"Happy birthday!" she yelled as she charged into the room, the three dragons in tow. "Come on, get up!" An incoherent groan was all she got in response. "Tough crowd, am I right?" she said to the dragons. "Atlas, why don't you get your lazy rider up. It might be his birthday but we still have work to do." With that she turned and left the room, leaving a small parcel next to his bed, heading back to the kitchen to finish preparing their breakfast. They had been roaming the world Below for a few months now, sinking hunter ships and releasing dragons as they tried to track down any more of Grimmel's camps, but with no such luck. They had come back to Hayden's island three days ago to rest and reset before they headed out again, with the added benefit of Hayden's twenty-first birthday falling on the day they were planning to leave. It was almost half an hour later when Hayden came into the kitchen, his hair still wet from the shower and looking half asleep still. "You look terrible," Zoe said, looking up from the bags she was packing food into.
"Thank you," Hayden said sarcastically, rubbing his eyes.
"Want to talk about it?" she offered.
"Nah, everything's fine, just didn't sleep well." She looked at him, sceptical, but didn't say anything. "Need a hand?" he asked.
"Everything's just about ready to go. Breakfast is on the table, I'll just finish packing this bag and then I'll join you."
"Thank you, you didn't need to get up early to pack everything, and thanks for breakfast too."
"It's your birthday, you deserve a sleep in. Besides, I don't mind," she smiled as she tightened the buckle on the bag.
"Oh, I wanted to ask, what was it that you gave me? All I know is that it's bloody cold," he laughed. Hayden had insisted that they don't celebrate his birthday, even though it was his 21st, so Zoe decided she'd just make him his favourite breakfast and give him a small gift made from her ice.
"It's a whistle made from my ice," she explained. "It's for if you get into trouble and need me. It'll only work once but I can make you another if you use it."
"Don't take this the wrong way," he started hesitantly, "but why can't we just use our normal whistles? The dragons can both hear them fine..."
"But what if I'm not with Uri?"
"Why wouldn't you be with her?"
"Look, just humour me, please?"
"I just don't understand w-"
"I don't want what happened to me with Drago to happen to you, ok!" she snapped at him. Was it so hard for him to grasp the concept that she cared about him? There was silence between them, Zoe turning her back on him and taking the last bag outside and putting it with the others. She didn't go back inside right away, she needed to calm herself down. Instead, she headed towards the lake that was a short walk from their clearing.
Hayden just sat there after Zoe had stormed out. He was taken aback by her admission, he knew she cared about him but she rarely expressed her emotions, she was always calm and level-headed, so for her to yell at him like that, he must have seriously pushed some buttons. After a few minutes had passed and she hadn't come back, he decided to go and find her. When he got outside, he scanned the clearing, seeing only the three dragons lounging in the morning sun.
"She went that way," Uri said to him in his head whilst flicking her tail in the direction of the lake. He nodded in thanks, heading through the forest and towards the lake. He found her sitting in the middle of the lake, sitting on a piece of ice as it bobbed gently across the surface, Zoe making shapes with the water, reeds and freshwater plants already growing rapidly in the water below her, taking advantage of her gift from the Foreverwing. He just watched her for a moment, she was the most powerful person he knew, but also the most vulnerable.
"Hey!" he called out to her. She looked up at him, apparently not surprised by his appearance. "Can I talk to you?" he asked, just loud enough for her to hear him. She got up without responding, and starting walking across the water back towards the bank, ice forming under her feet. "I'm sorry," he said when she reached him.
"I should be the one apologising," she responded quietly, not meeting his eyes. "I yelled at you and then stormed off, on your birthday too."
"I was the one who acted like a jerk."
"That's nothing new," she smirked.
"ANYWAY," he cut in, smiling, "I never thanked you," he said more seriously. She just shrugged, apparently have nothing to say. After a pause, she started speaking again.
"You know I care about you, right?" she asked nervously, her eyes downcast.
"Of course I know that. And for the record, I care about you too," he whispered as he lifted her chin with the side of his finger so she was looking at him. She was chewing her bottom lip and still had a nervous and conflicted look in her eyes, about what he didn't know. Gods he wanted to kiss her so badly. But that could end with him having multiple broken bones and being encased in a cacoon of ice, earth or plants, or all three, so he wouldn't risk it, he did have a sense of self preservation after all. But then she wrapped her arms around his torso, tucking her head against his chest, his arms wrapping around her back with only a second of hesitation, his resolve slowing melting away. 'Baby steps' he told himself.
