"Every traveler has a home of his own, and he learns to appreciate it the more from his wandering." - Charles Dickens(attributed to)

Homeward Bound

They landed together at midday on a mountain ridge not far from the place where they had caught the prey before flying that final flight off what had seemed the edge of the world. It was perfectly safe as there were no signs of any human civilization anywhere within sight. The exhaustion of almost a half-day aloft and fighting the wind had left them quite tired. And the flight had not been mere flight alone after all.

She flamed the rock for several moments while he stared in renewed amazement.

Her fire is very, very hot. I bet it is even hotter than mine. That is a strange thought.

She lay herself down on the warmed rocks and expectantly purred at him. He wasted no time before he went over, snuggled against her side, entwined tails with her, and covered her with a wing for good measure.

"For warmth..." he chuckled.

Her ears lifted in amusement.

"You said that before," she laughed.

"I think I knew very deep in my liver how I wanted this flight to end. My liver knew even if my head did not know. When did you know that you wanted me?" he asked.

"As my life-mate?"

"Yes."

"There was no one sun when I knew. But I did start feeling a warmth in my liver whenever I saw you play with Was-Grounded's and Green-Wings's little ones. Seeing Rain-Eater hatch reminded me that new-life is good and that I am not hurt now. The cold-season food-eating-ceremony and sleeping after was very warming how you put your wing over me. That told me that you wanted me even if you did not know it yet. I could not... would not have taken another even if there were others I could choose from."

She closed her eyes and nuzzled his neck.

"No other has seen into my life-flight how you have," she softly added.

They both hummed in peace and exhaustion.

"What happened in the sky?" he wondered.

"We fell far together..." she laughed.

"Yes, but not that. Why could I not see you? You were nothing but a shadow that I could see through like water."

She ruffled her wings slightly and looked up at the sky.

"It happened after I flew through my own circle-fire cloud. My scales and hide felt warmer. Even I could not see me. I did not remember that I could do that. It is a way of hiding from all eyes," she grumbled.

She laughed again.

"That could be very warming to be able to hide from all eyes. I could foul so many flights for fun!"

He gave a wary hum and nudged her side.

"You would not want to hide from me, would you?"

"That depends on how twisted your life-flight is..." she very seriously answered while softly squeezing his tail.

"But think about it, Luna. I could not see you. I do not think any kin can see you when you are hiding that way. No two-leg can see you. This makes you much safer up here. You can always make yourself not seen now!"

Her relieved croon followed as she thought about it.

"It could be. It might only help at night, but it does make me feel much safer. I will try it in the sun."

She sighed and lay her head on the ground. Several peaceful moments passed before she spoke again.

"Shadowwing, what will you do when we get back?"

"What do you mean?"

"About your life-flight to make peace with other two-leg nests and make their livers warm to kin. What will you do with that flight?"

"I want to still fly that flight. It helps all in the Haven-range to have the other two-leg nests near us know that kin are not Monsters."

She hummed as she considered it.

"I do see the lift in that. Try to make no rot and hate grow in their livers, and they might leave us to live in peace. That is a good flight to fly."

He licked her cheek at her approval.

"Will you fly that flight with me?" he asked.

"What?" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Two-legs think that you are very warming to look at. Your color does not say danger or fear-making to them. You could fill their livers with warmth only by letting them see you."

She warily hummed for several moments.

"I will fly with you, but I do not want to fly into their nests. That would be much danger for me, even if I could make myself not-seen."

"Truly? You would fly that with me?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes, you are my life-mate."

She rolled her eyes.

"And someone should be there to help when you fly into trouble."

"What? Me fly into trouble?"

She gave him a knowing look and gently knocked his head with her own.

"Danger seems to fly after your tail in all your life-flight. From being the first two-leg to life-bond with a kin, fly with a kin, ground or kill two Monsters, and fly yourself into possible traps. You have no in-hatched knowing of how to keep safe your life-flight."

"That has not happened on these flights. I will not fly to kin-hating nests."

"You do not know that before you fly. You got bit in the chest by one of their long-tooth-sticks before. And one of the nests might have rot and might trick you."

