"What are you gonna do if she burns the house down?!" Aussa was frowning at the new arrival.

"She's not gonna do that! Inari is a good fox!" Hiita crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks, rosy from the run she and her familiar had made to get home.

"You named her Inari? That's a nice name." Eria smiled.

"I know, right!" Hiita didn't try hiding her pride.

"What do you mean she's not gonna do that? There's literally a flame on her tail!" Aussa insisted, but her protests fell on deaf ears as the two petted the fox. She'd recoiled from Eria at first, but it wasn't long until she was purring with delight. The same couldn't be said of Gigobyte; the reptile was observing the scene from a distance, his face apprehensive.

"What's wrong, Gigobyte?" Eria asked. "Want to play with her?"

The reptile looked down, unmoving.

"C'mon, don't be shy." Eria gave her familiar an encouraging push. He hesitated, taking tiny steps towards Inari, who watched him with curious eyes.

"Don't just ignore me! Surely even you know how dangerous it is to have flames next to the books!" Aussa continued to complain.

"Miss Doriado didn't say I couldn't have her inside, so it's fine!" Hiita stuck her tongue out in provocation.

Meanwhile, Inari had started sniffing Gigobyte's legs, much to his flummox.

"She didn't say you could, either!" The brown-haired girl retorted. "Besides, it's just-"

A strange groaning sound interrupted her, and all human heads in the room turned to the two familiars, just in time to see Inari unclench her jaws from Gigobyte's leg. There was a second of silence as everyone stared wide-eyed at the scene.

Then, Inari started running.

"Wha— come back here!" Hiita yelled, speeding after the fox and into Aussa's room.

"My books! Don't let her burn my books!" The girl started after them, only to trip on her feet, managing to somehow catch herself by leaning on the wall but not before her glasses flew from her face and into the ground. In the meantime, Eria had jumped in to help her familiar, who was standing still, seemingly frozen in shock.

"Are you okay?" She asked, crouching to better look at his leg. She sighed in relief when she saw there was no bleeding. There were a handful of small teeth marks on his skin, but he'd likely been more scared than hurt.

I wonder if she was just being playful…

"Hey! Give that back, you dumb fox!" Aussa screamed as an orange blur leaped out the house's entrance, stopping outside just long enough for Eria to see the sun's reflection on the thick lenses that were now halfway inside Inari's mouth.

"She's not dumb!" Hiita yelled back before jumping into pursuit of the fox, soon followed by a squinting Aussa.

Eria blinked as the three figures left her field of vision and continued their shouting somewhere to the right of the house.

"Should we go after them, Wynn?" She asked.

There was no reply.

"Wynn?"

Eria looked around for her green-haired friend, but she was nowhere to be found.

When did she leave?

She'd been there right before Aussa had arrived with Inari in tow, crocheting her pink bunny with intense concentration.

I wonder if she went looking for her own familiar…

There was still time until Doriado's deadline, but with Hiita having found her partner, only Wynn and Aussa were left. It wouldn't be too surprising if she felt pressured to look for her own.

Still, she could have said something. She helped me with Gigobyte, after all. I could've searched with her.

Eria wasn't worried; thanks to their teacher, the forest was like a second home to them. She couldn't help but feel a bit dejected, though. Yes, she'd become able to tell how Wynn was feeling based on her facial expressions, but what the girl was thinking was still more often than not a mystery when she spoke so little. Eria had often wondered if her friendship was more one-sided than she thought, but Doriado had assured her that was not the case.

I guess she must have her own reasons for going alone. She reflected, before getting up and stretching.

"Wanna go help those two, Gigobyte?"


On a tiny knoll in an unassuming part of the forest, there was a small cave which had, mayhaps by luck, mayhaps intentionally, found itself covered with moss and vines in such a way one wouldn't—couldn't— find it unless they were actively searching for it. Ironically, this cave possessed extremely desirable qualities; not only was it safe from the many predators native to the forest, as they cluelessly walked right past the entrance, a pool of pure, untainted groundwater sat still not too far deep into it, water drops slowly dripping from the stone roof. Despite that, in all the eons the cave had stood, not more than a handful of animals had been lucky enough to find shelter there.

One of those rested now on the cool stone. A passerby, if there was such a thing inside the magical forest in which this creature resided, might confuse its pale green tail for that of a snake's, if not for the two tiny wings attached to its side, right below its closed eyes and half-open mouth.

Suddenly, the creature trembled. It was dreaming; dreaming of its birth, of its parents, of its hometown, and its friends. Dreaming of events that had occurred a human lifespan ago, but which were like yesterday to it, for a dragon lives a hundred years as a person lives a week.

A strange sound jolted it awake. The little dragon rolled around and flapped his wings, still in a half-daze, trying to get away from that which he could not name.

It opened its eyes. A green-haired young girl with curious eyes was crouched in front of it.

"Sorry for waking you up." She apologized in a voice that was only slightly above a whisper.

Ah, it's just the human kid. The dragon thought, closing his wings and laying down once more with a sigh of relief.

