FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was in all the newspapers, on the news channels, and of course all over the internet. It was a global affair.

"This just in, we've received word that a computer chip prototype, valued to be worth at least ten million dollars, has just been stolen from the research labs of Intracom's headquarters. No leads yet on who is responsible for the heist but local police are investga-" The reporter paused, "I've just received word that another robbery has been reported. A priceless gold, jewel encrusted mask has been removed from its display in the Museum of Ancient History. Preliminary searches have revealed no hints as to the burglar's means of entry or escape. It is also unknown how they managed to remove the mask itself from its state of the art security containment display case. The mask is valued at just over six million dollars."

Two more robberies came that night, all within fifteen or twenty minutes of each other. When all was said and done, the four crimes linked together to point to the only gang known for such activities; "The International Eight," a group of eight professional thieves from all over the globe, all of them women. They were notorious for targeting high profile items, striking multiple targets on the same night, and skipping town well before anyone could ever know their property was missing. They were as close to the perfect criminals as could be possible. Five years ago, when they pulled their first job together, they left a calling card behind that announced to the world they existed. Through detective work, the international authorities deduced that every member of this band of thieves were in fact female. It was quite the setup they had going, and after their most recent lift, they left town with a prototype microprocessor, a priceless ancient golden mask, enough jewelry to make any rap artist drool, and the contents of one 'impenetrable' vault housing the safety deposit boxes of some three thousand high-life citizens. The authorities everywhere hated these eight girls with a passion burning hotter than the sun, longing to take them all down... or perhaps engage in some less than appropriate activities. They were known for their stealth, mystique, and of course, their arrogance. More and more often, they began leaving cameras behind that had filmed them performing the act just to scoff in the faces of their would-be captors. It was a sensational story that had everyone talking and produced a massive fan base of cultists that longed to meet their heroines, desperate to curry favor with them, perhaps learn a few of their tricks, or maybe engage in the afore mentioned activities.

Had the authorities bothered to check the local airports for private flight plans, they would have noticed the same craft arriving just two weeks before each heist and leaving the night they occurred; a private plane that happened to be sailing high over the tallest mountains in the world, the Epyons. With the autopilot engaged, heading for a remote city in a third-world country they intended to use as their hideout, the eight girls celebrated in their largest collaboration to date, well... at least seven of them celebrated.

Party music filled the cozy cabin as Champaign was poured and sipped by several females clad in black, skin-tight jumpsuits, leaving little to the imagination. These were shed in short order, leaving all in nothing but their fur and scales as they danced about. A few had pulled one another onto one of the long couch-like benches lining a portion of the walls, enjoying a bit of erotic fun as they basked in their triumph. But back in the corner, simply holding a glass of water, running a finger along the rim as she thought sat a lone serpent, pondering over what they had done as she always did, much to the annoyance of her colleagues. She had never really approved of their choice of occupation to begin with, and her conscience was getting to her once again.

"I just don't see why we have to steal anymore... it's not like we need the money." She spoke quietly, hoping no one would hear her but unfortunately, there was a bat among the group and she rolled her eyes as those words reached her hyper-sensitive ears. "Well, party's over guys... lil miss goody-two-shoes is sulking again." A collective moan came from the group as the leader of the crew, a tall, slender, and rather agile raccoon, strolled over to the lamenting reptile, a look of perturbation on her muzzle.

"Why the hell did you join our outfit if all you're gonna do is try to rationalize it!? We stole this crap 'cause we can!"

"But we don't need it..."

"That's the point! We take this stuff and we sell it off to the highest bidder!" One of the girls, a vixen, spoke up.

"Speak for yerself honey... I plan on keepin' every last scrap of jewelry Sheila and I pilfered! We're gonna be the sparkliest thieves on the planet!" The raccoon rolled her eyes and shot the two girls a look as they giggled, silencing them so her scolding could go on unhindered.

"If you can't take the moral burden we've 'dropped' on you, then I suggest you get out, you spineless coward!" Natalie cowered a bit under the harsh words, never having once stood up to the woman she once looked up to.

"I'm sorry, I'll stop... just please... stop yelling..." Sylvia smirked and gave a triumphant humph before turning around and joining back in on the celebration. She was determined to either force Natalie to see it their way or drive her out for good. Of course, there was always the fear of that little snake going to the cops and turning them all in, but it was all quelled by one simple phrase that remained in the back of her mind constantly, "If we go down, you're comin' with us!" If she came forward, she would have to expose herself and go to prison with them, but it was getting to a point where she didn't care about that much anymore.

Night continued to hold a dark embrace on the mountains they flew over, keeping low to make detecting the plane that much harder, and it just so happened it was just a little too low. The party continued with poor Natalie sitting by herself in the corner until the whole craft shook powerfully and the floor lurched in a rather disconcerting direction. The sound of the engines revving higher and higher could be heard as they no longer needed to push so hard to maintain the speed. That meant gravity had taken on the brunt of the work of keeping the plane in motion. The girls all screamed in surprise and Silvia scrambled to the cockpit, slipping into the pilot's seat.

"Everyone strap in!" Her order was obeyed immediately, Natalie taking her own position in the co-pilot's seat. That was one reason they needed her, she was a damn good pilot.

"The fuel lines are freezing up... and we're losing oil pressure fast... I think we hit something." The raccoon growled in annoyance as she wrestled with the controls.

"Oh! Ya think!?" The plane tilted sharply to one side as the port wing struck something quiet solid, snapping a chunk of it off in the process. More screams could be heard from the main cabin... they may have been professional thieves, but that didn't stop any of them from having a fear of flying, or at least crashing.

"Mayday mayday mayday. This is Indy Five Niner Zero, we are going down. Position is..." The serpent was cut off immediately, her radio switched off permanently by the raccoon beside her.

"Idiot! Do you want them to catch us!?"

"We're about to crash in the Epyons! I'd think it would be nice to have a search party come and find us!"

"Yeah! And put us behind bars!"

"Better to be in prison than a 'Coon-cicle!" Sylvia glared at the snake, shooting daggers at her co-pilot for the rude remark. The look didn't last long. In the seconds that followed, white loomed up through the windshield of the jet, and the plane shook violently as it made contact with a snow-capped mountain, losing the power of flight and sliding rather swiftly down the side of the peak. They were lucky the plane itself was in an angle not skewed too far from the mountainside, leaving the craft relatively unharmed. The ride was not a smooth one, bumping and jostling as the two in the cockpit struggled with the controls in futility. Snow splashed up onto the front of the plane before the whole vehicle finally slammed into a rather large rock, bringing it finally to a halt. The passengers all cried out in shock as the plane stopped so suddenly. When everything settled again, everyone unbuckled and checked to see if there were any injuries, thankfully there were none. The next item of business was to see if the loot was still intact, and thankfully, it was. Amazingly, the power was still on, providing light and at least a little heat, but it would not be long before the temperature would drop.

"Everyone alright?" The girls all responded in the affirmative to Sylvia's inquiry while Natalie remained strapped in, panting to catch her breath and calm down from the adrenaline rush.

"Well, we're on the ground now... somewhere in the mountains. We'll still make it to our destination; it's just going to take a little longer. First of all, nobody panic... that's the worst thing we can do in this situation." The whole of the crew nodded as more instructions came. Blankets were handed out and a number of the girls huddled together for warmth, all except Natalie who curled up back in the same corner with her own blanket. Even before the group began to ridicule her, none of them seemed terribly affectionate towards her in any way, using a weak excuse like being cold blooded and stealing all the heat from what should be shared warmth. She was used to it by now. And so the night went on. A horrible howl came outside as the wind whipped across the surface of the wrecked plane, but that didn't stop the others from sleeping soundly. Natalie would find no rest, however.

After what seemed like an eternity, the sun finally rose and the wind died down. Light shown in through what windows were not covered by snow and the girls woke one by one, their breath visible as clouds of quickly evaporating fog. The group crawled out from their frozen craft to survey the damage. It was an odd sight; there was hardly any damage whatsoever, at least externally. The cabin was intact and could still be pressurized. The only discernable damage was to the port wing, the outer most ten feet of it having been snapped off. The whole of the plane was lodged in a valley-like formation of rock, creating a long "V" that held it in place. It was miraculous. Either the plane was just that sturdy, or they were insanely lucky. The fact of the matter was neither was true and they would not find that out for a while.

"Let's see if we can't get some heat going inside... who knows, maybe we can try to get the thing moving again. There's a village down in the valley not far from here if I'm not mistaken in where we landed." Sylvia immediately took command, issuing orders.

"Maybe we should just look around for Mak'Shari. It's supposed to be around here somewhere." A few giggles rose up as a result of the joke. Mak'Shari was nothing more than a legend, a fairy tale told to children to keep them from realizing the pilots that crashed up in the mountains actually died. No one really knew how this legend started but it was quite the tale. A village, a paradise even, hidden away in a valley high in the mountains, protected by some strange mystical force that prevented the harsh cold from affecting its inhabitants. It was nothing more than a legend though.

"Just do your jobs and can the jokes. If we screw up now, we won't get put in prison or shot at by police... we will freeze to death, understand?" Her commanding voice made everyone quiet down and get to work. They began swiftly, some pulling snow away from various parts of the craft, others taking stock of what they had aboard. As they cleaned the precipitation away from the plane, they found something rather interesting. The rock the plane had come to rest on was rounded, as if it had been carved into a smooth, curved valley. What was even more peculiar was that it fit the shape of the plane perfectly. It even ran from just a few feet past the nose cone to the tail of the plane. It was incredible.

"Hey! Over here! We found something!" Two of the girls had been sent to look around a bit, appraise the area and watch the sky for any other aircraft that might have come in search of the downed private jet. What they found instead was someone lying, half buried in the snow, unconscious; and this someone was rather large! The other girls came running and they started scooping the icy stuff off the creature, slowly revealing scales of a silvery white covered in places by a thin robe that surely would have offered no warmth in weather such as this. Eventually, they managed to uncover the whole of the animal to find it was female, and she was not just any female, but she was a dragon. She lay there, unmoving, seeming to not even breathe near as the band of thieves could tell, but she did have a pulse, a slow pulse but a regular one none the less. There was a bit of discussion trying to decide what to do. Finally, the group thought it would be best to aid the poor woman, after all, she might know the lay of the land, maybe find a route for them to take down out of the mountains to a village and from there they could continue their travels.

The girls hauled the rather large dragoness over towards the plane and leaned her up against the hull, wrapping her up in as many blankets as they could spare. She wouldn't fit inside. Otherwise they would have just sealed her in and turned up the heat once they had power again. For the longest time, the unconscious creature remained unresponsive, simply laying there drawing in as much warmth as her body could. After about two hours, her eyes fluttered open and her breathing became regular. As soon as someone noticed she was awake, the eight females were around her, all of them curious. Never before had they seen a dragon with feathered wings, or one as large as this one. Slowly, she became more cognitive and gradually managed to utter a few words.

"A... are you... all... alright?" The girls looked at one another rather confused.

"We're fine... I think we should be asking you if you're alright." The silvery-white creature nodded softly.

"I'm... fine... just cold... I'll warm up... soon." She seemed to sigh in relief hearing that they were unharmed, as if they were more important than she herself was. More time passed as the girls went about organizing supplies, repairing what portions of the jet that could be fixed, and checking in with their guest to see how she was doing. Eventually, Natalie came upon her standing under her own strength, no longer wrapped in the blankets they packed around her. She looked over the portion of the wing that was missing a fairly good sized chunk. Oddly, the dragoness did not seem at all bothered by the icy wind that whistled about her.

"Aren't you cold?" It was Natalie. She had taken a special interest in their draconic guest, never having seen a reptilian creature quite like this before.

"Not really. Once I managed to warm myself up, I didn't need all those blankets, thank you for wrapping me up though. It helped speed things along."

"But you're only wearing a skimpy robe, you've gotta be cold." The dragoness chuckled softly and looked down at the serpent below.

"I can regulate my body temperature. Yes, I'm 'cold blooded' but I can raise and lower how warm my blood is at will. I have it running warmer than normal right now."

"You can do that? At will!?" She was well aware of the limitations of the reptilian body, but never before had she heard of anyone being able to warm themselves up on command like that. The dragoness knelt a bit and ran a hand softly over the damaged section of the craft's wing, frowning as she examined it.

"I tried so hard, but I couldn't stop you from crashing. I'm sorry. I should not have been out flying so late at night." Natalie blinked a number of times as she pieced together the events of the previous evening. They had struck something just hard enough to force them into a nosedive then the fuel line froze. When they inspected the damage, they found that the line had actually been cut by something and snow and ice lodging itself in the new gash, clogging the tube.

"It was you we hit last night, wasn't it? We hit you and you cut the fuel line by accident," she paused as her mind wrapped itself around the circumstances and the new evidence, "probably with one of your claws... right?" The dragoness nodded softly and sighed.

"I did my best to bring you down safely, but I was loosing consciousness fast from the hit. It left me pretty rattled. I lost a hold on my body temperature and from there it was a short trip down to the mountainside here where I passed out. Before I did, though, I managed to rig up a makeshift stand for your plane." That was the final piece of the puzzle.

"So you did that too... but... how? That's solid rock." The angelic creature chuckled and looked over at Natalie, holding up a hand, palm turned up. In a very simple yet effective display of power, she created a tiny sphere of light in her hand, letting it glow just inches above her skin before it burst into a thousand tiny multicolored sparkles which faded quickly.

"Magic my friend, I used magic. My name is Shayna. What's yours?" The serpentine female stuttered softly seeing the rather entertaining light show, trying to bring her forked tongue back under her command.

"N... na... Natalie." And that was all she managed to say, astounded by such a simple little trick. Shayna giggled softly and reached out, ruffling the other reptilian's hair lightly.

"Those who know nothing of magic always find that little spell to be more incredible than it really is. Now, gather your friends. It would be best if I took you somewhere more protected than this place. The cold will no doubt harm you if you stay out here too long." Natalie paused for a moment pondering over the word 'friends' and made a comment to herself before turning to head into the craft.

"Shayna, the tall lady with the wings... she wants to take us somewhere out of the cold. She must have a cave or something around here." Her colleagues spoke among themselves for a moment before Sylvia approved of the idea. They collected what warm garments they had and wrapped up before powering down the plane, and hiding their ill-gotten gains.

"It'll be safe here until we get back... she might know a way down to the village after all." The majority of the girls agreed and the group emerged, amazed at how Shayna towered over them all.

"This way please." The angelic creature turned and began to walk along the mountainside, neither climbing nor descending for a ways before turning towards the peak and staring for a moment, checking her location and comparing it to a mental map. Once she was sure of where to go, she started to climb up the slope, looking back every now and again to see if the group of eight was still right behind her. Sylvia took the lead of their small band behind the dragoness while the other girls simply 'coaxed' poor Natalie into the back. It was not a long walk to what appeared to be a small cave, just tall enough an entrance for Shayna to crawl into. She herded the smaller ladies in and followed on her hands and knees.

The entrance led to a larger cavern, plenty tall enough for the dragon to stand without bumping her head. Once she was clear of the opening, she moved back to her feet and walked deeper into the darkness, a dim, orange-ish light flickering in the distance. The air was much warmer inside than out in the wind, almost tropical actually. Several of the girls removed the extra layers of clothing and held them in their arms as they bathed in the pleasant temperature.