"I will not fly myself or you into danger."

She hummed softly and gave a wary grumble as she slowly got to her feet.

"That is good of you. I would not want you to get yourself grounded. But you did make a mistake."

He tilted his head in confusion as she stepped away and turned to him.

"What mistake?"

"You trusted a kin."

"What kin?" he warily asked.

"This one," she hummed.

As fast as lightning, she leapt at him and knocked him onto his back. And she pinned him, not that he especially tried to fight back as she climbed on him. This was rough play for the sake of rough play.

Totally worth it even if I am...

"Grounded..." she laughed and started licking his cheek.

He lifted a forelimb and started gently beating at her head.

"You dare attack the great Night Fury!" he laughed up at her.

She stepped back from him to dodge the attacks and gave him a playful look as he got to his feet.

"Truly? Where is this Night Fury you talk about? He might be a good mate for me. This though..." she waved at him.

Shadowwing grumbled at her and deeply sighed while rolling his eyes.

"You pointed to all of me..."

She laughed, hopped over to him, and joined him again at his side on the warm rocks. He draped a wing over her and nuzzled her softly.

Oh Luna, you laugh so much now.

She gave a somewhat wary hum, clearly being deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"I do see the good and the lift in your flight to the other two-leg ranges. But you do know that those flights, if they do start, will need to stop one sun."

"What!" he exclaimed in alarm.

"Yes, all my sun-cycles will go to sitting and singing to the egg if I get one. You will need to be there for me. And you would need to sit the egg with me," she softly nosed his shoulder.

"Me?" he gasped.

"Yes, the sire must sit the egg and sing or talk to it if he wants the little one to know his voice and have many words. And I will need to leave the cave-den for some little time to relieve myself and drink water."

"I can do all that, but there are no other kin who can do what I do..."

She looked away from him and stared out over the landscape in a very pregnant pause. Her voice was firm but solemn when she spoke.

"You will need to choose what life-winds to fly and who you will fly for. Life with me might lead into different skies that do not see much of two-legs."

"No, I cannot think that," he groaned.

"Why not?"

He gave no answer for a long time.

"We will fly those skies if we get to them," he eventually moaned.

"And if we do end up in those skies? If you must choose the two-leg world or me, what would you choose? Liver-truth," she continued.

He hesitated.

"I must know," she faintly growled.

He whined.

"Please... Shadowwing," she whispered.

"I gave you my liver and life-flight. I would choose you," he barely whispered.

She snuggled against his neck with a very deep croon and did not move from there. She was soon asleep. He calmed somewhat as well as he felt her breath and the slow beats of her heart. And he looked out over the desolate landscape of small mountains, fjords, grey rocks, snow, lichens, and mosses. He also remembered the strange and beautiful world hidden deep underground.

Together, those worlds were wild, free, dangerous, and unbounded by custom and laws. They were the opposite of everything that seemed human; tamed, controlled, mostly safe, and well-defined with expectations. One was mysterious and the other needed to explain everything away. Mystery against the known. Free and wild against a need to control and subdue.

I... what is happening to me?

He eventually closed his eyes, lost himself in the sound of her breaths, and fell asleep with her under his wing and her tail woven around his.

They flew down from the sky, spinning back to back, as they roared aloud in the joy of flight. Tagging tails and flanks as they fouled each other's flights. Down onto the highest peak where they threw out their wings and touched down to behold the world ahead.

A wide range of green that stretched out to the ocean. And far down the range was a growing village. The massive perches and Great Hall were visible from up here, as were the many dragons of all colors spinning in the air and flying for fun.

"We are home," he hummed.

"Not yet, my mate. I have not yet seen our great nest-den," she teased.

He whipped her tail and laughed.

"Let me show you to it."

They dove down the mountainside together, flying dangerously close to the rocks as they went. They threw out their wings and landed outside the very familiar cave. She stood at his side and rubbed against his shoulder as they both stared inside the place that they knew so well.

They entered side by side and looked around the interior. He sat down and watched as she strolled around the place and inspected it as if for the first time.

"What do you think, my love? Is this big enough for you? Should I go bring back piles of fish and sing you many songs to get you to stay here?"

