Lou

  Nina didn't want to py with them, which only gave Nour all the more reason not to like Lou's sister very much. Lou, on the other hand, grinned as he spshed the dragon girl wet together with Harper. He didn't spsh his sister wet. He didn't want to upset her. Nina now sat at the edge of the stream and watched them quietly. Lou only vaguely recognized her form.

  She had changed. She looked more grown-up than he did. Nina didn't look like a fourteen-year-old. Only her hair had remained the same. Short and curly.

  Nour, on the other hand, did not put up with being sprayed wet. And she turned out to be a dangerous opponent. Harper could hardly beat her, nor did Lou. In the meantime, all three were completely soaked. All of Lou's clothes had become slightly transparent from the water, but he didn't notice it. Unlike Harper, who quietly and secretly enjoyed the sight.

  The cloth with which Lou protected himself from the sun hung heavily on his body and occasionally stuck to his face. Again and again, he had to struggle with the fine fabric. Something that amused the two dragons until Lou stumbled and almost fell into the small stream. Harper caught him in time. "Oops!" said the dragon. "Are you okay?"

  "Yes. All good!" mumbled Lou, startled.

  "Definitely not! I think you've got sunburned!" cried Nina. "Your legs and nose are too red! Better get out of the sun."

  "Oh." Lou just blinked while Harper helped him back to his feet and looked at his face.

  "Nina is right!" said the dragon. "You better take a sun break. The red nose suits you. You look cute!"

  "No!" Lou contradicted briefly and firmly. "No. No." He didn't look cute, nor did he want to get out of the water. Nevertheless, the fun was interrupted. Sally and Ross now came to the stream, which was becoming less and less filled. The sun gradually evaporated the water. The two came to accompany Nina home.

  "Nina? It's about time!" shouted Sally. She hurried to them, followed by Ross. Both dragons came in human form, so Nina didn't recognize them at first.

  "Who..." she asked in amazement, but Harper called out the names of the two at the same time. Lou only recognized the bright, approaching colors. It didn't take long for them to stand in front of them. Ross jumped into the river, the water spshing loudly, while Sally went to Nina.

  "Nina? I'll accompany you down the mountain. From there you can find your own way home, yes?" asked Sally Lou's sister. "Or should I accompany you home? In case some people cause problems?"

  "Please accompany her!" Lou asked immediately before Nina could refuse.

  "I'll take a look at where Louise is!" Ross approached Lou and Harper. The water spshed a little as he walked through it. Then he wrapped his arms around Lou. "I fly there in the shape of a bird. Then neither priest nor sorcerer will recognize me. If Louise is in danger, I'll bring her here."

  "Thank you!" said Lou. He tried to escape the dragon's muscur arms, but Ross didn't give in and rested his chin on Lou's head.

  "Hm!" protested Lou.

  ?… You're soaked..." Ross grumbled but didn't let go.

  "Hm!"

  ?Ross?“, Harper growled. ?Let go of Vivi.“

  But Ross pretended not to hear it. "Well! If I have to, I'll bring Louise here. The same applies, of course, if there are problems for Nina and your parents. Then we'll bring them here. Whether the elders allow it or not", Ross continued. "However, we may have to put your family in another cave. I'm not sure if our parents want so many humans to live with them..."

  "Why? It certainly wouldn't be too stuffed!" Harper immediately contradicted. "Unlike Lou, they shouldn't have any problems deeper in the cave if we light a campfire for them there."

  "I don't think my parents want to go to live with dragons!" Nina hissed. "They are afraid of dragons! Your attack has terrified them. And so did the attacks of bck dragons before. It was scary!" She had backed away a bit from Sally.

  "There are a few free caves", Sally said. "But they are difficult for humans to reach. Not without our help."

  "To be afraid, or to die? I'd rather be afraid", Ross grumbled softly. "The wise are not trustworthy. They would rather kill innocent people than take responsibility for their own mistakes." Nina didn't hear him, but Lou did.

  Lou shook his head and clung to Harper, even though Ross was still holding him in his arms. "No! Hm!"

  "Sorry." Ross sighed while Harper growled at him again. Quietly, but menacingly rumbling. At st, Ross let go of Lou. But not without stroking his head first.

  A little ter, Lou, Harper, and Nour were alone by the creek. Lou sat on the shore, covered under his cloth, which had already dried from the heat. Just like his clothes. Nour and Harper were still fooling around in the water. Lou listened to them ugh, but his thoughts were with his family. Would they be with him soon?

  He wished it very much.

  And he didn't want them to be near the Wise Men. Or any other people in general.

  Humans are no good, he thought bitterly. It is better to live among dragons. Dragons don't lie.

  The loud beating of wings, the rumble of dragons, and Nour's all-armed voice tore Lou out of his thoughts. It was time for him to leave the stream. Nour and Harper saw it the same way. The group left the remaining water to the gigantic, older dragons so that they could cool off in it.

  Nour went home. Of course, not without hugging Lou again. Unlike Ross, Lou had no objection to this hug. And Nour enjoyed this. She snuggled up to Lou until Harper pulled on her, annoyed. Lou and Harper returned home hand in hand. Home. Lou smiled contentedly. That sounds good.

  Sally was already waiting for the two there. She said that Lou's parents were terribly distraught when she ceremoniously presented Nina to them. In human form, of course. "They miss you," Sally told him. "Your parents. But they were relieved to hear that you were in good hands with us."

  "Good." Lou nodded and hugged her shyly. His hands were shaking a little and he tried to suppress tears. Sally and he were almost the same height. Therefore, he was able to put his cheek on her shoulder. "Thank you."

  "Of course, sweetie!" Sally pressed a fleeting kiss on his head. "Come on. I've prepared breakfast for you. The rest of the family is on the road. Harper? Go hunting! I can hear your stomach growling!"

  "As soon as Ross is back!" Harper smiled and got Lou back from his sister. The dragon's stomach sang impatient songs. "Mine!"

  "Yes, yes." Sally snorted.

  Lou liked it when Harper called him HIS. So many had not wanted him. But Harper and his family wanted him. Lou's family wanted him. At st, he could believe it. A tear rolled down his cheek, but he quickly wiped it away. "What's for breakfast?" he asked quietly.

  "Figs, nuts, and honey bread!" said Sally. "Your favorite food."

  And she was right. That's exactly what Lou liked to eat best. And also without resistance. However, he had a hard time with everything else.

  Ross came back when Lou had finished his breakfast. Well, not alone. He had given some of it to Harper since the dragon's stomach was now singing operas. Lou didn't take no for an answer. If Harper didn't eat any of it, he wouldn't. Period! Harper, however, did not eat without protest. "You need it all yourself! I'll eat ter!" he had said.

  Ross came back with some reassuring news. Louise was sitting in her room. She did not seem to be allowed to leave it, but she was not in danger for the time being. "There was a lot of hustle and bustle there!" the dragon continued. "Apparently, they check all the visions. I heard that one of the Wise Men has fallen from grace. But I couldn't pick up any more!"

  "He did?" Lou asked, confused. "How so?"

  But Ross did not know this.

  sasi