Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend by Forthright

He’s more accustomed to speaking for others than speaking up for himself.
Stranded at Stately House, Suuzu Farroost is restless and fretful and lonesome for Akira. Waiting is a misery, and all he has to hold onto is the memory of a fleeting kiss, a circlet of nippet eggs, and one very stubborn, very outspoken valet. To keep him from wallowing, Suuzu’s friends find ways to distract him, and as one story leads to another, the phoenix learns about the special place nippets hold in avian lore, especially where courtship is concerned.

*A short story set immediately after the events of Bk5: Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate.