|
|
|
|
The huge dragon lay on a mountain ledge, picking his teeth with a claw and enjoying the sun on his scales, then stretched lazily. He'd been here before, but for very different reasons and it seemed millennia ago. Judging from the Pull in his blood, the area was still populated by dragons, both wild and bonded alike. Snorting a bit of flame into the cool air, Callan offered a bit of a challenge to one dragon in particular.
"I wonder how long it will take you to find me, Red?" Callan sent out, not knowing where she was or if she were even on Whispin at the time.
But Callan could wait for an answer; after all, he had all the time in the world.
What makes you think I want too?
An'Thaya's inner Dragon scared the living hell out of her with its sudden outburst. The Amazon jumped, dropping the potted orchid she had been crossing the room with. The ceramic pot hit the bamboo floor with a thud, cracking, but not breaking. "Damn! Do you have to do that Agaru?"
The only answer was a rumbling chuckle from the Crimson, and a sudden fluttering within.
"Oh.. oh no you don't, I have a thousand things to do today, Adarin is suppose to be here in two days."
Leave it to the children and Jaiden, they can get the place in order. I need to stretch my wings.
"I am NOT letting you out so you can go frolic with that... beast," the Amazon snapped.
An'Thaya... it has been months since I've flown, since I've eaten. Come on... after all I've done for you?
Tay sighed, bending to pick up the pot and set it on the table. She could hardly argue there, she owed Agaru her life... her sanity. "I’m so going to regret this," she muttered, starting to shuck off her clothing and toss it over a chair. Stark naked she dodged the Venus Flytrap and pushed the vine curtain aside, stepping out into the large clearing around the cottage. "Just a quick flight... and a meal, deal?"
We will see... It was too late for the Amazon to protest; the transition had already begun. An explosion of crimson scales burst out from her abdomen, shooting over her flesh in a sparkling wave as her body began to distort. A mild cry of pain and protest turned into a rumbling roar, the crack of bone and sinew shifting audible on the heavy jungle air. Agaru trumpeted a greeting to the day, spreading her great wings with a gust of air that caused the cottage to shake. With a lumbering jump she took to the air, the wind screaming beneath her great form as the dragon skimmed over the treetops.
She headed north... on the pretense of hunting in Ciwnac. An'Thaya gave a slight snort, then let her consciousness drift into darkness. Usually she chose to enjoy the feeling of freedom Agaru gave her... but this time, she chose to sleep.
Callan didn't have long to wait, and the answer from Agaru told him she was in fine form today. Chuckling, he twisted his neck back and looked straight up, then scanned the valley below. "I think you want too...but are...afraid?" Callan loved needling the Crimson every chance he got, but this time, there was an undertone of something else in his sending, something rich and slightly husky.
"I suppose I'll know you when you find me...if you ever look, Agaru. I'll have to guess of course, since I've never seen you snout to snout and there are so many other females here." Callan stretched lazily and draped his tail over the ledge, swinging it back and forth. "I could mistake one of them for you..."
I think you are a bit too sure of yourself, Black, Agaru rumbled, And you'll be hard pressed to find another that looks like me. Well, it wasn't ego speaking, it was just fact. The Crimson dragon was an unusual shade; the patch of gold scales over her heart was like a brand. It was, of course, a shadow of the golden tear that was embedded in An'Thaya's flesh.
She passed several other wyrms on her way in to Ciwnac, they were greeted with raised ridge plates and bared fangs. The Crimson was hardly a social beast, more likely to teat the throat out of one of her kind then associate with them. She had sprung into being out of fear, rage, and hate... it didn't make for a very congenial personality.
Sweeping into the valley the female trumpeted, angling her head to scan the grass lined floor. The four-legged beasts below squealed in fear, recognizing the draconic shadow of a predator on the hunt. Starving after to long a hiatus within the Amazon, the beast roared, shaking the earth below as she shrieked down on her prey. The kill was swift, neatly picking off a fat buck, snapping its neck between massive jaws and hauling it off to the side.
Table manners were not her forte, but on the bright side, blood blended right in with the color of her scales.
"Oooo, you're getting warm, Crimson. And its not myself I'm sure of, its you."
