hands. Jerney was dressed warmly, but without thick furs he could easily get frostbite. Tori headed off to the other side of the fire as they spoke. He started giggling happily a few moments later, so Kam didn't worry.
"I'm using a bit of magic to keep myself warm," Jerney admitted. "And I know you've never hugged a dragon before, but when their internal flame is burning they tend to run a little hot."
"You're using a dragon as your coat?" Kam said with a snort of laughter, remembering the way Tori had clung to Jerney so tightly. There had been something more than warmth in that embrace though, something that showed a deeper connection that, while not sexual, had all the makings of a future relationship blooming.
"Hey, Jerney!" Tori called as he trotted back around the fire. In his arms was an unhappily squirming Runt and one of Runt's brothers. "Can I keep one?"
Before Kam could say anything, Jerney stepped forward and took Runt out of Tori's hands. "Not this one. She's already bonded to Kam. If you want the other one you'll have to ask Lor or Mae first. For now, put him down."
Runt got all four paws underneath her with as much dignity as a puppy with her eyes barely opened could do and toddled quickly to Kam's side, her nose working furiously to locate Kam. She collapsed at Kam's feet with a grunt and a glare in Tori's direction.
"All right," Tori sighed. He gently put the other puppy down, who quickly headed back in the direction of his mother, and reattached himself to Jerney's side. "So, where is this white dragon again?" Tori asked.
The feeling of stubborn curiosity flared again. Kam couldn't stop his grimace and wondered just how Tori's parents managed to keep him in line. Probably with judicious use of Jerney's patience, Kam assumed as Jerney gently cuffed Tori on the side of his head.
"That's not why we're here," Jerney admonished.
Tori pouted, his lower lip jutting invitingly in Jerney's direction. Kam watched as Jerney's face softened in the face of Tori's onslaught. Before Jerney could break down entirely, Kam spoke up.
"It's about a two hour sled ride in that direction," Kam explained as he pointed towards the snowcapped mountains in the distance. Kam had asked Mae how far the mountain range was from the camp and apparently when you weren't trying to frantically outrun a blizzard it was a lengthy trek. Their return trip back at an easier pace had taken two hours. "You would need a sled, some dogs, and someone to show you the way."
"See?" Jerney said gently to Tori, smoothing his hand down Tori's head as the pouting continued. "It's much too difficult."
"It's actually not a bad idea," Lor's voice came from behind Kam. Lor's arm came to rest around Kam's shoulders as he drew Kam in to his chest. "Tomorrow we've called for a clan meeting, which would be very boring for you both to sit out for. I can provision a sled and send you on a day trip to see Old White. It would be easy enough for you to have lunch in the caves and be back before nightfall."
"We could?" Tori asked, bouncing excitedly in place. "Can we, Jerney?"
Jerney laughed. "If Lor says it's okay, then it might be fun," Jerney agreed.
"Excellent," Lor said with a smile. "Kam, if you go with them I know they won't get lost. I'll send Hern to guide the sled. Is that okay?"
Kam nodded, strangely pleased with the idea that Lor was willing to let him go alone. Considering all the admonishments Kam had received from Lor about safety in the snow and Lor's worry about Kam's health, it was flattering to know that Lor still trusted Kam to take care of himself and their important guests.
"It'll be fun," Kam said with his own smile at Lor.
"Umm," Tori said shyly. Kam turned away from Lor and almost jumped. Tori was standing about three inches away and was gazing hopefully up at Lor. "Can I have a puppy?" he asked carefully.
Jerney groaned.
*~*~*
During dinner, Tori spent the time fluttering around and introducing himself to the clan. Breakfast the
"I'm using a bit of magic to keep myself warm," Jerney admitted. "And I know you've never hugged a dragon before, but when their internal flame is burning they tend to run a little hot."
"You're using a dragon as your coat?" Kam said with a snort of laughter, remembering the way Tori had clung to Jerney so tightly. There had been something more than warmth in that embrace though, something that showed a deeper connection that, while not sexual, had all the makings of a future relationship blooming.
"Hey, Jerney!" Tori called as he trotted back around the fire. In his arms was an unhappily squirming Runt and one of Runt's brothers. "Can I keep one?"
Before Kam could say anything, Jerney stepped forward and took Runt out of Tori's hands. "Not this one. She's already bonded to Kam. If you want the other one you'll have to ask Lor or Mae first. For now, put him down."
Runt got all four paws underneath her with as much dignity as a puppy with her eyes barely opened could do and toddled quickly to Kam's side, her nose working furiously to locate Kam. She collapsed at Kam's feet with a grunt and a glare in Tori's direction.
"All right," Tori sighed. He gently put the other puppy down, who quickly headed back in the direction of his mother, and reattached himself to Jerney's side. "So, where is this white dragon again?" Tori asked.
The feeling of stubborn curiosity flared again. Kam couldn't stop his grimace and wondered just how Tori's parents managed to keep him in line. Probably with judicious use of Jerney's patience, Kam assumed as Jerney gently cuffed Tori on the side of his head.
"That's not why we're here," Jerney admonished.
Tori pouted, his lower lip jutting invitingly in Jerney's direction. Kam watched as Jerney's face softened in the face of Tori's onslaught. Before Jerney could break down entirely, Kam spoke up.
"It's about a two hour sled ride in that direction," Kam explained as he pointed towards the snowcapped mountains in the distance. Kam had asked Mae how far the mountain range was from the camp and apparently when you weren't trying to frantically outrun a blizzard it was a lengthy trek. Their return trip back at an easier pace had taken two hours. "You would need a sled, some dogs, and someone to show you the way."
"See?" Jerney said gently to Tori, smoothing his hand down Tori's head as the pouting continued. "It's much too difficult."
"It's actually not a bad idea," Lor's voice came from behind Kam. Lor's arm came to rest around Kam's shoulders as he drew Kam in to his chest. "Tomorrow we've called for a clan meeting, which would be very boring for you both to sit out for. I can provision a sled and send you on a day trip to see Old White. It would be easy enough for you to have lunch in the caves and be back before nightfall."
"We could?" Tori asked, bouncing excitedly in place. "Can we, Jerney?"
Jerney laughed. "If Lor says it's okay, then it might be fun," Jerney agreed.
"Excellent," Lor said with a smile. "Kam, if you go with them I know they won't get lost. I'll send Hern to guide the sled. Is that okay?"
Kam nodded, strangely pleased with the idea that Lor was willing to let him go alone. Considering all the admonishments Kam had received from Lor about safety in the snow and Lor's worry about Kam's health, it was flattering to know that Lor still trusted Kam to take care of himself and their important guests.
"It'll be fun," Kam said with his own smile at Lor.
"Umm," Tori said shyly. Kam turned away from Lor and almost jumped. Tori was standing about three inches away and was gazing hopefully up at Lor. "Can I have a puppy?" he asked carefully.
Jerney groaned.
*~*~*
During dinner, Tori spent the time fluttering around and introducing himself to the clan. Breakfast the
Similar Books
