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Kufa sighed, it had been a long and fairly miserable day for the albino lioness and one she was more than ready to see come to the end. Bright sunny days were always the worst for her, her fur was thin and pure white and in places even her pink skin was visible beneath the thin wispy fur and the sun never showed her any mercy. On days like this she could barely risk leaving the most shady trees she could find rather than risk the sun for too long, something she had learned as a young cub how it could burn her sensitive skin if she was out too long under its hateful gaze. All of that meant that she was never as strong or as big as the other lionesses of her age, she was a terrible hunter and if it wasn’t for the love her mother and aunts, she’d have starved.

She envied her younger brothers, sisters and the rest of her family for how unbothered they were by that evil orb that seared her skin and hurt her eyes so much. How they were able to run, play, hunt and their skin wouldn’t burn. But that was not the life fate had blessed her with, reality was she knew she was lucky to even be alive. She had always been a sickly cub growing up and whether it was luck or some cruel twist of fate she had survived all the way to adulthood.

Her mother had told her custom would normally dictate that cubs with her ‘condition’ normally would be abandoned to their fate but her mother couldn’t bear to lose her too. She was born with two stillborn littermates, a brother and a sister. She had been given the name ‘Kufa’ which she learned means ‘dying’ when she got older, a constant reminder of the fate they expected of her. One she had so far been able to avoid. Luckily she was permitted to live, the scrawny weak thing she was, her family was able to care for her until she was old enough to find at least some way to make herself useful to the pride.

That usefulness turned out to mostly be the designated cubsitter more often than not. Whenever the other lionesses would go hunting or the males were out on patrol she would be left to watch all her younger siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins.

It was something she was surprisingly good at, most of the little ones were always far better behaved for her then they would have been for their own parents. It was perhaps the only small way she could contribute to the pride but it was a job that needed doing and one she was very good at.

Kufa glanced out over the plain toward the setting sun, thankful for the oncoming night to save her from the harsh sun. She would stand and walk off toward the river, her morning and evening walks were the only times she could really explore far from the little shade the trees she had lived under had to offer and tonight she wanted to be alone away from the pride she could not live without.

When she made it away from her pride and near the river the sun was nearly setting, just a low orange and red glow along the horizon left where she would find a place to sit.

It was there, alone in the fading daylight the albino lioness let her walls down and she began to cry. It wasn't fair, nothing in her life could be considered fair. She was just a weak sickly albino, she couldn't hunt, she couldn't feed herself or her family but worst of all a nagging truth she had been trying to ignore was becoming clearer to her every day.

She lifted a paw resting it along her belly as she let the frustration and sadness and pain of her cruel fate out through her tears. The truth that she wasn't strong enough to even be a mother herself, three seasons of trying and nothing had ever come of it. Jarrith and his brother Sylus were definitely not the problem as they had fathered cubs with several of the other lionesses and they had both been quite the eager and enthusiastic lovers when her season had come around.

It wasn't that this was some huge revelation to her, she had suspected it to be the case after her second season of trying but this time the evidence was too much to be ignored. On top of everything else she was beginning to suspect she was likely barren.

“Fate has been cruel to you, hasn't it.” The deep sound of the distinctly male voice she did not recognize snapped her back to reality, that the words themselves didn’t fully register what he had said. Her mind was yelling at her to run back to the pride but her body wouldn’t listen. She lacked the strength to even stand from her seat.

And so without the strength to fight, without the will to run. She did the only thing left she could do, she spoke, maybe she could talk her way out of this situation. “You shouldn’t be here, if the brothers find you trespassing on their territory they will rip you to shreds.”

A laugh, of all things, was the response he gave her. He clearly did not know the brothers like she did, they were truly fierce fighters and protectors of the pride in their prime, it would be many years before even a proper coalition could challenge them let alone a single rogue. “I am not scared of them, and besides, I won’t be around long enough for them to notice.”

She shook her head lifting a paw to wipe away her tears, deciding whatever this strange rogue wanted there was nothing she could do to persuade him otherwise, she may as well figure out what it was he was after. Kufa raised her head and looked to the side where the voice was coming from and not more than a few paces away she saw him. He was a large dark furred lion perhaps bigger then Jerrith, the larger of the brothers. However in the low light of the early evening the details of his appearance were lost. “So why are you here then?”

“You.” The word came simply and it startled her. What could he possibly want with a single lioness, a sickly albino at that. So she was left to stare at him dumbly as he spoke. “I couldn’t leave without offering to help, not when I have the means, However…” he trailed off, glancing toward the river himself.

She followed his gaze to the river, the prospect of not living every day sick and weak, the prospect that one day maybe she could be a mother, it was too much for her to believe, and yet something about his tone seemed sincere like he truly wished to help. “However… what?” If there was any possibility his words were more than just honeyed lies to put her at ease she needed to hear what he had to say.

“You will need to leave this land, for how long I do not know but you will never recover from what ails your body here.” And there it was… the truth of his goal was to lure her away from her family, but why her and why offer her hope. If he wanted to steal her away from the pride there was nothing she could do to overpower the large male, if he had wanted to he could have easily taken her by force and gotten away before any help arrived. Yet he had chosen to offer hope, a better life. It was clear he wanted her to come with him willingly.

“I..” the words caught in her throat, could she really leave everything on the words of this stranger? Leave her family and everything she had ever known and risk it all on the chance this strange lion could be trusted, that he wasn’t just sprinkling her with what she wanted to hear? Anyone with eyes could see how rough her condition was and that nothing would mean more to her then to feel well. “I.. can’t just…leave my family, they have sacrificed so much to keep me safe, to give me a life I should have rightfully been denied.”

There was silence between them for several moments before she heard him speak, a soft sadness seemed to tinge his voice, “It’s a lot to ask I know, but ultimately it’s your choice to make, and remember once you are better you can return to them stronger than you ever thought possible.” he paused for a moment letting her digest his words before continuing. “Think about my offer, I’ll come back to his very spot in a week's time, you can tell me your answer then.”

She stared at the river listening to the sound of her own racing heart for a moment as she thought. Was it worth the risk? What if it didn’t work? What was he really planning? A thousand and one questions ran through her head all at once, it was too much for her. “I don’t know.” was the only answer she could give and when she turned to look in his direction again, he was gone. Somehow he had managed to vanish in the same way he had appeared suddenly and silently causing her to glance around in confusion. How could he have come and gone without her seeing or hearing him. It’s not like there was any real cover for him to conceal his movements.

A grumble escaped her, whoever he was she wasn’t sure she could trust him but the offer was tempting, however slim the chances his words were true and honest. It may be worth the risk.

Over the next week, Kufa spoke to her mother about the strange lion that came and went without a trace with an offer to help treat her and make her well. Much to Kufa’s shock, her mother was not surprised by the story or the offer he had given her. In fact, she admitted she had met a lion once very much like the one the Albino had described, long before Kufa was born.

“When I was just a cub myself I had wandered away from the pride and got lost, it was starting to get dark and I was terrified, if my mother didn’t find me before something else did..” her mother paused, “Well you know what happens to helpless cubs if they are caught by less savory creatures without the protection of their family. That’s when he appeared, as if out of nowhere a large dark furred lion appeared and told me not to be afraid, that my family was looking for me and would find me soon if I stayed put.” the older lioness giggled as she recalled the story, “Needless to say I was paralyzed with fear, I thought this unknown male was about to kill me and didn’t really register what he was saying at first. But just as suddenly as he appeared, he vanished the moment I looked away without a sound or trace. Not long after I heard my mother calling in the distance, and was reunited with her, all these years I thought I had imagined the encounter.”

