Balukathi

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Physical Traits

Despite the reptilian qualities they appear to display, the balukathi are mammals and are warm blooded. They do not sweat and, if too hot, will pant like a dog. They tend to live up to about 100 years old, with neither the male nor female genders commonly outliving the other. At adult age (roughly 24 years old), males typically stand about 2.25-2.5 m (7½-8½ ft) to the shoulder, have a main body length of about 4.25-5 m (14-16½ ft), and sport an average weight of 661.4 kg (1455 lbs); females typically stand about 2-2.25 m (6½-7½ ft) to the shoulder, have a main body length of about 3.66-4.25 m (12-14 ft), and sport an average weight of 447.7 kg (985 pounds).

Balukathi are moderately active for their size, having a build that is considerably bulky yet generally resembles that of a big cat. Their stout quadruped body comes with a short neck, powerful fore and hind legs, and a thick, dangerous tail measuring generally at body length. While not terribly flexible, the appendage is very heavy; even a lazy swing could easily knock over an adult man.

The species is covered in a mix of both scales and fur. While scales cover the majority of their bodies, fur is placed effectively in such a manner that it doesn't become cumbersome or overheat a balukath during the hot day, the fur serving as insulation for the creature when it curls up during the cold night. Specifically, the fur can be found along the length of the spine, the paw-tops, and the chest. In addition, males have goatees of various lengths and a mane atop the head that may or may not extend to the chin.

In terms of fur color and texture, balukathi come in several variations. The ideal consistency for most desert balukathi fur is to remain fluffy and smooth, but coarse as well to make it easier to clean off sand and debris. Male fur tends to be longer and shaggier than female fur, which retains a finer (sometimes even wavy) appearance that is most prominent in the chest region. Its color can range from many tints and shades of sandy red; females tend to have darker colors, although both genders' fur colors are generally muted and slightly sun-bleached.

Balukathi scales are smooth but bumpy, durable yet soft to the touch, similar in relative shape and size to those of a leopard gecko. The main scale color is a creamy yellow with black, smudgy stripes that are uniquely placed per individual; the underbelly is a creamy white that goes down the jaw and beyond the pits of the arms and legs, including most of the rump, the undersides of the feet, and the backs of the feet trailing up to the elbow and knee joints. A male balukath's scales are slightly brighter and more vibrant than a female's, which are typically a smidgen duller and darker.

Balukathi sport thick, solid, bony plates from the top of their back to the end of their tail. These hexagonally-shaped plates are colored opaque dark-brown and taper slightly to a flat top. While they run in a single column parallel to their spines, the surrounding fur does not cover them, although there is enough space between the plates for an average-sized adult human rider to sit. The plates on the tail are smaller to allow the tail a little more flexibility, and there is a single or double rounded plate that rests atop the end of a balukath's nose right above the nostrils.

The balukath snout is short and wide. Their tongues are big and thick, tapering to a single tip. The teeth imply an omnivorous diet, their large maws including sets of incisors, canines, and molars. Balukathi ears are short yet wide, able to pivot about in a cat-like way and shaped in much the same style while being quite effective at picking up sounds.

The lumbering paws of a balukath have dense and durable pads that span the underside of the the soles and toes as well as a small dot-like pad on the heel, the leathery protectors a burnt amber in color. Large, pearly-white claws are attached to each toe and function mainly for combat as well as food-related functions (e.g. De-spining cacti for drinking and eating). Dewclaws are similarly present on the back inner portion of each foot.

Beneath the fur and scales, the balukath's naked flesh is heavily amber-like in color, shine, and texture. The inner walls--visible inside the ears, mouth, and anus--stay within the middle-range of amber shades, though organs such as the tongue are a lighter amber shade.

Specialty Physical Traits

Balukathi can control their digestion via a voluntary contraction of a special web-like network of light amber-colored glands lining the walls of the stomach known as jogers, which neutralize the production of hydrochloric acid and delay peristalsis until the balukath chooses to release them. The purpose is to store food in the gut during times of famine or when food is scarce; the food, for as long as it does not spoil, can be therefore digested in a more 'rationed' fashion to utilize the nutrients in the most effective way possible.

