This story is a spin-off from a How To Train Your Dragon fanfic I wrote from 2015 to 2018 called 'Shadow of the Night', which you can readhere. This story is based on some original world building I created for that previous story, and so should be accessible to readers unfamiliar with HTTYD or my previous work.

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Children of the Night

A verse from the Age of Night

Lovitar's heart beat the frantic rhythm of a cornered seal as he crouched on trembling legs. He was alone on the ice sheet, save for Kaira, whose pose mirrored his own - one wing folded tight to her back, the other fully extended. Barely a tail-width separated the young Night Furies' heaving flanks.

Lovitar clenched his jaws, teeth unsheathing instinctively as he forced his limbs to steady. It had taken him and Kaira an entire season to master the Twin Moonrise form; he wouldn't waste that effort by slipping up on the final position.

Seconds passed, counted in staccato heartbeats and rapid breaths.

Elder Ukko stepped up to the edge of the ridge that overlooked the training field. He nodded his head. "Thank you, fledglings."

Lovitar's haunches had barely touched the surface of the glacier before Ukko and the other four elders leapt from the ridge and glided down onto the ice. As he landed, the elder spoke again. "Name the three Alpha species, and their patrons in the Trinity."

Lovitar jerked his exhausted limbs into a formal posture - the test wasn't over yet. "Of course, Elder," he answered. "There are the Bewilderbeast, patrons of Ülgen the Wise; the Red Deaths, scions of of Koyash the Passionate; and, of course, ourselves, the Night Furies, patrons of Yilbegän, the Five-who-are-one."

Ukko nodded. "Thank you."

One of the other elders spoke up. "What is our mission as Night Furies?"

This time, Kaira replied. "We continue Yilbegän's work: protecting the common dragons from being exploited by their Alphas, and maintaining the balance of power between Ülgen and Koyash's children. As Zarlith said;'To guide and protect; never to rule'."

"And how do we accomplish this mission?"

"By sending soul-bound pairs out across the world, to visit far-flung nests and arbitrate in disagreements between the dragons and their alphas, and to memorise the state of the world, so it can be recorded in the Firelight Archives."

"And what is the purpose of the soul-bond, Fledgling? Our kind are not so numerous that we can spare two dragons for every nest we know of; would it not be more efficient to send a single Fury?"

This time, Lovitar answered. "The reasons are many, Elder. We do it to honour Yilbegän, as their five bodies shared the first soul-bond, and also for protection - as a pair of bonded minds are much harder for another Alpha to control than the same two minds apart. And also... "

"That's enough, Lovitar."

Another Elder spoke up. "What is the transmutational value of gold?"

Lovitar blinked at the sudden change in topic. "Six..." Kaira began, scrunching up her muzzle. "...Sixteen and a half!"

The Elder stared back at her, unimpressed.

"I..." Kaira hesitated.

Lovitar stepped in. "...relative to the transmutational value of purified charcoal, Elder."

"What are the seven signs of an approaching thunderstorm?"

The questions went on and on; the Elders testing every aspect of their knowledge - from history, to the theory of flight, and the intricacies of Auric transmutation.

Eventually, Ukko spoke again. "The two of you are assigned as arbitrators to a distant nest. When you arrive, you find that the Alpha is entangled in a dispute with a neighbouring Alpha; two dragons - one from each nest - met on the border between their territories and mated, and now both Alphas claim the eggs resulting from their union. How do you judge this situation?"

"I would speak with the two involved and ask where they want to raise their hatchlings." Kaira answered. Ülgen's silver gaze shone through a rent in the clouds, making Kaira's eyes flash fiercely as she continued. "Then I would tell the Alphas the two are under my protection - in case they get any ideas about not respecting their wishes."

Ukko nodded his head. "And what if the parents don't agree on where the hatchlings should be raised?"

Kaira didn't hesitate. "Then they will stay with their dam. 'On matters of her Hatchlings, a Dam's word is greater than all Alphas'.'"

Ukko turned to Lovitar. "And how would you act, fledgling?"

Lovitar agreed with Kaira's judgement, although he would have spent more time gathering information before coming to a conclusion - but that wasn't the point of Ukko's question. "I trust my partner's judgement, and would support her completely, Elder. If I had any doubts, I would raise them in private, where it wouldn't damage our position."

Ukko dipped his head in acknowledgement and launched into another hypothetical situation, the other Elders dropping in to ask supplementary questions, or add variations to the scenario.

The questioning continued; the only sign of passing time the slow movement of Ülgen's glow as it shone through clouds blacker than Lovitar's scales.

In the middle of a complex scenario involving a murder and two suspects with inconclusive evidence against them, Ukko turned to Lovitar and asked "What are your partner's strongest traits?"

"I..." Lovitar blinked, trying to disentangle his thoughts from the convoluted mystery. "Her ferocity, Elder. And her determination; she doesn't hesitate to act, and won't let anyone dissuade her from what she thinks is right."

Ukko hummed thoughtfully. "And what about you, Kaira? What are your partner's strongest traits?"

"His mind; he's the smartest Fury I know." Lovitar felt his ear-fins heat at her praise. "Not just because he can remember dates and formulas and things like that, but the way he can read situations, and see things from angles I hadn't even considered."

"Interesting," Ukko hummed again. "Lovitar, you praised your partner's decisiveness, while you, Kaira, praised your partner's thoughtfulness. How do you reconcile these conflicting strengths?"

