Chapter Thirty Three

Moon felt her insides freeze. She knew this SandWing. How many times had she seen his face hanting the darkest corners of Qibli's mind? How many times had she heard his name whispered in fear? The throbbing in the back of her skull grew more insistent, and she reached out to Darkstalker's mind. That's Qibli's grandfather, the crime boss of the Scorpion Den.

Darkstalker hadn't taken his gaze from the old SandWing. I know.

Send him away! He cannot be here for any good reason.

"I was told of your power," said Vulture. "But I admit, I feel as if I only received half the story."

Large. Collaborates with the rumours of him being from ancient times, Vulture's mind ticked through all his observations of Darkstalker in a way that was eerily similar to Qibli's. Moon felt nauseous listening to him. Said to be an animus - must be. The city centre would be in shambles like the rest of this place otherwise. Silver scales by the eyes on both of them. Family trait? No. This is the NightWing leader's offspring, my spies said she'd disappeared in the failed siege of Jade Mountain. Must be the give away for the NightWing powers then. Picker was right.

The image of the skinny SandWing thief from months ago popped into Vulture's mind. He'd known her from earlier in life, and was repulsed by her. Vulture remembered her having led him and his men through the mountains. And then… the burly SandWing, the one Moon could see just behind Vulture… he'd… he'd…

"You killed her!" Moon gasped, horrified.

Vulture smiled. It made Moon feel cold. "So you do read minds. And yes, I killed the SandWing, Picker. She was a thief and a gold addict. Somewhere along the way, she encountered you, Ser Darkstalker, and apparently you impressed her enough for she wouldn't shut up about your power and might."

Though Moon searched his mind, she couldn't find a lie in his thoughts.

"What brings you here to NightWing territory, Vulture?" Darkstalker asked. He nodded his head in the direction of the thugs further down the castle steps. "Your drakes seem prepared for a fight."

"Exactly right," Vulture nodded. "I didn't know what I was flying into, so I brought with me my most capable fighters. I always prepare for every scenario - they are my precautions against the worst scenario."

Again, Moon could not find fault in what he said. He spoke every he thought he had. He left nothing out or said one thing but thought another. Not a single lie left his mouth. It made her feel helpless - she wanted to catch some definitive proof of his malicious intent but could find nothing.

"And what would be your best case scenario?" Darkstalker asked.

Vulture smiled again. "To offer you counsel. Picker told many tales of your magic and your ambition. I admit, I was impressed." Impressed enough to follow what should have been nothing but a myth, now brought to life.

Darkstalker shifted a little. Moon looked up sharply at him. To her horror he looked a little flattered. "And why should I seek your counsel, Vulture?"

"I was born to a whore of the backstreets of the Scorpion Den and I crawled and clawed my way to the very top. If you've read my mind, then you know I'm clever. I believe aligning myself with you would be advantageous to us both."

Moon's eyes narrowed. "You work for Blister, for my father." Sunny and Qibli had received many reports from Thorn about how Vulture had aligned himself with the cunning and cruel pretender queen and become her lackey.

Vulture's dark eyes snapped to her, narrowed, as his mind listed off more observations. This one won't be quick to trust. Not a personal vendetta, we've never met, yet she knows of me. The eyes tell of her fear and recognition. She's a mind reader. My errant grandson is with the rebellion. Perhaps she knows of me through him. Interesting. "I did, Lady… Moonwatcher, is it?" he said. Moon did her best not to react to the use of her name - even as she wondered how he could've known. "Yes, I used to work for Blister. But that deal proved not to be as lucrative as I had first hoped."

"Is your loyalty so easily swayed?" Darkstalker asked in a tone that was somewhere between dangerous and playful.

"My loyalty is to myself. I always act in accordance with my own interests, and those tell me to align myself with the winning side." Vulture waved a talon in Moon's general direction. "This child-"

"I am no child." Moon spat.

Darkstalker rumbled. "If you wish for me to hear you out, Vulture, then I suggest you speak to Moon with the respect she deserves."

Behind the old SandWing, his guards shifted, preparing for a fight. Vulture held out a wing, a silent order to remain back. His eyes narrowed on Darkstalker. He didn't like being ordered around, much less told who he should pay respect to. His mind flipped so fast through observations and explanations that Moon couldn't keep up with it.

