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"Who is the Upholder here?" Lathera murmured softly as she felt the warmth of the sun sliding over her scales in a rush of heat that delighted her. It was sensuous and enjoyable as it slid down along the line of her spine and over her back.

"CaTharuk, but he rarely leaves his home and we will be able to get by him easily enough." Her companion answered with a flick of her tail, Takkas lifted her head a little higher and prummed. "He leaves it to his thralls to keep an eye on his boundaries and no one will think about two Firemaids being here."

"I hope you are correct." She answered and padded out further beneath the sun, lidding her eyes in sensuous delight. "Smell that? It is absolutely perfect! Not even a hint of the lavadome! It's fresh and clean."

"I suppose so." Takkas answered softly and kept close to her as they began to pad along the line of the forest.

Lathera gave her head a tolerant shake and sped up and away from the passage that they were supposed to be guarding. There was still another guard at the ready, one that she was supposed to relieve, but that wasn't about to be the case. She was done living in the Lavadome and spending her time serving the Tyr. Not that she disliked the Tyr or her role with the Firemaids, but she had grown tired of the staleness of the Lavadome and the Imperial family. Things had begun to grow so stagnant that she couldn't stand spending each and every day beneath their watch, listening to petty arguments or spending her time teasing the Drakewatch. It had only grown worse the longer it had continued, understanding that they were going to be expected to either take their oath's once their wings were uncased or she would have to begin thinking of taking a mate.

Just thinking of how the dragonelle acted around the males made her stomach turn slightly, especially as her wings had begun to bulge along the line of her back. The drakka had often wanted to snarl to herself at seeing how they behaved like they were primping for the attention of males who had barely a scar to their name. They were polished and honed to perfection, all of them, and that's what brought her tail twitching and lashing along her legs. She had spent countless hours looking at the males, trying to imagine what it would be like to take a mate. Each time she thought she saw a flashy bronze or white or silver dragon with some promise, they did or said something that repulsed her. And pledging herself to the Firemaidens was something that she truly didn't wish to do. She only had two options left to her, and that's when she had finally decided that she had had enough with living underground. She wanted to see the sun and sky, she wanted fresh air and prey that she could hunt herself, not delivered up on a platter.

She had grown soft in the Lavadome. There were things they could do to hone their skills, but there was nothing that truly tested her. She was larger than most drakkas, she wanted to have a challenge. She had nothing to hunt, nothing to do except see the same scenery every day and order about thralls that were all but useless. She had never liked the thralls, most of them were so filthy and disgusting that she refused to have any of her own. Takkas had liked them, but her family had always kept them and appreciated what they could be trained to do. Perhaps that's why it had taken so long to convince the other female that they should leave the lavadome behind and find their way out in the large wide world together.

The air was fresh here, it was just outside of a mountain chain that was large enough that it created its own barrier against potential hominoid invasions. There were forests around the edges that were lush, but they were hardly inviting enough that anyone would have wanted to fight over them. The mountain chain led down towards a rich area that she had seen on several maps. Most of them had been marked out by those that had left society behind and decided to try their hands at living like a dragon should. They had picked this area for a reason and she had no doubt that she would find a suitable area for both herself and her companion to grow safely until their wings were uncased. Just thinking of that day made her flex her back muscles, feeling the bulge where her wings were starting to show along the line of her back. In a few more months they would be ready, and she wouldn't have her first flight beneath the looming caves, she would fly in the real air and sky!

"Come on, we'll take the path that leads down from the mountains, we have plenty of time to get away before we're spotted." Lathera prummed softly and nosed her fellow Firemaid with a gentle stroke along her fringe. "Cheer up, this is just one step in our grand adventure."

"I hope we're making the right choice." Takkas turned her head slightly. "Merantis will be missing me soon, he won't take it kindly that I left without even speaking with him."

"Merantis is a bloated cow, the only reason he wants you to become his mate is because you are related to the Imperial Line." Lathera drew in a breath, tasting the pine scent on the air as they began to enter the forest. "We were dying a slow death down there."

"He was kinder than many of the other drakes." Her companion answered and gave a sniff of her own. "Do you really think we can make it out here? The hominoids and assassins that must be here..."

"Aren't nearly a problem as you think they are! I think we can avoid them easily, our thralls are proof that they can be tamed." Lathera answered with a small toss of her head. "I think we can make for the valley at the base of the mountains, there are plenty of caves there if what I've read is correct. One of those could be converted into a lair with minimal fuss and we can get our bearings there. We'll want to get further away from the Lavadome before we can rest for any real amount of time."

"Yes." Takkas murmured and nodded her head. "I hope that we're able to find food."

"Oh we will, and food without kern as a side!" Lathera prummed to herself, her long tail twisting and moving rapidly with absolute pleasure.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Takkas cast an eye around the cave and licked her muzzle clean, trying to get used to the taste of raw meat on her tongue instead of the well cooked food that she was given at home. It was so strange here, and for the moment, she didn't know why she had followed her friend out into the wide world instead of staying the safety of the Lavadome. There she had family, she was related to the Imperial Line, her own Aunt stood at the Tyr's side, she had prospects that could have given her a prosperous life. She should have been happy there, and some small part of her had been happy there, and would have lived there for the rest of her days in peace if it weren't for the fact that she had befriended Lathera when they had been young Firemaidens together.

