"Spoken common tongue"

'thought common tongue'

"Spoken ancient language"

'Thought ancient language'

Chapter 1: Uncommon Ground

Thump, thump, thump.

White wings tipped with luminescent lime green colored feathers beat heavily against the air beneath them as the majestic dragon soared over the oceans. Her wings were heavy from travel, and her body pushed itself with each breath. The dragon decided this journey was the dumbest idea she'd ever had.

Then, on the horizon, the dragon was certain her eyes weren't teasing her this time, she was certain she saw it. Land! And enough to actually rest on! The girl felt energy return to her weary wings as she pushed forward in a heavy surge towards the grey silhouette on the horizon.

Colors blurred by in her rush to stretch her other limbs after a week of either flying or swimming. Her body vibrated with the need for release as the shadows took form and a mountain grew on the horizon. It's rounded grass covered hill showed that these islands had been here for millennia untouched. The mere presence of ground to walk on made her think of home. A welcoming place she would be safe at. At least, she would be safe so long as she remained awake. That dark laughter in her dreams wouldn't let her forget. She still tried to though, as she flew away from her memories and towards the patch of earth before her.

The land barely rose any further as she neared it, the single rolling hill marking the only noticeable shape on it. The dragon let out a jet of blinding white light in glee at the sight before finally approaching to land.

The dragon's body barely registered the land beneath her before she was encompassed in light and stood on her hind legs. Quickly, her whole body shrank to half its size and lost its scales and wings in exchange for soft pale skin. Her feathered serpentine head replaced by a green haired girl in the early days of her prime, her slim body being revealed by a tight pink scale leathered two piece outfit. The upper half fully covering her petite chest while the bottom were matching shorts. The girl's arms slackened as they released a silver stone held within a necklace at her throat, the remaining glow fading into the stone. Morgan grinned right before she fainted from exertion as the magic finally left her body.

Thump. The soft green grass caressed her as everything went black.

'Finally! Eight years in training and we finally get to travel instead of being sheriffs to an entire continent my friend.' A rather lean and tall brown haired girl squirmed in her leather saddle as she sat upon her partner's back.

The great dragon beneath her hummed his approval, his brown-nearly-golden scales appeared to vibrate beneath the girl. 'Indeed Savannah, maybe we can find something new. Hearing about a century of peace leaves me wondering what's left out there.'

The pair gazed about them as they shared their thoughts. Savannah's chest tight with anticipation of the unknown. Her homeland had lasted a century of peace under the ideas of Eragon Kingkiller, and it left many free to see the truly rare sights of Alagaesia, such as the gem flowers that were scattered about the south, or the stone forest within the Beor Mountains. With the birth of her partner, Savannah was able to travel west to the roosting place of the Dragon Riders and began her training. Those eight years of magic, sword, and mental practice left her cooped up, instilling a wanderlust into the young girl that had always been a trait of her partner.

When they had finally leapt off the tropical and mountainous island of the riders into the skies a week ago it had left them both bursting with joy. They traversed the emptiness of the sea, only noting the life beneath them as they used the energy of the creatures faintly in order to sustain themselves. This left them a bit more docile as they fell back to their usual selves, relaxed yet brimming with energy at the chance of discovery.

Thump, thump, thump

The heavy wingbeats of what both assumed could only be a dragon were heard over the horizon. Whatever that beast was, it was either massive, or on death's door in its exhaustion to pump forward.

Merging with her partner's mind to see clearer, Savannah barely made out a dragon unlike any before. Its scales shone with brilliant white radiance tipped in green, and its head, while serpentine like most others, had feathers behind its pointed ears. Feathers also seemed to cover its wings. 'Set, what… what are we looking at? Alagaesia's dragons don't have feathers but...'

