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The sky itself was aflame, and even Red with her chilly Aiskala magic could admit that it was a magnificent sight to behold. “Nice mountain, ain't it Yirho?” she commented to her companion, flashing a grin at him. The flames of Kaiataisel and the brilliant sunset glittered fiercely in her eyes, reflecting her delight at the arduous and sweat-soaked climb to the volcano. Yirho churred something that the Dovaa couldn't understand – something awed, respectful, and in agreement. “Yeah.” she said, looking up at the sky again as it changed color in the impending twilight. “This mountain is something special to you, right? To you, and the Darvithri or whatever?” The concept of 'sacred' was a difficult one to grasp for the irreverent Dovaa, but she could still respect it, as strange as it was.

“Sapa-shul.” Yirho nodded vigorously.

“Right.” Red liked it when he tried to make her understand. “Nygh'mah Kaia, right? That's what you were calling it?”

Yirho nodded vigorously again. “Nygh'mah Kaia.” he gestured at the scorched stone around them, “Nygh'mah Kaia An'h'Darvh.” he gestured to the glowing peak. “Darvh'thrih.” he gestured to himself.

Red grinned. “Gotcha.” She liked it when he succeeded, too. “All right, so lets explore your sacred fire mountain, eh?” She had no idea if he needed to do something here, or whatever, but she figured that if he did, he'd let her know. They worked well that way – it was a partnership she liked, where dumb things weren't expected of either of them. She looked up at the sky again, “Guess we should get a light, or something...”

“Liteh.” he repeated, thoughtfully. His face scrunched in concentration, his furred palm opening. Suddenly, a flame sprung forth, blazing and glowing. “Is liteh, yes?” he asked, looking at Red.

“Ooo!” she clapped, “That's perfect! Good, Yirho, good.”

He unsummoned the flame, tail swishing smugly. “Goodh.” he said, puffing up a little.

“Haha!” Red laughed merrily, “I didn't know you could do that!” she exclaimed. It only reinforced her opinion of Yirho – he was a good partner, her favorite, “Yeah, that's good...” her voice trailed off as a shadow caught her eye against the stained sky, “Good... Hey, Yirho...” she pointed, “You think that's a dragon?” she said, eagerly, “We can kill dragons, here, right?”

“Killh dragon.” he agreed, not quite understanding. “Hide dragon?”

Yirho was always wary. He would rather hide than fight if he could. Red didn't mistake his reluctance for cowardice. “Nah. We stay out and explore. If it stays up there, it stays up there, but if it comes down, we'll kill it... okay?” She struck an aggressive pose.

“Fighth dragon...” he said, sighing.

Except, it wasn't a dragon that they saw, soaring high in the deepening sky, but a khehora. Naita, firey pirate on four legs, flew over the volcano, seeking the fat traders she had somehow lost in the mountains. She hoped to raid them, and possibly eat them for supper, but there was no sign of them. How had they vanished so cleanly? It wasn't fair – not at all. Grumbling something likely unseemly, she circled around and readied herself to head back to her campsite, where she was to spend the night. It was a shame, but apparently treasure, goods, sheron, and fat magescian were just not on the menu for the night. Unless she found something else, she would have to sleep on an empty stomach, and that would be a misery upon a misery.

Unless she had a replacement.

In the glow of sunset she spotted two travellers – a dovaa and a... ratman?! What was one of the little things doing with a Dovaa? Fighting? No matter – they would make suitable substitutes, she supposed. She was just figuring out what angle to dive onto them when, apparently, the tables were turned completely.

It seemed that something else wanted Khehora on the menu.

Naita shrieked, folding her wing to dodge swiftly as a dragon's firey maw closed not a few inches from her haunch. “Blazin' whores on th' bough!” she cursed, lashing out at the dragon as it moved by, it's great bulk turning around for another pass. “Just me luck!” She dove towards the dovaa and the ratman, hoping to buy herself some time to make proper counter-maneuvers... that is, to gut the overblown flying lizard where it flew.

