CounterPart

29 | Two snails and a turtle

Queen Snowfall always considered herself a dragon who cared VERY MUCH for the opinions of EVERYONE, and truly believed in all that mushy everyone is equal, we're all friends here, la-di-da business.

But this dragon, this MudWing, was testing her patience to the utmost level.

"So... you don't have ANYTHING to report about Lynx and the secret mission four years ago." Snowfall probed, feeling more frustrated than should be allowed for a Queen.

Slowly, the MudWing (Bullfrog), shook his head. His earthy brown scales even seemed duller, shabbier than before, and certainly mirrored his wordless state. 

"Hello!" Snowfall cried exasperatedly. "Some words would be nice! Rather than gestures! I'm not going to fight you, honestly!"

As much as she really wanted to believe other tribes were useful and worthy in their own ways, Bullfrog was making this aspect especially difficult to grasp. Out of all the MudWings she'd met (Six), he was the third one to seem to have no mind or thoughts at all. Which, okay, was plainly rude, but surely true.

Whilst she waited for a response, Snowfall cast her eyes out of the window of Jewel Hive, where she saw Blue, Cricket, Luna and Swordtail playing a game of tag with their dragonets.

Four-years-ago Snowfall would've thought, yuck, intertribal LOVE, get that OUT of my MIND. But now? Now ... she supposed she couldn't change it. And maybe possibly somewhere in that VERY LOVING heart of hers, she wouldn't change it even if she could. A small smile played at Snowfall's snout. 

She realised that Bullfrog was standing like an immovable statue, his eyes wandering the room, and he still hadn't answered her. Queen Snowfall gave a long suffering sigh.

"Alright, MudWing. Bullfrog. Listen, I might have to pull the Queen card on you in a second. I just asked about Lynx and whether you noticed anything! She's been acting very strange recently. Definitely suspicious." Right? "But if you can't answer that, fine, I have another question. Why are you so quiet?"

Bullfrog lifted his great head to look at her, and all of a sudden she could almost feel the pangs of sadness, despair and longing leaping out of his sullen eyes. She noticed how his jaw drooped, with no care of the exposed teeth. The scales on his head were scratched and unkempt. Something about this MudWing gave an almost ... careless ... air.

"Fine. You want to know? I'm an unsib. " He rumbled. She bit back her surprise - Snowfall didn't think she'd heard so many words from him ever.

"Er. A what?"

"An unsib. All my siblings were killed in the war. Grouse, Sedge, Tadpole ... and then I lost Gharial ..."

Gharial. Where had she heard that name before? OH. Crystal's sappy MudWing lover! The moon eyes one she'd approved four years back! 

"Did you say Gharial? As in, um, a sibling you lost? Rather than got killed?" She stammered. Stupid, stupid Snowfall. Queens DO NOT stammer.

"Yes." Bullfrog said warily. "Why? Do you ... do you know where he went?" He asked, with a sudden fervor. "Gharial was the only reason I took that mission. He believed in all that sappy intertribal peace and co-ordination stuff. I thought I - I was honouring his memory. Isn't he dead? Is he not dead?"

Wow, Bullfrog. So many words. I'm impressed.

"Er - no, actually. In fact, I believe he's currently married to an IceWing Princess. Unless something has happened since then. They ... should be here, though." She forced out. You're doing the right thing, Snowfall, a tiny voice seemed to whisper to her. Opal. She thought reminiscently.