Volly Catches a Cow

"Breakfast?" This question came in hopeful tones: little Volly, the courier, landed beside them. He had heard the noise and come looking, now he gazed about inquisitively. "Cow!" he squealed, seeing one loose, and immediately leaped after it: the animals began bellowing and ran away all over again.

"It is not really our fault," Maximus said, when they were once again alone, Volly and the animals already far distant. "The herders ought to have been here."

Temeraire closed his eyes and hid his head beneath his wing, curling his tail around himself; he hardly imagined how he was going to face Laurence.

From Feast or Famine by Naomi Novik.

TEMRER - COW!!!! _{[I wanted to title it that, but dA's title bar won't accept exclamation marks.]}

Fanart for Naomi Novik's Temeraire series. Feast or Famine is actually a short story that takes place between His Majesty's Dragon and Throne of Jade, though the events chronicled in it are referred to in Catherine Harcourt's letter in ToJ. The story cracked me right up; when I got to Volly's bit, I knew I *had* to draw something.

All the British dragons are described by Sir Edward Howe as being "ridged", which is all well and good if they're the size of Regal Coppers (although... if their spiny columns are so dangerous to boarding parties, aren't their own crews - not to mention their captains!- in danger of being impaled? LOL), but how comfortable can it be riding a lightweight-class courier, especially on 14-hour flights? So Volly's ridges are raised plates instead. Call it artistic licence. Other than that, the dragons are as close as I could get to Novik's description of them. _{In case anyone's asking, the rivets on Volly's neck brace spell out "Volatilus".}

One can't help but love Volly. Even if the average broken lightbulb is brighter than he is.

If you haven't read the books, you probably should. It's the Napoleonic War! With dragons!

_{[I'm still waiting for my shipment of books 4-6, so if you dare ruin it for me, I will set Iskierka on you.]}

For Marguerite and MmeBahorel, because they got me started on the series.

NOTES

Temeraire is the property of Naomi Novik.
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