Unshattered

Chapter Fourteen

Glory was finally able to persuade Tsunami to temporarily close the school to look further into the analysis of the murder.

It had been almost a week since the investigation and they didn't have any new clues. They just had to evaluate the ones that they already had.

The SkyWing's mind was still set on one thing though: Hvitur.

He didn't know how he was going to tell the IceWing why he was taking so long.

Maybe he could write him a scroll...

***

The queen asked if Soaren could help Deathbringer find more traces for what Soaren would have counted as the nine millionth time they have done this.

It's pointless!

He and the smug NightWing both sat down, facing the dead IceWing and looking at it intently.

"I really don't get why we're still searching," Soaren said. "We've done this so many times already."

Deathbringer shrugged. "Can't argue with the queen. Well, I can, but not everyone else."

The SkyWing grumbled and kept searching the body.

It felt like days of looking to Soaren, but really, it had been the whole morning and the rest of the afternoon.

"This is silly," Deathbringer grumbled. "Let's just go. It's clear that there isn't anything else left out of this dead IceWing that'll actually be useful. Come on."

The NightWing stood up, tired and zombie-faced, walking out of the cave and dragging his tail along the smooth stone surface gracefully.

Soaren stayed there, however.

He sensed that something was up, that something felt wrong to him, as always. He covered his head with his wings and sighed.

I'm sorry I'm taking so long, Hvitur. But I need to help these dragons, I hope you can forgive me...if you're even still alive by then.

Under his magnificently large wings, he started to cry.

A lake of tears started forming on the ground, mixing in with the rest of the blue blood. He sobbed for a quick few minutes and rubbed his eyes afterward.

He let out a small cough and laid there for another hour. All alone.

***

He felt a warm talon stroke his wing, which he guessed was Aqua. He didn't look up to meet her eyes, though.

"Just go," he said softly, "please. I'm not in the mood."

Aqua just kept stroking his wings. "They're quite big," she observed in a deep tone. "I wonder why."

Soaren gulped and tensed his wings. "Guess I was just...uh...hatched that way." He grumbled.

"Now can you please just go?"

But Aqua didn't leave.

"You poor thing," She said sympathetically. "What's wrong? You can tell me."

Soaren pulled his wings in closer to him and flinched away. "You wouldn't understand. No one ever does."

"You know," she said, "I have misunderstandings as well."

"Yeah, you told me about that," Soaren mumbled.

Aqua stayed silent. "Told you about what?"

"That SandWing you got into a quarrel with," he answered, rolling his eyes but covering his face.