The next morning, Icemoon stirred as someone nudged her gently in the wing. A familiar, smoky scent filled her nostrils—Deathbringer. Blinking the sleep from her icy blue eyes, she turned her head to see the dark-scaled assassin crouching beside her, a sly smirk curling at the edges of his snout.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," he teased, flicking his tail against hers. "Glory wants to see us. Something about our... 'usefulness.'"

Icemoon groaned, stretching her wings before shaking the moss from her scales. "You have the worst timing," she muttered, though there was no real irritation in her voice. She stood and shook out her star-speckled wings before flicking Deathbringer with one of them in return. "Fine. Let's go."

As the two of them made their way through the village, the golden morning sunlight streamed through the dense jungle canopy, dappling the mossy ground beneath them. RainWings lounged in the treetops, their scales shifting lazily in the light. A few turned their heads to watch the pair, their expressions unreadable.

"I think they still don't trust me," Deathbringer murmured, his voice unusually serious.

Icemoon glanced at him and then at the wary RainWings above. "You did try to kill their queen once," she pointed out dryly.

"Details," Deathbringer said with a dramatic sigh. "I'm turning over a new leaf. A very handsome, charming, and trustworthy leaf."

Icemoon rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the smirk tugging at her snout. "Let's hope Glory sees it that way."

They entered the hut where Glory was perched on a thick, woven hammock, the warm glow of the rainforest filtering in through the leafy walls. A silver-furred sloth was lazily crawling down from a nearby branch, its long limbs stretching as it nestled against the RainWing queen's shoulder. Glory smiled as she stroked the creature's back, its sleepy eyes blinking at the newcomers.

"Icemoon, Deathbringer," Glory greeted, her scales shimmering with relaxed shades of green and gold. "Took you long enough to get here."

Deathbringer smirked, dipping his head dramatically. "Apologies, my queen. I was making sure Icemoon here got her beauty rest."

Icemoon shot him a flat look before turning her attention back to Glory. "You wanted to see us?"

Glory nodded, gently nudging the sloth aside as she straightened. "I did. We need to talk about what happens next. The NightWings may be scattered, but they're still a threat. And with RainWings still unaccounted for, we can't afford to sit back and relax."

Icemoon's tail flicked at the mention of the missing RainWings. "Then let's not waste time. What's the plan?"

Glory's expression turned serious. "I need a team to go back—quietly this time. No full-scale raids, just scouting and retrieving any prisoners we can find. And I want you two to lead it."

Icemoon and Deathbringer exchanged a glance.

"You sure about that?" Deathbringer asked, his smirk faltering just slightly.

Glory's gaze was unwavering. "I trust you. Both of you." She paused, her scales darkening slightly. "But this mission isn't just about the captives. We need to know what the remaining NightWings are planning. If they're still a threat to us."

Icemoon's claws curled slightly into the hut's wooden floor. She had no love for the NightWings still loyal to the old ways. If there was even a chance they were regrouping for something worse, she wanted to know.

"We'll do it," she said firmly.

Deathbringer sighed dramatically, but his violet eyes glinted with something sharp beneath the humor. "Well, if I must. You're lucky I'm so good at sneaking around."

Glory rolled her eyes, but a hint of a smirk played at her snout. "Then it's settled. You leave at sundown. And be careful."

Icemoon nodded, her icy blue eyes reflecting the dappled light filtering through the leaves. She stepped forward, brushing her wing lightly against Glory's in a silent promise. Then, without another word, she turned and strode away, Deathbringer falling into step beside her.

The jungle around them buzzed with the sounds of the waking rainforest—chirping insects, distant bird calls, and the rustling of leaves as tree frogs leaped from branch to branch. But as they neared the entrance to one of the tunnels, the lively noises faded, replaced by an eerie stillness.

Deathbringer flicked his tail, his usual smirk subdued as he eyed the dark passage ahead. "So," he mused, voice low, "back into the shadows we go. You ready for this?"

Icemoon inhaled deeply, feeling the cool underground air brushing against her snout. She had spent so much time in the rainforest that the damp, stony scent of the tunnel felt foreign now—like stepping back into a world she had left behind. But she straightened her wings and nodded.

"Always."

With that, they slipped into the tunnel, their claws clicking softly against the stone. The darkness swallowed them whole, and soon, only the faintest glimmer of their eyes remained before they vanished into the abyss.

SCENEBREAK

As they emerged from the tunnel, a wave of putrid stench crashed over Icemoon, thick and suffocating. The acrid scent of rotting flesh clung to the damp air, mingling with the sulfuric heat that rolled off the volcanic ground. She recoiled, her nose wrinkling in disgust as she coughed.

"Okay—ew," she choked, flicking her tail as if to ward off the awful smell.

Beside her, Deathbringer scrunched his snout, his usual composure momentarily faltering. "Yeah, I know. It doesn't get better." He glanced warily around the desolate landscape before muttering, "And I kinda know what that is." His wings shifted uneasily.

Icemoon shot him a sharp look. "You mean you—"

"Don't ask," he cut in quickly, shaking his head. "Let's just keep moving." He straightened, his expression hardening into something more serious. "Come on. The queen should be in the main palace by this time of day."

Icemoon exhaled, trying not to breathe too deeply as she followed Deathbringer through the charred wasteland. The volcanic island stretched out before them, cracked and dry, with plumes of smoke rising in thin, twisting fingers from the blackened ground. The distant, jagged silhouette of the NightWing palace loomed ahead, its dark spires piercing the ashen sky like claws.

Icemoon's scales prickled. Whatever lay ahead, she had a feeling they were walking straight into danger.