'I do not know my friend, but whatever it is, even if it is a different kind of dragon, it looks exhausted. Perhaps we should assist it.' Savannah subconsciously nodded her head in agreement as Set increased his leisurely pace to catch up with the green and white dragon-like creature, only to hear it roar as blinding white flame left its maw before crashing to a nearby uninhabited island.

'It would appear it hadn't been on land for some time, much like us-' Savannah's thoughts froze as the creature touched down and became engulfed in light. Neither she nor her partner could gather details from within the light, but when it faded, a human looking girl looking at least two years younger than Savannah collapsed into the ground without further thought 'SET!'

'I see!' The brown dragon surged with multiple heavy flaps of his wings as he soared over to the collapsed figure. Upon approach, Savannah tried to connect her mind to the girl but something akin to a void of pure hatred froze her in place. The pair landed gently before Savannah leapt the eight feet from her partner's back to the ground to rush over to the fallen individual, ignoring whatever that feeling was in the individual's mind.

Savannah checked immediately for a pulse and sighed in relief when she found it. Thanking whatever spirits may be around for that miracle, and her medical training under the riders, she then cast a few examination spells. Something to identify poisons or disease, and then another for physical maladies. Neither came back positive for anything immediately worrisome, however, the first spell did inform her that something wrong was coursing through the girl's system that clearly was foreign in presence, alleviating her worry she might be helping heal a monster.

'Set, what should we do with her? It's a week's flight if we go about it smart this time to get to the riders, and by the looks of her, that'd be too long.'

The dragon gazed down at his rider and felt her concern before he bowed his head in thought. 'Rest here and keep an eye on her should she wake. I won't fly far, but I shall gather enough fish and the sort to feed the girl and give us a break from merely stealing the energy of everything around us for the night. That is the best we can do I think.'

The young rider nodded as she went to do as her friend stated and began unpacking their supplies so Set could hunt without worry. 'Very well. Good hunting my friend.'

'And good healing to you.' With the last of the few saddlebags, and saddle itself removed, Set leapt from the hillside into the water and began his hunt. Savannah gave a wistful sigh at the sight before going back to her patient. Not wanting to stare overlong, but her concern dominating her thoughts, left the girl deciding how she'd spend these silent minutes or hours if it turned out that way.

With the land as healthy as it was, and the foothill ever so sloped, Savannah decided she'd do as she did back on the islands. She'd gaze up at the clouds and dream of the journeys she would have, once given permission of course. With her patient in mind, she rested the other girl's head in her lap so she would know immediately when she woke up, since brushing her mind apparently wasn't an option with whatever that foreign presence had been. Once comfortable, Savannah let her thoughts wander with the shapes overhead and a faint sea breeze caressing her sun kissed skin.

Morgan's body felt warm. She couldn't remember the last time the sun was actually out for her to nap under. It felt nice. The pillow she was on might be a bit hard in places, but otherwise, it was comfy and she almost wanted to squirm into it a bit better, but was stopped by the gentlest of hands running through her hair...

'What the-' The Manakete's brown eyes snapped open to survey her surroundings. Her head appeared to be in another girl's lap, specifically on top of a leather tunic that showed it's age with how it hugged her slim form. The girl herself had brown hair and green eyes that had a faraway gaze in them as she stared up at the clouds. Morgan humored herself and followed that green gaze only to see a great brown dragon descend before them and bow his head as he dropped a large amount of fish before the two girls. His head turned to her and two golden eyes blinked in sentient acknowledgement before he seemed to take a step back and nod at the food.

The girl seemed to come to at this point and smiled down at her before she spoke in a language Morgan couldn't understand, but for some reason it's meaning came across the gap. Maybe it was the body language, or the fact Morgan saw the makings of a campsite on this mound of land, but she was pretty certain these two individuals meant her no harm.

The sense of comfort remained with Morgan as she laid in her current position, but she wished not to overstay her welcome in such a position so she stretched her weary limbs, that shook in protest of the action,and sat up fully. "Thanks for looking out for me during my nap. Name's Morgan. What's yours?"

