Page 130 of Pets in Space 10

Hazel

Iwas exhausted.

The adrenaline had finally burned out, leaving behind a hollow kind of fatigue that made my limbs feel heavy. I sat beside Tyvaron’s massive head, absently petting the little dragon curled against my lap.

Everything around me still felt unreal. Surreal. Impossible.

He’d spoken. He had a name. Or at least, something close to a name.

And somehow, I wasn’t dead.

I was also hungry. But there was nothing edible in the cave. Soon, I’d ask Tyvaron in the hope that he would understand. And that he wouldn’t end up offering me raw meat. Maybe the tiny dragon had a food source he was willing to share with me.

I looked down at him, nestled against me like an overgrown cat. He chirped softly, eyelids drooping, perfectly content in this insane situation.

"You’re awfully trusting," I whispered. "I hope you’re right."

Then I felt it.

A strange sensation prickled across my skin. Not a sound, not a movement exactly, but an awareness. Like being watched by something just out of sight.

I froze. My eyes darted towards the far end of the cave where shadows clung to the walls. The faint glow from the crystals didn’t quite reach that corner, but I thought I saw… movement.

Something small.

My grip tightened on the baby dragon, and he lifted his head, blinking sleepily into the shadows.

The soft clicking noise came first. Then a shape stepped into view.

A little smaller than the little dragon.

Pale silver. A nimble body – a cross between a monkey and a cat – covered in silver feathers.

Almost glowing. Four tails flicked behind it in slow, deliberate rhythm.

Three large eyes, too big for its delicate face, studied me with a curious, unreadable expression.

Another monkey-cat strolled into the cave, this one golden. Then a third.

My first instinct was panic. They didn’t exactly look scary, but they were invading a dragon’s lair as if they had nothing to fear.

That made my breath grow faster as I prepared to act.

But before I could scramble back, the tiny dragon in my lap let out a cheerful trill and hopped off, waddling towards the newcomers like greeting old friends.

I blinked, stunned.

The baby dragon rubbed his little head against one of the small creatures’ side, releasing a happy puff of smoke. The creature leaned down, gently pressing its delicate hands to the little dragon’s back in what almost looked like an affectionate gesture.

They knew each other.

The tension in my chest eased slightly. My fingers unclenched. Whatever these creatures were, they weren’t here to hurt him. Or me. At least not yet.

The silver one tilted its head, studying me with large, dark eyes, one above the two others. Its long tails elegantly moved above it in repeating spirals, almost hypnotising.

I felt its attention on me like a cloak being thrown around my shoulders.

I couldn’t hear anything. No words. No sound.

But I felt it.

A strange warmth bloomed in my chest. A ripple of calm, like a hand resting lightly over my heart. Not words exactly. Not thoughts. More like… an impression.

Safe.

I let out a shaky breath. "You’re not here to hurt me, are you?"

The creature didn’t respond, but it took another slow step forward, lifting its hands in what I hoped was a universal sign of peace.

The baby dragon chirped again and rubbed against it like a happy cat.

I glanced nervously at Tyvaron. His eyes were open now, following the creatures with clear awareness. But he didn’t growl. Didn’t lash out.

He was watching.

Just like me.

The three beings slowly approached Tyvaron. I almost let out a sigh of relief. They weren’t here for me. They had come for him.

“Can you help him?” I blurted before I could stop myself.

The creatures paused for a moment, their large dark eyes turning towards me. I tensed, unsure if I had made a mistake by speaking, but then that strange wave of calm washed over me again. Not words. Not thoughts. Just... reassurance.

They moved closer to Tyvaron, their movements smooth and fluid, tails flicking softly behind them. The baby dragon trotted along beside them, happily chirping, utterly unfazed by any of this.

The smallest of the three stopped right beside Tyvaron’s head. One golden hand reached out and rested gently on his snout, right between his eyes.

Tyvaron remained perfectly still. His breathing was slow, steady, controlled. If he was worried at all, he didn’t show it.

A soft hum filled the air. Barely audible. I wasn’t sure if it was real or just inside my head, but it vibrated gently in my chest, like the low hum of a distant power line.

The other two creatures moved towards the broken remains of the collar. They circled it, examining the shattered pieces like curious scientists. They were studying the thing that had enslaved him.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, not expecting an answer but needing to say something.

The one beside Tyvaron lifted its hand slightly, as though inviting me to stay calm. Another ripple of reassurance pressed gently into my mind. Peace. Trust.

I swallowed hard, watching as they continued to move with deliberate care, examining Tyvaron but never harming him. Whatever they were doing, Tyvaron allowed it. That, more than anything, convinced me to stay quiet.

