Pacing in his usual spot, the fire guardian called their meeting to start, "I'm assuming all of you are just as concerned about the recent attack just as much as I am?"
They all nod their heads.
"Volteer, do you know if the Grublin are capable of coordinating an attack of this scale?"
"Not ordinarily they aren't. Their intelligence isn't high enough. They have been known to swarm before, but they had us surrounded. It might be dumb luck that they swarmed us like that, but I'm not one for taking chances without knowing all the facts"
Cyril then voices his concern, "are we sure that they aren't just out for revenge and just happening to be gathering from around the land?"
Volteer shakes his head, "if that was the case, we would have seen several small attacks, not one massive one. This implies coordination to some degree."
Cyril just nods his head in agreement.
Flare stops pacing and turns to Terridor, "have you seen or heard of anything like this before?"
"No I haven't, and I didn't hear of any faction splitting from the main army either during the war, especially after what Malefor did to the apes."
"Ok, here's a concerning thought, is there a chance that Malefor is back?"
No one in the room liked that thought but they all agreed that there was no way that he was still alive. Even if he manages to escape the ancients again, he's still stuck at the center of the world. He would surely perish there if he were to leave the confines of his eternal prison.
They continue on about the fortifications of the city and various other things that leaders have to worry about.
Meanwhile, in the City of Warfang, Sam and his newly acquired friends were celebrating their victory with Spyro, Cynder and their groups.
"I still can't believe how much power you have at your disposal Sam!" Smolder has been fascinated with me ever since the raid and I'm not sure how I feel about it…
"I already told you Smolder. You can do it too, you just gotta use your element more."
He groans a bit, "but I don't like to train all the time just to get a little more powerful"
I chuckle a little bit, "I never said you had to train to use your magic more."
He cocked his head a bit, "what do you mean, isn't training how you get your magic stronger?"
"You didn't train to walk did you?"
"No, that's just something I do all the time…" then he gets a little slack jawed as he figures it out. "So you just use your magic all the time too? Like a second nature thing? Don't you run out of energy though when you need it!?"
I roll my eyes a bit and shake my head at him, "you make it sound like I'm using wind blasts all the time during the day. It's not anything so drastic, like right now, I'm just circulating the heat in the room to keep everyone warm."
Spyro punches me on the shoulder, "so that's why when I got closer to the fire it wasn't warmer."
Everyone laughed at that one, he had made sure to get here first to get him and Cynder the warmest seats, but well, I went and foiled those plans.
I then noticed that the air was starting to get warmer and almost hot, then I looked over at smolder again and he's glowing, "dude, not so much, you'll make people more bothered than comfortable."
He pouts and let's his power fade, "sorry, I was just trying it out."
I smile at him, "try it again, this time just don't use as much, it doesn't take much. Just breathe with your energy"
I snake my tail under the table and touch one of his talons so he can't feel it and I try to help him regulate his energy flow. It's a new skill I've picked up while I was flying with lumus and I haven't quite gotten the hang of it, but it should be enough to help him.
He starts up his power again, but at a much lighter intensity. He's still running a little hot so I pull his powers in as gently as I could. It works quite well to heat up the room from a barely comfortable temperature to a nice and cozy one.
He gets a little giddy from it, "oh wow! That's nice, do you really do this all the time?"
"Ya, I don't always do practical things with it like this time I mostly just play with it and see what other applications it can have. Like for example, you could be a really good chef if you learn to regulate the temperature of your flames really well."
Then from across the table Crystal blind sides me, "how have you not gotten yourself a girl yet?"
I splutter, "what?!"
"Or are you into males? I mean, you are we too sweat to pass up."
Way too many heads turned to look at me, do… Do I look like a femboy or something?!
Quake looked at Crystal with a shocked almost insulted expression, "what are you trying to say babe?"
"Oh don't worry, you know I love you."
He breaths a sigh of relief.
Then Lumus leans in with a mischievous look on her face, "ya Sam, you haven't even tried to hit on me and I live in the same house as you." She bounced her brows a bit as a taunt.
I move my mouth up and down a bit with a shocked expression, not knowing what to say to that, but then I get a devious grin of my own.
