Harper

  Bck dragons attacked.

  I crouched in my parents' cave under my mother's wings. She wouldn't let me out, even though I wanted to check on Vivi. At the same time, I was infinitely afraid. The rest of my family defended our mountains. Hopefully, the other dragons didn't make it to the city. I worried about Vivi. All alone. Defenseless.

  'Don't worry. Soon, it will be over!', my mother whispered to me in her thoughts.

  'And if not?'

  'Then we'll wait until they're gone. Or dead. The wizards help drive them away. We have nothing to fear.' She licked my forehead. Sighing, I leaned even closer to her. Vivi is all alone. He has no one to hide with.

  It took some time for the attack to end and for my father and siblings to return. They were all injured. The smell of blood tickled my nose. The blood of my family. I looked up under my mother's wing. My brother licked his bloody left wing and snorted in annoyance. They weren’t seriously injured. 'There were more than usual', my father grumbled. 'They were difficult to drive away. So many! This is unusual. We lost five young dragons today.'

  'Oh no!' My mother let her head hand down. 'How many were there?'

  "We didn't get around to counting the Bcks!", grumbled Ross. 'Maybe a hundred?'

  'What?' Frightened, I crawled out from under my mother's wings and ran to Ross. 'So many? Have they come as far as the city?'

  Sally, cleaning her cws, nodded. 'Yes. A handful of people fell victim to them and a few houses and parts of the city wall were destroyed.'

  LOU! VIVI!!! 'I need to check on my friend! His hut is at the wall!' I tried to rush out of the cave, but Ross grabbed me by the neck.

  'Stay here! There's still chaos out there", he said. 'You can't sneak away now. All four sorcerers are still here, patrolling. Just in case the Bcks come back.'

  'Let me go, Ross! I need to check on him!', I hissed and freed myself from my brother's grip. 'Lou is all alone!'

  'Harper's in loooooohoooove!' Connie warbled teasingly. "Our baby is growing up!"

  Ross rolled his eyes and bit in her wing hissing. He didn't hurt her. 'Let him. He's too young for that!', he grumbled. Connie immediately bared her sharp teeth.

  'In love?' I shook my head. 'I'm not!' Indignant, I fpped my wings.

  'It's about the boy you brought here the other day, isn't it?', my mother asked. 'With whom you hid in a cave? His smell clung to you. Sweet and full of fear. Is he really alone?"

  'Yes. That's him', I confirmed. 'And I'll have to see if he's okay. Please!'

  'Let him go, Ross!', my father growled now.

  'What? Really?' Max shook her head not believing what she heard. 'You're going to let him fly away? What if we’re attacked again? Today was unusual.'

  "I know", my father answered. "But it's important to Harper. If necessary, they can hide together.'

  Ross sighed and pushed me to the exit of the cave. 'Then hurry up! And don't get caught. Officially, you're not allowed to go to him!'

  'Thank you!' I rushed out of the cave and took to the skies. But before I could get far, Narcisse intercepted me. 'Stop, Harper. Where are you going?', he asked.

  'Nowhere! Hunting', I answered, trying to fly past him.

  But Narcisse followed me without any problems. 'What now? Nowhere or hunting?'

  'Where's your wizard?', I asked, annoyed and panicked. I had to go to Lou. To Vivi!

  'Remy flies with Basil. He takes care of the wounded’, the older dragon answered. 'Fly home.'

  'No. I need to check on my friend!', I cried desperately. 'I don't care what you think! He's alone!'

  'The human?' Narcisse snorted knowingly. 'You aren’t allowed to meet him again.'

  'And? I don't care!', I grumbled. 'He lives at the city wall. In a hut that is partly in the wall. So let me go, please. I heard the wall was broken.'

  'What?' Now Narcisse seemed surprised. 'Is that friend's name Lou?'

  'Yes!'

  'Oh. Then you don't need to go to the city.' Narcisse sighed with a growl. 'So it's that boy... He's with my parents. Remy and I took him there after a bck dragon attacked him. He's fine. He's just scared. Come. I'll take you to your friend. I wanted to check on him anyway. I promised Remy.' He sighed again. This time it sounded resigned. 'Come.'

  'Thank you!' Relieved, I followed Narcisse. 'Will Lou stay with you for now?' I didn't particurly like the idea. The smell of other dragons would cling to him. But at the same time, I was relieved. Vivi was safe.

  'No. Remy wants to take him back to the city soon. He's friends with the boy."

  What?

  sasi