Wings of Fire: A Twisted Future - Broken Visions

Chapter 4

Quietkeep sat in the cave, Permafrost snorting in irritation beside him. They were waiting for the headteacher to have a little time for them and had to wait... HERE, of all places. In the gloomiest cave that they could find, no contact with the sunlight outside and any source of joy that everyone else was having. Music class.
Quietkeep LOVED music! As much as it was loud, it was so catchy and something he truly felt was the one thing he was good at: making something with others without actually socialising, necessarily. They didn't even pay much attention to the others unless they made a mistake in the rhythm, and they received annoyed glares. It was always a bad feeling, which was good that Quietkeep had a creative mother, who crafted him some drums and a violin which he could practise every once in a while. At least he'd never mess up at school!
Unfortunately, that wasn't happening here. He tapped his foot to the rhythm of the song playing, he heard laughs from SandWings as they beat the drums, rattles from SkyWings as they shook the weird little things in a surprisingly skilled and rhythmic way, the hum of NightWings as they plucked at guitar strings, and the giggle of RainWings as the most likely danced or shimmered their scales or whatever RainWings did is music. Though at some point in the song here was a violin and a harp duo, which sounded heavenly.
Quietkeep noticed that Permafrost's face screwed up and her claws twitched when the violin began, and she quivered when the harp did. Were those IceWing traditional instruments? Was she good at any of them? For some reason, Quietkeep couldn't imagine the slender and brutal IceWing gracefully dancing in a blizzard, swooping up and down through the clouds and sheet of navy sky as she played a violin.
He decided to strike up a conversation as they waited.
Lets hope this goes well and doesn't strangle me or pull my throat out or anything... this could be my only chance at socialising or making friends.
The NightWing took a deep breath, exhaled, inhaled once more, tapped his claws on the stone floor and said:
"Can you play an instrument?"
That struck something in her eye, and her head snapped toward Quietkeep. Maybe it was a bad idea, but what else could he say? What else under the given circumstances?
Soooo what do you plan on doing with this scavenger that is shivering and fainting out of fear?
Or
Wanna know what detention we're getting?! Let's go ask!
No, it would've been very very bad. And yet there was sadness in her eyes — behind that brutal, aggressive and deadly shield, was something much smaller and weaker.
But it was gone just as Quietkeep began to comprehend it, as if she'd noticed the sudden intensity of his eyes.
Permafrost glanced back at the door that would soon reveal the Cardinal and the head of the school, who nobody had met yet. Perhaps a fellow introvert?
"I played the violin, once," the IceWing suddenly snapped. Her gaze was distant as she stared at the wall, and her ears were flattened. She gritted her teeth, curling up with her back to Quietkeep but her head still up and staring at the wall. "Yknow, I was good at it. As weird as it sounds, I learnt how to use gently strokes as to... not saw THROUGH the violin instead of along the surface of the strings. It was when I was very young, one or two years old. I hadn't begun any trial or had any assessments on becoming a possible heir or an assassin... but those times were good."
Quietkeep stared at her, his jaw almost dropping. He found a way to peer under the IceWing's barrier; it wasn't even that hard! But then — who would've FIGURED that music was the way to go? Maybe they had something in common?
Quietkeep smiled at her, his ears flicking up, and Permafrost raised a brow at him — but at least it wasn't cold. Harsh. No no, it was something else. Confused. But understanding?
She shrugged, letting out a chuckle — or at least was Quietkeep could assume was a chuckle, which sounded more like a rumble in her throat, from the dragonet.
"I also played the violin when I was younger. I mean — I still do, but I haven't in a little while." Quietkeep fiddled with his claws, flicking his tail, and for once in the past few tense hours... his muscles relaxed, and his posture lowered its guard into a slump against the wall.
"What songs did you play?" he asked, trying to sound as curious as he could. Obviously, he was curious, but what was the IceWing taught? If they're not curious enough, it's not worth mentioning? Or don't tell your secrets to anyone despite their tone? To his astonishment, Permafrost raised her chin, the corners of her mouth curling in the smallest smile.
"Traditional IceWing songs," she breathed, blinking slowly at Quietkeep. "My father disapproved my fantasies, but it was one of the few things that gave me joy in the world. As much as I love my tribe..." She lowered her head, the smile fading into a slightly parted, still, emotionless expression. Quietkeep kept as silent and still as he could.
But she shook her head, furrowing her brows, slammed her neck down to the floor, tucked her head under her wing and covered the rest of her body with it.
Shoot.. could've been some conversation. But he didn't press her; that was the worst approach. If he wanted friends, pressing them could he overwhelming or, in any sane IceWing's case, irritating and an invasion or privacy, which would most likely lead to a threat.
They lay in silence, one huffing under her wing, the other laying uncomfortably and staring at the blank ceiling.
Actually.
Wait—
The door opened, and the two dragons exited the room. Permafrost sat right up, her posture naturally curving into the respectful IceWing posture. Quietkeep glanced back at the two dragons, sat up, naturally NOT as respectful and trained as the silver dragonet beside him, and his eyes widened. Perhaps that was the reason that she showed her wisdom and erudition of the Ice Kingdom Protocol...
Because the head of the school was an IceWing.
In fact, judging by what Quietkeep had ever learned about IceWing order, the two sheens that glinted off the rings on his chain showed that he was a Second Circle dragon. When Quietkeep glanced back at Permafrost, he remembered Avalanche's thoughts about her being the top of the dragonet Order, so he glanced back at the teachers. Cardinal still had smoke trickling out of her nostrils, but in smaller clouds, and the IceWing, larger than Permafrost and Cardinal, stepped toward the two, his eyes cold.
Again — nobody could beat Permafrost's glare. Even when he inspected the silver dragonet and Quietkeep glanced at their reactions, he noticed that her posture didn't falter a bit, her chain was even higher poised, actually, and her eyes were staring back at the IceWing. The head of school snorted at her, the furrows in his forehead crinkling his face, and he blinked slowly.
She knows — this is Permafrost. She knows she can give me a much more intent glare.
Quietkeep heard his thoughts, turning his head away to glance at the scavenger so that the dragons wouldn't see his pained expression.
At least she has the respect and will to know who's a higher-rank, little dragonet...
Quietkeep wondered what Permafrost was thinking and he flicked an ear toward her, concentrating.
Still the wall of ice, now turning a bluer, sturdier color, as if the previous one was only just freshly made, and now it was settling down. Getting used to its surroundings. Feeling better about itself. Welcomed in its new home...
Permafrost?
No — that wall can't be the symbol of her mental and emotional state. It's only their second day, they're definitely getting detention and she's supposed to feel happy and safe and comfortable? No!
Quietkeep fiddled with his claws as the IceWing stepped in front of him, his snout twitching as if he really wanted to bite the little dragonet, but he had enough sanity and wisdom to know not to. After all, he was head of school. The main trait wasn't to be strict, but, according to Quietkeep, understanding of the dragonets, that they're young and learning, less experienced than you.
He flicked an obsidian glance at the IceWing, his ears flattened to his head, eyes wide and full of sorrow, and then back down at his claws curling in and out. The larger white dragon eyed the scavenger with suspicion, then turned back to Cardinal.
"These two will..."
He must've done that on purpose — began to say something and closed the door right as the important information was going to be leaked. Quietkeep exchanged a glance with Permafrost, and then their heads snapped back to the SkyWing at the door.
"You may be dismissed."
The dragonets nodded and stalked out of the cave, down the winding tunnels and toward the music cave. They still had some time left to create something.
Quietkeep's walking was a little awkward and wobbly as he made his way down, his eyes darting around the swirling brown with long, thin indentations. Those were drawings.
"Want to do a duo?" he asked quietly, his claws tapping on the stone as he walked. There were already songs playing in his head, and he couldn't choose which one to play. But what if Permafrost didn't know them?
"Y-y.... no," she answered hesitantly, her voice firm. The IceWing shook out her wings and ran ahead, her tail dragging across the floor and her spines leaving scratches in the stone. Quietkeep slowed down, staring after Permafrost. Just as he thought they could've been friends—

