Icemoon reached the village again and saw Glory, Sunny, and Clay all sitting in a circle, eating fruit. All three looked up, beaming, as she flapped down to them. Her blue eyes scanned them."Where's Starflight?"Clay pointed toward the branch that led to another tunnel they had discovered recently. Icemoon sighed, grabbed a banana, and flew down to the forest floor. 

There, she landed softly on the forest floor, her talons sinking slightly into the damp, moss-covered ground. The air was thick with the earthy scent of the rainforest, and the faint hum of insects filled the space around her. She spotted Starflight immediately, his dark, star-flecked scales standing out against the vibrant greens of the foliage. He was crouched low, his nose almost touching a large leaf where a brightly colored bug perched, its wings shimmering in the dappled sunlight.

"Having fun watching the fauna, my love?" Icemoon teased, her voice smooth and cool as she popped the banana into her mouth. She leaned casually against a nearby tree, her glacier-blue eyes glinting with amusement as she watched him.

Starflight let out a choked yelp, his wings flaring in surprise as he spun around. His dark eyes widened, and for a moment, he looked like he might topple over. But he quickly steadied himself, his expression shifting from startled to exasperated. "Icemoon, I told you not to scare me like that!" he said, his voice tinged with both annoyance and relief. "You know how jumpy I am."

Icemoon smirked, taking another bite of the banana. "I do," she said, her tone light but teasing. "And yet, it never gets old."

Starflight sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he shook his head. But his expression quickly turned serious, his brow furrowing as he studied her. "Anyway, where were you?" he asked, his voice dropping to a more concerned tone. "Mangrove told me you hadn't come to see him or Orchid. I was starting to worry."

Icemoon's smirk faded, and she glanced away for a moment, her gaze drifting to the bug still perched on the leaf. It was easier to focus on the tiny creature than to meet Starflight's earnest, worried eyes. "I was... exploring," she said finally, her voice quieter now. "There's a lot to see in this rainforest, and I wanted to get a better sense of it."

Starflight's frown deepened, and he took a step closer to her. "Exploring where, exactly?" he asked, his tone gentle but probing. "You know it's not safe to wander off alone. Especially with the NightWings so close."

Icemoon's tail flicked, a flicker of irritation crossing her expression. "I can handle myself, Starflight," she said, her voice sharpening slightly. "I'm not some helpless dragonet."

"I know that," Starflight said quickly, holding up a talon in a placating gesture. "But that doesn't mean you have to do everything alone. We're a team, remember? If something happened to you..." He trailed off, his voice softening. "I'd never forgive myself."

Icemoon's icy demeanor thawed just a fraction, and she let out a small sigh. "I'm fine," she said, her tone gentler now. "But... I appreciate the concern." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "I went to the NightWing island."

Starflight's eyes widened, and he took a step back, his wings twitching in alarm. "You what? Icemoon, that's—"

"Before you start," she interrupted, holding up a talon, "I wasn't alone. Deathbringer was there. He... showed me around."

Starflight's expression shifted from alarm to disbelief, and then to something almost like jealousy. "Deathbringer?" he repeated, his voice tight. "That—that assassin? Icemoon, you can't trust him. He's dangerous."

Icemoon's gaze hardened, and she took a step closer to him, her icy eyes locking with his. "I don't trust him," she said firmly. "But he's useful. And right now, we need all the allies we can get."

Starflight opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it again, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I just... I don't want you getting hurt," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "You mean too much to me."

Icemoon's expression softened, and she reached out, her talon brushing lightly against his. "I know," she said quietly. "And I'll be more careful. But this is something I have to do. For Orchid. For all of us."

Starflight nodded reluctantly, his dark eyes still filled with worry. "Just... promise me you won't go alone again," he said. "If you need to go back, I'll come with you. Or Clay, or Glory—anyone. Just don't put yourself at risk like that."

Icemoon hesitated, then gave a small nod. "I promise," she said. "But for now, let's focus on what's in front of us." She gestured to the bug still perched on the leaf, its wings fluttering faintly. "What's so interesting about this little guy, anyway?"

Starflight's expression brightened slightly, and he turned back to the bug, his scholarly instincts kicking in. "It's a rare species," he said, his voice warming with enthusiasm. "See the markings on its wings? They're almost identical to the ones described in one of the scrolls I found in the NightWing library. It's fascinating, really..."

