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Winter woke up one morning, and felt an oddly cold sensation. He was used to the cold, since he grew up in the Icewing Kingdom, but this was Jade Mountain. It didn’t get this cold.
He got up, stretching his wings, almost hitting a sleeping Qibli. Winter stared at him. He was surprised that the other wasn’t up already, due to the abnormal weather, especially to a Sandwing. He shrugged it off, and walked to the prey center to meet up with the rest of his winglet.
Kinkajou noticed Winter immediately, and nearly attacked him with a hug. Moon walked behind her, an amused look on her face.
“WINTER! Hi!” Kinkajou exclaimed. Winter tried to hide the smile growing on his face. He shoved her off, and saw Moon, Umber, and Turtle approach him.
“I don’t understand why you are so excited to see me. It’s been approximately ten hours since we last talked,” Winter said, trying to maintain his serious demeanor. Kinkajou just grinned wider. Moon intertwined their tails sweetly.
I forgot they were mates. I never really thought about them being together. A Rainwing with a Nightwing? If I were to date anyone outside of my tribe, it would probably be a Sandwing. Winter thought to himself. His mind immediately flickered to Qibli, and he put his talons against his temples. No, don’t go down that path again.
“You okay, Snowy?” A familiar voice, Peril, asked in an amused tone. Winter shot her a deadly glare.
“I told you to stop calling me that.” He said demandingly. Peril and Winter had actually became closer friends than they ever thought they would be. They could relate to each other about how their tribe dislikes them, and it was nice being able to talk to someone who felt the same rage as he did.
“I think it’s a nice nickname,” Umber said with a smile. Winter rolled his eyes teasingly. Suddenly, loud talonsteps came from behind them. Winter turned around, and saw none other than the stupid Sandwing himself, Qibli.
His expression was ecstatic. Qibli usually had a smile on his face, but he looked manic. The winglet stared at him questioningly.
“Have you guys seen outside?!” He asked delightedly. The rest of his winglet stared at him, concerned for his well-being.
“Never mind, just follow me!” Qibli announced, running down the halls to one of the entrances to the school. He pointed a claw at the terrain outside, and Winter now knew why he was so excited. There was snow.
Without thinking twice, Winter bounded outside. It had been months since he last felt snow. The others went to join him, Qibli running ahead first, but then stopped as they realized how cold it was.
“You LIVE with this stuff? No wonder Icewings are always so grumpy. I thought snow would have colors!” Kinkajou exclaimed, her scales turning orange and purple. Winter laughed in amusement. Moon took one of Kinkajou’s talons with her own, and they slowly walked out onto the snow together. Winter couldn’t help but think it was adorable.
Qibli let out a small breath of fire above his talons, and he ran to Winter. He looked at the Sandwing as if he were crazy. Qibli put a wing around him pridefully.
Turtle was the only other one who could walk on the snow with no issue. Sure, it was really cold, probably the coldest thing he ever felt, but he didn’t mind. Umber reluctantly followed him, letting out a few curses after putting a single claw onto the snow. Winter looked at them, amused, as Qibli started rolling around in the snow, like he was on fire and trying to put it out. He couldn’t help but laugh at his ridiculous actions. Winter smiled, but then noticed Peril, still standing inside. He thought for a moment of what to do, until he came up with something.
Winter grabbed a talonful of snow, and walked over to Peril. She looked at him, confused and hostile. The others turned their attention towards them.
“Hold out your talon,” Winter said, in a voice that he never thought he could ever make. Peril stared at him angrily, but held out her talons. Winter dropped the snow into her claws, and unlike everything else that came into contact with her, it didn’t burn. It melted, and the water left behind evaporated. Peril’s eyes grew wide, and had biggest smile she ever made.
“This is the coolest thing ever, Turtle can you please please please please make a big pile of snow on the rocks so I can jump into it? I’ve always wondered what being cold was like!” She exclaimed, lashing her tail around happily. Turtle and Umber started rolling snow, creating a large pile. Before they were finished, Peril leaped into the snow. It melted against her slowly, and she almost looked as if she was going to cry.
“I knew you’ve got some good in you,” Qibli said, making Winter jump. Winter rolled his eyes and scoffed, a typical reaction from him.
“Yeah, well, I can be nice, but I’m an Icewing. We aren’t supposed to be.” He remarked. Qibli grabbed Winter’s talons, and looked him dead in the eyes.
“You need to stop being such a walrus brain. Queen Snowfall has removed the stupid rankings that you used. She’s trying to stop everyone being so snobby and harsh. So, could you please stop hiding your emotions, and have a good time with the rest of us?” Qibli said. Winter knew he was right, he knew that he shouldn’t be so caught up in the past. It was hard to move on.
“I can try, I guess.” He answered. Qibli smiled warmly, and Winter smiled back for once. They were still holding talons. Winter’s eyes darted to their claws. Qibli realized this and let go, embarrassed.
“Can you two lovebirds stop having an emotional moment in front of us?” Kinkajou asked, breaking their trance.
Lovebirds? Winter thought. Lovebirds my tail. He’d never like me. And I don’t like him! Right? No, bad thoughts. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about that feeling in your chest when you see him, or that stupid smile he does that makes your heart freeze, or the way he is always looking out for you, or the way that you think about you and him together…
“You alright, Snowflake?” Peril asked, Winter jumping out of his scales.
“I’m fine. And don’t call me Snowflake!” He shouted. Peril let out a laugh so amused that Winter didn’t even recognize her voice.
“Yeah, I’m the only one allowed to call him nicknames. Isn’t that right, Snowball?” Qibli teased. Winter sent him a furious glare.
“I can deal with nicknames like Snowy and Snowflake, but Snowball?” He challenged angrily. He starting rolling snow in his talons, forming a snowball of his own. Winter looked at him with a daring grin, and threw it at his face. Qibli wiped the snow off his face and smiled evilly.
“This. Is. War.” He said, throwing a chunk of snow at Winter. After a few moments of just everyone throwing snowballs at each other, it had became a battle.
Kinkajou threw a snowball at Moon, before being attacked from behind by Umber. Her scales turned cyan and reddish-orange. Qibli chucked a snowball at Turtle, who was darting away from Peril. She threw melting chunks of snow so fast that it could knock a dragon out. Winter grabbed as much snow as he could and threw it at Qibli. He made several different snowballs in return, and returned them to Winter.
“You guys realize you have class right now, correct?” A loud voice from the cave entrance stopped their very intense battle. It was Sunny. They stood there, frozen in fear, before she cracked a smile and threw a snowball at Qibli.
The rest of the afternoon consisted of the biggest snowball fight in history. It was super emotional, tragic, thrilling, and fun. The winner was none other than Winter himself.