The Little Star Princess (The Dragon Prince)

Chapter 7.

After the elf's blood stopped flowing, they continued on their way. "Tell me, Asta...", Ezran suddenly spoke softly to her. "Hm?" "What was that? I mean why did you bleed?" She looked at him, her eyes softly looking at him. "That was a reaction." "Rea- what?" She chuckled, ruffling his curls. "For every action there is a reaction. I haven't had time to charge myself with Star Energy, which means my "energy" is almost completely gone. And when my energy is completely exhausted, I go into a kind of stand-by to conserve my energy." She spoke calmly, still smiling encouragingly. "When do you have to recharge?" Aaesteria thought for a moment. "Hm... I think it's enough if I charge up in the next 4 days, then I'll really be of some help to you!" pulverized!" Aaesteria laughed. "Oh Ez, darling..." "Look up! There's the tree!" Alice cried, pointing to the mountain. Some light broke out of the dark clouds and shone on the big tree up there. ,,Yes! We are nearly there! We can do it folks!" Aaesteria stayed quiet. Suddenly she knelt down on the ground. "Arces Nokturo...", she whispered and drew something in the dirt. "Is everything ok, Asta?" Callum asked confused and looked over her shoulder with interest. "Yes, everything is fine.... I just checked a little thing." She said and got up again. ,,OK! Let's go up to the ridge, find the healer, and save the egg!" Callum exclaimed enthusiastically. The wolf began to whimper. "Oh no..." Ezran whispered, and stood in front of the group. "I've got bad news.... I don't know how to say it...." Asta looked at him knowingly, she had noticed it too, but kept her mouth shut. "Just say it." Callum said calmly . "Even if we make it to the ridge, there is no miracle healer..."

Everyone except Aaesteria looked confused at the little prince. "There is no miracle healer, I'm sorry." "Don't make a secret out of it! If you say something like that, you have to explain it too!", Callum said. "Ok..Ava told me!" Ezran said and pointed to the big wolf. Callum sighed. "That again." Ezran put the backpack on the floor. "No, it's true! I understand what animals say!" "And did you ask Boit, maybe he sees it differently! Or ask a squirrel what climbs the tree." Callum said and made it ridiculous. ,,Please Callum, maybe he really is telling the truth. I knew a lot of people who-" "I knew you wouldn't understand!" Ezran interrupted, hissing at Callum. "Ezran, I would like to believe you! But it's not that easy in this case." Rayla said softly and knelt down next to Ezran. Aaesteria had now devoted herself to a bush and was tugging at it. "I've always been different, it's hard for me to make friends I feel like I don't belong...!" "It doesn't matter! Being normal is boring anyway!" Said the moon shadow elf with a grin. Ezran smiled. "But I feel a connection with animals..." Bait grumbled and turned dark orange. "A few years ago I noticed that I understood what they were saying." Since it was slowly getting interesting, Aaesteria let go of the undergrowth. "That sounds interesting, do you really hear what they are saying? Or is it more of a feeling?" , Aaesteria asked curiously. "Can you believe that?" Callum asked the group. Asta and Rayla looked at him annoyed. "Why should he lie?" the elves asked slightly annoyed. "Because he's a kid?" he said, walking towards her. "Because it's fun?" "Because he's afraid to go up the mountain?" Ezran looked at his brother angrily. "I'm not afraid to go up the mountain!" "Come on Ez how-" "It's enough! I don't want to hear anything anymore, especially from you Callum! Don't you see how close it is to YOUR brother?!", Aaesteria said angrily. "But that's the reason why he doesn't find any friends!" Rayla jumped up. "Callum behere you!" "Do you believe me?" "Yes!" "Would it change anything?" Rayla asked with a sigh. Aaesteria nudged her side. "I believe you, Ezran! But the miracle healer really exists! I have my Ava!", Alice said and hugged her wolf. "Come on, let's move on! We have to go up to the ridge." Callum said coolly. Aaesteria looked at him annoyed. "God you people are exhausting..." she whispered so that only Rayla heard her.

"Oh Callum? What do you have there?", the elf asked interestedly when Callum took out his cube. "It's a cube that lights up when someone is connected to an Arcanum!", he said excitedly and held it under the star touch elf's nose. The sign of the stars began to shine brightly. "I see that... where did you get it from?" she asked interested. "Oh, it's been in our family's winter home for years! We got him because we thought he might be useful!" Aaesteria bit the inside of her cheek. "What is it?" Callum asked confused. "My brother made it. I didn't know it still existed..." she mumbled thoughtfully. "Oh...do you want it back?" Callum asked hesitantly. ,,Oh no! It's okay keep it, I don't really need it." She whispered with a smirk.

The higher they were on the caldera, the brighter the moon rune on the cube shone. "The higher we get, the closer we get to the moon..." Rayla said. Inwardly, Aaesteria shook her head. 'Not quite Rayla' thought the Startouch Elfin to herself. That's what Callum said. "I think it's something else." Suddenly she heard a strange noise. They all stopped abruptly. "Did anyone else hear that?" Alice asked uncertainly. "Yep, just ignore it! Go on!" Rayla said stubbornly. Aaesteria's ears twitched as another noise rang out. "Should we do something?" Ez asked. "I'll recite an old Elvish proverb: If you want to climb a mountain, try a dying one Rescuing a dragon egg, and what hauntings you hear, move on!" "That's specific though..." Ezran turned to the noise. "And if someone needs help?" Ez asked, and Rayla turned to him. "Ez, darling. I can't protect you again..." Aaesteria whispered. "Ez... You have a good heart..", she spoke softly. "And that's really annoying.", she finished her sentence, not so gently. She passed him. ,,Okay! But we're not all going to check, me and Asta are checking this out. You stay here and wait, and protect that egg!" Asta nodded, and followed her friend over the stones.

Both elves had drawn their blades, and Rayla was spinning in a circle, uncertain. Aaesteria gently pulled her behind her. "It's nothing, come on." After walking a bit, they found something. "Oh my, oh my..." Asta murmured, and wanted to thrust her blade into the spider bag, but the thing refused suddenly forward. "Go back....." the thing moaned in pain. "Is anyone in there?" "Go before they get you too..." "We won't leave you behind!" Aaesteria wanted to pull her back, but she cut open the cocoon.