead at the polished ice wall of the hallway.

Hey Auster, good morning to you too. I have no idea how you just stand there absolutely still, it's amazing what discipline you have. Day after day, it must be so boring, but hey, it could be your lucky streak today.

'Walrus, you know I do not believe in luck,' I retorted silently. 'Luck is for the weak, you must take control of your life, plan 17 steps ahead of your competition. Those who don't help you, they are your enemy. Must grind them into dust, weaken them so you can rise on top. Discipline, hard work, self control.'

Tsk, such hostility. Why can't we have a happy world where we all work together and sing songs and accept each other for who we are. That's what I would do. Imagine all the IceWing nobles dancing, that would be a wondrous sight. And hilarious.

'Dragons do not cooperate. They are selfish, only interested in their own personal gain. Use them as stepping stones to reach a higher level. In fact, I think I may be up for a promotion to 5th circle soon due to the reports I sent in last week.'

Oh no, you actually sent in the report of Tusk extending his wings a scale length too wide? That is so unfair for such a petty thing. You know that he has a family outside the palace that he needs to support too.

I almost snorted out loud at Walrus's pity. 'I do not care, I have a promotion to worry about. Besides, Tusk will be fine, he was a little stuck up anyways, he ought to be sent off to the outpost, while my name moves up the ranking list. Then I finally won't be on the bottom any more.'

Three moons, with all this backstabbing, someday you're going to alienate everyone and nobody will like you. Is this the standard process for promotions? You should try to make some friends or something.