Note: I do not own Wings of Fire or any of the characters or locations mentioned. The series is created by Tui T Sutherland and published by Scholastic. This work is fanfiction meant for entertainment purposes only. No profit is being made from this story.

1 month and 4 weeks after the end of the War of SandWing Succession.

Clay walked through the corridors of Jade Mountain Academy, which was still being constructed to turn its caves into the classes that each of his friends would teach in. Glory had recently sent in some of her RainWing and NightWing subjects to help with the construction of the new classes. The caves echoed with the sounds of hammering, sawing, and the occasional conversations from the workers.

As Clay walked through the corridors checking in on each cave's progress, occasionally he would stumble as his right leg felt a sharp stab of pain from the wound he had sustained. It was still fresh from the dragonbite viper's bite and Peril's "surgery" to save him. Bandages were still wrapped around his leg, but despite the injury, Clay could still walk, albeit with a limp, and run when he had to, so he was grateful about that.

One cave Clay was excited to see was the place Starflight and Fatespeaker would be teaching in-The Library. The echo of Clay's footsteps grew quieter as he walked through the shallow hallway leading to the library. But when he made it to the other side, a beautiful site was shown before his eyes. The library had to be the most beautifully built cave in the academy. It was thoughtfully designed to make navigation easy for Starflight. From two spots hanging from the main room of the library, banners hung that had aspiring quotes such as "Knowledge is a flame in the darkness" and "The claws of war are no match for the wings of wisdom". Small spaces were on each side of the octagonal cave, the walls adorned with cubbyholes holding scrolls and a window at the end of each one. A step was below the windows in each space with pillows in them for students to rest on as they read. Above each one was another space with pillows and on the floor were small divots with a single pillow; both serving the same purpose.

In the middle of the cave, large windows covered by semi-translucent rainforest leaves sent from Glory could be seen. They gave the library an emerald-green glow when the sun shined through them. Directly below this source of beautiful light was a single wooden desk with the word "Librarian" etched onto the side of it. From there, Clay spotted the two NightWings he was expecting to see-Starflight and Fatespeaker. Both of them had gorgeous black scales but their underbellies were different colors-Fatespeaker's was purple, while Starflight's was a light grey. Their wings have white spots on them that looked like the starry night sky when fully opened. But when Clay looked at Starflight, he had a feeling that was a mix of pain and regret upon seeing him. Starflight's scars and the blindfold he wore served as brutal reminders of Clay's failure to save him from his crippling injury.

As he walked closer to them, Clay could hear Fatespeaker, his assistant and friend/caretaker, reading the scroll she had on the table. She sat near Starflight as she read the scroll on the desk to him. Clay grew a warm smile as he sat in front of the two NightWings.

"I see reading is going well," Clay spoke in a deep, yet warm voice. He walked toward them until he was a few feet from the desk as he sat on his hind legs and folded his wings neatly inward.

Fatespeaker and Starflight looked up at Clay. Starflight looked to his right, but Fatespeaker was quick to move his head in Clay's direction.

"Hi, Clay!" Fatespeaker said with a joyful smile adorning her snout as her tail swished slightly.

"Good to hear your voice, Clay" Starflight responded as he lifted his head upward, a smaller smile adorning his snout.

"How are you two today?" Clay asked them, just slightly adjusting the way he sat on his hind legs.

"Im doing well…considering" Starflight quietly told him with a slightly melancholic voice.

Clay couldn't help but notice their wings as he spoke to them. Fatespeaker's wings were held up happily, her joyful nature radiating from them. Starflight's wings, however, seemed to droop slightly lower than Fatespeaker's, but not low enough to drag across the floor if he were to walk. It gave Clay the feeling that Starflight isn't feeling the feeling he was trying to convey to him.

"He certainly is doing well!" Fatespeaker chimed in as she nudged Starflight playfully."So far he's doing great with navigating the academy, and thankfully he perfected the library. With my help of course," She added with a teasing glance at Starflight and a wink at Clay.

Clay smiled at Fatespeaker's words about Starflight's progress "That's good he's making progress," Claw replied with warmth in his voice.

