Curiously, Ava walked through the cave until she felt the dragon egg growing warmer. She perceived the gentle pulsing so intensely, it was as if the dragon hatchling was running. She gazed at the shimmering egg in awe.
"You seem to feel at home here, don't you?"
"I sense the spirits of other dragons. They will watch over us."
For an unhatched dragon baby, that sounded very wise.
Alert, Lilly came to her, her attention focused on the egg. "What is it saying?"
There was no hiding anything from this girl.
"That it feels comfortable here."
Lilly grinned, took a deep breath, and spun around with her arms outstretched. "So do I. It may not be a palace, but it's a definite improvement over the underground hovel I used to live in." She said it without a trace of melancholy in her voice.
Despite her enthusiasm, she was noticeably pale, which made Ava worry about her.
"What do you say? Do you want to lie down for a bit? After all, we've been on our feet all night. I'll keep watch in the meantime."
"Bah! I can stay awake forever if the situation calls for it." With those words, she sat cross-legged on the ground and looked towards the exit. Ava settled down next to her and looked outside. The trees loomed densely, and above them stretched the azure sky.
Ava took off her bag, placed it between the two of them, and nestled the dragon egg on top of it so it could rest close to her. Whether it was the dragon baby's desire or her own, she couldn't tell. "Did you think from the beginning that I was a dragon guardian? I mean, because I found the egg."
"If you had told me you were talking to the little one, I would have known immediately." Precocious as she was, she gave Ava a reproachful look, which made Ava snort in amusement.
"If you're so knowledgeable, my dear, then tell me what kind of front we're at. How serious is this war to be taken?"
Fear flitted across Lilly's features, which didn't fit her sassy nature at all. "It's not really a war, more like unrest. There's a sorceress who's keeping the kingdom on edge."
"I didn't think they were so powerful. I thought most of the magically gifted were killed."
"The king would like that, but a few managed to escape. Elora is one of them. She's the most powerful of our time and unimaginably cruel. She's incited many mages and gathered them around her. Together they fight King Eldric, his kingdom, and everything the dragon fighters stand for. She's created unrest throughout the land that the dragons don't like. That's why they fight on the king's side."
"Although they don't really trust him, otherwise the air dragon wouldn't have prevented the egg from falling into the king's hands." Lost in thought, Ava looked at the dragon egg and then gazed outside. The men had probably been referring to this Elora when they'd said that 'she' mustn't find out that Ava and Lilly were in this cave.
"Do you know where this sorceress lives, Lilly? Probably nearby, otherwise Rob wouldn't have warned that she might discover us, right?"
When the girl didn't answer, she turned around to look at her. Lilly had curled up like a cat on the cave floor and was sleeping soundly. Her frail upper body rose and fell in a steady rhythm.
Smiling, she looked at the girl. Her skin was pale and shadows marked the area around her large eyes. How often had she had to stay vigilant despite fatigue while living alone in the underground passages?
All the better that she felt safe at the moment. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't have fallen asleep.
Ava pushed the bag with the dragon egg closer to her and carefully rested Lilly's head on the bag. They'd have to do without a blanket, but with the padding and the egg, she would at least be warm and comfortable.
Ava tiptoed to the cave entrance, without straying far from Lilly and the egg. She stayed in the shadows, looked outside, and observed the sky. Four dragons were silhouetted against the horizon. From a distance, the color of their scales wasn't visible. With their broad wings stretched out to the sides, they glided through the air like the lords of the land. The image was breathtakingly beautiful. She could have stood there forever watching these giant creatures in flight. But a movement caught her attention.
Had a branch on the oak tree across from her moved?
Her pulse quickened. She pulled her head back and kept an eye on the spot. But everything remained quiet. No one appeared, not a leaf stirred, and no rustle or other sound indicated that someone was lurking nearby.
She hadn't imagined it, she'd bet her life on it. Or should she rather say, she'd put her hand in a dragon's mouth? Not a pleasant thought.
Maybe the wind had tugged at the branch? But why weren't the leaves in the treetops rustling then?
She remained still in her hiding place and kept an eye on the forest, even though dragons repeatedly flew through the sky, vying for her attention. But no matter how long she waited and how intently she observed the surroundings, no uninvited guest appeared. In between, she looked at Lilly and the dragon egg. The little one had curled around the egg, hiding it with her body. Both were sleeping peacefully and deeply.
Time passed and no one came. Although Ava was tense, she felt the fatigue in her bones. She'd probably been awake for thirty hours. By now, Aunt Helen must have noticed that she hadn't come home that night. Hopefully, she wasn't really worried and instead assumed that Ava was having a good experience somewhere.
