Breaking the Ice (Book 1)

Chapter Eighteen (part two)

SLEET

Flare gaped in disbelief as Sleet gasped and fell over. The Icee felt stupid for doing so, but he was taken aback. "I knew you were stupid Nightling...BUT NOT THIS STUPID!!!" The Heatling burst. Sleet couldn't help but agree, trusting a Scorpian will only prove troublesome. Sleet could hear Luna snicker.

"Meet Flare," she says to the Scorpian, pointing at the Heatling. "Also known as Prince Volcano Head."
Sleet's fiery traveling companion turned redder than warm zalpsuda blood, his shoulders and fists steaming with smoke. He gritted his teeth.

"And that's Sleet." Luna continued, pointing a thumb in the Icee's direction. Flare scoffed in incredulity. Sleet puffed his chest out in pride, Luna hadn't called him a name.

That's what you get for calling her stupid, strawberry head. He thinks smugly, glancing at the Heatling.

"Pfft." The Scorpian barks a laugh. "Now it makes sense." I raise a slender brow at him. "Explains why you're traveling together. You kidnapped two prince charmings." He smirked, clearly amused.

The trio looked at each other in shock and distaste. "I barely KNOW Ash-Breath and Star Girl." Sleet wrinkled his snout. Flare sucked in a patient breath, a smile spread across his face which was worrisome.

"Star girl?" Luna asked, not quite offended. "Really?" It was true it wasn't Sleet's best retort, but it was accurate.

Turning back to the Scorpian, Sleet noticed that his barbed tail was easing back. He caught Flare staring at him as well with furrowed eyebrows. As the Scorpian and Luna continued their conversation, the Icee whispered, "What?"

"What?" The Heatling spat in response.

"That's your thinking face. What do you know that I don't?" He asked, eyeing Luna casually speaking with the Scorpian.

Flare chuckled bitterly, "I'm not surprised. An Icee like you must have a frozen brain." Sleet snorted.

"Wow. I didn't know someone as hot-headed as you could make a cool joke." The wolf giggled. "Get it? Cool joke? I'm hilarious!"

"And you call yourself a dignified prince?" The Healtling released a puff of smoke from his nostrils. This made Sleet wonder if they were fireproof inside as well as outside....Of course he was just wondering this so he could list Heatling weaknesses for the Icee King and Queen.

"You know..." The Nightling said, a bit louder than before, catching Sleet's attention. "We could maybe help you find your parents?"

"What do you mean by we?" Flare crossed his arms, lifting his chin.

"We will do NOTHING of the sort!" Sleet protested. The Scorpian, on the other hand, looked curiously down at the little Nightling.

"For once, I agree with Flare." Sleet choked out the words. It was harder to say than he thought.

"Fine. I'll go get eaten then. And it will be all because two idiots were too wimpy to even grow a spine." The Nightling sighed, shrugging. "Now, if you excuse me, my fate will soon be me becoming a meal."

"C'mon, she's not that stupid." Sleet said, elbowing Flare who glared at him. Luna and the Scorpian began to walk out the tent and away from the shelter. "But I've been wrong before." He ran after her. She was too precious to lose.

"They won't make it 'till morning." Flare grinned, but then faltered. "I'll make sure their deaths approach quicker." he mutters to himself as he sighs and follows, hands buried in his pockets...