Wolf's PoV
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"Wolf! You lazy, good for nothing pile of blubber! Don't you ever try?!"

The words were shouted at me by Kodiak, the scowl on his snout displaying his clear displeasure. I cringed slightly away from him, only to run into Narwhal.

"Can't you do anything right?" she hissed, eyes narrowed. "You're so awful, I'd think that you're tainted. Are you impure?"

I recoiled as if I had been struck. Those words were a blow to my pride and my reputation. I would not stand for that.

"You!" I snarled, tail lashing as I advanced on Narwhal. "You dare call me impure?"

She merely grinned, teeth flashing. "Indeed I do. And until you prove it to be false, I'll call you whatever I like!" she countered as she danced away from me.

With a roar I pounced at her, my talons outstretched. She gracefully leapt away, wings unfurling. She shouted, "You'll have to defend your pride better than that, you tainted slob!" as she took off, the others content to watch the fight.

Growling, I didn't hesitate to launch myself after her, chasing her furiously. The wind whistled past my ears as I gained speed, hurtling towards her.

Narwhal threw a look over her shoulder and, upon seeing me, abruptly changed her path of flight. Instead of flying horizontally, she shot upwards in tight circles, heading for the clouds.

I cursed angrily under my breath as I followed, my eyes narrowed at the flying form of and IceWing in front of me. Inhaling, I felt the cold rise in my chest. I exhaled, shooting a stream of frostbreath towards Narwhal, but she flew a loop as it went by and soared past her harmlessly.

Her wings unfurled as her spirals slowed, and she hovered, waiting for me. I locked my eyes on her soft underbelly and forced my wingbeats to go faster and harder, slowly gaining momentum.

I saw a slight sparkle of tooth as she smiled down at me, and all I had time to think was 'Oh no,' before she flew a backwards loop and was suddenly hurtling towards me.

Her talons shining, she slammed into me with a terrifying amount of force, knocking me out of the sky. I felt her talons dig into my scales and her fangs biting at my snout. I shoved her away and much to my surprise, it worked.

But then there was a powerful impact and I was sinking. Down, down into the dark depths of a freezing ocean.

I forced my legs to work, straining to reach the surface as water surged around me.

Gasping for air, my head broke the surface and I gulped lungfuls of air in, the cold stinging my nostrils. Looking around, I saw Narwhal lighting down where the others were.

I managed to swim over, and I had barely pulled myself out of the water when the gang descended on me.

"What. Was. That?" demanded Wolverine, punctuating every word with a kick to my ribs. I winced, knowing bruises were forming. I didn't dare cry out. I had learned that suffering in silence was far better than making noise.

Ox scowled. "You're a poor excuse for an IceWing. I don't know why you're still here," he grumbled.

Narwhal dealt a staggering blow to my head. I heard a crack and fiery pain engulfed my snout. She had broken my jaw.

"Go clean yourself up," Kodiak growled. "We don't need to see your ugly face dripping blood everywhere." He turned his back on me and the others followed suit, casually sauntering away.

I dragged myself to the edge of the ice and dipped my snout in, watching as it washed away blood. I eagerly drank some, feeling the cold water ease my aching throat.

Pausing, I took in my reflection. My scales dull and chipped, the scar running across my snout. My now crooked jaw. My scratched horns, my broken teeth. I looked horrible.

'Maybe they were right,' a small voice in the back of my head whispered. 'You are ugly. You are pathetic. You are weak. You are useless and stupid. You're worthless. You're impure. You're nothing.'

Snarling in frustration, I shook my head violently.

I am not impure. I am not tainted. I am proud. I am fierce. I am strong. I will show them that I'm worth something. I will prove I'm everything.

I would prove I am an IceWing.

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Avalanche's PoV
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I grinned, tickling his little belly as he shook with laughter, the sound bubbling out from him. I paused momentarily as I heard something, my ears twitching. A shift in the snow outside. Someone--something--was coming.

I swept up the small hatchling in my arms and quickly moved to a back room. I shushed him quietly, then poked my head out around the corner, smelling the air, my forked tongue flickering in and out.

I hissed quietly at the sight of it. It was a horrible looking thing, ugly and eyesore. It didn't belong here. It never did, never had. But here it was, limping along, half dead.

I grinned slightly at the sight of its back knee, still shabbily scabbed over, and the source of his limp. There was still some dried blood over it, and as I watched, he flopped to the floor with a sigh, curled up, and fell asleep.

I stealthily turned around and tiptoed back to where Sífreri sat obediently. He gave out a small chirp when he saw me, standing up so he could waddle over to me.

I smiled, chuckling softly. I gently rubbed his head, allowing him to chase my tail around. He let out a small little growl and pounced, tiny claws wicked sharp. At the last moment I whisked my tail out of the way and he came up short, bumping his small snout on the ice.

He whimpered, and something inside me broke.

"IceWings don't make that sort of sound," I whispered harshly at him.

Sífreri winced, averting his gaze to stare at the floor. I sighed and scooped him up, tossing him onto my back and walking outside.

The crisp air tickling my nostrils, I settled down, gazing at the stars in the sky.

I will make an IceWing out of Sífreri. He wouldn't turn out like that thing. I would make sure of it.

**A/N: so if you guys weren't already aware, this book is now #323 in Fantasy. Words cannot express how much your support and love means to me. You guys are so amazing. Anyways, hopefully the title of this chapter didn't sound too weird....i was watching The Nightmare Before Christmas and thought of the song 'Making Christmas'......whoops. You all are so wonderful! Stay awesome! ❤️❤️ -cycriss**