Rasp wasn't sure that she liked having to be around all these humans and human...things. It smelled strange in this huge place, but the dragons... they were something else! Big and wide-winged, and colorful! She would certainly enjoy bonding, if there was one that was of a size she could possibly bring home to Bald Mountain!

At last, she got the call that the eggs were hatching. Rasp could barely understand the human speech, but she listened in to their minds when they had the ability. The dragons too, spoke often. They had powerful, mixed minds. Flame hot, icy cold. They were extreme.

She was also extreme, and thought they would all get along famously. And oh how she could play with the humans at home!

When the hatching was nearly complete, and half a dozen other draons at least had bonded or decided they were not going to find their pair here and now, one amazing female caught Rasp's eye. She was colored oddly, like the rest of the nest. Stripes and mottling danced across her speckled red-rose skin.

krrh! The dragoness spoke directly and without any hesitation, you are coming with me, aren't you? I give my name to you: Kheyaiavas. To the world, she shortly said, She is Rasp. I am Lorewrath. She is my bond. Mine, and nobody else's... Gwalchaved. She took a glowering glance at her brother. He shrugged, and said something about not having wanted a bond in the first place.

***

"I like how you fly, but could you maybe do it a little slower?" Rasp said, laughing. "I mean, on landing?"

You love how I land. You think it is fun.

"I do, but I have to bring you home soon and if my tribe sees you coming in they'll think they're under attack!"

I am hardly going to do that!

"Yeah I know, but it's going to LOOK that way." Rasp paused. "Well, okay, maybe once or twice..."