2018.02.08 Page 1014 - The Pecking Order

**Trace:** So... you don’t have authority over her?
**Reni:** (thoughts) _Merciful Nora! No!_
**Karen:** _Wah!_
**Reni:** (thoughts) _“Dragon princess” is **not** a dragon title. It’s a title given to me by humans._
**Reni:** (thoughts) _You were correct earlier. There is no formal dragon government._
**Reni:** (thoughts) _I can’t speak for all dragons, but most I’ve met prefer to live by their own rules. So, no, I do not have any power over Nora, or most other dragon for that matter._
**Reni:** (thoughts) _In fact, it there were any dragon who could demand authority over others, it would be **her.** The one thing almost all dragons respect is **seniority.** Unlike humans, dragons only grow stronger with age._
**Reni:** (thoughts) _And Nana Nora is... **very** old._
**Reni:** (thoughts) _Even if she doesn’t exactly **act** her age half the time._
**Reni:** (thoughts) _**Don’t tell her I said that!**_
**Trace:** _Huh..._ Nora always seemed to act very casual around me.
**Reni:** (thoughts) _You’re lucky, then. She can be intense._
**Trace:** You called her “Nana.” Are you two related?
**Reni:** (thoughts) Oh, well... er, yes, technically. I think she’s my... great great grandmother? Though... that’s not saying very much. Most dragons claim to trace their lineage back to her, one way or another. But suffice it to say, when it comes to rank, I am near the very bottom. At least, by dragon standards.