"Stay close, everyone. You can get lost in here very easily and you'll end up right back at the entrance." She then proceeded to lead the group through a labyrinth of corridors all made of stone, not looking as if they were hand carved but not looking entirely natural either. A few torches lined the walls here and there from time, providing just enough light to navigate by but not enough to dispel much of the shadow. The deeper they walked, the more a couple of the girls whispered until finally word reached the raccoon's ears.

"Hey, Sylvia... where do you think we're headed?"

"Like I know... your guess is as good as mine. She could be taking us to a horde chamber or the kitchen so she can eat us all. Keep it quiet back there! I'm trying to memorize the way out!" A little thief's habit was to make sure there was a means of escape and had anyone been watching while Shayna was crawling in behind them initially, they would have seen her rubbing some sort of substance on the bottom of her shoes. She was not about to let herself get mixed up should she need to get out quickly and this way, she could lead her friends out easily. Natalie had noticed but she trusted Shayna more than the others. In fact, she was the only one who would openly trust anyone outside of their little clique.

After about twenty minutes of walking, going slow enough to make sure the whole group did not get separated, a light could be seen at the end of the tunnel they were in. It grew brighter and brighter as they rounded corner after corner until all nine of them came upon the exit. The sight they were greeted with made all but Shayna drop their jaws in awe. One of the vixens in the group managed to sputter a few words.

"Is... is this... it can't be! It's just a legend!"

"Oh no, I assure you, this place is quite real." Shayna spoke matter-of-factly, stepping to the side to let all eight of her small guests drink in the sight of a fertile valley, green as a tropical forest and just as warm. The mountains above stood like countless unforgiving guardians, protecting this precious place, seeming to turn from green and lush to snowy white rather abruptly at a certain altitude, well high enough to provide a thick blanket of warm air. A little river, or a large stream depending on how one thought of it, flowed through the middle, a few little branches trickling in from the snow as it melted when it slid down past the climate line. Small farms, gardens, and forests dotted the area. It was actually quite expansive, following around the curve of the valley and meandering about like an ancient natural waterway, "Welcome my friends, to Mak'Shari."

"Mak'Shari? This is Mak'Shari?" Sylvia sounded disappointed. She expected something more impressive than a bunch of little farms and houses connected by dirt paths and wooden or stone bridges. The legend spoke of beautifully crafted buildings rivaling the ancient orient in architectural design, adorned with gold, silver, precious gems, and breathtaking artwork in the forms of intricate weavings, tapestries, and hand-drawn landscapes. Shayna chuckled softly and started down the path leading to the main road along the little river.

"Well this is not the main entrance. Your plane threw me off course. Normally I bring lost souls in through another path that leads into a different portion of the mountains. Please, come. I'll show you what inspired that legend and tell you of how that very legend began."

---

Long ago, before much of the modern world's nations were even formed, there was a small village tucked away in what are now called the Epyon Mountains. This village relied on its farming and livestock for survival, completely self sufficient save for a few odds and ends they traded with other villages several miles away. In this hamlet lived an elderly grey wolf that ironically enough tended to a flock of sheep high up on a lush hill where they grazed. Ordinarily, his flock remained nearby, never venturing past the edge of the field where the grass became rockier, but one day, one of the younger sheep, inexperienced in the area, wandered off higher into the mountains. It was one of the last relatively warm days before the winter was to come and close the pass with snow. The old wolf sighed and herded the flock back home before setting out to find the missing sheep. He tracked the little creature for miles up into the mountains where the snow had already begun to seep down the rocky hills finally finding her curled up, shivering in the snow. By then, the wind had picked up and blown his tracks away, hiding his path back home. It seemed he would freeze to death up on that mountain having set out only to save a single sheep. Darkness slowly took him and he faded from consciousness, giving in to his frail body's limits and he uttered a quiet prayer, asking for salvation. It came, in the form of a lovely white angelic beast who carried him into a cave and kept him and the lamb warm. When he came to, he thanked the angel who saved him and was taken deep into the cave, emerging in a valley that was a veritable paradise.

"The storm is too strong for you to head back out into. Please, stay at least the night and we will see if you can return in the morning." He was not about to refuse such hospitality, and stayed, marveling at the wondrous structures and the simple, pleasant life the inhabitants had taken up. When morning came, the storm had not relented and he was forced to remain. Ten days and ten nights passed before the blizzard finally faded. In that time, the wolf had found new strength returning to his old, aching bones, no longer feeling quite as weak as he had come to accept with age.

"The stone that protects us from the harsh elements this far up in the mountains also gives the gift of health and longevity. It has been known to actually return youth to the elderly." And in fact it had. His reflection seemed at least ten years younger than before, the grey giving way to rich, black fur in the places where it had lingered the longest. When he saw that the storm had faded, he scooped up the lamb, thanked his host and made short work of the path back down to his home. He was greeted with concern and shock seeing his more youthful appearance while still holding a dignity and respect his age commanded. Some drew back in fear, others scoffed at his description of the lovely being that saved him, but his wife, who had cried after the fifth day, fearing he was dead, threw herself on him, thanking the powers that be for returning her love to her. He took her home and thought long and hard, considering what life had been like in the village. He and his beloved wife were ridiculed, even scorned for never being able to bear a single child of their own. A family was a sign of strength and honor, and they wanted nothing to do with a weak male or female. He insulted the townspeople for their horrid behavior and decided to take his wife and leave, return to the wonderful land of Mak'Shari. The people there had been only kind and helpful. It was a utopia and he would no longer expose his wife to such a place as this paranoid, superstitious village.

Early one morning, before the sun rose, he stole his wife away, wrapping themselves up in thick cloaks and garments. They walked to the village square and cursed the town at the top of their lungs, waking the denizens before running, making their escape into the mountains. Being the religious people they were, they took the curse very seriously and organized a mob to hunt the two down but they never found them. Weeks passed before the angry villagers came upon the cave the wolf had originally been carried to. Inside, all they found were several garments strewn about. They tried their best to navigate the cavern but only returned to the entrance, confused and frightened, thinking they had been rescued by the angelic creature he described while they had been left to remain cursed. The mob returned to the village which remained prosperous for decades, even to the present day, but the wolf and his mate, they had made their way to Mak'Shari. The creature from before greeted them both and gave them a home and land of their own where they lived for two centuries more. The wolf grew young again, basking in the rich, dark pelt he once sported in his youth and his wife returned to her stunning beauty he had fallen in love with so many years ago, and soon after, they were blessed with a miracle, a son, then later with a daughter. Never again would they leave Mak'Shari, calling it home until they day they passed away, together, in their sleep in the very bed they had been given the day they arrived.

Even to this day the people of that same village pass on the tale to their children, using Mak'Shari as an idea of heaven, a place of happiness and peace to which all go when they pass away, for it is a tradition for the elderly to venture into the mountains in search of this place and they never return. Their children go in search of them but find only their clothes in that same cave, knowing that the angel from the story must have carried them off to the evergreen valley.

---

As Shayna told the story, the group of girls lost interest, having heard parts of the story before. Only Natalie remained enthralled by the wonderful tale. She loved happy endings and having seen this place with her own eyes, she did not doubt that it was true, every tiny detail.

"That angelic creature... that was you wasn't it?" The dragoness nodded softly with a smile.

"Yes it was. I can remember the day I found him in the snow. When he returned with his wife, he was so grateful he named his daughter after me and she has children of her own now." The serpent blinked hearing this.

"She's still alive!? She must be over three hundred years old!" Shayna nodded again.

"That she is. Three hundred fifteen to be precise. Her parents were not born here so they could not reap the full benefits of a lifetime of exposure to the stone, but she has. One reaches maturity as quickly here as in the outside world, but from there, the aging process is slowed greatly." Sylvia had been intrigued by mention of this stone, chiming in when her powers of logic tried to wrap around another conundrum.

"If that's true... then how could you still be alive and as young looking as you are? I mean come on. Dragons do live long lives, but not that much longer."

"Ordinarily no, but I am not just the average dragon I am sure you have encountered. I am not just angelic in appearance, but by blood as well. I cannot age beyond what you see now even if I were to leave this place forever. I helped create the stone that maintains this place and gives good health and long life in hopes of helping my dear friends achieve just a piece of what I have; and by some measure, they have. Every person who has lived here over the millennia is remembered in some fashion, either by portrait, tapestry, or in our books. No one is forgotten. Even our temporary guests are recorded." The raccoon was still rather skeptical but the stone once again caught her attention.

"So, what's this stone actually look like?"

"You will get to see it soon enough." They had been walking through the valley slowly so that Shayna could share the tale with them, gradually coming upon the original settlement that began the legend of Mak'Shari. It was a glorious sight to behold, more impressive than the Imperial city as it had been preserved in the orient though not quite as expansive. The buildings for the most part were open air, not having nor even needing many walls. The homes were the same way, open for all to see inside, even where couples slept together. Privacy was not an issue because it simply was not needed. No one had need to hide anything from anyone else here and they enjoyed being open with one another, even with matters of the heart. Natalie could even see two lovers mating in their bed, free for all to see and hear. It was not lustful or pornographic, it was beautiful, a display of pure love, and the scaled girl thought the world of it. The other girls just grinned and watched for their own carnal pleasure, whispering to one another about various things they noticed.

The walk continued for a good ten minutes before they reached the central building, passing along small, rolling hills and over smooth stone roads sporting the wear that implied age and use. The landscaping about the area was quite lovely, bushes and shrubs dotted with healthy, vibrant flowers of all colors and sizes, trees bearing fruit and plush grass that begged to be used as a temporary bed for a mid-day nap. The smells and sounds of plant life thriving prevailed as a light breeze rustled through the foliage, carrying with it the aroma of roses, tulips, and blossoms. Anyone would find this place serene, perfect for meditation. It did not take much stretch of the imagination for the girls to perceive this place to be a haven for those seeking some form of enlightenment.

"Please come inside and make yourselves comfortable while I gather the others for a council meeting. It will not take long." Sylvia answered for the group, sounding just slightly annoyed they were being made to wait.

"Fine, whatever... just don't take too long." Shayna bowed respectfully and exited the open air structure. The girls were then left to wander about or lounge in one of the many luxurious seats available, seeming more like vast pillows than couches or benches. A couple of the ladies even decided to follow the example of those they had seen earlier and proceeded to enjoy exploring one another's bodies as they tended to given the opportunity.

Natalie, however, opted to remain by herself, slowly walking near the walls, what walls there were, and appreciate the ornate paintings, marveling at how much detail that could be achieved through use of only black ink and a simple brush. It was very reminiscent of the oriental works of old, before the days of the pen or even the quill. Many were portraits of individuals, some were landscape images of what she could only assume was the valley and the structures within, but she could not help but marvel at one painting in particular. It was of a serpent, similar to herself. The creature wore a simple robe and two long pins holding her hair back as was common among the culture this place was so deeply rooted in. She was thin and lithe as most of Natalie's kind was, but she possessed a beauty many snakes could only dream of achieving. There were no imperfections of any kind, her smooth skin showing only the radiant beauty of her flawless scales. And her eyes; the only part of the image that had color. They were a brilliant gold, piercing, warm and gentle yet strong and demanding the utmost respect. To the casual viewer, this would have been nothing more than a collection of squiggles that formed a general image of a female serpent, but to anyone who could see beyond generalities, she was something so much more and Natalie was helpless to stare.

"She was one of the first permanent inhabitants, one of the most respected members of the council." It was Shayna. She had returned with the others and caught sight of the emerald-backed female looking over the painting.

"She's beautiful... what was her name?"

"Natashi, she was a dear friend."

"Natashi? That's an odd name."

"It wasn't during her lifetime. In fact, without her help, I would not have been able to create the jewel that protects the valley. In essence, she helped to found this place." The smallish serpent nodded and looked over the portrait in awe.

"She must have been highly respected."

"She was, and we all miss her from time to time, but we all know she is at peace. Please, come. The council is ready." Somehow, Natalie tore herself away from looking so deep into the painting, walking with the dragoness that towered over her to join the others as they congregated. The locals, apparently the council members, took seats in a semi circle with Shayna at the top of the arch. The girls were all asked to sit in the seats before them so they could talk. The inhabitants spoke among themselves for a moment before Shayna brought them to order.

"Esteemed members of the Mak'Shari council, we have before us eight shipwrecked ladies in need of shelter and food. I am not opposed at all to granting them this necessity, but their craft lays just beyond out borders, damaged and unable to carry them to their destination. The question put before us today is this. Do we repair it for them and send them on their way or only offer our hospitality?" Sylvia stood, not paying much respect to the group of elders.

"You can't possibly know how to fix our plane. We're far beyond you guys technologically. You've been sitting her stagnant for hundreds of years and the most advanced thing I've seen is a stone bridge." She was silenced by a single hand, raised respectfully to ask her to pause and let them speak. An elderly grey wolf, looking quite wise, spoke with a voice that betrayed the strength he hid beneath his misleading exterior.

"My dear, we are more advanced than you realize. Already we have the portion of the wing that was broken off. One of our scouts saw Shayna when she was struck by your plane and watched as you continued to plummet into a crash. We are pleased to hear no one was harmed, at least more than a bump on the head for our matron, but we can certainly repair your craft. Because we choose not to embrace technology in the way you and your brethren have does not mean we are unaware of it." The raccoon's behavior was noted among the other members and another spoke up, a feline, youthful in appearance but in actuality over two hundred years were hidden beneath her silky fur.

"This is true; we could have your craft repaired before the better half of a week. When the storm fades, we will send someone to do so should we agree to." Sylvia put a hand on her hip impatiently.

"Why can't you just do it now? Shayna here was able ta handle the cold just fine."

"True, she is able to endure many things, but not all of us are so gifted. She is the only dragon among us who possesses the gift of immortality. The others of her kind would indeed freeze to death in the harsh blizzard now blowing just outside of this valley. To send anyone out in such weather would be a death sentence."

"Well then can you at least go ahead and just agree ta fix the thing? If it's so easy, why do you gotta think about it?" She was silenced again, the members all remaining quite calm as they dealt with the young upstart.

"There is no need to rush these things my dear. There is still plenty of time to decide the fate of your vehicle, though I am quite sure we will agree to help speed you on your way." It was a nice way of saying they didn't want a rude thief in their midst. Natalie just glared at the raccoon, wishing she had treated these people with more respect. After all, they were giving them a place to stay and food to eat for free, and it was no ordinary place, it was Mak'Shari, the fabled utopia lost in the Epyon Mountains! They were renowned in legend for their hospitality and the luxury of their realm.

"Let's just say we're a little pressed to get where we're goin'." She neglected to mention that it was to meet the buyer of the ill gotten wears they intended to sell.

"I would recommend that you spend your time here relaxing, you seem so tense, so hurried. Enjoy your stay with us and perhaps, we might be able to teach you how easy it is to slow down and enjoy the world around you, to savor the moment, every moment, of every day. There is nothing to worry about here, no deadlines, no bills, and no taxes. We do not even need money. We openly share what we have with everyone else; even if it is ourselves that we share. Consider this a vacation while we prepare your ride; that is if the council is in agreement." They all nodded and Shayna spoke up.

