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Scales and Scars Chapter 6

Marcus walked along the sidewalks of a small town street, the moon cast deep shadows in old alleyways. While street lights cast small circles of light onto the concrete, and asphalt. A newspaper hovered at ankle height, mid flight taken by the mid night wind. Time had been frozen. No person in sight, and no sound, with no wind.

Marcus walked through the familiar small town, it was his hometown. He passed restaurants and stores, closed and shuttered at the late hour. But every one of them he had been in, he could remember fond memories exploring many of the stores on the weekends. as he walked and wandered the streets a sound began to match his foot falls.

click, click, click

Marcus smiled, though his face also showed sadness. A mix of emotions welled up inside him as they walked together. A tense silence as he knew she was there, after so long…

Click, click, click

“You know… you always did tell me you wanted to take me to see your hometown." Helena's soft voice spoke in the windless night. Her sweet, musical voice broke the silence between them. Marcus nodded his head somberly, as he chuckled to himself the laugh was more hollow than he wished. Though when he turned his head he could see Helena's smile, her lips pulled up to show just the tips of her fangs. She wasn't sad, there was a twinkle in her eyes. It was strange that death hadn't diminished her personality. She'd shown some sadness when she saved him, but she didn't seem to dwell on her state or really mention it.

“Yea, I remember that promise…" Marcus trailed off, remembering the day he had promised to take her to a diner in this very town was the day before…

Before…. Before it all happened. Before every promise he had made her was made into nothing. Nothing more than dust… sand and memories…. Made worthless and meaningless. Marcus had to hold back the swirl of emotions that welled in his chest; anger, sadness, rage, and misery all spinning around. With regret as the cherry on top.

“You know, I don't regret what I did. I'd do it all over again. To protect you and the other Marines." Helena said, her voice firm and filled with conviction. Her eyes showed the fire of said conviction, she meant what she said. While Marcus set his jaw and a small tear threatened to form in the corner of his eye. Not crying, not yet, but the emotions were there and fought for control while anger tinged his voice he almost shouted out.

“I had you dying in my arms that day! the dragoness I loved bleeding out and nothing I could do about it!" He struggled to keep his voice low, as a tear finally escaped the corner of his eye. The memory of that day came rushing back like a freight train hitting a soda can. All thr helpessness he had felt that day fresh in his heart, and the anger that life had been so cruel. It took everything he had at that moment from him, his love, his friends, and left him scarred forever.

It was like she could see it all, all the emotions he felt. Marcus saw that fire in her eyes soften some, and she looked him up and down. Before she lightly bumped his forehead with her snout.

Marcus relaxed some from the gentle action, and looked away. A soft blush on his cheeks. It was hard to hate someone you had truly loved, he let out an exasperated sigh. His hand moved up to rub along her jaw for a minute before he pulled it away.

“I know my little marine, it hurts… But it was my choice to make." She spoke softly in a caring, soothing voice, almost motherly. Marcus always loved her caring attitude, she could be like a mother to the boys. That alone had made her loved by everyone in the unit. Since so many of his brothers died that day. It was a weird sort of comfort to know that she would be there to look over them.

“I respect the choice… I'd have done the same for anyone one of them… for you of course… but the pain, god it hurts to experience that." Marcus' voice cracked a little at the end as he spoke. The two still walked as they talked, a moment of silence passed between the two. Marcus wiped his cheeks dry on the sleeve of his flannel long-sleeved shirt.

The pair crossed an intersection that normally had a flashing red light above it. Said light had been frozen mid flash and was locked on. It cast an eerie red hue over the pair as they walked along the crosswalk parallel to it.

“So… Tell me about this Korinthia." Helena said as they crossed into the white light of another street lamp. Marcus groaned and looked over at the black dragoness with her blue tiger-like stripes and a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Korinthia had this narrow eyed predatory look that told him he was gonna have to answer her.

“Soooooo…. Is she cute?"

“Isn't there some universal rule about dead girlfriends asking questions about current girlfriends?" Marcus asked with a new somber smile on his face, distracted from the thoughts of his loss, and the desert sandbox it had all happened in.

“We were a couple?" Helena asked with a grin and flicked her tail playfully so it lightly bumped his back as they walked.

“Basically, yes." Marcus admitted which earned him a happy chirp from Helena. He smiled at the sound and then decided to answer her question.

