On Thin Ice

This is a fanfic by RimetheIcewing. You may only edit it with her permission, or if you see an obvious spelling mistake ( which would be my bad :P). Anyways, sit back and enjoy the story, this is gonna be a long one.
==Prologue: Lost ==
A thin light peaked into my safe shell, the first light I've ever seen. I bit into the shell, yearning for this new object, this entry. Breaking out, my instincts drive me to the nest, to be with my mother. No such luck, as I looked upon the skeleton of a sick and now dead dragon. Scratching up against the bones, I screech hungrily at it, chewing on it. I reeled back, coughing a bit. Where is my food, my home, my mother? My instincts drive me to slowly crawl forward like the tiny lizard I currently am, but I'm still so small. So weak.
----
I wiped some blood off of my mouth. My name's Eris, assassin for hire. This fight had taken a lot out of me, but I have to protect my identity, even if it means getting a little blood on my hands. This Icewing thought he could kill me? Hah, as if. But walking along, I hear a small sniffing and something compels me to the cave. It's probably a trap, but it sounds a lot like a very young dragonet but not like any of the dragonets I've heard. I guess I'll just put the little thing out of it's misery, but it's hide will barely fetch me anything but a simple feather-bird egg. Still better than nothing. I walk into the cave, my gold eyes searching it carefully for any Icewings, but I don't see any in sight. Weird, who would just leave a cave unguarded? Carefully, I take out my dagger, tears still welling up even though I've done this a million times. Why can't I kill without guilt, it would be so much easier. Turning around the corner, a find myself standing in front of a newborn dragonet. A SwiftWing dragonet.
----
I peered up at this new dragon. Who was she, and what was that thing in her hand? I backed away slightly, unsure of what to think of this dragon. She looks like me, but something isn't right, maybe it's the smell, maybe it's the scars, but it's something. My claws scraped the edge as I backed off. The dragon looked puzzled too, putting back her metal object. She looked at me then the skeleton. That skeleton, my mother. She pushed some the bones aside and picked me up, putting me on her back. She looked at me, her golden eyes harsh, but somewhat less threating. " I can't do it." She said. What was it? I gave a slightly confused look back. She simply started walking, my claws naturally extending and digging into her scales. " I can't kill one of my kind. You look like the dragonet I once had. Once." She said, exiting the cave and bombarding me with coldness. As we flew towards a faraway place, I saw something in the setting sky. " A comet." Said Eris, pointing at the falling rock. Such a beautiful rock, in colors of pearly white and an eerie grey, with a blend of blue and red fire coating it, shifting lightly. " Hey, it kind of looks like you. Hmmm... I think I'll call you Cometsky from now on." She said, turning her head slightly as they flew, the cold disappearing.
The comet disappeared too.
== Chapter 1: Training Pains ==
I glanced up as a rod of wood came crashing down onto my back, cutting deep splinters into my back. Third time this week I had been hit during training, and somehow, this time felt worse. I was doing so good, but then Eris struck me like a lightning bolt. " Get up, we're not done yet. Never forsake a fight unless you know a way out." Eris said, lifting the rod for another strike. " You know what you're enemy would do right now?" She said, getting ready to swing. I jumped back, the thick rod pounding the light brown dirt beneath our feet. " Kill me. I know, I know, you don't have to say it over and over." I said, and I felt the words were quite true. Eris grunted slightly, running in again at high speeds. I tried to jump over her but felt myself being dragged down by a quick bite on my tail. Why does she almost fight so dirty, it really hurts there sometimes. With a quick kick, I sprang up and pushed Eris away. Grinning, she took out a scroll and put a check in for today.
----
That little dragonet sure is a hard one, she just needs my genius and power. I wipe a little bead of sweat off my head, going inside my little cave, near the Skywing and Icewing borders, by the tiny river leading out to sea. The little hill it was buried into was just enough for some room to sleep and eat, as that's all I care about. I need to put some grub in my belly, the grub that always just out of reach. I look at that little dragonet, Cometsky, playing out in the forest, by our little clearing for training. Poor dragonet will never live the life she was supposed to, a life without a murderer like me watching her every move. I never quite feel settled in either.
