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((Zato copywrite me, yadda yadda.))

"Its because no matter if you win or lose, he's taking you in as his pet...."

Zatos eye shot open, hell the words making both his eyes shoot open as he just stared at Arthur before looking to his mom, then to his grandfather who just had a big smirk on his maw.

"That's right Zato, I've taken quite a liking to you. But the punishment should you lose the duel is the same for everyone who tries to join the guard. If you lose, Im sure the dragons of the kingdom will be gentle."

He gave a chuckle before leaping off the ledge and flying straight to the coliseum, everyone else following suit, save for Zato who just stood there pondering what just happened before he gave a strong shake of his head and took off, following the king.

"I may win, I may lose, neither matters. I will be a pet by fights end, does not matter. Only thing that matters is the fight, and making it good."

He said while giving a sharp turn straight down to the coliseum. Looking at it, most would think it was built by humans, but this had rich emeralds and rubys molded into its strutcues. Elegant shapes of dragons and the mountains placed here and there, shapped into other crystals. Zato truly paid it no mind, he had seen it a lot, since he loved to train here. So he just gave an elegant landing in the center of the ring and scanned over the crowd sitting on their haunches watching him, chuckling to himself as he did.

"Only the higher classes got in it would seem...figures."

He said as his sight fell upon what he was looking for and smiled brightly, each of his girls were sitting next to his parents, all of their scales polished to a near mirror shine.

"I see your mates are here to watch as you lose."

He heard Godaris say behind him before turned and giving a soft chuckle.

"You are not that much stronger then me, my king. It is fairly close to being a tie between us."

"True, but I know you were never fighting with your life on the line, and neither was I. Here, tonight, I wish to fight as if one of us is going to die!"

He said, drawing gasps from the crowd and the faint cry of Pink, who seemed to know that was coming. Upon hearing her cry, he thought it over and sighed heavily to himself.

"Then I forfeit my king."

"What kind of warrior are you to just up and forfeit when your life is placed on the line! No warrior will do that!"

"None of your warriors will, but love is a strong diversion from even the oldest of rights. If I was to somehow die tonight, since most times when we dragons fight with our lives on the line, we go into a more feral state of mind. My soul would not be able to bear the pain I brought unto them..."

Before he could finish the king smiled and glared to Zato.

"You will fight, or else I will take your mates in as pets instead and I will....."

A loud roar cut him off as Zato glared coldly to the king and lowered his front down a bit while barring his teeth, his eyes getting an eerie glow to them. As he did, he ignored the cries from Pink and the others to stop.

"You finish that sentence and I will tear out your throat in front of all of them before making them watch as I devour your entire body."

The king let out a hearty laugh before returning the glare and getting into the same stance as Zato, each of the two dragons almost equal in size, massive compared to most others. As he did, everything fell quiet and it seems the gods themselves had paused their duties in the heavens and beyond to watch this. No insects made a noise, no leaves rustled, the wind even died.

Everyone just watched as their glare stayed deadlocked before a sudden gust of wind washed over everyone, and at the very instant it started, the two dragons rushed each other and slammed into each other with enough force for most of the crowd to feel it themselves. Both of them staggered back a bit and shook their heads before doing it again, and again, and again. Most new exactly what they were doing, something that had not been done in centuries.

They were in every since of the word fighting, but both had such a respect for the other, they did not wish to harm their opponent. So they did this, slamming their sides, shoulders, whatever into the other. Testing the others endurance, strength and will to continue. Though the blows were far from fatal, everyone cringed at each slam, they were slamming into each other so hard, you'd think two boulders the size of a house were slamming into each other two feet in front of you.

After at least three hours of this, each stood a few feet from the other and growled, the kings being much more audible due to his age, but Zatos having a tone to it that caused ice to form on your spine. Their heads lowered and aimed at each others before they charged once again and slammed with all their force into each other in one of the hardest headbutts any of the crowd had witnessed, and a sound that made everyone think the fight was lost to both soon followed, a rather chilling crack! sounded from the two dragons as they staggered back and shook their heads. As they did, each of their horns fell onto the ground, Zato picking his up as they hit the ground and growling.

"Great...now I look like a fool...."

"And you think I don't?"

Said the king as he lifted his and tossed them off to the side, Zato copying this soon after before they immediately set about charging into each other once again, but now as they had been doing before instead of head butting.

=====

Far off to the west where the kingdom Zato had been taken too as a hatchling and captive once stood, a new one did, a spitting image of the one the Royal Guards had destroyed. However, this time, it was ran by Ragna, the kings son, which had not seemed to age a single day since Zato and him at last seen each other. And he currently stood in his courtyard, filled with the same Cherry Blossom trees that his old friend once adored.

He was standing in full armor, the very armor Zato had once gotten forged by Ragnas father, though it was changed to fit the much smaller human frame and the armor for the wings and tail removed, and the color changed to a bright silver with a neon blue dragon emblem on the chest plate. As he stood there, an odd smile sat on his face as a petal from a nearby tree slowly drifted down on the wind. Slowly, Ragna moved his hand out and caught it in his palm, smiling even more as he remembered the dragon that once did the same thing day after day when he wasn't training while doing his best to learn how to play the flute, which he also had on his person.

