an au where qibli works for vulture in the scorpion den & winter is a captive. protective qibs lets goooo!!!!
this is kinda long 7,000+ words 😼grab some popcorn & a drink
ps. i call the talons of power a mafia because i think it's funny
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The SandWing let out a shaky breath, panting, staring at the bloodsoaked dragon laying on the ground in front of him.
Qibli hated the smell of blood. The metallic tang stained his tongue and infected his senses. It would stick in his nostrils and pool in his mouth. The stains would remain on his claws, his weapons, the walls, the ground, for days. He knew the taste of it. He knew it more than he knew himself, and it was sickening.
The dark silhouette of Vulture hovered behind him, cigar smoke coiling around his horns and rising in the air. Another smell and taste that Qibli hated. Smoke clogging the air, tobacco staining everything a musty yellow.
Qibli turned to face his grandfather, not wanting to look at the body anymore. His eyes regrettably met those black holes of Vulture's, dragging him into a quicksand pit of tar. Vulture's eyes were almost as sickening as the dead dragon.
His grandfather gripped the cigar in two claws, staring down at the scene with hooded eyes. He took a long drag of the cigar, exhaling a thin cloud of smoke. Qibli forced himself not to cough. Distantly, he noticed the yellow tobacco stains of Vulture's 'moustache', which was a thick row of fur along his snout.
"Dispose of the body," Grandfather rumbled, flicking away the cigar and putting it out with a stomp of his talon. "There is an oasis nearby. You can put the body in there."
He shifted on his talons. "I don't think it would be smart to pollute the water sources," Qibli pointed out, fear making him tense up.
Vulture's eyes were trained on his face. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Aren't you smart," he observed. "Well, take it somewhere else. It doesn't really matter where, since nobody investigates these deaths anyway. The only problem is the flies they attract."
"Um, all right," Qibli replied. He turned around, hesitating as he looked down at the corpse. Although he had been the one to murder this innocent dragon, he was reluctant to dispose of it.
He sighed, grabbed the body, and dragged it away. Qibli wasn't sure where to put it, but he just wanted to get away from his grandfather. He grabbed the icepick he had used and tucked it into the pouch around his neck. It was sticky with blood. He would have to wash it.
The SandWing shivered, remembering the screams of the dragon as Qibli impaled his eye with the pick. Innocent, healthy, happy, probably had a family. This dragon had done nothing wrong, but yet, he fell victim to Vulture's orders.
He hauled the body off into the night, leaving a trail from where the body was dragged along the sand. Qibli's muscles burned with the effort.
He stopped, breathing deeply, and evaluated his surroundings. He was a considerably good distance away from Vulture's stronghold, out in the sand dunes. Good spot to hide a body without bothering the Scorpion Den residents, especially the Talons of Power. He scraped his claws into the sand, carving a hole out in the ground. His talons were aching, but he went on. The body had to be buried.
After a while, Qibli was left with a shallow depression, but it was at least big enough for the dragon to fit. He dragged it into the makeshift grave, swiped a pile of sand back over it, and sat back to regain his strength.
Qibli stared up at the stars, sighing deeply. He glanced back at the grave with regret. "I'm sorry."
It was no use. He was forever a murderer. He was forever under Vulture's command.
The night time was the only time he felt a sense of peace. The sun was asleep, taking its burning rays with it. The sand could finally feel cold and relieving. The desert was quiet, the sky was dark and calming, and the stars were beautiful. He wished he could reach out and graze them with his talons, but he knew that he was not deserving of that kind of thing.
Qibli stood up and walked to a nearby oasis. He took a bucket from one of the alleyways, filled it with water, and washed the icepick. Then he dipped his talons into the cool water, relishing the steady lapping of the water around his wrists. The blood swirled around in the ripples. Qibli wanted the water to be able to cleanse his soul like it cleansed his scales.
He scrubbed at his scales, dragging a claw across each ridge, between each crack of where one scale overlapped with another, picking and clawing at the tiniest speck of blood. The SandWing scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed, over and over in an obsessive manner.
BANG, BANG.
"Hey! Get down!"
Qibli froze, realized how long he had been cleaning his talons, and quickly removed them from the water. His fuzzy ears pricked up, listening alertly for more sounds.
"What the fuck is this?" someone's voice said, carried on the wind from one of the alleys. "An IceWing?"
"Dunno," someone else replied. "Vulture's orders."
Qibli paused in thought, running his mind through all the different scenarios and questions. Did someone capture an IceWing? And why? What does Vulture want with the IceWings?
"Ew, it's so cold," the first voice complained. "Why's Boss want an IceWing?"
"I don't fuckin' know, dumbass," the other retorted. "Quit askin' me stupid questions."
"Good, you got what I asked for," Vulture's voice cut through the air. "IceWing prince. Should be valuable."
A prince? Qibli thought in surprise.
What is Grandfather planning?
⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Winter groaned awake, blinking several times to adjust to the bright light surrounding him. He found himself in a completely unfamiliar place, with bright, scorching hot sunlight.
