Andromeda

Andromeda has always been the quiet one. She would be the one who would sit at the corner of the room, not conversing or interacting with anyone of her own volition, huddled with her head bowed and eyes bright under the folds of her hood. But she always watched, she always saw what was going on, she always remembered, able to quote almost word-for-word what she heard, describe in fascinating detail what she saw.

So it isn't really surprising that Andromeda became an astronomer, remembering and recording the infinite stars in the skies above. She gives her maps out willingly, quickly becoming a favorite in the clan for her expertise in the craft. Eventually branching out into geography didn't hurt either, making her unparalleled in the clan for any matters regarding navigation. Her maps were precise and detailed, something which some complained about for being too cluttered to see, though it was unanimous that they were of the highest quality available.

Nobody knew how well she took to the "annoying scourge," of the clan when he first arrived. Indeed, she seemed mostly to treat him like she did anyone else: somewhat distant, reserved, shy. Their encounters always seemed to surprise him. No matter how many jabs or jeers he made, no matter how badly all her work was undone, she would always nod her head and quietly accept what had happened, with her most notable action towards him being asking him to step out of her room so she can clean.

Finally, Malediction couldn't resist. One night, when Andromeda was outside during a clear new moon, he landed near her with a crash and asked her the burning question: "Why don't you ever seem to be angry at what I say or do?"

She paused in her work at setting the telescope, pondering. Eventually, she asked in reply: "Why should I be?"

Malediction didn't seem to know how to respond to that. He left without answering her question, and she went back to work.

From then on, Malediction seemed to be oddly intrigued with her. He would sit for hours on end as she meticulously recorded her stars, not saying a word of scorn or the slightest attempt to throw her supplies into turmoil. Every night, without fail, she would be outside seeing the stars, every night without fail he would be by her side. In fact, she started to wonder if he ever slept. Eventually, she started talking to him as she worked. Quietly at first, but her voice grew more bold with every night that passed.

She wondered if he listened to her, the ramblings of this unsociable ridgeback. She knew nothing except her work and passion and history, so she must have been a boring conversationalist.

"You don't want to come outside tonight," Mal suddenly warned her one evening. She haven't even packed her instruments yet. He was afraid, deadly afraid. She never saw him like that before. Andromeda trembled and nodded, pushing her supplies and instruments to the side as best she can, then motioning him inside. He shook his head, but smiled at her invitation. "Whatever you do, don't come outside. Trust me."

He was the prankster, the poltergeist. Yet she was sure, from the depths of her heart, that he was sincere. So she hid. He flew off, yelling at Gen, yelling at Geranium, yelling at everyone else in the clan who could fight. He was riling them up. Andromeda closed her eyes, imagining as they all attacked Mal, perhaps finally ending him for good. She was crying.

Then, a cry in the night: "LEVIATHAN!"

Hours passed. Andromeda listened to the battle, of shrieks and roars and other sounds oh-so-loud... Then suddenly, what seemed like silence. Glorious silence. Andromeda stood, spines rattling. She didn't care if she would be in danger. Her clan, her home... Her...
She expected a broken clan, with caves smashed and corpses littering the ground. Instead, she found Plum dragging the body of a monstrous snake away while the rest of the clan's warriors were in a crowd, the giant Malediction in the middle. Andromeda ran towards the crowd, heart pounding.

"... Don't expect me to say this ever again, ya hear?!" Gen huffed to Mal, who nodded with a grimace... No, not a grimace, a smirk. The imperial raised his head to Andromeda and bowed before walking over, literally pushing the other dragons of the crowd away.

"If you lay a claw on her, ya freak, I swear I'll--

"It's okay, Gen." She was surprised at her own voice. "Mal won't hurt me, right?"

"...Mal?" Gen sputtered.

"All the nights he spent with me under the stars..." Andromeda whispered, head bowed beneath her hood. "I told him a lot. But he never hurt me before."

She shied away from the eyes of the crowd. Why did she come out? They would never be mean to her, but their attention was so disconcerting, so different than the short one-on-one conversations as she handed them their maps now. Andromeda felt something around her and looked up.

"You should get some rest, Andromeda," Mal whispered to her, a wing draped over her protectively. She nodded, resting her head against him as he made sure she headed back to her cave, watched over her as she prepared her bed.

He only left when she was asleep. Asleep with the most joyful smile she ever had.