Winterwatcher! - Light in the Dark

🌙 Chapter 30 🌙

A/N: Wooooooo Chapter 30!

"I sent you to Jade Mountain Academy to make friends, not get yourself killed." Glory said sternly, holding Moon's shoulders.

Moon stole a glance at Winter, who was still breathing heavily, deep in thought. "But I did make friends your majesty, and I'm not dead yet."

A hint of a smile etched onto the RainWing Queen's face. "You remind me of me a bit. And please call me Glory. Only dragons like Deathbringer have to call me 'your majesty'."

"Hey!" The assassin said, pulling a dart from the unconscious Master's back. "I was the one who thought of checking this island... Glory."

Glory rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Winter asked, without taking his eyes off of Deathbringer's weapon. Moon gave him a look to assure him the NightWing was on their side.

"NightWings have been going missing for weeks. They've disappeared without a trace like they were plucked straight out of the Rainforest." Glory explained, straightening her flower crown with a small frown. "At first we were only a little worried but now... we know What they've been doing. H-how did a bunch of dragonets like you get caught up in this mess?" Moon and Winter exchanged eye contact.

"How did a bunch of dragonets like you get caught up in a fake prophecy?" Winter fired back. Moon stifled a giggle in spite of Glory's face.

Deathbringer narrowed his eyes and advanced forward towards Winter but Queen Glory stepped between them. She touched her bodyguard's shoulder affectionately, "Please don't hurt our IceWing royalty Deathy. Besides I quite like his sarcasm."

"I-is he going to be alright?" Moon asked, hesitantly nudging the Master's boney side.

"Pfft, for now." Deathbringer said with a sly smile. "As for your friends, I wish them luck." Moon's heart sank as she remembered the difficult task that Qibli and Kinkajou had to undergo. Getting to the Ice Kingdom is one thing, but convincing them that their entire tribe is under threat is on a whole new level of risky.

"Deathbringer don't be like that!" Glory hissed, gesturing for them to follow her out of the cave. She lowered her voice to a whisper, "I have RainWings guarding the tunnel in case any NightWings decide to make a move."

"Should we be worried about something?" Winter asked, matching the Queen's quiet tone. So far, Moon couldn't hear any nearby thoughts but someone would come looking for their Master eventually. They were in the clear for now.

"It was... difficult getting in here. Even for me." Deathbringer explained. "After our NightWings received word of the disappearances, Glory and I haven't been left alone once. We haven't been able to get anywhere without being bombarded with questions or complaints."

Glory nodded, turning a corner. "Word spreads quickly h-"

The Queen's face contorted into a mixture of surprise, anger and relief. "You." She stuck her claw under Stardust's neck. The NightWing threw her wings up to block her brothers from Glory. "This is where you've been? I should've known not to be worried!"

"You were worried about us?" Glaze cocked his head to the side.

"Of course I was worried! I'd be crazy if I wasn't worried that three of my most trusted NightWing generals have been missing for weeks!" Glory said, maintaining her stern gaze. 

"Most trusted?" Stardust questioned. "I killed another dragon and you threw us in jail. Then we escaped and made a run for it, ending up here, with a bunch of criminals. I don't think 'trust' is the right word."

Glory sighed, keeping her temper calm. "Maybe you're right, but we shouldn't worry about this now." She pointed one claw towards the fortress entry and crept forward first. The others followed apprehensively behind in single file.

Deathbringer moved with ease, avoiding stones and pebbles that could ever-so-slightly disrupt their perfect silence. Unlike the assassin, Moon hadn't been sneaking around her entire life and found it difficult to focus with the buzz of thoughts from her friends. Of course, she was still keeping her mind ready for any unfamiliar dragons' thoughts.

"Remember when you had to rescue me from here?" Deathbringer grinned, nudging Glory. "We flew down this exact tunnel. Although it did look a little different before it got lavafied-"

"Shhh!" Moon shut out the thoughts from Glory, Deathbringer and the triplets and searched for the alarming voice that had just entered her mind. "Guards. Quick!"

She acted fast, pushing Winter and Stardust up against the nearest tunnel wall, throwing her dark wings over their exposed silver scales. Deathbringer ducked and rolled and hid behind Glory's now-invisible figure. Daze and Glaze found narrow corner, taking advantage of the shadows.

Moon found it difficult to keep her mind from wandering to the awkward position she was standing in; her right wing covering Winter's body, his head buried beside her shoulder, his limbs tangled in hers, their matching pounding heartbeats.

This NightWing better know what she's doing... Stardust's mind whispered.

Don't ask questions Glory. The Queen's thoughts told herself, Stay silent and we'll be out of here in no time.

Moon had nearly forgotten that Glory and Deathbringer didn't know about her powers. Why else would they be suspicious? No one else heard guards coming. She made a mental note to tell them later... if she got the chance.

Meanwhile, the NightWing guards were closing in...

I don't see how anyone could've gotten in, one of them thought, we stay out here all night for a reason.

Moon crossed her claws, praying to the moons that the guards would take a left turn instead. That would leave her friends a safe opening to escape...

And they did. Thank the moons.

Moon cautiously came off the wall and Winter's cool body.

Her dark eyes scanned the tunnels until they spotted light up ahead. Soft moonlight peeked through a massive break in the walls that must've fell through during the eruption.

Without hesitation, they jumped from the fortress, spreading their wings in quick getaway.

No one chased after them as Deathbringer hit the sand bank and disappeared through the Rainforest tunnel. They were finally free from the volcano island.

Before Moon could scream in warning, a NightWing guard jumped out from an ashy tree trunk and pinned Queen Glory. Winter hissed and came to the queen's aid but it wasn't necessary as Glory sprayed venom down the dragon's chest.

Moon dived behind Stardust through the Animus tunnel, catching one last thought from the injured guard:

The last NightWing traitor was put to sleep thousands of years ago. You'll be next Moonwatcher.