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Her ears flicked.

The sound of... music. A gramophone was playing. As soon as she thought that, the word dropped from her mind. She didn't care.

She could feel her tail slide along the floor, but it was lower than where she lay. Her paws scraped along the metal table that held her up. She didn't care.

Sharp scents overwhelmed her usually astute nose, things that weren't natural... But helpful, nonetheless. She didn't care.

Stop thinking. Stop caring. Stop distracting.

"There she is." A familiar voice rumbled. She instantly recognized it, and huffed quite intently. She was in no mood for recognizing the words. She just wanted food. And petting. Rewards, for being good. For not eating men, the humans she was told not to eat by her self.

The latter reward arrived with a gentle hand on her neck, and her eyes shut tighter as this hand went about spreading the love down. While another hand rubbed her muzzle softly. She quietly spat out a coo, tail flicking up and slapping back down.

Then her tongue flicked, and she tasted her favorite human. The nice one. The one that gives her food. She twitched her head up, up... up, and her nose met his clothed chest. There... Her breath came out in a long, rattling huff before she could breathe normally again.

He was speaking more. Mere vibrations. But soothing and quiet. She didn't open her eyes. She just wanted the pets to continue, and continue they did. Down the softest part of her neck, up and down her chin. She licked her lips, grabbing another taste of her favorite human, and rolled onto her back.

It continued like this for a good long while. Until the scent of meat wafted, and her eyes shot open.

She was sore, especially in her back leg, but that scent drove her to pick herself up and press on the gate that separated the human building from the outside.

The human made more vibrations, and disappeared behind another gate, only to reappear to push the trough in front of her gate. She didn't even think about what was in it. It was food, and it disappeared into her throat like all the rest. Food... Ah...

She could think again, once half of the trough had been cleaned. And she became aware of where she was. In Michael's treatment cabin, attached to the back of the building she trotted up to before they went out.

Went out. Oh, shit. She blinked twice before continuing to chow down on the rest of the food in the trough, snorting and swaying her tail. "You're tough, girl."

Michael's timing on that could not be more appropriate. She could form coherent words out of the vibrations, and keyed in on him behind her. "I'd never have fed any of that to ya but hey, whatever you want."

She pressed her jaws together, before parting them to lick the refuse off her lips. Now that she could taste it, it did seem rather funky. But her stomach wasn't complaining. And she had no idea what she just ate, so there wasn't a chance she'd find out soon enough. A hand pressed on her flank and another rubbed her shoulder, prompting her to back away from the gate and look Michael in the eye.

"You know, had I been here when Chief did this to ya, this wouldn't be happenin' right now." Michael rumbled. "Just a few hours, and you'd've probably been drake food, or a colt we'd be training for months on end just to get ya to walk and run."

The hen swung her head back to bump it into his chest, and her tongue flicked out to lick- "Whoa- hurk- not after eating all that, come on..." The vet wiped himself off and pushed her nose away, grinning before petting her lips and nose some more.

"But having you in there just saved our whole operation. Think about it," she kinda still didn't want to, but she humored him, "I let those idiots go out there with our only female on this farm. I thought they'd be out and back before noon, but they took their sweet ass time. And, might I add, went to the only town that is more dangerous than all of the land behind us to the North," Michael collected a rag to further wipe himself down, "of course, of course I was thinkin' 'it'd be a good trust exercise for our only female with a soul'. Of course it'd be the day the Drakehunter attacks. Of course it'd get my girl shot and lookin' death in the eye."

She was dissolving into really not wanting to listen, her eyes closed and her head pressing into his chest as if to gently suggest he stop.

"But here you are. Carried a man like a whelp up to the gates for what I assume were miles. Challenged the Drakehunter to a standoff like no other. And brought yourself back." The pettings continued on her chin. He must've been exceedingly happy, because now she was getting a little tired of the petting. It was still good though, "Vince, I knew you were good at heart. We never shoulda attacked your town while we still had much to learn. Chief's full of shit."

