Taekwoon was more than happy when he, and the rest of the ground bound riders, were finally allowed to go back to training. When they’d showed no obvious signs of anything out of the ordinary, the Battalion was almost obligated to take them back, if for no other reason than they needed the dragon power. That didn’t mean things were or had been easy though.

            Despite Gain’s efforts, her meeting with Hero was less than successful and she had been, as Jinki put it one afternoon, ostracized. The other dragons all had riders to vouch for them and balance each other out. They had reasons to remain loyal and not be otherwise doubted. The Paramour did not. At least obviously, though Taekwoon felt deeply that she would be among the first to defend the Aerie if it came to that. So instead of playing Paramour, she started to wander the Aerie and take scouting trips of her own volition, a choice that made her no friends but probably gave her some peace.

            What was worse, outside of the dragons settling their differences for the greater threat, the residents all seemed to have shorter tempers. Master Mimi was experiencing a recent influx of patients with minor injuries from stupid fights within the Aerie. When Taekwoon spoke to Jinki about it, the Aerie Master postulated that it was almost like they were trying to form factions, but because no one really knew what the best approach was, it always fell short. Their loyalty to the Aerie just barely outweighed whatever petty grievances they were dealing with. For now.

            The only upside Taekwoon could see was that Commander Yunho seemed to have calmed down a bit since he’d last seen him. Oh, he was still tense and obviously scared of what might happen if is body language was any indication, but it wasn’t as noticeable. When he asked Jinki about it, because the man knew something about everything to do with the Aerie, he wouldn’t say. Of course, that only proved to Taekwoon that something had happened behind the curtain.

            And, to be completely fair, Wing Leader Insoo was a breath of fresh air when it came to his wing mates. No matter what the underlying energy was around the Aerie, he treated all those under his command the same. Never mind he was fostering a group of dragons that had been questioned by the majority most recently, he was steadfast in their support and training when they returned to the wing. And heavens bless him, but he had enough understanding to keep Taekwoon and Chaerin separated for the most part.

            They hadn’t spoken about what had happened and they were both very good about avoiding each other. Likewise, Fei and Jonghyun had decided to behave similarly and only Jongup was relatively unphased. Mostly. He did get a bit standoffish with Fei for a moment, but that was likely because he was at least slightly connected to Jinki. While Jinki wasn’t saying what he was feeling, it wasn’t so easy to hide such things from a dragon one was bound to, however loosely.

            Yet, despite everything that had happened or was going wrong or could go wrong, when Taekwoon was in the air, it almost felt as if everything bad just faded away. Since coming back from the Group Trance, flying felt more invigorating. More real. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine he was flying and not just riding Jonghyun. And honestly, dragon jumping had never been easier…

            “I know I’ve seen you do it dozens of times but I still can’t believe you actually jump between dragons so easily,” Jungkook laughed during their evening meal one night.

            Taekwoon blinked in surprise when he realized the comment was directed at him and shrugged. “It wasn’t always easy. It takes a lot of practice,” he reminded the other rider, glancing at the rest of his wing members before looking down at his half-eaten plate of food.

            “I wasn’t under the impression that something as potentially dangerous and unpredictable as jumping between two moving dragons hundreds of feet in the air could ever be considered easy,” Wooyoung commented dryly, a curious look in his eye.

            The tone of the conversation made Taekwoon uncomfortable. “Well, maybe not easy exactly,” he amended with a half-hearted shrug. It wasn’t supposed to be but even he could admit that feeling no fear anymore was a little strange.

            Seohyun reached across the table and caught his forearm lightly in her hand so that he would look up and meet her eyes. More of the soft heart of the wing, her gaze was slightly concerned as she spoke. “You have been just a little different lately.”

            “Not that you’re doing anything wrong,” Jinyoung was quick to defend, his hands rising up in a soothing gesture.

            “Far from it! He’s never been more in sync with the wing,” Jungkook chimed in again, apparently suffering from a very mild case of admiration.

