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The damned creatures are going to burn their own home down.- _ Tarrbin snarled out and lashed his tail, hitting the side of the wall as he peered down from the heights of the central Council Building. _-I should go pick a few up and drop them, that would put an end to their fighting.-

_ _

Ushara let out a soothing noise beside him as they watched the attempts to get the city back under control. They had been trying for the last few days to stop the infighting, but it had been growing worse. Lately there were a few that had formed barriers between sections of the cities, driving out any other species but their own and making sure that they were secure enough to hold onto their territories. The gryphons had formed up in their Aerie, an area that was developed to be accessible mostly by air with towering buildings and it gave them an edge, but they were only the tip of the greater problem.

The Council members had been going out to try and work for peace, at least, that's what they claimed, but he had the feeling that at least half of them were starting to make the trouble even worse. He had decided that the best option was to be present, a large and dangerous predator, such as himself, was a certain deterrent for things to get entirely out of control. If one the of the Pillar Cities fell, it could mean that their entire country would begin to tumble down into ruin. It was the reason that Anara had helped to develop these places, locations of importance that could dispense justice and maintain good relations.

-They will have to tire out eventually. The minx are doing well, and the erral aren't casing problems. It's the kobolds, humans and gryphons right now. They're starting to feed each other's violence.- _ Ushara said with a sigh and leaned in close against his side. _-We should have a message sent to Sothan, but I don't trust sending a gryphon messenger.-

_ _

Tarrbin winced a little bit at the idea of sending word to Sothan, the dragon was imposing at the best of times and failing his duties here could have repercussions. He rarely left the mountains anymore, he preferred to enjoy a life surrounded by his own kind and had begun to teach the youngsters the stories of his own youth and his parents. His own offspring had grown up learning about first-hand stories of what it had been like with the founding of their kind and memories. The last time he had bestirred himself had been in the Craig Island City when they had begun to form organized crime working to insinuate themselves in the Council.

The mated pair that had control of the city had been disgraced, it was an honor to be in a position such as their own, they were supposed to be holding the peace for their entire species. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be removed from Diurnal, returning to the mountains where he would be not only be disgraced, it would affect his own offspring's chances of rising into any real position. Yet, the problem with Craig Island had been they had ignored their problems too long, they had hidden it, they had tried to avoid ever letting Sothan know there was a breath of problem.

_-Is there any word on Frostscale?- _ He asked with a sigh, tipping his head down to groom Ushara tenderly, something that he found soothing when his mind was working.

No, I sent a few of the guards, the girl is missing as well. There is no doubt they're gone together.- _ She answered with a little regretful tone to her mind-voice. _There's little we can do about it now, I'm afraid.-

_ _

-Why is it every young drake with his hatchling name thinks that they know better?- _ He growled and ground his teeth, opening his jaws to run his teeth along the thick quilled crest. _-That leaves one of us to go, and I don't like it.-

Ushara submitted to his attention with her head curving down delicately as he worked down the nape of her neck thoughtfully. It wasn't good that Frostscale had taken the girl with him, though he doubted he was big enough to fly away with her. That type of draw that they were showing wasn't natural and he had a feeling that it wasn't going to end well for the girl. Ever since they had mingled their blood with those humans that had undergone the change to dragon, there had been the occasional youngster that began to show an unhealthy draw towards humans, normally a specific human.

It had ended in everything from the dragon growing so possessive and obsessive that they guarded them like treasure and in some cases, they bonded with them, treated them as siblings or mates. It was unhealthy in the extreme, and it left him feeling a twist of distaste. He should have been more honest with the drake to make him understand he needed to leave the girl alone. It was better for them both to be separated, he could only hope that they figured out before it was too late and the girl returned to her home and the youngster to the mountains.

I should go, I am smaller and quicker. You are the one that will be able to maintain a firmer presence here.- _ Ushara said with a regretful noise as he gently bit the nape of her neck. _-I can make it to the mountains quickly, Sothan will have advice and perhaps knowing that he may appear here, could put things back in order.-

_ _

-I don't like you travelling alone.- _ He growled out and licked again, his tail sliding out to curl around her securely to make his point. _-I am well aware that there are some people that would take down one of our kind if they could. There are countries that believe that we can be ground down to base ingredients for magic.-

_ _

Ushara sat up and gave a snort at him, her eyes flashing a brilliant hint of color as she gave her wings a shake that displayed the spread of her chest. She was so beautifully proportioned and he couldn't help but let out a low sound of admiration as she reached down and nipped him firmly. He found the point right at the line of his neck and shoulder were the scales were thinner that sent a shiver through him and he hissed his pleasure to her, flickering his tongue out briefly, but the worry remained.

He was well aware that there were several countries and empires beyond the seas that saw the dragons as little more than beasts. There was a danger in that that couldn't be denied, not when there had been several younger males that had adventured beyond the bounds of the country that had been attacked and two had been killed outright. There were those that came to their country simply because they knew dragons were on the move here and were vulnerable. The lessons of the past would never leave them, and having Ushara leave on her own was a risk that made his chest tighten.