That vindication was about the most satisfying and draining thing she's ever felt... and her hinds were trembling, before she sat on the cold floor and cooed, rubbing her nose into that shirt as she did her best quiet crying, her throat warbling and her eyes shut tight. The words were so sweet... She didn't care if whateverstrus was affecting her emotions. It just felt good.

"And I mean it. There's no way your state could've assisted you in any of this." The Doc sighed, stepping back and pulling something metal off the table. "Still trust me?" He asked

The drake rolled onto her back again, this time on the dirty floor. "The good news is..." Michael continued with a smirk, pulling one of those big legs aside, pushing her tail down with a boot, and leaning in to use that-

COLD- COLD- Cold cold cold. She squirmed and clawed at the floorboards, breathing heavily. "... That you're only about at the mid-point of pre-estrus. My fears are still founded, but you've got time. Maybe a week, or two, depending on how fast your body works." The cold tool clicked and flicked out of her, letting her breathe easy again. But something else just... made her want it back there.

He then plucked a small bit of jerky- small to a drake at least- and tossed it toward her head as he stepped back. She tried to snap for it, but it ended up hitting the wood floor. She didn't even hesitate to lap it up and start gnawing at it. He wasn't surprised to see her leg stuck up even after he let it go, though. Then he watched the beast's eyes narrowing, and her pupils dialating wide, not fully occupied with the treat in her muzzle. Clearly she was beginning to enjoy being touched so much that... Vincent might not have enough energy to keep up complicated thoughts.

"Oh boy." The vet sighed. She watched him rub his head. "That ain't Vince givin' me that look, is it?"

She couldn't process that, like she fell asleep somehow and the words were a little jumbled, even though she was still awake. So she squirmed again, and stretched her hinds wider.

But Michael wasn't having it. He took in a deep breath, put the tool on a tray, and stepped carefully up to her head. "Vince, hey, I know it was tough yesterday. I saw that wild look in your eyes. You fought hard. I'm proud of ya. Get your rest. But don't give up, I need you to help me out come next month."

That was the last thing she understood before her eyes really dilated, and she nudged up on her human. He kept making noises, worried enough to worry her. But soon he was calm and petting her. That's what she wanted, yes...

|===|_|===|

The next day, Michael was found on his porch, sucking on a cigar and playing with a coin.

The rest of yesterday was spent tending to Spades and her wound. She did have a habit of hamming it up when he was looking, all pathetic and needy-like. But he knew when he was off, she was snuffling around the back of his house.

He had every right to believe Vince was still in there. It just takes a lot to fight those instincts. A lot might be an understatement- it takes your whole being to fight instincts. That was a universal law about life or death. Michael knew this better than anyone. His every movement reminded him of such.

To stare death in the face, not betray a single inch of fear, and walk away with your life... Not to mention having done it during pre-estrus, in a beast's mind. He smiled, and started counting his blessings right then.

Spades will be just fine.

"Michael." Chief had stepped up. "Got a surprise for ya."

Mike smoothed his hair back and donned his hat. Clearly he'd had a rough few days if Chief, the loudest man in this slush puddle, could sneak up on him. He considered a drink, but maybe it's best to put that off until he could sleep it away. He followed the big man without a word.

The old pig sty had been shovelled, cleared, and stamped down. Harder dirt for harder men, really puts the fear in when breakin' in the colts. Michael made a note to see if Chief would use the new pig sty sometime. Some of these young ones seem to not like getting dirty.

Speaking of young ones.

"Whehehell, lookie what we have here boys!" Chief riled up the circle. "The last of the three stooges finally decided to come home!"

Mike had his eyes locked on the kid knelt in the dirt. His head was low. He couldn't see the kid's face, but he knew it was red. "Tell me Lenny... Or was it Curly? Moe? Larry? Ah fuck it. Francis." Chief continued, "Tell us why you went to the one town we knew was bein' watched."

