We went back to the island to care of the wounded dragons and to make sure Grimel hadn't returned.
He hadn't.
Not not yet, anyway. Joel and I both knew, though, that he most likely would be back. We were on our guard. We were also exploring the island.
"It's beautiful." I breathed as we flew over the mountains.
The peaks of the mountains erupted through the clouds and were veiled in white snow. The early morning sun sparkled and glimmered off of the snow.
We then dived towards them, the wind whipping back my hair. When we got close to the ground the two dragons fanned their wings and touched down in the soft snow.
"We can't stay here for long, so lets make this quick." Said Joel, starting forwards.
I followed him through the snow and up a path used regularly by the dragons here, judging by the trampled snow.
A few minutes later Joel quietly whispered "Snow Wraiths."
I nodded and moved up next to him. There were four of them, each with shiny white scales and a mouth full of sharp fangs. They had nasty tempers when angered.
We walked forwards and the Snow Wraiths raised their heads. Nighstar gave them a low growl and they backed off. We passed safely and continued out way up one of the mountain sides.
We found a cave in the side of the mountain, and heard a dragon deep inside it. Nighstar cautiously went up to the mouth of the cave. Whatever was in it stopped and footsteps could be heard. Then a giant Silver Phantom poked its head out of the cave.
It looked at Nighstar with one huge blue eye and then bowed to him. Nighstar then let out a short growl and the dragon lifted its head to look at him again. Then something happened that I had never seen before.
The two dragons touched noses before the Silver Phantom retreated back inside its cave. Nightstar then turned to is and and beckoned is to follow him further up the mountain. I could tell that he was happy. A while later we mounted up and headed back down to the valley where it was warmer. We had found Shivertooths, Silver Phantoms, Groncilcles, Snow Wraiths, and Wooly Howls living in various caves and alcoves, and some even choosing to fly with us through the clouds.
When we touched down on the grass I went over to the many wounded dragons laying on the grass, most with broken wings and bones that we put splints on.
I checked on a Razorwhip with a broken wing and called Nighstar over to me. I dug around in my saddle bags and found the things I needed to make a new splint. While I did that Joel took supplies from his own packs and tended to the injured dragons.
The battle had taken its tole on the island, many of its dragons lay wounded, and we had lost many, which we had buried the day of the battle after the bodies of dead Deathgrippers had been moved, and the stray guards and soldiers had been taken care of. Their bodies, to, were moved out of the valley and the forests.
When I finished dressing the broken wing the Razorwhip nuzzled my hand as if to say thank you.
I then went over to a Triple Strike with a deep gash on his foreleg. I tool off the old bandage, put salve on it and rewrapped it. I continued to redress wounds until all of the dragons in the valley were taken care of. Then Joel and I moved to the dragons in the forests. It was evening by the time we were finished. I mounted Nighstar sore, tired hot and hungry.
We returned to the Hidden World and collapsed onto our respective beds. Joel and I each took turns getting clean and changing into bed clothes, and then we ate. When Joel was asleep, I snuck out of the cave and sat outside it.
Nighstar soon joined me, cocking his head and looking at me with curious eyes.
"I know it's late," I told him, scratching him under the chin.
"But I can't sleep." I said softly.
"It's the dream, I don't want to see it again," I said, tears forming in my eyes.
Nighstar came over and nuzzled my hand.
"You die." I said, looking at him.
"I can't let that happen." I told him.
I then buried my face in his neck, breathing in the smokey scent of his scales. Then I curled up by Nighstar, his warmth warming me from head to toe, and I fell asleep.
I woke up to find that Joel wasn't awake yet. I carefully and quietly got up, changed into my dragon scale armor and saddled Nighstar.
I scrawled a quick note on a piece of parchment and left it on Joel's desk.
Then I set out. I walked along the path and out into the huge cave that opened up into the Throne Room. A few dragons were up, but for the most part almost all the dragons were still asleep.
I quietly mounted Nighstar and we took off, gliding through the air. We rose higher and higher, until finally we reached the ends of the massive waterfalls. They emptied into bast underground rivers and lakes that ran through out the cave.
We followed them up and up and up, the spray stinging my face until we finally reached open sky. The sun was just rising, spreading wings of pink and gold and fiery orange across the sky. The sea looked like it was made out of fire, the fierce orange glow of the sun illuminating the waves.
We soared high above it all, the feeling off the cool wind ruffling my hair welcoming on my skin. Then Nightfire gently glided towards a sea stack in the middle of the ocean.
Our sea stack.
There were no islands around it, only a few other sea stacks.
Nightstar landed and I dismounted. I then walked over to the edge of the sea stack and sat with my legs dangling over the side. Nighstar came and lay down next to me, his head by my mine, and we looked out across the ocean, at the sunset.
And I contemplated all the things on my mind.
Grimel.
The safety of the Hidden World.
The other island.
Weather or not the dragons were safe.
Weather or not Grimel would return.
It is just a matter of time, I told myself, until he comes back.
Before we have to fight him again.
This time, though, it may be a war.
A War for the Dragons.