He’d promised that he’d keep watch. The break was his idea. Elrim was re-building up his endurance, and frankly, he needed the rest. That’s why Quill had pushed so hard. He’d even ignored when his companion had asked him to wake him up to watch their things if he grew tired.

Why would he grow tired? He was born for exploring the dungeon! With Walter at his side, what could ever possibly go wrong? He’d even be able to rub it into Elrim’s face when he woke up on how easy it was, and then they could continue on.

Quill hadn’t accounted for the constant sameness that would bore him. He hadn’t counted on the darkness swallowing all ebb of time deep within the caverns where he couldn’t truly know what time of day it was. Walter had fallen asleep listening to him chatter mindlessly, and he was trying to give the goose a much needed break.

When the dungeon turned into lush green fields, grass beneath his hooves, and Walter flying by his head encouraging him onwards faster, it made perfect sense. The sun was bright overhead, four moons in the sky, and Walter flew like something celestial. Wings broader than Quill was long, and long neck growing as his head shifted into a dragon.

He’d known it! He’d always known Walter was more than he appeared. Ever since he’d found him on that rainy day, stranded on top of the bridge, unwilling to go into the water. He’d known that there was somethign special about him, something more. 

The ground beneath him shifted, a hill became steps, and then he was running across cloud-like wings, and standing upon the great goose’s back as they soared above the world below.

“This is so cool!” Quill yelled, rearing in victory at the freedom of flight. Beneath him, Walter rumbled. A feeling like the beginnings of an earthquake as his companion opened his beak and lightning surged out of it, crackling through the sky in a bounty of hope.

“Whoo hooooo!”

They were invinsible! Soaring above the clouds, no one could reach them.

“I’m sorry.”

What?

“I was given that as a gift, and it’d be rude of me to lose it.”

How could he hear Elrim? There was no one around.

“How about I give you this instead?”

He looked over his shoulder, left, then right. Around him, he could see floating, glowing lights as Walter chattered irritably.

Before he knew it, Walter was shrinking, and he was falling towards the ground. A scream tore from his throat as he tried to catch the falling Goose, straining his neck as he reached out.

“Fly Walter! Fly!” He closed his eyes tightly as the ground reached for him, waiting for the inevitable.

Instead, he felt a wing slap against his face, and bleerily he opened his eyes, staring into goose’s annoyed face. His little goose saddlebag covered in grass, flowers, and what looked like tiny little sparkly stones.

He was no longer falling. The ground was solid beneath him. Walter was back to normal. The sky had been replaced with eerie darkened stone, that dripped a single drop of water on his nose.

“Wha? What happened?”

“Someone fell asleep.” There was an almost quiet amusement in his voice. Quill could feel it. Elrim wasn’t one to get annoyed.

“It couldn’t have been for long though! I swear, just a-” Around him lay his equipment, shinning like the bag that Walter held, flower petals, and clashing colours that would give them a disadvantage in the dungeon.

He was at a lost for words as he stepped up, hearing Walter scolding him at his side, waddling in pace with him. Beside his things, Elrim’s items were almost complete untouched, save for the carnivorous flowers woven into his mane.

He nosed at his saddlebag, sneezing as a flower clung to his face momentarily, and releasing with a plop.

“I-” He looked at it all again, taking it in as he looked at Elrim. “I love it!” That was so thoughtful of them! Quill couldn’t believe it as he shuffled into the bag, ignoring the way the flower almost snapped at him.

“We match, buddy!”