The three appeared in the cave, and Leria set them down before crawling into the lake, head moving to lay on the side, eyes closed in exhaustion. There was a second head, smaller than hers and silvery in color, laying on a shallower section of the pool.

Jing didn’t look around the cave, or care much at all about looking.

The cave was much warmer than where they had been and Bast looked around, still awed by the cave’s luminiscence. He spotted the second dragon and gave a small gasp. Gathering Jing up in his arms, he walked over to the dragon. It’s silvery scales looked dull in the glow of the eggs beneath the waters, and she didn’t seem to be breathing. Kinu was larger than the last time they’d seen her, the size of a large horse now.

Jing was confused as to why Bast was moving her. All she wanted to was sit agenst him. She moved her head a little to look towards what Bast was and her eyes widened, moving to try and get out of Bast’s arms and over to the dragon. “Kinu?!”

Bast let her go reluctantly, watching the girl dash to Kinu’s side. He stood a few paces away, watching. Kinu was not in fact dead. But her breathing was barely visible, a soft puff coming from her nose as she exhaled weakly. She made no reaction to Jing’s voice.

Jing went on her knees beside the dragon, putting a hand on her head and tears coming to her eyes. She wasn’t dead! “Kinu…”

Kinu’s eyelids flicked faintly at the touch and the name called beside her, but she did not react further. Bast frowned, worried for both of them, but glad Kinu wasn’t dead.

Jing hugged Kinu’s head, crying quietly. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” She whispered.

Bast grabbed the discarded blanket, and moved next to Jing, putting it around her again. Then he moved back, walking to the cave entrance in silence, to let Jing be alone with Kinu. ‘J…jing?’ The voice in her mind was weak and faded.

Jing nodded a little, crying more “Y…Yes… its me Kinu… I’m…I’m so sorry… I’m sorry…”

There was a faint flicker of a smile on the dragon’s lips. ‘I missed you.’

“I missed you too.” Jing said, tears falling down her face. “I missed you so much.”

‘Don’t… don’t leave me?’

Jing shook her head “I won’t leave you Kinu. I promise.”

‘I’m scared Jing… will… will I die?’

Jing felt a lump in her throat as she heard Kinu’s question. She didn’t know… she had thought Kinu had already died. “I…I hope you don’t Kinu.” She finally answered.

‘It hurts…’ Kinu whimpered faintly.

Jing winced as she heard that and nodded a little “I know…”

‘How… do you do it?’ SHe whimpered, ‘How can you… go through so much?’

Jing bit her lip, not sure how to answer that completely. She hugged Kinu’s head again, more tears falling down her face. “I… don’t know… I guess… I got use to it…”

Kinu stirred, dulled eyes opening faintly to look at Jing. ‘I wish they’d stop… trying to kill you…’

Jing looked at Kinu sadly and nodded “I…I wish that too… Kinu I’m so sorry for putting you through all this pain… If I had been stronger then maybe…” She grew quiet, wrapping the blanket up around her more.

Kinu shook her head weakly. ‘It… it’s not your fault. We… we’re both weak, and young…’

Jing bit her lip hugging Kinu. She still blamed herself completely, she was to weak to stop any of what had happened.

‘I… I’m sorry.’ Kinu added, ‘You haven’t been able to use magic because of me.’

Jing shook her head “Please don’t blame yourself… My magic wouldn’t have worked to help me… Its to weak…”

Kinu was silent. She still thought it was her fault, since Jing had been unable to use her magic.

Jing didn’t say anything else either for a while, just keeping close to her. She wished she could do something to ease Kinu’s pain.

There wasn’t much she could do, the water was already helping as much as it could to keep Kinu alive. But Jing’s presence did seem to help make Kinu happier.

Jing was glad Kinu atleast happyer, and kept quiet, and close to the dragon.

Kinu said nothing else, content to lean against Jing, enjoying the girl’s presence.