Winglet: Finding Himself

Reunion

He saved Icicle. He had done it but the battle wasn't over yet. He had to play along with everyone else to figure out where Icicle went.

That may be a challenge. 

Hailstorm had never lied to his parents before. EVER. Would he be able to do? Who was he kidding, of course he could! Icicle was safe, that was all that had mattered and she wanted him to live. So he would.

Hailstorm hit the ground after something hit his right side. Someone was holding his mouth. He tried to fight off the dragon but he was flat on his stomach, in pain.

"Shh, you're going to give away our position," a familiar voice hissed in his ear. It was male, which confused him. The dragon had Icicle's strength and one of her strategies.

Yet, it was not Icicle.

So who was this?

"Get off him, you lunatic," Icicle snapped. Who was Icicle with already? Did she know other dragons outside the kingdom that could help her?

The dragon got off him and Hailstorm stood up. He winced slightly from the pain.

Hailstorm looked up to see an IceWing staring at him with his head cocked. Hailstorm recognized him immediately.

"Winter!" Hailstorm exclaimed, hugging his younger brother. "How have things been?"

"Better since I left." Hailstorm let him go. "At first, I wasn't sure what to do with the new- found freedom I gained. I'm working on helping my friends... do something. Anyway, enough from me, I'm guessing Icicle's trial went well?" Winter said. 

Hailstorm and Icicle exchanged glances before Icicle growled, "No, they were going to kill me. As far as their concerned, I'm dead. So, the two IceWing royals who went to Jade Mountain Academy basically got expelled and are considered dead to our tribe. That blasted school." Icicle cursed.

"It's not Jade Mountain Academy who did this to us, don't speak so awfully about them," Winter hissed. He also cursed.

"You leave me with him, he's dead," Icicle snorted.

"You have no idea what I've been through! I'm tougher, stronger, and most certainly not your weak little brother any more!" Winter exclaimed. He gave Icicle a look.

The two IceWings stared at each other, shooting looks that could kill, at one another. Out of nowhere, Icicle leaped onto Winter. Winter dodged her jump and proceeded to stand there while Icicle pulled herself out of a snowbank.

Icicle freed herself and let out a jet of frost breath at Winter. She screamed afterward, "We've all been through a lot, you're not the only one, youngest."

Hailstorm knew Icicle never liked Winter because he "got away with more". Some days, Hailstorm could agree and some days, not so much.  

Just when Hailstorm thought Icicle was done, she pounced on top of Winter. Winter threw her off with ease. He wanted for her to launch at him again but Icicle inhaled.

But Winter was faster.

Icicle fell to the ice, shrieking. Winter looked horrified at what he had just done to his sister. Icicle yelled some cuss words at Winter.

Hailstorm ran to Icicle's side. It just looked like her wing that had been hit. Hailstorm couldn't fly to Queen Glacier's palace, grab a spear that heals frostbreath wounds, and fly back before Icicle died. There was no way.

"I... I..." Winter stumbled. Sorry wouldn't cut it, Winter knew that.

Icicle shrieked again. There was nothing they could do but put her out of her misery. Neither Hailstorm or Winter could do that to Icicle.

"I have an idea, I'll be back," Winter suddenly claimed and he took off without another word.

Icicle lied there, helpless. There was nothing Hailstorm could do was watch her die slowly. He just saved her and she found trouble again. At least things were sort of back to normal.

Winter was right. He is quicker, faster, and stronger now. Winter didn't mess around with battles, it was live or die. His little brother had finally figured that out. It was so crazy how much one dragon could change after one adventure with other dragons.

Hailstorm sort of admired his younger brother. Winter was heroic but he still had an IceWing attitude. Hailstorm guessed some traits just stuck with you, no matter how much you tried to escape them. Winter still had a lot of Narwhale in him, whether Winter knew it or not. 

Narwhal walked proudly but anyone who knew him knew he was trying to walk off his guilt and not think about it. Narwhal burred his feelings but his burdens still weighed heavily on him. Winter was like that. Proud and fierce on the outside, broken and upset on the inside. What had really happened to Winter while he looked for Hailstorm?

The ice had spread throughout Icicle's wing and began to move onto her body after an hour.

Come on, Winter, where are you?

There was a little white speck in the distance. Either it was Winter or another IceWing. Possibly a snowflake. Possibly. 

It wasn't Hailstorm's fault IceWings and snowflakes look alike!

It was an IceWing and Hailstorm said, "YES!" 

Icicle groaned, "What?"

"Nothing," Hailstorm replied. He didn't want Icicle to know he was celebrating the fact the dot was in fact, an IceWing. NOT a snowflake!

Winter landed by them moments later and he ran over to Icicle. He did something Hailstorm didn't catch and Icicle began to take more even breaths. The ice retreated too quickly not to be animus magic.

"Winter... are you..." Hailstorm trailed off.

"Oh moons no! I had found something with some friends doing something that heals and yeah," Winter explained. 

"That was extremely vague," Hailstorm pointed out.

Winter didn't respond. He just watched the ice crawl back up Icicle's wing with a tense expression. There he goes again.

"It's not your fault, it was self- defense," Hailstorm explained, putting his claw on Winter's shoulder. Winter still stood tense.

"It was my sister, she could've died. I would've never forgiven myself if she died here," Winter snapped, staring at Icicle with concern. 

"Something's up with Icicle," Hailstorm pointed out.

"I think I know what's up. Ever seen that earring on her?" Winter asked, moving away from Hailstorm. He walked over to her head. Winter began to mutter, "Chameleon had necklaces, why not earrings?"

Hailstorm didn't know what Winter was saying but Winter took Icicle's earring off and poked at it while Hailstorm checked Icicle's wing.

"Here," Winter said. "Scarlet had Chameleon enchant Icicle the way Chameleon enchanted you and himself. He put a piece of paper in her jewelry. When he saw her and had the time to do that..." Winter shook his head. "I'm not sure. I do know you should read this."

Hailstorm took the paper and looked over it. There was a list of things on there like what Hailstorm had on his. It read:

1) Kill whomever Scarlet wants you too at the moment

2) Let Scarlet see through your eyes at any moment and control your movements at any moment

3) Let no one touch the earring

Hailstorm was horrified. 

Icicle was being controlled by Scarlet, like Hailstorm.

The difference was, they had no idea how long Icicle has been under Scarlet's influence. 

The Icicle they knew was gone, and the real Icicle was coming back.

Who knows what she would be like...