"With respect, Elder," Lovitar began, "I disagree. Our strengths don't conflict; they complement each other." He glanced over at Kaira. "She keeps me from being paralysed over-analysing a situation and forces me to act."

"... And_he_ -" Kaira flicked her tail against his flank. "- stops me from jumping in with four paws without thinking."

"Well said, fledglings." Ukko looked to the other elders. "I think that brings an end to our questions, and to your assessment."

Lovitar mantled his wings and bowed formally. A heartbeat later, Kaira did likewise.

"Thank you, Elders."

Ukko acknowledged their bow with a bob of his head then took a step back to confer with the elders in hushed tones.

Kaira leaned in close to Lovitar. "Do you think we passed?" she whispered. "I was a quarter wing-length behind you in that double-loop, and-"

"Shh," Lovitar hissed. "They're coming back."

Ukko stopped before them, sat back on his haunches, and rose to his full height, adopting a regal posture. He kept his muzzle grim, but Lovitar could see the happiness sparkling in his eyes.

"Congratulations fledglings; you have passed. The Augurs tell me that tomorrow will have clear skies and strong Aurlós; your bonding flight will take place at midnight."

Lovitar was barely cognisant of the next few moments, the other elders stepped forward to offer their congratulations,while emotions whirled within him; excitement and relief that the seasons of training and study had paid off, but also nervousness - from the next night onwards, he would forever share his life with Kaira.

With a final instruction from Ukko to celebrate their hard-earned success, but to ensure they rested well in preparation for their flight, the elders departed, leaving the two of them alone on the training field.

As soon as they were gone, Kaira tipped her head back and let out a triumphant roar that echoed down the valley. "We did it!" she crowed, bouncing between her front and hind paws in excitement.

Lovitar chuckled nervously. "I still don't believe it, but yes; we did it."

"Thanks for the save on that transmutation question," Kaira said, settling down and turning to face him. "I knew the answer, but my mind went blank."

Lovitar flicked his tail dismissively. "Don't worry about it; we're partners."

"And you," he continued. "Where did those Zarlith quotes come from? You've never been one for reciting_The Tales_."

Kaira shuffled her wings in a shrug. "All that time I spent helping my dam prepare new lenses for the Archives; something must have sunk in, I guess."

Lovitar hummed in agreement, then fell silent. For a time, the only sounds were the whistling of wind down the valley, and the distant crashing of the glacier as it flowed into the sea.

"We did it," he repeated. "But what happens next?"

"We make our bonding flight tomorrow." Kaira answered. "And then we'll probably be assigned to shadow a more experienced pair for a season or two before we get a nest of our own to look after."

"Not that. I mean, what happens to us? After tomorrow we'll be... connected."

Kaira snorted. "Not getting second thoughts are we? Worried what I'll think when I see all the dirty thoughts you keep locked up in that head of yours?"

Lovitar growled playfully. Teasing was her way of letting him know she was nervous too. "I'm more worried what I'll get from you," he shot back. "Your mind is enough to mentally scar a Red Death."

Kaira chuckled, although the mirth didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Speaking of getting cold paws," she said, standing up. "It's getting late; time we got off this ice sheet."

This far into Winter, the sun wouldn't rise for at least a dozen more days, but she had a point; 'dawn' could only be a few hours away.

"That was bad," Lovitar groaned, "even for you."

She looked back at him as she spread her wings. "It stopped you from worrying for a moment, didn't it?" Her muscles tensed, and then she was gone, leaving a cloud of disturbed snowflakes in her wake.

Chuckling despite himself, Lovitar spread his wings and leapt after her. A few flaps later, they alighted on the ridge, before the tunnel that connected the training field to the rest of the nest.

Kaira lead the way. His vision distorted for a moment as she entered the passageway; light flashing before his eyes as she let out her sensing roar. Lovitar followed, though he knew the path almost as well as his own scales, he habitually cracked open his jaw, his own sound-sight painting the walls in phantom light.

They padded together in silence, the cold stone beneath their paws warming as they approached the living area. Eventually, they came to a junction in the tunnel. Lovitar cut off his sound-sight as Kaira turned to face him.

In the darkness, she pressed her muzzle against his. "See you tomorrow, Lovi."

"You too, Kaira," he whispered.

Lovitar listened to the clicks of her claws against the stone recede into the darkness, then at last, turned and headed for home.

---

Lovitar pushed through the thick curtain of furs separating his nest from the corridor outside, and paused, taking in the scene.

This is the last time I'll sleep here, he thought. After their bonding flight, he and Kaira would be assigned a new nest with the other working pairs in the capital.

Like all but the oldest chambers beneath the mountain, the cave he called home had been formed by the Aür; the walls perfectly smooth, bearing no marks of claw or tool. A constellation of tiny crystalline deposits in the rock glittered in the light from the fire at the center of the room.

His parents - seated in their nest at the far end of the chamber - looked up as he entered.

"Well?" His dam asked, "How did it go?"

"We passed," Lovitar answered, padding over to his own nest - a bowl-shaped depression formed into the floor, lined with more furs - and settling down.

"Congratulations!" his dam exclaimed, ear-fins standing straight up in excitement. She jumped to her feet and bounded over to him, pressing her muzzle to his shoulder with a warm purr.

"We knew you could do it, son," his sire said, following his mate.

His dam paused her nuzzling long enough to ask "When...?"

