King of The Dragons (Wings of Fire X Monster Hunter)

Book 4: Epilogue

Snow was falling, thick and fast, and the snowflakes spun across the icy ground in the freezing wind.
A SandWing stood huddled by the walls outside her fort, wrapped in blankets and trying to breathe fire into the air around her.

"P-p-please can't we go inside?" she said to the tall white dragon beside her.
"No," said Queen Glacier. "No one can be trusted with this information until we make a decision." Her arctic-blue eyes regarded the IceWing guards who were positioned just out of hearing range, watching the skies for danger. Frost glittered along her wings and horns. The spikes at the end of her tail were as sharp and cold as icicles.

Blaze sighed. "You mean, until you make a decision."
"Your input is always welcome," Glacier said calmly. She knew there was no chance of the SandWing disagreeing with the IceWing queen.

"My neck hurts." Blaze stamped her feet and poked the bandage on her neck. "Ow. Do you think it's going to scar? I'll be so mad if it scars."
"You're sure about what you heard?" Glacier asked her. "The NightWings have chosen to side with Blister, and they're trying to force the dragonets to choose her as well?"

"That's what it sounded like," Blaze said. "but more importantly, that NightWing tried to kill me! You're going to kill him right?"
"We're going to kill all of them, if we must," said Glacier. "I have no objection to the idea or wiping out the NightWings. But we should consider what to do about the dragonets of the prophecy."

"They seemed nice," Blaze said, rubbing her talons together to warm them up. "The older NightWing that was with them was nice. Some of them were a little funny-looking. And I still don't understand what that RainWing was doing with them. Besides, she was a little too pretty. I think it's better to be just the right amount of pretty, don't you? Too pretty is annoying."

"Indeed," said Glacier, barely listening. "We don't want them telling anyone they've chosen Blister. It would be very demoralizing for our dragons."
"But they can't choose her now that they've met me!" Blaze cried. "Now they know I'm wonderful and would make a great queen! They'll definitely pick me."

"Hmm," Glacier said noncommittally. She didn't have quite the same faith in Blaze's persuasive abilities or dazzling charisma that Blaze did. Her own alliance with Blaze was based on the SandWing's potential queenliness and more on certain promises of future territory for the IceWings.

"Well," Glacier said, "just in case they're leaning in another direction, I think we should make an effort to find these dragonets. I'd like to have a chat with them myself."
"Fine, all right," Blaze said, shivering violently. "I'll tell you everything I know about what they looked like and what they said. But can we please do that inside?"
Glacier nodded thoughtfully and Blaze bolted for the door.

The IceWing queen as good a putting together clues and figuring things out. She would find those dragonets. And she really would start by talking to them - just to see which way they were inclined.
But of course, if it was the wrong way . . . well, a few dead dragonets here and there would hardly be noticed in a war like this.

* * *

A serpentine figure paced in the darkness, hissing softly. Below her mountain ledge, in a hidden valley, hints of firelight flickered in windows, most of them covered with black curtains.

Blister narrowed her eyes at the scavenger den. Why did Morrowseer think she would care about a rat's nest full of crawling, squeaking, dark skinned, two-legged creatures? She wasn't hungry. She didn't even feel like burning down their pathetic little huts. She was too angry.

A whisper of wings on the wind made her twist around, tail poised to attack.
But it wasn't an enemy, and it wasn't Morrowseer. It was that spineless leader of the Talons of Peace, the SeaWing. And he had someone with him. She squinted as they landed.
"Forgive my lateness, Queen Blister," Nautilus said with a bow. Blister noticed fresh scar that ran down the right side of his neck twisted and jagged.