Fire and Snow

Snowfox?

Hmm?

Was that thing you were doing with Flint last night the human equivalent of mating?

Alyx opened one eye and glared at Vira, who gave him a dragon grin and darted across the cave to sit primly next to Breck, who rumbled with chuckles.

You better not have watched us doing that.

I may have sort of peeked. Just a little. What’s the big deal anyway? It didn’t look very interesting.

Well you see, little hatchling, started Breck, adopting a poor imitation of the Dragon Matron’s voice, when humans do that sort of thing they have to do it differently than us far superior dragons because humans are so breakable and—

Where is Flint? Interrupted Alyx, using Ray’s dragon name.

He went out to find food. I hope he finds us something tasty.

Alyx seriously debated the merits of getting up to wash and get his clothes, considering his current unclothed state and the very large entrance to the cave they were in, which revealed that it had stopped snowing, but that the temperature seemed to have plummeted overnight. Finally, wincing and cursing, he inched out from under the blankets and attempted to work the ties off of the waterskin, tied to Vira’s saddle girth against her fire filled belly to keep the water from freezing in the icy winds and high altitudes they were often at. It might be unfrozen, but more curses were elicited as Alyx dumped the frigid water over himself, then quickly dried off and yanked on fur lined flying leathers, and finally got his shivering in check. He coaxed the fire back into existence and settled down, leaning against Vira to wait for Ray to come back. Alyx pulled some strips of leather from the saddlebag, continuing on a project he’d been working on throughout the whole patrol.

Vira leaned over his shoulder to look. What is that?

You’ll see. It’ll be done soon.

A little while later he held it up for her to see: a braided band of leather, with a jewel that looked like starlight given form in the middle. He climbed on her back, then shimmied up her neck to loop it over her horns and tied it, where it sat on Vira’s forehead like a crown.

Ooh it’s so pretty! Where did you get the gem?

My grandfather gave it to me. He claims he got it from a faery queen.

Breck popped his head up from where he had been grooming himself as fastidiously as any cat. Someone’s coming.

Ray appeared at the cave mouth, the fur on the edge of his hood coated with ice.

Did you bring food? Chorused two very hungry dragons.

“Find anything?”

“A few berries, tried to shoot a hare but it got away. We’ll reach the keep by tonight anyway so our food should last.”

Breck plopped down on the ground with a huff. You disappoint me infinitely.

Ray pulled out a handful of berries, a half smile on his face as some silent argument, or, more likely, insult match ensued in their minds.

Vira sniffed the berries Ray handed to Alyx. Why do humans eat such delicate bland little things Snowfox?

Don’t judge things before you experience them. He tossed one to her, and she caught it in her mouth, her dragon tongue picking up many more flavors from a single berry than his could from several at once.

I suppose they’re not terrible. Of course lovely, juicy, spiced, perfectly roasted meat is much better… She looked at him pointedly and Alyx resigned himself to the fact he’d have to do a lot of cooking when they got back home.

“Ready to go?” Ray had rolled up the blankets and furs from their bed and tamped out the fire.

Alyx nodded and climbed into Vira’s saddle, and pulled his hood up, and a half mask over his nose and mouth.

Breck ran and leaped into the air, gliding between gusts of wind. Vira balanced on the edge of the cliff and then went into a free fall so far she elicited a breathless scream from Alyx. She flapped her wings and shot up so high his stomach did somersaults. Eventually she evened her flight out, growling out dragon laughter at his wide eyes. He smacked her in the shoulder. Don’t do that!

It only made more growls of amusement escape from her as they turned towards home, looking forward to warm fires and soft beds.