Frozen Truth

Chapter 4

Winter whirled around, his tail lashing. He glared around at the seemingly peaceful setting.

"Who was that?" Moon asked, she was also looking around, ever once in a while closing her eyes and listening. Probably for thoughts.

A bush rustled, and Winter's head swung toward it, he rolled his eyes. Two pools of dark purple eyes were staring out at them. Winter would recognize those eyes anywhere, the SeaWing was the only friend he'd only really made, even though there were other IceWings.

"I know that's you," he said, his tail lashing back and forth, the spikes clicked and clattered as they scraped across the rough rock.

"Dang it, you caught me," Flow came out from behind the rock, a goofy smile on his face, his bright luminescent scales flashed every now and then. "I just saw you two fly off, so I decided to follow you."

"Oh," Moon said, smiling slightly at him. "I didn't know that you'd follow."

I should have known, Winter mused. Flow's always been the curious type, if he were an IceWing and he acted like this, Queen Glacier probably would have him in the lowest position possible. On the outskirts of the Ice Kingdom. He winced a little, even thinking about his aunt... it annoyed him... but... was he.... sad...? For her death? He was certainly angry that Darkstalker's plague had successfully killed so many IceWings, and just the thought of the NightWing made Winter's ruff flare.

"Earth to Winter," Flow said, flashing his stripes as bright as they would go and waving a talon in front of Winter's face. "Are you there? Do you read me?"

Winter's reflexes kicked in, he immediately snapped out at Flow's waving talon, missing it by a hair. Once the full realization of what he just did sunk in, he looked down, shame evident on his face. But his normal facade desperately fought to keep it inside him. Just like his parents would have told him to. He would have been punished otherwise.... but now, his parents weren't there, they couldn't punish him. 

"Hey, it's ok," Flow said, reaching out toward him again, but a little hesitantly. "I know it was just a reflex, I've heard so many bad stories from the other IceWings about how harsh they treated draognets like us."

Moon's muscles were tense, but when Winter looked up into his friend's eyes, nothing but guilt and confusion on his face, she relaxed.

"H-how do you know what it was like?!" Winter burst out, rage and pain in his voice. "You weren't there! You didn't see how they treated me and my sister!"

Flow backed up a bit, looking a little hurt. "Winter... I know I don't fully understand, but..."

"Yeah, you don't understand at all!" the IceWing yelled, his ruff flaring, his tail spikes rattled as they were constantly hitting against the rocks now.

"Winter, it's ok, calm down." Moon said, reaching out and putting a talon on his shoulder. "He's only trying to help."

Flow slowly backed up even more, fear and guilt on his face.

"I'm sorry..." Winter muttered, letting his gaze drop to the ground. He sat down heavily, sighing. "No one's ever tried to comfort me like that before... and, all of this just brings back bad memories about my tribe.... about my family...."

Moon looked shocked, never in her whole life had she thought that Winter was so broken.

"Do you want to check up on the scavengers?" Flow asked, smiling apologetically.

Winter sniffed quietly. Was I crying? No I wasn't.... was I going to....?  he shook the thought away and nodded, smiling weakly.

He felt something nestle itself underneath his wing and noticed Moon now there, her heat contrasted his chill greatly, but it was kind of comforting. After all, even though he was an IceWing, there was something burning inside him, it didn't feel like fire... but more like... birds... with fluttery wings, flying around inside him.

"Are you two just gonna stand there or are we actually gonna go?" Flow asked, smirking a little.

"If you say one thing about this your're dead sea lantern!" Winter growled, leaping into the air and chasing Flow the whole way back to Sanctuary.

Moon was only a few wing beats behind him. Smiling happily and nervously the whole way.

Once the small cozy town was in sight, Flow suddenly dived downward, with a flick of his wings Winter gained speed. Crashing into his friend and pinning him to the ground.

"Gottcha!" he teased.

Flow shoved at his talons. "Ha ha you big douchebag, now get off me!" He pushed at Winter's chest and he moved off, smirking.

"Do you admit that I'm better than you? SeaWing?" Winter said, sticking his snout up in the air.

"You wanna go Elsa?!" Flow said, tackling Winter again.

"Get off of me kelp face!" Winter said, using his tail to trip Flow midcharge.

Moon landed and giggled at the sight. "Don't we have to go check on the scavengers?" she asked, turning toward the center of the town. "Because we can't do that if I have to dragonetsit you two the whole time!"

Both dragons blushed from embarrassment. Winter more than Flow. The SeaWing lit up his stripes, concealing his blush quite nicely. Winter however.... had nothing.

Moon giggled again. "C'mon let's just go already," then, she pushed both of them toward the heart of the town.

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Hey, I've been running out of ideas for the rest of the book... so I don't really know what to do with this anymore... if you have any ideas, please tell me. Comment or message me through my account. Thanks! I appreciate it!

- Jjshock