The Only RainWing in the War

A Parting And Realization

     Deathbringer POV:

     My head was throbbing, talons caked with mud. We were in a cave by the Diamond-Spray Delta, so the mud was everywhere.

     I relaxed for a moment: for some reason the mud was warm. Then I panicked. Glory?

     I scanned the area. Peril was standing guard in the night. Kestrel was a few hundred paces away, probably hunting. The dragonets were all curled in a pile at the back of the cave. I noticed the SkyWing and the MudWing had their wings around the rest, protecting them. I kept looking around for Glory. Where was she?

     There. A flash of silvery blue.

     I chuckled. Of course Glory wouldn't tolerate the mud. She was at the back of the cave, asleep in shallow warm and clear water. Her head was above the water so she could breathe. I honestly should have looked for her here first.

     I kept staring at her, but my thoughts wandered over to my dream. How we met. Wow, I was so cheesy. I mean, thinking "Love her" and all right after we first met. I knew nothing of what love was back then.

     Wait, so you do now? the same sane part of me from years ago whispered, brought back to life by my flashback.

     I ignored it and continued thinking. That little part of me sure caused some annoyance.

     I had thought love was just when you started feeling attracted to someone or when you cared for a family member (though I of course knew they were different feeling entirely, they were both called love.) I thought I could say I loved her because it was either as family or attraction, but I was wrong. Because... because...

     Because what you felt back then is nothing compared to what you feel now the little voice whispered. My heart beat really really fast.

     I knew it was right. I was thinking really hard of what this could mean, as if it was an algebra equation and I was trying to find X.

     If it's an equation, then don't overthink it the voice sang. You know what X is, stop trying to figure it out!

     I'm not even good at math! I complained to the voice. Honestly, I was just trying to add water into my little pool of denial. I-I could have gotten it wrong!

     This isn't even real math, which by the way you're okay at. The voice answered. You brought up the simile, you know what I mean! This is more like a mystery, and you already have the answer.

     Can't we just leave this be for-for the moons to let us work it out? I asked myself, because I was afraid.

     Wait, afraid? I couldn't be afraid. I was Deathbringer, the assassin! I was always calm and collected. Never ever afraid.

     So why was it different? Why was it that whenever Glory was around I...I...

     It slowly dawned on me, with some nagging from the annoying voice, that I was brave for and afraid for Glory. When it came to anyone else, anything else, I was my normal self. But I cared for her so much, attraction or not, that I felt afraid to... disappoint her.

     Great. Now that you've admitted that, maybe it's time for you to face it? Conquer your fear? What if the three moons decided today was the day?

     I knew the voice was right. I took a deep breath and got ready to admit it to myself when-

     "I brought food," Kestrel snarled.