THE FLIGHT

Ernay pulled herself up onto the ledge. She looked down and watched Tom following her several metres lower. She smiled.
"Giving up?" she yelled down, her hands folded around her mouth to save her voice from the wind. 
Tom looked up and shook his head. Then he carefully released one hand and gestured to wait where she was. Ernay made herself comfortable and waited. Only ten more minutes passed before she saw her husbands curly hair appear at the edge.
With heaving chest Tom hoisted himself over the edge and lay there for a few moments before he got up.
"I used to beat you…" he said.
"Of course, then, but you haven't been training since you impressed Citilalith. I have been training. Suth likes it when I train with her."
"I train with Citilalith!"
"Fly training where you don't need to exercise your muscles as you once did."
"You've made your point, now can we call our dragons?"
"Alright," Ernay sighed, "But remember, when you start growing a belly those young bronzeriders will become very appealing to me, I can barely contain Suth as is."
"I know. Citilalith  has been wanting to fly as well."
They both sat on the ledge, their feet hanging down. Perfectly content to just be together, they waited for their dragons pondering. Suth, Ernay's purple dragon was close to flying. Her rider's preference for Tom would wield some influence, but Citilalith was a starry, a rather large dragon. He could fly long, but he couldn't match the smaller blues and browns in speed. The chance that another dragon would catch Suth was big.
A purple and black dragon suddenly popped up beside the ledge, bringing with them the cold air of between. Citilalith and Suth flapped their wings and drifted right above them. 
"The ledge is too small for them to land on… It's either down or up." Ernay said.
"Up," Tom said, "I'm not particularly fond of the idea of watching the ground come closer beneath me.
"Wuss." Ernay said laughing as she turned and started climbing again. Tom shrugged and followed his wife. As he watched her backside move up he thought of their options. Sometimes it seemed dragons had complicated their married life even more than their former military career. At least back then they had been allowed to serve on the same ship. But only because we were the best team around, Tom thought bitter. 
They only had a few options for the flight. They could take the risk and hope Citilalith would catch Suth. They could ask for a closed flight, but that was difficult with an Isle full of male dragons around. They could fly into the main land and have the closed flight there. The problem with that was that Ernay didn't know how to handle Suth during a flight. She wanted some people around her to help her should it prove to hard for her. Neither of them was to keen to embark on unknown terrain with the knowledge that they wouldn't be able to defend themselves. That only left a flight where the suitors were paired. But the same problems surfaced. For as long as they knew each other, Ernay and Tom had done everything together. The thought of only one feeling the flight would dampen the mood of the other. And yet, Tom knew he wanted to take action. Taking risks hadn't failed them this far. It had gotten them here, alive. 
Tom looked up and saw the top of the cliff nearing. He had done it after all. If he could climb this cliff at the first try after he had let himself slip, then he and Citilalith could do everything. Tom made a deal with himself on that cliff, half euphoric from his victory. He would wait a week longer and then he would convince Ernay to take a risk. 
At the top Tom watched Suth and Ernay already waiting for him. Citilalith landed too and dragged Tom to his feet.
"Rider mine, " Citilalith said, "I have found a solution."
"A solution?"
"To our mating problem."
"What is it?" Tom asked looking around. Whatever the idea was it must be rather genius. He saw Ernay smiling broadly at him.
"They came up with it by themselves, it's only right that they tell you."
Tom looked at the two dragons, their tails already entwined at the prospect of flying at last.
"It involves a dream…" Suth started.
"A midsummer night's dream." Citilalith followed.
"What has that old play to do with it?"
"It is the theme of a frenzy." Citilalith said to his rider.
"But a frenzy… two such different dragons, will they be accepted?" Tom asked turning to Ernay.
"Let them explain." Ernay said smiling.
"Just how long were you up here with them alone?" Tom asked.
"Unlike you, I listen and don't ask questions."
"I listen." Tom said.
"The dragons need to have colours of the night. Purple, blue, black and all nightly-patterned dragons are allowed." Suth said.
"In case you haven't noticed. I'm rather starry and Suth is purple."
"I've noticed." Tom said, "It's hard to miss."
"Can we?" asked Suth.
"Can I stop you?" Tom asked, already won for the idea since he felt his own face take over the big grin Ernay was already showing.
"Abri here we come!" Ernay said, "I don't need any dragon to know what you're thinking." 
Tom smiled and kissed her. She deserved some recognition of her talent of listening. 

Suth and Citililath

ABRI
LANTESSAMA ISLE