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Chapter Twenty Seven

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Revaramek awoke sprawled beneath warm sunshine. He blinked and narrowed his eyes to bronze slits. The harsh light left his head throbbing beneath his horns. Scattered feathers decorated the flattened grass all around him. The scents of the two gryphons still clung to everything. Distant splashing and squawking laughter told him they’d both gone for a bath. With far more effort than it should have taken, Revaramek pulled his stretched limbs in, folded back his spread wings, and eased up onto his haunches.

The movement made the dragon’s head ache worse. Revaramek lifted a paw and pressed it to the base of a horn, wincing. Gods, he thought, was he actually hungover? That almost never happened. The last time he remembered being hungover, he’d spent the night partying with the gryphons, and they’d drank an entire cask of wine together. Revaramek glanced around, and spotted a wine barrel lying on its side, empty.

Oh. Right.

The dragon licked his nose, pushing himself up to all four paws. At least his hangovers rarely lasted long. Usually he just needed plenty of water to quell the headaches. A heavy thirst left his long throat dry and pained. He took a few steps and groaned. The dragon’s body ached everywhere. It felt as if he’d fallen out of the sky.

Oh. Right.

“I’ve got to tell Mirelle to stop getting me into fights and getting herself tossed to the winds.” He curled his neck, looking himself over. Though some of the bruises had faded beneath his broken scales, a few of his deeper wounds had oozed and bled through the night. “Must have opened them last night when I was…” Wait, what was he doing?

Revaramek searched his wine-darkened memories, unable to recall exactly what had happened the night before. He remembered being helpful and cooking Mirelle’s dinner. He remembered Mirelle got drunk and set poor Enora’s bench on fire, but after the women went to bed, what happened next? He scratched his neck with a wingtip talon, struggling to push through the fog of drink.

There had definitely been challenges issued, he remembered that much. Chir’raal started that, as far as he could recall. Something about…anytime he took a drink, the others had to do the same. Then they got into a big wrestling match after Revaramek challenged the other two. After that…it grew hazier. But he was pretty sure the gryphons had…actually, that started with a challenge too. Kurekka had challenged Chir’raal to…a different sort of wrestling match.

The dragon grinned, lifting his spines. And right in front of him. Again.

Revaramek walked towards the pond, laughing. It seemed the more those two drank, the less they cared who was around when that sort of mood struck them. Not that Revaramek minded. Why, it made for a very entertaining show, and an even better story to tell his other friends the next time they all drank together.

He paused, glancing back at all the flattened grass and loose feathers where he’d slept. Wait. He must have fallen asleep with them. He tilted his head, furrowing his eye-ridges and flicking back his ears. He hadn’t…had he?

“Did I?” Revaramek cocked his head the other direction, licking his nose. Everything from the challenges onwards was one big blur, and the last thing he remembered….wait, had they challenged him, too? “That’d be new.”

Revaramek shrugged his wings and padded towards the ponds. Not that he cared if he did. After all, it was hard for a dragon to learn about himself if he wasn’t willing to try new things.

At the pond, Revaramek was pleased to see Mirelle already awake, bathed, and dressed. She sat at the water’s edge in the same green and gold blouse and skirt she’d worn the night before. Revaramek imagined Enora only had so many outfits that would comfortably fit the other woman. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders in damp black waves. She leaned back onto her hands on the grass, laughing at the antics of the gryphons in the water. Chir’raal and Kurekka were engaged in battle, repeatedly pouncing and dunking each other.

“And here I thought catbirds didn’t like water!” Revaramek strolled up to edge of the pond, dropped his muzzle to the water, and gulped it down till his lungs burned for air. He lifted his head, gasping for breath, then greeted Mirelle before going back for more water. “Good morning!”

“Morning, Rev.” Mirelle waved to the dragon and gave him a smile.

Revaramek slurped down all the water he could before he had to stop for air again. He panted till he’d caught his breath, then glanced at Mirelle. “Surprised to see you up so early. How do you feel?”

Mirelle arched a brow, and looked up at the sky. “It’s damn near noon, Rev. You’re the last one up. I feel…far less terrible than expected, especially after breakfast and a bath. Truth be told I think I wretched up more wine than I actually kept down.”

“Probably for the best then.” Revaramek tilted his head back to gaze towards the sun. “So it is. I was up far later than you, after all.”

