The Letters You Send Me

Chapter 2: Gone

Moon sprang up from her leafy bed. She had a vision about Winter leaving the Academy, but it was so vivid, and for her the ones that are vivid, are the ones closer to happening.

She turned to Kinkajou who shared the cave with her. Her scales were bright pink and her tail and wings were curled around her body, so Moon assumed she was having a good dream.

Moon felt terrible that she had to wake up Kinkajou. The Nightwing walked over to the sleeping dragon and nudged her side gently "Kinkajou...."

The Rainwing groaned and turned her head to the other side, before letting out a sigh and shifting position once more. Moon sighed and repeatedly poked Kinkajou's snout until her scales turned back to her normal vibrant yellow and pink.

"M-Moon?" She looked around and rubbed her eyes with her claws "what's wrong?" "I had a vision." "Really?!" Kinkajou exclaimed, jumping to her claws and looking at her friend intensely "what was it about?!" "Winter..... He.... He's going to leave..." Kinkajou's scales turned into a deep shade of gray, showing her disbelief and shock.

"Too late Moon,"

Qibli said, entering with Turtle with Peril behind them.

"He's already gone."

Moon hung her head low. "I can't believe it..." Turtle said quietly. "Neither can I..." Moon replied.

"I'll fly around the mountains and see if I can spot him." Peril said, flexing her wings before running down the stone halls, the sound of her talons scraping against the floor being the only thing being heard. Moon looked up to see Qibli smiling down at her, before sitting down and wrapping his sand colour'd wing around hers.

She leaned onto him and he sighed, "is... Is it my fault?" Qibli turned his head to the side "why would you say that?" "Winter hated me... Ever since he saw me he hated me. The fact that I'm a Twice-Moon Born dragonet makes it worse." Moon felt another pairs of wings around her and looked back, only to see Kinkajou and Turtle hugging her from behind.

"Don't worry, if anyone can find him, it's Peril." Moon nodded and looked wrapped her talons around Qibli's neck, and he did the same around her back. "Don't worry Moon, everything's going to be fine."

She nodded and allowed their warm scales to envelope her.

After a few minutes, they all broke the hug and exited the small cave. "Did he leave a letter?" Kinkajou asked.

Both Qibli and Turtle shook their heads "no, he didn't. But, he did leave his Skyfire ankle bracelet." He said, handing it to the Nightwing. Moon tried to reach Winter's mind, but he was too far away.

Moon sighed and tears began to poke at her eyes.

But she refused to cry.

She had cried so many times, she couldn't star again now.

She took a deep breath, tilting her snout up, before letting out a exhale, her snout lowering. "Let's go outside and wait for Peril to return." Turtle reasoned, turning to the door and walking out with Kinkajou next to him.

Moon followed with Qibli next to her, but he kept his wing over her back to provide some support. Moon smiled to him and he returned the gesture. Moon looked at the ground and noticed Peril's talon marks along the stone floor.

While they walked through the hallway, Moon read the minds of the dragons who were awake to keep herself occupied.

"What are they doing up so late? .... Wait... What am I doing up so late? Three moons! I need sleep!"

"Eugh. Homework."

"Does Coconut like tulips?"

"A lot of dragons are passing through the hallway outside... Is everything alright?"

Moon sighed and slipped their thoughts into her imaginary raindrops and let them scatter to the wind.

Moon was so occupied she didn't notice that they had already arrived outside. Moon looked up to see the two moons peering out from some passing clouds. The stars were beautiful and if she were flying right now, she'd be almost invisible.

But then, she noticed a glowing ball of orange and red flying towards them. The closer it came, the more it resembled a dragon. Peril!

Moon broke free from Qibli's wing and flew up to meet the Skywing who stopped and hovered in place, allowing Moon to fly and greet her. Moon looked at Peril's glowing sky blue eyes and noticed the despair and disappointment in them "he's long gone. I'm sorry Moon. I tried my best."

Moon smiled sadly, allowing the tears to flow from her eyes "I know you did...... Thank you for trying, Peril." She nodded and they both gently glided down to the ledge where the others had been waiting for them.

"If I can't find him in the mountain ranges or anywhere near here, he left around midnight."

Moon looked up at the peak of Jade Mountain where some snow was. She hiccupped and lowered her head. "It's all my fault!" She cried. "If I stayed away from him and pretended like I didn't exist.... He wouldn't have left!" Kinkajou flopped her ears back and walked in front of Moon and lifted her chin with her now blue talon "hey... Don't worry. We'll find him." Moon looked at Kinkajou and saw her blue scales.

Sadness.

Moon leaned on Kinkajou and cried, and the others had joined in. But Peril only sat there watching.

"What's going on out here?" A concerned voice asked.

The group looked at the entrance and saw a small Sandwing as well as a limping Mudwing coming out of the darkness. "What's going on? Why are you all crying?" Sunny asked, running to them. "Winter left sometime around midnight." Turtle answered. Clay looked at Peril "I already flew around, he's long gone."

Clay nodded and walked over to her, wrapping his wing around the Skywing. She smiled and gently rested her tail on Clay's.

Moon sniffled and pulled away from the hug. "I'll sleep on it... Let's go to bed."

Before anyone could answer, she headed inside to her dorm and flopped on the leafy bed.