They'll see in time. I know, we'll show them together...
"Ciqantath, hold still for a moment, will ya?" He muttered to his fidgeting dragon through gritted teeth.
Sorry. Ciqantath said, eyes whirling guiltily. He flexed his wings again, flicking his dark sapphire tail. His dark blue hide shone in the sunlight, highlighting his muscular frame.
"You're beautiful, now stop showing off." A'jax muttered as he finished tightening the straps, grinning.
Ciqantath blinked. Despite his small size, he was a handsome beast. His dark sapphire hide glistened in the sun as he flexed his massive, pale crystal-blue wings.
A'jax rolled his eyes, kneeling to pick up a bag of firestone at his feet.
Ciqantath crooned, eyes swirling yellow nervously. I'm worried. What if something happens to one of us? This is only our first Fall, I don't want it to be our last.
A'jax stopped, staring at his dragon. "Don't be a dimglow, Ciqantath. Nothing's gonna happen to us." But he looked like he was trying to convince himself as much as his dragon.
He sighed. "Look, if something does happen to me, only if, mind you, I'd hate to be responsible for your death as well. I don't think I could forgive myself if that happened."
Ciqantath stared at his rider, yellow eyes whirling. A'jax?
"Don't go between, Ciqantath. Please." Ciqantath stared at A'jax, his grey eyes pleading with him. How could he ask that of him? A'jax was his bond, his chosen. The young man had been his only friend. He didn't think he could survive without him, and hoped to Faranth he'd never have to. What could he do without a rider; for he'd never consider taking another. He didn't think he could live with himself if he let something happen to his rider. But his bond was asking him to.
He hung his head. Okay.
"Thank you." A'jax whispered.
A large bronze dragon roared nearby, signalling for everyone to get ready to go between.
Ciqantath lowered a forearm oblogingly, as A'jax scrambled to his back. Then he straightened, flexed his wings again nervously, and as the other dragons jumped between, he jumped into the air, and disappeared between.
