A Heart of Frozen Shadows ~ A Wings of Fire Fanfiction

Chapter 4 ~ Painting RainWings

Meanwhile, Frigid and Viper found themselves in a brightly lit room filled to the brim with boxes, sacs, cages and assorted containers. 

"What exactly do you need?" Viper asked Frigid. "We have everything here."

"We will need food, an immunization to the RainWings' poison darts, paint sprayers, medical supplies and weapons," Frigid announced. "And bags to carry them in."

"Done!" Viper clapped his talons together and half a dozen SandWing servants appeared from behind the hulking mounds, quickly running off to find the items she needed. 

"You have...grown more efficient since the last time I was here," Frigid said, observing their work.

"Why, thank you," Viper responded exuberantly. "It is rare for you to give us such a direct compliment."

"Hmmm," Frigid murmured, and stopped talking.

"Would you like a scavenger kebab?" Viper asked, a sly smile on his snout. "It's free."

"Very well," she replied. "Where are they?"

Viper pulled a platter off of a nearby mound with a flourish and presented it to Frigid. Sighing in exasperation, the assassin took one of the meaty sticks and began eating it. 

"Scavenger meat, I presume," she muttered. "An interesting delicacy."

After that, it didn't take long at all for the requested items to be delivered to her, along with a pair of leather bags that could attach to her wings without disrupting her flying.

"What payment do you require today?" Frigid asked Viper when the items were loaded in the bags and the bags attached to her wings.

"Well, Saguaro, a dragon across town, has a rapidly growing business and might one day be able to rival my own operation. If it's not to difficult for you, could you kindly dispatch him?" 

"Is that all? Very well, I will."

The two of them exited the side room and rendered the main hall to find Barren standing stock still exactly where they'd left him. 

An expression of surprise flickered across Frigid's features, before disappearing just as quickly. "Congratulation on following orders for once," she hissed. "Now let's go."

The pair left the building and once again entered the streets of the Scorpion Den, which had quieted slightly since their last trip. 

"Where to now?" Barren asked.

"Saguaro's base of operation," Frigid replied. "I'm on a side mission."

Barren snorted under his breath at the word mission, but didn't laugh out loud. "Why?" he inquired. "Aren't we heading to the rainforest now?"

"Like I said," Frigid muttered. "Side mission."

"Oookay," Barren said. "Um, why?"

"As a favor to Viper," Frigid responded. "In return for the information and supplies."

"Um, okay?"

"Shhh."

                                                       ~+~+~+~

A few hours later, they were on their way to the rainforest. Saguaro hadn't put up much of a fight, and she doubted anyone had even found his body, laying limp at the bottom of his private oasis.

"So what are we going to do once we get to the rainforest?" Barren asked, flapping noisily to keep up with Frigid's smooth wing strokes.

"You will find out eventually," the hybrid replied, scanning the ground below them. The rainforest was only a few minutes away, and she didn't want to be shot down by any camouflaged RainWings.