Chapter Text
Chapter 18
Moon noticed by the looks on both Winter and Kinkajou’s faces and thoughts, that they didn’t fully believe what Moon had said.
“How is that possible?” Kinkajou exclaimed, her eyes wide with a mix of confusion and shock.
“Glory told me that Battlewinner only had one daughter? I think her name was Greatness?” Kinkajou explained.
Moon looked down at her talons, she wasn’t sure if they’d even believe her but Moon continued explaining.
“Glory is right about Battlewinner only having one daughter but Darkstalker and even Stonemover explained how Battlewinner’s mother had a brother named Ambitious, who had married an animus named Stargazer.” Moon explained, trying to meet both Kinkajou and Winter’s eyes.
“Darkstalker explained how they had a daughter named Brightseer, but Ambitious feared his sister would kill Brightseer, so he had her egg swapped with another dragonet egg.” Moon continued.
“What does that have to do with you though? Your mother is Secretkeeper.” Kinkajou asked as her mind was filled with questions, just like how a bromeliad would be filled with water.
Moon took in a deep breath, knowing she could possibly ruin her friends' trust in her forever.
”Darkstalker explained to me that Brightseer was my grandmother, which makes me have a claim to the Nightwing throne.” Moon explained, looking up to meet her friend's eyes.
“If that truly is Darkstalker, he could be lying to you.” Winter said, but Moon could see the doubts in his mind.
“I don’t think he is as a few days ago, Stonemover told both me and Qibli about Brightseer since Stonemover accidentally mistook me for Brightseer.” Moon explained, while quietly wondering if she really did look like her grandmother.
“Moon you are filled with surprises.” Kinkajou exclaimed in shock but to Moon’s surprise at the fact she saw no anger or hurt in Kinkajou’s mind about her being Nightwing royalty.
“I’m sorry if this makes you not want to trust me even more.” Moon said, looking back at her talons.
While Moon saw no anger in Kinkajou’s mind, she still could see the distrust in Winter’s mind.
Kinkajou had a look of confusion on her face before she shook her head while saying, “Moon, this doesn’t make me trust you less, I’m just surprised that you are royalty.”
Moon noticed how Kinkajou’s eyes widened before looking at Moon before exclaiming, “That means I have two queen best friends!”
Moon felt her heart swell at the fact that Kinkajou called Moon her best friend.
“I’m still your best friend? I thought you hated me.” Moon exclaimed.
“Well I was mad at you for not telling me about your Nightwing powers and your animus magic, and I was also upset over you using your animus magic on Tamarin.” Kinkajou said as her wings twitched before continuing.
“Though I realized that if I had ancient powers that everyone else thought was gone on top of being an animus I’d probably not want to share that too.” Kinkajou said, wrinkling her snout.
Moon felt a smile grow on her face before hearing Winter speak.
“You mentioned that Darkstalker wanted you to free him, did you agree to do that?” Winter asked, his tone serious.
Moon nodded before saying, “He did, but I don’t even know if I should.”
“Don’t! He will kill all Icewings!” Winter exclaimed, his tone a mix of anger and fear.
Moon didn’t meet Winter’s eyes as she spoke, “I don’t think he wants to hurt anyone, since he told me how much he wants to be better.”
“He’s clearly lying! Darkstalker is a monster, who is just manipulating you with a sob story on how he wants to redeem himself!” Winter snapped.
Moon knew very well Winter could be right, but the remorse in Darkstalker's eyes felt too real to be faked.
“I haven’t decided if I want to free him, but I don’t think he’s manipulating me.” Moon said, looking up from her talons to meet Winter's eyes.
Moon could feel the storm in Winter's mind growing, alongside the distrust in her, but before she or Winter could say anything else a voice spoke up.
“Well I see Winter and Kinkajou beat us to Moon.”
Looking at the sleeping cave’s entrance, Moon saw Sunny, Starflight and Qibli standing there.
“I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything too important.” Sunny said softly as she looked between Winter and Moon.
“Maybe you can talk some sense into her.” Winter said angrily as he turned to Sunny before pointing a wing at Moon.
“She wants to release Darkstalker, despite the fact he is a monster who will kill all the Icewings!”
“I never said I was going to release him!” Moon protested, standing up.
“You didn’t say you weren’t going to!” Winter snapped back before turning back to Sunny.
“You can’t let her release him!” Winter exclaimed at Sunny who had a look of both recognition and confusion.
