Seeing this, Vermax hurriedly let out a loud shriek, then scraped at the ground and pushed back two steps before spreading his wings and following.
The gust raised by their takeoff tossed the hair of everyone nearby, especially Daenerys, who stood closest. She quickly raised a hand to hold down her flying silver hair, the strands brushing her temples with a faint tickle.
Daenerys simply lifted her other hand from the scales she had been stroking and laughingly scolded the two figures already racing away overhead. Then she gripped the saddle handle again and urged Viserion after them.
Viserion, who had long been holding himself back, immediately lifted his head and released a thunderous roar. Then he spread his broad wings, swept them sharply down and up, and shot into the sky on the wind with Daenerys on his back.
As Viserion took off, Daenerys remembered to call to Viserys and the others, "Brother, I'll go ahead. Hurry and follow us! If you keep dawdling, those two impatient creatures who stole a head start will snatch up all the plumpest game in the woods today."
The wind scattered Daenerys's words through the air. Beating his wings, Viserion soon followed the two dragons ahead toward the Kingswood, leaving only a long, resonant roar echoing overhead.
Viserys remained where he was, watching the three dragons vanish into the distance, and shook his head somewhat helplessly.
Then he casually brushed some dust from his shoulder and said to the two women beside Blackflame, "All right, Dany has gone. We should hurry too."
Arya and Ygritte stood beside Blackflame, gazing up at the black adult dragon's back and at Viserys, who was already seated there.
Ygritte was at ease, having ridden Blackflame when she returned a few days earlier, but Arya had not ridden