INFERNAL - 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐲𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

ELEVEN

Ndete had never expected to see so much green.

Snow, rock, frost... these were what came to mind when she envisioned the Northern Reaches. Not a lush valley spreading away to rolling green hills, framed by fingers of sparkling blue water that stretched into the distance. Not the incredible variety of trees in so many shades of color that they were like jewels.

"It's beautiful..." she breathed.

"I'm glad you like it." Fayal said, and then he was zipping away, following Xian's trail as she headed toward a group of dragons clustered together below.

Ndete made to follow, but slowed as something caught her eye. A large brown structure nestled against the far side of one of the slender blue lakes. Curls of smoke from several points rose into the air above it, wisps of gray scattered by the wind leaving only the faintest scent of ash and wood.

"Ndete!" Xian's excited voice pulled her attention back to the ground below. "Come and meet everyone."

Ndete let the youngster draw her gaze back to the increasingly large gathering below, but her thoughts were as diffused as the smoke, blown apart by the breezes.

Was it a human structure? One of their dwelling places? Were they truly at this very moment so close to her that they could look up and see her against the sky? If she looked back, would she see one of them, not just a shifted dragon but a true human in all their mortalis truth?

"Quincess," the dulcet toned voice startled her, eliciting guilt for having been distracted. "It is such a pleasure to meet you."

Ndete landed between Fayal and Xian.

"Ndete," Fayal said, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "this is my mother. Methana, mate of Farallon, my father."

She was more cream than white. Her scales sparkled in the sunlight, yet still looked soft rather than hard. Her eyes were like the midnight sky.

"I see where Xian gets her beauty," Ndete said, dipping her head in respect.

"You flatter me," Methana replied in her velvety smooth voice. "Ah, here is Farallon now."

Ndete raised her head to find violet eyes locked on her own. Gasping, she turned to ensure that Fayal was beside her, and not before her.

"I know," Fayal said before she could speak. "It's a bit uncanny."

There was a rumble of laughter. "He is a rock tumbled from the mountain, eh?" The deep bass voice, at least, was far different from Fayal's. Ndete was almost relieved at the distinguishing feature.

"Indeed he is," she answered, dipping her head again. "Well met, Farallon of the Northern Reaches."

"Well met, Ndete, first daughter of the Pendragon." His eyes sparkled with good humor. "Did your father ever tell you that we were friends as youngsters?"

"No." She was going to nip him for the oversight when she returned home. "He did not."

"Ah well, with good reason probably. We were quite the troublemakers in our youth."

A thought began to tickle at the back of Ndete's brain.

"So you have not always lived here, in the Northern Reaches?"

Farallon's eyes, violet twins of Fayal's, regarded her intently. He glanced at his son. "I see you are drawn to the same sharpness of mind that drew me to your mother."

"She doesn't miss much," Fayal agreed.

Ndete tried to give him a sidelong glance, but he wisely kept his eyes averted. She watched, amusement tempering her fire, as a muscle twitched near his lips.