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Damon, who still had bandages on his body, closed his eyes tight and groaned in a bit of pain, as he made another step along the tunnel floor. He lifted his paw and curled it inward, "Grrr. Still hurts."

Emily who was beside the green drake snickered and planted her hand comfortingly on his scales, "Aw, is the big scaly baby still hurt?"

He replied, "A little bit." Then he shot a glare at the little girl near him, "And I'm not a hatchling."

The human rolled her eyes in sarcasm, dropping her hand to the side, "Sure you aren't."

After she'd ate this morning with Scott, her father Rick, Cora and Rocko, Emily was curious if Damon was gonna wake up today. She found out he has awoken from slumber when she checked on him, after Cora took Scott and Rick to the apple tree outside the cave to get apples for their journey. As soon as she talked to Damon a bit after seeing him wake up, she went back to Rocko to have him cook some meat for the green dragon, and with that he started to cook it. Now as soon she came back, after knowing that Damon has laid around in that room beneath the crack for a long time, the little girl forced him to get up and move. Since then, the two of them were walking slowly to meet up with Rocko.

Damon shot up his head in pride and it also welled up in his chest, "I'm serious! It's not like I haven't been in pain before. I had dealt with it."

Emily walked up to his front, putting her hands to her hips and rose a teasing brow, "I know how you deal with it. You deal with it by whining like a hatchling, as you'd call it." He hissed at her and she held the palm of her hand to her mouth, stifling her laugh.

The annoyed dragon shot back, "You try walking in pain, girl."

Emily was shooting her glare at him, "Don't call me girl. Or I won't take you to your food, mister."

He was giving her an innocent smile and look, "Not even bring it to me?"

She held up her chin, "Nope."

Damon waved her off, "That's ok. I'll have someone else bring me food. Like Scott. He's a pal, unlike you."

Damon watched her as Emily got close to his chest and shoved her finger repeatedly into it, "Oh no you don't. You have been laying around all morning, so time to get up." She backed away and formed a smug grin, "Besides, you just said you were hurt 'a little bit', so that means you're feeling a little better."

Damon replied, "Maybe I'm just lazy after fighting baddies and limping for hours." He flashed her a big toothy grin.

Emily laughed, "Well perfect. Not only you're a big scaly baby, you're also lazy."

"Correction, not a hatchling, just lazy."

Emily raised her brows and shook her head, "I don't care if you are lazy. You're getting up and moving."

He rolled up his eyes, groaning a bit, "Awrg, fine."

She patted his chest scales, "Good, now lets go. Rocko's waiting for you." She spun around, began to pace forward and waved him over, "C'mon."

The green scaled drake murmured when he started padding, "I'm coming, I'm coming." Emily giggled, and Damon just tiredly sighed when he limped a little behind her. With several paces and several limps later, they both wandered in the big cavern, the colored crystals showed their glow as they both entered the huge place. The two of them see Rocko, Scott and Cora together near the ruby and emerald colored crystals. Standing within the glow of those crystals.

Emily smiled and waved at them, mostly at Rocko, "Hey Rocko, brought the hatchling to you."

The three of them laughed at her joke and Damon whined when they got close to them, "Emily!"

Rocko finished his old hearty laugh and gestured his paw to Damon, "I think you're too big to be a hatchling, Damonen." He tilted his head with that grin on his muzzle still, "Did you not learn how to grow up?"

Damon planted his haunches firmly on the ground, growling a bit in irritance to the grey scaled dragon, "Not in the mood, old one." He shot his head down to Emily beside him, "I've already been called a hatchling by HER here and I'm really not in the mood. I'm hungry." Then he changed his expression to a happy one, "So did you already cook the meat?"

Rocko nodded, using his forepaw to scoot the meat towards Damon along the cave floor, "Right here. Didn't take long at all since Emily told me you were waking up."

Damon shrugged his shoulders and wings, "Still could've brought the meat to me instead of having me get up and walk."

Emily shoved her finger into his side, "You had to get up anyways, lazy lizard."

Damon shot a narrowed glance at her, "I'm a dragon!" Emily just tried to stifle her laughter again, but somewhat had a hard time and her laughter was heard a bit.

Rocko then cocked his head in confusion, "What's a lizard?"

Cora joined in with she tilted her head too, "Yeah, what's a lizard?" Scott snickered beside her.

Emily waved them both off, "Lets say it's a creature from my world. Me and Scott will tell you later."

