Opal looked around the cave in pure bewilderment. The cave was spectacular, and awe inspiring.
"Wow….this is amazing…"
"It's really something, isn't it?"
"Yes..." Opal grew distant, thinking of Metalhide. "father…"
"M-maybe you should rest for awhile, and I'll bring you something to eat, okay?" Shadowflare offered.
"Thank you-Oww!" Opal started, but a bolt of pain zigzagged through her, forcing her to grab her shoulder, which now was bleeding from the wound inflicted by her Sandwing attacker.
"Oh my stars! W-what happened?!" Shadowflare cried out, when she saw the gash. Opal struggled to reply, as the pain was making her head spin.
"It was...like I said. Dragons, Sandwings found and invaded my home cave...forced me and father to separate, two of them gave chase after me, and did this before I lost them."
"Those monsters!" Shadowflare growled to herself, then led Opal carefully to one of the doors "Don't worry, I'll get you healed up. Just hang on…" She reassured the Skywing as she opened the door. As light filled the room beyond the frame, Opal opened one eye to notice shelves around the interior, each one holding herb-filled jars, medicine, alongside rags and towels. In the middle of the room lay a huge stone slab that resembled a bed, covered in white cloth. Shadowflare gently brings Opal over to the bed, and she lies down on it. "Wait right here for a quick moment while I find what that cut requires." Shadowflare goes to one of the shelves and gets a bowl, then leaves the room for a few moments, then comes back, the bowl filled with water and sets it down next to Opal. She watched as Shadowflare gets a rag and some jars with herbs, while trying to keep the gash from bleeding further. Shadowflare comes back, soaks the rag in water, then looks at Opal. At that, she knew what was coming, and it was going to hurt.
"Okay, I'm gonna wash off the blood, so this probably might sting. Ready?" Opal closed her eyes, remembering what Metalhide taught her, to relax and focus on a single thought. Almost instantly, she felt very peaceful.
"Yes." Opal replied. Shadowflare started to carefully wipe away the blood off Opal's shoulder.
"Alright," Shadowflare said after cleaning the wound, "I've got the blood taken care of, we've got to bandage that up." Shadowflare said, as she went back to the shelves, grabbed some cloth wrap, then came back. Setting the wrap down, she opened the jars and removed some herbs, then started to mash them together into a fine paste. Opal flinched as the paste was applied to the wound along with some dry herbs. After that, Shadowflare took the bandages and wrapped them around Opal's shoulder. "Done. It will take awhile, but it'll heal. I'll take you to a spare room so you can get some rest. Then I'll bring you something to eat."
"Thank you…" Opal said, opening her eyes. "But I need to get word to father."
"Well, then how about I help you find him, after you get some food and rest."
"You...would do that?" Opal asked, surprised at Shadowflare's offer.
"Of course! No one deserves to be separated from their father-adoptive or not- especially a dragonet!"
"...Thank you." Opal put her wings around Shadowflare in a hug, grateful for the Nightwing's gracious offer.
"You're welcome." Shadowflare replied she returned the hug. "Now, you need to rest." She helped Opal up and into another room with a lamp and bed in. "I'll prepare something for you when wakes up. Be right back." Shadowflare left the room, leaving Opal alone. As she drifted off into sleep, crying on the inside, hoping with all her heart that Metalhide had made it out safely.
Later, Shadowflare returned to the room with a plate of cooked cow, deer, and a bowl of some kind of juice.
"I'm back, Opal! I hope this type of food is to your liking." She set the plate down close to Opal, who opened her eyes and lifted her head to look at her. "I also made some juice that should help you get your strength back." Opal looks over the meal hungrily. Every aspect of it looked appetizing, and before remembering her manners, grabbed a piece of meat and promptly bit a chunk off, chewed on it ruthlessly.
"On the topic of food...Every heard of something called the Rainburst Fruit?" Opal asked, after devouring the beef.
"Nope. What is it?" Shadowflare asked, the name catching her interest.
"It's a synthesized fruit in the shape of a star and multi-colored like a rainbow. The unique chemical make-up Allison the fruit gold five different flavors of other fruits, and no two Rainbursts have the same flavors. They were created by my father in an alchemical accident. Best mistake in history."
"Wow...I want some of that now...maybe later we can go collect some?"
"Yes. There's a patch of those trees to the base of the mountain. Wanna head out now?" If Metalhide remembered he told where the Rainburst Fruit patches are, I can leave a message at the one we're gonna visit, then that'll work out. Then it'll be fine, but what's Metalhide gonna think of Shadowflare? I know of his hatred to them...After the incident.