"It is decided, when the blizzard subsides, we will send out workers to repair the aircraft and help it aloft once more. But until then, please, make yourselves at home." Their decision satisfied Sylvia, but not completely. She wanted to be back up in the air now, for fear of Natalie's SOS having reached the ears of the authorities. It was a race against time.

The other girls stood and stretched a bit as the council was adjourned, the group dispersing back to their daily lives. Natalie approached the dragoness that had saved them before and bowed her head in respect before looking up at the scaled spire of silvery white.

"I would like to apologize for Sylvia... she's not exactly the most patient person in the world and we just finished a job. In fact, we were on our way from it and we were looking forward to the vacation we had earned. She really had her heart set on where we were going. She had some plans of her own while there."

"It is quite alright, the very young do tend to think only after they act... though there are a few diamonds in the rough that come to us. If you like, I could tell you more of Mak'Shari's history. You seemed quite fascinated with the portrait of Natashi." The comparatively young serpent's eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously.

"Yes! I would love to learn more about this place! I would love to hear about that jewel you mentioned earlier... that stone that you said protected the valley." The dragoness smiled and nodded while mention of the word 'jewel' floated over and reached the ears of Natalie's colleagues, catching their attention quickly. Sylvia led the group over to the dragoness and looked up at her with earnest curiosity.

"What's this about a jewel? A precious stone of some kind?" Shayna nodded.

"Yes, it's the very heart of our way of life here. Without it, this valley would just be another ice-filled pass. Come, I will show you." And with that, the well mannered dragoness turned and strolled deeper into the building, passing a couple of partitions that were used purely for hanging more of their exquisite artwork. Before too long, they came across an altar of some kind, a stand that held atop it a gem that was small enough to be used as a pendant, glowing with a soft golden light. The girls piled around the object and looked up at it, the two who happened to have a deep lust for jewelry stared as their mouths watered, wondering how such a trinket would look on a chain about their necks.

"Okay, it's not as big as I thought it would be, but it's pretty... what exactly does it do?" Shayna chuckled good-naturedly, not at all annoyed by Sylvia's rather blunt attitude.

"There are other gems similar to this placed in key locations about the valley. They absorb the power this one radiates outward, focusing it and generating a sort of bubble where the climate is what you see, the pleasant warmth that allows our crops to grow and our livestock and fish to prosper. It even provides those who stay within its soothing rays long enough the gift of long life and good health. Almost everyone here is well over one hundred years old." That caught everyone's attention, Sylvia's especially.

"So, the others... would they be able to function without this one?" Natalie shot the raccoon a look, knowing exactly why she would ask something like that.

"No, they would eventually exhaust the power they have absorbed over the centuries and the protective barrier would slowly collapse. Of course the process would take approximately a month. That is one of the safeguards put in place should anything happen to this crystal. I would know immediately if anything was wrong with it. I can sense it from anywhere in this valley. If it were to fail, I would craft a new one." Natalie found this curious, wondering how one actually managed to craft such a bauble.

"Is it hard to make?" Shayna nodded.

"Yes, it's rather difficult, but possible. It would take all of the energy the other crystals have absorbed as well as a catalyst to begin solidifying the power gathered."

"What kind of catalyst are we talking about?" The dragoness paused a little, the look on her face showing that the price was rather high.

"A portion of the creator's life energy. It binds with the collection targeted by the process and crystallizes, forming a tangible object. The life energy bound with it creates a sort of artificial soul, or at least a fragment of a soul, which is an unlimited power source even though it is not whole or naturally occurring. With these two combined, it creates an inexhaustible supply of the very form of energy used to create it." With her explanation of it, the process seemed quite simple, at least to Natalie. The others, Sylvia included, all simply boggled at the dragoness. All that mattered to the raccoon was it was replaceable and rare. Meaning it could be worth quite a bit and it wouldn't be missed. They all were led away from the holding place of the precious gem and given a brief tour of the surrounding areas, showing them all where they would be sleeping during their stay. Most of the group took to the accommodations without complaint but when the serpent saw her lone bed, she sighed a little but made no complaint.

The rest of the day passed quickly and night fell, lanterns hanging from wooden posts coming to life on their own, attracting fireflies, moths, and the occasional bee from the local hive where the valley got its honey. It was a magical setting, serene and mystical. The other seven girls found sleep easily, but Natalie could not. She tossed and turned in her bed, unable to get comfortable for some odd reason despite the fact that the hand-made mattress was quite luxurious. Eventually, she rose from her bed, wrapped up in a thin robe provided for her, and began walking. Without even aiming to, she came to the council hall again, sitting down in front of the picture that had captured her attention earlier that day, looking deep into the eyes of the other snake, her mind grappling with the choices she had made to end up here.

"Can't sleep?" It was a soft, soothing voice from not too far behind her. She turned around and found Shayna sitting close by. She nodded lightly.

"Yeah, it's not the bed, it's really nice. I don't really know what it is. I guess I'm just not used to this place. It's so quiet and calm." Shayna nodded in response.

"The silence can be deafening to those from the outside when they first arrive. But... I have a feeling your trouble stems from something else. Your friends... they don't seem to treat you with the same respect they treat each other." Natalie blushed deeply, wondering just how much she had learned.

"I'm sorta the black sheep in the group. They make plans and I usually try to talk them out of it... but I just end up going along with it anyway. When I first joined the group, it was lots of fun. We all had a great time but... after a while, they started wanting to do more dangerous stuff and... I guess they think I'm a coward or something."

"So why do you not just bid them goodbye and leave?"

"It's not that simple..."

"I assure you it is. If you are no longer interested in the activities they wish to pursue, then wash your hands of them, find others you would enjoy spending time with."

"I can't just walk away... I wish I could explain but I just can't."

"It would betray their trust in you?"

"What little they have left in me, yeah." Shayna nodded softly and sighed a little.

"I wish I could help but, if you do not wish to hurt their feelings, I will not press the issue any further." Natalie sighed a little and wrapped her arms about herself, feeling more alone than ever, until the dragoness sat down behind her and ever so gently pulled the green serpent into her lap, wrapping her warm, feathered wings about the girl, a steady, soothing thrum rumbling away in her throat. Natalie, somewhat surprised by the act of kindness, did not complain in the slightest, closing her eyes and leaning back against the dragoness's pillowy chest. It was extremely comforting.

"You really are too kind Miss Shayna... I'm sure if you knew who I really was you'd not have bothered showing us this place."

"Oh, nonsense. Everyone has a right to see this place at least once. Just rest, you'll feel better in the morning." Natalie nodded, already beginning to feel herself fall into a deep, comforting sleep. Within moments, she was out and the dragon lifted her into her arms, carrying the girl to a bed in the shrine itself, Shayna's bed. Ever so carefully, the dragon laid the smaller reptilian beauty down in the sheets before lying down next to her as well, pulling Natalie back to her chest and draping her wings about the girl once more. She purred deeply and closed her own eyes, drifting off to sleep in short order as well. Dreams filled Natalie's mind, soothing, beautiful dreams of her living in the valley Shayna had brought them to, spending the rest of her life there in peace and happiness. Something about them seemed so familiar, as if she had done just that before. She was with Shayna and she seemed to not know pain or sorrow, lost in the joy of this simple, honest life. It was heaven in her eyes and she wept to herself as the dream faded, only to feel the warm sunlight shining on her cheek and the feel of an oh-so familiar rumbling right behind her. Her eyes opened slowly and she found herself in a rather large, extremely comfortable bed with a fluffy blanket of some kind wrapped around her. It shifted softly in time with the breathing she felt on the back of her neck and it finally hit her. It was not a blanket, but a wing, a gloriously soft wing, protecting her, keeping her warm, and holding her against the dragon she had met the previous day. The serpent sighed blissfully thinking her dream had come true and turned to press a cheek against the angelic creature's bosom, finding the embrace to feel right. Shayna stirred lightly and yawned, slowly waking as her eyes drifted open. She smiled feeling Natalie pressed so firmly against her and she giggled a little, stroking along the smaller female's back affectionately.

"Good morning my dear... do you feel better?" Natalie nodded, her eyes still shut as she smiled.

"Best sleep I've had in years... I feel like a whole new person." Shayna's smiled widened and she leaned down, giving the girl's cheek a light kiss before sitting up, keeping the serpent in her lap.

"I told you you'd feel better this morning. Now, am I right to assume you would prefer to spend your time here at a distance from your companions? They do seem to treat you rather poorly." Natalie nodded, pressing her face tight against the two lovely swells adorning the silvery beast's chest.

"Yes, I don't want to go near them... they hate me. They think I'm a coward just because I question the jobs we take." Shayna just lightly patted her back, consoling the girl.

"Shhhh... it's alright. You don't have to see them at all while you're here. I can arrange it so."

"You can? How?"

"Let's just say I could take you with me when I go out to begin repairing your plane."

"But... wouldn't I freeze to death?"

"No, not at all. I know a way to keep you warm and comfortable."

"Will you show me?" Shayna nodded and kissed the tip of Natalie's short muzzle, purring happily.

"Of course I will, but not right now. Now, I want to make you feel even better than you did when you first woke up." The green female tilted her head, confused slightly by her words.

"You do? How?" In seconds, Shayna suddenly shrank to a size comparable to Natalie's, holding her tight in her arms as she pressed her soft lips against the surprised serpents. Natalie's eyes widened for a moment before they simply rolled back in her head, melting into the deep, passionate kiss. The two remained locked, lip to lip for what seemed like forever, hands feeling over uncovered, unhidden scales. Natalie was shocked to find that not only was she nude, but Shayna was as well. Bare scale was mashed against bare scale, friction giving way to warmth; glorious, unearthly warmth the serpent never knew existed. She had been accused of being cold so long she had begun to believe it, but this shattered that belief completely and she basked in the radiant heat forming between her and this beautiful dragoness. Soft moans managed to seep their way to the surface between the kiss, tongues exploring one other's mouths. Natalie had seen the other girls engage in such activity but she had always been left out. None of them seemed to like the thought of shacking up with a reptile, but here was one who had no problem with it whatsoever, possibly because she herself was reptilian. It made little difference to the serpent. She simply basked in the wondrous experience.

As they continued their amorous motions, Shayna's long, graceful tail curled upwards, worming its way between the two pairs of legs that had ended up intertwined, seeking its goal diligently. When it reached its destination, Natalie gasped, her eyes going wide as the rather agile appendage stroked over her nethers liberally, caressing her tender lips over and over in a very loving fashion. She did not aggressively assault the serpent's groin, she was careful, wanting the girl to savor the experience. Moisture oozed forth from Natalie's smooth cunny, stimulated like never before, eliciting a coo of satisfaction, her body trembling in the dragon's embrace. She was completely at Shayna's mercy now, unable to fight back should she even desire to. With the same caring advance, the dragoness's smooth tail pressed into Natalie's depths, invading her most private region. She shuddered again, wrapping her legs about Shayna's hips, giving the welcome invader an easier target to slip into. Inch after inch of the silvery dragon's prehensile limb glided easily into the moist tunnel that until now had never known a lover's touch. Natalie moaned through the firm kiss, pushing herself down against that smooth tapered limb easing into her depths, seeming to have an insatiable appetite for it and Shayna did not disappoint, offering all she could possibly take.

With the serpent's capacity reached, Shayna held her tail within, twisting and turning it about, folding it in on itself, knowing exactly where to apply just the right amount of pressure. Natalie broke the kiss, pulling her lips away to gasp deeply, shuddering in the elder woman's arms, lost in the moment as unbridled expert stimulation wreaked havoc on her fevered brain. All her worries, her fears, any thoughts regarding her travel companions were pushed far away, cast from her mind like so much dust blown away by a strong wind, and the dragoness was not about to stop there. Gently and ever so slowly, she began retreating, moisture glistening on her limber appendage. Natalie whimpered as all but the last few miniscule inches were left within her, aching, longing to feel that wondrous sensation of fullness once more. When Shayna was satisfied with the green snake's response, she smiled and fed the agile limb back in. The angelic creature repeated it over and over again, keeping at least the very tip of her tail stroking along a small patch of the serpent's flesh, a very specific area, slightly rougher and firmer than the surrounding lining. With such particular efforts, Natalie was left to writhe in the fervor of her lover's manipulations. Their voices grew louder still with every passing second as the inexperienced serpent mashed her face against the silvery female's chest, burying her visage in those soft mounds of smooth flesh, wishing she would never have to let go.

An erotic equivalent of critical mass formed, threatening to breach under Shayna's practice, and when it did, the sound carried for miles, echoing off the stony slopes of the valley. A powerful explosion wracked Natalie's loins and consciousness as the musculature within clamped down powerfully on the graceful tail, trapping it deep within as her body convulsed softly, quivering against Shayna as the climax washed over her. Several moments passed before she managed to relax, panting heavily as the dragoness, rolled onto her side, pressing the green one against her, cradling Natalie against her chest, purring deeply.

"I take it that was your first time?" Natalie nodded, completely breathless. The dragoness smiled and kissed her cheek ever so softly, "You enjoyed?" Her lover nodded again, as vigorously as she could in such a spent state, managing to utter a few words through her gasps.

"It was... incredible... promise that... you'll do that... again... sometime." Shayna just purred and nuzzled the serpent in her arms.

"I promise. I won't ever deny you such a pleasure." And that was it. Natalie was hopelessly in love, and Shayna easily admitted to herself the same. For at least another hour the two lay in bed, curled up against one another. Shayna had removed a large portion of her tail and returned to her normal stature to provide a more protective sensation for the girl in her arms. They shared a few whispered nothings from time to time until the dragoness leaned down and nosed her lover.

"I think it's about time I showed you what I was talking about earlier." Natalie looked up curiously at her rather large guardian, her head cocked to the side slightly.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"A way to keep you warm and safe while we're outside the valley." The serpent smiled and giggled a little. It had been ages since she felt she could laugh so openly like that.

"Alright, show me." And show her she did. Carefully, the dragoness slid the last of her tail free of those well lubricated lips and rolled onto her back, spreading her own legs before easing Natalie lower atop her sleek form.

"Now, this might be a little awkward at first, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Just relax and let me do everything for you." Natalie nodded a little, putting her trust in the ravishing dragoness completely. Ever so carefully, the serpent was moved down Shayna's front until she was pressing her cheek softly against just below the angelic creature's navel. Her lovely scent was powerful so close to the source, leaving the already weak Natalie light headed. A pair of gentle hands moved to guide her head ever lower until she was face to 'face' with scales glistening with droplets of sweet moisture. Unable to help herself, Natalie lapped softly at Shayna's tender groin, savoring what she tasted. A coo of pleasure rose up from above, the attention bringing about waves of glorious warmth from below, and it promised to only get better from there. A light push on the back of her head saw the serpent's nose disappear between those smooth lips, overwhelming her with the strength of the dragon's natural aroma. Her eyes rolled back in her head a little, as if intoxicated by the sensory feedback. The dragoness took advantage of this peculiar state she had put Natalie in and, with the greatest of care, began pushing her deeper still. Within seconds, the silvery female's cunny had stretched wide enough to accept the whole of her smaller lover's head, a quiet slurping sound accompanying the insertion. Shayna shuddered as her passage was forced to accommodate such a bulky invader, but it didn't stop her. Maintaining her careful ministration, inch after inch of Natalie's smooth form disappeared into the larger female. A bulge had begun to form in her abdomen as the serpent filled her out, a soft moan managing to make its way through her flesh to her ears. It sounded like the girl was enjoying her trip inward.