            “Speaking of that,” Insoo finally murmured inserting himself into the conversation. He turned to focus on Chaerin’s uncharacteristically quiet group. “You’ve all been more in sync lately. Even Ryeowook,” he teased gently, a smile softening the prod.

            The mentioned rider ducked his head in pleased embarrassment but it was Chaerin that responded, “It’s probably because we have such a good Wing Leader.” Her tone was light and her expression sincere, but Taekwoon could see… or maybe feel that something was a little off.

            “Oh, he’s good alright, but even he can’t work magic,” Wooyoung chuckled with a bemused look at Insoo. Their Wing Leader rolled his eyes and took it in stride.

            “Right. That was all you guys,” Jinyoung encouraged, leaning on the table and gesturing at the other riders. An excited look crossed his face and he flailed at the rest of his primary wing. “Do you remember when they first got here?”

            “Ugh. Don’t remind me,” Jungkook laughed with a hand on his face.

            “They weren’t that bad,” Seohyun defended them quickly, an infectious smile on her face that spread through the rest just as fast.

            “I was!” Ryeowook freely admitted, ears scarlet at the admission, but it had the desired effect. Everyone laughed. And then one by one, the rest were pulled into the conversation, leaving the attention off of Taekwoon and his slowly loosening gut.

            Insoo stepped away from the table to speak to another Wing Leader briefly, but the conversation carried on without him easily. When he returned, he took a relaxed seat next to Taekwoon, noticeably between him and the other riders, and casually mentioned, “Your dragon’s been showing more lately.”

            It was hardly what Taekwoon had been expecting to hear and it made him tense up, the knot returning quickly. “What?” he asked softly, glancing at the others to make sure no one was listening. He saw Insoo doing the same and was grateful the other man was using the ongoing conversation as cover

            “On the ground, you’re you,” he explained with a small shrug, one hand gesturing from the cup he was clasping. “But when you fly, and especially when you’re dragon jumping, there’s this shift,” he murmured, mouth quirked to the side and one brow raised. It was like he was trying to figure out the words to say and didn’t quite know how to explain it.

            Taekwoon didn’t know how to respond to that. He wasn’t even sure he was expected to, but he was back to being uncomfortable again. What Insoo was talking about matched how he’d been feeling but hadn’t actively noticed. “Shift how?” he asked since he couldn’t figure anything else to follow that with.

            Insoo’s soft laugh was strangely comforting. “Not your eyes so much. Hard to see when we’re flying. And I doubt the others notice as much since they’re focusing on what they’re supposed to be doing. I think it’s more the way you move. You mirror Jonghyun,” he explained thoughtfully, rolling the cup between his hands now.

            That surprised him. Do I mirror you? he immediately asked his dragon.

            Jonghyun was also surprised by the question. Not sure. Don’t watch you when flying. But…

            His hesitation was strange and it made Taekwoon’s gut clench harder. But? he prompted, glancing at Insoo with a slight nod to let the other man know he’d heard him.

            Mate says you do. And when you jump, you… feel more like a dragon, he spoke slowly, apparently piecing together the situation as he talked.

            Oh, Taekwoon responded quietly, hands falling to his thighs and gripping hard.

            “And?” Insoo nudged, noting the change in demeanor as some kind of answer.

            Taekwoon swallowed and took a breath. “My dragon agrees.”

            “Thought he might. Just glad to know I was seeing things clearly,” he assured the younger man. “Like Jinyoung said earlier. You’re not doing anything wrong. I just needed to get a better idea of what’s changed. For all of you,” he added, nudging Taekwoon again so he’d follow Insoo’s gaze.