She leaned in, running cheek against her daughter’s tenderly, “I’d say it’s the same lion I met but.. He’d be quite old by now. But the way you described him, it’s like he hadn’t aged a day.”

“So what should I do mother?” Kufa closed her eyes resting her head along her Mother’s shoulder relaxing in her warmth as they spoke.

“That’s up to you my dear, I think you should consider it. I wish I could have done more for you, I want nothing more than for you to be strong.. Healthy and happy and honestly, you’re none of those things here and it pains me to think, I couldn’t do much more for you then keep you alive. If there is a chance he can help, it may be worth the risk.” Kufa’s mother pulled her daughter into a gentle hug. “But ultimately my dear, the choice is yours to make.”

Kufa let the words sit on her mind for several days before the night came for his return. Her nerves were on edge, she didn’t know what to expect, but with her mother’s advice she had decided it was worth the risk. This was no life to live and if there was a better one for her elsewhere, then it was a chance she had to take. So here she was, walking back to the river where she had met the lion who spoke honeyed words of hope to her only a week ago.

So at the bank of the river she sat nervously, shifting as she waited, glancing around now and then before watching the sun set. And finally the silence was broken by a familiar voice. “You came back, have you decided then?”

She turned and there he was, only a few paces away, the large dark furred lion sitting there watching her as she stood and faced him, “I have, I’ll go with you, this is no life it’s merely survival and I want… I want to know what it’s like to truly live.” She almost choked on the words but managed to get them out before her nerves got the better of her, whatever happened next was in fate’s control now.

The large lion nodded and stood, slowly walking towards her, “I’m glad. We’ll talk more in the morning, but for now you must rest, sleep, I will keep watch” As he spoke those words she felt strange, as if every ounce of nervousness and anticipation had left her body and was replaced with complete exhaustion, she almost lost her balance as she went to lie down.

“Ok, but where..” She had multiple questions, where they were going, how did he think it would help her, what was happening to her, and even what his name was. Unfortunately none of them ever escaped her lips, the tiredness had consumed her every thought and she was dragged into a slumber so deep and peaceful she never knew was possible.

It was as if his suggestion to sleep had taken hold of her entire being and had become an irresistible command that she had no choice or option but to obey, and in mere moments she was out.

She dreamed she was running through fields freely, faster then she had ever done before. Until she found a giant tree and, underneath it, sat a lion waiting for her. And before she knew it, she was flying through the air to pounce him, tackling the large male to the ground and burying her face into his mane. He smelled familiar, safe, his warm dark mane enveloped her face in the most pleasant ways. She was home, she was his and she wanted nothing more but to be by his side forever.

But dreams are just fleeting things that come and go and always end far sooner than she would’ve liked, as she overcame the grip of sleep. Kufa would stretch and yawn lazily, as she slowly came to a rather shocking realization. She was not by the river near her homeland anymore. She had awoken to the sensation of fur against her own. At first she thought it must have been the lion in her dreams, or maybe the lion from last night, were those the same lion? She couldn’t have known, as she only had a voice and a vague appearance to go by since it was so dark. Secondly, the scent wasn’t like a lion’s at all, in fact, the furs she was lying on came from some large cervine creature.

As she opened her eyes and pushed herself into more of a seated position, she realized why she was lying on furs. She wasn’t in the grassy field she had dozed off in. This was a rocky cave, and she had been resting on a pile of furs. It was a new experience sleeping on a furred bed like this, after all she had only slept on the dirt and grass throughout her life, but this was softer and far more comfortable than anything she could have imagined. The other thing she noticed glancing toward the entrance of the cave was that, despite the sun being up and illuminating the area near the cave’s mouth, it didn’t seem to overpower and strain her weak eyes to look outside. Perhaps the cave was shaded from direct sunlight.

Kufa yawned, wondering how long she must have been asleep for as she stood and made her way toward the entrance of the cave, also pondering how the lion had managed to get her here without her waking up. The questions only seemed to grow as she stepped out into the midday light and saw how different the land she was in was.

Instead of the endless fields of tall grass, rivers and the lonesome tree here and there. This place was heavily forested in tall thick trees that almost blanketed out the direct sunlight, leaving only splotches here and there breaking through the leaves, she also noted she couldn’t recognize any of these trees. Glancing out further, the ground seemed to sloop down slowly away from the entrance a few hundred feet before coming to a small creek, and if she glanced back behind it sloped up past the entrance of the cave. The air was cool on her fur as opposed to the warmth of sun baked savannahs she grew up in. It wasn’t unpleasant by any means but certainly not something she was used to.

She turned back toward the creek, deciding she would go get a drink before seeing if there was something to catch and eat, maybe a small rodent or something would be easy to catch. So she made her way down the hillside toward the running water before she heard a voice behind her.

“Ah! You’re finally awake I see.” She turned around and by the entrance of the cave there was the lion from the previous night, but how did he get there, he wasn’t in the cave with her was he? Surely she would have been able to smell him in that inclosed space. She didn’t even hear him approach, as if one moment he wasn’t there and the next he was. “It’s been three days, I was beginning to worry you would never wake up.”

This was the first time she had gotten a proper look at him, he wasn’t anything like she had imagined he would look now that she could see him in the light. He must stand head and shoulders taller than her. He had tannish brown fur with rich dark mane that seemed to lighten to more of a lighter tan around his face. Truth be told he was more handsome then she had imagined him in the darkness. “Three days? No wonder I’m so hungry.” she’d giggle softly moving in closer to get a better look at her new host.

“I’ve brought you something to eat, I’ll explain everything while you do if you’d like.” he gestured to a carcass of some large herbivore with multi pronged antlers he had left just a few steps away, that certainly wasn’t there when she left! And she certainly hadn’t smelled or seen a fresh kill like that near the cave before he arrived and she had left the cave. She was, however, starved and quickly padded back up the hill toward the meal and nodded to him, wasting no time and digging into the carcass.. It was still warm, he must have killed it and dragged it here without her noticing somehow. “Please eat your fill, that’s why you’re here after all.”

He chuckled softly, watching the albino lioness tear into the flesh of his kill with reckless abandon. It had been days since she ate and even longer since she truly had the chance to eat her fill, as she mostly had to live off what scraps she could scavenge off what the rest of the pride left behind. He sat in silence watching her eat, her pure white fur staining pink and red as she fed from the bloody carcass. She didn’t care though, she was going to eat till she couldn’t eat another bite, she could deal with the mess on her fur later.

“My name is Tharus, and I kn-.” he started before she cut him off with a bloody smile.

“Kufa, and thank you for this generous meal.” Kufa nodded toward the partially eaten carcass, “But, can we talk later? This is your kill and I’d feel a lot better if you shared it with me, it’s far more than I’d be able to eat on my own...”

“Fair enough” the large lion returned her smile before approaching and lying down on the other side of the carcass, beginning to dig into it himself. She wasted no time digging back into the belly of the beast wanting to find all the most nutritious organs to eat first, something she had rarely if ever had the chance to get. Something Tharus seemed quite eager to let her have her fill of.

They ate in silence for several minutes, before they both had their bellies overfilled and faces and claws caked red with fresh blood. Something far more striking on her white fur then it was on his. She moved away from the carcass a few steps and began grooming herself, slowly licking the blood off her fur as she lay on her side. Watching the large lion, he did much the same though he wasn’t nearly as bloody as she was as he hadn’t been the one digging into the body to get at the delicious organs.

She noticed him watching her groom herself with a curious expression for a few moments before he turned his attention elsewhere and spoke, “As I was saying, I know this might be a lot to take in, but this is my home. I hope you find your stay with me pleasant.” he gestured back to the cave she had awoken in. “Please come and go as you’d like, this forest should protect you from the harshest of the sun and if you ever wish to swim, follow that creek down you’ll find the most beautifully crystal clear lake.”