The warmth of the sunlight shining down on Natalie's green hide was quickly replaced by the warm, pulsating embrace of her lover's body, engulfed now up to her shoulders. Amazingly enough, Shayna managed to suppress her various noises of pleasure, biting her lower lip as she stretched to squeeze the serpent's shoulders in, releasing a deep sigh of relief mixed with a moan as they finally passed. Next came the swell of Natalie's breast, though they were not enormous, they were still ample enough to catch anyone's eye. With two soft pops, close in succession, the lovely orbs disappeared in. From there, it was fairly easy going over the rest of Natalie's chest and waist. The swell she made in Shayna's middle grew further, the small pooch in her tummy forming a nice, round lump. By the time her hips had come to rest at the entrance to the dragoness's body, her head and shoulders had breached into the warm, secure confines of the larger lady's womb; soft, rubbery flesh enveloping the serpent's smooth body.

It was a little difficult passing Natalie's hips, Shayna baring down and pulling as firmly as she could, the musculature within her passage gripping her tiny lover and dragging her deeper by way of a number of undulating contractions. Another light squeal and Natalie's shapely rump disappeared into the dragoness's body, her legs and tail gliding in slowly as her passing became far easier. Shayna's chest heaved as the serpent's thighs were slurped up to her knees, what portion of her that had been forced into her protector's womb curling up to better fit. Seconds ticked by and before long, the green snake's feet vanished, as did the last of her tail, the whole of her body devoured by the dragon's ravenous womanhood. When she settled into the soft chamber, Shayna's hands moved to her now delightfully rounded belly, caressing the bulge as she purred in motherly satisfaction. Deep inside, her 'child' shifted slightly until she reached a comfortable position, listening to the dragon's heart thumping away nearby, enjoying the light vibration from the thrums of pleasure.

"There we go... now you're safe and warm. Those awful girls can't find you in there." It was a wonderful thought, hidden away from the slings and arrows they hurled verbally on a daily basis. She was surrounded by this loving, caring creature who's only thought was to shield her, cradled on all sides by her rather elastic womb.

"Thank you... It's... it's wonderful in here." Shayna smiled looking down at the swell, already seeming to possess a motherly glow. Her hands continued to run across the smooth dome as it shifted and twitched about under her scales, making her purr even louder.

"And you won't feel cold at all while you're in there, even if I go out and look at your plane. In fact... I think we'll do just that." Without waiting for her 'baby' to respond, she stood ever so carefully, slipped back into her robe, and began walking through the valley. The constant swaying motion brought about by the dragoness's gait rocked Natalie to sleep, snoozing quietly in her protective 'bed'. Shayna continued on her way to the cave leading to the crashed plane, navigating the tunnels until she reached the snowy exit, crawling out, making sure to keep from jostling her passenger too much. Truth be told, someone could have punched her in the stomach and Natalie would not have noticed, lost in a wonderful dream. As the icy winds swirled about the dragon, not once did it pierce her flesh to make the serpent shiver. The storm raged wildly as Shayna surveyed the damage closely, doing what she could by herself. The whole day was spent with her rummaging about the plane, taking stock of what needed work.

When the sun began to sink lower in the sky, granted it was difficult to tell with the blizzard throwing so much snow into the air, Shayna turned back, making her way through the caves again and emerging once more into the warm, tropical landscape of the valley. Natalie stirred softly when the dragon carrying her took a seat not far from the mouth of the stone passage, yawning quietly as she shook off the effects of such a deep sleep.

"Mmm... how long was I out?" Shayna giggled quietly as she caressed her belly again.

"All day. I went out to look over the plane and you didn't wake once. I take it you're quite comfortable in there?" The dragon could feel her nod softly, pressing her cheek affectionately out against one of her hands.

"Yes, more comfortable than I've ever been. I almost don't want to leave." Shayna smiled with a soft chuckle and cooed to her.

"You can stay as long as you like. And when you do come out, you can climb back in anytime you like. I've enjoyed carrying you around with me all day. It's quite nice having some company, even if they're napping in your belly." Natalie giggled a little and grew still again.

"If it's alright, I'd like to stay in here for a while, at least the night. I would like to have something to eat though." The dragon nodded and parted her robe, spread legs and began to ever so gently squeeze her passenger back out. Feeling the efforts from all around, Natalie got the idea and found the exit, the dragon's cervix opening easily enough to let her slip out. It was a simple process requiring little effort on either part and before too long, the green serpent lay on the ground, coated in sweet, sticky nectar, blinking a little as her eyes readjusted to the light. Shayna pulled her close and began licking her off as if she were indeed her mother, having just given birth to her child. It was a rather enjoyable process for the smaller of the two, basking in Shayna's affectionate attention. It took a good fifteen minutes for her to finish cleaning her lover, giving her a soft nuzzle on the cheek.

"There you go honey. Now then, let's get something to eat. I'm pretty hungry myself." She stood, lifting Natalie in her arms as she walked down the slope towards the main path following along the large stream. Eventually they came to a small shack where a lovely couple was beginning to prepare their evening meal. They smiled broadly and greeted their guests, "You wouldn't mind having two more for dinner would you?"

"Of course not Miss Shayna! You're always welcome at our table. Please, come and sit! It's been a while since you've dined with us. We've got so much to talk about." And so Natalie and Shayna were treated to a lovely meal and a friendly conversation. Not once did the other seven from the plane seek the woman out. Either they were too busy with their own 'fun' or they simply did not care enough to try to find her. After dinner, Natalie and Shayna returned to the dragon's bed where after a lengthy session of passionate love, the serpent returned to the warm, loving embrace of the dragon's womb. Both were more than content, Natalie wishing silently that every day could be like that.

The serpent got her wish, at least for a couple of days. The storm passed sooner than expected and the denizens of the valley began work on the craft. Shayna was in the middle of it all, usually carrying her lover about inside her. Natalie had no complaints with that. During the repairs, Shayna managed to shrink down enough to squeeze into the cabin of the plane while keeping her 'baby' from feeling too cramped. She rummaged about inside looking for any equipment that might make the job of fixing the jet easier and came across something that made her pause for a moment.

"Natalie honey... what's this?" The serpent in her womb paused then shifted a little.

"What's what?"

"I've found something. Some kind of mask. It's gold with jewels embedded all in it. It's rather pretty." Natalie bit her lower lip and wriggled a little.

"Could I come out so we can talk face to face? In private?" Shayna agreed and soon, they were sitting facing one another, alone in the cabin of the craft. Natalie looked down at her hands as she prepared to tell her lover the whole story.

"We're thieves, the eight of us. We pick high profile jobs, research the best way to do it, then orchestrate them to go all on the same night, then we skip town. This was the last job we planned on doing for a while. We were headed to a small, insignificant little village on the coast to the southeast of here. They don't like me because I keep asking why we have to keep stealing. The first time... the rush was enough to keep me happy. I was giddy. The feeling was incredible... but... it started to fade after a while. By the fifth job, I was beginning to question everything. This was number eight within four years. They let me join because they needed two good pilots... and Sylvia's the other. I'm so sorry I lied to you. These last few days have been wonderful. I want to give this all up and just stay here with you. I don't want to steal anymore. I don't want to be a part of this awful group. I just want to be happy. But... I... I don't feel worthy of this place... I'm a horrid person." As she progressed along, she became more emotional, eventually breaking down in tears, her face covered by her hands. Shayna listened intently able to feel the sincerity in Natalie's words. Her hands lifted to take Natalie's from her face, lifting her chin to look her in the eyes.

"Shhhh... it's okay. We all make mistakes. You are not a horrid person. The fact that you began to question what you were doing proves that you have a conscience and a heart. If you still want to stay, even if you feel unworthy, there is nothing I can do or say that would justify casting you from this place. The truth is... I don't want you to go. I want you to stay. At first it was just an infatuation because you looked so much like Natashi, but it grew to more than that. Please say you'll stay. I know you're not the same person you were when you joined this band of thieves..." The serpent looked deep into the dragoness's eyes, her cheeks still wet with tears. The moment they spent locked in each other's gaze seemed to let them share their thoughts, somehow knowing what her answer would be. Without another word, Natalie threw herself into Shayna's arms and let herself become wrapped up in the dragon's gloriously soft wings, hugging her with all her might as she cried, tears of joy trickling down onto Shayna's pristine, silvery-white scales. With the decision made, they continued looking through the cabin, Natalie explaining what had been stolen, why, and how much it would be worth. Reluctantly, Shayna agreed to leave everything as it was for fear the other girls might come down on Natalie for squealing behind their backs. She still was not terribly pleased with letting the whole group get away with their crimes but there was little she could do if she wanted to keep Natalie safe from their wrath.

Over the course of three days, the plane was repaired. The evening of the third day was spent with all eight of the girls gathered at the main hall once again, learning of how well the repairs went and that they were ready to get under way, though they were encouraged to stay one last night, that it would be best to depart at first light. Reluctantly, Sylvia agreed for the whole group and they gathered to discuss the plan should things not be as they had been told, thinking perhaps the 'repairs' were not as well done as they had claimed to have been.

"Alright, we're expected ta meet the buyer tomorrow evening at seven pm at his favorite restaurant in the town. If I've got us figured right, we won't even get in town until six-thity. Since this guy's got a major thing for punctuality, the fact that we'll be about forty-five minutes late will pretty much kill the deal for us under normal circumstances." The others looked at her curiously, not sure what she meant by 'normal circumstance' but they listened all the same, "To stay in the game with this guy, we'll need an extra bargaining chip. Something he can't refuse no matter how badly he's bothered by tardiness." The others started piecing it together now, and Natalie was the first to voice what they all were gathering.

"You want to steal the crystal... don't you..." Of course she didn't sound too happy about it at all.

"Yeah, why? You havin' another crisis of morality? If you want us ta get all that junk we stole turned into a mountain of cash, we gotta do this. We don't have a choice."

"Yes we do! We do too have a choice!"

"Yeah? What's your plan then?" They all stopped and turned to stare at her, giving looks that would make her uncomfortable. Her voice faltered for a second but returned in short order, though bringing her suggestion to the table timidly.

"We could... stay here. We don't need to steal anything anymore. We don't need money, everything's free here... hell we'd get to live a lot longer!" The other seven rolled their eyes and voiced their disgust with the idea. Obviously, they had not found this place nearly as charming as she had.

"You gotta be kidding us... stay here? In the feudal era?"

"They don't even use iron plows! They do everything by hand!"

"There's no electricity! No TV! No movies!"

"No bars, no dance clubs, no alcohol!" More arguments came from the group. They had all grown too accustomed to the creature comforts their lifestyle had allowed them access to. They would be damned to give up trips to only the classiest spas. Natalie recoiled a bit, cowering before the lot of them.

"But... but I like it here. I don't want to leave."

"Well fine, you stay here. Help that bitch of a dragon make a new crystal for all I care. We don't need you anymore." Sylvia was furious, determined to scream, insult, and intimidate the serpent into going with them. If she stayed, surely she would betray them to the denizens of the valley, but a curious thing happened. Natalie usually hung her head and cowered further when the raccoon got this way, but this time, she frowned and lifted her head, looking the master thief square in the eye, feeling a new, unearthly strength of will within herself.

"Good! I will! I don't want to be a part of this witch's circle anymore anyway!" The whole group was taken aback by her sudden development of a spine. Sylvia was speechless, never knowing Natalie to come back so harshly. The shock lasted only for a few seconds before she gripped the serpent's shirt collar and yanked her close, almost until their noses were touching.

"Now you listen to me you worm... I honestly don't give one shit if you go or stay... but if you squeal on us, so help me I will have your hide for a belt! I'll have it carved off you while you're still alive and awake! You get me!?" Natalie's eyes did not shrink or falter in the least, keeping her hard gaze locked with the raccoon's. She would not back down, remaining firm.

"We'll see, now get outta my face before yours gets bitten off. Savvy?" It was an exceptionally tense standoff. Sylvia wanted so very badly to call the snake's bluff, but Natalie did have a pair of rather venomous fangs. The question was, did she have the brass to use them. When it came down to it, the raccoon decided now wasn't the time for a confrontation. If they came to blows here and now, it might compromise their ability to make an escape. Their grudge match would have to wait.

"You just bite that forked tongue of yours before it gets your scaly ass in more shit than you can handle. C'mon girls... Let's give her some time to think." The others nodded, turning and walking off, leaving Natalie all by herself, fuming noticeably. Never before had she reacted with such rage. It had always been her way to simply lower her head, grit her teeth and take their insults but something inside her just snapped tonight. Perhaps it was Shayna's influence on her, making her more confident, realize her true strength. It was impossible to know. Quietly, she turned and began heading back to the gathering hall, letting her gaze wander over the landscape as she walked. It really was a wondrous place. How the other girls could not see the beauty and the serenity was far beyond her. She wanted to drink it all in at least one more time before whatever was to happen finally came to pass. If the girls were to force her to return to the awful world they all so adored, then she would at least give herself time enough to say goodbye to what had become so dear to her. She would be heartbroken, but at least she would not have let the last moments of her time here be taken for granted. Eventually, the starry sky covered the land in its dark embrace just as Natalie was walking up to Shayna's 'bedroom' if one could call it that. The dragoness was there, removing her robe and folding it neatly to be set aside, preparing for bed. The serpent stopped a good distance from both her lover and the bed they had come to share, her heart aching at the thought of never seeing her again.

"Coming to bed honey?" Shayna called out welcomingly, the gentle coo drifting on the air until it reached Natalie's ears. Everything about this magical creature seemed so warm, so tender, almost too good to be true. Perhaps this had all been a dream. Maybe she had struck her head on something when they crashed, or worse yet, she was dead and this was her punishment for her choice of lifestyle; showing her what could be, then all of it being ripped away just when she was beginning to let herself be happy. Shayna furrowed her brow slightly and canted her head to one side just so.

"What's wrong Natalie?" She could see the tears the serpent was fighting back, struggling to hide them but the emotion was just too great. In one brief, fluid motion, Natalie threw herself into Shayna's arms, mashed her face into the dragoness's chest and proceeded to bawl, unable to hold back the torrent of sorrow. She did not want to go. With every fiber of her being, she knew this is where she wanted to live out the rest of her life, in Mak'Shari, in the loving care of this angel holding her.

"I don't want this to be over! It can't be over! I want to stay!" The serpent found herself wrapped rather suddenly in the dragon's arms; the angel's warm, soft wings making Natalie disappear behind a wall of pristine white feathers. She cooed and shushed the trembling woman, running her fingers through the smaller lady's hair softly.

"It doesn't have to end honey. You can stay. I won't make you leave..."