Within a balukath's throat right above the lungs is a sand bladder where sand from storms and dunes is filtered and collected before it can reach the lungs. Once in this pouch, the sand is saturated with moisture and a chemical secretion from certain special glands along the lining of the sac called macers to give it a spray-like consistency capable of inducing blindness to foes and prey, able to jet forward out of the maw at distances up to 35 meters (~115 ft) at full force for at least five seconds on a full pouch.

The end of a balukath's tail houses a set of retractable spikes, one from the very tip of the tail and an assortment around the sides. While factors such as placement, length, and number varies per individual, gender does not determine such factors, nor are these spikes poisonous but essentially create a spiked club. These spikes can only extend or retract from the tail in unison, being controlled by a single synchronized muscular movement. Due to their design--and in order to retract back within their vents to rest in the special muscles between them--no spike cannot be longer than one-third of the tail's thickness from where each comes out (i.e. longer in the thicker parts of the tail and shorter in the thinner parts. This rule does not apply to the stinger spike, which is generally as long as the distance between the tail tip and the closest spike vent. The tail-scales on the spike section of the tail are largely the same as on the rest of the body with the exception of the protruding scales that rest over the numerous spike vents; they are quite durable and set like a trap-door, opened only when the spikes are extended.

Behavior

When fully wild, balukathi are very feral, communicating with each other primarily through barks and growls and purrs. This is not to say they don't use simple language from time to time; in fact, they actually have quite a capacity for learning many sentient traits such as language and speaking. However, most are accustomed to putting themselves into environments where this is not necessary or even attainable. The capacity for learning is perhaps an artifact of the species' past; it seems that perhaps they once lived in much more structured, draconian-like societies. Their simplified language also seems to hint that it used to have much more complexity in the past, and that many words were simply forgotten due to lack of use.

The desert environments they tend to inhabit don't allow for much interaction, though small packs do occasionally form with their species as led by the dominant packmate. While females tend to be close-knit and communal, most males prefer to live alone or ideally with a female. This is not to say that males won't occasionally gather every now and then for competitive sport and hunting, particularly during the summer season, but such occurrences have grown farther and fewer between over the years as the balukathi have drifted deeper into a more feral isolation.

Despite the fact that cubs are born directly from the womb of a female balukath, they start off quite small and defenseless, requiring careful care for the first couple years of life and especially shelter from the desert itself. Caves are the most-desired form of den for adults and cubs alike, but are sometimes hard to find out in the desert. If needed, adult balukathi can dig out a den underground using their claws. This obviously takes quite a lot more effort, but they are capable of it in a pinch.

Habitat

Balukathi exist on the southern reaches of the planet Kayor and tend to live in desert-like, arid outback environments with sparse vegetation. A particularly-'populous' (for balukathi, anyways) region is the Chimuth Desert, the heart of which is buried among the eastern side of the Reptile-dominant region of Qharra, located on the westernmost side of the continent of Amin.

According to the Annosian calendar, Kayor has a 13-month cycle for each year that spans across five seasons. The first season is Thost (the thawing of winter frost), after which comes Ovis (birth/regeneration), followed by Gaio (growth/heat), and then Feeth (fall/decay), and the last is Still (the onset of winter frost). Still and Thost last for two months each, while the other seasons last three. The months are named, in order by season: Rimreth, Anth; Hila, Nura, Lova; Royus, Iccus, Cathus; Caffo, Harvo, Nio; and Tirth, Naereth.

Sexual/Reproductive Physical Traits

Balukathi are born live after an 18-month gestation period, often in litters of about 3-5 cubs. The mating season typically occurs on the third month of Feeth--this is before the "frost" can set in--to ensure births during Ovis. Sexual maturity is usually reached by age 24 for both genders.

