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He followed behind them both for a few paces, relishing the tranquility encapsulating the forest as the leaves on the trees danced softly in the midday breeze. Their music was like a warmth in the background of the peacefulness, something that resonated in his chest to try and drown out the regret of what had happened the day before. He did his best not to focus on that, the tweet of a bird in the distance drawing him back to reality as he opened his eyes. As he walked, he made sure not to run into either of his friends' tails as they swayed calmly behind their feral bodies.

The sun filtered down brightly through the canopy above, settling his mind as it reminded him of his evening walks with Flare. He lost himself to the thought, remembering how they'd go to the lake after his work was finished. The familiar surrounding scenery of nature helped to put him at ease even when he was so far from home. The swashing of leaves filled his right ear as the other was deafened to such noises, turning his head occasionally to try and catch the sounds. He pushed a hair behind it, letting out a deep breath, his shoes flattening a flower as he moved before cringing as he hadn't realized where he was walking. He then shook his head, squinting his eyes as the three of them broke out into a large grassy clearing in the middle of the forest, the light nearly blinding to his eyes as he'd been inside the cool and dimly lit cave of the Healer's den since he'd been awake.

As they made their way into the center, they didn't bother to say a word, the once gentle brush of air flowing through the valley now growing slightly stronger as the trees thinned and gave way to the open area. He could feel it rush over his exposed arms, rubbing a hand over one of them before raising his head to the sky to try and soak in the rays for a moment before continuing onward. The wind carried with it the scent of water from nearby along with the earthy oak scent of the tree bark, thick and woody.

When Brook stopped in the center of it all, she turned her head to the sky, the fur on her face and body swaying like the grass beneath her, a soft smile pulling at her cheeks as she took it all in. "This is the valley where I've taught many dragons like you how to fly. It's been a while since I've last given a lesson, but since I already know how much you have to learn... I figure I could teach you something of use." She then turned to stare him up and down, her tail maws eyeing him up with their blind gaze, causing Mono to glance at them. "So, what has Vera taught you? Given that you ended up here because you fell - no offense to you Vera - I can only assume that you're not that experienced with it yet." She gave the dragoness a soft nod in the middle of her sentence, the 'ness returning to her stubborn self for a moment as she snorted and gave a soft glare before flicking her tail and watching Mono as he responded.

"O-oh, uh... Well, I got off the ground at one point, back when we were in the city. She, uh... wasn't exactly 'thrilled' to teach me it back then."

Vera broke in, her temper quelled a bit as she glanced at Brook, Mono making a mental note as she retorted, "Well what am I supposed to tell you? You're a human, you don't fly! You..." She then noticed Brook take a step toward them both, silencing Vera.

"Now, now, don't be so harsh to him. He's clearly doing his best to try and help you, he's gone all the way out here to try and break you free from your curse. You two need to work together, now more than ever if you hope to continue your journey."

Initially, after Vera huffed at him like that, a deep spark of anger flared so suddenly inside him that he nearly yelled back, but he stopped himself short. He blinked, letting out a long breath as he realized what had happened, focusing on that part in the back of his brain that swirled dangerously. It felt like a pool of sludge in his brain, unwavering and unrelenting. It made him a bit sick to feel it in there, taking some slow breaths before Brook pulled him out of his thoughts, "Are you okay? Did you hear what I said?"

He rumbled apologetically, scratching his forehead, "No, sorry. I just have a lot on my mind. I... I am really trying to do this, I just... I'm afraid of heights." He could instantly feel the regret pooling around him, crawling up his skin as his mind barraged him. 'Stupid, stupid! How the fuck am I supposed to learn to fly like this? It's impossible.'

But Brook nodded calmly, "Then we'll have to show you the beauty of flying. If you've come this far, you've already faced your fears many times, so this will be a walk in the park." He raised his head to meet her ocean-blue eyes, watching as she looked over the pair of them standing a few feet from one another, "Well, go on. He can't fly without your wings Vera."

She spoke up with another huff, checking Mono carefully as she seemed to calm herself as the two of them had been speaking, "Yeah, well I can't Soul-Link with him unless he initiates it. I'm just waiting till he's ready."

Mono replied curiously, tilting his head, "Are you sure about that?"