"Zato....you are my friend, my best and closest....you are out there still....I know you are....but your kind destroyed my fathers kingdom and sent him to a far too early grave....so we, my army and me, shall repay the favor in kind....."

He muttered as he gently crushed the petal in his gauntleted hand before dropping the remains on the ground and setting off to his awaiting army, and on his way, he passed three rows of makeshift crosses in the center of the cherry blossom tress in his courtyard, which he stopped to bow to, before continuing on.

"We all remember you, the ones who have passed one, and the ones who continue on to see you again....which they shall, the heavens as my witness, my mission will not fail and I will be triumphant."

=====

Dawn shown over the kingdom and slowly let its rays shine into the coliseum where Zato and Godaris were still ramming into each other, but their blows far weaker now, the crowd still watching in full interest. The two had not stopped through the entire night other then the head butt, but other then that they had continued to do this. Ram each other, trying to get the other to fall first. Their rams, though much weaker, still hit home hard. The healers standing around on the floor knew full well that a lot of their bones had to be shattered by now, yet neither showed any pain nor roared in agony.

Kizna could not take it anymore and she forced her way though the crowd over to her brother, who had long since turned his head from the show of strength, both of them had to be in utter agony right now. His head slowly lifted his head as he heard someone walk towards and let out a half-hearted chuckle.

"Knew you'd be coming soon....father already had a response for you....no, we are not stopping..."

Kizna let out a rather fearsome growl and sank her claws deep into the rock floor, glaring to her brother.

"You will stop them now or else I...."

She was cut off as a loud, almost Siren shriek, filled the air. Most shuddering from the sound of it, while forcing their eyes to look towards the source. The ramming of the two dragons had stopped, now Godaris had Zatos neck locked in his maw and the black dragon pinned beneath his weight, crunches and snaps sounding under the white dragon as he held this position. Cries and pleads sounded from Pink, Ruby, Veon, but the king only tightened his maw around the blacks neck and growl, waiting for the two words he wanted to hear.

However, the words would not come as Zatos tail slammed into the kings head repeatedly, though tightening his maw around Zatos neck, it caused him to loosen after each hit, before the king pulled off him and stumbled back, groaning and limping away from him as Zato got back onto his legs shakingly and took a step forward, and as he did, his right front leg collapsed under him, causing yet another roar to emit from him. His body was utterly giving out on him, and he knew it. He looked up to see the king moving back towards him, wobbling and stumbling on the way, as Zato just let out a faint chuckle.

"It would seem.....I lose.....Godaris......"

He said as he slipped out of consciousness, blood slowly pooling underneath him, which caused Godaris to go wide eyed a bit and look on his own scales, the majority of him now red with blood, but not his own.

"Healers, get over here now!"

With that, all the healers who had been watching the fight ran over and began to look over Zato, as the king did as well, and he couldn't believe what he was seeing, along with the healers. Zatos body was ripped open from both bones snapping through and scales tearing off.

"How did he get all these wounds? We were only ramming...."

"Sir, his bones seem to be weak. Brittle, yet he fought and continued to do so...why we wont know til...if...he wakes up."

"Take him to the temple, heal him there, pray for him as well."

They all nodded before lifting the large, black dragon off the ground and quickly making their way to the temple while Pink and Ruby rushed down to the king, while Veon took her time, before launching a full out verbal assault out on him, which he mostly tried to drown out, he felt bad already for doing this, and they were just making it worse. He was about to roar out to silence him, when the noise died and he looked to the cause, laughing inside at the sight. Veon was currently holding Pinks and Rubys maws shut while looking to them in turn.

"Pink, Ruby, cool it. He did not know this would happen, neither did we. Zato looked to be in excellent health. How could anyone know that his bones were weak, let alone he would continue to fight even after they shatter?"

Ruby growled a bit and pulled her maw away from Veons grasp, snapping at it but missing on purpose.

"I want to know how he even did it, if his bones were crumbs after the first few rams."

"He could have used magic to hold them together....."

Pink added, as Veon had let go of her maw before they both looked to the king, who was walking away.

"I will send a messenger when it is alright for you to come and visit Zato, til then please, let the healers do what they can. I will come in person should the worst happen."

They slowly nodded before heading off to the castle, heads hung low, as Zatos mother and father joined them in their walk.

"My son always seems to have the worst happen to him, huh?"

Kizna said, both trying to lighten the mood while speaking the truth. They all knew he'd be fine, as long as he didn't get killed again in the coma, but it hurt them inside seeing him in every since of the word, dead.

"Yeah..."

Was the only response she got as they continued their slow walk, before Boros jumped out in front of them and laughed mightily.

"Where is Zato, I've got news for him!"

Pink slowly moved her tail a bit and pointed the tip to the temple, Boros wide smile and laugh instantly dieing before he moved out of the way.

"Sorry, didn't know."

With that, they continued their walk, every now and then one of them looking back to the temple as the sun drew high into the sky, showing it was now noon.

