FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

((Sorry about the long wait, for awhile my Muse was burnt out and I just couldn't write nor bring myself to write a single line. It's back now and I am writing again, just don't expect stories AS often so I don't burn myself out again. Now, onto the normal ramblings, 18+ readers only due to violence and/or sex, I mark a lot of them "other (adult)" to warn you as well. Zato and majority of characters © Myself, and now onto the story. Thank you all for being patient.))

Six days passed the entire kingdom slower then ever before. Each day the entire army was prepared and ready, armed while on patrols and sky patrols. They even started Sea Patrols, formations of dragons flying over the seas to the back of the kingdom and each day the same news; Nothing. From the ground patrols that stretched out nearly into the Orc Lands, to the Sky Patrols that flew over Human Kingdoms, and even the Sea Patrols that went to the far off islands many had not even knew of yet. There were no armies forming, no odd creatures, nothing. The only form of any army movement was from the smaller tribes, and the formations there were practicing were...the same as the dragons. Defensive. Of course, this odd spectacle from the Dragons caused many other kingdoms and tribes to become paranoid. Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Wolves, Tigers, even the Rat tribes. So many diplomats, Royals, Kings, Queens, everything under the sun came to ask what was going on.

=====

Chatter, yelling, screaming, roaring, and just pure panic came from the Royal hall. It looked as if one of every species had flooded into the Royal Hall before Osia and Zato, both of which had their claws on their temples trying to quite their aching heads. They were panicking over every little thing now, from the ground slightly shifting, to a wandering warrior coming into town. This had caused, quite a bit at that, some heated arguments between Zato and Osia over the last six days. She even threw punches, tail swats, and even took a few bites out of him and now she was resting on her haunches glaring at him, while he just stood there in his humanoid form and dressed in his armor.

"Calm down!"

Zato did everything he could not to just roar that out, but instead yelled at the top of his lungs, and by the goddess how it felt good and relaxing. Of course, that had caused every single member of the hall to look upon him with wanting expressions. They wanted to know what was going on, what was happening, why they had suddenly mobilized their army. His only reply to them was to look upon Osia, who had a glare that could kill upon her features. Out of everyone he had fought, THAT was by far the spine-chilling look he had ever been given. So, he quickly took a step back, and looked upon the crowd before him. Both Osia and He had said not to say the true reason as to the mobilization, so they kept to one basic lie.

"Everyone. I once again, the goddess only knowing how many times before now that I had said it, repeat that we only rallied our armies to test their reaction times and as such, deem our army fit for combat should it ever come. We all know of the weird effects caused by magic, the demons that sneak into our world, or even our own kind that decides to suddenly attack their own kingdom. You have all become panicked for no reason other then your own paranoia. We are not going to attack anyone, nor do we..."

He stopped, as did everyone else, as the great golden doors to the Great Hall opened and a dragoness that looked like a clear nights sky walked in. Well, she more..."danced" in. Her steps were graceful, each step planned and the way her body followed every step, even her tail and wings moved in perfect unison. Everyone in the room froze and she just continued on up to the steps before Osia and simply smiled before turning her narrow muzzle towards Zato, who in turn froze in place as he tried to grab upon the sword at his side.

"That is not needed..." Her words floated from a maw that didn't move and sounded as if an angel was speaking. "I mean no harm nor aggression. I come as a warning. The event you have been preparing for shall come tomorrow at noon. Barriers, magic shields, use every form of them...you have twenty four hours to prepare yourselves. All races before me...prepare yourselves as best you can. It is going to affect all of you. And all of you shall be transported back to your own kingdoms to prepare, and please, leave my kind alone. Farewell."

At the end, she simply kissed against Zato and vanished in a flash along with everyone else in the room just as the voices were starting to pick up once again. Osias rage long forgotten, and Zato stood there baffled. However, once the words from the mysterious dragoness sank in, they bolted into action. Both darting off to their own places and own duties.

=====

After that news, the entire kingdom exploded into activity. The youngest of hatchlings to the oldest of Ancients began to work away drawing runes, preparing potions, spells, rites, rituals. Everything under the blue sun was being prepared for shielding. Those with the highest magic capacity were being drawn out towards the center of the kingdom and those with lower were placed along outwards from that point. Of course, the towers that had been constructed in place of the old housings, were unknowingly perfect. They could have countless runes upon them, and they were built with crystals loaded with magic and arcane energy. The amount of magic that could be drawn from them alone was unparalleled, however, no one had any guess as to what was going to happen tomorrow. And...no one was sure the preparations would be finished by then either. Sure, a lot was done already, but no where near what everyone wanted.

Osia was the one responsible for every ounce of rune magic and placing. Hundreds of dragons followed her and prepared choice towers, incase all could not done in time, and covered them with the runes as fast as they could right. This was by far the hardest, for a rune must be drawn perfectly without one mistake, the magic placed upon it after the correct amount, and then one must make sure the ancient herbs and oils used for the ink did not run nor drip. It was by far the hardest out of everyones duties.

Pink, on the other hand, had one of the easier jobs. She had to prepare the magic users in their places and assign everyone in the correct spots. It was chosen right away that the entire kingdom would be shielded once the news was spread, and this was an undertaking. She along with the twelve highest strongest mages in the kingdom would be in the center, from there those with smaller capacities would flow outward to the edges of the kingdom.

