The air was hot and breezy as Kaiya and Mabonth stood in the lake. Kaiya ran a large towel across Mabonth’s back, lathered with soap. Mabonth reared back, trying to nip at the towel.
Kaiya laughed. “Stop that!” She could feel Mabonth getting restless and picked up the pace with the towel. It had taken almost an hour for Kaiya to get Mabonth to stand still long enough for her bath, and she didn’t want Mabonth to leave half-done.
Mabonth giggled and stomped a foot, splashing water in Kaiya’s direction. Kaiya laughed in response and stared at Mabonth in admiration, noticing how the sunlight danced along Mabonth’s blue-green hide.
“Hey, there!”
Kaiya looked up to see a thin, lanky young man smiling at her, with a small jade green dragon behind him. The dragon shone in the sunlight, almost glowing with health.
“Yes?” Kaiya asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I, uh…” the man said carefully, “I just wanted to say how nice you look, and your dragon is a beautiful color.”
Kaiya’s brow furrowed. “Uh… thanks?”
“My green,” the man continued, “she’s going to rise any day, and she’s very interested in your blue. I wonder if you two would like to participate in her next flight?” He looked Kaiya up and down with the same interest.
Kaiya sighed. She looked at the green rider exasperatedly. “Look, I appreciate the interest,” she said, “but Mabonth isn’t blue. She’s green.”
The green rider’s mouth fell open. He looked at Mabonth, then at Kaiya. “Oh…” he said in a small voice.
“Not only that,” Kaiya continued, annoyed, “We’re weyrlings, and certainly not interested in what you have in mind!”
“I-I…” The green rider stammered. “Sorry.” With a mortified look, he scampered away with his green following, splashing water in their wake.
“Ugh…” Kaiya groaned, resting her head along Mabonth’s side. “I can’t believe he just propositioned me! The nerve of him!”
Propo…sition? Mabonth asked innocently.
“It’s… ugh…” In lieu of an explanation, Kaiya sent a mental image to Mabonth.
Oh! Mabonth answered excitedly. It’s like what people do in your romance stories!
“Precisely.”
Then why did you say no? Mabonth asked. Isn’t it a pleasurable experience?
Kaiya choked. “I…” she said, groping for answers. “I’m not really in the mood right now,” she finished hastily.
Her answer seemed to satisfy Mabonth. Oh. Okay! She was silent for a moment, then spoke up again. Will you be in the mood later?
Kaiya whipped her head toward Mabonth. Something about how she had said that… “Mabonth… are you all right?” she asked quickly, “You’re not about to rise, are you?” She looked Mabonth up and down, but she didn’t appear to be glowing.
Mabonth only tilted her head in answer.
Kaiya sighed. “Never mind.” She rinsed her towel in the water and was about to rinse the soap off of Mabonth’s back when her legs were suddenly yanked from beneath her.
“Whoa!”
Kaiya landed in the water with a splash, and she looked up to see Mabonth staring at her, amused.
“What was that for?” Kaiya said grudgingly.
You looked upset, and I wanted to make you feel better!
“Hmm…” Kaiya stared back at Mabonth thoughtfully, then suddenly bailed out a stream of water from her bucket right into Mabonth’s face.
“Now I feel better!” Kaiya laughed, as Mabonth shook the water from her face.
Oh yeah? Mabonth answered. Take this! She raised her tail and slammed it, sending water cascading over Kaiya.
And thus, Mabonth’s bath turned into a full-blown water fight.