After a slight bit more talk in that weird lyrical language that seemed to just flow off the tongue, the other girl seemed to flawless swap to Morgan's own language. "My name is Savannah Skydottir, and this is my partner in all but body, Set Dusktreader. It was enjoyable watching you rest, you seemed so content as the hours passed."

'Whoa, what? Hours? How long was I asleep?' Morgan's mind raced with thoughts. She tried to recall everything and suddenly remembered her very long journey out to sea, and the following collapse on the first island she had found.

A look seemed to pass over the other two's faces at her jumbled up thoughts before a voice seemed to rumble like a waterfall from within her mind. 'Rest easy child, we found you right as you collapsed and you only slept long enough for me to get us all food. The sun has barely crested its zenith.'

Both dragon and rider laughed as the definitely sore girl leapt back at Set's words in her mind and nearly fell in pain. "Don't mind Set, he's friendly and won't invade your mind, we just wanted to find a way to communicate with you, seeing as you slept so soundly I couldn't penetrate your mental barrier."

"Umm what? Since when were dragons telepathic? Even Grima had to use his mouth to speak." Morgan's mind was aflutter anew at the scene before her, and she was quickly drowned in her amazement.

Savannah could tell the girl was quick to fall into her thoughts and decided to put a hand on her to pull her back to the ground. "Relax Morgan, where I come from dragons are one of the most magically powerful races, they can, with the right inspiration, create many miracles."

The rider took quick note of the poorly hidden facial expressions across the young girl's face and silently thanked the spirits again for her knowledge of that language spell so she could keep this chat going. "I see you have questions, and I might have answers. How about we make a trade, I answer a question, then you answer a question? After all, this island clearly indicates neither of us are locals. Let's trade in knowledge."

The green haired girl nodded, clearly liking the deal. "A cultural exchange huh? I like that plan. Okay, let's go!"

Savannah's chest vibrated a hint of a chuckle at Morgan's exuberance. "Good, so seeing as I answered your question about Set. Why don't you answer me this, what are you? Where I come from, not even the elves could transform their bodies as effortlessly as you just did."

Morgan leapt up onto her legs, soreness forgotten, and grinned widely, clearly happy to share this with Savannah. "That's an easy one, I'm what is called a Manakete. Well, heheh, a half Manakete at least. My father is human while my mother is a Manakete. We are technically dragons but way over two thousand years ago the dragons of my land, based on Set's appearance, a completely different species, started falling into madness. No reason why, they just did. The elder divine dragons, led by my grandmother Naga, decided the safest course of action that would allow the race to continue living would be by sealing away their power within dragonstones, like my necklace. So I'm technically a dragon when I want to be. Looking human has somewhere along the line became my base form." Morgan then flashed a smile at her companions before taking a step back and grinning. "This doesn't count as my question, but care for a demonstration?"

At the pair's nods, the green haired girl clutched her stone and with focused eyes let the energy flow through her. Her body was engulfed in light, her clothes and skin melded into white scales, her green hair fanned out into feathers along her bird like wings and on the sides of her reptilian skull. Savannah quickly reached her mind towards the girl and gasped as she felt the Manakete open up a conduit to the stone before the two merged into the one majestic dragon before her.

'I like her. We could actually share this one.' Savannah slapped Set for his comment. He could be such a boy at times that it was amusing, especially since Savannah noticed her thoughts had begun to mirror his at times, leaving her to wonder if he had influenced her thoughts in regards to romance, even if she'd never admit it out loud.

'Set! Bad dragon!' The chuckle that rumbled forth could've easily been mistaken as a growl, but wasn't in the current company, as Morgan shifted back to quizzically look at the pair.

"I'm not going to ask about that, don't want to waste my question on something personal with all this knowledge just begging to be learned. So instead I think I'll ask what you meant by you two being partners in all but body. I'm beginning to understand the mind thing considering how Set said hello, but the rest eludes me."