"Ah thought it'd be safe durin' the day!" Francis shouted, "honest, Sir! There weren't a single man in sight when we got there."

"And did it not oh-kur to yew that they might not have been there because they were mounting up a raid?" Chief stepped up, then kicked the kid in the chest. "We. Told you, time and time again, that place is for the fighters. Not little horse sheits what don't listen to simple orders!" He cursed after that, and stepped away with a shake of his head. "Now we got the damn Drakehunter 'round us and sniffin' for our farm."

The crowd shouted and booed, hissed, and spat. Chief calmed them with raised arms. "Normally I'd say bring it on. We'll mount up his head like the legends say he does to our scaled friends. But with two drakes missin' and our only hen wounded, we are not prepared to disappear, let alone fight."

"What should we do, boss?" One of the other handlers piped up.

"First choice," Chief responded without hesitation, "we don't do any dailies. Lay low, fortify the farm and wait for any sign of the Lawmen." He scanned his collection of lanky and untrained handlers, with only a few of the more experienced ones standing by rigidly. "Second choice," He started up, locking eyes with Mike, "we dissolve this farm now, put it on a skeleton crew. We get half our best, most of our untrained, out with most of our stallions and fall back to Hen House."

That stiffened most of the crew, some of the more inexperienced handlers had no idea what that meant though. "Sir, all due respect. I nearly pissed my pants."

The newbies started laughing, but when nobody else followed suit, the silence pressured their laughter into petrified confusion. The handler who spoke was one of the seasoned ones. Not enough to be a fighter, but he'd helped Mike on some occasions. "Tayler." Chief rumbled, "some of us paid our dues there. I did my best to keep ya'll out, but if it comes down to that, you're gonna have to find somewhere quiet to change your pants." He turned back to Mike. Supposedly he was scanning his old friend and vet for a reaction. Mike didn't offer a single emotion.

Deep down, though... He knew what it meant. His heart had started beating faster at the mention of the place. His scars took offense to that, too.

So, save them all the trip and the existential torture. "We're stayin'." Mike huffed under his breath. Chief had learned to catch those quickly. "First choice. I trust ya." He nodded, then started laying out the orders for some of the handlers to start preparing.

"But first, we've got a punching bag to relieve ourselves some stress. Anybody else scared 'o' goin' to the Hen House?"

The newbies raised their hands immediately.

Mike stepped forward first though, and crouched low. "Francis." He rumbled. The kid looked up with sorry eyes. "I forgive you. It may have been stupid, but you're alive now. And that's what we need. 'Sides, part of it's my fault too."

He slipped something out of his coat. Knuckle dusters. "Give 'em hell." He rose, adjusted his hat, dropped the dusters in the dirt, and booted the kid in the face.

|===|_|===|

Later that afternoon, Mike was back in his seat on his porch. But with a special guest. Spades lay on her good leg, along the whole porch, with her head in his lap. The front door was blocked for this, of course, but that'll change if they need to get up.

Chief knocked on the post, causing Spades to first perk her ears, taste the air, then press herself into the building further away from the intruder. She didn't make a sound though, Mike had pressed on her neck to stop that quickly.

Chief reached out and returned the dusters, which Mike pocketed quickly. "They were laughin' and chummin' it up when it was all over." The big man hummed.

"I heard." They both nodded.

One quick breath, and Chief had to shuffle a little, "sorry 'bout bringin' it up-"

"It's fine." Mike hummed quietly, Spades cooed in response, "they needed the fear of God in 'em. 'Sides, it was a few years ago. Ain't no hen gonna turn me into a whelp." He chuckled as Spades' ears flicked again.

"Speakin' of, whatcha think of Stankyleg the Whelp?" Chief grinned, "Kids, right?"

Their mirth echoed throughout the farm, "that's what they're gonna call 'im?" Mike forced through the laugh, holding a hand over Spades' ear. Chief nodded, his grin absolutely jovial, "they saw him danglin' from her maw, I don't think anything else is gonna stick. Kid's gonna have it for the rest of his life!" The laugh continued a little longer before Mike insisted they quiet down with a finger to his lips.

