Lunasin, who was around the size of a hatchling at about five years old, cutely padded with her little tail swinging behind her beside Illuminus on the huge wall that surrounds Wingspan. In the broad daylight, The Great One's white scales were a bit shined by the sun above the dragon city. Illuminus and her had taken walks many times before, when he wasn't busy teaching every drake and dragoness how to use their powers and fighting techniques of course. It is fun watching The Great One teaching his students and all, and watching other dragons use their powers against dummies, but even Luna can get bored doing that. Taking walks with the only grownup drake she knew was always worth it from all the boredom she endures.

While she was padding with the legendary white drake, Luna was gazing to her right at the outskirts of Wingspan, seeing the lands that are far away from her home. From one story after another coming from the white dragon she lives with, a curious thought ran through her head, are all the stories he said really true? From inside her cute little head, she believes it.

Then her silver eyes caught a adult dragon flying towards those outskirts and away from the city. She didn't take her eyes off the majestic wings that were flapping over and over again until that dragon was almost nothing but a dot. As she finished watching that dragon fly away, her imagination started getting to her. The thought of flying so high in the air was frightening her and she was showing it on her face. How can anyone be so brave at flying so high in the sky? That's the question that usually came.

Little Luna hung her head as she settled her wings on her back. Illuminus had tried to teach her how to use her wings to fly. She does know how to make them move and flap them by the instinct of a dragon itself. But the thing about it...She's afraid of getting higher in the air. When the thought of getting higher in the sky comes forth, it scares her and makes her stay to the ground. It's been going on for...Perhaps almost a year now. And so far, no success of flying like every other dragon.

Now a part inside her was getting a little suspicious. Especially about taking a walk on the wall around Wingspan. She and Illuminus had taken walks on the wall before, but this walk today feels different. Then she shook her black scaled snout to herself. It's just a walk. There's nothing to worry about. No plans of teaching her how to fly today.

As Luna's eyes were brought back to outside the city after taking a deep calm breath, she heard a warm chuckle emitted from Illuminus, "Wondering where that dragon was going?"

After Luna heard his voice, she looked to him with a frown, "Huh?"

The Great One giggled, "You were watching a dragon leave home. Are you curious about where he is going?"

Tiny Lunasin was giggling in amusement as her little tail flicked behind her, "Yeah! Is he flying to live in a mountain?" She remembered the tall, beautiful mountains Illuminus had told her about.

He replied with a playful brow raised as his wings fluttered on his back, "Maybe. Or he could be going to another place."

Her silver eyes widened up as she realized she forgot, "Oops. Oh yeah!" That was true. There are other places other than just mountains. Sometimes all she can think about were the mountains. Since her imagination about them was looking beautiful.

Illuminus giggled again when he started to snake his muzzle down to her as they still kept their pace, "Or perhaps he's going off to start fighting evil. Who knows? Who knows where he's going?" He playfully bumped his snout against her side, making her stumble in her steps and giggle a bit, "Every dragon and creature always have a path to go on and that dragon was following his path." He rose his head high above her as his eyes gestured to the path the tall wall is taking them on, "Bigger than the paths we usually walk on." His chest was puffed out and then he let out his breath. His expression showing that he appeared distant, like he wasn't here, "I know I have walked a path. A LONG one. And my path never ends."

Luna tilted her head, her voice sounding concerned, "Illuminus?"

While his tail was swishing behind him still, Illuminus shook his snout and looked down at her with a grin, "Oh I'm all right, young one. Just thinking that's all."

That was always the exact same answer she gets when he has that expression. She's seen it more than once. Luna asked, "What were you thinking about?"

The Great One responded with a shake of his head, "Nothing."

And THAT was mostly the answer she gets for asking that question also. Luna formed a playful smirk, finally thinking of asking him this certain question that she kept on forgetting to ask, "Nothing? I don't get it. How can you think when there is nothing to think about?"

A giggle welled up in his throat, "Being funny today, aren't you, Lunasin?" He let out a sigh, "To answer your question, so you wouldn't stay so confused, yes I WAS thinking about something."

The hatching tried asking again when the smirk washed away, "Oh....Then what were you-"

But her question was cut short when the white scaled drake stopped in his tracks. Luna noticed and stopped too, watching him as he locked his eyes on her. From what Luna sees...They looked sad, "I guess I can tell you the truth....Sometimes when age and time flies by like that dragon we both saw left, memories tend to flow through grownup's heads like a river. Honestly, I was thinking about my life way before you were born. A lot of things I still remember." He waved his forepaw towards her, "Mostly about a hatchling around your age. He was special and precious."

Luna said with a tilt of her head, "Who?"

Illuminus raised a paw and stroked her back softly and affectionately with it all the way up to her tail, "I've told you many stories, but there are things that I hadn't told you yet. But I will...Later. Alright?"

She feared that she did something wrong as she formed a troubled look as Illuminus continued to pet her back right between her wings, "....Ok."

"It's just...Sometimes grownups don't like talking about certain things and they need to feel ready to talk about them." He gave her a comforting smile and his eyes blinked the sadness away as he brought his paw off Luna's back, "You're not in trouble. I'm only just telling you. But I promise I will talk about it with you."

Luna beamed and trotted to lovingly rub herself against Illuninus's leg, "Ok."

A fond giggle was all she earned from him, "Oh Lunasin. You're precious to this drake."

As she stopped rubbing against him, Luna shot him a quizzical look, "Am I special too?"

He let out a laugh and nodded at her in reply, "Yes you are."

Then she closed her eyes and held up her snout proudly, "Yay! I'm special!"

Another giggle emitted in Illuminus's throat, "You are." Then he let out a pleasant sigh and casted his glance towards the skyline of Wingspan, "Hmm, speaking of special, I think we'd better get on with this lesson."

Luna's mind was filled with confusion as she stepped towards his front and looked up at him, "What lesson?"

The Great One looked down at her with a smirk.

That was when Luna caught on and backed away a few steps with her eyes going wide, "No!" She shook her snout several times as well after she stopped a foot from him, "I don't want to fly!"

Then the white dragon showed pity in his eyes, "Oh, I know you're afraid of flying. But honestly, a dragon being afraid of flight isn't natural. All dragons, gryphons, and even birds fly."

Luna looked past both her shoulders to glance at each of her wings and then she lowered her gaze to her forepaws, "I think I'll be the first one to not ever fly." Her form and scales quivered when her mind was thinking about it again, "I-...I'm really afraid." She looked up at him, fluttering her wings, "I know I have wings, but I'm just afraid of how high I'm going to be. I mean...What if one of them doesn't work right and I just fall down to...?"