----
I glanced up at the tiny butterfly, flying in my views. Such a kind, beautiful creature, and like a little light. Hmm, I wonder what it tastes like? I run forward, jumping at the tiny, monarch butterfly crossing my view, when I see Eris's golden eye peeking out from the cave, with a semi-sad look. This is definitely more important than whatever this thing tastes like, much more important. " Eris, you ok?" I said, running up to her. " Yes... I'm perfectly fine." She said, turning away. " Come on, Eris, tell me." I say, catching her mumbling something. " You.. should have never been here.. You deserve better than me." She said, catching her breath. Deserve better? What else is there in this world? " You should have been born with your kin. Our kind, the Swiftwings. But you were born with this poor outlaw in the woods, far from where you came from. And you'll never go there ever." She said, letting it sink in. " Wait, you're an outlaw?" I say, lifting an ear to listen. This was a story I wanted to hear.
== Chapter 2: Burns ==
I sat down, looking at the young dragonet. She looked eager to hear, but this was a story I always kept a secret. A very personal one, the one that lead to the death of my little dragonet. I got up and walked away saying " I never said I'd tell you why.". She flew up to me, her wings beating quickly. " Come on, you know I wanna hear it! Please, Eris?!" Cometsky said, landing in front of me. That little dragonet is always to so curious, but I guess I can avoid some nagging if I tell her now. " Well..." I began, Cometsky sitting down.
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" My story began when I was a young adult, about to have my first egg. In my hometown, I used my pyrokinese powers as a performer, agile and daring. Then, one night, I don't know what happened, but I seemed to have gotten a surge of fire power. My normally tame dancing wisps erupted in fire, burning down most of the town, and killing my only hatchling. Soon after, fire telekinese was banned and I knew it was partly my fault. But if I obeyed, I would have lost my job. So I performed in secret, but my powers were never quite as tame as before. No, they only got worse as I had less time to practice. During one of my little secret shows, a foolish dragon, one that didn't know of my untamed powers, wandered into the ally and was scorched horribly, dying soon after. The dragon's dying calls attracted the guards to the corner, where they took me away."
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" I was beaten and knocked out, accused of killing him on purpose. Those selfish mongrels had me jailed, but they couldn't keep me there for long, as I escaped from the prison and island. But my one dragonet refused to leave me, that foolish dragonet. She was so sweet and beautiful, just like you, but she died after... an accident. We never realized that the turmoils of war were just starting, the conflict mainly at the SandWing Kingdom at that pointed. But while looking for a place to hide, she was blasted down as a spy, her corpse taken and put on a pike by that awful Burn. My belly rumbling and my heart shattered, I rested in this spot, running from the Sandwings. I had nowhere else to go, and I was near starvation, it all seemed hopeless. But this wasn't the end."
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" A few hours later, a rather rich-looking Sandwing came into the hut. She had a diamond pattern down her sides and had a regal sense to her. I went to the back of my hut, preparing for the worst. But I was not greeted with molten fire, but rather an offer. The Sandwing's name was Blister, and she was looking for an assassin. She noted my abilities back at the fight, as I escaped with little harm, in the middle of a fight. A dragon that agile would make a great assassin, and she offered me the job. Little did I know that Blister, that little pathetic snake would take complete advantage of me, offering me little pay to kill Icewings all day long. Each day I fought them, a small shipment of food and money, but if I left the system, what else would I do for food? This forest, while nice, is devoid of any large foods, any good sources. So, of course, here I am now, working for one of those rival queens."
----
I honestly felt a little sad for her. It must have been hard to accept such a brutal situation, hard to live through that. I wrapped my wings around Eris, as she slightly teared up at the memory. She calmed down as a Sandwing flew by, a Sandwing with a few scars and large wings. He dropped a note on the thick grass and quickly flew off again, not even turning his head. " Hmm? This better be special." Said Eris, picking up the note. Hey, I want to see that too! Trying to get a better look at the letter, I see Eris's maw drop right open. That's never a very good sign.
== Chapter 3: A Very Special Mission ==
I can't do this, no dragon could ever do that. This piece of paper, this scroll from Blister, is pure insanity. I look down through the letter and keep hearing our target. Queen Glacier. The leader of all the Icewings. Blister must be really out of her mind, but looking at the hefty price on her head, and the current lack of food, I think we have a deal. Cometsky peeked over my ebony shoulder, peering at the fine scroll. " Whoa! A Queen?! Can I come?" She said, picking up a hunting knife in her maw. I smiled at her nervously and handed her one of my throwing knives. I can't leave her by herself for several days, she'll starve or be killed, so I guess I'll have to have her around for this. I carefully sign the scroll and hand it back to the Sandwing, who flied off with a nervous expression on his face.