Draping one of his large wings across her back and shoulders, Darkstalker smirked. "Moon is my closest friend and confidant. You will treat her with the same regard you would show me."

Begrudgingly, Vulture nodded. "Very well. I meant no offence. I merely meant to say that it is clear to everyone that Moon has no affiliation with her father. And by extent, that means you do not either. I don't know which way you will cast your stone, Darkstalker; all I know is that I would rather be on your side."

For a moment, Darkstalker was quiet. "As Blister's talon in the shadows, you must know much about her strengths and weaknesses."

The grin on Vulture's face revealed shockingly white teeth. "Indeed."

Panicked, Moon grabbed hold of Darkstalker's wrist. Don't! We can't trust him!

Darkstalker looked down at her, perplexed. Who said anything about trusting him? If the old lizard wishes to be of use to us, then let him. He could give us the opening we need to make meaningful change in this war. Isn't that what you wanted?

It is. But I remember what Qibli knew of him. He is the only dragon Qibli truly fears, he was always clever and cruel. Look into the futures, Darkstalker, they must show that he means to betray us in some way.

I have. And whilst there is a chance that he might, in time… I can also see that we have much to gain from his presence for the time being. The futures are not yet fixed, because his mind constantly shifts and his choices along with them. He patted her talon, his smile gentle. Don't worry. I promise we will be careful.

When they turned back to Vulture, the SandWing was watching them, knowing full well they had had a conversation without his input. Darkstalker smiled politely, and turned to walk inside. "Welcome to my castle, Vulture. You and your drakes may stay, so long as they pull their own weight."

Moon followed Darkstalker, and almost immediately regretted it when Vulture's voice slithered up her back. "Agreed."

They welcomed them into the main hall. Repairs on the castle were almost finished, and the SandWings all looked around at the impressive architecture with obvious awe. Vulture's mind calculated all the wealth around him, a habit more than conscious thought. Darkstalker told them all where they would find the kitchens, the dining hall and sleeping quarters, but told them they were forbidden from entering the royal wing where he and Moon resided. A decree which Moon was very grateful to hear.

The SandWing thugs dispersed, to find food and beds for the rest of the night. Vulture walked with Darkstalker, Moon following, in the vague direction of the study. They talked of the situation across Pyrrhia, and vulture revealed information that not even Moon knew of.

"The tribes are in chaos," Vulture was saying. "The rebellion is close to breaking apart."

"The Dragons of Destiny will do their best to remedy that," Darkstalker said.

"Oh, no doubt of it. And Blister knows that too. Whilst they are distracted, she will want to move east, and seek to take the lands surrounding Jade Mountain."

Moon stopped short. "We have to help them."

Darkstalker and Vulture stopped and looked at her over their shoulders. Vulture shook his head in a manner that bordered on condescending, infuriating Moon. "That will do no good. I said Blister wants to take those lands. I say let her try - she will exhaust her troops trying and in the meantime, I will not be there to make sure there is total obedience in her kingdom. When the chaos begins, she will be distracted. A good opportunity."

She stared at the old dragon, appalled by his callousness. "We can't just leave them!"

"Moon," Darkstalker tried to say kindly, "they will be alright. They have their shield and should a siege occur, the lands within the shield's limits can sustain them for at least a year. Glory and the others thought about that possibility many times."

"But-!"

"And should that happen," he turned and took her talons in his, "we will step in. Of course we will. I won't see you suffer because your friends are in danger. But until then, Vulture is right. We should take advantage of the situation."

She wanted to take comfort in his reassurances, see the truth in his logic. But then she glanced over Darkstalker's shoulder and saw Vulture's smug face. Anger made her blood boil. With a growl, she snatched her talon away and marched back up the corridor. Darkstalker called out to her, but she ignored him and retreated into the shadows.


Glacier's palace was deathly silent in the dead of night, aside from a strange hum that echoed through the halls. Some believed it to be the voice of the magic that lingered in the enchanted walls, what gave the inside of the palace its beautiful glow. Others thought it to be the whispers of the ice itself, like the subtle rumbles of a shifting glacier.

Winter listened to this slow song the palace seemed to sing. There was no point in sleeping, he'd been trying all night. At first light, he was due to leave for Jade Mountain, but dread filled him at the thought. He hadn't convinced Glacier to bring her troops back to the fight, he hadn't even made a dent in her conviction - it felt like a failure to return to the rebellion with nothing to show for this wasted trip. Glacier's pride in him made him feel like a new dragon, but that would bring little comfort to the soldiers he now served with. And what's more, he hadn't even fulfilled his second objective.