“I gathered as much from the empty wine cask, and the way the three of you were all passed out together, all tangled up.”

Revaramek jerked his head back. “Tangled up?”

“Yes.” Mirelle giggled, hooking damp hair back behind an ear. “Sort of cute the way you three were all snuggled together. Must have been cold outside last night.”

“Snuggled together?” Revaramek cocked his head. That sounded suspicious. Maybe he’d done more than observe. He glanced at the gryphons and licked his nose. “That’s odd.”

“Why is that strange to you?”

Revaramek flexed his wings, huffing. “I can’t remember much after you left aside from drinking and wrestling and…” He trailed off, pawing at the ground.

“That’s no surprise, as much as you three drank.” Mirelle gazed back at the empty cask, then blinked. “But why is…” Mirelle sucked in a breath, her eyes widening. “You didn’t!”

“I’m not sure.” Revaramek splayed his ears, frills pinned back. “I can’t recall.”

Mirelle made an odd, scrunched up face. Revaramek couldn’t tell if she was trying to hold back laughter or if she desperately had to relieve herself. “You wouldn’t! I mean…would you? I thought you liked…you know…” Her face reddened. “…Females.”

“I do.” Revaramek arched his neck, hissing.

“Then why would you even think that…you know…” She gestured at the splashing gryphons. “With them? I mean…you don’t like other…you know, males. Or…” She waved at the gryphons again.

“I was shitfaced drunk, Mirelle!” Revaramek tossed his head and lashed his tail against the grass. “I couldn’t tell you what I like when I’m drunk, let alone what I did.”

“That isn’t...” Mirelle put her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as if the force of holding back her giggles left her entire body quaking. “That’s not how it works! You either…like it, or you don’t.”

“But how am I to know if I do or not if I haven’t at least tried it?”

“I think you just…know.”  

“How can you be certain without trying?”

“So you tried last night?” Mirelle peeked out from behind her fingers.

“I’m not sure.” The dragon shook his head, then flicked a wing open and pointed towards the gryphons. “I’ve watched them do things, before, but I’d never joined in. Not that I know of, anyway.”

Mirelle finally gave into her laughter, giggling so hard she toppled over. “I seriously…can’t believe…this conversation! I had no idea you liked other males.”

“Well I’m not against the idea. It just never appealed to me before.”

“And now it does, hmm?” Mirelle propped her head up on her hand, her elbow on the grass. “Does that mean you’ll stop staring at my ass now?”

“We both know that’s not going to happen, Mirelle.” Revaramek rumbled laughter. “And I still don’t think I find other males especially appealing.”

“Then why are you going on about it?”

“Because I’m curious!” Revaramek curled his neck, baring his fangs. Humans could be so frustrating. “It’s not an opportunity I get often, so if something did happen, I’d like to at least know about it. Preferably I’d know if I enjoyed myself or not, but I’m happy to take it as a life experience and move on. It’s good to try new things, Mirelle, but they don’t help much if you don’t remember them.”

Mirelle sat up again. “Why don’t you just ask the gryphons, then?”

“Because they’ll never let me live it down if I do!”

“Oh really?” A devious smirk spread across Mirelle’s lips.

“I’ll throw you in that lake, Mirelle.” Revaramek hissed at her.

Mirelle lifted a bare foot towards him. “You do, and I’ll fetch my boots.”

The dragon tossed his head, hissing. “I was only curious, anyway.” A tight pang in the dragon’s lower belly made him cringe a little. He waggled his haunches. “And now I’ve got to piss.”

Mirelle rubbed her forehead, still smirking. “Charming, as always.”

Revaramek turned away from Mirelle and padded across the vale until he was what he considered a polite distance away. Then as the dragon emptied his bladder into the grass, he gave a very loud, very satisfied groan. When he heard Mirelle’s disgusted grunt behind him, he smiled. Mission accomplished. When he was finished, he turned around and walked back towards the others. He could have sworn he’d learned that trick to annoy humans from some other dragon. Probably something he’d heard in a story. He tried to remember what tale he’d heard that in, but it made his head feel funny and his vision swim. Revaramek shook his head and gave up trying to place the story. At least his hangover was starting to ease.

“So where’s Enora?” Revaramek stopped when he reached the pond, then dropped his chest down and stretched his forepaws. He splayed his front paws out, yawning. “She still asleep?”