Callan was two valleys over and could hear her trumpeting as she brought down her prey, a sound which came to his ears as distant thunder and carried the promise of rain. Laughing low and letting her hear him, Callan began tracing a single claw across the rock ledge he lay on, pleased at the irritating, high-pitched squawking sounds it made, and pleased that they echoed of the mountain peaks so well.
Hunger sated Agaru sat back on her haunches, sniffing the air and licking the blood from her snout with a sinewy tongue. It had been a long time since she had kept company with a male. 'Lain didn't really count, there had never been any interest there, he reeked of fear. Even her first mate.... what had his name been? He had been a gold .... and he had feared her as well. A draconic smile curved the edge of Agaru's mouth, revealing several rows of razor sharp teeth. She had to admit.... a male that displayed confidence in her presence was a tempting thing.
Launching into the air she angled towards the valley Callan occupied, skimming close along the rockface. The Crimson was fast, a lithe creature, as beautiful as she was deadly. Air screamed between her body and the mountain, announcing her presence to the Black even before her roar shook the cliff he lay on. He was impressive, much larger than she and solidly constructed. Agaru greeted him with a gout of flame, bathing his form in it as she streaked by him, claws throwing off sparks as she dug into the cliff face for a brief moment, then launched herself towards the center of the valley, whirling like a corkscrew with her wings tucked close into her body before leveling out again.
"Ah! Agaru, I presume. You are truly magnificent," Callan chuckled as she spiraled away. Her flames had been a welcome caress on dragon scales that had been to long without another’s touch.
"For one who didn't really care if I were here or not, you certainly seem to be trying to hold my attention..."
Callan flipped his tail back up onto the ledge and stood on all fours, stretching in the sunlight, letting her see his full form, then swiveled his wedge shaped head around to watch the Crimson's aerial display.
Agaru gave a derisive snort, blowing smoke rings out of her nose before banking in a sharp turn, angling to take a good look at him. Faceted emerald green eyes glinted in quiet approval, though she wasn't about to admit it.
Just seeing if you were still alive Black, she retorted, For a moment I thought you were part of the ridge. Pulling up sharp the Crimson hovered in mid air, great wings flapping heavily to keep her airborne. If you aren't careful, you may grow roots and end up stuck there. Her tail twitched, a sure sign of amusement. Launching herself further up into the air Agaru circled higher, her pace a little more sedate.
"With such a beautiful view before me, why would I want to leave? But you're right, I can't stay here forever." Callan crouched low and hurled himself into the air, letting his body dive unchecked toward the floor of the valley, snapping his wings open at the last possible moment, his momentum carrying him high aloft.
"Now that I've seen you...and my curiosity is sated...I think I may return to the keep...."
Callan flicked his tail at her teasingly and spiraled about in lazy circles as though contemplating leaving.
You are easily sated for a male, Agaru shot back in amusement. The Crimson kept just beyond the reach of Callan's gleaming form, knowing full well how quickly a male could grab on with biting talons, or a twining tail. But, far be it for me to keep you. I'm sure you have some .... pressing engagement.
Tucking her wings in Agaru dropped, skimming low to the ground and zipping up the valley floor, looking for all the world as if she were headed home.
"Easily sated?" Callan rolled to his back, letting himself free fall for a moment, then flipped and shot upwards. "My dear Agaru...there is so much to choose from here...I have no doubts I will be quite satisfied by the time I get home..." Callan purred out, his voice low and full of promise.
"Why look...isn't that a lovely little Green down there? I wonder...do you know her name?"
Well, Agaru stated in an unperturbed tone, IF you prefer quantity over quality, then no doubt you will be. Her head craned around and she eyed the green he was referring too. No... I'm afraid I don't, you'll have to inquire for yourself.
Distracted by Callan the Crimson had failed to notice the Red male shadowing her. She let out a trumpet of surprise and rage as the larger beast latched onto her, quite intent on his own purposes.
Callan's mock ogling of the green came to an abrupt stop as he saw the Red drop from seemingly thin air and wrap its jaws around Agaru's throat. The two of them were plummeting unchecked to the ground and the male seemed to have her well and truly caught.
Black dragons were highly territorial when it came to what was theirs, and while she might not be happy with the arrangement, Callan had already laid claim to Agaru and this male's treatment of her enraged him. Callan banked on a wingtip and tucked his wings in, free-falling in pursuit of the snarling, wind-milling clump of various shades of scarlet and crimson, his rear talons positioned like those of a diving war-eagle.