He still couldn't stop thinking about the mirror. Queen Diamond's face lurked in the back of his mind, her words haunting his curiosity. Something whispered to him that the mirror was important. That it could be the new lead he needed to solve this Lost City mystery. If only he could've spent more time with it, perhaps tried harder to unlock it…

It occurred to him that what he was contemplating was likely suicide. If he was caught, he would surely be arrested and killed. Glacier might look on him with favour, but she'd shown him that secret in confidence and if a guard or someone else caught him sneaking around the palace, then the situation would be out of her talons. And yet… what if Queen Glacier wanted him to do this, what if she'd shown him this state secret in the hopes that he would be this reckless, this impulsive, this driven to find the truth? He was due to leave in the morning anyway, he wouldn't get another chance!

As quietly as he was able, Winter skulked out of bed and stalked down the levels of the palace towards the throne room. More than once, he'd had to duck back into a servant's passage to avoid a patrolling guard or two. His heart hammered against his ribs and adrenaline made his wrists and throat hot. When he finally reached the throne room, he was puzzled to see that there were no guards. Anywhere. All senses alert, Winter crept to the enormous pair of doors and tried to pull one open as quietly as he could. It took almost all his strength to do so, and he prayed to the ancestors beneath the ice to not let the door make too much noise. He only needed it open just enough…

There! He squeezed through the gap, as small as he could fit, and then pulled the door closed once again. Breathing hard, he hurriedly flew to one of the chandeliers and picked the smallest moon-globe he could see. Setting it over his shoulder, he flew back down to the throne. By the hidden entrance he paused, eyes darting to the seat of the throne, and he sent a prayer that his hunch about his aunt proved to be right. Please don't let her actually be offended by what I'm about to do… He swallowed. He hadn't seen exactly what Glacier had done to open the passage, but he knew of the location. Reaching behind one of the mammoth tusks, he fiddles and pressed around the area randomly. For a horrid second, he didn't think he'd find it, and then, abruptly, he felt a claw catch on a tiny switch. Immediately, he heard the grating of ice as the side of the throne moved aside.

The secret passage was revealed.

He tried not to let the magic of the passage bother him, even though he felt its effect tenfold now that he was alone. It felt like the talons of the dead were trying to reach out to him from the dark, and he felt the urge to flee take root in his heart. Breathing harshly through his nose, he pushed on, down and down the spiralling vault, until at last he came to the end and beheld Diamond's mirror.

Once again, as Winter stood before the mirror, his reflection warped and changed, the black ice turning brilliant blue, and then the image of Queen Diamond appeared. Was it his imagination, or did Diamond's eyes seem narrowed on him with contempt? Like she knew what he was where he was not supposed to be. And then her voice drawled out from the mirror once again. "Speak and know the answers. Unlock any door should you only have the right key…"

"Not this again," Winter whispered to himself. "Um, Queen Diamond, what can you tell me about the Darkstalker?"

"Speak and know the answers. Unlock any door should you only have the right key…" the mirror repeated.

"By the moons!" Winter cursed. "What was the point of this thing? To taunt its bearer with meaningless gibberish?!"

"Speak and know the answers. Unlock any door should you only have the right key…"

"I know! I get it. By the snow, if I wanted a riddle I'd just-" He stopped. A riddle… of course! Glacier said this mirror supposedly told any truth. Diamond wouldn't have wanted just anyone to have that kind of power. IceWing animi had once always been taught to take all things into consideration when coming up with their one enchantment. Queen Diamond had broken that rule, Winter knew that now. It seemed natural to protect the mirror's powers in some way.

So now… how to solve the riddle? Winter then did something he'd never thought he'd do: he tried to think like Qibli. Speak and know the truth… he'd already tried asking the mirror specifically. Maybe it meant there was a specific command for the mirror? You can unlock any door if you only have the right key… Why would there be a door? Or, perhaps it wasn't the door itself but what was behind it? The lock was this riddle, the door itself was the mirror. If the objective, the thing behind the locked door, was the truth he wanted to learn.