=====

"So Rit, how is he?"

Asked the king as he sat down on his haunches and tilted his head to a rather small and frail looking sky blue dragoness, who spoke in a mothers loving tone.

"I'm truly at a crossroads...I don't know how to heal him.....We've tried every spell.....we only know his body has been devoid of a huge amount of food, yet his outside shows no signs of it....I don't know how we can help him...."

She sighed happily before resting down onto her belly, growling to herself as the king seemed lost in thought for a few minutes before grinning to her, causing her to tilt her head.

"How do the elders eat?"

"They eat off.....Godaris....no....only an elder may eat off magic, he isn't even 500 yet! Let alone 5000!"

"Can still ask to see if they will help the first "changed" Demon Dragon."

He grinned even more before bolting off to a large set of spiraling stairs that lead to the top of the tower, Rit in close pursuit. They continued this run for roughly ten minutes before Godaris charged through an old door, roaring slightly as he used his extremely sore and bruised shoulder to do so. As he did, The seven dragons that were sitting in a circle looked to him and the one of the middle laughed out loud. His age clearly heard in his tone and visible on the dullness of his scales.

"Why I do believe that is the seventh door you've broken this week Godaris, and Rit, I see you once again followed him up here without trying to stop him."

He smiled as she opened her maw to speak, only to have the old grey dragon wave a claw in the air, instantly shutting it.

"Now now, even us old dragons get to tease you young ones. Now Godaris."

"Yes Elder Riil."

He said as he lowered himself in a bow, causing another chuckle to sound from Riil as the other elders lowered back down and went back to sleep.

"I will personally go down there and change Zatos body to feed off of magic, and the reason he is not getting enough nutrients is because his body requires itself to feed off of magic. He differently is a prodigy now isn't he?"

"But Riil, you must not move. You can not....the Eldest of the dragons..."

Godaris received the same treatment as Rit as he slowly stood and let out a long grown, waking the others as they gasped and stood to stop him, before they all were forced back down.

"Oh please my children. I may be old but I still have the most vast knowledge of magic, if I wanted to I could be just like that dragon I am about to save. Stop worrying so much. You know soon I will just reage myself. I've been alive since the beginning of the Great War, I know what I am doing."

He made his way down the long staircase, his first few steps causing pops and snaps to sound from his aging bones as he let out soft murrs from the wonderful feeling of finally moving and stretching as Godaris and Rit floated down next to him.

"Haven't got to move in some three hundred years....I should thank this Zato, The Demon Dragon, for all that has happened. Been rather interesting watching him."

Riil smiled as he turned to the bottom of the stairs, smiling even more as he dull yellow eyes fell onto the heavily breathing Zato, who was staring blankly at the roof of the temple.

"My my..."

He said as he moved closer and stood over Zato, looking over his bloodied form while letting Godaris and Rit down.

"He is....extraordinary....he is in enough pain right now that would cause most to be begging, whimpering, even trying to kill themselves, if they were not unconscious from the pain alone. Yet here he is, breathing heavily and an empty stare. Looks just like he had been training hard and taken a hard blow to the back of the head."

He laughed out as he looked down to Zato, who now had his stare on the old grey.

"Who....are....you...."

"And he talks!"

He laughed even more as he did the same to him as Godaris and Rit, only to be shocked once again soon after.

"Don't try.....to silence me.....I asked.....you a question....."

He laughed even more and smiled, trailing a claw over Zatos cheek and down his neck.

"I am Riil, my last name long abandoned, and I am here to save you."

With that, Zatos eye slowly shut as his breathing calmed down.

"My my...I rather like you."

He said while moving both of his clawed-paws over Zatos form and slowly chanting in an inaudible tone while Zatos form slowly raised off the ground and a bright neon glow surrounded it as Riils once dull yellow eyes shown with a new shine and Zato arced his back in the air, a loud crack sounding and soon a snap as his wings shot open. The blood plastered on his scales slowly vanished in a soft light as more pops and snaps sounded, though Godaris and Rit knew exactly where they were coming from as they watched the bones rearrange under Zatos scales, Rit shivering at the sight as she imagined the pain that must be coursing through him.

"Funny thing Rit, he barely feels a thing compared to some of the other Elders when I did this to them."

"It still fucking hurts! Feels like my insides are being ripped apart!"

Yelled Zato as he arced his back even more, growling deeply as he bite down against his maw, balling his fists and digging his claws into his paws.

"In a since they are...since they have become unneeded....you'll be feeding purely off of magic soon, sure now and then you could have deer or something, but it isn't needed. You'll never have to answer the call of nature as well..."

He chuckled now and smiled as he lowered his paws down to his side and watched as Zato slowly lowered back down onto the ground and the neon light faded into his body before Riil looked down into his eye, smiling even more.

"Done. Healed and changed."

".........thank you, Riil."

He muttered before weakly rolling over and forcing himself to his feet, a few healers moving to stop him, but he just moved them away with his tail.

"I got to my feet...its pretty obvious Im fine.....just sore...."

