Chapter 11

Tai quickly walked Hide over to the top of the den, hoping it would be a suitable canvas spot.

"So, I'll have to smother you in this paint, over and over, in order to get our signature pale gold." She said, modeling her scales in the sunlight.

Hide smiled, then extended his wings, standing completely still.

Tai picked up a glob of the yellow substance, tossing it onto his back, and spreading it all over his scales, making them a pale green.

The paint was surprisingly thicker than expected, and colder.

Tai continued spreading the paint all over his back and tail.

Eventually, she made her way to his wings, slowly, and gently applying the paint.

"I'm well aware that the wings are the most fragile part of dragons who aren't from the sand, or ground kingdom, so I'll be as gentle as I can, alright?" Tai asked, looking at Hide for confirmation.

"Alright. That's fine, but I'm not that fragile, so please don't step on as many eggshells while doing this." Hide said, a warm smile covering his face.

Tai nodded, then began putting the paint on his wings, a slight smile on her face.

After a few silent minutes, she stopped painting, setting the clay bowl aside.

"We're finished?" Hide asked.

"No, we still have your underside, but I don't want your paint chipping off when it's only the first layer. Based on the color right now, I'd say you have two more coats before we're ready to do your underside." She said, stretching her wings.

Hide jumped down from the den's roof, into the warm sand. His scales now, were pale green and were shimmering in the mid-day sun. At that moment, the sun was at it's peak, and it was the hottest it had ever been. Hide quickly trotted into the den, cooling down in the darkness.

Tai followed Hide into the den, sitting next to him, making it way more crowded than it was a few moments before. She radiated her own heat onto everyone in the den, obliviously unaware to any attention she'd been drawing to herself.

"It's so hot outside. How do you two put up with it?" Tsuki asked, fluffing her feathers out.

Hide glanced over to Takashi, who had a bitter expression on his face.

Tai followed Hide's gaze, staring at Takashi for a moment.

Takashi took a look over to see Tai staring, her eyes slightly widened at his beauty.

"What. Why are you two in here? You literally brought in a heater, along with your warm body? You're just asking for us to die of heat stroke." He said, annoyed.

Hide began to stare at the cool sand at his talons, hoping Takashi would be quiet.

He soon felt the heat next to him fade away. Hide glanced up to see Tai walking over to Takashi, her tail lashing.

Tai bit at Takashi's ear, jumping into the air, slowly hovering Takashi out into the blistering sun. Once he was out, she used her tail fin to bury him into the scorching sands.

"I want you to endure the same pain dragons like me deal with, when we complain about heat." She said, coldly.

Tai soon turned around, and marched back into the den. She quickly went back to Hide, nuzzling back under his extended wing. Her heat wasn't overwhelming or anything, it was more of a comforting warm. Like warm when it's snowing outside in winter.

Hide sat his head on the cool sand, hoping everything around him would disappear.

Hide was soon awakened by Tai. The scorching sun was fading, and Takashi was back in the den, asleep.

"Wake up pretty boy! We have a coronation to get to when the moons rise, so we gotta get you all painted and pretty!" Tai exclaimed.

Hide flew quietly up to the den's roof, sitting there for a moment.

He looked at the paint in the clay bowl, seeing it remained it's golden color, even after being in the sun for a presumable amount of hours

He began thinking about how pretty, and shiny it was, especially with the added twinkle of the sand, he had accidentally gotten into it.

In a few moments, Tai returned, Tsuki flying with her.

"Woah, Hide, your scales! Did you paint them yourself? It looks like we don't need the next few coats!" Tai exclaimed, a playful grin on her face.

Hide took a glance at his paws. The pale green paint had faded, and he was now matching Tai. The same pale gold scales, same long horns. He looked like a dragon of her kind.

What just happened?! I know I didn't do that. He thought

"Sorry Tsuki, I suppose we have to get going. Make sure to never leave the den without Takashi to guard you, alright?" Tai asked, looking worried.

Tsuki nodded, looking slightly disappointed, then she swiftly flew back into the den.

Hide watched Tai gracefully jump into the air, her pale, gold scales shimmering in the setting sun's light.

Hide jumped too, his elegance never failing to shine. His scales shone brighter than a lake at sunrise, too real to be mistaken for paint, or coated sand. These scales were real, healthy, and bright, just like his old ones.

Tai hovered in the air, waiting for Hide to catch up with her.

Hide swiftly made his way over to Tai, before she rapidly turned around, flying towards a large mountain in the distance. It was maybe ten times the size of Hide's palace back home, and that was just the mountain.