Shard lay on the floor, bleeding from several cuts along her spine. Three dragons stood before me, their sharp claws glistening with blue blood except for one whose scales were a bright blue. All the dragons were Icewings, large and imposing. The one with no blood I guessed was the leader of the gang; he held his wings higher, his chin raised in authority. 

'What are you doing here, hybrid?' He questioned calmly, though his voice dripped with menace. 

'I- I was just...' I trailed off; I shouldn't pick a fight with these dragons. They didn't look like the type to give mercy. 

'You were just what exactly?' The female asked, taking a step forward and letting her claws scrape across the floor, leaving a glistening blue scar on the stone. 

'I just came to-' I used the first excuse that came to mind 'I came to get my scrolls for the next lesson.' I tried keep my voice steady. Shard watched me from behind the gang, her eyes pits of hurt. 

'Well, we cant let you go telling the whole school about this. Can we?' The leader droned on, his tail swishing along the floor. 

'I promise I wont! Honest!' I cried, taking a step back. I had to help Shard, but how? I couldn't take on all these dragons by myself.

'But that wont be enough, will it?' The other male said, narrowing dark blue eyes at me scornfully. 

I gulped, taking a step back as the gang advanced on me.

'Time doesn't mean any harm!' Shard called from beyond me; trying to get to her claws but slipping. 

'Silence!' The leader spun around and raked her claws down Shards face, leaving her crying out in pain before turning to me.

'So she does know you.' He said, his voice low and angry.

I glanced around for a route to escape but the female and other Icewing had already crept around behind me; blocking the exit. I'd have to fight my way out of this one. 

Suddenly the male with dark eyes lunged towards me from behind and in a second he was pulling me too the floor, his serrated claws sinking into my back. I yelped in surprise, shaking myself to get him off. He didn't budge and his claws were digging underneath scales; piercing skin. I rolled over onto him, trying to hurt him using my weight. But it was no use; I wasn't heavy enough anyways. The female leaped onto me, pushing me off the male and sprawling to the floor.

'Dragonet!' She sneered, walking towards me. This time I lunged first. There was a sharp pain as my claws collided with her cold scales but I recovered quickly, sinking them into her skin as deep as possible. She screamed then went quiet. What was she doing? She turned her neck to look at me on her back, extending her jaws. I could see a frosty white substance building there. Oh no. Frostbreath! She exhaled but I leapt away just in time. The snow hit the wall behind me, melting against its warmth and making a small pool below. I looked back to see the male Icewing lunging for me, his jaws extended in a snarl. I side-stepped; dodging his attack and he landed with a thump on the floor, skidding ever closer to the Frostbreath. I reached out to stop him, but it was too late. He crashed against the wall and the Frostbreath didn't hesitate to attack. His underbelly scales were the first to be frozen, cracking terribly. It spread across his neck, his wings, freezing everything it touched till he was a motionless statue. Eternally stuck. The female gaped, open-mouthed at the statue for a while before collapsing in front of him.

'Seal! No, you cant be dead!' She cried, burying her face in his hardened scales.

'Fox-' The leader started, stepping towards her.

'This is your fault!' She yelled, spinning around to face me. I watched her with warily but felt a pang of sympathy.

'I'm sorry; I didn't mean for this to happen.' I said gently, I walked towards Shard slowly as the Icewings gathered around Seal to mourn. Maybe we could escape while they weren't looking? But as soon as I reached Shard the leader spun around, staring at me with emotionless eyes. 

'He killed my mate, he has to be punished Ice!' Fox snarled, turning around to face me too. Ice replied by stepping closer to me. Fox smiled.

'Now you will get what you really deserve, dragonet!' She called as Ice lashed out at my neck. His blow hit home and I was nocked to the floor, stars filling my vision as my head hit the stone.

Ice took my back leg in his talons, dragging me away and pulling my leg at a weird angle. I heard a snap, wincing as pain flooded from my leg. Still he dragged me along the floor, I hadn't the energy to fight back. I just lay limp.

'Hey! You!' I looked at the tunnel that led to the Hunting Center as Tsunami walked in, lashing her tail. Ice dropped me instantly. Fox gasped, hugging Seal closer.  I took the distraction as a chance to escape. Getting to my claws, I limped over to Shard. I put one of my wings under hers; lifting her off the floor where a pile of blue and red blood had gathered. She buried her head in my neck, wincing in pain as we made our way along the corridor. 

Eventually, we made it to my Dorm. There was no way I was taking her back to hers. I wasn't going to leave her as easy prey for the gang again. She flinched as I lifted her onto my ledge, rubbing her scratches with water from the small pool nearby. Then I got in myself, washing my wounds gently and scanning for any broken bones other than the one in my leg.

'Thank you, Timeturner.' She said in a voice like a whisper. I nodded in reply, curling up beside her on the ledge and putting one wing over her small, cold body. She continued breathing harshly then it slowed down to a sleep friendly drone. I put my head on my talons, taking a deep breath before falling into ice shrouded dreams.

Whelp, hope that was drama-y enough for you. Who do you ship? TimeStorm? ApricotTurner? Perhaps... TimeShard? I hope you've enjoyed the book so far!