"What are you going to do now, moon face?" Ronan laughed, pinning Seth down by his wings.

     "Something like this," Seth kicked him in the gut (Ronan's shriveled gasp was entertaining enough) and rolled out from under his brother.

     "Moon face?" That was a nickname I hadn't heard before.

     "Seth has spots behinds his eyes that look like crescent moons." May explained, chipper as always when I helped her with her garden.

     I thought about the carving of his face and placed the spots where I thought she might be referring to. Interesting, I wonder how long he'd had those. I'd just recently learned a second striped on my nose had faded in recently. I liked to think I hadn't gotten all my life so far without knowing this.

     Seth laughed through his shrieks as Ronan slide along the cave floor and a chomped at his feet. Eventually flipping Seth over again and promptly sitting down of his face. A dragon makes a very distinct noise when directly faced with a pair of cheeks.

      "Alright boys, that's enough. Ronan get off your brother, it's too late for rough housing."

     "Mum I can't breathe," Seth was gargling air and drama.

     "I got this," May's claws scuffled away at the rock and I assume, from the surprised yelped that came out of Ronan, slammed into him.

      Mum picked up the two squirming fledglings and ushered us to the den. Muttering about what she was going to do when our fire-breathing glands fully developed. Any day now, they'd said. Chewing on dry, and only somewhat tasty rock will pay off, they said. Yeah alright.

     Tonight, was a full moon, just as Hailpip promised. I was going to meet her again tonight. This time it would be only the two of us. I don't think I've ever gone somewhere without my siblings close by. The idea of going off alone, well—I was surprised the others couldn't hear my heart pound. Not from fear, but a yearning, trembling feeling I wouldn't dare name.

     I curled up, tucked my head under my wing and the triangle of my tail across my nose, and closed my eyes. I would not sleep tonight. Not with the buzz running just under my scales like they'd sprouted legs and begun to dance across my skin. There would be no rest in my self-contained fire burst of feeling and fearlessness.

     I waited until I was sure the others were asleep, counting the seconds between each of their breaths until they were long enough for comfort. I was hyper-aware of every twig and straw lying on the floor. Never before had a dragon stepped so quietly. In the silence, the familiar sound revealed itself, the mountain was speaking to me.

      Match your beat with mine, the mountain promised, and even the breeze will pass you by.

     Heartbeat on heartbeat, I slipped though the tunnels undetected.

      I noticed her sweet scent before she did mine.

      "Hello." My voice rasped.

      She started, rustling the dead plant life underneath her. "Oh! I thought for a moment you wouldn't come."

     I shrugged, "I'm here."

     She took a few nervous steps towards me. "Exciting, isn't it?"

     Skylark's eye, I could practically taste it. I hadn't ever eaten a live insect, bug I imagine the rush emanating from Hailpip was similar enough. I nodded, and laughed.

      "What's so funny?"

     "I shook my head to agree, I forgot you can't see me either."

     She laughed too.

     We snuck down to the lake and just played games. How long could we hold our breath? Who could swim from one side to other first? Who was brave enough to eat the seaweed? The cavern was silent except for us, and the distant sound of sleeping dragons. I could hear and smell so clearly; I'd never had so much fun at the lake before. It was different with Hailpip, it was different when I was alone.

     Before going back to our dens, we stretched out on the shore, where the rocks were still slightly warm, and waited to dry off. I closed my eyes for a second, and every few seconds a soft clack would sound out from where Hailpip sat.

     "What are you doing?"

     "Organizing the rocks."

     I frowned, "by... what?"

     "Size, right now. Sometimes I do it by color, but most of the rocks here are black or grey. It's fun for me."

     I tilted my head and listened to her work. "Do you make them speak like my brother does?"

     She paused, "speak? No, not really. Sometimes I've made them listen. It's hard to explain, I'll show you one next time."

     A smile tugged its way across my maw like the cord of a drawstring. "That would be fun. I like this, like, without my siblings. This is a nice change."

     Hailpip's rocks stopped clacking together. Her tail flicked back in forth, deep in thought. "Is that why you agreed to come?"

     "Well, I wanted to spend with you more because I want to be a good friend...but," I bit my tongue, "yes, I think that was probably part of it. They have their interests and most of the time I'm just... tagging along. I want to be able to do my own thing and they should also get to do things without watching me."

     She crouched down next to me and folded her paws under her chest. "It must be hard to watch someone in the dark when they know the path better."

     I snorted, "I suppose so."

     "I had fun as well," she chirped. "I haven't told my parents about my rocks yet; I want to be able to explain it clearly first. I don't want them to worry because it's not scary to me, but it might be for them."

     "Why would it be scary?"

     She sighed, "it's hard to explain, but I can show you next time. If you're okay with that."

     "I think I am."

     I could feel her smiling.

     We bid each other good night and it was only on the solo walk to the den when the fatigue began to seep into my bones and drag at my feet. I was so tired in fact; I didn't notice my pather waiting for me in the front room until he called my name.

     "Longtayle."

     Every spine of my body stood up and I let out a startled cheep.

     "Uh, hello," I considered telling him a lie, but I got the feeling he'd see through it.

     "You've been gone for a few hours; I assume you weren't getting a drink of water." The was a hint of amusement in his voice, so my wings fell back at my sides.

     "No," my face flushed. "I was out playing with Hailpip."

     He started to laugh, which confused me. I stared up at where his voice came from and tilted my head.

     "You're not angry?"

     Pop sighed, "No, I am not. You can spend time with her whenever you wish, love. If there's not enough time in the day, surely your mum and I could give you less responsibilities—"

      "Oh, it's not that," I interrupted. "I just, ah, I just wanted to do my own thing."

      It was strange how similar he was to Hailpip in regards to letting their feelings flow out of them. Perhaps my siblings would feel the same from seeing the corner of his eyes crinkle or his soft, soothing smiles, I also felt from smooth tone of his voice he used whenever he was feeling the most love. Maybe it wasn't their special ability, maybe it was mine.

     He hummed, taking the time to listen to what I'd said, but I could already feel the slight tinge of worry in the way his throat constricted. "I see..."

     "I'll try to keep my nights clear for sleeping from now on, however." I added before he could say more.

      He wanted to ask further. There was the briefest lapse in conversation between us, but I felt it speak volumes. I wanted to turn away, to bury y face in my nest and pretend this never happened. I'd never felt like this before. I'd never not wanted to talk to Pop. I realized I afraid he wouldn't get it... that he wouldn't...

     Hailpip told me she was glad I understood her.

     "It's okay," he whispered. "I trust you, Longtayle."

     I looked up at him again, and my heart stopped trembling for a moment. Pop bent down and pressed his nose against my forehead, and I was filled with calm, like the clack of Hailpip's rocks or the rustling sounds of yarn in mum's paws. My eyelids grew heavy.

     Pop flicked his tongue against my forehead, and purred as I started to fall asleep on the spot. "Let's go back to the nests now."

     I slept, knowing when I woke up the next morning, everything would be different.