The Other-worldly Protector

Chapter 37: Complications

Kiara blinked her eyes open. Stalactites stared down at her. She frowned but didn't get up, her body not willing to move after spending the night on stone. She was in a cave. The ocean waves whispered to her from not so far. A sea cave. Thornado's sea cave.

Kiara suddenly grew aware of the sleeping dragons around her. Whiplash to her right and Robbie to her left.

Robbie! The events of yesterday came flooding back to her. Robbie was with her all along! She felt stupid for not noticing. All the signs were there.

Whiplash had been busy keeping the changewing from eating any night terrors. But Robbie admitted that he was only chasing them to annoy Whiplash, which annoyed her even more. Kiara found out all of this (as part of a long discussion) after flying to the thunderdrum's sea caves, after the whole Snotlout disaster.

Ugh, Snotlout! That git. That disaster. It all went so out of hand! Barely three days and Kiara's already made an enemy. She wanted to believe that he deserved every insult she threw at him but she just couldn't; she was harsh on him too. And she couldn't blame him for that argument either. She was equally rude and let her anger lead her. The others probably think she's crazy. The mad-tempered maiden! Beware the brunette! She sighed. Stupid anger issues of all things.

She heaved herself off the ground and wandered towards the large cave's entrance, briefly smiling at the way the four thunderdrums were curled up against each other. She sat on a stool sized rock and gazed at the reflected glow of waves on the cave ceiling, enjoying the swaying and dancing that always matched the song of the sea.

Time passed and a sense of dread settled in her stomach. She didn't want to go back. She wanted to stay. Here. With the dragons.

Someone shifted into position beside her. "Hey, Tony," she greeted the elder Thunderdrum.

"Groooo," he purred, his questioning gaze on her.

Kiara sighed. "I'm just worried about facing the others after what happened yesterday. Like, what should I even say?" His eyes stayed on her, understanding every word and imploring her to continue. "I feel like... I'm an intruder. I'm disrupting their lives. I- I'm not meant to be. I know that's taking it too far, Tony, but I can't control what I feel inside. And after yesterday... I'm just scared. Scared of continuing down this path."

Thornado cuddled into her side and Kiara gratefully returned the embrace. His gentle grumbles held more understanding than any human words could. "Tony... Thornado? Should I find another way to get to the hunters?"

He pulled away and shook his head. He then roared: a small roar with a powerful meaning. Kiara read him loud and clear.
BE STRONG, he told her.
STAY STRONG, he said with a second roar. Kiara grinned and roared back.
I AM STRONG, she said. They roared together, smiling:
HEADSTRONG TOGETHER!

"Hey hey hey, what's all the ruckus?" a stumbling Robbie asked as he approached. "Please don't tell me you're half-thunderdrum, Kay."

"Yeah my ears can only take so much," Whiplash added, mid-yawn.

"I'm not half-thunderdrum," Kiara assured them. "But I am fully certain that we are returning to dragons edge this instant." She winked at Tony. "Come on everyone! Chop chop!"

-

As she walked down the stone path in search of the pair of Vikings she had somehow grown accustomed to, the last person Kiara wanted to see came up to her first. She did her best to keep a blank face, despite the sinking feeling that consumed her as she stared back at Snotlout.