"Tomorrow night."

"So soon..." his dam murmured, switching from nuzzling his shoulder, to running her tongue over his neck and back.

Lovitar let out a long sigh as his strained muscles relaxed. His sire lay down beside him, and he raised his head to groom the older male.

"You don't seem too happy about it..." his dam observed.

"... what's wrong?" her mate finished.

Lovitar was silent for a while, staring into the fire, watching the blocks of transmuted fuel slowly disintegrate. They didn't need the flames for warmth - the heat of the earth that rose beneath the mountain repelled the chill of the northern air - however the light revealed things that mere sound-sight could not, and it meant that one could talk without blinding oneself.

"I'm nervous," he admitted at last. "I've known Kaira for seasons, but this is still a big step... I don't want it to change things between us."

His sire snorted in amusement. "If that was your goal, you shouldn't have agreed to become her bond-mate."

His dam's tail whistled through the air as she swatted her mate's flank. "Hush, love," she chuckled, then her voice turned serious. "Do you trust her, Lovi?"

"With my life."

"And does she trust you the same way?" his sire asked.

"Of course."

"Then what is there for you to be worried about?"

"As you said, you've known each other for seasons," his dam continued.

"Have things been the same between you for all that time?"

"No..."

"But, you had faith in each other and worked through it together, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"Do you have any reason to believe this change will be any different?" His dam asked.

"...No."

"So," his sire concluded, "Is there anything for you to be worried about?"

"I..."Was it really that simple? "No, I guess not," he admitted, feeling rather silly.

"It's okay to be nervous, Lovi," his dam purred. "The fact that you're worrying about damaging your relationship shows that you care for her." She extended a wing over his back, and was quiet for a moment. "It's going to be lonely not having you here."

"What will you do?" Lovitar asked. "Will you go back to being a working pair?"

"I don't know, maybe." With a sly glance at her mate, she added. "Depends if the loneliness gets to us, and your sire ends up putting another egg in me."

Lovitar screwed up his muzzle - he knew where hatchlings came from, but he didn't need to imagine_that!_

His sire chuckled evilly. "What's the matter, son? Don't want to think about me mounting your dam, taking her neck between my jaws and..."

Lovitar clamped his paws over his ears. "No! Stop!Please!"

The desperation of his cries caused his dam to burst out laughing, closely followed by her mate, and a few breaths later, by Lovitar.

"Thanks," he gasped. "I think I needed that, not,you know, but the relea- no, wait, that sounds worse - I mean..."

His dam failed to hold back her giggles with an explosive snort, setting the three of them off again.

Eventually, they calmed down, and lapsed into silence. Lovitar watched as the smoke from the fire drifted up to the domed ceiling, where it was funneled into a warren of narrow passageways that carried smoke out of the mountain and brought fresh air in.

A thought suddenly occurred to Lovitar. "How did you become mates?" he asked his parents. "I mean, you're soul-bonded and..."

"Why? Hoping you and Kaira will...?"

"Trinity, no!" Lovitar exclaimed, ear-fins burning. "She's like a sister to me!"

"Someone else then?" His sire asked.

"No, nothing like that." He'd barely had chance to meet another Fury socially since he and Kaira had started training. "I'm just curious, I guess."

"It didn't happen immediately for your sire and me," His dam began, gazing lovingly at her mate. "Although I think we both knew as soon as we bonded that we'd end up sharing everything, including our bodies, it just... took us a while to get there."

"But we got there eventually, didn't we, love?" his sire asked, a slight growl creeping into his voice.

His dam shivered, an unconscious purr rumbling in her chest. She fixed Lovitar with a serious stare. "The bond is unpredictable, Lovitar. Sometimes, the pairs you would bet your last fish on becoming mates never do, while the most unlikely couples do. Don't carry anything into the bond other than your trust for your partner, and take whatever happens or doesn't happen with an open mind; everything else you can work through together."

His sire hummed in agreement. "Couldn't have put it better myself, love."

His dam shuffled uncomfortably. "Now, can we please talk about something else? Otherwise you're definitely getting a younger sibling, Lovitar."

Lovi moaned despairingly, hiding his face behind a pair of spread tailfins.

His parents chuckled, and the three of them spent the rest of the morning talking of inconsequential things, until, at last Lovitar's exhaustion overcame his nerves, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

---

Four pairs of eyes looked up as Kaira stepped through the curtain into her family's cave: Her sire and dam, grooming each other in their nest; her little brother, and her_other_ sire were playing together next to the entrance.

"Ky, you're back!" the hatchling exclaimed, his eyes going wide and ear-fins standing upright.

Kaira braced herself as her brother abandoned his pursuit of his sire's tail and leapt towards her. He spread his small wings mid-leap and flapped, sailing across the room and landing heavily between her wing-shoulders.

"Careful, Irshi," Ahkko warned, from where he lay beside their dam, Nykkiri. "You're getting too big to jump onto dragons like that."

Kaira felt him shift on her back, then the view from her right eye was obscured by a fuzzy black mass as her brother leaned over her neck to look her in the eye.

"Did you see sis? I flew!"

"Yes, I did," she purred. "You're getting better at that, Ishi." She eyed the distance to where he'd been playing with Azymith. "What was that, two adult body lengths?"

"About that, yes," Azymith agreed, padding over to her. He glanced over at his bond-partner; unspoken communication passing between the two males. "Come on, Irshi," he said, leaning in to lift the hatchling from her back. "Playtime's over."

