-Hairless... whispered Poppy.

After a moment of hesitation, she raised her hand close to the dragon's muzzle, the pink troll wondering what texture had its scales. Unfortunately, Hairless grunted and left in a corner. She didn't know why, but she had decided that it would be his name; Hairless.

The princess was getting tired anyway. She approached the NightFury, he raised his head and gave a warning grunt, but she was no longer afraid, she smiled and whispered:

-Don't worry, I don't want to hurt you. I'll be back tomorrow, okay?

Hairless tilted his head and frowned, as if he was intrigued. Poppy laughed and went back to the village, leaving the black dragon alone near the lake.

* * *

Branch walking near the village, a dozen sticks under his arm. The morning air was cold and chilled his fingers. There was even a little frost on the ground covered with dead leaves and they creaked under his feet. The sky was cloudy and smoke was coming out of the mouth of the gray troll, he had put on his scarf, unbelievable this cold when they were only in October.

And it's unbelievable that they sing so loud, he thought, waiting for the voices of several trolls.

He added a piece of wood to his booty, thinking about last night. Why was she so innocent? Why did she decide to come back to see ... how she had already said ... oh yes, Hairless! Why did she come back to see Hairless? And it's a strange name ... that name could only come from the pink troll.

But he still didn't understand why he could not fly, his instinct told him what to do but he lost his balance as soon as he opened the wings

-Branch! Do you hear me or not ?!

He turned with a jump. Poppy ran to him.

-What do you want? He growled dryly.

He had an irresistible urge to tell him how stupid he was to walk in the forest last night, but he could not say anything, or she would suspect something. He sighed, noticing that she was not equipped for the cold weather.

-Poppy, you will sick!

The pink troll frowned without understanding. Branch went on and Poppy followed him.

-What are you doing? She asked, he picked up another stick.

-I prepare for the winter.

He put his pile of stick on the ground and removed his scarf. He launched it to Poppy:

-You'll catch a cold.

-And you?

-I'm rarely sick.

She shrugged and slipped the red scarf around her neck. Branch had already went but she join him.

-Branch?

The gray troll didn't answer. Poppy found him strange:

-Braaaaannchhh !?

He picked up another stick on the floor. His ear did not even move to point to her as usual, it was the first time ...

It was his injured ear ...

Poppy took conciense of what might be the problem:

-BRANCH!

Finally a reaction, Branch jumped and escaped his sticks on the ground.

-What, what, what ??? He panicked, looking around for any danger.

Poppy felt her heart tighten, she was right, she was sure. Tears began to run down her cheeks.

-What's the matter? He asked, noticing that Poppy was crying.

-Branch ... I think your injured ear ...

A ball formed in her throat, Branch frowned.

-What? What is it with my ear? It is torn apart, so what?

Poppy wiped tears from her face and approached him.

-Repeat what I say, okay?

She grabbed his friend's hand and put it on his uninjured ear. Branch not understanding what shocked her so much.

- ...

With horror, he watched Poppy's lips move.

But no sound.

None, complete silence.

Poppy pulled her hand away, anxiety filled her eyes.

- Speak louder, he ordered, covered his left ear again.

Poppy bit her lower lip and said in a slightly louder voice:

-Fi ... fly ...

Branch dropped his sticks on the floor, sighing in relief. Poppy grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at her.

-What did I say? The princess insisted.

-I didn't quite understand ... it looked like fi-fly

Poppy let out a sigh of relief, realizing it was not as bad as she'd imagined. But tears continued to flow down her cheeks, Branch who had just realized it tried to console her

-Hey, it's not so bad!

-It's my fault...

-What are you talking about? It's not your fault, it's my fault. If I would not scare this dragon, he would not have attacked me!

-Well, now, if you don't notice, you have become half deaf because I could not warn you in time that it was escape from his cage!

A lie well imagine

At Branch's turn, to force her to look at him, he stopped her harshly.

-Poppy, it's not your fault. It's mine, if ... if I were not a stupid and stubborn gray troll who lives alone in the middle of a dangerous forest, I will never see this dragon, did you understand?

She nodded and let a little laugh escape from those lips.

-What? He asked.

-You just said that you were stupid and stubborn ...

-The truth never hides very long.

She laughing again, Branch's chest began to warm up and a strange grunt that he managed to stop just before Poppy noticed him coming out of his mouth. He picked up his sticks and started to stutter:

-Eh ... I have to leave, I have to go meet, uh .... a log! Yes, a log that I must ... put in the fire! Yes ... uh .... see you later!

Before the princess can answer, Branch goes back to his bunker. Poppy didn't even realize that her cheeks had warmed up.

Returning home, she thought back to the promise she had made to Hairless, she decided she would spend the afternoon with him.

When he was sure of being alone, he let the strange grunt come out of his throat. it sound like a purring cat, a happy cat.

He stepped into his bunker and dropped to his bed, the purr continued to vibrate his throat. His heart was beating furiously in his chest, so hard he felt like he was hearing it even with his half-deaf ear.

What's going on with me? He took his pillow and covered his face, trying to silence the purrs that continued to invade the silence. Whence came the flame that burned his bones but at the same time made him want to go back to the princess and hugs her?

Then he realized what it was

-No, no, it's impossible ... it's not true ...

The truth never hides very long.

-------------------

GOOD, WE KNOW ALL WHAT IS THIS FEELING, SIR

Don't worry, if in the next few days you start having the urge to * cough * that's normal.

Just, avoid doing it when you are Hairless, that would be appreciated. 😐

(THIS BOOK WILL NOT CONTAIN LEMON)

And I was bored so I did a little comic/edit:

#RetractablesTeeth 😂