Mau, exhausted for the day's toil, crept up the steps and slipped into Minx's home without so much as a purr. The Fae huntress motioned to the wilds beyond her home. “Sure...” she began, “If you'd prefer to sleep in the woods, I don't see a problem with it.”
Kaleb wandered past Minx's place, his hands brushing against the storied trunks of age-old trees. “Thanks,” he said. Then, without warning, he donned his dragon form. The immense ruby-colored dragon snuggled up in the shade of Pan's timeless growths with a relish Minx had only ever seen in Mau, tucking his wings in tightly and settling onto the forest floor with a pleased sigh. She couldn't help but envy his comfort.
Kaleb was on the verge of sleep, and Minx knew how important it was for him to get his rest. Come morning, he'd be sent on more scouting missions, and his great strength would be called upon without surcease. Even so, she couldn't bring herself to leave his side. She watched as the fearsome dragon closed his eyes and wrapped his dense tail around himself. His scales locked into one another, forming a nigh impenetrable shield, and his breathing slowed. Kaleb exuded relaxation, with his horned head lowered to the ground and a wispy plume of smoke rising from his nostrils.
“H-Hey,” ventured Minx, standing at his side. “Mau went inside to sleep, but...” She hesitated, conscious of her needy tone. “Do you mind if I... stay out here, with you? I could spread out a bed roll of my own...”
To her surprise—and delight—Kaleb outstretched one of his massive, leathern wings, providing her with a place of her own. Minx drew near to him, settling against his ruby bulk. The great wing was lowered, fully ensconcing her and providing a shield from the evening wind. The Fae huntress pressed herself tightly against Kaleb's rigid armor; the place he'd allotted was warmer and somehow softer than she'd ever imagined. Minx relaxed beside him, thankful that she was able to remain so close, and found—with no little surprise—that sleep was not long in arriving.
Pressed to Kaleb, she was filled with a level of comfort and security she'd never known before. This was all she'd ever wanted; all day, she had pined for him. Now, to be this close to him, to sense him and to share in his every breath, brought her a joy and calm she could not express. Minx drifted off against the massive dragon promptly, slipping into the most delightful sleep she had enjoyed in ages.
And as her sleeping mind wavered between wakefulness and dreams, she recalled the honeyed story spread amongst the dragons—the story that Kaleb had shared with her. Once, a dragon and a woman—a Fae, Minx felt sure—had fallen in love with one another. When the woman had passed, the dragon had spent the rest of his days mourning her, filling the place of her burial with tears. This story, though it seemed like nothing but a tender myth on the surface, smacked of something more real to her as she dove into sleep.
Maybe there's something to this old story, thought Minx as healing sleep overcame her. It isn't just a love story or a myth... It feels greater than that. It feels true to me. And this warmth that I'm feeling... this is the warmth that those lovers felt.
In days where true rest was rare—seemingly impossible—Minx slept peacefully till dawn, nestled against Kaleb's side.
Chapter 18
Her eyes opened to the powdery light of a new day. Golden rays of sun filtered through the canopy left the dewy grass shimmering, and overhead the morning birds had emerged from their nests to sing. She had slept deeply—so deeply, in fact, that she hardly felt like the same person who'd settled against Kaleb the night before. Her mind was clear for the first time in days, washed clean by hours of restorative sleep.
She sighed and leaned against him, simply relishing his presence. The ache she'd been grappling with in her breast had completely faded, which seemed to confirm something she'd come to suspect subconsciously. The pain only turns up whenever Kaleb is gone. It's like my heart can't stand being away from him. The greater the distance, the longer their separation, the worse the pain became. Having spent the night at his side however, the pain seemed like nothing but a bad dream, an illusion.
Minutes passed before Minx finally sat up and wiped at her eyes. The dragon shifter stirred to her back, and from nearby came Mau's familiar purring. Minx found the Faelyr stationed in the grass a mere few feet away. Though she'd gone up to Minx's place to sleep the night prior, she'd apparently gotten lonely and had crept down to sleep with the two of them.
Something in the peaceful morning setting captured her attention above all else, however—and when she was certain she wasn't dreaming, she sat up with a gasp. “K-Kaleb,” she stammered, reaching behind her and nudging the dragon roughly. Minx blinked repeatedly, staring down at her hands, her body. She then whipped around to glance at Kaleb, panicked.
A blue, ghostly fire burned around her.
It did not burn her, nor did it seem to carry any warmth, but its spectral glow was so shocking that she could hardly find the words to describe it as Kaleb fully awoke. Even Mau, still slumbering
