Healed

Epilogue

One year later

Sitting in the gardens Umber had to tightly grip that scroll in his talons as a gruff wind blew by. It passed in an instant, leaving the fragrant smell of wild roses in its wake to tickle Umber's nose. He sniffled back a sneeze and let himself relax once the tingling stopped. Sora, however, fell victim to the wind's tricks and released a series of squeaky sneezes, much to Umber's amusement.

Hiding from the heat of the mid-day sun, the sibs were resting beneath the golden foliage of a yellow elm while reading. Yes, reading. Umber had finally learned to read over the past year, even if he wasn't a pro at it yet. The scroll he currently held in his claws was meant for a much younger audience, but it was just perfect for his skill level. Sora was, of course, reading a much fancier scroll of poetry and other fancily worded things.

They had begun their morning in the library, but on a warm, sunny day like today it was impossible to resist the gardens which were crowded with dragons with the same idea. Most, like Umber, had found a comfortable spot to sit and relax, but there were scores of others walking around to admire the plants or chatting with friends. On the far side of the garden Umber could see his own friend, and, as of several months ago, Sora's now girlfriend, Jet, leading one of her tours through the facility. A few meters away to the left Umber recognized Berg, Flame's IceWing friend, as he watered a bed of long-stemmed lilies. He wasn't sure how close they actually were; only that Flame had insisted they were friends so Umber wasn't going to argue. They apparently hung out whenever Flame helped out in the gardens, which wasn't very often since most of the SkyWing's time was sucked up in the kitchens.

In fact, the SkyWing had been helping out in the kitchen so often that the head cook had taken him on as an apprentice. In addition to being trained it was also somewhat of a part-time job, so the scarred dragon was making a little money as well...that went directly to buying more graphicolls and whatever treat he was currently obsessed with. At the moment it was fig tarts.

Umber's ears flicked as a group of several RainWings loudly walked through the gardens, their voices carried by another burst of wind. Umber watched the living mosaics join up with a band of ebony-clad NightWings lounging by the fountain and felt content.

Flame's new job wasn't the only thing that had changed. The Healing Center itself had grown dramatically in just the past few months. After the success of the first year, news of the Center had become wide spread and dragons had come from all corners of Pyrrhia. More patients had arrived, yes, but so too had doctors and volunteers looking to help in any way they could. In addition to the SkyWings there were now a variety of dragons cleaning hallways, setting up activities, and just generally keeping the place running.

It was refreshing, and in a way, Umber felt like he was back at Jade Mountain Academy in those first early days where he had been in awe of all the strange, new dragons around him.

Umber was jolted from his thoughts at the sound of a dragonet laughing. He looked up from his scroll to see a particularly handsome SkyWing was making a scene.

A dozen or so dragon-lengths away, in a small area free of flower beds or trees, Flame sat before a stout little dragonet with shimmering scales that were a blend of deep blues, purples, and reds.

That dragonet was Chromis, Flame's half-brother. Just emerged from his egg the week before, this was the little dragon's first visit away from the nest and the small hybrid had been so excited to meet his big brother he could hardly keep his wings and tail from flopping around – or maybe that was just from lack of coordination. He had the lean body of a SkyWing, but his legs where thick and short like his SeaWing father and small webs ran between his talons.