            He looked down the table and noticed Chaerin’s wing. They looked completely normal right now. Happy for a change. Laughing with the other wing members. But then he focused on Chaerin. She had been in Trance with him. He knew the others had been drifting in and out as well, but she seemed to have spent more time there. Not unlike him. And… that one moment in Trance, he saw that she had a ghost of a dragon outline as well. “Does she mirror her dragon too?” he asked hesitantly. It seemed almost as if she felt him watching her then, and turned to meet his eyes. She offered a hesitant smile and nod. He responded in kind and her smile grew.

            “Yes,” Insoo answered after a slight pause, watching the exchange.

            “Do the others?” he continued, looking around the room briefly and then back at Insoo beside him.

            “Sometimes,” the Wing Leader confirmed. He took a breath and shrugged as if to himself. “Whatever it is, it’s helping. But,” he started with an amused chuckle, “if you notice any other changes, could you let me know a little earlier next time?”

            “I’ll try,” Taekwoon answered without much thought.

            “Good. Now finish your food. You know you need to keep your strength up,” Insoo instructed, pointing at the plate in front of Taekwoon before he moved to sit down closer to the other wing.

            Taekwoon didn’t want to eat. He wasn’t hungry anymore, but he did because he knew he should. He was more unnerved by the conversation than he cared to admit though. Why didn’t you tell me I’d changed? he asked his dragon, trying not to sound hurt.

            Jonghyun didn’t immediately answer and it felt like he was searching for a good response. Didn’t know, was the eventual reply and it fell far short of what Taekwoon wanted to hear. Didn’t feel wrong. Feels… natural. Right, he tried to explain, at a loss.

            But it’s not, Taekwoon objected, steadfastly chewing his food.

            No? How do you know? was the quick response. We are different. Maybe is right.

            Taekwoon remained silent after that. He didn’t want to be different, but he was. What applied to other riders and their dragons wasn’t guaranteed to apply to him and his dragon. I just wish I could tell, he sighed, taking another tasteless bite of food.

            He was glad the wings seemed to be stronger again. And that the rest of the Battalion had apparently come around on trusting all the dragons in their midst. Almost anyway. He still missed Gain’s presence after all. But despite the positive gains, Taekwoon couldn’t quite shake the tension that buried itself in his gut and stayed there. It was an uncomfortable sense of foreboding. Not like he thought he’d feel if Tiamat was coming but it seemed as if something was about to happen. Jonghyun and Jongup felt it too, but neither knew what it meant. Even Jinki felt a bit more on edge than usual.

            They all understood why when one of the sentry dragons noticed another dragon incoming. Only, it wasn’t alone. Bugling an alert, the Aerie came to life as the Stardust Battalion members quickly poured out, followed by curious residents. Taekwoon turned his gaze to the sky and saw a white dragon at the fore, flying hard and shimmering in the sunlight. It was carrying something in its claws. It was also being followed by three other dragons, none with riders.

            On Commander Yunho’s command, two wings rose up to engage. The others were ordered to take flight and spread out to watch for additional dragons. Taekwoon followed Insoo easily but he kept his eyes on the new dragons. Something was definitely not right. He heard it a moment later.

            Help!

            White is being chased, Jonghyun spoke just a breath after, confirming what he’d heard himself. Since their bonding, Taekwoon had been able to get a feeling for what other dragons were saying when they roared, but he’d never actually understood them before.

            Hold, he urged, scanning the horizon for any other threats. Other wing will take care of white. Even as he said it, he could see one wing coalescing around the white dragon while the other moved to confront the three following.

            Wild dragons, Jonghyun supplied irritably.

            That was surprising. They weren’t known to actively attack dragonriders without cause. The three, two reds and a bronze, roared in frustration and peeled back, almost moving as one. Taekwoon blinked at the aerial display and watched them closer, relatively sure there were no other dragons nearby. Wild dragons didn’t operate as a team.

            Hero called out, something that sounded suspiciously like, Return! And then Insoo was giving the signal to go back. Okay. That was weird.

            The white dragon was badly wounded and was actually carrying its rider in its claws. The rider was unconscious and also gravely injured so Master Mimi moved immediately to take them away. Hero stepped up to speak with the white dragon and Jonghyun relayed what he could at the same time.