Zato, with the second hardest job, was busy digging and preparing caves and tunnels under the kingdom incase the magic users ran out of energy far before they had predicted. No one was sure how much this would work, but he felt it was needed and so did a gut instinct. So he, along with all the diggers, were busy building tunnels and smoothing them out as best as their time alloted. It was going to be a photo finish, for sure. Everything had to be done correctly or else the tunnels would collapse upon those inside, and since Pink and his children were most likely going to be there, he had to have them ALL perfect.

Aditi, Grave, and Sin had one of the "easier" jobs. They, along with the rest of the Guardians, were tasked with moving all of the hatchlings and older dragons down into the finished tunnels. They had thought this job to be easy, yet the sun was already beginning to rise, and everyone had begun to do their tasks even faster. If only the other kingdoms could see them, their so called "Perfect" kingdom would be shown to be nothing more to be alike all the other kingdoms.

Though, as the sun did rise, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked upon the sky. It was not a normal morning, by far. No blazing orange fighting off the black of the sky, it was...pure fire. The sky looked as it someone, some god, had actually set the entire sky on fire. Flames erupted over the clouds and blue, black lightning struck the ground, and heated blasts of wind hit the dragons as they worked. Though, this was something never seen before, their missions took priority and everyone went right back to work. However, none would deny how the sky looked was not on their minds.

The work was beginning to be finished, which surprised most if not everyone. The runes had been done on each of the towers, Pink had placed every mage user, Zato had finished most of the underground tunnels, the kids and guardians had finished placing everyone who needed to be, placed into the tunnels and now...everyone just sat there waiting for it to begin. None knew how long before it began, but they just waited. Looking upon the sky, awaiting for whatever was suppose to happen, to happen. It was clear now that the panic was clearly setting in on everyone in the kingdom. The smallest hatchling clutched up to their grandparents, the grandparents holding their grand kids. The parents outside preparing their magic, the soldiers bolting around preparing everyone they could by rallying them with words of encouragement.

Time passed with nothing occurring in the sky. However, just as many were beginning to relax, the flames in the sky erupted to blue to match the sun that was once in there and then white and black balls began to fall from the sky. Roars and hisses echoed forth from the kingdom and a white shield erupted into the sky, bubbling over the kingdom, just as the first balls slammed into the shield. The shield dented inward from each hit, the rocks threatening to break through, before skidding down and forming around the kingdom walls. Before long the sporadic one rock became two at a time, then three, four, five and each time the number increased, so did the size of each rock. It went from the typical Catapult rock up to some nearly half the size of the kingdom itself. This kept up for hours, the magic supplies of those with lower capacity had long since waned, and even those with higher were beginning to slouch with huge sheets of sweat upon their scales. There were only a few left, barely able to keep the shield up, before they too gave up. As they did, most thought they were done, yet as the next wave of rocks came the runes upon the towers erupted and they flared the shield up, with one rune flaring out of life. No one knew when it came, but one solid roar filled the kingdom.

"To the tunnels! Forget the kingdom!"

They knew who that roar belonged too, so without a second thought, everyone was herded down into the tunnels. One by one the runes flared out of life as they did, quickly running out of them, and just as the last remnants of the population got in there the rocks began to fall upon the ground and towers themselves. Even in the rune lit tunnels they could hear that ungodly noise of the rocks slamming into the earth above them. Roars, hisses, explosions like none have ever heard before and then a noise everyone had dreaded...screams. Even with the tunnels built as best they could in the time that was allowed, none of them were up to par to last against a continuous assault and they were collapsing, killing who knows how many and rendering those that lived to the assault of the rocks.

Zato, Pink, Osia, Aditi, Grave, and Sin were all huddled together along with the other families in the last tunnel built. It was their own will, everyone family there, to occupy the last tunnel due to that being the weakest of the bunch whereas the others took at most an hour, they barely hit twenty minutes on this one. No runes were glowing, leaving the tunnel black as night with one not able to see their own nose, save for those that could see in the dark. Zato, which was one of those lucky ones, was busy looking to the others. Everyone was huddled as close as their bodies would allow, many having reverted to their humanoid form. He couldn't help but feel as if this was his own fault, if the best tunnels were giving out already...there was no way the ones in this one would survive. He knew of one rite, one so old that he was lucky enough to have seen the decaying scroll, and thought it over. He looked to Pink, Osia, and then his children and then to the others in the tunnel. It was final.

He broke off of the cuddle with his family and instantly bolted out of the tunnel, running up the long passageway, and out into the hell-storm. It was worse then he could have imagined. The air burned your lungs each time you took a breath, which meant it was worse for those who didn't breath fire themselves. The air itself could be seen and the sky was nearly black, yet it looked as if it was day. You could clearly see far off into the distance, without much of hindrance other then the air itself. The worse of the things he could now see, other then the huge rocks with fiery tails, was the chaos around him. Every tower, the castle, and most of the tunnels had been taken out already with piles of rocks above them, his own barely touched. Yet, he did not think over it much longer.

Zato slowly began to speak in the ancients tongue, his maw barely moving as his eyes closed and his wings opened outwards to their full extent. His tail straightened out behind him and his claws sunk into the ground as a spiraling red shape, that took the form of a snake, coiled around his body and burned into his scales and skin. He did not think it over, nor did he plan too, he just ignored the pain and continued the rite. This pain was nothing that awaited him after it was finished, and thankfully, after a few more words...it was. The barrier flared back into life, far stronger then before, and with its life his own began to fade. The color of his eyes and scales slowly dwindling, slowly losing their color.

