The dead leaves creaked under his paws and his big black wings were folded in his back. The sun was beginning to descend on the horizon. Smoke came out of his mouth so he was cold. Hairless, it's a strange name, but he was no Branch, he was Hairless. Strangely, he could hear the sounds of the forest around him perfectly, Hairless was not half deaf like Branch. The black dragon uttered a grunt that was an insult to himself. Why was he coming back to see her? The good thing to do would have been to stay in his bunker banging his head against the wooden bar of his bed to stop the purring that betrayed those feelings he was trying to hide.

The same scenario had lasted for two days now, Poppy was coming into the clearing to see the NightFury she named Hairless. Branch, like an idiot, kept coming to see her all afternoon, for he was the dragon.

Pulling aside the vegetation with his head, he entered the clearing and climbed to the top of the cliff. He lay down on the frost-covered rock and began playing a tune of music with the thorns tucked on his back. Hairless could do it, not Branch, because Branch would never sing again

https://youtu.be/lfUD8yC2mvg

Relaxed by the tune of the song, he did not notice the silhouette near the lake watching him.

-Hi, Hairless!

He turned his head and watched as Poppy climbed the cliff to join him. Hairless forced himself not to let out a purr as he smelt the sweet smell of the princess.

-So, how are you today? Asked the pink troll, approaching her hand to touch his paw.

He groaned, panicked and tried to fly, his instinct told him what to do but he lost his balance and crashed to the ground. Poppy sighed and came down the cliff to follow him, a question didn't want to leave her mind; Why Hairless could not fly?

She sat down on a rock, grabbed a stick on the ground and began drawing Hairless in the frozen sand. The NightFury approached cautiously, he had seen several of Poppy's scrapbooks, but he had never seen a drawing of the pink troll. He purred when he noticed that she was drawing him.

Poppy smiled as she noticed Hairless and continued her drawing. The dragon uttered another grunt as he saw her smile.

The princess turned to the dragon and showed him her drawing

- It's you, you see? She explained with a smile.

Why not have a little fun with her? She would not know she was with Branch ... He tried to smile, Hairless showed his teeth and raised the ends of his mouth, Poppy frowned at this attempt. Realizing that his smile was weird, he had an idea; he made his teeth disappear and the pink troll burst out laughing at the result. Hairless purred again and walked away.

Catching the trunk of a small tree in his jaws, he uprooted it and began to draw on the ground. It was difficult when you drew with the pencil in your mouth. His masterpiece was far from being one, he had tried to reproduce Poppy's face, but the result did look... like anything.

Poppy stood up and looked around her and raised her eyebrows. The drawing surrounded the rock where she was.

- What ... oh! I know what it's! You know this game too, it's amazing!

She began to move towards him and taking care not to touch a single line of the drawing he had made, the princess saw rather a game. He watched her do, Hairless realized he was purring, but this time he did not force himself to shut up.

A strange feeling was born in his mind, then he remembered

Flashback

- No! You did not understand! Return to departure!

Branch sighed and returned to the middle of the line labyrinth. The child who had embarked him in this hell smiled and explained the rules again.

- You must leave the circle without touching the lines on the floor. Poppy explained.

He began the journey again, taking care not to touch the tracks in the wet earth, it was summer and the sun burned his neck.

When he finally left the circle, he was next to his only friend.

- You succeed! Exclaimed the little pink troll giving her a thousand cuddle.

End flashback

He came back to reality when he heard Poppy approach him, he stepped back when she passed close to falling out of the circle. Feeling the hot breath on his back, the pink troll turned with a jump, the dragon purring softly. The sun was beginning to disappear on the horizon. A light breeze of fresh, pleasant air blew between the branches of the tall trees around them.

Poppy approached her hand again with the animal's snout, Hairless grunted but he could not help but smile kindly, as if to make fun of her. To his surprise, Poppy shrugged, closed her eyes and reached for him.

He stared at her hand for a moment, admiring her courage. Poppy was trying to chase the awful images of Branch, lying on the forest floor, his ear in blood ... Hairless was starting to bend over, Poppy felt her heart fail a beat as she felt the dragon's breath against her palm .

Why are you doing this, Branch?

He shuddered when he felt Poppy's cold fingers on his muzzle, breaking the space between them.

Well, you just let her win ... "he grumbled to himself.

He grunted and opened his eyes, Poppy smiled at him.

- I never thought you had such sweet scales! Marveled the pink troll stroking his head.

Hairless frowned and tilted his head to the side, intrigued. That's what she wanted from the beginning, to know if her scales were such sweet? He laughed in his own way, it sounded like a soft, happy growl. The night was falling and the first stars were starting to shine in the night sky

-Hairless, I think I have an idea to celebrate our new friendship! What would you think to camping?

-When it's -40 ° C outside ???

-Yes! Let's go, we will build a camp! Joyfully shouted Poppy as if she understood what he was saying.

She ran to the side of the cliff and gathered a pile of leaves, the NightFury followed her and watched her fall into the dead leaves, in front of his confused look, she laughed.

-Come on!

He sighed, when Poppy had an idea in her head, it was impossible to change her mind. He lay down beside her, wrapped his tail around her and covered her with one of his wings to warm her.

- Hairless?

- Grrnnnnn.

- Can you play music?

He closed his eyes, Poppy continued to caress the scales of his tail and he could not help purring like a kitten. He began to slam the thorn ranger on his back, to play the favorite song of the princess, she smiled acknowledging

- It's the perfect song, she murmured.

https://youtu.be/CrBmRcxxwp4

When he falls asleep, Poppy noticed that something strange. On one side, at the end of Hairless tail, there was a scar and on the other side, there was a single fin.

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

Hehe.