The 'Dragon Defender'

Searching For Sanctuary

"Hey, I'm just going for a day," I assure, chuckling as I pet Melanite. "Two at most. I need to check in with my Alpha."

"Why?"

"Well I'm barely at the Sanctuary these days, I need to check in sometimes."

"Why?"

"Melanite, he's my Alpha," I laugh. "And they're my pack. I think you know quite well 'why'."

"Can I come, too? Pleeeeease?" Melanite looks up at me with her puppy dog eyes, but I only smile beneath my mask and shake my head. "Not this time. I need to do this one alone. Okay?"

"... Why?"

I roll my eyes in amusement and set her down, knowing that she's just playfully stalling me at this point. "Go on, you."

Melanite happily goes to Selene, who sets a hand on Melanite's back. "Nothing bad has happened, right?" She checks for the millionth time since I told her I was going back. "You look so dazed. It's not like you, Indi."

"Everything's fine," I assure. "My Alpha simply needs to talk, and I'd love to see my partners anyway. I'll be back soon."

"Be careful out there," Selene requests. "Look after yourself."

"I will," I nod, pulling her in for a hug before I move away to morph and take to the air. "You all do the same."

With that, I'm away, my thoughts clouded with the memories of my last flight. No matter how much I try to shake it off, Plasma's words keep coming back to me as if they were ingrained into my skull.

How is he so sure of what he's feeling? It makes no sense to me that someone could know so easily. Is that just me not having liked anyone before? Have I liked people in the past and just didn't realise that I was experiencing attraction? Am I even capable of feeling that way? Am I broken? Do I even want to be fixed?

It's different from friendship. With platonic relationships, if you enjoy their company, you're friends. You can love friends more than just platonically - I can't imagine having romantic feelings for someone who isn't your friend - but it always starts out with friendship.

I have that friendship with Plasma, of course. I wouldn't hesitate to call him my friend. Why can't romantic interest be just as easy to identify as platonic interest? And I'm not even going to think about the other thing!

Seriously, what's the difference? Butterflies in your stomach? Imagining your future together? Was what Addie told me a criteria I'm supposed to meet, or is it different for everyone? If I don't do or feel those things, is it really love? What am I supposed to feel? What do I feel?

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I hear familiar calls of my pack eagerly welcoming me back home, mostly the Night Terrors beginning their shift. I'm at the island already? How long have I been zoned out for? I look up to the sky as I absentmindedly follow my partners to the entrance to the Sanctuary. The sun is just setting now. Right. Night Terror shift. Of course it's late.

"How is everyone?" I ask, petting the Night Terrors before we part at the entrance. Lovelei flies over to me, landing on my shoulder. "Everything is perfectly fine, boss!" She assures me proudly, puffing out her chest. "Nothing new to report since Camo and Citrine returned from your mission on Berk! The Sanctuary hasn't faced any threats beyond the occasional naive traveller, nothing unusual!"

"Good, thank you," I nod, scratching lightly under her chin with my finger. "I'll let you get back to it, then. I have some... matters to attend to."

"Good luck, then!" Lovelei nods, then takes off, her pack following in their usual lively manner. I chuckle and head inside, pulling my mask down once the entrance is sealed shut.

Right, I'm here. I'm home at last. It's good to be back. Good to have this familiarity, the comfort of knowing I'm here if anything may go awry.

I let out a breath and follow the passages to the hatchery. Might as well check on the hatchlings, right? See the little guys playing? Yeah, it'll be nice to see them again. I don't want them to not recognise me, after all. I want them to be comfortable with me. This is important. Very important.

Oh gods, I'm so glad I decided to see them; the moment I turn the corner I get rushed by excited little dragons, most practically screaming my name. I laugh and do my best to hug and let them all. "Hey, guys! Easy, easy! Ha ha! Okay! I've missed you too! Ouch! Hey, Moon, still in the biting phase?"

Moon giggles and trots off to his siblings, with Lily and Solar both still being fixated on me. Among them are Jewel and Dapple, the two Night Furies hardly able to keep still as their bodies wag with their tails, and Valkyrie, who promptly abandons the rowdy Furies in favour of curling up around my neck like a scarf, her soft fur tickling my skin.

I kneel down and make sure to give them all the attention they deserve, dishing out pettings, belly rubs, ear and chin scratches, baby talk, the works. I can't wipe the grin off my face as I keep rambling away to them about how they're the best and so cute and how I've missed them and how they've all grown so big, leaving no room for myself to dwell on anything else. I don't want to think of anything else. I only need to focus on them. Just stay distracted. Just stay distracted...

It's not working. Why isn't it working? Rise to my feet, cradling Dapple in my arms, and walk towards the Night Fury eggs, admiring them, the other hatchlings still nipping at my heels - in Moon's case literally. No changes yet, though I still can't help thinking it looks a lot emptier since Jewel and Dapple hatched, leaving two empty pedestals to signify their entrances into this world.

Gods, it still makes me so happy to know they finally hatched. I just know that when the other eggs hatch, I'll absolutely adore all of the sweet hatchlings awaiting us, just like how I love the pair we already have.

... And just like...

"... I'm going to go do my old rounds," I tell the hatchlings, making my way to the cavern's exit, the little dragons tilting their heads in curiosity.