Scott looked up and spoke to Damon, changing back to the subject, "Emily did have a point though. You really were lazy today. We were eating without you." He shrugged his arms and giggled, "I thought about waking you up earlier, but I didn't. But yeah, it was time for you to get up."

Damon threw back his head and whined again, "I didn't want to get up. I'm still in pain."

Emily raised her finger, adding, "A LITTLE BIT in pain. Just to clear that up."

Damon shot back, not having his gaze on her, wings curling on his back, "Still didn't want to get up."

Rocko shot his glance down to the meat for a second, "Well since you're up, here's your food."

Damon was bringing his snout down to the meat, "Thanks." He was sniffing it and he let out a pleased croon, "Mmm, boarlis." He lowered his body to his stomach, held down the meat with both forepaws and started digging in it with his jaws. Pulling one part of the meat off, chewing a little loudly and swallowing it before digging in again.

Emily asked Scott while Damon's eating, "Well since we're talking about food, Scott, did you get a lot of apples?"

Scott nodded, "Pretty much so. The bag was really filled with them. That tree had a lot." He turned to Rocko, "Which by the way, thank you for letting us have them for the journey."

Rock smiled, "You're welcome, little guy. I did see that you weren't capable of hunting any prey, so I figured why not share you the apples. You need them most of all." He waved a paw and shook his head, "Not like we use that tree all the time anyways. Me and Corajan here usually hunt."

Scott chuckled, before turning to Cora beside him, "No wonder you wanted to desperately hunt yesterday."

Cora said with a grin, "I'll admit, apples is not much of a favorite. I do like them, don't get me wrong. I just like meat the most." She shook her head her snout scrunching in disgust, "Don't want to taste that CERTAIN kind of meat again."

Rocko cocked his head, "What are you talking about, honey? You like all kinds of meat! Boarlis, tenre, desai-"

She interrupted him, her grin showing a bit of shyness in it, "There's ONE kind of meat I do now wish to eat. Trust me." Scott rolled his eyes and Emily just frowned. Believing that her boyfriend knows what she's talking about. She's planning to ask him that later.

Rocko just wrinkled his face and hummed in confusion and thought, "Hmm, well I'll have to ask you about that later. I never heard you say you didn't like any meat before."

Cora giggled, looking up at him, "Believe me, when I tell you what it is you wouldn't want to taste it either. And...Perhaps it wouldn't taste good as cooked either."

Scott furrowed his brow, groaning loudly, "Oh give me a break!" She tossed her head back in laughter, slamming her paw on the floor repeatedly and her wings were fluttering on her back.

Damon chuckled deeply in his throat when he swallowed up more meat and rose his head off the rest of his food, "What's wrong with you?"

Scott waved him off, giggling a bit, "Nothing for anyone to worry about."

Damon stared at him for a moment, before shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever." He tore back in the meat after that.

Emily said when she noticed someone's not in the group, "Speaking of something to worry about, where's dad?"

Rocko answered when he had a bit of a wide look on his face, "Um, well, when I saw Rick he didn't exactly look happy." He stretched out his left wing behind him and pointed off the direction with it, "He wandered in here, grumbling to himself and went around that way. Wanted to be alone, I guess. I'd say, he looked pissed."

Scott sighed, "That's because he was."

Emily rolled her eyes in annoyance and Damon brought his mouth away from his food and asked, "Oh no. What's gotten into him now?"

Scott said, "You had to ask?" Emily nodded a bit at his answer. It was about Scott. Her dad was pissed that she's with Scott still. Honestly, she can imagine what those two got into outside the cave while they were alone with Cora. And it wasn't pleasant.

Damon appeared to figured it out too, at least that's what Emily believes, "Nah. I think I know."

Emily let out a disgruntled sigh, "As if dad cannot give somebody a break only once." She thumbed to the green dragon beside her, still digging away at the meat, "He gave Damon and everyone else a break, why not give somebody else who's important to me a break?"

Rocko said when he folded his wing against his back, and shifting his weight on his paws, "I don't know what you're going on about, but I hope Rick's doing alright."

Damon remarked after he had one last swallow of the food, deciding to get off his belly and sit up on his haunches, licking the taste of the food off his snout, "I wouldn't count on it, since the human has an attitude." He waved his paw towards Emily, "He's kinda like Emily, but only worse."

Emily's jaw dropped and she slugged his scales in a fit of anger, "I don't have an attitude!"