"YOU MISHANDLE WHAT IS MINE, RED!" Callan bellowed as sharp talons sank deep into the flesh muscles of the Red's back and his tail snaked forward and around the Red's neck, cutting off its air.
"Release her and find an easier mark...this one is mine..."
The Red's scream was effectively cut off by Callan's tail wrapping around its neck. It hadn't caught the scent of a male on Agaru, so the attack was completely unexpected. It struggled to hang for for a moment, stubborn in the typical fashion of its kind, but lack of air finally forced its jaws to open, gasping, wings spreading in a desperate attempt to shake off the Black.
Beneath Agaru writhed wildly, trumpeting in protest to the unwanted weight on her back. The second the red let go she shot out from underneath him, spinning around in midair to bite into the Red with angry fangs. She shook her head violently, blood spraying, splattering her scales as she took her vicious revenge.
As the Red loosened his hold on Agaru, Callan let his tail slide away and his wings spread to slow their descent. Agaru's fury was well deserved on this one, and Callan did nothing to stop her, he did, however, keep his claws buried in the writhing male's back.
"Agaru..." Callan grappled with the howling Red who was desperately trying to get away from the two that now had him outnumbered and snared, "May I point out that we are still free-falling and running out of clearance?" Callan waited until the last possible moment to release the red with a heave downwards, kicking off his body and taking flight as the ground spun upwards. The Red, his back muscles in ribbons, could only shriek in rage as his body plummeted down and landed with a sickly crack.
"I hope he wasn't a friend of yours." Callan muttered as his body lifted higher on the wind. "Are you okay?" His glowing blue eyes betrayed an emotion borderlining on open concern.
Agaru leveled out, Callan's cool logic finally burning through her brain at the last possible moment. She was bleeding from several puncture wounds to the neck, but otherwise.... I'm fine, she responded, internally rather pleased with the expression in the Black's eyes. No, no friend of mine, although he apparently wanted to be.
Faceted emerald eyes regarded him with something akin to amusement. Yours?, she brought his words back, having caught them even in the midst of the attack. Flicking her tail almost playfully she swung in close to him, her blunt nose nudging his side before she slipped out of reach again. We shall see Black.... we shall see...
Callan had already answered the question/comment 'Yours?' with a "No, I can honestly say I've never seen him before" before he realized she was referring to his blasted threat he'd given the Red, "You mishandle what is mine." He had rather hoped she'd missed that one...
A low rumble shook Callan's body, dragon laughter. "I take it telling you that was a ploy to intimidate a foe isn't going to work with you?"
Callan dipped his left wing hard and dropped beside Agaru, his tail poking her gently, then banked away and up, following a thermal updraft.
No... No, that definitely isn't going to wash, the crimson informed him with a bit of a rumble. Agaru took a playful nip at his tail when it poked her, then watched him fly higher. She altered her course a little, drawing her wings back as she aimed for the banks of a lake at the end of the valley.
The Crimson alighted easily, dancing lightly across the ground until she came to a stop half in the water. Plunging her head beneath the surface she rinsed away the blood. A mixture of her own, and the Red's. Tossing her head up she sent a spray of water flying around her, droplets of it sparkling on her crimson scales.
Callan circled high above the lake, admiring the view. Agaru looked like a glittering garnet next to the sparkling topaz of the water. She would have been terrifying through human, elf or other dragon eyes, but to Callan, she was magnificent. Deciding to give up the game of needling her for a while, Callan made an offer, "Care for some company?"
Agaru raised her head, her faceted eyes watching Callan's flight for a few moments as she considered. The Black was an impressive male, no matter what her Skinwalker thought of him. He would make a fine mate from a physical standpoint. But could she trust him? Black's were as notorious for their tempers as Red's, and an attractive male.... well, the females likely flocked to him in droves. What did he want with one Crimson with a bad attitude? Curiosity won out in the end, and something more that she wasn't about to admit to.
If it pleases you, she said in a deceptively indifferent tone, "I would welcome your company. For a time.”
Callan had waited a bare second before beginning his spiraling descent. He was the gambling sort, and right now he was betting Agaru's answer would be yes.
"For now then, Crimson." Callan's dark wings backstroked, sending up showers of rock and debris from the lakeshore as he settled to the ground.
