Fourth Wheel ||Qinter||

Chapter 13 - Tamarin Spits Straight Facts

A/N:

Since I haven't updated in, what, a decade? I'll try to upload at least 2 chapters this week. The next few chapters will be for progressing the plot so we can get some Qinter afterwards.

Keep in mind, this story is EXTREMELY canon divergent. The only elements I am reusing from WOF are the characters, their personalities and the world. The plot is very different, and the chronological order of similar events has been completely messed up.

Also, sorry if the characters are OOC.

Enjoy! :D

~——🌨——~

"You sure you'll be alright in there?" Asked Winter, eyeing Tamarin's empty eyes. "Your nose working okay?" He poked Tamarin's snout. Qibli felt a pang of jealousy. They seem so close... why can't Winter be like that around me?
Tamarin's snout twitched. "Yes, I'm alright. Don't poke me."
Winter frowned. "Tsk. Of course my attempt at being considerate wasn't appreciated."
"Consideration isn't the same thing as pity," Tamarin huffed.
"Whatever. Let's just go."
"Stay safe!" Turtle called out to them as they disappeared into the winding tunnels of the Diamond Caves.

Winter pressed himself up against the hard, translucent ice. It was cold, colder than the temperature he had gotten used to during his time at Jade Mountain Academy. But it was familiar, and it calmed his nerves, which were buzzing with erratic agitation. "Tamarin? Are you still there?" He whispered quietly.
"Yep. Still here. I have camouflage and acid, so I'll be fine. You should be more worried about yourself."
Winter nodded. "I honestly don't know where Foeslayer is... I've never been in these caves before. Do you have any way to make sure we can retrace our steps?"
"I could burn a trail into the ice," Tamarin suggested.
"That's so obvious," Winter hissed. "We need something a little more discreet."
"I'll make them look like claw marks," Tamarin decided.
"Fine," Winter said. "But don't make them too deep."
"Shallow claw marks. Got it." Winter could see an almost unnoticeable ripple in the air as Tamarin crouched down to burn a trail into the ice. The shallow lines seemed to etch themselves into the ground. Winter turned around, gesturing with a light flick of his head for Tamarin to follow him.

Suddenly, Tamarin pulled down harshly on Winter's tail, knocking him onto the ice. "What are you-"
"Shh!" Whispered Tamarin, clamping her talons over his snout.

"I hear dragons."

~——❄️——~

While Moon had her back turned, Qibli tried to sneak away into the cave. Yes! Qibli thought. While Moon has her back turned, I can finally go and-
"Go and what, Qibli?" Asked Moon, holding onto his tail firmly to prevent him from escaping. Ugh, that pesky mind reading ability. I forgot about it. Moon frowned. "It's not pesky, it's useful. And don't even think about going near those caves. You heard what Winter said. It's sweet that you're concerned for the wellbeing of your crush, but-"
Qibli blushed furiously. "I'm not-" He reconsidered his words. He couldn't let Moon find out that he was jealous. "Of course I'm concerned for Winter's wellbeing!" He yelled boldly, his voice an octave too high and the sandy yellow scales of his snout a shade too red. "There's nothing wrong with that! I'm concerned for Tamarin as well!"
Moon sighed. "My point is, you can't go in there. You could jeopardise our entire mission. All of our efforts would be wasted."
Qibli visibly wilted. "You're right," he admitted. "The most I can do is pray that they both get out of those caves unharmed."

~——❄️——~

A velvety, unfamiliar voice echoed through the caves. Tamarin tensed. The echoes of the voice indicated that they were alarmingly close to the unknown dragon. Winter had fallen silent in front of her, his spines rising and falling with each soundless breath.
"A NightWing?" The voice reverberated through the vast cave system. "We have to kill this NightWing?"
"I'll kill her, then you!" A second, raspier voice snarled. "I'll prove my worth to the rest of our tribe! I'll prove that I'm better than some weak, dumb, brat like you, Sleet!"
"Pft. As if you could beat me, Rime. Stop bluffing and poke her with your spear."
"Fine," the raspy voice snapped.
Tamarin heard another, female voice. "More challengers? This is getting monotonous." That must be Foeslayer, Tamarin realised. She heard the ear-splitting sound of claws scraping on ice, the NightWing's smooth, sharp claws not suited for grappling onto the slippery ice. Cracking sounds could be heard as the IceWings (Sleet and Rime, Tamarin assumed) gave chase, their serrated claws digging into the ice with ease. The sound of a hard blade piercing through a dragon's scales echoed through the caves, and a gurgled scream came from the cavern in which the fight was taking place.

Winter shuddered. Despite the number of times he had heard the sound, a dragon's dying scream was still intensely disturbing. Both of the IceWings exhaled shakily.
"You may have killed the NightWing, but I'll kill you!" Screeched Rime, his talons clattering against the rigid ice as he charged at Sleet.
"You could've at least postponed your death by running away," growled Sleet. He easily dodged Rime's attack. Winter suddenly realised what was happening. "Tamarin!" He whispered urgently. "Tamarin, we have to stop this fight. Rime, he- he doesn't stand a chance!"
"You know those two dragonets?" Asked Tamarin.
Winter nodded frantically. "Yeah, Sleet was always at the top of his class. Rime was always near the bottom. "I can't just cower behind this wall of ice and listen to the sounds of two dragonets I know killing each other. I have to stop this." Winter scrambled upwards, but Tamarin pulled him back down.
"What are you doing? Let me go!"
"Who do you think they're more loyal to? You, or their Queen? There will have to be one victor. There can't be two. They can't just disappear, either. If you reveal yourself to them, and the winner tells the Queen, we'll be kicked out before we can even finish our mission. They both willingly participated in the Diamond Trial. They can't bail at the last moment. You can't make them bail at the last moment. What we're doing is for the sake of an entire continent. Don't put thousands of dragons in danger just to save one, Winter. That's stupid." Tamarin forced out her next words, trying to convince herself as much as Winter. "Rime's life in inconsequential. Leave him to fate. We're here for a different purpose, and I will not let you ruin this mission."
Winter hissed in frustration, and pressed his head against the icy wall of the cavern. He put his talons over his ears, blocking out as much noise as he could. "Whatever. I just hope Sleet gets it done and over with quickly so we can proceed with the mission."