Osia and many of the others had followed him and were now locked eyed upon him, most were like this because they did not wish to look to the amount of red upon the ground and from the tunnels. Osia, along with many of the Ancients, knew that it was too late to stop him. Even Pink and their children knew, why they all just sat there crying. They hadn't tried to stop him because...they knew he was the only one this would have worked with. And silently, Pink prayed his immortality would help him survive this. Though, that pray should itself unanswered, as his scales continued to lose color and soon they were as white as freshly fallen snow, along with his eyes, before he just collapsed upon the floor. And as the rite went, his body slowly vaporized. Nothing left of him other then a black gem, the size of a human child with a spiraling and twisting blue cloud inside. They all knew what it was, but they were not thinking to it because of him gone the shield should have gone, but it hadn't. It still held up with a strong blue aura, and with it, it continued to deflect all those rocks.

=====

A day went past before the Heavens Fall event stopped. The sky once again was blue with the sporadic white clouds, the blue sun in the sky, and the destruction still clearly evident. Everyone had already taken right to repairing their kingdom, yet none went near Pink or her family as they thought and held upon the gem. It held the warmth of life, yet at the same time it was cold to the touch. The cloud inside continued to swirl and twist inside the confines of the gem and sometimes small little "blasts" of light came from inside the black prison. Pink could not let go of the gem, how could anyone? This was, in definition and literal, her mate trapped inside a gem because he had sacrificed himself for the kingdom and themselves.

As she continued to hold the gem, she noticed the flashes from inside were getting faster and faster, until the gem itself molded into her scales. This caused her to scream and panic, but before anyone knew it, the gem had reformed on her chest, above and between her breasts, and shown with even more shine. She looked to and trailed a claw along it, cooing silently and smiling to herself. Tears would be shed later, time to fix the kingdom and see how the other kingdoms faired.

=====

Months shot by with the kingdom slowly beginning to resemble its old self. However, the building bore much stronger materials, tunnels connected to the bottom that stretched and connected into one large "bubble" deep under the earth, and even the towers above had bridges and walkways connecting them. The Castle, once again perched in the middle of the circle of towers, had been finished right away with the recovered treasures placed back into the rightful places. Pink, having taken over Zatos position after his death, had personally made sure it was constructed first and the tunnels were connected to it as well. Even after all these months, it was hard to use magic, having dwindled their bodies from over, and sudden, usage during the Heavens Fall event. Still, it did not matter, many dragons had actually taken a liking to working solely with their claws and many said the work done came out even more detailed then with magic.

As their own kingdom rebuilt, the others did as well. The humans, elves, and dwarves were the only ones that sustained hardly any damage or deaths. The dragons and many other tribes lost, at least, half of their population. Unfortunately, some had befallen the worst of all fates, and been completely wiped out. They were now doomed to remain nothing but memories and passages written into the tomes of humans and dragons, spoken by the traveling bards, and remembered by their enemies and allies. Their kingdoms doomed to slowly rot away by time and weather, never to be lived in again, nor be restored to their glory. The dragons themselves had narrowly survived the event, and many had banished the gods for letting this befall them. Yet, if it wasn't for the gods, the dragons would have been one of the unfortunate kingdoms to have been lost.

However, the dragons happily continued to remember those they lost. Building monuments to remember them, writing songs for their various glories and some began to prepare spells to form a "picture" of their dead. It was a way to comfort many, but some just lived on in their name. Death was a great pain, but one must not dwell upon it too long or else you are doomed to the same fate as the one you are crying for. Living on in their name is the greatest thing you could do for them, instead of spending your life wallowing in their death.

=====

"Guardian Pink, the work is complete. Everything has been restored and most of the mages have begun to gain their magic back."

Pink gave a few nods to the red scaled scout and waved a claw to dismiss her, the scout giving a salute before running off to continue her work. After she had gone, she turned to look upon Osia, who was quite happy laying in a huge pillow of pure golden silk and two dragoness' rubbing oils into her scales. She was allowed to be lazy at times, most of the time you had to fight her to be lazy, however once you got her to be lazy, it was a chore to get her worked up again to do anything.

"Pink, you should relax...ever since the event you've done nothing but work. Constantly doing one thing or another. Hasn't Aditi laid a clutch?"

Pink gave a slight nod.

"Aye, my queen. Four eggs, three females and one male. And I must do some form of work or else I will become crazy...plus I have all the motivation here."

She tapped the gem on her chest as she said that and Osia couldn't help but chuckle. Pink had taken to staying in her raptor/dragon humanoid form and it was quite entertaining to see that gem, perfectly set between her breasts.

"I don't blame him for staying in that gem, I know I would given that position."

Pinks eyes narrowed for a quick second before relaxing. She would not allow herself to be angered so quickly, not right now. This was a great day now that the work had been completed and the mages had began to regain their magic supplies. It was true, at first, she had gotten some of the ancients to look over the gem and see what it contained. It was his soul and at any time he could come out, as to what they said, but she knew exactly why he didn't. That soft voice helped her as well. He was on vacation. He was finally able to just relax and remain calm, while still watching over them all. That idea relaxed her mind greatly. The kingdom would unknowingly have a silent, hidden, protector. Especially herself and her kids.

=====

A month of celebration for the dead followed the finishing of the rebuilding. Magic blasts, what humans called Fireworks, lit up the night skies and during the day huge parties were held. No one knew who had planned this, nor who was the first to suggest it, but right after the rebuilding had finished the urge had set about them all. Everyone from Osia, down to the youngest hatchling, was outside and enjoying life. Though, the kingdom was far emptier then what it use to be, none were affected by it. One day, they would be back to full strength, one day.

