Frozen Truth

Chapter 9

Qibli's POV

Qibli ran down the halls of Jade Mountain, dragons were already whispering as he ran past, looking at him with fear, anger, disgust, or all at the same time.

Well... almost all of the dragons. A certain MudWing looked at him with an almost sorry face. As if he wished he were the one earning all the glares.

Al throughout the rest of the month, dragons avoided him. Winter was better, much better, but he made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with the SandWing.

He was always around Moon, that annoyed Qibli greatly. He never had a chance to talk to Moon alone, as Winter would always drag her away. But.... she let him.

That stung almost as much as being abandoned by all his friends.... if not more.

"Hey Qibli," a soft voice said, jolting him up from his thoughts. The pale yellow dragon lifted his head, and was met with warm amber eyes.

"Oh, hello Umber," Qibli tried his best to smile, like nothing was wrong.

"I'm really sorry about what's been happening," he said, extending his wing and putting it on Qibli's back.

Qibli smiles, this time it was real.

"Thanks, it really helps knowing that there's someone like you who doesn't make me feel like a murderer," he chuckled a little.

Umber frowned. "I think there's more than me who thinks you're not a murderer," he replied, his wing still on Qibli's back.

"Thanks," Qibli said, resting his chin on top of Umber's head.

Umber sighed happily. While Qibli smiled.

Winter's POV

Winter slid his wing around the graceful NightWing beside him, sighing contently. This was great! Qibli didn't even pay any attentive n to Moon anymore now that he stayed with her.

Moon shifted and he winced, her carefully folded wing brushed the wound in his left arm.

She noticed and immediately stuck her wings to her body, shooting him an apologetic look. He just smiled a little in return.

"But, in the years before the scorching, there were no queens, and if all the tribes hadn't chosen a queen and banned together in the seven different tribes, dragons would be scarce and scavengers might rule this world instead," Webs lectured.

Winter hated history, in his opinion it was the worst subject in the world. But Moon seemed to really like it.

He let his mind wander to other thoughts. More specifically a SandWing. Qibli has stopped trying to talk to Moon a few days ago, and could now be seen with Umber.

Wherever you found the small MudWing, you found Qibli. It seemed like they never left each other's side.

Maybe Qibli's finally moved on, Winter thought, snorting. As he looked across the classroom, he saw a pale yellow wing stretched out across a soft brown back.

He secured his own icy blue wing around Moon. Glaring at the SandWing the whole time.

"Winter are you even listening?" Webs hissed,
Flicking a pebble at him. It hit his forehead.

"Uhhh... yeah," he retorted.

"What were we talking about just now?" The SeaWing asked, frowning.

"The scorching," he replied, shrugging.

"Can you be more specific?"

"Scavengers?"

Webs sighed, putting a talon over his eyes and dragging it downward slowly. Until it rested on his snout.

He removed it and sighed again.

"We were on that topic half an hour ago," he said, annoyance evident in his voice.

Winter frowned.

That day Winter limped out of class very annoyed, he winced as he tried to shift his weight onto his left arm, only to fall.

"Here, let me help you," someone said, warm talons gripped his shoulders and pulled him upright.

Winter turned, the words "thank you" in the tip of his tongue, but once he saw who it was, his jaw snapped closed.

"What do you want?" Winter snarled.

Qibli looked at him innocently.

"I just wanted to help you," he replied, then leaned closer. "If you can't even pay attention in class, then maybe you can't even pay attention to Moon, maybe... no you don't deserve her." He whispered the last part.

"QIBLI!!" A loud booming voice rang out in the halls.

Both dragons turned, to see a very angry Tsunami charging toward them.

The SeaWing launched herself at Qibli, pinning him to the ground.

"Wait! Tsunami! It was an accident! He didn't do it on purpose!" Umber cried out, running toward the two.

The small MudWing tacked Tsunami's tail.

"Please let him go," he whispered.

Tsunami growled. "Fine, but both of you," she flicked her tail at Umber and Qibli. "For the rest of the week."

As the two trudged off, Qibli slipped a wing around Umber, making the MudWing's face glow red.

"If they ever bother you again, don't be afraid to fight back," Tsunami said, her voice unusually soft.

"Umm..." winter motioned toward his left arm.

"Oh... sorry... well don't worry! I'll always be around!" Tsunami reassured him.

Winter smiled weakly.

Tsunami walked away, casting one last glance toward him. Then disappeared around the corner.

The gong sounded, the booming noise echoing through the halls.

Danggit. I'm late for class.