Winterwatcher! - Light in the Dark

❄️ Chapter 12 ❄️

"So?" Winter was beginning to grow a little impatient. Moon shrank back and tried to stop her expression from falling apart and revealing everything.

Was it weird that Winter felt guilty? Her gaze alone made him tremble right down to his toes. He stared deeply into her eyes for what felt like eternity. He tried to point his gaze somewhere else, but couldn't bear to let go.

Was it weird that part of him wanted everyone to leave him and Moon alone so he could apologise? He wanted all of this to stop. He wanted his sister back and for everyone to be alright. He especially didn't want to hurt Moon. Why would he ever want to be alone with Moon?

That's stupid, he told himself half-heartedly.

"I-I'm not hiding... anything," Moon stuttered. The old Winter would've screamed at her and made it perfectly clear that she was lying. But he couldn't bring himself to harm her at all. Why do I feel like this?

Moon glanced quickly around at everyone. Winter knew what it was like to be looked at like that. He felt sorry for her, even though he was the one making her explain.

He was past the point of hating Moon. He had gotten over that a long time ago.

But that was no excuse for Moon to lie to her friends.

Moon's POV

This was her one fear coming true. Moon wished she could make herself somewhat invisible. She couldn't stand everyone's gaze upon her, calling her out on what she had kept a secret her whole life.

How would they feel if they found out? What might her friends do to her? Will they tell the whole school? Will they never speak to me again? Will they run away in fear?

Will Kinkajou still think I'm funny and nice? Even she could hate me forever if she found out that I've been inside her head. Will Qibli still think I'm interesting and kind? Will Turtle still think he can trust me? Turtle was different. He might not know it or not, but sometimes he puts up a shield inside his mind so that Moon can only hear the occasional, boring thought from him. She didn't know him that well yet, but Turtle wasn't dumb.

What will Winter think of me? He already hates me. He thinks I'm just like any other NightWing, a liar, a cheat, a criminal...

Well he's right.

Deep down, Moon knew she had to tell her friends. If they wanted to help her solve this mystery of Icicle and Carnelian, they needed to know everything; what she knows about Carnelian's past, what Icicle did to Carnelian's family, what she saw that night, what she'd been hearing. They deserved to know everything.

Moon tried to tear her eyes from Winter. His deep, blue eyes were like pools of the beautiful, stunning, Arctic Ocean. The look he wore upon his face was indescribable. She had no idea how he was feeling right now. Hs mind was like a mirror. No matter how much he despised her, she couldn't lie to him... or the others any longer.

Moon took a deep breath. "P-please don't hate me. I... I never wanted this power. I ne-never wanted to keep a secret from my best friends," Moon tried to smile as a tear slid down her cheek. "You know that legend about the NightWings having powers... well it's not a legend. The last seer and mindreader was two thousand years ago... until me. I can see the future and... read minds."

This can't be true! Qibli thought, alarmed, But the NightWings made it all up! Didn't they? She said she's the first one in ages, but Moon still lied. Wait.. she could be listening to me right now! Qibli caught Moon's eyes immediately. He was confused, betrayed and shocked. It is true, his mind screamed.

She's not alone, Turtle thought, I know how it feels. Wait... this means she knows everything! Oh no, I'm not safe anymore. She knows!

"No Turtle, I don't know your secret!" Moon cried desperately, "Your mind is... difficult. Please believe me."

Suddenly, Turtle smiled, "I do."

Kinkajou pounced at Moon. For a second, Moon feared she was going to attack her but then Kink pulled her in for a tight hug. "My thoughts aren't that bad are they?"

"No... not a single bad thought," Moon sighed with relief and happiness.

"So, you don't hate me even after being inside my mind?" Qibli asked nervously.

"Of course I don't hate you. Your mind makes you special and unique. I can't hate that," Moon smiled, glad that her true friends understood and were still there for her. She was actually surprised a their reactions...

Especially Winter's.

She's been listening, the IceWing thought, What If she already knows how I think of her. She must know how I've been feeling. I should've been more careful. I've been warned about this... but I can't help it!

Winter looked straight at her. His expression was hurt not angry, sympathetic not hateful, scared not abusive. The way he looked at her in that moment was unlike anything Moon had ever expected from him.

There was no need for Winter to say anything, he obviously knew by now that his mind explained everything. Silence told her everything.

Moon suddenly realised that Turtle was gone. He must've run off while she wasn't looking. "Where's Turtle?" she asked Qibli and Kinkajou.

Qibli nodded his head in the direction of a running/limping Turtle heading towards them. In his talons, he held a small pile of black, shiny rocks. "Mother used to say these rocks offered protection from mind readers. She called them SkyFire."

He handed one to Qibli and in a flash, Moon could no longer hear the sound of his thoughts. Turtle gave one to Kinkajou who's voice vanished from Moonwatcher's head immediately. Turtle's thoughts had gone completely silent as well once he put his inside a pouch tied to his wrist. The others did the same.

"I can't hear a thing," Moon whispered in delight. She would miss their thoughts. She liked knowing when people were lying or not. She liked knowing what goes on inside of people's heads. She didn't like being normal.

"How can we know that for sure?" Winter asked softly.

"You can trust me," Moon said simply.

Can I really? was the last thought she heard from Winter as Turtle dropped a SkyFire rock into his palm.