Ruewen dove down, landing softly between Leif and Fae. "Hi, buddy." He nodded towards Leif, his bracelets jingling.
Leif inhaled sharply, giving Ruewen a dangerous glare. "Who are you, SkyWing?"
"They, uhh, call me Ruewen."
"And you work for Fae?"
The SkyWing shrugged. "Firstly, I'd never work for someone, they just work with me- and, if I did work for her, I'd be working with her. Which- um, yeah. I worked with her."
Leif snarled, ice crawling up his throat.
Ruewen jumped back, tripping over himself as he shook his head wildly. "No- pal, no." He pointed a stern talon at Leif as the IceWing pursued him. Ruewen backed against a wall, making short, disconnected excuses.
Leif pinned the SkyWing, growling as steam clouded around his face.
"Wait- wait." Ruewen ordered, "I don't- I didn't work with her."
"False." Leif coughed.
Ruewen clicked his tounge. "Yes-" He admitted, "but I don't work with her."
Leif gagged on the ice, allowing it to dissipate for a moment, "True."
"Hah, lie detector, try this, I'm a good guy."
"Said. Every. Bad. Guy."
The pressure on Ruewen's rib cage and neck increased as Leif's massive talon shoved him harder into the wall.
"Leif." Ruewen whispered, wincing as the IceWing pushed even harder. "Take it somewhere else. I worked with her. Take me out if you need to. Not them. Don't kill all these dragons. Don't destroy their homes. Don't be..." The SkyWing lowered his voice, forcing Leif to lean towards him in order to hear. "Don't be the bad guy."
Leif hissed, throwing his weight into the SkyWing. Something cracked. He felt it.
But Leif didn't kill him. He didn't want to kill him. Instead, Leif turned towards Fae.
She held his gaze, slowly raising her talon and showing him the golden chain from the library.