"Uhhh, yeah? We read about it in The Book of Familiars, remember?"

He gave a soft laugh, glancing at the ground as he thought back to the day in the library when they went into the restricted section. "Wow, that feels so long ago. I guess I do remember that, it has something to do with the dark magic Rekali used on you to slightly alter the spell."

The kitsune glanced away unexpectedly, her eyelids squinting slightly. Her tails seemed to take note of something in his words, instinctively spreading out around her protectively like a peacock before she took a deep breath, returning herself to the conversation, "Her magic corrupts the spells that were once meant for good. She won't stop until she's grown powerful enough that no one can stop her. I suspect that she's using you to try and do her bidding to help her?"

Interestingly enough, Vera's eyes widened, blinking before glancing at Mono out of the corner of her eye and answering. "Huh? Yeah, why else would she have fucking done this to me? Sorry... I just don't like thinking about it. I want this over with."

"And that's why you're trying to free yourself, hmm?" The silence between them that followed unsettled the human, causing Mono to break in as he felt confused about what they were insinuating between one another.

"Uh... Why don't we try flying now? The breeze is kinda cold and I'd rather try and learn this before it gets too late."

Brook gave a soft smirk at his reply, breaking the tension as she raised her head to the clouds above once more, "You'll be a lot colder when you're up in the sky, but Vera's scales should help ward off the majority of the temperature. Now, go on."

The two of them looked over one another for a moment, this time less with a taste of uncertainty or distrust from Vera, and instead... anxiousness seemed to radiate from her. In fact, he hadn't thought about it until now, but perhaps that was the reason why she was suddenly so defensive a moment ago? He shook his head to clear his thoughts, gandering over her smooth-scaled body, her ethereal wings at her sides as she waited for him to begin the Soul-Link.

He then raised the palm of his right hand a few moments after, focusing on their bodies, imagining the strings of life pulling her form into his own. He could feel something fragile in her, he always had, but for some reason, now that she'd been so kind to him since he'd awoken, there was something different about her. As the swirling tunnel of magic appeared between them both and her mind began to merge with his, it felt... soft. Yet, even as her body evaporated and faded like mist over a valley, there still resided a deep resistance inside herself, wondering for a moment if he was imagining it before closing his eyes to focus.

It was only a few moments before he found himself gasping for air, the sensations against his skin dulling as a blue light surrounded him. As it dissipated, he flexed his claws, the familiar grass beneath his talons held below them, glancing over Vera's form as he then turned his face to Brook. He couldn't help but notice Vera's silence even now, the usual reverberating of her thoughts in their mind wavering in uncertainty. He blinked at the thought, 'Are you okay?'

"Fascinating..." His focus changed to the dragoness' mentor as she exhaled her thoughts, eyeing up the physical form of her former friend, "I've never seen magic like this performed before. It's a special thing to have such a link with her, even if you didn't want it when this all first began. The power you possess, Mono, is a gift from the Spirits of long ago, a portion of Vera's Pure Magic shared with you. The Way of The Spirits is a wonderful thing, and if your destiny is intertwined with hers, then they have put their trust in you to help her."

He blinked at that thought, pondering over it in his mind as she paused. 'Destiny? The only thing I'm destined for is... I don't know. Not this. I... don't belong here. Besides, I don't believe in that sort of stuff. Life just... happens.' He glanced down slightly, his wings drooping a little without him even knowing until the water kitsune spoke up.

"Hold yourself high, Mono. You are faced with a great threat, one that is more powerful than anything you've ever faced. Yet you've gotten this far. Take a deep breath, let yourself breathe, and spread your wings. At this moment, you are exactly where you're supposed to be, so let nature guide you."

"Not to be rude, but... I don't have high hopes for myself. I'll try, but... I can't promise anything." He glanced down at his paws, admiring the sharp claws on the end of them, Vera's thoughts seeming to stir for a moment at his words before stilling.

Brook then turned her head high, taking in another large breath of cool air before sighing, "You might not have been born a dragon, but neither was I. Yet even with this flightless body, I've found my fear of heights has left me after finding meaning in what soaring above the clouds really means to me. One day you'll understand that and find meaning in it yourself, even if you don't have wings."