She stuck out her tongue and hopped over to him.

"I like that I will be nesting and sleeping here always now," she hummed.

"It will need some changes. We can work on it with many suns to make it less mine and more ours."

"I do not need many things, unlike you. I only want your tail to hold and you with me," she laughed.

"And you will have those. What should we do first? Do you want to sleep?"

"Not now. I think we should let the others know that we are back. They will want to know that we are safe and that we are life-mates now."

They bounded outside the cave and took to the air for the short flight. However, the other cave was empty when they got there.

"They must be down in the Haven-nest," he muttered.

Sure enough, he did not need to go looking for any of them. They were all already at the nearest fish station to get their dinner before retiring for the evening. Further, Valka was right there with them giving Aurora a lesson while helping to keep an eye on the little ones as they dashed around in play.

A cry went up as they flew in and touched down. Dragons all around roared at his return. And of course the other Night Furies all immediately bounded for them both as Valka ran up as well.

"You are here!" Dawn-Singer yelled.

"Play! Play!" Aurora cried.

Rain-Eater dashed for them with a happy growl.

"Little ones!" Luna eagerly laughed as she bounded forward toward them.

To her credit, Aurora held her ground and even pounced in a brave attempt to nibble at ears. The battle was joined when Dawn-Singer joined in on his sister's attack and added his greater bulk to the duel.

Shadowwing, Was-Grounded, and Green-Wings all looked on in warm amusement.

Was-Grounded stepped up to him, made a point of smelling him, and gave him a very, very toothy grin and a deep rumble.

"Brother, is there something that you want to tell us?"

"I think you know already, but Luna and I are life-mates now," Shadowwing proudly announced.

Was-Grounded and Green-Wings both laughed aloud as they regarded both of them.

"Life-mates without any young first, that is different. But you are a twisted kin, so I am not surprised by much from you now. I am surprised that you won her. What did you do? Tail-twisting displays?" Was-Grounded snidely asked.

"What? No, I did not win her. You are the twisted one now."

"Wait, she claimed you?" Was-Grounded mumbled in confusion.

"No, we both chose the other. I do not know how to say more or better," Shadowwing mumbled.

Was-Grounded gently nudged his shoulder.

"It was the same for me and Green-Wings. She helped me kill the thought-rotted male when she could have flown away. I did not win her. She chose me, and I chose her."

Luna extricated herself from the battle and bounded over to them. Green-Wings stepped over to her and licked her on the cheek.

"To welcome you into the nest in truth now," Green-Wings explained.

Was-Grounded did the same and licked Luna on the cheek while she fondly hummed back at them both.

"Brother, I should tell you now that I told Green-Wings the truth about... us in the past," Was-Grounded explained.

Shadowwing reacted without thinking and pounced, quickly pinning his brother to the ground with his jaws around the back of his neck.

"I deserved that..." Was-Grounded groaned.

"Yes, you did," Shadowwing hummed after giving him a thrashing and letting him go.

Shadowwing stiffened and glanced at Green-Wings.

"It changes nothing to me except I understand your twistedness. You were kin to us always. We told none and will tell none," Green-Wings immediately said.

"That is good. I told Luna. We should tell none of our little ones. Let that twisted past never be known to any others," Shadowwing whispered.

The four of them shared warm purrs of agreement. Green-Wings's ears went up as she turned to Luna.

"What did you think about that?" Green-Wings asked.

"I do not know if I would have taken him if I knew that before," the glint in Luna's eyes and her warm purr betrayed her words, "but I think he was always a kin in his liver."

"I agree," Was-Grounded purred.

Shadowwing only chuffed and rolled his eyes. Luna turned her attention back to the unrelenting and playful children readying themselves for combat. The battle resumed.

"She is already practiced with little ones without having any of her own. Yet-" Was-Grounded chuckled mischievously and bumped his shoulder again.

"Thank you for telling me that. I do know how life-making happens," Shadowwing mumbled.

Was-Grounded purred in happiness and amusement when Aurora viciously pinned Luna's nose to the ground with Dawn-Singer helping a little. Or maybe it was only Luna letting the little ones ground her. Rain-Eater started joined in and started chewing on her tail.

