Pale Rainbows

[Magyar]

"If only for you, little bird." He replied solemnly, and stole a glance to the closed door, or rather to the gale he knew was beyond it. But he had a guest, and so by their needs he would abide, even if only for know.

[DragonSong]

"Oh." Melly worried her lip and tilted her head the other way. "Well- I don't want you to be...inconvenienced because of me. We could...go back to your home, if that's better? I'll take my true form, I'll be warm enough!" she chirped.

[Magyar]

"No, that's alright. I intended to sleep on the mountain's peak tonight, but I doubt you'll be warm enough for that all night." 

He sprawled out on his back, starfish, except for one of his wings, which was up against a wall. The other lay across the floor, and with it he beckoned Melly over as one would with a finger.

[DragonSong]

She hesitated a moment, not sure if she read his invitation right, then crawled forward and let herself flop down next to him, curling into his side and draping one wing over her body so it fell a little across him.

He could always tell her to move if he didn't want her there.

The purring started up again and she snuggled closer, the warmth of the fire a pleasant tingle at her back.

[Magyar]

She was right, in a way. He'd missed company. But he'd also learned long ago that relationships with humans were short and fiery, so much to experience crammed into so little time. That was something one could only experience so many times, without feeling the pain of letting them die.

The wings that had been adorning the wall fell across the both of them, and he curled inwards slightly, as he did even in reptilian form when he slept. He'd missed it, but here it was again. Perhaps this time would be different.

[DragonSong]

Melly's purring picked up as he curled in and she smiled, already starting to drift off.

She'd learned a little bit about her species in the time since Raki's death- tracking down the appropriate scrolls and temple writings hadn't been easy, but she thought it was worth it. They were social creatures, living in what she'd translated as a "flight".

Once upon a time she'd even seen a carving on a temple wall, depicting colorful feathered dragons all nestled together, wings overlapped and tails intertwined. Peaceful. A family. The image had sparked an ache in her chest she hadn't entirely understood, a longing for something she'd never experienced.

For a moment, she could pretend she had that, thousands of miles from home.

[Magyar]

Light shone in rays from the cracks between the wooden roof. It was one such ray, positioned over Hvit's eye, that awoke him. The fire had died long ago, and yet he still felt warmth. It was then that he remembered his guest, and found her in his little human arms.

Both of those things were odd to him, for different reasons, but strangest of all, was that upon further exploration, he found himself in a very intimate position with the young dragoness. And she was nude. He didn't remember anything past falling asleep, and he hoped that truly that was all that had happened.

[DragonSong]

Though she slept deeply, Melly had always been sensitive to small changes in her surroundings. She frowned when a small beam of light touched the corner of her eye and arched her back in a stretch, almost flopping herself in her host's lap unconsciously.

She yawned and make a chirping sort of sound like a waking songbird and blinked her eyes open. "Where...?"

Oh. Right. She blinked again, then twisted her head to smile at Hvit, cocking her head to the side so her rainbow hair dusted across his chest.

"Morning."

[Magyar]

"Morning,"

He sat up, only a little, but took her with him, so that she sat on his lap. He was somewhat amused by the difference in their size, even in humanoid form. His hands fell behind him as he stretched out his wings, flaring them wide behind his back, almost like a cape in the wind. When sufficiently stretched, he shot her a confused but unsure look and he asked, "I remember sleep, but nothing else. I am confident in my memory, but refresh me anyway. It was simply sleep that we shared, yes?"

[DragonSong]

Melisma tucked herself into the curve of his body easily as he sat up, stretching her own wings and yawning again, still feeling a little dreamy.

His words jerked her back to the present and she stared at him for a moment, wide eyed, then giggled.

"Yes, we just slept," she assured him. Her head tilted. "I was...rather under the impression you would think I was too young for you."

Though she'd admit the thought had crossed her sleepy mind once or twice the previous night. She'd never met another dragon, let alone a male. Whether or not he was exactly like her, she'd had a few twinges that seemed to be urging action.

Perhaps she'd reached breeding age? She honestly wasn't sure- she'd never really considered such things before.

[Magyar]

"Perhaps you are, just a tad, but that hasn't stopped similar scenarios from happening." He said, remembering a particular dragon he knew, "Usually, in my experience, an Alpha Male will have much younger mates. Usually it's just personal preference, but the young ones are preferred over older females, at least in the mountains near mine."

[DragonSong]

"Really?" Melly tilted her head. "That doesn't seem fair. What happens to the older females?" She screwed up her nose, frowning a bit.

[Magyar]

"They care for the children, usually," he replied, "The younger provide, protect and procreate, and the older members of a clan would care for the children, and pass on their wisdoms."

[DragonSong]

She snorted. "That's silly. Anyone who wants to nest should lay and care for eggs."

She frowned, not sure what had spurred her to say that. "I mean- that's what makes sense to me." Her head tilted again and she looked him up and down.

"Do you have a clutch, somewhere?"

[Magyar]

"I went to sleep under the mine during my prime breeding age." He told her, "I could now have near any dragoness I desire, but I lack the drive to want one. It just simply isn't a whim to which I bow."

He adjusted himself under her, and crossed his legs, forming a seat more or less.

"In short, no, I've never sired any hatchlings."

[DragonSong]

"Oh." She settled onto his lap a bit more comfortably, letting her legs sprawl out and over his so her knees were on either side of his hips.

"Did you ever want to? Before?" Her head tilted the other way as she seemed to consider the question herself. "It might be nice to have hatchlings...but it seems like a lot of work."

[Magyar]

"That depends on what you consider worth the work. Would they be worth it for you?" He asked, "A relationship and an heir, for years of parenting? I'd say so. It just isn't my current prerogative, and it's not like I have a deadline."

[DragonSong]

"I suppose that's a good point." She was still having a hard time wrapping her head around just how old he was.

The lack of fire at her back made itself suddenly known when a sharp breeze made it's way into the house and she shivered, wrapping her wings forward around her body.

[Magyar]

Hvittraak frowned, and a low rumble began in his throat. He was thinking over how long this tropical bird could stay in the mountains comfortably. He placed the back of his hand on her cheek, gauging the temperature, and his frown deepened.

"Perhaps we should eat and be off soon, little bird," he suggested, concern shaping his thoughts.

[DragonSong]

"Oh. Yes, probably..." She worried her lower lip, frowning a bit.

If she was being honest, she didn't want to go home quite yet. For the first time she'd met someone like her- not just someone, and incredibly old and obviously knowledgeable someone. She knew he'd leave once he brought her back home, and there was still so much she wanted to know.

She tried to put the thought from her mind and forced a quick smile. "What is there to eat here?"