[IMAGE CREDIT TO LIGHT-STAR-DOES-ART!]

Umber sighed as he gripped the letter in his paw, letting his mind wander as he stared at the rain.

Behind him, he heard his sister softly snoring, and his heart thumped with guilt.

Poor Sora.

He absentmindedly watched the storm, the harsh rain and wind unable to find them when they were so far in the cave. At least they had found refuge.

He thought back to when he and Sora had first fled Jade Mountain Academy, about three months ago. His sister and himself had flown blindly for a few days, heading in the direction of the Mud Kingdom, when Sora said she remembered a cave they could stay in. The cave was amongst the ones in the Claws of the Clouds Mountains, facing the Mud Kingdom; it was close to Jade Mountain.
They had agreed to camp out there, at least until the heat had died down from Sora's attack on Icicle. But then when Darkstalker came back, the two had been instructed to stay put by the Jade Winglet (namely Qibli and Turtle via animus-touched parchment) so they'd be safe.

And now that things were over, the two were able to return out of fugitive status. Even though Umber wanted to do so (badly), Sora had expressed that she still felt like she wasn't ready to go back to civilisation just yet.

In his letters to the Jade Winglet, Umber had conveyed this; he was also willing to remain with Sora for as long as she needed, and she had recently told him that she might be ready soon.
Though Umber was glad he was with his sister, he always awoke in their cave with a feeling that something was tugging on his heart – back toward the mountain, towards another dragon he loved.
Though his other brothers and sister was there, Umber didn't quite think this yearning meant them.

His heart meant Him.

Funny, charming, laughable, relatable, amazing. Always finding the joy in life and always wanting to make friends.

Qibli. 

Umber heard crinkling and realised he was gripping the note too hard, creating a small tear. Though the paper was enchanted to erase and deliver itself on command, it wasn't indestructible, and Umber didn't want Turtle to have to magic another one. He hastily loosened his grip, deciding to read the note over again.

Umber!
Hello, fellow JadeWing! I hope you and Sora are doing amazingly well – you know, without any bad-guys from the past chasing after your tails. Rest assured, as always: you have nothing to worry about anymore.
I really hope you both don't mind – but we told Clay about everything that happened when we gave him one of my earrings. We waited until we were sure Clay wasn't under Darkstalker's spell anymore, and promised not to tell anyone. He sends his love for both you and Sora.
Would you like to visit us down at Sanctuary? In case you've forgotten, that's Winter's "save the scavengers!" movement adoption place. 
Attached is a map of where to go.
Please also bring Sora if she's feeling up for it.
We hope to see you soon – maybe in a few days' time? Let us know!
Utterly sincerely,
Your friends:
Moon, Winter, Kinkajou, Turtle, and Qibli 

Umber felt his heart speeding again. Qibli.

The MudWing grabbed the nearest inkwell (emerald green, one of the few assets they had stolen from their sleeping caves as they had whisked away) and scribbled his answer on the back of the parchment:

Hello everyone!
I have asked Sora if she wants to come, and she said yes! We'll see you at Sanctuary the day after tomorrow. We can't wait!
Also... it's Qibli who normally receives these letters and shares them with the rest of everyone, right?

Umber paused, wondering if he should continue or get the note to erase itself.

No. You made yourself a promise. You have to commit to it.

He resumed writing, under new determination.

Qibli, don't share this part with the others:
When I'm at Sanctuary, can I talk with you privately, if that's okay? I know it sounds weird, but give me a chance? It's just... I've missed you, and I want to catch up.
We're really looking forward to seeing you all!
– Umber and Sora 

Umber rolled up the scroll and settled down further in the cave, his back resting against his sisters', eyes glazed over peacefully as he stared at the thin lines of water pounding the ground over and over.

I'm coming, Qibli.

All I have to do is wait.

›◊‹

Flap, flap, flap, flap, soar.

"Do you think Winter is still going to be mad at me?" Sora asked from beside Umber.

The two had been flying through the scattering of mountains for most of the day, which was a feat Umber was pretty sure no other MudWing had attempted before. Their muscles ached, and their wings were in agony. They took rests often. But now, they were so close. Umber couldn't stop now.

His heart was tugging him, pulling him up, up, up above the horizon, towards the SandWing he knew so well.

"I doubt it," he replied. "You were trying to avenge Crane. Winter knows what revenge can do to dragons." Umber looked up from the map, brushing Sora's wing with his own.
He always saw the pain in her eyes whenever they brought up Crane, even before Jade Mountain Academy; the two had been close, closer than sisters, like their souls were carved from the same stone. Crane and Sora had been best friends, and then... Crane had just been ripped away. 

That hadn't been fair to anyone. They were at war. Icicle might not be sorry about it, but Umber knew how much it hurt Winter. Winter knows what it's like to lose a sibling. He was sympathetic.

Umber winced as he saw his sister glance down, trying to stop her tears.

"I'm positive he'll forgive you," Umber insisted. "Qibli tells me he's grown and matured very much."

Sora stared at the green land under them, and Umber decided to consult the map again.

He braked abruptly. They had made it!

"Through here," he said to his sister. He dove down into the valley between the mountains, flying straight ahead across the grass and –
– crashed into a sparkly white dragon mid-flight.

The two fell to the grass, the white dragon whacking himself with his own wings. "Excuse me!" He exclaimed in a familiar voice.

Umber smiled nervously, rolling to his feet. "I'm so sorry, Winter! It's nice to see you!" He tried to rectify his damage quickly, reaching out towards his clawmate to brush some dirt off his scales.

The IceWing stopped spitting dirt, his head snapping up in realisation.

"Umber!" Winter's face lit up as he disregarded the MudWing's help to instead pull his friend into a hug. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

Umber was caught completely off-guard, and stood momentarily stunned before ferociously returning Winter's enthusiastic hug. 
He was surprised at how his scales sang, how his insides warmed. He didn't realise he had missed his friends so much.

"I'm glad you invited us," Umber said in a small voice, squeezing his friend.

"Us?" Winter echoed as the two pulled away.

Before Umber could say anything else, Umber's older sister touched down on the ground next to him.

"Sora," Winter acknowledged in alarm.