Dark Snow

3

***VERY IMPORTANT*** Before you read, you must know that the Tsuyoi (japanese for brave) does not belong to me. Neither does the two SandWings that have the red and dark grey armbands. (You'll more abou them later!) However, the young SandWing with the blue armband does belong to me. A couple more things: The armband idea does not belong to me, and I have adapted certian characteristics to fit my story. The owner of all these things that I have listed is cakeangel5, a freind of mine. If you want to check her out, she is writing a story called Cherry Blossoms, and it is really good. Please read it, and vote for her if you get the chance. Thank you!

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     Blackice tumbled off her ledge with a yelp of surprise. She gulped for breath, winded after the terrifying dream. But it wasn't a dream, said a small voice inside her, saying what she would never voice aloud. It was a memory, and you know it too. Blackice shook her head furiously, shaking off the lingering feelings of fear. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep after the nightmare, she pulled aside her curtain to see what time of day it was. It was only midday, but Blackice didn't care. She wanted to fly, fight the wind and feel the breeze run through her scales. She stepped onto the sunlit ledge beyond her cave, then jumped off the edge, plummeting through the sky to the cliff far below. Blackice closed her eyes, trusting her instinct to tell her when to open her wings at the right time. At the very last second, her pale wings snapped open, pulling her up and away from the rocky ground. Her eyes still closed, she soared higher and higher, then choose a direction. She beat her wings quickly, and after a few moments, she opened her eyes and saw that she was flying over the desert, where she had hunted for the past year. Landing on the soft, white sand, Blackice trotted along the sand dunes. She wasn't too worried this time about being seen, she was just trying to push down the whirlwinds of memories that swirled through her head. She froze at the peak of a dune, hearing voices from on the other side of the hill. Her limbs seized up. Just like in my nightmare, she thought, panicking again. Frozen, she could do nothing but listen. "I don't get why want us to patrol! It's not like the SandWings even know about the Tsuyoi. And if the SandWings don't know about it, then no other tribe will find out about it." "We have to patrol anyway," said a slightly deeper voice. "If we don't, then someone could accidentally stumble into our headquarters. I wouldn't like that, now would I?" There was a low growl, and some furiose muttering, then the voices got closer. The sound of sand crunching underfoot came from very close by. Blackice began to back down, then paused. I have to make my presence known. They might attack me if they think I was spying on them. Besides, the way it sounds, the Sooyoi, or whatever they called it, is a secret from other dragons. With a deep breath. Blackice drew up to her full height, and started over the top of the sandy hill. She found herself nose-to-nose with a large Sandwing. Blackice scrambled away from him, dropping into a crouch and growling. He stumbled back in surprise, looking down at her with astonishment written on his snout. Two more SandWings flanked him, one looked roughly Blackice's age. The other one was slightly taller, but he looked different, somehow. "Who are you?" growled the first dragon. "That's none of your business, sand-snorter," she snarled back, her claws gouging deep trenches in the sand. She knew she was outnumbered one to three, but if she was smart about it, she'd be able to fight her way out. The older of the three SandWings stepped forward. "Oh, but it is our business, little dragonet. The Tsuyoi rule these dunes, whether you like it, or not. We haven't not noticed you thieving from the rabbit burrows at night." Blackice cringed, but quickly regained her cold manner. "What even is the Tsuyoi?" she asked in a snarky tone. The SandWing looked like he wanted to claw her for a moment, but instead, he stared down his snout at her. "The Tsuyoi is an organization of dragons that don't truly belong to a tribe. This includes outlaws, orphans, runaways, and banished," he informed her, drawing himself up proudly. Blackice snickered. The SandWing looked outraged. "So, basically," said Blackice, "you're another version of the Outclaws." "No," he replied, indifferent to her laughter. "We accept dragons who have committed horrible crimes, and we train them to fight. You might even say that we are a gang of sorts." This made Blackice pause. If she really was facing a group of dangerous criminals, then maybe she should've gotten out of there faster. No, she thought, I must keep my cool and find a way to leave unscathed. She narrowed her eyes at the three SandWings, observing them, seizing them up from smallest to largest. The first SandWing, probably the one who complained about the patrol, was about Blackice's size. He might've been a year younger or so. Around his right arm was a band made of thick, heavy fabric. It was dyed blue, and in the middle, there was a white circle with four black fangs inside the circle. The second Sandwing was slightly larger, and he wore a dark grey armband with the same symbol. The last SandWing stood in a proud way, and was taller than the other two. He had a red armband, also with the fang symbol. But there was something a little different about him. His horns didn't look quite right, and his wings were a little different than the other two dragons'. His body was more lithe, and there seemed to be extra scales behind his ears. His tail was also long and curled tightly, but on close inspection, it looked as if he didn't have a venomous barb on the tip of his tail at all. I don't think that this dragon is a SandWing, thought Blackice. "So," she said, drawing out the word with a little hiss, "Tell me more about this gang." The biggest SandWing's defenses suddenly shot up. He narrowed his eyes at her in turn. "You still haven't told me your name," he said, ‍eyeing her wings and extra ruff of horns behind her ears. "I don't think that you are from any tribe that I know of." Blackice stiffened. "Well, I don't think that you are a SandWing, either," she shot back, lashing her tail. This time, the other dragon was the one to look guilty. "Alright," he said finally. "I'll tell who I am and more about the Tsuyoi, but only if you tell me who you are, and why you're snooping around the Kingdom of Sand." Blackice took a deep breathe, meeting each of the dragons' eyes in turn. "My name is Blackice. My mother was an Icewing named Permafrost," she explained. She spread her bluish-white wings for emphasis. "And my father was a NightWing named Darkness." She finished with a small sigh, remembering the times when she and her family had flown through the sky, chasing each other through the white, puffy clouds. But she quickly regained her poise. She couldn't afford to look weak in front of a group of dragons that could easily kill her.‍️ Blackice turned her attention back towards the lead SandWing. "I don't live in the Kingdom of Sand, I just hunt here. I spend my time in the Claws of the Clouds mountains, and I don't want SkyWings tracking me down. It's easier to hide there, but not if I'm actively hunting," she said He gazed at her. "Where do you come from?" he pushed. She blinked at him slowly. "I don't think that was part of the deal," she said, with venom in her voice. He glared, before shaking his head. "You're right," he confirmed. "Now it's my turn to tell you what you want to know." He smirked, his snout curving into a shape that perfectly displayed every single one of his sharp, white teeth. Blackice hid a gasp. His scales were changing. 

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Thank you! Hope you enjoyed, and keep an eye out for the next chapter.