The Seawing prince raced through the ancient corridors of Jade mountain. His breath puffed in the damp cold, and even with his night vision, he could barely see a thing. A scroll was clutched tightly under one wing, and the prince guarded it as if it were a precious jewel; even more tightly guarded was his mind.

After what seemed like an eternity of running, a dim glow showed ahead, and the Seawing drew to a halt. Squinting, he paced cautiously into the cave. 

A cold hiss greeted him, and he jerked back in fear.

"Do you have the scroll?" A massive, foreboding Icewing dragoness stepped into the light, white scales gleaming. A dangerous ally, the prince knew. She was a risk, but also his only hope for the safety of his tribe. The Seawing nodded quickly, and fumbled for the scroll under his wing, handing it to her. She snatched it, and read it carefully.

Slowly, a wicked grin grew across her snout, and her purple tongue flicked in and out. "Excellent work, my liege," she murmured. Her tail scraped across the floor, and her eyes glinted with excitement. "This is exactly what your kingdom will need to defeat the Dreamwalker."

The prince's ear twitched nervously, although he brightened slightly at her words. "Do you really think so?" He asked hopefully, shuffling his claws. Perhaps doing this had been the right thing for his kingdom.

"Oh, certainly," the Icewing chuckled. "Well... this, and one thing more." She eyed the sapphire hung at his neck hungrily. He followed her gaze to the gem, and his eyes widened even more. He clutched it, and his talons suddenly seemed rooted to the stone floor.

"That- that wasn't part of our deal," he stammered. "You said you could get rid of her with just the scroll and your own claws. In return, you get to keep your freedom."

The Icewing tsk'd mockingly and sat. "Oh, my dear Prince Undertow," she sighed. "I said no such thing. I said that in return for the assassination of your Nightwing enemy, you would provide me a scroll, my freedom, and anything else I needed to complete my mission. Do you remember?" Her eyes grew colder and seemed to bore into his soul.

Undertow's throat went dry. Suddenly, the gem around his neck seemed to choke him. The Icewing stalked slowly towards him. "Y-you can't," he rasped fearfully. "This is an ancient heirloom of the royal family!"

Annoyance flickered in the dragoness' eyes. "You must be an idiot if you can't already see that I don't care." Fast as lightning, she pinned him to the ground, tail spines poised to strike. "Give me the dream visitor if you want your precious kingdom saved," she hissed. Her frigid breath blasted Undertow's face, and he winced. Slowly, as though he were trying not to anger a mad beast, he reached up and unclasped his necklace. Her wicked smile returned, and grasping the stone, she stepped away. 

He stood shakily, watching the cruel Icewing carefully.

But she took no notice of him. In fact, as she had stepped away, her eyes began to glow blue as the sapphire in her serrated claws. Her expression was blank, and frigid indigo mist poured from the sides of her mouth. Without speaking, words followed suit, coming forth as though flowing from some spring.

Ancient feuds stir ancient blood,

An Icewing queen awakened,

A once-great kingdom's dying days,

And a palace long forsaken,

A dragonet born of Night and Storm,

A walker of tortured dreams,

To help a land of dragons torn,

To unmask those who are not what they seem,

The ravaged land and dragon's blood

Cries out its bitter plea,

Their only hope lies in land once lost

Across the treacherous sea.

The Icewing's mind seemed to return, and both dragons shuddered. Trembling, Prince Undertow broke the silence. "That sounded like a..."

"A prophecy," the Icewing growled darkly. "We are not the only ones with a plan."