Damon, as he rounded past another tree, called out for Cora after she unexpectedly ran off on him almost ten minutes ago, "Corajan!" His eyes were scanning around the area, past tree after tree, trying to search for anything that's short and red. Already it has been about thirty-five minutes since he and her left the humans to hunt. And now instead of hunting for food, the drake's on duty to look for the little dragoness who was with him and just took off. His tail swung a bit behind him as he padded another step. He let out a snort through his nose and mumbled to himself, "Crap." Cora was smaller than him, and the only problem since she was smaller, she can traverse through these woods faster than he would. Which was why he has lost sight of her. Now he was afraid if she went TOO far away from him, she could probably get herself lost.

He saw another trail in the woods and followed it, while he held up his nose to sniff for Cora's scent. He found it and it didn't smell like she was far away.

The green drake knows for a fact that he doesn't doubt her fighting skills and also her hunting ones, but she was still young to him and he couldn't help but feel a bit worried for her safety. A thought popped up in his mind, making him roll up his eyes and sigh. Realizing he's starting to act like Rick. There was no way he's going to be the stern one in the group. He will always be the friendly, playful type like Scott, Cora and Emily.

Besides, there was only one stern human in the group and he will not act like a very stern drake. He was a good listener and doesn't judge anything much.

He chuckled under his breath. Only at the moment, Damon was acting like a concerned parent looking for his hatchling.

Damon shot his gaze to the right, still looking for the teenage dragoness. Still, where'd she go? Cora said she smelled something in the air, but he hasn't. That was why she ran off. Either she probably had a good nose than he does, or she didn't smell anything at all and thought she did. That didn't stop her from running off to have her morning meal.

His big green frame walked right through the bushes, folding his wings close to his back. His yellow eyes continued scanning the forest as he strode past them. Nothing red was in sight, but he can still smell her. Good. That meant she was nearby still.

While he traversed, his tail smacked against the bark of a tree, knocking off some leaves from the branches and they floated down to the ground behind him. His brain clicked at some realization about her. Even though Cora's never been away from home and has never been in this part of the world, she wasn't even calling out to him in worry and fear. She probably didn't feel like she was lost.

Amusement was filling in the drake's chest and it was shone on his face. He had to admit, she really was brave. Then his face grew serious. But she still should've stayed with him! The world is still dangerous. Luckily, he doesn't see or smell any Dark Dragons and Lost Souls in the area.

Damon breathed in through his nose and other than Cora's scent, he can smell something else. A smell that made his mouth water. A smell he had come across time and time again in his travels searching for Luna.

He smells pygna goat.

Maybe that was what Cora smelled before and ran after. Perhaps Cora already caught it. Well, he's about to find out. Sniffing the air, he walked off in another direction. Then it wasn't long before he caught sight of a lone pygna goat straight ahead. Its head was black, has swirling golden horns on top of it, and all over its body has fluffy white fur. It wasn't hunted down yet. He made a hungry growl in his throat, as his eyes concentrated right on the small thing. He imagined burning off that white wooly fur off that thing and chewing away that cooked up meat. A bit of drool was dripping off his snout as his stomach was growling in hunger. He's gonna go for it.

With his wings curled tightly on him, knowing that they will just slow him down if he tries running at it, Damonen snuck towards it as quietly as he could. That little thing had its back turned on him, eating the grass off the ground, so it was perfect enough for the green drake. He was about halfway to the spot where that goat was when the smaller edible creature perked up its head and glanced at its right. Like it heard something. Damon froze before his paw made another step, hoping that he wasn't the one who made that noise. While the goat was still staring at that direction, something launched out of a hiding spot from a different direction. It turned its head and saw in time to see Cora landing right on top of the creature almost the same size as her, "RAWRRR!!"

Corajan pinned the thing beneath her and flared up her wings in victory, as the goat was screaming in terror, squirming underneath her paws, "BAAAAAA!" The red dragoness bared her teeth and had her jaws clamped down on its throat, cutting off its frightened scream. It squirmed as it was kicking its hind legs in vain. Damon's face widened up at the show he watched. The very first time he sees her kill something.

The goat finally died and Cora opened up her maw to let the thing's head slump down on the grass. Cora let out a victorious sigh as she looked down proudly at her own kill, settling her wings on her back. Damon formed a smile on his snout and started padding forward to meet her. He saw Cora's ears flicking at his rustling footsteps and shot her gaze to see him coming. He can barely see the dark red blood right on her crimson muzzle when she formed a smile at the drake taller than her, "Bout time, Damonen. I was wondering if you were catching up." Her forepaw was still laid on the goat's body and she shook it, "I just caught my kill."

Damon stopped when he was real close to her and the dead goat, "I see that." He gestured to the little creature, "Guess, you weren't kidding that you had smelled something."

Cora held up her snout in smugness, swishing her red tail behind her, "Told ya I did."

"Well, I didn't smell anything!"

"Probably because I have a better nose than you."

The drake rolled his eyes, "My nose is not THAT bad." He formed a grin, "I caught your scent and it was before I caught the goat's."

Cora playfully shot back when she pointed a talon at herself, "But I still smelled it before you."

Damon eyed at his own nose and scrunched it, "Hmm....I think there's something wrong with it."

Cora shot her head to the right, "Well, while you're thinking about it, I'm gonna find a place to cook the thing." She was lowering his snout to the deceased goat, "Hope there'll be enough scraps for you."

Then he got all serious when he made that expression, "Hey Cora, before you go off dragging that thing. How about next time when we're off hunting together, don't run off like that."

Cora rose her head and brought back her eyes on Damon, making a mock expression, "Oh, getting all Rockojaren on me?" She pointed her claw down at the goat, "You saw what I did. I killed it without a problem."

He lowered his head to her level, showing a tiny bit of worry in his yellow eyes, "I know. But the world is still dangerous and....Quite frankly, you're still new at seeing it. This isn't a game. Something could've attacked you when you were alone."

Cora stared right at his eyes for a second and nodded with an appreciative grin, "I appreciate your concern." Then she turned a bit and showed off her whole body, wings fluttered on her back a bit, "But I'm doing fine. Don't have any blood on me."

Damon smirked when he remarked with eyes right on the blood on her muzzle, "Except there."

Cora followed his gaze and nodded with a cute giggle, "Yeah, except there. But other than that I'm good."

He let out a somewhat relieved breath, "Good to hear." He rose his head above her level and stated, "Well, at least we've found food." Damon placed his paw to his chest and offered, "Want me to carry it off to a good spot?"