"But... they said... and then they... tomorrow..." Her words were garbled by chokes, struggling to make anything coherent. Shayna did her best to calm the hysterical Natalie, sitting down on the bed and pulling the smaller female into her lap.

"Easy now, just take it easy...deep breaths, nice and slow." she coached, waiting patiently for Natalie to regain a bit of her composure. Several minutes passed before she had calmed down enough to manage a better handle on her speech. For some odd reason though, all the brazen, fearless unwillingness to back down she found within herself during the confrontation itself had seemed to vanish. Shayna was her confidant, seeing her arms as a safe haven, a place where anything and everything could be loosed, letting her drop all of the emotional baggage knowing full well the dragon would not ever dream of betraying that trust.

"The girls laughed when I said we all could stay. They want to leave as soon as possible."

"Well let them. You'll never have to see them again."

"I can't. They're gonna try to take me with them. I know it..."

"How do you know? You've said it yourself they don't hold much if any respect for you. Why would they try to force you into going with them?"

"I know too much. To keep them from getting caught, they'll do whatever it takes to keep me from talking to anyone who could stop them. That means either kill me, or drag me along with them."

"Oh come now. You really think they'd go that far? You would be staying isolated from the authorities that would attempt to pursue them. We have no reason to go before the police of the other nations and tell them about some insignificant band of thieves. I honestly think you're just overreacting."

"You don't know her like I do; she'll do anything to protect her own interests." Shayna simply frowned and continued to do her best to try to comfort the girl. Slowly, Natalie began to tire, emotionally drained from the confrontation and release. It was the first time she had been able to do either and the experience left her mentally winded. She cried herself to sleep in Shayna's arms who in turn gradually drifted off shortly thereafter. It had been a long day indeed. But that would pale in comparison to what was in store for them that night and the events they would set in motion would change the lives of not only Shayna and Natalie, but the seven thieves as well.

It was late, or early depending on how the situation was viewed and who was asked. The sun was a couple of hours away from rising and the valley seemed as peaceful as it always had been this time of the early morning. The wind was still, the air was a pleasing temperature, the birds were all quiet, nestled away in their nests, the little fingers of the tiny river running through the serene setting babbled and gurgled quietly, and all the denizens slumbered blissfully. There was nothing in the works with the power to pull any of the locals out of their sleep, save one.

Shayna's eyes opened in a flash, her body remaining still. Something did not feel right. In all the simplicity and serenity of the valley, something was amiss. All her senses told her there was nothing wrong, all her senses but one, the one part of her that was attuned to a greater perception. It was grinding away at the back of her mind telling her something had been disturbed, that the arrangement that had been in place for so many decades had been altered. Carefully, she sat up and placed two fingers to her temple, eyes closed in an attempt to focus her thoughts on this disturbance. The dragon's movements stirred her companion from the sorrow induced slumber. A quiet yawn rose up from the magnificently soft pillow as Natalie brought her eyes out of the dark and into the moonlit surroundings of the open-air bedroom.

"What time is it?" Gently, Shayna silenced the serpent with one loving finger.

"Shhh, just rest. The sun won't be up for at least another two hours." Not heeding Shayna's request, Natalie continued, keeping her voice low.

"Then why are you up? Are you alright?" The dragoness furrowed her brow slightly, trying to make sense of what was happening. She was still groggy, having just been yanked from her restful state and her mind was still trying to process the sensation.

"I... I don't know. It's odd. I feel like something's changed."

"How so?"

"You remember I mentioned I could sense the gems that keep the climate here as it is?" Natalie nodded, lost in the same mental fog as Shayna, working to clear away the cobwebs preventing her thoughts from connecting together, "Well, it feels like there is a delicate web joining all of these gems together, tying them all back to the one crystal that powers them, at least that's how it feels most of the time, like a spider web of sorts."

"Yeah, I remember you saying something about being able to sense where they all are. What's it feel like now?"

"It feels like that web's been disturbed somehow. The lesser ones are still connected, still receiving energy, but..." Words failed her, unable to articulate the sensation accurately. As Natalie listened, she seemed somewhat confused at first, but as the thought mixed with fragmented conversations from the last few days, something finally snapped into place. Her eyes widened and in a flash, she was out of bed, running towards the shrine that held the central crystal for all to see. Shayna, surprised by her dearest friend's sudden burst of energy, leapt from the bed and gave chase. When she arrived, she saw the green serpent staring at the sculpture created to hold the gem, a look of extreme horror on her face. In the dynamic release of emotion she underwent earlier that night, she had completely forgotten.

"They did it. They actually did it!"

"Did what?" The dragoness was confused, but the instant her gaze was filled with the statue without the crystal, it fell into place.

"Sylvia and the others, they stole the gem! They said they were going to! I knew they were going to and I didn't warn you! Dammit!" Natalie began to curse herself for having failed, feeling as if she had betrayed the dragon that had saved her life, as well as the lives of the other seven. Shayna pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

"It's alright, don't beat yourself up about this. I can just make another one." That was very true, but something about it just did not seem right. That same rage Natalie experienced before returned and she growled softly.

"I won't let them get away with this... we have to stop them. They've gone too far this time!" She hissed in a low voice, not wanting to disturb any of the nearby villagers, still asleep, oblivious to the theft. Shayna pulled away to look her in the eyes.

"Are you sure you want to go after them?" Natalie nodded, the fury brought on by a thousand verbal beatings coming to a head.

"I'm sure... can you do it?" Shayna nodded, a stolid look of contempt crossing her face. Originally, she wanted to spare her precious lover the emotional stress of confronting her former comrades, but seeing this change, this growth of will, allowed her the chance to do what was right.

"Climb on. They might be fast on foot, but I'm faster in the air. We'll stop them in the caves."

"Why there?" Natalie inquired as she moved to the dragon's back, slipping up between her two feathery soft wings.

"If we try to confront them as a group out in the open, they might do something drastic, or scatter and try to hide. If we take them in the caves, they'll scatter, separate and end up lost. We'll take them down one at a time until we find the crystal. It's a maze in there, and it's very hard to get from one side to the other."

"Okay but... what do you mean by 'take them down'?"

"You'll see." Shayna lurched forward, darting out of the gathering hall with unparalleled speed. As soon as there was clearance enough, her wings spread, opening to their full, majestic, and rather intimidating span. Instantly, her feet left the ground and they lifted high above the earth, soaring silently through the calm night air. Natalie remained quiet as she was flown with the greatest of ease, finding such an act to be rather soothing. To be carried aloft in such a manner, they would certainly have to try this again sometime.

Down below, the small band flew in their own manner; soft footfalls padded across the springy grass and earth. It made their escape seem perfect. None of them, Sylvia least of all, realized that just overhead an enraged dragoness sailed by. In their minds, they were getting off scot-free.

Long before any of the band of seven could even see the entrance to the caves leading to their private jet, repaired and ready for flight, Shayna dipped low and swooped into the wide entrance, landing gracefully on all fours.

"Hop off for a second... I need to change." She dipped into a pocket, pulling out a small, glass vial and downing its contents, an orange liquid of some description. Natalie took it to be juice of some kind and did not press the matter, figuring Shayna had gotten thirsty from the flight.

"Change?" She didn't argue, knowing they had precious little time until their quarry would arrive, and what a satisfying hunt it would be, retribution for all the pain and suffering they had caused her. As soon as she was back on the ground, standing on the cool stone floor, Shayna removed her robe, folded it up and handed it over to Natalie, "Shayna, now's not the time to be getting intimate..." She smirked at the smaller female's comment.

"I like the way you think... but I've got other plans... stand back. I don't want you getting knocked over." That worried Natalie. She moved to the nearest boulder large enough to conceal herself behind and crouched there, watching. In a display that could only be described as a beautiful, glorious array of light and energy, Shayna began her transformation. The turns in the cave system concealed the rays of light shining out, preventing the girls from seeing it, even from the distance they still had to travel. The dragon began to grow larger, falling forward onto her hands and knees as her body shifted and contorted slightly. Overall, she remained the same, but by the time the process was finished, she stood on all fours, wings folded at her sides looking down at the serpent before her. She no longer walked upright; she was as most dragons from legend were described, and she was the most beautiful beast Natalie had ever seen. Shayna stood just over six feet tall at the shoulder, her long, graceful neck connecting her head to the rest of her body, presenting a length from nose to tail that had to be as long as the very jet the girls had crashed into the mountain, if not longer. Surprisingly enough, her shapely bosom remained, having grown proportionally with her body.

"No matter how man times I do this, I can't figure out how to get rid of those, look like a 'normal' dragon." The serpent walked over and pressed herself against the altered dragon's chest, wrapping her arms about whatever she could reach, enjoying the new form.

"I'm not complaining. I think you look gorgeous, chest or no." Shayna gave an amused chuckle before the sound of pebbles tumbling out of the way of several pairs of feet began to echo through the tunnel. She hissed quietly, craning her head down.

"Quick! Hop on! I know a short cut to the exit!" Without hesitation, Natalie climbed back on and the dragoness disappeared into a tunnel previously hidden by the angle of the curve and the shadows cast on the rock face. Just waiting inside the mouth of the new path, they sat in silence, watching the seven girls jog by, going a bit slower now to conserve their energy. When Shayna was satisfied with how deep they had gone, she spun around and took off. It was amazing how something so large could move so quickly while still remaining deafly silent. It was another attribute Natalie marveled over. The ride ended shortly with the two reaching the snowy exit and turning to head back towards the path the girls would be coming should they ever manage to find their way this far.

"Wow, that was really fast... why didn't you bring us through that way?"

"Because these caves are our only line of defense. It keeps the unwanted out, and the children in until they're old enough to know better. In this case, it kept your 'friends' from knowing how to escape quickly. If they had gotten this far this fast, we would never have been able to catch them."

"Oh... right..."

"Since you're going to be staying, I figured it was safe to let you in on the secret, but you'll still have to learn the ins and outs of all of these tunnels, just so you don't get lost." She nodded a bit and remained on the dragon's back, watching as they slowly crept through the torch-lit passages. Shayna had a distinct advantage over them all. She helped build these caves and knew them all better than anyone. The sounds of the girls trotting around blindly through the mountain's innards only served to help her pinpoint them better. She lowered herself closer to the ground, positioning herself, ready to pounce, "Okay... now we start the fun. Hold on tight."

"Okay, just be careful."

"Don't worry about me... I got hit with a plane and I came out of it just fine. They're the ones who should be careful." Natalie nodded and pressed herself more tightly against the dragon's back, still holding her robe. Shayna's mind calculated like an animal's, determining distance to her targets, the speeds at which they were all traveling, the junction of tunnels surrounding them, predicting where they would all flee, and who she would select to be her first victim. In a snap reflex, the instant the first foot came into view, she lunged forward, knocking its owner to the ground with her muzzle and sitting up to provide a horrifyingly intimidating image. Her wings opened and she shook the cave with a mighty roar. Her teeth glistened in fiery light, all of them strong and sharp enough to puncture even the thickest armor. Seven distinctly different screams filled the air as they caught sight of the monster their hostess had transformed into. Most fell to the ground, trying to scurry away from the frightful beast while a couple simply turned and fled into a new passage. Sylvia, while taken in by the initial fright, narrowed her eyes and growled, darting off by herself into another tunnel. The one girl unfortunate enough to have been knocked down by Shayna herself crawled backwards, her eyes filled with fright as the dragon came crashing down atop her, claws sinking into the solid rock under her, pinning the hysterical female.

"Somebody! Anybody! Help me!" But her pleas fell on deaf ears as the others still in view continued to back away. Natalie remained hidden as the dragoness roared again, and then brought her open jaws screaming down towards the helpless feline's head. To the outside viewer, it appeared rather vicious, but in fact, Shayna was being rather careful, not wanting to spill blood or dismember the girl. Her clawed paw moved away, dragging with it the thief's clothing as her tongue wrapped about the cat's neck and shoulders, dragging the terrified woman into the warm, moist maw waiting below. More screams of terror rose from within and from elsewhere in the cave. A firm swallow saw half of the cat's nude body vanish past Shayna's jaws and a visible lump form in that long neck. Her meal thrashed and struggled about, kicking and screaming at the top of her lungs, trying to escape the fleshy embrace, horrifying those who watched even further.

The dragon threw her head back and gulped again, clapping her jaws shut as the poor feline's feet disappeared from sight, a large bulge sliding down Shayna's neck, melting away into the curve of her chest before the cat was dropped into her empty stomach where she proceeded to kick and scream. A noticeable lump could be seen wriggling about under the dragon's belly scales. She was alive and contrary to what the others thought, perfectly safe in her new prison, at least for now. After having witnessed such an act, those who had stayed in close proximity allowed what little bravery they had left to fail them and ran with all their might, scrambling in the nearest empty passage they could find.

"Get me out of here! I don't want to die as a snack for this bitch! Help me! Cut her open! Let me out! I don't deserve this!" More cries similar to those came from deep within the dragon's stomach, easily stretching to accommodate her new passenger. Natalie was quite shocked.

"You... you ate her..."

"She's fine."

"But you ate her!"

"You know that orange stuff I drank when we got to the entrance?"

"Yeah?"

"It neutralizes acid."

"So..."

"So she's just sitting in there, not being burned away to nothing, not being broken down into nourishment, just sitting there. If we get back before the stuff wears off, they'll all be fine." That seemed to comfort Natalie some, but the thought of them melting away in her lover's belly, never to be heard from again clicked with the deepest, darkest part of her mind and triggered a sickly pleasant reaction. She shuddered a little and remained atop her draconic friend as she began the hunt again; galloping down one of the tunnels the girls had fled. It took seconds for her to track down and pin another helpless, screaming girl. This time she had caught the gryphon from the bunch, who immediately clawed and bit at Shayna's grasp, fighting hard to stay alive. Unfortunately for her, the dragon's scales were just too thick, acting like a natural armor, rendering all her attacks ineffective. The predator snarled and hissed aggressively before stripping her down and stuffing the furred and feathered creature down her gullet as it squalled in protest. Another similar lump passed down her neck into her chest and beyond where she was deposited with the feline from before. Both embraced one another and sobbed loudly before resuming their fight to escape. Shayna moved a paw to her shifting stomach, visibly larger than before, sagging under her a good deal.

"What's wrong? Indigestion?" Natalie smirked.

"Something like that. They won't stop moving around, it's distracting." The serpent snickered a bit and grinned.

"Serves'em right! Let's find the others and stuff'em in there too!" Shayna grinned hearing Natalie take to the plan so readily.

"Alright! Two down, five to go!" She took off again in search of prey while the two already devoured bounced away in her belly, the distention looking somewhat natural for a dragon of Shayna's size, but it was about to get much larger. The next find was the vixen and her playmate, both of them in each others arms huddled against the wall of a dead end. The dragoness growled deeply at the two of them, making them scream at the sight of the monster. She crept closer thinking this would be an easy meal, no need to chase them down this time, and in that matter, she was right. These two did not run, paralyzed by fear. As with the other two, Shayna stripped them down and stuffed them in her maw, both at the same time. At that point, things got more difficult. It was hard swallowing two of them at once, but she fought her way through it, gulping and jerking her head forward and back to help the progression until they were nothing more than a huge squirming lump traveling down her throat. The girls moved slower than normal, Shayna's esophagus straining to hold them both in and push them deeper, but their progress was constant. Countless rolling swallows pushed both of the girls into the dragon's belly to join the cat and gryphon. Her stomach swelled and distended outward even further, looking to be quite the load she had to carry now. Shayna panted a little after the relief in her neck arrived, stroking it softly.

