As I returned to Besgiath, there was a hollow ache within me. I had faced my true race before, but still, something felt amiss. I hadn't confided in Stray Kids about rescuing my best friend from a dire situation, yet here I was, carrying him back as Deigh was too weak to carry himself. I let out a sigh and strolled down the foliage-covered field, the grass whispering beneath my claws and the earth staining my fur in every possible way. "I'll contact Violet and have her tend to Liam," Tairn said, his wing gently brushing against mine as he passed me, his tail swishing and his neck arched. I knew he was silently communicating with my other trusted companion.

Soon enough, the girl with the cascading brown and white hair came striding over the mound and headed right towards us. But when she saw me, she gasped. "Oh my, um, Skayel, is that you?" she asked. I shook my head, lowering my neck, "It's me, Aethira, and I'll explain it all later tonight. Just take care of Liam, okay? Me and Tairn will bring Deigh to the vale to get treated by our best healer," I said. Violet nodded and with shaky hands, she grabbed Liam. He was a lot bigger than her, but she managed to help him stagger to his feet and limp to Nolon.

Me and Tairn stepped back, our muscles coiling with the pent-up energy of the earth beneath us. With a powerful leap, we soared into the twilight sky, our wings unfurling against the backdrop of a fiery sunset that bathed the world in warm hues of orange and pink. Tairn, majestic and powerful, clutched Deigh gently in his formidable talons, careful not to harm him despite the urgency of our flight.

As we crossed the mystical border between Besgiath and the Vale, a surge of ancient magic rippled through the air, tingling against my skin like the soft whisper of the wind. It was as if the very essence of the realm was welcoming us, its magical currents intertwining with my soul, rejuvenating and empowering me.

I couldn't help but gasp at the sensation, my heart swelling with a blend of awe and reverence. "Marvelous, isn't it?" Tairn's voice, deep and resonant, floated over to me, his wings beating a steady rhythm that echoed in the quiet of the approaching night. The last rays of the sun caught the sharp contours of Deigh's red dagger tail, making it glisten like a jewel against the darkening sky. His presence was both a comfort and a reminder of the wild, untamed magic that we were a part of.

Soon enough, we reached the main hatching grounds. Below, I could see Adanra sleeping, and I let out a low breath as I saw her scales shimmering. They weren't golden anymore; now, they were black. Skayel was there too, lying beside her adopted daughter. She looked up as me and Tairn descended.

Me and Skayel weren't the best of friends, but we weren't the worst either. I knew she would protect me, if only to make her human and brother happy. Her gaze, cautious yet fraught with a silent understanding, followed our approach as we carefully landed, stirring the soft earth beneath our feet. The air was thick with the scent of magic and impending change, marking a moment of uneasy truce in our complex relationships.

As Tairn gently lowered Deigh onto the soft, moss-covered ground of the hatching grounds, the air was thick with tension and worry. Adanra, whose presence had always been like a steady flame, rose gracefully to her feet, her eyes flickering with concern. The moonlight cast a silver glow on her dark scales, highlighting the deep black that had replaced her once golden sheen.

Deigh, the red dagger tail, grunted with a mix of pain and defiance as he shifted his massive body, his scales scraping against the earth. "I'm fine," he insisted stubbornly, his voice hoarse but determined. He lashed his tail in a display of strength, trying to stand, but his movements were uncoordinated and shaky. His talons dug into the ground, clawing for stability, while his majestic wings, usually wide and imposing, now drooped helplessly at his sides.

The healing potion I had administered earlier seemed futile, its magic unable to penetrate the depth of his injuries. The air around us was filled with the earthy aroma of damp moss and the faint scent of magic, now tinged with the sharp, acrid smell of fear and desperation that emanated from Deigh's pained breaths.

I rushed to Deigh's side, pressing against him—my blue scales stark against his dark ones. "No, stay down, please, Deigh. I can't have you in pain; Liam would die," I pleaded, my voice laced with urgency. Gently, I licked his scent gland, which he released at once under my touch, soothing him as he leaned into me for comfort.

I could hear Tairn's growling in the background, a rumble of jealousy and concern mixed together, but right now, he could stuff that jealous tail up his snout if he didn't quiet down."Someone get me Airlinth," I commanded firmly, my voice carrying over the cool night air. Skayel nodded, her figure a blur as she crouched and then sprang into the air, no doubt speeding toward the healer's hut at the edge of the valley we were now in. The urgency of her departure stirred the leaves around us, sending a flurry of whispers through the night as she raced to fetch the help we desperately needed.

Adanra came to the other side and gently coiled Deigh's tail around her own, helping him lower down to rest. "You need to rest, Deigh. You just had a run-in with a wyvern; their claws are sharper than ours," she murmured softly, cozying up to him. He grunted and laid a nearly shredded wing over her, a protective gesture despite his obvious discomfort. "I'm fine," he asserted again, but the strain in his voice betrayed his pain.

I gave him a stern, blue-eyed glare, and he quieted down, settling into the support Adanra offered. I then turned to Tairn, who was staring at me with a mix of understanding and sorrow. Our relationship had been teetering on the brink today, and in this moment, the fracture seemed more evident than ever. I didn't know if we could mend what had been strained, and the weight of that uncertainty hung heavily between us.

"Aethira," Tairn began, his voice tinged with a plea that stopped me in my tracks. I pressed my ears against my head and lowered it, a sign of my frustration and fatigue. "What?" I finally grunted, not in the mood for more complications.

His warm snout touched my forehead gently, a gesture meant to soothe and beckon. "Please, I need to talk to you, just once," Tairn pleaded, his voice low and earnest. I looked up at him through my lashes, meeting his golden eyes that shimmered with a mix of hope and desperation. "Please," he repeated, his gaze holding mine, seeking understanding and perhaps forgiveness in the cool moonlight that bathed us both.

I sighed and nodded, straightening and giving Adanra a reassuring nod before following after Tairn towards a more secluded spot bathed in moonlight. As we reached the tranquil area, Tairn pressed up against me, and I flinched initially but allowed him to wind his tail around mine, his neck curling around my shoulder in a gesture of intimacy and plea.

"Please forgive me, my heart just... I can't go another year knowing you hate me," he murmured, his voice catching as he bit his lip, a visible sign of his vulnerability. "Look, I know the relationship between us has been strange, but I wouldn't have chosen you as my last rider for nothing. And now that you're a dragon like me, can't we... we begin to see if there's more between us than just the bond between a rider and a dragon?"

His words hung in the air, filled with hope and a hint of desperation, as he searched my face for signs of forgiveness or acceptance. The moonlight highlighted his earnest expression, casting soft shadows that made the moment even more poignant.

I let out a long sigh and raked my claw through the soft moss beneath me, the glimmering moonlight casting skittering shadows over my claws as I drew my tail back. "I guess I can forgive you," I said reluctantly, the words heavy but necessary.

Tairn's golden eyes lit up with a mix of relief and joy, and he delicately licked his snout against mine. I yelped but allowed him to kiss me, his dark wings wrapping around me in a protective embrace, his talons gently cradling my face. As he pulled back, we both breathed heavily, sharing a moment of raw emotion under the moonlit sky.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice thick with gratitude. "Really, thank you." His sincerity echoed in the quiet night, sealing our newfound understanding and the tentative steps towards healing our fractured bond.