Wings of Fire: Melting Ice #2

Chapter 5

Abysswatcher blinked. "W-why? What's going on in the Night Kingdom?" He asked, concern washing his voice.

"B-because.. Queen Iceberg has decided that she's going to fight. She's heading over to the Night Kingdom to talk with Queen Moonglider," Aurora explained, her claws digging into the cold ground.

"What?" Abysswatcher gasped. "She's crazy! That's how the previous IceWing queen was killed!" He growled. Suddenly his eyes darkened, a cloud of sadness in his eyes. "And that's how my mother was... killed."

"I know. And I'm sorry if this gets your sister killed. But I tried to convince my mother to stop, and she wouldn't listen to me," Aurora muttered, her tail drooping.

"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault. I know my sister though. She isn't going to agree with this," Abysswatcher stated, although there was a sliver of doubt in his troubled voice. "Moonglider isn't going to risk this."

"But the NightWings and IceWings are allied," Aurora pointed out. "If they agree to fight Queen Fissure and Queen Scorpion, who knows, maybe another tribe will join?" She added.

"But... every tribe is too afraid to go against the two queens," Abysswatcher said, flicking his tail. He lifted his head, cyan eyes sparkling with concern. "I-I really don't want Queen Moonglider to die- she's my sister!" He stammered, his black-patched pink tongue flicking. 

"But this war needs to end," Aurora pointed out, holding out a talon. "I mean- Queen Deadlyteeth was strong, and she was taken down. So that means Queen Fissure and Queen Scorpion can be taken down as well."

Abysswatcher lifted his chin, his cyan eyes brewing with clouds of sadness. "Are you only saying that because of your sister? I know she sucks now, but just because you don't like your sister doesn't mean I hate mine, you know!" He hissed, lashing his thick tail.

Aurora flicked her tail, her blue and cyan scales being washed away with red, like fire ants were crawling on her. She curled her lips back, showing a row of sharp, glittering teeth. "That's not how I meant it, and you know it!" She hissed, her tongue growing cold as frostbreath began to rise up.

Abysswatcher narrowed his eyes, then flicked his badly torn ear. His broad shoulders sagged, his star-filled wings drooping in defeat. "S-sorry," he muttered, his talons coming up to clutch his snout.

Aurora still glared at the dark hybrid. Then she flung around, her talons scraping the ground. "Leave," she spat.

"What?" Abysswatcher gasped. He jumped up, his talons grasping at the air as his eyes widened. "I flew all this way to see you!" 

"How about you see my sister instead?" Aurora hissed, baring her fangs. "I'm sure someone would enjoy your company," she growled, flicking her tail angrily.

Abysswatcher stepped back, his cyan eyes sparkling with hurt.  "F-fine then," he stammered as he saw her flicking tail. He turned away and walked over, then reached upward with an arm, one of his talons hooking the ring of the trapdoor to open it. He then slammed his paw on the ground, his webbed talons extending in anger. His claws drew inward, dragging gashes into the floor. "We're done!" He roared, the shattering of glass echoing around the small room as his thick tail slammed into a vase. 

Aurora winced as she felt a few sprinkles of glass spatter on her tail. She closed her eyes tight, now regretting her words. Why did I have to screw everything up? She could still sense the presence of Abysswatcher behind her.

Abysswatcher let out a low bellow, and continued to let it rumble in his throat. The low and irritated growl continued as he puffed smoke out of his nostrils. Then he huffed loudly, like the sound of of a dragon diving down fast in the sky. The trapdoor slammed as he clambered out and into the blizzard, the wood splintering slightly.

Aurora opened her eyes, her tail curling up. She glanced behind her, her talons shaking as her eyes searched the room. He really had left. She stood up slowly, her heart pounding. Glancing at the bookshelf in the corner, she made her way to it. Clay-colored glass shards surrounding the shelf and she felt some digging into her talons. She let out a heavy sigh, feeling too stressed to clean it now. 

Aurora opened her mouth, spewing out frostbreath to freeze the glass into one giant block. After she had done that, she picked up the icy block and opened the small door. She threw the ice block into the blizzard, snow spraying her face. She ducked back in, her serrated talons clicking on the floor as she made her way to the bookshelf to see if there were anymore glass shards.

There, hiding behind a sculpture of Queen Iceberg's head was a large painting of a RainWing.