A Guardian, One Last Time

A Meeting Of Two

When I set out, I did not have an idea of where I was going. All I knew was the direction that the suits of armor had come from, and that was where I was to go. I knew that the beast would find me eventually- He always did. The suits of armor had left large, rather obvious tracks. I checked for traps often, not wishing to be caught off guard by an ambush, but nothing happened, so I continued on. I walked well into the night, eating what I could find in the forest in order to save supplies. I set up camp for the night, gathering up dry dead branches and setting them ablaze with two stones. I leaned back as the fire grew, letting it light the clearing. When I was certain that I was alone, I pulled out my shield and watched it reflect the firelight, rubbing the surface gently. I closed my eyes and felt myself leave my body, and watched my friend dip and swirl through the clouds, much better at flying than when I had known him. It caused me to laugh, and a purr rumbled from deep inside of him in response. Being connected once more felt wonderful, and I couldn't wait to reunite with him. I fell asleep by the light of the fire, dreams of clouds and sunsets filling my mind. When I awoke, it was to a thud, only a short ways away. I readied myself for trouble, hopeful but wary. Two eyes glowed in the darkness, and slowly approached. He made a curious noise and I set my weapon aside, rushing to meet him. He nudged me with his muzzle and I laughed softly, wrapping my arms around him as best I could. "It is good to see you again, my friend." I said softly, an uncontainable grin on my face. He made a noise that sounded like it was caught between the caw of a bird and the mewl of a cat. I spent a few long minutes running my hands through the mixture of feathers and fur on his body, trying to reacquaint myself with him. I had grown, and so had he- He no longer seemed as massive to me, but he seemed more sure of himself, and much better fed. Eventually, he nudged me and yawned, moving to curl up a little ways away from the fire. I realized that he must have been exhausted from his long journey, and waited for him to settle before sitting besides him and leaning against him.
"Sleep well, my friend. We have a lot of work ahead of us." I told the beast, who huffed softly in response and shook out his wings. One wing moved to drape over me, and I welcomed the extra warmth against the bitterness in the air that the night brought. When his breathing evened out against my back, I slid easily into sleep, unsure of what the morning would bring but comforted by the fact that I would not face it alone.