A male balukathi sports a sizable phallus, which is internally positioned and exits through a feline sheath in the crotch region when stimulated. When erect it extends to an average of just under two meters (~6½ ft), the diameter about a sixth of a meter long (~2 ft) at the thickest part of the main length. The base of the shaft has a knot approximately .75 m (~2.5 ft) in diameter for locking the penis into a desired orifice; however, it is not a typical canine shape but rather a plump ring shape that can be replicated by, for example, sticking a cylinder through the middle of a doughnut and sliding it all the way down to the base. The shaft of the penis has a 'braided' design that tapers two-thirds of the way down the shaft and ends in a blunt head. On either side of this head in some males is a large spiral-shaped bump that protrudes out slightly, meant to provide extra stimulation and appeal for a potential mate. Shape and texture aside, the penis is similar to the tongue in that it has the structural appearance of a piece of amber complete with color variations. It starts quite dark at the base, growing lighter as it tapers to better reveal the dark amber veins within. A pair of external testes hang below the male balukath's penis, quite heavy and virile in most cases. The semen they produce is a speckled sandy-white in color, and once ejaculated coagulates to a thickness that could potentially be mistaken for syrup.

A female balukathi sports a quite puffy and prominent vaginal opening very similar to that of a mare though a bit more draconic in essence. The flesh of the inner labia is quite soft and pliable when not tightly sealed by a scaled pair of prominent outer labial "lips" so to protect the nether-region from the sands and other harsh weather. Their heat generally occurs during the last month of Feeth, at which point the inner labial walls will plump up with blood and push apart the outer covering, easily visible past the slit and turning the outer labia a bright shade of amber in the process. The clitoral nub also tends to enlarge at this time, quite capable of "winking" past the outer lips and rubbing against whatever tickles its fancy. Traditional mammary glands do not exist in balukathi, seeing as the "milk" they produce is not of the standard variety or location.

The anal opening in both genders is surrounded by a soft yet protuberant ring of oval-shaped tadpads (textured and colored like the foot pads) that are connected via fleshy webbing and provide the overall effect of a flower in bloom. Beyond simply making the anus prominent, the tadpads also serve as an additional outer sphincter capable of folding tightly inwards if the sand in the air proves too irritating, among other reasons. The exposed flesh of the anus itself is the same amber color of the inner ear and is quite visible during a relaxed state, outlined by the tadpads to highlight its secondary purpose beyond the primary function of elimination.

Just past the anus are a pair of specialized teats that can be expressed outwards from small openings in the rectal lining. These teats are attached to a pair of small "mammary" glands called amnases that bulge out slightly on either side of the perineum. These produce an ambrosial nectar called demarhae (lit. 'sand nectar'), a honey-colored syrup intended for the young of a clan to nurse upon until they are ready to start hunting on their own.

Since both balukath genders possess functional amnases, parents and caretakers tend to adopt gender-specific roles for their usage. During the birth cycle of the Ovis season, the females develop enlarged amnas sacs and will supply their young predominantly with demarhae 'milk' throughout this time. In contrast, during the 'sport cycle' of the Gaio season, the males also tend to swell out their amnas sacs to similar proportions through varying methods of anal stimulation and engage in the capture and subsequent dousing and tenderization of small prey for the purpose of weaning developing youths off of it, as well as for recreational and nutritional value. As can be expected, rimming is a very common practice among clan mates, a measure meant to keep the nectar glands and teats active even when no cubs are around. Among mated pairs especially, this can also serve social functions from a form of foreplay to a simple greeting.

History

Balukathi seem to have a rich but forgotten history in their long-lived time on Kayor. As mentioned previously, they are normally quite feral but also have quite the capacity to learn under the right circumstances, implying that they have a high amount of untapped mental potential. While only a basic understand of the balukathi language once called Balic remains, what there is of it greatly suggests that there was once much, much more. Ruins are occasionally discovered in the general areas where balukathi are frequently seen, though the harsh, windswept desert environments as well as the very haunted nature of the ruins themselves make excavation of these sites next to impossible. Oftentimes, 'revealed' structures are quite efficiently buried away under many feet of sands within the course of a couple days, and not always for natural reasons do they appear to start with. Balukathi themselves have become quite difficult for any outsiders to engage in meaningful interaction; while not wholly deemed a threat to other sentient species by the Council, they are omnivorous and opportunistic predators best left to their own devices. This is precisely how the reserved species tends to like it.

