Ink Forged

~Dragon Flight~

It took close to an hour to get out of the city, and by the time they reached the gates, Maevus was practically ready to breathe fire herself. 

It wasn't that the city was miles wide. It was that every single street, thoroughfare and alleyway seemed packed with people, all trying to get somewhere and none of them conscious of the fact that everyone else was trying to do the same thing.

Korie didn't look much happier. They'd both nearly been trampled by a wagon loaded down with furs, bowled over by a raucous group of school children and blocked at every turn by merchants trying to sell them one thing or the other. The clanswoman didn't seem to care for the city any more than Maevus did.

When they approached the gate, they exchanged a look of pure relief. It dissolved as one of the guards dropped her spear across their path, blocking them from the wide arch leading out of the city. Maevus glanced uneasily at Korie, then began plucking at Veena's thread, drawing her battle-dragon nearer to this world. Korie's eyes were stormy, but her face was calm as she reached into the fitted black vest she was wearing.

The guard opened her mouth, her face twisted into a sneer, but didn't even get a word out before Korie was shoving a piece of paper toward her.

"Sanctioned job, Greenie," she said, her accent becoming thicker, clipping her words into hard syllables filled with derision. "We can leave."

Maevus' heart went icy cold at that. She would need permission just to leave the city? Why had no one told her that?

The guard gingerly took the piece of paper, taking pains not to so much as brush Korie's fingers even though she was wearing the grey gloves of the Greencoats' uniform. She read the paper, her scowl deepening the farther down her eyes got. Finally, she folded the page and threw it back at Korie, who caught it before it could flutter to the ground.

Looking displeased, she raised her spear and waved the both of them through. Korie grabbed Maevus' hand and practically yanked her through the archway.

"How fast can you call up one of your dragons?" she muttered under her breath, pulling Maevus out of the street and up a small hill covered in thick green grass. Her eyes were on the guards, who were watching them with unpleasant expressions.

"What matters more?" Maevus asked. "Comfort or speed?"

Korie grinned. "Get us the hell out of here."

Maevus returned her smile, her blood warming pleasantly as she dipped into her pool of magic, calling Koret. For a brief moment, she wondered if he would come, but then there was a pull on her magic and suddenly he appeared.

People on the road screamed as a wolf that was roughly the size of a warhorse appeared just yards from the city walls. Maevus smiled and patted Koret's scaly shoulder in thanks. Sunlight refracted off his scales, shedding little rainbows as he stretched his wings before bowing his head to nuzzle her shoulder.

When she turned, she found Korie lingering a few feet away, trepidation suddenly crossing her face. Sometimes she forgot that to others, her dragons were creatures to be feared. They had only ever been sources of comfort to her.

"He won't bite," she said, then gave Koret a speculative side-eye. At least...she didn't think he would. With a frown, she added, "Just try not to pull out any of his feathers, he won't like that."

Korie nodded faintly before her face settled into something determined. Taking a step forward, she said, "We should get out of here."

More guards were beginning to crowd up at the gate, but none of them had worked up the courage to approach. Yet. Maevus nodded, then turned to stare into Koret's black eye. It was impossible to distinguish the pupil from the obsidian iris. She sent a request down the thread to his mind, sighing in relief when he bowed his head.

She took a step back as he knelt on the ground, making it easier for the two women to mount.

Maevus clambered onto his back, smoothing down the silvery feathers that lay on his neck. He swiveled one large ear back toward her, though his attention had turned to the guards beginning to creep forward.

Extending a hand down to Korie, she stroked the dragon's crest, warning him not to attack anyone just yet.

Korie took a deep, steadying breath before she grabbed Maevus' hand. She hauled Korie up, waiting until the clanswoman had wrapped an arm around her waist before she whispered to Koret.

As Koret spread his wings, his muscles bunching beneath them, Korie tightened her arms around Maevus' middle. "Just squeeze hard with your legs!" Maevus called a moment before a blast of wind swept in from behind them.

Koret launched himself into the air and they were all but thrown into the sky by the wind the dragon had called. Korie yelped, burying her face between Maevus' shoulder blades. Maevus couldn't help but whoop with delight, laughing at the stunned faces of the guards as they soared away from Valmor's stifling walls.

When they had reached a good cruising height, Koret let the wind die down. Maevus patted his shoulders, right between the joint of his wings. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, making a face when she realized she had no way to tie it back.

Maybe she should cut it.

Koret's wings thumped a steady rhythm as they flew south. Slowly, Korie began to loosen the death-hold she had on Maevus. Tentatively, she looked over the side of the dragon, whimpering a little when she saw how high up they were.

"How long will it take...him?" Korie paused until Maevus nodded, then continued, "How long will it take him to fly to Liron?"

Seeing as how Maevus only knew the general area Liron was in, she wasn't exactly sure. But she did know that what took five days via mundane travel usually took only two or three days as the dragon flew.

"I'm not sure exactly," she called back. "Maybe three days?"

Like Koret could sense that she was hedging a little, a burst of wind puffed up behind them. His wings lifted slightly, catching the air current and sending them shooting forward. 

Korie squealed and gripped Maevus tightly, once more hiding her face. Maevus couldn't stifle a giggle, smoothing Koret's feathers before she closed her eyes and tilted her face toward the sky. The wind whipped at her hair and she inhaled deeply, drinking in the cool air.

This was what she loved best about her Charm. Her dragons gave her wings of her own.

Koret let out a howl and Maevus felt his chest contract. Her eyes flew open and she fell forward, flattening herself against the wind dragon's back, pulling Korie with her. 

A burst of silver-white flame shot out in front of them and Maevus closed her eyes, burying her face in Koret's feathers before he flew through the plume of fire.

Heat rushed over them for a brief second.

Maevus smiled, sending wry amusement down the bond as she sat back up. Koret chuffed his own amusement before he flapped his wings, swooping down to avoid a fast-approaching cloud bank. 

"Maybe three days?" Korie asked, sounding glum.

Maevus grinned, brushing red strands of hair out of her face. "Maybe a little less."

Koret's ears twitched in an approving fashion.