Through Smoke and Ashes

Twenty Three||Returning Home

He nodded his head, and with a final farewell, I awoke. The chilled air clung to my body. I rose to my feet silently, keeping an eye on Baylen as I wandered away from the campsite. I met up with Naxan, who had been waiting for me. Smoke tendrils escaped his nostrils as he saw my form approach through the trees.

"Twoleg." He acknowledged me.

"Come on, Nax. Are you still mad about what happened?" I went over to pat his rough scales.

"Naxan... I am the one who saves you. Not other dragons." He spoke roughly, his tail slashing the air behind him.

"It's okay." I rub his muzzle with my hand. "You won't have to hide for much longer."

I heard a commotion from behind me, indicating that the others have returned. "We're leaving today, but I'm traveling with the others by boat. You fly in the clouds so they can't see you."

He wordlessly nodded his head. I returned to camp, where Aelric had a small navy blue dragon beside him. The four young riders were bustling with excitement as the camp was packed. I fell to the back of the group, following those ahead of me. Kayne had slowed his pace so he was walking beside me.

"Hey," He said.

"Hey back." I watched the others trudge through the snow. We continued in silence for a few moments longer before I spoke up. "About the other night..."

"Yes?" He was quick to respond.

The thoughts in my head were hard to put into words. "Well, you know."

"You might need to elaborate on that one." I cursed him for his humorous voice. I was having a difficult time trying to say what I wanted to say. I didn't need him taking this as a joke.

"We almost-"

"Kissed?" Kayne cut me off and spoke louder than I would have liked him too. "And you pulled away. That hurt." His voice portrayed that he was anything but hurt. Instead, his voice was full of sarcasm.

I furrowed my eyebrows, keeping my focus ahead.

"Next time, don't pull away." His lips whispered close to my ear. Heat coursed through my body as I felt his breath on my skin.

"Bond is open," Naxan growled, closing the bond between us. I felt emptier without him there, but I could understand why he didn't want to be in my head. Dirty thoughts were racing around in my mind, and I could not control them with Kayne being so close to me.

"What makes you think there will be a next time?" I asked, feeling bold.

Kayne chuckled lowly and his face was displayed in a half-grin. "There will be."

"You're sure cocky, aren't you?"

"I just know things." He shrugged his shoulders. Kayne tilts his head closer to mine. "And what I do know is you want it to happen too."

I scoffed. "I don't think so."

"I know so."

"You know nothing." I glared at Kayne, whose face was alight with humor.

"Okay, lovebirds. Knock it off back there!" Baylen turned around to face the two of us. I hid my face by looking down as Kayne laughed beside me. The others had looked back as Baylen spoke. I could feel heat trickling into my face, turning my skin red.

Eventually, our group made it to the beach where they had started off their journey. The boat they sailed on was sitting further out in deeper waters. The sun was high in the sky, shinning off of the deep, blue waves. I dug my feet into the snow-covered sand, watching the boat slightly dip and rise with the movements of the waves. The reality of me leaving this island now became evident. The sky had been the roof over my head and the ground I laid on was the foundation I walked upon. I was leaving this place I learned to call home and I wasn't ready to face it.

Kayne noticed my expression as I watched the boat in the distance. "Ready?" He asked.

"Not really." And I was telling the truth.

His gaze softened, the warmth in his eyes seeping into me. He lightly took my arm in his and led me to the dinghy resting on the sand up from the shoreline. "You'll be fine." He spoke softly. I stepped into the small boat, the wood slightly creaking as I stepped on the boards. I sat down and waited until the others pushed the boat into the water and jumped in with me. They rowed the boat out into the water and with every stroke the oars made in the water, the closer we came to the ship and the further away we went from the island. I looked back to watch as the island became smaller.

"Why is twoleg sad?" Naxan asked, filling in the spaces in my mind. Warmth seeped through me as his presence filled every nook and cranny that had been left bare.

"I'll miss this place."

"Home is wherever twoleg and Naxan are together." I couldn't contain the smile that spread across my face.

"What are you smiling at?" Baylen asked, giving me a curious look.

"I'm beginning to think that going home may not be so bad after all."