The Letters You Send Me

Chapter 31: Foretold

"Winter!" Moon yelled, rushing to him and placing her talons on his neck there's still a pulse!

She sniffed and gently grabbed his head, cradling him in her arms. She put pressure on the wounds on his neck, trying to stop the bleeding but she could tell his breathing was getting slower and more ragged. 

"Oh, is he still alive?" Snowslide asked, sounding surprised. "No matter, I'll just kill him along with you. Right now."

Snowslide inhaled and tilted his head back and fired the Frostbreath. Moon put her wings over Winter and turned away, expecting an impact of some sort. 

All she felt was warm.

She opened her eyes and gasped. "PERIL!!" Half of her head was swollen and she definitely had a concussion.

She smiled weakly "k-kick hi-is a-as-s... F-For m-m-me-e..."

Peril fell over, curling around the egg inside her and lost consciousness once more.

Moon growled at Snowslide who rolled his eyes "I thought I knocked her out already! This Winglet sure is annoying." He landed on the ground and crouched down, with his wings up and tail slowly waving back and forth.

Moon growled and got her fire breathing ready and as soon as Snowslide launched his Frostbreath, Moon did the same with her fire. Moon was able to combat it well enough, but she began to lose her breath. She deflected the beam back at Snowslide and he dodged it, stopping his assault.

"I'm surprised you held out for as long as you did. But you're out of breath. And that will cost you your life."

Moon panted and tried to ignite her fire, but she was out out of breath. Snowslide charged his ice and snow again and as he was about to fire, there was a glow coming form under Moon. She hesitantly looked down at Winter and noticed his eyes were wide open, but instead of deep-sea blue, they were pale blue with hints of snowflakes on it, and they were glowing. 

He slowly stood up and on his head, formed the silhouette of a simple crown. His under scales began to glow bright blue and his wounds began healing themselves. 

Moon squinted and gasped, recalling something from a while ago.

"The Icewings have a legend that the royal family can have Frostbreath much colder than the rest of the Icewings. Normally, our Frostbreath can go to -350*C, the royal family can go much colder. According to the legend, the under scales on their necks glow bright blue, then their Frostbreath appears blue, not white." "How cold is it?" "About -700*C. But no royal can do it, as I said, only a legend."

Snowslide gasped and for the first time, he genuinely looked scared.

"B-But the legend!" He snapped, slowly walking backwards.

"As you can see... It is not just a legend." Winter spat back, spreading his wings.

"This is your last chance Snowslide. Surrender."

Snowslide's eyes were scared, but it looked like something in him changed and he growled back at Winter. "This changes nothing! I'll kill you and your mate!"

Winter hissed and inhaled, his glowing scales going brighter as he opened his mouth, seeing the Frostbreath going from white to blue. "It looks like packed ice..." Moon whispered, looking closer. 

Winter looked back at her "that's because it is. It packs out Frostbreath and condenses it, turning into a stronger, and colder version. We call it: Cryobreath." Moon nodded and stood up, "Moon. Keep Snowslide busy. It's almost ready." Moon nodded and hissed at Snowslide.

Snowslide launched his Frostbreath and Winter retaliated with Cryobreath. When both beams met in the middle, it froze in place and seemed as though it wasn't moving until the blue ice began moving closer until it was right at the tip of Snowslide's snout.

Snowslide back away and jumped back, the Frostbreath stopping. Winter growled and shut her mouth.  Winter stood up straight, on his hind legs "I am Prince Winter of the Icewings. And I shall defeat you! That is my promise and I will keep it!" 

Snowslide hissed in response "never! I shall not be defeated!" Winter growled and began charging up, then he launched Cryobreath once more, but it was aimed at Snowslide's talons. He tried to avoid it, but the ice spread on impact with the rock, forming upward crystals and then attaching themselves to Snowslide's talons and going up his legs and arms, stopping at his shoulder and thigh.

The others began waking up and after checking for any fatal injuries, they smiled and went to join the others who smiled, seeing their friends alright.

"What?! No!" Snowslide flapped his wings and swung his tail at the ice, trying to break free but it was pointless. Snowslide noticed the Winglet coming closer, and fired Frostbreath at them, but every time, it was countered with Cryobreath or fire breath. 

They stopped right in front of Snowslide, and Winter's tail crept up to the side of the trapped Icewing's neck, as if Winter was ready to stab Snowslide. "Well," he chuckled "you've trapped me. What do you want now? A medal?"

Winter shook his head "no. Just for you to remain still."

Winter looked past Snowslide and he did the same. Snowslide gasped when he saw Qibli behind him with a smirk, the Gift of Anti-Animus right above his back. "Get away from me!" Snowslide yelled, thrashing his tail and trying to his Qibli. The Sandwing smiled and grabbed Snowslide's tail and held it in place, before hovered the blade right above Snowslide's tail.

"This is for your own good buddy."

Just then, Qibli stabbed Snowslide's tail, and he roared in fury, thrashing violently before settling down, his eyes rolling back as he fell limp. When Qibli removed the blade, there was some white smoke floating up from the wound, forming a small cloud above them and whispering the enchantment a few times, then vanishing into thin air.

"Break him out." Winter said to Peril, Qibli and Moon, and they headed up the ice with their fire. After a few minutes, the ice melted and Snowslide was laid on the ground as if he was sleeping. "Is he... Dead?" Kinkajou asked, and Qibli shook his head "no, he's alive." Winter affirmed, kneeling down and gently shaking Snowslide.

Just then, Snowslide's eyes began to open, he groaned and put one of his claws on his head and slowly stood up, looking at the ground. "Great Ice Clif... W-What.. Arrg.. My h-head.." Snowslide slowly looked at the dragons around them, seeing them badly injured and his expression became horrified.

"What have I done?"