Riil chuckled and patted the demon dragons head before turning and making his way to the stairs, while talking back to Zato.

"When you've received your armor and feel better, please come up and visit us elders. Oh! Just open the door please, instead of ramming through it like Godaris. And if we are asleep when you come, please just wait."

Zato gave a weak nod and muttered an ok before turning around and heading off to the castle, Godaris instantly moving to his side as he stumbled here and there, his body still sore from the changing and differently the fight.

"Pleasant fight we had, no Godaris?"

Godaris just chuckled and nodded.

"Something the kingdom has not seen in a long, long time."

After that, they both fell silent as they made their way to the castle, the sun now setting in the sky, making a brilliant show of fiery orange and red colors as the black of the night began to add itself to the colors. Zato always loved this time of day....it calmed him for some reason. He always thought that the darkness in the sky was an invading army, pushing the light forces back after winning a large battle. Only to be forced to retreat themselves in the morning of the next day. A never ending battle, most would say.

"Zato, you seem rather lost looking to your battle."

A chuckle sounded next to him and looked over to Godaris, smiling.

"Aye...seems you still remember how I call it that."

"Of course, most in the castle remember. Its slightly...what was the thing Crisi called it...Oh, yes! Romantic!"

He chuckled to himself as Godaris soon joined in as well and they continued on walking through the streets of the kingdom, Zato now and then looking up into the sky as the night began to win more and more of the sky. His gaze would have most likely stayed upon the heavens, but a crash sounded in front of him and the king, causing both to look to the source only to find Arthur being flung out of window by Riil. Both looked to each other before looking in front of him, Zato looking behind. The temple far off in his view.

"How did someone so old get here so fast?"

He thought to himself before looking forward, seeing Riil glaring to him.

"I maybe old but I am not slow, Zato! What do you have to say about this?"

Godaris bowed a bit and looked to the ground.

"About what, elder?"

"This...."

A bag of gold hit the ground in front of the king before a human soon followed, his throat shred open and his head barely hanging on to his torso.

"Your son has been using our money to bribe the human kingdoms for information on each other, about weakness, about everything. Do you plan to attack them? Is that it? You have your son seek information on them to attack them? Do you seek to start another Great War?"

"Elder! I know nothing of this, I sw..."

Godaris was cut off as Zato tackled him in his side and instantly looked his maw around the kings throat, cutting off all but a roar as the king glared to Zato, only to see his eye a pure white.

"Remember Godaris....I hold the most magic power in the kingdom. He may have broken the little maw holding spell, but this one is far more powerful. He'll hold you down, sure he would have done it without me forcing him, but he may not be as rough as he is now. I do believe you seek to begin another war, and I will not allow it! Peace is far too hard to obtain, and we did. We've had peace for countless years! And you want to ruin it like the humans do daily!"

"Elder Riil! I swear to every one of our gods I did not know my son was doing this! I thought one of the members of the castle had been stealing from the vault! Make Zato let go! I am innocent!"

Godaris pleaded as Zatos bite tightened more and more by the second before it suddenly let go, before he moved away and the spell vanished, leaving Zato with a confused look on his face and tilting his head.

"Why do I taste blood....? What happened?"

He said, looking to the king now with a large bite mark around his neck as the king just looked forward, hanging his head low.

"Forgive me Elder, I truly did not know my son was doing this. I do not know why...."

"Because our race grows weak father!"

Yelled Arthur as he slowly got to his feet and stumbled a bit, glaring to everyone there.

"Our magic dwindles, only the elders have strong magic. Our strength is nothing compared to what it once was. Zato showed me that. Me and him aren't even in the same league! He has enough power in him to shack a mountain! Im lucky to shake a boulder!"

The king glared to his son, how could he be so foolish?

"Son! Nothing about us has weakened! The only reason you think we, you, are weak is because we do not train like the humans and our ancestors did! We have no need too! How magic is actually stronger then what it use to be! Our bodies can still harness our old power! Zato has been training since the day he was taken from his parents! He has a reason to be as strong as he is! I was a fighter in the Great War, so was Elder Riil! Me and him have both been reverting our age to watch over our kind! We have not witnessed any weakness!"

"Lies! All fucking lies! I train daily and I am....."

"HAVE YOU SEEN HOW ZATO TRAINS!? You only swing your sword around! That is not training! Zato spars, runs, flies, hell he flies through the houses as an obstacle course! Do not start thinking we are weak because YOU don't train like he does. And are you that solo minded!? HE IS ONE DRAGON! You are comparing our kind to one of our own! That is foolish my son!"

Arthur opened his maw to speak, only to have Riil wave a claw and instantly make him fall asleep.

"I was getting tired of the yelling....anyways, I shall take him to the dungeon. Forgive me for suggesting that you were doing this my old friend."

"No, Elder Riil. I am sorry. My son got jealous of Zato and it clouded his mind until only anger and jealously remained. He just needed an excuse...."

Riil nodded and began to take Arthur, before looking to Zato and smiling.

"Sorry about taking control of you."

