For a moment, only the quiet sound of slow breathing filled the room.
Drake lay in the center in his dragon form.
He was asleep.
Curled slightly, his small body rising and falling gently with each breath. His wings were folded against his back, his tail wrapped loosely around his legs. Around him, scattered across the warm ground, were pieces of his old scales.
They lay in the sand like fallen leaves, some whole, some cracked, some no larger than a fingernail. They caught the dim light, glinting dully.
Some still clung loosely to his arms and tail, edges curling, ready to fall.
Others had already fallen off completely, leaving behind patches of new, softer scales that glowed faintly in the warmth.
Blaze walked closer and crouched beside him.
Drake shifted slightly in his sleep, his brows furrowing faintly as if the discomfort had followed him even into his dreams. His mouth twitched, and he made a small sound, something between a whimper and a sigh.