Cora shook off the offer, "No thanks. I can do it." Her jaws grabbed onto the goat's wooled neck and started to drag it off roughly across the ground. Flapping her wings and flicking her tail behind her. Damon was just watching and following her along, that amused smirk on his muzzle. He was pretty impressed by her hunting skills. The way she snuck around in the wilderness. The way she sprang out of her hiding spot and landing right on that goat. It didn't put up much of a fight.

Her family friend taught her well. And she is showing off those skills without fail and with grace.

Damonen and Corajan were alone together for a long time, cooking the food, sharing it and eating it. There was enough meat for the both of them and they had their stomachs full. When they were done, leaving the bones that used to belong to the pygna goat behind, they both found a stream somewhere among the woods and used it to wash the blood off their snouts. Then the two dragons were heading back to the three humans they left behind. They trekked until they both see the humans ahead. Rick was sitting on one side, while Scott and Emily were sitting across from him.

Before Damon and Cora could get any closer to them, with his eyes right on Scott, Emily and Rick, he can feel the tension between them from where he was at. When Cora and Damon came out of the woods, his commitment to talk to Rick came forth in his mind. His mind and body was boiling up in anger as what happened last night came at the sight of him. And the pain he felt for Emily when his eyes fell on her. He is going to talk to Rick, but he doesn't want to do that now.

He'll find a good time to do that, and what he's sure of is it'll happen TONIGHT.

He will talk to Rick and that human better change. Rick has hurt his only daughter and Emily sees him as the only family she has in the strange new world they're in.

As Damon and Cora gotten closer with both their tails wagging behind them, Rick noticed them coming. Scott and Emily caught sight of them as well, the young human male and female greeting them with smiles. Emily asked with her hands laid down on her lap as she was sitting cross legged, "How'd it go, guys?"

Damon replied as both dragons settled on their haunches, "Well, Cora's little red ass ran off without me for a bit, but then she got what we were looking for....Before I did."

Cora had a big smirk and bragged, "I have a better nose than him."

Emily laughed and asked the green drake, "She has a better nose than you?"

The drake groaned, "Yes, she smelled the food before me."

Scott teasingly said, "Wow, Damon, how did you let that happen?"

Damon narrowed his eyes at the human, "I don't know." He shot the side of his head towards Cora, "I'm still figuring THAT out." Cora snickered, her tail tapping on the ground.

Scott said, "Well, I'll tell you what I do know. She's a girl and she beat you by having a good nose."

Emily nudged her elbow sharply into her boyfriend's side, casting a playful look at him, "Scott, let the new girl get the glory."

Scott chuckled and waved her off, "Oh, alright." Then he pointed at Damon, "But next time, you better not let a girl beat you. That ain't cool. Usually the guy wins." Emily gave him a dirty look and he shrugged his hands, trying to act innocent, "What? It's sorta true."

Damon chimed in, "I get the feeling and actually agree with him." Emily shot her daggers at the drake and his eyes went wide at her attitude, "Uhhhh-"

She spoke through gritted teeth, "DAMON....You better not say that again." The way her words came out of her mouth made him gulp and everyone heard it. Scott laughed at his expression.

Cora laughed as well, "Well, since I'm in a good mood, I'm going to let this slide. I'm a girl who's beaten him by a good nose." She let out a playful growl, shifted on her paws a bit as her tail swished along the grass, "Ooooo, I'm taking all the glory in."

Watching her 'taking it all in' made Damon and Emily's expressions changed to amusement, and they along with Scott giggled at her. Damon looked down at the short dragoness beside him with a smirk. It seemed funny to him. He remembers two dragonesses around her age who has acted so prideful and wants to have all the glory. One of them was his sister, Amiranin, and the other one was Luna. He giggled again as the red dragoness held up her muzzle in pride. Looking at her now actually feels like the good old days when he himself was at her age.

Not a bad feeling.

For a second, he thought that the color of her scales went from red to black in an instant. Almost making Cora look exactly like Luna. Seeing that had him internally gasping in shock. But when he blinked his eyes only once, her color returned to normal. He didn't show it on his face, but in his heart he terribly missed his best friend again at the thought of her in Cora's place.

Luna....

Rick basically ruined the moment when he said this to the teenage dragon in an all serious tone as usual, "You ran off alone to hunt. Lucky you weren't hurt while at it."

Emily shot a glare at her dad and Damon did as well, seeing and hearing that Rick is still in a bad mood. The human girl said in a heated voice, "RICK, how about you stop doubting Cora and leave her alone."

Cora formed a glare too and snorted, "I'm not even going to sit and listen to you, cuz right now along with everyone else, I am pissed off at you. I thought me and you are gonna warm up together on our journey, but you keep criticizing my decision to go with you guys and tell me to go home. Not to mention punching Scott....I thought you were just like Rocko, but what you did last night is not something Rocko would just do. So do yourself a favor and don't talk to me. At the moment, you are not my favorite person to be with. Rocko and friends wouldn't do what you did to Scott." Her yellow eyes were only showing sympathy when she looked at the younger male human, "I still feel sorry for what he did to you."

Scott smiled at her, "I'm fine, but thank you." That look on the dragoness's face went away to be replaced by gladness when her snout smiled back.

Rick sighed nearby and folded his arms, turning his face away from them, "I'm done now."

Cora immediately brought that fierce look back and shot it at him, "Good, so am I."

Emily let out a huff and got to her feet, turning to ask Damon, "Are we gonna leave now? Me, Scott, and Rick here are done eating now."

Rick said in a bit of a irritated tone, "Ok, I know my name's Rick and all, but I'm still dad to you."

Emily didn't look at him when she replied, "Right now, after your behavior last night, you're just Rick." She turned head to give him another fierce glare, "Do you mind? I'm talking to the drake that you accused of being evil." Rick didn't show much emotion as he let out another defeated sigh and waved her off, telling her to go ahead. Emily looked up at Damon, "Are we? Cause I am."

Damon glanced down at Scott, and then at Cora beside him. They both just gave him smiles, silently saying the same thing. Damon grinned and nodded slowly at their expressions, "Sure, alright." He got back up on all fours and announced, "Let's get moving."

Cora let out a excited glee as she shot off her hind end, "Eeee. Let's go." Scott and Emily laughed at her, except Rick who was just holding up a narrowed look on his face. Damon looked to him before Scott and Emily went to their bags and carried them over their shoulders. Rick saw Damon looking at him at first, then walked off to get his.

Oh, the drake's REALLY gonna have a serious talk with him.

He is.