"Aww!" her brother complained, his claws digging into her scales. "But Ky just got back!"

"We need to talk to Kaira," their dam said, "You can listen as long as you promise to behave. Can you do that, Irshi?"

"Yes I can! I promise!" His weight shifted as he bobbed his head eagerly, then went limp as Azymith lifted him by the scruff of the neck.

Azymith carried her brother to his nest, wordlessly changing places with his bond-partner, dropping their hatchling into his dam's waiting paws.

Kaira took the opportunity to retreat to her own nest, letting out a soft sigh as she relaxed her exhausted limbs. "So, out with it," Ahkko, said, settling down beside her and leaning in to groom her flank. "Did you pass?"

She hummed pleasurably as her sire worked; his tongue applying enough pressure that his grooming was equal parts bath and massage. Of course, only one of the two males could_technically_ be her and Irshi's sire, but they both loved Nykkiri equally, and considered her hatchlings_'theirs'_- such was the nature of soul-bonds, that when one partner was in a relationship, it was almost impossible for the other to not become_involved._As far as Kaira was concerned, dragons like Lovitar, who only had two parents, were missing out.

"Kaira?" Ahkko asked. "You still there?"

"Yeah," she replied. "We passed, the bonding flight's tomorrow."

"Well done!" Ahkko purred deeply.

"Not that we had any doubt you and Lovitar would pass," Azymith added.

"Of course not." Purring gratefully, she rested her head on her paws. Tiredness made her limbs feel like they had rocks in them, but she had a feeling her mind wouldn't let her sleep for a long time.

"Irshi," their dam began, looking down at the hatchling in her paws. "Do you know what's going to happen to Kaira tomorrow?" Apparently she had decided this was a good opportunity for a teaching moment.

"She's going to get bonded?"

"Well done!" Azymith praised, leaning in to run his tongue from the hatchling's muzzle, up between his eyes, finishing at the back of his head.

"Ewww!" Irshi complained, flailing his paws at his nose, ineffectually trying to reach the trail of saliva covering his crown.

"Irshi," Azymith said seriously, lowering his head so he was at the hatchling's eye-level. "Is there anything you want to know? You remember what we always say?"

"There's no such thing as a silly question," he repeated dutifully.

"So?" Azymith prompted, "Ask me something."

Her brother screwed up his muzzle thoughtfully. "Will Lovi come and live with us after he's bonded to Ky?"

"No," their dam replied. "Lovitar and Kaira will get their own nest together after the ceremony."

Her little brother's eyes went wide. "I won't get any more snuggles or nose rubs?!"

Kaira stifled her amused snort at the abject_terror_ on Irshi's face - she might be nearly as big as her sires now, but they wouldn't hesitate to give her a tail-slap if she laughed during this 'game'. Raising her head from her paws, she answered. "I won't be able to give you them as often, Ishi, but as long as we're here, you can come visit us whenever you like."

"I will!" he chirped, fear instantly forgotten. "I'll visit you every night!"

"Remember to announce yourself and wait to be invited in." their dam added. "Big dragons don't go charging into another dragon's nest uninvited, even if they're family."

Irshi was silent for a moment as he thought. "What's it like being bonded?"

Ahkko looked over at his bond-partner, amusement sparking in his eyes. "They never ask easy questions, do they?"

"Only the question our greatest poets have struggled with since the days of Yilbegän themselves!" Nykkiri added.

Azymith took a deep breath in, gazing down at Irshi. "It's more than just sharing emotions or physical feelings with your partner... It's more than love, at least in the way unbonded dragons experience it."

Irshi's eyes widened, as he looked from Azymith to his mate and back.

Nykkiri chuckled warmly. "Don't panic hatchling; your sires and I love each other very much, but the bond means that they will always be first in each other's thoughts, they can't help it; it's the way their minds work."

Azymith curled his tail affectionately around his mate's before continuing. "The bond, it's a sense of belonging; that out of all the possible places in the universe you could be, the right place for you is beside your partner."

"It's also devotion and trust," Ahkko added. "It's knowing that you would do anything for your partner, and the unequivocal knowledge that they would do the same for you."

Irshi tilted his head, one ear-fin raised. "Un-hek-with-oh-kal?"

"Unequivocal," Nykkiri repeated, "It means 'something you know for certain; without a doubt'."

Irshi nodded, repeating the word under his breath a few times, before looking up at his sire. "So, bond-pairs never have arguments?"

Azymith snorted. "No, we're still dragons, my dear; we have our own thoughts, and they don't always agree. When that happens, we work it out like anybody else."

"But," Ahkko continued, "Our arguments don't last long and rarely end in lasting hurt. While I might feel like tearing his tail-fin off in the moment, all I have to is remember is the bond and I know that we both want the best for us; then we calm down and work it out together."

"We have to," his bond-partner chuckled. "We're stuck together for life."

Kaira sighed softly, settling deeper into her nest as a tension she didn't realise she was carrying unwound in her chest. "Thanks," she murmured; she had a feeling her sires' words weren't just for Irshi.

Ahkko simply purred, lightly caressing her spinal ridge with his tail fins.

Kaira opened her jaws to speak, but all that emerged was a huge yawn.

"I think we're going to have to end question time there, Irshi; your sister can barely stay awake."

"Okay," he replied, wriggiling into position, snuggled between Azymith and their dam. "Good day, Ky!"