Do you forget that I chased the lightnings over the Black Bay? That I danced through a hurricane that you watched from the shore?- _ She challenged him and he let out a noise of delight and his eyes flashed just a little bit. _-A flight to the mountains on my own? That is nothing.-

_ _

-How could I do anything but watch when you take to the sky?- _ He growled and moved closer, his wings spreading open to match her as she curved her neck down. _-You were the storm itself, and I wanted to be carried away with your winds.-

_ _

She was just as lovely now as when he had watched her running through the storms, the blast of the winds had been enough that it should have dashed her into the sea, but she had flowed with it. She had followed the pattern, sweeping and turning, showing herself as the lightning had begun to snap out around her. She hadn't just called it to her, she had swung through it, twisting and building it over her body, making her glowing outline a creation of beauty and power as streaks of it had snapped out into the ocean.

He had loved her in that moment, the lust burning through his body until he had immediately begun a display for her, an aerial demonstration that had taken all of his energy. He had challenged other drakes for her favor, and won her over in a breath taking flight that had sent them twining high in the air together. He tipped his head a little bit as she moved backwards and flared her wings wider, the movement displaying the undersides with a little adjustment that showed off the curve of her stomach and she moved to step back onto the ledge of the roof.

You have been in a city too long to think that females must be protected, my lord. - _ She put mockery into the human title so that his crest roused up and his eyes flashed. _-Next you will want me to lay flat on my back in a cave so you can rut me.-

_ _

_-Never.- _ He responded to her suggestion, and Ushara threw back her head and let out a sweet bugling roar.

The sound echoed over the city, the challenge and mockery causing his hearts to beat faster before she flung herself up with such ease that he was left watching her rise above him. He forgot about watching the battles below as his mate flared her wings opened wider and she deliberately stimulated herself so that the a tracery of lightning ran over her back and down the metallic ridges of her crest. They were crackling blue and white together and the nest wing beat sent her scent flushing down around him so that he reared up and answered her with his own call.

It was louder, deeper, and he flung himself up into the air after her as she rose higher and caught a thermal briefly, daring him to chase her. He knew it was a distraction, but it hardly mattered in the moment, there was no way for him to deny the pleasure that came in seeing his mate on the wing. His own muscles churned and the scent of smoke on the air only added to his passion, stirring his blood so that he was turning lightly on the wing and let out another roar, a roar loud enough to make sure that it rolled over the city as their wings surged higher and higher into the air.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Ushara felt the air sliding around her body as she arrowed straight up into the sky, not bothering with circles, she used her lighter body to keep well ahead of her mate. She knew that he was starting to get riled up with the unrest in the city and his own worries about her leaving on her own. He was predictable in that way, and she had no doubt that without a distraction he would take that pent up energy to the rebels in the city. Every dragoness knew males could be volatile, but it was exhilarating to use that for her own ends.

He was following her closely, his wider wing spread helped him keep up, but he was larger and more heavily scales so that he had to put everything he had into reaching her heights. She reached her forepaws out slightly and ran them through a cloud as she passed through it, the damp moisture trailing along her churning wings as she felt the air starting to grow colder and thinner. It made her work to get enough air into her lungs to continue on and still she raced skywards.

_-Are you falling behind, my love? Do you need to take a break?- _ She taunted him, her eyes brightening as she twisted one of her wings to give a sharp turn.

_-You will need to go higher than that!- _ Tarrbin roared out his challenge and surged a bit faster and she let out a bugling call as she turned and rolled backwards.

Her wings spread open wide so that she was straining a bit wider, the ache of them pleasant as she glanced down towards the distant view of the city. They were high enough in the air that there was a little curve of the world faintly and the sky became a deep sapphire blue. It was a color that was only seen by dragons, only they could come so high, the lungs burning faintly and it stimulated her body into a flash of heat in reaction. The hard flight upwards made sure that she was feeling the desire rising inside of her before she flared her wings to hover in place.

Tarrbin didn't simply chase her, he displayed for her, a wild surge and twist that was turning in place, starting to flip about with a swing of a wing so that the white underside stood out. He was pumping the wings faster, starting to pick up speed as he let out a call to her and danced higher up again. He opened his jaws wide, showing the curl of his dark red tongue before he sent out a bolt of lightning that cracked through the sky with the crash of the thunder. The skies thickened, the clouds growing darker around them as he swung about and she circled with him.

He was older now, no longer quite as lithe, but there was a power to him that sent wind sweeping over him as she darted down and playfully raked her body against him. It was a bare touch to enflame the senses, her tail gliding against his own before she darted backwards again. It was all designed to enflame the senses as she toyed with him, gliding and brushing against him and always pulling away at the last moment as she forced him to expend every resource that he had to try and catch her.

