Under The Full Moon

The Explanation

Gale was roused from sleep by the warmth of the sun on her face. Slowly, she opened her eyes, lifting her head just enough to yawn before resting her chin back onto her paws. She allowed herself a moment to wake up before she turned her head a little to look to see if Broin was still beside her. However, she didn't see him or feel his resting against her side. Slowly, she sat up. Her tail was sore from the center to the end, as well as the center to the base where it connected with her body. Shifting a little to try to clean it, she was surprised to see that it had been wrapped. Tilting her head, she furrowed her brow a little before she heard something to her right. Her confused expression turned to one of warning, her lip curling back from her teeth, though before she could stand, Broin came from the underbrush. 

"Good morning," He said, waving his bow at her. Gale exhaled through her nose, her ears relaxing from their pinned position. In Broin's other hand, he held two rabbits, one larger than the other. Gale's stomach growled at the thought of them, her tail drawing up around her front paws. "That shouldn't cause too much of a problem for you. Also, I found this. I don't know if this was something of yours or not," He started over toward her after setting the rabbits down. He moved a satchel from around his back to open it, pulling out the pearl she had had several weeks before, cradling it between his hands like a small watermelon. Her ears pinned back once more and she stood, reaching out with a hand-like paw to take it. The quickness in her movements startled Broin, who stepped back away from her. "I'm sorry..." He said, watching her as she drew the pearl to her chest.

Realizing her actions, Gale drooped her ears. "It's... it's alright..." The pearl reflected her eyes as she stared down at the smooth surface. "I just... don't want it to get broken. I had tucked it away because I had almost dropped it myself," She hummed. She didn't know what it was about the pearl that made her feel she needed to protect it, but the need was strong enough that she felt she needed to protect it even from Broin, despite knowing that he wouldn't do anything to purposefully risk breaking it. With a flick of an ear, Gale set the pearl between her feet where she was seated. Looking off over the lake, she allowed herself to drift off into thought before she heard Broin clear his throat. "I owe you an explanation..." 

"No, you don't," Broin responded, having set to cleaning the rabbits. The thick, iron scent of blood reached Gale's nose, her mouth watering a little. Shaking her head, Gale tried to clear her thoughts again.

"I do... especially because you've become mixed up in this mess," She shifted herself, laying down with the pearl tucked against her belly like an egg. "Just a few weeks ago, I was a human just like you. I... have a bit of a habit of doing exactly what I'm told not to. I'm wasn't supposed to leave my father's home without a guard, but when I started slipping off away from them, they made me promise I wouldn't leave without a horse at the very least so I could get away from someone if they tried to cause a problem..." Gale paused, looking at the grass between her paws before she sighed. "He used some kind of spell to cause a glowing light, and to me, it looked like a crystal or something was catching the moonlight. I wish I had listened to Valor when he tried to stop me, but I just chalked it up to him being a horse and nervous about everything..." Lifting a paw, she rubbed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose between her eyes, much as she would do in her human form.

"Gale..." Broin's voice was closer now, and when she lowered her paw and opened her eyes, he was standing in front of her. Gently, he reached to take her muzzle in his hands, lifting it as she had done with Valor from time to time to make the horse look at her. Her eyes swirled with blue hues as she watched the young man, who was now smiling at her sadly. "You don't have to tell me. If it's something that hurts you, especially being so soon after it's happened, you don't have to tell me anything," Gale's ears drooped a little at this. "But.. I do believe you. After what I've seen..." He gave her nose a gentle pat before he went over to where he had left the rabbits. Picking one of them up, he carried the larger of the two over to Gale. "Here," He offered it out to her.

Gale could feel her pupil's dilate and shrink as the rabbit was held out to her, focusing on it for a moment before she leaned forward and took the rabbit from Broin's hand. She snapped it back, swallowing the rabbit in one swift motion before she hummed, twitching the large whiskers growing from her upper lip. It wasn't much, but it was plenty enough to keep her stomach from growling until they, or she, went hunting for larger game later on in the evening. Broin would have to be heading back to his village, but she would make sure to help him catch something that he could take back. Relaxing again, Gale pushed away the thoughts that had been swimming around in her head. Instead, she put her attention on Broin as he worked to settle the rabbit on a spit and set it up over where he would make a fire. She didn't need to help him with this. She had watched him make a fire several times and felt that he was just as adept at starting the flames as any dragon. The tiny sparks that flew off the end of the tool he used were flames in no time, licking at the wood he used for fuel, and in turn, cooking the rabbit he intended on eating. 

Gale's eyes moved to the sky, a soft smile forming on her muzzle as she watched the clouds that drifted past. It was already a better day, and she felt it would only get better. However, something lingered in the back of her mind. A tingling sensation that she couldn't shake. Deciding not to dwell on it, she closed her eyes, listening to Broin as he set to fixing up his bow. He took very good care of the weapon, making sure to keep the string taut and the frame oiled and clean. He had to. It was the key to his survival. If it broke, he would have to find another way to work until he got a new one, and from what she had understood, it was hard to get one that fit as well as the last. Her smile growing, Gale hummed a soft purr. The warmth of the sun flowed over her feathers and seemed to soothe the residual ache in her tail. "Thank you... for bandaging my tail. It feels much better," 

Broin looked up from his bow with a smile. "It's not a big deal. Moving your tail was a little tough, and I'm surprised you didn't wake up. You must have been pretty worn out," He mused, his gaze flicking back to his bow as he went back to fixing it up. Playfully, Gale wrinkled her nose at him before she drifted into a light doze. She wanted to get a little more rest before they took on a hunt. The dragon wanted to be sure she got something that was good enough to feed Broin and his village for a little while. That was part of being her friend. She would do what she could to make sure they were well cared for. If she could leave the mountains, she would do a better job.

"Broin?" Gale rosed herself from the light sleep she had taken on, sitting up just a little as she crossed her front paws. When he turned to her, the dragon smiled some. "Thank you. I know you say it's not a big deal, but what you have done for me... being my friend and helping me with my tail... that is a big deal in my eyes," She looked from the young man to his bow, then out to the lake again. "When I can leave here... if I can ever leave here... I want to be able to help your village if you'll allow it," 

"If there is ever a chance for you to leave here, I think they'd appreciate that very much," Broin responded, setting his bow aside and leaning forward on his elbows. "For now, focus on yourself. It won't be easy, especially with whoever it was that did this to you still lingering around here. But, if I can help, even if it's just being your friend and giving you time, then I'll try to do my best,"