Revaramek the Resplendent - Chapter One Hundred Eight (Patreon)

( Rough draft chapter order is preliminary/for early posting purposes only. )

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Chapter One Hundred Eight 

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Late afternoon sunlight painted towering slabs of jagged granite in shades of burnt gold. Until recently, Revaramek had never flown so deep into the mountains. When he was younger, he used to fly into the heavily forested hills that rose above the wetlands. But never had he gone so deeply into the range that even the trees themselves dared not follow. Never had he see the mountains that towered like shear-faced monoliths, gray and imposing. Here, walls of time-smoothed rock vied for supremacy with jagged spires of stone, scratching at the sky. Their rugged beauty provided a continual sense of awe.

The dragon spent plenty of time in the foothills, in his youth. Past the forested hills that rose above the wetlands, there was a cave he used to take Enora. After his very first encounter with Asterbury, he took Mirelle there to recover, as well. Something about that place tugged at his memories, something strange. When he went there in his younger days, it pulled at some primal thought he could never quite recall. Even now, something about it sent a ripple through his mind. The way the slabs of stone capped that grassy hill seemed so oddly familiar he half-thought he must be mixing up his memories.

“Mirelle!” The dragon glanced back at his rider, calling over the wind. “When we land, remind to ask you something about that cave we stayed in, years ago!”

“I’ll try!” Mirelle straightened up, and adjusted her flight goggles. She wore her padded leather flight coat, dyed in diamond shaped patterns of black and gold. Her dark hair whipped back and forth behind her in a ponytail, bound by green ribbons. “What about it?”

“Just remind me later!” Revaramek pumped his wings a few times, ascending into the cold air. “I don’t want to set myself to thinking too hard about it right now.”

“Okay, Rev!” The harness shifted around him as Mirelle wriggled, and returned to clutching the safety handles. “How much longer today? My legs are going numb.”

Revaramek turned his attention to his mate. She flew alongside him, just beyond his wingtips. Nyramyn’s flight was far steadier now than it had been when she first arrived, but he knew her stamina wasn’t near as high as she professed. He had kept close watch on her throughout their journey, and whenever she started to lag behind, he knew it was time to find a spot to rest for the day. So far she was doing well, but if Mirelle was getting uncomfortable, perhaps it was as good an excuse as any to let Nyramyn rest early.

“How are you holding up, Nyra?”

“I’m fine!” Nyramyn called back to him, smiling. She beat her wings a few times to match his ascent. “It’s so beautiful here! I…I never knew anything like this still existed!”

“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Revaramek glanced back at Mirelle when she patted his scales, wanting a translation. “She’s still as much in awe as she was two days ago! Back home, for her…the mountains were all gone. Swallowed by the poison swamp.”

“I can’t fathom that much water!” Mirelle shifted her weight again, harness creaking.

“If the marsh waters were black, they might look the same on the surface. But the swamp was so much deeper. At least the part I was from.” Revaramek pumped his wings again, gazing at all the grand, towering monuments to nature’s power that surrounded them. “Everything was…submerged. Never saw any mountains like this, but from above, sometimes you could tell that all the little islands were just…the tops of hills, long-swallowed by all the water. It was never cold though, not like it is up near the mountaintops. So I don’t know if it all…sunk into the earth, or if it was just consumed by the water. Maybe both. Or maybe the changing world just…changed the air, too. That maelstrom might have kept it warm, whatever the elevation. Or…Or maybe when everything merged, the mountains just ended up…underwater.”

“Maybe there was an ocean there, first.” Mirelle leaned forward against the back of his neck. “Beyond the edge’s of that world’s marsh. And when Aster…Vakaal…” Mirelle trailed off. “Whichever one…merged things, like you said. One world’s mountains just ended up in another’s ocean. And soon it was…all swamp.”

“Whatever it was, at least Nyra can enjoy the beauty of this place, now.”

Revaramek flew in silence for a few more minutes. With nothing obstructing his flight, he allowed himself a moment to appreciate Nyramyn’s simple, beautiful wonderment. Ever since they entered the mountains a few days ago, Revaramek wasn’t sure the awed expression on Nyra’s face had changed once. She stared at everything with wide, shining eyes, and frills ever-displayed as if locked in permanent happy surprise.

