Chapter 1: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Preview:

That's Qibli!" Fatespeaker yelped excitedly, pointing an eager talon towards a scarred Sandwing. 

Winter looked over in his direction and saw him talking excitedly with a much smaller Sandwing, their voices were drowned amidst the loud chatter, but he radiated positivity and intellect.

At the mention of his name, Qibli looked over and shot them a friendly grin.

Winter paused; holding his breath when Qiblis eyes flickered to meet his gaze. Winter tensed before quickly looking away indignantly.

"I think you'll like him," assured the Nightwing attendant, brushing off Winter's reaction with an amused brow, "he's very friendly!"

Winter scrunched his nose, "What exactly is a 'clawmate'?" He inquired, suddenly worried for what it meant for him.

"Great question! One I've been getting all day, too. Your clawmates are the dragonets who you'll share a sleeping cave with." Fatespeaker explained helpfully

"WHAT?!" roared an outraged Winter suddenly, causing Icicle to glare at him and for Fatespeaker to jump in alarm.

------

Winter thought that for pretty much all his life he'd been dealt the worst possible hand.

His sister was more cunning; more clever; more impressive.  Fit to someday succeed his aunt's throne. His older brother, Hailstorm, was ambitious and charismatic, ranking just below the highest military position possible only after his second year of hunting.

It wasn't fair, Winter had NOTHING going for him, other than being Queen Glaciers nephew, and even that status could carry him so far within his family dynamic.

He was disgraced. Deemed about as 'frightening as an angry scavenger' - which would have been worth something IF they weren't a delicacy his family frequently enjoyed at dinner.

He supposed it was true, perhaps he lacked the ambition or the confidence needed to wield his authority properly, even more so since he failed to protect his older brother - his only saving grace in a family constantly ready to feed Winter to the wolves.

But not anymore.

Winter and Icicle were being shipped to Jade Mountain Academy for their first official education. Despite Winters initial protests, he concluded that this may actually be the best way to save his own hide and redeem himself to his family.

This would be a blank slate; he could make himself into anything he wanted to this year. Of course, naturally, Winter was not thrilled to mingle with dragons from other tribes, but he hoped that the students from his own tribe would give him the proper leverage he would need.He WOULD make a name for himself! One so that dragons couldn't look down their snouts and sneer at him like he was lower than them. They would all see!

Which is why Winter now stood at the mouth of a yawning cave, scowling and stiff as he fiercely gripped his pet scavenger's cage. His icy eyes watched his parents wings back to the Ice Kingdom. His sister wore a similar disgruntled expression, but was the first to start entering the school, muttering angry words to herself.

Winter sighed longing for the snow he'd grown so accustomed to in the Ice Kingdom but jogged after her nevertheless as they entered a much darker, much warmer, and much more stifling environment.

Blending into the shadows sat a Nightwing grinning as she waved after another young timid dragon who exited moments before Winter entered. The name tag on the Nightwing attendant read, "Fatespeaker"

His features recoiled and contorted with disgust. Was it just him, or were there already far too many Nightwings? He sized her up, and it took everything in him not to constantly scowl at her whenever she spoke. Which was a lot.

Icicle checked them in, hardly listening while Fatespeaker prattled happily about the school. Winter ignored her, busying himself instead by scrutinizing the surroundings suspiciously.

Just get me out here...and away from her already! He thought agonizingly Fatespeaker mentioned his name and instantly snapped him out of his wishful thoughts.

"annnnd... Winter! Your clawmates are... - oh, look! Actually, there's one of them over there! That's Qibli!" Fatespeaker yelped excitedly, pointing an eager talon towards a scarred Sandwing.

Winter looked over in his direction and saw him talking excitedly with a much smaller Sandwing, their voices were drowned amidst the loud chatter, but he radiated positivity and intellect.

 At the mention of his name, Qibli looked over and shot them a friendly grin.

Winter paused; holding his breath when Qiblis eyes flickered to meet his gaze. Winter tensed before quickly looking away indignantly.

