Lugo was mumbling unintelligible words, and giggling like a teenage girl.

Tsugi just looked at him and chuckled. Shaking her head, she moved to untie his boots and strip him down to just his shirt and trousers, before tucking him in.

“Tsugi.” Lugo mumbled.

“What?” She sighed, sitting on the bed next to him. He only continued to mumble incoherent words so she leaned her head in closer to listen. “What?” She repeated.

Lugo grabbed the sides of her face with his hands and she found herself staring into his alluring gray eyes. Her heart began to race in her chest as her hands curled into fists where they rested on the bed.

Was it because she was going to punch him right in his face for touching her?

No.

No, it was as though she had wanted to grab onto anything just to keep her grounded – keep her here because for that moment his skin touched hers, she felt like her soul was about to take flight.

His breath smelled of ale and Lugo, a bewitching scent.

“Ath’ka nye.” His words sounded magical. Even though Tsugi had no idea what jargon he had muttered, or if they were even real words at all, it sounded so passionate and beautiful.

Before she realized it, she found her lips pressed against his, his scent invading her senses and oh did her lips tingle, sending a most delicious wave of electricity through her body.

She quickly pulled away and stood up. Her face flushed a bright red that one could even see it shining like the blood moon in the dark.

What the hell just happened?

She glared at him, but he was fast asleep, breathing heavily and mumbling unintelligible words again.

Was it him that kissed her, or was it her that kissed him?

She stood there and looked at him – gaped at him – for what felt like forever, puzzled. Lifting a hand to her lips, she lightly ran her fingers across her lips. She had never kissed anyone before, in fact, she didn’t even know what a kiss was for. Surely she’s seen it often enough with the men that were taking advantage of women, or the occasional peck on the cheek between parent and child. Yet, her heart raced, resounding past her eardrums.

She placed her heart over the beating drum in her chest. What was this new weird feeling?

Placing a chair next to him on the bed, she sat and watched him sleep. He’s always sat by her side and watched over her when she was drunk or out of it, so this was probably how she should behave and return the favor by watching over him.

He groaned louder and louder as he tossed and turned. He quickly sat up and his cheeks were ballooned bigger than an apes. Tsugi’s eyes widened and she quickly turned around, trying to find a bucket, but she couldn’t see any in the dim room.

She didn’t want to wreck the carpet of their nice host.

Panicked, she quickly pulled out the bottom of her shirt to catch his vomit. Holding the edge of her shirt with one hand, she patted and rubbed his back with the other. “Darwin warned you.” She sighed. “Now all that food you just ate – tsk, tsk tsk-” she shook her head, disapprovingly, “wasted.” The corner of her lip curled up into a wry smile as she wiped his mouth with the clean corner of her shirt.

She laid him back down and left to find the bath to wash her shirt. “Well, I caught the food, but now I have to go clean up the fluid.” She muttered to herself, as she scrubbed her shirt. She sat on the ground in just her binding and trousers, scrubbing her shirt in the bucket. “Damn – now I have to wear a wet shirt.”

Sighing loudly from exasperation, she threw on her damp shirt and returned to the room with a bucket and towel. Leaving the empty bucket beside the bed, she cleaned up the mess, making the carpet look as good as new – or as good as she could make it.

When she returns to his bedside, Lugo has a hard “v” formed between his brows, his breathing is picking up pace. He started mumbling unintelligible words again, his hands and legs twitching. He was having a nightmare.

“Lugo.” Tsugi whispered and placed a light hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him. He didn’t wake, but continued to mumble, he was breathing harder and she could see beads of sweat form on his forehead. “Lugo.” She said a little louder, but his nightmare continued.

“No.” He whimpered. He sounded so distraught and in pain. Then his lips began to tremble, “sorry.” He whispered and he sounded so little, like a lost child pleading for his life.

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“Lugo!” Tsugi shook him, her heart wrenching as she felt so damned helpless, unable to help him in his sleep.

His eyelids flew open as he gazed at her and blinked incoherently, still very drunk and dazed. After a quick gasp of relief, his eyelids grew heavy again and he mumbled before snuggling back into his pillow.

“Jeez.” Tsugi let out a long breath, her shoulders drooping like a mountain of weight had left them.

This fool before her just had a nightmare and fell back asleep like nothing happened.

Sighing loudly, she slumped back into her chair and stared at him. She wasn’t sure if she was envious or jealous at how well he slept – even through his nightmares. Although, she was pretty sure his nightmares probably won't top hers.

She clenches her eyes, a little upset at herself.

No – everyone has their own nightmares that haunt them differently.

Shaking her head, she went into the kitchen and returned with a cup of water, just in case Lugo wakes up thirsty.