He propped himself up on the wall behind him, wincing at the aching pain in his bones. Winter raised a talon up to his temple to massage the headache that he had awoken with.
Ugh, where the fuck am I? He thought, still dazed.
Winter scanned his surroundings. He was sitting in the middle of a dirty alleyway, leaned up against a brick wall, and in front of him was the back of a bar. The back door was closed, but the IceWing could hear the music blaring from inside. He heard dragons arguing and singing along in obnoxious, off-key notes, clearly drunk.
He tried to stand up, but his legs wobbled and gave out underneath him. He flopped heavily onto his stomach, letting out a winded oof and a shaky groan of pain. His legs really hurt. They had probably been tied up. But also, Winter saw bruises and cuts all along his body.
And then, he realized that his wings were binded, along with his jaws. The bind around his wings had a chain attached to them, which was embedded in the ground with a heavy metal stake.
Well, I'm clearly in the Sand Kingdom. It's hot as shit, Winter mused. But where exactly? The Scorpion Den? Probably. I don't even remember being captured.
Suddenly, the back door of the bar swung open, and out stumbled a drunken SandWing. He looked strong and brutish. Winter hoped that the SandWing would leave him alone.
But the dragon wobbled closer, pulling out a knife from a pouch, and flaunted it at the IceWing. He grinned a horrid set of sharp, yellow teeth, barking a loud laugh at the captive's misery. "Not so tough are ya, IceWing?" he taunted, grabbed one of Winter's arms, and twisted it painfully. He yelped, trying to frantically back away, but only made the pain worse as the SandWing tightened his grip and pulled on his arm.
Winter felt a flash of rage, then threw himself at his provoker. He raked his one free talon at the SandWing, hooking his serrated claws into the tender neck skin. The SandWing released his other arm and jabbed his knife toward Winter. The IceWing flinched away quickly, but not quick enough. The blade stabbed into his scales, and Winter fell back with a scream.
"Ah, shit," slurred the SandWing. He turned toward the door, opened it, and stuck his head inside. "Hey, Wolf, get the Boss! The IceWing's injured!"
That's your own fault, you stupid prick, Winter thought toward the SandWing. He clutched his scales, angry, but thankful that the wound was on his harder scales rather than the soft ones.
He felt a new sense of dread and fear. That SandWing had brought back a whole wave of memories crashing back all at once. His father would always twist his arms, claw him, and sometimes even blow frostbreath at him. His sister would always trip him down the stairs, and his mother would leave him outside when he was too young to handle the cold.
The IceWing shook his head. He couldn't think of that now. He had to stay strong. If he let himself give way to his sadness, he wouldn't be brave enough to escape this place.
The door opened again, revealing a dragon that glowered menacingly before him, with hypnotic eyes as dark as an abyss, calculating his every move. He glittered with gold jewelry and his scales were marked with ominous tattoos of skulls. Winter had no doubt that this was the Boss.
The SandWing stalked closer, flicked his dark tongue in and out like a snake, then whipped his narrow head around over his shoulders. "Qibli!" he bellowed at the door. "Get over here!"
Winter's heart was racing. He crouched, staring up at the Boss with uncontrollable fear. The SandWing turned his long neck toward him slowly, obsidian eyes scanning over his injuries. "Don't worry, IceWing," he hissed out, a mocking smile spreading across his snout. "You'll be taken care of. I don't want my valuables being tainted."
'Valuables', Winter scoffed internally. As if I'm nothing but treasure for him to flaunt around.
Several tense heartbeats passed, which felt like eternity for Winter. Another SandWing appeared from the bar. Qibli, Winter guessed.
He was smaller, about Winter's age, with wiry features and wide eyes that looked as if they were just permanently like that. Qibli's night-black eyes focused on Winter, taking in the injuries on his body. He also looked as if he were calculating everything about Winter. A shiver crawled down his spine.
"Qibli," the older SandWing ordered. "Take care of our guest. We can't have him dying on us."
Qibli nodded. The Boss swept Winter's attacker away, muttering things to him under his breath. Qibli watched them, looking faintly amused.
The two SandWings disappeared into the bar, leaving Winter alone with Qibli. He crouched lower to the ground.
"That bastard is finally getting what he deserves," Qibli said, definitely amused. "He had a couple scratches on him. Did you do that?"
Silence passed through them as Winter kept silent for a moment, then finally nodded.
The SandWing barked a laugh. "Good for you," he smiled. "I hate that guy. Always pushing everybody around. I'm glad someone finally put him in his place."
Winter rolled his eyes. He hadn't done too much to his attacker, but oh well. Qibli walked closer, noticed Winter's uneasiness, then spread out his talons innocently. "Hey, I'm not here to hurt you," he promised. "I'm checking out your injuries. Can I see behind your talon? On your neck?"
Winter hesitated, then lowered his talon that was covering his stab wound. He winced while Qibli frowned, looking a little.. concerned?