Damon's body flinched a bit from her punch and he smugly grinned, "Liar. You made me walk when I'm in pain." Everyone just groaned and Damon asked in a high pitch voice, eyes wide, "What? It's true! Also she tells her dad what to do."

Cora laughed at the last part, "Oh wow, a daughter who gets to tell her parent what to do. That's awesome!"

Rocko narrowed his eyes at the small red dragoness, "No it's not! That means you're having an uncontrollable hatchling!" Then he held a suspicious look upon his face, "I hope that you're not being uncontrollable, young lady."

Cora reared back her head and was waving him off with her paw, "No way. I'm not out of control."

He curled his neck in an s shape, "Really? Cause you just ran off to hunt without telling me you wanted to go yesterday. I kinda thought that's a bit out of control."

Damon said with a giggle, "He does have a bit of a point there. Always tell your parents where you're going."

Cora growled at him, "First of all, he's not my parent, he's my family friend."

Rocko shot up his head, thumping his tail on the cave floor, "Well that broke my big heart." He chuckled after that.

Damon shot back at her, curling his tail around himself, "You're living with him, so that makes him your parent."

Rocko mentioned before she could respond to that statement, after a shrug, "Well she actually does make a point on her end. Technically I'm not her REAL parent, so-"

Damon let out a laugh, exclaiming at the old drake, "Not the point. You're still her parent."

Rocko made a nod, "Yeah, I did take care of her for years. So I pretty much am."

Cora just went on with the subject with a giggle, "SECOND of all, I'm not gonna be small forever. I'm gonna be tall and big someday." She threw her paw at Damon and at Rocko, "Like you two!"

Rocko was smiling down at her, "You still were like an out of control hatchling the other day."

The young dragoness let out a groan, "I told you before, I was hungry and I was already outside!"

"Well still, you should've came back and told me before running into trouble."

Damon shot a smirk at her, "He's still got a point there, Corajan."

Cora shot a glare at the dragon taller than her, "You're not helping!" He was tossing his head and laughing hard, along with Scott, whom she hissed at.

Emily planted her hands firmly on her hips, giggling at the scene herself, "Just to clear it up. I'm not an uncontrollable child."

Scott made a teasing remark, "I doubt THAT pretty much."

Emily was narrowing her eyes, "Shut up. I'm not." She waved that off, "Anyways, the only reason why I'm telling dad what to do is because he can act pretty immature."

Cora shot the side of her head towards her family friend, tail moving across the floor behind her, "Like Rockojaren here."

Rocko snorted at the remark, "Young dragon, I'm not. Don't make me ground you." She hung her head and whined.

Emily went on, "Dad really is immature on things. Pretty much on very certain things." She grinned and put a hand to her chest, "So I'm not out of control. It's dad who's out of control."

Rick called up when he trotted up to all of them, "Someone say dad?" Everyone turned their heads to see Rick coming, strolling right past a sapphire colored crystal, "I think I heard someone say dad more than once here. Did you call me, daughter?"

Emily did remember that the cavern was kinda echoey in there. So that was how he probably heard her say dad more than once. She replied with a nod, "I said dad, but I wasn't calling out." She narrowed her eyes at her father and slightly titled her head, "So has your moment of anger went away?"

Rick stopped and stood beside her, waving at her boyfriend and Cora, a bit of anger shone in his eyes, "I suppose they told you what happened?"

Emily glanced at them for a second, before looking back at her dad, "Actually, they didn't have to say anything. I figured it was about this certain person standing here with us."

Rick let out a drawn out sigh, "I'm not in the mood, Em."

The defiant girl shot those words back, "Neither an I."

Rick said to Scott and Cora, like he ignored those words from his daughter, "Well if you're wondering what I did with the bags full of apples, I already laid them back in our room."

Scott shrugged his shoulders, "Not too worried about them. Like you're worried about me." Rick formed a glare shot it at Scott. Emily rolled her eyes and sighed. Feeling fed up about this already.

Rocko said when he began to get up on all fours, letting out a yawn, "Well I'm going to head off and take a nap. I had got up early this morning. Are all of you going to be ok for a while without me?"

Damon turned his snout and nodded, "We will. And thank you for the food."

Rocko came up to the drake and lifted his paw to pat Damon's shoulder with it, "Anytime." Damon showed a winced face when Rocko's paw was hitting up the bandaged shoulder. The pain was evident a bit. Rocko jerked his paw off of him and showed an apologetic look, "Oh, sorry."