"Sleep well, Ishi."

By the time Ahkko extinguished the central fire and settled down beside his mate and bond-partner, Kaira was fast asleep.

---

Elder Ukko stopped just before the mouth of the tunnel. "Fledgling Lovitar," he began, "Do you understand what is required of you in this ceremony?"

Lovitar bowed his head. "Yes, Elder."

"And do you understand that if you complete this ceremony you will be permanently and irrevocably bonded to your partner from this day, until the day you die?"

"I understand."

Ukko dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Very well, as First of the Council of Five, I give you my word that what you say next will be held in strictest confidence and that whatever you say, you will not face any punishment. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Then, knowing and understanding what the bonding flight entails do you, Lovitar, wish to be bonded to Kaira?"

Elsewhere in the mountain, another Elder would be asking her the same questions. Though they had chosen to become bond-partners seasons ago, the law required that they affirm their decision in private before the ceremony.

Lovitar drew in a deep breath. It was such a small thing; a few simple words would change the course of his life forever. The breath caught in his throat as the expanse of his future yawned before him. He thought of Kaira; the seasons of training and study they'd been through to reach this point had been hard, but whenever he'd felt like giving up, she had been there to support him.

We can make it work.Together.

"I do." he declared.

"Thank you, fledgling. Now, please, follow me." Ukko lead the way out, onto the practice field. The surface of the glacier seemed to almost glow in the emerald light of the Aurlós.

A group of half a dozen dragons were stood in the center of the field - other fledglings also bonding this night - and a short distance away stood the other four members of the Council.

Lovitar exchanged brief nods with the other soon-to-be-pairs as he made his way over to a seventh dragon stood slightly apart from them.

"Are you ready?" he asked her.

"Are you?" Kaira whispered. "Just because you're the only one I'd let catch me, doesn't mean I'll make it easy." As she stepped past him to take up position in the line she swished her tail in a way that_just happened_ to flash him a view of her hindquarters.

Lovitar's ear-fins burned. She couldn't mean_that,_could she?

He didn't have time to think on it any further as Ukko cleared his throat, and he hurried into position beside Kaira as the Elder began to speak.

"Children of Yilbegän," he addressed both them, and the families watching from the ridge. "We have gathered here tonight to witness the metamorphosis of these young Furies. They stand before us now as fledglings, individuals, but when they next set paw upon this ice, not only will they be adults, they will be bond-partners; two minds, two bodies, joined as one by the ancient power passed down from sire and dam to hatchling since the days of the Five.

"This is a joyous day, but it is also one tinged with sadness; as, at this moment, these fledglings are blessed with the innocence of youth, but when they return they will carry the weight of our duty; to keep the balance between the descendendants of Koyash and Ülgen, lest either's unchecked influence doom our world, and to defend the common dragons from exploitation by those who would rule them."

Ukko's gaze swept over the line before him. "Fledglings, do you swear to always act with honour and responsibility deserving of your position?"

"Yes!" they chorused.

"Then; may you love your partner with Koyash's passion, counsel them with Ülgen's wisdom, and defend them with Yilbegän's fury."

Lovitar spread his wings, muscles tensing in anticipation.

"Fly, Children of the Five!"

Lovitar took off like a lightning bolt. His legs pushed the ground away and his wings drove downwards with the force of a thunderclap. The sound of rushing wind met his ears a heartbeat later as Kaira followed him into the sky.

The air above the glacier was chaotic; stirred by the beating of a dozen wings and the clamour of shouts and cheers from the ground. Like a great whale breaking through the sea ice, Lovitar and Kaira rose through it. Soon, the voices were lost far below, and the air around them stilled as each pair followed their own ascent path.

Lovitar pushed his worries to the back of his mind, focusing on the pace of his wing beats and breathing, sparing only an occasional glance to check Kaira's position - they had rehearsed this flight a hundred times, and though she was more muscular, his thinner body tugged at the air less with each flap, so they tired at almost exactly the same rate.

Lovitar felt an unnatural calm creeping over him, and he quickened his breathing, adjusting the angle of his wings to compensate for the thinning air. At the same time he opened his mind, reaching out to the Trinity's Fire - the Aurlós - trapped in brilliant curtains above them.

Light washed through him, refilling energy stores used up in their assessment. Beside him Kaira began to glow with a subtle emerald light as she drew in energy. Her eyes sparkled, reflecting both the Aurlós and his own icy blue radiance.

Up and up they went, their breathing quickening while their wings slowed and ascent angle reduced. Below them, their mountain nest shrunk to tiny grey speck on the vast white expanse of their kind's home - the largest island in the north.

Still, they continued to climb, the energy flowing into them growing with every flap. By now, their wings beat almost lazily, while their lungs strained in thin, icy air, and their muzzles hovered barely a tail-width above horizontal. Far below, to the south, a faint blue arc traced the curvature of the world. Their tutors said it was the sun shining through the thicker air close to the ground, but Lovitar liked to think it was the Great Protector, shielding the world from the cosmic Forces that would tear it apart.

At last, Lovitar's wings could beat no more, and he stilled, gliding wingtip-to-wingtip with Kaira in perfect silence - the air too thin to even carry sound to their ears.

It was time.

Lovitar closed his eyes and focused. Not on the lights above, but on the Fury beside him. His heartbeat quickened and he felt a chill that had nothing to do with the icy air; he had only made contact with another mind once before, with the Elder who had taught him to resist an Alpha's control.