He blinked at that thought, images of the previous day pressing into his mind of him tumbling down into the lake. He gave a soft grunt, closing his eyes, a shiver passing through him as he tried to push away those memories. It didn't matter now, he was safe and he was on solid ground. All he had to focus on right now was lifting into the air, and then he could worry about the next step afterward.

He spread out his wings beside him, the rush of the breeze quickly pulling at his webbed membranes, that soft tug from Mother Nature showing just how capable of flight he really was. It wasn't too strong of a gust right now, but the constant flow of air pulling at his appendages filled him with unease, gulping as those thoughts from before came clawing back. He clenched his talons, sneering for a second, listening for a moment to that strand of Vera's thoughts. He hoped maybe she had some sort of guidance, something that could encourage him, but she said nothing. He felt the hollowness inside him deepen, frowning with his ears pulled back against his head.

The soothing voice of the Kitsune caused him to open his eyes, looking up at her as she kindly watched from a distance, "It's natural to be afraid of the unknown, Mono. You'll always be scared of something until you learn to face it head-on. You can do this, nothing is stopping you but yourself. Find the confidence and channel that bravery you've used to get this far to do this. You're stronger than you think you are."

It seemed impossible to be anything more than just a human slogging away in his room, living a life that felt so empty without Flare... How could he really be standing here, in The Wilds as a dragon? 'No... I can feel the dirt beneath me... the wind in my sails... I've faced the one thing I feared most, being eaten alive... this is just another step.' "I can do this..." He whispered aloud in his feminine voice, taking an inhale of that gushing breeze rustling the leaves nearby, feeling it fill up his lungs with new life. He held it there, forgetting about his worries and living in the moment as Flare had taught him to do.

And then, he ran.

He didn't know for sure if he needed to, but... it just felt right. He ignored the possible embarrassment in the back of his mind, instead focusing on the wind as it suddenly began to tug at his wings as he angled them upwards. He gasped, opening his eyes and running faster before starting to flap. As if the forest could sense the growing confidence of the young flier, the gust beneath him began to pull him aloft, realizing for the first time that he didn't have to flap as hard as he thought to get into the air! He could feel the weight of his body that he'd grown so used to fading away, his body becoming lightweight as he pushed down at the ground, attempting to lift off. He could feel the ground below him flying by in his run, the sun warming his face as he rose it to the sky with a look of determination.

But this time, instead of merely trying to flap fast to lift off, he focused more on the caress of the air beneath him, the way it reacted as he tilted his wings. He pushed against the current, adrenaline shooting in his brain as the ground beneath him finally gave way and he lifted off into the sky.

He stared down at the large patch of grassy land where he had come from, only a few feet off the ground and yet already feeling so high! He felt tempted to stop flapping in fear, but instead, he simply angled his wings to face the ground, stopping his rise in the air so that each subsequent flap kept him afloat at the same height. It seemed to work, but the more he focused on flapping the more uneven their downstrokes became from each other, resulting in him veering off to one side before catching himself with a quick realignment of their movements. He gasped as he eventually found himself somewhat stable, a bit sick from the nervousness but in the open sky nonetheless.

Up here, the breeze was stronger, the protection from the majority of the wind once guarded by the tops of the trees now pushing against him, causing him to drift in Brook's direction where he'd left her on one end of the clearing. She watched him happily, shouting up to him with a large smile on her face, "Yes, great job! Were you able to fly this easily last time? I thought Vera said you hadn't been able to before."

He managed to speak after another fumble in the air, nearly hitting the ground before tilting his wings up and flapping a bit quicker to gain some height, "Ah... No, sorry. I- I got in the air before, but... I wasn't able to fly for long."

"What are you doing now that's different?" He blinked, turning his face to his wings, watching them move. When he stared at them, their strokes slowly began to lose their rhythm once more, grunting before eventually yelping as he fell down and landed on his back as he hit the ground. The kitsune took a step toward him as his dizzy head slowly cleared, "Are you okay?"

