A Heart of Frozen Shadows ~ A Wings of Fire Fanfiction

Prologue ~ Blood in the Snow

( 🔼 Storm)

"Where are we going, Mommy?" A dragonet asked, bounding through the mounds of snow found on the edge of the ice kingdom.

"Somewhere safe," the dragonet's mother replied. "Somewhere you won't have to hide in."

A loud flapping sound filled the air and a regal-looking NightWing landed beside the pair. "Sorry I took so long," he puffed. "Some SandWings were following me, so I had to lose them first."

"It's fine, Futuresight," the mother replied, her voice somewhere between affectionate and frightened. "But we need to go now."

Only then did the mother start off in the direction of the sand kingdom, trailing her whip-thin tail through the snow. That's right. The mother was an IceWing.

If you haven't already guessed the answer, here it is: the dragonet's mother is in love with a NightWing, which makes the dragonet herself a hybrid. A forbidden hybrid, that is.

Frigid, born only a few days ago, was already on the run. Unlike almost every other dragon on Pyrrhia, she would never get to walk freely, or even relax, lest she be killed. Her parents knew this, and we're trying to find a safe haven where they could live as a family, but their chances of surviving their trip there were slim.

Already, eyes the colour of an arctic ocean were watching from behind a curtain of snow.

                                                          ~+~+~+~ 

A few hours later, the trio found themselves trudging through a desert. There was nothing but sand, sand, and more sand in sight, and they were beginning to grow thirsty. Especially Frigid's mother, who was used to the cold. Frigid, however, seemed unaffected by the heat, and skipped along happily, not yet comprehending the gravity of their situation.

None of them saw the squad of IceWings far above them, nor did they see that same squad swoop in for a landing, their teeth and claws bared.

"Halt!" the lead dragon of the squad shouted as soon as they touched down. "Who are you?"

 Futuresight froze, terror filling his eyes. "No..." he gasped. "Not them."

The lead dragon continued talking, ignoring the the obvious terror he caused within Frigid's parents. 

"Since you trespassed on our territory, your lives are forfeit. I, Storm, hereby declare you property of the Tempest."

Although she could barely understand all the complicated words, Frigid understood that something bad was happening, and cowered beside her mother.

"No!" Frigid's mother snarled. "Leave us be! We are just passing through, and will not trouble you again!"

Storm smiled evilly at them. "I'm afraid I can't do that," he announced. "Surrender, or pay the price."

The remainder of his squad fanned out, a bristling wall of talons and teeth.

Futurespeaker braced his legs, ready for a fight. "Your petty rebellion will never win!" he snarled, purposely provoking Storm. "The tribes will be at peace once more, whether you like it or not!"

Storm's face turned cold. "Kill him," he ordered, and the squad moved in.

"No!" Frigid's mother exclaimed. "I won't let you do this!"

"No, Flake, go!" Futurespeaker whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "You can escape now! Leave me!"

Flake shook her head violently. "I'm not leaving you!" she growled. "We'll die together."

Both seemed to have forgotten about Frigid, who was watching the approaching IceWings with slight curiosity.

With a great roar, the first of the rebels leapt onto Futurespeaker, holding him down. Another restrained Flake, although they didn't kill the two mates. Storm sauntered over, a grin playing across his snout. 

"Your little treaty won't stand a chance," the rebel leader announced. "Better to join us now and survive."

"Join you? Never!" Flake spat. "Kill me and be done with it!" 

Storm considered that for a moment, when suddenly Frigid, who had by then realized that Storm was the cause of her parent's fright, bite his forearm.

Her bravery was admirable, but her tiny teeth didn't even peirce his scales, much to Storm's amusement. 

"What do we have here?" he tsked. "Looks like someone's newborn dragonet, and an odd one at that." the rebel leader glanced over at the restrained parents. "A hybrid, well ain't that interesting. I could probably find a use for you..."

"Don't you dare touch my daughter!" Flake shouted angrily, thrashing violently under her restrainer's talons.

"You don't have much of a say here, traitor." Storm spat back, prying Frigid off of his arm. "I'm talking to your offspring now, not you."

"Don't hurt Mommy!" Frigid yelped, trying once again to bite Storm.

"If you don't want me to hurt her, would you care trying to talk to me in a more civilized way?" he asked. "Maybe you could stop trying to bite me?"

Frigid bared her teeth at him, but obeyed. "What do you want?" she inquired.

Storm smiled nastily. "For you to join us, of course. Tempest is and always will be the only safe haven for such an obvious hybrid as you."

The dragonet glanced at her parents worriedly. "What about Mommy and Daddy?" she whined in a plaintive voice.

"I promise that I won't let anyone else hurt your parents," Storm replied in a silky voice. He nodded at his minions, and they released Flake and Futuresight.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Frigid exclaimed happily, a smile splitting her face.

As soon as both parents were free, however,  they lunged at Storm in tandem. Frigid screeched in terror.

Before either one could lay a talon on the rebel leader, both found  themselves pinned once more. But it didn't stop there. 

Storm's minions tore into the couple, splattering blood all over the sand and scales. Finally nothing remained but mangled corpses, the only hint of life a stream of blue and red blood.

Frigid watched in horror as the minions backed off and Storm set her down next to Futuresight's body.

"But...you...you said you wouldn't...hurt them..." Frigid cried, shocked by the swift brutality.

"I said I wouldn't let anyone else hurt them," Storm replied. "Let this be your first lesson; always make sure there are no loopholes in promises."

Frigid cowered as he leaned over her, smiling menacingly. 

"Do you know why I had them killed?" Storm asked her, the cruel smile still plastered to his face. 

"N-no..." Frigid stammered, tears rolling down her snout. 

"Because they disobeyed orders. That is your second lesson: always obey orders." Storm paused for a moment, and his smile grew even crueler. "I also had them - disposed of - because they tried to attack you, my daughter.

"You're not my Daddy!" Frigid exclaimed, although she sounded unsure. "And my real Mommy and Daddy would never attack me!"

"Ah, but you see, my dear, those dragons you call your parents stole you. Stole you from me, to be precise. And nobody steals from me and lives to tell the tale. No one." 

Frigid began trembling. "But - but why did they attack me?" 

"Because, my dear, you may not know it yet, but you are very, very powerful. More powerful then anyone before you," Storm smiled at her again, although less cruelly this time. "And together, you and I are going to rule the world."