Orion's hand hovered over Alice's still form for a long moment before gently making contact. His golden eyes closed, and the air around him grew heavy with focus. Adam could feel it, the ancient dragon's consciousness reaching into the sleeping panther, probing the damaged core with a delicacy that belied his overwhelming power.
Minutes passed. Ignis shifted restlessly beside Adam, but a sharp glance from him kept her silent.
Finally, Orion's eyes opened. They held something new understanding. The kind that came from witnessing similar tragedies across millennia.