Zato blinked before the elder vanished, making him all the more confused as he looked to see the king had also vanished.

"Gods....what just happened...."

He shook his head and took off for the castle, groaning at the first few flaps as his wings hurt. He made it a straight flight, wanting to land quickly to avoid anymore pain. To his relief, he reached his ledge in under about twenty minutes, when it would take an hour sometimes with him "show boating" and he quickly landed and crept into his room, looking around and not seeing Pink, Ruby, or Veon until he took a few more steps and a light snapped on before Pink, Veon, Ruby, his mother, father, and all his brothers and sisters pounced ontop of him. Pain shot through him, but he tried to ignore it and let out a strained laugh.

"Next time I am sleeping on the roof....this hurts."

They all laughed before moving off of him and he quickly gave a soft, but loving, kiss to his mates before wiggling into a nest made out of pillows and blankets before his mates moved in with him, as well as his parents and siblings, all sleeping in one massive pile. All of them quickly falling asleep.

=====

Over in the kings chambers, Godaris laid on his bed sighing heavily as he looked over his kingdom. His son had betrayed him...all because he was jealous of the demon dragon....he thought he had raised him better, it would seem he hadn't.

"I'm sure he just needs to cool down....sure Arthur will go back to his old mind set soon enough."

He muttered to himself before turning around and wiggling into his large nest, curling up into a ball as he too quickly fell asleep with worry about his son heavy on his mind.

=====

The sun slowly dawned over the kingdom, rays shining through into Zatos room and slowly waking up the pile of dragons, raptors, and naga. Only to find the one they had fell asleep with was now gone, none exactly worried because they knew he was most likely training. However, before long, the door opened causing everyone to look to it, only to see Zato standing there with a large platter in his arms and a wide smile on him.

"Heard your stomachs growling this morning, thought you all would be hungry."

He chuckled and moved over, setting the plate down before sitting in front of them all, who just looked to him.

"Yes?"

"You look...different Zato."

He blinked to Pink as she said that and watched as everyone nodded before he stood and looked into a mirror, tilting his head. He looked the same, other then a few new scars here and there.

"How so?"

"You're scales....still black, but shine with a healthy glow...your eye the same....your movements are more fluid now...."

He laughed to that and nodded.

"Oh...should have guessed, you all had me worried my scales had changed color or something. An Elder helped me last night, I don't feed off normal food anymore, I feed off magic. I guess my body needed to feed off magic. I feel so much better now."

He smiled as they all nodded and laughed.

"Look better too."

Joked his mother as she got a growl in return.

"Eat your food before I take it somewhere else."

With that everyone dug in, save for Osia, who slowly moved over to her brother and looked up to him, giving a soft pouty face, which on her just seemed incredibly cute.

"Yes my sister?"

"I am not hungry my brother.....I was wondering if we could take a walk....."

He smiled and looked to his mother, who nodded to him before continuing with her meal, and then nodded to Osia.

"Alright, let us go."

He waited til she walked out into the hallway before following behind her, slowly moving up to her side before they both silently made their way out of the castle and into the streets, both heading to the forest. And once they got into the tree line, Osia looked to her brother and lowered her head a little.

"I didn't wish to ask in front of mother and father, but brother..."

He slowly sat down and gave a tilt of his head.

"Yes Osia?"

"Are you a Demon Dragon?"

He couldn't help but laugh at that and nodded.

"I am, I forgot you are the only ones in the kingdom that do not know that. How do you know what it is my sister?"

"Well...I was reading in the castle library."

"Like you normally do."

She nodded and continued on.

"And in a book I read, it said I am a Mercy Dragon."

He nodded to that and smiled more, knowing full well where it was going.

"And you read how a Mercy Dragon is destined to kill a Demon Dragon, to ends its reign of destruction and you are worried that one day you will have to kill me."

She nodded to that and tears began to quickly down her cheeks before she rushed against her brother and held him tight as he lowered his head down and gently licked away her tears.

"Osia, do not worry. I am a Demon Dragon, yes, but I am different. I shall never cause any reason for you six to even consider killing me. Do not worry yourself over that. Now, sister, please stop your crying."

"But brother! I've had nightmares of me killing you time and time again! Even before I read those stories!"

He smiled and gently rubbed over her head.

"Repeat the fifth word you said my sister."

"Nightmare."

"What is a nightmare?"

"A bad dream everyone has.....something they fear."

"You fear you'll kill me because of how much you love me. It is not you killing me in that nightmare Osia. It may look like you, but it is not. The one you see as yourself is not you, it is the embodiment of your fear of something bad happening to me, therefore causing me to vanish from your life. I am your bother, I will never leave you six my sister, I will always, ALWAYS, watch over you all."

During his speech, her crying had stopped and she just nuzzled into his neck, purring happily now.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Cross your heart and hope you die?"

He chuckled, she spent too much time reading about the humans and watching them in the viewing pools. He slowly lifted a claw and crossed it over where his heart was, smiling to her.

"Cross my heart and hope I die, should I break this promise."

She smiled and hugged him tightly before he gently lifted her up and cradled her in his arms and cooed happily to her, causing her to squirm around.