Chief acquiesced with both hands up. "Alright alright, I'll leave you and 'mama' alone."

Mike shooed him, then went right back to petting Spades' cheek. She seemed a lot more relaxed without Chief around. Understandable. He was loud, and annoying sometimes. But he's got a good heart...

He only wished he could show her that now, after having been put through the wringer. "Want a snack?" He asked. That didn't get a reaction out of her. "Treat?"

Now she perked up, twisting her head up and sniffing, then licking, and asking for treats with a coo.

Mike hummed, and pushed her head off to hit up the ice box in the middle. She didn't move, of course. Painkillers did have that effect.

He was back with a hefty slab of meat, and ohhh boy, he watched her perk up as he approached.

That... Sent him back. The Hen House pits. His breath caught as he remembered to be quiet.

The clicking and cooing everywhere. Warbles. Shining eyes in the darkness. One wrong step, an errant sound... They already know where you are. All it takes is a single wrong noise.

His scars pulsed pain in time with his heartbeat. He seized up only for a moment, before very carefully stepping out of the pit and onto his porch. Not a sound. No complaints.

He clicked his tongue, and she leaned in, sniffing the meats. He didn't toy with her this time, just letting it touch her lips, and dropping it in her teeth before sitting back down.

She was noisy herself, but she was allowed to be. Chomping on it for a moment before swallowing it and licking her chops. Swift, merciless.

He reached up to brush her chin again, and her head smushed back down on his lap.

Images of it snapped around his head. Jaws clamping, crunching, eating.

And that wasn't the worst of it.

|=====|

Spades' vision remained washed out when two days later, she could... Feel something again. Her mental process was limited though. Not many words to explain... things. They were forming though, and the first were that she was warm, and curled up. And things were happening.

She blinked, wondering for a moment why she couldn't see clearly... until her tongue did it for her. Aha. She slinked out of her laying position, stretched-

And yelped in pain as her leg complained, lifting it and wailing. Her human came running, and quickly found her. She whined and stumbled out of her hole.

"Awh, Spades..." her human chuffed, before she hobbled up and licked his belly and shirt. "My yard." He huffed, then shook his head. She was having trouble understanding what was up with him, but she kept her nose near him anyways. "Come on, we gotta get you washed up."

She happily followed him, albeit with that gait she's adopted since that scary day, the one that exhausted some part of her she hasn't felt since. Of course she wanted to feel it again, but also... Everything else felt really good. Constant pets, treats, laying wherever and doing whatever she wants. Though that was mostly being knocked out and laying against her human's building. Nothing really concerned her. It was simple, and nice.

That was until she started getting cold-doused, and it did not feel good. She hissed and spat, and the pole went on. The pole! Not as bad as the loop, but definitely worse than the reins. She whined and tugged on it, but that didn't stop her from getting cold water poured all over her-

AND HER LEG- She squealed and shook, trying to bite the pole, to fight. She violently bit and spat, her wails stirring the other drakes into action. To them a female was in danger, and she used that. Calling out for help, biting, thrashing.

Then warm water went on, and she snarled in confusion as things started rubbing all around her. At first she tried to escape them, but it started feeling nice after a little bit, so she froze there with her mouth open and teeth bared, her eyes wildly scanning for any sign of another temperature switch. When nothing else came, and the rubbing things fell off, her mood quickly changed. The warmness started settling. Then her trough got a fill of meat, she attacked it without a thought.

She was back in the barn. Lots of noises were going on outside... More than the usual. She didn't like it too much... And her human wasn't here. That was the more distressing part. She even tore away from her meal to fit her head over the gate and coo. Where? Where? Where?

|===|_|===|

Michael was rolling out of the main farm house after he'd gotten the new handlers to start boarding up the windows.

