Secrets Hidden Beneath Ice & Snow

Chapter 4: Running Away From Home

"Wait! Wait! Wait! We're doing what?!" Silverstream cried out in alarm. "B-but why? Why are we leaving?" Her stormy blue eyes were wide as she stared up at me with a puzzled expression crossing over her normally calm face.

I sighed and explained my reason for wanting to leave the IceWing Kingdom. "I just don't feel right staying here - the circle system is too demanding and the pressure is just suffocating me!" I puffed out a burst of frost in my frustration. "I'm sorry you guys, but I just can't do this anymore!"

Frostbite just gave me a baffled look before shaking herself and speaking in a more subdued tone of voice. "Okay okay just relax Sleet! We'll go with you if that's what you want. And even if you no we'd still go cause there's no way in hell I'm staying behind!" She said to me as her face growing determined as Willow nodded her head in agreement.

I felt myself relax a bit upon hearing Frostbite's declaration. "I'm glad that you guys are tagging along with me! After all, I wouldn't want to go out into the world alone." I replied back with a small laugh and a wide grin forming on my face at the thought of leaving with my two best friends in the whole wide world.

"Oh, come on, Sleet! We'd NEVER let you go alone anyways even if you refused to let us come with you!" Silverstream cried while flapping her wings and raising an eyebrow at me.

"We're in this together, Sleet. Even if we get kidnapped by SkyWings." Frostbite said while smiling cheekily at me and Silverstream.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Hold your course Frostbite! Who said anything about getting kidnapped by SkyWings?" I said while rolling my eyes and staring pointedly at Frostbite.

"No one, I was just saying even if we were to be kidnapped by SkyWings, were with you all the way on this." Frostbite explained, putting her front talons up in a defense manner.

"I hope we don't get kidnapped by SkyWings thought cause they're really mean and they have one heck of a fiery temper." Silverstream remarked with a small frown forming on her face.

"Silverstream relax, we won't be kidnapped by SkyWings so there's no need to worry." I tried to generally reassure my friend while giving her a bright smile.

"What kinds of stuff should we take with us?" Frostbite asked as we were flying back to the palace. I put a talon on my chin in thought.

"We won't need much," I said after a few moments of silence. As we flew in through my bedroom window, I pulled a few scrolls off of my shelf and put them into a small leaf pouch that I had made myself.

"What about our parents? What will they say if we just up leave with no working what-so-ever?" Silverstream asked, looking worldly at both me and Frostbite. I paused In my task to look up at her with a small frown.

"We should just leave a note, that way they don't worry too much." I say while walking over to my small desk, I grabbed three blank scrolls and some ink, I then sat them gently on the floor and me, Frostbite, and Silverstream all wrote a small notes to our parents.

Lying on my sleeping shelf, my mind wandered over my meeting with my friends and our escape plan. I knew deep down in my heart that I would be leaving both my parents and younger sister heartbroken, but I don't feel like I fit in with the other IceWings. Even the dragons in the 5th circle, technically no better than 6th, felt it necessary to rub their ranks in my snout all the time with frivolous commands. But, now I'm in the 5th circle, and they still tease me about anything and everything. It's so frustrating.

I had made a plan with Frostbite and Silverstream, we would be leaving at night when the moon is at its peak in the sky.

We packed a small pouch full of things like scrolls, herbs for treating wounds, and other sentimental items. So, once the moon was high in the sky, the three of us spread our wings and took off into the night sky.