Peril was flying around the palace, stretching her wings to their full extent as she swooped and dived. When the others said they would visit the archives, Peril had backed out and instead went for a flight. She didn't like the idea of being in a room full of such flammable material, so here she was.
Up here in the sky, there was nothing for her to burn. No dragons to watch out for, no fear. Just freedom. Freedom to stretch her wings, stretch her body. Freedom to swoop and dive and twirl. She didn't have to worry about burning anyone or anything. She loved it.
She flew until her wings grew tired and ached. Not wanting to return to the cramped halls of the palace yet, Peril flew to the only open space she knew of in the Sky palace. A place that held terrible memories. The Arena. Or what used to be the Arena. Now it was just a shadow of its former self.
The large pillars that once stood around it are long gone, as were the many bloodstains. Instead of an arena, it was a rock garden now. Rocks of various shapes and sizes littered the old arena, situated in various patterns to be seen from above. They were simple patterns, like circles or squares, but there were a couple others. In the middle of the area was a large circle, looking like a mix between a flower and the sun. Peril loved that one the most.
Slowly, she landed in the middle of the sun flower pattern, knocking up small dust clouds and pebbles with her wing wind. She spent most of her time here whenever she visited the Sky kingdom, as it wasn't cramped like the various halls and rooms of the palace. Here Peril could sit and relax. Here she could think without others interrupting her thoughts. And think she did.
She thought about her past, about the monster she used to be for Scarlet. The dragons she killed for the ex-queens' sick pleasure. Back then, she never regretted it. She was a loyal dragon doing what her queen ordered. All for a chance to feel love from someone who would never show it.
She thought about Clay. The way she used to obsess over him, the one dragon she could touch without them burning. His goofy smiles, the way he would do anything to protect his friends and family. The way he always obsessed over food or when lunch was. She had gotten over him years ago, when Turtle had joined her on her quest for Scarlet. At first she hated that he was there, slowing her down and being all Turtle-y. But she eventually warmed up to him. Her first friend, outside of Clay of course. After Scarlet was killed, she was torn between two dragons. Clay and Turtle. She loved Clay because of his nature. His nature to protect his friends and family. His fireproof scales that allowed Peril to experience any positive touch from another dragon. She loved everything about him.
Then there was Turtle. The pudgy, out of shape Seawing that tagged along on her quest. He was one of the few that treated her like an actual dragon, not just some queen's killing machine. After the accident with Winter outside Possibility, where they had collided mid air, where he surely would've died had it not been for Turtle's magic rock, Peril was both angry and sad.
Angry that Turtle had hidden a secret such as being an animus. Sad that he didn't do anything about her firescales. She wanted to yell at him. To yell, roar, claw him or something. But she couldn't. Deep down she understood why he had hidden such a powerful secret. It didn't stop her from the pain she felt when Turtle had seen her struggling with her everyday life, all because of something she couldn't control, and did nothing about it when he could've easily fixed it.
Later that night she brought it up. Why he did nothing to help her with her firescales. He had said that he saw nothing wrong with her, that she was fine the way she was. At that, Peril had broken. She stared at Turtle in disbelief as the words replayed in her head. A small snort escaped her as she replayed the memory in her head. The memory that changed her life.
"Fine the way I am? Are you serious?"
"Ya. I don't see anything wrong with you."
"I am literally on fire, Turtle! I can't touch anyone or anything without hurting them! I can't experience the things you can. Hugs, tail twining, wing taps. Love. I can never experience a proper life because of this Turtle. Can you really say nothing is wrong with me?"
Turtle just sat there, mouth slightly open at Peril's outburst. Throughout their whole journey together, Peril had stayed quiet about her emotions. To see them on display now stunned him.
"I thought you were my friend Turtle. Aren't friends supposed to help each other?" She said, tears brimming in her eyes, but they instantly evaporated with a small hiss when they fell.
Peril stared at Turtle, waiting for a response. Turtle stared back. Just when it seemed like Turtle wouldn't respond, his normally quiet voice was much quieter now. "You consider me a friend?" "I don't know anymore! I was beginning to. You treated me like an actual dragon, you gave me a chance when everybody else who met me would run away. But now… I don't know anymore. I don't know anything about friendship personally, but I know friends are supposed to help each other. So why didn't you help me?"
