Lou woke up feeling a little cold, she opened her eyes a bit and when she noticed that Vi wasn't lying down next to her, a small groan of disapointment escaped her lips.

''Oh you're awake, is your wound hurting you?'' Lee asked, looking up from the mixture she was stirring.

''Humm, yeah a little actually...'' It was not her heart that ached at all, only her wound...

''How's our small bean going?''

''Still asleep, but her breathing is better'' Vi answered, walking toward Lee and taking the bowl. ''let's put that on your wound so it will heal faster.''

''What is it?'' Lou asked, raising an eyebrow.

''A combination of herbs that help to prevent infection and help cicatrisation. I can tell you exactly what I used it you want.''

''No that's fine, I just woke up, I don't want to go right back to sleep again'' Lou joked, making the scholar roll her eyes.

The warrior flipped on her side so Vi could put the mixture on her wound.

''It may sting a little'' the sorcerer explained while applying it.

''OOUUCCHH!!!''Lou screamed, making Vi and Lee jump.

''Sorry!''

''HAHAHA! Oh my god look at your face! You got so scared.''

''...It didn't hurt!?''

''No, it's totally fine!''

''OH MY GOD! CAN YOU STOP BEING SO CHILDISH!??'' Vi bursted standing back up ''YOU'RE LUCKY I LOVE YOU BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE BURNED YOU TO ASHES YEARS AGO!!''

''Jeez sorry... wait what did you just say?''

''...That I... I... ''

''Are you blushing right now? ''

''No I'm not!'' Vi mumbled, sprinting out of the cave.

''Wait where are you going Vi?'' Lee asked, worried.

Vi didn't bother to answer, she only shook the empty bucket of water.

''Hey Vi!'' Lou shouted.

''WHAT!??''

''...I love you too... ''

the sorcerer then stormed out without a word. Lou sighed and hid her head between her arms, still on her side. Lee walked to her and decided to take care of the wound herself ''Why do you always tease her like that?''

''Baklheifaljh''Lou muffled in her arm.

''What?''

-BECAUUUSSE, I don't know how to express my feelings! Did I screw everything up?''

''Well, I can't speak for her, you will have to ask her yourself, but I did notice that she was... cuddling with you last night.''

''I knoooooww, it was so amazing! I felt so great with her beside me! I'm so stupid, I should have been more careful. I just... I don't know, since she was in her dragon form for so long, I kind of thought she was a fiercy beast with no fears.... I forgot that she is a human with worries and doubts just like us.''

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

A sudden but small groan made them both look behind them, Maya was sitting on her bed, rubbing her eyes. The two older women then stood up and when to check on the young one. When Maya saw that Lou was alive she jumped on her feet and gave the warrior a big hug, pressing on the now wrapped injury. Lou tried to not show how it hurt to not make Maya feel bad.

Meanwhile, outside of the cave, Vivianne filled up the bucket with water and decided to groom Phantom a little. She didn't want to go back inside. Not after what she said. Why did she say that!? Did she really feel that way? Lou did say that she loved her too. That made her feel all warm inside. Was it love or only a fireball building up? It Looked like a fireball actually :

''RAAAWWWRR!!!!''The sorcerer screamed, firing a big fireball at the other side of the river, almost incinerating the woman walking by ''WOOWW!!''

''Oh my god! I'm so sorry... I didn't want... I didn't mean to.. I thought I... I... was alone...''

''Oh it's okay, I'm fine. What made you all... fired up?'' Vi smirked at the pun, but she still felt ashamed of what she did.

''Do you want to talk about whatever is bothering you?'' The woman asked, she was a bit taller and older than Vi, her long black hair flying in the wind. She was wearing a brown dress with a white apron full of stain on it. Her skin had a milk chocolate tone.

''I don't want to slow you down or anything. You don't know me you don't have to...''

''It's fine, I'm not in a hurry and sometimes it's easier to talk about your problem to a stranger. ''

''I...I don't.... okay. Let me just, get to your side. The currant is not strong and it's not really deep, Phantom here can get me there, isn't it big boy?''

Phantom let out a happy whicker and jumped on it's legs. She untied it and jumped on it's back and crossed the river easily. They sat under a tree and did some small talks for a while. When they both noticed that they where always vague about what brought them in this part of the Wilderness, they decided to talk about the main problem. Vi sighed ''I have this... friend....''

''Oouuhh, do you have a little crush on him?''

''Not... not.. him... '' Vi whisper, not daring to look the stranger's green eyes.

''Oh... Hey it's okay, I won't judge! It's totally fine to love someone the same sex as you.''

''Well that is the problem... I don't... I'm not... I don't feel like I am a woman...''

''So you feel like a man?''

''No, I don't feel that way either... I'm just... neither of them? If that make any sense.''

''It does, it is called non binary. I have a friend like that too. They were confused about that too, but they are figuring things out now.''

''They?''

''Yeah, they don't like she/her or he/his pronoun, so we decided to use they/them. They like it a lot actually. Do you like it too?''

''I think so... But my main problem is that, this friend is really gay and I know that she is attracted to me... But I don't identify as a woman... Can we still be together? I mean, I don't even know my sexuality... Will she even like me when I tell her that I don't feel like a girl.. I know I have a 'girl' body but it's not how I feel inside... And what if..''

''Okay okay! Calm down, stop spiralling there! You only have one question to ask yourself in this situation : Do you love her?''

''... I think so... I love being around her, she make me feel...Strong and great. As strong as I feel when I'm in my... anyways, and when she said that she loved me too I... I liked it.'' Vi didn't want to tell the stranger she could shapeshift. She already saw that she can breath fire, it was enough magical demonstration for one day.

''Then what are you waiting for!? It seems like you both love each other and that is the only important thing. You can figure things as they go! Don't miss this opportunity out of fear.''

''Yeah... I think your right. Thanks! I feel better know!''

''You're welcome! I should get going now. Better not make that friend of yours waiting for you~''

''Yeah! It was nice to meet you, hum...''

''You can call me Dee.''

''And I'm Vi.''

''Single syllable nickname huh? I like it!''

And they both went separated ways, Vi crossing back the river with Phantom and Dee going further in the Wilderness. Vi tied the horseback on the tree, took a deep breath, grabbed the bucket of water and headed back. They almost dropped said bucket when a small princess hugged them real hard.

''Hey! Good to see you are awake M!''

''Yeah I woke up as you left... Are you okay?''

''Yeah... I think it's time we have that conversation about 'sexual orientation' we were supposed to have'' Vi said looking at Lee and not daring to look at Lou... Not yet...

''Huh?'' Maya said, tilting her head.

''Indeed we have time to talk about it. Maya just woke up and still need to recover. Same for Lou.'' Lee explained, gesturing everyone to sit around the remaining of the fire.