Wings Of Fire: Strange Jade

24- Red ice

Red was very agitated, there was a storm that had stop him from traveling into the the icewing kingdom for days, he was then told that he should wait just outside the border by the leader of the group of Skywings who Queen Ruby sent with him, he decided not to do that. As Red flew he could only hope he was right about his guess as to where his Dragonets were, he was slightly worried about them, if any Icewings laid a talon on them, he would make sure that icewing is never seen alive again.

Red looked down, despite it being the middle of the night the snow still hurt his eyes, most dragons were asleep, a few were out hunting but they didn't look into the sky. Red saw the icewing palace, he was definitely going to have trouble searching there as guards would probably be awake and try to stop him.

Red felt a weird feeling, it had started soon after he entered the icewing kingdom but now it felt more intense, he ignored it for now, all that mattered to him was finding his Dragonets and returning them home. Red flew toward a large widow hole in the palace, he quickly searched the room, it was empty, he entered through the window and started to sneak through the palace searching for any of his dragonets.

As Red searched he felt that same feeling as earlier and heard talonsteps, Red entered a room and hid by the entrance, as soon as he heard the talonsteps he jumped at the noise and pinned down a familiar looking icewing, "Oh, hello Prince Hailstorm, explain why you were following me." Hailstorm then said "Queen Glacier told me to keep an eye out for you since I'm the only one who knows what you look like."

Red nodded and said "Smart dissision, now, where are my Dragonets?" Hailstorm quickly replied, "I don't know they left yesterday." Red release Hailstorm and sighed, "Seems like I'll have to speak to Queen Glacier to figure out where they went, Hailstorm, can you take me to Queen Glacier, I need to ensure they are all safe, I will be in your debt if you do." Hailstorm stopped and thought for a second before saying "Ok, but first, tell me why did you take Winter? You could have taken more but you only took Winter? Why?"

Red was silent for a minute before saying "I wish I could have taken more, I know how Narwhal and Tundra treated you, they are horrible, I would have taken you and your sister if I could but I could only carry two eggs and I already was planning on getting another, I am sorry." Hailstorm was taken aback by this and said "You truly aren't the evil dragon I thought you were... you did well with raising Winter, he's kind and I'm glad to call him my brother, I hope you can find them and keep them safe until this war is over, then maybe you can visit with them." Red smiled and nodded, Hailstorm then started walking and said "Queen Glacier is waiting in her throne room, she was expecting you."

Hailstorm lead Red through the palace to the throne room door and said "Queen Glacier is waiting inside, she does have some questions for you before you get your answers, so answer carefully." Red nodded and walked into the room, Queen Glacier was on her throne, she didn't seem to notice him as she was nuzzling Blaze affectionately. Red quickly caught their attention by saying "Queen Glacier, Blaze." And bowing slightly.

Glacier and Blaze quickly separated and Glacier began "Oh, you must be Red, I've heard much about you from your dragonets." Red smiled slightly and said "Good thing I hope." Glacier nodded and said "Very good things, I assume from your unsurprised demeanor that you found out Hailstorm was following you and he asked his questions." Red nodded.

Glacier then said "Very good, then I won't waste much time, I have a question or two for you before I tell you where your Dragonets went, firstly, why do you have all those dragonet?" Red replied by saying "I have then because they all have a thing in common, their parents wouldn't care one bit about them being gone, I bought two Qibli and Turtle's eggs, I stole Kinkajou's from the rainwings, who don't really notice, I found Moon's all alone in the middle of the rainforest and Winter's parents are cruel, I did it to give them all better lives and to keep them safe."

Glacier smiled slightly at this response and said "You did well." She then said "As for my second question, how are you going to keep them safe now, you can't return to the island and force them to never see anyone ever again, Winter had already found a dragon he loves, it would be cruel to stop them from ever seeing each other ever again?" Red thought about  it and said "I suppose, I'll have to let them be able to travel across Pyrrhia, but not alone, at least until the war is over." Glacier nodded and said "Good, now, as for where they went, they went to a place called the Scorpion's den, I sent several Sandwings to watch over them, I suspect they will be gone before you can get there."

Red nodded and said "I'll have to cut them off at the rainforest, they'll probably go there after they are done at the Scorpion's den. Thank you, Queen Glacier, I wish you a glorious and prosperous future." Glacier then said "I wish you a prosperous future as well, good luck."

Red quickly left the throne room and started to walk out of the palace, as he  started to fly he thought about everything, his life used to be so simple, he used to be a strong and dangerous warrior, but now he was a restless father who has to think beyond just attacking and strategy. Red thought about it more, his old life was dedicated to Scarlet and fighting, both of which were simple and emotionless but now his Dragonets were his main priority and everything about them was complicated, of course Red would never trade them for his old life, he loved them more then how complex everything was now.