Winter's heart ached as he watched Rebron's body lie still, blood staining the snow beneath her. He didn't want her to die—not like this. His mind raced as he cupped her head in his talons, his eyes searching desperately for any sign of life.

She was bigger than him now, and it hit him—really hit him—how much she had changed. He could see it clearly now, the way her wings were spread across the ground like a blanket of frost, her gray-blue scales glowing faintly in the pale light. His gaze moved to the necklace around her neck, the simple diamond-shaped pendant that seemed so out of place. He reached for it, his talons trembling, pulling at the chain, trying to remove it.

But as he tugged, a weak hand shot out, grabbing his wrist before he could fully break the chain.

"No," Rebron choked out, her voice strained, barely more than a whisper. "Don't take it off..."

Winter's tears blurred his vision, his heart shattering. "But it's choking you," he sobbed, his words slipping out between his sobs. He tugged again at the necklace, but Rebron's grip on his wrist tightened, stopping him.

The other dragons, those who had followed them into the terrace, watched in tense silence. Moon, Qibli, Kinkajou, and Turtle stood nearby, their faces twisted in concern. Even Starflight, who had stumbled away in a daze, suddenly stopped, her eyes wide as she looked on in disbelief.

Rebron's voice was weak, but resolute. "Please... don't take it off," she whispered again, her breath ragged. "It's... it's the only thing that keeps me from being... too big. If you... if you take it off, I'll never be able to fit in with the others."

Winter could barely breathe as he cupped her head in his talons, tears slipping down his face. "Please, Rebron... don't die on us. You can't leave us... not now, not like this," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.

Rebron's eyes fluttered open, just a crack, and she smiled faintly. Her voice was faint, but she still managed to speak. "I'm not going anywhere," she murmured. Then, despite her pain, she weakly lifted her talon to his snout, her soft touch grounding him in the moment.

Moon's green eyes were teary, too, filled with pain as she stepped forward. Qibli's usually mischievous eyes were clouded with sadness, his tail twitching nervously. Turtle and Kinkajou stood close, each struggling with their own emotions, as if unsure what to do next.

The air around them seemed to still, a heavy silence hanging in the frozen landscape. In those few moments, all the other dragons seemed to hold their breath, waiting for the outcome.

Rebron's wings shifted weakly, her breath catching in her chest, but she wasn't giving up—not yet. She couldn't—wouldn't.

Winter pressed his forehead to hers, tears mingling with her scales, his voice breaking as he whispered again, "Please, Rebron, please... don't leave us."

And in that quiet, desperate moment, it felt like the whole world was watching, waiting for the moment that could break them all.

Near the leaf-covered windows, Icicle stood frozen, her chest heaving with the weight of everything she had done. Her eyes burned, filled with raw emotion, tears threatening to spill as her heart twisted. She wanted to say something—anything—to explain herself, but the words wouldn't come. She stood there, trembling, her mind in turmoil, caught between the anger that had driven her and the guilt that now tore at her insides.

"I... I..." she started, her voice shaking. But before she could finish, the sight of Rebron, lying so still, her blood staining the snow beneath her, became too much. The pain surged, and in a blink, anger overtook her once more, clouding her judgment.

Winter's blue eyes snapped to hers, filled with pain and fury. His voice was thick with emotion, his breath ragged from the weight of everything that had just happened. He stepped forward, his claws flexing as he looked Icicle straight in the eye.

"You did this to her," Winter snarled, his voice breaking with sorrow, the tears spilling down his face like the bitterest of rivers. "All for a brother that's dead a long time ago!"

Icicle recoiled at his words, as if they were a physical blow. The raw truth of his statement hit her like a sledgehammer, and she stumbled back, her heart aching with the weight of her actions. She didn't know how to respond, didn't know how to explain the years of anger, the deep, gnawing need for revenge that had consumed her. But she did know one thing: she had broken something tonight.

Her own breath hitched in her throat as the memory of Hailstorm—of the brother she had lost—flickered painfully in her mind. But even that memory couldn't silence the rage that still simmered beneath the surface. Had she really just done this? Had she truly just crossed the line, hurting someone who had tried to help?