The light draconic chuckle became a full on laugh for two seconds as Set tried to look serious and failed. Savannah was still glaring at her friend when she answered. "I'm a Dragon Rider. Set hatched just for me because he saw me as worthy of the task, even with my terrible sword and magic skills. When first I touched him, this appeared." The rider then turned towards her Manakete companion and pulled off her left hand glove to reveal a tattoo that looked like a fire swirling around in her palm to form a lowercase 'e.' "This is the gedwey ignasia, the brand that binds dragon and rider, making them one being. Our lives are tied together, so long as I live, Set does, and vice versa."

Unsure how to politely continue their trade, Savannah went over to the pile of fish and cleaned their upcoming meal with an uncomfortable face. "Well, at least I didn't have to feel them die…" Wanting not to linger on those thoughts, the girl addressed her companion for the meal. "So, considering we are stuck with fish, care telling me what way your people cook them? I took up an elven diet once I joined the riders so I haven't a clue how to cook these things. Doesn't help I was twelve and lived in Carvahall before joining. Fish never were cooked that far north."

Morgan's face scrunched up in thought, thinking over the few occasions she could remember having eaten fish. "Well… my mom always made it nice and simple, just some lemon, butter, and a nice cooking fire. Though that's a rather common, quick, and easy meal in Valm. I once tried a meal Tharja cooked for me. Bad idea, anything from Plegia tends to be on the brink of rot, learned that the hard way. My father, while technically not from Ylisse, has mostly adopted their ways after he became the Exalt's left hand, so he makes it in a simple breading. Then there's Ragna Ferox, Khan Basilio once had to cook us a dinner during the war, he didn't even try. Just threw the fish on the fire and took them off later with stick, impressive how nothing burned, but not the best."

The girl seemed to look around as she spoke, as if she hoped any of her ingredients would show themselves. This left Savannah to sigh in defeat since she knew she brought no such things. "Sorry to say, but no spices or anything here, these will be plain."

Morgan shrugged her shoulders, slightly disappointed, but not enough for her smile to droop. "So you keep mentioning elves, and a thing about adopting their eating habits. What's all that about?"

Savannah went to the next part of dealing with the fish, now that at least three had been cleaned for the girl's to eat. "The elves were once mortal like humans, but after they became the first dragon riders through a pact and truce with dragons to end a great war. This prolonged their lives indefinitely and increased their magic. Later on, humans were added to the pact. Then, a century ago, dwarves and urgals also got brought in. Anyhow, the elves live in the woods of Du Weldervarden north of the human country of Alagaesia where they live in harmony with life. As magically inclined creatures they tend to expand their minds outside their own bodies. This is something all riders are taught by the way. Open ourselves to the universe and become a speck of dust watching as every little detail works in synchronization to complete the simple goal that is living. That kind of connection makes it hard to eat meat, especially after walking in the animal's feet seconds before, and possibly even during, its death."

Savannah couldn't help but smile at the goofy grin that spread over Morgan's face as she explained the culture of the elves, from their love of nature, to lack of love and children, though with the return of the dragons it sounded like a few were prospering again. All the while she cast a simple fire into existence to cook the fish on. "Your homeland sounds like a fairytale. All these magical races while mine have all but died off. Only humans truly remain though a few Taguel and the like remain."

"You know, you're making it hard to choose my next question with all these things you keep mentioning. First all those places, now a different race." Savannah couldn't help but whine a little, feeling like the conversation had been relatively dry so far with little personal information on the interesting Manakete. She was beginning to want to know the girl rather than that war she brought up, or those people, or even those kingdoms. There was just too much to chose from and yet she couldn't help but rather learn what such a happy person was doing so far out at sea.

