A Meeting of Like MInds
He'd spent years as a bachlor, endlessly searching the see for a suitable mate. How was he to know that she would not be found in the sea, but in the river valley that fed into the sea? But here he was, lying beside the only female he would ever have dreamed bonding himself to. Samira stirred in her sleep, her head trembling a little where it rested against his side. He turned to look at her, a smile forming, as he thought back to that day when they first met.
The seas were unseasonable rough, and Bohai was working very hard to keep himself from being tossed about in the waves. There weren't many dragons who made their home in the sea, but he loved the feel of the water against his scales. However, today was an exception, and he decided to head into shore to escape the worst of the storm. As he neared land, he could make out what appeared to be an opening in the beach, where water flowed freely into the sea. A river perhaps? Might it be deep enough for him to swim into? It was worth a look, so he headed toward shore.
He could feel the shift in the current as he neared the headwaters of the river. The water pushed against him as he swam forward, and the temperature of the surrounding water became cooler. This river must originate in the high mountains, he thought. He pushed forward and eventually made his way upriver, finding himself surrounded on either side by tall trees, and lush grasslands. Birds sang in the trees, and he found himself becoming entranced by their songs. So much so that he didn't see her watching him until she spoke up.
"Pretty isn't it?"
He started at her voice, and turned to see where it came from. There she was, lying upon the shore, her lower body still beneath the water. If not for the color of her underbelly and antlers, she would simply blend into the dark blue waters she reclined in. As he stared at her, the sun broke through the branches and its rays hit her body. Suddenly her body began to shimmer, and he had to blink to ensure he was not hallucinating. He still hadn't responded to her simple question, and again she spoke.
"Are you alright? Feeling well?"
He shook his head to clear his mind and answered her. "I apologize. Your presence startled me, and then your beauty captivated me. I assure you, I am feeling perfectly fine. My name is Bohai, and you are?"
"I am Samira, and you flatter me Bohai. You still have not answered my first question. Do you not find the birdsong lovely? I lie here everyday at this time, in order to listen to them sing. Sometimes I even imagine I know what they are saying."
Her voice itself was like sweet music to him, and he found himself becoming lost in it. Something within him was beginning to stir the longer he listened to her, and watched her. But he was staring, and not answering her again. "Yes Samira, their song is indeed lovely, and I can see why you would come here to listen to it. Would you mind if I lingered here with you for a while?"
He was handsome as males went, she thought to herself. Perhaps having his company for a while would relieve the loneliness she had been feeling for the past few months. The male she had hoped to bond with had gone and found himself another female, and she was not one to share her love with anyone else. She wanted a monogamous relationship with a male. She knew of those who lived in groups, one male with multiple females, and vice versa, but that was not what she wanted. "I would welcome your company Bohai. Please, come join me on the shore." She shifted her body to make room for him beside her.
The rays of the sun were still shining down on her as she moved, and her whole body seemed to waver in the light. He swam up next to her and pulled his body up onto the grassy bank. The sunlight felt good on his skin, and he found himself smiling at his good luck.
"You're either happy right now, or you have found something to be funny," she said. "You're smiling." She was able to see his body more clearly, now that he was out of the water. Unlike her own speckled body, his seemed more like a canvas. She was able to discern waves down the length of his body, but his hind quarters were still beneath the waters of the river. "Where are you from?" she asked.
He was brought back to the present as he felt her stir against him again. "Good morning my love," she said, as she turned her head to gaze into his eyes. "Have you been awake long?"
"No," he replied, "I was dreaming of the day we first met. What would you say to revisiting that spot, and spending the day listening to birdsong?" She smiled up at him and together they rose, and headed back to shore, and their special spot on the riverbank.
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