She nodded half-heartedly, for having just slept three days straight she was still surprisingly tired. Maybe it was just the side effects of having stuffed herself so very completely. “You’re…very generous, inviting me to your home… But, tell me, how is all this supposed to help my condition.” she resumed busying herself grooming along her paws, she’d probably be stained pink for days but she didn’t really care. It was probably the best meal she had ever had since she was weaned off her mother’s teat.

The large male nodded and glanced back at her, “One thing at a time, your body is weak from the over exposure to the sun, your skin is half burnt all the time due to your inability to handle much exposure to it.* He nodded off to the dense forest, “Here you can do what you’d like and avoid the sun even through the hottest parts of the day, I’ll see to it you get all the rest you need and proper meals… Once your strength has built back up, we’ll discuss what else you may need.”

So that was it, rest and food away from the hateful gaze of the sun till her body recovered on its own. It all sounded way too simple but somehow it had made perfect sense to her. She always felt better when the sky was overcast or in the winter seasons when the sun was not up as long. So perhaps he was right, this may be just what her body needs.”I see.. Thank you again for this. But if you don’t mind… I’m going to sleep off that meal.” a soft giggle escaped her and she stood up, walking back into the cave to the furs and glancing back at the charming lion over her shoulder as she left.

“Be my guest, I won’t be far if you need me, " he offered her a smile as he watched her make herself comfortable in the furs and drift off to sleep once more.

Over the following weeks she filled her days exploring the valley, she had never walked so much in her life but each day she could feel her strength growing, she could travel farther, and didn’t feel as tired whenever she returned to the cave. She had never realized how thin and patchy her fur had become over the years until recently, it seemed all this time away from the worst of the sun was allowing her skin to heal and her fur was slowly coming back and growing thicker once more.

In the evening Tharus would be there at the cave with something to eat. Sometimes it was a hare or another small animal, sometimes he’d bring larger game that they’d share, but each night she’d go to bed with something in her stomach. She never could quite put a paw on how he’d manage to just show up and vanish so suddenly and unexpectedly, and when she asked him about it he never gave her a straight answer.

“You’ll figure it out eventually” was the closest she had ever gotten him to admit that it wasn’t just her being distracted or simply something she was oblivious to. It seemed to bring him a lot of amusement that she couldn’t figure out his secret.

Eventually they’d begin to spend more time together, he would join her on her walks from time to time and she’d learn more about her host. Tharus explained he had been living in this valley alone for many years since he left his pride and that he truly had no interest in taking over a pride himself, saying that having to protect a pride outside of his protected valley would get in the way of his search. He spoke often about the things he’d find on this search and that he had first encountered her pride on one such occasion.

Kufa was curious what he was so determined to find on his searches but it was yet another thing he would deflect from and not give her a direct answer. Whatever it was, it was very important for him that he would one day find it, and that was why he lived mostly alone and only occasionally had visitors when he planned to stay around for a while.

She had explored the cave she was staying in, at first she thought he stayed further in but she quickly found out that the cave ended shortly after her bed, there wasn't much else to that cave so she assumed he must have stayed in another one. She figured she’d end up stumbling upon it on one of her outings eventually. It couldn't be too far from her own little cave, and it became one of her goals to find it.

One evening after they had finished eating, she noticed him watching her try to groom the blood from her stained fur and something seemed to click in her head. Why after all this time were they still trying to groom the blood from their own fur? Perhaps he was too polite for his own good, not wanting to intrude into her space unless invited. So with a bit of a soft smile she decided to give him that invitation he seemed to be looking for in no uncertain terms.

She stood up and walked over to him, “Let me help you.” with that she leaned in and began licking slowly along his face and muzzle, grooming the blood off his fur instead of her own. Slowly but surely, she worked the blood from the fur. He seemed a little surprised at first, not expecting such a familiar gesture from her. But after the initial surprise from him he began reciprocating the gesture, grooming along her own muzzle and face. And from that day on, after every meal, they’d lay together and groom eachother’s fur until every drop of blood was cleaned.

From that moment on, her thoughts seemed to shift from wondering when she’d be well enough to go home to almost dreading the day he’d tell her it’s time for her to return home. It was a slow shift, one she didn’t notice at first, but when she finally realized what was happening it was far too late to go back. All she wanted to stay by his side, he was becoming her new home.

After the realization hit her, she had a couple restless nights worrying about having to leave. On one of those nights, she had decided to go try and find Tharus to talk to him, perhaps she could convince him to let her stay in the valley with him, sure he may leave from time to time to search for whatever he was looking for but she’d happily wait for his return. She was happy here, happier than she had any right to be.

She made her way up along the mountainside and it wasn’t more than a few minutes walk from her own cave she discovered another cave, one she could have sworn wasn’t there on any of the times she’d walked past here during the day. Perhaps if Tharus could come and go as he pleases without leaving so much as a trace or sound, it shouldn’t surprise her if a whole cave in this valley could do the same.

This must be it, the secret cave where Tharus must actually sleep. With a bit of a skip in her step she approached the entrance, imagining how surprised he would be to find her next to him when he wakes. Giggling softly she pauses in her tracks when she reaches the entry. She had expected to see a cave very much like the one she had been using, but instead this cave appeared much larger. Most surprising was what she saw in piles strewn across the entire cave, some small, some larger than herself. Statues, sculptures, paintings, jewelry, coins, gold, silver, copper, objects of steel and iron she couldn’t recognize. For lack of a better way of putting it, treasures beyond her imagination filled the cave.

So this was what he was always searching for? Treasures to add to his collection but why, a lion doesn’t have much need for these things. She slowly entered and quietly she crept into the cave and when she rounded a corner it hit her. The real secret he had been keeping from her this entire time.

Tharus was there in the cave alright, sound asleep, but he was not how he had always appeared to her. Sure his face and scent were the same, but along his back were two copper scaled wings, he had horns along the back of his head poking out of his mane, and his front legs were scaled. And that’s when it all made sense to her, how he was able to come and go so suddenly. This very cave she was standing in.

Tharus was no lion at all, her host was a dragon, or at the very least half of one. She had heard stories about them as a cub. They were supposedly creatures of great power who could change the world to their will, change shape and collect great hordes of treasures. All this time the strange lion that had been caring for her, letting her stay in his valley, was a half-dragon. She shook her head in disbelief, she should be scared, terrified even, to be in a dragon’s lair like this. She was told they were very protective of these places, but somehow she didn’t feel scared of him. Surprised, yes, but after the initial shock of this revelation had passed, she realized nothing had changed. She still wished to stay here with him, he just looked a little different.

Though perhaps this may not be the best time for her to approach him on it. Who knows how he’d react to her waking him in his private sanctum. So, quietly, she snuck back out and made her way back to her own cave and her own furs. She’d approach him tomorrow about staying. She would let him have his secrets for now, they seemed important to him. She knew if he’d let her stay, he’d eventually tell her himself.

The lioness silently entered the little cave, found the furs she had used for all this time and curled up on them. So much made sense to her now, how he was able to get her here while she was sleeping. How he was able to hunt such large prey alone so easily. For a moment she felt kind of dumb for not thinking of such a possibility but the feeling was short lived and easily dismissed. Who could have possibly guessed that Tharus’s secret was that he was a real living and breathing myth.

Eventually she was able to doze off but sleep wasn’t easy that night. It was as if a dozen nervous butterflies were busy having a flying contest trapped in her belly. Finally, late into the night, her exhaustion finally won out and sleep took her in though it was far from a restful night.