He was a canny drake, dipping and swinging his wings down to try and snare her own, but each time she pulled away. She began to warm, her body fevering with arousal and she roused up her crest so that when she touched briefly there was a shock of electricity that was exchanged between them. Her stomach muscles tightened and twitched, jerking a little as she tore away again and tried to gain more height. The thinner air made it harder to hold herself aloft as his movements displayed the glide of dark black flesh bulging from his vent.

She opened her jaws and panted a little bit, getting enough air in her lungs to carry her higher, feeling the heat burning through her lower body as she sparked again. The flash of electricity caught between them sharply and began to tease through her with a heat and power that left her breathless. She was swinging her wings about again as they began to circle tighter and tighter, her mate's breathing faster while he delighted in displaying his arousal to her. The length of the spade shaped shaft tip pushing out further and glistening as she allowed him to slip in closer to him.

No matter that they had been mated for nearly seventy years, there was always a thrill to coming together again. The trying of their bodies against one another, the pumping of the blood that made her body throbbing with arousal. The line of her vent swollen and glistening with need before she side slipped in close enough that his broader wing snapped out and he rolled above her. The sharp scent of his musk and the crackle of electricity hit her hard as the length of his thicker tail twisted around her own and his hind paws wrapped around her.

_-My love- _ He growled into her mind, the images and emotions thick enough that her throat swelled with a croon as she wrapped her forelegs around his own.

Her wings locked in place, as he worked his own, straining to take her weight as the length of his aroused cock began to push down against her with a press that slid the length of his cock against her belly and she was given a jolt of arousal that he answered by grasping her neck in his jaws tightly. She responded in kind, spinning as the world began to flash around her and they began to take a controlled drop, one that came with a push of hot heavy flesh piercing into her body as his cock sank home and sent a shock through her entire body and she folded her wings to clasp tightly to him and he plunged home with a powerful twitch of his hips.

He fit her perfectly, the length of him holding ridges that sank into her and made sure that he didn't slip back outwards as he twisted his tail down with a moan of pleasure. He plunged himself as he hardened, inch after inch glutting her passage as she squeezed her eyes shut and let the dizzying sensation of pleasure take her aroused body. The warmth of him was starting to plunge in deeper, filling her out and finding those places inside of her that made her jolt slightly and her tail rubbed along him, gliding as he snarled against her throat in pure unadulterated pleasure.

There was nothing like the thrumming need that came with that thrust, the way the walls were being split and stretched wider, the nerves stimulated until she clenched down around him. She knew the feeling of his shaft inside of her, making her back arch upwards in place as she pressed up against him and they rolled about in the sky again. The moment she rolled above him he pushed in deeper and made her close her inner eye lids in delight as she felt his claws flexing against her. He held her closely, wrapping his hind legs above her own and his forelegs caught just to either side of her shoulders.

The wild twirling plummet of their bodies began to grow faster, starting to turn into something that was aerobatic, causing both of them to pant and shudder in turn. She began to raise her hips up as he drove in deeper, inching and taking his time, making sure that she was alive with sensations that were designed to delight her. Her gruff and growling mate had always been an adept lover and now he was proving himself as she cried out and bowed her back slightly as he deliberately rubbed himself on a spot just inside of her passage. She forgot about the unrest and his temper, forgot about his worries as he made sure her body was utterly attuned with his own.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Tarrbin clutched his mate to him and let his wings fold backwards slightly, not enough to simply fall, but enough to begin their dizzying drop as he drove himself into her body. She was so tight, the tension of her walls hugged around him greedily and started to squeeze, making sure that he was left panting in his pleasure. He gave another movement of his hips, pushing down deeper so that he could feel himself stretching her walls tightly. His movements worked until the spade shaped tip of his head sank in so deep he felt the line of the rubbery ring of her cervix that stretched and swallowed around him.

The moment he pushed past that sensitive ridge of nerves she cried out and her body clutched against him harder, the tender walls suckling around his cock as he began to shift his hips to work through her. Every bit of worry and tension that he had felt over the last few days was being spent as the wind whipped around him, running along their bodies and whistling past them. Her tail clung tightly to him, moving her hips in time so that the ridges slipped free and his cock tip pulled past the tightened ring before plunging back home again.

They began to spin wildly in the air, the world was flashing with a mixture of light and dark, brushing along their heated bodies as his cock began to stretch open and swell. They were designed to mate in flight, their bodies twined and every nerve afire. How could those wingless fools ever imagine a pleasure like this? Where they were surging and spinning, his wings spreading open with a snap to try and stop their fall so that he could make the pleasure last as her talons dug down against his shoulders.