Why do you royals always have to be so particular, came Qibli's voice through his head. Winter could even imagine his teasing smirk. It always has to be 'just so' with you. You won't answer unless I ask things in just the right way. I bet it's because you want to annoy me - well, joke's on you! I think it means you care enough about my feelings to think of something that might bother me!

Which meant the key… was the right question?

"Mirror," Winter said, "I have a question." Diamond's face vanished and the mirror turned a brilliant, almost blinding white. Heart racing, Winter tried to think of something to ask. "How did Prince Arctic escape?"

The white light faded and instead appeared sheets of icy walls that looked like the inside walls of the palace. A moment later, Queen Diamond's face appeared, as impeccable as before. Yet she didn't seem so… artificial this time. Her throat and chest moved with breath and her eyes darted over the mirror to find a spot to fix on. It worked! Winter could've cheered for joy.

"First Moon of Summer, 3005 AS," said Diamond, and Winter realised that this was not a question-answer system. This was a diary, the question posed merely put the asker to the most appropriate entry. In the mirror, Diamond sneered. "I knew he would do it. But that pathetic girl, Snowflake, she assured me the situation was handled. Weaklings. And to discover Arctic's been playing me this entire time. He made me think it was just a dalliance, a chance to fornicate where the scandal could not harm his future marriage. And now he does this. He used his magic against us! My soldiers are still collecting the bodies of the guards his magic killed. Foolish, impetuous boy! He doesn't realise this was all for him! All the politicking, all the machinations, this is the cost of the throne. You must be willing to do anything, sacrifice everything, to ensure obedience, to ensure fear. And he'd throw that all away? No. I won't let him. I have my guards hunting him and his whore as we speak. We will find them before the NightWings do. And when we do, I promise, I'll gut the wench, Foeslayer, and drag that boy back kicking and screaming if I have to!"

Winter didn't know how to feel. Glacier had told him earlier that the NightWings weren't as fully to blame as he'd been taught. But to now know that Arctic must've been so unhappy - or so in love - that he openly used his magic to assist his escape with Foeslayer?

"Mirror, I have a question." Again, the mirror turned white on his command. "What did Diamond know of Darkstalker?"

The image shifted and there was Diamond. A scowl was etched into her features so deep, her brows almost obscured her dark eyes. "First Moon of Spring, 3008 AS. The news has finally come. My son has continued his relations with his whore, and now they have offspring. Two dragonets, I'm told: one male, one female. Abominations. As of this moment, they are only six months old, but their existence cannot be tolerated for any longer than necessary. Each day that they draw breath mocks me. Mocks the purity of my tribe. It shames me that it is my son who has polluted our bloodline. I have used my magic to send a message to my son in secret. His eyes that night, they haunt me. He must return - he must. I do not want our lineage to fall. I cannot allow him to disgrace himself like this. Isn't that a mother's job, to save her children from ruin? Our troops will fight to set him free, I will see him returned to us. But those two monstrosities must not be allowed to live. So I have offered him a deal. He will be given back his position as prince, all crimes will be forgiven, and he can come home to me. But he must bring me the heads of his dragonets. I must know they die! They must!"

Winter swallowed, his stomach queasy. Had Diamond really told her son to kill his own dragonets? The mirror shifted again, apparently not done with his question, and Diamond stood before the mirror, her eyes staring into space. A fist was clenched around her chin, her hand shaking.

"Mid Autumn, 3013 AS," Diamond said quietly. "So he has finally come. They call him Darkstalker now - a true, disgusting NightWing name to further insult me. My son's offspring. He must be six now. Still not a full adult but they let him onto the battlefield. He's using his magic to kill my troops. Someone said they saw a resemblance to Arctic in him. I had their tongue removed. My only solace is that at least on the battlefield he will be easier to kill. He's in plain sight. But his use of magic is inventive and efficient." She snorted. "If he were an IceWing I might've been half proud."

The mirror shifted for a third time. Diamond looked rougher, her eyes bloodshot and she swayed a little, as if she might collapse at any moment. "First moon of winter, 3014 AS…" she mumbled. "Three weeks… three weeks he has haunted my dreams. Darkstalker… he has infected my mind and now he torments me in my sleep. He whispers of the ways he will kill me. He shows me visions of the bloodshed he spills on the battlefield. He confesses to me how my son is such a failure as a father. Arctic… I must save him. He must be returned home. All the magic must be spent to return him, to protect us from this demon!"