The next morning she woke up with her face buried in her furred bed, not wanting to get up and face the day. She rolled onto her back and sighed, feeling far from rested, but she knew she had to get up. So after a few minutes of laying there she glanced over toward the entrance of the cave and nearly froze. There, silhouetted against the light, was something she had never seen in the morning. Tharus, back in his leonine form, sitting there looking out of the cave.

Why was he here? He’d never been here in the mornings and usually only came around later in the day to check up on her or bring her food. Did he know she was in his cave last night? But he was sound asleep when she snuck in, there was no way he could tell. She shook her head as she rolled over and stood. Of course he knew, he was at least part dragon after all, of course he’d have some way of knowing. She’d have to explain herself and perhaps he wouldn’t be too mad at the intrusion into his privacy.

With a nervous sigh, she walked herself toward her fate, as he silently sat there as if standing guard at the cave entrance. “Uhh… good morning?” she managed to force out awkwardly, unsure how to broach the subject of the previous night or her desire to stay with him. Now that he was here, potentially upset, the rest of the words simply escaped her as she quietly moved to sit down a few steps away from him, glancing nervously in his direction.

What she was not ready for was the response he gave, he turned to face her and offered her a warm smile, “Good morning, sorry to surprise you like this, I was wondering if you’d care to join me for a swim.” He spoke in a warm and welcoming tone to her. It was as if he either didn’t know she had visited his cave the previous night or if he did, he simply didn’t care. Either way, she was counting her blessings that he didn’t seem mad about it.

“I would love that, just wasn’t expecting to see you so soon today.” she offered him a glance with a nervous giggle. He offered her a nod of understanding before standing and walking down toward the creek to follow it down to the lake. She quickly stood up and followed along behind him, staring down at her paws as they walked together. The first few minutes of the walk were in silence before he spoke up, breaking the awkward silence.

“You’ve recovered quite nicely you know, your fur is looking nice and full and your body has filled out from the gaunt thing that you were when I took you in. Though…” he signed glancing over his shoulder at her, “It still wouldn’t be wise for you to go back home. I fear you’d just end up back where you were when I found you if I let you go back now.” he looked back forward and continued speaking in a matter of fact tone, “So I’d like you to stay a little longer, while I see what can be done about that, if you don’t mind that is.”

It was almost too perfectly timed, the offer to stay, the way he glanced back only to look away when he said that she could stay longer. She froze for a moment as her heart almost jumped out of her throat at the offer, perhaps he could read her better than she thought and already knew she wasn’t ready to leave. She opened her muzzle to respond but nothing came out for a moment, causing him to hum back with a questioning sound when he stopped hearing her pawsteps against the ground. It was only then she hurried forward to catch up and spoke. “I’d like that, I don’t want to go back to how I was now that I… have experienced this.”

“Then it’s settled, please consider my home your home for as long as you need.” he spoke as he turned to face her. She was so overwhelmed with excitement, elation and relief that she did the only thing she could do and charged toward the large lion, burying her face into his mane and rubbing her head up along his chin and neck as she pressed against him, breathing in his scent. She never wanted to leave, she was safe here with him. Secretly she was hoping he’d never find a fix for her sun sensitivity as it meant she could stay here with him forever.

He chuckled softly, placing a heavy paw on her shoulder and pulling her into a bit of an embrace as she pressed into him, returning the gesture by running his chin along the top of her head. “Well this is a happier reaction then I expected, but you won’t see me complain about a pretty lioness throwing herself at me.” he let out bit of a playful chuckle and smirked toward her as she pulled away with a shy giggle, her white fur doing very little to help hide the blush spreading across her expression.

“I well umm… we should keep walking or else we’ll never get to do that swim you wanted.” She tried to change the subject and regain her composure, realizing she probably reacted a bit stronger than she would have intended to, but she was just overcome by that moment. He nodded to her and they resumed their walk down to the lake.

As they walked he told her about more of his journeys, about creatures he’s encountered that up until last night she wouldn't have believed existed in the world. But after realizing what he really is, none of that felt far fetched anymore. So she took his claims of encountering lizards that walk on two legs and hairless apes at face value. These things must exist somewhere in the world, if far removed from where she grew up or even this valley.

Once they had made it to the lake she would dash past him to jump in, letting the cool and crystal clear water wash over her as she swam out far enough that she could no longer touch the rocky bottom before coming back in. The large dark furred male wasted no time joining her, and before long they were laughing and taking turns dunking and splashing each other like a bunch of cubs who snuck away from their mother and were getting into all kinds of trouble while unsupervised.

They spent most of the morning swimming and wrestling along the banks before finally coming to a rest lying beside each other sprawled out on their backs to catch their breaths, though admittedly she seemed far more winded then he was and she suspected he was just humoring her at this point. Not that she was going to complain about it.

Kufa let out a contented sigh, glancing over at Tharus, before a rather invasive impulse took over her and, before she could stop herself, she had rolled to her side and began grooming tenderly along his muzzle, letting her tongue slip along his whiskers and lips as the lion laid there with his eyes closed. It was only when she felt his tongue slide along her cheek and his paw come to rest along her shoulder that she had realized what she was doing and she bit her lip with a deep blush, burying her face into his wet mane to try and hide. “Sorry! I don’t know what came over me!”

She felt him pull her in along his side, “Don’t apologize, I very much enjoyed that.” he trailed his paw along her shoulder and side pulling her up along his chest, so only her upper body was laying over him. After that she’d feel him gently cup a paw along her chin, bringing her head up from his neck and pulling her muzzle to his and, before she knew it, she had parted her lips as they met his own. She felt a flush of warmth wash over her body as they began to kiss, her eyes drifting shut as she pressed deeper into it, kneading her paws into his mane and along his chest, feeling his strong form against her.

She felt him lazily trail his paw along her body, from her shoulder to behind her neck and down her side, she couldn’t help but lean into his touch. She was in no hurry to part the kiss, his lips tasted like the sweetest honey against her own. Without realizing she was doing it, her paw was sliding down along his chest and down his stomach, only stopping in its absent minded southward journey when she felt his paw rest along the back of hers. The sudden realization of what she was doing hit her and she folded her ears back, parting the kiss gently, she felt as though her white furred face must be deep red as she spoke of her desire to please him. “Please?” One word was all she managed to convince her body to say in a low breathless tone.

He looked at her with a soft smile, “You don’t have to..” he stated softly and calmly. She offered him a shy smile, realizing he was trying to give her an out, making sure she was doing this because she wanted to and not out of some obligation to repay him for his kindness and generosity. After a moment, she felt his paw move from the back of hers to rest on her shoulder, as if giving her permission to continue if she so desired.

“I know, Tharus, I want nothing more.” She pressed her muzzle to his once more, as she didn’t want to think about the obvious blush that was across her face and sharing her lips with him was more than enough distraction to keep her mind off how she must look, and he was a very good distraction to say the least.

With the matter settled, she trailed her paw down along his belly as her heart raced in her chest, threatening to explode until she found her goal. A soft growl escaped the male’s lips into the kiss when he felt her soft paw brush along his sheathed member. His excitement was quite apparent to her as she felt the hardened length against her pads as she explored him in detail. She wasn’t surprised that he was larger than either of the brothers she had previous experience with. She slid his paw further down to caress along his sack, feeling each of his orbs before sliding back up to his sheath to caress along his shaft, slowly stroking him.

She could feel his breathing picking up, his hips idly rolling against the caress of her paw, it was a very encouraging reaction to her as he pulled the albino lioness deeper into the kiss, their muzzles parting to allow their tongues to wrestle against each other. She worked her paw along his shaft as the scent of male arousal hit her nose, only further igniting the warmth of desire in her own body as she breathed in the enticing odor.