Turtle opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find the right words. Peril was considering leaving, to leap into the air and fly as far as her wings could carry her. Then Turtle responded. "I'm sorry. Might be a little late for that, but I am sorry Peril. Truth be told, I don't see anything wrong with you because you're trying to fix your life. Yes, you were used by a tyrannical queen, but now you're your own dragon, making your own choices, and most importantly, not killing dragons. You're trying to fix your past wrongs, hell, you're hunting down Scarlet to kill her right now. So I'm sorry that I didn't help you before. I still see nothing wrong with you, but if you really want me too, I'll make something for your firescales. You are my friend Peril. You're not a monster."
Peril just stood there. Now it was her turn to stand there, stunned, as she looked at Turtle. His words kept bouncing around in her head. Slowly, she sat down and looked at her talons. Memories of dragons burning alive underneath flashed through her head as she stared. "How can you say I'm not a monster? After all the dragons I've killed?"
"Because you regret killing them. A monster wouldn't think twice about the dragons they kill. But you do."
The memory faded away as Peril let out a shaky breath. She remembered that night in such vivid detail. She didn't even realize she was crying until she heard the sound of evaporating water. With a small snort, she wiped her tears and let out a sigh. "How did I get lucky enough to get a goof like him."
Just then she heard familiar wingbeats behind her, along with some quiet panting. "Thought I might find you here. What are you thinking about this time?" Turtle asked as he walked up and sat next her, slightly huffing as his tail twined around hers.
"Oh you know, the usual."
"Am I supposed to guess? You know I can never figure out what's in your head."
"I'm thinking about us, you goof. And everything else. Mostly us though." Turtle looked up at Peril, as she was a couple heads taller than him. "Really? And what about us are you thinking about?" He asked, slightly worried. "That night." "Oh." He said, his worry slightly vanishing as he looked down.
They sat there in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company when Turtle was the first to speak. "I'm worried for Kinkajou. Something tells me Alex is hiding something and he's scared. For himself and her"
"Definitely hiding something. Have you seen how stiff he gets for no reason? Like he's seeing something we can't" She replied, her thoughts flicking to the strange duo.
"Well his eyesight is probably better than ours. He did say he's more accustomed to dark environments."
"So are you. Have you seen anything whenever he gets stiff?" Turtle was about to respond, his mouth half open before closing it. Peril made a good point. "Fair enough. But then that brings up another question. What is he seeing to make him stiff?"
"I don't know, but it has something to do with Kinkajou. I'm sure of it."
"Don't be like that. I'm sure he wouldn't hurt her. You saw as much as I did how happy the two were when we left."
"Maybe it's just a trick. Turtle, you do remember that he's a potential destroyer right?"
"Peril, you can't hold that against him. He hasn't done anything yet, and it doesn't look like he will at all. You of all dragons should know better than to judge someone for something they haven't done" Turtle said sternly, looking at Peril with a slightly upset glare.
"I know, I know, and I'm not trying to. Something about him just feels… off. I want Kinkajou to be happy just as much as you do, but I don't think Alex is the right choice. Not because I don't trust him, but because of the prophecy. You know what happens to dragons like Alex in a prophecy." She said, avoiding Turtle's gaze. She could hear her words and didn't like the sound of them either. Kinkajou was her friend, and she didn't want to see her hurt.
"Peril, It's nice to see you worrying about Kinkajou, but we have to believe in her, in Alex. I'm a little wary of all this too, but I want Kinkajou to be happy. Like us. She deserves it after all she's been through. For her sake, we have to trust them. If anybody can make someone choose the right path, it's Kinkajou."
Peril hesitantly met Turtle's gaze. Bright blue eyes met dark green and gold eyes. No matter how many times Peril saw those eyes, she was always captured by them. They looked like an abyss with stars sparkling inside. Sometimes she wished she could stare into them forever. She was brought back to reality as Turtle grabbed her talon and squeezed it gently. "You're staring."
