Dragon Cypress waited with Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple in the little grove.
As expected, White Ivy was once again the first to arrive this year.
To White Ivy's left was a Metal Mantis Warrior about sixty or seventy centimeters long; that must be the "Red Peach" mentioned last year. Oddly, on the right was a Flame Spider Warrior, legs nearly two meters across, carapace bare and empty.
The Flame Spider Warrior trotted over quickly.
"Dragon Cypress?"
"Huh! Grass Dragon?"
"It's me! These two Sky Ox Warriors are…"
"Oh. Born in my territory, juniors—Blue Catalpa, Snakebark Maple—they're helping carry the goods."
Dragon Cypress asked puzzled, "How come you're hanging out with White Ivy?"
Grass Dragon: "Oh! I've defected. I decided to give up being neutral and take a firm stand with White Ivy. From now on, I'm White Ivy's spider."
After all these years, Grass Dragon was still just as shameless.
Dragon Cypress joked, "Won't Melde beat you to death for that?"
