Five Nights Of Fire- Book 1 "Dawn of Fire"

Chapter 21

 Cactus felt anxious. He was back in Acorn Medical Center but not right outside Dusk's room, he was in the Central Garden.

He was glad he did get some sleep at his house, but right as he finished breakfast with his family, he left to go check up on Dusk. By the time he got there, they were already preparing for his brain surgery and Cactus couldn't enter his room. One of the doctors there suggested that he wait in the Central Garden, and Cactus had no choice but to agree.

The garden was nice and comforting and the big acorn tree he was sitting under gave nice shade while also letting the sun soak his scales. A few butterflies would land on Cactus and at this point, he didn't mind or have the energy to remove the butterflies. He could feel that some dragons were staring at his scales, but they looked away once he glanced at them.

Cactus wished at least Fatefinder would be with him. Her warm smile, her kind green eyes, everything about her was perfect to Cactus. Even if she was just sitting by him, he'd feel more at ease. But unfortunately, she wasn't here to comfort him.

Cactus began tapping his claws on the bench he was sitting on. At first, it wasn't a specific melody he was playing, it was just whatever. Then a chime played in his head and transferred to his talons. It was something that Dusk would always hum or whistle.

Tap tap-tap tap-tap-tap.

His mind drowned out any other sounds and only paid attention to the tapping of his talons. Cactus could remember one day when Dusk was up at night and scared the blaze out of Cactus from his whistling.

Cactus let out a chuckle at other memories of the better days. Before Sunspeaker or Drought died and before this happened to Dusk. As Cactus was thinking something random simply crossed his mind.

Maybe I could get an emotional support animal for my family. He thought.

He did always like the idea of owning an animal, but he never got the chance because of his work and his family. But maybe after all of this, when he hears the news of Dusk being alright, he'd discuss it with Fatefinder.

"Hello, you're Cactus right?"

Cactus flinched at the voice of another dragon near him. When he looked over to the dragon, he saw that it was one of the doctors who had escorted him here when he came to check on Dusk. She was a MudWing, and he learned that her name was Maple. She was orange-brown with amber-colored eyes and wore a gold horn ring on her right horn.

"Yes, I'm Cactus." He said, pretending to also not remember her name.

"I'm here to talk to you about your son Dusk." She said.

Cactus' eyes sparked. Does this mean Dusk survived the surgery? Will he be able to wake up now? Cactus' mind wandered with hope.

"Go ahead." He prompted her.

"It would be nicer if we were to talk about it away from our other patients. Please, follow me." Maple said, looking around to see other recovering dragons.

Cactus got up from the bench he sat on with newfound energy. "Let's go then." He said, smiling.

Dusk was going to live, he had to live. Cactus thought.

However, Maple had a frown plastered on her face, which made Cactus start to doubt his hopes, but he kept them high. After losing a daughter and brother, there was no way life was going to make him lose a son now.

The MudWing then led him out of the Central Garden and to the hospital rooms, specifically the way to Dusk's room. If Cactus could, he'd swing his tail around like an excited dog. But he knew better than to swing his tail barb around recklessly.