Clay's Favorite Spot

I wrote this as a continuation from that small scene in the epilogue of Book 10 "Darkness of Dragons" of Clay and Peril from their flight. I just thought they needed a satisfying conclusion for all those fans of their ship. (Me as well). I hope you enjoy!

Clay's Favorite Spot

Clay:

They soared; the breeze and rain that sliced through their wings made it feel like nothing's holding them back. The outer view of Jade Mountain disappeared behind them with a bunch of clouds covering it. Just a lush land of greenery of the forest below. The mountain blocking the ray of the setting sun. Clay felt like his smile is being forced out as he unknowingly swerved down near the small stream that flowed swiftly and the roar of the water filled his ear. He could feel the heat from Peril knowing she was following him; Clay lowered his left wing to flip over and looked at her for a moment. Until he felt the world falling and crashed into a tree.

"Clay!"

He fell down landing in his underbelly and laughed uncontrollably. The pain was excessive from the start, then it quickly disappeared. Peril landed in the clear rocks. Tucked her wings to avoid catching a nearby bush on fire as she rushed to Clay, then stood confused about his sudden joy from crashing. "What are you laughing about? You just crashed!" She said. "Perhaps you should've- I don't know . . . WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING?!" Her sarcasm didn't sound to be directed to him, as if she was blaming at the entire forest for being in the way. Critters around ran away from her monstrous voice.

Do I say that I was looking at her when I crashed? Clay thought while he got up and looked at Peril's pearly blue eyes. She looked worried. Oops. She doesn't look happy.

"I think I enjoy flying too much," Clay muttered as he shook off the sandy debris off him, then heading to the stream to drink water. "I'm okay Peril, it's been a while since I took flight."

"Just to remind you, Clay." Peril stepped towards him, her tail coiled on itself to avoid the grass. He can feel her warm scales calming his own, it felt soothing to him. "You have fireproof scales, not invulnerable ones." She noted. Clay forced a grin, just for her to turn away from it after.

"You know, I am really fine," Clay reassured her; his head aligned with hers as she closed her eyes. "I know," she swung her head to him, "It's so weird though like now I am free to do whatever I want like you know how different it was when I am forced upon my will to kill dragons on a daily basis with Scarlet yelling 'GET OVER HERE! ANOTHER EVENT!' and all. But now, it's like, it doesn't feel right,"

What does she mean "it doesn't feel right"? Freedom really isn't her thing. Clay reminisces how rarely she was freed from doing anything. Only getting banished by Queen Ruby was the moment she could've done anything other than being forced as a toy, but she didn't hug that freedom as she owned it, but instead went to Scarlet to save her, and more recently to kill her.

I guess she's been locked and controlled at for so long. I should teach her to be free. I AM a teacher after all.

"and by the way," Peril added a minute later, "I'm not saying I don't like it. It's like trying something new, and I'm still unsure if I should've taken you out to fly with me." Clay felt his heart racing. What if she says to go back and help with other classes even though his hunting class won't start until a while from now. What if she decided to just go back to her own sleeping cave to sleep, and just ignore everything that happened.

No, I need to show her. Maybe I can show her my favorite spot in Jade Mountain. The place where I feel free, and where I would hide if I was hungry at night and get a cow to eat and to avoid Tsunami who would say that was for class tomorrow.

"Peril," Clay's low and calm voice caught her attention. He slowly grasped her left talon. She looked at it then back at Clay, "I want to show you something."

They wandered just above the trees, flying slowly. Clay led the way as Peril followed. It was a shadowy look on the base of Jade Mountain. The rain dulled down as Clay suddenly jolted up. His huge wingbeats were loud and traces of white bolt of vapor trail came out of his wingtips. Clay went faster and faster to reach the high altitude, then getting consumed into the clouds but it felt ticklish. He turned back to see if Peril was following. A moment later her silhouette appeared that seemed to eat the clouds. Probably from the heat that she was giving out.

"Where are we going?" Her pant was loud enough to hear a distance away. Clay turned back at her, pointed at a direction close to the top of the highest peak of Jade Mountain, and then continued flying. A swerve left and the sun blinded them. It was raining for a moment and then it felt warmer. The breeze was much thicker in the higher elevation. Clay landed on top of the stuck-out platform of stone that was part of the mountain. It had formed from the earthquakes during Darkstalker's return from his sleep. He leaped slowly to avoid it from falling and Peril landed next to him. The cave was small inside, only having cracked walls since it was recent but entering into it was another opening from the other side, directly adjacent to the sunset. Clay gestured her to go first and she took it. Her tail freely swayed as she steps foot inside.

