Quavesesheath // Kaburenylath // Myahidynuth

Quavesesheath stood on a large stone on the Starburst beaches, turning to view her reflection in the sparkling lake. Beauty, as always, radiated from every point of her lavender-coloured body. Without stopping to decide against it, the triowinged dragoness stepped gingerly into the chilly mountain lake water. She waded until she was up to her neck in the water, then dipped her head below the surface, only to emerge seconds later, droplets of water clinging to her horns and headcrest.

She exited the water, the morning's perfect melody singing to her as she stepped back onto her rock. She shook herself off, sending a spray of glimmering droplets flying in all directions in the air; then she smiled, satisfied. Essential to looking her best was staying clean - Quavesesheath knew that the prime enemy to radiant hide was dirt and grime.

Another dragoness emerged from the trees in the secluded grove behind her, and a soft voice slipped into her mind like darkness over an eclipsed sun. Well, if it isn't Quavy', our little fashionista. Morning's such a dull time, don't you agree?

Quavesesheath turned around and smiled at the speaker. Why, hello, Mya'. Good morning!

Myahidynuth was another Danachian lavender dragon, one who had only one pair of wings and had done her best to darken and gray her hide colour from a bright pastel to a more dusky colour. She winced as the rising sun touched her eyes for the first time that morning as it rose over the mountains.

Your optimism amuses me to no end, Quavy'. Mya' smiled her slim, evil-looking smile at Quavy'. Well, don't you look sickeningly gorgeous today.

Mya', don't say that, Quavy' shook her head. Come on. You've done a wonderful job on your colouration. It's dusky... Any black dragon in his right mind would fall for that.

Mya' continued to smile at her sibling. Thank you. I think fate was laughing when it made me lavender. In fact, I think fate's still laughing at me...

Quavy' laughed, shaking her head amid giggles. Her sister's pessimism was something she'd learned to accept over the years that she'd been around her. By this point it was almost as amusing as Mya' found Quavy's optimism to be. Perhaps that was what kept the pair close together - not bonded, never bonded - but close together nonetheless.

Well, you can think that way, but I think you're beautiful.

Quavy', I swear, one more comment about how pretty the colour lavender is and I'll... oh, never mind. There's no way to stop you from saying anything, is there?

Unless you have a way to stop my telepathy from working, she laughed again. Mya', you'll see someday what I mean. Perhaps now is not the time.

You've got that right, Mya' said, turning around to the spot which she came from. Here comes hyperactive doom incarnate.

Mya' had almost no time to speak these words, for as soon as she had finished, a lavender blur came crashing out of the trees and flew off into the air.

Wheeeeeeeeee! Kaburenylath cried in pure joy, feeling the wind rush past her body as she spun a corkscrew in the air. Ren', as she was called by her siblings, felt just as amazingly energetic as usual, and at the time she felt nothing could stop her, nothing at all.

Ren'! Quavy' cried in surprise. What a pleasure to see you... uh... Ren'? Can you hear me?

Loud 'n' clear, Quavy'! Ren' exclaimed, flinging herself backward to land perfectly beside her sisters. Wow! What a day! I feel like SPINNING AROUND IN CIRCLES!

Has she been taking her medication? Mya' asked Quavy' as Ren' proceeded to chase her tail.

Quavy' shrugged. Obviously not. She's a handful when it comes to actually getting the herbs in her mouth and swallowed... I doubt she'd do it on her own.

She needs to be sedated before my head explodes.

Quavy' had nothing to say to Mya' at the time. She just watched Ren' spinning in rapid circles, never tiring and certainly not stopping to think about how dizzy she would be once she was done.

I tell you, there's nothing worse than when the sun glares in your eyes, Mya' said as she held one paw up to her eyes which were being blinded by the morning sun.

I don't find it bad at all. The sun's glorious, and it brings out the colour in your eyes.

Mya' scoffed. Do you ever shut up about how great everyone looks?

Quavy' had to think about this query for a moment, before shaking her head and replying enthusiastically. Nope!

Mya' had nothing to say. It was her pessimism that made her feel out-of-place around her two sisters, but in a way she felt like around them she had a place to exercise her emotions without hurting anyone. Both of them seemed to understand that when she was being cruelly mean, she just had to get anger out of her system, and that her outlook on life was natural and couldn't in a million years be changed.

Ren' suddenly collided with Mya', halting her thoughts and sending her flying onto her rear.

Ren'! You idiot!

Sorry, Mya'! Ren's smile never faded as she picked herself up from the ground. I was having so much fun, I didn't see you!

Mya' took care not to brush the dust off of her hide - it added to the dusky look - but stood, and scowled at her sister. You sicken me.

Thanks!

Quavy' was listening to their conversation and laughing to herself. Ren' never took any of Mya's insults personally. Instead, she shook them off like she would droplets of rainwater, like nothing could ever be wrong in the world. To her, of course, nothing could.

Ren' found her energy coming to a close. She had taken her medication that morning, as her sister had instructed, and it was beginning to slow her constant flow of energy. She laughed, exhaled deeply, and sat back down on the rocks, giggling.

Quavy', it's kicking in, she informed her sister. Like you said it would.

She did take her medication, Mya', Quavy' said with a satisfied smirk that screamed 'I told you so'. Mya' didn't reply. She hated being wrong.

Good, Ren'. It should keep your hyperactivity down to a minimum level so you can be tolerable.

I'm perfectly tolerable! See? Flashing a toothy grin at her sister, Ren' tried her best to look cute. This provoked laughter from both of her sisters, although Mya' never laughed. When Mya' laughed, whoever she was laughing at was either hilariously funny or genuinely stupid, and it was always most likely to be the second one. Laughter - besides a morbid chuckle - didn't really suit Mya'. Not many acts of pure happiness or hilarity did.