“Korinthia is a lot like you in appearance, somewhat in personality. Caring, compassionate, though not afraid to take charge or show some vulnerability." He said as they walked, his head tilted back as he spoke to watch the lights pass overhead and then fall away behind the two. The gap between each street lamp cast them in darkness for a few minutes. Which let the stronger stars in the night sky show through the light pollution. The whole while he could hear the dragoness as she hummed in thought.

“She sounds like a good egg if she's like me." Helena said and soon the roads lost their sidewalks and the pair walked down the center of an old country road. Houses died away to farm fields and ranches.

The pair walked in pleasant silence, until Marcus came to stop at a cattle gate. Old and rust brown just as it had been the day he left to go to MEPs, and ship off to Basic. He had never been back since that day, it felt like a lifetime ago. The mailbox read Jameson, and had the zip code he still remembered to this day under the name.

“They'll disown you" she said as he leaned against the rusty brown cattle gate, his arms crossed over the top bar, while his eyes focused on the farm house at the end of the one mile gravel drive. An old southern house with its deep porches, and rocking chairs on said porch had one glowing window and the porch lights on. Marcus nodded his head without looking at Helena, she was right and he wasn't going to try

“You haven't even told her about them?" Marcus once again nodded an affirmative at her question, his eyes never leaving the House. The tone she asked the question in felt less like a question and more like a statement. Like she already knew the answer and he was merely confirming the fact.

Marcus reached a hand out and flipped up the latch on the gate and pushed it open, the old hinges groaned and squeaked. Desperate for a good oiling down.

Marcus walked forward onto the gravel drive and Helena followed. The sound of her pawsteps kept pace with his own. In slower more languid crunches of gravel next to his faster but shorter stride.

“You're a good egg, she won't judge you by the actions of your step father." Helena spoke softly, in a reassuring and gentle tone. But Marcus was only half listening at this point as they walked up the drive. His mind swirled with all the hate, anger, and betrayal toward the man who had tried to raise him into a twisted person.

“I wonder how right you are, Helena. I don't know how to feel about my dead girlfriend giving me life advice. This isn't exactly normal so forgive me if I'm somewhat… um… skeptical." Marcus said as he came to stand before the house he was raised in from birth to 18. When he learned his step father wasn't his real dad, and he learned what his real dad was like…. From history pages, and old war diaries the opposite of the man that called this house home.

Helena came to a stop next to him and kneaded her fore paws into the gravel road, her talons making a scraping sound on the gravel. It was a nervous tick for some dragons.

“The Sins of the Father shouldn't follow the-"

“But they do!" Marcus snapped, his head turned so his harsh glare fell on Helena. Though the glare softened almost immediately upon gazing into her eyes. He saw the hurt there from him raising his voice and he relaxed some. He let out a long breathy sigh, and looked away from her. Embarrassed that he had lost his composure at that moment.

“He would have turned me into the son of a clipper. He'd have made me believe that a monster like him was truly my father. The Marines saved me, but my sisters were left here, my mother just fell right in place like it was her lot in life." Marcus spoke with venom in his voice, and he could barely contain the hatred in his voice.

“How could any dragoness love a man from a place like this?" He said finally.

“I do, I love you. Despite all this…" Helena's soft voice cut the cool night air, and stole the wind from Marcus's sails. His body seemed to relax from its coiled state, his hands unclenched from fists. His shoulders slumped as she contained to speak, breaking down his excuses.

“You escaped, you became yourself slowly. You unlearned what he taught, sure you had your rough edges. You wanted nothing to do with me, then slowly that ice around your heart melted." She spoke with passion in her voice, with love and pride both intertwined. With a smile and purr she leaned in slowly and licked up his cheek. Her teeth nibbled at his collar bone. The action made Marcus stiffen and let out a soft gasp, his cheeks burning hot with a blush.

“Careful he might see that blush from the window my sweetheart." Helena whispered into his ear. Her hot breath washed over his ear and neck, making him shiver while he sucked a deep breath in and let it out slowly.

“I wish he could, and that I could see him rage against the World." Marcus said, and Helena let out a soft musical chuckle in his ear. Followed by another long, warm, lick up the side of his neck to his ear.