Winter asked more questions about the war, and listened to Diamond's diaries. With each entry he became more unsettled. Some entries were heartbreaking, as Diamond felt growing remorse for pushing her son away. In others, he felt horrified as he watched Diamond spiral into madness. Like when he saw the entry about Foeslayer's death, how much Diamond had revelled in it, how much Darkstalker must've suffered as he watched, and how she'd vaguely stated she'd done something unspeakable to the body. Winter was finding it more and more difficult to watch.

But he still had one last request: "Mirror, I have a question: where is the Kingdom of Night?"

The mirror shifted once again. And when Diamond reappeared, she didn't look much older than the other entries, but something about her looked somewhat… diminished. Something in her eyes was broken. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a hoarse whisper. "He's dead… Great Dragon forgive me, my son… he's… he's…" A tear slipped down the Queen's cheek and she ducked her head to hide her face. "They say Darkstalker… he murdered him; his own father. And I can't even retrieve the body, I can't, I can't -"

Sobs could be heard as Winter watched the Queen's shoulders shake. Despite her madness, despite her cruelty, to see her grieve her son still hurt. When Diamond looked back up, her eyes were heavy.

"We learned this when a fugitive came north, escaping the chaos. Darkstalker has turned on his own tribe, and they have fled their own Kingdom to escape him. One of them came to me, seeking asylum, a SandWing. Jerboa." At the mention of the name, Winter's ears pricked up. "I gave her a cove on my southern border, a home shall be built for her. No one will disturb her there, and in exchange… I will have her help me to be sure my tribe never forgets this evil! I want every generation of IceWings, from this day until the end of days, to know that the NightWings are our enemies and we shall never forgive them!"

Winter leapt back from the mirror at the Queen's roar. Diamond truly had gone mad. There was no denying that now. And to hear her words… she was so devoted to her hate, she'd wanted to make sure the rest of the tribe never forgot it. What had she done? Perhaps it didn't matter. He couldn't change the past. All he could reconcile was that Diamond hadn't been helpful enough to tell him where the Kingdom of Night was. He hadn't expected her to give exact directions. After all, in her time, the Lost City's location must've been common knowledge…

But maybe… she'd given him a clue? She'd mentioned Jerboa. The same Jerboa that Stonemover had spoken of? If she'd escaped the Kingdom of Night, she might have left a clue as to get back there. If he left right now, found this secret cove on the border, maybe he could find the long forgotten home of Jerboa. Maybe he could find some clues about the Lost City before he had to return to Jade Mountain? It would be risky. He'd be perilously close to SandWing territory, and if Blister's forces found him, there would be no escape.

He decided he would leave at once.


"Moon?"

Petulantly, Moon turned her back to the door and buried her head in her pillows. She'd been here for hours, trying to drown out the distant thoughts of the interlopers in the castle. Another knock came and then there was the squeak of the door. Moon pretended to be asleep. She felt a talon softly brush her shoulder.

"Moon?" Darkstalker said. "Moon, come on, look at me please?"

"No."

"Because you know if you do, you'll instantly forgive these oh-so-precious-eyes?"

She stuck her head out in order to glare at him. But then saw that he was staring at her, his eyes impossibly wide, his pupils almost engulfing his iris. He was even pouting. Moon bit her tongue to stop herself from laughing at his ridiculousness. She flopped back onto the bed. "Go away, Darkstalker. I'm not in the mood."

"But I have something to show you!" he pleaded.

"Go find your new number one fan," she groused. Admittedly, she knew she was the one being childish now, but she was still mad. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled to have your attention."

"You know Vulture is just a tool for me to use," Darkstalker reasoned. "He isn't my friend, and I realise that our discussion earlier must've hurt you. So I want to make it up to you. Please come with me, Moon, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

Something between a chuckle and a growl escaped her. "Urgh, alright fine."

Like a dragonet on his hatching day, Darkstalker bounced ahead, urging her on. Moon followed, reluctantly at first, but his eager energy was infectious. It was hard to remember to be mad at him when he made her smile so easily. They raced through the castle to the nearest door leading out into the sky. Moon could hear the sleeping dreams of the SandWings distantly in their rooms. It was very late, only a few hours till dawn.