Not that he could blame her. Revaramek felt as if he could visit the mountains every year for the rest of his life, and still find them as breathtaking as ever. The deeper into them they flew, the higher the peaks towered. Where the first day brought them to mountains covered in pine and aspen, with gentler slopes and soft green meadows, now they traversed a labyrinth of stone walls, claws and spires. Some mountains rose so high that only grasses and sage clung to the slopes between soaring cliffs and sharp peaks. Others had ancient, gnarled pines eking out an existence with tangled roots crawling across the stone and embedded in crevices.

They followed a narrow, valley often cloaked in the mountains’ shadow. At the very bottom of the valley, a shallow but swift flowing river glittered whenever the sunlight struck it. More often it was hidden away in the deep shadows, almost invisible as it cut inexorably deeper, inch by crawling inch. Those same shadows kept much of the valley bereft of trees, unable to grow well in places where the sun never quite reached. Instead, most of the valley floor was little more than a patchwork of flat, barren stones, scoured anew each time the river flooded. Revaramek thought the wider riverbed looked a bit like a great, gray-scaled snake, winding between the mountains.

Out of the corner of his eye, Revaramek noticed Nyra flying a little bit behind him. Her wing strokes didn’t have quite as much power and confidence as they did that morning. He flattened his spines, gazing around for a place to rest of the night. She’d never admit to being fatigued, and he had no intentions of making her do.

“Mirelle, your legs aren’t the only things getting number.” Revaramek raised his voice, peering back at his rider. “My wings are getting worn out, as well. What say we find a spot to spend the night?”

“Sounds good to me.” Mirelle patted his neck. “And as sweet as it is for you to say things like that to keep her from feeling embarrassed, she can’t understand you yet, Rev?”

Revaramek grunted. “Good point! I’m going to tell you’re asking to stop because your ass is too sore.”

“That’s not terribly far from the truth.” Mirelle laughed, then pointed towards a distant slope. “How about up there? Looks like there’s a flat area. Not too many boulders, so we probably wouldn’t be crushed to death in our sleep.”

“None of those boulders are big enough to kill Nyra and I, unless they rolled over our heads.” Revaramek rumbled laughter, banking towards the distant flatland, just above the valley floor. “We’d just be horribly maimed.”

“That sounds fine then, let’s land there.”

“Agreed!” Revaramek glanced back to make sure Nyra was following him, then called out to her. “Mirelle’s ass is getting tired!”

“What?” Nyramyn dipped a wing to follow him. Her musical laughter chimed and echoed across the valley. “How does her ass get tired? It’s not even doing anything!”

“I haven’t the faintest idea.” Revaramek tossed his head, then stretched a foreleg to point. “Anyway, she’s asked if we’re about ready to land and make camp. So I’m thinking perhaps that area up there.”

“That boulder field?”

“Yes! If Mirelle gets squished, I won’t have to carry her anymore!”

Nyramyn laughed harder, shaking her head. “Oh, I can’t wait until I can speak her tongue well enough to tell her half the things you say behind her back.”

“You’d never betray my confidence like that!”

“That depends entirely on how well treat me!”

Revaramek descended towards the valley floor. The area Mirelle spotted was an elevated place where the river had split in two around harder earth, carving out a miniature plateau. Much of it was covered completely in a carpet of lush emerald moss. Even the boulders strewn across it were partly slathered in soft green. It comforted Revaramek to know that the heavy stones dotting their landing sight looked to be have been there since long before the river’s changing path turned a small peninsula into a smaller island.

The dragon extended his hind legs, and touched down, moss flattening behind his pads. He trotted to a stop, making room for Nyramyn to land behind him. As she did so, she gave a little squeal of glee, and was soon bouncing around the place like an excited hatchling. Her musical laughter bounced back and forth between the valley’s walls, surrounding them with the beautiful, chiming sound while Mirelle dismounted.

“Are you sure she’s getting enough oxygen?” Mirelle smirked at Revaramek as she unbuckled the safety harness. “We’re rather high up, after all. I know my head was swimming the first day we entered the mountains.”

“Nonsense. Dragons are made for altitude. Though, I suppose the air in the swamp is different.” Revaramek pulled a foreleg free, then shifted settled onto his haunches so Mirelle could get to the cargo pouches strapped across his chest. He wore a different harness today, altered so that it would not only keep Mirelle safe, but also held large leather bags for Mirelle to carry gear and supplies in. It also had a special holster built for her maul. “Nyra, dear…what are you laughing at?”

“It’s all squishy!” She giggled and hopped around in a circle, half laughing as though she was trying to pounce her own tail.

Revaramek flattened his frills back. “What’s all squishy?”

“The ground!” She spun round, her tail fins whistling through the air, then leapt on invisible prey and laughed once more.

