Winterwatcher! - Light in the Dark

❄️ Chapter 3 ❄️

Winter strolled the empty halls of Jade Mountain at midnight. He couldn't sleep at all. His eyelids drooped and his head felt heavy. He had unconsciously decided to take a walk around the school.

Winter like this a lot better. The school was so quiet at night which is how it should always be. He used to enjoy walking around the Ice Palace at night. It was such a magnificent sight. The beautiful, pristine towers. The frozen lakes and fountains. It was a permanent winter wonderland.

Winter walked and walked and walked. He lost track of where he was going. This place was endless like the deep Arctic Oceans where he used to hunt for seals.

Stone hard walls surrounded him at every turn. He felt like he was walking around in circles. Maybe he would get lost in the Jade Mountain Academy.

Winter had finally decided to try and find his way back to his room when he entered a strange cave and almost tripped over a large shape on the ground.

It was an odd-looking, massive rock or something. "Uggh, doesn't anyone clean these tunnels," Winter complained.

Suddenly, the rock moaned. "Watch where you step IceWing," it hissed.

Winter finally realised that this was not a large rock, it was a dragon with stone scales. He looked exhausted and weak. He had few midnight black scales left on his body. It was as if this dragon was half statue.

"Who are you?" Winter asked.

"Stonemover," he sighed, "the last animus NightWing."

"Oh, you're the ghost that the SandWings were talking about," Winter said coldly, "What happened to you?"

"The consequences of magic," Stonemover heaved slowly, "Animus magic is a curse! I'm going to die here in this cave and hope that Animus magic dies with me."

Typical NightWings. They take what they have for granted. They wasted the glory and power that Animus Magic gave their tribe. They never knew how to handle it properly like the IceWings did. They didn't deserve what they stole from us.

"You're Sunny's father aren't you?" Winter asked curiously. This is probably the longest he had ever spoken to a NightWing. He wanted to know more.

"Yes. You are a strange IceWing. So many questions."

"I'm just interested."

"Haven't met many NightWings have you?" Stonemover asked.

"No," Winter admitted. "I'll leave you in peace now."

Stonemover closed his heavy eyelids.

Winter exited the cave and began to wander the dark corridors again. He didn't get very far until he ran into something else that blended in with the shadows. His cool scales collided with warm ones.

"If you haven't met many NightWings then why do you hate them?" Moon's dark green eyes pierced into his soul. He could just make out her outline in front of him. "Hmm?"

I honestly don't know, Winter thought, because I have to? IceWings and NightWings are sworn enemies. I could never forgive them for what they did to Hailstorm.

Moon looked intrigued. For a split second, it was like she was listening to something else.

"How did you know I hadn't met many NightWings?" Winter asked with suspicion. Was she listening to his conversation with Stonemover?

"Never mind that," Moon brushed his question off, "you didn't answer my question."

He thought for a minute. "Because NightWings are all lying, conniving, deceiving lizards. That is clear." Winter growled harshly, making Moon's expressions change.

"Is that why you hate me? Just because I'm a NightWing?" Moon stood up for herself. "I'm not like them. We don't have to be enemies Winter."

Winter stood there in silence. Just tell her you hate her!

I do hate her. Don't I?

"Fine then," Moon said softly as if Winter had hurt her feelings, "Well guess what?...... I don't hate you."

She left him alone in the darkness, her footsteps faded out as she walked far away from him.

Shivers ran down Winter's spine.

"... I don't hate you."

Moon's words left him spellbound and bewildered. He didn't understand why.

He felt so guilty for everything he said to her.