Inea

1. Clear Skies

Inea quickly ran through a cloud or two to be ready in time for her date. She knew she should take the time to wash herself properly, but she was too excited to stand still for such a long time.
Inea was a Wind Elven and she had never been patient. She liked action: running, sky diving, bungee jumping. She had done it all. She had even found her boyfriend on one of her 'adventures'. His name was Peridot and he was the best boyfriend in the world! He was tall and handsome and had tried every dangerous sport twice before he had started inventing them on his own to get bigger kicks.
Inea quickly looked in a mirroring crystal. She looked ok, her long greyish hair fell to her shoulders and curled it's way down her back. Two soft orange clips held it back today so she wouldn't get blinded by it when she was flying against the wind direction. They matched beautifully with her yellow dress. It was the prettiest she owned. Peridot had invited her to a fancy diner in Air Elven City.
Of course it would be boring. All those diners were, but to be seen was very good for your social life. Which reminded her. She had promised her girlfriends to stop by before she left. Inea quickly changed direction and raced to her best friends house. She knew Twister would be just as thrilled as she was.
"Twister!" she yelled.
"Yes!" the girl answered.
"Hurry! I'm late as it is!" she yelled.
"Like Peridot is ever early! We have half an hour at the least."
That was true. Peridot wasn't very punctual. Not many Wind Elvens were. Inea waited for Twister to come down. Twister was dressed in a soft white gown with feather at the arms, neck and bottom. She looked dashing.
"Are you going to a party?" Inea asked.
"Me? No, I just like to dress up. Come, I can do your make up."
Inea smiled and followed her friend up the stairs. What would she ever do without her? By the time her nails, eyes, lips were painted and she was scented all over Inea had almost forgotten about her big date. Dressing up was so much fun!
"Now hurry before you are late!" Twister told her and gave her a push toward the door, "I want to know all that happened when you're back!"
"I will come to you straight away!" Inea promised and left.
Half way to Air Elven City Inea remembered she had left one of her clips at Twisters house. A strong wind blew half of her hair nearly in her face and she was disoriented for a second before she found her way again. She had to go back. One clip just looked silly.

2. Raging Tornado

"What do you think you are doing!" she yelled.
Both Peridot and Twister looked up. Not a single trace of shame reddened their cheeks and Inea could see they were ready to go back to kissing. She couldn't let that happen. She slapped Peridot right on his cheek and watched with pleasure as his face turned red. That would show him.
"And you!" she screamed at Twister. "You were supposed to be my friend! You wanted to know everything about our date!" Inea was so angry little drips of spit flew out of her mouth that landed all over Twisters face. She was ready to start scratching and pulling hair when she felt Peridots strong arms on hers, pulling her back. Arms that only minutes before had held Twister and that minutes after would have been greeting her on a party if she hadn't turned back.
She struggled hard to get away from him, but he was stronger. He pulled her out and dropped her on the lawn.
"It's simple girl." he said, "I was going to break up with you in a nice way, but you ruined that."
He went back in, ignoring her as she sat crying. Endless it seemed, her time crying and sitting still. But in that time, that in reality was maybe 10 minutes, Inea took a decision. She wouldn't let him toy around like that. Nor would she forgive Twister.
Inea stood up and left. She flew higher, ever higher and her tears floated down all around her. When she reached the highest regions where the cold was so intense her feathers almost froze, she cried out. One cry of pure emotion, letting out all her rage. Only grieve remained. Inea knew her grieve would stay with her, but her anger would do what she couldn't on her own. 
The cry twisted and turned, echoing from mountains and clouds alike, until it seemed to fill the entire world. All over Elvens looked up or down, or left and right to see who had yelled such an angry curse, but no-one could see anyone.
Only the skies knew who had been the one. They turned black and started swallowing her cry to have it out of the air. Inea's anger gladly obliged to that unusual union and let itself be eaten.
One giant beam of lightning came down and knocked Inea unconscious before it carried her up to where it's heart was. 

3. New Beginning: Fresh Breeze

Inea looked up and wondered where she was. The sky was dark grey with clouds and lightning. A winter storm waiting to get unleashed onto the world. Who was she to deny it it's freedom? She was standing right next to a portal to another dimension. Which one she didn't care about. Anything out of this place would be an improvement. She leapt through the swirling center of the tornado and didn't even notice her wings and body getting scarred from flying debris. Slowly she drifted down, heavy with grief, defying all logic and the general laws of physics.
Suddenly she felt a soft sucking sensation and then a fast cold before she entered a world she did not know. Maybe deep down she had hoped to stay close to her world... to not abandon it completely... But she couldn't turn back. Inea did what all Wind Elvens are good at. She forgot, but not everything. She would never trust another man again. 
A human woman came from round the corner. 
"Hello, are you here for the clutch?" she asked.
"Clutch?" Inea asked.
"Yes, the Valentine clutch."
Inea thought for a second about what had happened and if she would be right for a valentine clutch. A clutch of things that were devoted to love.
"I don't think I would be right for me." she said, "I vowed never to trust a man again."
She tilted her chin up, trying to look proud in stead of hurt, alone and uncertain.
"Well, have you sworn of love, or just men?" the woman asked.
"Just men."
"It's not men you have to trust, it's the dragons...." the woman said and led her to a cavern filled with soft warm sand where dragons lay, surrounded by eggs, people and small winged creatures. When Inea saw the dragons she immediately knew she hadn't sworn of love. What she felt at that moment was more than she had felt her entire life. What if she would never take another man, if she could share the life with one of these majestic creatures she could still be happy.
"Impression is permanent." the woman said, guessing her thoughts, "once they chose you nor they can leave. You will be together until death parts you and some have been together even beyond..."
"I will stay." Inea whispered, her voice deep with emotion.

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Inea turned nervously on the hatching grounds. Her feelings of vengeance –luckily- had passed and all she felt now was an empty place in her chest. Her roommate had been a gift from the gods. Never had she made her feel bad and never had she allowed her to let this one experience get her down. But still Inea couldn’t believe she would find luck here.
Inea closely watched the dragons as they hatched. She examined each of their faces for a sign. Whatever she was looking for she hadn’t seen it yet.
She noted another two lovely dragons heading over the sands to a candidate. For a moment her gaze lingered, long enough to see that the two dragons were headed for the same candidate. One candidate impressing two dragons? That couldn’t be.
One of the dragons turned to her… sister, yes they came from the same mother, and started snapping at her. Apparently the older one wasn’t going to let this candidate get away. The small second dragon looked around, as if she was looking.
For a moment Inea knew exactly what the dragon was saying. Not quite sure what was happening she just stood there waiting, all the while listening to the cries of the small dragonet.
"I know that she is around here somewhere… Where is she? I thought that that was her but it wasn’t…So many people…Which one is her?"
Suddenly the small dragonet let out a cry of joy and headed more surely in Inea’s direction.
"Inea! I have finally found you!" She called out and attempted to hug her bond with her wings.
"That’s a good girl, Arenith." Inea whispered as she unfroze.
Maybe things were going to look up after all…

Arenith

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Lantessama Isle  -  Cy Dragonstake