            They’d come from Miremaw. Wild dragons, not rogues or formerly bound dragons, had suddenly attacked en masse. His rider was a messenger from Kokoshir. Something was wrong there too but the more immediate concern was Miremaw.

            Master Hyesung stepped in as soon as Hero backed up a step and summoned two dragons to help him move the white to a more secure area. Taekwoon’s pulse quickened as he realized the fighting had already begun. His heart literally jumped when he heard Yunho call Insoo’s name along with three other Wing Leaders. “Yes, sir!” they shouted in unison to whatever he’d asked them. Taekwoon had completely missed the question.

            “Then go!” he barked. “Support Miremaw. Hoya! Boa! Your wings stay here on the defense. The rest of you! Quick sweep of the surrounding area. Subdue any aggressive dragons and report anything strange immediately. Dismissed!”

            Taekwoon’s head was still reeling from his wing actually being called. He knew Yunho didn’t trust them completely so it didn’t immediately make sense for him to send them. With three other wings no less. All far more experienced. Relatively speaking anyway. Contemplation was for another time however.

            “Riders! On me!” Insoo called, the summons resonating through the dragons as Gunwoo echoed it. Taekwoon heard the other Wing Leaders make the same call and he was grateful for the dragons’ ability to communicate more directly. It lessened any confusion they might have had.

            We go, Jonghyun crowed between their bond, launching himself into the air with the rest of the dragons, moving in tandem with his wing.

            For one brief moment, there was this sense of coalesced energy. Taekwoon felt like he was strung between a web of strands linking each dragon to the next. But when they started moving their separate directions, it seemed to pull apart, making his skin tingle and a shiver run up his spine. The sensation unnerved him enough he was briefly pulled from the collective synergy of his wing and he glanced around. He saw Chaerin doing the same thing out of the corner of his eye before he purposefully directed his attention to the receding ground. Eyes darted about, searching.

            There!

            At once, his world centered again as he met Jinki’s unblinking gaze. His other half smiled in grateful relief and reached out one hand, a motionless wave. Taekwoon reached back and nodded once, a reserved but still warm smile on his own visage. We go, he agreed with his dragon, feeling Jonghyun move beneath him and the direction they were heading in, but he kept his attention focused on Jinki until he couldn’t see him anymore. Even with his dragon sight.

            The wings flew out from the Aerie and cleared the edge of the mountaintop. Their passage was almost eerily quiet. No dragon made a sound beyond the flapping of their wings. He didn’t hear it but he could feel the quiet communication happening between the lead dragons. The instructions that had them lining up in a pseudo diamond pattern with Insoo’s wing at the rear. The primary Wing Leader, Shindong, was gesturing to either side of him. He gave instructions to the secondary leaders – Changmin and Taecyeon, and they nodded in understanding. Then he leaned over his dragon to relay another comment and Taekwoon saw Insoo nod as if listening to his dragon. Taekwoon’s belly tightened preemptively.

            The wing leaders raised their hands together. Their hands came down. Their dragons dove. Their wings followed effortlessly and they entered a nosedive down the face of the mountain. Rising wind at their backs pushed them faster and Taekwoon leaned close over Jonghyun’s back, squinting hard against the cold air slicing at his face and eyes. Howling wind dominated any other sounds until they leveled out, banking hard, a move that made Taekwoon’s stomach drop like usual.

            Screams and roars whispered to them from the city in front, carried on the roaring breezes. Darting dragon bodies danced above Miremaw, diving and rising again. Some fought but most flit through the air, attacking or avoiding as necessary.

            No riders, Jonghyun relayed what Taekwoon suspected.

            Not Tiamat’s Aerie then. Rogues? He knew the white had said they weren’t but it would be strange otherwise.

            No, his dragon answered, head tilting as a new order came through. We take far side. Fly over other wings.

