I'm still working. Right now I'm sitting on 16,014 words. For those of us keeping score (like me) that puts me a little behind. Darn it all. Still though, I'm determined to win somehow this year. I'd love to have a second win.

Anyway, it's been a while, so here's a teaser on what I'm doing. This is a raw copy paste, no editing and whatnot. If it doesn't make sense, too bad. I don't have time to go back and change stuff. Rawr.

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Deanna walked through the large stone archway that led into Raogothcar's den. It seemed that the moment she crossed the threshold, she began hearing voices. One was the dragon's, the other was a voice she didn't recognize, but it sounded like another dragon. They had a lower voice than most humans.
She stood in the open entry way before she got into the actual den and closed her eyes. It was hard dealing with Raogothcar sometimes. Now that there were two of them, at the same time. This meeting could be difficult. She didn't know the other dragon, and that alone was a good reason to turn around and talk to Raogothcar another day. Still, spending half the day getting to the dragon's den should not be wasted. It would be early evening by the time she and Matthew returned to Ravenstone.
"I guess we're not the only one with a surprise," Matthew said as he came along side her, "seems he has company. I wonder who she is?"
"I don't care," Deanna said quietly, "and I hope she leaves when we go inside."
"Knowing Raogothcar, she's liable to be there all day long. They sound like they're having a good time."
The two dragons were laughing about something. It was an odd noise, loud and low. Deanna shook her head and walked towards the den. "Just don't let me kill him."
"Yes ma'am."
Deanna reached the den and Raogothcar looked up at her from the central pit in his den. Down below was a green dragoness that she'd not seen before. The two of them were sitting around a large pot of something and Deanna hoped it wasn't any more of the tea.
"Deanna, come on-" Raogothcar saw Matthew enter and his smile widened, "Oh Matthew too. This is great. Matthew, Deanna, this is Caraleth. I met her when I went out to Applegrove for you Deanna. Caraleth, these are those friends I've been telling you about. She's Deanna, and that's Matthew."
"I should have come in my full robes for this." Matthew said as he walked down to the two dragons. "I'm glad to meet you, I haven't seen any of Raogothcar's other friends. Glad he knows how to make them."
Deanna walked down to the group and put her hands on her hips. Her war meeting had been turned into a party, and Matthew just walked right in. With plots wild in the central court, and some sort of magical invasion that he had been warning her about, how they could be so jovial was nearly unexcusible.
"I've heard a lot about you." The dragoness said. If she had been like Raogothcar, her response would have been longer. Already she felt better about being able to control the conversation.
"You have?"
"Oh yes," Raogothcar said, "I told her how we met, and all the exciting things you've done. I told her a bit about druids in general since there aren't any druids where she came from. She's from out west, seems things are very different there. I am going to have to visit sometime, but maybe after we get things here figured out."
"Well, Raogothcar, that's why I came actually. Seems you and I are both working with Deanna on similar projects. Sounds like there is a lot of things going on here in Freeraven lately."
"I know. Did Deanna tell you about the letter?"
"She mentioned it some on the way, but you know she doesn't like to give details. I figured you would tell me everything."
"Oh I can show you the letter. It's very strange actually." Raogothcar stood up and went to his bookshelf and retrieved the letter as he talked, "I'm surprised that King Roland would write anything like this. Actually, I was thinking about this and had this idea that Deanna might like."
Deanna walked towards the group below her, she would have to participate with the group now that Raogothcar mentioned her name. She had watched the dragoness the entire time, and noticed that she didn't seem ready to join the conversation. In fact she seemed almost as if she was shy at the moment. Before they arrived, she was speaking freely and now she seemed content to sit back and listen. That suited Deanna just fine.
Trust was another problem. Raogothcar appeared to trust her already, but Deanna knew better than to put her trust in what the dragon chose. In the past his quick trust had gotten him stung. She thought that he had gotten better in the past months, but now with a thick plot at their feet he seemed to be gushing everything at this new dragoness. A dragoness that he had only met a couple days before. She didn't like it.

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Now wasn't that interesting? Anyway, back to writing some more for the evening. See you guys later.