Illuminus chuckled, "I doubt it. And besides, one of them doesn't look broken. So I think you're good for flight, young dragoness."

Luna worriedly said, "But I'm scared. I mean, what if-"

He lowered his head to her level with a serious look, "Lunasin, listen. You cannot be afraid of something forever. You just have not gave this whole flight thing a try. You're afraid of trying it. You're letting what you think stop you from doing what dragons consider amazing. Your fearful thoughts are letting you miss out. Lunasin, sometimes in life you have to confront whatever you fear the most so you wouldn't fear it anymore. And I KNOW you can do this. This has been going on for...A while." He made a 'I believe in you' type of smile on his muzzle, "I think you're ready."

However, Luna didn't feel she is. She took a tentative step back from him, "I...I don't know..."

Illuminus raised his snout and proclaimed, "I have an idea. And I think THIS will work."

That had the black scaled hatchling cocking her head, "Huh? What?"

Illuminus stretched out his wings across his back and planted his haunches on the ground. When he did he instructed her by twirling his talon, "Turn around, please."

A brow slowly raised in confusion, "Whyyyy?" But he didn't reply and only spun that claw again, his eyes telling her to do it. Luna didn't find the urge to ask him again and did as he told her, slowly turning her back to him. Then she asked over her shoulder, "Okay, now what?" Then she felt both her sides being grabbed onto and she was being lifted off the ground with a surprised yelp. Her silver eyes went wide with shock.

Luna peeked behind her and it turned out Illuminus had picked her up with his forepaws and held her tight. A comforting smile emerged upon his snout, "Do not worry a thing. I won't drop you." Then she was getting the idea what he was talking about and her blood turned to ice. Oh no. He wasn't-

Before her thought registered fully what would happen, he launched himself to the sky and flapped his mighty wings, carrying them in the air. Luna screamed in fright as they flew off the huge wall up over the city of dragons. That was the idea he was talking about! That never happened to her before. Now she was shaking in his paws as she looked down below them. She can see several dragons are watching from below, possibly heard her high pitched scream. As Illuminus flew higher and higher over the stone buildings with several beats of his wings, Luna looked up and pleaded over the rush of wind brushing against the both of them, "Go down! Put me down!"

The old white dragon hollered while watching where he's flying with another flap, "No, Lunasin! This is it!" He banked his angle to the left and made a turn as they flew over a very tall stone building, "This is your chance to face your fear! Don't let it beat you!"

She looked down again and her imagination went wild as she pictured Illuminus accidentally letting her go and she was falling to the ground with a splat. Her tears of fear were close to forming as she screamed again, "I'm scared! Please put me back down!"

But he argued, "You can do this!" He finally looked down to her, "Listen to me. While I'm carrying you, I want you to spread your wings and flap them over and over again."

Her mind was clouded with fear, making her almost not do what he says. She shut her eyes tight and curled her forepaws inward, "I CAN'T!"

Beating his wings once more, he reassured her, "Yes you can, Lunasin. Just spread them out and flap. Trust me. You can do this."

Luna was still a bit petrified as a tear actually dripped down her snout, but when she looked up at his gaze after a minute of closing her eyes and seeing in his expression that she can trust him, she took a breath to calm her thoughts that are plaguing her body and mind. While there was a fearful thought still rummaging around in her brain, she looked ahead and did what the drake told her to do. Over the rushing air, she started to spread her wings out while she was still being held by Illuminus. Luna closed her eyes while taking deep, calming breaths, trying to relax herself and holding down those tears before more would emerge, and began to flap them. There was a slow flap at first, but then her flaps started to get more faster and faster.

She beated her little wings for several long minutes, not opening her eyes for a moment, until both her sides feel nothing but air. When that happened, she popped her eyelids open and saw at glancing each side of her body that Illuminus wasn't holding her anymore. She gasped as she continued to flap her wings as a realization hit her right away.

Lunasin was flying.

She was flying without Illuminus's help!

Luna heard a familiar voice over the wind, "Lunasin!" She shot her eyes to her right and sees that Illuminus had actually flew down on the same level of altitude with her and showed a very proud smile on his face as his wings made a strong flap, "Look at yourself! You're doing it!"

Little Luna looked down below her, seeing the dragon city buildings. She wasn't falling. She's still doing it. She wasn't falling to her death. Her wings were still helping her fly.

Very slowly, the fear that plagued within her mind and chest for so long was about to be replaced with happiness and amazement. She found herself giggling to herself, whispering, "I'm doing it." Her giggling evolved to out loud laughter and she tossed a glance to Illuminus, proudly proclaiming as her tail was moving around behind her and flapped still, "I'm flying! I'm flying!" Her wings flapped again and again, making her go higher than Illuminus. Her wings angled to the right and now she was actually flying over his white scaled form. The hatchling cheered above him, "WOOHOO!"

Illuminus heard the cheer and let out a cheer of his own with a loud roar over Wingspan for all to hear.

Luna looked down at the white dragon and the city, still happy about her first real experience of flying. It wasn't so bad after all. She definitely was missing out. It was no wonder no bird, dragon, and gryphon was afraid of this. They're always amazed of their own flights. And Luna's amazed by hers.

Both Lunasin and Illuminus made the same turn in the air since they were about to fly out of the city, flying along the length of the wall that surrounds it. Luna formed a smile. Now...She'll never be afraid of flying. Not ever again.

My eyes immediately shot open and I breathed in deeply through my nose. With my eyes looking straight at the sky, while my vision was still being adjusted, I see that it looked orange. Dawn has arrived over the area.

With a couple more blinks of my eyes, I shifted a bit and looked at myself, seeing that I'm lying on my back with Luna's wing still over my body and her huge form still beside me. I rolled around to my side and saw Luna was still asleep, one of her ears twitching. She mumbled a bit and her wing quivered a bit too over me. I glanced at the wing for a second and looked at her snout still lying on the dirt, forming a smile at her, knowing why her wing did that. She was dreaming.

And I saw it in my sleep. Another dream of her past.

I let out an amused breath. Wow...That one was...Cute. This was better than the last dream I had about her. Better than watching her get turned into Dark Storm by Abyss.

I frowned to myself. Goodness, it's been I think a few days since I last had a dream about her. I was starting to think I wouldn't have a dream about her again. But I thought wrong. Another one came. I wonder what took so long?

Now, other than the curious thought of why I was seeing her dreams buzzing in my head, I had the urge to crawl out from under her wing and eat something. I can't sleep anymore. Dawn came and I think it's my cue to get up anyways.

I'll go ahead and do so. Wait for Luna to wake up and then we'll both move on.