Osia couldn't help but admire all her children enjoying life. It was far from those overly indulging human celebrations that paraded animals around, huge tents that humans would cramp themselves inside of. It was just dragons, out in the open, talking, dancing, listening to their hymns and singing, showing their hoards, anything and everything so long as it was not inside their own cave, alone. However, most of the month, she had not once seen Pink out in the commotion. So during its last week, she had been searching for her and on the last day she found her. It was barely a glimpse on the side of her at first, but she did see her far on top of a tower. Barely a speck off in the distance, but she did know it was her, so she made her way there.

=====

Pink stood on top of one of the towers and overlooked the celebrations. Each day it was a different one and most of the time she had used magic to conceal herself, however, today was the last day and she felt she should at least show herself for where she has been everyday. It just wasn't in her to celebrate, to live in the name of the dead. Nearly everyone had lost someone, yet, she hadn't. Even if everyone thought Zato was dead, he was right there in front of them, behind them, over looking them. He was right there in the gem that had settled itself upon her chest. Even then, something in her just couldn't let her enjoy the celebrations. Aditi was dieing to unforseen side-effects from her laying, the lining of her canal had torn because the eggs came out too early and she wasn't properly lubricated by her natural juices. Grave had mysteriously been stricken with a fever far higher then most had ever seen, and Sin had been stricken by some sudden act of....truly she didn't know what had happened to Sin. His scales had began to lose its color, he lost the will to do anything other then lay in bed all day, and when she had snuck into his thoughts all she seen was death. Be it from the Orc raiders he had killed years ago, to the latest deaths from the events.

"Miss Pink, it is not wise to spend everyday wallowing in your own thoughts. You know what it can lead to...a life as an Archiver."

A weak giggle left Pink as she heard Osia land and speak behind her before a soft flash appeared and Osia joined her at her side. Osia had taken to her own, rarely seen, humanoid form. Pink had always thought she looked good. Osia was a goddess in scales. A perfect, dancers, body with soft, but strong, muscle shape. Breasts larger then her own, a tail nearly twice as long as her own, wings much fuller and perfect grace as she walked and moved. And her voice took on a much more delicate and softer tone, shocking if you were to listen to her tone in feral.

"Queen Osia, I just can't celebrate. It is not in me. My children are sick, my mate is imprisoned in a gem, and I have begun to get odd feelings as of late...dreams of great tragedy in our lives."

Pink raised a claw to rest it upon the black gem in her chest and sighed slightly to herself. No matter what she tried to do no lights nor warmth came from the gem anymore. During the last week it was like this. Normally resting her claw upon it would cause the gem to warm up as if Zato was returning the warmth she was giving him. The only thing she could think of was that Zato was saddened by the events as well. No one expected Aditi to lay twice in one year, other then that trash you would call a dragon. Nor did anyone expect Grave to become ill or Sin, who was normally happy about everything in life, to just suddenly become...depressed.

Something in her clicked. Aditi, who had trouble getting heavy the first time, had suddenly got heavy twice in a year. Grave, someone who had never become sick nor ill to an degree suddenly was hit with an unbelievable fever. And Sin, happy about EVERYTHING, found everything depressing. It had all started to come from when the gem had stopped its warmth. She moved the claw upon the gem and scratched as deep as her claw would allow. Last time she had tried this, nothing. Yet, this time, her claw left a deep scratch upon the surface. Osia, who was just watching, remained silently and pondered what she was doing. Pink, on the other hand, smiled and gripped at the sides of the gem as best she could before she pulled back, trying to pull it from her chest, and as she had hoped, it lifted right off her chest while not leaving a single mark upon her scales.

With one swift move, she threw it to the floor of the tower roof and smiled as it just simply shattered like a normal gem would. Yet, the second it did, she felt the oddest of sensations from inside her. It felt as if....as if someone had just emptied themselves in her womb. The thought caused a bright smile upon her face, one Osia had not seen all month, and a claw to rest at her belly.

"Guess who is coming back, Queen?"

Osia gave a few blinks in thought before going wide-eyed and her maw hanging open a bit.

"Thats impossible, he should be dead!"

"Nope..."

=====

Pink had quickly taken upon doing nothing but resting up in her nest, she was at least three months from showing ANY form of being heavy, but she couldn't help it. She didn't want anything foul to happen to her, not one single little thing. And as she had thought, her kids had all gotten over their various illness or worries, and were back to being themselves. Zato did always have an odd way of leaving messages, but this time she thought it was more the Goddess leaving the message then her own mate. Zato would never target the kids, only with ill jokes about stuff like that, but never actually getting them ill or making them upset. He was a good father, even though he thought otherwise due to the life he lived and how he felt he was "always" away, when given five free minutes, he'd instantly spend them with the kids instead of preparing himself. She couldn't wait to have him back.

Aditis own kids were doing fine, all six of them. She now had an even split, three males and three females, still unnamed but Aditi wanted their names to fit their personalities, so they wont be given names until they were at least three hundred. Which was good, since Zato and herself had to just pick names at random for their own kids, Aditi was a fine name but Grave and Sin should never have been given foul names like that. Yet, ask them about their names, and they always said they were happy with them.

Grave had gotten over his fever three days after the gem had been shattered and had instantly taken his own mate with a three day long rut, making her heavy as well. Everyone felt it was because of the sudden decrease in population as to why most of the males had begun to go into much stronger ruts, but none really complained. They did need to raise their numbers.

