Winterwatcher! - Light in the Dark

🌙 Chapter 10 🌙

"Missing? What do you mean missing?" Moon almost screamed, concerned, terrified for what this could mean.

"Icicle and Carnelian disappeared last night," Sunny explained, her smile fading quickly, "They are literally nowhere to be found. We've searched the entire school grounds. Not a trace."

Kinkajou put her talon on Moon's shoulder. "Everything will be okay." she said positively, "Right?" Qibli shrugged his shoulders with a half-smile.

Holy snakes this is weird. Dragons don't just disappear! Qibli was panicking in his head. What if they've been kidnapped or worse... it might be too late. What if I'm next to go? What if any of my friends are going to suddenly disappear at any time!?

Moon glanced at Winter who met her eyes. Carnelian did something with my sister! I should've been there to protect her! That lying, mischievous brat of a SkyWing! He thought.

Moon held back the extreme urge to hug Winter. To comfort him and tell him it'll be alright. He's angry, confused and upset. His sister is missing along with her worst enemy. She could be in danger. He feels like he could've done something to stop all of this from happening, but he couldn't. He thinks it's his fault, but it isn't.

It's my fault, she thought.

"What do we do?" Qibli asked the teachers.

"You aren't going to do anything. We teachers are going to sort all of this out," Clay said firmly.

"But...!" Winter exclaimed.

"But no. Winter we will make sure Icicle is safe," Sunny said warmly.

The dragonets of destiny left the hospital. "You're free to go Moonwatcher," Tsunami informed them at the doorway. "Oh, and don't any of you dare go looking for Icicle and Carnelian!"

"So that's it? Our friends are missing and we're expected to stay here and do nothing?" Moon said outraged.

"BORING!" Kinkajou yawned.

"I'd better go," Turtle interrupted with a nervous and sorry expression, "before you guys come up with a plan to disobey my sister and her friends. Sorry Winter."

Kinkajou sighed. "I thought Turtle was better than that. Oh well, his loss."

"It's fine guys. It's a stupid idea anyway," Winter said, "Icicle is strong. She'll be fine." Moon knew that Winter didn't mean any of what he just said.

"Maybe Winter's right," Qibli said solemnly, " it's probably better to let the teachers handle everything."

Moon understood. Her friends didn't understand how big this was. It was way more than just a disappearance.

She also knew that she was the only dragon on Pyrrhia that could get Icicle and Carnelian back.

❄️ Winter's POV ❄️

His sister was actually gone...

Winter could've protected her from that monster Carnelian. He knew she was behind it somehow. Carnelian got under Icicle's scales like an irritating itch. His sister couldn't stand her.

Theories were building up in Winter's mind. There was dark red blood all over the cave floor. It obviously belonged to Carnelian not Icicle. Moon said that Icicle was covered in scarlet blood. What did she do? Did Icicle attack Carnelian? Did Carnelian attack Icicle? Where on Pyrrhia are they now? Three moons... a-are they even still alive?

He still wasn't sure what Moon had saw. It was easy to tell that she wasn't telling the full truth. What happened last night had obviously meant something more to her or she wouldn't be acting like it was a life or death matter.

For all Winter knew, Icicle and Carnelian could've just gone on a hike and haven't come back yet. But a leisurely hike doesn't involve blood.

I want answers.

Suddenly Winter heard a knock on his door. Qibli was out somewhere tonight so it could've been him wanting to get back in after Winter locked him out. Winter swung open the door and his heart immediately skipped a beat.

Moon was standing in the doorway, her eyes glowing in the dark and dazzling with hope. Winter jumped back and let her in.

"We are going to find your sister,"Moon said simply.

Winter was immediately taken back. "Why do you care?" Oops. That came out a lot harsher than how he had meant.

"It's bigger than just Icicle going missing," Moon explained desperately.

"So... my sister's disappearance isn't important, huh?" Winter turned away.

"Wait no!" She cried. "I didn't mean it like that. I want to help because I know how much she means to you. I know how much it's killing you inside that she's gone. I want to help! I... I care about you Winter."

Stunned and shell-shocked, Winter stared at Moon's serious face. How was it possible that she knew him so well? She acted like she had grown up right alongside him for the past five years. It was like she was inside his head at all times. She fully understood him unlike anyone he had ever met.

She was unlike anyone he had ever met.

"You want to help me?" Winter asked.

"Actually, we want to help you!" Kinkajou materialised from the shadows and Qibli and Turtle came out from behind the door. So that's where you've been, Winter thought, glaring at Qibli.

Winter was overwhelmed with confusion and another feeling. He was shocked that these random dragons would do such a thing for him. They're not random dragons. They're my friends.

Moon smiled suddenly. She did that often. It was like she was listening to something that no one else could hear. His suspicion had been building up for quite some time. It was time for some answers.

"I'll agree to this plan of yours," Winter said. "But only if Moon shares with us everything she knows about Icicle and Carnelian's disappearance and... how she could've possibly known all of that."