"So..." Ash was dumbfounded and currently rendered speechless. "Oh. That's... a lot of adventure, Cloud."
He started to grin. "Seems like you're just like your daddy!"
River scowled behind Ash. Clearing her throat, she said, "Well, actually, he-"
"I know," Ash interrupted. "Just take me with you next time, okay?"
Cloud grinned. He was expecting another ginormous lecture on running away. Rain glared at Cloud, jealous of all the attention.
"Hey Ash," He said. "Did you know that I'm the best at-"
Ash turned to Cloud, cutting off Rain. "Show me this village sometime, would 'ya?"
Both River and Rain wore identical scowls.

Drifting Breeze looked at Slim Branch/Laughing Creek in shock. "But-but...but-"
"I know," Slim Branch/Laughing Creek said simply.
Drifting Breeze nodded, than completely ruined the moment by rambling, "Wait. You know like she was my mother or you know that-"
Slim Branch cut him off, rolling her eyes. "I knew my daughter's family well, Drifting Breeze. I was a part of it." Drifting Breeze quieted. He couldn't think of anything to say except for 'Oh.' Slim Branch/Laughing Creek sat there in silence for a while, then said, "Go to sleep now, Drifting Breeze."
Drifting Breeze obliged, then lay down, staring at the ceiling. He thought Slim Branch had already left, so when he asked the darkness, "Slim Branch/Laughing Creek, what should I call you?"
He didn't expect a sad voice at the foot of his bed to say, "Laughing Creek."

Cloud unfurled his wings and yawned so wide he felt his jaw pop. Walking sleepily out of his den, he crashed straight into the wall. Grumbling, Cloud kicked the wall and yelped. Rubbing his sore toe, Cloud considered headbutting it but decided against it when Rain walked towards him, swaggering in his boastful way. Cloud rolled his eyes and muttered, "What do you want?"
Rain smiled. "I'm just walking. Oh, did you know yesterday I flew higher then Ash? I was all like..."
Cloud completely zoned out after that and scooted away when Rain wasn't listening.
Racing to the entrance of his home, he looked out.
    Boy was out there somewhere. Dying. Hopefully still alive. Maybe thinking about Cloud.
    Cloud squirmed with anxiety. He knew he should forget about Boy. He was a dragon, after all. And Boy was a human.
    A human Cloud cared about.
    Cloud sighed and raced into the forest, resolving himself not to stupidly charge into the crowd of teepees. He would just magically find Boy's tent, mystically not get sighted, and mysteriously made sure that Boy was okay.
    Great plan, right?
    Cloud skidded to a stop and examined the tiny, petite teepees.
    They all looked exactly the same.
    Cloud groaned and bonked his head into the ground. Rubbing his sore head, he glanced at the nearest teepee. He briefly remembered that he had dropped Boy off in a teepee around the edges of town. Now all he had to find was a creepy old lady and possibly dead Boy if he just walked around the entire perimeter.
Clouds feet already hurt from thinking about all that walking. Sighing, he forced his feet to obey as he set out along the village fringe.

Drifting Breeze awoke to only a small headache. Sitting up, he noticed Laughing Creek-Slim Branch-Laughing Branch- wait, what? Maybe he did have a bad headache after all.
Laughing Creek was absent, and the teepee suddenly felt eerily creepy. Maybe it was the faded and cracked portraits of a man and a girl smiling at the painter, long dead, or the dim light on the brass beads of the teepee.
Urged by an odd feeling to get out of the house as soon as possible, Drifting Breeze hefted a bag with food and water supplies over his shoulder. Walking along the rutted road surrounding camp and humming, he started thinking about the dragon. Where was he? Was he okay? All Drifting Breeze remembered was saving the dragon, then waking up in Laughing Creek's teepee hacking and barfing ash.
He was so engrossed in his thoughts, he didn't notice when he strayed off the path and ran straight into a big white wall of scales.
The dragon.

It was Boy! Maybe. Cloud wasn't sure. All humans looked pretty much the same-squished, flat faces, tiny snouts in the middle of their face bent downward, and lips covering tiny flat teeth. But he smelled the same. And he wasn't screaming his head off.
     Taking that as a good sign, Cloud yipped excitedly and ran to Boy. Boy grinned and copied Cloud, and the two of them hugged tightly before remembering that it was broad daylight. Beside the usual squawking bird and confused toddler, thankfully they were alone. Cloud beckoned for Boy to follow and slipped into the shadows of the forest.
     Boy eagerly followed, and had it been a normal friend, they would have conversed about what happened.
     But since Boy was human and Cloud was a dragon, it complicated things.
     Boy was chattering at top speed, gesturing and squeaking in such a high-pitched tone it hurt Cloud's ears. Cloud just winced and grunted in confusion until Boy bent over to catch his breath.
     Cloud pointed a claw at Boy, then mimed him being unconscious, then dragged a stick (a.k.a Boy) across the ground and pointed again to the general direction of the teepees.
     Cloud could only hope Boy understood as Boy bobbed his head and animatedly began acting out what happened to him. Cloud cocked his head in befuddlement and Boy waved, jumped, and shouted.
     Something about human politics.
     Cloud and Boy ended up trying to communicate completely random messages, such as 'I like Bananas' from Boy or 'I can explore and fly when I'm nine." From Cloud.
    They were having such a good time, neither noticed the fleeting shadow of a shell-shocked messenger and a bittersweet Laughing Creek, none aware of the other.