A woman sitting in a cave by water, gently touching the snout of a large, glowing dragon.

After several minutes she forced herself back to her feet. The forest felt darker now. Lonelier. She called out for Janette. No answer. Only thunder. Then through the rain she saw something familiar. The cave. The oasis. Grumbles. Lana stepped inside. The giant guardian immediately lifted his head. His glowing eyes found her. For a moment he simply looked at her. Seeing her. Noticing her pain. Slowly, Grumbles raised one enormous hand. Golden light flowed from the markings across his body. Warmth spread through the cave. The cold disappeared. The ache in her muscles softened. It felt like standing in sunlight after years of winter. Lana's lip trembled. "You knew..." A low grumble answered. Not frightening. Gentle. Almost sad. "You knew who my parents were." Another soft rumble. Lana stepped closer. For the first time, she wasn't afraid. She placed a hand against his massive snout. His scales were warm. Alive. Familiar. At that moment she realized something. Grumbles wasn't just a monster her parents had created. He was the last living piece of them. The last witness. The last connection she had left. Outside, the storm raged harder than ever. Inside, the cave remained warm. Safe. Protected. Lana looked toward the darkness beyond the entrance. She couldn't go home. Not tonight. Maybe not ever. Without saying a word, she sat beside Grumbles. The giant guardian slowly curled his tail around the edge of the oasis and lowered himself beside her. Careful. Protective. Lana leaned Mehr sehen