She did nothing, but sit there and watch him sleep. Watch him as his face lit up in the moonlight that peaked in through the crack in the window. She scrutinized him, looking at his long silver hair that tickled his eyes, and his perfect alluring face. She couldn’t understand why she felt so drawn to him, especially when he sleeps, looking so serene.

Although when he wakes, sometimes, she felt like it was quite the opposite, like she wanted to punch his smug face in. And yet – she couldn’t help but watch as her heart thrummed ever so gently – in her chest.

***

Tsugi dreamt of soaring through the sky again on Arzo's back with Lugo. She flew so high that she soared amongst the glistening stars.

Then it was just her – she was flying, and she could feel the soft wind on her face. The waft of the breeze was familiarly tantalizing. It was a smell that brought her a sense of serenity and fluttered her heart when it tickled her nose.

She smiled and closed her eyes, taking in a big whiff of it as it filled her lungs.

For the first time in a long time – she had a pleasant dream.

Even in her dreams she could smell him, a scent that called to her like a starving creature to the smell of fresh blood – like a moth to a flame.

Grinning from ear to ear, she opened her eyes and stared into two big, alluring gray eyes.

"Hi." Tsugi whispered.

"Good-morning." Lugo's voice was hoarse.

Tsugi's slow blinking turns into wicked fast hummingbird wings, realizing that she is no longer dreaming – in fact, she’s awake.

Startled, she kicked her feet and fell back in the chair. "Ah!" She screamed and waved her arms through the air in an attempt to balance herself. Lugo grabbed her knee and pulled her back up.

"Jeez, you even wake up clumsy." He chuckles, one side of his lip curling into that smug grin she wanted to punch right off him.

Tsugi grasped onto the seat of her chair, trying to catch her breath. Her face flushed and her heart pounded loudly. "What the hell were you doing that close to my face?!"

"Well –" Lugo blushed and scratched his head. "At first you looked like you died, so I was checking to make sure you were still breathing, then you were grinning like a fool, so I was curious if you were possessed."

Tsugi pushed her chair back and practically stormed out of the room. "All these years and you still have no sense of personal space." Tsugi grumbled. Her eyes widened, as she slowly breathed to calm her racing heart. He's been in her face before, but why did it affect her so much this time? And why was her heart acting out of sorts? She tilted her head in bewilderment.

Perhaps she’s sick.

Yes, that must be it. She must’ve caught something after being drenched in that rain last night and sleeping in her wet shirt.

She taps a finger over her heart, satisfied with the reasoning before leaving to check on Ruzo.

Outside, the sun was bright and warm, with a cooling breeze that sent a chill through her skin. She shuddered, gently shaking her still damp shirt that still hasn’t fully dried yet.

She chuckled, finding it funny that several thousand meters below them is the hot desert and yet it was nice where they were.

In the sky, the dragons flew and roamed, enjoying their morning exercise. The rolling green hills and mountains were so vast, it didn’t even look like they were on a floating island at all.

Glancing over, there laid the big warwolf with his chin on the ground and butt high up in the air, tail wagging up a windstorm. The baby dragons, which are the size of a horse, were hopping and jumping around him, squealing and screeching in excitement.

Ruzo gently mouthed and played with them making quiet playful growls and grunts, pushing them around with his nose. Raising his giant paws into the sky, he gently paws them like he was trying to pet them, seeming almost human for a moment, before slumping onto his side and allowing them to climb all over him.

“He’s going to be such a good father.” Lugo said, startling Tsugi.

“Jeez!” She breathed, splaying her fingers on her chest. “How long have you been standing there?”

“I followed you out. I’ve been here the whole time, weirdo.” He chuckled and placed a hand on the ground and opened up a door. “Come on, we should head back to the ground. There’s an item I want to get.”

“What?”

“It’s a secret.” He grinned and walked to the portal. “Come on Ruzo! Say bye to your buddies. It’s time to go, bud!”

When Tsugi stepped through the portal, the heat of the desert overwhelmed her. Even the wind was blazing hot. “So where is this ‘secret’ item we’re getting?”

“Should be right around here actually.”

Tsugi squinted and glanced around, but there was nothing around them, not even a cactus or a single tumbleweed in sight. “What? Sand?”

Lugo looked up into the sky. “No.” He grinned from ear to ear. “Get ready! We only have a few minutes to get it!” He reached his hand through the air and pulled out two long silver swords. Tsugi had no idea what was going on, but she summoned her daggers and stood by Lugo’s side along with Ruzo.

The world began to turn dark. Tsugi looked up and realized there was a solar eclipse starting. A deafening, steady beat of a gong rang through the air – or, was it in her head?

There was nothing around them and then – a cloud of black smoke began to form in front of them.

“No matter what, don't look it in the eyes!” Lugo screamed over the whirling wind.