The SandWing leaned closer and grazed a talon over the edge of the wound. His touch was surprisingly gentle. Winter groaned, fanning himself with a talon. The heat rolling off the SandWing was unbearable.
"You're lucky it punctured the hard scales," Qibli observed, wiping away the blood with a cloth. Then he wet the cloth with liquid from a little bottle that he had taken out from pouches on his neck. "This is gonna sting a bit, all right?" he murmured, sounding so strangely comforting, as if he were a mother taking care of her child.
Winter flinched slightly as his wound stung with the antibiotic. He dug his claws into the sand.
"Sorry," said the other dragonet, sounding genuine. He continued to disinfect the wound, clean it up, then bandaged it. He checked Winter's scales for more cuts, darting to-and-fro around the IceWing.
"All right, you're all good," Qibli stated, sitting back to face Winter. A small, warm smile was still plastered on his face. Winter saw a little spark of warmth in his dark eyes. Then he looked around in every direction before reaching forward to unclasp the binding around Winter's jaws.
He stared at the SandWing in shock, eyebrows raised, jaw slack. "Um," he said after a while. "Thanks."
Qibli shrugged. "No problem."
Uncomfortable silence returned to the air. Qibli fiddled with his talons. "So uh," he began. "What does the Boss want with you?"
The prince scoffed. "I wish I knew," he muttered. "I don't know anything about anything. I don't even remember being abducted. I just woke up here."
Silence again.
Why am I even talking to this weirdo? Winter wondered.
Qibli broke it again. "Sorry."
Winter raised a brow. "Huh? For what?" he asked. "You're the only SandWing here who hasn't done anything to me."
"I'm sorry that you got abducted," Qibli admitted. "You should be left out of this. You don't have any ties with crime around here. I don't see why he wants anything with the IceWings, or with you."
Winter gave him a look. "You're.. strange," he observed. "I thought criminals had no empathy. Aren't you like, apart of the Scorpion mafia?"
Qibli sighed. "Yeah, I am," he said. "My grandfather is Vulture, the Boss. And uh, I guess I am different from the other criminals. My mother has always called me weak for it, but I'm not sure."
Why is he so honest? I can tell that he isn't lying to me, Winter mused, growing a little fascinated with this stranger. I think he'd have a chance at being a normal dragon.
"So, what's your name?" Qibli asked casually.
"Do I have to tell you that?" Winter answered, growing a little more nervous. This dragon creeped him out, but intrigued him at the same time. It felt like he was having a conversation with a normal dragon, but then he would remember that this SandWing was a literal mafia member. How could a hardened criminal seem so normal?
The SandWing shrugged. "I guess you could keep it a secret," he proposed. "But I'd find out sooner or later. Plus, I think it would be better for you if you told me, because I'm able to help you get out of here."
The prince blinked, stunned. One part of his brain said, is he serious? Would he really help me? He seems nice enough. And the other part was screaming, NO, NO, NO!! NOPE!! Don't trust him! This is a LITERAL CRIMINAL! In the BIGGEST MAFIA IN PYRRHIA!
Winter massaged his temples, closing his eyes. Urgh.
He could feel Qibli's eyes on him, boring into his scales like miniature flames.
"I'll think about it," Winter muttered, opening his eyes and glancing away at the sky. He didn't want to meet the SandWing's eyes.
"Well, you need to think quickly, because whatever Vulture is planning, won't take long," Qibli said.
The IceWing only groaned in response.
He was still looking at the sky, so he couldn't see Qibli's face, but he was pretty sure he heard the SandWing laugh.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆
"What do you mean, 'he isn't valuable'?!" Vulture spat, facing a trio of dangerous, dirty looking IceWings. "He's a prince! How isn't he worth anything to you?!"
Winter was chained up in a dingy, shadowy room. Vulture was standing a few paces away, glowering before IceWing criminals, baring his teeth with fury.
The Boss of the IceWings gave the SandWing a glare that fixed him in place. "He's not of any interest to us," he growled thickly. "We'll be leaving now."
Winter felt a ripple of fear slide down his spine as the SandWing Boss turned slowly to peer at him with those horrid eyes. The prince flattened himself to the ground, cowering, trying not to meet his gaze. When he heard the IceWing criminals exiting through the door, Vulture stalked over to him, sharp yellow teeth rippling underneath his bared gums.
The SandWing exhaled a smoky hiss, looming over the captive. He ducked his head lower.
He could hear Vulture's SandWings shifting in the background, as if they were hyenas waiting impatiently for their chance to strike.
A talon struck down on him, claws ripping into his scales. The wounds burned like fire, spreading across him and melting off each scale one by one. The IceWing screamed, pinned to the dusty floor, teeth grinding in pain. Fear, pain, and anger rushed through him, mixing into wild desperation. Winter flung himself upward, bared his sharp teeth at the attacker, summoning a gust of frostbreath in his throat.
Vulture jumped a step back and flicked his barbed tail at the gathered SandWings. Winter's fear flared up as the SandWings rushed towards him like rabid dogs. He released a rush of frostbreath at them, but through the binding on his jaws, it wasn't as effective as usual.