Once outside, she followed Darkstalker north, past the city and into the foothills. He took her to the highest hill, and as they landed, Moon realised that they both had a perfect view overlooking the city in the south. If she allowed her imagination to run a little, Moon could easily see the thousands of twinkling lights within a bustling city. It would be incredible to behold. Right now, only the silver of the moonlight bathed the landscape into clarity. She sat beside Darkstalker and breathed the clean air.

"It's incredible," she sighed.

He hummed in agreement. "Clearsight and I used to come up here all the time, when we wanted to be alone, to be ourselves."

"Oh," and now she could see it, remembering it from the memories he'd shared with her. "You'd think in two thousand years, the view would change but… it still resembles what it was back then."

"And you're looking at the wrong view," he chuckled.

Moon frowned up at him, only to realise he was no longer sat beside her. He was laid on the grass, turned as much onto his back as his spiked spine would allow. He patted the ground beside him, tail snaking across the ground behind him, betraying his anticipation. Confused, Moon was a little slow in joining him on the cold embrace of the earth.

"So, what are you showing me?" she asked.

"Give me your wing," he said, holding out a talon.

"What? Why?"

"Trust me."

Slowly, she unfurled her wing and stretched towards his waiting palm. It felt strange, to feel someone else clasp hold of the delicate membrane of her wing. But Darkstalker was infinitely gentle, careful not to poke at her with his long claws. His touch encouraged her to stretch her wing so that they could both stare at the scattered white scales beneath her wing.

"Have you ever wondered what these are?" he asked, pointing to the white flecks.

"Camouflage for hunting in the dark," Moon said simply.

"Back in the old days," Darkstalker's voice took on that hypnotic timbre he often held whenever he drew her mind into the world of the once-was, a world of forgotten memory that he brought to life with his words alone. "There used to be a superstition that these star-like patterns were actually a map. If you could match the pattern on your wing to the stars in the sky, then it would lead you to your destiny."

Moon bumped his shoulder with hers. "Now that sounds like a trashy romance scroll."

He chuckled, a deep rumble in his throat. And then he extended his right wing and brought it beside her stretched left. As the tips of the membrane crossed over, Moon gasped in surprise. The silver scales matched up! It actually did look like the vista of a night sky.

"And there's more," he whispered, and then he pushed their wings down.

The stars shone brilliantly above them, as clear as glittering diamonds upon a dark velvet cushion. At the exact points where the silver scales on their wings had been, the stars were perfectly placed. Moon's mouth hung open in shock. Awe speared through her chest and she felt a tingling sensation across her scales. Not in all the months she'd been here had she noticed the perfect match. Was it true, was it like the superstition said? Before she knew it, she was grinning so widely her eyes squinted.

Beside her, Darkstalker rolled onto his belly, placing his head upon his crossed talons, and staring up at her with sparkling silver-blue eyes. "I know you're frustrated, Moon. You want to be out there, helping your friends. I understand, and I promise you that we will help them."

"What about Vulture?" she asked, not quite meeting his eye.

"You have to admit, he's clever. We can use that. We can learn everything he knows about our enemies. But he will never replace you in my regards." He took hold of her talon in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You are my dearest friend, Moon. And though you might question your purpose here, surely this-" he gestured to her wing and the stars, "-proves that you were destined to be here. We both are." And he held his wing alongside hers again.

Whatever anxiety she had previously felt knot up inside her chest gently eased. Moon smiled. She felt touched at his thoughtfulness. The lengths he'd gone to reassure her, to make her feel wanted again. And she believed him that they would help stop the war. Darkstalker did not easily go back on his word.

She trusted him implicitly.


Jade Mountain hadn't been the same these last three months. Where once it had been a haven for all tribes to get away from the war, now it was an untouchable base of operations. Daily squadrons of dragons were being sent in almost every direction, spies were flying in from across the continent with their reports. The injured returned in whatever way they could. And almost on a weekly basis, those that remained at the mountain had to fight off camps of soldiers stationed outside their shield.

Turtle often missed the days when he and his friends could go about their business in relative peace. Yes, they had all been aware about the war, had prepared for it or otherwise had it occupy their minds; but they could also laugh together, eat together, just exist in an almost normal fashion. Now, he was lucky if he got to see half of the Jade Winglet in one place at the same time. Kinkajou and Qibli were the only ones who stayed at the mountain almost as much as he did. The days when they were away were the ones he found to be the hardest to get through. He hated being alone. He went from thirty brothers to just a few friends and one by one they were all leaving him.