One reason for the balukathi's desire for isolation could come from the value of demarhae, their ambrosial nectar. It is a rare substance prized by alchemists and certain desert denizens for its culinary, brewery, and medicinal virtues. As such, poachers are common enemies for these creatures, whose nectar glands are valuable for harvest on the black market. This has led to a great deal of mistrust between balukathi and any other intelligent species that could (and do) take advantage of them like this.

Another 'use' that other sentient species have found for the balukathi are their effective use as a mount. Despite their temperaments, the strong-bodied creatures are quite capable of supporting more weight than ten oxen, whether that be through supplies, passengers, carts... This is seen as an outdated practice for the most part and is uncommon in present day, especially with the increasing isolation and wariness of the wild beasts. Old records indicate it was never a common practice to begin with, but certainly it occurred more often back in the day. Balukathi mounts were unusual in that they were elevated on equal or greater footing to their riders and guides rather than seen as a mere animal, and folklore used to indicate their willing entrance into service rather than by force; sadly, this was before such tales faded into obscurity.

Language: Balic

They call themselves the balukath(i), pronounced 'BAH-loo-kath(-ee)' and meaning 'sand throat'. This is a combination and variation of Hindi words baalu (sand) and kanth (throat). The species name (in Ingada lizard-speak) is ?adhra, pronounced like the English words 'GOD' and 'raw', meaning 'sand-throated beast'.

Suffix: '-daar'. Based on Sardaar, the Hindi word for 'Master'. Like the Japanese suffix -sei, this term of endearment denotes an elder, master, superior, or great one. Generally used after a name, its position is not fixed (e.g. Master Guan would be Guan-daar, Daar Guan, or just Daar.)

Suffix: '-tsa'. Based on vatsa, the Hindi word for 'cub'. Like the Japanese suffix -kun, this term of endearment denotes a youngling, cub, inferior, or little one. Generally used after a name, its position is not fixed (e.g. The hatchling Mist would be Mist-tsa, Tsa Mist, or just Tsa.)

Word: 'tsarbat'. Based on Hindi words vatsa for 'cub' and sharbat for 'nectar'. Pronounced 'TSAR-but' This is how the balukathi refer to the unfiltered ambrosia produced from their amnases. The so-called youth potion (known to the Reptiles as the 'Milk of Scysild') for which it is a key ingredient does not have a name in Balic beyond chorish, meaning 'thief poison'.

Word: 'pyaar'. Hindi word for love, endearment, passion. The Balic variation pyaarmyr, has the custom meaning of 'much love' or 'unconditional love'.

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Baadan

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Basic Info + Background

This balukath's name is Baadan, pronounced 'BOD-un'' and enunciated slowly and lazily. It is derived from the Hindi words Baadal (cloud) and Lochan (eye). As Baadan is blind, his clan felt it sensible to christen him with this label, one meant directly with no offensive intent. By the same token, Guan's nickname for him in his native tongue Ingada is Ludias, pronounced like the English words 'Lou DYE us' and meaning 'cloudy-eyed gift'.

Baadan's blindness started from birth. It was not a genetic misfortune, but a circumstantial one; his mother was caught by surprise by her premature labor and was forced to birth her single pup in the middle of a post-Thost sandstorm. The harsh weather ravaged the balukath newborn the instant his head emerged, grinding over his face and soft eyes despite his mother's efforts. While a sad event, Baadan handles it in stride and has developed an enhanced sense of smell and hearing to compensate. He greets people in a very unique way by using more sniffing and tongue-flickering than usual, identifying objects via their scent as well as sounds. He is not at all helpless due to this disability and prefers it not be hastily labeled in a negative context, instead considering it merely an 'event' in his early life that took him down a unique path.

The blind eyes have a normal composition and shape. Thanks to the latent regenerative properties found in demarhae, any disfigurement in the form of scarring rendered upon Baadan's face and eyes from the fierce sand was healed and contained, though his ability to see could not be restored. His pupils are a stormy grey shade instead of pure black, and the irises are glazed and milked over with a turquoise sheen, though with subtle blotches streaked across. The pupils still contain a slight shine reminiscent of a gleam from the moon refracting from a pearl.