"Awww...come on brother, not this. I am too old for this."

"Never too hold to be babied!"

He laughed before launching himself into the air and getting to a high altitude before smiling to her as he floated, letting her look around from the height, a soft gasp leaving her maw.

"Brother....its wonderful up here."

"I know....I take it mother and father have not taught you how to fly yet?"

She shook her head as he held her out at arms length and smiled.

"Do you trust me?"

She nodded.

"Open your wings."

She slowly did so and Zato gently nuzzled her.

"Now watch what I do ok?"

She gave another nod as he folded his wings in and they began to fall, most young fliers would cry now, but she had complete trust in her brother and soon his wings snapped open and he did a gentle glide before flapping his wings back up to his previous altitude.

"Copy that, and do not worry. If you can not, I will catch you. Remember, I will never let anything bad happen to you."

She nodded and closed her wings back up before Zato gently dropped her, gently gliding down next to you, but far enough away to not get in her way, and soon enough she snapped open her wings and began to glide rather shaky, now and then going off course, but otherwise doing fine for a first time. Soon afterward, she began to flap her wings and slowly ascend before she gave a mistimed flapped, one wing flapping faster then the other and caused her to spin before falling a bit before Zato instantly caught her and smiled to his sister, who was shaking a little, but not from fear.

"That was wonderful Zato! Can I try again?"

He smiled and returned once again to his altitude before dropping her again, this time floating there as she fell.

"I believe this time you can return to me."

His smile stayed as she opened her wings and glided a bit, much straighter this time around, before flapping her wings and slowly ascending to her brother before landing in his arms, earning a kiss to her cheek.

"Wonderful my sister. You're a natural flier. Took me a lot tries then that to get steady. Mother and Father will be extremely proud of you."

"You think so?!"

She said happily and he nodded.

"Know so, just promise me you wont do any of the stuff I do, like fly through the houses, til you are far more experienced."

She nodded happily and whimpered as a soft growl emitted from her belly.

"Someone's hungry."

He smiled as she blushed before nodding.

"Time to head back then."

He was about to fly off when his sister gently poked his neck and looked up to him with big, whelp eyes once again.

"Can you do those tricks you normally do....and let me be on your back?"

He chuckled and nodded before wrapping his tail around her waist and moving her behind him, wiggling his neck a bit as she hugged tightly around it and he smiled.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

She said as he instantly folded his wings up and fell straight to the ground, but this time at an angle falling straight to the towns center where most dragons would be and he smiled as he was right, crowded once again and he smiled even more already seen him and began to warn the others. His little tricks were well known now and most loved to watch him, and also dodge him.

His fall sped up a bit as he quickly rocketed to the ground, before he snapped his wings open roughly ten feet off the ground before rocketing forward and flying nimbly through the houses, over, and around. He had done this so many times, he could do it with his eye closed. But he wouldn't for two reasons. One, streets weren't always empty, neither were the skies, and second, he had a passenger.

He continued his little show til he came up the castles main tower, where everyone mostly lived from the castle, and shot straight up along the wall, purposely dragging a claw along it now and then until he finally gave a graceful landing back into his room, where Kizna and Ryu were waiting for him and Osia, who was currently asleep hugging around his neck, unknown to Zato.

A giggle sounded from his mother as she walked over to him and gave him a kiss to the cheek, his father copying it for the fun which Zato quickly joined in on and returned the kiss, getting a playful disgusted look out of his father, which he only laughed to, as they slowly moved Osia off his back and smiled at the sleeping dragoness, as she began to wiggle and stir, before Zato gently took her into his arms and she calmed down.

"Heh, well Zato, seems she really does adore you."

He gave a nod and chuckled.

"Im surprised she fell asleep and kept that hold, she was nearly chocking me."

They both smiled and grabbed their five children and held them in their arms.

"We'll let her live with you, she can hardly ever sleep back at the cave. Hope you don't mind."

"Of course not, oh! So you both know, she's a natural flier."

They both laughed and felt their hearts swell a bit, proud of their daughter and son for teaching her, before they both leapt off the ledge and flew back to their home as Zato turned and sat her down on his bed and covered her with a small blanket before giving a soft kiss to her head.

"Sleep well my sister."

He smiled as she muttered something in her sleep before turning around, which after he turned and jumped out the ledge before gliding down to the town square and making his way over to the smiths, wanting to see how far his stuff has come along. On his way, he couldn't help but notice a lot of dragons were looking at him. He tried to ignore it, but soon it became unbearable and he locked his eye with the nearest dragon and growled.

"What is everyone looking at!"

The green dragon who he had accidently yelled at slowly pointed a claw to his flank, which he slowly turned his head before looking to his other. On both of his thighs sat a large neon blue brand, which was a circle of dots, seven to be exact, with a large rose inside, the mark of the Elders, and he couldn't help but laugh at that before continuing on. Great, now he had even MORE respect in the kingdom. This was getting annoying.