*****

Corajan placed another forepaw on the ground as her yellow eyes scanned the area that has darkness around her. Her wings folded against her back as she turned her snout slowly towards to her right. She remembers sleeping on this ship the humans call it. She knows this is all in her head. She knows she is dreaming of all this.

And what else she knows...This isn't the first time she's dreamed of being in this place. From what she remembers by her count of how many times she came here...Maybe ten times. This is the eleventh time now. Sometimes she forgets where she's at, or why she's here, but then her mind clicks a moment later.

And she knows why she's here. There was only one reason why. Heck, in these such dreams there isn't anything much to do or to see, so why else would she be here?

As Cora planted another step on the dark ground, a sweet warm whisper echoed through the dark void, "Corajan." The short red dragoness perked up her head and ears at the voice. She knows who that could be. Cora slowly turned herself around, having a bit of a nervous feeling that is coursing through her red scales, and sees a tall figure in the shadows with glowing white eyes. Cora expected to find her. It was the only creature she finds in this odd place.

It's the dragoness in the shadows.

The dragoness with the glowing eyes flapped her wings on her back a second before folding them. Those eyes concentrated on Cora before her as she slowly made a step forward, "How are you doing? Happy to see me?" Cora can tell in the darkness that it's cocking its head when it took another one, "Or are you nervous upon seeing me again? You know there's nothing to be afraid of, young one."

It was true. There wasn't anything for Cora to be afraid of. But with those mysterious eyes looking at her, it was hard to NOT be nervous. However, she was trying to push that feeling away with her breath drawn as she replied with her tail swished behind her, "Sorry...I couldn't help it. You know it's...Those eyes." Cora nervously shot her eyes back and forth, gesturing the area around them before looking at her again as the dragoness was halfway to her, "It's just I wish there was some sort of light in this weird place. That way...I could see who I'm talking to."

Cora can hear a giggle coming from that strange dragoness and it said as it stopped right in front of her, "You know I'm not gonna hurt you."

Cora frowned at that shadowed dragoness, "I know...But you do know I hardly know you. So what makes you think-"

The dragoness lowered her snout to Cora's level, making the teenage dragon gasp and stumble back as those glowing eyes scared her a bit, "Because I've talked to you more than once. And if I'd wanted to hurt you, I would have done it by now."

That made Cora chuckle under her breath as she shyly lowered her own head a bit, "Well you can't hurt me anyways. I'm dreaming of all this...Right?"

The mysterious grownup dragon didn't answer, only staring at her with those eyes. But what she did was bring her muzzle to Cora's chest and nuzzle it tenderly. Cora didn't push it away, she was letting her do it. The dragoness withdrew her snout off the scaled chest and asked, "Did you feel that? This isn't the first nuzzle I gave you."

Cora replied, "Well...When you nuzzle me, sometimes when I wake up...I can feel it still." Her snout made a nervous, toothy grin, "So...I guess this isn't ALL a dream?"

Cora, despite the darkness, can see an amused smile on that dragoness's snout as she rose it high above her, "In a way. And speaking of dreams, it appears you have been doing something that you have been dreaming for years for the past few days. You finally left your home to go forth to your destiny."

Cora giggled, starting to feel less nervous talking to her now, "Well, partly that, but also I wanted to see what Avarilan's really like."

"I'm proud that you are. Believe it or not, I am. You were pretty lonely, despite that you were with Rockojaren. And what else I'm proud of...Is 'he' found you."

That had the short dragoness tilting her head in confusion, "'He'? Who're you talking about?"

"The one you're supposed to help. The one you're supposed to help find me. He's with you now."

Cora was really confused and it made her brain spin. She did remember several times in these dreams that this dragoness told her to help someone 'find her'. Cora never understood who she was talking about. She wasn't sure if it was a he or a she. But now she knows for sure that it was a he. But who is that dragoness referring about? She asked, "Who? Damonen?"

The dragoness shook her head, "No...Scott."

Cora reared back her head with a wide look and her tail flicked in surprise behind her, "Scott? The human? That's who you were talking about the whole time?" She formed a curious look and waved her forepaw to her, "Why Scott? Did you know about him the whole time? Did you know that humans were in Avarilan? Did you know that he and his friends were gonna find me that day?" She added with a suspicious growl welled up in her throat, "Did you ALSO know I was gonna end up dead that day? Did you know and didn't warn me?! I almost died!"

The white eyed dragoness dismissively waved her paw, calmly saying, "But you didn't. You were saved. You have friends now, along with the human that you're supposed to help find me."

Cora was shaking her head as she was trying to put the pieces together, "Alright...Now let me ask you a few more questions. Where are you? Where am I supposed to bring Scott to find you? And...Why Scott? Is it because he's human? Is it ONLY Scott that I have to help find you? What about Emily and Rick?"

"Do not worry about them. Just help Scott find me."

But Cora didn't let it go and just pressed her with a narrowed look, "But why? Why's he so important?"

The dragoness, however, didn't answer her question and just whirled around on her. Cora ducked below that dragoness's tail as it almost took her head off, and the dragoness began to saunter away, fluttering her wings in the dark. Cora snorted in frustration and stomped her paw.

The frustration washed away in a second as the dragoness was only a few feet away. That's when Cora thought of another question. This question that bubbled within her head more than once. Cora hollered for the dragon covered in shadow, "Wait!"

The dragoness in the shadows stopped in her tracks and Cora can see the glowing white eyes peeking over her shoulder at her.

Cora took a couple tentative steps forward and asked that question, "I've been wanting to ask you this for a while....Who are you? Are...Are you my mom?"

The only answer Cora had was silence.

Corajan pressed her again, "Tell me....Are you my mother?"

But the glowing eyes turned away towards ahead and then all of a sudden, light suddenly appeared in the dark, lighting up the whole darkened up area, and it was about to engulf both dragons with it. The light was so bright that even Cora squinted and had to bring her wings to her front to shield her eyes. Cora moaned as she was blinking the sudden brightness out of her golden eyes. Her ears can hear the dragoness's distant voice, "Good luck, Corajan."

Cora shouted through the wings in front of her, "WAIT!" The light became brighter and she was shutting her eyes tightly from how more bright it became.

The young dragon gasped as she shot up her head off the floor, her heart was pounding hard and fast within her chest. She was breathing in and out, over and over again, until she was calming down. As her eyes trailed around upon awakening, she saw that she's woke up in the lounge room of the ship right where she was at. She was sleeping close to the couch, all curled up on the floor. Her eyes drew upon that couch, seeing nobody was sleeping on it. And last time she checked, Rick was on it. But no Rick was in sight.