Then his mental probe brushed Kaira's mind and met no resistance. At the same time, his breath caught as he felt her reach for his thoughts. For an instant he tried to shield himself, then a wave of calm washed over him. With the calmness, came words.

Relax, Lovi. It's me, Kaira, you know I'd never hurt you.

Lovitar felt his tension slip away as their connection blossomed_._ Incomplete fragments of thought flashed before his mental eye, but he resisted the urge to chase them, instead spreading his awareness through as much of her mind as he could; sinking down past her conscious thought, through her memories, towards the core of her being.

Meanwhile, he felt her amongst his thoughts; her own murmuring in his head like a conversation just out of earshot.

Further they fell into each other's minds. Lovitar remembered snuggling beneath her dam's wing as she recounted the Tales of the Five, while she rollicked around his home-cave pouncing after his sire's tail.

Eventually they could go no deeper. Behind his eyes Lovitar beheld a brilliant point of emerald light; the source of her Aür. A shiver went through them as she brushed against his spark.

A hesitant thought entered his mind, but as soon as he was aware of it, he felt her answer wordlessly;Yes, we're ready.

Exhaling in his last breath as an individual, Lovitar took hold of all of the power flowing through him and plunged into the emerald star in his mind, uniting their lights.

His eyes shot open as the universe rearranged itself around him.

He gazed into Kaira's eye - just two wing-lengths away - as power flowed not just into them, but_between_ them, joining them; bonding them for all eternity. No longer would they be truly alone; there would always be one who understood, who felt with them.

Lovitar knew in that moment, with a deep sense of_rightness,_that she had just become the most precious thing in his life; he would do anything, make any sacrifice, even lay down his life, if it was for her. And with that same instinctive certainty, he knew she felt the same.

The wind shifted slightly, disturbing Kaira's flight. Without thinking, Lovitar adjusted his tail, holding position alongside her as if their wings were joined. Amusement radiated from Kaira and she began to bank. Effortlessly, Lovitar turned with her, wingtip-to-wingtip.

Kaira's feelings turned to wonder and joy as she lead them into another turn. Thoughts and memories flowed between them; they experienced all of each others fears and doubts from the last days, and washed them away in their unshakable confidence in their new-found partner.

All the while, they danced in slow, exquisite synchronicity, betwixt sheets of heavenly fire.

---

Lovitar couldn't say how long they spent on that first flight - it felt both like an eternity and not enough time; their souls entwining as their bodies wove intricate patterns through the night sky. Eventually, the flow of feelings between them waned, and once more, Lovitar was solely aware of his own body, though a thin thread of connection remained between them, radiating elation and deep satisfaction.

By unspoken consent they spiraled back down towards the training field.

The air felt thick in Lovitar's lungs as he flared his wings for landing. A sudden bout of lightheadedness hit him as his paws touched the ice, and he stumbled, narrowly avoiding falling flat on his face. Belatedly, he remembered to regulate his breathing until his body readjusted to the richer air.

The familiar surroundings of the training field brought the dreamlike unreality of their flight crashing down on him. Overwhelmed, he instinctively sort comfort, pressing his muzzle against his partner's shoulder and breathing deep of her scent. She was there. They were together. It had actually happened.

"We did it," he murmured into her scales.

"We did," she agreed in an overawed whisper. "I'm yours, Lovi."

The Kaira he knew would never have made such an admission, but Lovitar_knew_, deep in the core of his being, that she spoke from the heart.

"And I'm yours, Ky," he confessed. They belonged to each other - how could they not, when their worlds revolved around their partner?

They stood their for some time, taking solace from the emotional storm in the other's presence.

Eventually an impatient chirp reached their ears and they broke apart - though Lovitar couldn't help extending a wing to brush her flank as he turned.

A worried hatchling stood a wing-length away. He looked back at their families, waiting at a respectful distance. "What's wrong with her?" Irshi asked. "Why doesn't she know me?"

Lovitar lowered his head to nuzzle the little dragon's head. "Of course she recognises you, Ishi, She's - we're - just a little overwhelmed at the moment."

"Irshi!" he squeaked indignantly, swatting Lovitar's nose. "Only Ky's allowed to call me Ishi!"

"Sorry, I..." Where had that come from? He'd always called Ky's brother Irshi, yet the pet-name had come to his lips without him even thinking.

"It's the bond."

Lovitar looked up to see his parents and Kaira's sires watching them with a knowing twinkle in their eyes.

"You'll find yourself remembering things about your partner that you never knew before, as your mind pulls the information from the bond." Azymith explained. "It should settle down in a few days."

"Thanks, s-" Lovitar caught himself before he said 'sire'. "I-mean, Azymith, sir."

Azymith chuckled, while Ahkko answered. "You're our eldest's bond-partner, Lovitar, you can call us 'sire' if you like; we won't be offended."

"The same goes for you, Kaira," Lovitar's sire added. "We're all family now."

"You hear that, Ishi?" Kara said - her flank brushing his as she stood beside him. "Lovi is your big brother now, so you'll have to put up with him calling you 'Ishi'."

The hatchling screwed up his face for a moment. "Fine."

Lovitar put on his best 'serious' face. "I promise not to abuse this power." After a pause he added. "Ishi."

Irshi's ear-fins twitched, and he turned his back on them in mock-disgust.