*****

My feet carried me on the trail, searching for Luna and Bajara. They were gone for a long time. Maybe an hour or an hour and a half, by the count of all the minutes I've kept track. I shifted the bow and quiver of arrows upon my shoulder, carrying them around with me just in case. I let out a sigh, turning my head back and forth while my eyes were trying to find them. They shouldn't be that hard to find, since they were just taller than me.

I've just waited for them in that cave for a while. I ate a few apples, talked to myself a bit just to entertain myself, throwing fists at the air and kicking at it too. I was doing all that, until I decided to use the sight to try to find either Luna's or Bajara's viewpoint, wondering if they were done hunting and on their way back to me. But I didn't find either of them. Only a few birds that I saw through, that was all. They don't seem to be within my range. I was starting to feel anxious when I opened my eyes and so I went ahead to go look for them.

My eyes slowly formed a suspicious, narrowed look. Where are they? How long does a dragon usually take to hunt? Luna had went off hunting before we came here, but this seems like a long time. AN HOUR AND A HALF seems long enough for me!

I swung the bow off my shoulder, held it up in one hand and then pulled out one arrow out of the quiver and held them both together. Feeling anxiety and dread building up in my own chest as my worries for Luna's safety were running rampant. Are they both in trouble? Is that why they've been gone for a long time? Is Luna dying again?

Damn it. I should've just went with them. Hey, I have a bow and arrow, I can hunt like they would! Right? Yeah, of course I can!

And I'd be a good shot at taking an Dark Dragon's eye out if it was hurting poor Luna! Not like I haven't done THAT before.

I formed a devious smile, mentally picturing myself firing an arrow and it went right through that monster's eye socket. Amazing shot, Mike. Firing like Robin Hood. Saving a poor defenseless dragon in despair.

Heh. Robin Hood. I've known he's a thief who steals from the rich and gives the riches to the poor. Because hey, the poor does deserve the money. But saving a dragon...That's pretty new. Would Robin Hood actually save a REAL dragon?

Course he would! He's Robin Hood! He has a heart. A BIG heart. He'd save Maid Marian's life and any innocent person, so why wouldn't he save a sentient creature?

Ha! If the dragon feels like it owes Robin Hood its life, in return maybe the dragon would kill the Sheriff of Nottingham for being an asshole!

I was laughing softly to myself at my own mental image. Yep....That bastard belongs in hell and that dragon will burn him like he literally is in hell!

Then a stick snapped in the woods and a few birds were flying in the air because of it. I gasped, stopped in my tracks, then I rose that bow and pulled back the arrow, aiming at the spot where the sound came from. I strained my arm muscles, holding that arrow still as my eyes saw nothing. I lowered my weapon with a frown, "Hmm." What was that? Hope there wasn't any enemies watching me.

I was thinking about using the sight once more to see if that was the case, before all of a sudden I could feel a shadow over me. I jumped around to see what it was, aiming the arrow at whatever it was, "AAAHH!"

More birds screeched from my scream as it turned out to be Bajara that was behind me. Her eyes shot wide open and she backed away fast with wings flapped on her back in shocked reaction, "Ah! Mike, it's me!" She backed away a bit more and waved her forepaw at me, "It's me!"

I gasped as my fingers almost turned loose of the arrow from the string. Shit! Bajara!

The tall red dragon gave me a sheepish smile across her snout, "Eh....Sorry."

I moaned and lowered my weapon once more before I could even hurt her, "God! ....Don't you make any noise? You scared me."

She shook her head in apology, taking a few steps towards me, "Sorry bout that. I...Thought you were hunting too, so I kept quiet."

My lips widened up when I giggled, swinging the bow back on my shoulder, "Well, I guess I shouldn't stay angry because of that. Good guess, though. But that wasn't what I was doing."

Bajara reared back her head, "Oh!" Then she tilted her head, having a quizzical tone in her voice, "So, what're you doing out here?"

I waved one hand toward her, while the other one was putting the arrow back in the quiver, "Looking for you and Luna. Now what are YOU doing here?"

She giggled and lowered her head to my level, "Same. Looking for you, too."

I frowned at her gaze, "Why? I thought you and Luna were hunting." My head turned left and right as I now noticed Luna's not with her, "Speaking of which, where is she?" Then I started to panic and asked a bit hysterically, "Is she hurt? Is she-"

Bajara was shaking her snout and chuckling deeply, "Ancestors, no. She was fine when I've left her." She slowly rose her head as she spoke on, "We were hunting together, but we both decided to split up. I already found something to eat, and when I did I came back to the cave to see if Luna came back to you. And....No one wasn't home. Including you." She held some concern in her eyes as she stared down at me, "I thought you were in trouble while we were gone. So I started searching and here we are."

I was smiling at her and let out a breath to relax myself, "Oh....Sorry." I let out a sigh and looked behind me at the long length of the dirt trail, "You guys were gone for a long time and I was getting worried. So, I was the one who started looking for you guys." I giggled and brought my gaze back to the dragon, "I should've stayed at home a bit longer. But....Luna...." I gazed at my feet, events of Luna almost gone from the world came to me.

Bajara fondly said when she knew what I was thinking, "You're still worried for her safety, aren't you?"

I nodded, not taking my eyes off my shoes, "Kinda am."

Bajara said just to comfort me, "Aw, Luna's fine now, Mike. You don't have to worry."

I looked up at her eyes, my eyes shone a bit of a sad look on them, "I know....But it wasn't very long ago, and it still bothers me. I....I almost lost her." I shrugged my shoulders, "Heh....Kinda wished that I went hunting with you guys. So....She...."

She replied with an understanding smile, "I know, sweetheart. But we both also know how well she can fight. Besides, with what happened, she's probably learned from the experience and is certain she won't let that happen to her again."

The side of my lips twitched to form a grin, "....Yeah....Just like me."

Bajara shot up her head, "Exactly. You learned from it and she's learned from it. We learn a lot and be prepared before the next battle comes. That's what matters."

I slowly gave her a nod, "You're right."

She giggled, "So, feel a little better? I assure you she's fine."

I took a deep breath, "Yeah....A little. I really need to calm down and not get TOO paranoid."

"Well in that case, since I know Luna hasn't come back, why don't I go look for her and you wait at home, ok?" She put a forepaw to her scaly chest, "I'll bring her back. I promise."

I did want to say no and want to go with her. But with all the anxiety tormenting around in my brain, now I feel a bit worn out. Well, Bajara says Luna's fine, so I guess I'll trust she brings her back to the cave. I replied with a bit of hesitation, "....Alright. I'll head back." Then I pointed a finger at her and added, "But if there's trouble, roar to the skies as loud as you can, and I'll come find you."