Then she noticed through the window and the birds she hears chirping outside the ship that morning has arrived. The small ray of sunshine went through the window and it barely missed Cora. The red dragoness let a sigh out of her muzzle as she dipped it to look down at the floor, blinking away the bit of grogginess out of her eyes. Another mysterious dream. Another mysterious dream she had. The eleventh one at that.

And she still didn't get any kind of answer.

Cora drew in some air through her nose and let it out as she was starting to stand up on all fours. Well, she did had one kind of answer she's been wondering for a while. The dragoness has told her more than once to help somebody 'find her', and now she knows. It was Scott. The dragoness covered in shadow wants Cora to help Scott find her. But what Cora doesn't understand is why. She doesn't fully understand the dragoness she keeps meeting up in them dreams. Who is that really?

Cora rose her paw and rubbed her chest. That odd dragoness nuzzled her chest more than once and Cora can still feel the spot she was nuzzled upon, even when she's awake. Those dreams do feel real in a way. Who is the one that nuzzles her? Who is the one with the glowing eyes?

Then she was wrinkling her face to herself after she dropped her paw back on the floor. Is it...Her mother? That's what Cora believes it was. She's never met her mother since she was born, but she believes it.

A thought popped up immediately and she was shaking her head to herself now. This thought always contradicted to what she believes. Rockojaren has told Cora a lot about her mother and she knows EXACTLY what happened to her. She knows his words all too well.

Suspicion swirled around in her skull. Could it REALLY be her mother? If not...Then who? She's so confused.

Cora then thought about heading outside. The others were probably waiting for her. A huge smile emerged on her snout and she almost giddied on her fours in excitement. Today is the day they move on with the journey! Better get moving! She stuck her hindquarters and tail in the air as she stretched her limbs out, also stretching her wings out across her back and curling them back up. She felt relieved after the stretch and without another second wasted, she started to pad through the room. After she went through the opening of the lounge room, her red scaled form strode fast near the indoor bar as the humans called it and her sight sees the doorway that leads out of the deck. It was left open. Perhaps it was left open just for her by her human friends. She giggled to herself in amusement. That's kind of them to do so.

Corajan, with her wings held closely to her back, squeezed through that opening and the morning sun greeted her upon exiting. It didn't take her long for her eyes to catch all of her friends, including the pouty, jealous green drake Damon, gathered around in a circle. Her mind mentally chuckled at how he was angry that she was the first dragon to explore something that's foreign and not from their world. Oooo, she loved showing THAT off! The short dragon slowly padded across the swimming platform, after her red tail smacked against the door to the deck, her eyes locked onto Scott this time.

From staring at him, her thoughts went back to what she learned in that dream. Her mind was riddled with questions. Why? What does the dragoness want from him? As she reached to the edge of the ship, she wiped those questions off her head, no reason to dwell around in them right now. She needs to meet up with her friends. Cora trotted off the platform, on to the grass, and made her way to her companions.

Damon caught sight of her and a smirk formed on his muzzle, "Well, what do you know, Rick showed up and not very long she shows up too."

Cora stopped near Rick and Scott, and asked as she tried her hardest to not let excitement get the best of her, "Really? It wasn't long Rick woke up and came out here?"

Rick replied as he turned his body to her, "I was actually up and going and standing out here for about almost fifteen minutes ago." He playfully giggled, "I kinda was thinking about coming back in there and wake you up. But don't have to now."

Scott chuckled and thumbed to his mate, or girlfriend whichever Scott called it, "Me and Em here already beat you guys out here."

Emily added as she shifted her bag around on her shoulder, "We were just hanging around with Damon before..." She pointed a finger at Rick, "He showed up."

Rick looked at his daughter with squinted eyes, "Now that you've mentioned it, you still don't seem angry to see me." Then he made a crack, "Did enough sleep make you wake up freakin happy?" Scott snickered at the statement and Cora only giggled deeply. Then the teenage dragon looked at the human girl. Rick was right. Emily didn't seem angry looking at her father, Cora just realized it.

Emily took a deep breath and let it out, looking a bit awkward having a conversation with him, "Maybe it did."

Rick frowned in confusion, "Huh...I thought you didn't want me anymore."

Scott nearby wrinkled his brow curiously at his girlfriend while Cora tilted her head and asked as her tail wagged back and forth, "Yeah, I'm surprised right now. Did sleep actually help? Were you cranky?"

Emily smirked, "MAYBE more than that." She playfully nudged her elbow in Scott's side, "Maybe it was sleeping with him that helped me."

Rick formed a look of suspicion, "What...Did you two make love down below the ship?"

Scott laughed a bit and scratched the back of his head shyly while both he and Emily were blushing, "Gosh, Rick."

Rick made a teasing grin, "Well I didn't hear my daughter screaming in euphoria down there, so-"

Emily shouted in embarrassment, "DAD!"

Cora exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, you called him 'dad'!" Then she crooned playfully, "So you guys DID make love down there. My family friend did tell me that mating makes you happy. Hmm, since I know you both never mated before, I got to ask, did you guys enjoy your first mating?"

The two young humans shouted in unison, "Cora!" Damon was tossing up his head in laughter as his green tail thumped on the ground.

Rick held his wrist to his mouth as he tried not to laugh, "Now here's what I'm wondering...Did you use a condom?"

Scott shot him a glare, cheeks flushing furiously, "Rick, you're not helping."

Emily spoke through gritted teeth, "We didn't do anything."

Emily's father replied when he shot his head to his left, "Had to ask."

The blonde haired human groaned lowly as she shot her gaze up at the green drake who was just reduced to giggles now, "Hey, big green dude, everyone's out here, so are we ready to go now?"

Cora immediately forgot what they were just talking about and yelled out in excitement, letting it finally get the best of her as she bounced on her fours a bit on the earth floor, "Eee! Yes! Can we go now?!"

Damon's wings settled on his back as he answered, "I guess, but is anybody hungry?"

Cora rubbed her forepaw against her stomach and hummed in thought, "...Nope. I don't feel hungry."

Then the humans answered the drake's question at the same time, "Neither are we."

Damon laughed and nodded down at them, "Then ok." He held his snout to the sky and then trailed his eyes off to the direction towards his left as his tail flicked behind him, "We're going that way." He started to stroll away from the group with his tail making a small swing, "Let's go." With the announcement, the short red dragon and the humans with their bags on their shoulders started to follow Damon as he led the way, strolling through the woods a moment later. Cora glanced back and saw the ship through the trees. Well, she's going to miss looking at that amazing thing. Then another exciting thought circled around her brain. Perhaps they might come across another one? It's like Emily said the other day...Who knows?