She was still looking at me like she had me at her mercy and I just licked her on the nose and started a partial conversation with Spyro to leave her in shock. Everyone else just started laughing and a few had disappointed looks on their faces.
What do people even see me as?
The party continued on for a couple more hours, I got teased a few more times and Smolder ran out of juice toward the end, that's probably why everyone decided to leave to be honest. Lumus did act weird around me for the rest of the party too, I hope I didn't make her uncomfortable around me from now on.
It was a quiet walk home and I wasn't going to bother Spyro and Cynder's time with my own worries. I'll just talk to her later and apologize.
The Guardians still have us on call in case there are any more raids heading our way, but they're pretty sure that there isn't going to be another attack, at least that's what they said at the meeting. I personally don't know, I don't have any experience with war and I hope it stays that way too.
It was later in the evening now. Everyone had settled down and was getting ready to go to bed. I however was in the garden, I had some thinking to do.
Did I make Lumus upset with me? I mean she hasn't exactly had a good experience with any kind of social life until just recently and even then it's only been with us three and the guardians. I hope I don't turn her into an introvert, or worse. I still hate myself for that even now. I was just trying to be a good friend, but I ignored the signs. I should have seen it coming. He was hiding his pain like I was, but I left him alone, because that's how I would have wanted it myself. I realised too late that he was starved of any kind of positive connection in his life and that I indulged him too much too soon after he got his freedom. I just pray I don't make the same mistake with Lumus that I did with him.
Loving me is a mistake…….
"Whatcha thinkin bout"
I nearly jump out of my scales at the sound of Lumus' voice.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that."
I collect myself while still holding a paw to my chest, "I'm fine, I was just lost in thought is all. So what brings you in here this late?"
"Well actually," her scales turned a very light shade of pink, "I was looking for you, I was wanting to know if I could have another sleepover in your room." I was getting ready to cut her off from getting too close, but she caught me off guard.
"I'm just so jealous of your pillow hoard! It's soooo comfortable I just want to melt into them and never wake up."
It was more innocent than I thought, I guess my hormones are just getting the best of me
"Oh? So you expect me to share" I raise an eyebrow in mock snobbish.
She just pouts at me
I give up the act and try and point it out, "don't you think Spyro and Cynder will get the wrong idea? I mean we barely explained our way out of the last time and I still don't think they bought it. That reminds me, I'm sorry about earlier today, I didn't mean to make the rest of the party uncomfortable for you." I look down a little forecasted.
She brings up a paw and lifts up my chin, "it's fine Sam, I just got a little flustered from how bold you were about it. I didn't think you would be able to get out of that one so easily, let alone turn it against me." She giggled a bit, she then put a quick peck on my nose.
I was speechless. She just laughed at my expression, I probably looked like an idiot sitting there trying to process what just happened.
"I Uh, what?"
"Don't think about it too hard, just consider it my revenge."
I just shake my head in defeat, "we'll go ahead, the door should be open. I'll sleep out here tonight."
I get a swit tail to the back of the head, "like hell you are, it's freezing out here. If you're that averse to sleeping in the same room as me you should just say so!"
She was looking at me with a tint of anger on her face. Did that really offend her?
"That's not what I meant, I just thought it was a nice night tonight." I was lying through my teeth, but if I tell her it's me and not her, she'll take it the wrong way too.
Her expression gentled, but I could tell she was still angry. "You promised to be more open with us." She motioned for us to move to the canopy. "We're here for you," she laid down on the cushions and gestured for me to join her. "Now, Tell me what's really bothering you, besides the fact you seem to have an aversion to girls"
"I don't have an aversion to girls, Lumus. I just…"
"You know, most guys go with 'I'm not gay' so what's the deal?"
"Excuse me?"
"Just a quick change of topic, so are you?"
"Gay?"
"Are you?"
"No, at least I don't think so. I don't really have any real experience with love. I tend to avoid it."
"Ah, so I didn't actually change the topic, so who's making you question your sexualality? Wouldn't happen to be Smolder would it?"
"Oh god no, I'm hoping he doesn't have a hard on for me like some of the other guys at the party."
"You know, some of the chicks there were jealous of you right?"
"But why!? What about me do the guys find attractive?!"
