Chapter Text
"Blister, how's the cell?" I asked as Blaze closed the door behind me.
"Quite comfortable actually, it's nice knowing that something will have to try really hard to kill me, even if I am 'chained up' and whatnot." While she said that, she was currently fiddling with her unlocked chains and twirling them around her talons. She flashed a grin at me with her sharp, white teeth.
"So, this is what you look like as a dragon, huh... I expected something bigger." I stated while crossing my arms, smirking as I felt the prosthetic shift uncomfortable against my stump, just like usual.
"And you're still a bug... but a bug like you doesn't stay alive this long without having something up your sleeve." she chuckled before her face turned to a frown. Her neck shifted to look down at me, covered in the diamond scales that must have been the one on her arms when she was a human. She soon frowned and rolled her eyes. "I take it that your plan means we have to leave?" She asked with disdain.
I nod. "Unfortunately."
She scoffed. "Can I at least stay as a dragon-"
"Nope."
She huffed. "Sorrow." She grumbled. I watched as her wings shark and seemed to fold back into her skin as her bones cracked and folded in on themselves till the skin merged the two pieces as the limb formed. Her scales shedded off to reveal the tan skin underneath and the pitch black in her eyes shrank to the smaller emerald ones I was more familiar with. The scales on her neck seemed to transfer down into the pattern under the eyes and on her arms. "That... fucking... hurts... three moons!" She gasped as she collapsed on the floor, gasping as she coughed up some blood.
"Hey, are you okay-" I asked but she put her hand out.
"I'm fine, I don't need help." She panted as she got up before looking at her form up and down. "I need... what do you call them... clothes?"
"Yeah, here you go." I say as I pass her the clothing Blaze had given before turning away and letting her change.
"Humans are weird." My eyebrow peaked, that was the first time she had called us humans and scavengers.
"How so?" I ask, looking at the ground, or ceiling, or wall. Damn, that's a nice looking wall.
"Are you ashamed of me?" She suddenly asked.
"What?"
"I said... are you ashamed of me?"
"No, why would I be ashamed of you?"
"You have no problem looking at me when I'm a dragon though, so what's the difference?"
"Humans have different customs, it's considered inappropriate, that's all there is to it."
"Even then, you're turning your back to an enemy."
"But you're not an enemy, Blister." I chuckle.
"But you don't know that! I could stab you in the back, there are so many reasons I would hurt you-"
"Then Why haven't you?"
I barely catch the faint crack, that small speck of hesitation, right before she speaks. "I might just be trying to get you to trust me."
I roll my eyes. "Like I'll believe that..." I muttered.
"Don't grumble to your elders."
I scoffed.
She huffed before walking in front of me in rags that were similar enough to her old clothing. "I hate clothes..." She mumbled as she crossed her arms, before using one of her arms to scratch her back.
"Don't grumble to your superiors."
"That was a grumble!" She protested.
"Eh... tomato potato..."
She groaned, staying behind me so I wasn't able to see the small and soft smirk that was on her face as she looked at me.
I sigh and knock three times on the gigantic door, where I'm met with the gigantic, pitch-dark eye of Blaze. "AWW! She looks so cute!" She remarked as she scooped us up.
Blister snarled and hissed, raking her nails and trying to bite at Blaze's scales. "Let us go you stupid-"
"Blister, cut it out, this is part of the plan!"
She stopped but with a huff. "Very well..."
"Good." I turn to Blaze. "So who's the one dropping us off?"
"That would be my son." She said after she finished giggling at Blister's antics.
"Wait, you and Glacier have a son?"
"Yes, as well as my daughters."
I raised my eyebrow and I exchanged a glance with Blister. "Did you hear that?" I asked.
"Her growling?" Right, I forgot that only teardrops can talk to dragons with the gems.
"No, she just said has a kid-"
She chuckled and turned away from me. "Knowing her, she probably has a thousand."
I had to stifle a laugh.
"What's so funny?" Blaze asked, tilting her head.
I did not want to be crushed in her claws. "Nothing of importance, so how did you and Glacier have a kid?"
That made Blister's eyes widen in... fear? "You never said it was between her and Glacier..."
"Oh, well technically he's Glacier's nephew, but he's always been interested in scavengers."
"Ah, that makes sense- what do you mean interested in scavengers? Interested like you where you tried to b-"
"WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT!" She yelped before taking a deep breath. "I mean in a good way, he's always been fascinated by your kind, at least whenever his fucking excuse for parents aren't watching him!" Blaze grits her teeth and for a second I believe I see steam coming out of her nostrils, then just as it appeared, it vanished and instead there was a bright white smile.
"Home life-"
"Let's not talk about that either, but he really likes humans and I'm sure when we explain the plan to him-"
"Wait, you haven't told him yet."
"Well... no... in fact it's been quite hard to get in touch with him due to all the Icewing protocols, even if I see myself as his mother."
"Are you sure it'll be safe then to send your son into one of Vulture's-"
"I have several undercover agents that have been studying his presence here for a long time, as well as some of Thorn's agents working alongside us. My son was already sent on this mission long before you came, all we're simply doing is adding you."
