It was pitch black by the time Saguaro found her way back to the cave. Trees and bushes and shrubs were so dense out here. So hard to keep track of.
That's one thing she liked about the desert. Everything was easier to find.

The boar's blood began to soak Saugaro's mouth and dribble down her chin when the sight of the open cave door welcomed her. Fire glowed warmly from within. Everyone save for Herring and Orphaner sat around a crackling fire, with hogs in shreds around them.

Squelch looked up from his meal and cracked a big grin. "There y'ar lass! Thought you'd gone lost in the woods."

"I was" Saguaro said. She dropped her kill and laid out in front of the fire, licking the blood from her lips. "The forest is, a lot stranger to navigate in the dark." She said. "Where are Herring and Orphaner?"

"Lost somewhere I'm sure." Solstice spat. "The SeaWing will chase anything that moves like some distracted animal, and I'm sure the NightWing can't see in the dark."

Garnet shook her head. "They're both outside in the river looking for fish. I'm surprised you didn't see them on your way in."

Saguaro shrugged and settled more into her spot around the fire. The furs she'd found to lie on were soft and warm against her wet scales. Tramping through the undergrowth after a storm left her feeling boggy and heavy.

But the boar in her mouth tasted divine. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she was staring a picked-clean bones.

Squlech slid half of a hog her way. "Didnae know ye were so hungry." He said. The bones in his talons were also cleaned.

"You ended up winning the extra hog?" Saguaro asked.

"Much to my displeasure." Orphaner chuckled as he came into the cave with Herring in tow. "I was really gunning for seconds."

Squelch snorted. "Thought thass why ye and 'Errin went to fish."

"Speaking of fish." Herring said as he unfolded his wings. Talonfuls of fish slid out onto the floor in a slick, wriggly mess.

"I thought I told you to keep your mess off the carpets!" Garnet cried. She jumped up from her spot as it was quickly swamped with river water.

Herring ignored her. "Could someone cook these for me?"

Solstice rolled his eyes. "Do it on the fire, idiot."

"I don't remember asking you, dipwad."

The IceWing bristled and left the fire to sleep on a cluster of flat top stalagmites close to the ceiling.

"He'll get over it." Garnet said. Meanwhile Orphaner laid out on the first and set to work roasting Herring's fish.

"We ended up losing our boars" Herring said. He laid out on the bare stone a little ways off from the blaze and stretched out. "Stupid buggers rooted away. Probably made it to the scavenger den by now."

"Shame." Saguaro smiled. "They're pretty good." She finished the last of Squelch's boar and rolled him the bones, which he happily chewed on.

It wasn't long before the rest of the dragons grew tired. Yawns began a chorus about the cave as everyone trudged off to bed. Herring slithered into the pond and stretched his wings out, glowing faintly in the darkness.

Squelch and Holler laid in a tangled heap of talons and tails by the raised fur-covered table. Starscryer found a niche in the wall and curled inside, her black scales melting her into the shadows. And Garnet hung from the ceiling, again like a bat. Saguaro thought it strange for a SkyWing to sleep like that.

Soon, the only ones left by the dying fire were Saguaro and Orphaner.

"A long way we've come since two days ago, huh?" He asked, stretching out with his belly to the fire. The feeble glow of the coals lit the warm blood color of his underbelly. It almost made Saguaro sick.

"Are you all right?" Orphaner asked. Oh shoot, she must have been making a face.

"Yeah. Fine." She said, and stretched her talons to warm over the coals. "It's just.. your.."

"The color." Orphaner finished. He covered his stomach with his wing. "Like warm blood, right?"

Saguaro threw her head back and laughed airily. "It's like you read my mind."

Orphaner winced, then turned to her with a look of pity. "It was something in the arena."

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I don't know."

"It has to have been."

"It was, tough.."

"I'd be happy to lend and ear."

Saguaro sighed, and turned herself to face Orphaner. "I knew the SandWing I had to fight. He was, my betrothed."

Orphaner didn't look as surprised as Saguaro expected. "I'm, so sorry to hear that. Saguaro, I.."

"You didn't know. It's all right. It's strange in its own way, that I hardly feel sad."

She took another breath, and let her exhale take away the pinching feeling in her chest. "It's like I'd already let him go, months ago. When he went missing from Blaze's front lines."

"Still. I'm sure it can't have felt good, seeing him the way he was."

"No, it didn't. It was like I'd convinced myself he was dead, and his corpse had been reanimate din the worst possible way." She said. "But still. I feel almost glad that I did what I did."

"You should." Orphaner said. "Even a dimwit scavenger could tell he was suffering. You did what was right." He stood up and stretched a wing over Saguaro's back. She felt safer, being blanketed by his warm starry membranes. Like the night had come to swallow her.

"You think so?"

"I know so. Now let's get some sleep. You've got a big job ahead of you tomorrow."

Saguaro didn't remember curling up with Orphaner. She didn't remember him putting out the fire. But she did remember the smell of woodsmoke on his scales, and how comforting a smell it had come to be.