She felt his body twitch as a growl softly escaped him into the kiss, he seemed to be clearly resisting the instinct to hump against the paw that was stroking his hardened shaft. She could feel and hear that he was already breathing heavier than she was and, with their chests pressed against each other, she swore she could feel his heartbeat racing with her own.

She wanted nothing more than to give him a small taste of the joy she had experienced in her stay here and, as she felt his breathing picking up, his claws began gently digging into her neck and against the foreleg she was using to stroke that barbed cock. Kufa recognized all the signs of a male approaching his peak. She could smell the fluid leaking out from his tip, coating his length and her digits. She felt the low growl escaping him into the kiss as if trying to warn her without having to break the kiss.

But she had every intention of blowing past every single one of those warning signs. In fact, with new found determination, she only picked up speed as she noted how his body was reacting to the touch. The muscles across his entire body were growing more and more tense. She listened to how his breathing came out faster until, finally, she pulled back from the kiss so he could breathe easier, running her cheek gently along his before glancing down his body to her paw working over him.

She knew he was close, she wanted to see it and was happy that his eyes were shut tight so he wasn’t entirely aware she was watching so intently for the moment she pushed him over the edge. As if on queue, she felt the growing tension in his body hit a peak. The sound of his panting breath hung in his throat for a second. But she had no intention of relenting, she recognized she had this male right on the tipping point and after only a moment it happened.

He arched his hips up against her paw and his held breath was let out in a pleasured snarl. She licked her lips, watching and feeling the large male twitch against her paw, each pulse accompanied by a stream of his hot seed escaping him and coating her paw and his belly. She continued to work his shaft with her paw, wanting to make sure his pleasure lasted and she got every drop from him she could to prolong his enjoyment.

Kufa brought her gaze back up to his face, a small proud smile spreading across her muzzle as she rested her head down in his mane, nuzzling up under his chin, her paw coming to rest along his sack not even caring how much of a mess they both were now as she let him catch his breath. The male’s tension slowly melted away as he panted softly while coming to his senses. It was, unfortunately, only then she became rather uncomfortably aware of how aroused she was herself, the cool air brushing along the dampness that grew under her tail. Her proud little smirk turned into a more embarrassed blush as she realized there was no way he hadn’t picked up on the scent of her arousal while she was pleasing him, and likely he was even more so aware of it now.

And yet he didn’t act on the obvious reaction of her body beyond letting his paw trail down along her shoulder to rest along the side of her hip. She couldn’t help but tremble against him even with that small touch, as it only further ignited the flames within her body. So she laid there with him for a few moments, frozen in indecision as she slowly felt her own arousal fade back to a more nagging thought in the back of her mind. It was only then he finally spoke up, giving her rump a soft playful squeeze. “We should get cleaned up before this dries, you know.”

She shifted a bit against him, still very well aware of her own need beneath her tail, but that was a matter she could handle herself in private anyway. Right now she didn’t want to ruin her little gift for him by pushing the matter further, that was for him and she was happy to leave it at that. “You’re right, guess another quick dip is in order.” She lifted her head and gave his cheek a lick before standing and padding off to the water, a sly smirk spreading across her muzzle as she walked with a little extra sway in her hips, her tail held a little higher than normal. She wanted so much to glance back to see if he was looking but didn’t want to ruin the illusion she wasn’t aware of what she was doing, so instead she just imagined the look he must be giving her. She did get some feedback as she heard a soft growl come from behind her, so he did seem to notice, eliciting a giggle from her in return as she jumped into the cool water.

She shuddered as she felt the cool water once more wash over her body, unable to prevent a bit of a grumble from escaping as right now it felt quite a bit cooler than just a bit earlier. Though she was thankful that the quick dip did well in cooling the warmth that had built up in her. It wasn’t long before she saw Tharus joining in the water beside her to clean himself.

After their quick dip, they left the lake and shook off the excess water. A thought crossed her mind, and she was going to go for it before she had any second thoughts about it. She walked over to him and ran her head along his chin and into his mane, pressing up into him, “Tharus, may I please sleep in your cave with you tonight? I’d like that very much.” She felt him pressing his chin down along her neck and shoulders gently before freezing as she asked the question. She gave him a moment, running her head along his chin, but after he seemed frozen for a bit too long for comfort she spoke up again in hopes of breaking him out of his thoughts, “Tharus?”

The second she said his name again he pulled away from her, she watched him shake his mane out and collect himself before giving her a curious look, “I.. know you were at my cave last night you know, how much did you see?”

She sat down and offered him a warm smile, perhaps all of this was because he didn’t want to scare her with what he really is. It made too much sense why he was evasive about it and why he appeared as he did now. She offered him a warm smile, leaning in to give his muzzle a lick, “I saw you sleeping, I realize what you are and that doesn’t change my request, I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.”

He glanced aside as if lost in thought for a moment before he nodded, “I see, guess there is no point in this form anymore.” With that he took a step back and she watched as a swirl of shifting light washed over him and his body seemed to shift, two large metallic copper wings seemed to grow from his back and the crest of his horns grew from his mane as his body reverted to his more natural one. In the daylight he was far more breathtaking than in the dark cave, as some of his scales seemed to catch and reflect the light where it peaked in through the trees. She took in the sight of him, unable to stop herself from outright staring. “If you’re okay with what I am, I’d be happy to share my lair with you.”

Lair, that’s a word she hadn’t heard before, but if that’s what he called it she figured she’d go along with it. “I’d like nothing more than to share your lair.” she leaned in and gave his cheek a lick, “And just so you know, I think your natural form is quite handsome.”

He chuckled and stretched his wings, rolling his shoulders to adjust the joints that he previously didn’t have. “Thank you, and I look forward to showing you around the place.” He smiled, leaning in to give her ear a light nip, “But I must be off for a bit, as much as I’d rather spend all day here. I’ll meet you tonight, alright?”

Kufa nodded, pulling her head away almost reluctantly, “Sure thing, I’ll miss you.” She offered him a warm smile, “Come find me when you’re ready then.” With that, she turned and walked back towards the creek, making sure she slid her body along his wing lightly as she stepped past.

She had expected him to just silently vanish the moment she looked away as was his usual way but, seeing as the mask had been dropped, it seemed he decided to take a different approach. She’d hear the loud flap of his wings followed by a gust of wind as he took to the sky behind her, causing her to glance behind herself, watching him fly off over the lake.

“I wonder what it must be like to fly, maybe I can convince him to show me one day.” She chuckled softly as she let her curious mind ponder that as she made her way back up the creek. A new found spring in her step as she looked forward to the evening and getting a proper tour of his lair, and of him.

The rest of the afternoon was pretty uneventful. She tried her luck in trying to hunt a rabbit and some other creatures she caught wind of, but the reality was her heart wasn’t in it. Not that she was much of a huntress to begin with, but it was more of a half hearted chase than an actual attempt to hunt just to pass the time for the day. She found her way to a nice, large broad leafed tree and settled herself down for a quick nap underneath it. Though that didn’t last long either before she was up and about again, walking back up toward her little cave. Once she got there she looked inside and chuckled softly, thinking that if all goes well tonight, last night would have been the last she slept alone on those furs. As comfortable as it was, she’d much rather sleep beside the handsome half-breed.

She flicked her tail excitedly, turning to leave, she’d have to ask him what he went off to do when he got back. As if on cue, there he was again in his usual fashion, appearing out of nowhere when her back was turned. This time, however, he dispensed with the pretense of hiding his draconic features. As he sat there, he was holding some kind of cloth parcel in his mouth, which he gently placed down, “Sorry about flying off earlier, I wanted to make sure I picked this up before it got too late.”

