In Love with the Icewing Prince - A Qinter Fanfiction

Returning to the Academy

WINTER'S POV

The Icewing glided though the soft winds, cascading over hills and mountains as he flew to the large circle-like structured peak of Jade Mountain.

Winter had been working on a small scavenger research sanctuary for some time now and he was quite proud of himself that it was coming together. So far, with the help of Flower and Wren, who were two scavengers who liked working with dragons, and a few architects, he had made a small village atop of a research hut which he and a few other dragons had used to learn more about the fascinating ape-like creatures. They had already learned so much about them. Turns out, they could do agriculture. He would occasionally drop off random supplies at the little village, and he was a few scavenger modifying the land and planting what looked like wheat. They can also make tapestries, stained glass, and strange little bowl-like rectangles with wheels and wooden poles that they would connect to horses. Possibly a new piece of technology dragons hadn't discovered yet?
Anyway, he planned to share his discoveries with some of the dragons at Jade Mountain, while Tumbleweed, a sandwing researcher who also had an interest of scavengers, took his findings to Possibility and hopefully the queen.
As he landed, he couldn't help but smile at a few dragonets he hadn't recognized at the entrance, chatting lightly and playing together. They glanced at him curiously before continuing their conversations or role-play.
Winter entered the building, looking through classrooms before turning to the ever so chaotic prey center, where he saw Clay. Clay was the mudwing dragonet from the prophecy and he was pretty nice and welcoming for his huge size and intimidating build.

"Oh, hi Winter!" The large mudwing smiled as he saw Winter. "What brings you here?"
The Icewing opened his mouth, wondering where to start.
"Well, I've done some research on scavengers and I'd like to share my findings here!" He said as friendly as he could muster. God, this was embarrassing, should he had scripted this? He was already enough of a disappointment to his family, it wouldn't do him much better to be an awkward barnacle.
"Oh, that's great!" Clay smiled, interrupting his chain of thought. "I can tell Sunny about this, she's a bit better with this stuff." He awkwardly shifted his wing around winter, shuddering, then pulling it back. Must not be too familiar with many icewings. He thought. Especially with all that Icicle has done here.
He shook out his wings.

"For now, why don't you settle in at your old sleeping cave?" The mudwing suggested. Winter tilted his head in confusion. Was Qibli still there? If so, it would be quite strange and awkward. He might as well die of embarrassment right then and there. The mudwing opened and shut his mouth, not realizing he had to explain more. "Well, we kept your spot as Icewing in the Jade Winglet on hold in case you wanted to come back so kind of figured that you were staying here awhile when I saw you? -" Winter interrupted the mudwing before any further awkward social interaction was engaged. "I got it, Clay." He nodded silently, handing over his files of notes and scrolls. He had brought a few belongings (such as scroll pouches, his wolfskin anklet pouch, and guess what? More pouches!) with him in case he needed to stay a bit somewhere.

He walked along the stone halls of the Academy, remarking memories of walking through here: muttering about the homework being too easy or complaining to his friend, Qibli, about the handwriting on the homework scroll being to jittery or hard to read.
Oh, how he had missed his sandwing friend. He had always felt weird around him, for some reason. Maybe it was because of how rigid and closed off he was back then. He couldn't help but flinch at all the times he had broken out in a roaring fit. He had always been so edgy back then. But Qibli was always there, making a joke here or comforting him there. He wished he hadn't been such a shitty friend to him. Maybe if he had been calmer, more contained; maybe then Qibli would like him more.

What was Winter thinking, "Qibli would like him more?" Did he really think they would ever be more than friends? Maybe boyfriends? Maybe even partners? Every once and awhile, he did recall dreaming of having the freckled sand dragon beside him, leaning on him. It was silly, really: he always scolded himself for such foolery. What would father- what would Narwhal think of him? Falling for a sandwing, much less a sandwing who came from the shabby streets of the Scorpion Den.
But his retched dad wasn't here to judge him anymore. Nor his mother. They thought he was dead. Three moons, they wished he was dead. Not that it mattered anymore- he had moved on. He could be who he truly needed himself to be, no more of the heavy chains of expectations that his parents locked him too.

He stopped at his familiar cave number, stopping and sighing. Should he even look in there? Or should he just run now? Was Qibli in there?

His rigid claws dug into the ground, rooting him there. No, Winter was not going to run away. Qibli was probably outside with Moon. (Thinking about them together made his heart ache, but he had gotten used to it by now because he thought of it, like, ALL the time.) He looked inside, and it surprised him to see the yellow dragon planted on his stone perch, reading through some letters and sighing heavily. Poor Qibli's faced looked worried and overwhelmed, like an anvil was going to slam down on his head any second and he had some sort of vision on it. Then his ebony eyes caught the blue Icewing in his line of sight and his entire face lit up, making Winter's heart melt.

"Winter..?"

[1066 words!!! I'm proud of myself, considering it's 1 am and I'm literally continuing this from 6 hours ago. Sorry to leave it on such a boring cliffhanger, Im kinda tired. :(
But I got 5 reads! And I'm so happy about that! So thank you!! The next chapter will come out at 10 reads (on part 2, not 1) ]