Damon shook his head, moving his shoulder up and down, trying to make the pain go away, "You're fine."

Rocko with that answer began to pad away, his grey tail hitting Damon's side, "Alright, see you later." He walked off until he disappeared.

Cora yawned too and said while getting up off her haunches too, "I'm going to take a nap too." She gazed fondly at Scott, "Thanks for hanging out with me, Scott." The dragoness rubbed her snout on his arm.

Scott smiled at her warm scales rubbing against his arm, "No problem."

Cora turned her gaze on Rick, smiling at him, "And you too. Only it didn't last for very long."

Rick nodded and showed a bit of a smile on his face, "Yeah, you're welcome."

She said this to everyone in the group, strolling slowly away from them, "See you around." She walked off until she disappeared after her family friend. Emily had to admit, she did find Cora nice and friendly, not to mention funny, even a little sassy. Like one of her friends from high school she hangs out with.

Emily spoke after a minute of silence came, "I really like Cora." She glanced to Scott and gestured to him, "Hey Scott. Doesn't she remind you of somebody?"

Scott frowned at her question, "Um...No?"

Emily made a giggle and nodded when she answered, "Toni Lombardo."

Scott laughed a little bit at that, "Oh yeah! Toni." He was nodding now, "Yeah, she sorta does a little. Toni always liked getting her hair done."

Emily shrugged with her arms, "Why did you think I like hanging out with her?"

Scott came over and leaned his head to her cheek, planting a kiss, "Had to ask? You like getting your hair done too by somebody." He was brushing her strand of blonde hair off her shoulder, "Even having some curls on it."

Damon cocked his head, "Toni Lombardo?" His eyes widened up, "Wouldn't come across a dragon having THAT name, that's for sure."

Scott and Emily only turned their heads to look up at Damon's eyes, and Scott replied, "No, you wouldn't." Then he bore a serious look in his eyes, "Speaking of Cora-"

Emily's giggle cut him off, "I thought we were talking about Toni?"

Scott smiled at her question, "Well yeah, we were. But we were talking about Cora too. So speaking of Cora." He moved his eyes off her and onto her dad and the green dragon close to them, "I need to talk to you guys about her. In private."

Emily held some concern in her eyes, "Why? Is there something wrong?"

Scott backed away from them, "Well no. I just want it to be private." He thumbed to the tunnel entrance at the edge of the huge cavern, "C'mon. I'll talk to you guys about it outside."

Damon groaned, lifting his paw off the ground a bit, "Walking again? I was getting comfortable sitting right here."

Scott waved them over to follow him, "Lets go."

Rick sighed and followed along, "Well lets see what's going on here."

Emily chuckled when her dad walked past her and Damon, making a crack to the dragon, "I think you're going to have to get your butt off the ground and walk again."

He was whining away, "Ah, damn it! I can't even relax around here!"

*****

I lightly ordered the limping dragon near me, "Luna, slow down."

Luna shook her head, hissing in pain, "No. Whoa." Her bloodied form wobbled around a bit and I cried out in panic like she was gonna fall to her side again. But the black dragoness held herself with a firm forepaw that's not injured and I sighed in relief. Luna let out a whoosh of air and nodded to me with a big grin, "I'm good."

I groaned, "Arrg, didn't I tell you to slow down? You're gonna fall over again." I let out another calmed sigh and waved her over with my hand, "Lets go." She nodded and we both resumed our walk slowly together. A worrisome look on my face. Oh, Luna.

It has been a long time since we both emerged from another battle and poor Luna was totally wounded because of it. God, I still can't believe it. I thought Luna would handle it, SOMEHOW. But things haven't gone well on her end.

And what makes things feel more horrible is that I wasn't hurt that much along with her. Actually, I'm not even hurt at all. My body's a bit sore from that Dark Dragon's strike with it's paw, but I feel fine. It's just Luna who isn't fine and it makes me feel guilty and sorry because of this. As crazy as it sounded, I wanted to be injured with her, cause it wasn't fair that I would survive the battle unscathed and she hasn't.

Talk about crazy, right? Hell, even my mother if she was alive herself would think that.

Well it wasn't like I wasn't injured before. I was back in the cheetah village, but it wasn't really fatal. A couple wounds on Luna do.