Kufa blinked and stared blankly at him before letting out a soft chuckle, prancing forward and burying her face in his mane, “I don’t think I’ll ever fully get used to how you just appear like that, you know.” She closed her eyes, breathing in his rich masculine scent from his mane before nosing her way up behind one of his ears to nudge at his crested horns.

“It’s honestly one of my favorite tricks, being able to come and go as I please without anyone being the wiser.” He would laugh as she nudged at one of his horns, causing him to shake out his mane slightly, “Well that and the one I use to hide my form, not everyone is as accepting of my true form as you’ve been.”

The albino lioness nodded, pulling herself away from him almost reluctantly, “I must admit, if you had appeared like this that first night we met, I’m not sure how I would have reacted.” she leaned down and nosed at the cloth parcel curiously, there was something hard inside, multiple hard things it felt like, before he gently shooed her away with a paw.

“You’ll see what that is later, no peeking for now.” He chuckled, “Come on, let me show you around my lair properly.” he picked up the parcel in his jaws and began leading her back off in the direction of his personal cave. Somehow, it didn’t seem anywhere nearly as far or as hard to find with him leading her there. Once they arrived, he placed his parcel off to one side. ”I’m honestly surprised you were able to find this place last night, I must have been distracted and neglected my concealment charms.”

With that, he raised a forepaw and waved it, and along either side of the cave she watched as sparks of light danced, each seeming to ignite a small fire before moving on along the walls. At times, the sparks would travel to the center of the passage to ignite a torch on a pole to assure the entire place was bathed in a dim light. She stood there, speechless, as the dim light danced off the precious metal and gemstones in piles, or on wooden and stone shelves for display.

“Welcome to the heart of my domain, my lair, where I keep the things I truly treasure.” She could have sworn he had glanced in her direction as he said the last word, but she only caught it out of the corner of her eye as she was busy trying to take in the sight before her. It was one thing to see it in the near pitch black darkness, it was quite another to see it illuminated so completely. She was surprised the cave wasn’t filled with smoke, but perhaps the fires were just another illusion of dragon magic.

“This is all so amazing. You've got so many things I’ve never seen before, did you collect this all on your travels, is this what you’re constantly searching for?.” She slowly made her way inside, looking around, “I’ve seen so many things since I came here that I never would have seen or experienced if I just stayed under the admittedly poor protection the trees around my birth home provided.” Along one wall, she saw a row of small statues carved out of stone, some she recognized but there were far more she had never seen before.

Tharus followed her inside, watching her explore his lair but staying a few paces behind as she walked around, “Yes, and no, I can’t help but collect treasures and bring them here to protect while I travel the world, but that isn't what I’m truly searching for.” she paused, glancing over her shoulder and giving him a curious look. “Dragons are incredibly long lived and few and far behind, in all my years and travels I’ve only met two if you don’t count my father.” He sat down, curling his long tail around lazily as he gestured for her to come join him. Something she was all too eager to do, moving to find a seat next to him while sliding herself under his wing with a smile to lean against his side and listen to him talk.

“You see, growing up I didn’t even know what I was, my father used much the same magic I used when we first met to keep his and my draconic nature secret.” She would feel him use his wing to pull her closer to him, as he retold the parts of his childhood he had never told her before. “It wasn’t till I was starting to hit adolescence that he finally revealed the truth of what we are and started to teach me about my powers. Those were some of the best memories I have of him.”

He sighed looking down at his paws, “It was a short lived time, mother grew ill beyond even my father’s abilities to heal and in a quiet evening she passed from this world into the next. Father was never the same after that. It was like all joy had left him and he had become an empty husk of his former self.” Kufa could feel the sadness in his tone as he retold the story. She leaned over, nosing under his chin and along his neck gently before he continued. “And then one day he simply wasn’t there anymore, He’s what I’m truly looking for, but you can imagine finding a dragon who doesn’t want to be found is a near impossible task.”

Kufa nodded into his mane, “I’m sure one day you’ll find what happened to him. It must be important to you if you’ve spent all this time looking.” She paused as a moment of realization hit her based on something her mother had said before she left, “How long have you been searching for, if you don’t mind me asking? I think… my mother met you when she was a cub herself, you helped her back to her parents.”

She saw a smirk spread across his muzzle, “Like I said, dragons are long lived, and I’ve helped many over the years.” She understood the answer well enough. He must be much older than he looked and, based on that answer and what he had already filled his cave with, he had clearly been searching for a very long time. “Everything in here has a story of its own, every trinket, every coin. I like to think I remember the story of every single treasure I’ve collected over the years, but even I know there’s plenty I have forgotten.”

Kufa nodded, “There’s a lot here, I can’t blame you for forgetting some things here and there.” She glanced down at her paws then shifted uncomfortably where she sat for a second, as she remembered she still needed to ask him something. “So about your offer earlier to let me stay as long as I need… What if I don’t want to go back.”

The tip of his long tail twitched as he seemed to ponder her question, before he spoke in a slow but thoughtful manner “Let me revise my offer then, you may stay as long as you’d like.” It was truthfully only a minor change in the phrasing of the offer, but the significance of it was not lost on her. And the excitement of the answer almost got the better of her as she looked up to give his muzzle a lick, only to be interrupted by what he said next. “Oh! Before we get too distracted with stories and each other. There’s something I would like you to have.”

She pulled her head away, confused by what he had in mind as a gift. “I don’t really have much use for things, you know.” She made a half hearted gesture at the objects they were surrounded by. “I Just need a full belly, a warm bed, and good company.”

The half dragon chuckled as he went and retrieved the parcel he had brought back with him from today’s trip, “Then, humor me at least, a beautiful treasure should be properly appreciated and there is one I can’t appreciate without you.” He placed the parcel before her and unwrapped the silks. She watched intently as he unwrapped the objects, a necklace with a turquoise pendant made of some kind of copper/gold alloy, several pieces and chains made of the same metal and gemstones.

“That’s umm… what are they?” She leaned in and nosed at them curiously, trying to discern what he was giving her and why. Sure if she glanced around she could see other things of similar shapes and materials here and there so, perhaps it was just another item he was adding to his collection, but why would he need her to appreciate them.

Tharus gently hooked his paw along one of her forelegs, lifting her paw up, as she watched him pick up one of the bracelets and slide it along her wrist. She felt the cool metal along her as it slid into place, it was surprisingly comfortable considering she had never worn anything before. Then, she watched him snag up her other foreleg to add the second bracelet to her other wrist, fascinated by just how dexterous his forepaws really were. “A beautiful treasure like this needs to be on display.”

She nodded, “I do like them, they are quite pretty.” He picked up the necklace, holding it in front of her, she quickly picked up on what he wanted and straightened her head and neck a little to make it easier for him to slide the necklace around her neck. He then picked up a much smaller turquoise stud and looked at her curiously.

“These go on your ears, but they need to pierce them to stay in place. There may be a little discomfort at first and if you don’t want to try them on, I won’t push it.” She thought about it for a moment. Pain wasn’t anything she was unfamiliar with, and what was a little discomfort if it made him happy to see her wear them. Kufa kept her answer simple and unambiguous. She turned her head off to one side and leaned her ear towards him after giving him a nod.

The half dragon nodded in return and she watched out of the corner of her eye as he brought it to her ear, for a moment there was some pressure along her ear, then a pinching sensation, then a low dull ache that faded. After a short second, there was the sensation of him piercing her ear again, adding a second stud next to the first. She felt him place a paw along her chin, guiding her to turn her head the other way to apply two studs to her other ear, “So uhhhh…how does it look?”

