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SECOND

When I came through the portal I immediately turned around to see if I could still see that infinity of columns.

I could feel the heat coming from the fire behind me, it was a familiar sensation while I stared at the smooth earthen wall of that underground hovel. Being featureless and not showing the columns, I turned and noticed that she was looking at the smoke rising up and out through a small opening on top of the ceiling.

I was fascinated by how the irregular and energetic light played on both her deep blue scale and her white shimmering robe. When she twisted her long neck to point her snout down in my direction she sniffed with a certain severity, not quite looking at me as I move my eyes away from her to discover what else was in the room. In the shadow of a corner, there to be lapped by scraps of flickering gold, was what reminded me of a nest. It really was little more than a concave bedding made out of thick straw, although it managed to summon certain ideas of which I was very warmly reminded of.

When I was released from pleasureful thoughts and images I was truly stunned to no longer find her there with me. Disturbed by how I failed to hear her move away while daydreaming, I strained my eyes to see where she could have left from. I was a little reassured to find how right next to the fire there was a dark hallway leading to who knows where; before taking it I looked up through that little hole, only to goggle in recognizing a few stars.

It really was strange as to how I was reminded of what they were, yet it only took me a iffy to step out of that warm bedroom to tell if I could spot her down the hallway after going around the fire. Not seeing her I called her, but I got not reply: where did she go, why did she just leave me like that I really had to know--hugging the wall I made it to a corner about half way to another room at the far end. Feeling a cold breeze I returned to the fire where I picked one of the flaming branches to carry it with me even if wouldn't last me very long. I called her again, this time with a lot more worry. I was afraid that she had been suddenly removed and that I was now alone, left to wander in the dark.

With my impromptu torch I moved down the hallway where I found oil torches mounted to the walls: it really made a difference to light them. Turning the corner instead of going straight I found a door at the near end: it was wooden, large and closed. I went to open it and rather than finding walls made of bare earth and barred with wood it was more of that white stone as I moved in with my trustworthy flaming branch. There was a larger and more decorated oil torch that immediately brightened an especially designed sink, the shower and Turkish toilet that was provided with hot running water.

Once again it was very familiar however unexpected; I certainly knew what the two taps were for as I went to clench my thirst on the purest fresh cold water. Before I moved out of the bathroom and closed its large door I carefully lifted the cap to cover the oil and put out the flame: if she had not disappeared like that it would have made me smile to find myself in a place that could have easily been her home. Moving down that hallway with the branch to light the new room I could feel that cold breeze again. Before I discovered where it came from I happened to consider a number of things: for instance, that could have really been where she belonged, and I somehow stumbled back there with her. How maybe her sudden disappearance was due to the fact she knew where she was and no longer needed me. I couldn't say I was reassured to find the open door through which she left. Before I lit the torches and inspected that last room I went outside wielding my branch--but I couldn't see a thing. It was pitch black and at my bare feet was a thick, short and very soft grass that I could vaguely tell went rolling down a soft hill in a forest.

Looking up I could clearly see the stars and I knew all about them without knowing where I was or even who I was to get to learn all the things I did about them; how they were the suns of distant planets, and how just like people they eventually died and how that way they fertilized the universe with substances without which life couldn't exist.

I couldn't hear any incoming sounds but that faint crackling of the fire coming from inside that hovel built under and against the side of a hill. Considering the time of night she either had to know how to move in such conditions or she didn't leave by her own accord; I really wanted to start running down shouting so that she could hear me, and return to me. But a part of me stopped me from doing so, realizing how that could have attracted some unwanted attention--having trouble handling the oddness I simply shook my head, and turned around walking inside and closing the door behind me. With the light from the torches in the hallway I could tell that small entrance hall contained provisions stacked against its round wall, consisting of wooden barrels with spare oil; a stack of chopped and sawed wood, and large kegs of beer and wine I tasted by opening their spigots. I relighted my branch to turn on the torches in the hall before inspecting the goods piled on animal skins among which were cups and dishes of various sizes; a grill; a small and a large ax; a sword; cloths large and small; white robes and clothes for both me and her, and even a few very large quilts--there was a leather armor I could wear, and that didn't reassure me. Even though I didn't remember my name or that of my species, I was glad to be told by my inner self that I was very familiar with swords, only then knowing myself capable of doing more than just defending myself with them.

Having nothing better to do I went on to fill a large cup of beer, picked up the sword and just went back to the warm although simple bedroom where I tried out what sitting was like in that large nest. Finally finding that I had memory, but not of my previous life but rather a detailed one of the strange events taking place just before, I recalled how she said that she smelled food, and perhaps that was what made her move out of the house and down those woods--because as far as I saw there was no food there, however plenty of alcohol was available. Still wearing that white robe with nothing under it I just sat there drinking with one hand and touching myself with the other by moving my left arm up into my sleeves, down the robe to where my hand could grab a hold of my manhood before testing the muscles on my legs. I was feeling very odd about how even though I was sure of having previously lived either one or more lives, I could not say that body belonged to me, it was more like wearing it--perhaps I was getting that sensation only because I had no memory of what I looked like.