She was in a clearing in the forest and sparring with Remi and a few of his friends, the sun filtering down through the trees, Uri and Sharpshot sleeping in the sun. Remi had settled in well, he had been with Zeb and Alice for seven months now and made lots of friends. His water bending was excellent for someone his age and his fighting skills were just as good, if not better. Hayden had headed east to visit his family for a week or so, but he hadn't yet returned even though he was due back two weeks ago. Zoe was worried, but she had to trust that he was ok since he hadn't used either whistle to call her. Just as she had this thought, she felt the whistle she had made Hayden shatter in the back of her mind.
"Zoe?" Remi questioned, bringing her out of her mind. "Everything ok?"
She shook herself out of her growing panic. "I have to go, Hayden's in trouble," was all she said before she ran back to Zeb and Alice's to pick up her things and pack some food, leaving a very worried Remi with his friends.
She had just finished strapping her bags to Uri's saddle when Remi came out of the forest with his friends behind him.
"What's going on?" Remi asked her.
"Hayden's in trouble," she repeated as she fastened the last bag to Uri's saddle with trembling fingers.
"Zoe! Take this with you," Alice called as she came out the back door, a small bag in her hand.
"What is it?"
"Some first aid things for more serious injuries. I just hope you won't need it."
"Thank you, and so do I."
"Come here," Alice pulled her into a hug, "don't do anything rash, ok."
"Ok," Zoe responded as she was released from the hug and then pulling Remi into her arms. "I'm sorry for leaving so soon, I never get to spend time with you anymore," she said to him sadly.
"It's ok, it was nice seeing you. Come back soon?"
"I will." With that, she jumped into the saddle and slipped her helmet over her head, Uri leaping into the air with several powerful beats of her wings.
-o0O0o-
She was crouching on a sea stack a couple of hundred metres from Viggo's main base, Uri invisible on her left to her so she wouldn't reflect the moonlight, and Atlas on her right. They had run into Atlas, quite literally, the day after Zoe had left the village. He was incredibly distressed, leading them to Viggo's main base where he said that Hayden had been captured. She was waiting for Sharpshot to get back to tell her where Hayden was being kept before she went in to break him out. It was close to thirty minutes before Sharpshot returned, Uri translating what he had said; Hayden was in a cell underground that was made from stone so he couldn't use his fire bending to get out. He was unconscious, but whether that was because he was sleeping or for more sinister reasons, they didn't know, but he didn't have any serious visible wounds which was reassuring, Viggo wasn't known for physical violence after all.
Uri briefly reappeared so Zoe could climb into the saddle before the duo disappeared again. They dropped off the sea stack, using the fall to silently build up enough speed to glide across the top of the water, Atlas and Sharpshot taking to the sky where they would meet up with Uri and Zoe once they had got Hayden.
He groaned as he slowly sat up, his eyes beginning to adjust to the dark cell. He had been stuck in this stupid cell for several days before he gave in and used the whistle that Zoe had given him, the ice shattering in his hands as soon as his breath had passed through it, making no sound whatsoever. He slumped back against the wall with a sigh. At least Atlas had gotten away, even though it took a lot of persuasion for him to go without Hayden. He hoped that Atlas would have found Zoe who would no doubt blast the camp to bits if she needed to with the help of the two furies.
He was drifting back to sleep when he heard a thud, shortly followed by the sound of a key jiggling in the lock of his cell door. He couldn't see as the walls were solid stone and the door was thick metal, the only way for oxygen to reach him through a few small vents in the walls. He moved into the back corner, crouching down, unsure as to who was on the other side of the door; Zoe would typically blast a hole in the wall or earth bend, so it wouldn't be her.
After several seconds of the key being jostled in the door, he finally heard the satisfying click of the latch opening before the door swung open. He stayed as still as he could, still unsure as to who had opened it. He scanned the cell and doorway, seeing and hearing no one, the key still in the lock. He took a few cautious steps forward before he felt a gloved hand press against is mouth, muffling the profanities that came out of his mouth in fright. He felt the other arm curl around is stomach from behind, pulling him back away from the door.
"Here, put this on as quietly as you can," he heard a pleasantly familiar voice say from behind him before the cell door seemed to close off its own accord, the lock clicking back into place. As soon as the door was locked again, Zoe appeared in front of him, turning back around to face him. "I told you to put that on," she said quietly, gesturing the the sack that she had brought with her. He opened the bag, finding his armour and weapons that he had been stripped of when we was taken captive.
