The serpent flew alone. He drifted on daydreams and hushed, cradling winds. His teal gaze, wandering without seeking, rolled over the hills and orange tinted foliage. He had been apathetic about his afternoon flight until he saw the blushy colors of the ground below shift into vibrant, vivid greens. He flicked his frills forward, dipping towards the ground and spiraling closer to the event. A rather imposing stallion, both winged and horn, led the vivacious flora. The little dragon didn't feel scared, however. The man's presence felt...right.

Hero flitted away from anywhere near the stallion, heading excitedly back to his bonded. She simply had to see this. Hero would insist upon it. He returned to her resting place, to where the Caretaker laid in a heap of sunshine and hair and flowers. The dragon landed daintily upon her back, being careful to not let his claws leave a mark upon her pale hide (she had gotten onto him once before about that). He tugged at her mane and trilled excitedly at his bonded, but she didn't stir. Typical. Why wouldn't she get up?!

--

'UP!'

The word ricocheted throughout her consciousness, and all she could think of was how she hadn't thought of it. Agnodice sat abruptly up, whipping her dainty, sloping head side to side, seeking her companion. He had never spoken to her before (she simply assumed he couldn't), but no one else could be present in her mind like that. Her blurred, sleepy gaze found her glimmering, scaly companion amidst the flowers in her mane. "Hero?" She whispered dazedly, leaning forward, her muzzle seeking his scales.

'Up,' the voice in her head groaned, this time accompanied by the touch of her companion, and the gleam in his teal gaze. Dragons can talk? 'Up!' he nipped at her nose, eliciting a snort from the caretaker. She stood gracefully, a cloud of petals and flowers rising around the maiden. Hero leapt from his spot on her withers and took back to the air, spiraling and flapping, trilling and beckoning the maiden forward.

"Wait! Hero, I don't understand—you can talk?!" The duchess stumbled over her words, a first for her. Stupefied, she trotted after her trilling, mystifying little companion. Her daze was only heightened as she followed Hero, and another voice resounded through the land. This one was deeper than that of Hero's, and it didn't reverberate in her mind, but rather, through her bones and through the land. It didn't perturb her, however. She felt nothing but comfort at the resounding call.

Agnodice followed Hero, now silently, unquestioning. The herdland changed as she followed, it eased into spring, blooming and blossoming and transitioning into vibrant verdant. Once the magnificent figure Hero had spotted earlier came into view, the dragon returned to Agnodice's withers. He enveloped himself in mane and flowers as she approached, the duchess quiet and entranced by the unfamiliar man.

Agnodice halted, careful not to get too close to him, sweeping her leonine tail anxiously around her hocks, leaving flowers and petals in her wake. A filly near to her bowed, and the maiden could only assume she was to do the same. The caretaker offered a bow to him as well, glancing up timidly to him. It was a strange and perplexing affair of emotions that swirled within her at the sight of him. She felt no fear, only curiosity and a tenderness for his divinity.

agnodice & herophilos