Peter

  He woke up early. The ground was too hard for him. Carefully, he sat up so as not to wake Marko, who was lyio him. Finn used his friend as a pillow. His sister y cuddled up between Leopold and Josefine, who g to Julia whimpering in her sleep. Julia also seemed to sleep badly. Every now and then she flinched. Did she have a nightmare? Hanno and Flora slept a little closer to the fire, which was now only glowing slightly. Peter rubbed his eyes tiredly. He couldn't find the other dragon anywhere among all the sleeping people.

  Peter stood up zily. All his limbs hurt from spending the night on the forest floor. Quietly he walked among all the sleeping people and looked for Fiete. He found him a little away from the group by a stream. Or rather, iream. Fiete stood naked in the low water and washed himself. His hair stuck damply to his skiurned his ba Peter. With curious eyes, he looked over his shoulder at Peter. "Will you keep me pany? But I'm afraid the water might be a little too cold for you..."

  Peter blinked. "Sorry. I didn't want to disturb you."

  "You don't. How I help you?" Amused, the dragon turo him aer got the full view of his naked front.

  "By putting something on?"

  Fiete brushed his wet hair out of her face. "Or you get into the water."

  "Didn't you say it was too cold?"

  "That's what I said!" Fiete finally came out of the water, but the situation did not improve. He was still not wearing clothes. "So... What is it about?"

  "Where are your clothes?" Peter couldn't help but stare at him. Nowhere was the dragon's clothing. Was it really dragon magic?

  "Magic." Fiete sat down on a tree trunk. Faster thaer's eyes could regress what happehe dragon wore clothes. "Very ve. I just adapt to the requirements."

  "The requirements?" Peter sat dowo him skeptically and looked at the clothes suspiciously. "Does that mean you're not wearing anything, strictly speaking? Does it just look like this? And your eyes? you also ize them, or do they always stay that way... How? I think I saw huma first..."

  "As far as clothing is ed, yes. Exactly! And the eyes... Who knows what we are, always see our true eyes. Those who do not know see an illusion. How Hannnized me, I don't kly... Probably because I look like my sister, probably also in human form. At least that's what everyone always said... But you didn't want to ask me that, did you? Is it about the bond?"

  Peter nodded.

  "That's what I thought." Fiete lifted some leaves from the ground, something small then scurried uhe tree trunk, and nervously tore apart the damp leaves. "It was the only way to save you. Your sister has tried first, but she is still too weak for an injury like the one you suffered. But you don't have to worry about the bond."

  "I don’t have to? How so?" Peter snorted. "For yons, it means a wedding! What about you? You sacrificed this opportunity for me! And I never wao get married."

  "But live, right?" Fiete gave him a friendly push. "For us, it doesn't have to mean more than sharing my life. Nothing more."

  "Is that okay? For you?"

  "Yes. I had to save you. Believe me. I couldn't let you die."

  "Why?"

  "For various reasons, Peter." Fiete got up from the tree trunk and hold out his hand to him. Still somewhat skeptical, Peter let himself be helped.

  "Your life... So now I live as long as you?"

  "Exactly."

  "But I 't use yic?" Peter liked the idea, but it also sounded extremely absurd. I live forever?

  "No. You are still human. You 't use my magic. But we white dragons are loyal. We stand by those who belong to us. Peter? I belong to you now. And thus also to your sister. In a way... I don't think it bothers her. After all, she has already adopted Josefine as a sister..." The dragon ughed softly. "I am where I belong. So yes, it's fine for me. But we don't have to share a house. We don't have to live in a vilge. Not if you don't want to."

  "Thank you. That you saved my life." Peter ruffled his own hair. "But I still have to get used to this non-marriage!"

  "That's fair."

  Peter grinned. "I'm afraid Julia is rehearsing a bigger uprising if we try to separate her from your niece... She adores Josefine. You two better stay with us."

  "Thank you."

  Together they went back to the group, among which the first had woken up in the meantime.

