Dawn came cool and cloudless, exposing a pale blue sky in the early light. By the time everyone was out of the tunnels, birds were chirping and singing, ignorant of the carnage left behind by the night's battle. More than one person that morning wondered how any creature could sound so happy after all that had happened.
Led by Dragon Leaf, the Tribe of the Moon congregated on the hillside. The spirits of their ancestors had vanished without a trace, leaving the tribe in a strange state of combined weariness, trauma, euphoria and acceptance. No one protested when Dragon Leaf and Lloyd stood atop a large boulder together and swore an oath of peace. Sky Pelt—the last sorcerer alive—oversaw and validated the oath.
Dragon Leaf looked small and childlike on the rock with Lloyd; she still wore only her ragged skirt and top of animal skins, and her hair—fallen free of its high ponytail—fell in messy tangles around her face. Lloyd too looked very unofficial in his half-shredded gi. Yet no one complained, even with the ceremony being so casual.
"The Tribe of the Moon won't be hurting your people again," Dragon Leaf finished, smiling broadly.
"And we won't let any more people hunt in these mountains," Lloyd responded seriously. "I'm sure the mayor will agree when I tell her about your situation. Your land will be off-limits to hunters, and I'm sure we can get you some extra land in the west. We'll make sure none of you have to starve again."
Dragon Leaf's eyes glimmered with joy. "Thank you. So much."
"And," he added with a smile. "If any poachers ignore the new laws and start messing with you, well..." He feigned a careless shrug. "We'll let you all handle it."
That got some chuckles and purrs of approval from the Moon Tribe.
Dragon Leaf giggled and clasped Lloyd's hands in her own. "Thank you, Lloyd. Thank you so much. This— this is amazing!"
"Of course! Anything for a friend," he said.
Dragon Leaf's eyes flickered. "A— a friend. Yes. Of course." She drew a breath, as if gathering herself, before meeting his smile again. "Destiny willing, we'll always be friends."
Sky Pelt was already giving his blessing to the ninja and their allies when Lloyd and Dragon Leaf hopped down from the boulder. Sky Pelt and Matilda were exchanging gentle words; Matilda was thanking him for healing Ronin's broken leg, and he in turn thanked her for sharing her healing potion with the tribe.
Several cats from the crowd bounded over to the humans. Wolf Paw was the first to shift into her human form. With a half-smile, half-smirk she approached Ronin, who was leaning on a rough staff.
"Thought Sky Pelt fixed that leg of yours!" she chirped.
Ronin cast the teenage girl a half-hearted glare. "Turns out even magic can't fix broken legs in a jiffy. S'posed to take it easy. Go figure."
"Well," she purred. "Take care of yourself, pointy-hat man."
"You too, snarky cat-girl," he drawled.
Earth Flame approached Jay to bid him farewell. "You're a good warrior, I suppose," he said formally.
"You're not so bad yourself, fluffy." Chuckling, Jay took his hand and shook it. The werecat looked perplexed by the gesture but did not protest.
"I, uhh... I'm sorry about your friend," he said.
Jay's eyes darkened. "Yeah... me, too." He cast a glance behind him; a long shape in a dark shroud hovered in mid-air. Skylor kept it floating with her powers of gravity, and stood by it like a grim protector.
YOU ARE READING
Roots of Earth ~ A Ninjago Fanfiction
同人小说What would it take for you to face the darkest parts of yourself? Set just before the events of Hands of Time, Cole finds himself in a long fight against a mysterious and dangerous enemy--one that threatens to tear apart not just his team, but his o...
