Icebound

Icebound had been trained as a lighthouse keeper all his life, along with his cousin. It was fun at first, feeling like a hero, knowing he was saving lives out there. But, then his cousin left. He was told it was just a family gathering and at least one dragon should stay behind but... His cousin never returned.

Being a young boy full of energy, having to be chained down in one lonely place for ever and ever was not a good fate. Icebound tried to keep up his cheerful attitude, but eventually he sank into daily routine without focus, and the occasional manic laughter. He even stopped talking to his plush seal Frishka, instead spending his night staring at the ceiling in silence holding her close.

Such a passionless routine would not have kept him going. What did, was occasional visits to the clan in the wispwillow grove, when Bingo was able to walk past his lighthouse. Icebound loved to talk and catch up with everyone... With the exception of the nagging feeling that he was still an outsider, and the loneliness continued to eat at him.

Until the appearance of the newcomer.

Icebound knew the whole camp by heart, despite its size, so the new tent made of a few carpets caught his eye immediately. Sliding in, he greeted the sad looking coatl who immediately put up a happy facade. Not convinced, Icebound sat next to him on the seat made out of a rolled up carpet and began to talk to him. Their first meeting wasn’t quite as helpful as Icebound was hoping, because he ended up talking a lot about himself and only got the coatl’s name: Michael.

But Icebound kept coming back, he was determined to find out who this newcomer was. Michael wasn’t too interested, having gotten used to everyone’s overbearing friendliness, up until Icebound brought in a huge salmon to share in their fourth meeting. The shock of seeing a wildclaw wanting to eat a fish brought him out of his uninterested phase and he became more responsive.

Thus their bond grew strong, and they soon because very good friends. Michael found that he enjoyed this strange and quirky wildclaw, and however much he wanted to leave the clan, he was too worried of what would become of him.

Having found a place where he feels he truly belongs, Icebound no longer returns to the lighthouse upset, but buzzing with excitement after the trip and looking forward to the next one. The loneliness does trip him up here and there, but Micheal is there often enough to care for him that he will do just fine.

***

“Why do you still stay here Icebound? Anytime I’m here, I’ve never seen a ship. Why, the whole dock was destroyed in the disaster, so no one really comes through here anymore.”

Icebound swung his legs back and forth on the fallen tree he was sitting on, focusing on the sand below him. He took a deep breath, talking slowly, which wasn’t usual for him.

“Once or twice, I saw a ship-“
“In your entire stay here?”
“I saw one. They were pretty far away, but they didn’t crash because my light was on. I don’t quite know what they were doing either. From what my cousin told me, about that shipwreck when our ancestors guarded the lighthouse, I don’t want that to happen to-“

Letting his hair fall onto his face, Icebound lowered his head lower. Michael soothingly put a paw on his shoulder.

“Icebound, you’ve got a few years behind you. One ship? I struggle to believe even that. I think that-“
Icebound interrupted and snapped his head to look at Michael with fear. “No! What if I wasn’t there? If that one ship happened to pass through this way and-“ he trailed off, a blank look in his eyes.

Michael closed his mouth into a tight, concerned frown, and started to pat Icebound’s shoulder. He didn’t know what Icebound was told, but to get him in such a state? Michael didn’t like it. After all, they left him here without a contact, and he was bound by this secret moral code of his. And whether he actually saw a ship or not...

“I think it would do you good to leave Icebound... If you’re listening. But I understand if you can’t, I just... Wanted to say it. Then we could both leave and find a better place.” Michael sighed, watching as Icebound’s face turned away from him. “But I have to admire your courage. You’re a hero. How are your superpowers coming along?”

Icebound turned to him still without a word, but this time he had his signature stupid grin on him. Then, he put his hands together, and like a magician takes out a wand from thin air he did the same, creating a stick of ice. Pointing it up above them at the willow tree, there was a burst of ice magic and from the branches there manifested a lot of hanging spherical ice chains, that glistened in the moonlight, and twinkled as they hit leaves, twigs and each other.

“Wow” Michael said breathlessly. “That’s new. And it looks beautiful”

Icebound moved his hands back across the ice wand to make it disappear, his expression turning into a serious one.

“Oh, I suppose. But this is child’s play, I’ve got a couple backflips and things prepared if you’re willing to take a trip to the sea with me.”

Although Icebound said it’s nothing, Michael knew that inside he was bursting with happiness.

“Well, I don’t believe you can make me any more amazed, but I’m willing to be proved wrong-“

Icebound opened one eye and grinned again. Barely letting Michael finish, he pushed off his hands to land his feet on the tree, springing into flight. The bounce of the tree caused Michael to lose his balance slightly: his flight was initially wobbly which meant Icebound has left him in the dust.

So he wanted a race? It was on.

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For more lore, see Zemira.