            Understood, Taekwoon nodded, glancing at the other members quickly. They were doing the same and he shared a nod with any who met his eyes. His pulse pounded harder when he saw the other wings peel off, diving down to attack the invading dragons with unrivaled skill. The first strike was devastating for its unexpectedness. Surprisingly, Taekwoon felt uncomfortable with it.

            Not real opponents, Jonghyun commented with some frustration.

            You’re right, Taekwoon agreed. These dragons hadn’t been trained. They did have some degree of wing formation but it didn’t hold and they obviously didn’t know how to respond to a coordinated attack. More like a slaughter, he commented, all the trepid excitement gone.

            Surprise thrummed through their bond and Jonghyun alerted, Rider!

            Looking ahead, Taekwoon saw what had caught his dragon’s eye. Gain.

            This was the last place he’d expected to see her, but there was almost no mistaking the gold. Amidst the other dragons, she was one of many, but the way she moved. How she pivoted in the air and engaged the other dragons… there was no way he would not recognize her. She did not fight as one in a wing. Her attacks were singularly focused and calculated, striking hard and retreating quickly as one who has no support should. But for all her magnificent fury, her opponents recoiled with little more than bruises and thoroughly dazed. And each striking pass took her much lower than needed, her head darting here and there as if she was searching for something.

            Instinct said he should go to her immediately. She knew something. He was certain of it. Training demanding he didn’t. Yet. Eyes fixated on Insoo, he saw the hand motions indicating the formation they were supposed to take. He smacked Jonghyun’s back once to make sure he had his attention. Get Gunwoo.

            Understood, his dragon responded, even as they banked to the left following the signaled order.

            Taekwoon itched to go see what Gain was doing. He could tell she had noticed them but her attention was still fixated on another task. That only added to his certainty she knew something he didn’t. Jonghyun flew up hard and fast on the red in their vicinity, but at the last second he pulled up and flared his wings, roaring at the offending creature instead. Caught off guard and outmatched, it balked and stumbled in the air. Long enough for Jongup to come over Jonghyun’s head and pounce on it from above. The pair tumbled down and then parted ways, the red stunned but alive and Jongup unharmed and satisfied.

            Good, Taekwoon praised, settling over his dragon’s back once again as they leveled out. He saw Insoo looking at them and then down at the gold below them. His mouth thinned, eyes darting over the group at his command. But then he seemed to come to a decision and he nodded once. A hand gesture at Jinyoung had the copper dragon swinging over to take his place while he gave him a questioning look and then waved him off in turn. Taekwoon flashed him a grateful smile which seemed to surprise the other rider, and then dove hard to get near Gain.

            She snapped at a white that was flying too close and scared it off with a glare before swooping so low she could practically touch the tops of the buildings. There were no dragons in her immediate vicinity, but she had to bank and pull up hard when something attacked her from below. Her pained cry struck Taekwoon like a physical attack and he felt a strange wash of rage come over him.

            “Humans!” he hissed as they swung over the alley to see for themselves. Armed men had fired upon her with projectile weapons and he wanted nothing more than to go down and… do something to do them for their unwarranted attack against Gain. He felt his dragons agree and was a hairs breadth from doing so until he heard Gain call out to him.

            Wait!

            Her voice was a clarion call and he jerked from his rage with a panicked gasp. Beneath him, Jonghyun faltered for a moment and shook his head as if to clear it. You okay? he asked quickly, not sure what had happened.

            He felt Jonghyun’s confirmation even as Gain pulled abreast of them, yanking an arrow from her shoulder. “Not their fault,” she explained, even as Jonghyun relayed her words for him. It was eerie that he understood her so clearly though… “They’re just protecting their home.”

            Taekwoon could understand that, though it didn’t banish the rage he’d felt at seeing them attack her, a friend and ally. All the same, he nodded and swallowed hard. “What are you doing?” he shouted, knowing she’d hear, even if Jonghyun didn’t relay for him.