The green haired girl's goofy grin twisted just a little at the whine, which gave it a look that made Savannah's gut curl with nerves. She'd been around enough trainees in the last eight years to know the look of a mischief maker. "Oh? Too much to sort through? Sorry, I inherited my dad's love of learning so anything to gain makes me ramble. Tell you what, you take me to your homeland so I don't ramble with my questions, and I'll let you sort through my mind on the journey as you said Set could do earlier. Maybe you can even help me remember anything before the war that ended two years ago in doing so."

'Set?' Savannah knew her life at peace made her naive in most every way, but being trained by dragons and riders who had lived through a war firsthand made her at least try and break that trusting habit of hers.

'I'd take the offer. As far as I can tell, she only knows about entering minds from us. The worst harm she could do is break a few elves hearts with her being a dragon.'

Savannah sighed. She knew she couldn't argue her partner's logic, even if that malign feeling still worried her. "Very well, I'll take you with me. However, I first need you to swear an oath you won't cause any chaos in the ancient language."

"You mean what you spoke in first? It was really nice, I wish I could learn it." Morgan's face seemed wary, but her curiosity was beyond dominant in its bubbliness.

Savannah struggled to not acknowledge how cute the other girl seemed in that moment, and went to speak a simple enough phrase. "Well, you can start by saying 'I will not cause problems while being Savannah Skydottir's guest.' It's merely you swearing to behave while being my guest." Morgan's shockingly successful attempt at the oath was a good enough moment that Savannah could indulge that part of herself she had begun to quit denying in the privacy of her own mind thanks to Set's endless prodding. 'Cute'

After her personal accomplishment at repeating a language never heard before flawlessly, though it did feel similar to an ancient draconic Naga used once with Tiki, Morgan smiled up at Savannah and gestured towards the food that had been haphazardly cooked over a magical flame. "Ok, so now that I've sworn to be a good girl, what say we eat and actually find some common ground?"

While the food was as bland as could be, Morgan at least enjoyed the company. Once both girls dropped the business-like facade, they were able to actually talk freely. Set even joined in while eating what remained of the pounds of fish he had caught while the other two settled for just two each.

"So let me get this straight, you spent eight years on an isolated island where even after a century, is more male than female in population at this training keep, and you never dated before?" Morgan was honestly at a loss how the girl managed that. Heck, even she had gone on a date with Inigo during the war, even if it was just to torment the poor boy some. She did make it up to him a few days later however and paid him back for the meal though.

Savannah shrugged, a gentle blush on her cheeks that could've been mistaken as light sunburn if it weren't for the fact Morgan had already confirmed that the other girl used her magic to keep from burning while flying for days on end. "No, can't say that I have. None of the guys interested me, and they could tell. Benefit of a place focused around training our minds as well as our bodies, idiots vanish in drills."

The Manakete cracked a grin when she noticed the other girl's phrasing. "You said the boys didn't catch your interest. Normally I'd let that slip, but I've got two friends who make me wonder if that's as specific as you say."

Savannah wished she could bury her head in something, anything to avoid those prying brown eyes. "Well, heheh, I don't know. I blame Set here for looking at everything female, even if it's the wrong species, he seems to respect and admire all female beauty."

"Oh, so your dragon has corrupted your mind you say? I don't believe it, I think you are just a little shy." Morgan leaned forward from her seat on the other side of the now empty fire pit, a grin on her face.

'A little help Set?!' Savannah heard her partner's chuckle at her panic before she was given her response.

Morgan grinned slightly as she heard the dragon chuckle from behind his rider. 'I think I'll sit this out. She has you cornered here my friend, and I think you should admit it before taking her to your room.'

'SET!' The grin only grew at the growing blush on Savannah's face and Set's merriment shaking the ground slightly with his deep chuckles.

"It must be nice having somebody who you can always go to…" Morgan said idly, seeing that maybe a change in subject would help calm Savannah's nerves. Clearly Set had really corrupted her thoughts.