“It’s called moss, love.”

“This isn’t moss!” She paused long enough to give Revaramek a silly look, her tongue hanging from her muzzle. “We had moss in the swamp, remember? It was nothing like this, not so soft or thick or spongey!”

“It’s moss, love, trust me.” Revaramek found her laughter infectious, and was soon laughing along with her. While Mirelle finished pulling the harness, he watched his mate romp. He switched into the common tongue, glancing at Mirelle. “She’s fine. She’s just…frolicking in the moss.”

“Frolicking? Really?” Mirelle turned her head to watch the female dragon bounce and play. “That’s adorable. She sort of looks like Kor right now. Must be where he gets it from.”

“This is how she was when I first met her.” Revaramek wriggled free of the last of the elaborate harness, shaking a hind leg free of its straps. “When I saw her, dancing in the rain and laughing her head off. At the time, it seemed as though she was only doing it because she thought no one was watching. The longer I knew her, the more I realized, she was just…happy. She didn’t care if anyone sees or not.” Revaramek swallowed hard, a lump rising in his throat. “It’s…good to see her…feeling that way again, if only for a little while.”

Mirelle dragged the harness across the moss towards a boulder. She spread it out, and knelt alongside one of the pouches. “Well, are you going to join her or what?”

Revaramek flexed his forepaws, chuckling. “I’m…not sure you understand what dancing with her usually leads to.”

“What do you mean?” Mirelle unbuckled the pouch and pulled it open. She dug out a lantern, then glanced up at the dragon, smirking. “Oh, you mean it ends with you atop her?”

“Yes!” Revaramek shifted his weight, rustling his wing. “Well…the rain dances did. In the old days. I’m not sure that-AACK!” Revaramek yelped when Nyramyn pounced on him, sending him tumbling across the soft moss.

“See?” Nyramyn playfully pinned him for a moment before bounding away. “It’s all squishy!”

Revaramek rolled back onto his paws, grinning at her. “As happy as I am to see you so full of energy, if you pounce me over onto Mirelle, the moss won’t be the only thing squished.”

Nyramyn only laughed, flicking her tail at him. “I knew where she was!” She waggled her haunches, then pounced upon a little hill, giggling. “Oooh, this bit’s even squishier.”

Nearby, Mirelle laughed as she dragged her bedroll out, and spread it on the ground. “I’m not sure it’s just the moss she’s interested in frolicking with, Rev.”

“What?” Revaramek glanced back at her.

“Come on, Rev, even you can’t be that dense. Sure, she’s happy and full of energy, but she’s also jumping on you and wiggling her hips in your face.”

“Yes, Mirelle, I had noticed. But you’re-nnnrrrhhh!” Revaramek shuddered and groaned when Nyramyn turned around and brushed against him, scales sliding over scales.

“Do you think she’ll mind?” Nyra nipped at his tail tip. “Your slave mistress?”

Revaramek shivered again, scales clicking. “Mirelle…uh…”

Mirelle straightened up, then glanced around. “There’s no wood here, is there?” She smiled at him, hands on her hips a moment. “Tell you what. I’ll go gather some firewood.” Mirelle hefted her maul, and pointed towards a small, natural bridge of stones that led across the river. Further away, scraggly swaths of forest lined sections of the valley and mountainside. Mirelle hefted her maul, and an empty satchel. “Over there. I’ll see how far I can wander, and how long I can take, but once the sun goes down, it’s going to get cold quickly and I’m going to want a fire. So don’t drag things out to long, hmm?”

Revaramek dipped his head to her. “Thank you, Mirelle.”

“Not a problem, Rev. Just try to keep it down. I don’t want to hear you two’s roars echoing down the valley.”

Though he knew he shouldn’t, Revaramek couldn’t help himself. “You didn’t hear us two nights ago…”

Mirelle’s eyes widened, and she laughed, shaking her head. “I’ll be back later. Have fun, kids.”

“Kids?” He turned towards Nyramyn as Mirelle walked off. “She’s giving us some time alone, but she called us kids! I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

Nyramyn only cocked her head, gazing at him. “Are you going to dance with me, or not?”

“I’d like nothing more!” Revaramek offered a playful growl, creeping towards her. “But we shouldn’t be too long, Mirelle won’t be gone all night.”

“Taking too long has never been a problem for you.” Nyramyn met his growl with an equally playful growl, backing away.

“Oh, I’ll show you, female.” Revaramek snapped his teeth.

Nyramyn pivoted away, prancing across the soft moss. Her tail brushed across his chin. “I’m counting on it!”