“Think she was the first one up.” Mirelle shared the dragon’s yawn. “She’s preparing us some lunch.”

“Oooh, lunch.” Revaramek back up, and snapped his jaws, hungry. “What’s she making?”

“I don’t know, but when I say us, I mean her and myself.” Mirelle flopped back onto the grass, her hands behind her head. “You and your feathered friends are on your own. And before you ask, no, I don’t want you to try and cook some of whatever you catch for me. Or ever again, for that matter.”

“Afraid you’ll burn another bench down, are you?” Revarmek waded out into the pond. The water was cool against his paws, but not unpleasantly so. “Think I’ll take a bath.”

“Me?” Mirelle shot back up. “I didn’t burn anything down!”

“That’s not how I remember it!” Revaramek waded deeper, water sloshing around his scaly legs. “You had that giant fire going to cook your dinner, and then you let poor Enora’s bench burn down.”

“Listen, you scaly monstrosity! You even think about shifting the blame for that to me, and I’ll spend all afternoon breaking my new boots in. Both of them!”

“Can’t hear you, Mirelle, bathing!”

“Fine! You bathe, I’ll get my boots. Just in case!”

Ignoring her, Revaramek waded in until the water was nearly chest deep.  He took a breath, and threw his legs out in all directions, belly flopping into the cool water. He lowered his head, his belly touching the muddy bottom. The cold water made a few of his wounds burn. The dragon remained submerged until his lungs ached. Then he put his paws to the mud, and pushed himself back up. His head broke free and tossed spray in all directions. He gasped for breath, wheezed a few times, and then waded deeper.

“Morning, boys!” Revaramek waved a dripping paw at the gryphons.

“Afternoon, lizard.” Chir’raal clacked his beak, grinning. “Nice of you to join the rest of the waking world.”

Revaramek snapped his jaws. “Since you two are still bathing, I doubt you were up much earlier than me.”

Kurekka strode ashore, water splashing around him. “We’re finished with our bath, actually.”

“And we were up long before you.” Chir’raal clacked his beak, following his mate out of the water.

The dragon glared at the two gryphons. With their feathers and fur soaked, they both looked considerably scrawnier than usual. Even after they beat their wings against the air, and shook themselves off, their pelts remained slicked down against their bodies. They settled on their haunches and preened each other, spreading their wings.

Revaramek settled into the water, rubbing at his scales with a forepaw. “You both look like drowned cats.”

“Hey!” Kurekka glared at him, then warbled. “Words hurt, Dragon.”

“Don’t worry.” Chir’raal nibbled his mate’s neck. “It’ll hurt him more when I bite one of those fancy frills he’s always showing off.”

“You bite my frill, and I’ll pluck every feather off your body.”

“You pluck my feathers, and I’ll pluck your-”

“You just wanna get your paws on them!” Revaramek cackled, then switched paws to scrub his other foreleg. He glanced at the gryphons, who were now whispering to each other. “Nothing left to say? Yes, that’s what I thought! Revaramek the Resplendent wins again!”

Pleased with his victory, Revaramek continued his bath. He used his paws to work the water against himself everywhere he could. If the bottom was sandier, he’d have used some grit to help scrub himself, the way he sometimes used pumice stones in the marsh. Water would do well enough for now. Once he was clean, he waded back out of the lake and onto the grass. The dragon glanced at Mirelle, made sure she was out of the splash zone, and then shook himself, water droplets flying in all directions.

“Get him!”

“What?” Revaramek swung his head around towards the sound of Kurekka’s war squawk just in time to see the red-brown gryphon barreling towards him. “No, wait, I’m not ready-AAARRGGHH!”

Kurekka slammed into the dragon hard enough to send him toppling over. He tucked his wings and rolled across the grass with the gryphon following him just as swiftly. Chir’raal arrived right behind his mate, grappling with the dragon. Laughing, Revaramek fought back as the two gryphons tried to pin him. He swatted them with his paws, smacked them with his tail, pushed one of them away with a hind leg. But each time the gryphons came after him again. Together, they managed to roll him onto his back, and before he could get back up, Chir’raal flopped onto Revaramek’s chest, using his weight to help pin the dragon down.

“Wing tickles!” Chir’raal keened in victory.