As Cora was walking with her friends, she turned her snout to look at each of them. She had the urge to tell them all about her dreams, including the one she just had. Pretty much tell them about this dragoness. But she bit down her muzzle, thinking that they'll say they were all just dreams and it's all in her head.

Cora lowered her head a bit, putting more thoughts into them. But they didn't feel like dreams...They've felt real.

*****

In silence, I sat on a small rock while Luna was laying on her stomach on the grass beside me. Both of us were having a break after the two of us had travelled on for a few hours. My hand was tapping the rock, trying to entertain myself during this break. After I woke up at dawn hours ago, it didn't take Luna forever to wake up on her end. I think it was barely half an hour later that it happened and my guess for why that happened was probably because she didn't feel me with her body and wing anymore. It was fine. She can wake up any time she wants. So after she woke up, we ate some food together, and then I gathered my stuff and we moved on.

I gazed at Luna as she was holding her snout up to see the blue sky through the large space up in the canopy of the woods, and her black tail tapped on the grass as well. I lowered my gaze, trying to hide this amused smirk that formed out of nowhere. Why it came was because my mind was mentally giggling at the thoughts of the new dream of hers appearing in my brain. I tried my hardest to not giggle at how cute that dream of hers was. Luna looked more shorter like a hatchling and she was more cuter than when she was a teenager. She was so small it made me wish I could hold her into my arms and hug her close to my chest like a little dog.

Hah. Luna being different back then, she'd probably be shy at seeing me and probably freak out that a stranger's hugging her! She'd rather have Illuminus hug her than me I bet. He....Does act like a father to her.

Speaking of different, while I found the dream a bit funny as well, a part of me also can't believe what I've learned from the dream. She was afraid of flying back then! That's...Like me!

Well, SORTA like me, but her reason of not flying was a lot different than mine. Only what happened to me was a bit more...Scary. She was a hatchling and she never did it before, and it was understandable why she would be afraid of flight. And Illuminus helped her overcome it. If it wasn't for him...She wouldn't be flying up to this day. She didn't miss out in the joy of flying anymore. She's all grownup and still flapping her wings.

When the smile melted away, my hand rose and held to my chest, hearing some of Illuminus's words echoing in my ears. You cannot be afraid of something forever. Sometimes in life you have to confront whatever you fear the most so you wouldn't fear it anymore. Luna confronted it and it looked a bit easy for her. Me....This is just a tough one. But could I really confront it and make the fear finally go away? Luna has been acting like The Great One. Picking me off the ground with her paws like Illuminus had done to her. She was helping me love it a few times. She didn't want me to miss out also. But despite her attempts...I'm still afraid. Would I ever love flying? I wasn't afraid of it before....Things were different back then.

I turned my head to Luna, who still did not take her eyes off the sky. I know what she was thinking about. She was thinking about her dream. What she doesn't know was I was thinking about her dream as well. Most of the time while we walked today, I actually wanted to yell out what I saw coming from her head. But...I still didn't. I want to tell her about the dreams I saw. Why did I have them at all? Why did I share them with her? Maybe she has an idea why this is happening.

I want to know what's going on.

While I was building up the urge to ask her, I followed her gaze to the sky like her and saw a group of birds flying up there. Maybe they were migrating somewhere. After I watched them go further away before they were nothing but dots, I turned my gaze to my best friend and my mouth barely opened to ask her this question when Luna opened up hers before me to let out a sigh. I saw in her eyes that there was a memory flowing behind them as she was speaking in a soft tone, "They must be following a path." Then she giggled and turned her snout to me with a smile, "I know how you are, but don't you even find that flight looks beautiful just by watching the birds go by?"

My moment of opportunity to ask went away after she spoke, so I went along with it by shrugging my shoulders, "As long as it ain't me up there, I can find that it's beautiful."

She playfully rolled up her silver eyes and remarked, "Still don't want to get out more. That's SO like you." Then she was making a devious growl within her throat as she lowered her head toward me a bit, "Do I need to MAKE you get out more again?"

My brows went up after I giggled deeply, "Nope. I'm comfortable sitting on a rock." My hand made a couple taps on the rock, "This rock is my new friend."

Luna narrowed her eyes and snorted as her wings fluttered on her back, "Really? That hard thing is your new friend?"

"Yep. And his name's...Stoney." I snickered. Heh...Stoney. Good name for a rock, Mike.

"You've got to be kiddin me. THAT? Your friend? That thing can't be the greatest friend to you like I am."

"Honestly he is, and we've just met. I'm liking Stoney already." I made a wave towards Luna, "I like him more than you."

The black scaled dragoness shot up her head, "It doesn't do anything!" Her forepaw was moved so her talon would tap the side of the rock I'm on, "All it does is sit in the same spot for ages through day and night, and even through countless storms that have passed through this area."

I gave her a question to tease her, "Getting jealous there, Luna?" The only answer she gave me was another snort. I replied teasingly, "Let me put out the reason why I absolutely love Stoney right now. He wouldn't forcefully carry me to the sky and scare me to death and even THREATEN to drop me to my death....Unlike you do." I was rubbing the rock in a circle that time, "Me and him have a huge thing in common. He sincerely loves staying on the ground like I do."

Luna rolled her eyes and swished her tail across the grass behind her, "You know what, Mike? If you love the rock more than the dragon with you, then you can go sit on your boring new friend while I leave your tiny ass alone." A grin appeared on her snout, "I'll just take off and fly away, and PERHAPS you'll be wishing that you had stuck with this 'exciting' friend you already have." Then she snaked her head down to my level, right in front of my face, "Is that thing good enough to protect you? I don't think it can. The only way Stoney will be protecting your butt is you hiding behind him. But, a rock is a rock, and enemies can go around rocks to get you."

I giggled and rose my hand to give her nose a playful rub, "Alright. I get it. Stoney's not a good protector."

She softly bumped her snout against my arm, "That's right. He would just let you die. I'm the best protector you got here, little guy."

Then I was rolling up my eyes and hummed to myself, pretending like I was in thought, "Yeah, but you did threaten to drop my ass to my death before, so what protector would say that to the person that's protecting?"

Luna rose her nose a moment before she nuzzled my forehead, "Smart ass, you know I wouldn't drop you, now quit bugging me about it." She chuckled warmly as she rose it high over me with a playful smirk, "Besides, you're just giving out an excuse to not let me help you love flying."

I shrugged my shoulders and replied to her statement, "Well since I don't trust you with the whole carrying me by your paws kind of thing after your threat, so-"

"Mike!" I tossed myself back, barely falling off the rock, and laughed very hard.

