Sleeping Dragon 808s & heartbreak

She really wasn't sure how the Feisripa would receive the news. Wildfire braced herself for anything. In hindsight, she should have known Freyja would be cheerful and enthusiastic about the idea. In spite of her pain and exhaustion, the Bandrona finally managed a smile. Her wildest dream was going to come true and it felt really, really good for someone so close to her to react so favorably.

"I'd love that," Wildfire said. "You could be like their big sister." If Gavriel had agreed to father the pups, they would have literally been siblings, though shared genes didn't matter much to her. She didn't share blood with Freyja but that didn't stop her from loving her like a niece. "I think you'll be really good at it."

An idea struck her suddenly. "Have you ever heard of a godparent, Frey? I'm not sure they're part of Drageda's culture," she said thoughtfully, "but, well, they're part of mine." Her lips curled ever so slightly. Redhawk Caldera had been a lot more traditional than cultural, though this was an important takeaway for Wildfire. "It's an important role, a way to recognize someone special to the pups, someone who will be close to them and help raise them." There was more to it—technically, a godparent took over child-rearing responsibility in the event of the parents' death—though Wildfire didn't think it was necessary to mention that very unlikely possibility.