"You should know, I mean you are one."
"Oh haha, you know I'm not like those horn dogs"
"Well then I guess you wouldn't know then. Well they're after the new tightest hole in town"
"Oooh k, did not need to know that!"
"Well you asked"
"It just never occurred to me is all, this is normal for me."
"You're exotic that's all, they're horny and they want to try it."
"Is that why you're attracted to me?"
"No, I honestly just like your personality…" she put her paws over her mouth and looked like she was ready to bolt. I just put a wing over her so she couldn't
"So you do like me, well, I can't say I don't like you too," my expression darkens, "but the last few times I fell in love. It didn't end well…"
She lowers her paws and looks at me with a concerned look, "what happened to you?"
"I just made some bad choices is all, I don't want to drag you into it"
"No I don't mean that, you survived the war by running from it the whole time, but you have a ton of life experience, so what happened to you?"
"If I told you that, you would probably hate me…"
"Honestly, I hated everyone until I met you three. so unless you committed war crimes I don't think I'd hate you."
"What if I told you I wasn't originally a dragon or that I never used to be in this world until about a year ago?"
"I'd say that would explain a lot, but I fail to see how that would make me hate you."
"I guess, but wouldn't that make me a liar and a fake?"
"Not really, I'm guessing you did it to find a better life though. So I wouldn't judge you because honestly I would probably do the same thing. Anyway, what actually happened? Or was your hypothetical actually the truth?"
I just gave her a slight nod
"Ok then, what were you in your past?"
"We called ourselves humans"
"Well those don't exist here so are there any creatures here that resemble them?"
Yes…
"I'm assuming that look on your face means they do. Ya gonna tell me?"
I hesitate to answer, but I can't leave her in the dark now. I've let her in, I can't block her now.
I gulp, "apes…."
She looks at me a little funny and sighs, "well I could see why you would want to hide that and you definitely should, but you don't seem to act like the apes. So I'm assuming that what you were was different right?"
"Ya, we're what the apes could have become. Not much of an improvement if you look at our world as a whole, but it has hope."
"I see, well if they're capable of empathy like you are, then there is definitely hope."
"Ya, I guess."
"So that's where your glow brick came from Huh?"
I turned to her shocked, "how did you know about that!?" She's talking about my phone
She shrugged "I snooped through your room."
She said that so nonchalantly, wow.
"Anyway, now that I know your secret, I own you"
What…. oh no.
"That means I get to demand cuddles whenever I want! Got it!"
Huh?
"Good thing I happen to know you like to cuddle"
"Not gonna lie, I thought you were gonna turn super villain on me there."
"Oh please, it's not like anyone would believe me if I told them anyway"
"Oh so that means you can't demand cuddles whenever you want?" I say a little too cheekily.
She pouts a bit but relents, "fine I guess not, but things won't be weird now will it?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know that I like you now…"
"Oh that… honestly, I really want to give it a shot, but I'm scared. I don't want to drag you into my drama."
"So am I if I'm being honest too, but I've never felt this way about someone else. So, and I know asking someone this is rude, but would you take that chance with me?"
I smile, "it's not necessarily rude, but it is bold. Heh, but if you're willing to put up with the mess that is me. Would you like to go out on a date this weekend?"
"I would love too, but I would love to snuggle now if that's a possibility?"
"Well, I don't know, I mean the last time you cried on me and got my favorite pillow wet." I stick my tongue out at her with a playful smirk on my face.
She lightly pawed my muzzle and got up, "well then let's go, I can hear those pillows calling my name." She starts heading to the garden exit but I stop her halfway.
"Um, one more thing. Can we just keep this to ourselves for a while? You know how those two are."
"Ya, and Cynder will wanna do double dates. So I'm ok with keeping this to ourselves for a while, but we can't let it hurt our friends either."
"Of course. So shall we?"
She didn't answer, she just bolted. She's after the good pillows damnit! I give chase as quietly as I could without waking the other two.
In the end we ended up having the soft pillows between us while we held paws under them.
I don't know why she fell for me and I don't know why my secret didn't scare her off either, but it was nice to have someone with me now. She can be my anchor and me for her. Together we can survive the destinies we have in store for us.
