Right before Starfania could respond to Violet's comment, she noticed the girl hesitate—her mouth opening slightly, then closing again, as if she were debating whether to ask. Starfania caught the pause immediately. She smiled warmly, saving Violet the trouble. " Atlas."
Violet's face lit up. " That's his name?"
Atlas lifted his head just a little, sapphire eyes gleaming, as if acknowledging the sound of it. His tail gave a soft, pleased flick against the ground. Aeron, meanwhile, tapped his chin thoughtfully, eyes bouncing between Starfania and the dragon.
" Atlas, huh?" he mused. " Isn't that the guy who's supposed to hold up the world?"
He glanced at the dragon's massive frame, then back at Starfania. " So…does this mean your dragon is strong enough to carry us all if we get tired of walking?"
Atlas responded with a deep, rumbling sound—suspiciously close to a chuckle—and casually flicked his tail in Aeron's direction. Violet burst out laughing. " He laughed at you!"
Aeron raised his hand in mock surrender, grinning. " Okay, okay! No need to get defensive, Atlas!"
Then Violet's eyes sparkled with mischief.
" But really," she added, leaning forward, " if we did get tired, it wouldn't hurt to have a quick ride, right?"
She leaned back against a tree, clearly lost in the fantasy. " Just imagine it—flying through the sky on a dragon, wind in our hair, feeling totally unstoppable!"
Starfania shook her head, though her smile never faded. " You two would turn a simple walk into a full-blown legends But for now, walking is part of the fun."
Atlas shifted his weight, sunlight glinting off his white scales. His eyes twinkled, clearly understanding the playful banter. Aeron crossed his arms and exaggerated a pout. " Fine. But one day, we are definitely taking a ride. I'm putting it on my bucket list."
" Of course you are," Starfania laughed. " Alright, Aeron—but for now, let's see how far we get on foot. Who knows what we might discover along the way?"
That was when it happened. A sudden thwack knocked Aeron clean off his feet. " —WOAH!"
He hit the ground with an undignified grunt as a familiar dark tail flicked smugly back into place. Drogo stood nearby, wings slightly flared, eyes narrowed as he stared pointedly at Atlas…then at Aeron. Violet stared for half a second before dissolving into laughter. " Drogo just jealous-slapped you!"
Aeron groaned from the ground. " Oh, come on—really?"
Drogo huffed, smoke puffing lightly from his nostrils, then turned his head away as if to say, My rider rides with me.
Atlas tilted his head, studying Drogo with quiet curiosity, then let out a soft, amused rumble. Starfania laughed so hard she had to wipe her eyes. " Looks like we already have a dragon rivalry."
Aeron pushed himself up, dusting off his clothes.
" Great," he muttered. " I haven't even ridden Atlas yet, and I'm already in trouble."
The morning rang with laughter—human and dragon alike—as the path ahead stretched open before them, promising adventure, mischief, and bonds growing stronger with every step.