A few hours later...
Reef and Splash exchanged a glance as they weighed their options. Turning in the travelers would earn them favor with Solara and possibly reward them handsomely. But Moss's alertness and Frostbite's watchful eye posed a significant obstacle.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvvPerXwN0
"We can't risk it," Reef whispered to Splash, glancing nervously at the frost dragon swimming alongside the boat.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdYXsDznwI
Splash nodded. "They've trusted us this far. We can't betray that trust now."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPqvjSHAwk
Reef sighed quietly, his gaze lingering on the travelers sleeping peacefully. "But what if Solara finds out we let them go?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeE5LWGdpKE
"We'll deal with that if it happens," Splash replied firmly. "For now, let's focus on getting them safely to their destination."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSozCt46mm
Meanwhile, Moss gently glided through the night sky, the cold air brushing against her scales. Tiny Wings slept soundly on her back, her tiny form curled up in a protective ball. Moss occasionally glanced down at the boat, checking on the travelers below.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCDQ3qUXzs
"You're a curious one, Tiny Wings," Moss murmured softly. "But you've brought a new spark to this journey."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3ORVy9jI1
"Hey, Moss!" Splash called out.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgAgg3TIre
Moss looked at Splash. "Yeah?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BPA2AjzfM
"You know the story of the great Blue Fire dragon who writes the story of our lives?" Splash asked. Moss nodded.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFhN0OnnDF
"Who writes his story?" Splash asked. There was a moment of silence.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAw8XsjcaB
"I don't know..." Moss replied. Moss and Splash looked at Reef. "What? I don't know anything either!" said Reef.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6lsmoieJ6
There was another moment of silence.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8BBC1BtBJ
"Well, whoever it is, they must have quite the imagination," Moss finally replied with a chuckle. "Imagine weaving together the tales of dragons and travelers, shaping destinies and adventures."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡml5xYrjOZo
Splash nodded thoughtfully. "I wonder if they ever get tired of writing about us. Are we interesting enough?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8QjHJjkVI
Reef shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe they're just as curious about us as we are about them."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOZxYhC2se
Tiny Wings stirred on Moss's back, her ears perking up at the conversation. "Do you think the Blue Fire dragon knows about us?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJPguO51OB
Moss smiled warmly at Tiny Wings. "Maybe one day, we'll find out."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5afD36yW0
With that, they continued their journey through the night, the boat sailing on towards their destination.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlInUj4c2N
The next morning...
Reef slapped his flipper against Splash's snout. Splash jerked up. "I'm awake!"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxbeZGVm7W
"Good! Because you fell asleep at the helm! And now we're in the middle of nowhere!" Reef yelled.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1ypSbkJsE
"Well why didn't you take over after I fell asleep?" Splash asked.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74CMTPc5yn
Reef threw his fins up in exasperation. "I was keeping watch for any dangers, like you know, not getting lost in the middle of nowhere!"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKEPFalCh3
"Actually you fell asleep as well," Frostbite butted in. "I'd take the helm. But I don't know exactly where we're going or how to sail."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslhRjA8hEB
Aurora, still groggy from sleep, stretched and yawned. "Alright, everyone, let's not panic. We need to figure out where we are and how to get back on track."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkoqK5SV24
Elanor looked around at the seemingly endless expanse of water. "Do we have any maps or charts?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfIwLUS4MP
Reef and Splash exchanged sheepish glances. "We... might have forgotten those," Splash admitted.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDmboZxn5E
Cole sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Great. So we're lost at sea with no map and no idea where we're going."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcNVa7cnJg
Tiny Wings fluttered onto Moss's shoulder, her face determined. "Maybe we can use the stars to navigate. Moss and I learned a bit about star patterns back in the temple."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6GAnMqa7f
Moss nodded. "Tiny Wings is right. We can use the stars to get our bearings and figure out a general direction."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGZSMh6Hmj
Aurora brightened at the suggestion. "That's a great idea. Let's wait until nightfall, and then we can chart a course based on the stars."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IRg8qnKY3
"Ya know, Splash, if you were getting tired, I could have made you a potion to wake you up," said Elanor.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxxBmwNHTA
"I could have. Yes. But you were asleep," said Splash.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oUSIe0bPm
Elanor placed a hand on her hip. "Then why didn't you wake me up?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHYLnjLcdI
"Because it would have been rude!" Splash said.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5lJr1cLhp
Reef gave a fake laugh. "Oh, so it's rude to wake Elanor up in the middle of the night, but if you wake me up at midnight it's funny?!"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dN3Im44qB
"Because you're not a female!" Splash argued. "It's called being polite, Reef."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsRbghwd2w
"Yeah, yeah. And stealing treasures is being polite," Reef said sarcastically.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQq2qWSdAc5
"I was teasing my sister," Splash said.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8Xnktdtqr
Reef scoffed. "Right."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGdneQD07W
"It's a sibling thing, Reef," Cole said, "unless you have siblings, you will never understand."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRz3TZnmW0
Tiny Wings looked at Cole. "You have siblings too?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ScqqgTwhF
Cole nodded. "Yup. I have three brothers and one sister. It's bad enough that I'm clumsy all the time."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr907N4wszB
Moss had a face of dread. "Oh no...he's the middle child too..."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKwcIxkzlJ
"Unfortunately," said Cole.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfTe98ltW0
"I'm the youngest dragonet out of sixteen," said Tiny Wings, "We have to fight for our mother's attention."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFpdiDUWgH
Everyone, except Moss, looked at Tiny Wings with shock. "You have sixteen siblings?" Shadow asked in shock.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxzHnnA3F2
Tiny Wings nodded. "Yup. Four brothers and Twelve sisters."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsHZ94oqx6
As the day wore on, the travelers found themselves bonding over shared stories and laughter. Night fell. Moss and Tiny Wings took to the sky, scanning the heavens for familiar constellations.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGT2mKLY7YD
"There!" Tiny Wings pointed out. "The Dragon's Tail constellation. If we follow it, it should lead us back on course."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGbV7l3smZ
Splash and Reef adjusted their heading, following the stars as their guide. The boat cut through the water, a sense of hope and adventure filled the air.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdaKKEpSFd
Later that night...
Splash looked back. Cole, Elanor, and Tiny Wings were asleep, snuggled together. Frostbite climbed into the boat and laid down, giving his body a break from swimming. "I hear the Dragon's Heart is a very powerful artifact. What will you do with it once you find it?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4runixD3lo
Splash thought for a moment. "Hmm...I think I'll add it to my gemstone collection." Splash then looked at Moss. "What about you, Moss?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Utm4R9F9y
"If Tiny Wings and I get it, I'm going to take it to Solara. And then maybe she'll actually pay attention to Tiny Wings," Moss purred. She then looked at Frostbite.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBNjfP1eF2
"I'm gonna use it to show what a good Frost dragon I really am! I want to show them that I can *really* do something!" Frostbite declared. Frostbite looked at Aurora. "So what about you, Aurora?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGpk13V6U2
"I'm going to use it to make my fire abilities strong enough," Aurora said, looking up at the stars, "I would finally be as powerful as the other Emberflares. What are you gonna do Shadow?"
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKu7f5qEEsV
"I'm going to change the way our kind is seen," Shadow answered. "I'm going to make our kind a better species for the greater good."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGm4VeEfEEw
The other dragons smiled at Shadow. "What about you, Reef? What will you do with the Dragon's Heart?" Shadow asked.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenXQgBW0Mw
Reef was silent for a moment. "Well... To be honest... I've never really thought about that."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvSYFVX6eD
Reef's admission left the group in silence. The gentle rocking of the boat and the soft murmurs of the sleeping travelers created a peaceful atmosphere, despite the gravity of their conversation.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscxQOrWQ16
Splash patted Reef's shoulder with a flipper. "It's okay, Reef. Sometimes the best plans come when you least expect them."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfv0PoeNlnI
Moss nodded in agreement. "And who knows, maybe along this journey, you'll find your purpose."
Aurora looked out at the star-filled sky, her fiery eyes reflecting the constellations above. "We all have our reasons for seeking the Dragon's Heart. But maybe, just maybe, its true power lies in bringing us together, helping us discover our true selves."
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcw2Eej3ka
The group pondered Aurora's words, finding a sense of unity in the shared journey. The night continued peacefully, the stars guiding their way as they sailed through the calm waters. Each dragon, and even the travelers, dreamed of the Dragon's Heart and the possibilities it held.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
