Arrow Lake If you see something, say nothing and drink to forget

Anaa nanana anaa na, Dragomir babbled on, in his mind repeating what his mother was saying exactly. Da danana aaaah, he went on, only to turn suddenly as yet another drop of snow distracted him. By now the mountain air was beginning to warm more and the fat flakes from before were beginning to turn to heavy sleet instead. The snow that lit on his back was now wet enough to soak into his fur.

He gave himself a sloppy shake that carried through from withers to tail tip, then regarded his mother warmly as she uttered his other name. He recognized these things: Dragomir, little dragon, blackberry and balaur were all things that meant him. He also recognized soil, because that word was said often whenever he was caught licking up bits of dirt. He recognized love because it was often whispered to their ears. There were other words that came up often enough that he would turn his head in recognition, but not yet comprehend: goufa, emer, and now noni.

Dragomir seemed to have the same idea as Aure; she lapped at the snow on his shoulders and the resulting brush of contact sent a chill shuddering down his little spine. Brrrrrr, he replied, which wasn't quite a word, but might delight his mother all the same. At once he began to hasten back to the den. Snow was wonderful but it was now turning to rain, and though Dragomir liked water quite a lot (that had to be the sea in him), he didn't much like napping with wet fur.