They sank against his scales and he knew that she would be leaving scratches in his hide and that only fueled him further on, the edge of pain making his pleasure sweeter. He drew his length backwards, slipping from the passage with an wet noise as trails of precum and her own juices were clinging down and spilling along their lower bellies before he dropped all the way forward and fed every last inch of his cock home inside of her. The straining walls were pulling taut around him, caressing and contractions made his toes spread and curl slightly as he panted out a breath and she let out a sound against him.

The spark of fire that ran through him was sharp and immediate, burning down the line of his back as they tumbled from the sky together and his shaft swelled to the widest point. The ridges locked inside of her, making sure that he wouldn't slip out even as his hips moved. His cock tip engorged and was pushed deep inside of her before he released her neck to bugle out his pleasure and his entire body stiffened up as every touch sent small shocks racing through them.

The stream of pressured seed began to pour out of his cock tip, spilling in a wave inside of her, flushing deep into her passage and spreading outwards as they fell faster, and faster. He lost control of his wings as they plummeted and the wind whipped past them both and the city began to loom below them. Ushara cast her head back with her own pleasure, her body roiling against him, grinding and pressing forward so every inch was rubbing back and forth against him. He was breathless and shivering when he drew just an inch back, enjoying the immediate contraction of her body, unwilling to release him.

For the first time in since their own young had grown into their true names, he thought how sweet it would be for them to take a true mating flight. Not just pleasure, but to feel her body burning with fertility, ready for his eggs as they flung themselves into the heart of a storm and used their magic to assure eggs would swell her belly once more. It made him send out another hot jet of his seed, thick and flooding Ushara's belly while he turned about again, righting himself so that he was holding her onto his belly beneath him.

He panted out and shuddered while he cast his eyes towards the rapidly approaching ground and groaned as he flung his wings open wide again, straining as he did so. Ushara echoed him, but remained tightly joined to them as they began to slowly drop down at an angle, prolonging the moment as another hot eruption of his seed poured inside of her. Her wings brushed against him, doing her best to follow his own strokes and his throat swelled with a song of love for her. His beautiful storm dancer, powerful, elegant, passionate… and she had known exactly how to sooth his worries, and his temper.

~ ~ * ~ ~

The loud roar that filtered down from the sky caused Ralik to look up to see the twin grey forms tumbling together, their legs and claws joined tightly. Their tails were wrapped together, their loins drawn in tight so that they were clinging against one another in a flaunting sexuality that caused him to tip his head to one side. He didn't know if he was annoyed or amused at the way they showed themselves off. There was no shame in them, even the gryphons picked areas that were a bit out of the way, but the dragons mated with wild aroused need that made his ears flush just a little bit.

“At least they're having fun." Tigiera muttered under her breath, looking over at him wearily. “You'd think they'd at least try and help us."

“If the dragons get involved there will be real blood." He responded and passed a paw along his ears and gave his head a short shake. “Perhaps this will distract the humans and gryphons a bit."

“They killed one of them, one of the gryphons." She informed him and gave a long hard look. “This isn't going to end any time soon."

“As long as the minx aren't in the midst of it, we can count ourselves lucky. We need to make sure that we keep ourselves neutral as possible." He glanced towards the feathered form seated at the table across from them. “The erral as well."

“There's little chance we'll get involved." Cidor said in a soft musical voice, the wild blue and green tipped feathers ruffling upwards delicately. “We don't have the strength of arms to go against any of them."

“They'll still try and recruit you. Any ally gives any one faction more strength." Ralik answered and twitched his tail ever so slightly.

The days since the first riots hadn't changed much, things were growing worse and he felt as if he were living in a powder keg that was ready to go off. The University had finally closed its gates, allowing students to return there to remain in safety no matter where they came from. He admired their strength, especially since Lord Talthic had been one of the ones that had increased their strength thanks to the personal guards that he had brought up from his estate. He had even heard that his twin Tilven had joined them to make sure that there would be no breach of the sanctity of the institution. That was one of the few pieces of good news to be found.

He had eventually made the call with Tigiera to pull themselves back into their own part of the city and try to maintain some level of peace. It abutted the council hill so that they would be able to meet with others, but he found that his fellow Council members were getting more and more involved in the violence or simply didn't seem to care at all that people were being injured, were dying. He felt helpless, and wasn't sure what he was going to do about the situation.

“Perhaps we should let them have their war." Tigiera said and took a drink of her ale, her eyes wandering up to follow the dragons in the sky. “Let them take their blood prices, but tell them they must leave the city to do it." “It would leave us in peace." Cidor responded, her small vestigial wings moving as she picked up her own drink. “The city could go back to normal."

“No, then you will end up with people having blood feuds with one another and it will never end." Ralik said with a bit of defeat in his voice. “It's bad enough as it is."

“And it isn't in the spirit of the city to just kick the problem outside of the city walls and assume that will solve it." Thorne interrupted them, coming from his tavern with plate of soft cheese and fruits in his hands.

The faun looked just as worn as he felt, his face pale and his ears drooping.

