Never Again- WinterWatcher

NOTE: Takes place after Winter Turning when Winter heads back with Hailstorm. Hope you like!
-Peril 
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== Gone... ==
In Moonwatcher's five years of experience, she had never known something as strongly as what she felt now: That she would never again let anyone hurt her like Winter had.  
It would never have worked between us anyway, Moon chided herself. Not with the hatred brewing between the IceWings and Nightwings for two thousand years. 
She had known that the spark between them could never ignite, but still had hoped that maybe he felt something for her in return. But after what he'd said to her, she had realized the hard truth: Winter didn't, and would never feel anything for her. 
Moon paced around the prim gardens of the clinic. Somewhere inside the clinic, nestled under a blanket, was her best friend, Kinkajou. She hadn't been conscious for hours, and Moon couldn't shake the feeling that she might never wake again. 
 
 How long has it been since he left, Moon wondered. Her brain still couldn't think straight since his departure.   
"Moon!" came a kind, familiar voice from behind her. "I've been looking for you for hours. I couldn't lose another one of my friends today...." Qibli's voice trailed off.  
 Moon wanted to say something comforting to him, but couldn't. It felt like a part of her was gone. A part of me that will never come back. 
She grew self-conscious that they were standing awfully close together. Edging away slowly, she whispered "I'm going to go check on Kinkajou."  
Qibli nodded and started to amble away, but turned and asked, "Moon, are you all right?"  
No, and I might never be again, Moon thought. But instead, she whispered "I'll be fine when Kinkajou wakes up. Which she will. Wake up, I mean."  
 Qibli's eyes snaked to the ground, and his earring caught the fading light. "I'm talking about Winter" he said, asking the worst possible question. "We all grew attached to him, but we can all tell that maybe you two felt something more--"  
 Meerkat, the nurse, barreled around the flowers until he reached Moon. Breathlessly, he reported "Kinkajou has woken up."  
All of the built up negativity in Moon shot out as quickly as it had come. She spread her sore wings and lifted up into the sky. 
 