"I'm not staring, you're staring." She mumbled, her cheeks reddening slightly as she looked away, prompting a small chuckle from Turtle. "Are you ready to go back? The others are probably finished by now."
Peril gave a small snort. "Not yet. You know I don't like those cramped hallways."
"They're not that cramped."
"For you maybe. You don't have to worry about setting anything on fire just by touching it." Turtle opened his mouth to respond, but was silenced and surprised by Peril's lips suddenly against his. It always sent shivers down his spine when their lips met, no matter how many times they did it. After a moment, Turtle returned it, his tail and talons squeezing hers.
Peril was the first to pull away, giggling slightly at Turtle's lovestruck expression. "Right now I just want to be here with you. It's been a while since we've had time alone." Turtle just nodded, still slightly stunned from the kiss. Peril giggled again and pulled him close, placing a wing over his back and snuggling against him, sighing contently as they sat there together, enjoying each other's presence under the afternoon sun.
At first, Peril thought the conversation was over as they sat there, tails twined and leaning into each other. To her surprise, it wasn't. "You may be right about Alex not being the right dragon for her, considering the prophecy and all, but there's nothing we can do about it without looking like bad friends. If we say anything negative about Alex, Kinkajou won't be happy." Turtle said, scratching the dirt with a talon absentmindedly. Peril had a thought similar and nodded slightly. "I imagine she already knows something might happen to Alex at the end of all this, but we don't know when the end of all this is, so maybe she's just trying to make the best of it. It's better to have loved and lost than to never loved at all."
Peril wrinkled her snout and snorted softly at that last bit. "That doesn't make sense." She said, looking down at Turtle, who was looking back at her as if expecting something from Peril. He definitely did as he smiled softly. "It is a little confusing, but if you ask anybody who loved someone once, someone who's now gone, they'd say they were glad to have known them. Ask someone who hasn't loved the same question, and they'll have a different answer."
Peril wrinkled her snout further, though it made a little more sense. "Kinkajou probably knows that, so she's decided to be happy with Alex while she can." Turtle continued before being cut off. "But then she'll just hurt more when something does happen to Alex." Peril continued, her tail now loose and flicking against the ground a bit as she thought. "To grieve deeply is to have loved fully." Was his only reply.
"Who am I talking to? Turtle the writer or Turtle my mate?" Peril said, looking at the Seawing. "I can be both." He replied, lighty whacking her with a wing. "I never said you couldn't, but you know I never understand all of your writing quotes." "Peril, my point is." He began as he took Peril's talons in his own, looking up at her. "Kinkajou knows the risk that comes with Alex. But she's spent so long on her own that she doesn't care. All she wants is to be happy with a mate of her own. Even if it does come to an end. Kinkajou was always a "Right here, right now" dragon, so she's not concerned with the future. Not yet."
"She's content with being in the now, with Alex and us." He said, giving her talons a squeeze. "So she doesn't care that she'll have to say goodbye…?" She asked, still not wrapping her head around this. "She does. Knowing her, she's probably preparing herself mentally if anything does happen to Alex. But right now, she's focused on being in the present instead of the future."
"So… She knows something might happen to Alex, but she doesn't care or is ignoring it because she wants to be happy now, with Alex, even though she might have to say goodbye to him?"
Turtle nodded in response, smiling slightly as Peril finally understood. She still had a wrinkled snout, her indication that she was thinking hard. After a minute or so, it went away as she nodded to herself. "What will she do when he's gone…?" "She could do lots of things. The worst thing that could happen would be her getting depressed and closing herself off from us. Which is bad for multiple reasons. The best thing she could do would be to come to us for comfort. Losing a loved one is always hard, and considering how close the two are already, it'll hurt even more for her. Losing someone you love is a different kind of pain from talons or teeth. It doesn't heal easily."
Peril nodded again, still a little confused but understanding most of it. Turtle didn't continue and neither did Peril. While she still had a few questions, she decided to save them for a later date. She twined her tail around Turtle's, once again leaning against him, and he leaned against her. Both dragons' thoughts were concerned with their friend's future, but no matter what, they would be there when needed.