He had been serving as messenger between the groups in his role of the Speaker, but it was telling that he hadn't had any success. They had finally begun to use his tavern as neutral territory that could be used to meet with other council members to discuss matters, but in the last few days, no one else had come. It was as if they had forgotten their main function and acted like warring tribes instead of a civilized beings that had learned to function above and beyond all of this.

“Well if any of you have an answer, I'd love to hear it." Tigiera said with a snap of irritation, her ears setting back flat to her head. “Because right now, we're going into the colder season and it's going to be short rations if there's no market and trade."

“I was thinking, maybe we arrange a true summit." Cidor said and gave them all a nervous look. Errol were generally soft spoken, timid by nature and as the newest member of the pillar cities, they had largely kept quiet in any conflict. “Not just council, but actual delegations, many from each group."

“You mean have them send in their war leaders?" Ralik asked with a little furrow of his brow.

“No, but right now, we hear only from the diplomats, we hear only one or two voices." Cidor clicked her beak together a few times thoughtfully. “Why not get the lower castes, speak to them, hear them."

“We'd have to find a safe way to manage that." Thorne said slowly, but he didn't dismiss the idea. “It's got merit, letting others be heard and voice their concerns."

“If the dragons preside over it, than perhaps things will actually get done instead of just all talk." Tigiera answered and brightened just a touch. “To be honest, perhaps we can bring the idea of enlarging the council a bit further. We are growing too stuffy with the titles given to us, and it is-“

Whatever she was going to say was lost in the cracking explosion that came from one of the alleys that had been sealed off when things had begun to grow violent. The explosion spilled smoke out in a wave before another followed closely behind it and Ralik had only a moment to see a flash of something fiery coming out from the smoke before Tigiera was thrown back from his side with a shrill cry of shock. He stumbled backwards slightly, his chair falling as the white minx female was dropped back on the ground with a look of shock in her dark black on black eyes.

She was staring down at her own stomach as dark red blood began to spread open around an iron arrow that jutted out from her stomach. Her hands moved up around it as the world stopped and Ralik was barely able to make his mind work as he stared in horror while his fellow diplomat tried to grab the end of the arrow and pulled only to choke out a noise and gagged so that dark red blood splattered free from her parted lips. He began to reach down to her, trying to stop her from yanking at the arrow when there was another explosion and something whistled above his head.

“GET DOWN!" Thorne called out and the faun flung the table forward, reaching out to grab Cidor. “Get inside!"

The roar of voices filled the area, loud and frightening as there were the sounds of boots on the ground and he glanced up in time to see kobolds filling the opening. Their bodies were covered in armor and holding one of the great machines that they used in their mines, but the steel balls that they used to break up rock were replaced with wicked looking arrows. He felt the blood drain from his face as he grabbed ahold of Tigiera's shoulder and gave it a pull, trying to drag her with him as the erral fled towards the tavern.

“Come on… Tigiera, get up! GET UP!" Ralik said as the minx choked out another splatter of blood from her lips, her eyes looking at him with an edge of white.

He tried to stop her, she was grabbing at the arrow frantically and he was more concerned with moving her inside, so he missed when she finally grabbed it where it jutted out. He let out a sound as she yanked it out and her entire body seized up as the barbed edges tore from her body, ripping her open so that a spurt of blood hit him across the cheek and chest and her entire body bowed in place. The scent of it sharp on the air so that he was left feeling a wave of shock and horror cause him to freeze in place, but not for long.

Thorne grabbed his tail and hauled hard enough that the pain made him unfreeze and he stumbled backwards as the kobolds advanced and he fled into the tavern. Bru'Tigiera was still watching him, her eyes glazed over as she didn't try to move again, the blood pumping from her weakening so that his last glimpse of her was of the white coat stained red and her head sagging back at an odd angle. Dead. One of the Council had been killed outright in the streets. And he had no idea why or what reason the kobolds had for challenging this area of the city and the dragons… the dragons were not watching.

“Down the stairs, now!" Thorne snapped as the explosions hit the front of his tavern. “Into the tunnel, it'll get us to the Council Hall."

“B-but-“ he stammered and raised a shaking hand to try and wipe the blood from his face. “Why are-“

“I said get down the stairs! Damned mad kobolds, it doesn't matter, we need to get to the Hall and summon the dragons." Thorne rammed him with his horns, shoving him down narrow stairs as Cidor disappeared into the darkness.

The dragons. Yes. The dragons. The Lords of the Storm would sort this out, they had to. They were the reason the Pillars existed and they would have to do something now. He felt like a kit thinking of his parents coming to save him, but that was better than thinking about Tigiera bleeding out and choking on her own blood. This went beyond a simple riot, this was a rebellion, of everything they had built here.