Bajara's wings fluttered before folding on her back when she began to pad past me, "Sure. I'll be back with her, honey." I stood there watching the dragon strolling on the trail with her tail swishing back and forth. I let out a sigh, turning around to walk off back to her cave. Calm down, Mike. Luna's fine.

With that thought, I now had the intention to try to relax.

*****

Luna trekked through the forest, wings tucked on her back, and paws smacking against the grass with each step. The sunlight peeked through the canopy and the rays hit her black scales, feeling warm by them. She was just done eating her fill, which was another tenre. The hunt was evident with the crimson blood on her black snout. Now she was on her way to the river where she and Mike met Bajara yesterday. Wanting to wash off all that blood she feels on her muzzle before she heads back to Bajara's cave. Don't want Mike teasing her when she comes back all dirty. She can imagine hearing his words. Like, 'hey, Luna, I didn't know red was your new color'. Or, 'gosh, Luna, did anyone ever taught you how to take a bath'? Or, 'you look ugly in red'. The dragon giggled to herself. She really loves the little guy, even though he's such a little smart ass.

She let out a satisfied trill, her pink tongue making a long lick across her chops, tasting some of that blood. Pretty tasty meat from that creature and thinking about it made her jaws water again.

And she just ate!

Luna chuckled lowly. How can her mouth start watering again? Her stomach did feel full. Well, she always has that problem. The memory of the taste always gets to her.

Which was why she always looks forward to eating the same thing....Actually, looks forward to eating anything that tastes good!

Lunasin ducked below a branch that was about her head height. After she ducked, her whole body started strolling under it. She made a narrowed look when she twisted her neck to look at that branch behind her, letting out an annoyed snort. Stupid branches. For all the travelling she's done over the years, she usually hates the one other thing than Abyss and his army.

Tree branches that are about her height that try to take her head off.

After getting a good distance past that one particular thing, Luna had an idea and it had her lips rose a mischievous smile. She raised her tail high and thrashed that thing down in retaliation. Breaking that wooden branch in half. It made a loud snap and crashed down on the earth floor. Luna held that smile on her muzzle. Proud of herself for taking that thing out and she shot up her head in pride, "Ha!"

She made a few steps forward without taking her eyes proudly off the little 'menace' that barely took her horned head clean off. When she turned her head to look ahead, her face accidentally smacked right into ANOTHER menace of the forest, "Ow!" Luna shut her eyes as she cried out in pain, her nose throbbed a bit. Her eyes misted from that searing pain on her nose and moaned, "Ohhhh." Then she made a snarl, blinked the water out of her eyes and snapped her gaze right onto the new branch that actually hit her. Fire was shone in her eyes. No way that branch will get away with THAT!

The black dragoness rose one of her forepaws and swung it hard at the newest branch. Wood snapped upon impact from her powerful strike and it fell down right in front of her.

Luna took a deep breath in relaxation and muttered to herself, "That's better. Hmph." Her paw went over the branch, and the other went over it as she continued on. With her eyes focused on around the wooded area on the trail, she paid close attention to where she was going this time, as her eyes scanned for the river. Or if her ears can hear it close by. She would've flown in the air, but knowing how dangerous flying sorta is....Considering if there are any enemies nearby, she had to stay put on the ground. She does want to get back to Mike. Seeing how the sky became brighter, she feels that she has been gone for a long time. He's probably wondering what's taking her so long.

Now a curious thought ran through her mind as she strode around the base of a very large tree that's blocking the sun, engulfing her in the big area of shadow below it. Luna was with Bajara, but the both of them decided to hunt separately. So has the red dragoness already ate and went back to her home to keep Mike company?

Suddenly her thinking about Bajara and Mike alone together had her chest feeling something that she felt yesterday. A feeling that shocked her and made her feel ashamed.

There was a TINY bit of jealousy as both the older dragoness and the little human still running through her mind. She remembered feeling that jealously when Mike complimented Bajara's name and that really surprised her to the core.

Now it happened again.

Luna as she emerged back into the sunlight let out a low groan and shook her own head. That ridiculous feeling went away immediately like a fly. That was stupid. She shouldn't feel jealous. There is no reason to feel any sort of jealousy towards Bajara. Bajara's kind and hospitable to her and Mike, and here she was acting ungrateful.

Luna stopped in her tracks and made a curious face to herself. This was the second time since yesterday she felt it. She still can't figure out why she was feeling it in the first place. About five times already, she wondered what came over her.

She made a determined look and let out the air through her nose that came out as determination as well, tail wagging behind her. She is just gonna brush it all off. There is no reason to be jealous. Besides, Mike did have a point last night. Bajara had already dealt with a jealous female in a very different matter, and she wouldn't want to deal with that again. Bajara is nice and Luna shouldn't treat her that way.

Luna cleared her throat as she walked past several trees in a row, "Alright, Lunasin...Get a grip. It's pointless and stupid." And she practically did get a good grip on herself, a whole lot of determination helped her out on that. With her feeling composed, her ears can hear water flowing in a distance. She smiled at the distant sound. The river's not far.

The black dragon treaded on until she came out of the trees and her sight has found the flowing river. The sunlight glared off the surface of the water. Luna let out a sigh to herself, finally happy to get that mess off her face. While she walked up to it, her mind flashed at the day she and Mike met Bajara there. That the red dragoness scared Mike in surprise and had him falling in the water. Luna giggled at that as she was almost to the edge of the water. Mike had better hope that he won't get scared and fall in a river again....Not by Bajara, but next time by Lunasin! 

At the bank of the river, she sat firmly on her haunches, tail laid smoothly on the earth floor behind her, and she was snaking her snout towards the surface, looking at her own reflection. Luna made a wrinkled face at how dirty she looked. Yeeaaah, she better get to cleaning that off. Since she was thirsty as well, she first off started to lap at the cool, refreshing water. When her thirst has disappeared, she went to start cleaning the blood by using her forepaw. The crimson finally came off and when she looked at her reflection once more, she smirked at herself. Now that was better. At least Mike won't give her a hard time again.

Luna continued to stare at herself in the surface and then an idea came. Since she's still sitting, she'll just stay there for a little bit. Take a bit of a break from walking. Mike can handle waiting for her just a little longer. She rose her snout high above the flowing water, her eyes not solely focused on her reflection, but on the whole river. The sight of watching the river go by in front of her just looked like a relaxing spot to sit near of. Luna's muzzle let out of breath of relaxation, and she held it up to the sky, showing that it was bright blue and it had several puffy white clouds. Even standing under that sky in that particular spot looked relaxing. No hunger in her stomach, no enemies to threaten her. She giggled a little to herself. And NO smart ass little humans who don't practice fighting well and just teases her to death.