Fatespeaker returned Clay's smile at that response, her being more grateful for his praise over their efforts. It was then that Fatespeaker thought for a moment before the subject changed to a slightly more serious note.

"Well, since you're here, I'm gonna need a favor if you have the time." Fatespeaker then told Clay, her voice becoming more earnest.

"Sure. What is it?" Clay inquired, curiosity laced in his voice.

"Some new scrolls were delivered to the academy from the Rainforest Kingdom and the Sand Kingdom," Fatespeaker explained, an excited glint in her eyes as she maintained that joyful smile. "Could you watch over my star patient while I go get them?"

Clay smiled at the idea of spending time with Starflight, even if it was for a short moment"Of course," Clay warmly responded.

Fatespeaker smiled at him before she looked at Starflight, her eyes slightly softening as she glanced at him.

"Starflight, I'm gonna go get the new scrolls that were delivered. We'll continue reading when I get back, OK?" Fatespeaker told Starflight putting hew talons on his talon that was over the scroll.

"...I'll wait for you Fate," Starflight answered in a sober tone.

"I'll be right back, Star," Fatespeaker told Starflight, a hint of determination in her tone of voice as she stood up and began to walk to the exit. Fatespeaker shared one last glance at Clay with a thankful look on her about. "Thanks, Clay," Fatespeaker said before she left.

After Fatespeaker was out of the cave, Clay turned to look at Starflight. He could hear him exhale as his snout pointed downward toward the scroll on the desk. Clay had a softened look adorning his snout as he carefully walked toward Starflight, going past the opening of the desk, before sitting down at the side of him. Clay noticed that Starflight looked rather saddened as he sat next to him. It left Clay with a feeling of curiosity, along with genuine worry for his brother.

"Is everything OK, Starflight?" Clay couldn't help but ask, a look of worry on his snout.

Starflight didn't respond, head still pointing downward, as if he was downhearted about something and wasn't really paying much attention to him.

"Star?" Clay asked again, his voice slightly louder.

Starflight was quick to look up and turned his head in Clay's direction.

"Oh, Clay. I'm… I'm alright" Starflight said, seemingly snapping out of his focus momentarily.

It seemed to him that he was trying to look happy, but Starflight's melancholy tone in his voice and his drooped wings screamed otherwise for Clay.

"Starflight, I know you're lying. I hear it in your voice and in your body language " Clay told him.

Starflight responded with silence, but with a reassuring look on his snout, Clay scooted slightly closer to him.

"I've been there for you throughout our adventure, even if your lectures annoyed me. You can always talk to me when something is on your mind. I'm your bigwings for a reason you know." Clay told Starflight with a comforting tone in his voice, as he opened a massive wing and wrapped it around Starflight.

Starflight gave off a slow, yet heavy sigh before he spoke to Clay, vulnerability laced in his voice. "I'm just…thinking, Clay" Starflight answered "Of Sunny."

Clay raised one of his eyebrows in confusion at Starflight's answer. "That's all? I thought you would be thinking about all the knowledge you would be sharing soon, of all the dragonets that would crowd the library once the first semester starts." Clay replied, a mix of humor and genuine confusion laced in his voice.

"I know, me being able to share so much knowledge with Pyrrhia, it…it's amazing," Starfilght replied with a hollow chuckle. "Its just…for Sunny…I had feelings for her all my life. I loved her"

"I know, and she loves you too," Clay told Starflight happily, thinking that he was talking about their familial bond. "We all do,"

"...Romantically loved her, I mean. All my life" Starflight clarified.

Clay's eyes widened with surprise. He knew that they spoke to and relied on each other often throughout their travels, but he didn't know that romance was involved. "Does she know about this?" Clay asked in genuine curiosity.

"She does," Starflight answered with a melancholic tone in his voice.

"I even confessed to her back on NightWing Island when we were helping Glory save the RainWings being held captive. But she was confused by her feelings for me and said her thoughts were a mess. So...I felt it was no surprise when she…when she…" Starflight struggled to admit, not wanting to remind himself of the outcome of his confessed feelings.

"When she what?" Clay asked, wanting to push the answer out of Starflight's snout.

