Under The Full Moon

Father's Embrace

The Crone glared up at Wysteria from where she was pinned beneath Gale's paws, her jagged teeth once more flashing angrily up at the young woman. She gave a snarling hiss, snaking her head to the side enough to latch onto one of Gale's forelimbs. Snarling, Gale moved her arm to try to shake her off, though this resulted in her grip loosening on the Crone. With the loosened hold, the Crone turned, trying to lunge forward toward Wysteria. Gale reached out to grab her, putting her full weight down on the Crone's upper body, though it wasn't quite enough to stop the Crone from being able to reach the staff. Grabbing the staff, she bit down on it, shattering the orb as it was crushed between her teeth. As a result, the three of them were bathed in a violent, purple-white light. Gale jumped back away from the Crone, Wysteria turning to hide her face against the dragon's fur away from the light. Even Gale had a hard time keeping her eyes open, the pained screeching from the Crone reaching both their ears. 

Trying hard to see what was happening, Gale turned as best she could toward the Crone. When the light dimmed a little, she could see the beast writhing on the ground, her face now nothing more than a skull, echoing screeches issuing from her skeletal maw. Shards of the orb lay around her head, her eyes now nothing more than hollow sockets. Gale's eyes widened, watching as the light seemed to move down the beast's body, taking with it any semblance that she had once been a living creature. Once the light had extinguished, there wasn't more than a skeleton left. Wysteria, her eyes as wide as they could be, stood in shock once she had seen what had happened. "My... father always said that destroying the orb could be dangerous..." She whispered, Gale barely hearing what the young sorceress had said. Her ears went back against her head, her focus turning on Wysteria again after a moment of staring at the skeleton that lay before them, having felt her hand on her forelimb. "I... I'm sorry..." She whispered again, turning to Gale before she buried her face into the fur of the dragon's chest. "Because of this... I don't know how to get you home... that staff was our last hope," Gale lowered her head, resting her muzzle against Wysteria's back. 

"Wysteria... it's alright. At least with her gone, we are safe," Gale began, though a heat around her neck made her lift her head. Turning her gaze to the collar about her neck, Gale's ears went back further against her head. The gems began to glow, their colors shimmering like stars. The expression on the dragon's face became one of great concern, as usually when the collar began to glow as it was, she was about to take her human form. Looking up to Gale, Wysteria could see the expression on her face. Before she could speak, Gale's appearance began to change. However, it was unlike the transformations she had had beforehand, her body seeming to glow for a moment before it began to change. Her wings began to shrink down as well as her body, her feathers and fur seeming to dissolve back into the dragon's body. Wysteria stood, her face written with surprise as Gale began to look more and more like a human than a dragon.

When the transformation was complete, Gale sat on the ground, rested upon her knees. Her head was lowered, the snowy white and pink hair that her fur resembled hung around her head and shoulders like mist. Wysteria couldn't move for a moment, the shock of what she had seen holding her where she was before she hurried over to the young woman that had once been a dragon. Gently, she reached to take her shoulders in her hands. When Gale looked up, Wysteria offered her a gentle smile. "Let's get you back to the camp. I know someone that will be very happy to see you right now," She whispered. Offering Gale a hand to help her up, Wysteria looked back toward the skeleton of the Crone. Only when she felt Gale take her hand did she look away again. Helping Gale to her feet, Wysteria gave the Crone one more glance before they started the long walk back to the campsite. Despite not being able to see from high up, Gale was able to determine a little which direction they were to go, having a better sense for the area than Wysteria did herself. 

Broin had been preparing to leave to find the two when they reached the camp, Gale having found the lake and used the directions from there to find their campsite. Broin looked from the two men he had been talking to, hearing some commotion a little ways away. Seeing Gale and Wysteria, he dropped his bow and hurried to them, grabbing both of the women in his arms and pulling them close. He didn't speak for a moment before he moved to let them go, taking Gale's face in his hands. "Are you alright? Both of you... where is..." He started, though Gale lifted her hands and set them on his own. 

"We are alright... the Crone is dead. I... I'm not sure how I'm standing here like this right now... but when she died, something happened," Gale started, gently pulling Broin's hands free from her cheeks. She looked to Wysteria for help, but the sorceress looked just about as clueless as she was. 

"The only thing I can figure was what happened to you was linked to the staff somehow," Wysteria spoke, looking to Broin. The young man watched the women for a moment before he looked over toward the fire. There were a few men sitting with the injured, the rest stood guard around the outside of the camp in the event that there was another attack. However, with the Crone dead, Broin had doubts that there would be another one. Turning back to Gale, he drew her into his arms and held her close for a moment before he moved again. 

"Let's go find your father. He was near the fire. He is alright, he got a couple of scratches and a bite from one of those creatures, but he's alright," Broin spoke, Gale nodding as she walked with him. Wysteria walked beside Gale, looking over each of the villagers and soldiers as they walked by them, a concerned expression forming on her face. 

"Dillan?" She questioned, looking hopefully at Broin. The young man frowned ever so slightly. 

"He's... alive. His injuries are pretty bad, but he should recover," He spoke, Wysteria nodding and stepping around Broin and Gale to find her friend. Gale watched her go, though a voice calling to her caught her attention. Turning, she watched as her father hurried over to them, her vision blurring with tears. Letting go of Broin's arm, she ran to him. Her father grabbed her, pulling her close to his chest, Gale burying her face in his chest as she had done when she was a child. She was soon unable to speak, tears welling over her cheeks and quiet sobs leaving her lips. 

"I'm here, Gale," Her father whispered to her, resting a hand gently to the back of her head, closing his eyes as he rested his head against her soft white hair.