"Rrr, yeah I'm fine. Agh... I... I don't know what's different. I... I think the more I focus on what I'm doing the harder it is to do it. I don't know, does that sound dumb?" He shook his snout, pulling himself to his feet as Vera's rumbling thoughts in the background remained silent and yet also seemed to speak volumes about her irritation at his failure. He growled at the dragoness in response, "You know, it would help if someone didn't decide to go silent on me and be a pain in the ass all the time."

~Excuse you? How the fuck am I supposed to teach someone-~ She then broke off in her thoughts, fuming to herself silently as he swore that thought tendril of hers burned red in annoyance.

Brook spoke up a moment later, bringing his attention to her, "That doesn't sound 'dumb'. The way all of us learn things differs depending on the creature. For most animals, flying comes naturally, but because you're a human I figured that just telling you what to do wouldn't be so simple. I assume that you're somehow embracing her instincts as a dragon, channeling that part of her that longs for the sky. So let yourself go. Be free."

For the next hour he found himself slowly growing used to the feeling of flying, only staying a few feet above the ground as any higher began to make him nauseous and lose his focus. But she did tell him about the updrafts in the sky where rising air could help propel him higher and allow him to drift. He'd heard about birds using that sort of thing, but never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine he'd have to think about such a thing to use for himself. It made him really realize who Vera was, an animal like a bird. And yet she was so much different, so intelligent, a real person to him. Sure, he lived around anthros and some ferals in the city, but being an animal felt so much more... freeing. He couldn't really explain why he felt that way, but out here in the open, where he hadn't thought about his job in so long and was soaring above the ground... he wished it would've lasted forever.

Eventually, they began heading home, un-Soul-Linking with Vera a moment before so that they were all three walking side-by-side. Still, he noticed Vera standing quite a ways away from him, avoiding eye contact unless spoken to, making him glance in her direction. He thought about how she had acted when he woke up earlier, so much softer and happier around Brook, but now... 'Why is she so distant again?' Instead, he decided to prod Brook, hoping that talking about something would cheer up the dragoness' mood. "Hey, so... How did you learn to teach dragons how to fly? You mentioned that you've taught dragons in the past, but... how did that all start?"

She gave a soft hum, staring at the ground before them as they made their way back, her blue tails giving soft growls at one another as she finally responded. "That's a long story." She paused, closing her eyes for a moment as her ears flicked. "In the tribe, all dragons are supposed to learn to fly from their parents. It's something that one can only learn once, and so it's treated as sacred and special. Typically all dragons learn by the time they're twelve, but not all."

"As a healer for all the surrounding territories, I often would visit tribes to check in on their homes, to see if the healers there needed any medicinal supplies. And one day as I was visiting, I noticed a dragoness outside the camp licking her wounds from a fall. I told her to go see her healer in the tribe, but she refused. She was stubborn, like Vera here, saying 'I'd be seen as weak' if she did. So instead I invited her to my cave to help her, and during that time she told me about her family. She mentioned that over the previous years, her parents had left her mostly alone in the tribe, and in that time they had never taught her to fly. She was nearly eighteen at this time, and she felt humiliated that she was being neglected, even if she wouldn't say it."

She then jumped over a log as they continued onward, Vera giving a displeased grunt at the comment targeted at her just a moment before, "As reluctant as she was, I offered to try and teach her to fly. I knew it was breaking some of the customs, but someone had to teach her, and so I took on the duty. It took quite a while for me to understand how to help her, so I took time to read some books on the subject and ask other dragons for advice. But in the end, I realized that a dragon has to find that confidence in themselves to really be able to achieve flight. I think that her family being distant made it hard on her, like she would always be flightless because of them."

"But I remember the day she finally got it. It was like something had clicked in her. I saw it in her eyes, a flash of fire, something strong and yet sad. She found it in herself to push on, and eventually, with my guidance of the wind currents and advice, she finally flew. She found the updrafts and soared high above in the sky for quite a while before dipping back down. But just as she landed, I heard her say something that stuck with me. 'I don't need you.'"

She stopped in her tracks as they reached the cave, looking over it all with a sigh before finishing, "Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision, to get close to her. Her parents... were horrible dragons. She deserved better." Her last words felt choked, Mono blinking and tilting his head at her before she walked around the pool of water from the small waterfalls and into the cave. Her tails nipped at one another, hissing before Brooks' brisk command caused them to simmer down. He followed after her with Vera trailing behind him, not saying a word as they pushed past the screen of leaves woven together and into the lush interior of The Healer's den.