Maybe they were here to help.

Or at least, I hoped so.

The creature resting its hand on Tyvaron’s snout closed its enormous eyes. The faint hum grew a little stronger, resonating through the air like a long forgotten song.

Tyvaron didn’t move. His body remained still, but his golden eyes slowly drifted shut as well. A deep rumble passed through him, not in pain this time, but something else. A surrender.

The air itself seemed to thicken around us. I wasn’t hearing anything exactly, but I felt it. Something was happening, even though I didn’t know what it was.

The other two creatures moved closer, forming a loose half-circle around his head. Their tails swayed gently, in unison, like some strange ritual. Their breathing synchronized, and the hum deepened.

The baby dragon, still nestled against my side, chirped softly but didn’t seem alarmed. He rested his head on my thigh and let out a little sigh, as if everything happening was perfectly normal.

I wished I shared his confidence.

"What are you doing to him?" I whispered, even though I knew they wouldn’t answer.

The humming intensified, vibrating faintly through the stone beneath me.

My stomach tightened, but Tyvaron remained still.

His massive body relaxed more fully than I’d ever seen since the moment I met him.

The tension in his limbs softened. His injured wing settled against the ground without twitching.

Then I felt it.

A pulse.

Like a shockwave of something ancient and heavy rippling through the cave, but not physical. Mental.

Tyvaron gasped, his breath rattling hard through his chest.

His golden eyes snapped open.

But they were different.

Clearer.

Sharper.

And somehow… more human.

He stared ahead, blinking slowly as though seeing his surroundings for the first time. His gaze swept past the pale creatures, past the little dragon, and landed directly on me.

"Hazel," he said, his voice stronger now. Still rough, but deliberate.

I couldn’t breathe.

The change in Tyvaron’s eyes was undeniable. Not just aware. Not just intelligent. But… awake. Like something vast and ancient had finally cracked open inside him.

The creatures stepped back as the hum softened. One by one, they lowered their hands and slowly withdrew from his side, their tails still swaying in synchronized arcs. The air grew lighter again, the thick pressure lifting from the cave.

Tyvaron’s massive chest expanded as he drew in a long, deliberate breath. His gaze swept across the cave, scanning everything cautiously. The crystals. The stream. The broken collar. Me.

His eyes landed on me and held.

“Hazel,” he said again.

It was only one word, one name, but he said it with such clarity that I knew things had changed.

“Tyvaron,” I whispered, my voice breaking slightly. “What did they do to you?”

Tyvaron blinked once, slow and steady. His eyes shifted towards the creatures, then back to me.

He inhaled deeply. "They helped," he rasped, voice still rough but growing stronger. "They... woke me."

That was exactly what I’d thought. He looked so much more aware, even though his injuries persisted.

I swallowed hard at the thought of him being in pain. "Who are they?"

He was silent for a moment, as if reaching for words he hadn’t used in a long time. His gaze flicked to the feathered aliens again, as though receiving input I couldn’t hear.

"Old ones," he said finally. "Chii."

"Chii," I repeated softly, the word strange on my tongue. "They’re what, your allies?"

His head dipped once. "Not anymore. They fear me. Us. But now... everything has changed. They hope. Because I showed mercy. I started to break my chains."

I glanced at the pale creatures again. They stood still, their huge dark eyes unblinking, observing me without any sign of threat.

"And the little one?" I whispered, looking down at the baby dragon beside me. "He knows them?"

"Yes," Tyvaron answered, his voice clearer with each word. "She is innocent. Not tainted like me. A reminder of what I used to be.”

“Wait, she?”

Oops. I shouldn’t have assumed.

“She.” Was that amusement in his voice?

The baby dragon chirped, as if affirming his words.

I exhaled slowly, my mind spinning. "So they’re helping you because you… showed mercy? How? When? Because you didn’t eat me?"

He was quiet again, breathing heavily. Then a low rumble vibrated through him.

"No. I broke commands. Disobeyed my masters. I am... different." His voice dropped to a softer rasp. "You make me different. You make me remember."

The words made me hold my breath.

Me? I made him remember?

Before I could respond, one of the Chii lifted a four-fingered hand – not towards me, but towards Tyvaron.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as if receiving something more from them.

Another ripple of that strange, invisible hum spread through the air.

But this time, it wasn’t oppressive. It was… light.

"They give pieces back," Tyvaron whispered. "Pieces I lost."

He paused. Then opened his eyes again – and this time, they burned even brighter.

"I remember… everything."