The SandWing who had been closest to Winter yelped and fell back, clawing at his snout where a clump of frosty crystals formed. The remaining SandWings jumped onto him, leaving Winter to flail around wildly like a dying fish, claws swiping in every direction. His attacks were feeble. The chains were restricting him badly.
Just when Winter was about to give up, two SandWings were dragged off of him. The rest whipped around in confusion, only to stumble when they got a punch in the face. Winter looked up, baffled.
"What are you doing?" Vulture roared, grabbing a wiry SandWing with rage.
"What are you doing?" The SandWing answered back with genuine confusion and anger. "He's supposed to be alive!"
Qibli, Winter realized dizzily with a flash of relief. His whole body was on fire with angry wounds, but seeing Qibli made the pain fade into a dull ache.
Vulture scoffed. "Not anymore," he growled. "The IceWings weren't interested in him."
Qibli blinked in surprise. Then he looked over at Winter, meeting his scared gaze. His dark eyes softened for a moment, then went back to being unreadable as he turned back to face Vulture. "I'm surprised," he stated. "A royal like him could be worth a fortune. If the IceWings don't want him, then maybe someone else will."
The prince let out a shaky breath, suddenly aware that he was holding it in. Three moons, he thought. Is he really bargaining with his super creepy grandfather just to keep me alive? What is up with this guy? Why does he care?
The older SandWing was silent for several tense heartbeats, then hummed in thought. "I see your point, grandson," he rumbled thoughtfully. "Very smart. All right, the IceWing won't be harmed. Go tend to his wounds."
Qibli nodded and slipped away towards Winter as the SandWings slinked after Vulture, into the back hallways. The SandWing gave a sigh of relief. "Sorry that I took a while to help you. I just got here," he said. "That was close."
"Yeah, whatever," Winter mumbled, not sure what to do with the warmth spreading in his chest. "Why are you doing this?"
Qibli tipped his head in question as he pulled a bundle of cotton out of his pouches. He moved methodically, gently dabbing the cotton on each of Winter's scratches. "What do you mean?"
The IceWing huffed with a roll of his eyes. "Defending me, protecting me, whatever," he explained. "I appreciate it, but why?"
Qibli paused in thought, talons hovering over his scales. The warmth radiating off of him was not nice, but not exactly unpleasant. (Weird. Didn't he always hate warmth?)
"Hmm. I'm not really sure," Qibli said, returning to cleaning Winter's wounds. His claws brushed his neck, gentle and careful. "I just want you to be all right. You're innocent."
"So.. you care about me?"
The SandWing flashed a warm grin. "Yeah, I guess I do."
⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Another day had passed, and it was midnight when Qibli strolled into the alleyway where he had first met Winter. The IceWing was still there, chained up to a wall.
"Hey," he called out, making the prince glance up. "What're you up to?"
Winter glanced down, working something around in his talons. "Getting the fuck out of here," he grunted promptly.
Qibli snorted, then covered his mouth with his talons, trying to stifle his laugh. He found it funny how abrupt the IceWing was. "Need help?"
"Much appreciated," Winter muttered, fixated on the chains.
Qibli smiled and took Winter's wrist in his talons. The IceWing stopped fiddling around and stared down at their talons, attention fixed on what Qibli was doing. His eyes scanned the cuff on Winter's wrist, and there it was. A little keyhole. If he could just...
He worked a claw into the keyhole, and after a few moments, the cuff sprang open.
"Woah," Winter blurted. "How'd you do that so quickly?"
Qibli moved onto the next cuff and winked at him. "Hey, you can't be a criminal and not learn a few tricks."
Winter watched as the other cuff came loose. Then Qibli moved to his wings and unclamped those cuffs. Winter spread out his wings, groaning in relief. "That feels great," he sighed. "Thank you."
Qibli glanced around, looking for any other SandWings. So far, the coast was clear. "So, where are you off to now, Your Highness?"
Winter raised his chin haughtily and rolled his eyes. But Qibli could see the amused smile curving on his snout. "Home, probably," he guessed. "But.."
As the prince trailed off and shook his head, Qibli's brows furrowed in concern. "But what?" he said, then realized how inconsiderate he sounded. "Sorry. That's not my business."
Winter sighed, still shaking his head. "I just don't like my family, that's all," he mumbled. "Not a big deal."
Qibli frowned. "All right," he said, trying not to be invasive on Winter's privacy. He wanted to know, but he had no right to. He had only known Winter for such a short amount of time. "I'll help you get through the Sand Kingdom."
"Thanks," Winter replied, still a little uncomfortable about the topic of his family. "I.. I appreciate it, Qibli."
He felt warmth spreading in his chest at the IceWing's words. Qibli stepped up to stand at his side, flaring out a wing to drape over Winter's back. "Yeah, of course."
As the two dragons fell silent, the quiet air was cool and calm. Qibli glanced around the alleyways, down at the winding dark paths of brick walls and tents. Shadows painted every crevice, giving the Scorpion Den an even creepier feeling.