After laughing for over a minute, and still sat firmly on the rock, I finally composed myself and admitted, "Okay I'll admit, it's an excuse. A lame one."

Luna responded with her wings curling on her back, "Already knew it was." Then her face frowned with curiosity, "Mike....I still don't understand it. You know...About your fear of flying. You say that you just are, but I still believe there's more to that reason." She tilted her head, "Is there? Do you admit that there is?" I was only staring at her for a second before her paw was placed to her chest and she admitted on her end, "You want to know the truth, Mike?"

I knew what she was going to say, but I didn't say a word and let her continue, "I was kinda like you. I was a BIT afraid of flying back then." Her eyes narrowed at me as she held up a claw, sternly stating, "Bear in mind, I was only a hatchling around that certain time." Her silver gaze had softened up as she went on, "It was because I was afraid to be so high in the sky. It was because I haven't done it before. It was because I was letting my imagination about it stop me. I had a thought that I wouldn't be able to fly like everyone else." Luna put on a proud smile, "But Illuminus helped me out on that."

I pretended I did not know that and asked, "Ah, really?"

"Being the teacher to every dragon and all, he did try to teach me how. He was being supportive about it. Although...I was pretty scared of trying. Other than worried about the thought of being high in the air, it was also because I was imagining that one of my wings wouldn't work well in flight and I would fall from the sky." I snickered a bit hearing that and she formed a glare, "Hey, I was a hatchling, Mike! Hatchlings always have wild imaginations!"

After holding back my snickers, I nodded, "I know. All children do."

Luna gazed towards the blue sky once more, "I was still scared despite his teachings. But one day, my thought about flying changed forever. I was having a walk with the legendary white dragon and guess what he did...He snatched me off the ground with his paws without a warning and carried us to the sky, over the city." She looked down and threw me a teasing smirk, "Does that sound familiar?"

I pointed at myself, "Yeah. You snatching ME off the ground and doing that. I guess I see where you got the idea from."

"Kinda of a clever idea, I might add." She waved her paw and went on, "Anyway, I was carried by Illuminus in flight, pleading for him to put me back down to the ground. But he kept insisting that I can beat the fear and told me to spread my wings and flap them, repeatedly. I did it over and over again...Until he let me go. That's when I knew...I was flying, all by myself without his help. Not very long, I was feeling very happy, not feeling scared anymore. I shared my first flight with Illuminus. After that day, flying became a daily thing to me."

I nodded in agreement with my eyes gesturing to her wings, "No doubt. And not one of those beautiful wings were ever broken or whatever as you imagined. They're working well."

Luna winked and flicked her tail, "And you know it."

I stated in amusement, "I gotta say, I didn't exactly expect that from you." I added with a shrug and a shot of my head to the right, "Well then again, you probably weren't the only hatchling who's afraid to fly. So I guess it ain't too much of a surprise."

Luna shook her snout, "I probably wasn't." Then she formed a playful look, "You're acting like one. Saying that you never been in the air before and you're afraid of trying. You're acting like one, Mike!"

I opened my mouth agape and responded to her claim, "Hey I kinda have a reason that I'm acting like a hatchling who's afraid of being in the air."

The black dragon wrinkled her brow, "So you DO have a reason..."

My chest expanded before I let out a breath and I nodded a bit, "To be honest with you....Yeah. I actually have a reason that I'm afraid of flying." I added when I looked away, "Well...Actually, I wasn't always afraid."

Luna perked up her head, "Really? Then...Why are you afraid now?"

The memories of that day flowed through my head before I turned and answered her, "I suppose I can tell you...I probably kept you in the dark for too long now." I looked at my lap, "...I wasn't always afraid of flying, or heights for the matter. But it was just that one day in my home, at my house, that it changed. I was about seven years old I think when it happened. God...I'll never forget it. I was terrified. Afraid I was going to die."

Luna held fear in her silver eyes and I could hear it in her voice, "D-...Die?"

"Yeah. I was afraid I was gonna die back then." I sucked in some air for my lungs and immediately let it out, "You can imagine I was a little boy, smaller than what I am now. And little boys...Do silly but stupid things. But there was one stupid thing that made me feel so scared for my life. One day, I was alone with my mother at our house. I wanted to play with her, but she was busy cleaning up the house. So...I had to entertain all by myself. My brother couldn't play with me cuz he was at a sleepover that day." I took a deep breath before I went on with the tale, "I was playing Frisbee outside, tossing it around and picking it up and tossing it around again. It was fun while it lasted."

I knew Luna was wondering what a Frisbee is. I can feel she was wondering. But she didn't ask, she was letting me tell the story. I looked up at a tall tree and my blood was turning cold as I was getting to the part when it happened, "Somehow, I misinterpreted the strength of my throw and the Frisbee...Accidentally flew and landed on a tree. Right on a high tree branch. I couldn't believe how high it went up. It kinda looked amazing that it went all the way up there. At first I was thinking...There was no way I could reach it. But then...I was thinking maybe I could go get it. I thought about getting my mom, but then I thought against it, believing it wasn't a problem for a little guy like me. Not very long, I started to climb the tree. And trust me, it was high." I pointed at the tree I was staring at and I barely saw Luna following where I was pointing, "Kinda like that one there."

I dropped my hand back down and sighed, "It seemed like a good idea at the moment. I was crawling on the branch where the Frisbee was at. I crawled toward it. It was actually at the far end, at the tip of it. I tried to reach for it, but then...I slipped and fell." Luna gasped and my knuckle gripped my pants tightly at the memory, "But I still held on, dangling after that. I would've climbed back up, but...The tree branch I was on....Couldn't hold my weight. I realized it was about to break and I was gonna go down with it. I would've dropped down to another branch, but there wasn't any. Just the ground where I came from. Judging by how far it was...Maybe the height could've killed me or break my leg....I didn't know which. I didn't want to let go. I was scared. I looked down....And my fear of heights started to develop."

Luna nearby held pity in her silver eyes and while I was explaining a bit more, I could almost hear my seven year old self screaming in terror in my ears in a distant echo, "I remember how scared and terrified I was....I screamed for my mother for help. I screamed for her over and over...I wasn't sure if she could hear me...Until she came out of the house and found me. My mom was below me, telling me to let go and she'd catch me. I was pretty hesitant, since I was scared, but I didn't have much of a choice. At the last minute before the branch was totally broken, I let go...And my mother caught me."

My breathing started to tremble, "I was crying into her arms. My mother did scold me for doing what I did. Telling me I should've went and got her. And then...She cried with me. She was just afraid I was gonna get hurt or worse and they were just tears of relief. While mine were just filled with fear combined with relief. Ever since that day...I was afraid. I didn't climb a tree ever again. I didn't want to be high again." I glanced at my best friend, "And you know I am. I am still...Up to this day. That's why I'm afraid of flying with you, Luna."

