Winter sat alone in his hut, staring down at his bland meal in front of him. Every day, just the same thing. A slab of caribou calf with some bread. Sometimes elk, deer, moose, whatever. It was all the same to Winter anyways.
It was an extra bad day for him, as it was a Pantalan holiday where they would celebrate love. In honor of some BeetleWing named Lovebug or something...
The Pyrrhian tribes latched onto it and now it's celebrated all over both continents.
Which only rubbed in the fact that Winter was all alone again and again.
He had tried everything to make himself feel better, reading and watching cheesy romantic comedies for the most part though.
Even though it's only been around for a few years, it still felt like Winter was being choked because of it all. So many dragons talking about it, their loved ones and how much fun they were having...
All while he just sat there, all by himself.
Winter didn't blame other dragons for not caring about him though. He knew he was just a leech, a parasite on their happy lives. Every time he'd walk into a room the dragons would shush themselves.
It was better if he just stayed alone. Dragons would be happier.
And yet... he still wanted somebody to care for him. Some dragons he could talk to outside of work.
Some dragons like the Jade Winglet.
He felt awful still with how they just abandoned him. He had only been visited a few times by Qibli and sometimes Kinkajou, but even then it wasn't the same...
It wasn't the same as seeing Moon.
He missed her, a lot. He wanted to freeze his younger self to death for how he treated her when they first met. Winter felt as though it was all his fault for then leaving him.
He just wanted a second chance. To fix things, be nicer, and finally be with dragons who he felt he belonged with. He could apologize to them all for what he's done instead of attacking back to protect his own pride and ego.
But, now they had actual lives. Moonwatcher and Qibli are together, Turtle is on the council, Kinkajou is busy teaching at Jade Mountain Academy, and Peril was still getting her help with her own doctor. Umber was nowhere to be seen and his own family still hates him.
Winter only belongs to Sanctuary, and even then he's just a blemish on the town. A cranky, irritable IceWing.
Suddenly, Winter saw something slip out from under the door. An envelope.
He got up and walked over to grab it, bending over and reaching for the light pink letter. He opened it up, seeing a small piece of paper inside.
Dear Winter
I know we haven't talked in a long while, and I want to apologize for that. I haven't been a great friend to you, and I want to say I'm sorry. I know you probably still hate me for leaving you all alone, and I don't expect you to accept my apology. It'll probably come out as a horrible mess of words.
"Huh?..." Winter looked at the letter again. There was no dragon who had signed it off, leaving Winter to ponder who had written it.
But, he wouldn't have to wonder for much longer.
A knock on the door startled the IceWing.
"Who's there?" Winter asked.
"It's me..."
Winter felt his heart jump as he recognized the voice. He opened the door to see a NightWing standing there, her dark green scales shining brilliantly in the sun's light. A teardrop scale sat by her dark eyes, giving the illusion as to her crying.
"Hey, Winter." Moonwatcher waved awkwardly.
"You're here?" Winter questioned. "Why?"
Moon fiddled with her tail a small bit. "Did you not read the letter?"
"No, I did," he said. "Wait, you wrote it?"
Moon chuckled hesitantly. "I did, yes..."
"Why are you here now?"
Moon took a deep breath. "I wanted to apologize to you for so long, Winter. I- I was a stupid dragonet a- and I didn't know what I was thinking. I don't know why I kept fighting for Darkstalker, even when he... killed so many IceWings and restarted that war."
Moonwatcher's breath got more shaky and fearful. "I just left you here all alone with nothing left. No a- apology or anything and just... you didn't deserve that. You still don't deserve it."
"It's okay, Moon..."
"It's not okay though," Moon said, her voice cracking. "I was so scared that you'd be mad at me for not apologize sooner. You're- you're probably still mad at me... I'm such a coward for waiting so long for this-"
Real tears escaped from her pale green eyes as she spoke, her words trailing off as her talons tapped against the ground.
"I'm just- I'm sorry..."
Winter wrapped his wings around the NightWing, hugging her. "I'm not mad..." he said. "I'm just happy you're here."
Moon hesitated before hugging the IceWing closer. Her warm scales and the smell of her scales brought a small amount of hope back to him.
"I'm sorry that I was such a pain in the tail for you, Moon," he said, holding back tears himself. "I was just a stupid dragonet who took everything for granted because of a bad homelife-"
"You think I'm still mad at you for that?" Moon wiped her tears, though more still came out. "All of us forgive you for that, Winter..."
"Y- they do?"
"Yeah, we do," Moon said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that."
"It's not your fault, Moon..." Winter hugged his childhood friend tighter. He felt his heart soar as a warm feeling of joy poured into him, like a water being poured into a pitcher.
"We were just dragonets who had to deal with something no dragon ever deserves to face."
"Mhm..." Moonwatcher agreed, patting Winter on the back.
"What are you and Qibli up to?" Winter let go of Moon, feeling as though the hug was making her uncomfortable.
"Actually," Moon said, looking at the ground. "We wanted to ask if you were free to come see us the day after tomorrow."
"Really?"
"Yeah, we can all meet up and hang out. Of course, we're always open to talk and stuff if you come over to Possibility.
"That's... great!"
Moon's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yeah, I can meet you there."
"Aww, thank you Winter." Moon gave him a warm smile, the type where she was still shy and anxious but was really happy.
"Anytime Moon..."