Qibli led Winter down the alley, passing by heaps of crates and discarded belongings. As they fell into a steady, quiet pace, Qibli glanced up at the sky, up at the stars twinkling above. The charcoal sky was clear of any clouds and the stars danced vividly.
In the distance, Qibli could hear the usual buzz of noise coming from alleys as dark as NightWing scales. Not a shred of light illuminated those areas. He pricked his ears warily.
"Where's my reward? You told me you'd have it by tonight," a voice drifted from the ominous alley.
"You'll get it, don't worry," another voice grunted.
He hurried his pace, and Winter did the same. Qibli was used to the shady deals and arguments that would happen in the night time of the Scorpion Den, but with Winter by his side, he felt uneasy. He could also sense Winter's discomfort as the IceWing rushed along, taking nervous and unplanned steps.
From behind them, an enraged roar tore through the silence. The two froze in place immediately, eyes wide and hearts hammering violently inside their chests. Winter slowly turned his head towards Qibli, looking beyond terrified. Qibli held his gaze and swallowed thickly.
"The IceWing escaped!"
Qibli rushed over to Winter and they went full speed. The two ran for their lives, talons kicking up dirt in their wake. Panicked, they turned down a messy alleyway, nearly tripping over one another, and narrowly missed running into the corner as they turned down another alley.
Qibli stopped suddenly, skidding on his heels, and pulled Winter towards him. He stuck close to the shadows as he peered around the corner, scanning the streets. Across from them was a row of sunbaked buildings, bricks cracked and speckled with dirt. A couple were definitely abandoned. Then he turned towards Winter. "It's clear," he reported. "We can go hide in that abandoned building over there."
Winter just nodded, chest heaving. Qibli regarded him for a moment with worry, but dragged his attention back. This was urgent. "Let's go."
They scurried across the deserted street to the other side. He opened the creaky door to an abandoned building, led them inside and up the stairs. There were thankfully no windows upstairs, so nobody could see them. But there was still glass everywhere, along with burnt piles of debris where someone had previously started a contained fire.
Winter brushed the dirt and glass aside with a talon and sat down in the clean area. Qibli did the same, alert ears pricked as he listened for any noises outside.
He cast a glance over at the IceWing. "We might be here for a while," Qibli warned. "This isn't going to be a smooth escape."
Winter scraped his claws on the floor, gaze cast downward. "I know."
They sat in silence, too afraid to move a muscle. There was several minutes of silence, then chaos started to erupt outside. Dragons were searching for Winter. They called to each other back and forth, roaring furiously as they discussed where to look.
Qibli held his breath as one of the voices came closer to the building they were hiding inside. He slowly turned his head over to Winter, his whole body tense and rigid with terror. The IceWing met his gaze with similar fear, looking as if he might faint.
"Do you think he'd hide in one of these buildings?" Asked one dragon, her voice echoing through the alleys.
"Nah," replied another, and they could hear them rummaging through clutter and pushing crates aside. "Probably still running."
Then the voices faded away down the streets, leaving the two runaways to collect themselves from their panic.
Qibli exhaled a sigh, relaxing his tense muscles. Winter had closed his eyes, and Qibli could see how tired he looked.
"You can go ahead and sleep if you want," Qibli offered.
Winter's eyes peeked open for a moment, then shut again. He laid down on the dirty, uncomfortable floor, resting his chin on his talons, and wrapped his tail around himself. A small spurt of frosty particles came out from his nose as he sighed heavily.
Qibli watched him for a moment, feeling the weight of the situation truly sink in. Here Qibli was, hiding in the Sand Kingdom's scariest city, hiding from hardened criminals, all just to save a stranger. (A really pretty stranger, he had to admit.)
He wondered how long it would take for them to realize that he was missing, too. It probably wouldn't take Vulture too much time to figure out that he had run off with the IceWing that he had been protecting.
The SandWng tore his eyes away from Winter's sleeping form and onto the floor instead. What would he do if they were caught? What would he do once Winter was returned back to the Ice Kingdom? The Talons of Power would know where he went-- there was no use trying to come back after releasing the prince.
There was a long stretch of silence as Qibli got lost in his thoughts. Winter must not have fallen asleep, because his eyes were suddenly open and staring at him.
"Are you going to get any sleep?" The IceWing asked. Qibli turned his head towards him, a little startled that Winter wasn't asleep.
"No," Qibli replied. "I should stay awake to guard us."
Winter yawned, sharp white teeth visible in the dark. "I know, but you should at least get some sleep. You'll have to travel across the whole desert tomorrow."
Qibli frowned in thought, looking back to the floor. They were by themselves in a completely silent building, and it felt too strangely intimate to make eye-contact for too long. "I'll go to bed when I can't keep my eyes open."
"All right," Winter said sleepily. His eyes closed and Qibli already missed the company.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆
The air was horrifically hot as Winter opened his eyes. The sun was blaringly bright, even without windows. He rubbed at his sweaty neck and sat up, eyes falling on the still shape of a SandWing sleeping across from him.