~ ~ * ~ ~

The Western Sea

~ ~ * ~ ~

Waking up to the feel of the ship rocking beneath her was an all new experience for Valia, one that made her feel a little unsteady and her stomach was lurching oddly. It didn't matter that it had been over a week, she still not used to the ships movements. The hammock that she had been given was an odd place to sleep, moving with each lurch and sway, going back and forth while she opened her eyes to stare at the weathered wood that was above her. The scent of spices and herbs were thick on the air, mostly the strongest scent of lavender since bundles were hanging to one side of her small room making it feel even more crowded than it already was.

The Rataosk hadn't had much space for her, but they had arranged to have several walls put up to create a room near the bulkhead where they stored many of their goods. She shared it with the drying herbs and had been told that part of her passage would be turning and keeping them properly dried out. Keeping herbs were second nature, and the mixture were so eclectic that she was curious just why they had chosen the mix. There were standard ones, but there were a few that were more questionable, especially in a small corner that she recognized as being highly poisonous and illegal.

_Not surprising since they're not exactly trafficking in the legal. _ She thought with a small stretch and swung her legs over the edge of the hammock.

She drew in a lavender scented breath and allowed herself to relax with it and moved her hair out of her eyes. They had been at sea for a week so far and she found it a strange experience, one that still caused her to wake up at night uncomfortably nauseous. She moved her fingers with a little pull through her hair and yawned a little bit as she sat up and moved so that she was able to get out of the hammock without falling on her face. That had taken her some time to figure out, but she was getting better.

She heard the faint sounds of the Rataosk on the deck up and moving despite the fact she knew that it must be before dawn. There was no light coming from the one badly formed wall of her room to show daylight. It didn't matter, she had quickly learned that the ship worked in shifts and even in the dead of night, there were sailors up and working. She reached out to steady herself against a post and began to turn some of the more valuable herbs that were hanging, doing her best to keep them dry even in the humid air.

She had expected to be given an oil lamp to light her room, but she had been surprised that Captain Vychik had provided her with a thick glass jar that was filled with some sort of fungus that glowed brightly. As long as she dribbled a bit of water in it and soil, it would glow no matter what conditions. He had told her it was safer than fire on a vessel and would provide little risk to the herbs she was supposed to be tending. Certainly she found it superior than her lamps at home and it didn't require any effort to get it to glow.

She hadn't gotten used to time on the ship yet, but she supposed that would happen with time, as it was, she found it harder to sleep through the night. She kept having nightmares, nightmares that would often wake her screaming which made her sleep even more fitfully. The first time she had scared half the sailors trying to sleep below deck, the next few times they had begun to grumble about not being able to sleep which made her begin to wake herself near hourly to stop them from coming.

_It's not like I don't have things to keep me busy. _ She thought as she moved to care for the precious saffron, taking care with each piece.

She began to work on some of the peppery herbs when the spot on her hand began to burn faintly. There was a patch as wide as her palm just along the inside of her wrist and up towards her thumb that was red and tender. The skin had been dry, but lately it was bruised looking and she was beginning to grow concerned. She hadn't found any part of it that was pierced with a thorn or sting, but it had also begun to grow worse as she had tended the herbs. This morning, it was throbbing faintly and she realized that it had spread up along her upper forearm a bit. It wasn't so swollen that it stopped movement and it didn't really cause real pain, but it was irritating.

She took her time to take out a bottle of safflower oil and spread it over the line of her wrist, smearing it over the area to coat it with enough that there wouldn't be a risk of the area coming in contact with the rack of herbs she didn't recognize or she knew were poisonous. She always made sure that she worked with them last, taking care with each one and mostly using her good hand so as to not aggravate the rash. While she worked, she tried to puzzle out what some of them were, some were exotic enough she had no idea what they might be used for. When she had asked, most of the Rataosk seemed to be unaware or concerned about them or their uses.

_Perhaps they'll let me suggest purchases next time, they would do well with dyes added to these too. _ She thought idly as she continued working.

At least she was doing something useful for her passage, the captain had been pleased to have her help and had stopped briefly in a small village just a day's sailing away to pick up even more to trade once they reached the Empire. Frostscale was finding it harder to be useful beyond scouting, but it didn't seem to bother him terribly much since he was enjoying being at sea more than she thought. He had begun to take long flights and claimed that the air currents here were far more interesting than the ones on the mainland and he was eager to be in the midst of a storm to see if it were more intense.

She couldn't help but smile to herself at that particular tidbit from the young dragon, knowing that he had made a few of the Rataosk glare at him at the very idea. They preferred the calm waters they were in currently and she had heard enough stories about squalls and hurricanes that she had to agree with them, especially when they pointed out just how dangerous things could become and how quickly a person might find themselves engulfed in a wave.

“Miss?" A soft voice came from beyond the heavy canvas that made up her 'doorway' and something scratched against it. “Yer awake?"

“Yes." She straightened and tugged her loose shirt down further before pushing a bit of the curtain open. “Can I help you?"