The half dragon paused, eyeing her over, “Beautiful, but my treasure isn’t properly adorned yet.” She tilted her head to the side before glancing down, realizing there was still jewelry sitting on the silk between them. He picked up one of the small chains, “You’ll need to stand to put these on.”

She did as he asked, as he stepped around beside her, sliding a paw along her side. She turned her head, watching his digits trail along her fur until they reached her hip and slid down her hind leg along her other thigh to her ankle where he wrapped the chain around it and fastened the clasp. He stepped around and took the other small chain, moving to caress along her hind leg for a moment and eliciting a shiver from her at the touch as he went to put the other anklet on. “The last ones are for your tail.”

Kufa felt her breath pick up slightly. The last few touches caused her mind to begin to wonder and the prospect of the next ones were not helping either. She glanced back, biting her upper lip as she nodded to him and she let him continue. She felt his touch trail up along her hind leg, sliding under her tail and dangerously close to some very sensitive parts of her body as he made its way along the appendage. A much more noticeable shudder escaped her as she blushed, realizing he was teasing her on purpose, she buried her face into the silk infront of her and grumbled under her breath.

He slid the first ring all the way down to the base of her tail, shifting it a bit to make sure all her fur sat comfortably underneath it as it found its place. She could feel her body growing warm from his touch as he caressed her body while dressing her with the jewelry, surely with him standing behind her he must be even more aware of the effect it was having on her. But when she finally brought herself to glance back at him, if he was aware that she was getting turned on by his touch, he was certainly doing a good job at hiding it.

It was far easier to collect herself when she realized the last ring and chain went along the end of her tail just behind her tuft, how they managed to all stay put she wasn’t sure but she didn’t care. She glanced over herself, standing and spinning around to eye her tail and body. “Okay, even I must admit they look amazing, thank you.”

The half dragon eyed her over, licking his lips before speaking “You’re quite welcome, I think my treasure is now properly dressed to take her place in my lair.” She blinked, spinning to face him. This time she caught his phrasing as she realized this was at least the second time he was referring to her as his treasure, and not the jewelry he was putting on her, and that realization made her blush even deeper. Kufa decided the best thing to do was to quickly bury her face in his mane as she mumbled to him.

“So, I’m the treasure now huh?” She leaned up, licking along his muzzle and lips gently as he chuckled softly, wrapping a foreleg around her shoulders and pulling her into his mane slightly.

“Took you long enough to realize what I was talking about” Kufa nipped at his lips before pulling away. If he wanted to see her all ‘adorned’ like this, then she was going to give him what he asked for. She took a few steps away and slowly spun around to give him a good view of how she looked from every angle, and smirked as she heard a soft growl escape him as his tufted tail twitched,

She stepped forward, hoping up on her hind legs as she let the intrusive thoughts win out. She leaned her head in and whispered playfully into one of her ears, his muzzle just inches away so he could feel her warm breath against his fur. “And what do you intend to do with your treasure?”

His response came in a growl, a paw moving up and resting on her shoulder as he pushed her away. She realized just how strong he was as he guided her backwards, causing her to slowly roll until she was on her back with him standing over her chest to chest, belly to belly. She reached up wrapping his forelegs into his mane as he grinned down at her. “I plan to do whatever I damn well please.”

She felt a shiver of excitement race down her spine at those words, she wouldn’t have expected it to excite her as much as it did. She flicked her tail, brushing her tufted tip against his larger one as she arched her back, pressing her chest up into his as she squirmed herself beneath the half-drake. She felt a paw come along her shoulder, sliding down along her side slowly as he lowered his head. She felt his muzzle slide underneath her chin as he nipped at her exposed throat.

Before she had realized she was doing it, her body was acting on its own as her head rolled back, exposing her delicate throat to the large male’s attention. His forwardness only excited her further and elicited a growing warmth within her core, and made her more relentless as she felt his paw come to rest along her hip. His nips were punctuated by slow licks and, after a few of them, she began to notice a trend: They were drifting lower along her throat until they were moving along her chest, tracing along her ribs as he moved his way down.

She bit her lip as she felt his paw move along her hip, until it was her thigh. She kneaded her claws against his mane, squirming as she felt him work his way down. It didn’t take a genius to realize what he was doing and the anticipation of it was only further fueling her growing excitement, causing her to squirm as his paw sneaked its way along her inner thigh. His breath seemed to pick up speed against her fur as he made his way to her soft belly. A low whimper escaped her as her own excitement got the better of her and ,judging by the scent of male arousal she was starting to detect, she was having an effect on him in return.

As he made his way to her belly, she’d feel his tongue trace along her soft fur, admittedly where it still was the softest and thinnest on nearly her entire body, and she felt each gentle nip and each slow licks all the more intensely. When the half-lion found the first of her sensitive nipples she’d gasp, lifting her head to shoot him a look. One that he only smirked up at her as he slid his paw down until he was caressing slowly along her heated lips, causing her to tremble as she felt him spread the excitement that leaked from her along them.

She closed her eyes as her body shifted against the touch, her body torn from trying to squirm away from the sensations he was triggering in her and pressing into them, wanting more. The latter was the desire that was winning out as she arched her back, pressing her hips up against his teasing paw as she felt his tongue find its way along her belly, finding each one of her sensitive nipples hidden in her thin fur. When he got to the last one, she felt Tharus move and lay himself down alongside her tail, his head hovering over her hips in a threatening promise.

It was one she didn’t need to wait long for him to make good on as she felt his claws dig in along her thighs, causing her to keep her hind legs spread wide. Her face would have been flushed a deep red as she felt so very exposed and vulnerable to the large male, but that thought only seemed to further her excitement. She felt his breath along her damp lips as he took in the scent of her arousal, she tried to close her hind legs at the sensation but the paws on her thighs proved too strong and resisted her attempts.

She heard the low growl from him before his tongue met her sensitive lips, causing her to let out a whimper as he worked his tongue along body, collecting her arousal from the source. Kufa’s breathing picked up the pace as he worked his tongue against her. The first passes were soft, simply collecting the liquid that escaped her, but with each pass she could feel him putting more force behind his tongue until she felt him part her lips and begin digging into her tight passage.

Her body almost strained against the strong male, alternating between trying to close her hind legs and pull her hips away from the insistent tongue that was digging into her most sensitive areas, and trying to arch her back and press her hips up into it. A sharp squeak escaped her as she felt his tongue brush along the sensitive nub of flesh along her entrance before delving back into her. Each pass of his tongue, each lustful growl against her lips only further fueling her excitement as she felt it beginning to build toward a crescendo.

“Oh Tharus…” she moaned out, and his only response was to double down, picking up the pace in which he worked her with audible slurps. Her hind paws curled and her claws extended as she felt herself rapidly approaching a peak. She felt him dig his claws against her inner thighs, holding her in place as she tried to pull away from the now overwhelming sensation that was taking over her mind and body.

She gasped loudly, rolling her head back and arching her back as she was pushed over past the point of no return and over the edge. Her already tight passage trying to clamp down on the intruding tongue as he drank up her arousal. She faintly heard him growling as he relentlessly lapped at what her body was offering him. Her climax seemed endless and overwhelming, causing her to melt into soft whimpers as the large male drew it out, making it last for several long blissful moments before she finally felt him pull his head away to let her catch her breath.

She laid there breathing heavily as she slowly came down from her peak. She opened her eyes, lifting her head to glance at the panting half-breed that was lying between her hinds. His muzzle and whiskers were noticeably damp and glistening in the firelight. She felt him remove his paws from her thighs, letting her move. She rolled to her side as she watched the half dragon lick his lips like a starving beast who hasn’t eaten in days, and she was the feast.