Well, she teases the only human she knows to death too, so joke's on her.

She closed her eyes, dipped her snout, and let out a small laugh. Oh....What would she do without him?

Then her eyes shot open and she sees her reflection staring back at her again. Luna's eyes showed sorrow as she thought about Mike. What would she do without him...When he goes back home? That's a good question. Mike really has made her happy. The first one who ever did since Illuminus and Damon. Since her life after being Dark Storm, it was nothing but pain and guilt from all the horrible things she's done as a monster, and a lot of misunderstandings from everyone else. And Mike was about to misunderstood her. But he hasn't. He has become quite a best friend. When pain and guilt was dwelling around in her chest, Mike would make them go away.

And Luna in the future....Might never see him again. There probably wouldn't be a way to see him in his home, and Mike might never come back to Avarilan again to see her.

She was puffing out her chest and then let all the air out of her lungs slowly. She knows for certain that he doesn't belong in her world. She's trying not to think too much about it. Trying to be strong. Then the black dragoness remembered a dream from last night....Another dream about Mike's past when he was younger. She hadn't had a dream about his past since a few nights ago. This was the second one it came to her head. That was sorta unexpected to her. She thought it wouldn't happen again, but it did, and she can remember it.

What she remembers of the dream that showed Mike's past was about him shooting arrows. About him playfully picking on his brother by aiming that arrow at him. And...She saw his mother in it, too. How she just scolded her son and demanded Mike to apologize to his brother for that behavior. A small twitch of a smile showed on her lips. She thought it was funny and cute. And she thought that his mother looked beautiful like in the last one.

When Luna woke up this morning and was talking to Mike, a part of her wanted to tell him about those dreams she somehow magically had with him. But she didn't have a chance to bring it up. Now at the moment, she's still wondering why she had these kind of dreams with him. Dreams of memories that aren't even her own.

A tiny part inside of her held on determination. Other than trying to stay strong about letting him go back home, she's holding onto the thought that is another reason she has to get him home. That his mother is probably waiting for him and is just worried to death for him, and Luna has to help him go home to his mother.

Pain replaced that determination now and it was shown in her silver eyes. But....There isn't any denial that she'll miss him. She will never forget about him. Never forgets his fingers, too!

Lunasin loves sleeping by the little guy, and when she's with him in slumber....She still hardly has that certain dream about her particular experience as Dark Storm that she DOES NOT want to think about. Mike seems to make that go away as well. And if Mike leaves her....Forever....She's afraid she will have that dream and just remember that experience once again.

She REALLY doesn't want to think about it.

Her blood was turning ice with fear, and her whole body just shuddered of the thought from her past that came blindly out of nowhere in her head. That night....When Abyss was with her.....Alone....Then he....

Luna shut her eyes and shook her head furiously. No! She cannot think it!

The black dragoness took a deep, trembling breath and opened up her eyes, as a single tear of fear and trauma trickled out of her eye and fell off her face. Falling all the way down to the surface of the river, making a small ripple. It has been years since it happened. But it's still hard to forget that experience. Right now, deep down inside, as she remembered that night....She can FEEL it.

And it shakes her to the core.

She let out a slightly pained sigh. She was glad she hasn't had dreams about that night lately. And....Even though she believes that having Mike sleep by her will help her not have one again, and is a bit reluctant to let him go home once Illuminus helps him find a way...She'll remain strong. Mike really doesn't belong in Avarilan. And she has to get him home and back to his mother.

Then a smile formed across her muzzle. And perhaps even after he leaves for home, maybe all the memories she's made with the little guy recently will make that night a VERY distant memory. Cause, those memories make her feel less scared now. Like Mike's presence makes her feel less frightened.

It might be possible. She's gonna hold onto that hope.

Luna's black tail swished along the grass when her ears heard a voice, "There you are." She twisted her neck and sees Bajara padding up toward her with a big grin, "Find anything good, Lunasin? You certainly look happy."

Luna nodded at her, "I did. Found myself a tenre." She chuckled, "And what else I am happy about was I just cleaned all the blood off my face."

Bajara giggled deeply, red tail moving behind her, "No wonder. You look pretty good."

Luna shot up her head in smug and boasted, "I ALWAYS look good."

The red dragoness laughed, "Hey, I may be older than you, but don't count ME out!" She rose a paw to her chest, stretched out her wings, and held up her snout in smugness as well, "I ALWAYS look good, too."

Luna had to admit that she's right. For a dragoness who's older, Bajara does look good for her age. Luna gave her a nod, "You're right." Then made a crack, "Compared to Illuminus, HE'S old!"

Her wings folded on her back as Bajara laughed again, "Hey! I remember meeting him back in my training days and he always looks good for his age."

Luna flicked her tail at her, "You're just saying that because he's the legend!"

"It's true. He lives for several hundred years and he still looks good." Then she pointed a talon at the black dragon with a playful chuckle, "Better show him some respect. Or he'll show you how OLD he really is."

Luna shrugged her shoulders, "Well, I hardly ever die. And I can probably beat him."

Bajara frowned, "Seriously, young one? Did you forget that he's beaten you before?"

Luna's face widened up at that and then she closed her silver eyes to sigh in defeat, "Crap. That's right."

The red dragoness softened her look and formed a teasing one, "And he would show you again that he can beat you, despite that he lived for a DAMN long time."

Luna opened up her eyes and said with an amused tone, "Don't remind me."

Bajara took a few more steps towards her, with a smile that held victory in the argument, "So? Want to keep calling him old? Cuz, you outa be blind if you do."

Luna laughed and then shook her head, "Nope. I'm done now." Then she gave the older dragon a nod, "And I tend to agree with you. His voice does sound VERY old, but golly with all the pure white scales on him, he really does look good." Then she let out another joke, "Maybe good enough to attract a new mate if he'd let it."

Bajara chuckled, then replied with a shrug, "I doubt it. Knowing the story about him and his....Late mate." Then she added with a talon raised, "But, any female would probably be lucky to be with a legend."

Luna stated, "If he does let a new female into his life, then I hope he won't be rusty at the basics of mating. He hasn't done THAT for hundreds of years!"

Both Luna and Bajara laughed together, and then the host of her cave replied, "I know." She looked up at the sky, and spoke like she was talking to Illuminus, "Good luck to you, dear teacher of all dragonkind. You're gonna need it."

Luna changed the subject when she gestured her paw toward her, "So, speaking of good luck, did you find anything to eat?" She snorted, "I couldn't believe that it took me a while to find something in the forest!"