The small Rataosk was a familiar one, Gast was the 'ship's boy' that seemed to be constantly on the run carrying messages and tending to various chores that no one else seemed to want to do very much. He was small and quick, with an oddly flavored accent that sometimes made his speech hard to understand, still he was friendly and was one of her main sources of information when she had questions. Funny, the Rataosk weren't at all what she had expected them to be when she thought of pirates. So far, they had been like any other group, though perhaps leaning a bit more towards those that had obviously seen battle.

“Aye, cap'n says he's gonna wanna have some o' the angelica root an' turmeric ground down an' brought ta the cook." Gast said and tugged his whiskers at her respectfully. “An' ta grind enough ta be sure ta go into the next few days meals."

“Angelica and turmeric?" She frowned and furrowed her brows a little bit. “Is someone sick?"

“Nah nah!" Gast raised his hands a little and glanced around as if to make sure no one heard the word sick. “Tis smart of 'em, gonna be makin' a stop on a tradin' island soon, an' they got odd things there, safer is better than sorry, eh?"

“Yes, true." She responded easily enough and brightened. “So we'll make shore? I'll be able to leave the ship?"

“Mebbe, dunno. Ain't my job ta assign the crew." Gast answered lightly and twitched his whiskers lightly. “The scaled ones sleepin' on the foredeck, t'is eight bells middle watch now. So hurry hurry."

He left with a flick of his long tail and left her to go back into the room to gather what the captain wanted. She knew middle watch was the last watch before dawn, but she was still struggling to really understand just what the various bells meant. Still, she would assume that it was close enough to dawn that she would need to hurry to make sure the cook had what he wanted to add to the morning meal. Strange that the captain would put such forethought into the next stop, but it went along with just how well run this ship really was, surprisingly so really. She knew that Frostscale felt much the same way, seemingly fascinated by every part of ships life to the point that the first mate had begun to beg her to explain to him why he couldn't be in certain areas.

I thought he was going to have a seizure when Frost climbed the mast. _ She remembered and stifled a laugh as she began to get the powder worked into the mortar. _He had a good idea leaving.

~ ~ * ~ ~

“Frostscale…" Valia's voice was soft and sweet, just as soft and sweet as her hands as they slid against the smallest scales of his underside.

Frostscale sprawled on his back, his body stretched out his full length allow her easy access to him so that she was so warm against him, sliding her fingers against the inner thighs while she leaned over him. He rested his paw along her back and stroked gently, feeling her body and he was pleased as his touch encountered a line of smooth scales down her back and he prummed his pleasure as she leaned forward to slide her clever fingers to either side of his vent. The movements were rubbing lightly enough that he grew aroused.

She was so lovely, her dark hair was pale as he looked at her, changing and stiffening up so that she became more dragonlike as the fingers slipped down. She leaned down to kiss lightly against the tip of his cock, her tongue warm as it swirled with a gentle touch that made him moan and spread his legs open wider as he pushed up into her touch. She was rubbing him, moving down around the base of the cock, gliding downwards so that they fingers were wrapping firmly and gave a gentle pump up and down with a gliding stroke.

He had always known that her fingers were clever and gentle, now they showed wonder as they rubbed along his ridges and he slid his paw over her body. He gently massaged her, pulling her intimately close with a possessive rumble. His toes curled a little bit while Valia looked up, her eyes strangely shifting from her normal ones to something more vibrant, more familiar. Drawing him in until his shaft was elongating to rest right against the line of his belly and twitching with a dribble of precum and he breathed out her name.

Valia murmured his name again and he panted out as her lips wrapped around his tip and her small body slid up to press against his lower belly, legs sliding open so that he was shifting upwards. His cock was sliding free, swelling and growing larger into the glide of the fingers that were moving down around him and starting to move along the tip of his cock. The fingers were gently rubbing, slipping with a little glide that sent a shudder through his body while his wings started to spread open wider as he pushed upwards with a short thrust that bucked higher in the air.

“Frost?" Valia called out, the voice soft and sweet sounding, making him breathe a little faster as she licked his cock again, startling him in a way that him twisting a little. “Wake up…"

“Rrrmmm…" He prummed and tried to thrust again, but there was a shove against his shoulder.

“Frostscale!" The louder call of his name made him jerk his head up as he came awake with a wild jolt.

_-What?- _ He blinked in the darkness in confusion, his mind feeling slow and confused as he came out of the vivid erotic dream.

It was dark out, just a bare edge of grey showing on the horizon to wake him fully up and he blinked his eyes a few times. Valia was leaning close to him, frowning just a little bit as he tried to pull himself from the moment of passion and heat that he had been involved in. It was strangely hard as he looked down at the object of his dream and it didn't match what he had been seeing, feeling. He jerked his head a little and gave it a wild shake back and forth, snorting out a breath as the human looked concerned.

“You okay? You were kicking in your sleep, you nearly knocked down one of the crew." She asked and took a step back as he swung his head back to see a scratch mark scored across the deck.