"You know, I had a lake like this once myself, it was one of my favorite places. For some reason, Aerdonian dragons seem to be drawn to water like those elves of which you are so fond."
Agaru sneezed rather delicately as a result of the dust Callan stirred up. It is one of the few things my Skinwalker and I share, the Crimson said, I seem to have inherited her love of water. Aerdonian .... not a place I have heard of before. I was born on Berelath, but Whispin... this is home. She flicked a wing up out of the water, showering the Black.
Callan allowed the barest hint of amusement to enter his expression and thoughts as Agaru flicked water on him. "Aerdon, actually. And we don't usually have many OffWorlders there." Callan's tail was busy shoveling into the soft earth/sand along the lakeshore. "I have been here once before...though too long ago to care to dredge up the story at the moment."
The tail that had been busy slithering under the soil suddenly flipped up, tossing bits of dirt on the Crimson's shoulder and when Callan spoke, laughter coloured his voice.
"It has also been too long since I played with my own kind..."
Agaru narrowed her eyes at him, but it was a playful sort of look. It would have scared all the hair off of a grizzly bear, but, something as fierce looking at the Crimson could only manage so much good cheer. "Aerdon," she repeated, ",Oh? An Ancient are you? Well, I should be honored then." She waded further out into the water, sending a small tidal wave in Callan's direction as she dipped her dirty shoulder into the water. "I should make you polish my scales for that," she threatened.
"An ancient?" Callan's laugh rumbled both through their minds as well as the air. "A good try at needling, but I'm far from being an Ancient, Agaru." Callan followed her out into the water, enjoying the feel of the water lapping against his belly and the sun hot on his back. "Polish your scales?"
Callan snorted as though offended, but the tail that had flipped sand on her not moments ago, shoveled up a tail-full of wet sand from the lake bottom and gingerly spread it across her shoulder, then began rubbing it with gentle, circular motions.
Agaru was a little startled, but found she rather liked the impromptu polishing. The Crimson made something akin to a loud purr and leaned her shoulder into the touch before she caught herself and attempted to cover the reaction with a sharp cough. She made no move to shy away though; it had been a very long time since she had allowed anyone to touch her. There was nothing she liked better than a good scratch along the eyeridges, but it was hard to find a brave enough humanoid to manage to the job. Now this... this was much better.
Callan smiled softly; as best a dragon could, and continued scrubbing away at any dry or itchy places with tender motions. "Agaru?" Callan asked as the Crimson tried to hid her enjoyment, "How long has it been for you? Since you felt the touch of another?"
Agaru had closed her eyes, put one peeked open slightly to regard Callan in response to his question. The expression within its emerald-green depths grew thoughtful, drifting far away for a moment. "How old am I? A century? No... one hundred and twenty six years. Well then, it has been about one hundred and twenty five." She shrugged slightly, her wings making a rustling sound as her massive shoulders flexed, "I was not hatched in the usual way, I did not come from an egg. I just... simply... was. The Gold was there when I became aware of my existence.... She was terrified of him... no... not him... of his Skinwalker.... He... did something.... "
"Skinwalkers..." Callan worked more sand across Agaru's back and up her neck. "I'm afraid I have a hard time understanding what its like to share a body with another." Callan thought a moment. "Its not been so very long for you then. My wife was taken from me over 600 years ago and she was half-Elven, and it was in half-Elven form I loved her." Callan dipped a wing carefully next to the Crimson and scooped up a wingfull of water, then poured it across her back, admiring the way the water rolled around her muscles and seemed to illuminate her scales.
"You are a magnificent creature, Agaru. I wonder, did the gold that mated you think the same?"
"Love?," Agaru asked, "Is there such a thing among the Draconic kind?" Her eyes closed again as Callan sluiced her down with water, her back arching as a low rumble escaped her chest. "Magnificent? I have no idea. He was frightened of me at first, but he taught me how to fly, how to hunt, then took me as his mate. He was the only thing I knew."
The Crimson shook her body, sending a spray of water across the lake. "In the end, his skinwalker betrayed mine. She was forced out and I ... in. He took her somewhere dark ... and they hurt her again, till the man with the black eyes helped her escape. It's all so fuzzy. I don't... get out often. There hasn't really been a reason to."