Baadan's mane is particularly shaggy yet also a bit spiky, draping over his eyes and ears. He only has a small goatee on his chin, his amount of facial hair somewhat less prominent than most males of his species. He stands eight feet tall to the shoulder and sixteen feet from head to rear, a common male adult height; however, he is rather overweight for his species, the big lug weighing in at a scale-tipping 963.8 kg (2125 lbs). While he may be fat, however, he does not lack in muscle mass and can carry himself (as well as others!) with little trouble through his activities and adventures. The reason for Baadan's heavyset form is quite simple: being more intelligent and social with other species--as well as much more easygoing than the average balukath--he finds consuming food to be a less challenging prospect than most. He enjoys hunting but also has a knack for acquiring food as a result of rendering favors to other creatures, some of whom also pay tribute to stay in the popular creature's favor (and to avoid being a meal themselves!) One could say he is a bit of a spoiled beast!

Speaking of which, his eating habits can reach more unusual--and perhaps perverse--heights at times. As stated before, it is a somewhat common practice for male balukathi to wean cubs onto meat by slipping small prey into their rears and tenderizing them with demarhae, which helps the nectar-seeking cubs stomach them. Baadan's anus is particularly plump and well-kept, and despite not having cubs of his own to nurse, his skill and affinity for this hunting season activity is so great that "small" generally does not apply to what he can cram in there most of the time. The sheer size and production value of his glands also enforce this capacity. The heavy-set balukath is also quite well-endowed, sporting a whopping seven feet of twisted malehood, and has no qualms about finding a suitable voracious use for his equipment; after all, it is worth noting that an average human would be able to fit inside...

Every balukathi has a unique pattern of retractable tail-spikes all to him/herself, and Baadan is no exception. These span across two feet of his tail and come in five rows: The three rows found on either side and the underside consist of three spikes per row, and the two rows in between consist of two spikes per row spaced evenly between the three above and below so that all fifteen spikes are equidistantly positioned.

Personality

At first appearance, Baadan is quite lazy and laid-back, a bit of a passive lug for the most part. To those that do not know him, this can translate into cold, cat-like aloofness, while those who make him feel comfortable receive the more warm and good-natured side of him that comes out like a big, friendly dog. That being said, his appetite is something to watch out for: if he feels hungry enough, he may even temporarily consume a friend until he can find a more permanent snack. Fortunately such a friend would not need to wait too long, for he is quite clever and full of wily opportunism when it comes to food, almost never shying away from a meal when the chance to take it is presented. While not overtly aggressive in his feeding habits, under his lazy appearance lies a constant alertness and caution ready to come out any time it is needed, a trait especially required for food and survival in situations where vision would otherwise be beneficial.

His temperament varies depending on the day he is having as well as less predictable factors. On good days, he prides himself on being a good mount or pack animal and is generally willing to put his endurance to the test for such, just as long as there is something good in it for him to eat. He is sentient and more capable of spoken communication than most. Despite this, he still he finds himself constantly walking the line between what is considered "civilized" and "bestial". It's certainly not from lack of intelligence but rather a result of his instincts simply being stronger, and rather than fight them he prefers to handle himself in a more feral manner like his brethren, though perhaps not to such an extreme. After all, he often enjoys using very polite and well-versed language around others, keen to test his tongue with the more 'common' languages of Kayor as they come to him while injecting a number of Balic terms into his speech as well.

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A Brief Summary of the Meeting of Guan and Baadan

While appreciative of casual company, Baadan never exactly grew truly 'close' to many creatures, be they his own kind or others. In fact, he had lived most of his life as a loner, never having met a single other balukath since leaving his mother. While his intelligence encouraged him to gain more knowledge about the world outside, he still could not wholly disregard his species' instinctive distrust of other races and other sentient creatures' settlements.