"Yeah, not when he finds fun in my embarrassment." The brown haired girl was clearly flustered at this point, and Morgan wondered how much prodding it would take before that embarrassment became anger. It seemed Set had a great balancing act in play so far, and she felt no need to interfere too much. "Alright, alright, let's say I believe you for now and change the subject, which by the way, my friends won't admit they like each other like that either. What did you do if not be social during your free hours?"

"I daydreamed. I read. I learned cartography shockingly enough. I waited for the day I could travel outside of the known and into the unknown... Figures a week into that journey I run into a crazy half-dragon girl who's very annoying and already plans on staying around. Figures." Savannah began to recover from her earlier embarrassment as she thought over her free time on the islands, and how alone she felt in all social groups. Hers and Set's wanderlust was well known on that sheltered set of land and it left her sad because it reminded her why she never humored any thoughts of romance. No wonder Set harassed her about it all the time. "What about you, you said you were at war, what did you do to pass the time?"

"Heh, I mostly pranked everybody in the army. They let it pass because I was so young and the master tactician's daughter. Add to that I was the daughter of Valm's religious prophetess, so I had a lot of leeway in what I could and couldn't do. However, even with that in mind I never pushed anyone too hard and instead spent more time reading to be like my father, learning more about strategy and planning, alongside helping out where I could. For how dark the days were, I have surprisingly fond memories of the war. So few of us died…" Morgan's eyes began drifting as an invisible weight appeared to fall onto her shoulders.

The sight of the green haired girl's distant and melancholy face made Savannah want to hold her and bring that smile back. "Hey now, no need to dwell on those memories now. While I sadly have to admit you'll be reliving them on our journey south and west as I get my answers from your mind, we don't need to go down that road right now. How about you tell me about before the war?"

Savannah bit her tongue as a look of pure defeat fell upon the other girl's face at the mention of her past. "I can't. I would if I could, but the memories don't exist, so I can't."

The brown haired girl caved to the impulse and reached across the fire to hold the girl and wiped the traces of possibly formed tears in her eyes.

At least she did until she felt a grin pressed against her shoulder. "I knew-!"

And what could have been a peaceful moment was ruined. Savannah clamped her hand over Morgan's mouth as she glared down at the younger girl. "Don't finish that thought."

Morgan chuckled into the palm over her mouth and debated what to do next as she stared into the hard forest green eyes that glared down at her innocent brown ones. The two held each other's gazes, locked in a clash of wills that neither would retreat from. Their stares lasted a good minute before Savannah blinked and Morgan licked her hand to make the other girl let go. "HA! You blinked."

Savannah shook out her hand, bothered deeply by the other girl's cheery behavior. "And you licked my hand. I wouldn't exactly say you won."

Morgan grinned then licked her lips, and taunted the other woman further with half lidded eyes and sultry tone. "I don't know about that. Seemed like a win to me."

The rider was almost at wits end with the teasing and smiles. This Manakete seemed to just go nonstop and her nerves were beginning to fray the behavior that never stopped. Savannah looked to the sky in hopes the sun had set low enough to sleep, and while it had nearly reached the horizon, it was still sitting there above them. "Since I seem to be your little punchline right now, I think I'll just go to bed. When we wake we can prepare to head to the Islands of the Dragon Riders. Goodnight Morgan."

Savannah didn't even care to hear the goodnight be responded to before she let herself get her first true night of sleep in a week.

Set already knew he respected this new creature. She had dragon blood coursing through her veins, and their spirit in her heart. That respect only grew as they took flight. She flew beside him at points and gracefully would shift onto his back to tease Savannah. It was however, her willingness to leap back off him to resume her flight as a dragon that pleased him most. She was fun, she was alive, and if Set had a say, she would be in their company for some time to give Savannah those same traits.

Savannah was so content with her lazy behavior that at times it worried him. He chose her for that desire to travel and her gentle touch, but her ability to be content with so little stunned him. He truly hoped Morgan could give her more.