"Remind me not to do that again... one at a time from now on." Natalie giggled and nodded, reaching down to pat the side of Shayna's widely stretched tummy, finding such punishment amusing. More and more, she started thinking how nice it would be if they just melted away in there, but she dismissed the thought as barbaric. This was punishment enough, scared to death and stuffed in a dragon's belly. After that, being released and driven out of the valley might be enough to sate her rage.

"Gotcha, one at a time. Four down, three to go!"

"I dunno... ugh... I'm getting full, and they're all really moving around... a lot."

"Come on Shayna! You can do it! They stole the crystal that keeps your home comfortable and full of life! The others won't live nearly as long without it! They're essentially committing murder!" That little thought spurred the dragon onward, in spite of the relative ease of making a new stone. Still, there were complications to consider with the process. She lunged forward again, heading off in the direction of the nearest frantic foot falls. Her belly hindered her a bit, slowing her down as it shifted about. At least her running forced the girls inside to toss about, keeping them from trying to force their way out. The next thief came and went easily enough, but Shayna's stomach was definitely approaching its maximum capacity. Her skin might be able to stretch easily enough, and it certainly was, but the chamber housing now five screaming girls could only take so much gluttony. Shayna doubted her ability to finish off the last two. Maybe she could take one more...

"I haven't seen Sylvia yet, she must be hiding really well."

"She knows something," Shayna hiccupped, "I could see it in her eyes. I think she found a way to navigate back to the entrance."

"That's possible, she was leaving 'breadcrumbs' behind when we came in."

"Breadcrumbs?"

"Yeah. You see, we've got this phosphorescent paint that is invisible to the naked eye, but you shine it under a black light and it shows up clear as day. I saw her marking the way we came in."

"We might not catch her then..."

"I bet she's the one that's got the crystal... but don't worry, she didn't mark all the junctions. She'll be back-tracking a couple of times no doubt."

"Then let's hurry up and find her. We don't have any time to lose." Natalie agreed and Shayna loped through the tunnel, unable to move much faster than a mild trot with her tummy stretched so far. In fact, Natalie had hopped down to see what was the matter and blinked noticing the swell of the dragon's stomach was sagging almost to the ground, shy by only half a foot or so.

"Man, they're really packed in there."

"Like sardines, mind if you follow on foot?"

"Not at all."

"Thanks." And the hunt continued. It was difficult now that there were only two remaining, spread out over such a vast area, and on top of that, the one they happened to have chosen to follow had managed to end up all the way back at the entrance leading to the valley. She stared out at the farms and little houses bathing in moonlight with absolute horror. Surely Shayna would catch her easily. After seeing what she had done with the first girl, she ran, and ran just as fast as she could with no regard for where she was headed. Minutes passed as she just stared out at the valley, her mind reeling at the thought of being crammed into the dragon's gut with the other girls. That inability to act gave Shayna the ability to sneak up on the motionless mink, signaling for Natalie to help out with this one. In a flash, the thief was pinned under Shayna's paw and the serpent was stripping her down briskly, working fast in hopes they would still be able to catch Sylvia. This one found herself unable to scream, not even fighting, stunned, as if lost in a dream she couldn't wake up from. Seeing such indifference, the dragon pulled her paw away and lay down on her side, watching as she held her swollen middle, hiccupping every now and again.

"I think you might hafta help her in Natalie." The green girl nodded and picked the mink up, dragging her towards Shayna's head where an open maw and a long, glistening tongue awaited her. Still not finding the will to fight, the mink allowed her head to be forced into the dragon's mouth, all the way to the back of her throat. A soft gulp, all Shayna could manage at the moment, pressed her face against the soft yet firm grip of her throat. In that instant, her 'dream' shattered and she realized it was real, finding her strength of will to fight, and fight she did. Natalie shoved hard as the mink kicked and screamed harder than all the others, her hands getting coated lightly in Shayna's saliva as the snake managed to stuff her ex-co-worker into her new lover's maw. The dragon rolled onto her back, letting her gut rise up towards the ceiling of the cave, mouth open as she was force fed, not that she was complaining. It had to be done after all. It was a long, difficult process but Natalie finally managed to work the mink in up to her knees and from there, Shayna took over. The serpent's hands caressed over the swell in the dragon's neck, massaging it softly to help stimulate swallowing, and with what little help she could provide, the mink's form slid deeper and deeper until she was mashed up against the other five victims of Shayna's hunger. The dragon groaned and burped noisily, holding the sides of her enormous gut, panting a little.

"Oh lord I'm full."

"But you've got room for one more right?"

"I... I dunno, maybe."

"Well c'mon! We gotta catch her or she'll get away!" Shayna nodded and laboriously rolled back to her feet, her belly now dragging lightly on the stone floor. It was clear she was strained with six wriggling girls, but with what was at stake, she found the will to carry on. They opted to take the short cut again, hoping and praying they would get there in time but the going was slow. Shayna found herself wanting to just flop down on her side and rest, out of breath and moaning from all of the motion inside. Deep in her stomach, the six girls worked frantically to find a way out, pressing against anything and everything; trying to claw, scratch, or bite a hole in the walls that held them but to no avail. Nothing would free them except Shayna's voluntary upheaval, which would not be occurring anytime soon. Eventually, roughly half way to the other side, the dragon finally gave out and tumbled to her side, pushing in against her stomach to try to make the pain go away.

"Come on Shayna! We gotta keep moving! It's not that much further!"

"Ugh, I don't think I can manage to fit Sylvia in. I'm just too full. You'll have to finish the job." Natalie blinked in disbelief.

"But... I can't swallow someone whole!"

"Yes you can. You're a snake. You've got the inherent ability to swallow just about anything whole."

"But I can't do it! Sylvia's too big!"

"She's the same size as you. Have you ever tried swallowing something big?"

"Well, I did try to eat a whole roast chicken on a bet once..."

"And?" Natalie remained silent for a while before answering.

"I made fifty bucks my junior year of college..." Shayna smirked, obviously suppressing moans caused by her painfully stretched belly.

"You can do this... I know you can."

"But I'll digest her..."

"There's another vial in my robe, pull it out and drink it down. It lasts for about a couple of days." She had begun looking for it when the word 'another' reached her ears, finding it and downing the nasty tasting stuff. She grimaced and gagged but chocked it down, missing Shayna's mention of its effective length.

"Definitely not orange juice... that stuff was horrible!"

"I know, now get a move on! I can hear her running! She might be there already!"

Natalie nodded, frowning sadly that Shayna could not continue. The dragon leaned down and kissed her affectionately on the end of her nose.

"I love you Nat, go make me proud. I believe in you!"

"I love you too Shayna... and I'll do my best. I won't let you down!" And she was off, as fast as her feet would carry her.

Elsewhere in the cave, the raccoon swore and kicked at a random rock as she spun around, trying to make sense of the maze of passages. She had lost track of her marks and was wasting valuable time trying to locate at least one. She wished she had not simply painted the soles of her shoes as she used a marker to indicate where she had tried and eventually succeeded, finding her way again and darting along as quickly as she could. As Natalie had predicted, she had the gem and it was carefully concealed. Sylvia was taking no chances this time.

"That bitch... I can't believe she's eating people! I bet it was Natalie's idea too! That no good, rotten snake! They're all alike! Ya just can't trust'em! Stab ya in the back every damn time!" Her personal prejudice was completely unfounded, but then again, so were most of the world's prejudices, but that stopped hardly anyone from acting so foolishly. A cool breeze swept over Sylvia's fur and she stopped, trying to judge where the source might be. She paused and looked about, making an educated guess and following along where she thought the wind was coming from. Her cool-headedness paid off.

"Hah! Found it! Screw this valley, screw Natalie, and screw that bitch of a dragon! It's a shame the other girls didn't get this far... but hey, if they weren't smart enough to follow me when I told them I knew the way out, serves them right. More money for me." She slipped a thick winter coat on and started walking towards the mouth of the cave, feeling quite proud of herself. Just a few steps away from it, a form walked into view just outside the opening. Sylvia froze, her eyes focusing in the dark until the stranger's identity registered.

"You know you are one heartless whore... not even bothering to save who you call friends." The raccoon growled loudly, recognizing who it was instantly.

"Get outta my way bitch, unless you wanna pick up where we left off earlier." Her coat slid off and a knife was drawn from her boot.

"All the others have been caught, you're the last. Shayna says she'll let you all go if you just return the crystal."

"Yeah I bet... you told her ta eat everyone didn't you... best way ta save your scrawny ass! Have us all turned into snacks for your girlfriend! No evidence for the authorities to find if they ever come looking..."

"She never told me that was what she was going to do. She just went for it without caring what anyone else would think, and you know, I'm inclined to start doing that more often, act on impulse, follow my heart and such. I think I'll start by smashing your ugly face!"

"Awww how cute, the lil worm's had a revelation. Too bad she won't live long enough to regret it!" Sylvia loosed a battle cry that echoed through the tunnel and lunged at Natalie. Her blade missed the snake by inches and she was sent sprawling by a powerful kick to the stomach. The serpent stepped into the cave, dusting snow off of her shoulders.

"You forgot something Sylvia..." The raccoon snarled furiously at her enemy.

"What's that?"

"I'm a black belt... it's one reason why you picked me." Sylvia's eyes narrowed before growling again and attacking, thrown back in futility, disarmed. Natalie tossed the knife out into the snow, defending herself against any assault her former employer hurled at her. The whole fight seemed rather one sided, Natalie stripping the raccoon of her clothes one shred at a time, ripping off a sleeve, a pant leg, even a bra when it got down that far. It only infuriated her opponent. Sylvia had had enough of this. In one last desperate act, she grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at the snake before her, blinding the girl. Natalie cried out in surprise as her eyes filled with dust from the cave floor, trying to rub it out, but Sylvia was upon her in seconds, throwing her to the ground where the two tussled about. All Natalie's training was for naught in this scuffle, unable to see or even counter her foe's moves. The fight lasted for several seconds until Sylvia wound up on top, her hands clamped firmly around the snake's throat, choking her. She laughed triumphantly through her pants of exertion.

"Hah! All that martial arts crap can't save your ass now, ya worm! Face it! You just... can't... beat me!" Natalie's vision began to cloud as her air supply was strangled away, pain coursing through her body from the lack of oxygen. She couldn't lose, not like this. Shayna was counting on her. The whole valley was counting on her! She had to win! With one last burst of strength, she kicked her leg upward and nailed the back of Sylvia's head, the momentum of her thigh helping to drive the raccoon up and forward, off of Natalie and her neck. She screamed in surprise and rage as she was thrown while the serpent coughed and gasped. Freedom! She could breathe again! But she had no time to regain her composure. Sylvia attacked again, burning with rage like never before, biting and clawing like the animal she had become. They fought again before Sylvia knocked Natalie to the ground once more, knocking the wind out of her. The master thief crawled over weakly to gloat one last time, another knife in hand, smaller than the first.

"Ya know... you are one hard bitch ta kill. I liked you when we first met... you were cool... sexy... not worried about what was right and wrong. It's a shame you had ta grow a conscience." She smirked as Natalie gagged, trying to gasp for air but not being able to draw breath for several moments, "How 'bout one last kiss... for old time's sake?" Sylvia leaned in and pressed her lips to Natalie's, slipping her tongue between both sets of lips to flick about over the serpent's. It was a deep, passionate kiss, but it was hollow, no feeling of love behind it, only a temporary flicker of lust. That's all it had been with Sylvia. She wasn't interested in Natalie as a lover, she never had been, and it had just now finally dawned on her. The raccoon even went so far as to breathe some of her own lungful of air into the snake, wanting her to be able to exhale that one last time when she stabbed her. But it proved to be a fatal mistake. Just as the knife came screaming down, Natalie's hand shot out and grabbed Sylvia's wrist, gripping it tight and twisting it just enough to force her hand to open and the blade to fall down. Their lips parted and the serpent looked into Sylvia's eyes, finally able to breathe.

"And it's a shame you couldn't learn how to fight." She hissed loudly. Sylvia screamed with renewed rage, but her bellow as muffled quickly as Natalie opened her mouth wider than she ever had before, feeling her jaw dislocate out of instinct and in the raccoon's head was pushed. Her jaws clamped down firmly on Sylvia's neck, her tail knocking the knife out of reach of both of them as she gulped hard. Her eyes shut tight as she forced her ex-girlfriend into her throat, her neck swelling out with an enormous bulge as her prey kicked and fought with all her strength. Natalie grunted and swallowed again, tugging the raccoon's chest past her lips, giving her two luscious mounds of flesh a few licks, sampling her taste and finding it rather pleasing. It was slow going trying to force the squirming woman down but inch after inch passed and gradually, Sylvia began to enter the snake-girl's stomach, free of any nasty, corrosive substances. The process was painfully slow, and just plain painful somewhat. Working around her shoulders and her hips were the most difficult parts. The fact that she was still kicking at the serpent's form made things no easier and then there was her tail, so bushy and fluffy, it made Natalie gag a number of times. At least Sylvia tasted good. Her belly stretched and bulged and distended to hold her meal in, growing until painfully full but holding fast. After what began twenty minutes earlier, she mashed the raccoon's feet in and swallowed wetly, pushing the last of her former would-be lover into her gut. With the deed done, she flopped onto her back, panting heavily and holding her massive, wriggling belly.

"Let me out right now you bitch or I'll tear you in half from the inside out! You hear me!? Let me out!" Sylvia continued to rant and scream furiously from the relatively safe confines of the snake's middle, listening to her gasp to catch her breath. Before too long, a massive belch rang out through the cave, echoing for several seconds after the fact. A chuckle came from nearby as a very stuffed looking dragoness managed to waddle the rest of the way in.

"How was she?" Natalie looked up from where she lay; grinning a bit, though looking tired and banged up a bit from the fight.

"She was pretty tasty, but she's kicking and moving around so much, it kinda hurts... but... part of me kinda likes it." Shayna nodded and suppressed her own burp.

"Yeah, that's normal... she'll get used to it in there in a little bit. All the other girls finally calmed down and stopped moving. Don't forget to swallow some air down so she doesn't suffocate. Can't have her dying on us before her trial."

"Heh, yeah, guess not. You sense the crystal anywhere around here?" Shayna nodded.

"Yeah, I can feel it. It's close by."

"Probably in her pack or clothes somewhere. Let's gather them all up and head back."

"Okay, hop up and we'll waddle back together." Natalie chuckled and tried to sit up, finding it difficult, but managed to all the same. With even more of an effort, she got to her feet, feeling awfully off balance from the added weight, her middle still shifting about and kicking hard, knocking her back onto her rump.

"Dammit, I can't stand up with her fighting like that." Shayna frowned and nuzzled her lover affectionately.

"Then lemme carry you."