Bajara nodded, "I agree with you on that. And yes, I did find something good. A good ole fresh desai."

Luna trilled, "Mmm....Sounds pretty good."

Bajara strode up a bit more until she stood right beside Luna, "Yep." She turned her snout to gaze at her, "And you'll probably feel bad when I say this, but when I came home to see if you had, Mike was outside the cave trying to look for us."

Luna's face went wide, "He did?" She tilted her head a bit, "Was he....Worried about us?"

"He was....Actually he was worried about you a lot more."

Luna can understand why....Considering the events that came to them a couple days ago. She asked, shooting her head to the direction of Bajara's cave, "Is he alright? Do I need to get going?"

Bajara formed a smile on her muzzle and shook it, "No. He's fine. I found him and calmed him down. I told him to wait in the cave while I looked for you." She swung her forepaw at Luna, "And I found you."

Luna was thinking about getting up off her haunches before she asked, "So do you want to head back?"

Bajara sat down on hers, curling her tail slowly around her and rustling her wings on her back, "No. My feet are tired and I'm gonna join you here for a moment." She made a toothy grin, "Our little furless friend can wait for us a little longer."

That spoke her language and Luna made a sly giggle, "Yep. He can." Her wings relaxed on her back and she let out a breath, watching the river moving along in front of her with Bajara. Then a few minutes of silence went by as Luna's mind brought up what Bajara said. That Bajara knew about what Luna was the whole time. Lunasin glanced at the dragoness beside her, holding a look of gratitude, "Hey Bajara....About that you knew what I was....Thanks for letting me stay in your home....Despite what I've done back then. I mean it. Thank you."

Bajara responded, "I talked to you like you weren't evil, and let you into my home....Because you cared for Mike." She looked at her with a fond smile, "Also, you weren't pissed and tried to attack me. But most importantly, you didn't hurt him. Your kindness for the boy really showed me that you aren't evil now." Then she added when she chuckled a little, "Heck, you don't look evil right now."

Luna had eyes that were filled with guilt, "Well, I'm sorry for what I did before....I wasn't proud of the things that I've done."

Bajara remarked, "And you showed guilt. Dark Storm never had that. The dragoness that I'm with now is Lunasin." Her eyes playfully traced around the area, "Don't see any Dark Storms around here."

Luna giggled at that, "Heh....Not a dark evil cloud in the sky, that's for sure." Then she made a pity look, "Look, I'm still sorry for-"

She waved her off with a forepaw, "I know that we've met before and we weren't exactly friends....But you were already forgiven." She shook her head, her eyes showing sincerity, "There's no need for that."

Luna looked at her for a second and then she smiled, "Ok." She leaned her head and gave Bajara's shoulder a quick nuzzle of gratitude, "Still thanks."

Bajara giggled in amusement, "Enough with the gratitudes, young one. I already had enough from both you and Mike."

Luna laughed at that, "....Yeah, alright." Then the black scaled dragoness cocked her head, "Can I ask you something? ....Years ago, what horrible thing did I do in front of you?"

Bajara looked confused, "You don't remember?"

She tapped her skull with an extended claw, "My memories are pretty scrambled when I returned to my normal self. I don't remember EVERYTHING. Heck, if I did would you expect me to remember everyone that I'd attacked?"

Bajara chuckled deeply, and shrugged her wings and shoulders, "I guess not."

Then Luna curiously gazed, "So, what did I do to you in the past? I'm kinda curious." She motioned her snout towards her, "If you wouldn't mind telling me."

The red dragoness beside her simply stated, "It's alright....I don't mind." Her eyes showed a blank look as she looked ahead and reminisced with a deep breath, "Well....It was just around the time while I was living in the cheetah village. About two years after me and Perdrue have gotten together and shared our first mating. It was on one certain day when me, him, and about five cheetahs went outside the village to hunt. That day looked warm and perfect for hunting." Then her face darkened a little, "But despite how it looked, that day's hunt wasn't exactly as everyone predicted. That day turned out to be scary and cold."

Luna was getting a feeling what she was getting at as the red dragoness went on, "We trekked through the middle of the woods and that's when we came across an ambush. We were surrounded. A lot of Lost Souls and...." She glanced at her, "YOU showed up." Bajara looked up at the sky, a bit of an apprehensive look in her eyes, "The battle came, and a couple of the cheetahs were killed in it. And I was afraid that Perdrue was gonna be next." Then a proud grin showed up on her snout, "But what you and your former allies probably didn't know was that the small group of cheetahs had an angry dragoness who'd do anything to protect one of them as her mate. While Perdrue and his friends were killing a few Lost Souls with swords and arrows, I torched a lot of them with my flames, and electrified them with my electricity." She casted her gaze onto Luna again, "Then me and you went at it. We practically clawed each other. You were tough, but I was tough as well. I didn't back off. I was protecting my love from Abyss's forces. I fought you until you finally retreated. I remember you roaring in the air in ashamed defeat."

Bajara took a deep breath and let it out in relief as the memory flowed out of her mouth, a smile came back on her snout, "If it was just Perdrue and the five others with him, none probably would have survived. But the chance that they would went up when I was there. And the ones who had were lucky that I came along. I had saved Perdrue and a few of his pals. It was such a relief that Perdrue most of all was alive. He....Was knocked away from you." Luna's gasp escaped from her mouth, feeling guilty now when she heard that. But Bajara was waving her paw in front of her snout, "He wasn't hurt that bad. He was fine. Only a bit sore." Luna felt a lot of relief in her chest upon hearing that one. Bajara planted her paw on the grass, "Point is, I had saved his life and we never saw you again after that battle. And now....Here are me and you, twelve years later, sitting close to a river, and I'm telling you what happened between us. I never expected that."

Luna muttered only one word after the tale was concluded, "Wow...." Then she lowered her gaze to the ground, thinking about the two cheetahs that were killed in that battle.

Bajara practically knew what she was thinking about and gave her a comforting smile, "It's alright, dear. I don't know what REALLY happened to you back then, but Mike said that you were never evil. I know it wasn't your fault."

"....Not everyone thinks that." That gave Bajara a pity look and Luna let out a sigh, "I don't blame them. And I do wish....That I had the will to stop myself from doing what Abyss and his army has been doing for years. That I would've stopped from attacking you and your mate. That I would've spared those two cheetahs from being slaughtered. That those two would've gone back to the families they've made at home....Same would go for anyone that I've took away." She took a deep breath, "I can't remember that day, but....I can imagine the blood and their faces when they're both dead."