She wanted more, she wanted him fully and completely, and she knew he wanted it too. She could smell it in the air mixed with her own scent, see it on his face. He wanted, no, craved, to pounce on her and was only waiting for the invitation to do so.

It was one she was all too eager to give him as she rolled to her paws and took two steps away, lowering her chest to the ground and raising her hips, her tail held up and off to the side as she put herself on complete display for him. “Come claim your treasure.” She glanced over her shoulder as she spoke in a lust filled snarl.

She watched as he rose to stand and move over to her, she then turned her head forward again as she felt his chest slide along her back and his weight pressing down on her body. She felt his forelegs move in alongside her shoulders as he leaned his muzzle down near her ear, she also felt his hard sheathed length and heavy sack brush along the base of her tail as he got into position above her. “That’s right.. You're mine.” his voice growled into her ear, echoing her words back to her in a low almost possessive tone.

Kufa buried her face into her forepaws as a whimper escaped her muzzle. The thought of being his completely and fully only reignited her further, as she pressed her hips up against his belly wantingly. She held her tail up and off to the side, brushing her tufted tip against his tail as she felt the male shift his weight and move his hips against hers. He moved with her and, with the skill of a very experienced male, she felt his hardened length slide against the fur of her rump, the tip homing in on the source of her damp warmth without any of the clumsiness of an inexperienced male.

She gasped as she felt that tip press against her sensitive flesh, not realizing just how sensitive she still was from his previous attentions, causing her to try and pull away from the sensation. However, the moment she went to try and pull forward to escape the intensity of it, in an instant she heard a sharp snarl into her ear followed by the hard pinch of his jaws along the nape of her neck, holding her in place. Her own voice joined him in a snarl as she froze, the sensation triggering the most primal of instincts in her and demanding she fully surrender to the male along her back.

She closed her eyes and her ears folded back tightly against her skull as she felt him press his hips forward and enter her. He felt so much bigger than either of the two brothers she had been with before as he slid deeply into her tight body. Her wet lips forcing back his sheath and exposing the male’s barbed shaft to her sensitive walls.

She’d vaguely hear his huffs and snarls against her nape as he pushed into her. As he got close to hilting inside her, she felt him widen near the base, pressing the rounded bulb of flesh into her and causing her to gasp. She wasn’t surprised that he’d be built a little differently from a typical lion in his natural form, and truthfully, she wasn’t sure what she was expecting. With his heavy sack now pressing along her rump she felt almost painfully full.

The sensation was only further intensified when she felt him slide back for his second thrust. If entry was one of the most intense sensations she had ever felt, then his first retreat was twice that as his dull barbs flared against her sensitive walls, igniting every nerve in her body in intense pleasure, forcing a whimper out of her as he growled into her scruff.

The half-breed quickly settled into a rhythm with a sharp thrust forward and a slightly slower slide back as he let his barbs rake her insides, causing her tail to lash behind her. Each time she felt his heavy sack bounce against her rump, she felt her entrance spread by that odd mass of flesh near his base. It was, so far, one of the most intense sexual experiences of her life and it was only getting more intense. She felt each time her body would clench down against his retreating cock, with her eyes closed there was nothing to distract her from the sensations he was eliciting in her and she seemed keenly aware of how he was reacting to her.

She could feel the growing tension in his muscles along his forelegs and jaws, hear and feel how his breathing grew sharper, faster and more intense as he built up a pace. She recognized the signs of a male slowly building toward his own peak, and the thought of him filling her only fueled her own excitement as she felt herself approaching another peak. After a few blissful moments, she felt him suddenly change his rhythm. Instead of long, deep thrusts, as the tension grew in his body, she felt him switch to shallow grinding thrusts.

He no longer was pulling that bulb of flesh out of her, instead keeping it buried inside her tight sex. She opened her eyes wide as she quickly realized what was going on. He was getting bigger! That mass of flesh swelling inside her already tight walls, spreading her to her very limit. It was overwhelming and only further so as she felt her body get pushed over the edge forcefully, her walls clenching down against the invading length as she whimpered and trembled against his chest.

She was only vaguely aware of what he was doing as she was awash in the sea of intense pleasure, his last few strokes became less refined and controlled until she felt him hold himself as deep as he could inside her.

With how sensitive she was, she felt every twitch, every single pulse of that length inside her tight body. Each one accompanied by a hot stream of his seed against the very entrance to her womb. The feeling of his warmth pooling deep inside her made her clench uncontrollably against his trapped length, as she realized then the bulb was keeping every drop of his life giving essence inside her, making it so he wasn’t able to pull free.

He released her scruff and panted hard, trying to catch his breath as she dropped her head down on her forepaws. He groomed along her neck and ears in slow licks as she tried to collect herself, a feat not easily done with him still deep inside her as each time either of them moved even a little bit it reignited every one of those overly sensitive nerves in them both, causing them both to let out a shared snarl.

Eventually he wrapped his forelegs around her torso and, with strength and skill she wasn’t expecting, he pulled her with him as he moved to roll to his back, his wings spread against the ground to help balance him. She let out a shuddering gasp as she found herself suddenly on her back, lying against his chest with his forelegs wrapped around her to hold her in place. She found this position surprisingly comfortable, and she rested her forepaws against his front legs as he held her resting head back into his mane under his chin. After a moment, she managed to find her voice. “So… umm… how long are we going to be stuck like this? Not that I mind… quite the opposite actually.” She giggled softly, wiggling her hips and eliciting a shared groan from them both before he could respond.

“For a little while, it’s best to relax and simply enjoy it.” He ran his chin against the top of her head, trailing one paw along her soft belly fur lazily as they lay there. So she took his advice and tried to relax, something that came surprisingly easy as her mind easily settled into a peaceful calmness in his arms. They lay together for a while before she finally felt his length begin to shrink inside her and eventually, with a shuddering gasp, he pulled himself free, causing them both to pant for a moment to catch their breaths.

Kufa rolled over on his chest, giving his muzzle a tender lick as she went to face him, straddling along his belly as she groomed his fur, “Tharus… Can I ask another favor? It would mean a lot to me”

The half dragon opened his eyes and looked up at her, resting one paw along the back of her neck, “You can ask anything, if it’s within my power, I’ll see to it you have it.” He smiled up to her, warmly returning the gentle licks along her muzzle and chin.

“I was given the name Kufa, because I was expected to die. It's a constant reminder of my old life where I barely was able to survive and escape that looming fate.” A sigh escaped her lips as she nuzzled under his chin, “I’d like you to give me a new one, one that I can be proud of that represents my new life here as one of your treasures.”

He nodded against her, trailing his paws along her side and back as he glanced over her, “A name? I can do that, let me think.” He trailed off for a moment in thought, and she busied herself with grooming his mane and ears while he thought. “Shiying, It’s the name of a crystal that can come in a pink and white variety, I think it’s quite beautiful and suits you.”

“Shiying…” She repeated softly into his ear, rolling the name around in her muzzle as she got used to the feeling of it, she pressed her cheek against his and nodded, “I love it, thank you, for everything. I never would have imagined my life would take this turn. But I can’t imagine being anything besides your treasure now… your Shiying.”

The half dragon let out a slow deep contented breath, “You’re very welcome, my treasure, enjoy the new chapter of your life here, safe with me.” Shiying nodded, and relaxed into his embrace as they slowly let themselves drift off to sleep.

She had been given a new life, a new name, a new path forward with the most unlikely of creatures. And she intended to savor every second by his side for as long as she could.