Frozen Truth

Chapter 17

Moon's POV

Emerging into the sunlight she blinked several times.

Secretkeeper doing the same.

"It certainly is bright here," she mumbled.

Moon giggled. "I know, especially when you've been inside a hut reading scrolls for about an hour or two.

Secretkeeper looked at the position of the burning ball in the sky. Her eyes widened. "Three moons! We're we really reading for that long?"

Moon nodded. "I should get going back to Jade Mountain," she realized out loud.

Her mother nodded sadly. She picked up her wings and smiled brightly at Moon. "You'll come back and visit though, right? In a few weeks?"

Moon hugged her tightly. "Of course, I wouldn't skip it for anything."

Secretkeeper smiled at that and hugged back, sending out a thought.

'Stay out of trouble Moon' she said, her motherly tone quite clear.

Moon sighed, pulling away and nodded. Jumping off the platform and flying away, veering east.

An endless stream of thoughts poured into her mind. About Winter, Qibli, and even Umber.

Personally she thought it was a bit strange that Qibli and Umber just attached to each other all of the sudden. But it seemed to make them happy, so she could deal.

After about four hours of flying she stopped. Her wings felt like they wanted to fall off. Leave her for overworking them.

Looking around Moon is examined her surroundings.

A small stream trickled nearby, a good place for water. And a grove of trees packed tightly together provided a shelter and hiding place for her.

She had a few fruits from the rainforest, but those weren't much, and they were gone within seconds.

Bending down to drink from the stream she let her mind wander.

Once in a while a small fish would lazily swim near her snout, notice her, and quickly swim away.

Too exhausted to catch them she stumbled toward her sleeping spot.

Curling up and falling asleep quickly.

But one last thought entered her mind before shutting down to blackness. Where's Winter?

Whirlwind's POV (did you expect that?)

Stretching, the SkyWing poked his head out of his sleeping cave.

It was still night. Judging by the way the moonlight shown through the window, he guessed it was about midnight.

Perfect.

He silently slipped off his rocky bed and out into the hall. The silence pressed around him like talons. His ears twitched, trying to make out a noise.

If this silence doesn't get interrupted by something sooner or later It'll drive me crazy. Not that I'm not already. He chuckled quietly at the last thought and slipped toward the nearest exit.

A dragon waited there. Their face turned toward the moons.

"You wanted me?" Whirlwind asked, coming to stand next to the dragon.

They nodded.

"I have a job for you," they replied, shadow covering their features.

Whirlwind tilted his head.

"You used to do assassin work, am I correct?"

"You are."

"Then this job will be easy for you."

Whirlwind smirked.

"Bring it."

Moon's POV

She beat her wings faster, once a small dot, the mountain grew bigger and bigger by the minute. She was so close!

Moon stopped, hesitating for some reason. Finally she landed.

Unable to comprehend what mood had overtaken her, she looked back toward the mountain, then away.

I have to keep going. Moon pressed herself. Forcing her wings to unfurl, and carry her across the sky.

Every wingbeat became a struggle, and when she reached Jade Mountain, she practically collapsed in the entrance.

"Moon!" Shouted a small voice. "Oh gosh! Are you ok?!"

She recognized that voice.... but who... oh. Moon smiled as the voice clicked in her mind.

"Hey Kinkajou," She said weakly, attempting to stand up. Her legs wobbled, and she fell.

In an instant, her colorful companion was by her side, helping her up and calling out for a teacher.

A blur of brown flew out of the nearest hallway and Moon was lifted gently onto Clay's back.

Her vision started fading, her hearing not far behind. A red dot appeared in the entrance to the healer's office.

The only thing that Moon could tell for sure was that the red dot on her vision was a dragon... most likely a SkyWing.

What SkyWings do I know? Moon racked her groggy brain for answers, but none came. Instead, a very different thought entered her brain.

What IceWings do I know? Moon felt herself searching for answers.

She found none.

Wait.... Winter! She smiled at the thought of him.

Where was he anyways? She desperately wanted to see him.

You'll see him soon enough. Snarled a voice in her head.

That was the last thing she heard, before the world around her, faded to black.