Marcus went to take a step further, wanting to deepen the intimacy of the moment. but fell to one knee, like his leg just gave out all of a sudden. Then a searing pain lanced up his leg. He cried out in pain and looked down to see the tourniquet she had applied before. Blood soaked the side of his pants, and he coughed and hacked. Holding a hand to his mouth on reflex, when he brought it away it was covered in blood.

“Fuck…" He mumbled as the world started to spin. He struggled to stay on one knee, then he slumped over onto his side. He fell onto the rough gravel and felt the world spinning still, while his vision swirled into colors then just darkness.

“Rest now my little marine…"

—

Korinthia trotted quickly through the front doors of the police station, a beat cop with a box of coffee and donuts was almost bowled over as she darted through the double doors. She was an arrow of scales let loose on the world.

After being cleared of any charges. Her mind raced with questions on where Marcus could be, was he okay? was he even alive? The last thought brought unbelievable amounts of dread to her heart. All for a man, a human she knew only for a week and a few days.

She almost felt like trying to beat herself up for becoming so attached so quickly. She had practically laid herself bare to him, and she could barely find an answer to why?

“Korinthia!"

Marcus had begun to grow on her, sure he wasn't a perfect person. Quite the opposite, He was a broken imperfect person just like her. They were like two survivors of a shipwreck in the sea of life. Clinging to one another in the stormy swells, now he was possibly gone and those waves of dread threatened to drown her.

“Korinthia!"

Korinthia was so focused on her aimless flight that she almost didn't notice her name being called.

“Korinthia!!!" A familiar voice called out for the third time, louder and more forceful in a parade ground military tone. The strength in that old voice broke her from the worried thoughts that filled her head. She whipped her head around to see the familiar older face of Dan. The man was in his old ford truck.

Korinthia's heart leapt with hope, and she bound over to the truck. The dragoness skidded to a halt next to the driver side door of the old truck. The engine rumbling with the throaty growl of a carburetor fed engine. The smell of richly burnt fuel in the air, almost sweet on the tongue.

“Is he alive?!? Surely you know! Where is he?" Korinthia started to bombard the poor man with questions.

“Damn girl! Relax, he's not dead, he's in the ICU yes. But not dead." He said, the man must have seen the desperate worry and hope written all over her scaled face. He probably could also see her nearly deflate as worry rolled off her. Knowing that Marcus was alive, that he was hurt but alive was so much better than him being dead.

“Take me there… please…" she said and looked at the man with wide blue pleading eyes. To which Dan just snorted dismissively and waved a hand to the back of the truck.

“Already planned on it Kori, now just get in the back of the truck." He said and before he could even finish the Dragoness had hopped into the bed. The tuck rocked three times from the impact of a whole dragoness landing in the truck bed. Old leaf springs groaned as they accepted their new load. The dragoness settled down low in the bed, and got into a position so she wouldn't bounce around too much.

Korinthia prayed to whatever god or gods ran this universe to not let Marcus die. To not let his stupid heroics be the end of him. She growled as she remembered him moving to stand in front of her. Like some big drake protecting his mate, and nearly getting killed for it. She had to mentally hold back her claws from reflexively grinding at the metal shell of the truck bed.

“Why did he have to go get shot… Such a drake thing to do, except he's just a human with no scales to protect him…" she growled low to herself, her low words not audible above the old truck's throaty idle.

The old truck took off with a throaty roar to join the city traffic. Its precious cargo hunkered low out of the dirty wind that rolled over the cab.

Korinthia couldn't help but flick her tail against the inside of the bed as she rode passenger. The trip would feel like an eternity to the worried ness. Flying was way more efficient, but it would be more of a hassle to convince Dan to just tell her the hospital's name.

—

Xún flipped through the clipboard at the foot of his recent patient's bed. The gunshot victim had stabilized a few hours ago. The man had slipped into a coma, but with stable vitals. Which was extremely lucky, the man was on a steady track of improvement and no secondary complications had yet to show up.

The small eastern dragon clicked his talons on the clipboard in thought. His eyes looked over the scars that could easily be seen. The man had some pretty extensive scars. Not surprising for a man with a VA file, but the bite mark on his shoulder was not a normal thing to see. Plus extensive surgical scars from what he assumed was bullet or shrapnel removal.

Xún made a note to get back with his old friend who worked in the VA. Maybe he could forward the file on this Marcus guy to Xún.

“You have a lot of stories I bet, and your scars show it human." He whispered between the unconscious human and himself.