Sin, like his brother, had quickly gotten out of his depression spell and made his own mate heavy. Yet, unlike Grave, had taken her slow and lovingly as to Graves single minded ruttings. However, none would doubt Sins nor Graves love to their mates, but given the matings, it always seemed Grave only on getting himself off instead of both, though both did always hit their ends.

Osia, having seen the families quick recovers, had spent many a day preparing for Zatos imminent return. It was...odd, to say the least, the style he chose to return in. Making his own mate heavy with himself, but then again, Pink had been wanting to become heavy again for some time, ever since Aditi and the others had become adults and felt she had "lost her babies".

=====

The next two months went by achingly slow for Pink, who had been nearly driven crazy by the long year wait that would come before Zato would come out of her. Yet, it was nothing she would complain about. Over the course of the two months, she knew waiting would be the best for them all, and it did give him more time to rest and relax before being flung back into the world of war. During the last few months before the Heavens Fall event, he had taken more notice upon telling her that he wished for nothing more then the peace to continue and for him and her just to live for the rest of time in complete peace, love, and quiet time together. And she hadn't heard anything better since the day Zato had saved her and Ruby.

Life had been fixing itself up for all of the kingdoms. The kingdom of dragons was the first to fix itself, next to the Elves, Humans, and Dwarves. The other had slowly begun to finish as well, from the rats to the wolves. Many had spent time writing passages and remembrance for the older kingdoms that were lost, and a few of the kingdoms have even sent some of their armies out to bury the dead and insure that the kingdoms of the fallen would at least stand for the rest of time, to insure none would truly be forgotten.

Pink, however, had no mind to all of that at the moment. Her belly was now bulged with her mate inside her and couldn't help but rub over the egg inside her. At first, many had asked her how she could be so sure that it was him inside her, and truly she could not give a fitting answer. All she could ever say was "I truly don't know, it just feels that it is him..." and on top of that, the event held strong as well. Plus, many knew she would never look for another male aside from him. So...they could only believe that Zato had, somehow, gotten himself inside of one of her eggs. Aside from that, many of her days were just spent talking to her stomach and updating Zato on the going-ons of the kingdom. She didn't know if he could hear her, but it comforted her talking to him either way. However, many had begun to question her state-of-mind, but none would take any actions upon her until she proved she had lost it.

Osia, who had taken the time to watch over Pinks days and actions, and couldn't believe what the others were thinking. She was perfectly normal, albeit heavily engrossed upon talking to her belly, but many other mothers had done the same thing, even the breeders. Why many had considered her crazy out of the blue, she couldn't believe. Many of her actions were normal, save for her being lazier and being slow about any duties given to her. She did, however, get everything done. Talked to her kids and others like she always did, when they came to her. Truly, Osia could she why she was acting the way she was. She was excited, as she had said so many times before, Zato was coming back to the kingdom.

=====

Two more months went by with little to nothing of great importance or notice. The humans had waged war upon the orcs and goblins, with the elves and dwarves lending aid to the humans. Wyverns had begun to breed with some of the more "open" dragoness' that didn't mind taking other species as a mate. Magic for the kingdom had returned, army had been restored, and the numbers were slowly, but steadily, rising up to their old numbers. Though, many couldn't believe just how many hatchlings were walking the streets now along side their parents. A lot couldn't help but find the image cute, even Pink, who stood upon the balcony landing for her home and looked down to the streets and roads that laid between all of the towers. One thing most of the males were happy about, was the Breeders making a return. Females that took nearly any male for the sole sake of gaining a clutch for the kingdoms numbers, and the Queen had even mentioned that the Breeders would not vanish this time.

Breeders were highly needed, and respected, now that they were allowed to return. They were, as many thought, just simple every day dragoness' that had specially runes and markings upon their bodies that would enable them be constantly fertile and to such a degree that a simple hatchling to the oldest of Ancients could get them heavy with a clutch of eggs. And the fact that the runes and markings enabled them to lay in only a month, the population quickly sky-rocketed back to its normal, stable, numbers. Of course, this time, once the numbers got back to normal they would enable to the breeders marking and such to stay upon their bodies, but they would become infertile so their numbers didn't tip the scales and remain balanced.

Pink, on the other hand, seen the Breeders as unneeded and excuses for a male to mate with someone their own females would not allow them too. She knew that strange circumstances arouse for Zato, that is why she never grew angry at him for bedding another. However, she had told him no more and he had listened and made sure those circumstances did not happen anymore...least when he was around.

=====

Months and months continued to fly by with nothing more then Pink growing anxious and annoyed at her body. It felt as if it was going slower then normal and everyday she cursed the gods for making her go through such a punishment as this. Each and every day she could feel the egg grow and the form inside shift, why her body had now rendered her bed ridden and she could not get out of her nest. Her insides would constantly constrict and act as if she was ready, yet day after after day it was just her body teasing her. The egg never shifted to slide down her canal, it just stayed inside her womb, nestled against her cervix, never shifting to point to the exit...only resting its side to her entrance. At times she found herself wanting to just cut herself open and pull the egg from her, but she knew that the healing magic would not be able to save her if she did.

