"There isn't much past the Glowing Tundra. Mountains, a few frozen valleys, and sprawling white desolation," Issi, their host, said to Nemnth before shifting his attention to Rokanoss. "What are you doing up here anyway? It's not often that I get to share my den with other living souls."
The red dragon shifted his weight from one pair of limbs to the other, a shudder rippling through his wings at the thought of sleet battering them. Although the weather had been mellow these past few days, there was no knowing what storm would envelop the north without a warning, and if it caught them out in the open...
"We won't stay here for long," Rokanoss said, his voice a deep rumble, mirroring his stocky build.
"You are free to stay however long you wish. Your presence doesn't bother me nearly as much as your intention to fly farther than any dragon I've known did."
"We're grateful for the opportunity to get some rest in a place sheltered from the winds," Rokanoss said, shifting his paw along the rough pelt of a dire bear. "It's actually quite comfortable in here."
"Yet you're still standing up," Issi observed, signaling them to sit down with a forepaw. "Please. The north is still going to be here tomorrow, with its shimmering lights and cruel gusts."
Issi stretched his slim, toned body, groping at the furs scattered throughout his lair with those short, black claws tipping his short, stubby digits. His yawn revealed rows of sharp teeth, along with his tapered blue tongue. A curious color, one that fit him better than Nemnth first suspected. Plate-like scutes covered the surface of his paws and digits, colored a vibrant cerulean, similar to the intense light blue hue of his eyes. They tended to have an ethereal glow to them, giving him a mysterious yet playful appearance.
A pair of ivory horns sprouted from the back of his head, working their way through the brown mane covering the top of his head and running all the way to his tail tip, where it bloomed into a brown, bushy tip. Thick, white fur covered the rest of his body, soft and tidy, similar to a feline's. Nemnth had the sudden urge to touch it, to feel it ripple through his paw, but his shy nature held him back. What ifs had always plagued his mind, keeping him from reaching his true potential.
Rokanoss, on the other hand, had no such problems. He was a dragon who knew what he wanted and how to get it without overthinking even the simplest of things. Nemnth met his four days ago by sheer chance and accepted his proposal to travel together just to fly beside another dragon. In truth, Nemnth didn't know more about Rokanoss' craving to explore the north more than Issi did, nor did he care about it in particular. Better to endure harsh winds and the occasional blizzard than scour the land in search of a territory all by himself.
Nemnth's traveling companion was a tad larger than him, strong features emphasizing an even stronger body covered in thick, broad, interlocking scales, an impenetrable, dark grey armor. His scales and wings had a rocky, rough texture random silvery patterns striking through his scales. Four visible, thread-like lines decorated the upper surface of his forepaws, his claws long and sharp, bearing the same white nuance like the pair of ridged horns Rokanoss sported. Plate-like formations extended along his back, neck and belly, thick and rigid, making him the incarnation of resilience itself.
Compared to him, Nemnth seemed small, frail, almost insignificant, and yet, Issi's eyes still found him, even though Rokanoss had done all the talking on his behalf so far.
Oh, right. Settle down.
He settled on his belly, next to Rokanoss, who spread a dark wing over him, nuzzling at one of his ear, making it twitch. Blood rushed to Nemnth's cheeks, a tinge of embarrassment slipping into his mind. Getting affectionate with a friend in front of a stranger always made him uncomfortable, especially when Issi took a strange, sudden interest in him. Why else would he practically stare at him?!