Xun heard footsteps approaching, and he returned the clipboard to the neat little holder at the foot of the bed. A paw returned his pen to his chest pocket, his head turned to the sound. He found himself looking at a fellow dragon being led by a nurse to the room where the newest patient had been settled in.

The dragoness had a blue scaled face, and the rest of her body was black with blue vertical stripes. Xún skirted the dragoness and human nurse on his way to the door. He didn't want to talk to a patient's friends or… Family?

The eastern drake turned his head and looked at the human and then at the dragoness. “A human, with a dragon friend?"

“What is your name miss?" The human nurse who had led the dragoness to the room asked. The dragoness in a low shy tone responded, the female's eyes more focused on the human man in the bed as she trotted over to its side.

“Korinthia" The strange dragoness said, her voice almost cracked as she held back tears.

Xún froze at the threshold of the door, and remembered Marcus's last words before he had slipped into cardiac arrest.

“Korinthia…"

He watched the dragoness as she walked up to the bed, he could see her trying to not cry. The failed attempt at that, as one tear after another slid down her angular snout to drop onto the bleach white linens of the hospital bed.

“Is he… dating her, she seems so… distraught. Like she's seeing a mate in that bed…."

Xún had been standing there lost in his own thoughts. He'd never seen a couple like this, it wasn't unheard of in the least. But he'd never personally seen it. His distracted focus left him lingering long enough to leave himself vulnerable to questions.

“Doctor Xún, is it okay if she stays with him?" The nurse had moved away from the dragoness to give her room. While Xún hadn't noticed the change, too focused on Korinthia.

Xún, now broken from his musings, opened his maw and stood silent for a second before closing his maw. Then finally he said “yes she can stay with him."

Xún didn't wait for further questions to be lobbed his way, and slipped through the doorway out into the busy hall. The lanky eastern dragon snaked his way through the crowd on his way to his friend's office.

“Humans with dragons… what Dragoness would fall for a man? Or Drake for a woman?" he couldn't help but think as he mused on what he just witnessed.

The dragon unceremoniously used his head to lightly knock the door open to his friend's office. Araon never really kept his door properly latched. Mostly due to Xún's constant intrusiveness, the small eastern dragon spent more time in Aaron's office then his own. So as Xún expected the human wasn't at all surprised to see Xún. Though much to Xún's surprise the chair he that normally happily wrapped himself up in was occupied by a human female.

Aaron had leaned to the side to see past her, the man probably noticed the door open. So the woman of course turned to look at Xún. Xún froze halfway into the room caught in the hazel gaze of the red head. The woman's face had a pleasant heart shape, and her build was rather stout for her 5'4 frame. She had this odd mix of beauty and strength that Xún could say he didn't find unattractive in the least.

Not wanting to look like he was frozen in fear or like he was someplace he didn't belong. The eastern dragon padded over to the couch that sat against the side wall of the room. He hopped up in the center of the couch and curled up on himself like a snake almost.

Aaron cleared his throat, and motioned to Xún. “Sorry, this is Xún, he's one of my colleagues. A decent doctor."

Xún snorted as Aaron called him a 'decent' doctor.

“For a dragon hmm?" Xún said with a teasing voice. Trying to shoehorn the human into looking worse in front of a woman. Like all good friends do of course.

His comment got a chuckle from the human woman, and Aaron simply rolled his eyes. “Ha ha, alright you little egg noodle. This is Elizabeth, she's going to be our new ER technician."

Xún let out one of his signature growls, which had never scared Aaron, ever. Xún hated being called anything close to a noodle.

“Well let's hope she's up to task." Xún snorted dismissively at the mention of her being the new ER technician.

“Oh I think my credentials speak for themselves doctor Xún." She said, and crossed her arms as she leaned back in her chair. Her hazel eyes fixed him in place like a predator to prey, and she flicked her medium length hair so her gaze wasn't blocked by a single strand of hair.

“How many humans and dragons have you dragged out of combat? Stabilized under fire? When was the last time you had to weigh your own safety with keeping your patent alive?" She spoke with a raised eyebrow, challenging him to prove her wrong. But Xun could only shrink down in his cushion thoroughly put in his place, and her stout powerful frame for a human woman made all the more sense.

