The Blood Moon Killer

Chapter 4: Arrival

After Whiteout had asked 'are we there yet?' for the hundredth time, they all noticed some sand in the distance, along with small blobs and Sandwings flying. "We made it!" Winter called out to Moon and his daughter as he was flying in front of them.

Speeding up, Whiteout got a head and looked in front of her to the vast amount of sand. She also noticed it had become way hotter. She's only been in the Sandwing Kingdom once or twice, but that was when she was young. She only remembered Aardvark and how shy he was. She doesn't remember anything else besides that.

Looking back at her parents with a smile, she squealed. "How long are we going to be here for?" She asked, curiously and looking to the ground "um..." Winter started, looking at his mate "maybe... A week or two? Depending on Qibli and Aloe." Moon nodded. Whiteout took a deep breath as the sun began to beat down on her cool scales. 

As they flew lower to the ground and passed some Sandwings, hybrids, and other dragons completely, she could hear their thoughts and began to apply the tricks her mother had taught her. Just think of the ocean... She thought taking a deep breath. Closing her eyes, she imagined herself on a beach. She looked up and the thoughts of other dragons entered her mind suddenly. She became overwhelmed for a moment. Whiteout raised her claw and grabbed a thought of a dragon

"Why did I ever move to the desert?"

"Did I forget to lock the house?"

"I have a meeting soon."

She placed them all in the grains of sand and mixed them around. Soon enough, a wave came and crashed onto the shore and covered the thoughts and sand and Whiteout watched as the thoughts slowly were dragged away and out of sight.

She opened her eyes and looked back at her mother with a smile. "I did it mom!" Moon clapped her talons "good job. But if it ever becomes too much, just let me or your father know and we'll take you somewhere else." Whiteout always knew how much her parents loved her. She respected them and stayed out of their heads when she could, but sometimes,

(most of the time)

she'd look in and all she saw were happy memories when her parents were younger and how much they loved her and wanted to keep her safe and protected, but also let her explore everything. The one thing they fear is not being able to let her go when the time comes. Which it will. She always saw her mother thinking of the dragon in her visions. He was pretty tall, but he was always smiling and making jokes. But the face and body was blurred out so Whiteout couldn't tell who it was. 

Once they got down far enough, they landed on the sand and Whiteout shrieked by the sudden surge of heat from her claws and tail. "Owie~" She whined, flapping her wings on herself to cool her off. Winter sighed "c'mere." He said. Obeying him, she walked over to her father and he lifted her up from under her arms and blew some snow and ice on the bottom of her talons, and tail. 

He then placed her on the ground and she lifted her talons one by one and finishing with her tail. "It's not hot anymore!" She cheered with a wide smile. Moon chuckled as she looked at Winter who rolled his eyes with a smile. "Come on, let's go." The trio walked down the streets, passing by merchants, stands, many different houses that looked like sand dunes with hay on the top and other dragons. Mostly Sandwings or their hybrids, but it was still cool. 

After what seemed like forever in walking, they arrived at a hut. It was pretty big and it had a small garden that was fenced off. Whiteout stared at the strange plants for a while, but couldn't recognize any of them. She was snapped out of her thoughts when her mother knocked on the wood door. 

"I got it!"

The knob turned and on the other side was a Sandwing. Pitch black eyes and a scar over his nose and a looped earring with a small red pendant hanging from it. "Hey-"

"You don't like my cooking?!" Winter shouted at him. "Not really." The Sandwing replied, shaking his head "it tastes like how an Eleode smells. Repulsive." "Unbelievable! First letter I get from you in what, months? And the first thing you say about me is an insult! You don't see me all up in your snout complaining about your terrible jokes!" He gasped "that's low, Winter. Even for you. My jokes are on point! I've made Queens laugh so hard, they can't get work done! I made Queen Snowfall laugh. Queen Snowfall!" "My cousin's always had a soft spot for jokes! So that ain't no achievement Qibli!" "Neither is your pathetic garden Winter!" 

Whiteout scampered behind Moon to hide as she nervously looked up at her mother who smiled down at her. "Are... Are they mad at each other?" Whiteout asked with a small, cowering voice. Moon chuckled and nodded her head to the two that were arguing. "Just watch."

Qibli and Winter growled at each other for a long moment, before bursting into tears and hugging each other with their wings. "I MISSED YOU SO MUCH BRO!" "DON'T YOU EVER FORGET TO WRITE TO ME AGAIN! I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!"

"There it is." Moon whispered to Whiteout with a chuckle. "This is how they usually meet. Call it.. Mmm.. An inside joke of theirs. They take turns insulting each other, then burst into tears and hug each other. They're essentially close brothers who insult one another as a form of affection."

Once the two were done with their little spiel, Qibli opened the door as wide as it went "please, come in. You're just in time for lunch and Aloe has some food prepared for us to eat." Winter and Moon went inside but Whiteout was stopped by Qibli. The Sandwing bent down and stroked the top of her head. "Sorry if your father and I scared you kiddo. Don't worry. We're not mad at each other in the slightest bit. Now. Let's go inside and eat some good food."

"I HEARD THAT!"