Page 78 of To Fight and To Fold

Ponds and caves and large trees and fields for the dragons to sunbathe upon filled this isle. This time of night, most of the dragons were settling down, but some were awake and stared at the sparkly newcomer cautiously. Dozens of dragons spread out, some lazing about, some unseen, some eager for attention.

"There's so many," Aaryn breathed.

"They're happy here," Thea told her. "Come this way," she said, and then glanced at Aaryn's shoes, the little heel on the end. "You might have an easier time if you took those off. The grass is soft enough to walk on."

Aaryn pursed her lips and took a few steps onto the terrain, stubborn as ever. Thea grinned when her heels indeed sank into the grass.

She paused, stiff with annoyance, and lifted a foot to yank at the shoe.

Thea graciously offered her an arm, hiding her smile as Aaryn's glare shifted in her direction… and softened. Aaryn placed a hand there to steady herself. "Thanks," she murmured, and slipped her short heels off beneath the bright moonlight.

Their steps on the path were quiet as they walked, but she could practically hear Aaryn's brain buzzing with her thoughts, the tense fizzle of curiosity bubbling.

Thea refrained from parting her lips and letting an entire history spill from her mouth. She didn't want to overwhelm Aaryn, so she'd be patient. Thea would wait for her curiosity to gnaw at her a bit. Make Aaryn ask for it when she was ready.

"Starspark has been keeping to himself," Thea said to fill the silence.

"There’s something wrong with him," Aaryn said, and her pace quickened.

Thea glanced over at her. She knew that, of course, Starspark was growing more combative every day. It was part of going feral. "You sound so sure."

"I am," she said.

Thea cocked her head to the side, heart racing. Was it true, then, that Aaryn somehow saw through Starspark? Felt through him, too?

They hadn't gotten very far into the Dragons’ Nest when they heard the quiet, quizzical whine of a dragon. In seconds it turned into a roar.

"That's him," Aaryn said, feet sure, as if she already knew her destination though she had never been there before.

Thea watched her go, curious at the confidence in each step. Starspark was much louder, his growl cutting through the trees, and Thea’s stomach began to turn. What if Starspark didn’t recognize her? Why did he sound so angry?

Aaryn slid to a stop as a dragon's snout stuck out between the trees, sniffling through the low, dangerous rumble.

The moment Aaryn laid eyes on him, a quiet sob slipped out of her, and the sound made Thea's chest hurt.

The growl stopped, and it was so quiet Thea heard her own heartbeat like thunder.

Then Aaryn sprinted for the dragon⁠—

“Aaryn, no!” Thea warned, because Starspark had not been himself lately, and suddenly Thea’s mind was filled with terrible images of Starspark parting his jaws and releasing his breath upon her and there would be nothing Thea could do to protect her.

Thea ran, too, but she wasn’t quick enough.

Starpark darted out between the trees. His tail whipped excitedly through the air, his scales shining in the low moonlight, flickering the palest greens and deepest indigo. His wings were pinned to his back as he ran, the light striking him just right and revealing a rich pink shimmer in his scales before he slammed into Aaryn.

"Starspark!" Aaryn cried, and it took Thea a second to realize her squeal was one of delight. They rolled—and Starspark used his wings to protect her, as Aaryn wrapped her arms around what she could of him.

Thea panted as she slowed, watching them carefully as her panic ebbed.

Her throat went tight as the dragon nudged his snout against Aaryn, his affection plain as the moonlight. His big breaths disturbed the escaping strands of her long hair, and he held still, nuzzling against her as she embraced him.

Aaryn whispered things to him that Thea couldn't hear, and maybe that was for the best. She hung back to let them have their moment.

It had been a long time coming, after all.

And whose fault is that?

Starspark was fine. Purring and happy, and himself again now that Aaryn was here.