Bajara formed a small smile and comforted the dragoness that was formerly Dark Storm with a soothing, motherly tone, "Dear....I know that you can't forget that sort of thing. I haven't either, and no one never would. But....You shouldn't blame yourself. Obviously there was something wrong with you back then. And I'd take it that it was all Abyss's doing?"

She weakly nodded, eyes still on the ground, "It was. Lets just say that it was him who....Made me that way. I was forced to work for him. But I really wished that I was strong enough to fight it. And saved a lot of innocents from my impending wrath."

"But I can also imagine that whatever he did to you was strong. I know how powerful Abyss is. So it was probably hard to fight it."

"....Mike did bring that up. But it still feels like it's my own fault. And....I cannot change what happened years ago." Then a glimmer of hope and determination came to her eyes as she lifted them to meet Bajara's, "But I am making everything up to Avarilan. I'm fighting to protect now. I may feel guilty still, but that won't stop me from fighting against evil. Against the one who changed my life forever."

That lit up Bajara's face, "I am glad to hear it. And let me tell you something, Lunasin. I know that not everyone can forget what you did before, but when they see your actions now....It'll change their perspective."

When she remembered that she fought and saved the cheetah village from the enemy, convincing everyone living in it, including Chief Meadow, that she has changed, Luna nodded in agreement, "Yeah....You're right." She made a giggle that was deep in her throat, "I'll tell you this. I'm happy that I didn't kill Perdrue in front of your eyes."

Bajara giggled too, her red tail thumped on the ground, and then she lifted a paw and laid it on Luna's shoulder, "Now that I can thank you for."

As Luna watched that paw rise off her shoulder, she was getting off her haunches, swishing that black tail behind her and stretching out her wings a bit. Feeling that she's had enough sitting around, "Well, thanks for trying to cheer me up and all. I think we've kept Mike waiting long enough." When her whole body was starting to turn towards the direction of Bajara's cave, she gestured her head towards it, "Let's go." She was taking several paces forward, wings curling on her back, while Bajara was getting up slowly from the grass.

While Luna's tail swung behind her with another step, before she could walk any further to that trail, she heard Bajara call out, "Luna."

Luna stopped and twisted her body a bit to see the red dragoness was just on all fours staring at her. She cocked her head curiously at the host, "Yes?"

Bajara took a step forward and asked in a serious tone, "I want to ask you something." That look made Lunasin more curious about what she was thinking about, so the black dragon turned fully around and made a nod telling her to go on, "It's about Mike." The red scaled dragoness walked up more until she was standing right in front of Luna, "If it was actually possible, if the Dark Storm version of you was here physically and threatens Mike....Would you protect him from her?"

That kind of question did caught her off guard internally a bit. But that's pretty much an easy question to answer. Luna answered with a grin and without hesitation, "Definitely. I'd do anything for Mike."

She slowly nodded at her answer, "And I want to ask you another question....Do you want him to leave?"

That grin went off her face as she was confused a bit at what she was asking, "Huh? You mean...Mike going home?" Then Luna shrugged with a paw, "....Well, he doesn't belong here. So he has to get-"

Bajara squinted her yellow eyes, "But, do you WANT him to go home?"

Luna paused as she stared at those eyes. She was really wondering why Bajara was asking her these questions. Lunasin answered finally after a second passed with a sad tone evident in her voice, "....No." Then she tilted her head slightly in confusion, "Why're you asking me these questions? What is this?"

But the red dragon practically ignored her own questions and asked her another one, "Why?" Luna wrinkled her face and Bajara pressed, "Why do you not want him to leave?"

Luna replied, wings fluttering on her back, "Because he's my best friend. And....I'd miss him." Why was Bajara asking her these things? That's the only question that Luna wants to ask once again.

Bajara then spat out another one, "....Is that all?"

Luna was sure as she nodded in reply, "Well, yes." She softened her scaled face and asked, "Bajara, what's going on?" Bajara hasn't acted like that before and she's only met her since yesterday! Now she is acting weird.

Bajara paused for a moment before letting a question out of her muzzle once more. The question that really caught Luna off guard, "Did Mike show his anatomy to you?"

Luna's head reared back, "Excuse me?"

"Mike showed himself, didn't he?" That really surprised Luna. How could Bajara have known that? Then Bajara explained the question that's within her mind, "I can tell that he had, and he doesn't want to say it. And how I knew is from what he said to you last night. When he denied showing himself to you, he asked you 'riiight, Luna'?" She giggled, "That told me that he had. And I thought I saw that look in his eyes too that he had shown his 'parts' to you. Perdrue had that look, too. So, it wasn't hard to figure it out."

Luna never really thought about what Mike said to her last night would be a giveaway. Perhaps Mike needs to refrain asking her that question again if someone else asks him about his anatomy. Luna held a look of apprehension and said, "Uhhhh....I don't think Mike would-"

Bajara waved her paw dismissively, "I won't tell anyone, and I won't mention it to him either. Ok?"

Luna both had rolled her eyes and let out a breath in relief, "Phew....K, then." Then she cocked her head again, "Right, so what does THAT got to do with anything?"

Bajara ignored her question once again, "Why did he show himself? I don't think he would do it right away, would he?"

Lunasin let out a snort in irritancy, frustration building up inside her, "Bajara, come on." Bajara gave her an insisted look, wanting her to answer that question. Luna dipped her head when she gave in and sighed, "I kept pestering him about wanting to see it, despite that he was saying no. I was just curious. But in the end, he showed himself."

The host of her cave stated with a raised brow, tail swished behind her, "Why were you pestering him so much if he was telling you no?"

Luna, despite there was some frustration in her still, giggled at how she loved teasing the human about it, "Because I was also being playful. I liked seeing him turn red."

"Are you sure THAT'S the REAL reason? Why did you want to see it so much?"

The black dragon narrowed her eyes at her, "Listen, Bajara. I'm getting a bit annoyed right now. And if you don't quit that-"

Bajara cut her off with a reassured voice, "I have one more question."

Luna groaned and rolled up her silver eyes, "Alright....What?"

".....Why were you jealous towards me?"

That made her eyes widen up again, her black tail thrashed behind her in surprise. How did she know that?! Then Luna pretended to not know of it, "What are you talking about?" By the look in her eyes, the red dragon in front of her did not buy that. Luna asked out loud, not denying it again, "How'd you know?" Luna put on a defended and apologetic look, "Listen, I don't know what came over me. I never meant it."

Bajara, however, didn't show any anger and instead showed a smile, "I'm not mad. And it doesn't matter how I knew of it. Because I think I know why you have been a bit jealous towards me. Why you'd pestered Mike so much about what you want out of him. Why else you do not want him to leave for home. And more importantly, why you would do ANYTHING to protect him. You don't see it. But I do." Then she rose a claw, "But I have another question I want to ask, just to be sure of things. And then I'll stop asking."

