HOME | DD

Description
Dogwood's eyes widened. “The Northern Reach?”

The Skrill nodded. “I know it’s a long way to travel, but there’s a high reward for anyone who returns the crystal,” he explained. “And you’re the only one who’s made for such cold weather.”

“Other than being in the Reach, do they have any idea where it is?” Dogwood asked. He wasn’t entirely against such a journey, but he wasn’t a fan of wandering around for days in the wilderness… Not to mention he’d never been that far from the village before.

Rowan shook his head. “If they knew where it was, maybe they’d go get it themselves.” He sighed. “I’d go with you if I could.”

The Howl’s tail twitched with a sudden realization. “It’s fine,” he said. “I can go.”

He expected Rowan to protest, but instead he smiled and gave him a pat on the back. “Atta boy!” He sighed. “But it will be hard keeping an eye on everyone without you here.”

Dogwood laughed. “I’m sure you’ll manage.” He rubbed his head against Rowan’s neck, what a dragon might consider a hug, and flew off… but not to the Reach.

The Howl landed at the familiar outcropping, which now functioned as his best friend’s den. He peered into the cave carved into the cliffside. “Snow?” he called. “You in there?”

He heard a yawn from inside, and was answered with a drowsy “Dogwood?” The Sabertooth made her way outside, shaking herself off when she emerged. “What’s up?”

Dogwood ignored the fact that it was midday and Snowdrop had been asleep, and got straight to the point. “Welllll…” He turned his head northwards. “How do you feel about taking a hike to the Northern Reach?”

Snowdrop tilted her head. “The Northern Reach?” she said slowly. “You want to go to the Northern Reach?” She held out her right wing. “You know I can’t fly, Dogwood.” While it was no longer broken, it was still weak. Strong enough to be moved, and flapped if Snowdrop was careful about it, but not strong enough for her to get into the air. “Why would you want to go there, anyway? That place is a wasteland.”

“I’m on a mission,” Dogwood explained. “There’s a crystal out there, cold and clear as ice. Fetches a high price with the vikings.”

Snowdrop scrunched up her brows. “Why do I need to go then?”

He thumped his tail on the ground. “Well, uh- I kind of- I don’t want to be wandering around in the wilderness all by myself!”

“But you can fly. It’s not that far by air.” She turned around. “I’m sorry, Dogwood. But you’ll be better off without me slowing you down.”

“I wanted to spend some time with you!” he blurted out.

Snowdrop stopped, along with Dogwood’s heart. “You just… wanted to…” She turned back around, now face-to-face with Dogwood. “That’s- really. Sweet, and-” Her tail flicked from side to side as she fumbled over her words. With a flustered whine, Snowdrop dashed out of the cave, following the cliffside northwards.

Things could have gone better. But Dogwood didn’t care. He could spend some time with Snowdrop, and that’s all he wanted.

They walked in silence for a while, the only noise the crunching of their feet in the snow. Every now and then the pair would make eye contact, then turn away. Gods, this was awkward.

“How do you do it?” Snowdrop asked.

“What?”

“How do you just… stay. With so many other dragons. Doesn’t it make you nervous?”

“Why would it make me nervous?”

Snowdrop was quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words. “I mean, there’s so many of them, and if a few of them worked together they could beat you in a fight, no offense. Don’t you have some Titanwings living there? Just one of them could easily defeat you.”

“But I have friends,” Dogwood countered. “If someone tried to attack me, they’d help."

"How do you know that?"

"I just… know. They're my friends, Snow. That's what you do for your friends." Snowdrop was gazing off at the village, still somewhat visible from the cliff. "I- I'd do that for you, Snowdrop." He added quickly.

Snowdrop's eyes widened as she turned her head to him. "I'd… do that for you, too."

"...Thank you."

And the two were left in silence again.

Description
Dogwood's eyes widened. “The Northern Reach?”

The Skrill nodded. “I know it’s a long way to travel, but there’s a high reward for anyone who returns the crystal,” he explained. “And you’re the only one who’s made for such cold weather.”

“Other than being in the Reach, do they have any idea where it is?” Dogwood asked. He wasn’t entirely against such a journey, but he wasn’t a fan of wandering around for days in the wilderness… Not to mention he’d never been that far from the village before.

Rowan shook his head. “If they knew where it was, maybe they’d go get it themselves.” He sighed. “I’d go with you if I could.”

The Howl’s tail twitched with a sudden realization. “It’s fine,” he said. “I can go.”

He expected Rowan to protest, but instead he smiled and gave him a pat on the back. “Atta boy!” He sighed. “But it will be hard keeping an eye on everyone without you here.”

Dogwood laughed. “I’m sure you’ll manage.” He rubbed his head against Rowan’s neck, what a dragon might consider a hug, and flew off… but not to the Reach.

The Howl landed at the familiar outcropping, which now functioned as his best friend’s den. He peered into the cave carved into the cliffside. “Snow?” he called. “You in there?”

He heard a yawn from inside, and was answered with a drowsy “Dogwood?” The Sabertooth made her way outside, shaking herself off when she emerged. “What’s up?”

Dogwood ignored the fact that it was midday and Snowdrop had been asleep, and got straight to the point. “Welllll…” He turned his head northwards. “How do you feel about taking a hike to the Northern Reach?”

Snowdrop tilted her head. “The Northern Reach?” she said slowly. “You want to go to the Northern Reach?” She held out her right wing. “You know I can’t fly, Dogwood.” While it was no longer broken, it was still weak. Strong enough to be moved, and flapped if Snowdrop was careful about it, but not strong enough for her to get into the air. “Why would you want to go there, anyway? That place is a wasteland.”

“I’m on a mission,” Dogwood explained. “There’s a crystal out there, cold and clear as ice. Fetches a high price with the vikings.”

Snowdrop scrunched up her brows. “Why do I need to go then?”

He thumped his tail on the ground. “Well, uh- I kind of- I don’t want to be wandering around in the wilderness all by myself!”

“But you can fly. It’s not that far by air.” She turned around. “I’m sorry, Dogwood. But you’ll be better off without me slowing you down.”

“I wanted to spend some time with you!” he blurted out.

Snowdrop stopped, along with Dogwood’s heart. “You just… wanted to…” She turned back around, now face-to-face with Dogwood. “That’s- really. Sweet, and-” Her tail flicked from side to side as she fumbled over her words. With a flustered whine, Snowdrop dashed out of the cave, following the cliffside northwards.

Things could have gone better. But Dogwood didn’t care. He could spend some time with Snowdrop, and that’s all he wanted.

They walked in silence for a while, the only noise the crunching of their feet in the snow. Every now and then the pair would make eye contact, then turn away. Gods, this was awkward.

“How do you do it?” Snowdrop asked.

“What?”

“How do you just… stay. With so many other dragons. Doesn’t it make you nervous?”

“Why would it make me nervous?”

Snowdrop was quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words. “I mean, there’s so many of them, and if a few of them worked together they could beat you in a fight, no offense. Don’t you have some Titanwings living there? Just one of them could easily defeat you.”

“But I have friends,” Dogwood countered. “If someone tried to attack me, they’d help."

"How do you know that?"

"I just… know. They're my friends, Snow. That's what you do for your friends." Snowdrop was gazing off at the village, still somewhat visible from the cliff. "I- I'd do that for you, Snowdrop." He added quickly.

Snowdrop's eyes widened as she turned her head to him. "I'd… do that for you, too."

"...Thank you."

And the two were left in silence again.