"Hey, Doc." Stankyleg croaked from the porch. "You got any more whiskey?"

"We're gonna have to cut out extraneous drinkin' son." Mike rumbled pointedly, "your next dose is before bed." The Whelp nodded in defeat, then dreamily looked out into the sky. He was looking a little better, but that leg wasn't gonna heal anytime soon. Not unless they... No, that's out of the question.

Things were cooling down for winter here soon. This... Was going to be a problem. If the Lawmen start cracking down anytime during winter, it's gonna be a pain to get their drakes anywhere. The cold was not friendly to their scaled friends. Maybe that's what they were planning. He did not doubt it. But best to keep that to himself for now.

He hurried down the path to the perimeter check, where barrels and pallets were set up as a visual impairment for a rear ambush to crawl out of. He signaled to them that it was good, then scouted for the tree scouts. They had their longrifles set up further up the trees, hidden in the leaves.

Mike mimicked an owl three times. The response was two, then one. Good. All three are set up.

Chief was knelt in the center of the farm, carving something in the dirt. It was alien to Mike, so he'd have no reason to ask what it was for. He just knew it was good for them.

Then Chief put the dead-man's revolver on top, and it sunk into the ground. "That'll be active in about a week." The big man hummed to Mike as he approached. "So when we need to bug out, this is our first stop."

They nodded to each other.

That's when owl calls rang out, and shouting from the front gate.

The two men jumped into action, only to find a rather confusing surprise waiting for them.

|====|

Where? Where?

Awh... She gave up, pulling her head back through the gate and pacing around. Then she plopped into the very not comfy nest and huffed. All she can do is wait, then.

Wait and wait. Shut off, wait. A good girl. She smacked her lips as the thought brought with it treats of good girl's past.

Then her human. She squirmed, already getting anxious without his touch. Then her tail flicked, and a sudden urge to curl in and start licking herself clean took over all other thoughts. She slurped and reached deeper, brushing past sensitive nubs and to the now very distended pack of flesh. She lipped it and licked around it, scraping the loose creases around and between until she found enough length to press her nose in and lick her teardrop clean too.

She interrupted herself when the sound of her human's voice reached her ears, and she shot up, scrabbling to the gate. She was about to press out of it until her human came in, and she... well, licked his face. A lot. He sputtered and made more soft vibrations, but none of the words really seemed like words. Just gibberish. She pressed on him and cooed, feeling so so good to have his hands scritching her chin again. The meaner handlers made her take a cold, then hot bath. Her human wouldn't do that...

She heard other voices in the pen next to hers, but that wasn't as important as hearing her human say things like "good girl" and... uh... Other things.

She did hear something else though. Some kinda thing that made her feel incomplete. She knew her name, but this other name kept being said. She tried to drown it out, instead focusing on her favorite human, and rolling over on her back to receive more scritches!

|=====|

Vincent awoke, groggy and slow. But... Rested. Very well rested. He felt his muscles fire off, and while they were sore, they definitely felt alive. What happened? He tried to call out to someone, but a beastial rumble and squeak was all that came.

All of his memories flooded back mercilessly. He weathered it. Helped along by a great feeling in both his backside and chest. Like he'd fulfilled something.

His head picked up, and he remembered how large he was, both in raw height and build. His head hit a shelf, spilling its contents and breaking some glass.

But that wasn't quite as distressing as he thought it should be. As if his ears hated it but he was well attuned to loud things- Oh, right. He was once human. He took in a deep breath and stretched his hind and forelegs to reacquaint himself with his life.

Something was between his thighs.

Something?

Someone.

His pupils turned to slits, his tongue helped him see...

Michael was squeezed in between his hinds. And worse, his... Arm.

Oh. Oh Lord no.

This was not... Right. He tried to gently squirm and push Michael away, but every movement in there just made it all the more-

Yes-

He shook that off and took a deep breath. Come on now. He let out a low warble, then a coo, then a rumble. Come on, Michael wake up.

