On the grass of the training grounds, the young dragon girls sat together.

Noa and Aurora were staring at each other in silence, an air of seriousness between them that felt out of place for children.

Moon looked at her older sister, then at her younger sister, blinking with curiosity. She wiggled the tuft of hair on top of her head and asked earnestly,

“Are we playing a game called ‘Just Staring Without Talking’ today?”

Aurora raised a hand, cutting off her second sister’s question while keeping her eyes on Noa.

“I just saved you,” Aurora said, enunciating each word …