Under The Full Moon

Unusual Friendship

When morning arrived, the storm was all but gone. There was still a light drizzle, though this diminished as the morning pushed on, the sky clearing some time after. Gale stretched, yawning a little as she buried her face into the softness at her side. Opening her eyes, she watched as Broin shifted a little, the softness that had been against her face having been his hair. Smiling a little, Gale watched the man as he continued to sleep. Getting up from where she had been lying beside him, she quietly made her way over to the soldiers. Taking a spot between Gregory and the young man that had been joking with the two of them the previous evening, she looked out over the path and the forest beyond. The grass was still misted with beads of rain, giving the world an almost magical look. 

Gregory looked to Gale, having to look down instead of up this time when he spoke to her. "You are quite short in your human form," He said, chuckling softly as he watched her. Gale smiled, pulling her gaze away from the grass to rest it on the older man's kind face. 

"I am aware. I prefer it actually. I don't think that looking up like that all the time is comfortable," Gale responded, turning her gaze back out to the path. She furrowed her brow some, leaning forward to try to get a better look at what she thought she had seen. There was a log that had fallen at some point before they had gotten there and she could have sworn she had seen something move just beyond it. She reached to give Gregory a gentle nudge on his arm, gaining his attention. "Did you see something move out there?" She asked, her voice showing she was alert and focused. Gregory furrowed his brow this time, looking out to where Gale had pointed. He hadn't seen anything just yet, but before he could answer, something pulled itself over the log and landed in a heap on the ground just in front of it. Whatever it was laid there for a few minutes before it finally forced itself to its feet. Gale narrowed her eyes. 

The creature looked much like the wolf beast she had fought the night before, though this one was missing an ear and its right thigh was missing a chunk. The tail that hung from the beast's lower spine was ratty and missing most of its fur, leaving a bony spike where the once full tail had been. To Gale, the beast looked to be the product of a failed hunting attempt by one of its own kind. The beast stood where it was, sniffing the air for a moment or two before its head whipped around to look over the log again, the entirety of the beast standing so still that it was enough to disturb Gregory. "What the hell is that?" He whispered, looking to Gale. 

"That is a Grey Water Beast," Gale responded, a low growl under her words. As they watched, the beast stood still where it was before something threw itself over the log at it. It took the two a moment before they could tell what it was. The assailant was an actual wolf, the large canine figure pinning the Grey to the ground as it snapped its jaws at the Grey's throat. The only thing that kept it from doing so was the forearm of the Grey pressing into the wolf's chest. Before Gregory could really say much to stop her, Gale moved to start out toward the fighting beasts. Gregory sent two of his men after her, in the event she needed cover, though he could see that she may not. Her form had already begun to change, her soft skin taking on a furred texture and horns sprouting from the sides of her head. It wasn't long before a dragon was charging across the ground toward the fight. Gale had just reached the battle when the Grey got the upper hand, and before it could land its blow, she grabbed it by the scruff of its neck in one of her large paws and tossed it to the side. 

The beast rolled across the ground, snarling when it looked up at her. Gale hissed, baring her teeth as she lowered herself to the ground, the wolf having scrambled to its feet and taking refuge behind the dragon before it ran to hide behind the log. The Grey had seen the movement, instinct forcing it to charge forward to try to get to the wolf. However, it was met with a heavy paw to its cracked up muzzle, the force knocking it to the ground and halting its progress toward the wolf. The Grey growled at Gale, the gurgling sound making her ears pin back against her head. As the Grey got up to try to attack her, an arrow whizzed past her, catching the beast in the shoulder. Letting out an angry roar, it turned on the soldiers, rushing toward them. Gale turned, smoke rising from her nose and muzzle, giving the soldiers enough warning to get out of the way before fire issued forth from her mouth and engulfing the Grey. It let out a bellowing screech before it fell to the ground and was soon silent. Gale huffed, smoke pluming from her maw as she did so before a sound behind her made her look back over her shoulder. She watched as the wolf slowly stepped from behind the log, its dark amber eyes on her. 

One of the soldiers drew an arrow from their quiver, the sound making Gale's ears snap back against her head as she turned on them. "Leave the wolf out of this..." She growled, the soldier lowering his bow quickly. Gale snorted before she turned back to the wolf, watching as it stepped back away from her a step or two. As she watched, it held its ground before it slowly inched forward again. Gale lowered her head toward the wolf, and when it was level with the wolf's own muzzle, the dark-furred animal sniffed at her nose. It did this for a moment or two before it finally drew back, looking up at her. It held her gaze for a few seconds before it sat down, giving a soft whine. Gale closed her eyes, allowing herself to take her human form once more. Startled by this, the wolf jumped to its feet and backed up, its ears going back before it realized that this was the same entity as the dragon. Slowly, the wolf approached Gale, who held out a hand to her. She smiled softly as the wolf's muzzle met her palm, its bushy tail wagging behind it some. "You are safe now," She said gently, slowly bringing her free hand up to place it between the wolf's ears. When she drew her hands away from the animal's fur, it looked up to her. There was a moment of silence before Gale started back toward the outcrop, the wolf following behind her.

"Gale?" One of the soldiers said her name, as though questioning what they should do. She turned, looking at the wolf. Upon meeting Gale's gaze, the wolf wagged its tail. 

"Let it come with us. I'll take care of whatever happens from here," She responded, holding a hand out to the wolf. The animal picked up its pace, taking up the space by her side. Whatever came from this strange encounter, Gale would take responsibility for, and that didn't bother her one bit.