When the year mark hit she found her body hitting and suffering through the contractions far more often, at times forcing her to scream out and her entire body to lock up as if a sword had just been stabbed through her stomach. Upon having this brought to her attention, Osia placed four Ancient Mothers on Pinks care. She was going through too much pain then a normal mother would, so she was worried and felt she should be watched. And when the day the egg decided it was time, she found it was needed. During the three days it took for her to lay the egg, she went through unbearable pains. Her muscles cramped, she could hardly breath, sweat poured forth from every scale and from underneath, blood trickled from her maw from how hard she was biting down, eyes gone blind from the pain and constantly passing out with the Mothers around to care for her as she did. The egg hardly ever moved even when she gave the hardest pushes she could muster out of her body, but when her body could not give anymore, the egg seemed to just simply slide out on its own and fall upon the pillows placed there. Once they seen the egg, the mothers knew why, the egg was pitch black and normally, a black egg killed the mother. Or as the old tales told. Pink, however, was very much alive if drained of every ounce of strength. Even with no strength, she had managed to move herself around the egg and clutch it to her chest, with the Mothers watching over her.

=====

A week after the egg had been laid, Osia decided it was time to visit Pink. She made her way up the tower, past many friends and subjects, and continued on to the section Pink and Zato called home. It wasn't that much of a journey, but a lot of stairs and old magic torches that lit the winding passage. Many did not know why, nor did she, as to why the builders made the staircases in the center, but at times it was fun to use them. It worked muscles, made a dragon work out when lazy, and when Osia did make it to Pinks home, a warming burn had started in her limbs and lungs. There were A LOT of stairs. Slowly, she raised a paw and gave a few taps with no answer, a few more taps and still nothing. So, gently, she pushed the old door made from the wood of Cherry Blossom trees open and looked upon the room.

The sun shown inside through the open aired entrance and she smiled as she seen why Pink had not answer. She was currently head first against the stomach of a small hatchling that bore Zatos exact coloring, eyes, horns, everything. It was pretty much a shrunken Zato, and Pink was crying into his belly with the hatchling self seemingly looking to the Pink hybrid with inquisitive eyes.

"I see my brother has been brought back into the world?"

Osia watched as Pink nodded against the belly of the hatchling and clutched him even tighter. Now, it was clear that there was discomfort on his own part, as his maw opened and a soft chirping/peep emitted from him and he squirmed. When he did cry out, Pink loosened her old and cradled him in front of her breasts, which he happily took one of the nipples into his maw and suckled upon while Pink smiled with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"He is back....and he is my baby...and my mate...."

Osia smiled and walked over to her, curling around Pink and giving a soft coo into her ears while looking upon the suckling Zato. The mammalian feature that many Dragons had copied and then shunned was quite enjoyable to do and fun to watch. A hatchling latched upon the nipple of their mother, sucking the sweet heated milk from their breasts, and then only to pass out upon the pillows of flesh and scale with a burp that caused many to "awww" too. Osia still saved herself for the possibility that Zato would one day make her heavy, a wish since Childhood, and couldn't help but think of the day she could do it with a clutch of her own hatchlings. Though, for the time being, she was more then happy to watch Pink do it and the hatchling to happily continue forth.

"A hour ago, he hatched...I know its him...I swear upon the goddess' name he said "Love, I am back.." once he came forth from the egg. It has to be him, he looked to me with such love... I can tell he remembers me."

Osia simply smiled upon Pink and nodded. She would not deny, nor accept, that it was him until the future came about and he was older and proved himself to be the one and only Zato. The one who had truly brought forth hell and heaven itself, the one who was attacked with ridicule and acceptance. The one many talked about both bad and good. The one who truly wished for nothing more then peace in his life. Maybe, he would get it this time around. This time though, she would ensure to the best of her and the Gaurdians ability, he would get it this time around and actually be able to walk the streets with his kids with his last thought being about any battles going on in the world.

"Pink, I hate to break this reunion up. But once you are done feeding him, please, come back to the main chamber...we have Elven guests."

Pink gave only a soft nod and continued to feed him, yet, it did not last long as the hatchling in her arms slowly pulled his head back and stopped, looking up to her with wide, beautiful hatchling eyes, and seemed to tell her to go. So, without questioning it, she placed him upon the nest and snapped her armor on before following Osia out of the room and down the hall to the main Chamber, or Audience Chamber as many of the other races called it.

=====

"Respected Councils of the Elven Empire. I, Osia Freetail, welcome you to our humble kingdom and I deeply apologize for making you three wait while I fetched my most trusted Guardian."

Was the first thing Pink heard once they entered the chamber and without a beat she knew she was suppose to continue from wince Osia stopped.

"I am Pink Searet, mate to Zato Searet, and head Guardian. I welcome you to our kingdom and promise to protect you with my own forces on your trail home."

The Elves looked upon Pink with questioning eyes. They knew the head Guardian was Zato Searet, not Pink. She was the second in command under him, so where was the true head? Truly, that question did not matter at this precise moment in time. They had a dire need for help from their neighbors since some Rebel humans had begun to attack them along with various other factions that arouse after the Heavens Fall event. And they were the third employ sent out to request aid from their neighbors.

"We are hear under Lea Swiftwind's direct order from our Queen to ask for your aid in the battle that is coming upon our kingdom in Everfell. Four thousand troops march upon us and our forces have still not recovered from the previous battles and dire events of the past. We ask for your aid in lending us a mere five hundred troops and if possible the command of an Elder Guardian. We know many Dragons do not respect the command of other species, so..."

Osia gave her most honest smile and was quite happy to hear their request, it showed the treaties and trust had held up between the kingdoms...well for some of them anyways. She silenced them with a wave of her claw, a sign long since remembered by all to halt their words, and the Elves obeyed and bowed their heads a bit. They knew she only did this when she wished to speak, and they prayed it was agreeance. None of the other kingdoms could help them due to rebuilding or their own wars, the Dragons were the only ones in a time of peace. Many a time they had come through when they asked for troops, so they prayed to their own Mother Goddess Queen Osia would say yes today.

