The image of Caribou's face whorled through Solstice's head. Thin, tiny pointy teeth pulled in a taut grin. That shit-eating smile she wore.

Solstice could see her hurting Oyster.

He could see himself hurting Caribou.

His claws clicked with poise and rage as he paced through the halls of the ice palace. Dragons stepped out of his way as he passed. Solstice thought that if he could breathe fire, his face would be melting.

"You." He snapped at a lower-ranking IceWing, who immediately snapped into a bow. "Where is Caribou?"

"Caribou?" He repeated. "She uh. I think she's having a meeting. Informal."

"Where." Solstice growled.

"The baths. I'm. I'm fairly certain."

He flicked his tail and Solstice swept away with a muttered "thank you". He stormed through the halls, past his quarters, past the IceWing dungeon entrance. He followed the sound of running water and laughter.

The baths opened up in a yawning tunnel. Rivers of water trickled quietly, mirroring the muted giggles of its inhabitants. IceWings sat and polished their scales in the water, drinking in the brisk, cold feeling.

"Ah, baby brother.." Caribou clicked her teeth. "You look awful. Come join us, will you? A soak could do you some good."

"Cut the bullshit, Caribou." Solstice sneered. "I know what you did and I'm this close to cutting your slippery stupid tongue right out of your smug mouth. Stop smiling at me."

Caribou's face fell into a soft scowl, and she looked over Solstice with scrutiny. She knew he knew. She had to.

"We should go somewhere more, private." She said simply, and began to slip out of the baths. But Solstice stepped forward, crowding her space and forcing her back into the water.

"Do not sweet-talk me like I'm some kind of shit-swirling diplomat." He bristled. "I am not a SandWing commander you can just roll your shoulders at and sashay right into your little negotiations."

The IceWings in the baths nearby rattled their spikes as they scootched to move away from the siblings.

Caribou dramatically wiped away the spittle droplets from her face. "Little brother."

Her words were cut off by Solstice as his claws closed around her throat.

"Do not." He said simply. "I want to see you scream silently as I squeeze the life out of you."

Caribou's eyes widened and she clawed at Solstice's grip. He dove into the water and thrashed with Caribou. The other IceWings went scrambling for cover, running for the exits and scrambling to get away.

"You. Don't. Get. To. Hurt her. Anymore!" Solstice yelled, dunking his sister's face under the water and holding her there. Her sharp tail spikes lashed across his face and Solstice dripped blue blood into the water. His claws dug into her skin, their bloods mingling. She screamed under the water and thrashed harder. Now the other IceWings were shrieking.

"I'll kill you. You have always taken from me, Caribou." He seethed. "You stole all the room in our egg, didn't you? You stole my toys as a dragonet. Don't you remember?"

His words were punctuated with the claws on his thumbs puncturing Caribou's eyes. She beat and clawed him with spikes and claws.

"You stole my spot on the rankings. You stole our mother's love and you stole the one thing that brought me joy. You're greedy!!" He shouted, shaking Caribou's head in his claws. Her mouth gaped open and closed, mouthing something stupidly, as her consciousness began to fade.

"But I'm not letting you steal any more from me!" Solstice continued.

It was then that he was seized by strong, heavy arms. Guards bristled around him, and they clasped a metal band around his jaws.

One of the guards grunted as she struggled to wrestle Solstice away from Caribou. Her body flopped to the ice, bleeding blood so dense that the blue was black, like a dark ink. His claws were stained in it. It reminded Solstice of the many long nights he had been writing, his claws stained with ink.

Caribou rasped from where she lay, still alive. Her shoulders shuddered and she began to laugh.

"You.. dunnit now.. little broth-er." She said weakly. Her laughing faded quickly, she shook violently, and collapsed to the floor.

The guard jammed her elbow in between Solstice's eyes, shoving him to the ground. He was pounced on by two more. They clamped his mouth and wings shut with metal bands.

"Solstice of the Second Circle." She barked. "You are under arrest for assault and attempted murder!"

He seethed under the weight of the dragons on top of him, and muttered past the metal grip on his jaws. "Guilty."