He could see her potential clearly through the images sifting through his partner's mind on their second day. Images of the war she had calmly mentioned. She had joined her parents army at age sixteen, following the orders of a man by name Chrom. The man was a fine leader, or Exalt as his people called him, and it showed when he listened wisely to his advisor's words. This advisor was one Set and Savannah took note of, for he was Robin, Morgan's father. The dragon and rider didn't fully understand what magics had been at play by this 'Divine Dragon Naga' which allowed the armies children to come back in time to save their future, but they soon realized it didn't matter too much in the long run except to forewarn the army of an impending threat.

Set's eyes lit with a fury at the mad dragon that rose from a mirror image of Morgan's father. This Fell Dragon, as they called it, brought shame to the species. It was intelligent to be sure, but so blinded by rage was it that Set would never call it anything but a husk of destruction. He had to admire Morgan and her parents in the final battle. The mother by name of Tiki stood alongside her daughter and both breathed a radiant white light that held the enemy at bay while Robin charged his double and summoned up a swirl of… something, and killed both him and Grima, erasing both of them from existence.

Savannah retreated from Morgan's mind after that and Set followed his rider to listen in on the girls upon his back. She needed to strengthen herself after she felt the crushing loss Morgan had that day. That girl was strong, Savannah didn't doubt it, but now she knew it. Holding her own against an unending horde and leaving the victor is not easy. The fact she maintained her joy that she held throughout that conflict and harnessed to keep morale up was a miracle.

"You know, you didn't even see what us survivors referred to as the true end of the war." Morgan had flopped onto Set's back behind her and leaned in to hug Savannah, which the older girl admitted to herself she needed after she saw all that slaughter. "My dad may have died that day, but his spirit lived on. It lived on free of Grima, and as he says still to this day, the ties that bind us will never break. Everyone's belief in him brought his spirit back from the brink, and Naga gifted him a body so her daughter would not be abandoned to this world by yet another love."

"So how long was he thought dead?" Savannah's voice cracked under the emotional strain she felt.

The rider felt the girl behind her swallow a lump in her throat more than heard it with their current closeness. "Three months."

Neither girl noticed Set slow enough Savannah could do what she did safely. The girl unstrapped herself from her seat and with grace and inhuman flexibility slung a leg up and over Set's neck and spikes, nearly brushing her face with the limb, and turned to fully embrace Morgan. "I'm so sorry. If I hadn't felt your pain first hand just now, I wouldn't have understood. I'd never lost anyone in my life like that, and it breaks my heart knowing you did."

Morgan fell into the embrace, and let the tears that came with the memory come forth. She knew, even with the comfort of the fact her father was still alive, she'd always feel that death and the sadness that followed that battle atop Grima's back. Her thanks were muffled into Savannah's leather shirt, which Morgan now understood the purpose of, and was part of why she rotated between dragonback and flight. Alagaesian dragon scales were rougher than a Manaketes and the constant contact while in flight chafed at the skin. She was unfortunately in her bare minimum with shorts and bikini top that cooperated best with transforming without accidentally tearing in the process, so she knew prolonged exposure would be bad.

Those thoughts flowed through her mind, more to distract her than anything else, and led to her noticing a brush burn starting to form on her inner thighs. The Manakete looked up into green eyes that held a gentleness far different from the hard glare from before their nap, which comforted the girl more than she thought it would. Well, that pushed it, she knew exactly why that soft look comforted her, and it just made her grin wickedly. "Thanks Savannah, but unless you either want me to ride in your lap, or you ride my back, you should probably let go."

Oh yeah, that look definitely cheered Morgan up. It looked like the girl was beginning to realize her feelings, but still wouldn't express them vocally. The sight before the Manakete was something between a glare and trying not to blush. Both of which were cute in their own right, but the struggle to hold both made Morgan giggle with enough joy to leap before she looked… or before Savannah could let go, much to Set's amusement.

