It can't be that bad… Right…? Gretel lied to herself. I'm sure if I take some breaks along the way, I can fly back to Efron.

The striped hatchling reared on her hind legs and flapped her wings just once to summon a gust of wind, then cringed as the pain in her back flared up; she fell to all fours again, realizing the fairy type was right: she was in no condition to fly. “Valerie…?” she called, but there was no response.

By now it was evening, nearing night. Gretel considered her options: she could rest on this island, or call for help… and the thought of Efron being alone for weeks to wonder if she'd ever return made her feel too guilty to stay. So the wyvern decisively opened her mouth in a song that she projected as far as possible with her volume control.

The notes alternated between middle pitch–to represent the safety of her environment–and a lower, raspier pitch to represent her injury. She paused after, searching the skies for any trace of a rescuer. When she didn't see any, Gretel repeated the message.

In the distance she saw a brown wind dragon gliding toward her from the north, and she bounced to her paws, hoping he saw her too. But he hesitated before the seer’s island, and he glanced between the jungle's trees and Gretel. Ultimately he turned and fled.

The hatchling's hope shattered. I guess nobody but me is stupid enough to go near seers… Serves me right… She sunk to the ground and curled up.

“I knew I recognized that voice!” a familiar female's giggle sounded from the west.

“Hey!” Gretel scrambled upright happily, turning to see the same pastel yellow-and-blue wind dragoness that had heeded her accidental distress call back on the volcanic island. Her back ached from the sudden motion, though.

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The older wind type caught sight of her injury and winced empathetically. “Geez, that's a bad bruise… Did a fire type get you after all?”

“Well, no; it was a seer,” Gretel admitted.

“Really?” She was genuinely surprised. “How'd that happen? Seers don't typically leave their jungles.”

Gretel opened her mouth to tell her everything, but instead closed it, once again feeling stupid for having approached their island in the first place. “It was my own fault for trespassing… I should've known better than to fly over the trees…”

“H-Hey, don't beat yourself up! You're only, what, five months old? Can't expect to do everything right at your age,” the older wind type assured her. “And given how nasty that bruise is, calling for help was the right thing to do just now. It's all a learning experience!”

The white-and-purple juvenile felt encouraged by her words. “Thanks…! I'm Gretel, by the way.”

“Aw, what a fitting name! Strong, yet cute,” the rescuer chimed. “I'm Chryssa. Nice to officially meet you!” She landed and gestured with a flick of her tail-tip for Gretel to climb on her back, and the hatchling obliged. “So, where’s your retreat?”

“Uh…” I don't have one yet…

“I'll bet it's that little island east of here,” Chryssa guessed. “That'd be perfect for you.”

A perfect little island to the east? Hope of finding her own retreat was restored by this revelation. But for now, Efron took priority. “Actually, can you take me to my friend?”

“Oh, okay! Sure. Just guide me to ‘em!”

Gretel did. She couldn't help admiring the older female’s speed and how Chryssa seemed to know exactly which route to take to avoid potential predators.

The yellow dragoness slowed down as they continued North. “Uh, we're getting close to revealer territory,” she warned the hatchling.

Oh. Gretel had almost forgotten that revealers viewed wind dragons just as unfavorably as the seers who had attacked her. “Just drop me off in the lowlands and they won't even know we're there.”

“Are you sure? I don't want you getting attacked again…”

“Yep! Don't worry; my friend will protect me.”

“Hm. Alright.” Chryssa regained speed and descended gracefully until they landed beneath the trees on Efron’s island, moonlight barely seeping between the leaves. “Stay safe out here, okay?”

“Alright,” Gretel promised.

“Also, go easy on yourself. Remember: we're all still learning!”

The hatchling smiled genuinely. I really needed to hear that. “Thanks…!”

With that, Chryssa took off.