Qibli was still sitting up, but his head was resting on his chest. Quiet snores filled the room.
I wonder how much sleep he got. Should I wake him up? We have to get moving, but I don't want him to be tired, Winter worried. Then he stood up, mind made, and prodded Qibli with a claw.
His companion was immediately awake, eyes wide, standing in a determined stance. Then he relaxed as he realized where he was. "You ready to go?"
"We have no other choice," Winter replied, rubbing his eyes.
"True," sighed Qibli. "C'mon."
As he went down the stairs, Winter followed quietly behind him, cautiously stepping over broken debris that crowded the floors. Qibli peeked his head out of the doorway, scanning outside for any danger. Winter, one step behind him, kept his ears pricked and eyes sharp.
"All clear for now," Qibli determined and stepped out of the ruined home. The pair hurried down the empty streets, sticking to the shadows.
Even in the shade, Winter was still caked in sweat. It felt like his scales were melting and peeling off with each ray of sunlight that reached him. Three moons, did it feel awful. He couldn't wait to get out of this insufferable pit of heatstroke.
Qibli abruptly stopped, causing the IceWing to crash into him. "What is it?" He hissed out, puffing a cloud of frostbreath as he did so. The small relief felt amazing.
"Talons of Power," the SandWing hissed back, pushing him into another abandoned building. A small shed, this time. Winter hurried into the shadows, crouching behind a wall. Qibli huddled next to him, eyes trained on the streets outside. He let out another hiss, batting Winter's wings down. "Why do you have to be so glittery?"
"Because I was born in the Ice Kingdom, not this hellhole," Winter whispered back, tone irritated. "Are they gone?"
"Not yet."
"Well, they better hurry the fuck up, because I'm sweating like crazy," Winter snapped in a barely-audible whisper.
Qibli gave him a sympathetic smile and after a while, he sat up. "All right, they're gone now."
Winter sprang up, eager to get out of the city. "Finally."
He walked quickly down the dirty, sunbaked streets, side-by-side with Qibli. They wasted none of their valuable time for breaks. They had to get out, and soon.
Qibli was eyeing a stretch of buildings with curiosity and hope. He could hear the buzz of life from beyond the walls, but when he glanced at Qibli, the SandWing didn't seem to care.
"This section of the city is home to the Outclaws," Qibli explained, watching several dragonets run past, playfully fighting over a talonful of baked lizards. "They're the safest gang around here. They allow dragons to live safely."
Winter quirked an eyebrow at him. "And you never tried to join them?"
Qibli looked away, a weird expression crossing his face. "I never have, but the leader has noticed me before. She offered my mother a deal for me, but Mother and Grandfather refused."
"Why'd she try to take you?" Winter asked, making conversation, but he felt genuinely interested anyway.
The ex-criminal shrugged, growing a little uncomfortable. "Uh, she- she heard my mother yelling at me one day," he said, then rolled his shoulders nervously as if he were trying to rub off the bad memories. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. It's just sand in the wind."
But it did matter, and Winter knew it. Now it was his turn to offer Qibli a sympathetic smile. "I get it."
Qibli smiled back, a little sad. Then he turned his head away, focusing on the city around them. "Let's go."
Winter nodded and followed his lead. They ducked under a large palm frond and were immediately greeted with two guards sitting by an entrance. They snapped their heads towards the duo, spears raised menacingly.
A scarred, muscular SandWing stepped forward, obsidian eyes glinting in the sunlight. The other guard had her eyes fixed on Winter with curiosity, examining his shiny scales.
"This is peculiar," the muscular guard started, tongue flicking in-and-out. "I've heard reports of a missing IceWing prisoner from the Talons of Power. I wasn't aware that there would be an escaped SandWing as well. Where're you from?"
Qibli ducked his head. "I'm from the Talons of Power- but I don't work for them anymore," he answered. "I've rescued this IceWing. I can't go back. I don't want to go back."
The guard tapped his chin in thought, inspecting them. Winter noticed an extra claw on his talon.
"All right," he finally decided. "Do you have anything to offer Thorn?"
Winter and Qibli glanced at one another. "No, sorry," said Qibli awkwardly.
"Nobody gets in without a gift to Thorn," the other guard interjected, staring sternly at them.
Qibli shifted nervously. "We just need help. We don't have anything."
"Wait," Winter blurted before the guards could shoo them away. "Thorn could use me as a.. a bargaining chip."
Qibli looked over at him in surprise. The guards also looked shocked.
"Please," he continued. "I'll do it. I'm not lying. We just need protection."
The guards exchanged glances. Then they nodded. "Very well. No funny business, you two," said the six-clawed guard. "Armadillo, escort them to Thorn."
The other guard, Armadillo, nodded. "Will do, Six-Claws," she said, swooping a wing over to the escorts. "C'mon."
