Under The Full Moon

Helping Hand

Wysteria remained with Gale after a while, helping her with her injuries. The cut under her eye across her cheek had begun to swell a little, though Wysteria had been able to use a few herbs from the pack that they had found on her mother as they buried her to help keep the swelling from getting any worse. Laying where she was, the sting of the herbs sending a prickling sensation from her cheek and into the skin around the area, Gale grumbled. The rain had stopped and her fur had begun to dry, but the patch of herbs made her fur stick to her skin. 

Wysteria sighed where she sat beside Gale, looking out over the lake. The dragon flicked an ear back and turned her head to look at the young woman, her head tilted a little as she paid attention to her rather than her thoughts. "Wysteria?" She whispered, nudging her softly with her nose. The girl looked up. 

"I'm alright," She reassured, resting her hand on Wysteria's nose, rubbing her snout softly with her fingers. Gale watched her softly before she bumped her nose against the palm of Wysteria's hand. She closed her eyes again, her ears settling to the sides of her head as she tried to relax. She couldn't help but worry about Wysteria. The lack of words from the young woman, and the way she seemed unbothered by the death of a parent wasn't something normal for her. On one hand, she could understand, though it still struck her as odd that there was no grieving. Not wanting to pry and upset the girl more than she might already be, Gale didn't try to push her. After a little while, Gale stood, Wysteria looking up to her curiously.

"I've got to get something to eat before my stomach eats itself," Gale informed her, Wysteria giving a lighthearted laugh. 

"Or you eat me instead," She said, Gale rolling her eyes at her. Making her way toward the water, Gale began to wade out into it, though she stopped when Wysteria spoke again. "You're going to wash all those herbs off your cheek," 

Gale flicked an ear back, her head lowering a little. "It's alright, it should be fine. I had an injury on my tail that your mother used against me the first time she fought with me that healed up just fine without," She responded, resuming her wading into the water. She went out far enough to watch for fish, the rain having stirred them up. Watching the water closely, she waited for them to begin schooling around her feet in the shadows. When they did begin to form schools, Gale could feel her body tense up as they drew closer. When close enough, she shot her head forward and grabbed the biggest she could find. Lifting her head, the fish gripped tightly in her jaws, she snorted the water from her nostrils and swallowed the fish. After a few minutes of waiting, she grabbed another fish and started toward the shore, intent on it being for Wysteria. 

Once at the shore, she dropped the fish near the young woman, who looked to it with a little surprise. "I didn't expect you to bring one back," She said, shifting a little to face the fish. Gale gave her a soft smile. 

"You need to eat as well," She said, looking to the fish again. "However, if you prefer something else, I can always go find you a rabbit or maybe a deer," Gale offered, sitting down and waiting for Wysteria's answer. The young woman smiled a little wider. Gale, however, looked off somewhere else, something catching her attention.

"This is fine. I don't mind fish," Wysteria spoke, and as she began to ready herself to clean it, a hand resting on the fish stopped her. Looking up with surprise, she met Broin's gaze. "You're back sooner than usual..." 

"I had to be. I told Gale I'd bring some people to help free her, and I did so," He said, looking behind him. There were several others behind him. They had stopped a distance away, their eyes wide as they watched Gale. She returned their gaze, her eyes scanning over each of them for a moment before she looked to Broin, who had been watching Gale as well. He frowned, moving over to stand a little closer to her, his hands lifting to catch her muzzle in his hands. Turning her head a little, he looked over the cuts on her cheek and beneath her eye. "What happened?"

Gale was hesitant to explain, and before she could get the chance to, Wysteria stood. "My mother..." She started, resting a hand on Broin's arm. He looked to her, his brows furrowing again. He stood still, one hand on Gale's muzzle, while the other moved to rest on Wysteria's shoulder. They seemed to lock eyes for a time before he shuddered, closing his eyes. 

"I'm so sorry..." He whispered, the apology going to the both of them. Gale whined, lifting her head and resting her chin on Broin's shoulder, pulling him close to her chest. 

"You've nothing to be sorry about..." She reassured him. "There was nothing that could be done to change the outcome. It was my fault, to begin with. I should have controlled myself better," 

"That wasn't even your fault either... my father provoked you. It was bound to happen at any given moment," Wysteria spoke this time, moving her hand away from Broin's arm. Broin sighed, settling his forehead against Gale's chest, his eyes closed. 

"This fight might be closer than we expected then. If your mother is dead, your father is going to have more or a reason to destroy Gale than her simply rebelling against him," Broin's words were muffled, 

Wysteria nodded. "I believe we can make it through. I must admit, I had a little doubt..." She looked from Broin and Gale to the people that had gathered. They seemed to grow more curious when they saw that Gale wasn't a typical dragon. "However, seeing their numbers..." She stopped, smiling a little. Some of the people that had followed Broin had started to move a little closer, one of them stopping near Gale. Reaching out, he was cautious. When his fingers touched Gale's feathers, she turned her head a little to look at him. He drew his hands back in a nervous manner, though when she didn't try to attack him for touching her, he carefully went back to inspecting her feathers. Broin moved away as others began to gather, watching as they stood around Gale. 

They each set a hand on her fur and feathers, almost as though pledging that they would help her. Wysteria smiled, her eyes turning from Gale and Broin's followers to Broin himself, who couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. He hadn't expected them to move as close to Gale as quickly as they had.