It had been a while since the dragonmare and her dragon had taken to the skies together, to view their home, their realm, from on high. Flight was different for the dragonmare as it was for a traditionally winged pegasus, with her leathery wings and draconically inclined bodice, she did not glide for as long as they could, did not climb in altitudes the same they did. No, Amaris had to scoop the air, had to ride the currents, had to work for every inch of height above the ground she managed to gain - not that she minded. Once she was high enough, there was wind aplenty to keep her aloft with ease, and she enjoyed the solitude - though Dramyrth flew with her, as always, his presence was not obstructive or pressing, not like some social gatherings down below.

Amaris breathed the thin air, taking deep, sighing breaths so that she collected as much oxygen as possible. It had been too long since she had enjoyed a proper flight, though the last time it had occurred she had been journeying back from her father's birthlands, from the dragon's nest, crossing the Threshold and an invisible timeslip while she was at it.. The dragonmare shook the memories from the forefront of her mind, focussing instead on her home, the Edge, admiring its beauty, the mists, the forest, the cliffs - everything, even the people within.

And the people approaching.

Unbridled joy swelled within her as she easily recognised the figure of her former Seer wandering, concluding swiftly that the two smaller souls who followed her were the recent occupants of her womb - her children. She recognised another, her queen, her friend, Alysanne, moving to approach as well, and it was all she could do to contain her enthusiasm not to land in the midst of them and sling herself around Isopia's neck in a rough embrace, stealing the Mountain's affections all for herself. But she didn’t do such a thing; instead, she approached with a soft, melodic dragonsong upon her lips, unique with its equine tones and hints, so very her. Amaris loved her former Seer, as silly as it sounded, she admired her, felt some kind of sisterly affection for her, and wanted nothing more than to see her thrive and find happiness - and though she selfishly wished Isopia would find such things within the same herd, the same family as Amaris, that the daughter of Earth God had found it at all brought contentment to the dragonmare.

"Hello!" her call echoed that of the queen's, her form having landed with careful precision not far away and approached with limber, lively legs. Her smile was radiant, even more so as she beheld the children who wandered with her - she could not deny that she guessed who the father was, amused by it all more than anything else, for had she not supposed recently that had Volterra ever met Isopia, he would treasure her dearly? It was easy to see it, though her guesses were not yet confirmed as truth, Amaris had known Volterra as a young colt, and felt like she was looking into a winged version of him as she swallowed the dark, volcanic child up in her sights. The belle, the girl, evidently took more after her mother in appearances - and instead of resentment or jealousy or even envy, Amaris felt only pleasure at knowing her former mentor had laid strong foundations for a family.

Of course, Amaris knew not the intimacies of Isopia's relations, she only had what she could see before her, and that simple picture was enough for her curiosities today.

Though she did not throw herself into an embrace with the mountain-mare, she could not help but reach out with her maw to touch her shoulder in greeting, before extracting it once more and moving to stand alongside her painted queen. "Welcome," she said, with her smooth tones and honey-warm voice. "I am Amaris," she introduced herself, before a loud cry went up above - Dramyrth had remained higher up than she, choosing to descend only now, all in a flourish of scales and colourful calls.

He had apparently decided that he no longer tolerated the company of the other royal dragons without some display of his dominance, his brilliance, his athletic perfection. They intruded here (though technically they hadn't crossed the borders yet, they were close enough), they came to his land - they had left here, and so he would claim them as his own. Hubris had always been cordial, had never truly challenged Dramyrth's world view of himself, but Babel - Babel was a gold, just like him, though younger, that didn't necessarily mean harmless. Don't, Amaris pleaded, and Dramyrth merely confirmed that he would only 'interact' directly with the others if they dared to challenge his place as alpha in these lands.

"Would you like to see more of the lands?" she asked the young ones instead of introducing the obnoxious dragon above, eager to extend their visit here, not asking probing questions about why they came, because then it might be revealed that they would depart - and Amaris had said goodbye to Isopia once already recently, she wasn't about to do so again so soon.

@Isopia @Vulkán @Alysanne

Amaris