“If I may ask, without spoiling the mood…”

“Beauty!” Nyramyn called back, laughing. She seemed to know what was on his mind even before he asked it. “The mountains! I never thought I’d see something like this, and yet, here I am! Surrounded by the impossible, by the world’s beauty! I’m still alive…still breathing.” She pranced a few more steps, then turned towards him, beckoning for him to follow. “You’re still alive! We’re together again! What’s not to be happy about? So let’s celebrate it, Rev! Let’s celebrate simply being alive!”

As Revaramek moved to match her dance across the moss, his heart leapt for the skies. For the first time since their reunion, Nyramyn had found her joy again.

*****

When Mirelle’s satchel was filled nearly to bursting with dried branches and boughs, she made her way back towards the mossy island. Her shoulders ached from swinging her maul to break up larger hunks of would, but in a way she enjoyed the discomfort. It had been a long time she had reason to labor that way, and it felt good to do simple tasks like splitting her own wood. With her maul over one shoulder, and hauling a heavy bag of firewood, she wandered as aimlessly as she could on her way back. The gods knew that after all their years apart, Revaramek and Nyramyn had earned their alone time.

Not that Mirelle minded the long walk. This place was beautiful. For all the years she had glimpsed the mountains in the distance, until this trip she never had the pleasure of visiting them herself. As gorgeous as they were and as peaceful as it was to wander amidst the moss-shrouded boulders and imposing pale granite cliffs, she wanted to visit again at a time when they weren’t on an important task. Perhaps when Nyramyn was healthy again, and Korakos was a little older, she could return not only with the dragons, but with Beka, Tavaat, the gryphons, and all her other friends. If Jekk asked nicely, maybe she’d even let the old man tag along.

Mirelle tilted her head back, gazing up at the sky. With innumerable jagged stone spires and peaks all around her, she almost felt as though she were trapped in the skeletal maw of some gargantuan beast. The mountains could have been its many teeth, and river bottom where its tongue once lay. With the sun setting, the gold light that once scorched the stone faded, breathe by breath, until the sky dimmed to a dark lavender, and the granite and limestone walls enclosing the valley all turned a ghostly pale blue-gay. Small, dark forms flitted overhead. Though Mirelle wasn’t sure, she guessed them to be bats, out to catch their first meal of the coming night.

Once she neared her destination, Mirelle picked her way carefully across the uneven piles of stones that formed a bridge across the narrowest section of river. They were flat and slick with moss and algae. A few shifted under her weight. Though the water did not look too deep and the current was not very strong, Mirelle did not want to end up soaked just as nightfall encroached. Nights in the mountains chilly enough without wet clothes. Ripples cascaded across the surface of the pool made by the natural dam she crossed. A few small fish darted about, little more than streamlined shadows in the creeping darkness.

When she reached the last stone, Mirelle hopped from it onto the mossy island. Aside from the dozen or so boulders dotting it their campsite was flat and even. Mirelle was glad for that, as the night before they’d chosen a spot with a bit of a slope to it, and her bedroll kept sliding down. Near the center of the island, the two green dragons lay amidst an area of noticeably flattened moss. Nyramyn was snuggled up against Revaramk, and he had his copper-splotched wing draped across her. She nuzzled his neck, and he idly licked at her here and there.

“You two certainly look satisfied.” Grinning, Mirelle dropped her maul and tossed her satchel of wood down. “I’d make a joke about expecting you to be the only satisfied one, Rev, but Nyra wouldn’t understand it.”

Revaramek laughed and lifted his head. “That’s alright, she makes enough jokes like that for both of you.” He held up a paw, his soft pads towards Mirelle. “Jokes which I assure you have no basis in reality.”

“No, certainly not.” Mirelle worked her right arm in a circle, rubbing her shoulder with her other hand.

“At least not since we’re young, anyway.”

“Are you talking about dragons in general, or just yourself.”

Revaramek flattened his spines back, tail curling around Nyramyn’s. “The first one, of course. What’s wrong with your arm?”

“Just sore.” As Mirelle worked the tightness out of her muscles, she nudged the maul with her boot. “Not used to swinging that thing around anymore.”

“Ah. I would have offered help but I had more important matters to attend.”

Mirelle laughed, working her other arm. “You certainly did. Besides, you got all the wood yesterday.” She went back to the cargo bags, and crouched down to dig through them. After she retrieved an iron trowel, she waved it at Nyramyn. “It’s good to see her in such high spirits. She seems like she’s a little more energy lately, too, despite wearing herself out flying.”

