Wolf's PoV
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I could hear voices, but they were all distant, echoing in the distance through the fog. I squinted, trying to peer though the gray cloud, but seeing nothing except for a few fleeting black shapes.

They flitted in and out of my vision, dark blurs moving too quickly to make out. I felt a presence behind me, and so I spun around to face it.

There was a gigantic monstrous creature looming above me, and I'm too frozen with fear to move away. Only when the gaping jaws come down do I realize that I'm stuck on the ground, blood pooling around me.

My blood.

Nordur's PoV
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As I entered the healer's hut with Chomonix by my side, I shook. I shook with fear of my son dying, with anger of those who did it to him, of that thing he got too close to.

Carefully, I stepped inside, my mate right behind. I glanced around, taking in the bare room. A small table carved of ice, the slab my son was laying on. Other than that, there was nothing.

Us IceWings have never been ones for frivolity, unlike that terribly disgusting SkyWing Scarlet.

Anyways, the healer entered the room, a grim frown on his snout. The corners of my mouth immediately went south. A frowning healer is no good news.

"Well?!" Chomonix demanded, glaring icicles at the healer, her tail lashing wildly. He stepped back, eyes widening.

"Please calm down, Chomonix--" he never got to finish, because she took a single pace forwards, talons scraping on the ice.

"Give me the news about my son, before I decide to enchant a spear to cut out your tongue!" she snarled, eyes narrowed. The healer's eyes widened, flicking between her and the outdoors.

A jolt of fear went though me at her words. She wouldn't dare....she already knows how much she's enchanted....the darker her soul gets, the colder the chill radiating off her scales is.

And her scales had been colder than ice lately. I can't lose her.

As amusing as it was to see my infuriated mate threatening the poor healer, I decided to interfere.

"Chomonix, back down," I ordered, standing up. She glared at me, a silent challenge brewing in her eyes. I mouthed the words 'You know.' out of the side of my mouth, and reluctantly she stepped away.

"So, how's our son?" I asked the healer, deciding to be straightforward. His face morphed from one of sheer terror to one with a set frown. It was sympathetic, but serious.

"He's in a coma."

Wolf's PoV
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I knew that there were dragons somewhere beside me. I could hear them talking. I wanted to reach out to them, let them know I'm awake, I'm here. But I couldn't.

Through the fog, a voice rises in anger. "WHAT?! In a coma?! When will he wake up?" The voice was low, yet there was the treat of imminent danger behind it. Mother, my heart sang.

There, a softer voice, but very....shaken, it would seem. "I do not know, Chomonix. Now, if you could calm yourself...." Is that the healer? Huh, he was different than what I thought he would be.

"Sir, I think it would be best if you left my mate and I in peace," another low voice said, but it was soft, feathery, whisper-like. Not harsh and bladed like mother's. I assume that's Father.

There's the sound of talons clicking on ice, so he's exited the area. There's more noise, then silence.

I wanted to get up, tell them that I'm here, I'm awake, I know. But it was impossible. I couldn't lift the hazy gray cloud smothering my vision and swamping my mind.

There was a soft noise off to the left. I strained to hear it, it was low, yet thoughtful and angry all at the same time.

"If only....." I was pretty sure that was mother--Chomonix--who said that. "....I could enchant him to wake up......and he would be okay....I could protect him...." She was lost in thought, muttering somewhat incoherently.

But father interrupted. "NO! You will not enchant our son. There's only one dragon who ever actually enchanted other dragons, and that was Darkstalker." The name was spit out with venom and bitterness.

Who's Darkstalker? Because whoever he is, Father certainly hates him.

I could feel my heart pumping, it felt faster and stronger than before. I could tell them I'm here, I could ask them who Darkstalker is. I could reassure them that I would wake up.

But suddenly, my heart was weak. I felt it slow down, growing weaker with every beat. The voices faded away into nothingness as I fell into the shadow of gray, letting the darkness claim me.

Nordur's PoV
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As the tail of the healer flicked out of view, I turned to face Chomonix. But she wasnt facing me. She was facing the slab with Wolf on it.

He was in a terrible state. Covered in bruises, dried blood crusted all over his scales. But that wasn't even the worst of it.

His worst injury, by far, were the horrible gashes that had been slashed across his face. Stretching from right below his horn, cutting right though his right eye, and ending on the left side of his snout, at the corner of his mouth, it was a sight to behold. But it wasn't the pretty kind.

Chomonix reached out with a talon towards him, just barely brushing his scales. "If only," she muttered, trailing off.

I gave her a look, warning her. But she didn't stop her train of thought. "I could protect him, I could enchant him to wake up, and it would all be okay all over again."

I growled slightly under my breath, turning so I blocked her with my tail. I spun her so that she was facing me.

"NO!" I burst out. I would not allow her to enchant our son like some....thing, some toy to play with. "There was only one dragon who ever enchanted other dragons. Darkstalker," I snarled at her.

I knew how much she had enchanted, she would either lose her soul and go on a murder spree, or....I don't know, all I knew was that she wouldn't be the dragon I fell in love with. Not anymore.

She glared at me icily. "You DARE compare me to that monster! I don't believe it. You could at least have a little faith in me!" she hissed, tail lashing. She might have been grinding her teeth, but if she was, she hid it very well.

Suddenly, I realized my mistake. She could've enchanted something to harm me, to kill me. Not that she would've, but with an animus....you never know. Especially a rogue one.

But instead, I watched helplessly as she stormed out, not bothering to give me a backwards glance.

With a heavy sigh, I turned around to face the slab with Wolf on it. I stretched out a talon and brushed his scales, but recoiled.

Something was wrong.

His scales didn't radiate the chill that they were supposed to, and weren't very cold to the touch. A sickly pale yellow sheen lay washed over his scales, and my heart dropped further with every second of silence that passed.

My son, Wolf, was dead.

**A/N: DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNNN!!! HAHAHA evil author moment! Sorry. (Not sorry) Anyways, sorry for not updating--you might want to quickly reread the previous chapter as a refresher. My life is really sucky rn so I'm really sorry about this, but my life is currently chaos. I hate school. Please don't forget to vote, comment, and share! Love you guys ❤️❤️ -cycriss**