Which was why he hated it when Qibli insisted he come to the War-Talks. Mostly he just stayed quiet whilst the braver dragons talked and strategized their next move. It was how he got to know, in person, which of his friends would be leaving him next. Qibli knew this helplessness bothered him, and the only consolation he could give was that they had the Seashells to communicate with the others. That was one saving grace, Turtle admitted. On the days when Kinkajou went on special missions, he could talk to her every night, no matter how far apart they were.

The sun was bright and hot that morning, the air humid and stuffy. Qibli sat at the table overlooking the new war-table, a map of Pyrrhia stretched across its surface. Sunny and Starflight had agreed to house their new war-room in the library, to be closer to all their collected knowledge and intelligence. Sunny and Starflight sat across from Qibli, whilst Turtle and Fatespeaker hung back at the edge of the room. Turtle didn't really like Fatespeaker. She was loud (in an obnoxious kind of way) and overbearing and not subtle in any way imaginable. But she made Starflight extremely happy and she did nothing offensive, so he tolerated her.

Qibli stared at the map and shook his head. "We still haven't heard anything from Winter," he was saying.

"We can't give up just yet," Starflight groaned as if he'd made this argument a thousand times already. "Negotiations take time."

"We don't have time," Qibli pointed to the map, his claw sweeping over the mountains of the Sky Kingdom. "Ruby and the SkyWings are too focused on their own internal struggles. And from everything the spies have seen, Blister's forces are looking for a good opportunity to strike at us. We can't wait for the IceWings to swoop in and save the day. We need to act now."

"I agree," Sunny mumbled. "I hate to admit it. But we can't just sit on our tails and wait."

"Then we need to recall some of the troops. If nothing else, they can run interference until we can come up with a better solution." Starflight nodded. He turned in the vague direction of the two onlookers. "Fatespeaker? Could you find me a list of all our operatives we have in the field at the moment?"

"Right away, love!" Fatespeaker cheered, making Turtle cringe, unprepared for the ringing in his ear. She ran into the back of the library, and disappeared.

Sunny nudged Starflight's wing with hers, grinning wickedly. "Loooooove?"

"She likes to call me things," Starflight's voice was a mumbled red, the tips of his eyes blushing profusely. "It's better than honeybunch…"

Qibli cleared his throat loudly. "Anyway…? There's something else that's just come up."

"What is it?" Sunny asked.

The SandWing produces a scroll from where he'd been hiding it under the table. He chucked it towards Sunny. "A letter from Thorn. Blister's spies are getting closer to uncovering her."

Sunny unravelled the scroll to read it herself. Turtle watched the colour drain from her face. "Blister's control is like a strangle-hold. The more she tightens, soon there won't be any air left for mother or the Outclaws."

"So we act!" Qibli exclaimed. Turtle had half a mind to go comfort his friend. He'd never seen him this worked up before.

"And what would we do?" Starflight asked. "Going there will likely expose Thorn and her Outclaws to the authorities, not save them."

"But we can't leave my mother cornered," Sunny argued.

"Then we won't," Qibli suggested, the old cunning smile Turtle admired returning to his face. "Or, at least, we'll make it look like we won't."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll go to the Kingdom of Sand," said Qibli. "I know the desert like the back of my talon. I'll go in and be seen, make it look like I'm trying to find Thorn. Any dragon who knows my face knows I'm loyal to Thorn, and Thorn alone. They'll follow me, I'll send them on a false trail, and then slip back to find Thorn and take her to safety."

"What happens if you get caught?" Starflight seemed horrified at the prospect.

Qibli's grin widened. "I spent the first few years of my life as a Street Rat in the Scorpion Den, and I survived. If I don't want anyone to catch me, no one will catch me."

Sunny nodded. "Alright. I'll send a couple of RainWings with you-"

"I don't need a dozen dragons. Just two. Turtle and Kinkajou."

Turtle nearly choked on air. "Me?"

Qibli turned that brilliant smile on him. "Sure. In the Scorpion Den, skill is second only to trust. I need dragons who've got my back covered. And there's no one here I trust more than you two."

"B-But… I can't - m-my sister!" The last few months, Turtle and Tsunami had been working together to create spells and enchantments that would help the rebellion, but in small ways that would hopefully go unnoticed. With every spell, Tsunami had grown more protective, paranoid of others finding out his secret. And he wanted to make sure she was safe from her mission.

