Qibli x reader: Chasing Stars

Chapter 4

(this is the only picture I could find of Winter and his scavenger... I didn't know they were humans... So embarassing. I thought that Bandit was some sort of raccoon or ferret.  ; ) 

'So much for keeping our heads down and staying inconspicuous...' Moon thought, and I agreed. The eyes and thoughts of everyone in the prey center were on us, particularly me. The IceWing was rather beautiful, with horns like deadly icicles and sharp spikes at the end of his whip-like tail. His gaze had me frozen to the ground. (frozen? huh? huh? I'll stop)

'never seen one look like that before. I didn't know they had silver scales anywhere besides their wings. The smaller one has almost five times as many stars on her wings. She looks remarkable, and also like she's... listening to something. He was curious, but those feelings were immediately buried in a landslide of cold (I'm not stopping) anger and self-loathing. 'what am I thinking? NightWings killed him, and I hate them, all of them.' he thought viciously. 

I tore my eyes away from his, wishing I didn't have these stupid powers. I could've known from his expression he wanted me dead. I didn't need to see how complicated his feelings were. 'Who did we kill? I'm guessing someone he loved.' I thought. I found it rather easy to believe that the NightWings I knew deserved his hatred. 'I wish I could be someone else, someone he would give a chance.' I thought sadly.

"Five seconds." He growled. I shook my head and put the scavenger on my back, as though to protect him. I then stepped in front of Moon and I snarled at him. "Never." I managed to choke out through the scavenger's fear and the thoughts of the other dragons.

Carnelian finally understood what was going on and got behind me. "Star..." She warned. I gave her and Moon the 'I've got this' face, and they backed up. "That scavenger is mine!" He snarled. I simply spread my wings to protect the dragons behind me and the scavenger, who clung to me in terror.

It was impossible to follow the threads of Winter's mind. His thoughts were bright like glaciers, images bouncing off each other. I saw images of another IceWing, laughing and shouting in the snow, and then the same one surrounded by SkyWings in a mountain forest. If that was the dragon he missed, then how did he get killed by NightWings if he was captured by SkyWings?

"My idiot clawmate let out my scavenger, but it is mine, and I did not bring it all the way here to see it eaten by a lying, smoke-breathing NightWing. I will freeze you one part at a time. First your horns, then snap them off. Then your tail, freeze it and snap it off. Then your claws, then your wings... should I go on?" He asked, smirking. I flinched, backing up slightly. I was terrified. I tried not to cry, but tears were already trickling down my face.

"Hey! Just calm down a little bit, alright?" growled a SandWing that was pushing through the crowd. It was the same one who's thoughts were so fascinating. I blushed, then took another step back. 'Is she crying? What did he do to her?' He thought, and I tried wiping the tears away, but more replaced them. "Hey, don't cry." he said, wiping away what I didn't get. His warm brown eyes (I know they're black, but this is better) seemed to be like a warm ray of sunshine, making me feel all fuzzy inside. 

"No one is getting frozen, or sliced up or snapped apart. What is wrong with you, did you even try to ask nicely." He snapped at the IceWing. He turned to me and Moon. "Hello. I'm the idiot clawmate, although most dragons call me Qibli (It's happening!  \ 'o' /    ) My intimidating acquaintance here is Winter. What's your names?" He asked.

He had a gold earring in one ear with a warm orange amber teardrop hanging from it. A few dark brown freckles stood out on his nose, which also bore a zigzagging scar; the rest of him was a light sandy color. His poisonous barbed tail was tucked neatly into a safe spiral, although it kept twitching in Winter's direction.