Chapter 2



Dawn light was streaming into the cave. Flamingleap had just woken up to watch the sun rise. He sniffed the air hoping for it to be warm. Instead ice crystals stung his nostrils. He sighed. The tribe had been waiting for weeks for any sign of a thaw. Instead it seemed to get colder every day. Flamingleap heard the camp start to stir and he went out into the clearing of the cave. Thunderbolt, a male dragon with multiple shades of yellow, was picking dragons to hunt. “icyclaw.” thunderbolt flicked his tail towards a pure white male dragon. “you hunt near the edges of the mountains.” thunderbolt flicked his tail at a blue she dragon as icyclaw walked out of the cave. “Steadyriver, you will see if there are any fish in the rivers and pools.” Steadyriver nodded and made her way out of the cave. “and lastly, whippingwind will hunt on the peaks of the mountain.” thunderbolt flicked his tail toward a gray male dragon with wide spreading wings. Whippingwind walked out of camp, head held high. “i hope they bring back something good.” Drippingice muttered. “i hevent eaten in a week and I have two hungry hatchlings to feed.” her mate Rushingwater, a dark blue dragon, brushed his tail along her back. “I'm sure they'll bring back something.” he muttered. “they'd better.” Drippingice replied. “there are three dragons out hunting three times a day, they have to bring back something.” a light blue she hatchling squeaked. “hush Icyriver!” Drippingice scolded. “sorry.” Icyriver whispered. Flamingleap turned away. He hated seeing queens snapping at their hatchlings out of hunger. “it'll be fine.” he told himself. “the thaw can't be far away now.” Flamingleap was still uncertain. He had been telling himself that for weeks and the thaw never seemed to come any closer. He shook his head. It had to be getting closer. It had been over ten weeks since the bitter cold had started getting rid of prey. “what if the thaw never came?” he thought then shuddered. “don't even think that, it's ridiculous! Of course the thaw will come!” still uncertain, Flamingleap gazed at the prey pile. All the prey on it had became stale and hard. His belly ached for food but he didn't dare take anything. The queens and elders had to eat first. “as long as I have nothing else to do I may as well sleep.” he thought, going back into the fighters cave. He curled up in his nest. The fluffy feathers brushed his scales as he drifted off into sleep. When he awoke it was evening. The evening patrol had just come back and the sun was setting. Flamingleap walked out into the cave clearing, hoping for fresh prey. He stumbled back as he saw a warm, limp, mountain lion on the prey pile on top of several eagles and hawks. “how did you guys catch all that?” Flamingleap asked. A pale gray she dragon answered him. “the thaw came. Isn't it great?” “it's fantastic.” Flamingleap replied. A pale yellow she dragon with white stripes grabbed a hawk off the prey pile. A big black male dragon started tossing prey at the other dragons. “if this doesn't call for a feast, nothing does.”