            “There’s a dragonling here! The dragons are looking for their child, she explained quickly, the pain and yearning obvious in her voice.

            “All of them?” he asked in pure surprise.

            “Yes! I’ll explain later! Help me find it!”

            There was no question. Of course he would. Jong!

            His dragon roared in agreement and sank down even lower. They knew they risked the same fate as Gain but they kept their speed fast and their movement irregular. It didn’t matter that he was obviously a rider. From below, that was not a guaranteed sight. Where? He flinched as a battery of arrows shot up where they’d been a heartbeat before, movement flashing in the corner of his eye. Where would a dragonling be? This was a residential area and he was sure Gain would have scoured the merchant district already. So where? Obviously, it wouldn’t be kept in the open. Not if it was a baby. But who would have a baby? One of the merchants, maybe. But… His eyes landed on the wealthy district to their right. Near the center of the city. Most of the dragons had been pushed to the outskirts of the city, leaving a peculiar opening for them. Larger buildings near the Governor’s mansion rose like miniature castles and Taekwoon briefly resented the wealth needed to build such things.

            I see, his dragon nodded in understanding, winging towards the structures automatically.

            They had no scent. No pull. No sight. But that had to be where the dragonling was, right? Maybe the Governor’s mansion? Even as the thought crossed his mind, Jonghyun roared in surprise and barrel rolled, flailing in the air when a new volley of arrows came at them from murder holes in one of the buildings. A new pang traveled through the bond and Taekwoon’s head whipped around to see Jongup flailing from an arrow in his side. “Jongup!” he screamed, seething with anger. They would have seen he was a rider. Get me close, he instructed Jonghyun whose anger matched his own.

            The two dragons pulled up a bit, giving them space from the ground forces, and then leveled out. Jongup drifted a touch lower and Taekwoon unhooked his riding gear. Gathering his feet under him, he leaned with Jonghyun’s gentle bank and then rolled off as they passed over Jongup. He spread eagled to slow his fall as much as possible and angled himself to land harshly on Jongup’s back, wind briefly knocked from his lungs as he hit on target but hard. Coughing to draw breath, he snapped his gear in place and leaned over to shimmy down the blue hide so he could reach the arrow under the wing. It wasn’t deep, fortunately, but it was embedded. Looked barbed too. “Shards!” he spat, realizing he couldn’t just pull it free. “Brace yourself!” he called, grasping the shaft and holding firm so he could snap it, shortening the length sticking out.

            Jongup lurched and faltered briefly before leveling out with a pitiful keen. Jonghyun popped up beside them again, his amber eyes watching them both carefully.

            “You go back. We’ll find the dragonling,” he encouraged Jongup, clambering back up to his gear so he could unhook it once more.

            Doesn’t want to.

            “Then be a lookout, but get away from the ground,” Taekwoon compromised quickly, waiting for Jonghyun to drift a little lower and closer.

            Mate will.

            “Good,” Taekwoon nodded once and hopped without hesitation, landing much easier on the copper dragon’s back. That house, he instructed with a fierce irritation gnawing at him.

            Agreed, Jonghyun growled, turning hard and flapping even harder.

            Maybe he was wrong, but one of the only reasons a group would shoot at a dragonrider, who was here to help, was because they had something to hide or were afraid for some reason. Neither were good reasons for Taekwoon and though he couldn’t tell if the dragonling was here, something was telling him this was a good place for it.

            Feel it too, Jonghyun admitted determinedly as they eyed the structure together.

            Okay. Three floors. Baby is likely on the bottom or basement. Can’t get in because of guards. Thoughts? he asked, an idea brewing in his head but he wanted to see if Jonghyun was on the same page.

            He was. Go through the top.

            Good. Taekwoon unhooked his gear and carefully crawled down to Jonghyun’s chest, letting the dragon enfold him in his arms protectively.