When he arrived at the smiths, he heard yelling inside and stopped for a moment before pushing his head, chuckling at the sight. What greeted him was Pink arguing with Boros about...what sounded like his armor, before he pushed in and smiled to Boros in the corner of his sight while putting a claw over his maw, as he snuck up on Pink who continued to yell at the smith.

He drew up behind her before putting his maw next to her ear hole, and grinning to Boros before letting out a long growl, which instantly caused a ripple to spread along Pinks back before she bolted outside in a flash before poking her head back in and whimpered.

"DONT DO THAT ZATO!"

She yelled at him before charging at him and slamming into his neck, coughing a bit at the hit before putting a claw to her back and chuckling.

"Oh, you were yelling at Boros, you know not to yell at people."

"But....he messed up your armor love..."

He let out a long laugh before gently kissing her lips, smiling.

"Love, how could he mess up my armor when he is still forging it?"

She went into thought for a while before lowering her head and shame, as Zato and Boros gave another chuckle and he gently rubbed her head.

"Now love, just calm down ok?"

She nodded gently before resting against his chest, as he looked to the brown.

"So...is something wrong with it?"

"Other then I never forged something like this."

He laughed before sitting down on his haunches.

"Actually, your armor is coming along nicely, as well as theirs. It's your Zanbatou I'm having trouble with. It looks like your armor currently cause I just can not reforge it to its old shape. I still can't believe a human made it...."

"A human didn't, a dwarf did."

He blinked and laughed.

"Thats why! Those short little bastards can make a dagger out of dirt if they wanted to."

"What is the problem you're having anyway?"

"I can't keep the blade hot enough to forge it, it keeps cooling. If it was smaller I'd be able to do so..."

"What would happen if I helped? Used my flame along with yours, would it stay hot enough?"

Boros gave another laugh and smiled.

"I was actually hoping you'd say that. Come."

Zato gently nosed again Pink and smiled.

"Now you return home, get the other two as well. Gods know what they are doing."

She nodded before bolting out of the smiths as Zato followed behind the brown, chuckling to himself at how his mate just asked. The walk was a short one, as Zato now found himself at the back of the smiths standing over a pile of metal next to a large stand and hammers thrown about.

"So...wheres my Zanbatou?"

He laughed as he pointed to the pile of metal next to his feet, Zato only now realizing that the wooden hilt was between his legs.

"You made it a pile of metal."

"Not for long."

Boros said with his laugh before lifting the ruined sword onto the stand and smiling to Zato, signaling to Zato to get underneath, the stand shaped easily to allow someone to stand underneath. So, with a soft shrug, he moved under the thing and found that he had to rest on his back, so once again he shrugged and rolled onto his back, looking up to Boros.

"Now just keep a steady flame on the underside...should keep the blade hot enough to shape. And don't worry about burning anything, or me."

Zato gave one last shrug before taking a deep breath, filling his lungs to their limits, before letting out a blast of flame to the underside of his once prized weapon. He kept the jet steady, easily enough seeing that his flame was hot enough to almost instantly make the blade glow white as Boros quickly set about forging the weapon as Zato held the flame.

It was hard to keep up the jet of flame, he had never held it for this long, and rarely even used it. But here he was, underneath a smiths stand, blowing a jet a flame over his weapon for about three minutes each time before taking another breath.

"Surprised Zato, most would just do fireballs. A lot can't hold the flame for long."

Boros laughed as he continued to pound away at the metal. This continued for nearly the entire day, before Boros roared out in approval as he lowered down and smiled to the completely breathless Zato.

"Done."

"Thank the gods....I taste sulfur in my maw....and metal...."

He said, panting, drawing a laugh from Boros as Zato wiggled out and tilted his head at his weapon, causing Boros to grow a bit worried. He thought he had done an excellent job on the weapon, though the enchants were not on it just yet.

Zato looked to him before grabbing his weapon and taking it outside and looking around, a lot of the dragons that were walking by stopped upon seeing the massive blade, before Zato raised it up and swung, nearly all of them dropping down and staying down as he swung again and again, he couldn't put his claw on it, but his weapon seemed so different somehow, felt weird too. Before, it felt right in his claws, however, now it felt like it was trying to run away.

He heard Boros come out behind him now and looked to Zato with a worried look.

"Did I do something wrong, my liege?"

"Not your liege...and it just feels and looks different for some reason. I know you only made it bigger so I may use it in my feral, but....something is wrong with it."

He continued to look at it before snapping his claws, just now realizing the runes were gone.

"Where are the runes!?"

"Oh those....I made them dormant, I was going to awaken them when I was done enchanted."

Zato let out a long sigh and turned to Boros before pushing the massive weapon against him.

"You finish it fast, got it? It wasn't smart to make those dormant."

"Wh..."

Zato instantly held Boros maw closed and shook his head.

"No asking why, just do."

Boros looked to him for a few before moving back into his shop as Zato turned and looked to everyone who had been watching him swing his sword about.

"What?"