“Elizabeth here has served with the 75th Ranger battalion as a combat medic, in Iraq and Afghanistan. She's not your typical Technician." Aaron said, which for Xun was the biggest understatement of the century. Though with the way she looked at him, Xun thought he might like this new technician. She had a fire in her eyes that made him want to get to know her more. She was the type of human woman who grabbed life by the neck and forced it into shape by sheer will, and that ment she was a very hardy person.

“What drake would fall for a human girl huh?" he could practically hear his subconsciousness calling him a hypocrite. His mind flashed back to the Dragoness who had been crying over his newest patient. Then his eyes snapped back to Elizabeth, the fiery haired woman had this attitude. Like she relished the challenge, she could be very interesting indeed only time would tell if she could make it in this hospital.

—

Marcus looked down, fifty stories down and then some to be precise. This time the world was moving, motion and wind. A living world, and he leaned back into the warm scales of the dragoness he had loved.

“Back to the beginning?" He asked as he watched the sun kiss the ocean off in the distance. California traffic below in grid lock as the day ended, and the sun began to bid well to this day. A soft feminine chuckle seemed to answer his question before Helena's voice did.

“It Ends, Where It began." She said in some grand poetic manner, her wings stretched out before him as if to sweep across the ocean and sky like she bestowed it to him. Marcus chuckled at her gesture and gently ran his fingers along the flight membrane.

“This was in fact our first time alone so many years ago. The two of us slunk away from base to this little roof top. you even carried me up here like a sweet gentleness." Marcus said with a grin as he remembered that day that his subconsciousness or Helena's power… or something had dained to show him. To remind him of what he once had, before life so unceremoniously took it away.

“She should be your focus now." Helena stated in a matter of fact tone, her voice more business now. A strong paw wrapped around his midriff and pulled back against her armored chest scutes. Her head came down to give her an angle to look him in the eyes.

“She's the living, breathing, worrying ness in your life. She right now is hunched over your bed begging you to come back." Helena spoke, and her golden eyes seemed to bore into him. Looking into his very soul as if it was plain to see.

“I…. I… You were my fir-"

“And I always will be Jocek, I've seen you growing and struggling. I've hurt like only a lover can when they can't help. But my darling human, she needs you now." Helena said her talons gently squeezed at him, and he reached up to cup his hands along her jawline. Tears trying to form in his eyes, what she said was true. It just… it was different coming from someone you loved. Instead of that voice in the back of your head.

Marcus looked away from those eyes, and at the sunset. His palms could feel her lean in, scales sliding across his coarse palm before a warm tongue licked up his cheek.

“The best way to love me, is to let go. I will always be with you. You will always be MY little Marine." Her chuckle warmed his cheeks with her hot breath.

“I understand, it's just… It's just hard to let go." Marcus whispered back, a pain in his heart. Like this was some grand good bye.

“Ssshhh… Letting go isn't forgetting my dear." she whispered and Marcus nodded his head. His cheeks felt hot as wet tears rolled down his cheeks. A few to be licked away by the rumbling dragoness as she started to get up. Unwrapping her lean yet powerful frame from him, and he scooted back from the ledge so he could stand. Helena did the same, as the sun finally dipped below the horizon enough. The sky grew dark, and the first few stars began to show through the fading minutes of light.

Helena stretched out her wings to feel the breeze, and Marcus saw her close her eyes and inhale deeply. The ness breathing in the cool night air, before her eyes opened and fixed on him. They almost glowed in the dim light.

“Farewell… Marcus Jocek."

Marcus nodded and snapped her a salute. “Farewell, Helena"

The dragoness who he loved so dear, smiled and with one fluid motion she leapt into the air. Hind legs launching her frame into the sky and powerful wing beats pulled her into the Twilight.

Marcus stood watching her disappear, with a sad smile, before he turned and walked toward the roof access. He opened the door and stepped through. Only to find himself not walking down flights of stairs, but instead he was in an old bar. A fine wooden door closed behind him, and the smell of cigar and cigarette smoke assaulted him. It chased away the California ocean breeze, as he walked further into the bar.

“Aahhh Jocek…. We wondered when you'd show up here. Not dead yet I see."

Marcus froze as an old familiar voice spoke, and he turned toward the owner of said voice. A man who had a cigar held between his teeth, and a broad shitting eating grin that split a tired old face. While blue eyes twinkled with humor up at Marcus.

