Chapter 29: Night Invitation
Just how far can a dragon’s roar carry? Not very far at all.
But if that roar is accompanied by movement, the invitation can spread in all directions.
Especially here, at the heart of the forest where the Ancient Tree stands tall, often surrounded by Fire Dragons vying for mates and territory within the canopy of this Giant Tree.
The battle-hardened individual nesting at the highest point of the canopy might suppress the young Fire Dragons, but it cannot stop the Male Fire Dragons lurking in the shadows, their envious gazes ever-present.
In the dead of night, the first strong Fire Dragon caught up with Jié Jié, who was calling out in the sky.
Jié Jié had been circling the Ancient Tree Forest, her calls echoing for quite some time. Besides her vocal prowess, her vibrant shell and exceptional flying skills clearly showcased her superiority.
After flapping her wings in the air, she gathered them in, her body spinning into a beautiful spiral as she ascended to Jié Jié’s upper left.
Its wingtips extended, inviting her to a dance.
Jié Jié glanced at it, the moonlight revealing its familiar face.
Tsk, wasn’t this the same male Fire Dragon from yesterday’s daytime round battling the seasoned veteran?
Another Fire Dragon lost its wing after just a few rounds, yet this one, after a fierce dogfight with the experienced male, was already back out here looking for love. Quite the formidable fighter.
What it didn’t know was that the one it pursued during the day was now inside her belly.
Jié Jié tilted her body mid-flight, dodging the Male Fire Dragon’s invitation to accompany her.
The Male Fire Dragon showed no sign of disappointment; instead, it roared softly and flapped its wings harder, attempting to interfere with Jié Jié’s flight using the wind it controlled.
It wanted her to land, turning this dance invitation into an exclusive one for itself.
The wind struck Jié Jié’s face, causing her to growl unhappily and respond with a louder roar.
This loud call seemed to energize the Male Fire Dragon, which proceeded to showcase its aerial skills once more.
Jié Jié tilted her head, watching intently, learning.
To truly master flight, one must look to the masters of the sky. Each flap of its wings was so effortless and natural.
“The beloved of the sky.”
She growled softly, then gathered her wings before spiraling forward like a spindle, regaining normal flight as gravity threatened to reclaim her.
Her emerald shell reflected the moonlight, seemingly mesmerizing the Male Fire Dragon.
Proudly, the Male Fire Dragon flipped over, moving from her upper left to directly beneath her.
She looked down to find it flying upside down towards her, its abdomen facing upwards.
However, it couldn’t maintain this position for long, quickly flipping back upright beside Jié Jié.
Jié Jié silently observed it, admiration in her eyes but clarity showing no intention of mating.
Just as she thought one Male Fire Dragon wasn’t enough and considered roaring again to question her own charm—
“Roar!”
This roar was robust. Jié Jié turned to see a second Male Fire Dragon.
The newcomer was also quite robust, bearing some scars and the scent of another Male Fire Dragon, having likely defeated a rival on the way.
“Roar!”
The first one nearby responded with a roar directed at the new arrival. Enemies meeting were always red-eyed, and number one abandoned her immediately, flying straight toward number two.
No need for words, thus began a battle for a mate right there in the air.
Jié Jié slowed her flight, continuing to call while observing the aerial combat techniques of the Two Male Fire Dragons.
Number one, having survived battles against seasoned veterans, was naturally powerful. Number two, having eliminated a competitor on the way, though slightly disadvantaged, launched several effective counterattacks.
After watching for a bit, Jié Jié cautiously flew towards the direction of the Terror Tyrant.
She had been circling all along, each circle helping her roughly lock onto the Terror Tyrant’s location.
Seeing her lose interest and leave, number one, who was in the lead, broke away from number two, flapping its wings and flying back towards her.
Number two, having almost collided with the tree canopy, retook to the skies, resuming the chase and fight with number one.
Their fighting intensity decreased somewhat, and their pursuit trajectories were unconsciously drawing closer to Jié Jié.
And Jié Jié continued to monitor the battle behind her, unable not to admire the flying abilities of Fire Dragons.
The old scars on their wing membranes told many tales—least of which being that wing membranes could heal—and just how difficult it was to bring down a Fire Dragon.
Thinking back to the broken-winged Fire Dragon, despite its weakness, it still highlighted the formidable nature of the seasoned veteran.
The ongoing battle behind her seemed destined to continue without resolution, likely due to her continuous calls hinting at something amiss.
Until the third Male Fire Dragon appeared in the sky, changing the situation.
Numbers one and two seemed to form some sort of alliance, charging directly at number three.
From both sides, number three, confused about what was happening, was forcibly expelled from the airspace.
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
Numbers one and two roared at Jié Jié, moving closer, forcing her to temporarily halt her flight. Once they had her attention, they resumed their fight.
Apparently, they wanted no more competitors and aimed to confine the victor between the two dragons.
Jié Jié was momentarily speechless, deeply recognizing the wisdom of Fire Dragons from a fellow species’ perspective.
Indeed, this was about the continuation of their lineage.
But stopping her calls now was too late. The fourth and fifth contenders ahead had already noticed them.
Two against two? No, it was a pure free-for-all.
And she was the instigator of this chaos, making her question whether her Female Fire Dragon form was truly so charming.
She had previously worried about lacking the scent of a fertile female Fire Dragon, fearing she wouldn’t attract any males.
In truth, Jié Jié’s transformed Female Fire Dragon shell was a lush green, a trait innate to her but indicative of being in the breeding season for Fire Dragons.
Moreover, she was powerful—her prolonged flight, continuous calls, and even her impressive size of 21 meters made her stand out among Female Fire Dragons.
In nature, to increase the survival rate of their offspring, males either build harems to reduce errors or prefer to mate with stronger females.
Females, on the other hand, prefer to entrust themselves to sufficiently strong males.
By merely revealing a bit of her intentions through her calls, she attracted enough Fire Dragons, and even though she wasn’t currently in the breeding season, these Male Fire Dragons were willing to wait.
The Fire Dragon breeding season lasted quite a while, until they found a mate, and this Female Fire Dragon looked young enough.
Jié Jié continuously avoided the Fire Dragons approaching her during the aerial battle, continuing forward, estimating the Terror Tyrant’s real-time position.
Closer.
When the Terror Tyrant, still holding half a Fire Dragon wing in its mouth, came into view, Jié Jié chose to initiate a dive.
If these Male Fire Dragons wanted to win her favor, they should at least make some moves, right?
But it seems the broken-winged Fire Dragon was already eaten, leaving no reason for her and the Terror Tyrant to fight.
Well, this made it seem like she had some complicated relationship with that Male Fire Dragon.
If she wanted a fight, she’d give them one. If she lacked ambition, why wouldn’t she simply eat, drink, and sleep every day?
