Chapter Text
“Umm… Firemaker?” Dagur suggested.
After Dagur calmed down some more, the thing with the Timberjack mask gave him a white candle that let them temporarily communicate.
“Firemaker's super on the nose isn't it?”
The little child was pretty freaked out that Dagur freaked out. He explained that a lot had happened and that he was also stuck in the cave until Shattermaster was okay again.
“Glowdark? Cause you glow, but you're dark, too.”
She told him that she was a thing called a Skykid from a place called Orbit. Dagur didn't know what that was, and would've asked, but the fact that she didn't have a name caught his attention.
“No. I mean, I kinda like it, but I don't think I want a long name.”
So, he and the Skykid have set up a comfy spot by Shattermaster's head with stuffies, pillows, and blankets, just trying to pick a name that she liked.
“Uuuugggghhhh!” His voice tapered off into a frustrated cackle. “You don't like animal names or Timberjack, after your mask. You don't like thing names! Are you being difficult just to be difficult?!”
"What can I say? I like things a certain way.” The Skykid shrugs.
“That's not really an answer.” Dagur sighed. “Okay, fine. Real names. How about… Uh… Helen.”
“Helen? No…”
“Okay. I'll say… Elin.”
“Elin? Elin…”
“It means bright one, I think.”
“I like it. Elin.”
“Finally!” Dagur groaned, rubbing his hand over his face. “Now–”
“The candle’s out now.” As soon as Elin finished speaking, the candle's flame melted in the puddle of melted wax in the ground.
Dagur let silence fall over them both as he glared at Elin, the rain having long since moved on.
She moved one hand up to where her mouth was under the mask and giggled. It sounded like Heather's laugh, like the sun coming out from behind the clouds or a cool breeze on a hot day.
“You did that on purpose didn't you?” Elin responded with a shrug. “Whatever. I'm gonna go to sleep now. I'll see you when I wake up?”
A blink from Elin was his response. She studied him while he laid down on the blanket under him and pulled a pillow to his neck. Then she shrugged again.
Getting up, she then began throwing everything back into her stone chest. Although, most notably, she left the heart stuffy on the blanket next to him.
Eventually, the exhaustion overcame even Dagur and he drifted into a light slumber. In the silence of the cave, the only sounds were the soft breathing of the man, the rumbling of the dragon, the glass-sounding footsteps of the Skykid, and the whispering of the night wind outside.
Groggily, Dagur rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the brightness of the sunlight spilling into the cave. At least he knows which way East is.
Yawning as he sat up, Dagur noted the silence of the cave. He looked around, not entirely surprised to see all hints of the Skykid gone. Even the heart stuffy.
Shifting this gaze to Shattermaster, the dragon was also gone.
Okay, well, maybe the dragon had to pee. Dagur had to pee. He nodded as he pushed himself to his feet, making his way out of the cave.
Shattermaster was easy to spot in all the gray he was sitting in. He was taking it easy, sunbathing while chewing on a rock.
Emptying his bladder first, he meandered over to the green dragon.
“Hey, boy.” Dagur rubbed the Gronkle's nose in greeting. “Mind if I take a look at your wing? I just gotta make sure it isn't too serious now that my head feels better.”
There was a big, nasty purple bruise where the wing attached to the shoulder, but it didn't look bent at an odd angle or popped out of its socket and the actual wing wasn't ripped.
“You'll be fine, then, boy. Don't you worry your big, handsome face.” Shattermaster gave a soft, reassuring croon in response to Dagur's words.
“You're the toughest Gronckle I know!” Dagur said soothingly, stroking Shattermaster's scales. “Just rest up. You'll be fine in no time. You're in good hands.”
He glanced down at his hands. “Well… They're not clean, but they are good. They are good, right? Are they good? They've seen so much blood from so many. How can they be good?”
The Gronkle rumbled deep in his throat in a concerned manner. Dagur let out a deep sigh. “I don't think I'd hurt you, though. You may not be in good hands, but at least you're not in bad hands.”
“Hey, look at me.” Dagur put his hands on the green dragon's cheeks, forcing the said dragon to look him in the eyes. “Was I hallucinating last night? You see that small child that came outta the saddlebag, too?”
Shattermaster crooned softly, his big yellow eyes solely on Dagur. He laughed lightly, “I love you, too, big boy.” That got the Gronckle's tail moving.
“Alright!” Dagur let go of the dragon and began pacing. “Now that I know you're okay, I needa figure out what to do. We have shelter and you have food, so let's go find us a river.”