Dragon Kin

Chaora had been right, last night had really drained Aether's energy. After only an hour- nothing compared to what she was used to- she had to stop and rest. Hot, flat, dry Badlands surrounded the dragon craters, but she found a rock outcropping that provided a bit of shade. She had barely settled in when a voice startled her out of her skin. 

"Heya!" Aether, in truth, had held onto the secret hope that maybe Ether would have followed her, at least to say goodbye. Turning around did not reveal her sister though. This was some other... thing?? This creature stood on all fours, had both scales and fur, and dragon-like wings. The creature looked almost like her, Aether realized. Was this a pony?

"Are you a hybrid too?" The creature, asked.

"A... hybrid?"

"I'm a Kirin-Dragon hybrid. Name's Denarai."

"I'm Aether. I... don't know what I am. I'm trying to figure that out."

"Are you going to Roanfield too?" Denarai asked excitedly.

"I... don't know. I'm going to a pony settlement to the West."

"That sounds like Roanfield! That's where I'm going too! What are the odds!"

"Uh, yeah..."

"Want to go together? We can be travel buddies!" 

Aether was very skeptical to trust some... hybrid she'd just met, but admittedly, traveling with someone who actually knew where they were going would be helpful. 

"Sure, whatever."

'Yay!" Denarai dashed up to give Aether a side-hug. Aether squinted. There was a sly look in her eye she didn't like one bit. She didn't trust Denarai as far as she could throw her. She couldn't help but feel Denarai knew it, too. 

"We'll be great friends you and I, I can tell."