Wynn— he knew that to be her name, though she had never spoken it— looked at him for a moment before placing a wrapped bundle of cloth on the stone floor. His nose told him what was in it long before she carefully opened it and spread a mix of berries, edible mushrooms, and even a slice of smoked meat on the white fabric.

He looked at her, and she nodded. The girl didn't talk much. That suited him, for though he understood her speech, as dragons understand all languages in the world, he couldn't speak it. He didn't know if others of his species were also incapable of doing it, or if the shortfall was his own. There were no dragons left to ask, not here.

He set to eating. He'd been too prideful to do so in front of her in the past, but there was no point in keeping a pretense now. They'd met three full moons ago when she'd somehow found this cave, which he had been living in for about a year then. He'd watched her carefully then, ready to either flee or fight, but she'd just left after a few moments, leaving him to wonder whether she would come back, whether he should stay. It'd be an issue if she were to ambush him at night, but there was no guarantee he would find a spot as well-hidden as this one even if he were to search for years. He was a proud dragon, certainly, but he wasn't a fool; he knew his body was far from being fully developed. There were beasts out there that could easily maim him if they felt so inclined, especially since he wasn't able to spit fire like his forebears had.

In the end, the dragon had decided to wait. He'd slept in a corner of the cave, in a spot where the shadows fell in such a way those who entered it wouldn't see him immediately, and waited for the human to return. She did so after a few days, bringing a piece of bread with crushed berries inside it. He'd looked at her with a questioning stare, to which she'd replied with a shrug and a mumble about him seeming hungry.

He had been, though he wouldn't have admitted it even if he was capable of doing so. When he'd hissed at her, Wynn had simply placed the bread on the ground and left. He'd eaten it once she was sure she was truly gone. To his surprise, it had been good; much better than the greenery and small rodents he'd been able to catch since he'd gotten to the forest.

She'd come back a week later, that time bringing a fresh fish, which he'd devoured as soon as she'd left the cave. Once her visits became routine and he'd been forced to admit to himself she was no threat, he started eating as soon as she handed him the food.

I wonder if all humans are like this… He pondered as he chewed on the smoky meat.

Once he finished eating, he was startled to find the human girl hadn't moved from her spot. It was not unusual that she left before he'd even finished. Sometimes, she practiced magic in and around the cave, which he often watched with a mix of curiosity and amusement. The human spells were weak compared to the ones he remembered his forebears using, but it was endearing. "Like watching a clumsy child attempt its first flight", his parents would have probably said, though perhaps even they'd be surprised to see a non-dragon have the blessing of the wind fairies.

Their eyes met. Hers were young and green, not too different from his color.

"Would you…" She hesitated. "Would you like to be my familiar?" Wynn asked.

His hissing surprised not only Wynn, who took a step back and cowered in shock, but the small dragon himself. Though perhaps that was the correct reaction, he thought. A dragon, being the familiar of a human? That was a job for owls, wolves, foxes, and other lowly creatures. Dragons weren't made to work for others. He might have been young, but he was still this girl's elder by at least a century.

"I- I understand." She stammered. "You don't know anything about me, right?"

It's not about knowing you or not. He thought. Dragons don't become familiars. They may help humans from time to time, but we don't work for or with them.

She sat down, cross-legged, across from him and took a deep breath. He turned to return to the darkness of the depths of the cave. There was no point in staying with her any longer.

Just then, Wynn started speaking.

He hadn't intended to stop and listen. He was confident there was no argument she could come up with that would convince him to change his mind. But she didn't argue. Instead, she spoke of her infancy. About the tribe she was born in, one with a strange reverence for the gods of wind, and of her family. She'd lived with an older sister and their father, who led their people. Her mother had died not too long after her birth, the girl explained. She told him of her village, and though her memories were hazy at best, he soon found himself listening attentively as she went on about these strange winged beasts the people of her hometown could ride, creatures that were similar to dragons but bore beaks like those of eagles. He'd never heard anything like it, and it made him wonder just how far this girl had come from.

Wynn told him how, on a stormy winter day, her father had come back with a desolate expression. How he'd refused to tell either her or her sister what had happened, and they had to learn from their neighbors that the tribe was preparing for war, a war against fellow humans who hoped to take the bountiful pastures of their hometown and make it theirs. He felt a shudder run through him as she described climbing to the top of a mountain, observing the mist clear and seeing only the broken bodies of those who had fallen in the previous day's battle. He was awed as Wynn recalled how her sister had sneaked in to join the fight, though her father had forbidden them from leaving the house. He watched her close her eyes and, between tears, narrate to him how her neighbor, a tall, strong lady with twin tails whose hair changed color as the leaves do in autumn was the one who, at the behest of her father, forcefully took her and strapped her on top of one of the bird creatures, one that took her far away, farther than any of them had ever gone. And he couldn't help but smile as, clearing her tears with one hand, Wynn told him that when she woke up, she was at the entrance of this forest, facing a woman with long, fair hair clad in blue robes.