Bark!

That jolted the man awake. "Mnuhmm..." He moaned. Vince could see that the man at least had the decency to keep his clothes on. So this was just a... Very deep exploration gone wrong.

Vince's eyes narrowed and he rumbled again. "Mornin'." Michael responded, his hand flexing and causing Vincent to squirm and scrabble at the floor. "Mhh, still like that?"

That's when Vince's tail grew a mind of its own and wrapped around Michael's chest. Then pulled him away very slowly. No, wait... That was him. That was Vincent. But how did he know how to do that? "Excited to start the day, huh?" Michael mused, his mood turning a little glum.

He huffed as he decided the tail was a matter for later. Right now, what the fuck? He rumbled, keeping his reptilian slits on Michael's barely recognizable face. He'd grown some stubble, and his hair was... Not well kept.

The beast got closer, and Michael quickly took that to mean start petting. "Good girl. You did great last night. No scratching incidents." He said with a bit of a shudder.

Vince huffed. What happened while he was out? "We'll be back on track for your estrus cycle in no time. Hopefully Vincent wakes up." The vet hummed, almost as if he was saying it to himself more than the drake in front of him.

That's when Vince realized he was in the examination room. Did... They sleep together back here? How long has this been going on? Vince huffed louder, and Michael threw a piece of jerky up in response. "Catch and I'll give ya another."

Vince didn't even try. It hit his face without a flinch. That opened Michael's eyes. "Oh fuck."

The room was silent for a moment. Vince tasted the embarrassment absolutely saturating Michael's pores. "You... Uh... She isn't awake is she?"

Vincent slowly shook his head. "Are you mad?"

Vincent nodded. "Wanna pretend this never happened?"

Vincent hissed, Michael quickly put his hands up- actually wiping one of them off before doing that- "There's a very good reason. Okay? Do you want to hear it?"

No, but... Considering everything else, and the growing bud of pride that he had the vet cowering, he sat up and held his head up a little higher.

Michael took that to mean exactly what it meant. "Chief was getting harder on Spades after you passed out, sayin' I was being too soft and letting you get fat."

Vince checked himself on that. And yeah, he actually did feel a little weightier. He snapped his attention up to Michael, clicking his throat as a question.

"Well what was I supposed to do? Put you to work plowing with a shot leg? You remember that right?" Yes, Vince nodded. "Yeah, well... See, Spades was playin' it up a lot at first, so I figured it might be because she just needs some attention. Then I started actually worryin', and worry started causin' her to worry about me, and... We kinda just spiraled a bit from there. But I drew a line, I said 'no touching there', I said 'just until she's better'."

Vince's front paw turned up and his head shook again, wondering how the heck he 'drew a line' and still ended up f- fuh- f- down there and doing the thing. "Yeah well turns out 'better' meant stickin' everything 'there'." He motioned toward Vince's hinds, then dropped his hands to his sides. "She wouldn't stop beggin' for it and showing it off. I started questionin' whether you were fuckin' with me or just not there, so I just said 'fuck it' and pleased the damn drake so she'd stop nosing me around the damn farm."

That last bit didn't sound too genuine, prompting a light growl from Vince. Michael seized up and turned his voice into a whisper, trying very hard not to raise it. "Fine! And I liked it. I liked being the fuck toy of a massive beast. Fuck!" He shuddered, taking deep breaths and trying to steady himself, "now can we please, for the love of God, drop this."

He was starting to gulp in big breaths, his hands shaking and undoing his shirt. "Fuck... Fuck..."

Wait... that's not good. Vince's eyes shifted and he tried to get a better look. Then the taste was palpable.

That little stack of fear that was always in Michael was raging now, bending him, breaking him. "Fuck... Please... No..." He begged, watching his shaking hands and doing everything he can to stop it, even kneeling and squeezing them between his legs. But his fear was a different beast, it flared as he submitted. It almost reeked too much, that Spades was starting to push back on Vincent.

