Frostbitten

Chapter 6

Escape Time

Frostbite pulls and tugs on the locks, but they aren't budging. Change of plan: Frostbite's just gonna break the door open. She kicks then punches a hole in the wall and leaps through it. She pushes past her guard's reach and flies down the hallway into a door, then turns into the library. Everyone looks up at her as she darts across the room. She bursts back into the air, flying by a portrait of Snowfall and tearing it with her back talons.

She breaks through the glass, spreading her wings wide in the air. Finally. This is Frostbite's first time outside, but she doesn't have time to celebrate. She has to go.

Frostbite does very little flying since she's always been locked up in her room, and even when she did, there wasn't ever wind. This is going to be tough.

And now the guards are catching up to her, faster than she'd like. Frostbite can't find a way to make the wind currents work with her, and right now they seem to be pushing her back. She isn't gonna make it this way.

Frostbite faces the guards, flipping her tail and sending a blast of water at them. One of them doges the water, grabs her tail, and yanks her towards the guards. Frostbite tries to burst free, but it's not working. Heart beating, wings flapping, Frostbite manages to make it out of the guard's grasp.

Frostbite catches a gust of wind, flying like she'll never fly again. She mentally makes a path for her to follow, one that winds through the market and (hopefully) out the other side. But Frostbite can't see that far. Not yet at least.

It's right about now when Snowfall is alerted, because Frostbite can see a giant cloud of soldiers flying in her direction. Guards start popping out from nowhere, reaching for Frostbite, who's scales stick out like a sore talon.

You should of predicted this you snail brain! Frostbite dives under and over guards, bumping and crashing into dragons. Guards materialize out of nowhere, from around shops, dragons, and corners— Frostbite can't hold them all off for long. But she won't have to: up ahead she can see a river, the top of it frozen over, but under it you can see rushing water.

Someone grabs her wing, throwing her onto the ground. Bleeding, Frostbite tries to scramble away but is pulled back into the arms of a soldier. Frostbite's now pinned down, and any second now someone will knock her out. It's just a matter of time before it's all over.

No. No. No no no.

Frostbite twists and turns but nothing happens. This isn't according to the plan! Frostbite growls and continues to struggle. Knowing that won't work, she fixes herself another plan. If this doesn't work, nothing will. Nothing will save her.

Frostbite's pulls at the power deep inside her. The one that has been waiting to come out. There's something more powerful then waves of water and spikes made of ice. There's magic itself— and a piece of it lives inside her. She just has to pull it out.

It starts in her talons: two balls of magic, then it spreads and grows bigger. Frostbite surrounds herself in it, holding it tight, then releases it. An explosion comes from all of the power, one that pushes all of the shoulders and guards back. Frostbite darts away, flapping her wings as hard as possible and breaking through the ice, diving into the freezing cold water. She swims further and further down, then turns, watching twenty soldiers try and swim after her.

But the water gets darker and darker at the bottom, so dark they can't see. Snowfall will surely have their heads. Frostbite smiles as she settles at the bottom, watching the guards swim up to breathe.

She did it.

Frostbite grins, stretching out and smiling. The book and the map and the painting are still in their frost covering so they won't get wet.

She did it.

Frostbite is ever so excited, but if she doesn't get moving then she'll get caught and taken away. She begins the long swim down the river, where she'll meet a fork in the road and take the longer way (where it meets the woods, so she won't be seen.)

Frostbite's talons light up. This is the first time she's ever swam, too. She would only ever be sprinkled in water occasionally, but this is so much better. And to think about how amazing the ocean will be!

Frostbite shakes her head. She needs to focus. Dragons are probably trailing her right this minute.

The glowing scales on Frostbite's talons fade to darkness. Frostbite concentrates on swimming, the water getting darker and darker.

• • •

A few miles after a second (unexpected) fork in the river, the water stills a bit and gets more shallow. Frostbite pokes her head out of the water, safe in the trees where nobody can see her. She's reluctant at first, expecting that someone would follow her. But there's not another dragon in sight.

But that doesn't mean she can let her guard down. Someone could see her. Her scales aren't very good at blending into trees or anything.

It's pitch black, so Frostbite uses her night vision to move around. She slowly makes her way to a tree, where she settles in it's trunks. Frostbite breaks the frost covering, rolling out her map and trying to find out where she is.

Frostbite points at her location, her talon right between the Sand Kingdom and the Sky Kingdom. She'll take a longer way and go down the Sky Kingdom, the opposite side of Queen Ruby's Palace. Frostbite won't risk being caught. Although she might, because this whole thing is very risky. And it's extremely easy to get caught.

Crunch.

Frostbite jerks her head at the sound, tossing her map back in her pouch.

"Who's there?" Frostbite looks around her, trying to find out who it is. "I said, who's there?"

Then Frostbite sees who it is. A piece of the night sky walks up to her, her green eyes staring into Frostbite's grey ones.

"Hello."

• • •

Sorry I updated late (again) but I really wanted this one to be good, so I took my time on this. Hope you enjoyed it!

• LucyAndHerCat