Mono spent the remainder of the day resting in his bed as he found himself worn out from the flying and still quite tired from the fall from the cavern. His mind wandered back and forth between Vera and the way she was acting, the wolves that died in the accident. It was all so confusing, and he could feel his mind trying to blame him for it, twisting his roaming ideas into those of self-hate. But with Vera and Brook around, watching them interact together was relaxing to him. And as the darkness outside the comfort of their cave began to grow, the kitsune invited them outside to enjoy a campfire with her. She mentioned that it was good for the spirit, especially before one set out on a journey.

As Mono sat down upon the pebbly shore of the water surrounding the Healers Den, Brook went off and gathered some wood she had stored nearby. Vera followed after her, ordering him to wait for them. And so he sat there for a moment until they returned, unable to hold back a chuckle as Vera had her maw wide open with a large piece of wood held inside. He couldn't help but make a joke as she approached, Brook coming up just behind her with each of her tails carrying a log in their maw. "All bark, no- wait." Then he paused mid-joke, realizing it made no sense, his brain quickly trying to think of something witty before Vera spat out her piece of wood before stretching her jowls.

He watched her nervously to see her reaction, but... it seemed his joke never reached her. She blinked, glancing away from him, turning to view Brook as she set up the logs in a pile among the stones. He then spoke up, leaning toward her, lowering his voice, "Are you okay?"

"Just... I... I'll explain later."

Soon after Brook motioned for Vera to breathe upon the fallen trees, her sapphire heat catching fire quickly upon the bark. It took a few seconds to fully engulf itself in the torrent of her power, the intensity of the flames searing over his face. He quickly moved his hands in front of him to shield himself, scooting back a bit, turning his face to the cold air behind him as it greeted him with a cold whisper. The dragoness stepped back as she finished, watching the blue crackling fire dance up and into the sky, following her gaze as he only just now was able to really appreciate the sky.

In the city, the world above was silent and the stars were dull. But here, life was vibrant and their sparkling lights painted the dark canvas, constellations he'd only seen in books now clearly seen as the pollution from The Tamed Lands was far from reach. It was astonishing, so bright, and yet... even now they could never share their warmth with them, simply watching the earth like a Spirit guiding them from above. But the longer he sat there and the further he explored the endless abyss above, the further from home he felt, shivering in the heat of the fire.

His ears caught the rummage of Vera's paws as she settled herself down to sit, sitting properly with her chest out and her head high. But now she stared directly into the fire, the shadows cast upon her face holding back something he couldn't quite place. Her wings shifted at her sides, admiring her nimble form once more as they sat there. He eyed her long tail, the bladeless end of it, the claw-like markings covering her arms and neck. She had gone through so much, and yet he felt like he still had so much to learn. But how much more time did they really have before it was all over?

Only when she glanced over at him, seemingly catching his stare, did he look away, gulping with a brush of his hair behind his ear. And yet as he caught her look, she didn't seem angered, her tail laying silent behind her as the side of her face was cooked by the small inferno beside her.

"It's been a while since I last had anyone visit me." The companions both shifted their gazes to Brook as she settled herself on the other side of the fire, the popping of the flames causing small bursts of magic to drift into the sky before seemingly disappearing before them. She continued, her voice soft and yet unsure, "The tribes have grown reclusive, more than I've seen before. It started back when you were taken, Vera, but... the kidnappings have continued even since then. In fact, the Gatherings at every full moon have become sparse. I wish there was something more I could do, but I must stay here. It is my duty."

Mono raised his hand to his necklace as she spoke, rubbing his thumb thoughtfully over the amber wings of metal, the jewel in the middle. As he touched it, he tried to focus on the others, listening to them both as his fiery friend spoke up in a resentful tone, her ears lowering just a little. "You don't have to take on everyone's pain like that. It's not your fault all this is happening, you know that right?" Her eyes bore understanding, again causing Mono to rethink what he knew of her, feeling like he was talking to someone else entirely as she seemed to open up herself.