"Carry me? On your back? I'll roll off with how hard she's moving around."

"No, not on my back... I can still stretch to hold one more in... just... ugh... not in my stomach."

"You sure?" Shayna nodded.

"I'm sure. Just try to stand up after I start." Natalie nodded and sat there, holding her enormous belly as Sylvia fought and swore up a storm in her scaly tummy. Shayna turned around, her own belly touching the ground as she lifted her tail and backed up, letting Natalie help out by pushing her hands and arms into the warm folds of the dragon's passage, happy that she was going to get to curl back up inside, especially after having eaten so well. Gradually, Shayna sucked her in until her face as pressed against the tender entrance. Natalie nuzzled and lapped at the moist lips enveloping her, enjoying the sweet aroma and nectar that flowed freely about her, and pushed her face in. The rest of her head slipped in easily and Shayna backed up inch after inch, making all manner of unusual faces as her canal was stretched. When Natalie found it impossible to stand, Shayna simply began to sit down atop her, slurping the smooth serpent's supple, scaly body into her own. The giant swell of Natalie's wiggling middle served to only stimulate the poor dragon's tender folds even further, making her moan, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as climax began to draw near. With a loud slurping sound, her ravenous cunny gobbled up the last of her lover as her rump landed firmly on the ground, pulling all of Natalie into her warm, secure womb. Her legs bowed outward as she sat on her haunches, panting a little as the gentle orgasm rushed over her, leaving a decent sized puddle on the ground under her. By now, her tummy had grown quite enormous, carrying all eight of her visitors within. When she finally came down off the lovely blissful high of climax, she groaned and flopped back to her side, reaching over to gather Sylvia's things. She could still sense the crystal somewhere nearby, somewhere very close by, but unable to pinpoint it exactly. When she felt up to the challenge, she shifted back to her paws, letting Sylvia's pack hang around her neck as she dragged her gargantuan, gravid gut back towards Mak'Shari.

"God, why did I have to eat all of them? Why couldn't I have just tied them up or something? Ugh... I'm gonna pay for this when the sun comes up. God my stomach hurts."

A few hours after dawn broke, the council had gathered again and Natalie lay against Shayna's enormous belly, the dragon lay on her side out in the grass since she couldn't fit through the hall's entrance with such a swell.

"Welcome everyone and thank you all for coming. I'm sorry to have to call this emergency session but this is a matter that needs to be dealt with quickly." The others simply stared at the two round reptiles, not knowing what to think just yet. Shayna went about quickly explaining what happened just hours before and left out no detail whatsoever. The seven girls listening in on their conversation had to admit, she did reproduce the events accurately.

"So, where is our crystal now?"

"I'm not sure exactly. I know it's somewhere close by. From how things played out in the tunnels, I'd have to say it's somewhere in Sylvia's things. So don't worry. We're all safe. What we need to do is determine the punishment for these seven thieves." One of the other council members spoke up, a wolf of pure midnight black fur.

"Don't you mean eight? You said it yourself that Natalie was one of them."

"Yes, and that's just it. She was one of them. If it hadn't been for her, the other seven would have gotten away with our crystal, which need I remind you, is the sole purpose we're able to live the way we do. She came to me and confessed, wanting to stay here. She doesn't want to steal anymore. She doesn't even want to go back to the outside world. She was nearly killed trying to stop Sylvia. She is as much one of us as you or I." That seemed to satisfy the wolf and touch Natalie, "Not only that... but... I love her. I am not about to banish her from this place when I feel the way I do about her. I can't. I would not be fit to live here if I did." Natalie's eyes began to tear up but she held them back. After all, how proper would it have been to start crying uncontrollably and throwing herself on the dragoness in a wild fit of pure adoration in the middle of a council meeting? The others turned to one another, talking back and forth, before they all nodded in agreement.

"Alright, if you're vouching for her, we'll gladly let her stay. But had it been anyone else here, we'd not have considered it so quickly." Shayna nodded.

"Thank you. Now, as for the other seven... the potion will be wearing off in two days. I suggest we come up with a solution for them by then."

"You say they are guilty of countless thefts?" Natalie chimed in.

"Not countless, thirty-seven different occasions of high profile burglary... that includes what I was a part of, then there are a whole bunch minor infractions, pockets picked, magazine's ripped off from news stands, candy from various stores and stuff like that. Those are the ones I could call countless." More talk ensued before they questioned her further.

"Anything else?"

"That's all I know of since I joined their group. They could have done more. In fact, the latest haul is out in the jet right now. Shayna found it and I felt I had to tell her the truth." They all nodded.

"So then, thirty-seven counts of theft, a pattern of anti-social behavior including counts of petty theft, plus the fact they tried to steal the very crystal that controls the climate and provides us with our longevity. As far as I'm concerned, that's attempted mass murder."

"Oh come on! Shayna said she could make another one!" It was Sylvia, crying out through her fleshy prison.

"Yes, I could... but the time and energy it is required to make, it would do severe damage to the crops... and those who have lived longer than they normally would, would begin to suffer from rapid aging. I've seen it happen and I do not ever want to subject them to that. It is a slow, agonizingly painful way to die. Imagine turning into a ninety year old woman in the next hour. Your body would begin to shut down, you would lose mobility, among other things, and you would wither away. Even after a new crystal is formed, the damage would be done; so much the healing powers of the gem could not undo it. You would have killed at least three dozen people, maybe more." Sylvia quieted down in Natalie's belly hearing Shayna's harsh scolding. She had not thought of that, and that aspect did indeed make the crime far more serious than just simple theft.

"Then we are all in agreement of what these seven are guilty of?" They others nodded, "Very well, you are all charged with theft and attempted mass murder. It makes little difference how you plead since one of your own has confessed, brought forward evidence of a plot to steal the stone, and Shayna's own testimony that it was removed from its pedestal and sensed it moving along with the lot of you. Everyone here knows you are all guilty so we will forego the defense portion and simply decide your punishment."

"Hey! You can't do that! I don't care how guilty we look! We are supposed to have a chance to defend ourselves!"

"You can defend openly admitting to stealing the stone?" Natalie paused, not having really thought out her argument yet.

"Well... no..."

"And were Natalie and Shayna lying about your attempt to kill the very person restraining you at this very moment?" The raccoon paused again, frowning angrily. She kept silent knowing she had the right to do so, "I suppose your silence means either you have no explanation for your actions against Natalie, or you are simply too angry to answer. Therefore, we assume they were telling the truth, and since I have known Shayna all my life, and know for a fact she would not lie about something so serious, in my eyes, her word is as good as law. May we please continue?"

"Fine! Just get on with it already! Geeze! Frickin' windbag..." Natalie frowned and punched her bloated middle in disapproval.

"Watch it in there!"

"Ow! Easy! This is cruel and unusual punishment you know!"

"We're not in a country governed by the same laws as you're used to Sylvia." Shayna's tone was quite serious, emphasizing the fact that they would get away with doing pretty much anything they wanted to these girls, and that silenced the raccoon.

"We have no prison, nor do I want to have to construct one. This is the first time something so serious has occurred within our borders. We have no need for police or jails here. I am truly at a loss for what to do with all of you." The wolf sounded just as frustrated as his statement let on. It was quite the predicament, trying to decide what to do with the first seven criminals caught in their valley. One of the other council members chimed in shortly after he finished speaking.

"The potion keeping them all alive runs out in about two days, right?" Shayna nodded in the affirmative, "Well, we have until then to come up with something. I say we adjourn for the day and let you two rest. You look like you could use it." Shayna smiled and nodded softly.

"Thank you, we both appreciate your thoughtfulness. A rest would be lovely, right Natalie?" The serpent nodded, looking quite tired herself.

"Alright, we will meet back here tomorrow morning. Should you two need anything, please let us know."

"We will. Thank you all again for coming." They all bowed and dispersed, leaving the plump snake and overstuffed dragon to lie in the sun.

"You're telling me I gotta stay in your slimy, stinking stomach all damn day!?" The raccoon sounded exceptionally angry but Natalie just smirked and rubbed her massive belly.

"That's right, so pipe down or I'll dunk my head in the stream and drown you." Sylvia clammed up quickly. Natalie yawned, hiccupped softly and lay down on her side, cuddling up against Shayna's bosom, nuzzling against one of her rather large breasts softly as a wing found its way around the both of them. The dragoness purred happily and smiled down at her swollen lover.

"I told you everything would be alright. You get to stay, and your friends will be brought to justice." Natalie nodded and kissed the dragon's fleshy orb that doubled as her pillow.

"Yeah, you were right. And what you said to the council about me... all that stuff about not being fit to live here if you threw me out... you meant all of that?"

"Of course I did. First of all I'd be a hypocrite since I've done some things in the distant past I'm not too proud of, and second of all I wouldn't be good for much after tossing the woman I love out in the snow. I'd be heartbroken and you know what that does to someone." Natalie just hugged Shayna tighter and closed her eyes. In the few hours they had endured since scarffing down the seven thieves, both had adjusted to the sensation of having eaten far more than they should have, and in all honesty, it was beginning to feel quite nice, "Hey, want to crawl back in? I bet you'd sleep even better in there."

"You know I would. I love it in there." Shayna smiled and brought Natalie around behind her by way of her long, prehensile tail, and the two began the process of inserting the serpent back into the dragon's warm, loving womb. Before too long, Shayna lay on her side, cooing happily as she hugged her enormous belly, practically glowing in the warm sunlight while Natalie curled up safe and sound under her scales. Gradually, both fell asleep, not moving from that lovely little meadow.

The rest of the day was spent not moving from that single spot, Shayna hardly moving at all, shifting from her side, to her back, and sometimes to her tummy, letting her weight press down on everyone making her bloated stomach what it was. A few complaints rose up from under her scales but she ignored them, purring deeply as Natalie remained comfortably asleep, not minding the changes in position. While on her back, the large swell of her belly rose up into a white mountain a couple of the local children found to be glorious fun to climb and slide down. The dragoness giggled as the kits played over her rounded middle, asking her why she had not tried this sooner. Eventually, Natalie woke as the sun was past its peak, well into the afternoon, and made her exit, finding it easier to stand with Sylvia finally behaving. After all, if the raccoon continued her usual antagonizing, Natalie might not let her out. The serpent found leaning against the dragon's thief-stuffed middle to be quite comfortable, though not as much as it was curled up in what she started to jokingly refer to as her 'bed.' Shayna certainly agreed but she enjoyed seeing Natalie's beautiful face. The two spent the rest of the day lounging in the sun, ignoring the whimpers and protests from their meals. It was a shame they chose such a high profile item to burgle, and if the council decided it so, it might have ended up costing them more than they could afford.

The sun dipped lower until the sky was once again dark, filled with stars and the moon cast its unearthly glow across the land. It was a beautiful night, but the two lovers were too fatigued to truly enjoy it. Natalie simply slipped back between her lover's thighs and into the secure embrace of the dragon's body. Both slept soundly all night long.

Morning came all too quickly for the two girls and they separated again for the council's benefit. As promised, they had decided on a fate for all of the thieves. What they had to say was not pleasant.

"We've thought over the matter considerably and though our decision is not one we take lightly, we have made one." Sylvia squirmed a little, pressing an ear out against the flesh sack surrounding her, afraid she might misunderstand something. The side of her face could be seen lightly in Natalie's belly, pressed outward, looking rather unusual. The other girls all held their breath hoping their nightmare was over, that they could finally be released from this hellish prison.

"Whatever your decision is, we will honor it, and so will the girls that are guilty, otherwise," Shayna poked at her overly bloated stomach firmly, "They might receive a harsher punishment."

"I'm afraid that's just it Miss Shayna, there is no harsher punishment. With the danger these thieves pose to our community and the lack of respect they have for the safety and wellbeing of others, it is with a very heavy heart I hereby condemn them to remain where they are until they are no more." Sylvia rocked firmly against Natalie's innards, making her grab the sides of the massive swell in pain, wincing noticeably.

"You can't do that! That's condemning us to death! We'll get digested in here!"

"I realize, but you are simply too dangerous to be released. We have no guarantee once you are free you will not try to steal the crystal again as retribution for holding you captive in such a manner." What followed was a string of swears too foul for the ears of those they fell upon. The council had expected such a reaction and both Natalie and Shayna held their stomachs, upset by the painful struggling their passengers suddenly engaged in.

"God I hope this doesn't last... I don't think I can take this for too long." Shayna nodded in agreement and the voice of the dark wolf boomed loud enough to still their squirming bellies.

"Quiet!" Every living thing within half of a mile froze in place. His voice demanded absolute respect, "Now, that is merely one option. There is an alternative. You all will be released under the following conditions; the crystal you have taken is revealed and returned unharmed and undamaged, the seven of you oversee the dismantling of your means of transportation we were foolish enough to even consider repairing for you, the stolen items housed within said plane are turned over to the authorities, and you give yourselves up to whatever governments have rightful jurisdiction over you." That most certainly did not seem fair, at least to Sylvia. The others were less than enthusiastic about the idea of going to prison, but that was still better than melting away in a dragon's stomach.

"That's blackmail! You can't force us to give ourselves up like that!"

"Our decision is final, and the option to turn yourselves in must be agreed to by all seven of you. If even one refuses, then that one seals the fate of the group. We are simply unwilling to subject ourselves to that kind of danger again. The choice is yours, and the chance to save yourselves is available only for the length of this session. As soon as the meeting is adjourned, the opportunity will have gone." Natalie was a little worried after hearing the decision. She wasn't sure if she was ready to kill Sylvia, at least on a conscious level. Deep down inside, there was a more primal part of her screaming to burn the witch in her belly away to nothing, to let her be used to nourish the serpent's body. Shayna seemed indifferent either way, though she was adamant about the return of the crystal. Sylvia was getting nervous as the reality of the situation weighed heavily down upon her for the first time in the hours she had spent stuffed in a snake's gurgling gut.

"Okay, okay, how 'bout this," her voice quaked noticeably, "I tell you where the crystal is, we all get let out, but not here, back on our plane, that way, we can't possibly do any more damage even if we wanted to. Sound good?"

"I'm sorry but it is either stay where you are, or go to prison. Either way, we require you to tell us where the crystal is. Shayna says Natalie has been unable to find it in your gear or clothing."

"But we wouldn't be a threat! Isn't that what us going to prison is all about? Keeping us from being a threat to you guys!?"

"A threat to us, and others you might intend to steal from should you be released."

"Have you forgotten that this bitch that won't burp me up was in on it the whole fucking time!?"

"She may have been an accomplice in past crimes, but because of her actions, you all were brought to justice. She came forward and did the right thing. For that, we have no reason to try her for acts that were committed in the past. We have no jurisdiction over those crimes." More swearing rose up from Natalie's tightly stretched stomach, the raccoon within kicking and squirming furiously while her comrades wept, knowing their lives were over one way or another. Some tried to repent and beg forgiveness but by now that was simply too little, too late. Eventually, a threat, one might call it, emanated from snake's middle.

"If you don't let me outta here right now, I won't tell you assholes where that damn crystal is and you'll all die!" Shayna chimed in, leaning down close so her voice would reach Sylvia's ears loud and clear.

