The crisp air in the Edge was growing even colder as the winter crept nearer and though the sun shined brightly overhead, its light was deceiving as it brought little warmth with it. So the queen’s body grew colder and her hair grew longer, but at least she had found some happiness to keep her spirits high during the winter. Today, she was taking a break from the Edge and the floating island to just have some time to herself and to do one of the things she used to enjoy so much- meeting strangers.

As she entered the land, she settled her basket on the ground long enough to press the button on her music box. With the basket resting back in her mouth, she began to trot in time with the music, reveling in the way the wind picked at and played with her mane and tail. Khan, too, seemed to be enjoying the weather, the feathered beast seemed to have come alive as the weather grew colder and he grew older and more confidant. Even now, as they moved across the field, Khan was flying far overhead.

Appropriately, then, it was Khan who first alerted Kahlua to the presence of another in the meadow. His draconian cry pierced the air and quite without warning he began to test the limits of his young wings. Diving through the air, the little blue took off after the strangest form that Kahlua had ever set eyes on before. A better mother, a better guardian to a young companion, might have dropped her basket and called out to the child to come back, to leave the three-headed dog alone, to retreat from his feigned attack, but Kahlua did none of these things. Truly, she was a terrible guardian, but she was happy and she filled the dragon’s head with nothing but happy thoughts, so at least he was growing strong and happy, not strong and vicious.

As Khan continued his chase towards Vlasi, his sharp cry turning to a happy chortle. As he slowed, the little blue attempted to do something he had never done before- a barrel roll. Of course, nobody gets anything right on the first time. The pressure of the wind against young wings sent him off course and he crashed into the ground- luckily the lush ground and padding of the grass saved him any major injury. But despite his mild panic, Kahlua only shook her head and then turned her attentions to the stallion standing nearby.

“Hello friend,” she said after settling her basket to the ground, the last notes of the song tinkling away with the wind. A happy bounce carried her closer to him as she sent a sidelong glance towards the dragon who was recovering from his blunder. “I hope Khan isn’t troubling your friend too much,” she offered. “I’m Kahlua, how are you doing today?” A new friend… just what she had been waiting for!