"Thanks for dealing with him," Kaira murmured. "I needed a moment to recentre after..." she trailed off, gesturing skyward.

Lovitar had to resist the urge to melt into a puddle of purring goo as she tenderly licked his neck.

"I know how you feel," he replied, leaning in to return the favour. "Literally." Then his tongue met her scales and they were lost to the world.

"Ahem."

Lovitar blinked his eyes open - when had he closed them? - and pulled his head back from Kaira. "What was that?" he asked breathlessly. "We've groomed each other before, but it was never...that."

"All newly bonded pairs are rather contact-focused at first, it will pass."

Lovitar started, remembering they had an audience. "How long were we...?"

"Only a few minutes," his sire answered.

If his ear fins burned any hotter, Lovitar thought they would catch fire.

"Stop teasing them, love," his dam said, swatting her mate's flank. "It's not like we were any better." She nodded to both him and Kaira. "Congratulations, both of you. The elders said you've been assigned to the second wing, seventh level, room ten. We can talk more once you've had time to get to know each other."

Bidding a hasty farewell to their families, Lovitar and Kaira leapt up to the ridge. As soon as they touched down, Kaira flicked him playfully with her tail and bounded into the tunnel. A heartbeat later, their flanks brushed again as Lovitar caught up, matching stride with her. Kaira let out her sensing roar as they plunged into the darkness.

The walls of the tunnel were suddenly revealed in colourless light.

Lovitar skidded to a halt in shock. The vision vanished as Kaira stopped a few paces ahead.

"What's wrong?"

"I... Watch this." He let out his own sense-roar. In his sound-sight he saw Kaira jerk in surprise.

"Huh, so we can share sound-sight. I'm sure that will prove useful. Now, come on!" She spun about - flicking his nose with her tail as she did - and took off at a run.

A few bounds later, Lovitar caught up again, returning the favour with a swish of his tail. As they wound their way through the mountain, he found it increasingly difficult to stay apart from her, and every few steps they were leaning in to brush flanks, or extending a wing to touch the other's shoulder.

At first, Lovitar thought it a minor miracle that they made it so far without tripping over each other, but then he realised it went deeper than that; he could instinctively sense the position of her body, and knew when to dart in for a moment's contact without breaking her stride.

He heard her breathlessly counting as they bounded down the final passage. "Seven... eight... nine... ten!" With a sudden cry, she darted through an opening, their nest's entrance-curtain flapping in her wake.

Lovitar followed, barely sparing the chamber a glance, before joining his partner in their nest-bowl.

As soon as his belly touched the furs, a tail coiled tightly around his, and warm scales pressed against his. "That's better," Kaira purred, her tongue gliding over his shoulder.

"Mhmm," Lovitar agreed, lowering his head to the first patch of scales he encountered.

The urge to show affection for his bond-partner became too strong for words, and they pressed tighter together, alternating between tender grooming, and simply nuzzling deep, blissful purrs into the other's scales.

"We did it," Lovitar mumbled as he traced her spinal ridges with his muzzle

"You keep saying that," she observed, flicking the tip of his ear-fin with her tongue.

"I know, I still don't quite believe it, you're..." He trailed off, covering her with an extended wing and pulling her closer.

"I'm yours," she finished, twisting sinously beneath his wing. "And you're_mine,_ Lovi." Somehow she managed to turn to face him without breaking contact. "Don't you ever forget that."

"I won't," he replied, gently running the tips of his claws down her flank, "I promise."

"Good," she purred, her voice vibrating the soft flesh of his throat.

In the darkness, Lovitar followed her scales until his nose met the curve of her neck, there, his tongue flicked out caressing the sensitive skin. Kaira's purring deepened and she pressed closer to him, lavishing his throat with firmer licks. Lovitar couldn't help but reciprocate, pulling them belly-to-belly as he pressed his muzzle into her scales.

Lovitar realised that at some point his purrs had become deep growls, but he couldn't bring himself to care, as her legs were wrapped around him now, holding them together, as her tongue wandered over his face and neck. He rumbled his approval and adoration as he caressed the sensitive tips of her tail-fins with his own, sending a shudder through their bodies.

Then her gums clenched around his throat and they froze.

"Ky!" Lovitar gasped - her 'bite' causing an immediate reaction between his hind legs. "What are we doing?!"

"Something we should have done long ago," she purred into his ear. She pulled away - barely a tail-width, but as close as they were it felt like a day's flight. "Unless you want to stop?"

"I..." Lovitar tried to think through the pleasurable haze. No light penetrated their nest, yet he could see her in his mind's eye; beautiful, fierce Kaira; his friend for almost as long as he could remember, entwined with him, first in mind, then in body - as close as two dragons could be.

Well;

Almost as close as they could be.

"No," he breathed. "Don't stop."

Kaira purred deeply, and rolled onto her back, pulling him atop her. Then, there truly was nothing between them.

---

Sometime later, the two of them relaxed in their nest, their mutual lust sated enough that they were content to simply lay together - her larger form coiled around his smaller one, a forepaw curled posessively across his chest. Lovitar didn't know how long they mated - not that it mattered, anyway - all that mattered was showing his love and adoration for his bond-mate in the most intimate way possible.

Taking a deep breath, Lovitar wriggled out of Kaira's grasp. He located the central fire with a flash of sound-sight, then lit it with a small blast. As the flames took hold he turned back to his bond-partner. "Kaira, we need to talk."