"I can sense the crystal, and I know it is nearby. We will find it no matter where you've hidden it. The lives of your friends are in your hands, as is your own life. I suggest you make the right choice."

"Bite me you scaly bitch!" That was the last answer anyone from outside would receive from her. From that moment forward, she fell silent, sitting with her arms crossed, much like a brooding five-year-old. Natalie sighed and poked her enormous tummy a little.

"Hey, I don't like having you in there that much. At least in prison, you've got a chance for parole. We're talking about a death sentence here! Not just for you, but for the other girls too!" Her only answer was silence. Sylvia was not going to change her mind on the matter. She knew something the denizens didn't, and that let her think she could take them all down with her, "I can't believe you're being so stubborn about this! You don't wanna go to jail, fine! You can just sit in there until I'm finished with you!" She leaned down towards her belly, lowering her voice a bit, "Oh, and when I said I didn't like you being in there, I lied. I love how humiliating this must be for you, unable to move, unable to get out. And you tasted really good too. It's a shame I can't just keep you as my own personal snack."

She taunted, hoping to goad Sylvia into arguing. It would at least get her talking again, and that was the first step towards changing the raccoon's mind, of course. The fact everything she said about enjoying being fat and happy having devoured the girl was true would certainly help things along. Unfortunately, Sylvia remained rock solid, at least on the surface. Underneath, she wanted so badly to rip the snake girl in two from the inside out. When the commotion subsided and Natalie's taunting failed, the black wolf sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing them softly. The whole situation had given him a headache. It was the first time the council had to do something like this and they all prayed it would be the last.

"I hereby adjourn this meeting of the council of Mak'Shari. You seven are hereby sentenced to live out the rest of your lives, as short a time as that is now, to be nothing more than sustenance for those whose stomachs you inhabit. May whatever god or gods you believe in have mercy on your souls." and with that the council dissolved, departing to go about their usual lives. The whole experience left them questioning what kind of people lived outside their borders and whether or not they should just seal the tunnels up. Of course, they reminded one another that amidst all the chaos and the deception, one sparkling ray of hope had come in the form of Natalie. Shayna was admittedly in love with her, and with her heart no longer aching over the loss of her previous lover, she would be far happier and in the end, that was all anyone really cared about, the happiness of all those who resided within their valley.

Shayna scooted a bit closer to Natalie, nosing her softly as the six girls in her stomach wriggled about, climbing over one another, trying to find some way to push back up and out the way they came in. Occasionally, they would succeed and breach the entrance, managing to slip back into the dragoness's throat, but Shayna simply swallowed as she felt the lumps pushing back up her gullet, sending them back into her belly with a satisfying gulp. She was not about to let her six tasty morsels get away so easily. They were hers now. Sylvia on the other hand remained quiet and still, brooding and scheming, trying to find a way out of her situation but all of her plans failed to pass even a simple mental testing. Any attempt she would make, even if she managed to escape this gastro-gulag, even if she somehow could make it to the caves, and even if she by some miraculous means made it all the way to the jet, that damned dragon would simply rip the vehicle apart and stuff her down into her own belly with the other six. She knew full well she could not fight a dragon and win, and her chances of even managing to get even a part of her form back up into Natalie's mouth where far too slim to be worth trying.

Natalie patted her plump, tightly packed stomach with a satisfied grin. She would see the last of the horrid creature that had stolen her life from her, and she would have that life back in spades. A life for a life one might say. When she had been approached with the proposition of joining the band of thieves, she was on the fence for a while, not sure if she really should join or if she should simply turn them all in. For a long time after she began having doubts, she wished she could go back to that night and change her decision, but now, she was glad it all happened, because it brought her into the arms of the dragoness that gave her the strength to take that life back. The serpent loosed a hearty belch and giggled, blushing softly.

"Excuse me. I guess she just really agrees with me." Shayna giggled back and kissed her lover's tummy.

"That's a nice look for you, all round like that. I bet you'd make a beautiful expectant mother." Natalie blushed from the compliment, a little confused by it.

"But we can't have a baby. We both lack the one thing needed to get either one of us pregnant."

"True, but not everyone here is a girl. And if you don't think you're ready to be a mother yet, I'm sure someone would eagerly volunteer to pretend to be your baby for a little while." The serpent blinked as she processed Shayna's comment.

"You mean... crawl up in me... like I've done with you before?" Shayna nodded and kissed her cheek.

"That's right. You can swallow someone whole. I bet you could," she cleared her throat and grinned a little, "'swallow' someone whole too." It was a charming idea, at least in Natalie's mind, but such thought would have to be put aside for the moment. They first had to deal with their lingering meals, not to mention locate the gem this whole fiasco had been over in the first place. Both of them rifled through not just Sylvia's clothing and gear, but everyone's, hoping they might stumble upon the jewel. Hours passed and nothing came of their search. It was exceptionally frustrating.

"Sylvia, where the hell did you hide that gem?" The raccoon refused to answer, not willing to say a single word. She was absolutely furious over the whole situation. Shayna nosed the snake's belly a bit to get Sylvia's attention.

"I know it's nearby. I can feel it. It's somewhere very close. It has been since I waddled in on Sylvia finishing you off in the caves. I know it's not back there because I would have felt a diminished presence of the energy it emits." Nothing the two could say would bring about any kind of response other than a shift of the disgruntled raccoon's position in Natalie's gut. It was rather frustrating. The day passed as did the night with Natalie cuddled up against her dragon lover instead of in her womb, opting to let her warm, feathery wings embrace her. A new day dawned and since Sylvia was ignoring her captor, her captor decided to ignore her, treating her as if she were not there. Natalie suggested they go for a walk to let Shayna show her what she would call her home from now on, yearning to learn as much as she could. The serpent climbed up on the dragon's back as she trotted along, her own belly sagging low enough to the ground to brush through the grass and against the soft earth most of the time. The potion had worn off in the wee morning hours but their passengers were still alive, not yet feeling the full force of the powerful stomachs containing them.

It was a beautiful countryside and the people were very friendly and open, the children especially. Many of them bounced with glee seeing their favorite dragoness so ripe, clamoring for her to roll onto her back again so they could play with her belly, which she did conscientiously. Even Natalie received a great deal of attention in the form of rubs and hugs, all of the kits wondering how they both got so big. When it was explained, they asked if they could repeat the task with them sometime and just bring them back up before they ended up as a thick soup in their guts. The response was in the negative much to the children's dismay for fear the parents would not find it as amusing as they might, but they did propose the alternative, offering a chance to crawl in one or both of their wombs. That seemed to assuage their fascination with taking a trip down the dragon's or snake's throat. They all seemed rather interested in this new option and danced about giddily, unable to wait to explore the new 'caves' so to speak.

Over the course of their day, they explored the whole of the valley and even a couple of the cave systems, giving their bodies plenty of time to get started on their meals for which both Shayna and Natalie were thankful. It had been two days since either of them had been able to eat and their bodies were aching to receive fuel. The feast that awaited their fasting bodies would more than make up for the two day reprieve. Thankfully due to their reptilian heritage, they could withstand such a fast. By nightfall, both stomachs were gurgling away noisily, working on the now unconscious thieves they had devoured what now seemed like so long ago.

"I'm gonna miss the belly Sylvia gave me. Yeah it kinda hurt at first... but after a while, I rather enjoyed it." Shayna smiled and gave her new mate a kiss on the nose.

"I know how you feel, but don't worry love, we'll get that tummy bloated back out soon enough." She nodded and cuddled with the dragoness affectionately, the both of them falling asleep in one another's arms, well, Natalie in Shayna's arms anyway, once again.

Morning came and though the seven girls were no longer among the living, the serpent and dragon still had to contend with their bulk, which in of itself was not considered that much of a burden. Something was odd however. Shayna woke to find her lover glowing with a soft, yellow-orange light, identical to that of the gold aura the stone they sought produced. Her senses told her that the source of the energy she had been tracking was suddenly a lot closer, and larger. How was it that Natalie had absorbed the power of the crystal? Was she lying about knowing where it was the whole time? It couldn't be. She would never do that. The serpent yawned and woke up, her eyes seeming different somehow as she gazed up at the bewildered dragoness.

"Morning honey. What's the matter? You look like you just caught a glimpse of a paradox."

"I... I think I may have."

"Huh? What are you talking about love?"

"You're glowing."

"I am?"

"Yes, and what's more, you're giving off the same energy as the crystal." Natalie blinked a little.

"How's that possible?"

"The only way I can figure that it's at all possible is you swallowed it at some point."

"But... I never saw it. And I stripped Sylvia down like you did the other girls before I gobbled her up. There's no way she could have had it on her when I..." She paused, her eyes widening a little. Shayna furrowed her own brow noticing the sudden epiphany her lover had.

"What? What is it?"

"She didn't have it on her... she had it in her!"

"But if she swallowed it, she'd have started glowing by the time we found her in the caves."

"It's an old thief's trick. You have a small, precious item you want to steal but you can't get it out in a pocket or anything like that. So, you put it in a little plastic baggie, tie the end of that baggie to a string, and tie the other end of that string around one of your back teeth. With it anchored, it just sits in your throat until you're ready to cough it back up, safe and sound. I swallowed it when I swallowed her!" Shayna nodded a little, grasping the idea easily.

"Clever... she knew if we caught her, we'd check all her clothing and gear..."

"So she stashed it in her body, hell, I'm kinda surprised she didn't try to stash it in her crotch!" Shayna chuckled a little and grinned.

"It might be a little too difficult to get back out if she did that."

"True... but... now that it's in me... what's it gonna do to me?" She sounded worried, "In fact, what's it gonna do to the valley!? Is everyone gonna be okay!?" The dragoness cuddled the frightened girl lovingly, shushing her to keep her calm.

"You'll be fine, and so will everyone else. You're producing the energy now so it's like you're the stone. Now you have a really good reason not to leave. In fact, the energy itself should have a rather profound effect on you since you absorbed the stone directly into your body."

"What... what kind of effect?" Natalie still sounded concerned.

"Well, for one thing, you're going to live a lot longer... and I mean a lot longer."

"How long?"

"With the life force used to create that gem... it's safe to say you're immortal now." Natalie's eyes grew huge and her mouth hung open for several seconds before she managed to stutter a few words.

"Imm... imm... immortal!? How is that even possible!?"

"I told you, Natashi and I made this place what it is, we both worked together to make that stone. There was a part of me in it, some of my essence, my life force, and since I'm ageless, I would not doubt in the least you've gained that same aspect." It hit the poor snake girl like a ton of bricks. She would live forever. At first, it seemed like too much to take in but as soon as Shayna pressed her lips against Natalie's, it all suddenly seemed so much happier a gift. She would live forever, with Shayna! It was a dream come true. As the two remained locked in the passionate kiss, images flashed before Natalie's eyes; thoughts, pictures... memories, a lifetime of memories. She could see the valley as it was originally, filled with ice and snow, then the first crystal was made and it suddenly transitioned to months later when the grass was growing and nature was thriving. She could see homes being built, crops being sewn. All the tools were very simple and ancient in design. A language like none she had ever heard before flowed to her lips and she was forced to break the kiss, looking up at Shayna curiously, uttering something she had never said before.

"Ti?n sh??"

Shayna blinked softly hearing the term. Only one person had called her that as a term of affection. But she passed away ages ago, and no one ever heard her refer to Shayna as such.

"What did you say?"

Natalie looked puzzled for a moment as she rolled the words around in her mouth, repeating it.

"Ti?n sh?. I've never heard that before but... I know what it means somehow."

The dragoness was still under the influence of the initial shock, trying to make sense of what was happening, or at least trying to let herself believe what was happening.

"Somehow, I know exactly what it means, ti?n sh?." She used it as if referring to Shayna, as if that was some sort of nickname, her mind beginning to grasp what was happening as more memories flooded her thoughts. Images of bridges being built, the meeting hall being erected, paintings being made, meals prepared, and one person being there in almost every memory, the one person Natalie could not rip herself away from, Shayna.

"You know what it means in English?"

"Well, yes I know that... but, besides that... I know what it means." Her eyes locked with Shayna's as images of the angelic dragoness making love with an emerald serpent reached the surface, names being called out to one another, and half a dozen lifetimes worth of beautiful memories swirling about around her consciousness, unlocking sleeping abilities, ancient wisdoms, and knowledge of a time long ago that should be lost forever.

"You... you know what it really means?" Shayna sounded hopeful, wanting so badly to believe it was true, and Natalie nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I do, I'm back ti?n sh?! I never left you! I was always watching over you from so close!" She buried her face in Shayna's chest, trying to wrap her arms about the dragon's impressive frame, letting the raw emotion of the moment flow out freely, unable to truly express the joy she was feeling. It all made so much sense now. Natashi had not truly died, she had transferred a part of her spirit to the stone and it was in turn transferred to Natalie, the co-creator's reincarnation. Shayna's lover from once upon a time had been reborn in body, mind, and spirit. Both Natalie and Natashi had blended perfectly, neither one suppressed but both merging to become one, and this new creature, Natashi or Natalie, however anyone wanted to refer to her, she would not ever leave her dragon, her ti?n sh?, her angel ever again. Shayna embraced the emerald serpent tightly, holding her returned lover close as tears flowed from her deep blue eyes.

"I knew it! I knew it was you! You were the only one to ever call me that! I've missed you so much!" They both sobbed happily for what seemed like hours, the two reunited after centuries of separation. No one would ever convince them that fate was just an illusion. It brought Natalie to Shayna and Sylvia to the stone. Without those two key events, none of this would have been possible. It was the happiest of reunions, and the destruction of the stone marked the last time they would ever be apart ever again. It was the beginning of the golden times in the valley, when happiness and prosperity were never higher and could never be torn from the simple lives of these few, content farmers. The legend of Mak'Shari would live on forever, Natalie and Shayna would see to that.

---

Epilogue:

In the countless months that followed, a new stone was forged in order to provide for greater expansion of the valley. More newcomers came every now and again while life within Mak'Shari's borders could not be happier, Natalie and Shayna especially.

Outside however, a certain leer jet lay in the snow, slowly and gradually covered up by the powder until international authorities located it and examined the craft. It was remarkable how it managed to survive the crash completely intact. What was more amazing was the loot collected from the last heist held by the "International Eight" was tucked away securely on board, perfectly preserved. Upon finding the evidence they needed, the authorities began to comb the area, looking for any sign of the thieves. A nearby cave proved to be the only shelter in the immediate area and an expedition was begun. They looked through the maze of tunnels as deep as they could, always returning to the snowy mouth.

The culprits were nowhere to be found, but it was odd. In their search, they found six sets of clothing as well as a few scraps of cloth near the entrance, as if there had been a fight. The six outfits all had a few scratch marks on them as well, as if something had attacked them, or they had simply had brushed too close to a few craggy rocks. The search was called off after two weeks, the jet confiscated and the stolen property returned. The mystery of what happened to the "International Eight" was never solved, at least by outside investigators. The world never found out what happened to the band of thieves, how only a lone member survived and how the others transitioned from their old lives as nothing more than a massive case of gluttony. To be quite honest, with no more heists, the world was not that sad to see them go, but the mystery remained. And mysteries always have a way of getting to certain curious people.