Winter and Qibli both breathed sighs of relief as they were led into the safe city. Mazes of shops were set up, sun bleached cloths hung from roofs to provide shade, and in the middle of it all, was an oasis. Swarms of dragons milled around the water, relishing the coolness and the shade of the palms that lined the sand.
"Here we are," said Armadillo, leading them to a shaded tent that was lined with rugs. Inside, a circle of SandWings sat on the edge of the tent, eyes fixated on the newcomers. A wiry SandWing sat in the middle on a rug, jewelry glittering in the sunlight from the skylight. "Thorn, we have some outcasts here who would like to join us. They have an interesting offer as well."
Thorn's eyes were glued to Qibli, even though Winter was the one who stuck out. "Thank you, Armadillo," she said, not looking away from his friend.
Armadillo nodded and stepped off to the side with the other SandWings. A few others came in through the tent flap, murmuring and laughing with one another.
"I remember you," Thorn began, tilting her head curiously at Qibli. Her eyes dropped on the scar that raked across his snout. "The little dragonet who cares too much. Why are you here after so many years?"
Qibli ducked his head a little, looking nervous. "I'm here because I've escaped from the Talons of Power and I need protection," he explained. "I rescued an IceWing captive. His name is Prince Winter and he also needs to be kept safe."
Thorn's gaze rested on Winter. She took in his battered appearance swiftly. "I see. What is your offer that Armadillo mentioned?"
"If you take us in and keep us safe from the Talons of Power for now, I will allow you to use me as a bargaining chip," Winter proposed. "We just need your protection until we are able to leave the Sand Kingdom."
Her eyebrows arched. "Really?"
Winter nodded fervently. "Honest."
Thorn frowned in thought, inspecting them once more. She kept staring at Qibli. "Hm. I do trust you, Qibli," she said. "I will take you and your IceWing friend in. However, I would like to change the deal."
"To what?" Asked Winter, feeling quite relieved but also a little worried.
"You do not need to be used as a bargaining chip, Prince," she started. "Instead, I would like Qibli to join the Outclaws."
Around them, the SandWings immediately began to whisper and murmur to one another. Some cast uncertain glances at Qibli, and some looked as sure as Thorn. Qibli was staring at Thorn with wide eyes, jaw loose. "Uh, are you sure, Thorn? For all you know, I could be lying."
"Yes, but you aren't, are you?" Thorn replied, not even looking the faintest-bit worried. "I've known it since I met you years ago, that you would be right for my Outclaws. You have never, and will never, fit in with the Talons of Peace."
The SandWing dipped his head. "That's true."
"So?" The Outclaw leader prompted, inching a little closer with searching black eyes. "Would you like to join us? We protect you two, and you work for me in return."
Winter watched as Qibli glanced around the tent, taking in the crowd of awaiting strangers. He seemed to be flipping through all the possible ideas in his mind before he spoke.
"Yes."
"Very well," murmured Thorn approvingly. She swept a wing towards them, guiding them to join her as she stood up. "Come along."
⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Flanked by SandWings on all sides, the unlikely pair padded down the streets of the Scorpion Den. Even with all of the shade, Winter was still boiling hot. The SandWings around him had scales that felt like fire and his own scales felt like they were covered in blisters.
They had spent three days with the Outclaws, but Qibli wanted to leave. He was eager to get Winter back to the Ice Kingdom, where he would be safe. But what Qibli didn't know was that Winter was dreading going back to his home. He never wanted to see his family again. The only family he liked was his brother, but he was long dead.
A sandy-gold shoulder bumped into him. "Look alive, Winter!" Chirped Qibli. He had been much happier in this part of the city. He no longer looked tense and constantly worried. "Aren't you excited to go back home?"
"No," he mumbled.
Qibli frowned at him. "Why not?"
My family wants to kill me, Winter tried not to say. And to be honest, I don't want to be alone again. If I go back home, I'll have nobody to be my friend. Nobody will be there for me. Qibli is all I have now, and I don't even understand why he cares.
"My family hates me," he said instead, pushing aside his thoughts. He avoided eye-contact with Qibli and his worried gaze. It would only make everything worse if he saw the concern.
"Ah, right," replied the SandWing. "I understand what it's like. My family never loved me either. It really hurts, doesn't it?"
Winter could feel his talons begin to tremble as he kept his eyes fixed on the ground. "Yeah."
Before either of them could continue talking, a SandWing rushed up to them and turned to Qibli. Winter recognized her as Armadillo.
"Qibli, the Talons of Peace are looking for you," she gushed. "They suspect that you're hiding here. You and Winter will have to hide."
Winter raised his eyes to look at Qibli. The SandWing was staring back at him in horror. Then he turned back to Armadillo and nodded distractedly. "Thank you, Armadillo. We- we have to get moving now. Come on, Winter. We have to flee the Sand Kingdom."
"Are you coming back?" Armadillo asked.
Qibli hesitated. "Maybe."
"Well, goodbye," she replied. "I wish you two luck."
"Thank you. We'll need it."