When I found Luna on the ground, begging me to help her after I killed off the last Dark Dragon, I wanted to help her right away. But I didn't want to do that yet. Cause I was pretty worried that more enemies would've arrived while I was doing that, and all my work would've been for nothing. She'd be more injured or...Worse than that.

We both had to leave that area. I didn't know if there were more enemies on their way to look for their fallen comrades, but I didn't want to take that chance and Luna agreed to it. She knew that I was right. She was probably thinking the same thing as I.

So that's why me and Luna are walking slowly side by side and she was still bloody. I can tell you this much, I thought she wouldn't get up on her fours, let alone her one forepaw that's hurt so bad. But only to my surprise she actually stood up, wobbled a bit, but she held firm. Then we both began to walk away from our aftermath of the battle. Leaving behind the dead bodies of the monsters who hurt her. And after a long time of walking to find a place to help her, she's still trying to not put any weight on her injured forepaw. She knows she doesn't want that and I heard her cry out in pain when she had done it more than once. And the dragoness fell to her side a few times, because of standing only on three of her feet and didn't slow herself down. Which was why I warned her to slow down a moment ago. I see some of her black scales were red because of the blood from her wounds. And she was still losing some of it.

I looked behind me, behind Luna to be exact, and saw that she's leaving a trail of crimson behind her on the green grass. Seeing that made my body and vision cringe, making me shutting my eyes and turning away. My blood was turning cold too, giving me shivers. Luna....

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my body down and opening my eyes, trying to find a place for us to settle down and let me help her out. Shifting the stuff I'm carrying on my shoulder. I know that I don't have much of anything medical wise. But I do have something to help her heal. Several things that I got from the cheetah village. I remember how the herbs the cheetahs were using made my wound on my arm heal fast and felt better the next day. They have gave me several herbs and several instruments to make them medicinal for any wound. I know they will help her. But would they help her in time?

I shook my head from that thought. Mike, quit it, she's not going to die.

But then I remembered all the blood she's leaving behind. God...

Other than the herbs, while walking with her, I had found some large leaves to cover up the wounds, to put pressure on them. Also with the herbs, I have several rolls of string that'll help me tie those leaves to stay on the woods and not fall off. At least I'm somewhat prepared. Truthfully, it makes me wish that I had a first aid kit considering that leaves aren't really bandages, and string is not exactly tape, but I don't have anything like that and it's better than nothing.

Luna needs my help and she'll die if I don't do something.

Gabby's face appeared in my brain and I was shaking my head at that. She won't die, Mike. She won't die.

But boy the guilt really is evident in my heart.

Me and Luna paced slowly around the corner in the woods, finding a river ahead of us. Luna let out a breath as she stood still beside me. She looked down at me, her bloodied paw still lifted off the grass as she tried not to use it on the ground. She was cocking her head and asked, "I guess we follow it?"

I nodded and pointed, "Yeah, lets follow it a little bit, see where it leads us." I worriedly looked up at her silver eyes, "You ok with it?"

Luna moaned in pain and took a deep breath to get herself moving forward, the wings on her back settling, "Yeah, c'mon." I trekked with her, and very soon we both started to walk along the bank of the river. My heart was cracking as I was feeling guilty and sorry for her.

God...I didn't help her much in the battle.

True, I did help her kill the monsters attacking her. But...Damn, she's really hurt!

Gah, fuck me, those evil dragons were practically beating us. Beating her. I mean, how can you fight a lot of them like that? One alone probably would've been easy to fight off, but three of them together, that's insane. And now she's hurt.

Fuck, she's going to die! Like Gabby!

I closed my eyes, brushing the thought away. No! She's not going to die! Don't give up yet!

She's alive, there's still time. I just need to find a safe place to patch her wounds.

I feel hope returning in my heart, replacing the guilt. Hang on, big girl. Hang on.

Luna limped a bit and then she accidentally fell to her side with a cry of pain, "Graah!" After she crashed to the ground, after I had a wide look, she groaned when her tail thumped on the ground weakly, "Damn it. Nrrgh."

I held my hand against her scales, full concern on my face and in my voice, "Are you ok?" Crap, not again.

Luna moaned, lifting her snout off the ground, nodding without looking at me, hissing to herself a bit, "Y-...Yes." She groaned out as she struggled to get back on her feet and when she did, she flashed me a smile on her snout, and stretching out her wings to show off, "Lookie! I'm back on my feet!"

Despite my fear and concern, I found myself smiling at her attitude, "Gee, when you're wounded you still have your sense of humor."