Brook's tails rumbled softly, lying down behind her like a pack of wolves while still fidgeting every so often, like one who couldn't get comfortable in a bed. "The world has been spiraling down for as long as I can remember. The Spirits wished for us to heal what was wronged in the past, for The Great Betrayal to be forgiven and mended... but now we are drifting apart and we are becoming lost like those long before us. I can't help but feel, as a Healer, that I have to fix this. But I don't know how."

"Though, the world will always move on. Hope will find a way... and at this moment, I'm finding that my silence between it all may be just what the world needs. Waiting for whenever I am needed." The motherly kitsune took a deep breath, the water in her eyes deepening as she gazed across to her student. "And now is that moment. You two have been brought together to me, out of nowhere, seeking to break a spell that many would perceive to be impossible to crack. Yet here you both are."

Mono waited a few moments, staring at Vera as he expected her to speak. But she kept to herself, noticing the way one of her claws on her forepaw traced the ground, instead deciding to fill the silence himself as he thought over her words, "I don't know why the Spirits chose me, I'm nothing special. I can't do vore, I hate- Well... I don't know anymore." He let out a gasp, his mind trailing to the bliss he felt in certain moments, mingled with the fear and things he despised. It was confusing and it made him close his eyes for a second, raising his hands to his face to block the heat. "I just want to be done with this. It's... terrifying honestly. Falling off that cliff? I fucking thought I was gonna die. Yet somehow I'm still here, on this crazy journey with a dragoness who, well, wanted nothing to do with me at first."

The fox didn't seem fazed by his words, listening kindly before giving a soft dip of her head as she replied, "You have a purpose in this life to do something greater than yourself. It's okay to be afraid, I'm afraid sometimes. But don't let it consume you, don't let the darkness break in. The corruption in the Dark Forest will try to harness that fear and anger you store inside yourself. It wants to pull you apart, to make you into someone you aren't."

She then added on as she eyed the gray dragoness, catching her gaze finally, "Vera knows that territory better than anyone, and yet where you're going next... You'll have to be there for one another. Any doubt you feel should be spoken and tension dispersed. That will give you the best chance of survival."

He could feel his forehead sweating a bit at those words, grimacing, "You make that sound like we're gonna die! Haha... ha..."

She blinked, the kitsune giving a soft sway of her tails, "The world doesn't care what happens to any of us, so you must fight for this. Even the Spirits, the very beings that created this world had discourse among one another. As long as you keep your wits about you and work together, you'll both be fine."

He pondered over everything for a long while, a cold rush of wind brushing across his cheek and exposed arms as he sat there, the shirt he wore only partially blocking out the cold. Only now did he wonder if he should have brought a jacket, biting his lip as he flexed the toes in his shoes. He spoke up a second later, his eyes wandering to the quiet 'ness who stared into the flames. "Honesty... Yeah? Okay... Well, I feel like you're hiding something from me Vera. I don't want to prod, I know you don't... like me very much. I- I don't know anymore. Just, what aren't you telling me that can be bothering you so much?"

She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes as she lowered it before her a bit. Her face furrowed as she finally spoke, a weight in her voice that made her words crack in her throat, "The phoenix did this to me. My neck... it was him."

His eyes immediately trailed to the scar on her scales, the left side of her throat that faced him charred with the remains of what looked like Dark Magic. As she forced out her words, she took another large breath, beginning her story with a curl of her talons around her paws. "Back when the tribes were closer, before I was captured... Our tribes would let us visit each other's territory. It was supposed to bring us closer as neighboring allies, to share our homes with one another like that. I... I remember one night when I was visiting the wolves, me and some friends wandered close to the edge of the Dark Forest. I was told about how dangerous it was, but I didn't listen. I was so stupid, I let them dare me into exploring further, the group of us going all the way out to the remains of the castle..."

Her body held itself tightly, Mono holding himself back from trying to comfort her, "For a moment, I thought the Dark Forest wasn't that bad... but when we got to the castle and pressed into its walls... It found me." Her voice broke, her mouth suddenly parted open in a gasp, her chest rising and falling as she stared off into her past, "I couldn't do anything, I was too scared to move. I'd heard the stories of a beast in the runes of the old city, and it burned me." Her eyes turned to Mono for a moment, a vulnerability in them that caused a pit to open in his heart, "As I ran away, his venom sprayed my neck... I barely made it out of there, someone else died..."