"My friends, you need not worry. I promise to grant your aid two fold."

The three elves looked to the others and blinked before looking back upon the queen.

"I will lend you the aid of s thousand Guardians and place them under the command of Miss Searet here."

They felt as if their jaws would drop, but they held their graceful poses and simply nodded with great joy. However, the main employ, moved up and bowed a bit, a silent ask for a question to be answered.

"What is it, Employ?"

"Queen Osia, I mean no disrespect, however...I wonder why you do not place them under the command of the one named Zato?"

Both Osia and Pink were slightly taken back and really did not know how to answer that question, but they knew they wanted an answer right away, so Pink stepped forward and bowed her head to the Employ and thought over her words.

"Well...He is..."

"He WAS injured during a previous engagement and has since recovered."

Osia and Pink instantly shot their heads back to look upon the doorway they had emerged from some time ago and felt their jaws slack. There, in the door way, was none other then the once deceased Zato standing in the golden armor of the Guardians with a sword at his side. He looked just as he did the day he died, yet, one could easily see that he was still quite exhausted but none would ask them. Though, his scales shown, his eyes with full of life, and each breath showed as his chest rose and fell. He was truly, in every sense of the word, alive and back with the living. Pink wished to the high goddess she could pounce upon him right now, but knew it was not possible due to the Elves.

"And I do not command troops. I make far too many mistakes. I am a fighter, not a planner. Pink, my mate of many years, takes care of that. And I happily through my own name into volunteers for your war. I lend my own strength to you and your Elven Empire."

Zato walked over to Pink and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, much to her delight, and gave a quite dragonic purr as Osia smiled to the Elves and nodded.

"We will send our troops to your kingdom once we gather their supplies and numbers. Expect them to arrive two days from now."

The Elven employs nodded happily and quickly made their departure through the huge door way, allowing Pink to tackle Zato down with a groan. She clenched as tightly as she could around his chest and burst into tears, shivering a top of him as he held her just as tight and wrapped his tail and wings around her, peppering her muzzle with kisses.

"My love...I knew you'd come back...I knew it, I knew it! I carried you for all that time....laid you through many..."

She went silent as Zato placed a claw upon her lips and smiled with a loving looked to her. He couldn't help but give a soft chuckle and rub his nose to hers.

"Aye, I know...I am sorry you went through all that pain but that Rite I used was meant for darker times and I should not have made you go, nor the kids, go through that pain."

Pink moved her arms up and hugged tightly around his throat, forgetting about everything else and cried. Zato, on the other hand, had happily set about rubbing over her wings and tail to help comfort her and relax her while he thought about his time inside of her and the gem. He had put her through great pain, and their kids, but it was needed to save the few he could. He was glad he did because right after he did he was greeted with the kingdom being rebuilt, their numbers returning, the parade of the dead, and even renewed treaties and policies with the other kingdoms around them. By the Goddess, the world they lived in had even changed from what many had said. More land that many were trying to claim, or something. He had not paid much attention to the outside, but only the inside, as to what his mate was going through. The kids took most of it easy, but Pink went through the abyss during his time away.

"I am truly sorry I put you through that Pink. But I did need to save the kingdom and you know I was the only one able too..."

She gave a nod and he knew them on she only wanted to hold him and reassure herself that this was real and not some dream. Osia, who had happily remained silent to their side, simply smiled upon the two and waited.

=====

After some ten or twenty minutes, for those who were actually counting, Pink lifted herself off of Zato and allowed him to stand up, both laughing a bit as Osia coughed to get their attention. Yes, it was great to have her brother back with the living, yes she wanted to do A LOT to him, but more importantly the Elves did request their aid and that was on the foremost of her mind. She would not break the trust of ANY friends, she was queen and needed to keep the truths about her kingdom just that, true. She would not allow the troops she promised to be late, nor for Zato to slack off now that he had stupidly thrown his name out to them. She would have normally stopped him, but she had forgotten a lot of her routines with him during his absence.

"You will have to go through all this later. The Elves are expecting troops and they will not be let down. Get your tails in gear and get the Guardians prepared and out to the Elven Kingdom and have them ready for war."

Neither of them even thought to say anything other then depart from the room and ready their forces. Osia couldn't fathom it. She knew since she was a hatchling that her brother was quite odd, but this was bothersome. So many weird happenings and events revolved around him, and during his absence she could help but think of the times he had "vanished" and things went smoothly and when he was around things went down the drain...maybe it would have been better if he had actually died....She shook her head hard and hit the palm of her clawed-paw against her head to get those thoughts of there.

"Bad Osia, Bad!"

=====

As commanded of them, Zato and Pink quickly set about preparing their forces of a thousand. Of course, many launched into questioning where Zato had been, why he wasn't wearing his own armor, and so many others Zato thought his head was going to implode. He simply said that he was away on a scouting mission and to those that claimed they seen him die, he just claimed it was not him but a powerful mage that would be greatly missed and remembered for saving the kingdom and sacrificing himself for them all. To which, many happily accepted. All the other questions he tried to answer as best and as fast as he could while trying to prepare them all AND spend some long needed time with his mate that had suffered a LOT because of him.

Of course the two had already planned to spend a LOT of time together once they got back home from the fighting this time around. Pinks previous thoughts of preventing him from fighting long gone from the barrage of new thoughts and plans on what to do with him given enough time and freedom from their duties. It was then and there, as they readied their troops, that they both decided once they got back they would forever lay down their swords. And they both made this promise on every ounce of love for the other, knowing full well that it was going to happen once they got back. The goddess herself couldn't stop either from breaking this promise. Many would say it was a promise made in a blood, go against it and you would die.