“No!” Revaramek wriggled and thrashed, but with a gryphon sprawled out across his chest, couldn’t get enough leverage to dislodge them. He tried to push Chir’raal off him with his forepaws, but the black and gray gryphon snapped his beak at Revaramek’s fingers, and buffeted his face with his own feathered wing. Revaramek laughed and bit at the gryphon’s flight feathers. “No! No wing tickles!”

“Yes!” Kurekka warbled in sadistic delight, pulling Revaramek’s wing open a little more against the ground. He positioned himself alongside it, pinning it open with a paw against a joint. With his other forepaw, he dragged his pads in teasing lines and circles against the delicate membranes. “Wing tickles!”

“Nooooooo!” Revaramek twisted and squirmed, unable to stop growling giggles from escaping him. Nothing could possibly have annoyed the dragon more than having his wings mercilessly tickled. His wing twitched and flexed but could not escape the strange, ticklish sensations the gryphon inflicted upon them. “Ahahahah! Heheheheh, stop, stop you sadistic monster, stop!”

“You brought this on yourself, dragon!” Kurekka dragged his paw back the other way against the dragon’s wing. The copper-strewn green membrane trembled and contracted beneath his pads. “You tortured my poor beak last night!”

Chir’raal stretched his own foreleg out to tickle at the dragon’s other wing, making Revaramek wriggle even more. “And ya called us drowned cats today!”

“What the hell are you two doing to him?” Mirelle walked through the edges of the dragon’s peripheral vision as she returned from acquiring her boots.

“Ticklin’ his wings!” Chir’raal chirped and traced a finger in a wide circle over the soft skin.

“He hates it!” Kurekka beamed, working his tan-furred paw further down the dragon’s wing. “Come on, give it a try!”

“No, I think I’ll leave that to you two.” Mirelle folded her arms, tilting her head. “Though, I shall file that knowledge away for later.”

For long, torturous moments the gryphons tickled Revaramek’s wings. He squirmed and wriggled, but Chir’raal had his weight distributed just right to keep the dragon from being able to leverage his larger size and throw the gryphon off of him. He kicked his hind paws at the air, growling laughter wrought from agonizing irritation to his precious wings.

“Enough!” He giggled through his wings, wings spasming. “Mercy, you horrible monsters, mercy!”

“Now, see, that’s yer problem right there.” Chir’raal glanced up at him. “If ya hadn’t called us horrible monsters, maybe we’d have stopped.”

Kurekka tossed his head, flaring his crown feathers. “I wouldn’t have!”

“You always were the crueler one.” Chir’raal flicked his feathered tail at his mate’s face.

“You’d…better stop!” Revaramek snapped his teeth against the air, rocking his one-horned head back and forth. “Or…or else!”

Kurekka canted his head, his crimson crown feathers still raised. “Or else what? You’ve got nothing, dragon, you’ll not be getting my beak again.”

“Or else…” Revaramek trailed off, struggling to find an appropriate threat. “Or else Mirelle will do to you what she does to me!”

“Oh no.” Mirelle shook a finger at the dragon. “You leave me out of this. I didn’t help them but I’m not helping you, either. I’m a neutral party here.”

“Fine!” Revaramek lifted his head, hissing. “You stop tickling my wings this instant, or I’ll do to you what Mirelle does to me!”

“So you’re going to berate me with your serpent’s tongue?” Kurekka chirruped, shaking his head. “Afraid that’s not going to be enough to stop me!”

“Maybe you should offer to do something else with that serpent’s tongue.” Chir’raal warbled his own amusement. “That might get him to stop!”

“Oh, please, he’d hardly even know what do to!” Kurekka stepped to the side to reposition himself near another part of the dragon’s wing, leaving his haunches half-facing Revaramek. He tickled the edge of the dragon’s wing, dancing his finger pads across the membrane. “Gonna have to do better than that, lizard!”

The dragon tried to snarl, but all that came out were giggles. “Arrheeheeheehehehe! I…ahahah! Warned you, gryphon!”

Revaramek balled up his forepaw into a fist, and then smacked it sharply into the collection of tan, fuzzy spheres nestled between the gryphon’s hind legs. They bobbled from the impact, and the gryphon gave the single highest, loudest squawk Revaramek ever heard.

“AAAAARRRRAAWWWWKKK!”