-I'm fine, I was just dreaming, I suppose.- _ He answered and shifted again, but as he did so he became aware of the fact that his cock was fully extended along his belly. _-The sun isn't even up yet.-

_ _

“I know, I woke up early." She responded and moved in closer, dropping down onto one of the barrels beside him. “I saw you twitching and thought you were having a nightmare."

This wasn't the first dream that he had had over the last few days that were heavily sexual, though, normally they involved a dragoness. They were normal dreams for a young drake that hadn't mated yet, and he rather enjoyed them, frequently waking up and tending to his own needs with relish, but this one had Valia in it. It hadn't just had Valia in it, it had been so intense that his body was still throbbing with waves of arousal that were making him want to pant shallowly.

He watched Valia move, her shirt that clung to her and for the first time, he actually wondered what was under that shirt. Normally he found the idea of clothing irritating, pointless, but now he was truly annoyed with it. He wanted to see more of her, to see exactly what she was like beyond the images in his dream. That thought helped clear his head further and he let out a snort, pushing back the desire with some force as he looked at the small human. The small frail human compared to him.

_I'm just still half asleep. It was just a weird dream. _ He dismissed to himself and got himself under control.

-Not a nightmare, no.- _ Frostscale said and fixated on her, shifting a little and found a more comfortable position with his length throbbing with his lingering arousal. _-Why are you up so early?-

He wished that he'd been able to simply finish his dream while he was shifting his weight with another uncomfortable feeling of his length drooling out a puddle of precum. He worked to get himself under control, not quite sure how Valia would react if he stood up with his cock fully erect beneath him. There was a small part of him that considered it, imagining her stepping forward to slide her fingers over his cock the way she had in his dream, but that was just his half awake lust. He stretched and flexed his claws a little bit with a panting breath.

“Well, just couldn't sleep, and I had some herbs to dry. The captain is planning on landing somewhere soon." She said and comfortably shifted back against the railing as she looked up at him. “I'm going to see if I can go ashore."

-I wonder if they'll have fresh meat there.- _ He perked up and used that to distract himself from his arousal. _-I'm tired of the fish and turtles.-

_ _

“Maybe, I'll ask when I see him." She said and she stretched, lifting her arms up high in the air as she bowed her back.

He was waking up steadily, but when she lifted her arms up she gave a little bit of a sniff towards her. He leaned forward and picked up a warm scent that caused him to nose against her wrist lightly as he realized it was a familiar scent. He drew in a deep breath and she stopped and jerked her hand backwards, but he followed with a low growling purr and flicked his tongue out to brush against her skin. The scent draconic, not quite pure, but definitely close to his own scent, only feminine and lighter.

She froze a little bit and blinked up at him, but he sniffed in a deeper breath as he licked out again and she jerked her hand back away. There was a dark marking against her forearm, bruised skin that looked tender and he wanted to follow that scent. She dropped her hand back down, though, and he could feel a surge unease run through her so that he pulled his head away. He roused his crest up a little bit and sat up, moving his forepaws in front of himself.

He wasn't calming down the way he wanted, his mind was strangely fixated on the girl and he knew that it wasn't going to be jerked away until he had some relief. It was just the fact he was aroused still that he was smelling her and wanting to get closer to her, most likely the herbs she had been working with created that alluring aroma. Once he was calmed down he wouldn't be so distracted, that was all. Not that he could attend to that in front of her, not with how easily humans were embarrassed.

_-Those herbs smell lovely. You'll have to bring some up for me to smell directly.- _ He commented casually while he gave his wings a little flex. _-I think I might try my luck hunting, maybe find a seal or walrus.- _

“I was hoping you might want-“ Valia began but he stood up and gave her a light nosing.

_-I'll be back soon, ask the captain about where we're going to land.- _ He suggested, covering up the fact he rubbed his nose along her forearm and drew in a deep full breath. It was delicious, sweet, and made his cock throb beneath him before he flung himself up and over the railing of the ship.

It left Valia standing on the edge of the bow and watching the dragon with her brows furrowed a little bit and her cheeks colored. He had left so quickly, but through it all, she had felt something pressing through her mind with his thoughts. It was something that made her heart beat faster with a mixture of excitement and panic, his thoughts had been strange. And to make matters more confusing, as he had jumped up into the air, she could have sworn he had been more than simply leaving to hunt.

She swallowed, her tongue was dry and she tried to ignore the strange feeling of fear and interest mixed together. Had he been aroused when he'd stood up, the way he'd been sniffing at her wasn't normal, and she couldn't stop but think about the gryphon. It was a cold lump in her stomach that had her wrap her arms around herself and move towards the main cabin and where the captain was awake and working over his charts. Anything to distract herself from what she had just seen…and felt.

_He's a dragon, he doesn't think that way. _ She told herself in a small panic and composed herself. She had land to look forward too.