Wings Of Fire: Heart of Oak

Why Must Goodbyes be So Hard?

A/N: You guys are about to hate me.
just saying.

Holly's POV

Holly's eyes flickered open.

What happened?

She shut them again, and remembered snatching the vine-snake out of the air, the vast shadow closing in on her and Dusky, and then the talons grabbing them, and hoisting them out of the Abyss.

Am I dead?
But if she was, then why did her body ache so much?

She looked up at her surroundings.
The ceiling above her was a plasant shade of gold, like the first spring sunrise after a harsh winter.
She was lying in a soft bed - crap, when was the last time that happened? - a practical ocean of yellow-and-white sheets.
And surprisingly, by some miracle, sitting on the small table next to the the bed was her neckace; and the first thing she did, was sit up and put in on.
It felt so weird after no having worn it in a while.

"Where am I?", she asked no one in particular.

"Mantis Hive Hospital", a well-known voice said.

Wait a sec, that sounds EXACTLY like-

"Blue!", she yelled.

The Silkwing chuckled.

Holly burst out laughing for the first time in what felt like years.
She laughed until she cried, and she felt a huge weight lift off of her shoulders.
"Oh geez, I really shouldn't have laughed so hard; now my ribs really hurt."

Then two tiny dragonets ran into the room.
"Howy!!!", Bumblebee cheered, jumping onto the bed.
"You're awake!", Dusky said, climbing up a littlte bit more timidly, trying not to step on her.

Bait waddled up to the bed side.
"Hey, bud", Holly said, scooping him up.
His skin was turning pink as he licked her with his big, blue tounge.

"Holly!", Cricket cried, runing into the room, Luna and Swordtail and eiter side of her.
"There she is!", Swordtail said, pulling Holly into a bear hug.
"Gah! Watch the ribs, big guy!", she laughed.

She smiled as Lynx, Umber, Pineapple, Tsunami, Sky, and Wren walked in.

"Qibli! Moonwatcher!"
She grinned as Qibli made the Victory Sign with his claws.

"Hey, sis", Sundew said, swooping in, scratching Holly head.

"Ack!!! Geez, woman!", she joked.

But everyone stopped talking when HE walked in.
"Mandrake", Holly breathed.

His smile was a sweet ray of sunshine after a dark day of raining.

In one swift move, he lifted her out of the bed, talons clasped in hers.
He held her in his arms, staring at her, and her at him, deep into his golden-brown eyes.

Holly's heart leaped into her throat, and her stomach filled with butterflies.

Their snouts met, and then. . . . . . everything stopped.
The others cheered as they kissed, but Holly could barely hear them.
It was as if space-time itself stood still.

A wave of warmph sweapt over Holly.
If they could stay like that forever, she'd gladly live with it.