Chapter 2

After a few hours of explaining, Star finally understood what had happened back in the clearing. "Ah. I see." She said. "So that guy has a bone to pick with you because you stopped him from taking over a trade village."

"Yes. I broke his arm so I thought he wouldn't be able to wield a sword again but I guess I was wrong." Said Silver.

"So now he's out for revenge, and won't stop till he makes you pay for that." She guessed. "Well until then you're free to hang around here till he gives up."

"I wouldn't want to be a burden on you, Star."

"Nonsense. Besides it would be good to have some more company. Zephyr isn't exactly easy to have a conversation with."

"Okay then, Star. If you insist." He said with a small smile. "I'll help in any way I can to pull my weight."

Star smiled at that, "That's good to know. Well I guess we should get some sleep, it's already past midnight. You can sleep on the couch if you want."

He yawned loudly showing his own tiredness. "Okay Star. Goodnight." With that he climbed onto the couch and fell asleep before she even left the room.

The next morning when he woke up he got his first good look at the inside of Star's home. It was decorated the way any normal log cabin in the woods would be. It had a large fireplace with ashes in it from the last fire. There were shelves with plants and spices that Star had probably found in the forest. There was a table big enough for 2 or 3 people to sit at and eat while being in front of the fire place. There were two other doors in the house other than the one that led outside. He figured one led to Star's room, but wasn't sure where the other door led.

A few minutes later Star came out of her room in a lunar gray shirt and plain white pants and gave him a happy smile, "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah I did," he answered. "It looks like being in a fight that could get you killed really takes a lot out of you."

"Okay. Can you go get some water from the spring behind the house so I can make breakfast?"

"Sure." He grabbed the bucket that held water and went out to get the water.

Star smiled over at Zephyr who had been awake long before Silver had. "You seem to think he can be trusted if you haven't growled at him at all."

Just then Zephyr did something Star had never expected to happen. "You are right my friend. I believe Silver can be trusted. I think he trusts you as well to have left his sword away from him last night."

"Wh-wh-wh-what?" she yelled. "You can talk?"

"Yes quite well actually. Now can you please lower your voice before Silver thinks something happened to you?" he answered.

She managed to get her volume under control, "How long have you been able to talk, Zephyr?"

"Since I was born. I just thought it might scare you a little to know that when you first found me so I kept it a secret till something like this happened."

"I-I see. Well thank you for finally telling me. I guess I should let Silver know you can talk too."

"Very well."

A few minutes later Silver came back into the cabin with the water. "I heard what happened outside." He turned his gaze over to Zephyr, "I thought there was something special about you. So you CAN talk."

"Yes I can. I'm impressed your powers of observation are great enough to detect a secret I've kept for many years. You truly are who I thought you were."

"Wait, Silver you knew Zephyr could talk just from knowing him a few minutes when I've known him for years? And what does he mean by who he thought you were. Who ARE you?" asked Star with a confused look on her face.

Silver sighed "Well I guess this would have come up eventually. A few years ago I was an assassin in the wars that nearly destroyed our country."

"You were an assassin? You killed people without a single ounce of guilt or regret?"

"Yes. And I regret doing so. That's why I threw away my sword and I've vowed never to kill another living being as long as I live." Explained Silver. "Now I travel around trying to somehow atone for all the lives I've taken."

Hearing all this, Star was in such a state of shock she couldn't process it all. So she did what anyone would expect and fainted. She would have hit the table had Silver not caught her. "I expected this to happen. No one would be able to take in all that without something happening."

"I agree with you," said Zephyr. "though I expected her to start shouting and asking a lot of questions that would take forever to answer."

Silver couldn't help but laugh at that, "Yeah. But maybe I should lay her down. Can you tell me which door leads to her room?"

Zephyr pointed to the door on the left, "That's her room right there. Just make sure you don't move anything because she gets pretty angry if you touch something of hers."

"Ok thanks, Zephyr." To make it easier to carry her he picked her up bridal style and carried her into her room. Star's room was decorated like a teenage girl's but without the posters of movie stars or famous rock stars. The walls weren't colored, just plain wood; there were several dressers and a big vanity mirror on the far right wall. There was a large bed that appeared to be a queen size in the far left corner. When he set her on her bed he realized somehow she had wrapped her arms around his neck and she had an iron grip. He was stuck like this until she woke up, so he adjusted himself so she could sleep more comfortably. Before he realized it he fell asleep like that.

A few hours later Star woke up and was shocked by what she saw. She was in Silver's arms and he was asleep. The next thing she noticed was that her face was an inch away from his. She noticed Zephyr was in the room as well, looking at the two of them. "W-w-what are you doing in here Zephyr?" she asked in a whisper.

"Just enjoying the view of two dragons that make a cute couple." Answered Zephyr, making Star blush a deep red. "Well? Kiss him and wake him up."

"W-w-what?" asked Star in a louder voice. Somehow Silver didn't wake up. After a few minutes she calmed down. "So you really think Silver and I make a cute couple?"

"Yes. Cutest couple I've ever seen. So go on, kiss him, and make it official so you can't lose him."

Despite that she was embarrassed, Star kissed Silver right on the lips. The second she kissed him, she felt him kiss back and she knew he just woke up. Now a kiss between a dragonute and a dragonet is a serious thing for one reason: when they kiss, they become mates for life. And now Star and Silver had become mates and would be together the rest of their otherwise endless lives.

A few minutes later Silver pulled out of the kiss, and had a smile that showed he couldn't be any happier. "So I guess we're mates now huh Star?"

"Yeah," answered Star. "And I couldn't be any happier." To prove her point she pulled herself closer and kissed him again, this time pouring all her emotion into it and naturally Silver responded by doing the same.

After another several minutes they ended the kiss and said in unison: "I love you." Then they held each other as close as they could and wrapped their wings around each other.

"Ah young love," said Zephyr as he headed towards the door. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone now. Oh and congratulations."

The two of them didn't even hear Zephyr. They we're already deep in thought of what the future held for them and their new mate. They didn't even care that they hadn't known each other very long, they just knew that they loved each other and didn't want to let go.