Additional: Could take place right after the 'Three Mooned Dragons' series, but separated since I wanted it to be a distinct piece, hence why you aren't seeing any parts that connect to one. Therefore feel free to read this whether as a separate or not. :)

Ah yes, something short now. Even though it still isn't what I intended to be (it's supposed to be a one-shot just like my alleged older works), I'm still pretty proud of it. And hopefully it makes up for the long delay I've gotten ever since the Qinterwatcher bonanza (and a little bit more of Winter, too). But here I am about to present you another piece involving the same characters as the last ones.

Sincerely hope you enjoy. And I do REALLY encourage criticisms and other comments and such. Makes any day better and I could always improve! See ya! :D

Happy 6th Anniversary to you too, you frost lizard! (Winter)

A Creamy Taste of Sand.: Peace Offering

The wind passed through the unfamiliar site as their scales were traced by its alerting sensation. Only to be omitted by the warmth radiating from them.

He could finally see the curls of smoke flowing out from the cup, rising slowly like thin streaks of soft silk. As opposed to the brisk and chilly one coming from his friend, he much preferred this one. He let his talons weave carefully around it, pretending as if it was actually floating silk. Slowly they disappeared without a trace.

His friend, meanwhile, only held his in return. Maybe he's thinking of something, he thought. Strokes of light had brushed through his flanks and underscales, making him glow in the darkness. Rather, those illuminated are the only ones that he could see, other than the unmistakable tapping of his claws to the cup he was holding, which was somewhat mesmerizing.

You're oddly quiet, he hums. Qibli wished he would say it, but in a gloomy place like this. Throughout the day, all he had to do was whatever this block of ice had to think of.

"You're daydreaming again," spoke the frigid ice dragon, "Your tea won't be hot before you know it."

Qibli turns to give him a bored look. Winter returned him with a scowl.

"I wasn't," he says, frowning.

"Sure you were," he replies, "Thought that your tiredness wouldn't get you off."

Leaking from the hole of their cracked ceiling, water dripped from below, echoing through the enclosure.

"No I'm not." A little too desperate if he may ask. And as if to worsen the mood, a loud thunder boomed from the distance, ringing in from the walls.

Maybe it'll be better if we change the topic, he thought. So much for peace and quiet.

"You'd happen to have more tea," you stubborn prince? Qibli should start pounding his head into powder if he manages to let these kinds of statements in.

Per the usual, Winter just snorts at him.

"Oh, stop that," he says, rolling his eyes. He takes a kettle that sat on his folded scarf in front of him gushes it into his cup, "and no. Yours is full.."

Qibli jugged his right after before relieving a sigh. "All done." He later smiles at him.

Winter raised an eyeridge. "Great," he says, just as he swings the kettle back and forth. "Now you need to refill it."

He wrinkles his snout, "I'm not gonna do that."

Winter beams at him, "Suit yourself," then he throws it back into its place. Sand particles blowing off in the dim sunlight. He could now hear the pitter-patter of water.

"You know, I'm starting to wonder where we're actually going," he says, hiding a scoff. "I mean, it's your lead. It's not like you tagged along with me," just as Moon had gone back to Jade Academy. He sips his already empty cup, trying to lick the remaining drops with both talons.

Winter sighs as he lets down his cup, "Sanctuary," he says. "I already told you about this."

Now it's his turn to raise an eyeridge. "Not this far, I presume," he added. He couldn't look outside right now when it's pouring, but he's certainly not an idiot to not survey the landscape they were flying on. He could already tell just from the little twitching his clawmate has.

"There's some.. interesting grounds I might look upon," he replies, flopping his tail. Splashes of water were seen from the small pool behind him.

Oh Winter.

"Let me guess," he settles his grin, "it's for the scavengers," shortly, he mouths, "or was it for me?"

"Scavengers, he answers, giving him another scowl. "It's for the scavengers." He looks away, "Though, I do suppose the Talons of Peace wouldn't mind getting souvenirs."

Then he turns to him once more and cranes closer, "And it's not like you have civil duties to fulfill."

Qibli raises his chin, "Her majesty always comes up with something."

"Yeah," Winter snorts, "Queen's pet."

That was more than what he'd actually meant.

"Well.." he keeps his gaze at him, drooping his wings. This time, raindrops start to seep into their scales, soaking. The breeze rushes in as well, hastening the tension.

He returns his smirk, "If you think about it. a pet can mean many other things, so long as it serves its companion. If a Queen can have many companions in the first place, serves her purpose, and cares for them in return, wouldn't that put it in a good light?"

Winter frowns at him, "And your point?"

Qibli beams, "It means I'm a good pet."

Then he points his tail at him, "I mean no offense, but I'd rather be a likable and supportive companion who knows what's best for the both of them, than what every other royal thinks they are." He whirls sideways, "More specifically princesses who are arrogant and selfish and turn away companions when they're right in front of them."

