The early morning sun that arose from the horizon eventually shone through the branches of a tree where Ava was sleeping, the sudden brightness made her wince until she was forced to open her eyes. She stared up at the shifting leave that the gentle breeze caused, making the small amounts of light that broke through look like shimmering stars. She eventually forced herself to get up, looking to her left and seeing the spot her sister had been laying next to her in was vacant.

[i]Why does she always have to wake up so early, it would’ve been nice to wake up to her,[/i] she thought as she let out a sigh.

Soon the aroma of freshly cooked food drew her nose and her gaze made it over to some fish being cooked over a fire, the one doing the cooking was her sister, [color=crimson]“Big sis!”[/color] Ava shouted as she leapt to her sister, wrapping her arms around her neck loosely.

Serena lurched forward slightly when Ava leapt on her, it slightly irritating her but she didn’t let it show on her face, [color=palegoldenrod]“Must you do that Ava? I’m in the middle of preparing our breakfast.”[/color]

Ava gave a jesting pout of the lips, [color=crimson]“I’m sorry, I just didn’t see you next to me when I woke up and I was worried something happened to you.”[/color]

[color=palegoldenrod]“I was three feet away Ava, there was nothing to worry about,”[/color] She responded with a sigh.

[color=crimson]“Yeah, but still...”[/color] she trailed off as her nose once more took notice of the fish cooking, [color=crimson]“say...are some of those for me?”[/color] she licked her lips as she asked, her stomach equally enticed by the food as it mad a loud growl.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Not if you don’t wash your hands and face first,”[/color] The older sibling answered back as she pointed to a nearby river, same one she caught the fish from.

[color=crimson]“But I’m hungry now, can’t I just have them now and wash up later?”[/color] Ava asked as she already began reaching for the fish.

Serena was quick to slap her hand away though, [color=palegoldenrod]“No, you can go without if you don’t wash up first, that’s final.”[/color]

[color=crimson]“Ughh, fine [i]MOM[/i]"[/color] The dragon girl huffed back as she made her way over to the river, the remark making Serena twinge for a moment, she always hated when her baby sister called her that.

After Ava washed her face and hands, she quickly took the fish that was handed to her, hungrily scarfing it down and then going onto seconds. [color=palegoldenrod]“Shouldn’t be much longer now until we reach Sunfire, then we can properly relax for a day or two before we get back on the road again,”[/color] Serena spoke up as she calmy and eloquently ate her breakfast.

[color=crimson]“That’s good, traveling days on end and mostly sleeping outside is not fun, will be nice to be in a proper bed again,”[/color] Ava responded as she wiped her mouth, her stomach full and satisfied finally.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Well we would’ve been there sooner if someone hadn’t challenged me every few days to a fight and end up becoming incapacitated for the day.”[/color]

[color=crimson]“Wait, are you saying it’s my fault!?”[/color] Ava asked with furrowed brows and slightly puffed cheeks.

[color=palegoldenrod]“No baby sister, I was merely stating facts, was my statement incorrect?”[/color] She answered back calmly with a question of her own.

Ava lowered her head slightly, [color=crimson]“Well no but...”[/color]

[color=palegoldenrod]“Then there’s no reason be upset over a statement that’s true, now we need to get going, don’t want to waste anymore daylight,”[/color] Serena said as she began packing their things and put out the fire.

[color=crimson]“Before we do that,”[/color] Ava interrupted, a grin on her face as she gripped her weapon, it’s sharpness able to be gathered by the sound it made as it cut through the air.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Didn’t we literally just discuss this? It hasn’t even been five minutes,”[/color] Serena closed her eyes as she let out a sigh.

[color=crimson]“Yeah, but I know I can beat you this time for sure, let’s go!”[/color] Ava answered eagerly, the cocked grin not leaving her face once.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Very well baby sister, perhaps this time you’ll learn your lesson,”[/color] The angelic woman responded, extending out her hand and then her spear flew towards it, gently resting it’s handle in her palm.