Do us a favor and don't ever do that again, Mya' pleaded her sister, although she was still smiling.

Ren' had never really known quite what the healers at Starburst had been talking about when they diagnosed her with a kind of hyperactivity disorder back when she was younger. It happened when Quavy' and Mya' got concerned that she was always in motion, and it was cutting down her sleep hours. She was becoming unhealthily active. And it had been Quavy' who, after the healer-prescribed medication failed to work on Ren', had found out how to use a blend of herbs to calm Ren's constant sugar-high-like energy flow. Ren' took the herbs with her morning meal, although they were horrendously bitter. Before that, she'd never known what it had been like to relax.

Now, she lay down on a rock, realizing once again just how relaxing the sunshine on her back could feel. Oh, don't worry, Mya'. I will!

Mya' smiled once again, then her smile faded back into her usual neutral expression. Ren' didn't understand why her sister didn't smile more often - she looked great when she smiled, even more so than Quavy', who was one of the most beautiful dragons Ren' knew, what with her three pairs of wings and all.

Quavy', look! Ren exclaimed suddenly. Here comes one of our brothers!

Which one, Ren'? inquired Quavy' with the hope that her sister would recognize one of them.

Oh... what's his name? I know this... She paused for a moment, seeming to be deep in thought. Then her eyes lit up. Ah, I remember! It's Jinarorakath!

Mya's eyes widened. Jin'? The black? Oh, crap. I'm such a fright... I may as well go hide while you talk to him.

Quavy' stopped her with a swish of her long tail. Mya', you're staying here. Besides, he's your brother. Don't be getting any ideas.

Fine. Mya' lay down beside Ren' and sulkily put her head between her paws, brushing a bit of dust over her nose to add to the dusky effect.

Good morning, sisters-mine, said Jinarorakath with a smile and a short bow. Don't you three look lovely today.

Mya' raised her head a bit, turning her dark green eyes on her brother, but she said nothing.

It was Quavy' who spoke first. Good morning to you too, brother! What brings you here?

I just came to let you three know that I'm leaving for a while. Going on a little adventure, if you will.

Leaving? Ren' spoke up. Where to, Jin'?

Well, I'm off to another dragonry across the Nexus. Off to bond. I thought it might me a fun experience for myself.

Sounds like fun! Ren' smiled.

Mya' thought otherwise. Bonding? Are you sure? It's a commitment you can't ever get out of, and if you get stuck with someone you don't like...

Ah, that's the beauty of it, he winked at Mya' here, the adventure. You never know what'll happen; it's the luck of the draw. But I hear many of our siblings are off to bond - even some of the ones who are already bonded.

You can do that? Ren' cocked her head in an inquisitive manner. I thought when you chose to be unbonded, you stayed that way forever!

Heavens, no! That would be such a dull existence. No, sister, many of our kin have done so. And it's not just humans you can bond. Dragons bond dragons all over the Nexus now. It's become the craze.

So, you're off today, then? Quavy' bespoke.

Yes! In fact, I need to leave now. But I'll return, don't you worry. He nodded his head and turned to depart. I'll keep you three in mind, he said, but he was looking at Mya' when he said it.

A few minutes after the black had left, Mya' spoke. What was that all about? He kept looking at me through that whole conversation.

Quavy' smiled and winked. I think he likes you!

This seemed to disgust Ren'. Quavy'! He's our brother! That can't happen!

We're already inbred, Mya' said. Our parents are siblings.

Gross! Ren' exclaimed, her face twisting up into an expression of disgust.

Well, that's the way it goes sometimes. Deal with it. Mya' looked up at the clouds. Think it's gonna rain.

Stop changing the subject. You know we're on to something here.

Maybe, Quavy', but Jin' is leaving. I won't see him again for ages.

Quavy' didn't speak for a while - she didn't really have anything to reply with.

But then a lightbulb came on.

Mya', Ren'! she exclaimed. I just had a thought!

I thought I smelled something burning, Mya' commented, although neither sibling really found what was supposed to be Mya's humour funny.

If Jin' can go out and bond, why can't we, too? I mean, it'll be great to go out and try it out. Perhaps we'll learn something from it. Bonding, I hear, is the most wonderful experience anyone can go through.

Ren' nodded vigorously. I like it!

Mya', however, was one to disagree. I don't know. I've heard the responsibility of bonding is a real downer...

Mya', Ren' responded, the most serious look plastered across her face that she could manage, sometimes you're a real downer.

Mya' was shocked at being talked back to by Ren' of all people. She was flabbergasted - too shocked to continue speaking. Ren' quickly resumed her smile - it wouldn't be like her to cease smiling for more than five seconds. Mya' dipped her head in defeat.

Fine. I'll try it. But if I hate it, I'm blaming you.

You won't regret this, Mya', trust me.

Quavy' led her sisters to the portal-transport platform of Starburst. Each portal was a dragon-sized door, capable of transporting anyone to the place labelled on the top of the doorways in golden lettering. The three dragons looked around in awe. They'd never actually been on the portal deck and actually looked around - it was enormous.

All right, Quavy' said. We've got a lot of selection here, so take your time.

Quavy's eyes turned on a portal for a moment, then she spontaneously made a beeline for just that one. But just before she stepped inside, she called her sisters.

Mya', promise me you'll try not to insult anyone important. And, Ren'... please, for the sake of the place you go to, take your medication!

I will, Ren' agreed, having calmed down enough to take actual consideration to her sister's plea.

Don't count on it, Mya' whispered, but she knew Quavy' had heard her remark.

And, without further word, Quavy' disappeared into the vortex, leaving not a trace of her presence behind.