Rainbows in the sun: Vesa' in flight

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[See Vesa' here]

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It is most definitely my turn this time, the brilliant-green insisted, speaking fast with the clear intent of avoiding interruption. And Derensa', shut up, just don't say anything. It is my turn, and you know it as well as Iroke. She turned an accusatory eye on her rider, daring her to contradict her.

I wouldn't argue with you, the starry corrected calmly. Most futile. Her eyes sparkled but her expression was bland, and the green bristled but had no retort.

The young woman leaning against Derensa's rainbow-pale side rose slowly, carefully not looking at either dragoness. Vesa' was undeniably proddy - had been since the Flurry; always the more possessive, more fiery of the two, it seemed as if lately she'd been looking for things to rage about. Difficult to do anything that would not offend her, but Iroké really wasn't sure she could cope with another full-blown argument; she couldn't shut out their thoughts any more than she could stop breathing. Maybe there was a reason why the Old World dragons had never bonded more than one to one rider - and she had no idea how Rei coped with the voice of every dragon in the Nidus in his mind. Maybe he'd learned to tune them out - but surely even he couldn't cut off his own bonded. Well, Kirafhe' and Jenatorpeth didn't conflict so often...

"Good idea," she told Derensaleith drily. "And Vesadmorth, much as I agree with you, we go nowhere if you're going to rant all the time." Not particularly tall, she had to stand up on her toes to meet the pacing green's eyes; she pulled the bright-crested head down to eye-level now, and Vesa', surprised, didn't resist. She held the slim-boned muzzle in both hands until her green stilled. "Do you understand, Vesa'?"

Vesa' huffed through flared nostrils, hot breath in Iroke's face, but she didn't toss her head away, though she could easily have broken her rider's grip; tensed sunset-colored wings slowly were lowered to her sides. I understand. The flames in her eyes hadn't been quenched, but were contained behind glass walls. Iroke smiled slightly. She'd won.

"I'm glad, Vesa-love. Any place in mind?"

Vesadmorth smiled rather smugly. Of course.

Iroke frowned at her and not all her annoyance was teasing; Derensaleith summed it up best. Thanks for clearing that up, Vesa'. It would have been quite annoying if you hadn't explained yourself... She gave the smaller dragoness a pointed look, surprisingly human.

The rainbow-green laughed at her, completely unperturbed and rather surprising Iroke at the swiftness with which her mood had altered. Star City Dragonry, she clarified. And added, You needn't ask Reishitsu about it, to Iroke, who had in fact been about to ask starry Derensa' to pass along her question to her twin. He wouldn't know - the Dragonry's only very recently opened to the public.

So how do you know? Derensaleith inquired, and Vesa' awarded her a secretive smile.

I know where my children should hatch, and we're going there. That's all that matters, isn't it?

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[Sunset rainbow-green Vesadmorth rises at Star City Dragonry]