"How did you find this?" he asked, genuinely astonished as he began putting on his armour as fast as he could.
"There's always a storage cupboard near the cells," she shrugged.
"Not to doubt you or anything, but how come you locked the door? Were you planning on being kept captive with me?"
All he got was a huff and he was almost certain that she rolled her eyes at him. He watched as she pulled a folded piece of parchment from a spot in her armour, using her ice to pin it to the back wall where it would be clearly in sight to whoever next opened the cell door.
"What's that?" he asked, referring to the parchment.
"A little message for Viggo. I forgot to ask, are you injured? I just assumed since you were standing and alert that you were fine."
"I'm fine, Viggo isn't one for torture, thankfully."
"Good," she nodded. "You ready to go?"
He nodded in affirmation, Zoe crouching down and pressing her palm to the cell floor. A hole opened up beneath them, how deep, he didn't know. "Do you trust me?" she asked without looking at him.
"With my life."
"Good," Was all she said before she grabbed his hand and pushed him over the edge and through the hole where he free fell through the darkness. He would like to say that he didn't scream as he fell, but then he would be lying. Looking up, he saw the hole they had come through disappear and a few seconds later, he felt Zoe take his hand and the speed increase at which they fell.
After what was definitely too long to be free falling through darkness for Hayden, he felt Zoe's arms wrap around his shoulder, pulling him closer to her as she angled both of their bodies so they were falling feet first. A bright blue glow shot out of Zoe's hand, briefly lighting up their surroundings of nothing but stone and empty space. A few seconds later, he heard a screech that bounced off the cavern walls that he would recognise anywhere, Atlas. They were suddenly jerked forward and up slightly as he felt Atlas's claws wrap around his torso, providing him with some comfort and relief. He then felt the weight of Zoe leave him, making him call out to her in a panic.
"Zoe!"
"Relax, I'm just below you," she called up to him. After several minutes of weaving through tunnels and caverns, the star filled sky appeared above them and the ocean below them. Taking a deep breath and enjoying the fresh air, Hayden looked around him to see where Uri and Zoe were, only to see Zoe slightly below and to the right of them using her glider to fly solo, Uri nowhere in sight. He was intrigued, he'd never seen her use her glider before. She made it look so natural and effortless, her feet hooked up and resting on a small rod, her hands gripping onto the handles and the wings spread out above her.
Atlas headed for a large sea stack, dropping Hayden onto it before landing himself, Zoe landing shortly after, collapsing her glider down and attaching it to her belt.
"Where's Uri and Sharpshot?" he asked her.
"They're on their way."
"Care to explain?" he pressed.
"They're releasing the dragons. Thought we'd hit two birds with one stone," she shrugged. Hayden just looked at her in amazement, she sure did her job as fury rider well. He had just taken his helmet off and was about to thank Zoe for breaking him out when Atlas knocked him to the ground.
"Atlas! Back off! I'm glad to see you too. And thank you for saving me," he told his needy dragon as Atlas demanded attention and chin rubs. Once Atlas had calmed down, he looked over at Zoe who was standing with her back to him and staring in the direction of the hunter base. "Are you worried about them?" he asked, Zoe turning to look at him. She still hadn't removed her helmet.
After a pause, she sighed, "of course I am, they're in the main hunter camp and I'm not with them."
He didn't know how to respond or reassure her, so instead he just walked over to her and starred towards the hunter camp. "We can always go back if you want?" he offered quietly after a few minutes of silence.
"I'm not letting you go back there after we only just got you out," she said with a smile and finally removing her helmet.
"Thank you, for getting me out of there. That whistle of yours came in handy after all, and only a month after you gave it to me as well."
"I do have my moments of success," she smirked.
"You have many," he said softly as he looked into her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. And there it was again, the overwhelming desire to just lean down and kiss her. Her armour glowing in the moonlight and the hair that had escaped its braid blowing gently in the wind, her blades and other weapons glistening menacingly, threatening anyone who looked her way. Before he could act on his impulse, Zoe broke the eye contact to stare back at the horizon, relief spreading across her features making Hayden follow her gaze to see Uri leading a large flock of dragons right towards them.