Qibli extended a wing to cradle over Winter's back, casting him a look full of indecipherable emotion. It seemed to be an apology of some sort. Winter gazed back at him, not really sure of his own emotions either, and followed him in-pace through the scalding sands.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Up above, a vulture banked in the sun-lit sky. A snake danced its way across the dunes, slithering away from the incoming dragons. Qibli glanced over at Winter, who was looking a lot like a melted ice cube, but with a determined expression on his face. Both he and Winter were accustomed to travelling long distances, which was definitely a plus factor on this otherwise awful trip.
Winter had a cloth draped over his back, which was helping a little with the heat. It also provided him a bit of camouflage, so he didn't stick out too much in the warm-coloured environment.
"You doing okay?" Qibli called over. Ahead, there was an oasis. He could see the curve of the palm tree fronds over the horizon, and the flocks of birds crowding around the water.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Winter replied. He kept struggling not to sink into the sand. "You?"
"I'm all right," Qibli said, then pointed to the palms. "Look, there's an oasis. We can rest there."
Winter raised his head, and when he saw it, his eyes brightened a little. "Oh, thank the moons. Do you think we can catch anything?"
"I hope so," he sighed. "If not, there should be some huts nearby. Maybe someone will be nice enough to share."
The IceWing gave a little snort.
Suddenly energized with excitement, he gave a small burst of speed and leaped into the air, gliding over to the pool. Behind him, Winter jumped up in the air and flapped over to his side. Then Qibli dove to the ground, heading straight for the water. He hit the surface with a splash, hitting Winter in the face with a spray of water. The IceWing joined him in the water (much more gracefully) and took a deep drink.
Qibli dunked his head underwater, beyond relieved to feel the cold water dripping down his scales. He grinned wide at Winter, who smiled back. "This is great. I could stay here all day."
"Same. Why don't we stay here for the night?" Winter suggested, nodding to the sky. "It's almost sundown."
Qibli glanced up at the sun. "Good idea. I didn't notice how late it was getting."
Winter stretched, flaring out his wings, and yawned. He shook the sand off his talons and rinsed them with water. Qibli did the same until the sun began to set.
The duo removed themselves from the water and curled up underneath a circle of palms, cacti, and cycads. Qibli ended up catching a few lizards, cooking a few and leaving the others raw for Winter. They happily ate, sitting contentedly beside one another, eyelids growing heavy as the sky darkened. When the air became cooler, Winter fell asleep, slumped against his shoulder. Quiet snores and tiny frost particles emitted from his snout.
Qibli watched Winter for a moment, taking in his peaceful appearance. He wanted to curl himself around the IceWing and protect him forever. What was he going to do when Winter had to leave for the Ice Kingdom? He liked Winter. He didn't want to leave him, especially in an unsafe kingdom to an unloving family. What was the point in protecting him if he was just going to leave him all alone in the Ice Kingdom? What kind of friend would he be?
When Qibli awoke, Winter was still asleep on his shoulder. He had pressed closer to Qibli in his sleep, which was what probably had woken him up. Qibli shivered at his cold scales, but couldn't find the heart to push him away. He deserved the sleep.
Then the IceWing shifted, and Qibli tried to act like he had been asleep. He probably failed. Winter yawned, froze, stared at Qibli for a moment, then pulled away. Qibli did his best to ignore the small smile and icy-blue flush on Winter's face. "You ready to go?"
"I'd like to catch some breakfast first," he mumbled groggily, not meeting Qibli's gaze. He cleared his throat and fluffed out his wings awkwardly.
"Yeah, me too," Qibli admitted. More domestic, casual time with Winter wouldn't hurt, right?
He set off around the oasis, checking crevices of rocks for lizards and the sky for birds. He managed to catch three puny lizards, and when he was unable to find anything else, he returned to Winter, who was also searching for prey.
"Breakfast is served," he announced, tossing the lizards to the ground in front of Winter's talons. He took one for himself, Winter took the other, and they split the last.
Right before they were about to leave, Winter interrupted.
"Y'know Qibli, I was thinking that I shouldn't go back to the Ice Kingdom," he began, fiddling nervously with his talons. His sad gaze was cast downward. "My ranking is low, my family is disappointed in me, and you wouldn't be able to come with me."
"You want me to go with you?"
"Yeah, I mean, you aren't safe in your own kingdom," Winter answered, looking more awkward like he said the wrong thing. "And you've done a lot to help me. I.. I owe it to you."
Qibli smiled. "Thank you. So where are we going to go, then?"
"I dunno. Just far away from both of our families, wherever that is."
He laughed. "I've heard of towns full of dragons from different tribes. Would that be a good idea?"
"Probably," the IceWing replied, a nervous yet relieved smile on his face.
Qibli reached out a talon and clasped Winter's in his. He wrapped a wing over his shoulders, bringing him in closer for a hug. Winter ducked his head into the nook of his neck. "Thank you, Qibli. For everything."
"And thank you for making me a better dragon," murmured Qibli.
And the two set off to a new beginning.
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