----
I fumbled around with this new knife. It was a lot sharper, probably able to cut through solid scales and maybe even armor. I felt a lot more power with this little tool in my hands, a kind of dark controlling power. Needless to say, I raced inside, my heart full of excitement and pounding with fear at the idea of killing a queen too. From what I heard, they got there from killing their mothers, so they must be pretty strong dragons. I look at the wooden shack built into the side of the hill once more, the comfort that lied in there, as I went back Eris.
----
I expanded my wings, preparing for flight. I did not care if the wind wanted to blow me away, as I knew I would be able to get there no matter what happened. Cometsky stood right next to me, her blue and orange hair waving everywhere. I probably should have gotten her a cover suit before we started taking off, as she was as noticeable as the comet she was named after. That dragon always seemed to be just ahead of me, that dragonet. She was born a flier, and I guess I wasn't. Cometsky gasped as we reached the border, the winds picking up into a thick and icy blizzard. She started to falter, flapping frantically just to stay flying. She was not going to last long against winds like these. I quickly grab her, tucking her underneath my wings, which I folded slightly to make a fast but quick descent. A whirlwind of snow flies in all directions as we land and I remember the cave I found her in. I look at the young dragonet, her eyes flickering and her legs wobbly. She would have to really try to make it there.
----
Sheer pain had turned to a bitter numbness as the blizzard raged on, buffeting my body. Eris was just barely holding me up, and I could sense definite fear from her. She pointed to a shape in the distance, a cave-like shape with no clear Icewings near it. This cold feels like it's creeping inside of me, and all I want to do now is sleep. But if I did, would I ever wake up? I didn't want to find out the answer to that question as Eris seemed to be wobbling too, her eyes drooping like mine. She pushed me off of her and began to glow slightly. What was she doing? All of a sudden, a furious blaze passed through her body, giving seconds of warmth and relief from this storm. I went to go see Eris to thank her, but when I did, I saw her pass out. This was not good...
== Chapter 4: A Choice ==
I looked at Eris's half-opened eyes, her body flickering slightly, filling the area around us with warm, soothing heat. But even a strong dragon like Eris had her limits, her body's heat still dropping. Being cold-blooded, only Icewings could not feel sleepy in an environment like this. Eris had used her own fire to save Cometsky from a similar fate. But I knew with her fainted, I was easy prey to any Icewing. As I heard a chilling roaring noise, I ran into the cave-like shape, dragging Eris's dark grey body behind me. As I thrust myself into the cave, I saw a single eye open, a big yellow glaring one. Then I knew I wasn't alone.
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I snorted angrily at the dragonet, shaking some snow off of my snout. How dare she disturb my nap, that little mischief maker!? But as I looked at her more clearly, she was not another annoying member of my tribe, but a Swiftwing. That was quite a rare sight around here. Another Swiftwing was beside her, but this one looked too cold to be awake, probably in a freeze-coma. The young one hissed as best it could, shrouding it's wing over the older one. While it was a cute display, I knew she couldn't fight me off. Brushing the younger aside with a sweep of my ice-blue tail, I put my talon over the older one's neck. A slow but almost gone pulse went through that Swiftwing, the dragon's definitely in a freeze-coma. This was not something a little dragonet could cure in her own warmth, not in a cold cave like this. I'd hate to see what the other dragons would do to her if she went back out either. They would rip the poor creatures apart without asking first. However, disobeying the security orders could mean death. Then I thought of how to rid of the little and big one without harming them. Looking down, I said firmly, without too much emotion " You can let you and your friend die in this cave, or come with me to the palace, where you will be burrowed with the others in the prisons. Choose now, or die on strict orders."
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I looked up at this Icewing. A sweated a little as the Icewing flicked it's one-spiked tail back and forth impatiently. The choice of staying in the cave sounded good, but I could already feel the heat and pulse fading from Eris. She might be right, Eris and I could die in here if we stayed, but life in the prisons seemed far worse than death. I looked at the Icewing prepared to strike and lowered my head in defeat. " I'll go..." I said, the words sounding almost forced as I choked them out. I couldn't bare to lose my "mother" again, and it would get us closer to the object. The Icewing, with a glint in her eye, snatched me up in her maw and panted as she lifted Eris and me at the same time. " Hey, we're not THAT heavy!" I said, at the Icewing's panting. Through clenched teeth holding my tail, she muttered " You want me to drop you?". " Hey, hey, it was just a joke.. heh.." I said, afraid. " Well then, keep your lame jokes to yourself." She said, reaching the castle. I looked back at Eris, and I think I may have seen the tiniest speck of movement.