Her form started to walk forward, "I do." She winced and moaned in pain with a closed mouth, "...A little." Luna with a lot of determination pushed herself to keep moving, her wings folding against her back as she limped on and growled a bit, "Ohh, those bastards. Where did those Dark Dragons come from?"

Hmm. There were three of them who attacked us, so they must be the same ones who flew over us before the Lost Souls found and attacked us. Now I had an idea popped forth in my brain, "I think those were the same dragons who flew over us. Perhaps they made a turn in the air and decided to do another search around the area. Heard the battle going on below them, landed someplace nearby and came to fight too."

Luna limped again and chuckled out loud, "That was a rhetorical question."

I rolled up my eyes, smirking, "I should've known that."

She let out a laugh, before she almost lost balance again but caught herself, "How can you know that? You looked like you didn't know it."

I replied with a giggle, "Hey, I answered it anyways." I melted the smile off my face and sighed guiltily, "I'm sorry about this, Luna."

Luna turned her snout while she kept going at a slow pace, "For what? For this? You're not the one who hurt me, it was them."

"But I still feel sorry for you."

She held a smile filled with pride, "Oh, I've been in scrapes like this before."

I frowned, "Did some of those scrapes actually had you bleeding to death?" I pointed at the trail of blood behind her, showing her the point I'm making.

Luna twisted her neck to look behind her and she sees it. Her silver eyes went wide and she looked down at me, "Actually no. Nothing like this. Only a few scratches, but that's it. I never was losing blood." Her injured paw hit the ground again, having her hissing out in pain again, "Naarrgh. Even this is the first time my paw's hurt! I wish I killed that bastard myself."

I giggled and patted her side affectionately, "Lets put at it this way. At least I killed him for ya."

She snorted, ruffling her wings on her back, "Oh, but I wanted the revenge myself!"

I made a mock expression, "What? Not even me killing him for you was enough?"

Luna let out a sigh and said in a apologetic tone, "I'm sorry, little guy. I guess it was enough. I'm just a bit pissed right now."

I waved her off, "It's alright, girl." I looked ahead and let out a sigh of my own, "I hope you don't die."

Luna shook her snout, "I hardly ever do." I nodded a bit and took a breath to calm myself. Well Luna, lets hope you don't today.

We trudged along the river for a bit and up ahead, we see a wall of rock that goes on about one hundred feet, that has a waterfall falling down over it. Which is the source of the river. As we both walked close to the edge of the small lake that the falls fell into, I think I barely see what's behind it. I squinted at it. Like there isn't any rock behind it. I think there's some kind of cave behind the waterfall. I beamed when a idea came to me. This will be the perfect place for me to patch up Luna.

I spun around, seeing Luna lowering her snout to the water and lapping at it. I said to her, waving my hand at the waterfall, "Hey Luna. I think there's a cave of sorts behind the waterfall. That'll be the place for you."

She rose her mouth away from the water and looked at it, her eyes appeared to be drowsy, "Well about time. I was...Starting to feel tired."

I was backing away several steps, beckoning her, "Follow me." So she did, when we walked a bit on the part in the lake that wasn't deep and headed for the waterfall. And my thoughts were correct, as we gotten closer to the falling rush of the water I see that there is a cave. I ran through the falls, getting a bit wet in the process and Luna followed up behind me, her wings and scales were a bit wet too. Seeing after going through it, I can tell that the cave was wide and big enough for her to walk around in. Even stretch out her wings too. The inside of the cave felt cool and wet in here as well.

After brushing my wet shaggy hair off my forehead and eyes, I spun around to the dragon before me, who was done shaking the water off of her, "Ok, lay down somewhere." I pointed at a spot to my far right, "Over there." Luna just limped her way to that spot and very slowly, laid herself down on her stomach, the wings curled on her back.

She let out a relaxed breath, "Finally I get to stop and rest. I was...Feeling dizzy." I walked up and saw that her eyes really looked to be tired. I'm getting a feeling that with her tired and all now, is not a good sign. I need to help her now and better keep her awake while at it.

I sternly instructed, "You stay awake. I'm going to work on the herbs."

Luna shook her head, trying to keep herself awake, muttered, "Alright."