The air around them chilled Mono's chest, finding it hard to not comfort her as she sat frozen like that. Her eyes blinked and she shivered, her glowing blue form looking almost like a ghost as she seemed to be unattached to the world around her. "When I left, I promised I'd never return. I'd never get near the Dark Forest again, ever. But then she came and... it broke me." Her voice fell off, taking another deep breath as she relaxed her wings.

"Rekali?"

She didn't answer. "I'm horrified by what she's made me into. I feel like a pawn, it's helpless. Being in that dark place makes me sick, but I have no choice but to obey her." She then raised her head to the stars, taking small, smoothing inhales of the smoky air drifting from the fire, "The Dark Forest has only been kind to me because I work for her, but the castle... The phoenix isn't controlled by her, it doesn't care. I... I don't know if I can do it."

The mark on her neck now hit him harder, like a stain of her past, the fear she held deep inside plainly written on her scales, showing something so vulnerable that she wished so dearly she could hide. He wondered what her neck looked like before it was burnt, if the seemingly cut-off marking continued up her neck, if she held herself more happily in the past. Tons of thoughts trailed through his brain as he thought over the story, her life, laid out honestly before them. He spoke up a few moments later in a soft voice, gazing deep into the lapping flames, "...I'm sorry, Vera. I'm sorry Rekali chose you. But we're gonna free you, I promise."

Her eyes met his as she turned to him, her gaze wavering and ears still pressed against her skull. He smiled at her, and yet she broke the stare, gasping before she spoke, "I don't deserve it, Mono. I'm sorry it has to be you. I really am."

He blinked at her words, tilting his head, unsure exactly if she was referencing him helping her or something else. Brook added to the solemn conversation a few moments after, her somber tone hushed and yet hopeful. "You won't be facing it alone this time though, Vera. You have Mono to be by your side. The two of you have made it this far, you-"

"But this isn't just some predator, Brook! This is the fucker that did this to me, an embodiment of Dark Magic itself. There's no way I- This... I'll try. I'll try." He could hear a low growl in her voice, but it seemed her annoyance was aimed at herself, giving a sneer before her tail uncurled from her legs and she sat straight again. "What's stopping us from getting burned alive by him? He spat corruption at my neck, and I'd be stupid as hell if I'm letting him do that again."

Brook then stood up, her tails behind her swishing softly like the lapping of waves against the ocean shore, "You won't have to worry about that. You won't be leaving tomorrow for the castle, you'll be gathering a flower for each of you that will protect you from his magic. I'd rather talk about it in the morning when you have a clear mind, but I promise you that you'll be safe from anything he can throw at you. Everything but being eaten, and given that that's what you're looking for, you will be fine."

Vera's gaze searched her kitsune friend thoroughly, eyeing her tails and the water in her eyes, glinting from the fire between the two. After what felt like minutes, the dragoness sat back and sighed, closing her eyes, "If it was anyone other than you saying this, I'd call bullshit. But I trust you, even... if this terrifies me. And don't you fucking make fun of me because of this, Mono! I'm serious." Her sight then turned to Mono, causing him to gasp.

"Ah, no I wouldn't, Vera. It- I understand. Why would you think I'd make fun of you for being scared?"

She huffed, tail flicking as she wiped her eyes with a paw before cracking her neck and continuing, "Just... Yeah." She took another breath, tapping a claw over her other paw, "Tomorrow we get the flowers, and then we head out. You better have a good explanation for this in the morning, Brook."

There were then multiple minutes of quiet, all of them seemingly thinking to themselves as the sparks climbed higher into the horizon until they seemingly winked out of existence and joined the flaming stars above. The water softly poured from the waterfall nearby, the sheer contrast of both elements acting in harmony, both so soothing and yet so unlike each other. He considered his friendship with Vera again, wondering if he and she were like those two elements, or if perhaps his initial thoughts of her were misplaced. She was softer than he expected, nervous even, and despite how new this all was, something about it made his cheeks blush, like he was finally starting to see her for the first time.