And he was right behind her.

Peril:

The light was blinding. The cave only calmed her sights for a moment, then it hurts again. She was a SkyWing though. Why does it hurt looking directly at the sun? She lifted her wing to protect her eyes for it to return to normal.

Clay didn't bring me here to be blind, would he? No, he wouldn't! Why am I thinking this way?! That monster still inside of me trying to take a hold of my soul?! Gosh, I am weird.

She could hear Clay's footsteps closely. It finally was a good thing they are alone now, without Turtle to mess up their we-are-having-our-moment thing. But she started to feel awkward now that they're alone. REALLY alone. Another voice inside of her was wondering where Turtle was.

"Clay, you know this is a bad spot if you wanted to talk. Wait, why did we come here in the first place?" Peril could feel his presence edging closer as she kept her wing lifted. "There's a better spot to talk than being all the—

"Peril," he said and she quickly glanced at him, "Look."

Clay caught her wings, softly pulling it down. She changed her face into shock and awe. The beautiful sight of the sunset. Her eyes squinted from the brightness, but it wasn't as strong as it was when they first flew above. The clouds of the rain looked like a soft pillow or a bed that she thought she can lie on. Screw her small cave of emptiness and just lie on the squishy goodness. Peril knew she talked a lot but at that moment, not a word felt like it forced out but only her thoughts to herself.

Beautiful, she thought, then flicked her eyes to Clay as he stepped forward to share the view. His steps didn't seem to change even with an injured limb he had from the venom that she removed.

"It's nice isn't it?" Clay said out of the blue. Peril couldn't agree, because she sees something or someone else that's "nice". The sunset only glistened his brown colored scales as if the sun is trying to make him bright for her. But now her throat is deadlocked to what she would say. What do I say to this? He looks so handsome when the sun hits him. Wait, don't say that! But I really want to!

She returned to reality as Clay watched her head twitched in multiple directions. Oh no, this is starting to feel awkward. I need to say something! She tried to catch the first thing in her mind and blurted it out. "Y-yea, it really does. I mean the sun now looks like a half cut yellow circle like an orange!" Inside, she didn't feel that was a good response but took that thought out to see Clay smiling. "I guess you can put it that way." She'd give anything to see him like that. It had been a long time since she saw that smile.

They huddled closer without knowing from the chills that grew. Being on top of the mountain is something Peril never tried before. She would always be on battle or on the arena, or out to look for Scarlet, or inside her sleeping cave anxiously waiting for something exciting to happen and it would always be mountains and building that blocked the views and all. But that time, it was just an endless horizon of clouds that seem to never end. Though she was curious to Clay on why he brought her here. She would never question that if it was meant for her to be with him. Even though she had fire scales, being next to Clay felt like he was the one warming her. Not only to her scales but also to her heart.

Peril sensed the chill strengthening and saw Clay shivered. She tried to collect the proper words to say for him to wrap his wings around her. So that it doesn't feel awkward and for him to have some warmth. Clay suddenly said something, beating her to it. "Peril, can you come closer, it's starting to get cold."

Peril didn't think of a response, as if her own body have done it for her as they rested down next to each other while the sun disappeared. Clay wrapped his wing around her, so her warmth stays trapped within them. She never felt so comfortable being with someone, who is the only one she knew who is impervious to fire so she can touch without worries. Maybe he is meant to her, yet another question revolved in her head. Does he think the same way? Does he think I'm meant for him?

"Why did you bring me here, Clay?" Her head lowered next to his neck to avoid hitting him, who turned back at her. Peril could feel his breath as he exhaled.

"After the burden from the dragonets usually clambering at the food and the scavengers during class," he said, "I must admit, they are hard to handle." Clay chuckled a little, "Sometimes at night, when Tsunami is sleeping and I would be hungry, I would take a small food and just fly up here to enjoy the silence. Enjoy not having any worries, and eating my food but most of all," He slowly adjusted to meet her eyes and she blushed on how close he was. This was her vision. The dream looking to finally come true, "to enjoy feeling free." He finished. She couldn't handle enough how sweet his voice was. Clay then added. "Do you feel the same way?"

Peril felt like her fire would run out, and it would all go to her heart from hearing what Clay said. It forced her a smile; she couldn't fake it. "I do now, but not because I'm here," Clay had his full attention at her, and she knew she can't back down now. That time, she felt it was true, "because you're here, with me."

