Frozen Truth

Chapter 15

Qibli's POV

Qibli walked outside, a black shape in the sky made him turn his head toward the shape that was constantly getting smaller.

"Was that Moon?" He wondered.

"Yeah, it was, she's going away for a few days," Winter said, appearing out of nowhere beside the SandWing.

Qibli jumped a little, before smiling once he realized who it was.

"Do you know where she's going?" he asked, folding his wings against his body and away from Winter's cold aura.

Winter didn't reply, he just looked out toward where Moon had disappeared. "I do, but..."

"But you don't want to tell me because you think I'll follow her," Qibli finished for him.

Winter flinched and nodded.

"Don't worry about that," Qibli assured him, extending his wing and setting it on Winter's back.

He flinched and shook it off. Qibli looked away, a slightly hurt look on his face.

The two stood there in awkward silence for a few minutes.

"Where's Umber," Winter spat, before looking down. Qibli guessed that because of his expression, he didn't mean for it to come out so harshly.

"He's visiting his other sibs in the Mud Kingdom," He answered, trying to keep his wings from drooping. "I miss him though, we used to just walk around outside and play little games out of random objects we found along the way," Qibli said, chuckling a little before taking out a small bag.

He upended it and dozens of colorful pebbles exploded onto the rock next to their talons.

Winter looked down and raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. He poked one of the pebbles and sent it rolling across the rock and into a small crevice.

"Whoops," he said, not looking or sounding very sorry at all.

"It's ok," Qibli said, pretending that the IceWing has actually meant his apology. Winter snorted in amusement and Qibli rustled his wings, covering the noise.

"Where did you find all these colorful rocks?" He asked leaning down to peer at a silver one.

"Me and Umber started collecting pebbles. And then we painted them, and came up with a game to use them in," Qibli explained, happy memories  flowing in his brain like a river.

"Oh," Winter replied, spreading his wings and crouching.

"Wait!" Qibli called, making the IceWing pause.

"What?" He asked, clearly annoyed. "I don't have all day you know."

Qibli sighed. "Do you want to play the game with me?" His voice sounded so desperate, and he hated that. But ever since he's gotten together with Umber, the small MudWing had been the only friend Qibli had been spending time with.

Winter rolled his eyes and put his snout in the air. "I have better things to do than to play a stupid little 'game' with the likes of you," he snarled, before leaping into the air and flying toward a rock fully exposed to the sun.

Perched on the rock we're two dragons happily basking in the sunlight.

Qibli was too far away to identify the RainWing, but only one SeaWing had pink highlights in her scales. Anemone.

Moon's POV

Moon landed quietly in the rainforest, looking around. It didn't look like anyone else was here.

"MOOOOONNNNN!!!!" A small dragonet tackled her from the side, cannoning into her and knocking her over.

She yelped in surprise.

Hope stumbled out into view, she saw Peacemaker firmly attached to Moon's leg and sighed, prying the dragonet off her.

"Sorry about him," she apologized, stroking the small NightWing/RainWing's head. "He needs to learn the difference between greeting dragons and knocking them over," she said, giving Peacemaker a stern look.

He giggled. "I do know the difference," he exclaimed proudly. "When you greet a dragon, you knock them over and say hi! But when you just knock them over, you just run into them on purpose!"

Moon laughed. "That's a very long explanation Peacemaker," Moon moves to sit next to the river and stare down into it. Her scales gleamed in the light.

"Have something on your mind that you need to get off?" A voice said softly from beside her.

Moon turned her was toward the voice and was met with the gentle eyes of Hope. She sighed and nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Moon nodded then considered again.

"Moon! Look what I have!" Peacemaker yelled. The two turned their heads toward him and saw him struggling to bring over a large melon.

"Let me help you with that!" Moon cried out, giggling as she rushed toward the dragonet's side. Helping him balance the large melon on his back.

He smiled brightly at her.

"You're the best!" He said, abandoning the melon and hugging her.

She smiled faintly before remembering her mother.

"I have to go," she said, giving Peacemaker a sad smile.

He gave her a pouty face. "Why?"

"She probably wants to visit her mother," Hope said, poking Peacemaker's side.  "Something you should do when you're older."

Peacemaker giggles and started playfully attaining his mother, before Moon flew away in silent wings and landed gracefully in fi by of her mother's hut.

It was one of the newest huts so it was pretty neat. Not whether worn like most of the other huts.

"Hey mom," She said stepping into the hut.

Secretkeeper smiled and swept Moon up in a hug. "You kept your promise!" She said happily.

"Of course," Moon said truthfully. "I would never lie to you."

"That's reassuring. I mean, I am good at keeping secrets," he chuckled.

"But... I do actually have some things on my mind...."