He pushed her down, strongly. And waded into this storm of fear, the scent simply too thick and choking that Spades would have likely just sat there and whined. But Vince was stronger than that. One step took a thousand hours, and from that fear, Vince saw through the human before him.

His nose touched Mike's shoulder, and those hands shot up, petting and rubbing. "Please, God, please... Not back there. I will fight through a thousand Lawmen. Break a million drakes. Not in those pits again." He was as quiet as a mouse, as if he was already there.

Vince nuzzled a little more, and Mike held on tighter. The storm passed. Michael's breathing evened out, his hands passing over Vince's cheeks softly. "Thank you." He whispered. "Vince." He choked, starting to push back on the rest of the fear, now that he had a friend to hold on to. "It's only gotten worse. You're riling up the stallions. I can smell you. The whole place reeks of your heat. You're only maybe a day away. Two if we're lucky. But we have to put you in the pit as soon as possible."

This at first shocked the man in the beast's body, but he understood. He nodded and nosed into Michael's chest. "I'd already called the team yesterday to pick you up. Almost gave up too. Glad you're back, Vince."

The drake slipped the tongue out and Michael chuckled, petting her head.

"Can... Can we go to the stream? I need out of this damn place."

|=====|

Michael rode bareback, leaning on Vincent's neck. The ride was smooth, Vince made sure of it. Once they were there, Michael could breathe again, and landed on his own feet. He drank from the stream greedily, then washed his face and neck with the cool water.

Their breath was visible.

"The one thing I'm going to regret in all of this..." Michael started, coughing first, then standing. "Is that I didn't get the chance to take you to the plaque."

Vincent blinked. Oh, that's right. That went way out the window. For a moment, he didn't know how to feel about that. Then he realized; that plaque held the names he's fought for, for years. He'll... Never see what the Hell's Riders thought was right to honor his town.

"And I doubt you'll be any amount of either Spades or Vincent to appreciate it in the end."

That struck a note in Vince's chest. That's how bad estrus was. Like a magma explosion that consumes all and leaves behind hard rock. He... He's actually going to die. Wait, that can't be right. He's different. They're different. She's different. Perhaps they haven't yet seen what 'different' can do?

"What happened when you were gone, dormant, in Spades... I'll be honest, it didn't look good."

That hit the next note. Oh. That's why. It took a lot out of him just to stand against an old friend and put a claw on his neck. That's indicative of his own weakness, no matter how strong he may have felt in that moment. Instincts were powerful... How powerful will estrus be?

Michael moved closer to the drake, and started to rub her chin and nose. "If it makes you feel any better, you were a good girl." He chuckled, almost choking himself up with laughter and a bit of tears. The beast shook his head, snorting. This little... guy. He knows who he's talking to.

"Hoh damn, I'm actually gonna cry."

Vincent's jaw trembled. No, that's not fair. He can't cry, not like Michael. His breath was short and sporadic, both of their breaths were. All Vince could do was let out a gentle coo. There were flashes of Spades' time with Michael. Sweet. Soft. Some of them bittersweet as Michael protected the hen from an iron hand. Why couldn't he witness all of that?

Why was he too weak to miss those moments? They stood there a good long while, rider and mount. Enemies made friends. His haunches dropped, then he lay there, letting Michael pet and rub his cheeks. He lamented the times he didn't get to have. But this right here- And pulling Michael out of his own storm of fear- That's all he needed to know that The Doc was a good man. A good friend.

The sounds of drakes in the distance cut their moment off too soon. Michael righted himself and brushed his hair back. "I can't go near the pit. You understand." He hummed. Vincent did. She nodded, and bumped her snout on his head one more time, then licked it once right before the two-drake team rolled up.

"Hey Doc." It was Stankyleg and Tayler.

Michael put on his stoic face and cracked his neck. "Here to pick up yer momma?" He rumbled, giving the rider a grin.

The response was a glare, while Tayler chuckled. "Yeah."