"I believe there can be love amongst dragons, you forget, Agaru, I am half Silver. Although, I would say love between dragons is certainly a different affair than love between humans or elves. Something with more...fire to it.." Callan waded further out into the water unable to resist a swim. "It's a shame he betrayed you. A creature like you deserves a mate that could challenge you...show you the finer points of being alive."
Callan dove under and surfaced further out, "Your skinwalker, An'Thaya? What they did to her? Has she healed?" His bulk rolled over onto his back, his wings spread across the surface of the lake, his tail drifting lazily back and forth as he drifted into deep water.
"Fire is good," Agaru rumbled in amusement, "I'd be curious to know what you think the finer points of life are." Wading out a little further the Crimson ducked beneath the surface for a moment, coming up not to far from the Black. Her eyes were half closed, considering his last question.
"No, she has not. An'Thaya is a prideful creature, and she keeps her secrets well. It has been over a century, and it is only now that she had shared a little of what happened with her husbands. Those that hurt her... they deserve death.... " Her tone was cold, her emerald eyes alive with fire. Agaru had been bound back then; unable to defend the tiny creature she had sprung from.
"And those that hurt her? They still draw breath?" He asked incredulously. For some reason, that grated against Callan, that whoever had hurt Agaru's elf still lived. "Perhaps one day you will get your chance...perhaps." Callan flipped his tail up spraying himself and the Crimson with water. "Now...the finer things..." Callan chuckled.
"A good swim for starters. Warm food and cold ale. Ah! Sleeping in the open desert with the hot sand underneath you and the stars above you. Lets see...the Irdan 'Elan..." Callan grinned and cut his eyes at Agaru and decided to press his luck. "A lover's teeth on your neck...although that Red seemed to not understand the wonderful qualities of NOT piercing the scales."
"They have power over the soul," Agaru rumbled, "An'Thaya is a powerful creature, despite her diminutive size, yet not even she could stand against them. More than one of them were Dragon as well... the elder Gold... he has great power. He frightens her the most." She struggled to remember his name.... 'Lain's sire... what was he known as?
Callan's words distracted the Crimson from her thoughts and she slapped at him playfully with the tip of her tail. "Indeed, he could have at least brought me dinner first. A nice fat herd animal of some sort maybe? A girl likes to be courted after all. Well, ok, maybe not. Aggressive is good, just not in the piercing my neck sort of way." She paused, "Irdan 'Elan?"
Agaru was, frankly, fascinated by him. He was much more open than the Gold had been. And hardly the quivering mess of nerves that 'Lain was in her presence.
"Dinner then mate?" Callan's head popped up a toothy smile splitting his jaws. "Is that all I'd need to do? Hey! Callan rolled away as Agaru smacked him. "The Irdan 'Elan?...Your type of dragon may not go through that cycle, not all races do...It means," Callan searched for the words in common, "Cycle of Life, for lack of better term, heat. One of the most exhaustive, intense times of a female and her mate's relationship to say the least."
Callan flipped over on his stomach, lounging comfortably in the warm water. "Your skinwalker...do you think she'd let you out more?" Callan floated leisurely along, content to have the Crimson's company, content to converse with one of his own kind....
Agaru hissed at him, though not seriously, the spark of amusement in her emerald eyes betraying her. "Maybe", she teased. Well, in all honesty, that’s about all that she had been given by the Gold. But, she wasn't about to tell Callan that. A girl, even a draconic one, has her pride.
"Irdan 'Elan ... so there is a name for it?" if she could have blushed, she would have. "Yes, my kind go through it as well. Or at least, I do. I don't really know any of our kind. I've flown with 'Lain a few times, but he strikes me as being rather clueless. As for An'Thaya letting me out..."
Agaru nudged the Amazon awake. An'Thaya growled softly at her dragon counterpart, then laughed softly at her silent question, giving a sleepy answer before drifting off again.
"Yes... apparently she enjoys the rest.”
"Let me I assure you, IF I were to court you, I would do better than bringing you a fatted calf then mount you right off." Callan chuckled a bit, not knowing the story behind her first mate doing just that, and continued drifting, watching Agaru from the corner of his eye.
"And let us both hope that An'Thaya has no pressing engagements..."