Luna tilted her head in sorrow for me, "Aww...I'm sorry you went through all that. I didn't know." But then she shook it, adamantly stating, "Mike...You shouldn't be afraid of flying now. That was years ago."

"I'm just afraid it would happen to me again and then...If I fell, next time I'll die."

"But you won't. You know I won't drop you. I care for you enough to never drop you." She was making a reassured smile, "You were just a hatchling when that happened to you. Things were just different. There's nothing to be afraid about flying. Not now. You're afraid of what would happen to you, but it won't. That's a little bit like my situation. And...What you don't get is you'll be missing out the joy of flight if you continue on with that fear flying around you. I want to help you overcome it. You weren't afraid of it before, you are now, but I want to help you NOT be afraid of it."

I only glanced at her side, at her wing, and nervously sighed, "Luna...I've let you carry me off the ground, but I'm still afraid."

I watched her wing membrane flutter and her tail thumped on the grass, "That's because things like that take time. I'm sure you won't be afraid anymore as soon as time passes."

I was just unsure of that and I turned to look at my lap again, letting out another sigh, "I...I don't know, big girl. Maybe it won't happen."

Then I can hear her moving on the grass, "I'm not giving up." I removed my eyes off the lap and saw that she was on all fours. She turned her whole body to me and said with a promising smile, "I'm not giving up on that, Mike. I don't want you being afraid anymore. Illuminus helped me out years ago. Now it's my turn to help someone else. You're my student, I'm your teacher, and a teacher helps students out. And...You're my first one." She gave me, and mostly to herself, a nod, "I will do everything I can to help you beat that fear."

I immediately got off the rock and suspiciously asked, "Luna...What are you doing?" I was having a feeling in my chest after she got up. It was the way she was getting up after she heard my story and after those words she gave me that had me suspicious of her. I know Luna well to know what she's PROBABLY planning to do now.

Luna shot up her head, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting up. I think break's over." Her silver eyes shot at my stuff on the ground near me before bringing them back on me, "I'm ready to go now. Are you? Get your stuff and let's go." I stared at her for about almost a minute, before I turned my back on her and got my stuff that's laid near the rock. After getting my bag and the bow with quiver over my shoulders, I feel something grabbing my sides and lift me off the ground.

My eyes went wide as I soon realized that Luna had sat on her haunches and picked me off the ground with her forepaws again. I looked over my shoulder and saw her smiling. I said with a low tone and a grin, "Had a feeling you'd do that."

Luna replied with a sure nod as she spread out her wings and test flapped them, "I'm doing everything to help you beat it. And this is one of those things I'm doing." She rumbled as she playfully said, "Get ready for another flight with The Radiant Night, Mikey."

I on the other hand was about to protest as I looked freaked out and kicked my legs at the air underneath me, "Um, I'm not in the-" But I was cut short when Luna giggled and jumped to the sky with a flap. Not very long, we were both several feet over the forest and she started to fly past several trees below us. I screamed in fear, "GEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Luna howled in amusing laughter as she beated her wings again and I was just letting the dragon carry me in her paws again. Don't see any way of fighting her off about this.

I looked down, my fear of heights bothering me again like before as the flow of greenish trees flew by below us. I held a deep breath as the wind still rushed at me, calming my mind down. I looked up at Lunasin, mixed with fear there was trust in my eyes. With all things considered...I'll always trust Luna not to drop me. And besides...I'm sure this flight won't last long.

But one thing I won't deny...Is she's committed to helping me overcome my fear once and for all. I looked ahead, the rushing wind blowing against my shaggy hair and my eyes and I had to squint them. I'm still not sure if that fear will REALLY go away. That's still a tough thing. I'm still afraid of this, heck I'm afraid right now. But...I guess I'll find out.

*****

While all five of us were having our break, eating after walking for a while, I held my eyes towards my girlfriend. She just took one last bite of her apple and was chewing it with only her attention drawn towards Rick who was sitting with Damon on his left, while I was sitting on the drake's right. Across from us, Emily is sitting beside Cora, who was smacking her jaws on her food till she swallowed and trilled deeply in satisfaction. As I was chewing on my apple on my end before it went down my throat, I threw the stem away since there wasn't anything else to eat without taking my eyes off Emily.

I was curious about her now. Actually, curious about her since we left the yacht. The way she was looking at her dad wasn't...Full of hate. Her eyes don't appear to show it. While we were travelling before the break came, she actually said a few words to Rick that weren't out of spite. And on top of that...Before we left the ship, she called him 'dad', not 'Rick'. I'm a bit shocked to her change. Before today, she was dead set on not giving him another chance and hate him forever.

The memory of seeing her slap her dad across the face flashed before my eyes. The words of hate spitting out of her lips towards him were echoing through my head too. She's not like that girl from yesterday. She's softened up her attitude toward him when I thought she wouldn't. I had hoped, but I was afraid she wouldn't try. Now with the way she's acting...She's trying to give him another chance. She's not letting anger cloud her judgement, like Rick had let his own cloud his.

I wonder what gotten into her? Was Rick and Cora right? Was it because she was cranky and sleep helped? Heh, I seriously doubt that.

I watched Emily's hand went through her bag and she pulled another apple out. But instead of eating it, she held it straight out in front of her and offered to her father, "Hey. Do you want another apple?"

My eyes went wide a second, but I wiped that look away before she noticed it. I peeked around Damon and seen Rick waving her off and also shaking his head, "No. Thanks." He chuckled as he stated, "You're offering food to me now? I was KINDA starting to think that you'd throw one at me in the face in anger." Then he cracked, "Be better than smashing a bottle against my skull, I think."

I glanced towards Emily and she was making a small smirk on her face as she lowered her apple back on the bag, "I probably would have if I was feeling embarrassed still about what you said about me and Scott earlier."

Rick shot back, "Don't seem to be."

"That's because I'm not now."

"Well good, cuz I don't see any apples or bottles being thrown at me." I mentally giggled. A good thing too.

Cora tilted her head as she turned her snout towards Emily, "Would you throw one apple at me in anger?" After Emily looked to her, Cora made a tooth filled smirk and flicked her tail on the ground, "If you are, I wouldn't mind catching food and eat it."

Damon shot up his head and cracked as his wings fluttered, "Me too. If you ever get angry, throw one apple at a time towards me."

