Under The Full Moon

Storm's End

Gale watched out into the rain, the occasional flash of lightning illuminating the surrounding area briefly as night fell over the area. The rain and thunder would cover any noise that would normally be heard, as well as the rain covering any scents that Gale might normally be able to pick up on. Despite this revelation, Gale was confident that they were safe as they were. Some of the soldiers had taken a shift, allowing the ones that had been standing with her to get some rest. Gale herself was intent on watching for any danger, keeping her eyes open and focused. She flicked an ear back and turned her head to the right, however, when she felt someone nudge her. Gregory, the old soldier she had been speaking to earlier in the evening, smiled up at her. "Why don't you get some sleep? You need to rest too," He said to her, giving her a soft pat on her good shoulder. Gale contemplated this for a moment before she shook her head.

"I have to keep watch. I..." She started, though a stern look from Gregory made her stop. The expression on his face was very much like the one her father gave her. Flicking her ears back, she watched him, arching her head back a little as though she expected a scolding. And this expectation would prove to be well predicted. 

"Now look here... we have this covered. You need your rest. You have been through a lot and worrying yourself to death is not going to make healing any easier for you. Besides, didn't young Wysteria tell you you have learning to do? Why don't you do that instead of worrying over something that we have under control?" Gregory spoke in a tone very much like a grandfather scolding a grandchild. Gale listened, her ears remaining back against her head for the time before they drooped. Slowly, Gale got to her feet and shifted a little in a sheepish manner.

"Alright... thank you," the dragon whispered, dipping her head a little before she moved to start walking. She turned her head to look over her shoulder when she got a little way from the soldier, who was watching her with a stern, but gentle, expression on his face. She watched him for a second before he motioned for her to keep going. Turning away from him, Gale continued over to lay down beside Broin, who seemed a little surprised to see her. 

"Is everything alright?" He questioned. 

"I was just scolded by Gregory. I want to help watch out for the rest of you but he wants me to come over here and rest," Gale responded, tucking her front paws under her chest and resting her head on the ground. Broin raised a brow at this before he chuckled. 

"Seems your father isn't the only one that wants you to be healthy. We all care about you, Gale. I wish that you would see this and not fight us on it so much," Broin said. Gale looked at him, her blue-purple eyes seeming to study him for a few moments before she looked away again with a defeated sigh.

"I understand this... but I also don't want you all worrying about me so much that you forget to look out for yourselves..." Gale mumbled, her tone hushed. Broin didn't respond to this. He wasn't quite sure how. Gingerly, he reached over and brushed his fingers through her mane. Gale closed her eyes when Broin's hand touched her fur, the slight tug of his fingers brushing knots from her mane soon drawing her into a doze. She wasn't entirely tired, but not being able to keep watch left her little choice but to sleep. There wasn't much else for the dragon to do when it came to the villagers and soldiers. Gregory's words soon came up in her mind, however, making her open her eyes and lift her head. Broin looked up to Gale, watching her a little as he drew his hand away from her mane.

"Sorry, that was a rather large knot," He said, thinking his working on the knot in her mane had woken her. Gale shook her head, giving Broin a reassuring look.

"It wasn't you, I was just thinking of something," She spoke, looking over toward Wysteria. Her eyes settled on the young woman for a moment before she sat up, tucking her wings to her sides. "He mentioned my having to learn... and he is right. I need to learn to be able to control my shape," Gale sighed, closing her eyes. Broin raised a brow for a moment before he realized what she was trying to do. Moving from where he was seated, he went to get Wysteria, in the event that something happened. Wysteria looked up from her pack, having been taking stock of what she had left and what she would need to gather on their travel. 

"Gale's trying to transform... I think it might be a good idea to have you there with her just in case something goes wrong," Broin said, the young woman looking past him to the dragon, who had already put herself into a light trance. Her ears were set in a focused position, the rest of her seeming relaxed from what Wysteria could see from her seat. She looked up to Broin again, setting her pack aside. Before the two of them could move, their camp was illuminated by a soft pink glow. Turning around, Broin watched as Gale's dragon form slowly changed, leaving a young woman seated where the dragon had been. Blinking in surprise, Broin didn't move. 

"I think she might have listened to what I was telling her..." Wysteria said, a note of pride in her voice. She moved a little, going over to Gale where she sat with her legs tucked beneath her. In her human form, the injury that had been on her front left shoulder was still present. Normally, whatever injury Gale had had mysteriously vanished from one form to the next, but this one remained. Wysteria wondered if it was the severity of the wound. Sitting in front of her, Wysteria smiled at Gale as she opened her eyes. "I have no words to tell you how proud of you I am. You have taken what I have told you and used it well. I just hope that you understand, the dragon will fight to come back out from time to time and you can't ignore it. If you do, it will not end very well. You need to allow that side of you to come forward when it wants to until you can learn to control it better," Wysteria spoke. Gale nodded at her words, smiling a little herself. 

"Until then, I'll enjoy being myself," Gale responded, looking from Wysteria to the soldiers, who had turned to watch what was happening. They seemed to be just as enthralled with what was going on with Gale as they had been the first time they had seen it and this made Gale blush a little. Looking away from them, she turned back to Wysteria, though her focus shifted when Broin returned to her with something for her to eat. Accepting it gently, she thanked the young man as he sat down beside her, resisting the urge to pull away when he reached to look at her shoulder. There was an involuntary growl that left Gale's throat, her face turning red afterward. "S-sorry..." She mumbled, Broin chuckling a little as he moved away from her shoulder. 

"Don't be. I'll leave it be. It looks as though whatever Wysteria did for it might be doing its job anyhow," Broin hummed, lifting his hand to run it through her hair as he had done to her mane. Gale sighed, closing her eyes for a moment before she went back to eating her food, content. In this form, she could travel better with her friends and maybe get a little rest. Her mind now off of the Grey Water Beasts, Gale focused on her food, leaning softly against Broin's side as he watched the fire, a gentle smile on his face. The thunderstorm that had been raging outside of their makeshift dwelling had begun to slow, the flashes of lightning dwindling off until there was nearly nothing but the distant flicker. This showed that there would be a better chance at their leaving in the morning. It was with this thought that Gale found herself dozing, nestled against Broin after she had set her bowl aside. Carefully wrapping an arm around Gale, Broin drew her close.