Dragon Feathers

Small steps

Elin kneeled on the shore of the lake to wash her face, before going in the water. Marat emerged in all his splendor, dripping on her when he shook his head.

- Hi beautiful - greeted him the tamer, caressing his neck. The dragon puffed, and some clouds of vapor escaped from his nostrils. - Did you eat?

Marat emitted an approving hoarse sound.

- See you later - said softly Elin, before leaving.

She had decided. Soon she was going to leave for new adventures far from home, but first she wanted to make peace with some people... her friends.

The first person she went to was Lynae. The girl was meditating with Illiya like every morning, but she stopped immediately when she felt her presence.

- Elin! - she exclaimed, happy, and then cautious. - Do you need something?

The water Dragontamer twisted a lock around her finger, playing with her hair.

- Not exactly - she mumbled, uncertain. - Can we... talk?

- Sure - Lynae was about to get up, but her friend stopped her and sat in front of her.

Talk, she said. How could she? She couldn't find the words.

Lynae had always been a good friend, lively and affectionate. Her confidant, the one who invited her to all of her adventures, all of her games. Their friendship seemed unchanged even after she had become Leif's girlfriend. But then they had broken up, and Lynae had started dating Rorik. A crack had opened in their friendship, crack that seemed an abyss.

Now she had just to... take a step over the crack, hoping that Lynae was on the other side, waiting for her.

- What's bothering you? - asked softly the electricity Dragontamer, giving her an affectionate look.

She was there, over the crack, and she was waiting with open arms.

Do it. Take the step.

- I'm sorry... for everything - Elin said in one breath. - For distancing myself. For hurting you. For ruining our friendship.

Lynae nodded.

- I don't hope that we can still be friends - continued Elin in a low voice. - Lynae... I have decided to leave and tour around the world. But I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry.

- Alright. I accept your apology - replied the girl, smiling. - Elin, it's true, you hurt me. But it's nothing unfixable. I hope this journey will help you grow. I want you to know that, if you come back, I'll be waiting for you. We're a team, aren't we? You and I have been one even before becoming Dragontamers.

They hugged. Lynae chuckled.

- Don't you dare miss my wedding.

- I won't - mumbled Elin, enjoying every moment of that hug.

- Anyway, - whispered the electricity Dragontamer - time and distance only destroy shallow friendships. I hope we'll be friends for a long, long time.

The second person Elin went to was Yorick. The air Dragontamer was strangely at home and not at Jun's, and listened patiently to what she had to say.

Once he finished listening, though, he said that he wasn't going to accept her apology. You came to apologize only because you're leaving? How nice of you. Have you already gone to Leif? No?

He was angry, she understood that. He had always been closer to the fire Dragontamer than to her; their friendship was frail and had immediately broken.