Carnage x Bhramari

The waterfall was a rather pretty place, Carnage supposed, though he wasn't entirely sure why Bhramari had been so insistent on bringing him here when there were perfectly good places to nap elsewhere. The little black dragon had been introduced to a female he didn't know particularly well, a bug dragon by the looks of her, and she seemed determined to make the most of their time together. He had spent a fair portion of it watching her with those enormous black eyes of his, occasionally turning his head when she made some strange little noise. The flower on his tail bobbed as he shifted his weight, his claws picking idly at the ground while he considered her. She was certainly an energetic thing. Whether that was a good thing remained to be seen. Carnage wasn't exactly one for exhausting himself unnecessarily, and the waterfall she'd brought him to was making a rather convincing argument for a nap, but the female had other plans. She chittered at him, bounced on her feet, and then hurried toward the water with such obvious excitement that he decided it was worth following, if only to see what she was up to.

Bhramari stopped at the water's edge and looked back at him, her wings held high and her whole body practically trembling with anticipation. Carnage paused a short distance away, head tilted, waiting to see what she would do. She gave a series of quick clicks before lifting into the air, her butterfly wings beating rapidly as she hovered above the pool. For a moment, she simply hung there, peering down at the water. Then she dipped one of her legs toward the surface, and the water began to ripple. Carnage's eyes narrowed slightly as the ripples spread, widening until they reached the rocky edges of the pool. The water swirled, gathering itself into a rising spiral that twisted higher and higher, and Bhramari let out a delighted trill as she flew around it. The column followed her movements, bending with her turns before splitting into several separate streams that curled through the air. Carnage took a few steps closer. Well, that was certainly more interesting than a nap.

The female seemed to have found her rhythm now. She darted between the streams, her wings fluttering rapidly as she guided them into elaborate loops, crossing one stream over another until they formed a great twisting pattern above the pool. Water scattered everywhere, catching the light in little flashes as it rained back down, and the sound of the waterfall was soon joined by Bhramari's constant chittering. She seemed perfectly delighted with the whole affair, occasionally glancing toward Carnage as if checking that he hadn't wandered off. And he hadn't. He was much too curious to leave now, though he remained on the bank rather than flying out to join her. Flying was all well and good when necessary, but he had no intention of making a fool of himself trying to keep up with a creature whose wings seemed designed specifically for such aerial acrobatics. Besides, the ground offered a much better vantage point, and he could watch her without having to worry about where he was going to land.

Bhramari rose higher, drawing the streams of water up with her until they arched over the pool in a broad, glittering curtain. She circled once, then again, and the water followed, spreading into a great ring that hung above her before breaking apart into dozens of smaller fountains. The sunlight caught the mist, scattering colors through the air, and for a brief moment a rainbow appeared above the waterfall. Carnage stared up at it, his head lifting until his gaze followed the arch from one end to the other. The flower on his tail swayed as he shifted his stance, and he seemed to forget to look bored for a moment. It was an impressive display, he had to admit, and the female was clearly putting a great deal of effort into it. 

The display ended with a tremendous crash as the water came tumbling back into the pool, sending a wave rolling toward the bank. Carnage stepped back, but not quickly enough to avoid getting his feet soaked, and he looked down at the water washing around his claws with a distinctly unimpressed expression. Across the pool, Bhramari landed in a flurry of fluttering wings and cheerful trills, looking rather pleased with herself. Carnage lifted his head to watch her approach, remaining where he was rather than rushing to meet her. When she drew nearer, he sniffed in her direction, taking a moment to inspect the strange insect-like female who had just thrown half a waterfall into the air for reasons he could only guess at. Then he gave a small chattering sound, his head tilting again as he looked toward the water and back to her. It wasn't quite praise, but it wasn't dismissal either.

Bhramari answered with another cheerful string of clicks, her wings shifting gently as she settled nearby. Carnage watched her for another moment before stepping forward to sniff at one of her legs, curious about the unfamiliar dragon who had apparently decided that a grand water spectacle was an appropriate way to introduce herself. He was still deciding what he thought of her, but at least she hadn't been boring. For Carnage, that was a rather promising start.