"And one more good thing about you both becoming mates is that our young might find mates of their own here with enough season-cycles," he added.

Shadowwing froze as he tried to figure out how to convey the obvious problem with that.

"We are from the same nest and that makes our young from the same, bigger nest. Is it good for kin to take mates from their own like-same-nest?"

"Do you remember when you met Green-Wings the first time in our den?" Was-Grounded asked.

"Yes."

"You and I have somewhat different smells," he said.

"Yes, but what does that mean?"

"We hatched from one egg, but we are not the same body only made twice. There might be no problem with our young wanting one from the other nest for a mate. And our young will not want each other for mates if I am wrong."

Shadowwing blinked and shook his head as he tried to absorb this news.

Wow, that is strange to think about. We are not truly twins, kind of already knew that though. And it will be quite a few years before any of that can happen.

Perhaps the strangest idea of them all sparked to life and reduced him to fits of laughter.

"What is twisted in your thinking now?" Was-Grounded curiously hummed.

Shadowwing recovered himself and stepped close to him.

"Think about it, all Night Furies and Light Furies might come from us..."

They both blinked at the idea and laughed with abandon.

"Just twisting your tail!" Shadowwing added after catching his breath.

They both observed their mates standing at the other's shoulder and staring at them in amusement.

"Egg-mates..." "Males..." "Your not-two-leg mate twisted mine..." "They both are..."

"Brother, did you need to find a life-mate who wants to twist my liver always?" Shadowwing teased.

"That is part of what is most warming about her," Was-Grounded countered.

The laughter resumed until Shadowwing found Valka standing in front of him and giving his head a hug. Apparently she had lost patience with standing around and waiting for her turn.

"I missed you both very much. I guess you did not find her family."

He only shook his head at that.

"How was the rest of the adventure? Anything good happen?"

You can say that. Wow, I am going to talk to my mom about this. Totally love it...

He took a breath to steady himself as he felt Luna come and stand at his side.

Yes, something good happened

"What?"

He deliberately draped a wing over Luna's back while keeping his eyes firmly on the dirt as he wrote.

We are mates now

I love her

Slowly and sheepishly, he eventually looked up at Valka. She had her mouth open and was looking back and forth between him and Luna.

"You told her about us being mates, right?" Luna whispered.

"Yes."

She squared her shoulders and leaned against him while looking confidently at Kin-liver. Of course, what any two-leg thought about their being mates would not change anything for her. Still, she would much rather have Kin-liver's approval than not since Kin-liver was now a strange type of kin to her through Shadowwing. A type of two-leg second-dam. And in addition to that, this was the two-leg who worked her clever fingers and made her own wings be whole again. For that alone, Kin-liver would be her kin always.

"And what does that mean?" Valka nervously asked.

He stared at her and groaned, almost too embarrassed to answer.

We were together

"No, not that. Of course you were together. I mean, what does that mean for both of you? Some dragons are mates for only a while and they move on."

Oh, now I understand.

"Why is she sad?" Luna wondered.

"She is not sad. She wants to know if we are life-mates."

"Always," she replied without hesitation and rubbed against his shoulder for emphasis.

"I know," he rumbled back.

For life obviously

Of all the things which he thought that Valka might do, kneel over in laughter was not one of them and it puzzled him greatly. He lifted an eye-ridge and voiced his confusion while wearing what had to be a very silly expression. She eventually recovered herself with a thoroughly wild grin on her face.

"Well, I am happy for you both. I actually wondered if this would ever happen."

Really?

"Of course, you two love spending time together, she is very smart, you trust each other, and there is no one else that either of you could both take for your own."

He tipped his head to concede her points.

"Lots of other people were wondering why you had not done anything yet."

That made him freeze and look back at her in confusion and faint alarm.

What do you mean?

Lots of people?

Valka seemed to fumble for a moment as she searched for words.

"Oh, some people, not I of course, may have been making... small... bets about whether anything would... happen... between you and her this spring."

What!

Some people?

"Eh, five or six..."