“Tom… is tha-"

“Yeap! It's me Marine" the man said before he took a long pull on the cigar, the leaf burned and glowed before the upper middle aged man exhaled the smoke. Marcus looked around and realized he was standing in a bar filled with every marine from his unit, every marine who had died that day.

“Helena said you found a girl, congratulations Son." Staff Sergeant Thomas had that grin still plastered on his face and a few chuckles echoed around the room. Marcus just smiled and nodded his head and took a seat across from the older Marine.

“yea…. Not the normal type…" Marcus admitted the truth only partially, and the man smirked and set the cigar down after one final pull from it. Richly scented smoke swirled around the pair, and Marcus saw this knowing look in Thomas's eye.

“Aye, she said as much. But me and the rest of the boys didn't want you thinking we didn't miss you. But it's not your time yet, Marine." The old Sargent spoke with a smile. A few heads began to nod around the room. Mumbled “Hoorahs" and some “Get some"s rumbled around the room.

“You'll be here one day, but not today. Also for the love of god, shoot like a marine next time. Helena won't be there to save your ass all the time." The man took a sip of liquor from the glass, Redbreast if Marcus remembered the old NCOs favorite from having to pay for lost bets.

“Yes, Sargent" Marcus said and stood at ease when he spoke, a smile lightly tugged at his lips. The old NCO nodded his head, like a father after giving his son advice and guidance.

“Well Marine, you know what needs doing. I don't need to hold your hand, she's waiting for you. Every marine here is proud of you." Thomas's words made all sorts of emotions well up in Marcus's chest. Pride, sadness, joy, and relief all fought for attention. It took all of Marcus's willpower to not cry in front of his fallen comrades. He told himself they would understand, but he still held strong.

“Protect her Son, she deserves a good man, a good Marine. You have your guidance, Dismissed." Sargent Thomas's last word was said with a smile, and a hand motioned to the door. Marcus nodded, and snapped to attention.

“Moving Sargent" was all he said before he about faced, and made his way for the exit.

“Hoorah" one young SAW gunner said, his 249 rested on the table as he drank a beer. The man looked 18, but he raised a glass to Marcus as he passed.

“Get some Devil Dog" a corpman said as he reached for the door, and as he opened it and stepped through into a blinding white light. He heard every marine in the bar behind him say in unison.

“Semper Fi!"

Semper fidelis

Always Faithful….

The sound of the door closing and then warmth transferred to coolness. Light turned to darkness, and the sound of Marines faded to a steady.

Beep beep beep.

Marcus felt a warm pressure across his legs, and he inhaled a deep breath. Then opened his eyes. He was greeted by a drop ceiling and the smell of hospital disinfectant. He tilted his head to the side and found an EKG that beeped steadily with the beat of his heart. Then slowly he started to scan the room until his eyes fell on the foot of his bed. He smiled, and relaxed some.

A black scaled head with blue facial scales lay across his thighs, steady deep breaths could be heard from Korinthia as she slept. Marcus tried to sit up but he halted as pain lanced through his chest. A reminder to not get too ahead of himself, and he instead raised the bed so he was in a more upright position. The hum of the beds servos weren't enough to wake the sleeping dragoness. Nor was his hand that he rested on Korinthia's head. Marcus gently started to stroke her head between her horns.

A happy purr left Korinthia's throat, and her face relaxed some as Marcus pet her head. He knew she'd be ecstatic when she found him awake. Back in the land of the living, and when the door clicked open. He looked up and saw a nurse with red hair peering in, and he held up a finger to his lips for quiet.

The nurse nodded and still entered, she was a short and stoutly built woman. She looked like she could easily bench 180. The woman gave the military signal for caution and hold position as she made her way over to his bed. Not a sound was made as she fished out the clip board, and came to stand next to Marcus.

That's about when Marcus realized she wasn't your typical nurse, and that she had been in more than just civilian boo boo repair. The former marine held still as she took his vitals, and listened to his heart. She filled out whatever data on the clipboard she needed to notate. Then she left silently, only a subtle click to signal the door closing.

Marcus went back to lightly stroking Korinthia's head between her blue painted horns. He leaned back into the bed and let his mind wander. The Bar, The Rooftop, his Home Town, and he sighed.

“Life's full of complications." He whispered to no one in particular, and got a purring rumble from a sleeping dragoness as his answer.