Orlaith's mouth was full of shiny gems, but these shiny gems were not for her. The tigress has spent a long time collecting gems for a friend she met long ago when she was a cub. The dragon known as Dread. Of course her travel her was a bit awkward, due to the shiny gems she carried in her mouth. She remembered where Dread's den was, so she decided to stay on ground level knowing that it would be difficult. Though she made sure she got as close to Dread's den as possible. Orlaith then let out a first roar so Dread could hear her words from below. "Hey Dread, it's Orlaith! I got you more shinies! Sorry it took so long!" She hoped the dragon wouldn't be upset over the long wait. She dropped the shiny gems from her mouth on the floor next to her paws. Then she waited, hoping he would appear from his den.

@Dread

The call woke him from a drowse, and for a moment he lay there half-asleep wondering if he'd imagined it. At length, Dread hauled himself up--dragging himself to the edge of the rocky ledge and peering suspiciously downward.

He vaguely remembered the cat--though he thought it'd looked somehow different, before, Smaller? It was still tawny and pale, though, and it was still bringing him shinies, and that was fine by him.

Broad, leathery wings spread, and the dragon leapt off the ledge, catching the warm air and circling down. With bass thumps and a sweep of wind he landed, kicking up dust as his claws set down. Then he shook himself, blinking the dust away, a little, the spines along his neck clattering.

"I REMEMBER YOU," he bellowed, and then immediately set to looking over the gemstones.

@Orlaith

Orlaith gave Dread a warm smile as he looked over the gemstones she brought for him. "I'm glad to see that you remember me, Dread. Finding those gemstones was not an easy task. While I'm travelling the caves though I promise to bring more." Dread was her friend after all. Orlaith then realzed that she had grown into an adult, and last she saw him, she was a cub. "I know I may look different from before. I was a child then, but now I'm an adult. How have you been?" The tigress sat down ready to hear how her friend has been. She had seen Dread's den before, and she remembered how she got there. Maybe she was too large to be carried in Dread's claws now. She was grown and had too much dignity to be carried again.

@Dread

The dragon used his hind claws, carefully extended forward with wings spread back, to drag the gemstones back to himself. At Orlaith's explanation of growth, he nodded wisely.

"THAT IS HOW GROWTH WORKS," he agreed. Loudly. At Orlaith's question, he considered.

First, he tried to nod upward at his own head. That did not work, since his head was the bit that nodded, and so after a pause to think, the dragon spoke further. "I have rings, now. Glory made them. Do you know him?" This was more calmly-said, and Dread then tilted his head downward so that the tiger could better see.

Firmly-fit around one of his long and twisting bone-like horns were two gold bands: the first, somewhat rounded, polished to a smooth shine; the second, elegantly-engraved with markings not unlike the patterned glow that flashed over Dread's scales.

It wasn't quite an answer, perhaps, as to how Dread had been, but it was apparently his most important news, nonetheless.

@Orlaith

Orlaith chuckled mentally as Dread spoke on how growth worked. That was one of the things the tigress liked about Dread, he was so loud and was firm in his words. To Orlaith, that was a good thing. Someone who is loud and firm in their words showed confidence and strength. Dread seemed to have a lot of that. Though, she hadn't truly noticed it until now. She looked as Dread tilted his head down to show her his new rings. "They look wonderful Dread! They look very fitting on you." Then Dread mentioned Glory. Ah, so Glory made these for him? Last time she met Glory she learned he was a blacksmith, and he had a forge. Yes, she knew Glory very well. "Yes, I know Glory very well. You speak of the golden eagle correct? He's a blacksmith and has a forge. Glory's a very good friend of mind, and he has quite the talent for making things. Maybe I should visit him sometime. He sure did do a good job on your rings!"

@Dread

Dread listened, quietly. He puzzled, for a moment, over something Orlaith had said--golden eagle? Dread had no way of knowing of the true name of Glory's species. To him, Glory was an eagle, yes, and a bird, but golden? The dragon was (in his own mind) something of an expert on gold, it being his favorite topic and favorite thing in all the world, and Glory most definitely was not golden.

"GLORY IS BROWN," he huffed, and then shook himself. "He is good at making things!"

He eyed the gems over, but Orlaith's flattery had briefly struck him, too, and he lifted his head, tilting and arching his neck, as if showing the golden bands off even more.

"GOOD," he said, at last, as if this had anything to do with anything--and then stared at Orlaith, not knowing what further there was to say.

@Orlaith

Orlaith realized that Dread probably did not know what Glory's species was called. Though now she had dropped off Dread's new gemstones, she decided to take her leave. "Enjoy your gemstones Dread. I'll be sure to bring you more, and I'll try hard to find something more interesting while I'm at it. Maybe a piece of armor if you'd like." With a nod of her head the tiger went off to exit Monoceros. The caves always had secrets and surprises. There was bound to be armor somewhere.

-Exit

@Dread

Dread had just about made up his mind to ask Orlaith if she was hungry--perhaps they could hunt together?--when the tigress spoke of going off to gather him more shinies.

That sounded like a far better idea, to him--shinies trumped everything, except gold--and he at once responded. "There are armors--in the tunnel. THANK YOU." With his thanks sufficiently bellowed, he leaned down to scoop all of the gems into his hind talons. Some escaped, repeatedly, and he had to use his jaws instead to gather them up--but eventually, he managed. By the time he did, though, Orlaith was long gone.

Dread took flight, bringing the gems back toward his collection. It occurred to him then that he should've suggested Glory. Orlaith could bring him things, too, since she knew him--armor and stones to bring back, and work on. But the tiger wasn't here anymore, and Dread's mouth was full of shiny rocks, so he mentally shrugged and then winged his way back up to his den. There would always be a next time.

exit Dread