INFERNAL - 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐲𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

FIVE

"Quincess."

"So lovely to meet you."

The two dragons, each so similar Ndete was already confused as to which was which, dipped their heads in unison.

"Well met," Ndete answered, dipping her head in return. Then she shook her head. "How do your family even tell you apart?"

The one on the right grinned. "Licto is much more mischievous."

Which meant that this was Lihir.

Licto shook his head. "You're just better at not being caught," he corrected his twin.

Two sets of identical amber eyes glittered. Ndete searched for some small mark that would separate them, but there was nothing. Every spike, every scale was the same. She gave up with a sigh just as Kana walked up.

"Licto, Lihir," she greeted them.

Unlike the Pence from the Mountain colony, they barely acknowledged her.

Kana leaned in closer to Ndete. "There is another arrival."

That was unexpected. "Who is it?"

"Fayal, of the northern reaches."

Ndete looked up sharply. The flatlands far to the northwest were the closest dragon colony to the remaining human reservations.

"I should greet him." Ndete turned a smile on the twins, their pale orange scales shimmering in the midday sun. "Please excuse me," she said, trying to mask her relief at escaping. "I must greet another guest."

She thought she saw a flash of annoyance in Licto's eyes. Lihir merely nodded with another grin, his attention already diverted to the large spread of food laid out along the riverbank. Leaving them to whatever mischief they were bound to get into, Ndete hurried to follow Kana.

"I don't remember hearing about this one," Ndete said as they walked.

Kana gave her a strange look. "I don't think he was expected," she answered, throwing a furtive glance behind them.

Oh?

"His colony is somewhat... isolated from the others."

Ndete was liking the sound of this more and more.

"Your mother would certainly not have accepted, had they notified us he was coming."

A prickling sensation moved along Ndete's skin, traveling beneath her scales like a current. It sounded almost too good to be true. Which probably meant that it was. They would probably arrive at the field to find some horrible creature, here merely to flaunt his own potential claim for Pendragon. Or perhaps he had taken one look at Kana and been smitten, as Tatun had.

Ndete eyed her friend. "Did you already... greet him?"

Kana frowned. "Greet him? No, I—"

Any further discussion was cut off as a jet of flame erupted from the brush ahead of them. Kana jumped back. A moment later, a small white head poked out. Blue eyes like enormous sapphires peered up at them.

"Sorry," a small voice quavered. "I was only trying to catch the mouse."

Mouse?

"Xian!" A larger form came around a corner, white scales shimmering in the sunlight. Eyes that were nearly violet took in the scene, looking from the youngster to Ndete and Kana. "I'm so sorry," he stammered. "She slipped away when I wasn't looking." He turned to the youngster. "Xian, I told you to stay close."

The young girl blinked her blue eyes at the larger dragon. "Sorry Fayal." She looked abashed.

Fayal immediately softened. He shook his head. "Did you catch it, at least?"