Drama (a Qinter fanfiction)

Paths Intertwined

Winter PoV:

"Flame?" Qibli sounded surprised. Winter waited, curled tightly under Qibli's wing, for the dragon's response.

"Yes," the SkyWing replied. Winter heard more talonsteps as Flame stepped out into the garden.

"How did you find us?" Qibli asked as Winter quickly tried to brush away tears. Flame shuffled his talons.

"Um, I kind of heard... raised voices," Flame said awkwardly. "I recognized your voice and followed where it was coming from."

"What are you doing here?" Qibli asked as Winter sat up.

"You said you'd be back a couple days ago," Flame said. "So I came after you. Oh, that reminds me; I've got to write to Turtle. He sent me with one of those slates and asked me to tell him when I found you two." The SkyWing reached into the pouch around his neck and pulled out a slate exactly like Winter's. There was a pause where Flame wrote on his slate, and even though it was upside-down, Winter saw that it read found Qibli and Winter.

"Uh, so," Flame said once he'd finished writing. "...what in the name of Pyrrhia is going on?" At first Qibli turned to Winter, but he shook his head and closed his eyes, not trusting himself to speak. As Qibli explained the previous few days' events to Flame, Winter turned his attention to inside his head. He is your friend. Winter thought, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. (does anyone else do that randomly just because it's relaxing?) He still cares.

"Winter?" Qibli asked once he'd finished filling Flame in on what had happened. "You okay?" Winter opened his eyes and looked into Qibli's warm black ones, feeling himself fall into his gaze. After a long moment, Winter blinked and tore his gaze away.

"I'm fine," he murmured. Taking a couple steps closer, Flame brushed Winter's wing with his own.

"It's okay if you're not," Flame said quietly.

"OOoooOOOooo, what's THIS?" a new voice crooned. All too late, Qibli and Flame snapped their wings close to their sides and Winter jerked his head up, surprised. Rattlesnake was coming out of the hallway and into the garden to analyze the scene, Sirocco following her and rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"What do you mean?" Qibli asked. "I'm talking with my friends."

"FRIENDS," Rattlesnake repeated, smirking. "RIGHT. I saw you, don't act all innocent."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Qibli said a little too quickly.

"Mmm-hMMM," Rattlesnake hummed, looking satisfied with herself.

"You didn't come out here just to torment us, did you?" Qibli asked, clearly trying to steer the conversation a different direction.

"Well, until Vulture gives me commands anyway," Rattlesnake said. "How long have you three known each other? I must say I'm surprised; a SandWing, IceWing, and  SkyWing aren't usually -"

"Isn't Grandfather awake?" Qibli blurted, efficiently interrupting his sister. Rattlesnake looked like she'd very much like to thump her little brother by now, but catching Winter's glare she held back. Judging based on the way she'd glanced at Flame, Winter guessed that he was glaring at the SandWing as well.

"He's awake, but he's busy dealing with more important matters," Rattlesnake said smoothly. Qibli glanced at Winter, and he saw that the SandWing had more he wanted to say but couldn't.

"You sure we can't go eat instead?" Sirocco asked Rattlesnake. She twisted around to glare at him, and he looked back with a vacant expression.

"Rrrrg, fine," Rattlesnake growled finally. "Let's go then."