I read Bloodmoon Huntress and we learned there why Rayla is afraid of water. She almost drowns because of Kim'dael. Rayla is traumatized by the events, she almost died because of water it's make sense she is afraid of it since then. The most important thing is that Rayla knows how to deal with her fears in Lunabloom and season 1 she got inside the water even though she was terrified, she is a very brave character and we all should admire her.

This fanfic is happening a bit after the graphic novel of Bloodmoon Huntress, maybe two months afterwards but it's happening before Lunabloom. It wasn't easy to write Rayla because she acted so childish in Lunabloom even though she was supposing to be older than she was in Bloodmoon Huntress and I'm not sure which behaviour is more accurate.

English isn't my native language, so forgive me for any minor mistakes.

Disclaimer: The Dragon Prince belongs to Aaron Ehasz, Justin Richmond Wonderstorm and Netflix. I don't own anything.


Rayla got up very late, she still wasn't used to be up all night, she started her assassins training with Runaan not long time ago and she was still a child and it wasn't easy to be up the whole night for her. But she was determined to succeed and learn how to protect and help the people she loves and nothing will stop her. Between training and school, she didn't sleep too much, so when she had the chance to sleep, she took it.

'Good morning, Ethari, good morning Runaan, what there is for breakfast?' Rayla came to the kitchen and yawned.

'It's already the middle of the day, Rayla.' Ethari chuckled.

'Right, I overslept,' Rayla muttered as Ethari placed her lunch before her.

'We don't have to do it, Rayla, if the trainings are too hard for you, we can stop, being an assassin is a complex thing to do.' Runaan stated.

'No, I want to do it, I want to help people, to protect who I love, you agreed to train me, I'm not going to give up only because it's hard.' Rayla announced.

'And we both support your decision and here for you.' Runaan smiled at her.

'Yes, because you two loves my decision,' Rayla said sarcastically.

'We do support you, Rayla,' Ethari told her, Rayla's decision was a brave one, but it wasn't easy for Ethari. He was afraid to be left alone, his best friends went to work for the Dragonguard and his husband and adopted daughter are assassins and risk their lives every day.

'We actually planned to offer you some fun training today.' Runaan smirked.

'What is it?' Rayla grinned, her eyes glittering from curiosity.

'Since you started your training as assassin, we figured you should know how to ride on Moonstrider. It can be important skill for you now.' Runaan said.

'Really? On a Moonstrider?' Rayla jumped. Moonstriders were harder and more dangerous to ride then Shadowpaws, most of the kids will start learning how to ride on Moonstrider after they are ten years old or even older. Rayla is much younger but because she is training to be assassin Runaan and Ethari are going to let her try and ride it now.

'Yes, we think you're ready.' Runaan nodded.

'I can't believe it!' Rayla called and ran outside the house to the paddock.

'Rayla, hold up!' Ethari called after her.

Rayla went to the paddock where they kept their moony creatures, they had one Shadowpaw and one Moonstrider, they were only two because Runaan and Ethari were only two; rayla joined them not long ago. Besides, the creatures were of the family, children didn't need their own creatures. 'I'm sorry, Gibbous, but today I'm going to ride on Crescent,' Rayla patted the Shadowpaw to comfort him. The Shadowpaw moaned sadly to her.

'Rayla, you can't run like this, it can be dangerous.' Runaan scolded her; he might start training her to be an assassin but after the events with the Bloodmoon Huntress they were nervous to keep Rayla safe.

'I'm sorry Runaan, I'm just exiting.' Rayla lowered her head in apologise.

'We know, but you learning something new, you need to take it slowly.' Ethari said and took Crescent out from the paddock.

'Crescent is going to be much harder to ride then Gibbous. He can throw you without mercy. You need to be careful. He is also narrower, so you have less space to sit. First, you should touch him, show him you're not dangerous.' Runaan explained.

'Yes, I know, hello Crescent.' Rayla put her hand on the Moonstrider's neck because she was too short to pet his head.

'Great, now I'm going to lift you and put you on the saddle.' Runaan said while Ethari sat on Gibbous to follow them while riding.

Runaan put Rayla on Crescent saddle and grabbed the bridle in his hand. 'Why can't I hold the bridles like I do when I'm riding on Gibbous?' Rayla asked, sulking.

'Because Crescent needs to get used to you.' Runaan stated.

'Shadowpaws are much easier then Moonstrider.' Ethari reminded Rayla. He rides on Gibbous the shadowpaw from behind them.

'So, how much time is going to pass before I could take the bridles on my own?' Rayla wondered. She felt like a little girl who can't do anything.

'I'll decide on that,' Runaan stated and started walking Crescent outside.

