Cold Night

Winter's POV

Winter sat at his desk. After Moon had flown off with that SikWing, he and Qibli's friendship had fallen apart. He thought about his goofy SandWing friend daily. He wished he could turn back the clock, fix everything. He wished he could change Moon's mind. Winter got up and walked over to the window, sighing. He was doing that a lot lately. If he kept that up, he would soon be sounding like Stonemover.

Qibli POV

Qibli trudged through the snow, shivering. He wished he'd picked a different day to surprise Winter. Qibli, as a SandWing, hated snow. He despised it. "SNOW. DOESN'T. DESERVE. TO EXIST. I HATE. SNOW." Qibli muttered to himself quietly. "GRRR. SNOW. IS. DEVIOUS." Qibli looked up and smiled. He was finally at Sanctuary. Qibli walked up to the door that he had been to years ago. He reached up to knock... And was greeted by a door slamming into his face.

Winter POV

"QIBLI?!" Winter shouted, rushing to his friends side.

"I'm sorry, boss!" River said, dragging Qibli's prone form into the entrance hall. "When I opened the door, he was just standing there!" The young MudWing researcher had beem going outside, and had smacked Qibli in the head with the door. Winter was still in shock at seeing his friend after so long. He wiped the blood off of Qibli's forehead and thought about the lost time. Winter helped his co-workers carry Qibli into a room and thought about how much he had missed Qibli. He sat in his from and thought about Qibli. He admitted that he had loved Moon, but Qibli... Winter loved his SandWing friend with passion. For two years he had missed Qibli, and now that he was in Winter's home... Winter felt oddly happy. He walked through the halls of Sanctuary in a daze, thinking about Qibli. "Boss!" River called. "E's waking up!" Winter raced into the room, excitement coursing through him. "Qibli!" He said, grinning at the right of his friend. Qibli was sitting up into eh bed, a dazed look on his face. "Winter...?" He said, disbelief in his eyes.

Qibli POV

"Winter...? " Qibli stared at his friend. "How...?"

"Sorry boss!" The MudWing who had been there when he woke up said kindly. "I 'it you in the noggin' wit' the door!"

"Apology accepted." Qibli said, rubbing his head. "Winter, what's going on? I came here for a visit, and I get hit in the head!" The MudWing grinned.

"Dat's ma warm welcome for ya! Name's River!" The MudWing cheerfully said.

"Qibli... I..." Winter started.

"I'm a gonna leave naw, boss." River said. She left, closing the door behind her. As soon as they were alone, Winter hugged Qibli.

"Whoa! So you're a hugger now! What's the world coming to!" Qibli wailed, pretending to be mortified. Winter snorted, pulling away from Qibli. "I missed you." His IceWing friend said simply.

"I.. I missed you to." Qibli admitted. "Gosh, don't tell anyone I said that. Think of the irony!" Winter smirked.

"Don't count on it." Winter said, grinning.

"GASP! WINTER JUST SMILED! OH, THE HORROR!'" Qibli wailed.

"Perhaps that hit in the head made you go a little loopy." Winter remarked sarcastically.

"Sure. Anyway, it was freakishly cold last night! I don't know how you stand it!" Qibli said, remembering the sudden drop in temperature the night before. Winter shrugged. "I'm an IceWing, remember?" Qibli raised his eyebrows.

"Oh ho ho! So now you're a joker!" Qibli teasingly said. Winter punched him in the arm. "Hey! Go easy on me, will you!" Winter rolled his eyes. "Get some sleep," Winter said. "You need it." Qibli nodded. He watched as his friend walked through the door. Qibli smiled. He had missed his friend. Winter's now a joker! Who would've thought!

Winter POV

"Boss?" River said. "You know dat SandWing?"

"Yes," Winter said. "Know him I do."

"Oh, good." River said, seemingly satisfied. "Cause 'e was flirting wit' ya." River turned and walked off.

"Wait, what?!" Winter yelped. His only answer was River's laughter echoing through the walls of Sanctuary.