=====

Osia watched as the troops she had allowed to go to the Elven Aid departed into the sky. Many huge forms covered in gleaming golden armor, blades on their weapons shining and sparkling in the early morning rays, and a lot of the soldiers acting as if it was nothing more then a training mission that they went through so many times in the past. She couldn't help but smile as Pink and Zatos form took up the end of the column, they were suppose to fly in front, but she could easily tell that they were more interested in talking to each other about the time that had passed and random events Zato might have missed. To which, Osia was not angry. It was OK for them to do so, many of the troops had experience in battle and if anything were to happen at the front of the column, she knew they'd be fine.

She had made one point clear before they left. They were to send a message everyday of the battle, loses, and any new events through a wyvern scout that went with them, something the Elves had no right to complain about. She wanted to know who was lost, when they were lost, and report that dire news to their families. Families had no right in spending their lives wondering if they were lost in battle, if they had run from the fight, been taken prisoner, anything. They needed to know and not be left guessing. A strict rule that she enforced with every ounce of her power.

Before they had even left, Zato jokingly proclaimed no troops would be lost and that it would not take longer then a month to end the battle on all fronts and give the Elves their needed peace and quiet lives full of magic overuse. They maybe elegant, well spoken and well mannered beings that seen nothing more then the good in any one and know how to shoot down a fly with an arrow and cut the wind with their craftsmanship. Yet, when it came to magic, they rivaled that of many human mages who seen magic as nothing more then to get them everything they wanted and to kill an entire town with a single wave of a hand.

=====

A month came and went by before Osia had even realized and she had constantly been given the reports through the Wyvern Bladetail. Bladetail had her work cut out for her, since the Elves and Allied forces constantly lost ground and at one time almost had to retreat from the Elven kingdom. She was constantly at the mercy of enemy archers and a few times got a few hits, yet she survived and bore the scars proudly. However, that news did not scare Osia as much as the reports of the lost. In the first week alone they had lost a hundred and fifty troops to false reports by the Elves and ambushes, the next week two hundred twenty five, then hundred more the week after. Thankfully, the last week, they only lost two. More then half of their forces in the first month alone and on top of it all Pink had been gravely wounded by a volley of orc archers, which had sent Zato into one of his blind rages...probably the only reason only two were lost and one injured. Osia had constantly begged Zato to allow her to send reinforcements, but he always sent Bladetail back with a single reply. No.

As the next month went by, Zato stopped talking to Bladetail all together and had ordered a troop to do it. Pink, on the other hand, kept getting worse and worse from the news. Zato had begun spending more and more time at her tent along with the best of the Elven healers who had survived most of the battles and they were not helping at all and Elven healing was the best out there. Though, after that last dire report, good news slowly began to come in. Zato had began leading them once again, taking back the lost towns and settlements, until the day came when Bladetail returned with such a huge smile that it looked as it her eyes had vanished from her slender maw and head. They had won and the war was over, the remaining seventy-seventy survivors were returning home. Yet, no news came from either Zato nor on Pinks condition.

A day after receiving the news, the troops returned home. The column was spotted at first by a Fletching Hatchling that was earning his wings, and then by his parents, and then the whole kingdom cheered them in their return. This time, instead of being at the back of the column, Zato was in the front with chipped and broken armor, covered in dry blood, and clearly down fallen about something. However, Osia quickly pieced it together as Pink was no where to be seen...the worst had come about. She never got to talk to her brother though, who instantly made his way into his home before any could speak a single word to him and had clearly given the news to his children and from them the news was spread to everyone else from their maws. Pink had been killed by two arrows and none of the healers could do a thing to save her.

Three weeks went by with no one seeing nor hearing a single word from Zato. He had become a recluse inside his home with the forge there constantly ablaze, yet the balcony landing and the door were constantly blocked and sealed with magic respectively. Aditi and the other kids had no idea what their own father and Osia had taken it upon herself to sleep upon the Balcony landing, in front of the black magic curtain thrown over it. Day and night came and went as she awaited for that curtain to lift and vanish, but it just seemed it would never come. Until, one day, her wishes were answered and it vanished in a blue flash of light. What she seen there on, quite easily, shocked her. Zato was standing in the middle of a now empty home, armor and sword melted down into useless chunks of metal. He was also wearing some odd clothing...along with none digi-grade legs. He bore the legs of a human shape, with black pants and shirt upon him with black gloves. No sword, no weapon, nothing. Before she could even ask, he spoke.

"I promised Pink that I would never lift a sword again...she also asked me never to step upon a battlefield again...I am done with the kingdom...my kids know of my doings, they are adults now and have families of their own. Aditi, Sin, and Grave will make fine replacements...please don't stop me sister...the kingdom holds nothing for me anymore..."

Osia listened to him and couldn't believe what she was hearing. His voice was so full of pain, something she thought she would never hear from him, and anytime she pried into his mind all she seen was Pinks face with her eyes closed and a content smile upon her unmoving face. It was clear she was dead in that image burned upon his mind, why it was his only thought she did not know but at the same time she knew full well. She thought over her choices and simply moved out of the way, to which he gave a weak farewell and smile before running and jumping into the air, flying out of the kingdom and Osia could only watch as he went. She hated to even think this, but maybe this was a good thing. Just...maybe. Maybe it was a stupid mistake to let him go, she did not know, but...for now she held that it was good.

To Be Continued...