Emily laughed and shook her head playfully at the dragons before she started to stroke Cora's back, "Oh you guys." After her hand made a fourth brush across the short dragon's scales, she started to stand off the ground and breathed in pleasantly. Then she strolled away from Cora across to where I was. As she stopped beside me, she said to all of us, "Hey listen, I'm gonna do a little tinkle in the woods, so I'll be right back."

I looked up and said with a nod, "Alright, be careful."

I heard Rick mentioning, "Yeah. Remember the last time you walked off into the woods ALONE? Who knows if there'll be another wolfir scavenging around here today."

Emily after she brushed some of her hair around replied with a giggle, "First of all, the first time I did that it was during the night and I was freaking out about everything in this world. The second time was a few nights ago and I was angry." She shot her hand upward towards the sky, "Not dark night now and I'm not going crazy with worry and anger at the moment." I shrugged my shoulders, silently agreeing. That's true. Then Emily continued, "Second, we haven't seen another one for days, so I'm sure it won't happen."

Damon playfully growled as he curled his green tail around himself, "Don't be TOO sure of that, Em."

Emily just rolled up her eyes and then started to stride away from the group, "Going to tinkle now. Be back in a few minutes." I looked over my shoulder and saw her form disappearing past the bushes.

Cora hummed and it had me gazing at her now. She was showing some excitement in her eyes as usual as she stared at where Emily went off, "I know wolfirs are rare, but I hope we get to meet one."

I smiled playfully at her, "You mean you're hoping YOU get to meet one."

That had her holding up her snout in pride, "That's true."

Rick sighed as he shifted his butt on the ground, "Cora, I know you're new at seeing the world and like seeing new things, but I wouldn't exactly want to meet one with you. A wolfir is big!" Then he quizzically frowned, "I'm just asking, you sure you want to meet one?"

Cora dropped her eyes toward him and answered, "Sure I'm sure. I'm not afraid." Then her eyes looked defiant, "In fact, I wouldn't even mind fighting it. A wolfir's probably not tough."

Damon showed some worry in his yellow eyes, "Corajan, I don't doubt you can fight, but don't get careless. You do not want to get careless when you're fighting something."

Cora grinned as she sighed, "I can handle it. A wolfir, from what I've heard, may be big, but I can handle it."

Then he made a somewhat playful but also serious remark to the short dragon across from him, "Sure, like you handled that Dark Dragon crushing your back."

The red dragoness rolled her eyes, "Not gonna happen again. If the wolfir tries to crush me..." Her maw opened a bit to show her teeth, "I'll rip its paw off." We heard a growl emitting in her throat, "And I wish I had the chance to do so to the Dark Dragon. Big bastard."

I giggled, "Yeah, that would teach that wolfir not to mess with ya." Really teach it.

Rick stated as he thumbed behind him, "Well if my daughter does come across one, which I sincerely hope she doesn't, then she'll let us know by screaming." He looked up at the green drake beside him with a frown, "Speaking of Emily, I'm surprised she isn't snapping at me anymore. She spoke some words to me without getting angry and saying she doesn't want to see my face again."

I joined in with a surprised look myself, "I know. And I know I didn't do anything to help change that. I was thinking Emily wouldn't listen to me...Nor anybody." I lowered my gaze to my lap, putting in some thought about Emily, "I wonder what changed her?"

Damon giggled deeply as he snaked his muzzle down to me. I looked back at his eyes as a grin was plastered on his muzzle, "Why don't you ask the drake with you that?" He gave me a wink and rose it back up.

As I watched him raised his head above my level, that's when I realized what he was implying. I asked with a wrinkled brow, "D-...Did you-"

Damon loudly proclaimed, "Yep! I did!" He giggled and shook his head down at me, "Perhaps you should've tried to talk to her about the issue with her father after all. You thought she wouldn't listen to anyone, but she listened to me."

I bursted out laughing. I had a tiny feeling that he had something to do with it. Man, first he changed Rick, now he changed Emily. The side of my hand smacked against the dragon when I said, "Looks like the fairy strikes again."

Damon cocked his head, "There it is again. What's a fairy, Scott?"

Rick chimed in and he turned his snout to him, "Never mind that for now." He formed a huge smile of gratitude up to him, "So you talked to my daughter about me? I can't believe it...When did you do that?"

He waved a forepaw, "Last night, outside the ship while all of you were asleep." Damon's eyes formed pity, "I couldn't let her stay angry at you forever. I had to help her see the truth about you. It wasn't exactly easy at first. She really did not trust you."

Rick looked at Damon's green scales as he said in guilt, "I don't blame her."

A proud smile emerged on the drake's face, "But point is Emily seems convinced that you have changed. At least she'll not judge you every time she looks at you and also not dwell in her pain you gave her." Damon had a haunting look in his eyes as he gazed towards the sky and his tail made a soft thump on the ground, "I've seen the last part before...Believe me." I frowned a bit. He's showing that look again...

Cora cocked her head in concern for the drake, "You okay, Damon?" Damon's face returned to normal and he looked down at her with a smile and a nod. Cora beamed and happily shot at him, "I'm happy you talked to her. I didn't want Emily hating her father." Her paw went to her chest as her face looked a bit apprehensive, "I would've talked to her, but...Yeah, I'm like Scott. I was afraid she would not listen."

I reached and rubbed Damon's side up and down a couple times, "Yeah, thanks buddy."

Damon looked down at me as I pulled my hand off his scales, "Hey don't mention it." He glanced at Rick who had a smile on his face, "You just remember what I'm telling you, ok, Rick? Emily said last night that she'll TRY to give you a chance. So she's trying. She's trying it well so far. Just don't push her so hard about it and things will probably stay ok. When it's time, she'll want to talk to you about everything."

Rick sighed and nodded when his smile went away, "I know...I have things I want to talk to her about...Everything that I should've said to her a long time ago."

My face wrinkled at his statement. Huh? I asked, "What are you talking about?"

Rick replied when he looked past Damon and waved me off with his hand, "Nothing. Don't worry about it." The wrinkle in my brow never went away. Hmm...

My face was filled with a wide look when we all heard a scream from a distance. We gasped as all of us immediately jumped to our feet. After I turned myself around, Damon while he did the same motion as I did, swung his tail and I ducked before it hit my head. As I straightened up my stance, we all faced toward the direction Emily walked off. Emily? It was Emily!

As fear clawed at my chest, Cora padded up to stand beside me, "Was that Emily?"

Rick replied without putting his eyes on her, "Pretty sure it was. God, maybe she did find another wolfir?"

Cora added with her tail swished, "Or found something else that died a long time ago?"

I groaned and shot my fist down, "What are we waiting for? Come on!"

Damon growled with protective anger, "Scott's right. Let's go."