[color=crimson]“Would you stop calling me that! You’re only two years older than me!”[/color]

[color=palegoldenrod]“But it’s true, you are my baby sister and you always will be,”[/color] Serena said with a small smile appearing on her face.

[color=crimson]“I’ll show you!”[/color]

Ava then launched herself eagerly towards her older sibling, their weapons clashed with one another, small sparks coming off as the metal struggled against one another.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Still so eager to leap into a fight I see, I thought our previous matches would’ve taught you something by now.”[/color] Serena spoke up, soon pulling away from the struggle and gliding backwards as Ava eagerly flew towards her, wildly swinging her scythe at Serena.

[color=crimson]“Keep being cocky, let’s see how you do with this move I came up with,”[/color] the dragon girl grinned as she flew up into the sky, directly in front of the sun which made it difficult for Serena to see her.

Suddenly she felt two arms wrap around her from behind, glancing back she saw that it was Ava, [color=palegoldenrod]“How did you…?”[/color]

Ava gave her a grin, [color=crimson]“I may be slower than you big sis, but strategy can always beat speed, now look up, this is the fun part,”[/color] she chuckled, looking up to the sky.

Serena looked up to the sky as well, suddenly seeing her sister’s weapon hurddling towards her, she couldn’t help close her eyes and smile slightly, [color=palegoldenrod]“Not a bad plan, but it won’t work on me.”[/color]

Serena looked back at the encroching danger, shifting her weapon in her hand as she estimated where the scythe would be and then flicked her hand upward, launching the spear towards the spiraling weapon, perfectly hitting the blade of the scythe and knocking it away from them. Once that was taken care of, she spread her wings whilst Ava was distracted by what she had done and then jumped into the air, following up by pushing her feet into Ava and launching off her like a springboard.

Ava winced as she got up after Serena’s kick knocked her to the ground, [color=crimson]“Darn, I was sure I had you that time,”[/color] she grunted as she dusted herself off; Serena’s spear gently descending down and back into her palm.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Afraid not [i]baby sister[/i],”[/color] The angel emphasized the latter of her sentence causing Ava to shake in frustration slightly, then added, [color=palegoldenrod]“you’re welcome to surrender, we should be able to make up the time we lost if we stop now, besides, you’re disarmed.”[/color]

[color=crimson]“Don’t count me out just yet, I still have another weapon,”[/color] she retorted with a smirk, extending out her hand as she activated her magic, suddenly a large sword appeared in her hand, it’s weight significant enough for it now to slow her down some.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Ah, that again...very well, if you insist.”[/color]

Ava launched herself towards her sister and once more the two engaged in battle once more, Serena either effortlessly dodging her slow movements or blocking the attacks and sliding them off her weapon. Whilst she knew the weapon was strong and could surely break her spear if she took the full force of it head on, she knew how to shift the weapons weight across her spear's handle to deflect the attack without the risk of her weapon breaking.

She soon noticed that her sister was getting even slower, so much so that she only needed to dodge anymore to avoid the weapon, [i]She’s almost at her limit, won’t be long now before she passes out from fatigue,[/i] Serena thought to herself as she continued to easily avoid the attacks.

She soon made some distance between the two of them, Ava took this opportunity to catch some of her breath, looking up with curiosity when she saw her sister spin her spear in her hands and then stuck the blade into the ground, folding her arm as she closed her eyes.

[color=crimson]“What’s the matter sister? Giving up?”[/color] Ava taunted as she continued to pant heavily.