"When she … rejected me," Starflight said with a hint of pain mixed into his melancholic voice.

Clay's eyes widened as he felt a hard pang of guilt for him. Clay didn't really know how romance works out, but he could sense heartbreak when he saw it.

"She…never had romantic feelings for me. None at all" Starflight continued, his voice becoming heavier as his lips began to tremble slightly.

That was enough to get Clay to fully wrap his massive wings around Starflight. He also wrapped his forearm around him to add to the comforting embrace as Clay rested Starflight's head into the crook of his shoulder.

"Starflight… I'm so sorry." Clay quietly replied with understanding, sadness, and empathy mixed in his voice. "I had no idea"

"I had a feeling she was gonna say that after she called all of us her brothers and sisters, but it still hurt to hear her say that aloud," Starflight admitted.

"It must have been hard on both of you," Clay replied as he closed his eyes.

"I just thought I could have her with me, 'cause no one else did. You and the others ignored me and were annoyed by how I am, but she was the only one to accept me for who I was." Starflight explained, his voice wavering ever so slightly as he spoke. "Now…I feel I have no one else. Like I'm completely alone"

"That isn't true Starflight," Clay told Starflight as he tightened his wings and gently stroked Starflight's back to comfort him.

"Yes, your lectures and rambling of your knowledge of Pyrrhia did get under our scales at times, but your knowledge played a role in ending the war. If it wasn't for you, none of us would be where we are now. It may feel hopeless…but I'm sure everything will be ok between you two."

"I…I wish I could believe that" Starflight told Clay, his somber voice softening slightly from being touched by Clay's words.

"Believe it, Starflight," Clay said in a determined voice. "We're here for you. We always have, and always will."

Clay knew he was right about what he said to Starflight. Indeed he played a huge part in the dragonet's new future at Jade Mountain Academy. Without him. Blister, Burn, or Blaze would have become queen of SandWings, and moons know what would have happened next. Starflight felt a glimmer of hope as he continued to be embraced by Clay, but that hope was only a spark compared to the heaviness his heart had from what happened with Sunny.

"I think I'll give you some space now, Star. But just call for us when you need something" Clay told Starflight, maintaining his comforting voice.

"No rush, Clay…" Starflight replied, quietly.

With one final squeeze, Clay released Starflight and made his way past the desk, just as Fatespeaker walked in on her hind legs, carrying what looked to be a small box filled with scrolls.

"I'm back, you guys!" Fatespeaker announced cheerfully.

"Great! I trust getting the scrolls went well?" Clay asked, pushing aside his worry to sound as normal as possible.

"It went well. I was mainly waiting for the Rain and SandWing messengers to bring them, so I didn't have to do much-" Fatespeaker explained before she felt the oddly suspicious tone in the air. "Um…did I miss something?" Fatespeaker asked, curiosity laced in her voice. "I feel like something happened while I was gone"

Clay maintained a reassuring smile. "Just a quick talk between me and Starflight" Clay answered. "Nothing much"

"Alright, Thanks again Clay" Fatespeaker told him with a smile as she placed the box onto the desk and began to sort the scrolls into their proper cubbies.

Clay saw Fatespeaker guide Starflight to the area she was sorting the scrolls as he walked out of the library. While he was in the small corridor again, all the things Starflight said, the sadness he was holding in his heart began to take its toll on Clay. He looked back at the entrance and grew a saddened look on his snout.

"Moons…Poor Starflight." Clay thought to himself. "He lost his home, the support of his tribe, his family, his eyesight, and now this? What can I do?"

It was then that Clay felt his head spark with an idea. The fact that he and the others were family to him made him think that this may be the answer to Starflight's sadness. Through this, Clay stood in a determined stance and made a silent promise to himself.

"I'll help him. I'll show that we all love him, including Sunny; romance or no romance"

As Clay walked out of the corridor into the main tunnels, he began to look around in each cave with determination and curiosity mixed together. He had decided that if he were to show that he and the others love Starflight as family, who better than to get the others to help out?

"I wonder where Tsunami is?..." Clay curiously wondered as he began his search for friends…