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He was the Winged Snow Hunter. A mighty, flame-red dovah known to all as the former right hand of Alduin himself, even though now he was the ruler of his own fate. So why did he go bonelessly limp in delight when the dovahkiin found that one particular place on the back of his neck?"I am not a pet." He growled, but the desired effect was rather unavailing, considering he was practically writhing in contentment as she worked her knuckles over the spot.She chuckled. "I never said you were." She moved her hand just behind the crest on his head and he couldn't stop a shiver of pure pleasure."You are petting me.""Do you want me to stop?"He didn't answer exactly, but gave a series of grumbles which the dovahkiin took optimistically as disagreement. She brushed dust off his scales. "You're covered in dirt.""I am not dirty." He tried to glare fiercely at her out of the corner of his eye, but she was unperturbed."You most certainly are. Look at this." She dislodged a clump of dried mud from behind his crest and laughed. "You're filthy."He was very offended, but he’d be damned if he was going to admit it."Odahviing, you are a majestic and impressive dovah." She saw through him easily enough, apparently. He tried to ignore the pride that bubbled up in him in response to her words. "All I'm saying is you could use a bath." She then resumed that ridiculous petting.He tried to convince himself he didn't like it so he could shrug her off. His train of thought didn't get very far. What was that traitorous sound coming from him? Surely he could not be... purring? Gods help him that no other dov showed up to witness this disgrace.The dovahkiin did not call him often. She valued his promise for the honor it was, and it was for this reason that, deep down, he knew the fact that she was currently kneading his scales did not diminish the respect she still held for him. If it had been anyone other than her, he would not have suffered their brazenness for long.She had called him this time because another dovah had set his sights on razing a village, and she believed more lives could be spared if Odahviing could drive the other dovah up and away from the citizens. Fortunately she had been correct, and once away from the chaos (as well as sufficiently weakened in order to be forced to listen) she had talked the other dovah down.That certainly had been a sight to see. Ever since the civil war had ended, the dovahkiin had invested her efforts with the Old One, Paarthurnax, in reaching out to the other dov with a message of peace. She now avoided killing another dovah if at all possible. Of course, she was still forced to on occasion to preserve the general population of the region."Not all creatures are as obsessed with cleanliness as mortals." He said drily, as if his mind hadn’t been wandering idly through Aetherius a moment before."Well, I was just thinking it must be hard to appreciate your color when it's all dulled and dingy like this.”He hesitated. When she put it that way..."There aren't many red dragons around, you know."He snorted. "It hasn't rained in a while.""You could get in the river, scrub off that way.""I am not getting in the river.""It's shallow." She assured him. "I can stand up in most places. It’d be no more than ankle-deep for you, by comparison.”Apparently she wasn't taking no for an answer, because the next thing he knew she was leading him encouragingly into the water. He grumbled the entire way, of course."Wait here." He watched suspiciously as she slogged back to the riverside and climbed up the bank, disappearing towards the direction of the town. While she was gone he dipped his head slightly beneath the water to wet his crest and neck, and splashed with his wings until he could feel the water dripping off his back. He was heading back for the shore himself when she reappeared."Oh no you don't." She said mirthfully and gestured him back to where he had been. "We're going to do this right." She was holding something in her hand that looked vaguely like…"Do not tell me that is a brush.""Hard bristled. Odahviing, the dirt is practically ground into your scales. Splashing a bit of water on yourself or waiting for the next rain is not going to do any good.""You are not coming near me with that. I am leaving.""No you are not." She was smiling, but he'd never heard her sound more firm. "Friends do not let friends walk around covered in grime. Or fly around, in your case I guess."He was flabbergasted enough by this last statement that she was able to climb onto his back before he could shake her loose. Granted, she was so small he barely felt her back there anyway…Friends? He had always considered them more as… allies. She was far too attached to him then, it was probably best if he did leave… but confound it all, she was already scrubbing his wet back with that ridiculous brush. And gods help him it felt amazing.The dirt ran off his back in rivulets of water and the hard bristles of the brush loosened and warmed his muscles. She took extra care with his crest, scooping water over it repeatedly to rinse off the mud. She worked slowly down the length of his back, then slid off into the water to cleanse the layered scales on his sides. Lastly she tugged on his wings until he spread them enough to be washed as well. Once she had finished, she stood back, now soaking wet herself, with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face. "There, that wasn't so bad, was it?"Truthfully, he felt very refreshed. He hadn't been this clean in years. Other dovah took more care with their appearance, but he had always been too caught up in the schemes that Alduin has issued him to give the matter much thought. He felt rather like grumbling again at her light hearted teasing, but for the moment he was curious. He waded back to the riverbank, searching until he found a small dip near the shore where the rocks held the water still enough to retain an image. The dovahkiin followed him, a curious look on her face, until she realized he was peering down into the serene surface. She then tried to hide her smile.He stared at his reflection. His scales glistened a radiant scarlet. Droplets of water beaded on his great leathery wings and rolled off, his joints no longer creased in dust and dirt."You look magnificent." She was grinning at him when he turned to look at her. "And now, everyone will be able to tell."As a dovah, and knowing that she was one as well, he knew a sincere thank-you would just embarrass both of them. So instead, he straightened up and folded his wings as though he hadn't been ogling his image a moment before. "I suppose it will do.""You like it.""Perhaps."She laughed. The sound was so carefree, so warm and companionable. She considered him her friend. She enjoyed being here with him, she cared that he was taken care of.Maybe being more than just allies wouldn't be such a nonsensical thing after all.