It seems that spirit really is fond of welcoming new arrivals, huh…

When Wynn finished her story, coughing a dry cough and nearly choking as she drank out of her water canteen, he understood. She was not telling this tale in hopes of convincing him out of pity or of some vain complexion. This young girl hadn't talked longer than he'd ever heard her talk, perhaps longer than anyone had, to have him follow her.

No, there was only one thing she wanted to convey, though perhaps Wynn herself couldn't put it into words— trust. Her story was telling him such; that she trusted him, and was hoping he'd do the same. He looked at her again, and saw himself: his own childish self, who had just seen most his family and all those he knew falling deadly sick and turn into half-dragon half-monster aberrations, whose mother had taken him to this great forest before going back to fight those freakish things, to reclaim back their hometown from the dead even though she surely knew she was doomed to lose. Was his own story so different from hers, species aside? Was what she'd experienced any less than what he'd been through? Were humans, with their small and fleeting lives, truly dissimilar to dragons? And if they weren't, what was the harm in joining forces with them?

There was still a part of him that felt hesitant, though. Familiars were subservient to their masters. Perhaps he was young in dragon years, but he was old enough to know there was a difference between mutual respect and serfdom.

All it took was one look at her damp face for those doubts to dissipate. Wynn was not the kind to coerce others. Even when she came to feed him, it didn't feel like she was there because she wished for something in return, or even because she saw him as an animal deserving of pity. She did it as if it was something natural, as if she'd been doing it all her life. If there was an ulterior motive to it, then he couldn't discern it. His parents had taught him, as all adult dragons did to their children, that the world was a hierarchy, and dragons stood at the top. But Wynn didn't treat him as either above, as the dragons of lower families had, or below, as his elders did before they fell to the curse. It was a strange feeling, one he'd mulled over many times before but still didn't quite understand.

It was silent in the cave now, save for Wynn's sniffs. After a few heartbeats, she stood up, wiped the crumbs off the cloth, folded it, and walked out of the cave.

He followed her. Perhaps lending a hand to a human was a betrayal of his species, but then again, who would judge him? The dragons he grew up with were all gone, all back to the great skies or turned into undead beasts. There was no one left to berate him for his choice, just as there was no one left to advise the girl against it.

And maybe she was worth breaking tradition for, the little dragon thought.


When Wynn came back home that day with a small dragon on her shoulder, she was received by an enthusiastic Eria and Hiita, who practically jumped over each other to see the new arrival up close.

"He's so cute…" Eria commented, running her hand alongside the dragon's back. "Have you thought of a name for him?"

"Petit Dragon. Since he's small."

"Umm…" Eria smiled awkwardly. "That's… a fitting name."

"You're not really good at naming things, are you Wynn?" Grinned Hiita, shattering Eria's attempts at delicacy. "So, can he spit fire yet?"

Wynn shrugged. " I don't—" she paused, coughing.

"Are you okay? Do you want some water?" Eria asked.

Wynn nodded and happily swilled down the contents of her friend's canteen. Once she'd finished, she spoke up again.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh? For what?"

"Not saying anything. I thought he would be scared." Wynn pointed to Petit Dragon.

"Ah… Don't worry about it!" Eria giggled. "Just tell me next time, alright? I was wondering where you'd gone off to."

"Okay."

"Hopefully the dragon is better behaved than Hiita's fox." Aussa jeered from the top of a small ladder, which she'd been using to search for a book in the large shelves that decorated the group's living room.

"At least I have one!" replied Hiita. "I'm not about to miss Miss Doriado's deadline, unlike a certain four-eyes."

"Hmpf. Don't rush me." Aussa replied without looking back.

Eria noticed Wynn's confused look.

"Oh, Inari made a huge mess this morning. She bit Gigobyte, stole Aussa's glasses, and then ran away. Hiita scolded her, though."

"Not enough," Aussa murmured as she took out a thick volume from the shelf and returned to her room.

"Where are they now?" Wynn asked.

"In the back, playing with each other. Inari didn't really want to hurt Gigobyte, she was just excited about having a playmate. Once things calmed down, they got along well."

Eria clasped her hands.

"Right! Let's have Petit Dragon meet them now! I'm sure they'll be happy to play with a new friend!"

"Ohh, great idea!"

Eria, Wynn, and Hiita made their way to the backyard of the house. It was evening now, and the rays from the descending sun filtered through the trees, making for a pleasant warmth.

"I don't hear them… I hope everything is okay," commented Eria, her voice tinted with a hint of worry.

"Well, they're not fighting, at least!" Hiita pointed out.

Eria's fears were put to rest soon enough. Leaning against the house's wall was a sleeping Gigobyte, face shielded from the sun by the shade. His green belly rose and fell almost imperceptibly, and a trickle of drool was making a slow freefall from the corner of its mouth to the ground. Next to the reptile, her legs propped up on his was Inari. The fox's tail curled alongside her body, and though the tiny flame on its tip was still very much alive and burning against her orange fur, it didn't seem to bother her.

As the three girls whispered to each other, careful to not wake up their sleeping companions, Petit Dragon smiled to himself. If this was a place where two such dissimilar creatures could sleep soundly without a worry, then his judgment had not been wrong.

Though her naming sense needs a bit of work.