Falling for you - Qinter Fic

2. Winglets

Qibli yawned, a beam of light flowing through the window and onto him, making his pale scales shimmer and glow.He felt refreshed and bright.He lifted his head and scanned the room, seeing Winter still fast asleep on his ice-ledge, the large polar-bear rug draped loosely over his hind-quarters.

Qibli tried not to look at the handsome IceWing, but found his eyes trailing up his curled and spiky tail, to his thin ribs and finally to his sharply defined face.
His mouth twitched and his claws opened and closed as he dreamt, his eyes squeezed tight in a look of uncomfortableness.

Qibli got up and stretched, arching his back.He smacked his lips a few times, then shook the sand out of his scales.
He was about to go and wake Winter up, when a sudden loud gong shattered the peaceful morning.

Winter's eyes snapped open and he leapt up, teeth bared and tail drawn like a sword.Two more gongs sounded, and Winter looked utterly confused, gaze flicking over to Qibli.
"What is that awful noise?"

"It's the school 'bell' I believe.Once it reaches just one gong, it means we're late for class, I guess?"Qibli shrugged, starting for the exit. "Come on, we have to go see who is in our winglet."

Winter and Qibli were supposed to have done that last night, but they were so exhausted they forgot.
Qibli hoped the papers were still up.

"Why? Can't we just go to our first class and find out then?"Winter grumbled, easily catching up with Qibli.
He took long, graceful strides, whilst Qibli took many short, quick steps.

"It's better to know ahead of time."Qibli explained lightly, eyes flicking to the paper in the main hallway.As they got closer, he was able to make out what it said.

JADE WINGLET:
SandWing: Qibli
SeaWing: Turtle
SkyWing: Carnelian
MudWing: Umber
NightWing: Moonwatcher
RainWing: Kinkajou
IceWing: Winter

"Oh, well would you look at that! We're in the same Winglet! It must be destiny!"Qibli sighed dramatically, draping a wing over Winter's back, which was quickly thrusted off.

"They didn't even write Prince Winter!"Winter huffed, staring at his name with mild annoyance.
He then looked up and saw the name Moonwatcher, growing in disgust. "And of course a NightWing."

"I think a NightWing is in every Winglet."Qibli offered, trying to make him feel better.

"So? That means I have to see more of them than I would like to."Winter grumbled, gaze snapping over to where a tail had disappeared into Tsunami's office.His eyes narrowed.

Qibli's gaze drifted over to what Winter was staring at, but saw nothing.He shrugged. "It says the Jade Winglet's first class is with Sunny, and it's in the farthest room to the right.Let's go!"
He took off running, Winter following behind him slowly.

By the time they entered, the the last gong had gone off.They were nearly late on the first day of class! Qibli didn't want that on his rep!

"Welcome, class!"Sunny greeted them sweetly.She motioned for Qibli and his cold companion to have a seat, and they did.Qibli noticed how Winter inched the farthest from Moonwatcher as he could, nearly pressing his scales against Qibli's. "Today we are going to get to know each other!"

Qibli smiled.He was already liking the sound of this school! He could tell the RainWing shared his optimism, the way she was bouncing and grinning.

"Who would like to go first?"Sunny asked lightly, wrapping her strange, barbless tail around her front talons.

"Me, me, me! Me please! Pick me! Hey, Sunny, meeee!"Kinkajou burst out, her talon flying into the air as she hopped from side to side, a huge smile on her face.

"Oh, dear! Of course you can go first, Kinkajou, was it?"Sunny laughed, nodding to the open spot in the floor between the dragonets.

"I'm Kinkajou! I'm Queen Glory's best friend, she's amazing! I love sloths, pineapples, mangoes, ALL fruit, my best friend Moon, and my best friends: ALL OF YOU GUYS! Oh, and I have magical death spit and camouflage, so if you ever need a secret weapon, I'm here!"Kinkajou beamed, gazing at every dragonet.Qibli narrowed his eyes when he saw how her gaze stayed on Winter for a heartbeat too long, her eyes going doughy-soft.

"Wonderful! How about you next?"Sunny pointed to the MudWing.
He swallowed thickly, tearing his gaze off Qibli and standing up. "U-uhhh, my name is Umber, I'm Clay's little brother, and I like the colour red."
He quickly finished, sitting back down.

Qibli gave him a tiny smile.
He noticed how every-dragon in this room seemed to have such different characters and personalities.

"I'm Moonwatcher, but I'd prefer you call me Moon, please,"said a soft-voiced NightWing witn jade green eyes.
Qibli wondered why Winter was full of glaring poison at her, but then just shrugged it off.He hates all NightWings. "I love reading, quiet time a-and............my friends."her words were broken up, as if she was distracted.

Moon suddenly flinched, eyeing Winter warily.He seemed to be anxiously shifting talons, eyeing the clock, then Moon, then Sunny, then the door.

Qibli frowned, whispering a quick, "are you okay, Winter?"

Winter didn't respond, closing his eyes briefly, than snapping them open again.Qibli repeated his sentence, and Winter finally looked at him, an unknown look in his eyes.

"I-I'm fine, Qibli, why?"he forced out, teeth clenched.

"Nothing..."

"I'm Carnelian, and I suggest you stay away from me.I fought in the war, killed some dragons, that's where I got my scars."As Qibli switched his gaze back to the middle of the room, he saw a crimson red SkyWing speaking harshly to everyone.

Once Turtle the quiet SeaWing had gone, it was Qibli's turn.
He told them all about Queen Thorn, his job as an Outclaw, and more.
He even added in that his best friend was Winter, hoping to get a reaction out of the stiff iceberg beside him.But he didn't.

"Winter, you're last to go, hon,"Sunny prodded him softly, standing in front of him.She looked concerned. "Are you okay? Do you need some water?"

Winter didn't reply, seeming stuck unmoving.His eyes snapped around the room, to where everyone was staring at him.Then without a word, he turned and hurried out of the room, uttering a single worded mumble, that Qibli didn't hear.

"Oh, Winter!"Sunny gasped, heading to the doorway and peeking out.
She turned around, face distressed.
"Class dismissed."

Qibli snuck a glance at Moon.Her face was scrunched up in deep concentration.It was almost like- no, NightWing's had lost their powers ages ago.She must just be stressed.It's the first day of school after all.

Yeah, that's it.

Nothing weird going on with the NightWing of our group at all!