However, it just so happened that the island of Qu'in was not far south of his Qharran habitat. From this region came Guan, an iguana-gecko hybrid animan better known as an iguanko and a shaman warrior long cast from a tribe whose ruin was the subject of many a dark and unsettling rumor. For a purpose unknown, Guan had been instructed by what turned out to be a false source to venture out into the Chimuth Desert; thus he happened upon Baadan's cavern within a deep gorge after being lost for several precious hours trying to venture and battle his way through deadly sandstorms and shifting landscape. This would have certainly led to a tense confrontation between the exhausted armed iguanko and territorial balukath had not a dire situation for Baadan engineered a much different meeting.

Wearily the overheated lizard shaman had descended seeking shelter in the cavern, somewhat slow in summoning a ghostly spiritual flame to his hand upon entrance. No sooner did he manage this did a sudden series of angry roars and violent tremors rock the darkness before him! Not even having time to turn back, the iguanko suddenly found himself leaping aside to avoid a violent figure roughly charging in his direction! As it passed, Guan was able to recognize the form of a large and frantic balukath thrashing and gurgling madly, though it became quickly apparent from the way it was hurling itself against the desert walls that this was not a result of Guan's intrusion but rather a MUCH more sinister intruder clamped firmly down on the balukath's throat and preventing him from drawing in breath.

At that moment, Baadan's life was being been endangered by a sand drake, a carnivorous species of lizard that had snuck into the balukath's territory as he slept, navigated the maze-like chambers beyond, and assaulted the large mammal before he could retaliate. While sand drakes only grew to about half the size of a balukath, they were sneaky and murderous creatures with a penchant for surprising and taking down unaware beasts much larger than they were with their powerful, disease-ridden jaws. As he kept his distance and took an important second to gauge the situation, Guan could tell that the balukath had scored a number of strikes to the drake with his claws and tail spikes, and yet it was apparent that the mammal was losing this battle, his thrashing and struggling growing weaker by the second.

Despite his trepidation, the shaman knew more about Balic history and sentience than most would bother to research, and his natural sense of justice tempered with compassion drove him to act as he drew his spear. Summoning his concentration, the shaman willed the spiritual flame in his hand with a sharp vocalization of "XHAR!" to surge upwards and ignite the specialized metal of its tip. This fierce sound distracted the pair of battling creatures long enough for Guan to steal an opening, the shaman hurling his weapon forward with blinding speed and pinpoint accuracy to shear through the sand drake's eye and into its nervous system! This caused the drake to seize up against its former prey with a horrible choking screech as the flaming tip inside its skull proceeded to cook the internal workings within, slaying the twitching beast almost instantly. Baadan, however, roared loudly at the sudden strike, the flaming head still attached to his neck spurring him to a panic as he slammed his rescuer against a nearby wall, fleeing back into the cave's entrance.

The wind knocked from his sails, Guan winced painfully against the jagged wall for a few moments, breathing hard before he slowly staggered back up and proceeded to follow the trail of blood towards where the great mammal had fled. Beyond the simple need to retrieve his blessed weapon, the shaman felt a deep sympathy for a creature he knew to be quite intelligent and once in high honor, and he could not in good conscience leave him to die from what would surely be a fatal wound that would fester if not tended. Disregarding his own poor physical state, the lizard kept a swift pace as he plunged into the rent depths of the cavern, not knowing what he would find at the end and praying to the force that guided him that he would make it with time to spare.

It was not long before Guan came upon the form of the injured balukath, who appeared to be slumped across the ground unconscious and taking labored breaths. Daring to get close, Guan sucked in his breath upon seeing the wounds on the mammal's neck. They appeared open and bleeding freely thanks to the accursed saliva of the drake whose charred corpse now lay strewn in pieces after suffering the final wrath of the mammalian beast. However, the balukath had failed to sever its head and jaws, which remained attached to his ruddy neck thanks to the serrated nature of their barbed teeth.

Not daring to remove the embedded spear and risk aggravating the balukath's injuries further, Guan pulled out a slender silver blade from his crushed satchel, set it to flame until it glowed, and proceeded to sever the lower jaw aside with focused sweeps across the tendons. Soon enough he was able to spread the two halves apart and extract each tooth with the sacred knife one-by-one, the spirit fire in his weapon cauterizing the wounds as Guan set the blackened head aside. He then dug through his pack again, pulling out his reserve of disinfectants and herbs and measuring the water in his canteen out...it would take every drop, but it was just enough to create an ointment. Grimly he set to work brewing the water and herbs together in his medicinal bowl, well aware of the fact that he would not be likely to find more outside of the cave. He had already gone this far to save the balukath, and he wasn't about to break his pace.