The water Spirit changed the subject and broke the silence after enough time had passed. "Sometimes, before a tribe member leaves my den after receiving treatment, we sit by the fire and cast our dreams out upon them. The fire Spirits, phoenixes of the past, said the embers that drift out into the sky are heard by their ears, even when they are long gone. That they listen." The fire popped, crackled and sizzled on the bark of the logs, dancing to an unsung tune as the three of them sat around it. She added on, "Even though I haven't treated anyone in weeks, I remember a few months ago when your family came to visit me."

Vera's eyes instantly rose to meet hers, gathering her attention as she wordlessly asked her to go on. "When you left, your family sent out searching parties for weeks to find you. I remember hearing about it as some groups came by and asked if I'd seen you. Everyone knew you were close to me and wondered if I was hiding you or something. But over time the visits became less frequent until they all but stopped. Your family is broken that you're gone. They aren't the same anymore, and even though they told me they've moved on... I can feel it in their hearts that they haven't."

"Why the fuck are you telling me this?" Vera sneered, suddenly flaring up with a loud growl as she rose to her feet. "Do you think that'll make me feel better? Who the fuck cares what they think? I sure as hell don't!" And yet the last words she spoke were choked, and she closed her eyes and sat back down. He caught her ear flicking, the sharp huffs from her nostrils showing her discomfort.

Brook watched her, waiting for a bit before replying, "Once you're free, they'll be more than happy to take you back. I-"

"I don't care."

Her words hung like a weight on a string, swaying dangerously, threatening to snap. Instead, they remained silent until she eventually spoke, "Besides, I can't just fucking go back. What am I gonna do, say 'Oh hey, look! You thought I was dead for years, just kidding!' I- I don't even know where I'd start, let alone if I even want to be a part of that culture again. This... freedom I have, being away from all that. It makes me wonder if I'd rather be the monster I am so I don't have to fake my life anymore."

Mono felt a slam in his chest from her words, closing his eyes and groaning softly as he pondered over it all. He could feel his head tense from just the thought of it, a sickness in his throat just barely felt as his fingers fidgeted with each other. He thought about the backpack in her body, his home, her family. He didn't have the words anymore, nor did he even know where he'd start. Instead, he sat there, bringing his hands to his lips, using his arms as leverage to weigh on as his elbows rested on his knees.

"No one can make you into a monster, Vera. Even when Rekali is in control of your body, that's not you who does her bidding. You're a good dragon, I know you are. Don't tell yourself you're a monster. That's what the Dark Forest wants, for you to doubt yourself and each other. You need to let that go, to believe you're better than that. And if not, you need to believe in each other. Everything will work out in the end." The fox spoke tenderly, eyeing both of them before turning her head back to the sky as she lay down and curled her tails around her body. "You both should get some rest. We can talk about this more in the morning when your minds are clear. Right now it won't do any good with you thinking like that. You understand, Vera?"

She snorted, eyeing her with uncertainty before reluctantly giving a soft nod and a sigh. The healer finished afterward, "Good. Let the fire warm you and burn away your fears. Dream of the future you desire and let the Spirits hear you. You will be blessed on your journey." She then turned to look over at Mono, "I know humans don't like sleeping outside. If you want to go sleep inside on your bed you can, don't feel pressured."

"No, I'd like to stay. Vera... is hurting. I don't want to leave her alone, even if she doesn't want me here." And indeed she huffed at his words, lying down with her back turned to him, causing him to feel confused and yet hummed in response.

"Then you are welcome. The Spirits will hear your pleas, even if you aren't an animal yourself. Lie down on the smooth stones and dream. Be still and breathe." Her eyes then closed as her tails slowly settled down around her, "Goodnight, my friends."

"Goodnight, Brook."

Vera remained silent, simply lost in her own world as she began to drift off into slumber. And despite the rocky ground below him, as he placed his arms under the sides of his head, laying on his side, sleep quickly found him. Perhaps the warmth of the Spirits welcomed him for such a deep rest, or maybe he simply hadn't had a pleasant sleep in the multiple days since he'd arrived. But regardless, he knew the road ahead would be long and difficult, and he had better be ready for it and send his wishes to those above. And as the darkness in his eyes took hold of his mind, he thought of Vera and his home, slipping into a dream full of hope and sorrow.