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With some time on his own, during an off-shift from protecting Violet, Liam took advantage of the not entirely cloudy day to sit in a corner of the empty flight field. Almost sunshine along with fresh air provided a bit of relief from the overarching tension of first year at Basgiath War College. His daggertail dragon sent him an echoing satisfaction, with an impression of lazy flight; Deigh was somewhere enjoying the wispy clouds.
Jolted from a light doze by the thump of dragon feet, Liam immediately recognised the feathertail dragon, small and golden like no other, who was for some reason heading towards him. She didn't seem to be troubled, wings and tail held at an easy angle, if he could assume those were the same for her as for any other colour of dragon. Nor was there any warning from Deigh.
Nonetheless, Liam politely looked away, half-shutting his eyes. The very first thing you learned at Basgiath was not to dare eye contact, let alone conversation, with any dragon you were not bonded to. The golden feathertail was bonded to Violet, Liam's charge and his friend, which gave him exactly no level of bond to her for his own sake.
But Andarna had come right up to him, snuffling at his side with her surprisingly-soft nose. She put one set of front claws on his leg, except that strangely she didn't actually have claws. Each toe was rounded, which made her feet like paws. It was disarmingly cute, reminding Liam of a cat. Or, if he was honest, a kitten, with how she was nuzzling at him. Her tail, bereft of natural weapons, was twitching like that of an excited cat.
Deigh's voice came to Liam's mind, holding a tone more reassurance than concern. "She is small enough to want a friend."
That was enough for Liam to be so bold as to look directly at Andarna, although short glances rather than extended staring at her. She didn't seem to mind in the least, gazing back at him. Her eyes were as bright a gold as her scales.
Surely she didn't want to sit on his lap? Although unusually small, she was hardly of a size to fit. As for the strangeness of her wanting to be with any human who wasn't her own bonded... But it wasn't at if she were speaking to Liam.
Her jaws parted, revealing that she had a full set of very sharp teeth, but it was only to make a high-pitched trill that seemed to be a question. She patted again with her paw at his leg. It certainly seemed like Andarna wanted to make friends with him. Liam was happy to.