            They lined up on a descending line for the intersection of the top and second floor. We go! Jonghyun roared, ducking his head and tucking his wings tight as they got closer. Taekwoon heard a brief whistle of arrows and felt another pang before Jonghyun crashed into the building, shattering the outer wall and collapsing the third floor under his momentum. People screamed and wood splintered. Taekwoon cringed and gasped, pressed hard against his dragon’s body and the ground.

            The pressure was suddenly gone as Jonghyun stood up and roared, flaring wings knocking even more of the structure down around them. Taekwoon shook his head and bounded up in a brief daze. He stumbled to the side before a quick breath steadied him enough to leap up and snatch his sheathed sword from the harness before he got back down and searched for the stairs.

            No time! Jonghyun snarled, rising up and then smashing his talons into the floor, breaking through with a surprised look on his face.

            As he fell through, Taekwoon ran and jumped down, following his momentum. Jonghyun hit the ground and Taekwoon rolled off his back, tumbling over the ground before planting his feet and rising neatly into a walking stop. His dragon was hurting more than he was but he couldn’t divert his attention. This floor had some sort of armed guards and his dragon was getting antsy. Letting it come to the fore clarified why. There was another dragon here. “It’s here!” he shouted, drawing his sword and sprinting forward. An arrow whizzed by his head as he forward rolled, keeping the blade carefully turned away from him. Rising up, he severed the bow with his sword and knocked the man’s feet out from under him with a quick sweep. Sprinting over the downed opponent, he jumped through a closed door, body shuddering when it held longer than he thought it should, belatedly splintering under his weight. “Ouch,” he groaned stumbling forward.

            The sensation faded quickly when he saw it though. The dragonling. Chained in a steel cage. Muzzled and wings bound. Copper too. Taekwoon raged, feeling this could all too easily have been his own dragon. Jong!

            Jonghyun heard the call and roared, the cry reverberating through the house painfully. Taekwoon’s heart clenched as the dragonling heard and tried to respond, a pitifully strangled sound that escaped the muzzle. Around the room, the guards were starting to come alive to the situation. No city militia, they looked like armed mercenaries. At least four. Tough odds. Regardless, he was mad enough to try it anyway. Taekwoon shook his sword once and stepped forward.

            Then the world collapsed around him with a violent roar. He staggered back and rolled away from a falling support beam as a large gold body erupted into the space before him. Gain. She howled with a fury he’d never seen in her before and snagged the cage in one claw. The men still standing, two of them, retreated in terror. Her golden eyes followed for one moment before she looked up, calculating. She called out once, “Beware!” and then turned to snag Taekwoon in her other claw before she pivoted and launched herself through the opening she’d created. Her wings broke the structure further and as they climbed into the air, Taekwoon saw the rest of the building slowly collapsing. Jonghyun exacerbated the situation when he also broke through the remains of the building, following on their tail swiftly. Gain climbed further and then roared again, a piercing cry that reverberated through the air and Trance space around them. Stop!

            By itself, the command was useless. The ostracized Paramour had no such power to order any of them. But… it was enough to draw their attention. And their understanding. Immediately, the wild dragons started heading her way and the Aerie dragons let them. Their riders didn’t automatically know what was happening, and it felt as if some were quite frustrated, but they would know soon enough.

            Taekwoon felt more than a little nervous about the sheer number of dragons heading their way, but Gain was soon flanked by Jonghyun and Jongup. It was small support given the odds but their presence reassured him all the same. “Keep your dragon,” she instructed, the words coming through Jonghyun as well, even though he understood them from the gold.

            He nodded once and watched as another gold approached in the front, cautious and angry. But when Gain made no effort to attack or hide the dragonling, it came closer. He. Taekwoon realized this gold was male. And he was very angry, the sensation boiling over as he closed the distance between them. However, it was tempered by relief and joy as he recognized the baby was alive. He bared his fangs at Taekwoon when he noticed Taekwoon, but then tilted his head in brief confusion. Gain huffed and called his attention to herself before extending the cage.