He relaxed somewhat.

Oh, that is not so bad...

"...dozen," Valka sheepishly finished.

"What!" he exclaimed.

Valka was suddenly very interested by the shapes of the clouds, though she could not wipe off her giddy grin. At least she was until Luna stepped over before her and slowly wrote.

Dragonheart happy?

Valka lifted her hands and gently held the sides of Luna's head.

"I am very happy for you both, my dears. You will be good for each other. And Luna..."

Luna blinked.

"... don't let him do anything too crazy with his life now. You know how he is."

He only reluctantly translated that part, much to Luna's amusement.

"What is going on here?" Chief Thorvald bellowed as he approached with his wife Sifa and fellow dragonrider Skald in tow. Their children followed closely behind and were quickly greeted by some very friendly young Furies. The adults all paused as they saw Shadowwing with a wing draped over Luna's back and Dragonheart looking quite giddy.

"So, what is the news?" Thorvald asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"They are a pair now!" Valka joyfully shouted.

Shadowwing groaned and rolled his eyes.

Oh, by the skies, can this get any worse?

Everyone looked at them both and no one said anything for a moment. Skald held out an open palm toward Thorvald.

"Pay up..."

This was repeated several times throughout the gradually gathering audience.

Well, she did say that they were taking bets... oh gods... this cannot get any worse.

"Alright, this is an occasion. Another pair of Furies. Wonderful! I call for a feast to celebrate the union!" Thorvald announced.

Shadowwing slumped to the ground in complete and utter dismay.

And there it is, it just got worse... great!

"Must all in the range hear?" he nearly bellowed.

Luna laughed and stepped away from him.

"Let them know. I am hungry for fish," she teased.

"I know it is fun to twist my liver, but I am hungry. And do you know what hungry kin do?" he answered.

"What, oh mighty Night Fury?"

Shadowwing began walking past her, his eyes cast skyward.

"They eat everything!" he bellowed as he lunged for Luna's tail.

She flicked her tail out of the way, and the only thing he ate was the dirt. And what was left of his pride. Several more of the villagers turned out to laugh at the antics.

He closed his eyes in renewed embarrassment only to feel something soft and leathery brush against his nose a moment later. It was one of her large tailfins.

He got to his feet and followed her as she walked toward the nearest fish station. It was completely impossible for him to stay at all frustrated with her.

What is this magic she has over me?

She happily walked forward and began gobbling up the plumpest fish that remained. He snagged a couple salmon for himself and backed away to make room for the other dragons to return.

However, he saw Valka beckoning him over to her a few moments later.

"She will be living with you now."

He nodded.

"That is an adjustment. It was not so easy for your father and me at first. To lose all privacy and have nothing hidden from each other. You learn things about the other person that you couldn't know before. You can always talk to me if you want to."

Thank you

She went down on her knees and demanded his attention without saying anything.

"You keep her safe," she whispered, her voice suddenly choked with emotion.

I will

"I could not have imagined how hard it would be to lose your father until it actually happened all those years ago. I learned how to live with it. And it happened again in another far worse way. I hope you never have to feel what I have felt."

He gave her a gentle hug without writing any words. They were not needed.

"I love you too, son. Now go on, I think she is waiting for you."

He looked and sure enough Luna was gazing in his direction. Aurora and Rain-Eater had returned to Green-Wings's side, leaving Luna alone. She looked quite solemn at the moment.

"What is chilling you?" he asked.

"Playing with their little ones makes my liver very warm. I hope that I will be able to do that with little ones of our own."

He softly nuzzled her nose.

"You will. We will."

He stepped back with a very wide smirk and happy chuckle.

"You should all hear that the two-legs want to have a much-food-eating ceremony to... celebrate Luna and me being mates," Shadowwing announced for their benefit.

Both Green-Wings and Was-Grounded perked up and hummed at that.

"Another food-eating ceremony. Two-legs have better ideas the more I learn about them," Green-Wings chuckled.

"You were never at the food-eating-ceremonies they had in the cold-seasons back on my old nest-island. There were so many four-legs with meat dripping with fat. And roaring fires to soak your scales with warmth. Those ceremonies were even warmer and more belly-filling than the last one we had in the cold-season," Was-Grounded eagerly hummed at good memories.