***
"Are you sure you're ready for this, just say the word and I'll send someone else in there!"
"I'll be fine, Queen B-"
"What have I told you about calling me that!" Blaze cried as she wrapped her hands around the smaller Icewing, easily dwarfing him in size; she didn't seem to care about all the spikes and horns that were scratching against her during the hug.
The dragonet remained quiet but leaned more into the hug. "I'll be fine... mom..." He said quietly as they nuzzled each other.
She sniffled before finally releasing the dragon and gesturing towards me and Blister who were in the small, human-sized bird cage, atop some hay. "These will be your friends for the trip, and you better come back to me, do you understand?" Blaze asked.
"Yes, you have my word, Queen-"
"Winter..." Blaze sternly growled.
"S-sorry... Mom."
"That's better, be safe, okay?"
He nodded and they nuzzled one more time before the Icewing walked towards us.
"I'll miss you!" Blaze cried out as he took flight.
"I'll miss you too!" He shouted back, till she was nothing but a speck in the outpost of the city.
Winter looked down at us, using one of his wings to wipe his face of any tears that threatened to fall, while also clutching the gem that Blaze had given him. Of course I wasn't allowed to speak to him but it would allow me to understand him so I wouldn't be out of the loop.
"So he's also my nephew in law now, I guess?" She sighed. "Great, as if I didn't have enough of those."
I put the gem in my pocket so I wouldn't be touching it. "How many children does Blaze have?"
She shrugs. "None officially... officially." She repeated.
"You give her too much shit, besides, if we want this alliance to work out well then you'll have to get along. Maybe connect with the kids a bit-"
Blister just glared at me as she crossed her arms, I hadn't seen her this furious before, even when she tried to choke me to death. Her face was all scrunched up and her eyes gleamed dangerously as they seemed to stare into my soul. "Did you consider the fact what happens if Glacier finds out?" She suddenly shouted.
Winter noticed and looked down at us and tried sticking one of his talons in to comfort Blister, but she promptly bit at him, causing him to flinch away and focus on flying.
"Won't she be happy that her nephew is getting to spend time with scavengers?" I asked.
She scoffed. "Icewing's are very different when compared to the rest of us, although most tribes have a military, they are a military. The Icewings have a caste system, so if Winter is ever found betraying their kingdom for some scavengers...' She glanced up at the white dragon. "It could destroy him... and his family. Not to mention, if Glacier finds out Blaze is helping me, Blister, one of her sworn enemies..." She clenched her fists as my eyes widened.
"That could break them up..." I whispered to myself as I turned my head down to face the bottom of the cage.
"So it's Glacier... or me... and I already know who you're going to choose." She sighed as her form slumped to the ground.
I winced. "That's not true, I can find some way- we can sever the alliance, keep us on neutral terms"
"River... what's done is done... Glacier will be suspicious that I've gone missing from custody again..." She let out a deep breath. "We're... we screwed up... both of us..."
"No... just me... how could've you screwed up?"
"I screwed up when I started this war... I've thought I've been doing everything perfectly, making up the prophecy, turning the challenge to a war, using the Dragonets of Destiny, yet now look at the result." She gestured to the cage with her arms open wide. "Stuck in a cage as a human."
"Blister... I can hide you away... say I threatened her... make it look like an accident-"
"I regret things, River..."
I go silent.
"I regret a lot of things... I looked out for one person my entire life, River, and that was me, but now..." She took a shaky breath and her eyes shut as they started to turn watery.. "I have nothing, no one!" She cried out as she clutched her head and thrashed it against the bars. Suddenly her sobbing turned to laughter. "How fucked up is that, I do everything and gain everything for myself, and I still have nothing!" She looked me in the eyes. "I wish I had a family... that I settled down... that I had a son... I wish I had something!"
I lower my eyes. "We all make mistakes... and we can give you a new life... I can give you a new life, I can give you something-"
"Stop!" She suddenly gasped for air as she looked back out at Possibility, watching as we passed quickly over some building. "I have been given so many chances... by so many dragons... Blaze has given me several... the Dragonets of Destiny let me go... even Burn gave me a chance when she accepted the war proposal instead of a challenge... and I screwed them all up..." Her gaze returned to my eyes. "And now you... a scavenger... no... a human..." She paused for a moment. "Do you know about what happened to your safe harbor..."
I sighed. "I knew when I saw your tattoos."
"I... I don't understand...why... why give me a chance if you knew what I'd-"
"What'd Blister would do?"
She stared att me blankly.
"Stay with me, don't give in, we can still make it through this. You can still be my general, you just can't a dragon."
"You're saying..." She trailed off.
"Yes, leave the dragon behind, and we can make a better future for us... together." I pleaded as I got close and our hands intertwined. "You can start a new life, and get what you want, what you deserve.
She suddenly giggled for a few moments, "You manipulative little shit!" Just as it started though, her laughter had turned back to sobs. She let out another shaky breath and sniffled before returning her gaze to the floor. "I hope you're right..." she then looked up at me again. "I...I wish I had a dragonet that was like you."