“I think I’ve heard the name Darkstalker before, back when I was following Fierceteeth to the Scorpion Den. Strongwings seemed pretty scared of him.”
Winter scoffed, “They only have themselves to blame for being scared, if Foeslayer hadn’t stolen Arctic then that monster wouldn’t have been born!”
“I see the Icewing kingdom has its own version of how my mother and Arctic fled to the Nightwing kingdom.” Moon heard Darkstalker muse.
“We can worry about that later, I alongside Starflight and Qibli want to talk to Moon.” Sunny explained calmly.
Moon looked at Sunny with a worried expression, before asking, “I’m not being expelled am I?”
Sunny gave Moon a small smile before saying, “No, we just want to ask you a few questions.”
Moon looked from Sunny to Qibli who gave her a reassuring smile, before hearing him think, “Everything is going to be okay.”
Moon smiled back before nodding as she turned back to Sunny.
“Alright, I’ll answer any questions you both have.” Moon said, hoping she could show them that she didn’t want to hurt anyone.
“Thank you Moon.” Sunny said before Starflight quickly spoke up.
“Regarding Nightwing powers like mind reading, can you pick who you want to listen to?” Starflight asked, though Moon could tell he was trying to hold back just asking all his questions at once.
“Well, I’ve already told Kinkajou and Winter this, but I can’t pick who I want to listen to. It’s more like entering a room of dragons talking, I just hear what they’re thinking at the moment.” Moon explained.
“Interesting, so you can hear what we are all thinking?” Starflight asked, his voice filled with curiosity and excitement.
Moon nodded before Starflight asked his next question.
“Regarding seeing the future and prophecies, can you see the whole future?”
Moon shook her head before saying, “No, it’s more like I'm seeing only bits of the future.”
“Well that might make Tsunami a bit more upset.” Starflight said but before he could ask another question Sunny interrupted him.
“Starflight, I’d like to ask a few questions now.” Sunny said kindly.
“Oh! Right, sorry Sunny.” Starflight said sheepishly before stepping back.
“First, I want to ask you if you’re doing okay after what happened with the history cave.” Sunny said to Moon who felt Sunny’s mind swirl with worry like sand.
“I’m alright, Turtle helped me with my injuries so I’m okay.” Moon said, though she didn’t want Sunny or any of them knowing about her nightmares.
“That was kind of Turtle, and surprising since he seems like he never wants to be in any conflict. Should I have stayed and helped her, like Turtle did? What if she thinks Turtle is a better friend than me?” Qibli thought, before quickly looking at his talons, pretending to think of anything else.
“I mean more than physically, as I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy so many discovering you have both Nightwing powers and animus magic.” Sunny said, giving Moon a sympathetic look.
Moon looked at both Winter and Kinkajou who both still had mixed feelings on Moon's powers before looking at Qibli who had a small smile on his face.
She could see how Qibli wasn’t fully sure of Moon's powers either but like Kinkajou he still trusted her.
This made Moon wonder if despite her Nightwing powers and animus magic that she could have friends.
Looking back at Sunny, Moon smiled softly before saying, “It doesn’t matter, as I'm fine now.”
Sunny smiled back before saying, “Alright, but Moon please don’t be afraid to talk to me if something is bothering you.”
Moon nodded but before she could say anything else, Winter interrupted her.
“Okay it seems you’ve asked all your questions, now can we get back to the fact that the most evil dragon is still alive!” Winter snapped.
“Winter, he can’t get out from under the mountain as he doesn’t have his animus magic.” Moon said, her frustration rising.
“How does that matter! All it takes is for you to use your animus magic to free him!” Winter exclaimed, his eyes narrowing.
“I never said I would free him! Why can’t you just believe me?!” Moon exclaimed in frustration.
“How do any of us know you aren’t lying! Darkstalker could have manipulated you already into wanting to set him free!” Winter exclaimed, his mind being filled with fear and distrust.
“Okay, both of you stop arguing!” Sunny exclaimed firmly, her wings spread out.
“Winter please stop assuming Moon is going to free Darkstalker as it’s not fair to accuse of something she hasn’t claimed to do.” Starflight said.
Winter looked from Sunny and Starflight before he stormed off,
Moon watched as Winter left, she felt bad for yelling back at Winter as Moon worried she could’ve made Winters distrust her more.
“Don’t feel too bad, Moon, he just needs time to cool down.” Darkstalker said, trying to ease Moon’s worries.
“I hope you’re right, Darkstalker.” Moon thought.