The Letters You Send Me

Chapter 18: Snowslide

It's been a day and Moon didn't get any reply from Winter. 

Did he not read my letter?

Does he not feel the same way...?

Did something happen to him?!

She started breathing heavily and ran down the hall, the light of the mid-day sun was shining through the upper hallways of the Academy. Moon ran around for a bit, but she couldn't escape the horrific thoughts of Winter getting hurt.

Once again, she saw a flash of Winter getting stabbed, but it was clearer.

No! Please no! He can't die! Not yet!

She turned the corner and bumped into someone. She hesitantly looked up and saw Snowslide. "Moon you okay? You were breathing pretty heavily." She turned around and noticed she had walked into the Gold Winglet's cave. "O-Oh... I'm sorry to disturb you..." He smiled "since you're here, would you like to go for a walk with me?" Moon smiled "I'd love too."

Moon walked down the hallway with Snowslide. She looked at him, he really does remind me of Winter... She sighed and looked at Winter's Ankle bracelet. "I miss Winter." She stated plainly, not afraid to show that. Snowslide sighed "I know, when I heard the Prince has gone missing, I was pretty upset. Back home, Prince Winter would have never been the type to run away from a fight. But he probably had a good reason for it Moon." He grabbed her shoulders gently and smiled "don't beat yourself up about it." She nodded and hugged Snowslide, but shivered at his touch "you-your sca-ales a-are co-old..." 

Snowslide gently pushed her away "then don't hug me if my scales are cold." He chuckled "you'll get sick. I didn't know you were susceptible to the cold Moon." She shrugged "your scales are especially cold Snowslide." He chuckled "come on, let's go down the library. I know books cheer you up."

He lead her through the hallways and occasionally spoke with other clawmates. When they made it down to the library, there was shelves and shelves of scrolls and the walls were lined with torches and glow-worms. She smiled and took in the smell of scrolls.

She chuckled and walked over to the counter and peered over the edge "Starflight?" She heard some rustling the some wingbeats from above her. There was a giant hole in the celling which provided natural light even if it only covered half the library. She recognizes those scales and starry pattern anywhere.

The Nightwing landed in front of Moon and smiled, lifting up his head. "Moon, I know that voice. How are you?" Moon's jaw went wide "your eyes...." He smiled "Turtle finally convinced me to allow him to heal my eyes. It's good to see you Moon." She jumped on him and hugged, which Starflight gladly returned "so," he started pulling away "what scroll would you like today? I got new ones yesterday and they're on the shelves."

Moon looked back at Snowslide who was busy looking at a scroll on a table. "I'd like some legend and myths please." Starflight chuckled "I assume you know where they are?" Moon nodded and looked around before finding the sign that said 'Lore/Myths/Legends of Pyrrhia.' She smiled and walked over to it, occasionally glancing other isles and seeing if any new scrolls were added.

Moon arrived in the section and flew upward to the top shelf, grazing her claws over the neatly stacked rolls of paper and their inscription to see if anything new was added. She found one about the Skywings. She grabbed it along with another scroll about the Mudwings and flew down to the small tables, and sat across from Snowslide. "Oh my, you've got some reading to do." He laughed, nodding to all the scrolls she had.

She smiled "I know, by the way what are you reading?" She asked him, leaning over to peak at his scroll. He flipped it around so she could see it better "it's just some geography facts on how the continent has changed." Moon smiled and leaned back, opening her scroll about the Skywings and she began to read.

There was comfortable silence until Moon broke it. "So, Snowslide, what did you do back in the Kingdom of Ice?" He looked up at her and smiled "well, I didn't do much. I mainly helped build new houses and traveled around for a bit." Moon smiled "cool! Anything else?" "Uh... Well, no... Not really. The Icewings are not as out-going as the other tribes are. We mainly keep to ourselves. Although I did coach some matches of Ice Ball back in the day." He chuckled "it's a game where you kick snowballs in between two giant pillars of ice for points."

Moon smiled "that's a nice game. I didn't do much in my youth. I almost went crazy by being overwhelmed with thoughts." "Oh... I didn't know that. I thought you only focused on one mind at one time." She shook her head "it's like being in a room with a bunch of dragons talking. You hear everything at once." "Oh... I'm sorry, didn't mean to pry." She waved it off "it's alright."

---

When Moon looked at the skylight to see that the sunroof and she saw the sun wasn't directly above the hole anymore, she panicked "Three Moons! It's almost time for my history lesson with the Winglet! I-I have to go!" She yelled, packing up all the scrolls but occasionally looking back at the hallway. Moon had more scrolls than she started out with.

Snowslide looked up at her and sighed, grabbing some of her scrolls and rolling them up "here, let me help." She smiled and grabbed about three, and placed them in her pouch. Snowslide had the four other scrolls and he held them in his pouch and looked back at Starflight "I'll be back for these, just need to help Moon!"

Starflight nodded and waved.

Both dragons were walking down the halls together "thanks for the help Snowslide, although you didn't need to." He smiled "I did it because I wanted to. You don't need to thank me. It's what friends are for."

Moon and Snowslide dropped off her stuff in her dorm and went their separate ways. It didn't help the fact that she got lost because there was a note on the door saying her class had moved from the cave and is another cave nearby, but she couldn't find it. She had wandered into a dark alley in the corner.

She felt a shiver run down her spine and she hugged her wings close to herself. When did it become so cold? 

She hesitantly walked further, but she felt a claw wrap around her snout, and her torso. She was dragged into a small room and she kicked the dragon taking her away, but they jumped on her and wrestled with each other. Moon ended up getting pinned, her wrists being held at the side of her head and her wings being pinned by the wings of the dragon who pinned her. Her tail was intertwined with the dragon who took her.

She growled and opened her mouth slightly, allowing some fire to escape and light up the face of the dragon who attacked her. She froze, b-but how? With the small bit of confidence, she spoke the dragon's name.

"W-Winter?"