What was he thinking?! Friends with that IceWing? She was the reason that... no. She wouldn't want to be friends anyway. With a NightWing? SUCH a NightWing, too! A scrawny piece of limp black scales with parchment muscles and a twig-thin build, while she was all trained and ready for anything. Physically, anyway.
Totally not for Quietkeep — yeah!
Stay quiet, nobody will notice you, avoid socializing! It was the best way for everything — avoid awkward moments like these and avoid heartbreak, like Quietkeep had never experienced before. Yes. That was the key to the best life.
The music cave was colorful — two winglets were there, dancing and laughing and already sharing rumors and listening to the music.
Quietkeep noticed a violin on the desk, a polished dark oak with thin, pale strings and gorgeous, fancy letters carved in many years ago, judging by the tiny notches around the letters.
"Woah..." he breathed, drawing his claws across the sleek surface. It was a little dusty but had a bright sheen to it when clean. He tucked it under his arm and picked up the rod, then drew it gently across the strings.
A light euphoria fluttered in his heart when the instrument sang a euphony. He giggled gently, then hopped over to the others. This would be interesting.
"A violin player?" a SandWing asked him, flicking his tail around the drums. they kept swatting the top, but he was repeating the rhythm, waiting for Quietkeep.
He nodded. The SandWing smiled meekly, eyes shining, and pointed to the others.
"Good! We were just planning on beginning a softer song." The SandWing hopped off his pedestal, heading toward the piano. Everyone glanced at Quietkeep as they moved around, getting off their guitars and ukuleles, moving on to flutes and steel pans and harps.
He realized that he was the only violin player... until another dragonet joined him.