Rayla sat boringly on Crescent's back, they moved so slow. She knew Moonstrider are a bit faster then Shadowpaws and the creature didn't throw her from it's back so she assumed he likes her. It was less comfortable then sitting on Gibbous, but Rayla wasn't the kind of elf who'll say no to a bit of challenge. She rode on Gibbous for some time now without any problems.

After a while Runaan stopped walking. 'Runaan, why are we stopped?' Rayla wondered. Runaan tied the bridles to a nearby branch.

'I found Lunabloom. It's Ethari's favourite flower.' Runaan stated and picked the blue flower.

'I didn't know that,' Rayla muttered.

'For you, my guiding moon.' Runaan handed Ethari the flower.

'Thanks, my love,' Ethari smiled and leaned forward to kiss his husband.

Rayla saw Runaan and Ethari busy with each other and decided seize the opportunity and ride on Crescent on her own. She leaned on the Moonstrider's neck so she could open the tie of the bridles and take them to her hands. She grinned and started riding away from her surrogate fathers. She could hear vaguely their voices yelling at her not to do it but it was too late, she was already far enough with Crescent. Riding on a Moonstrider couldn't be that hard as riding on a Shadowpaw, the adults probably exaggerate with how hard is it. She thought she could here Gibbous running behind and she could hear Runaan jumps on the trees, but Crescent was far by now. The problem was she couldn't control his direction properly, he ran to where he wanted.

Suddenly, she saw the riverbank in front of her. Rayla gasped. She hasn't been near the water since the Bloodmoon Huntress tried to drown her. 'No, Crescent! Stop!' Rayla yelled and pull the bridles to stop him. But the Moonstrider didn't stop he ran until he was so close to the river and then he got panicked and halted at once, throwing Rayla from his saddle to the water. This part of the river was shallow and Rayla could sit on the on the bottom, but she didn't realise it. 'No! No! No! Not the water! I'm going to die! Get me out of here!' Rayla yelled, hugging her knees.

'Rayla, what happened?!' Runaan called jumping down from one of the trees. Ethari arrived on Gibbous and tied him to the tree and then he saw Crescent rampant because he was scared of the water and went to calm him down.

'Runaan, Ethari, I'm going to die! I'm going to drown in the water...' Rayla cried out. Runaan ran to her and took her out of the river.

'Rayla, everything is alright, you are not dying, it was just water, you fall to the shallow part.' Runaan tried to calm her.

'No, no, no, the water is dangerous!' Rayla called, shaken.

'Rayla, breath, you're on the ground, you're not in the water anymore, you don't need to worry.' Ethari said softly and held her hands.

Rayla took few breathes and look at her surrogate fathers. 'I'm almost died...'

'No, you're not, the water wasn't dangerous today, you've experienced trauma after you fought against the Bloodmoon Huntress and almost drown, it's not a shame to be afraid of water.' Ethari reassured her.

'I'm not afraid!' Rayla called; with the most neutral face expression she could do.

'Fears are part of us, that what make us brave, there is nothing wrong with it. You are very brave Rayla.' Runaan told her. They noticed Rayla didn't like taking a bath, but they didn't realise it was only after the events with the Bloodmoon Huntress and that she is traumatised from water.

'No, I'm sorry, I should have listened to you, it was dangerous to try and ride on Crescent myself, I don't want to ride on him, I'm staying with Gibbous.' Rayla decided.

'Doing mistakes and learn from them is part of our life. It's a good think you realise you did a mistake and you shouldn't do that, but we can be with you until you feel ready to try again riding on Crescent.' Runaan offered.

'Yes, we won't let this happen again, you can take your time before trying to ride Crescent again.' Ethari added.

'No, haven't you heard what I said? No more riding on Moonstriders! I can't control them, it's too dangerous! I don't want to ride on Crescent again!' Rayla repeated.

'That's fine, you don't have to ride on him. You can ride on Gibbous back home.' Ethari assured her.

'Thanks, can we go home now?' Rayla asked, glancing to the water with a scared look.

'Yes, come on, let's get you home.' Runaan picked her up and put her on his shoulders. Rayla buried her head on Runaan's shoulder.

'We are here for you Rayla, and we'll do anything to protect you.' Ethari promised her with a smile.


Author notes: It's canon that Moonstrider are harder to ride then Shadowpaws, and I wondered why Rayla let Callum ride on a Moonstrider and not on a Shadowpaw even though it could be hard for him. I decided to find a reason for her choice, because she was more experienced in riding so she was supposed to be the one who rode on a Moonstrider and not Callum.
I know, the names I chose for the creatures are not very creative, I just didn't want to get stuck on their names.
I wanted to establish in this fanfic how Rayla knows about Lunablooms, and how Runaan and Ethari knows about her fear from water, I wanted the events of the fanfic to precede the Lunabloom story.
Sorry it's too much fluff, I didn't think it would be that fluffy when I started writing it.