Night Fury's Wrath

Chapter 15: Recompense

-There's a little tease about a certain someone in this chapter that I'm sure many of you will catch. I won't explain why I put it there—that part is for you to figure out! Hehe...

Enjoy!

-NFD

~~~

Myrkr spent over a season-cycle working to get where he was, only for it to all crash down before his eyes in less than a minute. When I asked Aurora what happened, she told me Myrkr had attempted to get her to talk about her past. I knew Aurora was sensitive about that stuff, but I didn't expect her to react so violently about being pitied.

It wasn't just any fight, though; it was their first big fight. Aurora actually hated Myrkr now—at least, she claimed she did. Even a week after the argument, she refused to have anything to do with him. I couldn't seem to get into her mind—I was trying to break that bad habit—, but I had a feeling that she was hurting, though she didn't outwardly show it. She loved Myrkr, so I doubted she could easily cast him aside without a care...

...right?

Splinter has left every night since then to search for the next island. I never got a turn to scout, mainly for fear that Aurora would snap and attack Myrkr if I wasn't here. As it was, I had to silently tell Myrkr to keep away multiple times when he tried to approach. He wasn't taking this very well.

I heard Myrkr quietly cry himself to sleep every sunrise, only to wake up crying again at nightfall. He didn't get up unless he had to, and when he did, his heart-wrenching eyes stared at Aurora whenever he had the chance. He was emotionally crushed, and nothing Splinter did would cheer him up—when she was here to help, anyway.

Finally, after two weeks of seeing Myrkr's worsening heartache, I couldn't take it. Aurora made a big mistake, not only for Myrkr but for herself as well. She continued to deny it, but I knew she still loved him. I wouldn't let the void between them grow any larger. Besides, Splinter was here tonight, so it was a perfect opportunity.

"Aurora," I started with a low tone, seeing her flinch when I used her full name. "This is nonsense. I know you still love him."

"That's dragon-shit. I don't-"

"You do not talk to me that way," I growled into her ear, making her cringe. "I will have the respect I deserve as your father. Understand?"

"Y-Yes, Dad," she whispered shakily.

"You love him," I continued sternly. "I know you do, no matter how much you want to deny it. Everyone gets into fights with the ones they love, your mother and I have had quite a few, but you don't abandon him for it. Get up. We're going to talk to him."

"B-But I don't want to," she whined, timidly looking at me from under my wing.

I narrowed my eyes. "Did I stutter? I'm the parent here, not you. When I tell you to get up, you get up, now." She shakily obeyed, her head downcast. "Start walking." She hesitated for only a second before doing as she was told. Splinter lifted her head to give me a curious look, then nudged Myrkr awake. We stopped half a tail-length from them.

"Look at him," I ordered, startling Myrkr into opening his eyes. Aurora reluctantly obeyed, cringing when she was the tears staining his face. "That doesn't look good, does it?" I asked rhetorically, stepping forward to lift one of his wings with my tail, exposing his thin flank. "How about that? Does that look good?"

Fledglings didn't starve as fast as hatchlings did, but they still starved faster than an adult would. Two weeks of barely eating caused Myrkr to lose fat. He wasn't in danger yet, but the early signs were there.