It was the largest feast of the year. Trees were felled for firewood, cattle were slaughtered, and barrels of ale were brought out of storage. Dozens were gathered in the Great Hall. And there were also a lot of Nords there to celebrate.

Shadowwing laughed to himself as he watched the merry gathering.

Not that they need much reason. Any excuse to eat and drink is good enough for them after all.

All the Night Furies were gathered at their reserved table. Dawn-Singer and Aurora furiously scribbled on the paper that was always laid out for them, and they turned to the writing box when the paper ran out. At least, they did so in between the mouthfuls of chicken, goat, and cod.

This feast was only different in its main star. Almost literally with how her scales reflected the firelight. She sat peacefully at his side and watched all the revelry. Dozens of villagers came up to her to bow and give her their congratulations along with a celebratory fish. She acknowledged them all with a polite nod and hum.

As for him, he was completely content to hold her at his side and drape a wing over her back.

Gobber came over to the table while rolling a barrel.

"Ach Shadowwing, think ya can help me with this one?"

He nodded and helped him to right the barrel. Gobber opened it and brought forth a massive mug from somewhere.

"Alrighty, drink up!" he handed him the dragon-sized mug.

Wait, what!

"Oh yeah, it's part of tha ceremony after all! Ya must drink up or its bad luck!"

Shadowwing glanced at the frothy, amber liquid.

"Is this the happy-water?" Luna asked.

"Yes, it is. I think that we..."

She buried her muzzle in the barrel and emerged moments later with a very odd, puzzled expression on her face as she furiously licked the foam from her lips.

"That taste is very twisting, almost rotted but not."

She drank some more.

"Well, I never... ha... We might need another barrel for ye all!" Gobber laughed heartily.

Luna noticed Valka standing nearby and watching them.

"I will play with Kin-liver!"

Luna got to her feet, dashed over to Valka, and began prancing around her while laughing and trying to avoid the hand to chin attack. Dawn-Singer and Aurora joined in by chasing after their closest friends as well.

Shadowwing could not restrain his hum of pure bliss at all the playful revelry.

Thorvald stepped over and approached him.

"We are happy for you both. Very glad that this happened."

Thank you

"Will you both be living up in your cave still?"

Yes, he nodded.

"Ok, you just let me know if you do ever want to come down to the village. We would certainly be willing to build you a place."

I'm not sure she would ever want that, but maybe.

Thorvald returned to his table, and Shadowwing resumed watching the peaceful celebration. Luna eventually turned away from chasing after Valka and bounded after him instead. He was not expecting it at all and was tackled as she climbed onto his back.

"Luna! What are you doing?"

"Pinning you!" she closed her jaws on his neck and gently thrashed him.

All the surrounding people laughed and slapped their sides.

"I think we know who is in charge there..." "Just like my wife!" "He has no hope..." "She wears the pants... if dragons wore pants..." "Get a cave..."

Luna eventually let him go and laughed at all the surrounding laughter, even though she did not know all of what they had said. Shadowwing saw everyone around him laughing at his expense and could not remain frustrated with them at all. He joined in with them.

Chief Thorvald stepped up at the head of the assembly and got everyone's attention.

"We are Nords! We hardly need an excuse to celebrate!"

"Here, here!" "That's right!" "More ale!" "Why'rre we parrtyinng?"

"We are here to celebrate two of our own! Two whom we love! Shadowwing and Luna!"

Mugs were raised all throughout the Hall, as were several loud whistles.

"And just think, if everything went well, this winter there will be two more little Night or Light Furies here to celebrate with us next time!"

"Yeah!" "So cute!" "Ale!" "Waht're Nitefurrriess?"

"This is a glorious start to the year! The gods have been good to us and will continue to be so! To the future!"

Human and dragon voices were lifted to the ceiling in a happy roar of celebration.

Author's Note – You should check out 'To Fly The Winds Of Life' chapter 7 for a bit more Shadowwing-Luna bonding time on the flight back home.