With that, everyone continued on their way, muttering about him. He shook his head a bit before turning and looking out to the tower of the castle, chuckling a bit as he spread his wings and fly right to his ledge as quick as he could before landing quietly. All the torches and candles in the room were blown out, yet he seen just fine, and smiled as his sight fell upon Veon, Pink, and Ruby all curled against each other for warmth. So, he gently curled up around them and drapped a wing over them, and even though they were fast asleep, they knew exactly who it was and wiggled against his belly, each with a smile now on their muzzles.

"Love you three."

He smiled before resting his head near his tailtip and drifting off to his own sleep, unbeknownst to him though, the king had been watching from on the ledge, smiling to himself.

"Tomorrow you will serve your punishment, then we can get these events behind us."

He thought to himself before flying off back to his own room.

=====

Back at Castle Freehaven, Ragna had finally set his army and the plan. Everyone knew the dragons would have no guards around their kingdom, they lived a far too easy life. One of no worries, no wars, no fighting. The dragons surely had to be lazy. He knew he's army was nothing compared to most, only half of the forces his father had once held, but he knew the dragons wouldn't be much of a fight.

"Are the mages here yet? We need them to destroy that damn wall in the center of the land."

"They are on their war, three more days, my liege. They had to get an archmage to come as well, since he is a descendant of one of the mages who made that wall. He has the scroll on how to destroy it."

Ragna gave a nod to his major before letting him off, and looking to the cherry blossom tress. He now knew why Zato loved them so much, they were calming whenever you looked upon them.

"Maybe I will be able to bring you back here my friend....let you look upon these trees again..."

With that, he turned and made his way back into his castle with the sounds of his army preparing to keep him company.

=====

Morning dawned over the kingdom to find Pink, Ruby, Veon, Osia, and Zato all awake and rough housing. All of them jumping onto him before he managed to get Ruby and Veon pinned under his claws and began to relentlessly tickle them, both squealing from it as he used his tail to get Pink and Osia off his back before pinning the two to the ground with it and tickling them with the tip.

"We give, we give!"

They all giggled out at the same time before he stopped and smiled.

"Still can't beat my tickles."

All of them stuck their tongues out at him before he just returned it.

"Ok you four, time for your training. I need to go check on a few things as well."

Ruby, Osia, and Veon nodded before bolting off to get ready, while Pink slowly stood up and moved over to Zato, who was now facing a large wardrobe while looking over the selection of clothes that had been made for him, hating how he was now asked to wear clothes, specially as a feral. He continued to look over them until Pink gently rubbed along his side, getting a low purr out of him and caused him to look back at her, seeing her eyes were full or worry.

"Pink, whats wrong?"

She continued to just rub along his side before she moved a claw back and rubbed over his tail, the feeling of which caused his legs to buckle and instantly fell onto his stomach. She continued to rub over his tail while gently pushing against his side, moving him with a bit of effort, onto his back before moving back down and rubbing both of her claws over the underside of his tail.

"Anthro...my love...."

He changed in a flash, before she instantly set about rubbing over his wings and tail now. Her claws on his wings, and her tail rubbing over his. As she did, she kept looking down to his slit, before a smile came to her maw as it swelled a bit before the tip of his length slowly began to push out into the cool mid-day air. His length continued to grow until it was at its full thirteen inches. She smiled to the glistening cock, before moving one claw over to it and gently trailing a claw-tip over it, following the neon blue spiral on it.

After she had done that, she looked up and smiled to her panting mate, knowing he was completely numb right now and unable to do anything, other then pant and the only feeling he could get, was what she was about to do. And it instantly hit him as she moved ontop of him and put both her claws to his chest while using her tail to pull off the pair of old pants she always wore inside the room, before gently grinding against his cock-tip, both moaning as she did.

He kept his gaze on her, she was acting so differently right now, this wasn't the normal Pink. He watched as she lowered herself down onto his length while both let out a long, low moan, before she quickly set about riding him. Taking her time, not wanting herself or him to cum too early. That much, he could tell...maybe she was just in heat?

Pink began to let out louder moans, she remember when he had taken her by the river. He filled her so completely, she was held in her mind that they were meant for each other. All four of them. She slowly began to pick up her pase as a feeling deep within her began to build up, causing more and more of her fluid to slide out onto Zatos length and groin. She knew her climax was building fast, Zatos too, from the feel of his pre dribbling into her and his cock heating up. Pink knew since they had not down this for some time, the feelings would hit them hard, but this was mainly showing her love to him.

She continued to ride her mate until she slammed down onto him and let out a shriek, before muffling herself by gently biting her finger, as her cunny clamped down around his length and her juices rushed out of her and onto him. Her climax triggering his own as he let out a low roar, and pushed up against her before he began to empty himself deep within her in long, powerful jets.

This continued for nearly a full minute, before both climaxes died down, leaving them both panting for air as Pink laid her head upon his chest, as he folded a wing down over her.

"Thank you for not being mad love...and nothing is wrong....just had a bad dream last night...about today...wanted to just show you my love..."

He gave a weak nod and gave her a kiss before folding his wing around, before both of them fell into a deep sleep, his length still buried in her.

To Be Continued.....

(Hope this makes up for my cliffhanger ^.=.^;;; ))