Ice at Midnight: A Winterwatcher Fanfic

🌑Chapter 10: An Opportunity❄️

  Look, before this chapter starts, I just wanted to let you guys know, once again, how amazing all of you are. I try not to be one of those guys who goes 'OMG I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH YOU ARE THE BEST I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU', okay, but it's hard to contain myself sometimes! I've recently checked the demographics of this story, and we've got readers from all over! The US is where most of you are based, but there's also Canada, Germany, Vietnam, Malaysia (I hope I spelled that right), Australia, and South Korea! Malaysia, Vietnam, Germany, and South Korea surprised me most, but anyway, let's get on with it, shall we?

  Moon was thankful there hadn't been classes today, because it turned out to be kind of tiresome trotting around the whole academy for hours, introducing Sparrow and Karma to all the teachers and showing them where their classes were, the prey center, the underground lake, and pretty much everywhere else in the school. They got lost frequently, having never explored some parts of the tunnels. Now, she was alone, although by choice; she hadn't been able to fall asleep after half an hour of tossing and turning in her leaf bed. She'd tried everything from reading to counting sheep, but nothing was working. Moon had decided that taking a walk might help her wind down a bit.

  Sure enough, after what she assumed was around ten minutes, the NightWing started feeling drowsy and thought it would be wise to call it a night. She should've realized beforehand how stupid wandering the halls at night was, especially when she was exhausted.

  With her mind in a foggy haze of drowsiness, it was easy for Flame to ambush her as she was walking back to her cave. One moment she was on her own in the dark halls, the next she was up against a wall, his sharp talons at her throat.

  "Looks like nobody's here to save you now, huh?" he snarled at her, his rank breath hot against her scales. "It's just you and me, NightWing, and don't you think that just because that IceWing helped you out before doesn't mean I forgot about our unfinished business!"

  Moon tried to scream, fight back, do anything to get out of this situation, but he was far more alert than her. He clamped the talon that had been holding her throat over her mouth, slamming his knee into her stomach and knocking the wind right out of her. It was hard to tell what he was holding in his other talon, but the silhouette suggested it was a nail polish bottle.

  How could I let this happen? Again?! 

  Flame brought the bottle up to his mouth and popped the cap off with his teeth, determined to not release his hold on her this time. "Trust me...this is going to hurt so bad, you'll wish you were dead before it's even halfway over."

  The rotten SkyWing eased it closer to her arm, a crooked grin creasing his face as he did so. Moon moved as far away from it as she could, which wasn't far at all, considering the circumstances.

  I wish somebody, ANYBODY were here right now...I can't do anything; he's too strong. 

  The only thing that came to mind were her powers, but mind reading and visions of the future weren't exactly made for combat. Still, Moon tried with all she had, attempting to mess with his head or something, if that was even possible. However, nothing happened. She was helpless.

  "What do you think you're doing?!" a voice as deep as Flame's, but not as gravelly, came from the right.

  The crimson dragon startled, clearly not expecting Winter to sneak up on him like that. Moon definitely hadn't, but it may have just been the worst mistake he could've made right then.

  As Flame jumped out of fear, the bottle slipped from his talons, its contents splattering all over Winter's chest.

  Moon and Flame both stood, watching in horror as the pale blue dragon collapsed, an agonized scream erupting from his mouth as he clawed at his scales, as if tearing his chest right open would cease the extreme pain plaguing him.