"Okay." She flipped onto her stomach, her posture going from languid to attentive in the blink of an eye. The phrase was hackneyed, but it had been drilled into both of them; although the bond made it feel like nothing needed to be said, the key to a successful partnership was communication.

"About what just happened," she continued. It wasn't a question. "About_us_."

"I..." Lovitar felt her eyes on him as he struggled to fit words to his thoughts.

"Take your time," she murmured.

He took a slow, calming breath. "It...you surprised me. I didn't think I felt_that way_ about you."

"Did you enjoy it?"

Lovitar felt the tips of his ear-fins heat. He chuckled nervously. "I thought that was pretty obvious."

"Say it out loud, please."

His ear fins burned hotter. "Yes, I enjoyed it. Very much."

"Do you-" her voice broke, and for an instant Lovitar felt the fear and uncertainty she was holding back. "Do you regret what happened?"

"Did you enjoy it too?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then, no," He said with a great exhale. He stepped to her side and covered her with a wing. "You're my bond-partner Kaira; as long as it pleased you, I don't regret it."

Her sense of relief was palpable; she sagged against him, nuzzling his shoulder with an appreciative hum.

"So," she purred, her muzzle sliding from his shoulder up his neck. "Now that we've established you don't regret the first time..." She nibbled his jaw-nubs playfully. "How do you feel about a second?"

"Stop that," he growled, half-seriously, tossing his head to swat her with his ear-fins. "We're still talking.

"You said earlier; 'Something we should have done a long time ago'" he continued, trying to ignore the reaction her teasing caused. "Did you have...thoughts about me before today?"

"What? Of course I did!" Seeing his confused expression she let out a bark of laughter. "You really have no idea, do you?"

Lovitar blinked. "What?"

"You!" she exclaimed. "You're smart, kind, and just as strong as the other males, but you don't act like you're Koyash's gift to females; most of my friends had a thing for you at some point."

"Really?!"

"Yup," she coiled her tail tightly around his. "But they can't have you; you're_mine._"

Lovitar purred in agreement, snaking his head towards her, intending to nuzzle the sensitive skin beneath her jaw, but she pulled back out of his reach.

"Still talking, remember?" she teased. "Anyway, I don't think you've been completely honest with me."

Lovitar tilted his head in confusion.

"You said you never thought about me_that way_ before, but I know you're a hot-blooded_virile_ male. So...?"

Lovitar stared at her, his jaws opened and closed but no sound came out. She knew the intricacies of his soul; he couldn't lie to her. "Trinity, Ky," he breathed, "How could I not have feelings for you? You're..._you._Beautiful and fierce as Zarlith herself."

"Flatterer," She purred. "So, all that time we were alone together training, why didn't you make a move?"

"We were still fledglings," he began, "It wasn't..."

Kaira flashed him a look that said, you know that isn't a real answer.

"Fine," Lovitar sighed. "I told myself that I didn't feel that way about you, because..." She pressed herself against his side, humming wordless encouragement; she was his bond-mate, she wouldn't judge him. "I was scared," he admitted. "It was easier to pretend I didn't have feelings for you, than to risk you rejecting me, or worse, damaging our friendship."

He tightened his wing across her back; with her beside him, where she -they - belonged, those fears felt like they came from another life.

"What about you?" He asked eventually. "You know I wouldn't've said 'no' if you'd asked, so...?"

"The same reasons, actually," she replied. "I was more honest with my feelings, but you're one of my oldest friends; it felt wrong to risk that over something as trivial as mating. But after the bond, I... we..."

"... couldn't stop ourselves." Lovitar finished.

"Exactly," she purred. "So, we both had feelings for each other, but didn't want to risk our friendship by acting on them, but once we bonded, we couldn't hold them back any more. Now that it's happened, we both enjoyed ourselves, and don't regret it, so there's no harm done; is that okay, Lovi?"

"Yes," he hummed contentedly. "I can live with that."

"If we're done talking," she murmured into his neck-scales. "You didn't answer my question."

He screwed up his muzzle, going over their conversation in his head.

"I asked how you felt about a second time," she purred, punctuating her statement with another nibble on his jaw-nubs.

This time, Lovitar didn't stifle the heated growl that rose in his throat.

In the blink of an eye, Lovitar found himself shoved onto his back in their fur-lined nest.

"Wait!" he gasped as she climbed atop him. "What about-?"

"Hatchlings?" she finished. "I love you Lovi, but we're not ready for that yet." He had no arguments there. "Don't worry about it."

He felt a sudden stab of concern. "But I-"

She sighed softly, getting off, and settling down beside him. "You remember when they taught us how to deal with poisons?"

Lovitar nodded absently; A pack of Speed Stingers shared the mountain with them - their venom was prised for its medicinal properties and as a relatively harmless way to train fledglings in using the Aür to break down toxins in their body. "What does that have to do with-?"

"Well, those techniques work just as well on_other_ substances."

He blinked in confusion "Other sub-?" His gaze darted to her hindquarters. "Ohhh..."

"Yup!" she chirped. Her gaze took on a predatory cast. "Now, unless you have any more questions, I believe we were..."

"One more thing," Lovitar purred, leaning in to trace the curve of her neck with his tongue.

"I love you too, Ky."

He saw her eye widen as she realised what she'd said, then he rolled her on top of him, and they had more_pressing_ concerns.

---

The End