----
Ugh, if my day wasn't bad enough, with all of this bad weather, even for the Ice Kingdom. Usually it was just flurries, maybe a medium-sized snow. But this combination of thick snow blowing in the air and wind made it hard enough to move without carrying a dragon and a snarky little dragonet with me. Swiftwings are such annoying dragons, if my own tribe isn't bad enough. Landing at the palace, I quickly zip inside with the dragons, dropping them like stones on the floor. " Oof!" Said the younger one, going to fix it's blue and fiery-orange hair. She looked around in awe at the semi-warm palace, covered with the riches of the queen. The older one began to warm up as the younger one pushed it under a torch. " Don't stray, prisoners." I said, slugging the older one over my shoulder heavily. For something so thin and sickly, it sure did weigh a lot. " Hey, we're not prisoners, who said that?!" The tiny Swiftwing said, flailing it's talons in the air. " You did, remember? After all, that's why we came here, Swiftwing." I said, spitting out the word Swiftwing like an insult. I've had some sightings of one near our kingdom, and from what I've heard, they are annoying and dangerous. As I move them to the prisoner's cave, a thick tunnel burrowing into the earth, I make sure to clasp their maws and front legs. And as I go in, the scent of rot flowed through the cells, the Swiftwing dragonet giving a shrill shriek.
== Chapter 5: Awake at Last ==
I woke up on a bed of hard stone, surrounded by Icewings. Not a nice way to wake up. Scrambling back, I looked around for Cometsky, but she was nowhere to be seen. " What did you do to her!?" I screamed, biting one of the Icewings. He gave a shriek of pain before flying away. " She is our prisoner now, as are you." Said a Icewing, with icy white scales. The IceWing leaned in, her black eyes glittering. " I will tell you, you will be put down like the mad Swiftwing dog you. Don't think I didn't remember you." She said, pretending to cut my throat. I might have seen that face somewhere but I can't remember. " You don't remember? How sad. My mate's throat you did cut and I will avenge him, you hear me!" She said, beckoning to the other guards. Then I remembered the Icewing who found my hideout. The battle that followed, the blood that spilled. Could there have been an outsider watching me the entire time!? As unlikely as it seemed, the more the IceWing rambled, the more connections I drew. It was no use trying to defend myself when I have clearly killed a hundred Icewings with my two talons. The other guards gripped my wings, before dragging me to a cell. Inside, a small sickly SwiftWing was curled in the corner, who had a large gash in her chest. Was she dead? " Cometsky!" I yelled, wrapping my wings around her.
----
It had been a week since Eris had been taken away, and I think dying would have been the better option by now. But seeing Eris alive filled my injured body with so much strength, the body tortured by the Icewings. I tried to tell them I knew nothing, but they cut the gash in until I told them everything. I hugged my wings around her and weakly said " Eris, you're alive.". " I could say the same for you. I thought you were dead for a second..." She said, helping me up. Even a dragon like Eris, a dragon with a heart of cold, cracked when seeing a dragonet that was practically her own almost died. Eris's wings pulled me in tighter,as tears of rage and sadness . " Did they do this?" She said. " Yes, they did..." I said, wiping some of the blood off. Eris growled but then a sly smile crawled up her face. " We can make them pay for this."
----
It was a risky plan, one that if even the smallest thing screwed up, I could be killed, or worse. As an Icewing guard came by, I took a dagger out of my satchel and threw it. Foolish Icewings, not even checking the most obvious place to hide a weapon. The Icewing toppled over and a flurry of roars rose from the cells, each prisoner reaching for the key around it's neck. This wasn't good, as several of the other prison guards started flying up. Quickly, I yanked the key off of it's dead body and stuck it into the lock, quickly turning it through the bars. Free again, I looked at the prison guards. They both started to roar in loudly, but I quickly kicked one in the head, knocking her out. For the other, I simply blasted him with a douse of flames, coldness shuddering through my body as some of my heat left to form the blow. It worked well, as he fell onto the cold floor and didn't get back up. My claws scraping the dusty stone floors, layered thinly in snow, I flew up to the roof, looking around for the exit. Cometsky, meanwhile, released some imprisoned Skywings, who flew around breathing fire at all of the Icewings, angrily tearing away at the palace. But as I flew through the exit, I saw the icy white Icewing pointing a spear at me.
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