Winter arches his neck, squinting, "What are you trying to say?"

Qibli spreads his wings, "What else am I trying to say?"

"You-" Winter tried to retort, before eventually realizing, "Oh, THREE MOONS, QIBLI!"

Not even in a slight blur did Qibli realize what was going on, as flashes of white and blue popped from his sight. His wings swerved about and his breath was brought out of his chest as he skewered sideways and scattered towards the mud. Dirt and sand drenched on their backs as he and Winter rolled over the shallow pools, splashing water once again all over the place.

What once was an effort to transform the niche into a charming makeshift household has turned into a topsy-turvy clutter. Mud and grime sucked their scales wet and odor reeked high in the air. Accessories and wares were jumbled around as their clothes drenched in mire and their sacks sprinkled with rain. Their tiny tea set (and possibly their only food supply) had been crushed to pieces as the cup that Qibli had been drinking on chipped off to fragments and their kettle submerged in the large pool that somehow formulated beside it.

Once they finished roughhousing, they laid down to the sandy floor and panted heavily. Their backs were skittering as they gasped. He could still feel the coolness emanating from his friend as he dropped down beside him, turning his back. His wings were splayed over and under him and his tail curled up, Qibli wheezed at the facade.

"Well," Qibli says, still panting, "that was fun."

"Great Kingdoms," Winter says, breathlessly, "I hate you so much."

"It's been a long time since we've done that," he adds as he rolls over from the mud, "We should do it again, sometime."

"Ugh," Winter growled. He coughs as he looks over to the mess and arises. "I'm going to kill you when you do," he replies.

"Hey, you're the one who striked first-" Qibli hisses as Winter sprays him with the grime that's stuck on his wing. He later rose up after a bit of aftershock and shook himself off. Muck still stuck on him. He looked like a MudWing cosplay.

"Too bad," Winter snorts. He walks over to their ruined tea set, brushing the torn fabrics and broken fragments aside. He takes the cup that laid on the ground beside his ruined scarf, appearing to be trickling with dregs. "Pathetic."

Winter picks up the scarf and drapes it around his neck. Even though he was an ice dragon, he shivered when the filth from the scarf got in contact with his scales. Repressing the need to take it off, he grabs his sling bag and collects the tea set, including the chipped cup the Qibli had once drunk with and the shards surrounding it. "I don't even know why we even brought these in the first place."

"Peace offering!" Qibli jokes as he continues to shake the filth off. "Moon had a converse with curious local villagers that snooped in during our journey, don't you remember?" But by the time he turned around, Winter was already outside, basking in the freezing rain. A low thunder echoed upfront.

"I'll be grabbing more supplies in case you want to complain to me more about it," he says as Qibli snakes nearer. "You'll be getting more rest, in the meantime."

"And you're leaving me just like that?" He groans, drooping his wings again.

Winter falters as he raises and puts down his talon, "I mean, hey, it was my fault for doing this," he replies. Qibli swore he saw the slight smile on him for a bit. "I'll come back and sort this out."

"Suddenly, you care now," he grumps. "Maybe this is what we have to do often for you to like me bet-"

"Oh, DON'T PUSH IT," he sneers, thwacking him off with his wing. Qibli backed off a few lengths as Winter gave him one more frown. "Nevermind, you're hopeless."

"No! Don't leave me!" Qibli raises his voice. He knelt down in front of him and lifted both of his talons. "We can still sort this out! Right?"

Winter watches him writhe in irony as he rolls his eyes, "Yeah, no."

He turns to the horizon where the clouds are starting to disperse. "Oh, and the sun's rising now, by the way," he lulls, closing his eyes. He tips his snout over to the sky as raindrops slide over to his face, to his horns, to his back, and finally his wings, "So we might as well get going soon."

And with no hesitation, he drew his wings and took off to the nearest wind, letting himself be eaten by the hazy tempest without ever looking back.

As Qibli watched him disappear in the distance, he grieved himself out and breathe down a sigh. He went back to the place they were in not long ago and checked in case there was anything missing. His pouch laid casually far back on the opposite wall, appearing unscathed. And despite everything else being heavily damaged by their fight, only ounces of it were splattered onto the pouch. He mingles with it for a little while, making sure nothing really bad has happened to it, and relieves a small smile. He hopes that he could use it for some other time.

He goes back outside to bathe in the sunlight that slipped through the torrent, bringing the sack with him. Rain dripped all around his body, but he made sure that he would protect his own (and Winter's) belongings safe and sound. For once in the brightest nights did he ever actually shiver as much as he did now in the cold, but he would endure with it nonetheless. Nothing makes a SandWing tougher than going through one opposite temperature to another, or so he thought.

He took one last look at everything around him and hummed. Oh Winter, his thoughts echoing through his mind. Always in a hurry, always in a worry.

Then he flapped with all of his might, trailing down the white-silver dot glimmering in the distance.

Inspired by Sunkissed and Heat Waves..