“I think being able to eat her fill while getting a week’s worth of rest has done her a lot of good.” Revaramek licked his mate’s neck, and she arched it into his tongue, purring.

“Good!” Mirelle returned to where she’d deposited the wood, and started digging through the moss with the trowel. “How are her stitches doing?” She glanced up at the dragon, furrowing her brow. “I hope you were careful with her.”

“Of course I was! Hell, I had to remind her to be careful of them!”

That made Mirelle laugh as she dug her fire pit. “She really wasin a good mood.”

“Indeed.” Revaramek stretched his forelegs, paws splayed and claws unsheathed. “A mood her benevolent overlord made even better.”

Mirelle glanced up in time to see Nyramyn glaring at Revaramek. “I’m not so sure she agrees with that last statement.”

Revaramek turned his head and licked Nyra’s nose when his stretch ended. “She just doesn’t like it when I don’t translate for her.”

“So, translate.” When the pit was complete, Mirelle walked to the riverbed to collect stones.

“I try, but it becomes quite tiresome to translate everything you blather on about.”

Mirelle carried back several flat, heavy stones stacked atop one another. “Watch it, Lizard, or I’ll drop one of these on your paw.” Mirelle set the stones down around the pit she’d dug. “Erm, don’t translate that bit.”

“Which is it Mirelle?” Revaramek arched his neck. “Translate or don’t translate?”

“Keep it up, Dragon, and I’ll drop a heavy rock on something else.” Once the rocks were in place, Mirelle arranged a few small sticks in the fire pit in a stacked square, then drew her knife and shaved off slivers of wood so fine they were almost fluffy to serve as kindling. “Oh!” She paused and glanced up at the dragons again. “What was it you wanted to ask me about? You said to remind you about that cave.”

“Ah!” Revaramek’s frills rose, waggling a little in thought. He murmured something to Nyra, who nodded, and then turned his attention back to Mirelle. “You remember, years back, the cave I took you to after we first met Asterbury?”

A shudder wracked Mirelle, along with a memory of falling. A sickening, lurching feeling, a terror she could not even give voice to. And then Revaramek. Tearing a hole through the sky to save her. Almost killing himself in the process. She swallowed busied herself fetching her fire-starting tools from her pack.

“Yeah. I remember.”

Revaramek rumbled, kneading at the moss with his forepaws. Nyramyn shifted under his wing to stroke his copper-striped foreleg scutes. He smiled at her, then swiveled his ears towards Mirelle. “Could you describe it? The cave, I mean. Especially how it looked from the outside.”

Mirelle struck flint to steel a few times. Sparks showered the kindling but did not catch alight. “I remember it was atop a hill. There were a lot of foothills around there, but it was the tallest. At least until the mountains proper. It was right around where the foothills went from grass and forest to being far rockier.” She struck again, scrunching her face in thought. “I think the cave itself was under these big slabs of stone, sort of…stacked against one another. Almost like they were leaning on each other. There was more room inside than I expected.”

“That’s…what I thought.” Revaramek translated for Nyra. They spoke together for a few moments. “Would you say there was enough room inside for two dragons?”

“As long as you went in one at a time.” When a spark took hold, Mirelle leaned forward to blow on it, encouraging tiny flames to spread. She added a few thin sticks to the newly born fire. “Why? Planning a romantic getaway when she’s feeling better permanently? I’m sure you could find nicer places. Hell, you could go take care of Enora’s estates. She’s hired people to take care of it, but I’m sure she’d rather have you two spend some time out there.” Mirelle added another stick when the first couple caught flame. “Plenty of room out there for Korakos to run and play, too.”

“As pleasant as that sounds, that isn’t why I was asking.”

“Why then?” Mirelle fetched a larger branch, and delicately laid it atop the young fire.

“Just…a strange feeling. I wasn’t sure but…” He trailed off, then spoke to Nyra again. She replied, and Revaramek gave a uncertain sounding rumble. “I’ve translated for her, and she agrees.”

Mirelle sat back, a tiny knot of worry tying itself in her belly. “Agrees about what?”

“Well, I’d have to actually take her there to be sure, as it’s still fresher in her memory, but…the way you describe that cave, it sounds almost exactly like the one we lived at in the swamp.”

“What do you mean?” Mirelle furrowed her brow, leaning onto her hands.