The two girls free fell for only a few seconds before the rider found herself caught by her jacket in the maw of a white dragon who quickly adjusted her onto its back. Savannah was shocked at the differences between Morgan and Set, the lack of spikes running the spinal cord, and the general softness of her skin, the leather almost velvety in feel. Morgan was also far smaller than an Alagaesian dragon would be at her age. She was only twelve feet from snout to tail while Set, who was half her age and small for his own age, was thirty when fully outstretched. The feathers Morgan had felt just like her hair, which made sense in Savannah's mind. The sheer onslaught of new sensations actually made her gasp, not expecting to learn so much from a simple touch.

Of course it was at this moment Set decided now would be a good time to remind his rider of his presence in her mind. 'I see you are enjoying yourself my friend. Should I be concerned you found a new partner?'

Savannah was grateful neither dragon could see the gentle blush begin on her face. 'No, we are bound together and I'd never abandon that bond. If I heard your musings earlier, I should think you'd be more concerned with sharing your rider.'

Set chuckled in their shared thoughts before his voice became serious. 'She could be good for you Savannah. I'd rather not have my partner be at a distance from everyone forever.'

'Maybe I'll humor you on that, but not until we know what to do with this girl. Her lands are still recovering from war and our presence would definitely be a threat to their currently fragile peace.' The blush only grew, but fortunately Morgan couldn't see as she flew beside Set. 'It's really different being able to actually ride bareback.'

Morgan seemed to vibrate like a cat purring, giving Savannah a good idea of her thoughts on this current situation as she stroked a spot on the back of her neck, just admiring the different feel of it from Set. "You know Morgan, you're a lot easier to bear when you're like this-"

Said dragon promptly pushed upward before rolling onto her back and becoming human as they free fell yet again. "That's just rude. Whatever you were going to insult, you know you enjoy it." Then Morgan seemed to notice their descent and went back to her flight, catching Savannah out of the air again.

Once situated comfortably on dragon-back again, Savannah reached out her mind to Morgan so they could speak in a less exciting fashion. 'I really need to teach you how to reach out with your mind.'

'Speak a language I understand! I'm certain you're insulting me in that beautiful language of yours I don't know.' The irritated voice gave Savannah some pleasure in the knowledge she could return the teasing.

'I said one day I'm going to have to teach you how to open your mind so we can speak without you throwing us into the air. Of course if I did that, I'd have to teach you how to protect your mind too.' Savannah couldn't restrain the little feeling of joy she had by having knowledge the other girl didn't, especially after she learned Morgan was adept with various weapons in human form, primarily with swords, bows, and lances.

The hum of agreement was an awkward feeling beneath Savannah with only her trousers interfering with it. 'That'd be nice. Maybe once we get to these islands we can do that.'

Savannah could feel the calm of Morgan's mind that was odd considering earlier in the trip, it had been such a rampant mess. 'Yes, until then, let's focus on getting there.'

'Agreed, onwards and upwards!' The white and green dragon flapped her wings and roared in joy as she pushed hard, accelerating the group's journey for a bit as they grew closer to the islands.

Notes: hello and welcome to First Contact, an idea brewed from not seeing two separate ideas happening and realizing that by overlapping I could actually write them. The two being,

Fire Emblem, Morgan being the daughter of Tiki, and granddaughter of Naga means she has divine blood. Being the daughter of Robin, avatar of Grima means she has Fell Dragon blood in her. I figured I'd ask what exactly such a bloodline would entail.

Inheritance Cycle, a far future au and general lack of female OCs.

So by the sounds of those two combined ideas, if anybody with knowledge on either story (preferably Fire Emblem Awakening) wishes to be a beta reader, that would be greatly appreciated. I need one to help bounce ideas off of and drag me out of areas I get stumped.

That out of the way, favorite, follow, review, do as you please but every little reaction counts. Until next whenever, have a nice life.