Under The Full Moon

Recovery

Gale woke when she felt Wysteria shifting around beside her head. Turning her head a little, she opened an eye and peered over at her friend. She had shifted a little in her sleep, facing Gale's head now. Flicking an ear, she turned her head a little and rested her nose against the woman's shoulder. Wysteria gave a soft sigh, the dragon's presence seeming to be enough to settle her. Gale smiled softly before she turned her head to look a little more toward the villagers, who had settled around the campfire closer to the middle of the site. She watched as they spoke to one another, some of them leaned back on sleeping rolls, others sitting by themselves and seeming to be lost in thought. Gale felt a gentle touch to the side of her muzzle, her head turning a little to greet the figure touching her. Wysteria smiled softly from where she lay. "You can go join them if you wish to. I don't want you to feel you have to stay with me all the time," Wysteria spoke softly, brushing her fingers over Gale's fur. The dragon thrummed softly and closed her eyes. 

"I don't want to take the risk of something happening to you," She said, her words leaving her lips quietly. Wysteria gave her muzzle a gentle pat before she began to move. "Wysteria," Gale spoke, lifting her head as she watched the girl try to stand. She frowned a little, Wysteria using her fur to pull herself upright. She leaned against Gale for a moment before the dragon understood. Using her nose, she helped Wysteria up onto her back between her wings. Only then did she rise up off the grass and start toward the center of the camp. 

"Besides, it's much nicer up here. It's softer and warmer," Wysteria spoke from where she was nested between Gale's wings. The dragon gave a soft laugh, approaching Broin and laying down carefully beside him. The young man looked up, smiling as he settled a hand against Gale's side. Having heard Wysteria on Gale's back, he looked up a little further toward Gale's wings. 

"How is it up there? How are you feeling?" Broin asked, raising his voice a little over the crackle of the fire. Wysteria shifted herself to look down at Broin from where she was comfortably nested. He couldn't help but laugh some at the way she peered down from over the feathered portion of Gale's wing. 

"It's quite nice up here. I'm still tired, and quite sore, but I'll recover. Thank you for worrying," Wysteria hummed before she rested back again, tucking herself into the soft mane and fur that ran down Gale's back. The dragon gave a soft thrum, settling herself in where she herself had laid down. Smiling, Broin nodded. He was glad that she was beginning to feel a little better, though he wished that they had been able to do something sooner. Dillan soon joined the trio, leaning against Gale's shoulder opposite of Broin. He looked up to Wysteria, watching her for a moment or two before he spoke up. 

"I'm glad that you are back and safe," Dillan spoke, a softness to his voice that made Gale smile a little. It almost reminded her of the way Broin spoke to her. Wysteria smiled a little herself. 

"If it weren't for your friends here, I don't think I would be back or as safe," She admitted, the tone of her voice showing that her smile had faded a little. Dilla frowned a little. 

"Yeah... I don't want to think about that. We were really worried about you," Dillan's words reflected the frown, just as her's had shown the fading smile. Wysteria once again appeared over the side of the dragon's wing, her head tilted to the side and her brows furrowed.

"I'm sorry... I hadn't meant for any of it to happen. I just wanted to get used to the staff," She all but whispered. She paused for a moment, looking over toward where she had been laying. "Could you get the staff for me? It's still over by the sleeping roll that Gale and I were using," Dillan didn't wait to respond to her, jumping away from Gale at the chance to help the sorceress. This made Broin laugh some, as Dillan had tripped over his own feet. Wysteria lifted a hand to her lips, stifling a small laugh. However, the laughter faded as she seemed to remember something. "So... I suppose I owe an explanation for what I had begun to say earlier," She said, shifting a little as though trying to get down off Gale's back. 

"Broin," Gale spoke up, moving her wing some so he could help Wysteria down. Getting to his feet, Broin looked back toward Dillan, the young man starting back toward them with the staff in hand. The way he carried it, he looked as though he were carrying a child. Turning back to Wysteria, he gently slid an arm around her shoulders, the other taking the hand that Wysteria had extended. With the angle of Gale's wing and the aid from Broin, Wysteria was able to get to the ground and then to the sleeping roll beside Gale. 

"Now..." Wysteria sighed, accepting the staff from Dillan when he returned with it. He settled beside her, looking up to Gale as she pulled her wing back up and settled it at her side, tucking it up against her fur. "As I had said, the Crone wants me dead, I am an obstacle that she wants to be removed. I stand in the way of furthering what my father and mother had started. It wasn't her choice, but she went along with it. Anywhere she sees power, she will try to go along with it... or stop it if it's not in her favor. I am not in her favor. What my mother and father did to Gale is wrong, however, the Crone doesn't see it that way. She sees Gale as something to be controlled," Wysteria paused, her eyes on the fire for a moment or so before she continued. "My father wanted to bring back the dragons that had been destroyed and show the world that dragons are exactly what the myths and legends say they are," Wysteria's words were mumbled this time, her growing anger showing in her words. Gale's ears pinned back ever so slightly, concern forming on her face. 

"Wysteria, why don't you get some rest? We can talk about this when you are feeling better," She said softly, the sorceress looking up to her, their eyes meeting. Wysteria seemed to go over this option in her mind for a moment or two before she gave a defeated sigh.

"Alright. But I will not let it go a third time. This is something that needs to be discussed if we are to make a plan..." Wysteria leaned back and nestled herself into the sleeping roll, closing her eyes. Gale nodded.

"You are right. But for now, I want you to get some rest. You need to recover from your injuries," She said, her words almost motherly as she spoke to the young woman. Wysteria smiled softly.

"You're right. But I also want to make sure you can go home with your father. He sounds like a pleasant man," Wysteria whispered, Gale looking over to her father where he was seated, laughter leaving the older man as he joked with some of the villagers. Gale couldn't stop the smile from forming on her lips. It was nice to see he was getting along with the people she had grown to call her friends. Her family.