Beomus was going to be late. He’d be late to things before, of course, and he was certain that Tabal wouldn’t mind, but he couldn’t believe that he’d let himself be late to such an important date. He clutches the picnic basket in his jaw as he begins his descent down to the clearing in the swamp where the two of them had agreed to meet. As he nears the ground, he flaps his wings to slow himself, before landing (somewhat) gracefully upon the ground.

“Sorry…”

He places the picnic basket down upon the ground.

“…I’m…”

His body shifts. His wings and tail fold in on themselves as scales give way to fur, until he stands as a Wolfkin once more.

“…late.”

He pulls Tabal into a hug and gives them a kiss on the cheek.

“I ended up sharing stories with Cerberus and my cousins and I completely lost track of the time. But! I’ve brought food.”

He grins as he heads back towards where he had left the picnic basket. Opening it, he first pulls out a pair of trousers, which he quickly puts on, before removing a blanket that he places upon the floor. He sits upon it, and indicates the spot next to him to Tabal.

The two of them eat and talk throughout the afternoon. They laugh and play and sit beneath the sun, its warmth heating their fur, and its light reflecting off the scales they both share, even in their non-draconic forms.

Eventually, evening comes. The sun begins to set, and Tabal starts packing up the picnic basket. After a short while, they hear a cough from behind.

As Tabal turns back around, they see Beomus, down on one knee. He holds in his hands a ring. It is a silver band, engraved with a pattern of draconic scales. Upon the band sits a ruby, which is encircled by a golden dragon with emerald eyes and unfurled wings, its claws grasping the ruby.

He is silent for a moment, before beginning a speech. Something in his demeanour implies that he has been rehearsing what he wants to say a lot.

“Tabal, while we’ve only known each other for a short while, those few months have been extraordinary. We’ve come through bad times together, and we’ve shared many good times. To think that we started off by dealing with an infestation of swampflies. And since then, we’ve taken down the head of the Black Market, helped to defeat the antagonist, and now we’re both dragons.”

“I have never felt this close to someone before. And I want to feel this way for the rest of my life. Whatever comes, the good times and the bad, I want to face them side by side with you.”

“I suppose what I’m trying to say, is…”

He pauses for a moment, wanting to give as much focus to his final words.

“Tabal, will you marry me?”

Written by Aric S

You hold Tabal's hand. It's scaly, but also soft. But most importantly, your hand fits perfectly in theirs. You look into their eyes, and for a moment there is nothing else. A smooth breeze brings you back into reality. You hold them tightly as the sun begins to set. This was always one of your favourite spots, and Tabal especially loves taking you here. A green hilltop with a singular tree. You're both resting against the tree, leaning into each other; watching as the sky performs an exhilarating light show when the sun begins to set. From a calming blue to a dark navy, golden streaks shoot across the sky. And then pink, and if you close your eyes you could imagine yourself in another world. But why would you do that, when this world is perfect. You think of the past, of all the happy moments you've shared.

Bee.

You remember introducing Tabal to Daedalus and Elmira. They were a bit anxious, but once the party started there wasn't a shy face in sight. That day was a feast celebrating the Wild Hunt. There was dancing, there were festivities, and most importantly there was lots of food. Cerberus and you devoured your fair share: it had a been a while since you got to enjoy traditional wolfkin food, and that made it so much more delicious. Of course, you and Tabal showed off your new dragon forms, which caused all the kids to jump for joy and try and ride you in the sky, despite some worried whispers from your parents. By the end of the day, Tabal had passed out from a mixture of ale and dancing, and lied sleeping next to Cerberus, Romulus, Remus and so many others who had enjoyed the festivities to their maximum.

You remember the first feast you took your kids too as well. Oh the kids. They loved learning more about fleetpaw culture, as well as visiting auntie Athura in her cavern. At first they were a handful, baby dragonkin means that wood and anything else flammable quickly becomes forbidden from inside the house. Oh and you don't even want to remember the teenage years, the amount of times you had to repair the roof from them flying out the ceiling in a tantrum. But despite it all, they've grown up and they still remain the sweetest people you know. You and Tabal did good: they're great kids.

And the wedding. It was beautiful. All your friends came along. Samphire, JJJ, Kara, and anyone and everyone else who wanted to come. The flowers and music were unforgettable, but the food was exquisite. Holbert offered free catering as you solved that swampfly problem way back when, and he didn't dispappoint. The tallest cake you've ever seen and the widest array of food that you couldn't even begin to remember all the tastes that blessed your tongue that day. And on top of it all, an already great day was made perfect when you and Tabal said your vows to each other.

Golden hour is nearly over, so you lean in closer for warmth. The fire that rests inside his chest gently warms you. You don't need to say anything because there's only one thing you both could be thinking at a time like this. But you say it anyway, knowing that if this was your last words, you'd be happy.

“I love you Tabal.”

“And I love you Beomus.”