I dropped all my stuff off my shoulders, including the bow and the quiver of arrows. I bent down to dig around through my bag to find the herbs and so I did, along with the instruments to mash them. I was remembering how to make them usable for medicine and with that knowledge I got to work on them. First off, I grabbed the big spoon that'll smash them up and the big wooden bowl that'll be used in the making process. I ran up to the falling water, holding the bowl out in both hands and filled it up with water. With the right amount of water filled, I jogged back, careful not to spill it and sat down on the cave floor.

I grabbed those herbs, shooting a glance at Luna while at it. She was still awake and she was watching intently. I see on her neck wound that it's still bleeding. I took a breath. C'mon Mike, look at that later. You got work to do!

Pulling out a couple of herbs, I put them in the bowl that has water in it now and with my hand holding the bowl steadily, I grabbed the big spoon with the other hand and started to smash those herbs into the liquid and started to stir it for about three minutes, turning the water into a creamy substance. I smiled at my work. I think I did it. I put the spoon down and grabbed the big roll of string and those big leaves from the bag and with all the things I needed, I got off the floor and walked up to the awaiting dragon. Now I just need to apply the medicinal cream on her wounds, patch some of them. I'm sure I won't be able to patch up all her wounds, since the string won't go all around her body, especially on her side and chest. Plus, they don't look deep and they're not bleeding all that much, so I only need to just put that cream on them.

First off, I needed to clean the blood off her scales and then I came up with an idea. I put all my stuff on the ground and ran back to my bag. She asked me when I ran back to my bag, "What are you doing?"

I pulled out my shirt, that I had dried this morning and explained, "Got to clean off your wounds and I'm using this as a towel. Just hold on." I ran to the waterfall and got my shirt wet. Then ran back to her and started to use it to clean to blood off her black scales. Her body tensed up a bit in pain as the shirt brushed against one wound, but she didn't scream or anything. After cleaning up her wounds, my shirt was wet and dirty with blood, but I knew that I'll get that thing clean later.

Alright. Now to get that medicinal cream on her. Tossing my shirt all the way to my bag, I went to her front and bended down to dab all five fingers in one hand into the cream. After getting all of that on them, I said to the dragon, "Ok, Luna. This is it." I sighed, reaching my hand to her claw chest wounds, "It might sting."

Luna turned her eyes away, not wanting to watch this, "Get it over with." And with that, I swallowed down my nervousness and started rubbing her claw wounds with my fingers, putting that medicine on them. Luna was curling her toes and moaning in pain. Her tail was held close to her side while I was working on her. After I was done with her chest, I worked on her bit down shoulder and she screamed at the pain I was giving her. Her scream hit my ears so hard, it made my chest feel sadness for her. I was muttering with a cracked voice, "I'm...I'm sorry."

I used a big leaf and the twine of string to tie it on her wound, holding pressure on it. I glanced to her neck wound and thought that'll be my next thing to work on. I washed my hand with water and went back to dab my fingers in the herb cream again, this time working on her neck. That made her roar out in pain. My body winced at her earth shattering roar, almost bringing me to tears, but I didn't falter. I kept working on the girl. I know, Luna. I know. Just hang on. With the cream applied directly on her neck, I patched that one up as best I could. Ok, that one's done.

I walked up to the claw marks on the side of her body and worked on them now. She didn't roar out that time. I made it back to her chest, gazing down at the last wound I have to work on.

The bit down forepaw.

I let out a sigh and glanced up at Luna's eyes to give her a smile, "Almost done, Luna. Now give me your paw."

Luna timidly nodded and lifted her shaking paw and I looked deeply at those big tooth marks on it. Augh...That looks bad. I'm going to fix that. I reached down to the bowl and dabbed my fingers in it one more time and started to apply it on her paw. She tried to hold back another scream, but couldn't and it came out of her snout, "Aaaaahhh!!!"

"I know, Luna! I know! I'm almost there!" I was furrowing my brow, trying to ignore her screams. My fingers dug in her wound, getting some blood on them and she shut her muzzle, wrinkling her face tight as the pain came back to her senses. She was doing her very best to not scream again. After putting the medicine on her paw, I tied up another big leaf, already patching it up. I let out a whoosh of air, "There...Done."

Luna moaned again, laying her leaf bandaged paw on the floor, "Raaaah..."

I sighed and reached up to her neck, stroking her gently, my fingers barely touching the tied up leaf on that wound there, "I know, girl. But it's all over." I looked at her chest marks and mentioned, letting my hand fall to my side, "I didn't patch up all of them, but I don't think I need to. They're not bleeding as much as a few others were."

