Don't Fall in Love with the Night

Chapter 21

     "Okay, so what stuff did Knowledge not go over well? Anything confuse you?" Duskwatcher spread out the scrolls in Prism's living space. They both decided to just settle on the ground, the scrolls and writing sprawled out in front of them.

     "I think I understood his lessons well enough," Prism mused, tracing a talon over the scrolls. "I just need to memorize it."

     "Great! I have a song for it, if you'd like. A song sounds kind of stupid, I know, but it's really helpful I promise." He smiled that goofy smile again. Why was it so charming? She found herself biting back a grin at his enthusiasm.

     "A song?" she asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

     "Well - ah - yes. It was just from the dragonet nursery, and it's just a little tune to help you remember the letters in the alphabet. What letter did you learn up to?"

     Prism ran through the lesson in her head, trying to remember. "This one," she recalled, pointing to an 'H' on a scroll. 

     He tilted his head at her. "Can you remember which one that is?"

     Prism twitched an ear. "Maaaaaaybe? Is that one... 'h'?"

     "Yup! Here's the song tune." He hummed it to her. "Then you just add in the words with it. I'll sing it with you, and we can read along on one of these scrolls, to help you recognize them, too. We'll start it off slowly. Sound good?"

     She nodded. "I don't think I'll be all that good... but sure."

     He nudged her shoulder cheerfully. "You'll be fine! We'll go slowly. 'A... b... c...'"

     Prism struggled along with him, but together they were able to make it to 'h', twice. "Look at how well you're doing!" Duskwatcher beamed. Prism sheepishly smiled. "And your scales are doing that pink thingie again," he noted.

     She abruptly turned her scales back to the green they were, but he still noticed. "Do different colors mean different things?"

     "Yea, um, like purple is proud, yellow is happy, dark blue and gray means sad, et cetera." She didn't make eye contact, focusing on the scrolls.

     "Pink means happy too, I'm guessing," Duskwatcher thought aloud.

     "Yeah, pink and yellow mean pretty much the same thing." Well, pink meaning you're happy and with someone you feel safe with, if I remember dragonet training properly. Why is this happening... should I feel bad?

      Instead of making the situation awkward, Duskwatcher just continued with a smile. "Glad to see that my lessons are working, then. Do you want to go on?"

     She nodded. "You have a really nice singing voice, by the way."

     He appeared embarrassed. "Oh, uh, thanks. I really like singing."

     "Do you do it often?"

     "Not as much any more. Hasn't really fit the way things have been... when life is so hard and dragons get more and more frazzled, they don't really appreciate it." He looked off into the distance so forlornly that Prism hesitantly placed a talon on his arm, not knowing how to offer comfort. Duskwatcher looked down at her talon with a small smile, then shook his head to clear it. "Anyway, let's go on!"

     They continued, singing little parts of the song together and practicing recognizing each letter. They were just getting to 's' when a gruff voice came from outside. "Duskwatcher?"

     He started. "I'm over here," he called, surprised. A NightWing briskly pushed through the vines into Prism's clearing, not bothering to ask permission. 

     "Where have you been?" It was Dawnseer, standing over them and glaring at Prism, who glared right back.