Qibli clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, Turtle. You've never been out in the field. And this could be a great opportunity for you."

There was enough meaning behind those last few words to give Turtle pause. Qibli finalised the last details with Sunny and Starflight and then left with Turtle trailing behind. Turtle wondered what Qibli could've meant. Did he mean his magic? What would he use it for? Not that he knew any more now than he did three months ago. In the intervening time, Tsunami had told him to try and get Stonemover to mentor him. But the old NightWing's naysaying was more depressing than informative. The results of that labour had been less than desirable.

"I can hear your mind clogging, Turtle," Qibli said with a friendly smile. They turned down a deserted corridor. "Don't worry. I have everything figured out."

"Really?" Turtle quirked a brow at that assumption. "Then please enlighten me as to how me going to the desert, into the heart of enemy territory, is a good thing."

"Because you're going to help me pluck the teeth from the lion."

"You do realise that idiom doesn't not inspire much confidence?"

"Turtle, as an animus, would you be able to tell an enchanted object from a non-enchanted one?"

The SeaWing frowned. "I don't know. I never tried. Maybe?"

"We'll have to find out. Because when we're in the Kingdom of Sand, we're going to break in to the royal treasury."

"WHAT?!"

"SHHHH!" Qibli jumped on him, holding his talons over Turtle's mouth. They both looked up one end of the corridor, then the other. Slowly, Qibli released him. "Don't give me a heart attack!"

"Like the one you just gave me when you said we'd break into the royal SandWing treasury!" Turtle hissed. "That's suicide!"

"Nope. Like I said earlier, Blister's looking for an opportunity to strike Jade Mountain. That means she won't be so focused on her own Kingdom." The smirk on Qibli's face was mischievous, like he couldn't contain himself at the thought. "So we're going to find Thorn and get her to safety, just like we said to Sunny. And whilst what few guards remain are busy following our false trail, we're going to sneak into Blister's fortress and steal whatever animus objects we can find."

"And why would we do that?"

"Because, 1: it will take a weapon away from Blister. And, 2: we can use that ancient magic against Darkstalker. Stonemover said the old SandWing animi must've been powerful if they kept Darkstalker away for so long. We could use that now."

They rounded the corner, and Turtle realised where Qibli had been leading him. They stood at the entrance to the ledge where Kinkajou had laid herself in order to nap for her suntime. Turtle couldn't stop his heart from fluttering at the sight of her. Her scales shone in the sunlight like a rainbow. Qibli ruined the mood when he picked up a pebble and threw it at her flank.

"Ow!" the RainWing snapped, flaring her ruff at them. "I was only just drifting off, you frogface!"

"But then you'd miss the exciting news," said Qibli.

Turtle could tell Kinkajou tried to stay mad them, but her curiosity overcame her very quickly. "Okay tell me what's the news and what's happening right now."

"You, Turtle and I are going to the Kingdom of Sand. We're going on a heist to steal some of the most precious items in the SandWing vault. How does that sound?"

Instantly, she was up and bouncing towards them. "Ohmygoshyes! I want in right now, like, immediately!"

Qibli laughed. "Great! Get your beauty rest then, Kink. We leave at sundown."

The SandWing left, but Turtle didn't want to go just yet. He always felt better in Kinkajou's presence. He didn't need to be the secret animus, or the brave soldier, or the one to end wars. Control could be relinquished to her and she would do great with it, he knew. She took away the pressures of life and just let him be him.

Something in his face must've betrayed his inner feelings. Kinkajou tilted her head at him. "Are you not excited?"

"What should be exciting about walking into near certain death?" Turtle mumbled.

"Because this is us, fulfilling the prophecy, maybe-stopping the war and maybe even sticking it to that no-good bee-sting-face SandWing pretend queen!"

The glee she expressed at the thought of hurting Blister was actually kind of funny. "Kinkajou, you're probably the bravest dragon I've ever met, or the craziest."

"I'll take both as a compliment! Come on, Turtle. I'll take care of you, all you need to do is help - and you're the best at helping." She darted in quick and kissed his cheek. "Just be as brave as I know you secretly are, and we'll all be fine!"

She skipped away back into the mountain, but Turtle couldn't follow, too busy trying to keep himself from dissolving into a puddle of smiles and giddy butterfly warmth.