Drake shook his head weakly, the movement small and exhausted, tears slipping from the corners of his eyes and disappearing into the sand beneath him.
"I don't want it…" he whispered, his voice so small it barely reached.
Blaze's expression softened deeply, something raw passing through his eyes.
"I know you don't," he said. "I know you don't want this. No one wants this part. But this is how you grow stronger. This is how you become who you are meant to be."
Drake sniffed, his breathing uneven, his small chest rising and falling too fast.
Blaze continued, his voice low and calm, grounding. He needed to explain. He needed Drake to understand, even through the pain.
"You know how children lose their baby teeth?" he said gently, his hand still resting against Drake's snout. "It hurts when the teeth get loose. It feels strange. It makes them uncomfortable. But then the new teeth come in. Stronger teeth. Teeth that can chew harder food. Teeth that last their whole lives."
