Sorry for the previous cliffhanger! Enjoy!
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Sapphire lunged and knocked Winter to the floor. He was quick to react, shoving her off and getting to his feet. "What did I do now?" Sapphire let out a small snarl, "I'm not a dragonet, I can handle myself! I don't need you to go with me!" Winter rolled his eyes.
"I'm not going to change my mind. And you're not going without me." Sapphire rolled her eyes this time and lunged at him again. He simply rolled over once she pinned him, causing her to be under him. The two continued to switch places, Sapphire slowly releasing her anger at him. "Why won't you just let me go alone?!"
It took a while, but soon Winter was getting frustrated that she simply wasn't understanding why he wanted to go with her. Why he needed to. She could tell he was getting upset, but that didn't stop her from pinning him to the floor again. Finally, the duo left apart for a second and Winter chose that moment to let go of his anger.
"It's because I care, okay?! I care about you, and I don't- can't see you hurt. Alright?!" Sapphire simply tilted her head while they tried to catch their breath. "Winter..." She stepped closer, finally seeing his point. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize. A-and, I guess you can come. Only if you promise to not be annoying, got it?" He nodded, "Got it." The two laughed.
Sapphire then stepped closer to him, unsure. She wanted to be closer, but wasn't sure how. He simply laid down where he was and opened a wing for her. Having done this before, she slid under and laid beside him. The both of them were panting from exertion, their bodies slightly warmer from the rigorous training.
The two lay in silence, the only sounds coming from within the forest. Relaxed, Sapphire leaned her head onto his shoulder, dozing slightly. She trusted him to alert her if there was danger, and to keep her safe.
Much like her parents, she didn't want to be dependent on him, but she couldn't escape the feeling of security she got around him. All she had ever wanted was to be safe, and here was a dragon who could give her that.
***
As night approached, Winter gently roused Sapphire, not wanting to anger her parents by keeping her out late. She slowly woke up, blinking as she remembered her surroundings. Yawning, she rose from her place at Winter's side. The two, with an unspoken thought between them, leapt into the air, heading towards her parent's hut.
When they landed, he simply wrapped a wing around her and intertwined their tails quickly. Squeezing her, he released her and flew off to his own hut a little ways away. Sapphire moved inside, going straight to her shared room with her siblings.
As she curled up in her bed of leaves, she thought about her upcoming journey. She would be leaving the rainforest, for who knows how long. And who knows if she'll ever finish her mission. Either way, she decided, she'd be with Winter no matter what happened. And that was all she needed.
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Sorry for such a short chapter! The next one will be the last official chapter then the epilogue! Hope you enjoyed and have a great day!