"I think you'll like him," assured the Nightwing attendant, brushing off Winter's reaction with an amused brow, "he's very friendly!"

"Definitely not." Winter assured her, irritated that his question was ignored, "What exactly is a clawmate?

"Hmm," Fate speaker mused, ignoring Winter AGAIN as she giggled, "maybe you'd also like Moon.., she asked me the same exact question just before you got here."

Unlikely, thought Winter. He knew better than to befriend any conniving worm that attended school here.

Winter scrunched his nose subtly in disgust at the idea.

"Your clawmates are the dragonets who you'll be sharing a sleeping cave with." Fatespeaker explained, helpfully

"WHAT?!" roared an outraged Winter suddenly, causing Icicle to glare at him and for Fatespeaker to jump in alarm.

"And who would I have to talk to so I can change that? In case you didn't know, hello, I am Queen Glaciers nephew. And I'm sure you cannot possibly be serious about me sleeping with other dragons." He stuck his snout in the air haughtily, as though Fatespeaker would sense his supreme authoritative aura and change the rooming arrangements at once. But instead, he was met with a look of pure amusement.

"You're a funny one!" she observed, "I'm actually friends with a queen too! Queen Glory? You know her, right? She's pretty royal and awesome." She gushed, ignoring Winters glower, "but I guess if you want a room change," she continued, "maybe you could ask Sunny or Clay, they might be able to help you. Oh, but I really hope you like your clawmates! Just give them a chance! We picked them specifically for you!"

Winter grumbled as she turned and bellowed, "Next!" Signaling for the next dragon family to come forward to have their ears talked off by her incessant prattling

"Idiot." Icicle mouthed at him, trotting past him down a hallway. Once she was out of sight it occurred to Winter that he had failed to atcually get the directions to his dorm, he must have missed them in the sea of Fatespeaker's rambling.

He wandered aimlessly (while still looking confident and regal!) until he felt the warm presence of scales sidle up beside him.

"Hey, clawmate," greeted Qibli "or... can I still call you that? Did you get your room changed?" He asked teasingly

Winter scowled at him, already disliking the disrespect being shown. (Even as poor Qibli tried his hardest to earn Winters approval.)

"No, I didn't." Said Winter stiffly, "but that will change. I'm getting a room change TOMORROW." He stamped a little faster away from Quibli

"I guess you'll have to make do with me until then," he replied dramatically, catching up to Winter with ease, "Im Qibli, by the way."

"I know," Winter scowled before introducing himself. "I'm Winter. As in: Queen Glaciers nephew Winter. As in: show a little more respect."

"Oh, so we're doing that? Uhhh, I'm Qibli. As in: Queen Thorns right claw? At your service, your majesty." Qibli mocked, evidently not caring who Winter was related to. Even with Qiblis head faced down, there was an unmistakably irritating curl of his snout contorted into a smirk.

Winter snorted before realizing his reaction. He earned a grin from Qibli, and he quickly kept walking, trying to wipe his small smile, which he'd hidden from Qiblis view off his face.

As if this dragon needed any more self-confidence.

They walked in silence for a moment, and Winter listened to the quiet drippings of wet stalactites. It dawned upon him that this wasn't at all what he'd expected from the academy. Were schools always so quiet? Or were there just no dragons nearby?

"Winter?" Came Qibli's voice a moment later. He glanced around soaking in the scenery.

"What?"

"Where are we going?" He asked sheepishly

"To my cave, obviously." Winter replied shortly, emphasizing his possession of the room in the sentence. If he had it his way, he wouldn't be sharing anything for much longer

"I hate to break it to you, but the sleeping caves were back there." informed the Sandwing 

Winter huffed, stopping to look around before stomping his way in the other direction.

"It would have been nice if they told me." He grumbled in defense

"It would have been nice if you listened." he retorted with fake innocence.

Know-it-all, Winter thought darkly as he let Qibli properly lead the way back down the illuminated corridors towards the sleeping caves.

I don't think I'll be able to stand a single night with this sand snorter.