Kurekka’s eyes popped out of their sockets, his crown feathers shot to full extension, and his beak opened wider than Revaramek ever thought possible. His forepaws shot back to cradle himself and Kurekka flopped to the ground. The gryphon rolled over and curled up into a fluffy, feathery ball, and stayed that way for a few seconds. A few moments later, the gryphon uncurled again only to rock back and forth on the ground, wheezing a groan and beating his wings.

“Uuuurrrrrrhhhhnnnnnnnnnnnh!”

Revaramek burst out laughing, pulling his wing in as he watched the gryphon squirm. Kurekka’s face scrunched, his ears and crimson crown feathers all pinned back. He ground his beak, eyes squeezed shut. The gryphon rolled around, a wriggling pile of feathers ruffled in all directions. Revaramek only laughed harder, and glanced at Mirelle. “Hey Mirelle, you’re right, that is funny!”

For a moment, Mirelle looked as if she couldn’t decide between being shocked and appalled or amused and laughing. It did not take her long to decide. A great, rolling belly laugh erupted from the woman, enough to make her double over. She stumbled around, clutching her ribs as she laughed and laughed.

“Oh! His face! That poor gryphon!”

“What the hell did you do to my mate?” Chir’raal hissed and turned his attention to Kurekka. “Did you hit him in the balls?” He stared a moment, and then warbled his own riotous laughter. “Oh, look at him rolling around! You alright, Love? You look…like a feathery worm, wriggling about!”

“Not!” Kurekka called out his reply one word at a time, his voice raised a few notches higher than normal. “Funny! You! Ass! Supposed! To! Defend! Me!”

“I don’t recall that being part of the plan for Operation Monstrosity Tickler.” Chir’raal arched his head. “And what are you doing standing over his forepaw, anyway?”

“Monstrosity?” Revaramek hissed in between bouts of laughter. “You’re the one with a bird’s head sewn onto a cat’s body!”

“I do not have a cat’s body!” Chir’raal swatted at the dragon’s muzzle.

“I wasn’t…standing…over! Ooooh!” Kurekka rocked from side to side. “His forepaw! He…he took aim! I…I didn’t think he’d…”

 “And I wouldn’t have, before!” Revaramek cackled in glee, leaning his one-horned head against the grass to flash Mirelle a smile. “Thankfully my friend Mirelle has taught me what people do when they’re fed up with you!”

Mirelle waved her hands, backing away. “Oh no, don’t you shift this to me! That’s hardly the message I meant deliver! I’d rather you just learned not to piss me off!”

“And now Kurekka’s learned not to piss me off!” Revaramek smirked at the gryphon, his spined tail curling. “Or that happens!”

“There may be a flaw in your plan, Revaramek.”

Revaramek narrowed his eyes, staring at her with his horn resting against the ground. She looked upside down from his vantage. “Hardly any more of a plan than when you did that to me, Mirelle. I threatened him, he didn’t listen, and I did it! From this point of view I can see the appeal!”

“The flaw, dragon, is it that I don’t have a pair of those.” Mirelle pointed towards the dragon’s hind end, grinning. “And you do. And that means-”

“Avenge meeeeee!” Kurekka trilled out a pained request to his mate.

“What? No!” Revaramek hissed and struggled under Chir’raal. “Don’t you even think about it!”

“I’m not just gonna think about it.” Chir’raal glanced at the dragon’s limbs, then between his hind legs, and pushed himself up. “I’m gonna do it!”

“The hell you are, Bird!” As soon as Revaramek was freed from Chir’raal’s weight, he grabbed at the gryphon with his forepaws to throw him off his body.

Chir’raal squawked and twisted free, rolling across the ground. He spun back to his paws and Revaramek charged into him, laughing. The dragon and gryphon tumbled across the grass, battering each other with their paws, snarling and squawking. Revaramek tucked his tail to protect himself from Chir’raal’s revenge, and set about trying to pin the gryphon. Chir’raal wriggled and slipped free of his grasp time and again. Finally Revaramek got a good grip and managed to heave the gryphon over onto his belly. Before Chir’raal could escape, Revaramek plopped his haunches down onto the gryphon’s back.

“There!” Revaramek smirked, pressing a forepaw against the back of Chir’raal’s head.

“AWRK!” Chir’raal’s gray, blue-speckled crown feathers rose up all around the dragon’s paw. “Get offa me! Watch the wings!”