I felt a little sad thinking that she could have just left me there while experiencing all of that by herself, as finding myself in her same condition really was the only thing keeping me sane in those moments. Perhaps I really should have put my beer down and stop staring at that blazing fire that was warming up the excavated bedroom where shadow and light fought a marvelous battle. I could have tried calling her again, put on that armor to make myself ready in case whatever mortal danger came my way--but I just wasn't prepared. I began to feel tired and hungry while I waited, silent and quiet without thinking no more, only to stop drinking when I realized my body was not accostumed to that substance as I thought it was when I discovered alcohol in there who knew how long before.

Drunk, I heard some noises coming from the other room. The entrance was being opened but I could hear no steps. I got up very quickly, wielding the short sword in my right hand with a confidence that surprised me. I walked out of the straw nest and around a now less lively flame to check out the only way in. And down the hallway I could see her in the full light as I had left all of the torches on; she was no longer wearing her white robe and was carrying a dead animal in her mouth; right in front of me and standing in the entrance hall she looked right at me with her yellow eyes before she dropped the carcass. I lowered my sword as I looked at how she was stretching her neck, one which seemed to be pained after being used to carry that prey there. Other than the large bite severing the animal's spine the carcass was otherwise intact, and before she could say or do anything else I felt like questioning her:

"Why did you just leave like that? I thought you were gone for good."

"I told you I smelled food," she said, then looking down and away from me to move up to the carcass and start working her clawed hands to gut it, skin it and break it into pieces. I wasn't in any way repulsed by that necessary thing and actually impressed by the work she was making of a herbivore to which I couldn't put a name.

"Are you familiar with the animal you killed?" I asked her.

"Yes," she said, "and with a hovel like this."

It was then that she noticed how I was carrying a lowered sword and asked me, rather afraid, "Is that a weapon?"

"Yes," I replied, showing it to her. "I found it among the other things. I didn't know it was you at the door."

I gave a little shrug, using the sword to point at the stuff stacked and piled against the wall where she could have found new robes to wear, as I imagined she spoiled the ones she had on while hunting. While she turned to look at the stuff I couldn't say I minded to see her naked, finally examining her graceful although muscular legs, as well as the rows of large dull scales plating her back, while trying not to glimpse down and at her smooth pale belly for fear she would catch me; however seeing how her tail went right by me I managed not to look at her buttocks and just in time as she turned her head back after the inspection, only to move it and resume her job of cleaning and preparing the animal. "As soon as the gateway opened I knew I would find herbivores over here," she commented, "I have a good nose."

"You're also a good hunter, it didn't take you very long. Can you see in the dark?"

"I don't need to," she replied, tearing a whole skinned leg off the animal. She was holding it in one clawed hand and standing on three as she offered it to me, and I just couldn't refuse. When I took it she then asked me, "Do you like your meat cooked or raw?"

"I like it cooked," I said, only to add, "I think I can take care of that."

I moved ahead of her while she started to eat, managing to get a hold of that grill before quickly getting out of her way. The noise both she and her maw made while chewing and devouring that animal made me happy of not having to see her while I got the fire ready and placed both the grill and the meat I sliced on it. I was about half way through the cooking and the hovel was filled with a tasty smell when she came into the bedroom saying, "There are no others like you and me as far as I can smell."

She sat down in front of the fire, crossed her forelimbs and turned her very female however different eyes to mine. "I wasn't going to leave you, but I just couldn't wait to get one."

"You don't have to excuse yourself," I said, using the sword to turn the meat on the grill as if I'd done it a million times. "But you did make me afraid of having lost you. Did you already check the rest of the house?"

"I have," she said. "Did you taste what's in the kegs?"

"You couldn't do that for yourself?" I asked her.

"I_can_ stand like you," she said with a rather flat expression. "But the ceiling is low, and those spigots aren't designed for my hands, I could have broken them."

"It's pretty good stuff," I said, getting up and leaving my meat to cook itself for a moment. "I'll go get you one of those big cups full, what do you prefer?"

"I would be eternally grateful to you if you could bring me some wine," she said.

"Matches to the meat, I'll get some for myself as well."

"What about the beer you left in the nest," she commented, smiling cheekily in looking in that direction. When she then directed her eyes at me I knew she realized what beds were for, something that however not being a memory by itself brought back feelings of love and pleasure. I blushed a little in looking back at her, and before I became very embarrassed by how she stared at me I went over there and recovered my cup of beer before disappearing down the hallway to get her some wine as she asked.

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