 Last time I flew I was with Winter, carrying Kinkajou here, Moon thought, then scolded herself. No more thinking about him. 
== "It'll All Work Out Someday" ==
As soon as she reached the clinic, her hopes soared higher than she could ever fly. Maybe Kinkajou's laughter and easy-going personality could help mend the shattered remnants of her heart back together.
Mayfly, the MudWing doctor was busy scribbling on a scroll, so Moon ran straight past her to Kinkajou's bed. She was covered in bandages and looked battered. She's so brave through all this. I'll have to stay strong for her sake.
" MOON!" Kinkajou cried, craning her neck in Moon's direction. "I missed you so much!"
Moon laughed, silently relieved that Kinkajou was her regular, happy self. "You've only been out for a couple hours."
"It feels like forever, though. Don't you think? Isn't it funny how when you aren't with your friends it seems like it has been forever? I think it's weird how that happens. That's what it felt like when I was captured by the NightWings."
It seems like forever since I've seen Winter, too.
"I'm going to check on more patients, so you have to make sure Kinkajou doesn't get out of bed or do something else like that." Mayfly said, confronting Moon.
Kinkajou giggled. "Where would you ever get that idea from? Why would I ever do that? Do I seem like that kind of dragon--"
"Yes, you do seem like that kind of dragon." Mayfly replied, rolling her eyes.
"Hey, Moon?" Kinkajou asked once Mayfly had left.
"Hey, what?"
"Well, it's getting late, so I was wondering if you might want to come sleep in the hospital with me."
"Where would I ever sleep?"
"Um, on the floor, of course! There isn't anywhere else to go."
Moon was about to decline, but reminded herself that Kinkajou had just been thrown on to a tree and needed support from her friends who hadn't left her. "Sure. The floor does seem pretty comfortable."
"What have you been doing today?"
"It's a long story..."
"I see... where are Qibli and Winter?"
Moon's voice wavered. "It-it's complicated."
Kinkajou hung to every word. "It'll all work out someday. Don't worry, Moon, you'll see."
As Moon geared up to reply, she realized that Kinkajou was already back to sleep. Chuckling, Moon pulled the blanket up to Kinkajou's snout. She decided that the floor didn't sound very comfortable after all.
As she walked out of the clinic, Kinkajou's voice echoed in her mind.
It'll all work out someday.
== Old Friends ==
A draft of cold air spiraled through the garden, and Moon shivered. She'd had enough of this. She wanted nothing else to do with him. She had stayed in the garden for hours, and her only interrupting had been Qibli. He'd asked if she'd like some food, which she kindly rejected. He also asked if she'd like to come see Winter, which she'd not-so-kindly rejected.
She closed her eyes, and focused on the breeze until she heard a voice in her mind. What happened?
"Nothing. Please leave me alone, though- wait, what?!" Moon swiveled around to face the intruder. "What? How can you read minds? I'm the first dragon to have it in 2,000 years." 
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An old NightWing came into view. It was the same NightWing Winter had arrived with. Now that Moon saw her clearly, she could tell that Winter hadn't brought her as a mate. She was much too old. That would be embarrassing.
"Indeed it would. Oh, and I was born more than 2,000 years ago. I am Foeslayer."
"Like.... like Darkstalker's mother?"
"That's the one."
"But how?"
"It's a long, complicated story that I don't have time for."
Moon latticed her talons together. "I met Darkstalker at Jade Mountain Academy."
Foeslayer's eyes glossed over, and she declared, "Really? I mean, I thought this would happen."
Moon couldn't believe that the Foeslayer was actually in front of her. Smiling, she unlaced her talons, and put one up to Foeslayer's wing. "Sorry, I just wanted to check that you were actually real. Which you are, of course."
"So you're the 'Moon' Winter kept talking about."
Moon blushed. "He talks about me?"
"Indeed; all the time. But Winter's worried that you won't talk to him again."
"Why doesn't he come out here and face me himself, the coward?" The words felt wrong coming out of her mouth, and she knew it was unlike her to even be thinking those things. But somehow she just wanted to prove how tough she was for Foeslayer.
"You do know he loves you, right?"
Moon froze up, talons clenched. "I-I wasn't aware."
Foeslayer snorted and made her way back to the clinic. "Then what kind of mind reader are you?"
== Forgiven ==
Qibli ran up to her, smiling broadly. "Did you hear? Winter's back, and he brought back Darkstalker's mom!"
"Yes, it's all so exciting! Anyway, have you seen Winter?" Moon asked.
"He was just leaving to go to sleep. You can probably find him outside before he gets there, though."
Moon didn't hesitate, she sprinted in that direction and shouted "Thanks, Qibli!"
It took a while, but Moon found Winter making his way to the village. She snuck up on him from behind and threw her wings around him. Isn't this what Kinkajou would do in this situation?
Huh? Winter knocked her off of his back, and pinned her to the ground. "Who are you and why did you... Moon?"
"Winter, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for getting mad at you for leaving, and replacing me with another NightWing, even though you actually didn't, and-"
Wait, you were mad at me? Winter scratched his head, confused.
"Oh, I guess that I was just mad at you internally... But I'm still sorry. And also, did you lose your skyfire? I can hear your thoughts."
Oh no, what if she hears me thinking about...
 "About what?" Moon asked, intrigued.
"So, how was everything here while I was gone?" Winter asked, clearly avoiding the subject.
"The SandWing Kingdom was beautiful as always."
Not as beautiful as you... OH MOONS! SHE HEARD ME!
 Moon laughed at Winter's face of discomfort. "D-do you have anymore skyfire?" He asked.
"Nope."
Three moons! Now she'll know how I feel about her, which would make it a good time to confess.
 "Confess what?"
"Your powers have probably heard it already. Who knows what else they heard." Winter sighed, wings drooping.
"I really missed you," Moon began. "And I just wanted to say... Never leave again."
Winter smiled, and threw a wing around her. "Never again," he confirmed.
Moon cursed her awkward way of speaking. "I don't know how to say this, but I really like you." There. That was her best attempt at a romantic compliment.
Winter's pale scales turned disastrously red. "I really like you too, Moon. I mean, that I-" he paused to summon all of his courage. "I love you."
Moon's eyes glinted happily in the moonlight. "That's what I meant."
Winter looked so relieved, like the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders. "This is the best night of my life!" He intertwined their tails.
Moon geared up to reply, when she heard a familiar voice behind her. "No. No, it was supposed to be me saying that. Moon is supposed to like me. No."
Moon spun around to see Qibli flying away. She glanced apologetically at Winter and flew after him, spiraling into the night.
That's where things got complicated.
== Everything Falls Into Place ==
Moon's exaggerated panting, made Qibli stop. He didn't want her precious lungs to get hurt.
He stopped mid-flight and skidded to a stop. He paused, and made sure Moon was doing the same thing. Once they were both firmly on the ground, he slowly paced toward her.
"But, Moon, I love you." Qibli intertwined their tails, and Moon didn't stop him. She already felt bad about the whole thing.
"Qibli, you've helped me so much ever since I started Jade Mountain Academy. You've always been so kind to me, and I always knew that I could trust and count on you."
"So you'll reconsider this whole misunderstanding with Winter?" Qibli pleaded.
"You never let me finish. I need to be that kind of dragon to Winter. I need to be there for him like you've always been there for me. Qibli, you're more of a kind, protective brother to me, and I thank you for it. But... I-"
Qibli nodded and pulled his tail back toward him. "I was afraid you'd say something like this. I guess I wasn't really ready to hear it, but I understand."
Moon smiled, and observed the two moons looming over them. Their pale, refined qualities reminded her of Winter, who was waiting to whisk her off on the adventure to find the Night Kingdom. Oh, what an adventure they'd have.
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Genre (Romance)
Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon)
Category:Fanfictions (Completed)