“Oh, your wings are fine, Pidgeon.” Revaramek arched his neck, checking on the gryphon’s wings just to be sure. “You should know me well enough to know I’d be careful not to injure you whenever I kick your feathered ass in one of our sparring matches.”

The gryphon squirmed beneath the dragon. “Just get offa me, ya fat lizard! I can’t breathe!”

“Oh, I can’t be crushing you that badly. You’re scarcely even wheezing!”

“I’m gonna…crush something of yours!”

Kurekka squawked from his crumpled position nearby. “Please do!”

“Now, now.” Revaramek shook his head, frills half-displayed. “I put you in this position on purpose. So you couldn’t reach mine, and I can’t reach yours. But if you’re going to keep threatening them, I’m going to have to do this.” Revaramek leaned forward over the gryphon’s back and snatched his beak in a paw. He unsheathed a single claw, and tapped it once against Chir’raal’s beak. “Beak torture!”

“NO!” Chir’raal thrashed beneath the dragon, trying to get free. “Don’t you…dare!”

“No, I suppose that’s not an appropriate punishment for what you were planning to do to me, is it?”  Revaramek kept his grip on the gryphon’s beak, then turned his head to smirk at Mirelle. “Hey Mirelle, wanna hoist up his tail and plant your boot in his bird nuggets?”

“NO!” Chir’raal wriggled against, trying to pull his beak away.

“In his what?” Mirelle’s eyes widened, and she giggled, shaking her head. “No, as amusing as I’m sure that would be, I think I’d best stay neutral.”

“But Mirelle!” Revaramek whined, splaying his wings out over his prisoner. “They ambushed me with two on one! It’s only fair that you join my team and assist me!”

“Actually…” Mirelle tapped a finger against her chin. “You make a good point.” She nudged the toe of her boot against the grass.

Chir’raal gave a muffled keen, glaring at Mirelle through one eye. “Seriously woman, don’t you kick me there! This is between the three of us!”

“Seems like unfair odds, though.” Mirelle folded her arms, grinning at the dragon.

“If you kick me, I will-”

Revaramek cut him off with a snarl. “You’ll what, bird? And do bear in mind that she’s my friend, and I’d protect her as such.”

“I’m your friend too, aren’t I?” Chir’raal stretched a wing free, splaying it in frustration. The feathers brushed and tickled at Revaramek’s hind leg. “I wasn’t going to hurt her! Just…toss her in the lake or something!”

“Oh, well that’s fine then!”

“Revaramek!” Mirelle stomped her boot.

“I mean, uh…” The dragon licked his jaws, then shook the gryphon’s head by his beak. “You’d have to get through me first, you feathery rapscallion!”

“Feathery what?”

“You know…a rapscallion! A devious wrong-doer, like in the tales!” Revaramek released the gryphons beak, but shoved his head into the grass. “Or was it deviant? I can never remember.”

“Oh, sure, deviant, says the one with a thing for human girls!”

“For all females!” Revaramek tossed his head, hissing. “Why doesn’t anyone get that? Mirelle, kick him in his feathered balls!”

“I think they’re more furry than feathery, Rev.” Mirelle giggled as she strolled around behind the gryphon. “But no. I’ll join your little game on your side, but I’m not going to assault him while he’s helpless. That’s terribly unfair.”

Revaramek curled his head around to grin at Mirelle. “I suppose you’re more the sort to trick someone into leaving themselves open and kick them when they least expect it.”

Mirelle smirked right back at him. “I think you mean, kick them when they most deserve it, but yes. Anyway, I’m not going to kick him now. But if he hits you for no reason later, that’s a different story.”

“What the hell are you beasties up to out here?” Enora’s voice drifted across the vale, followed by her incredulous laughter.

Revaramek jerked his head up, his bronze eyes wide. “Enora! Erm…nothing?”

“I can’t leave you three alone for five minutes without you roughing each other up!” Enora approached them carrying a large wooden platter covered in bowls and plates of food. She wore a cream colored blouse, and a pair of black leather breeches, the seams of which bore fresh stitching and several patches. “What are you fighting about this time?”

“We aren’t fighting!” Revaramek flared his spines in protest, then with a last shove against Chir’raal’s head, climbed off the gryphon and flopped onto his haunches, sullen. “We were just playing.”

