Under The Full Moon

Reconnection

Gale stayed at the camp with Dillan and Wysteria, the young sorceress recovering more and more as time passed. Gale had been watching a few leaves as they began to tumble from the trees, her ears relaxed, when she heard someone speaking beside her. Turning her head, she watched Dillan as he held a quiet conversation with Wysteria. She didn't pay much attention to what they were saying, wanting to leave their business to them. Knowing they were both well was enough for her. Her gaze flicked back to the trees, the sun's rays causing dark patches on the grass beneath their leaves. She wondered how the hunt was going with her father and Broin, knowing that Toby might be showing them a thing or two. As Broin's mentor, he was bound to do so. Gale rested her head on her paws. She felt oddly at ease, and it was something that would, normally, bother the dragon. 

"Right Gale?" She heard her name through her thoughts, her ears perking a little as she turned her head to face the young man standing beside her again. She watched him a moment before giving him an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't listening," The dragon admitted, the young man laughing a little. 

"I was just telling Wysteria that it was a nice day for a walk. Given that we stick close to the lake," Dillan repeated himself. The dragon pondered this for a moment before she looked from Dillan to the rest of the soldiers and the villagers. Flicking back an ear, she looked to the young man again. 

"I think it might be best if we wait until Broin gets back. I don't want to risk leaving the camp and have the Crone come in or something..." Gale responded, her hesitance showing in her voice. Dillan nodded once, leaving Gale feeling relieved that he understood.

"I get it. It'll be nice when things are able to return to normal," Dillan mused. Gale couldn't agree more. She was tired of waiting around for someone to be there, and again for someone that might attack at any given second. She had been able to relax, somewhat, with the lull that had been the last couple of days, but it didn't do much to completely settle the dragon. She knew that the Crone was out there, and it was only a matter of time before she decided to show herself. Gale sighed. Thinking he might have said something that he shouldn't have, Dillan frowned. "I'm sorry... I didn't..." He started, though Gale shook her head.

"It wasn't you, I was just thinking," Gale reassured the young man, watching as he stood where he was for a moment before he smiled a little. 

"If you're sure," He said, reaching to pat her on the side of her neck. Wysteria had been observing the two of them with a soft smile on her lips, one hand rested in her lap while the other was settled on the dragon's feathers. Gale gave the two of them a gentle smile before turning back to the forest, once more losing herself in the dancing leaves and spotty sunlight. Her focus on the trees was broken when she heard something to their right, turning her muzzle toward the sound. Laughter and cheering broke out, making her relax a little more than she had been. 

"Hold on," She spoke gently to Wysteria as she stood, wandering over to the commotion. She watched as her father, Broin, and Toby returned to the campsite, each one loaded up with a deer. Gale gave a greeting rumble, tilting her head back to turn it into a soft roar. Her father chuckled, waving toward the dragon. 

"Gale!" He called to her, climbing down off of Valor's back and making his way to her. Once her father had reached her, Gale lowered her head and butted her nose against his stomach, her father wrapping his arms around her head in a hug. "I told you I would be alright," He teased, the dragon's ears twitching playfully. 

"I knew you would be with the two of them," She whispered back, lifting her head after a moment or so to look toward the deer that the three men had brought into camp. "It looks like you had a successful hunt," She admired before her father nodded. 

"Thanks to your friends. I damn near missed the buggers," Her father's hearty laugh reached her ears, making Gale smile even more. Wysteria began to laugh softly where she was seated on the dragon's back. 

"It's good to see that you are adjusting well," She said softly, shifting a little so she could speak. Gale's father looked up to her, the light smile still present on his lips. "Gale needs to relax as much as she can, I know having you here is a great help," Wysteria patted Gale's shoulder, resulting in a soft thrum from the dragon. Her friend's words were true. She did need to relax, and having her father there did help, though at the beginning it had been a little more stressful. She had been afraid that he would end up getting injured... or worse. However, he showed that he was more than capable, something that made Gale forget her worries about him. She was once more brought from her thoughts by his voice.

"Why don't you show me what you see, Gale," He spoke to her, making her tilt her head in confusion for a moment. "Up there, I mean," His hand pointing toward the sky was enough to clear it up for Gale. She looked up, following his gesture before she returned her gaze to him. 

"Only if you are sure..." She spoke, shifting a little to lower herself toward the ground. 

"I'll get down so you can really show him, Gale. I don't want to get in the way," Wysteria spoke softly, moving a little to slide off the dragon's back. Without a word, Gale's father moved to help her, offering her his hand. Smiling gently, Wysteria accepted the help. "Thank you," she said sweetly, Dillan taking over his help with her once she was on the ground so Gale's father could climb onto her back. Broin watched from a distance with a smirk, Toby raising a brow at this. 

"Have you been up there?" Toby questioned, his voice showing he was hiding a laugh. 

"I have, and he's about to see something that not everyone gets the chance to see," Broin responded, watching as Gale's father situated himself on Gale's back. Gale's wings opened, the half feathered appendages stretching out wide before they thrust down toward the ground, some of the soldiers covering their faces as they had been standing close enough to watch. Within seconds, Gale had carried her father into the air above the campsite, her wings beating the sky for a moment or two before she stretched them and allowed herself to glide. Her father had been gripping onto her tightly until she was stable, and she could hear the expressions of awe from the man that sat upon her back. It brought a smile to her muzzle as she flew. 

"All my life I have gone with my feet on the ground, but now I get to see something like this," Gale's father spoke, watching the trees below them as she flew. Gale turned, beating her wings as she moved to the right, arching down toward the lake. Her father laughed as she neared the water, watching the surface as she pulled up. Her tail skimmed the surface, the resulting splash making her father laugh. His actions reminded her very much of a child that was on their first horseback ride and it made her heart swell with joy that she was able to hear his laughter again. Taking to the sky once more, she set her mind on the time spent with her father, more than anything else that had been on her mind before.