Icemoon listened as he rambled on, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. For all his worrying, Starflight was still the same curious, thoughtful dragon she'd come to care for. And as she stood there beside him, the sounds of the rainforest humming around them, she felt a flicker of something she hadn't felt in a long time—hope.

SCENEBREAK

Later that day, Icemoon lay stretched out on the broad branch, her sleek, star-speckled wings draped lazily over the edge. The dappled sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across her pale, icy scales. She stared up at the leaves, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts she couldn't quite untangle. The encounter with Deathbringer, the secrets of the NightWing island, the worry in Starflight's eyes—it all weighed heavily on her, though she'd never admit it out loud.

The branch creaked slightly as Clay lumbered over and settled down beside her, his warm, earthy presence a stark contrast to her cool demeanor. He didn't look at her, his gaze fixed on the rainforest below, but his voice broke the silence with its usual calm, steady tone. "You know, you really scared Starflight," he said, his words simple but carrying a weight of concern.

Icemoon sighed, her tail flicking slightly in irritation. "I know," she said, her voice cool and measured. "I care about him too, but he worries too much. I've got deadly ice in my claws and breath." She curled her talons into the branch, and a thin layer of frost began to creep across the wood, spreading like delicate lace. "I can handle myself."

Clay reached out with one massive talon and stomped down on the frost, halting its spread. "Calm down, Icemoon," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "Ever since we got to the rainforest, you've been... prickly." He tilted his head, his warm brown eyes finally turning to meet her icy-blue gaze. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

Icemoon's jaw tightened, and she looked away, her wings shifting slightly as if to shield herself from his probing gaze. "It's nothing," she said, her voice clipped. "Just... a lot on my mind."

Clay didn't respond immediately, his silence more telling than any words could be. He was never one to push, but his quiet patience had a way of drawing things out of her that she'd rather keep buried. Finally, he spoke again, his voice soft but insistent. "You know you can talk to us, right? We're a team. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together."

Icemoon's claws dug deeper into the branch, and for a moment, she considered brushing him off, retreating behind her usual icy walls. But something about Clay's steady presence, his unwavering kindness, made it harder to keep everything locked away. She let out a slow breath, the frost on the branch melting slightly under the warmth of her exhale.

"I went to the NightWing island," she admitted finally, her voice low. "Deathbringer showed me around. I saw... things. Prison caves, RainWing captives, even Starflight's father." She paused, her gaze distant as she recalled the encounter. "It's worse than we thought, Clay. The NightWings are hiding something big, and I don't know how to stop it."

Clay's expression grew serious, his brow furrowing as he processed her words. "That's... a lot," he said slowly. "But you shouldn't have gone alone. What if something had happened to you?"

Icemoon's tail lashed, and she turned to face him, her eyes flashing. "I told you, I can handle myself," she snapped. "I don't need everyone hovering over me like I'm some fragile dragonet."

Clay held up a talon, his calm demeanor unshaken. "I'm not saying you're fragile," he said. "But even the strongest dragons need help sometimes. That's what we're here for. You don't have to do everything alone."

Icemoon opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. She looked away again, her wings drooping slightly as the fight drained out of her. "I just... I don't want to put anyone else in danger," she said quietly. "This is my fight."

Clay shook his head, his expression softening. "It's our fight," he corrected. "You're not alone in this, Icemoon. We're all in it together. And if you keep pushing us away, you're only going to make things harder for yourself."

Icemoon didn't respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the distant treetops. Clay's words echoed in her mind, and for the first time, she felt the weight of her isolation pressing down on her. She had always prided herself on her independence, her strength, but maybe... maybe she didn't have to carry everything alone.

Finally, she let out a slow breath and nodded. "You're right," she said, her voice quiet but sincere. "I'll... try to be more open. But it's not easy."

Clay smiled, his warm, reassuring presence a balm to her frayed nerves. "That's all we ask," he said. "Now, come on. Let's go find the others. We've got a lot to talk about."

Icemoon hesitated for a moment, then nodded again, pushing herself to her feet. As she followed Clay back toward the village, she felt a flicker of something she hadn't felt in a long time—relief. She wasn't alone. And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.