Mirelle walked around to the side of the dragon. Revaramek smiled at her when she patted his shoulder. “You sound like a chastised child. Or…hatchling. Or whatever.”

“They act like children, too.” Enora set the platter down nearby. “Always play fighting and blaming each other, and…” She trailed off when her gazed settled on Kurekka, still squirming in place and making funny, scrunched-up faces. “What happened to him?”

“He got hit in the balls!” Revaramek smirked, curling his tail.

“Thought that’s what he was holding.” Enora chuckled and shook her head, staring at Mirelle.

“It wasn’t me!” Mirelle gaped at Enora a moment before she thrust a finger towards the dragon. “He did it!”

“Yes.” Revaramek flared his spines and perked his ears, quite pleased with himself. “I did! He wouldn’t stop tickling my wings and so I just did what Mirelle does to me when I bother her.”

“At least we know where you get it from.” Enora laughed and settled herself near the tray of food. “You alright over there, Kurekka?”

“I…will be…” The gryphon groaned, and rolled around on the grass in an exaggerated manner.

“Oh, now he’s just milking it!” Revaramek waved his paw. “I didn’t even hit you that hard.”

“I dunno, Rev.” Mirelle watched the gryphon, folding her arms. “That’s pretty much what you do when I kick you there.”

“Oh, nonsense, Mirelle.” Revaramek tossed his head. “I express my pain in a far more dignified manner.”

“If anything, you’re even less dignified. There’s a lot more moaning involved, that’s for sure.”

“Dignified moaning.” Revaramek lifted his head, licking his muzzle. He glanced over to where Enora sat behind the large tray she’d brought out. Bowls with pieces of fruit sat next to plates with cuts of meat and cheese. Slices of crusty bread lined one side of the platter. “Have you brought us lunch?”

“I’ve brought Mirelle and myself lunch.” Enora popped a piece of fruit into her mouth, and patted the ground alongside her while she chewed it. “You roughhousing beasts are going to have to hunt your own.”

As Mirelle joined Enora on the grass, Revaramek arched his neck and smirked at Chir’raal. “I think hunting is Chir’raal’s job today, isn’t it?”

“Go mount yourself, Dragon.” Chir’raal sat on his haunches alongside the dragon. He swept a wing forward and preened bits of grass from it.

“Speaking of mounting…” Mirelle pressed a slice of hard cheese together with a piece of fruit, and took a bite. She waved the rest of it at the gryphon. “Revaramek wants to know if-”

“I mean, I have conquered you both today, haven’t I?” Revaramek raised his voice to drown out Mirelle. “Why, if not for my generous mercy, I’d still have you pinned. So it seems you should have to hunt for me. And your mate over there…” He lifted a fore paw to wave at the other gryphon who was only now trying to sit up. “He’s in no condition to hunt.”

Chir’raal turned his head and gave his mate a sympathetic stare. “Yeah, speaking of which-” And then faster than Revaramek could follow, Chir’raal smacked the back of his gray forepaw into the dragon’s testicles. “Revenge!”

“RRRRHHHAWWWRRR!” Revaramek toppled forward onto his chest, his forepaws flying to his suddenly aching jewels. He cupped himself, squirming in the grass, his tail coiling on itself. The dragon’s vision swam as his eyes crossed and watered. His frills flared in pained alarm, and heat flooded them. He dug his hind claws into the earth, tearing ruts in the sod when he flexed his back legs. “NUURRRRGGHH! You…feathered..ass! I wasn’t…ready!”

“Oh?” Chir’raal jumped to his feet and danced out of range, warbling laughter. “Should I have asked permission first? Told you to brace yourself?” He called out over his wings to his mate. “Consider yourself avenged!”

Kurekka lifted a forepaw and waved, his voice a bit stronger than before. “Thank you, Love.”

Revaramek rolled onto his side, stretching his wings behind himself. He rubbed his hind legs together around his paws, his muzzle scrunched up. Enora and Mirelle’s laughter joined into a symphony of mirth, and he craned his neck to try and glare at them. Considering how contorted he imagined his face must be, his glare probably lacked the desired terrifying impact.

“Cease your…rampant cackling!”

Mirelle waved a hunk of bread at him. “Oh come on, Rev. You should have known that was coming!” She giggled, nudging Enora. “And you should have seen your face!”

Enora shook her head, her face reddening. “I didn’t know a dragon could go cross-eyed!”

