The 'Dragon Goddess'

Ashes From The Fire

Asher's POV:

Finally. She's asleep. I hold her a few moments longer before placing her gently in my nest. I guess I'll sleep in human form tonight so there's enough space for us both, but that's a small price to pay to have her back.

"She really is my sister, right?" I ask mum for the millionth time, just wanting to hear the words again. It's incredible to have Indigo back after all these years. "Yes," is the happy response I'm given, which makes me grin. It's really her.

I lay down next to Indigo, looking at her. She's so different to the girl I remember. She was always so sweet and kind and gentle, though she was ready to defend herself if absolutely necessary. Nothing like the stronger, more badass version of her I see now.

"She changed," I say. "She didn't change, she adapted," Mum replied, sitting next to us both in her human form, careful not to wake up my sister. "She's been a hunter's target for years, Asher. She's not even knowledgable of her own dragon side, neither is anyone else, and yet she's already a hunter's target. She had to change her ways to survive."

"I guess so," I nod slowly. "But she used to be so innocent." "She wouldn't have stayed innocent for long either way," Mum points out. "She's no innocent, but she has justifiable reasons, I can tell. Says she's supposed to protect that pack of hers. I might just talk to that beloved Alpha of hers, try and negotiate a way for Indigo to get more time off. She may not want it, but by the gods does that girl need it."

It's true. The bags under Indigo's eyes suggest she hasn't had a good sleep in days and she's quite pale, though not to the point of it being completely unnatural. Or was she always that pale?

Stylive walks over to Indigo and nudges me away from her, then curls around my sister protectively. "You're not going to be harming her," she states. "I'd never harm her," I reply. "That's what they all say," Stylive shrugs. "The last time she was told that she had an axe at her throat five seconds later."

I growl at the thought. "How many times has she almost been killed?" I ask. "Countless times, which is why I'm not taking any risks with you," Stylive replies, snapping her tail spines out to prove a point.

"She can't leave," Mum says to me. "Not if she's just going to get herself killed." "She'll never stay, though," I sigh. "She's very committed to that pack of hers."

"She's almost like an Alpha Female to us," Stylive informs us. "She does practically everything around the place. She helps with laying and hatching eggs, she built our home, she keeps us safe, she makes sure the patrols run smoothly... everything we stand for back home is because of her."

"She does all that and never takes a break?" Mum asks. "That and more, but yes," Stylive confirms. "She refuses to take a break. She says we could die if she's not there to keep us safe. The only reason we got her out today is because two Night Furies and another Nadder threw her out and sat against the door. They'll let her back in now, but they wanted her out for at least for today so she can take a break."

"She's staying here for a while then," I state. "She didn't get to enjoy her break, so she can spend it here. Besides, we need to help her get ready for her first morph."

"How will she morph?" Stylive questions. "Once she's seventeen she'll start the morphing process," I explain. "It won't hurt her, it'll be a dull ache at worst, but it'll take hours for her first morph to be completed. After that she'll be able to do it like we do, but the first one will take much, much longer."

"Okay," Stylive nodded. "I'll tell her when she wakes up." "How do you communicate?" I ask. She pauses for a moment, as if wondering whether she should tell the truth, before she replies. "Telepathy."

"You can use telepathy?!" I ask, stunned. She snorts and laughs. "No. We've developed a sort of sign language, idiot."

I let her insult slide as she's not exactly wrong at this point. "Oh, shut up. Now tell me more about my sister. Please."

"Well... I've known her all my life. She was quite young at the time. When she was fourteen we went to this place called the School of Dragons. We were there for two weeks, but then a hunter attack caused us to leave. That's when she started wearing that mask and we both moved in with the pack."

She looks up to us. "She's still suspicious of the both of you. She's fine with Melanite, but since you can both take on human forms she doesn't know if she can trust you yet. She doesn't trust humans at all, but she trusts dragons with her life. She doesn't know what to make of either of you just yet, but the fact that she agreed to rest is already a good sign."

"I was afraid of this," Mum muttered. "I was afraid she wouldn't trust us after we lost her."

"She's warming up to you, though she has every reason to be wary," Stylive stated. "She's been through a lot, in the last few years especially. Kidnappings, death threats, full-on attacks... all in the last three years alone. Don't cross any boundaries with her until she trusts you completely. You'll know when that happens."

With that, Stylive curls tighter around Indigo and falls asleep, just like my little sister is. Little sister... it feels so good to see her again. I've missed her so much over the years.

"Good, they're both asleep," Mum sighed in relief. "They're not going anywhere until the morning now, thank the gods."

I can't help but agree.