(Please excuse the horrible smudginess -- I was working on this drawing paper that I got for cub scout camp and I discovered that when I erased, I was also taking off the top layer of the paper!)

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Two weeks ago Ariana would have laughed out loud if anyone had suggested the sight taking place on the beach below her. Tancho and Takakura had swept through the crowd and snatched up both Kirin and Mozu to challenge Toshi and three of his rookery brothers in a volleyball match. The rules were much like human volleyball, except that wings must be caped, tails could only be used to retrieve low shots, and the ball was absolutely not to be struck with talons outstretched. Puncturing the ball with one's claws was an automatic forfeit. It was turning into a competitive game; she supposed that Kirin learned to play in Ishimura and taught the Tengu Three because they moved like a well-oiled team. Takakura and Mozu had fast footwork and Tancho and Kirin provided solid defense at the net.

Midori plopped down next to her friend on the top of the dune. "Ah, there you are, Ari-chan," she said. "I was beginning to wonder where you got off to. I thought for sure you'd be playing."

"Hmm?" Ariana blinked, suddenly aware of her presence. "Oh, no thanks, I'm fine here."

Wrinkling her nose, Midori asked, "Are you all right?"

"Oh, I..." Ariana stopped in mid-sentence and smiled breathlessly.

Staring briefly at Ariana, Midori turned to see what it was that had her friend so fascinated. Kirin had just intercepted the ball and delivered a blistering drop shot over the net. He seemed be having the time of his life by the big grin on his face and the way his muscles on his torso glistened in the dim light was... interesting.

"Ah," Midori said with a knowing smile, "you've changed sports."

"mmmmm-HMMMM!"

“Not to put a damper on your evening,” Midori said, “but you should know that Happa will be spending the evening in the infirmary.”

Ariana frowned “Is it bad?”

“Bad enough that he needed to be stitched up,” the pale green gargoyle shrugged, “but Kado says he'll recover.” She pointed discreetly to a pink gargoyle in a red tunic sitting a few dunes over. “Kusa and Taeko turned up about the same time that Tancho and I did. I'll bet my new blue beads that they're here to keep an eye on your new boyfriend.”

“They're both warrior class?” Ariana had sparred with Taeko in the preliminary matches and the sharp-featured female was very good. She fully expected to be matched with her at some point in the tournament.

Midori nodded. “Let's just hope news travels very slow tonight. I'd hate for anything else to happen.” They watched the game in silence for a few minutes. “You know,” she said, “this might be a good thing, Kirin out there playing like that.”

Raising a brow ridge, Ariana asked, “What do you mean?”

“Well, look at him – he's having a great time and getting along with everyone. No one here is going to believe the gossip about him now.”

“Gossip?”

“There's going to be a lot of fallout from that fight. Happa has always been a popular in our rookery so even though he started the fight, everyone will think the worst of Kirin. Especially,” Midori bit her lip, “with what I've already heard about him.”

“Like what?”

“Ari-chan, I really don't think--”

Ariana gave her friend a direct look. “Look, he's already told me why his mate left him. Can it be any worse than that?”

Midori turned a paler shade of green. “You know that? That--” she lowered her voice and leaned in “-- that he's impotent?”

“He's sterile, you mean.” She made a rude noise. “I asked about that. He says all his equipment works.”

“You're... sure?”

“Sure enough.” Ariana's face was flaming hot at the memory of their swim at the hot springs. Nothing had happened but they had been close enough that, even as inexperienced as she was, Ariana could tell that Kirin's body had been more than ready to go to the next step. She waved her hand as if it didn't matter. “Anyway, he was diagnosed a long time time ago – we know a lot more about gargoyle reproduction now. If he chooses to be re-examined, things might be different.”

Midori narrowed her eyes slyly. “Oh, really?”

“Oh, shut up.” Ariana didn't meet her gaze. “As for the gossip, I can guess – he said that his ex-mate spread a lot of lies about him right before he left Ishimura. I know that it's not going to be easy but I can handle it, Mi-chan.” She smiled grimly. “I'm not going to let anyone spoil what Kirin and I have together. They don't know him the way I do and that's all that matters to me.”

“Well...,” Midori drawled out, “in that case, I'll do my best to back you up.” She giggled as Tancho jumped up at the net. “Ta-kun says that he and his brothers are all behind Kirin in this too.”

“Ta-kun, eh?”

“Don't look at me that way,” Midori said, rolling her eyes. “Toshi and I have an understanding and besides, I'm still serving at the temple. Tancho is just really easy to talk to and fun to be with, that's all.”

“Uh-huh.”

Midori stood up and dusted herself off. “Come along, Ariana. The game's nearly over and they'll want something to eat.”

“But the game --”

“You may know sports,” Midori said with a wink, “but this is my specialty. Time to learn from the master, Ari-chan.”


(And yes, since I don't have any art shows for a while, I've been writing. Hee!)