Winterwatcher! - Light in the Dark

❄️ Chapter 8 ❄️

Winter didn't understand what he had done that was so bad. Icicle had been ignoring him for days ever since the incident between her and Carnelian. It was almost as if she was more angry at Winter than Carnelian for what had happened. Icicle had never been treated like that by a dragon from another tribe.

She was acting like none of this was Carnelian's fault. In her mind, Winter had betrayed her.

That day in Icicle and Sora's sleeping cave, Winter had chosen to save Moon instead of stand up for his own sister. Winter realised that this was a big mistake, but he regretted nothing. He just wanted her to like him. Since when do I care more about gaining a NightWing's trust over protecting my sister from a rogue, dangerous SkyWing?

His first priority should be Icicle and the rest of the royal family, however Winter feared that he was actually growing to trust and like the rest of his winglet. I'm finally losing it.

His friends stood by him even though he made it clear that he didn't want their help. They were there for him even when he treated them so poorly. Winter never had any intention to hurt them, especially Moon. It's too late. The damage was done when I said I hated her.

Moon will never forgive me.

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Winter was bombarded by a kaleidoscope of dragons of different colours but this didn't seem as strange as it used to. Before Jade Mountain, Winter had barely ever left the Ice Kingdom and had never really interacted with other tribes. On those very few occasions he couldn't stand the sight of a SkyWing, Sandwing, etc. for the other IceWings saw them as less superior.

Winter never suspected that Jade Mountain would change his entire point of view of dragons from different tribes; especially NightWings. It must've been the fact that he was always around Moon, watching her, listening to her, living in her presence, that he had grown to see her differently.

I must seem like the lamest IceWing in history and the only one to ever befriend a NightWing.

A NightWing who probably hates me.

Recently, Moon had been acting strangely however this might've just been because of Carnelian.

Actually, there were quite a few times that Moon had been acting weird. Like when she smiled at him that day during history. Or how she looked at him wide-eyed after he stood up for her.

Maybe she didn't hate him after all.

Moon's P.O.V

These stupid powers were starting to annoy Moon.

In her dreams every night for the past three days she could see images and visions floating around in her head of dark, thick, black smoke that was trying to suffocate her. It was chasing her through a forboding, terrifying forest with no escape. She was alone.

Defenceless.

Helpless.

Screams of fear and pain would sound in the distance of someone who needed help... someone Moon couldn't save.

Moon would have this same dream over and over again until she woke up, breathing deeply, drenched in sweat. It seemed as if the vision was getting slightly clearer each night but that still didn't mean Moon could understand what it meant.

Sometimes she worried that it could be a real-life vision of the future instead of a silly, childish nightmare. If it was indeed a vision, Moon needed to avoid this future at all costs or someone's life could be at risk.

Moon was always told that these powers were a big responsibility, but she didn't really understand how big before she arrived at Jade Mountain.

Moon feared that she was putting others in danger by being at this school. Her friends trusted her right now, but if they ever found out about her secrets, they would stay as far away from her as possible. If they knew that in a possible future she could lead them into a strange forest to their deaths, Moon would have to go back to hiding away in the RainForest.

Moon rolled over in her bed and sighed.

Why did life have to be so unfair?

She closed her eyes again and listened intensely to the sleeping dragons around her.

Except.....

There was one dragon that wasn't asleep.

Who else would be awake at this time? It's not like they just experienced a horrific dream that could possibly be real and lead to everyone's deaths and my friends hating me and... and .. and everything is SO STRESSFUL!

Moon tried very hard to focus on the task at hand: finding this dragon.

She didn't know why she was so suspicious. This dragon might just not be able to sleep.

But Moon had one of those feelings. A psychic feeling that something wasn't right.

She crept out of bed, careful not to step on Kinkajou who had rolled onto the floor. The tiny RainWing's mind was dancing with bright colours and way too much happiness that it gave Moon a headache.

The school was still and quiet at night, but not to Moon. Every turn she took, sounds echoed through the halls of dragons' deepest, happiest, scariest, weirdest dreams. Moon didn't like this at all. It was like she was stepping into the complete unknown. She was opening up her mind to a thing she had never come into contact with before. Unlike every other sound that was swimming around her head, this strange voice certainly wasn't familiar.

It was sucking her in.

She wandered into the depths of Jade Mountain, letting the voice carry her forward.

She could hear it whisper in an inaudible deep tone.

Suddenly Moon collided with a stone-cold wall. At her slight touch, the wall fell away and Moon stumbled into an eerie cave room.

Moon screamed as black smoke surrounded her thoughts. A peircing whistling sound erupted in her brain. Moon clutched her head tightly in her quivering claws. Her squinting eyes could just make out a shape against the back wall of the room.

The shape of a dragon...

The dragon glowed almost. It moved slightly causing its ice-like, slick scales to become visible from the shadows.

Moon couldn't hear the dragon's thoughts over the loud whistling sound but she knew who it was.

Icicle moved towards Moon who was curled up in a ball on the ground. The IceWing's eyes were hollow and black like a starless night sky. They stared Moon down.

Icicle pressed her claws to Moon's temples, sending shockwaves down Moon's spine. The whistling stopped, making the voice clearer for a moment until it started again and everything went black.

Don't worry little Moonwatcher, I can hear it too.