“Neither did I, till the first time I saw him do that!”

“Not…helping…ladies!” Revaramek beat his wings against the air a few times, rubbing himself with a paw. “They…really…ache, you know!”

“I’m sure they do.” Mirelle spread some jam on her bread, and took a bite. She glanced at Kurekka. “But if it’s that bad, you shouldn’t have done it to your friend! You can’t do that yourself and then act surprised when someone gets you back.”

“Why not?” Revaramek coughed, curling a little. He stretched a wing over himself to hide his expression. “You did! Besides!” Revaramek pulled his emerald wing back from his muzzle just as quickly as he’d placed it there. Through watering eyes, he glared at Mirelle. “You said you were on my team now!”

“Actually…” Mirelle popped a piece of cheese in her mouth, gazing down at her boots. “I did, didn’t I.”

“Yes!” Revaramek squirmed back to his belly, his haunches in the air, one paw cradling his aching stones. “So, teammate…retaliate!”

“Very well.” Mirelle pushed herself to her feet, and dusted off her hands. “I shall! But if he comes after me, I’m going to hide behind you.”  

Chir’raal flared his wings, displaying his black-barred flight feathers. “You stay away, woman! You keep those implements of torture away from my valuables!”

Mirelle smirked and took a few steps towards him. “Come on, at least if I get you, you’ll all be even. Besides, you two started this game when you decided to gang up on Revaramek when he was just trying to dry off!”

“Sorry, game’s over!” Chir’raal launched himself into the air off his hind legs, beating his wings. The gryphon ascended in a tight spiral. Air washed across Revaramek, and buffeted Mirelle’s hair around her face. “Can’t play, hunting! See you all later!”

Revaramek lifted his head, intent on roaring the gryphon’s cowardice to the skies themselves. All that came out was a wheezing croak. “Coward.” He cleared his throat, rolled onto his belly, and whined for Mirelle’s attention. “Mirelle, call him a coward.”

Mirelle arched a brow, then took a deep breath, and called out on Revaramek’s behalf. “Coward!”

The ascending gryphon let out a great, avian keen, then screeched back at them. “Go mount yourselves!”

Mirelle only laughed, turning towards Kurekka. “Speaking of which…”

“Mirelle, please.” Revaramek tried to push himself to his haunches, but a rolling wave of ache across his lower belly left him curling up again. “At least wait until my balls stop hurting before you humiliate me in front of everyone.”

Laughing, Mirelle eased down onto her knees alongside his head. “Very well, Revaramek.” She put her hand atop his muzzle, gently caressing the fine scales there. “You okay?”

“I’ve had worse.” Revaramek closed his eyes, savoring Mirelle’s touch. It was unexpectedly gentle. Closer to the way Enora usually touched him. It seemed with every day that passed since he’d asked for Mirelle’s friendship, her touch grew more tender. The thought made him smile. He opened his eyes again to glance up at her, lowering his voice. “But don’t tell Chir’raal, it’ll wound his poor pride.”

 Mirelle smirked at him, her face outlined in sunlight. “Wouldn’t want to do that.”

Revaramek’s smile grew. He eased up a bit to nose at Mirelle. “Know what would make me feel better?”

“Something lewd there’s no way in hell I’m about to do for you?”

The dragon rumbled, spines lifting. “Besides that.”

“I’ll offer you a hug, so long as it stays above…well, in your case we’d best keep it above your shoulders.”

“Acceptable.” Revaramek arched his neck a little bit to give Mirelle access to his head. “Not what I was thinking, but for the moment, that would be wonderful.”

Mirelle wrapped her arms around the dragon’s head, hugging his muzzle to her body. She was warm and soft, comforting in a way he’d rarely known since they first made him sign the truce. When they pulled Enora from him, and anger drove Aylaryl away. He curled a foreleg and rubbed Mirelle’s back. A soft purr crept up his throat as she stroked his neck.

“How’s that?”

Revaramek closed his eyes. “Perfect, Mirelle. Perfect.”

“Glad to help, then.” As she hugged him, Mirelle stroked his neck. “So what were you thinking?”

Revaramek leaned into her touch just a little more, rumbling. There was only one thing he could think of that would always make him feel better. “A story, Mirelle.” He opened his eyes, grinning at Enora over Mirelle’s shoulder. “And some of Enora’s food.”