At last, they reached the cave mouth where Bone slumbered, his enormous frame half-swallowed by the shadows. Starfania's heart pounded so loudly she swore Aeron could hear it. Even as they walked together, her steps slowed, her body instinctively holding back. As she watched Aeron's steady pace and Violet's eager bounce. The crystal embedded in the cave walls cast a pale glow, and with that glow came movement. Bone stirred. His plated body shifted with a grinding groan like stone bending, and then his eyes opened—molten silver, burning with memory.
With a roar that trembled the air, he unfurled his wings, every joint rattling like thunder. Drogo reacted immediately. His ears flattened, his tail lashed, and his claws scraped the ground. He positioned himself as a living barrier between Violet and the threat. Starfania's pulse leapt in fear, but Aeron's voice cut through—low, firm. He gave a single shake of his head. Drogo froze, muscles quivering, his instincts screaming, but he trusted Aeron enough to hold still. Bone lowered his massive skull until his nostrils nearly touched Violet. The air filled with his hot breath as he sniffed her and Drogo, drawing in every detail of their scent.
A long pause stretched between them. Then, unexpectedly, Bone gave a small, almost birdlike chirp. His head bobbed once, wings flexing in short bursts. The menace faded. Violet squealed in delight as his muzzle brushed against her shoulder. Within moments, the cave was filled with laughter. Drogo relaxed enough to paw playfully at Bone's massive foreleg, Violet stroked the metallic snout with childlike wonder, and even Aeron smiled at the sight. But Starfania lingered apart. She folded onto a nearby rock, hands clasped tight in her lap, her chest tightening.
The joy in front of her was undeniable, yet all she could feel was a gnawing edge of loneliness. Is Aeron still angry with me? Does he really mean it—that our friendship would be over if Violet were harmed? She forced herself to watch without intruding, telling herself she should just be grateful. Still, her thoughts circled back to her lost brother, to the family she had yearned but never had. Her fleeting smile collapsed under the weight of what would never return. Aeron noticed. Amidst Violet's giggles and Drogo's purring rumbles, his eyes kept straying to Starfania at the cave's edge. She was too still, too distant.
The Starfania he knew rarely sat silent when dragons were involved—yet here she was, her expression shadowed, her light dimmed. Concern twisted in his chest. Had his warning cut deeper than he intended? She tilted her head, following his gaze until she too spotted Starfania's retreat. Tugging at Aeron's sleeves, she whispered, " Big brother, I think Starry's feeling sad. Do you think something you said hurt her?"
Aeron's stomach dropped. The memory of his ultimatum—if Violet gets hurt, our friendship is over—flashed back like a blade. He hadn't meant it to wound, only to protect, but hearing Violet voice it out loud made him realize how harsh it sounded.
" Do you think so, Vi?" he asked softly, his throat tight. Violet's violet-blue eyes were grave, no trace of her usual mischief. She nodded. " I do. You should go talk to her. I know she cares about you, and she probably just needs to hear that you care, too."
Her words pierced him. He turned back toward Starfania, who sat in the pale glow of the crystals, her figure outlined against the cave entrance. She looked smaller somehow, her shoulders curled inward as though protecting herself from an invisible weight. Aeron drew a deep breath, gathering his resolve. Violet was right. He couldn't leave things like this. He had to cross the space between them, had to let Starfania know she wasn't alone—not here, never.