After applying the ointment and dressing, Guan sat on the cold floor in a meditating position while watching over the great mammal and reciting both healing and warding mantras and prayers known to his religion, his hands crossed in a triangular position. A potent silence fell over the cave as a suffocating darkness seemed to hover over both creatures, just barely held at bay... Several minutes later, Guan's efforts were at last rewarded as Baadan slowly started to awake from evil dreams and regain consciousness.

Fluttering his eyes open, the sentient beast instinctively reached a claw to its neck, swiftly realizing that some sort of salve and clean cloth was upon it. Beyond that, he was aware of the other presence in the room and jerked his head swiftly towards the lizard man, inhaling sharply with his nostrils to catch his scent while leaning his head forward in an appraising manner. Guan stood his ground, bravely staring the balukath in the eyes so he could reflect his intent and benevolence upon him...only to find that Baadan was not exactly staring at him. Indeed, his beautiful cloudy eyes did not seem to move much at all. Guan thus closed his own eyes, perceiving in that instant the blindness of the creature and feeling a deep tinge of both sorrow for the loss as well as empathy...he too knew what it was like to be deprived of his senses...

Keeping the lack of vision in mind, Guan attempted to introduce himself to the beast and ask a few questions. This had little effect as the balukath remained wary and would not answer, simply keeping Guan in his line of scent and thus observing the shaman. Long ago his race and the noble Mola lizardmen had developed an understanding and respect among one another, and while Baadan was one of the few that still recognized this connection for what it was, he could sense that this foreigner was not of that line. Despite this, Baadan knew that this tall animan who stood only a foot shy of his full height had saved him from a terrible fate, and such dedication to his well-being had come without any indication that the lizard man expected anything from him in return. Granted, Baadan was not one to grant tributes lightly, but this was obviously an exception to the rule...

Guan indeed had no desire to be repaid and spoke of his intention to leave his territory and him in peace, aiming to detract further deadly beasts in the area from smelling the balukath out to his lair. This alone touched the sense of honor Baadan held close to his heart, and thus he felt it not just important but vital to return the favor. Even though this stranger was trying to hide the signs, it was clear to Baadan just how exhausted in body and mind the lizard man was, and certainly not just from his dealings with the events in the gorge. His scent indicated leagues of travel, and it was obvious from the cracked sound of Guan's voice that his water supply was scant if not depleted. He knew the sound of one dangerously parched as an easy target for the many predators in the Chimuth...him being one of them of course, but that was beside the point.

Baadan considered his next move for a moment, then winced as he slowly got to his feet and called the iguanko back by his name. A smirk graced his features at the sudden stop and surprised inquiry, answering it by turning away from Guan momentarily. With a lift of his tail, he presented the amber flesh of his rear opening to the parched lizard and spoke the word "tsarbat" in a blatant offer of his demarhae nectar reserve...straight from the source.

This took Guan aback, though his initial confusion was fleeting. The adventurous animan recalled at least one fable he had thought rather in bad taste regarding the balukathi's unusual ambrosia, namely how rejuvenating it was, the telltale place where it came from...and especially the dangers of trying to procure it. Then too, Guan's thirst had gone well beyond his trepidation, and despite his inability to read the balukath's eyes, Guan could sense no hostility or ill intention in this creature's voice and mannerisms...there was only sincerity and a desire to preserve the life that had preserved his. To refuse would be a great insult and inherently unwise.

With a politeness that impressed the balukath, Guan graciously accepted the offer and approached once more, placing his hands upon the mammal's thick hindquarters. This was to allow the massive scaled creature to get a feel for Guan's palms as the lizard man inspected the surprisingly large and ominous-looking amber anus, his thumbs crossing around its tadpads carefully and his nostrils flaring as an unexpectedly pure scent wafted through them. Guan had never seen this prized fluid let alone sampled it, and to him it was a great honor to be granted this miracle substance willingly despite how very bizarre obtaining it might look to outsiders.