Winter's words echoed in her mind as she stood there, shaking, her wings twitching as if they, too, were betraying her. She could feel the weight of the silence, the weight of the gazes of the others who had witnessed the whole thing—the shame gnawing at her, her heart heavy, and yet, her anger remained a fierce, burning thing deep inside.

But even as the anger flared again, there was a part of her that began to wonder... Was it worth it? Was all this destruction worth the pain she had caused, the betrayal of someone who, despite everything, had tried to show her kindness?

"She—she drove it," Icicle barked, her voice sharp with a mix of rage and sorrow. The words barely escaped her lips before she turned and ripped the leaf-covered window from its frame, her claws tearing through the wood with brutal precision. Without another word, she shot into the air, her wings beating furiously as she fled, the cold wind rushing past her like a storm.

Winter stood frozen, his heart aching as he watched his sister fly away, his chest tightening painfully with every beat. His breath caught in his throat as he felt the weight of everything that had just happened crash down on him.

Icicle had always been driven by anger, but now, she was running from the truth. What did I do? Winter thought, feeling as though the world around him was closing in. He wanted to call out, to stop her, but his voice failed him. The ache in his heart was unlike anything he had ever known. He had never felt so helpless—so powerless to stop the destruction between them.

His gaze remained fixed on the spot where his sister had disappeared into the distance, her form growing smaller and smaller against the night sky. He stood there for a long time, his wings limp at his sides, the silence of the cold air settling in like a heavy, suffocating fog.

Finally, with a shuddering breath, Winter sank to his knees, his talons clenched tightly at his sides. She's gone, he thought, and the realization felt like a wound, deep and raw. He had failed to stop her, failed to keep her from spiraling into the same anger and bitterness that had consumed their family for so long.

The tears that had been threatening to fall now slipped freely down his face, but even as they did, a part of him held onto hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could find her way back.

Qibli brushed against Winter, his presence a quiet comfort in the overwhelming silence. "Hey, let's take Rebron out of here," he said softly, his voice gentle but urgent, as though trying to anchor Winter in the storm of emotions swirling around them.

Winter's heart sank even lower. He nodded wordlessly, the weight of everything still pressing on him as he turned toward Rebron, still lying motionless on the cold ground. Her wings were spread awkwardly, and her body was still. He felt a pang of helplessness deep in his chest, and his heart twisted in pain as he moved toward her.

The others were already gathering around her. Moon, her green eyes filled with grief, was sobbing quietly, her face pale and streaked with tears. Her words were lost in the choked sobs that wracked her body, the weight of the loss and the fear too much for her to bear. Kinkajou clung to her, her small body trembling as she tried to comfort Moon, though both seemed to be equally consumed by their sorrow.

Turtle stood a little farther off, his usually thoughtful eyes clouded with emptiness, his talons flexing in agitation, but he said nothing. His gaze was distant, lost. It was as if the entire world had slipped away from him, leaving only a quiet, hollow ache in its place.

Winter swallowed, trying to push back the emotions threatening to overwhelm him, trying to force his voice to work. "We need to get her out of here," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We can't leave her like this."

His talons hovered over Rebron's side, aching to help, but not sure where to start. How could he fix this? How could they fix any of it now?

Qibli, who had been quieter than usual, stepped forward and gently placed a paw on Winter's shoulder. "Let's get her to safety," he said again, his tone firm, though his eyes reflected the same sorrow that clouded Winter's. "We'll figure out the rest later. But right now, we need to move her. We can't lose anyone else."

With that, the group carefully surrounded Rebron, their movements slow and reverent. Despite their pain, they worked together, lifting the Allwing with care, trying not to jostle her too much, their combined strength a small comfort in the face of such loss.

As Winter moved to help, he glanced back one last time, his eyes searching the sky for any sign of Icicle. But all he saw was the empty night, the cold wind carrying her away, as if she, too, had vanished into the darkness. And with that, a fresh wave of grief swept over him, but he quickly shoved it down, focusing on Rebron—on his friends, on what they still had.