“Hey! Look!” Red drew her axes, “It's coming right for us!” Her magic cooled the air around her, forming a cloud that was somewhere between fog and steam, “And it's brought a friend!” Yirho drew his spear grimly – another fight, another frantic struggle against death... this was what Red lived for.

She threw her axe, narrowly missing what she now could see was a khehora and slicing neatly into the dragon. “Wohoo!” she called, summoning her ice to her, “Theres more where that came from!” she called.

Dragonblood fell around her, and the dragon howled a reply – giving Naita an opening. She pulled quickly out of her dive and swooped up, slicing into the dragon with the momentum of her upward climb. “More from here too, matey!” she squalled, stopping abruptly, “ye can bet yer life on it!” she roared and dived again, slamming into the dragon with the force of gravity and the razor edge of her claws.

The dragon howled, losing it's balance. ”Foolish worms! I will devour you! I will...!” it slammed into the ground, barely managing to land on it's feet. Boulders rumbled away from it, tumbling down the volcano in a landslide as it thrashed itself upright. The mountain itself seemed to shudder, the glow at the peak intensifying ominously.

None of the fighters noticed it's glow, however – the blazing battle took all of their attention.

Icicle spikes pierced the dragon's hide, lingering long enough to cause pain before they melted and shattered under it's inner heat, only to re-form in the Dovaa's hand. “Ha!” she crowed.

“Aye, that'll cool it's heels!” joked Naita, as she came to a – much more graceful – landing herself. Red laughed at her pun. Yirho did not. Yirho was nowhere to be seen. Red couldn't blame him if he had hidden again – he had his reasons, and he always came through. Besides, that meant there was more fight for her... and for this khehora!

The dragon duelled them on the mountaintop, screaming even as it weakened from their blows. It was clear – they would likely kill it. Between the firey khehora and the energetic dovaa, it was only a matter of time before it became dust. It seemed that the dragon knew it -

Suddenly, it reared up on its hind legs, screaming a spell into a wind that almost seemed to roar a reply. The winds around them became a choking, smokey black, far darker than the twilight glow that now surrounded them. The glow at the top of the mountain intensified once more, suddenly, and then spat forth a glowing, viscous, glowing ball of something red hot, something golden like the sun but far smaller. It turned, unnaturally, drawn to the swirling clouds of smoke and wind. “Bomb ahoy!” shouted Naita, scrambling out of the way as she loosed a gout of flame at the dragon.

“s**t!” Red scrambled out of the way as well, but there was no need to do so – the lava was not for them.

It struck the dragon, spell runes leaping to blazing life upon it's hide as the lava coated it in liquid fire. It snarled – this changed the game.

Red's icicles no longer could strike it, and her attempts at melee ended only in burns and pain. She managed to retrieve her throwing axe from the ground where it had fallen, but could not find an opening to throw it through the dragon's firey shield. Naita had an equally hard time. Burns were not a problem to her, but she knew if she was caught in the flames, she would burn like any other.

”I shall consume your flesh, as the flame consumes wood!” it roared, rushing forth suddenly, jaws gaping, to snap up Naita.

And then it stopped.

”Gruh..?” it moaned, collapsing suddenly, a spear pierced deeply into it's eye. It's flame shield melted away, pattering among the rocks and flowing down the mountain's slope, and, finally, it faded to ash.

“Wooohoo! Nice kill, Yirho!” Red cheered, pumping her fist into the air in victory.

Yirho fell with the ashes of the dragon, grabbing his spear before he landed. “Kill dragon.” he said to Red, before leveling his spear at Naita and growling a threat.

“Try me, Rat.” Naita growled back. Though she was battered and bloodied, she was perfectly ready for another fight, if it came to that.

Another roar – Yirho's ears flattened.

“Hey, I'm all for fighting you.” Red said, equally battered and beaten, and also equally eager, “But lets get into cover first...” she said, as a new shape approached, aglow with flame.

“What, you a coward?”

“Nah...” said Red, taking off for the nearby rocks, Yirho not far behind, “I just like it to be one on one.”

Fair enough. Not that Naita played fair. Still, she needed a break after that dragon, just a little breather, and so she ran for cover as well...