Dipping his hand ever so gently within the moist amber ring and finding the sphincter highly relaxed and yielding, the reptile soon located the teats and slid his hand back out to reach for his medicine bowl, intending to milk out the nectar. Shaking his head at this, Baadan decided to instruct the inexperienced lizard man on how a proper young balukath of his species would nurse. Slapping the bowl out of the hand of the bemused iguanko with his tail, the balukath firmly planted its base against the back of his head and jerked it forward while pressing his ample rump back, squelching Guan's muzzle past before he could stop him!

Expecting the initial panic, Baadan kept his tail secure even as Guan attempted to pull back in shock, his muffled cries of protest lost within the balukath's vast backside and his red leaf-like spikes frantically bristling against his tail. Undaunted, Baadan refused to relinquish his grip as he everted his teats and spoke the word "Drink," the honey-colored liquid already oozing forth. Sucked into the slick flesh up to the ears, Guan was powerless to resist as the teats touched upon his lips, the sweet scent and taste of the ambrosia catching his tongue and immediately setting his senses alight. All struggling ceased completely as the rich and unfiltered demarhae's effect gave rise to a heightened sensation unlike any the susceptible lizard man had ever felt in his life, strong enough to override all survival instincts save one!

Without needing to be told twice, Guan wrapped his arms around the huge buttocks of the mammal tightly and ravenously shoved his muzzle forward even deeper into the balukath's sunflower, the lizard man robbed of any shame and suckling heartily to drink the energizing nectar like a cub dying of thirst. This caused Baadan to grunt with a rather goofy grin as he stretched forward and rested his chest, keeping his hindquarters raised for easy access and his tail raised as its reinforcement was no longer needed. My, how eager his new friend was...so rare to meet someone so willing to stuff and marinate his face so far inside such a dangerous location. Yet this felt quite different from a simple dousing and more like something a clan member would do back when such applied. He couldn't quite place it, but there was something about how reverently his haunches were being stroked and handled, the way his teats were being nursed upon without any tugging or biting, and most importantly, how sheerly willing the whole scene was... Baadan was not used to this and had to ponder for a second. The two of them had just met, and yet already...everything felt aligned...familiar...

It was only when Guan stopped nursing and gave a light pat to indicate he had taken his fill did Baadan allow his head to pull free with a wet pop as he slowly yet intently turned back around to face him. The voice of repeated thanks by the shaman sounded quite clear and bold to his ears, showing Baadan that the strength required to make the journey back out of the desert had returned. Of course, it may have been at that point that the duo parted ways forever had Baadan not chosen that he could not turn a blind eye--no pun intended--to his curiosity regarding his savior and his unusual charm. Therefore, he spoke freely and at length to the surprised iguanko for the first time, declaring his intention henceforth to accompany Guan out of this accursed desert by offering his services and fellowship to the trustworthy lizard man. With no hesitation and plenty of joy did Guan accept, already feeling a strong sense of bondage to one whom he regarded as a beautiful if misunderstood creature, proclaiming his loyalty and devotion to his new friend in a manner much to the balukath's approving appraisal.

With this the two approached each other mutually for the first time, Guan sealing their pact and bond with a kiss to the bridge of the nose and the whisper of a name called Ludias. Prompted on the unfamiliar word, Guan smiled and explained this as a term of endearment to honor the cloudy-eyed gift he had found, hoping that such a name would not offend. Beside himself with mirth, Baadan returned the gesture with a series of unrestrained licks, pinning his hapless squirming new rider to the ground and thus setting the trend of ignoring his protests with a dynamic breed of glee. After all, the great beast had found a diamond in the rough, and Guan likewise, and neither could fathom doubting their companionship to last as long as life. To serve his Guan-Daar would be the balukath's new purpose, and to care for his Ludias the iguanko's own, and what better ways to express their delight in one another? The answer to that question would lie in many more tales for another time, for so it came to pass that Guan and Baadan were thus rider and mount respectively...with many more adventures to follow!