            The new gold closed the distance between them with a wary glance around. But as he accepted the cage in both his claws and drew it to him, he looked up and huffed back. Thank you. Gain nodded once. The other gold roared and the remaining wild dragons turned as one, flying as their own large wing. Their movements were largely in sync and they had a strange but organized formation as they departed, leaving the dragonrider wings in varying degrees of confusion. As the Aerie wings coalesced around them, Gain eyed the wing leaders and automatically drifted towards Insoo, Taekwoon’s Wing Leader.

            Taekwoon looked at Insoo as they got close. Insoo looked surprised and no small amount confused but he did have Gunwoo shift over to let them pass into their midst without question. One brow rose and his lips pursed as he focused on the other wing leaders. With one gesture, he pointed towards the Aerie and they looked at each other, plenty of silent communication taking place between their dragons. It mattered little though. They all agreed in the end and headed back together. The three experienced wings surrounded Insoo’s in a triangle formation, a cautious and wary measure. They in turn surrounded Gain, their posture defensive and protective. Whatever their feelings about her, she was still carrying Taekwoon, one of their wing mates, and she had chosen them to align with. By default, it was almost like they had to play protector to her.

            The formation held until they reached the Aerie and then they landed as one in the dragon field, the only space large enough to accommodate all of them. Commander Yunho was among the first to greet them, walking forward with Hero and a critical gaze looking over them. Gain waited for no one as she carefully set Taekwoon down and then proudly stepped forward to confront Hero herself. Hide torn, stained with weeping silver, and speckled with a handful of arrows, she was no less resplendent as she stood at her full height, just taller than the silver before her and spoke.

            Again, Jonghyun relayed the information for him, but with his dragon half still in effect, he very clearly understood all of it. The wild dragons have gained intelligence since Tiamat’s awakening. And they are angry, like Tiamat, she explained icily. What’s worse, Miremaw seems to be in the business of trapping and trading dragonlings. While the first statement was met with some degree of uncertainty, the second struck a chord and Hero’s head shot back in surprised outrage. The dragons attacked to reclaim their own. But I can promise you, they are not finished. For too long, the humans have driven them back. Taken their territory. Their food. Their young. Before, they were little more than beasts. Now… they know. They understand. Now, we may need to worry about more than just Tiamat and her Aerie.

            And you know this… Hero trailed off, still at least somewhat suspicious.

            Gain merely snorted and leveled a deadpan glare at him, blinking once. He flinched at the expression and then looked up and down her combat marred form. The expression extended around to the other dragons and when Insoo’s wing, followed shortly after by the other three wings, shuffled around her in silent support, he was forced to take a breath. Hero dipped his head in a mute nod and stepped aside, much to Yunho’s obvious surprise. Clearly, he hadn’t been informed yet.

            The gold dragon nodded once, a magnanimous gesture if Taekwoon had ever seen one, and calmly walked past him. Though she was injured and probably exhausted, her pace gave no indication of it. She hid her pain well. Taekwoon watched her until she disappeared into the Paramour’s quarters. And then his gaze drifted away, feeling like a spell had been broken. Flitting over the gathered crowd, he was anchored when he saw Jinki, the other man’s expression oh so relieved, if still somewhat worried.

            He nodded in Jinki’s direction and got a reciprocal gesture in response. The Aerie Master had a look that said he didn’t understand what was happening but also that he knew Taekwoon would fill him in later. Or at least someone would. Let my mate know it’ll be alright, he urged Jonghyun, knowing the copper would relay the message to Jongup.

            Done.

            Thank you, he smiled, finally banishing his dragon with some effort before he wandered over to rest a hand against his copper’s hide. He saw Insoo look at him with a bemused nod and a shake of his head. Taekwoon shrugged and tried not to think about what today might mean. He was happy… no, satisfied with what he’d done. But he would not say it was a good day. Not like he’d hoped it would be. Not at all.