  Torsten

  Annemarie slept in his arms. Tired and exhausted, he stroked her hair. She sighed in her sleep. If this was what his life looked like from now on, then he was the happiest person oh.

  It had beeing. New and different.

  Annemarie had not exaggerated. He liked it. All of it.

  Good... Less to get bitten.

  But he hadn't told her yet about the possibility that her brother nning to steal the throne. Was stealing the right word?

  An assassination attempt on the queen and the king. Was Marlon pnning this? Was he smart enough for that? Torsten kissed his wife's hair. You will be queen, my heart.

  Marko

  Marko had turned bato a human being. Several elves protested and forced him to himself in a b.

  "Nobody wants to see your naked butt, Marko!", Peter said ughing. "I've seen enough naked people today!" Laughing, he handed him a b, which Marko ed around his waist in annoyance. Among wolves, it was normal for someoo walk hrough the vilge. Woman or man. It art of being a wolf. No one was bothered. But here? Far from his pack? Drama! Oh no. A naked man!

  Finn had gotten red as always. Marko ehis sight. Finn was so cute when he blushed.

  "Enough naked people?", asked Julia, looking from Peter to Fiete, who was grinning broadly.

  "Yes. Enough! And I was not naked! I would like to emphasize this! I, even if I always look awesome, because I am a true God, like to do without a cold!" Peter stuck out his to Fiete, who returhe gesture in amusement.

  "Dragons don't get a cold!", he said.

  Peter just rolled his eyes.

  "A true God?" Finn looked at the prind sniffed. "No. Clearly a human being. You smell like a human. Not like a god."

  "And you know what gods smell like?" Peter wrinkled his nose.

  "No." Finn became even redder.

  So pretty. I want to kiss him!

  "Well, then!" Peter cpped his hands. "Then you 't judge that, child!"

  Josefiretched zily and hugged her uncle, who immediately ed his arms around her. "I bathed iream. Nothing more", he expined. "Peter saw me."

  Julia yawired and then shook Leo, who was humming disgruntled in his sleep.

  Marko ighe two sleepy heads. "A stream?" He she air. In fact, he could smell fresh water. "e on Finn. We're going to the creek!"

  "To the creek?" Finn looked at him skeptically. "I don't know."

  "I'll take care of you. e!" Marko wi him and finally, Finn stood up.

  "Don't catch a cold!", murmured Peter.

  "Oh!" Marko grinned. "Wolves don't catch a cold so quickly either!"

  Without waiting for the prince's rea, he and Fio the creek. The ground was uneven, as everywhere. Marko made sure that Finn did not stumble and reached their destination safely. A narrow stream flowed through the forest. The water was clear and glittering in the light of the m sun, and the trees reflected in it. They sat down at the edge of the stream and put their feet ier. Marko washed his face. The water was refreshing.

  "Marco?"

  "Yes?" He looked at the younger wolf. Finn looked restlessly at the stream.

  "I've been never... So close to a body of water. Even if it's just a small stream. Do you think we will see a lot of the world?"

  "I don't know. This is at least an adventure. Although not a particurly pleasing one."

  "That's right." Finn held his hands iream. "It's so peaceful. As if that had never happened yesterday. But it happehey are all gone. Aer was almost gone."

  "He was saved. And we are still here. Now we just have to find a new home. Do you want to go back to the others?"

  Finn nodded. Marko helped him get up and the two made their way back. But after a few steps, Finn leaned against one of the trees. "Sorry. Walking on this ground is exhausting..." Finn sighed. "I'm not used to that."

  He looked at Marko and their eyes met. Finn fell silent and looked at him with wide eyes. Marko smiled. "May I?"

  ?What?“

  "That!" And he kissed him.

  Finn ed his arms around Marko and sighed softly, while Marko proceeded to kiss Finn's cheeks as well. But then he smelled something. Irritated, he looked up and turned around. "Do you smell that too?"

  "Yes. Wolves. Wolves like us. Two." Finns looked past Marko. "They're not far away."

  "Let's tell the others. e!" Marko gave Finn another fleeting kiss, then helped him back to the group.