Peril saw his chest expand and shrink as if another burden he held on to was gone, but she wanted to ask him now. Ask him directly and forget about not doing so.

"Do you love me?" She whispered in an innocent tone. Clay made a face as if he was unsure of it, tilting his head. Her thoughts suddenly unraveled to many possibilities, as if she can read the future like Moon. What if he says no, what if he doesn't say anything? Clay swerved away for a second with Peril still looking at him. Took a long breath, and exhaled. Peril thought this is it. It was true the whole time. He probably doesn't love her.

"You don't have to answer that, Clay." She threw it out, feeling anxious to continue, but she wanted Clay to understand that she knew the truth, "I know everyone keeps telling you that you don't deserve me. That you could find someone better who's not a hulking giant dragon of flames that burns everyone and everything. That many of your friends might probably still hate me from like releasing Darkstalker or ripping his scrolls of IMMENSE power and I'm sure I would've still taken care of him, and that you care about everyone, and you wouldn't want me to accidentally set one of your friends on fire. I—I"

Clay placed his one talon up in front of her, signaled her to quiet down. She looked at him with a small sense of surprise. "Peril, just because you're a hulking giant dragon of flames, doesn't mean you're dangerous. It doesn't matter what other dragons say or think about you." A small weight lifted off her. She couldn't hold up a tear, but it would vanish from her heating scales. Clay turned to the night sky which was gleaming and glittering with a shade of orange from where the sun was. He had a thought that matched with his curiosity on his face as he glanced back at her. "Wait, did you hear the conversation we had in that cave with Starflight, Queen Ruby, and myself?"

She gave a nervous nod out of his eyesight, turning away while doing so. "Oh, then you know. I'm sorry, but what they said and think of you doesn't matter." Clay said.

He turned back to the night sky. "I, I just can't clear my thoughts. It was harrowing, yes, when Scarlet was on the lose and gave the warning of the supposed Glory's head and with Darkstalker going to kill all the IceWings, but I believe now, at least to myself, that you showed goodness. Behind that scales of burning fire, is a soul that is good. A dragon like you that I don't think I'm worthy enough to have." Clay lowered his head. Peril realized it has been the other way around this whole time.

It was clear to her. Clay couldn't admit he loved her. The pressure from the other dragons was like a barricade he could never break through, and there she was just telling herself to find out for so long without confronting him.

"I thought, this whole time you would agree with your friends." Peril said with a hunched breath, she could feel her words stuck to her throat.

"They don't see you, at least the way I do." Clay answered, "You proved it all too much, I just didn't have the gut to say it in front of you."

I've never seen him scared before. Well, he feared me way back when in the arena fights, but this is different. I guess he's not so big on emotions. Makes sense if he cares so much for everyone. She thought to herself.

But that's the Clay I want to look up to.

The Clay I want to love.

She clinched her talons to think of what to say when she heard Clay took in a huge breath.

"So," Peril said to Clay concerned for his current state as if she could read his face. It was swirling with many different emotions, like RainWing scales, "Are you okay?"

A moment later, Peril could feel Clay's tail twines with hers. He does it to many others, but this one she felt was special. He turned on her for one final time, his eyes were steady and irresistible. "I feel okay now because I don't think I can hide my feelings anymore," she held her breath.

"I love you too, Peril. Even if I care about everyone, you'll be the one in my heart."

Of all the feelings she had that raised her spirit. Nothing else leveled enough with what she was feeling at that moment. Stay calm Peril, it's not every day where the one you always think, and love would finally say in front of you his true feelings to you.

But it felt right, her uncanny thoughts left her suddenly. That moment, she felt free. That moment, Peril thought she was burning up that it would burn Clay, but it wasn't. She can see her reflection in Clay's heartfelt eyes.

I guess I needed Clay all along.

They didn't say anything. Just exchanging smiles. Peril leaned her head in his shoulders, then Clay rested his above her forehead. Peril's fire dimmed from the overwhelming feeling of comfort. The night was quiet and peaceful. That time, Peril not only see it, she feels it.

"Thank you, Clay." Peril whispered to Clay but he didn't respond and she was fine with that. I guess I should just enjoy this. This time, I can feel that he agrees with me. SHUT UP and enjoy it!

They fell asleep without knowing it a moment later. Clay didn't feel hungry, nor think about the class he was supposed to teach and the dragonets wondering where he went. Peril didn't feel like she had to be careful of thinking another dragon out there like Scarlet looking to kill them or worry if Turtle was watching them "stealthily".

They were too much in love to realize.