Luna was pretty confused about all the things that's coming out of that dragoness's muzzle. What does she know that Luna doesn't know? Well, Luna was curious why she was having that jealously for a moment before it went away yesterday, and why it had appeared again minutes before she arrived at the river. But Luna was pretty sure of the reasons why she kept pestering Mike into revealing his balls, and also why she would miss him so much and protect him from anything.

Bajara asked her that one final question, "Did you ever get this....Weird feeling within your chest when you look at your human? How it's warm and buzzes around?"

Luna knows what she was talking about. The feeling that's still foreign to Luna. The one she has never felt before throughout her life. The one that suddenly appears when she looks at Mike. The feeling that'd made her feel happy on the inside.

The black dragoness had a wrinkled face now, and had one forelimb slightly lifted off the grass, "....Yes?"

Bajara let out some air through her nose and smiled at her, "I knew it."

Luna cocked her head, "Knew what?"

She giggled warmly, "That there are things that you do not know." The red dragon placed a paw to her chest and went on, "But I'm willing to shed some light on them. And everything that I'm about to tell you was around the times before me and Perdrue had gotten together as mates. See, I was confused just like you. I had been jealous before....When I saw Perdrue talking to Chira and a few female cheetahs. I wanted him to be MINE only." She shrugged her shoulders and planted her paw back on the ground, "But I don't feel that sort of thing anymore."

Luna was frowning her eyes at Bajara before she continued, "I'll admit it....I know that we should always respect cheetahs for their modesty about their bodies and we do know what they have under their fabric. But truth was....I was kind of a pesterer myself, when it comes to wanting to see Perdrue's anatomy. While we were nothing but best friends, I had asked Perdrue more than once, in a bit of a playful sense, if he could take his clothes off and show himself. He was the only one I've asked, no one else in the village but him. Course, he was modest about it and said no. And I didn't see his anatomy until that night up on that hill." She rose a talon, "Another thing, when Perdrue goes off hunting without me when I am sleeping, I wake up, find that he was gone, and I suddenly start to miss him already. Because I feel happy by his presence."

Luna was getting more and more confused, and she tried to ask her, "Bajara-"

"Let me finish." She cleared her throat, the tip of her red tail thumped on the ground and wings rustled on her back, "I had shown Perdrue that I'd do ANYTHING to protect him. Like from Abyss's forces, and one time when another cheetah tried to pick a fight with him. I would get in the way of something that threatens him. And last, but not least....I had that feeling within my chest too, when I was looking at my future mate. I was confused, but then...." She started to nod a bit, mostly to herself, "I began to figure it out."

With the way Bajara was putting all those pieces together, Luna kinda figured what that dragoness was saying.

And she can't believe it.

Luna finally spoke to her, "Wait....What're you saying? That I'm in....." Then she shut her eyes and bursted out laughing, "WHAT?! That's silly!"

Bajara just smirked, "I thought it was too. But it wasn't....I was starting to develop something more towards the cheetah, and so are you....Towards Mike."

Luna composed herself, wings settling on her back, and has made a frown at that, "Bajara....That's totally ridiculous. Mike's my friend." She shrugged her shoulders, "I mean, he is handsome for a creature from another world and all, not to mention nice with a very brave personality....That's all that he is. My best friend."

Bajara shook her snout, "I disagree, Luna." Her eyes were now drawn to Luna's chest, "That feeling you feel inside that spot tells me differently. You're just denying it."

But Luna still couldn't believe it, "Bajara-"

"Sweetheart, listen. I understand that it seems a bit off to you. I didn't believe it before myself, but I did later on. You don't believe it now, but I'm sure there'll be a time for you to realize that it's true. It does take time. And let me tell you something." Bajara held a breath and let it out, "I was lucky to have had love in the first place. To be with someone that you feel so connected. Perdrue was that connection. And you know what? ...You feel connected with HIM." She tilted her head in pity for Luna, "And that connection will go home where he belongs, and you may NEVER see him again. Do you really want that?"

Luna shook her head softly as a bit of hurt was shone in her eyes, "I....No."

Bajara made another step and rubbed her cheek against hers, "Luna....When you feel a connection like that, it's a rare thing. I am certain that you've never felt that feeling before." She withdrew her head and gazed directly into her silver eyes, "And no one, not even another dragon, nor another type of creature, could have that connection like Mike. That I am sure of."

Luna muttered with an unsure look, "Bajara....I don't think-"

Bajara pressed her talon to Luna's muzzle, cutting her off again, "I know what he is. But it shouldn't matter what he is." She pulled that claw away, "You LOVE him. Not as a best friend. And yet, you still deny it." Then she put on a hopeful look, "Since you are, then I hope that it doesn't take forever for you to realize what that feeling in your chest tells you. And....I hope that you get to share that love for once....Towards the one you feel connected to."

Bajara let out a breath and then her form started to stroll around past Luna's. The host of the cave's tail barely swung at her black scales. Luna wasn't watching Bajara go by, she just had her wings drooped on her back and lowered her eyes to the ground as she registered all those words. Her ears heard Bajara had stopped a bit behind her and she heard that dragoness speak, "I'm only telling you what you need to hear....Before you and Mike leave me. That was why we were having this conversation. I was trying to get you to open your eyes. For you to see what you feel. Luna....If you realize one day that it's true, don't deny it. And if you do....Try to tell him how you feel....Before it's too late." The sound of her footsteps resumed until they were sounding far away in the woods. Leaving Lunasin alone to still have her mind register everything. The only sound there is was the sound of birds flying above the trees and the river flowing ahead.

Luna took a deep breath and let it out, raising her gaze to see the river. Her mind still couldn't believe a word from Bajara. She thinks that it was impossible.

Yes, she cares for Mike, but at the kind of caring like Bajara had with Perdrue....She doesn't believe it. And Mike wouldn't feel that way towards her as well. They're not Bajara and Perdrue. It wouldn't happen. Luna hadn't thought about letting him mate her. She's sure of that. She just finds the guy funny, kind, cute, and brave.

He is her best friend. That's all he is...Her best friend. She doesn't LOVE him.

When her thoughts were on Mike, that was when that familiar feeling started buzzing around in her chest, making her wrinkle her face curiously. Luna rose a paw to her chest scales, as her heart was pounding a bit.

....Or does she?

She let out a low groan to herself and shook her head in both frustration and confusion. She still doesn't know what to believe.

Perhaps one day....She'll figure it out in time.