Storm woke the next morning with no memory of going to sleep.
He blushed as bits of the evening's activities replayed in his mind.
He looked and saw Aurora passed out beside him.
Her jaws were open and a thin stream of drool leaked from the side.
Storm realized that they were still intertwined.
He carefully seperated from her and went to go sit by himself and collect his thoughts.
Aurora stirred in the nest a moment later as she too, woke up.
She winched in pain as her muscles cramped and spasmed.
"Sorry!! Did I hurt you last night!!" Asked Storm concerned.
"No, no!! I'm all right!! Just a little stiff!!"
She stretched out to try and work the stiffness out of her body.
"Besides... I seem to recall that I took the lead a couple of times last night!
So if I'm hurt, then I only have myself to blame!" Said Aurora.
She grinned.
"Totally worth it though!"
Storm watched the sun shining through the dome roof of the cave.
We should probably get to the mess hall for the morning breakfast.
Storm and Aurora eyed each other's bodies first.
"Bath first?" Asked Aurora.
"Definitely!!" Replied Storm.
Storm and Aurora snuck through the tunnels like naughty hatchlings while doing their best to avoid the others.
When they arrived at the Hot Spring, they climbed in together and began scrubbing each other down.
Once their scales had returned to their old, shiny, luster and their bodies smelled fresh again, they made their way to the mess hall together.
They hesitated at the doorway and turned to each other.
"So.... should we go in together? Or separately?" Asked Aurora.
"Aurora! We're a bonded couple!
We didn't do anything shameful last night!" Exclaimed Storm.
"I know, I know!! But I don't want our private lives to be the topic of interest for the next few weeks!
Do you?! " Asked Aurora.
"Absolutely not!!" Exclaimed Storm.
"So.... you go in first? And I follow in 5 min later?" Asked Aurora.
"Sounds good!!"
Storm entered the hall and saw that everyone except Razor had already assembled in the room and were seated at a table in the corner.
Everyone fell silent as Storm entered the room.
Ignoring the stares being directed at him, he made his way to the counter and retrieved a platter of food, before taking a seat at the table.
"Morning everyone!" Exclaimed Storm.
"Morning. " everyone replied dryly.
A minute later Razor walked in while dragging Aurora in behind her.
"Look who I found skulking around outside the hall!!
Come, dear!! It's impolite to keep others waiting!!"
After retrieving their own food Aurora nervously took a seat beside Storm while Razor sat across from them.
"You were walking a bit limp before, dear? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" Asked Razor.
"No!!!.... no, I'm fine!!
Just hurt myself exercising last night!!
Nothing serious!!"
"Ohh they 'exercised' all right." Mumbled Grombrim under his breath.
Razor put the food down, then pulled out the book she always brought with her to these gatherings.
Aurora started these little 'get togethers' a few weeks ago and it quickly became a regular part of their lives.
Aurora said that they were always so formal around each other during meetings and that it would do them all good to get together in a more casual setting and get to know each other better.
Usually their table was abuzz with conversation as they talked about regular everyday topics.
But today there was an awkward silence over their conversation.
Finally, Grombrim decided to break the ice.
"So?!"
"So?!" Aurora and Storm replied.
"How are things?!" Asked Grombrim.
"Good" replied Aurora and Storm.
"Anything new?" Asked Grombrim.
"Nope." Replied Storm.
"Nothing new here!!" Said Aurora.
"Heard some 'peculiar ' noises last night?
I don't suppose you two know anything about that, do you?" Asked Grombrim.
"I heard nothing out of the ordinary!!" Exclaimed Aurora.
"Me neither!!" Said Storm.
Grombrim rolled his eyes.
"Are you two seriously going to keep denying it!!?"
Razor eyed them all curiously.
"Forgive me, but what are you all talking about!!?" Asked Razor.
"You seriously didn't hear anything last night!?" Asked Grombrim.
Razor shook her head.
"I'm a light sleeper, so I sleep with wool in my ears. It keeps me from waking up everytime I hear noise."
"Storm hammered Aurora's anvil last night!!" Exclaimed Grombrim.
Aurora tried to hide her face under one of her wings, while Storm avoided making eye contact.
"Ohh!! That's good!! It's always good to pick up a new hobby or two!!
It keeps the brain fresh!!" Exclaimed Razor.
"Huh?!" Said Storm.
"I'll admit that smithing has never been of interest to me, but I approve of the quest for more knowledge, even if the topic is not my preferred field of study!" Exclaimed Razor.
Grombrim shook his head.
"He watered Aurora's gardens!!" Exclaimed Grombrim.
"Ahhh!!! Now there's a topic I am intimately familiar with!!" Exclaimed Razor.
".... You.... are?!!" Asked Storm.
Razor nodded her head excitedly.
"Ohh yes!! Horticulture has always been fascinating to me!!
It goes extremely well with alchemy as well!!
It's much easier to do it if you can grow your own steady supply of reagents!!
We really should get together and compare notes at some point." Exclaimed Razor.
"Storm oiled her hinges!!" Said Grombrim.
"That's good of you Storm!!
The male should always help around the household with daily chores!!"
"Please tell me your not actually this thick!!?" Exclaimed Grombrim.
Razor looked down at her belly with a sad face.
"That is an rude exaggeration, Grombrim!!
I will admit that I've picked up a few pounds!
But I wouldn't call myself thick!!" Exclaimed Razor.
A vein was bulging in Grombrim's forehead.
"It's not my fault!!
Augustus makes some of the nicest sugary treats I've ever tasted!!
I admit that I've indulged more than I should!!
But I always try to...." Defended Razor.
"THEY CONSUMATED THEIR LOVE YOU BIG BIRD BRAIN!!" Shouted Grombrim.
Both dragons looked down shamefully.
Razor fell silent with her beak still open.
"Ohhhhh!!! Well that's good news!!
That's a pretty big step in dragon culture, isn't it?!"
"It is!! To dragon kind, it's the ultimate symbol of devotion two dragons could express to each other!" Explained Mimereus.
"There's something I wanted to ask?" Said Kalipso.
"Then ask it!" Replied Mimereus.
"When those two... you know.... did you also...?" Asked Kalipso.
"Absolutely not!!!!
I made sure not to touch any of Storm's senses during the activity!!!" Exclaimed Mimereus.
"You really didn't feel anything?" Asked Kalipso.
"....."
".... Maybe a 'tickle'." Said Mimereus.
Everyone at the table except for Storm and Aurora burst out laughing.
They stopped immediately when they saw two newcomers enter the mess hall.