Luna lowered her snout, her nose barely touched the top of my head, "That's...Comforting."

I giggled and said looking back at her eyes, "I'm no doctor and all, but...At least I tried."

I think her eyes were still looking sleepy, but she did grin at my effort, "I don't know what a...Doctor is. But...I believe you did....Thank you." Her eyes blinked and she shook her head a bit at her own pain she still feels, "Oh...It still hurts."

I let out a breath, "I know." I saw that her eyes were about to close, like the sleepiness was getting to her and I asked in concern, "Luna, are you alright?"

Luna was shaking her head, "My brain...It feels dizzy."

I pictured the long trail of blood she left behind. How much she was losing it. God...Maybe I should've done something sooner. I replied with a worried look, "....You probably lost a lot of blood." She was murmuring, her eyelids appeared groggy still when she was about to lay her head on the ground. I got to my knees, grabbed her snout when she laid it and shook it, "Luna, c'mon stay with me."

"But...But I feel...Tired."

I was smacking her cheek lightly, trying to get her to stay awake, "Luna, don't go out on me. I know that I just patched your wounds, but hang in there. Please...Hang in there." No...If she goes to sleep, what if she won't wake up? I can't let this happen. My lip quivered a bit as worry came to me in full force, "Luna, don't close your eyes."

Luna's eyes looked at me in a delirious state, "Mike....Mmmm"

I said, looking deeply into her gaze, "Yes?"

"You know...I really liked being with you. I really thought for a long...Time that I....I was better off not having...Anyone I care about near me. No friends....No anything. Except...The moon." She coughed a bit.

I shook my head, kissing her nose, "I don't think you should talk anymore."

But she did so anyways, "When you found out what I...I've done years ago...I thought you wouldn't be my friend....I thought...You hated me so much....So much that-"

"Luna, you know I don't." I lifted her head a bit with a grunt, and hugged it against my chest, "Please, quit talking. Stay awake."

"Mike....I really feel tired."

"Don't fall asleep."

She took a deep breath and babbled again within my grasp, "Mike...You really have been...My friend....My first friend since I left home...Since I only talked to the moon all alone without...Damon...Illuminus...." Her wings drooped down to her sides and her tail made a slight thump on the ground as she went on, "...You're better than the moon." She made a trembling sigh, "Oh...Mike...You have been the best friend I'd wanted for a long time....Since Damon."

I thought I was gonna sob by her babbling words and I held her tighter, lip quivering, "Don't talk like you're going to die. You won't. Don't scare me like you had before. You'll go home. You'll see Damon again. You'll see Illuminus again. You'll see them both again. Stop talking like that. Please..."

Luna was murmuring in my brown vest, "...I'm sorry."

I caressed smoothly under her chin, "Don't be. Just stay with me. I need you. I need your help. Please....Stay with me."

"Mike...Thank you."

I shook my head furiously, closing my eyes tight, my heart was breaking in two in my chest and I was smacking her cheek weakly twice, "....Stop it."

"Mike...If I don't make it...At least I'll be happy to know...That you lived for another day because of me." The black dragoness's form moved when she was coughing again.

I groaned in frustration and sadness at this, a few tears came down my face, "Luna...You said you hardly ever die, well this isn't your day! You'll live!" I took a deep trembling breath, lowering my voice, "I heard enough. Now shut up."

"....Mikey."

My brain felt like it had a electric shock as she called me by that nickname again. The embarrassing nickname mom gave me. I know that I told her to stop talking, but I needed the truth. I asked her in a soft tone, still holding her in my chest and sniffing my nose when I blinked some of the tears away, "Luna....How did you come up with Mikey? You...Never told me."

She didn't answer.

I tried again, "Luna?"

Again no answer.

I felt my heart pounding as a very big pit formed in my stomach, "Luna?" I scooted back a bit with her head going limp in my arms. Her eyes were closed.

When I see she wasn't talking and her eyes are now shut, I gasped. No....

No!

I shook it over and over, screaming at her, "No....Luna! Luna wake up!" I smacked her scales in vain, "Luna, please wake up!" My tears were all streaming down my cheeks as my fear for what I was afraid would happen....Was coming true. That's when Gabby's face popped up in my brain and I was gasping for air as my throat tightened. Guilt shone in my eyes. No.....

Not you too.

Don't go.

I was shouting at the top of my lungs for her, "Luna! Luna, open your eyes! Wake up! LUNAAAAA!!!"