“Our home in the swamp, it was a cave, just like that. Atop a hill.” Revaramek waved a forepaw. “Of course in the swamp, the hill was mostly moss and mud. Not much grass there. And the trees beyond it were vastly different. But it too was the highest point of land in the area, the highest rise sticking out of the water. A hill capped in slabs of stone, all leaning together. And under that stone was a cave. We had to go in one at a time. It…it looked the same, I think.”

Mirelle tapped her boot against one of the stones around the fire. “I imagine a lot caves look the same. And there’s probably hills capped with stone slabs in just about every world. I think it’s more likely that they’re just similar.”

“Probably true. But even when I used to take Enora there, there was something…strangely familiar about it.” He glanced at Nyramyn again, his ears flattened back. “That’s why I wanted to ask you, though. To see if your memory of it fit our memories of our cave in the swamp. And they do.”

“That is odd, I’ll give you that.” Mirelle stared down at the moss beneath her. In the fire light, the tiny red tendrils that rose here and there from the green carpet almost seemed to glow. She brushed her hand over a few of them, flattening them down. “But I don’t know that it means anything, unless you think it’s relevant to our current search?”

“No, I doubt it.” Revaramek shook his head. “It’s just…nagging at me. Sooner or later…” The dragon tilted his head, gazing into the fire. His bronze eyes flickered orange. “Everything ends up here.”

“What was that?” Mirelle leaned forward again, folding her legs.

“I think it’s something Asterbury said to me, a long time ago.” Revaramek draped his foreleg over Nyramyn’s, and twined his fingers through hers. “I don’t even remember what it was about, anymore.”

“Probably just trying to confuse you.” Mirelle glanced at the dragons’ interlaced paws, unable to help but smile. “You two really are adorable together.”

“Hrrrm?” Revaramek peered down at his limb draped across his mate’s, then laughed and translated for her. She replied, and Revaramek dipped his head. “She says thank you.”

“She’s more than welcome.” Mirelle reached to the pile of wood to pick up a larger branch. She eased it into the fire. A flurry of sparks and embers swirled up into the sky to dance amidst the newly revealed stars. “Honestly, whatever it is, Rev, I wouldn’t worry about it. That furry little bastard’s made of mystery every bit as much as he’s made of flesh and blood and…” She waved her hand. “Whatever else beings like him are constructed of. I mean, just look what he has us doing now. Even when it seems like he’s trying to help us? He’s still got us trying to put puzzle pieces together. You’d think he could just come out and say…hey old buddy!” She pumped her fist in the air, trying to put a sneering growl into her voice. “You’ll find the ember bark right over there, lemme draw you a map! Now we’re all best friends, right?”

A smirk spread over the dragon’s muzzle. “Your Asterbury impression is terrible, but your point is valid.”

“I just don’t think you need to be worrying yourself about a cave, right now.” Mirelle rose to her feet and dragged one of her cargo pouches closer to the fire. “Maybe it’s important, maybe it isn’t.” She dug out a cook pot, and the waggled it at the dragon. “Not everything in life has some grand meaning. And even when it does…well…” She lowered the pot, shrugging. “Some things, we’re just not meant to understand.”

Revaramek rumbled. When Nyramyn nudged him, he translated for her. When Nyramyn nodded, Mirelle hoped it was in agreement with her statement. For all she knew, Nyramyn might well be agreeing with Revaramek that the human was crazy. Revaramek soon glanced back at her. “You know, Mirelle. You’re wiser than you look.”

“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment or an insult.” Mirelle laughed, shaking her head. “For your sake, I’ll take it as a compliment. Now, I’m going to cook myself a bit of dinner before I settle in for the night. If you’re not too worn out from your fun earlier, you should act like a gentleman and hunt your lover some dinner, too.”

“A fine idea.” Revaramek murmured to his mate, and gradually withdrew his wing. “I shall see if I can find any more of those curly-horned sheep we saw scaling the cliffs earlier.”

Nyramyn rose and eased closer to the fire. She lay back down and half-curled around it, exchanging Revaramek’s warmth for that of the flames. The female dragon smiled at Mirelle, and Mirelle returned it, and gave her a little bow before adding a larger piece of wood to the fire.

“I know you can’t understand me quite yet, but it’s wonderful to see acting so happy.” Mirelle waved at Revaramek. “Move back a bit before you take off, please. I don’t want you blowing out this fire.”

Revaramek walked a little ways off, and stretched his wings out. “Now, I don’t want you talking bad about me behind my back while I’m away, Mirelle.”

“Of course not, Rev.” Mirelle grinned to herself as she set her cook pot over the flames. “Not until she can understand me, anyway.”