[color=palegoldenrod]“1...”[/color]

Ava quirked a brow out of confusion, [color=crimson]“I don’t know what you’re doing, but standing there doing nothing won’t win you the fight.”[/color]

[color=palegoldenrod]“...2”[/color]

Ava began laughing, finding Serena’s counting to be silly, [color=crimson]“Fine, continue counting, but don’t complain when you lose,”[/color] she grinned as she launched herself towards her sister, using her wings to glide across the air until she was mere feet from her face. Raising the weapon above her head and ready to strike, she shouted, [color=crimson]“I’ve got you now!”[/color]

[color=palegoldenrod]“...3!”[/color] Serena said as she opened her eyes, staring at Ava’s victorious grin, it seemed to be going in slow motion and then suddenly that grin faded into shock as the weapon in her hands disappeared.

[i]No way...how did she do that?[/i] Ava questioned in her thoughts as she collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

Serena let out a sigh as she knelt down to her younger sibling, brushing away some of her hair that had fallen in front of her face, [color=palegoldenrod]“Silly girl, you shouldn’t have pushed yourself so hard.”[/color]

Ava awoke groggily, looking around her surroundings for a moment before her eyes shot open as well as her body shoot up, [color=crimson]“The fight!”[/color] she shouted before calming down, taking notice to the blanket that was on her.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Well well, looks like someone is finally up,”[/color] A familiar voice said a few feet away.

[color=crimson]“I lost?”[/color]

[color=palegoldenrod]“You did, but you fought admirably.”[/color]

[color=crimson]“Darn...how long was I out? And how did you do that? It was incredible!”[/color]

[color=palegoldenrod]“Well to answer your first question, you were only out for about an hour and a half, not too bad considering how long you’re usually out. As for your second question, I didn’t do anything, I merely estimated how long you’d remain conscious, with you spending so much energy attacking me wildly and then trying to hit me with that large sword of your which drains your magic heavily, I was easily able to guess how long it would be until you dropped.”[/color]

[i]Wow, big sis is amazing, she was able to do all that? Incredible,[/i] Ava thought to herself as she stared at her sister in amazement, a hint of pink going across her face as well.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Well, come on, we should still be able to make it to Sunfire while it’s still morning,”[/color] Serena said as she got their small bags as well as their weapons.

Ava shook her head, clearing her thoughts of her sister and then began walking with her, during the entire time, Ava couldn’t help but gush over the fight the two of them had and Serena found her sister’s child like awe amusing. They soon made it to Sunfire, the sun was a little higher in the sky, so it took the probably close to an hour to reach their destination, [color=crimson]“Hey sis, can we get some food? I’m starving,”[/color] Ava eagerly asked her sister as she placed her hand on her stomach.

[color=palegoldenrod]“How can you be hungry again? We ate only a few hours ago,”[/color] Serena responded with closed eyes and a furrowed brow.

[color=crimson]“I know, but that fight took a lot out of me, pleeeeeaaase?”[/color] she begged, interlocking her fingers with one another as she put on a sad facade.

Serena let out a sigh, [color=palegoldenrod]“Alright, we’ll go...”[/color] she paused for a moment, looking for an eatery, [color=palegoldenrod]“there,”[/color] she finally answered after a brief moment of silence, pointing to the [i]Rest Easy[/i].

[color=crimson]“Great! Let’s go!”[/color] the dragon sibling responded eagerly and then grabbed her sister by the wrist, pulling her towards the location, [color=palegoldenrod]“Hey, no need to rush, it isn’t going anywhere,”[/color] Serena interjected as she tried to get her sister to slow down a little.

They soon made it inside and already Ava was getting a little defensive of her sister, mostly standing in front of her, almost like she was guarding her as the two of them went to a vacant table and took a seat.

[color=palegoldenrod]“Now you behave and don’t start any trouble, got it?”[/color]

[color=crimson]“Yeah yeah, I know, I won’t do anything so long as no one tries anything funny with you.”[/color]

Serena let out a sigh once more, something she felt she had been doing the entire morning, as they waited for someone to take their order; she knew her sister was grateful for all the love and support Serena showed her when they were younger, but she didn’t understand why Ava was so protective of her, unbeknownst to the romantic feelings Ava felt for her being one of the many reasons she was how she was with her.