"Thank gods," she breathed as Uri landed on the sea stack, Sharpshot not far behind and the flock of dragons continuing on their way. Zoe immediately rushed to her dragon, Uri pressing her head into Zoe's chest and Zoe's arms wrapping around her dragon's neck, Sharpshot landing on her shoulder and nuzzling her cheek, one of Zoe's hands meeting the terror's head. Hayden watched as they just stood still, dragon and human relishing in each other's safety. He couldn't help thinking how differently the two pairs expressed affection, Atlas and Hayden assaulting each other in an erratic manner with hugs and Atlas drenching Hayden in dragon spit, whereas Zoe and Uri just stood there, their foreheads pressed together or Uri's head against Zoe's chest.
After a few minutes, they broke apart, Zoe seeming to shake herself out of a daze. "You ready to find somewhere to camp for the night?" Hayden asked, "I am very hungry and could do with a good sleep."
"Yeah, lets go. I've left all of our stuff in a cave not far from here. It was still all strapped to Atlas's saddle when we found each other," she added when he gave her a confused look.
-o0O0o-
They were sitting in front of the fire, the two furies curled up in a jumble of limbs with Sharpshot curled up on top of the pile of limbs and scales. Hayden had just finished explaining how he had tried to sneak into Viggo's camp for information but got caught, sending Atlas away before they could capture him too.
"I was worried about you," Zoe whispered so quietly that he barely heard her. She was staring into the fire that was between them, her knees tucked up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs, but looked up to meet his eyes when he didn't respond right away. "I was so worried that you'd been caught by Drago or that they had hurt you." He shuffled around the fire so that he was sitting next to her.
"But I'm fine, so you can stop worrying now," he said softly, wrapping an arm around her back, Zoe leaning into him and resting her head against his shoulder.
"But what if you weren't?" she said looking up at him now.
"Then I have no doubt that you would have made them regret laying a single finger on me," he laughed, glad that he had managed to bring a smile to her face, no matter how small. After a few minutes of silence, Zoe shifted against him, a blue blow coming from her hands. She cupped them together before separating them and making a circular motion, another whistle appearing in her palm.
"Here," she said, handing the whistle to him. "Please just take it," she added in response to his raised eyebrow, "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." He couldn't argue with her on that last comment so he took the whistle, slipping it into his pocket until he could put it on a string.
"Thank you," he whispered, meeting her eyes yet again. He blamed it on the dark and quiet, but before he knew what he was doing, he had pressed his lips to the top of her head.
"What was that?" Zoe asked, making his stomach drop and his face burn.
"I-um-" he stuttered, struggling to explain himself. Then she started laughing at him. At him! "what?" he whined.
"You're hopeless," she laughed. "Come here," she said as she pulled his head down, meeting his lips with her own, pulling away far too soon for his liking. He was in a daze, had she just kissed him? The sound of her laughing again brought his head back to earth.
"Stop laughing!" he said, trying to keep a smile off his face. "And that was pathetic too," he added. Before he lost his confidence, he lifted her chin and this time, he kissed her for real, his lips moving slowly against hers and after a second of hesitation, Zoe's lips moving in synch with his own. After what was definitely not long enough for him, Zoe broke the kiss, turning her head away from him and biting her lip.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" he panicked, sure that he had messed up his friendship with her.
"It's ok," she said quietly, turning to look at him again, "I kissed you first," she said with a small smile. "And it was kinda nice," she added even quieter.
"You're not just saying that?" he asked, still nervous. Deciding that now was the moment for him to tell her his feelings, he summoned the courage to continue talking.
"I'm not just saying that, I-"
"I have to tell you something," he cut in before his nerves got the best of him. "I like you, like more than friends, and I want us to be more than friends. Only if you feel the same," he quickly added, his heart racing and his hands beginning to sweat. The silence was killing him, she was just looking at him, an unreadable expression on her face.
After an agonising amount of time that was probably not even a minute, but felt like forever, Zoe finally spoke and so quietly that he almost missed it, "I feel the same."
"You do?" he blinked in surprise.
"That so hard to believe?" she joked.
"Wow...ok...So does that mean I can call you mine?" he asked rather coyly, Zoe rolling her eyes at his nervousness.
"I suppose I can accept that," she smiled. She adjusted her position so she was tucked under his arm and against his side, making him smile, he finally had the girl he cared most about in all the worlds. It had taken much longer than Alice's predicted 18 months, but better late than never.
"G'night," he whispered as he shifted his position so the two of them could sleep comfortably and pressing another kiss to her forehead, making a smile appear on Zoe's face.