Breaking the Ice (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty

LUNA

"There are really creatures like that? I would've known that if there was." Sleet said.

"How could you know?" Flare frowned. "You couldn't tell if a piranha was slowly digesting your ass." Luna and Scorch burst into tears as they laughed. Flare flashed them a small smile that quickly vanished.

"So let's go bang on their door and demand to get what we want." Sleet deadpanned. "Sure. Sounds possible."

The sky began to purple, the vast sparkles of the stars slowly faded. The sun was rising, which was a relief to Luna.

"What's in it for us anyways? Why should we help you?" The Icee glared up at Scorch.

"I could easily kill you kids." Scorch sneered. He caught the Icee's stare at his shoulder where an arm should be connected. "Arm or no arm." Luna was curious about how he lost his arm, but she closed her mouth before she could ask. It seemed like a personal question, after seeing how Sleet acted when she asked him how he received his scar.

The Icee groaned, "We've made it this far...Because we stuck together. I probably wouldn't have made it this far without you. So...I'm in." But he narrowed his multicolored eyes at the Scorpian. "But I'm doing this for..my traveling companion, not you."

Scorch nodded. "Fair enough."

"Haha! You're out-voted!" Luna pointed a finger at Flare. He rolled his eyes and buried his hands in his pockets, an action Luna had become accustomed to. At least he didn't burn her hand off. "And lucky for you, I know where a camp of those cretins are."

"How do you know that?" Flare raised an unamused eyebrow.

"The outskirts of the desert. Always avoided the place because it reeked of dark magic. I don't know if it's still there."

...

"Are we there yet?" Sleet whined for the seventh time. He couldn't stay cool for long. The sun was at its highest peak, making the heat even more unbearable. Beads of sweat soaked Luna's back, making her shirt stick to her. She's reduced her clothing to a cloth that wrapped around her middle. The others, luckily, got to rid themselves of their shirts.

Sleet was leaner than the other two, a patch of light blue skin engulfed his chest. His body was also drenched in sweat, unlike the other two, who were made for the heat.

"We'll get there...eventually." The Nightling said between breaths, looking down at her feet. They passed another merchant tent a few hours ago, and purchased shoes. Although her feet were no longer burning, they were sweating terribly.

"But..but when we get there..we need a plan." Sleet grunted, wiping his face with his shirt. Luna could barely hear him over her heavy breathing. It was true that she ached, but her excitement for the rescue mission out weighed her rational side...as usual. She trailed her tongue across her lips to moisten them, but that just dried them out even more.

As evening approached, the group stopped to make camp. Thankfully because they were near the Sihn Akkah's edges, the snakes were less likely to go near them. But there was still a possibility....But Luna wasn't afraid of any snakes. She wasn't afraid of anything.

As it got darker, Flare called upon fire. It bloomed from his hand, which Luna found fascinating. They all sat in a circle facing each other, an awkward silence filled the starry night. But it was Scorch who broke it.

"..So...what epic battle did you survive to receive an awesome souvenir like that?" he nodded at Sleet's scar, who scowled at him.

"It's ironic that it is you to ask that." He hissed. "Since I received it from your own kind when they attacked us."

Scorch's eyes widened, sympathy (an emotion you wouldn't expect to see on his scary figure) spread across his features. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't kn-"

"It's fine." Sleet waved him off. "You're...not as bad as I thought...But I still don't like you." Luna's heart nearly burst at this, it was comforting to see different tribes getting along. She wished everyone was like them. Scorch, Sleet...even Flare; they were different from the others of their kind. They were strange, accepting, and curious. Like her.

"So where'd your arm go?" Sleet smirked, crossing his legs.

Suddenly, Scorch looked serious, his face darkened. "After that day...everything changed." His words were filled with suspense, making Luna and Sleet leaned in closer. "A colossal serpent slithered its ugly head near. I was nine when it bit my arm off, barely made it away alive." Luna gasped.

Flare shook his head, "If it bit your arm off you would've died of blood loss."

Scorch shot him an exasperated glare. "Must you ruin everything? Ok, fine! My arm wasn't bitten off, it was just a birth defect." He groaned. "What about your eye?"

The Heatling was silent, lifting his fingers to his eyepatch. The flame in his other hand flickered and went out for a heartbeat then returned. He returns his burning gaze to Scorch. "None of your business." Luna knitted her brows in concern. Flare caught her look and spat at her. "What are you looking at, Nightling?" His voice deepened, the hatred in it was raw and naked.

Luna was taken aback by this and shrank back. Sleet looked as if he was biting back a retort. After the Heatling's outburst, they decided to turn in.

...

It was about the third sunset when the sand became scarce. A few miles northwest was when trees appeared. Following Luna's nose, they stumbled upon the camp. Thankfully it was still there.

"Yeesh, they're so creepy, I bet it's possible they're related to the Wolf Reaper." Scorch shuddered, peering down at the hooded figures below. Sleet shot him a disapproving look, his ears flicked down for a moment.

"Maybe one of us should go down there to collect info." Luna suggested, smacking a mosquito that landed on her ankle.

"Sure, I nominate you." Flare said disinterestedly, shaving the skin off a stick with his newly bought pocket knife from the merchants. Luna hadn't realized he was actually paying attention. But she nodded, if any of the others went, they could be spotted easily.

"It sounds dangerous." Sleet hissed, "I don't like splitting up like this." Luna smiled gratefully at him, patting his frigid shoulder. Scorch grinned mischievously at them, receiving a glare from the Icee.

...

Luna slipped into her oversized hoodie and flipped the hood on. Add a mask and ta da! She'd blend in perfectly. "If you don't come back in an hour, we'll think something went wrong and you'll need help." Sleet whispered in her ear, so close that Luna could feel his cool breath.

"And we'll know to just walk away and pretend you cease to exist." Said Flare. The Nightling ignored his remark and started making her way down to the campsite..