Under The Full Moon

Preparing for War

While they rested, Gale took the time to get a better study of each of the others that were gathered. They appeared to be the fittest of the village, each one wielding a weapon of his own. Some used short swords, while there were a few others with longswords tucked into sheaths at their sides. Gale flicked an ear back against her head, watching as Broin spoke to a group of them. He signaled them with a hand, moving a little to start away from the camp. Both of Gale's ears went back at this. Getting up from where she was laying beside Wysteria, she started over toward Broin. "Where are you going?" She asked, her tone concerned. 

"We are going to scout around a little, see if there are any vantage points that we might be able to make use of," Broin informed, looking up to Gale. She frowned a little, her muzzle turning down at the corners of her mouth. 

"I'm not sure that is such a good idea to do alone..." 

"I'll go with them," Wysteria spoke up, joining the group. She looked up to Gale as well, placing a hand on her shoulder. Gale turned her head to look at the young woman at her side. Her worry hadn't faded, in fact, it had seemed to grow. 

"Please... be careful..." Gale spoke, knowing it wouldn't do any good for her to fight with them on the subject. After a nod of acknowledgment from Broin, the group moved to start off on their scouting route. Gale watched them go until she couldn't see them anymore before she returned to her place beside the lake. She watched out over the water for some time before something beside her drew her attention back from her thoughts. Turning her head, she spotted a young man standing beside her.

He was quiet for a time before he looked up to her. "I really hope that we can succeed in helping you. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical when Broin came to us. It's not every day that someone mentions a dragon, especially one that was a human at some point or other... and even less one that is still human at heart," He turned a little to face her better. Gale tilted her head some as she listened to him when he continued. "I wish that something could have been done that would have prevented it, to begin with,"

"It's my fault it happened. I should have known better than to go chasing something that I couldn't clearly see," Gale looked away from the young man before she sighed. He shook his head. 

"It's not your fault... you were curious. We all have those moments, and it's not like you knew that someone was waiting for you with the intentions that the Wizard had," He tried to reassure her, though deep down, Gale still felt that her predicament was her fault.

Gale turned to give the young man the slightest of looks, though she looked up when a sound caught her attention. Some of the others had drawn their swords and were practicing. The actions took a large part of her focus, her ears perking as she watched the swords swing through the air. Standing up, Gale moved to sit a little closer, one ear back as she studied the way they moved. "Can you breathe fire?" A voice beside her asked. She turned away from the practicing villagers to the source of the voice beside her. The young man had followed her.

"I can," She confirmed, nodding her head once. He smiled some. She could read his expression quite clearly, rolling her eyes a little before she stood up and turned back to the water. She stood at the water's edge for a moment, her ears turned back as she listened to the young man's calling for the attention of the others. She could hear the sounds of the swords had stopped, and once silence fell over the area, Gale lifted her head. Drawing in a breath, she held it briefly before she exhaled, the blinding white of her flames billowing out over the surface of the water from the glands at the sides of her mouth near her throat. Sounds of excitement burst from behind her, several cheers breaking out as well. When the fire cut, Gale released a low rumble from her chest as she turned back to the gathered villagers. 

Their excitement seemed to have grown with the rumbling sound that came from the dragon, each of them watching her with an intensity that, in her human state, would have made her nervous. However, in her dragon state, it seemed to only fuel her need to be free. 

After some time had passed, Gale was drawn into some of the practice with the others, carefully teaching them how to counter some of the attacks that might come their way from inhuman sources. Using sticks, they fought back, being careful not to hurt her, just as she was being careful not to hurt them. When Broin and Wysteria returned with the group that had gone out to scout, coming to a stop when they saw Gale. She pranced around a few of the villagers, listening to their laughter at her antics. Among the preparations they needed to take, there was time for a relaxed nature. Broin chuckled, watching as Gale gave a mock pounce at some of the villagers, who parried her. As they went at her with their sticks, Gale let out a grunt and dropped to her side, making sure to tuck her wing carefully to her side where it wasn't going to be injured, rolling onto her side and kicking her feet out as she gave a grunting growl some of the younger men of the group climbing up onto her side and raising their sticks as though they had conquered the dragon. 

"I'm glad to see she is doing well," Wysteria said, looking up to Broin as she stood beside him. Nodding once, Broin crossed his arms over his chest, watching for a moment before he joined in on the fun, flopping himself over Gale's front leg, Wysteria joining shortly after. She rushed up to Gale, jumping across her neck with a laugh. Gale rumbled again, the men that had climbed onto her side soon climbing down off of her, though Wysteria soon climbed up to take their place. Nestling herself against the fur of Gale's side, she sighed in a lighthearted manner. Lifting her wing, Gale rested it over the young woman, thrumming a little as she lay her head down in the grass. She watched as the men went back to their sparing, though she closed her eyes and let off a purring sound as Wysteria buried her fingers into her fur, rubbing her side through the fluff. Broin moved to join the sparing, leaving the two to bond while he helped get the men ready for their part in the battle.