"If? " Agaru rumbled in amusement. She is expecting one of her mates in several days time, the dragon said in answer to Callan's last statement, Otherwise, my time is my own. That said, she submerged, darting through the water like an oversized fish. There were several of those in the lake as well, and the Crimson made an impromptu meal of them as she frolicked about beneath the surface.
Callan was greatly enjoying the warm water and the even warmer company of Agaru, but he wasn't quite sure he trusted her...it was an excellent excuse to make certain his eyes followed her for a bit, admiring her form as she glided effortlessly beneath the surface of the water.
"I find your company...stimulating, to say the least, Crimson. I am rather pleased your time is your own."
Deciding to roll over and bask his belly in the sun, Callan eased his distrustful vigil and let his eyes slide shut....
Agaru was well aware of Callan's eyes on her as she skimmed beneath the surface. It brought an amused Draggie grin to her muzzle, because ... of course, he was absolutely right not to trust her.
The moment he relaxed and closed his eyes she zipped up beneath him, bunting his back with her nose before charging on and clamping the tip of his tail between her teeth. Hanging on she dropped, attempting to drag the much larger dragon down with her.
Callan wasn't entirely surprised when she began tugging him under...he just hadn't expected her to do this as soon as she had. His blue eyes flew open and a gurgling steaming bellow poured out of his throat as the water closed over his head. Had anyone been standing on the shore, they would have sworn a geyser had erupted in the middle of the lake....
With a final breath, Callan released half his air in an explosion of bubbles and sank like a rock. His enormous mass made him drop like a lead weight and as he spiraled down past Agaru, both wings wrapped around the Crimson, pulling her down with him. As they settled to the sandy bottom, Callan snaked his head about, his eyes glowing through the lakewater.
"I'll let go when you let go..." Rumbling laughter projected out, drifting through the cool water.
Although...this did have interesting possibilities....
Agaru wasn't sure what she was more surprised by ... the fact that she had managed to sink the Black, or going down with him. Startled emerald green eyes blinked at Callan, then she grinned around her mouthful of tail. They were a giant draconic pretzel at this point, though the Crimson was rather dwarfed by the male.
"The question now is .... who has the greater lung capacity?" From the amount of bubbles that had risen towards the surface initially ... she had a feeling Callan was going to suffer first. Her tail snaked around and pertly tickled the Black beneath his jaw.
"You forget, my lovely, I have a larger lung capacity than you do to start with..." More bubbles escaped his snout "and you've been down longer...."
A single claw flicked out and prodded the Crimson along her ribs, "Are we ticklish?"
Callan was rather enjoying being this close to Agaru, and was going to make the most of it....
Ok, so he had a point, but Agaru wasn't going to concede. And yes, she was exceedingly ticklish. A stream of bubbles escaped the Crimson's snout and she wriggled madly, trying to get away form the offending claw. The end of her tail wrapped around Callan's snout and she shook it for all she was worth.
Distraction can work wonders sometimes ... maybe
Well, shaking it never hurt, that was certain...but in this case, it didn't help any either...Rolling over and taking Agaru with him on the sandy bottom, Callan snaked his head around and gripped her by the neck...now they truly looked like a huge draggie pretzel.
"I suppose you're trying to distract me?" Callan was starting to feel a bit lightheaded by now but wasn't going to let go first, by any means...
Well now he had her well and truly trapped. Agaru blinked giant faceted eyes at Callan, or at least the best she could considering their current position. They were beginning to resemble a Celtic knot really. Maybe... she answered, suddenly a little alarmed. Air was getting a little hard to come by, and she was getting a Charlie horse in her tail.
Ow ...
Maybe if she played dead?
How terribly embarrassing...
The Crimson lay absolutely still for a moment, then suddenly released her grip on him and lurched forward.
Callan chuckled as the crimson broke free. The last of his air danced up and away, wrapped around the glowing form of Agaru and lingered on her scales like a touch, then broke away from her, continuing on their journey to the surface. Callan had only a few moments left, but lay on the bottom a bit longer watching the Crimson flow upwards like molten lava, then rolled over and kicked off, his strength pushing him rapidly through the water in a swirl of silt, sand and fine gravel.
"Going somewhere, Agaru?" Callan's massive shoulders and back came up under her, caught her, and lifted her up with him. Two dragons broke the surface of the lake, like breaching whales, and slightly dizzy from holding his breath so long, Callan was content to just float for a while.
|
|
|