The other drakka had come from a rather poor family, one that had been taken in with some amount of pity and her own parentage was rather blurred by the fact her mother had taken an unknown mate. She had been welcome in joining the Firemaids, but that didn't stand to follow that she had been an equal. Many of her sisters had looked down on the strange fatherless female, her quiet ways and odd obsessions had only worked to push her further from the social circles she should have been accepted in. Takkas was the only one that had seemed to want to give her a chance, who had been drawn to the strange female and her ways, who had wanted to listen to her when she spoke or go on raids against the Drakwatch in the wee hours of the morning. Lathera had flourished with that friendship, and Takkas had savored it, the other drakka had no desire for Imperial favor, she was simply a trusted friend and companion. And more.

"Not too bad, is it?" Lathera stretched her legs out with a lazy smile on her features, turning her head to one side to regard them with a brilliant eye. "It's not like home, but it'll do and I'm sure we'll have better luck along the way."

"It's nicer than I thought it would be. By the looks of it, others have come this way before us." Takkas gave a nosing against a few marks on the floor where there were scars cut into the ground from talons.

The other female stretched out with a flick of the long tail that flicked out along the curve of her haunches, a light touch that had the drakka wriggling and stretching herself out. There were marks all over the place to show that other dragons had come this way, which wasn't that surprising considering that this was so near an entrance that was always lightly guarded. The cave was large enough that two drakkas fit easily together and still had room to spare, it would have held even two large males with little problem if they had been so inclined. The roof of the cave was set up with slit gapes that showed moonlight and starlight sliding down to give them some light to see by, but not so wide as to rob the place of warmth. She wouldn't have picked it to live in forever, but for tonight it was lovely and relaxing as she stretched herself out along the larger drakka.

"I'm sure many have, there are always quite a few that want to live more naturally then be trapped in the Lavadome." Lathera prummed and wriggled in close, settling herself in close against Takkas back, the length of the tail twisted over the edges as a foreleg curled along her shoulder lightly. "I'm sure quite a few have come here and seen the first night of their new lives beneath the stars here, just like we are."

"I still can't believe you convinced me to do this." Takkas murmured and felt the muzzle nestle along the edge of her neck. "My family will be worried."

"They might be, but I doubt they will be so worried as to come and find you." Lathera used one of her saa to slide along her stomach lightly, the talons stroking lightly to run downwards. "Besides, I can't imagine leaving without you."

The light touch was something sensual that caused her griff to rattle slightly, but not with a threat, as the fingers brushed along the line of her chest and lower. The breath slipped out along her neck as the drakka drew her in closer, the light guiding caresses just playful enough to be ignored or acknowledged as she wanted to do so. Takkas closed her eyes and savored the way that the touch was dancing against her, the light flutter that spread along the line of her belly. There was more than one reason they had opted to leave the Lavadome than just wanting to live naturally instead of being crammed beneath the ground.

It wasn't unheard of for Firemaidens to find companionship between each other. There were so few males that most went without even flirting before their wings were uncased and once they were, there were those that took their oaths so that they would never know a mate or egg shelf. It didn't mean that those desires were gone, nor did it mean that they had to ignore them, not when there were other females that could be used to slake arousal. It was accepted, barely, most of it hidden in the lairs instead of in the open. It wasn't something to be ashamed about, but it was something that was supposed to be kept quiet and it was never more than a brief coming together before the itch was scratched and then you moved on. That wasn't the case with Lathera, from the moment they had come together, they had remained devoted. The other drakka began to take the place of a male so firmly that Takkas was embarrassed to admit that she had a hard time even considering the young drake that flirted with her as anything other than a casual acquaintance.

The drakka shifted, rolling a little so that she was turned towards the larger female, a low prumm started in her throat as she felt the saa and sii sliding around her intimately. She flicked her tail up and caught Lathera's, moving around the long length of it to squeeze with a contracting stroke that rippled along the line of her stomach. She tensed up her muscled tail, rubbing along the emerald scales as she slid her muzzle up to rub against the other one, the warm breath tickling out as they were drawn closer, resting chest to chest. There was no aggressive male scent, not sharp assault of musk and anger, it was only the comforting familiar scent of drakka as she felt the larger muzzle tipping down to slide against Takkas' with a light flick of a long tongue. She shivered and let the warm oral appendage slide along the edge of her lips, parting her maw as Lathera thrummed low in her throat and pulled her closer. This was why they had run away, why should they hide and simply ignore their urges?

~ ~ * ~ ~

Lathera let out a breath as she used her tongue to open up the other drakka's with an eager roll of her hips. She had always been a large female, from the time she had hatched she had been muscular and thicker than most, and that had carried her through her childhood and into her growing adulthood. She had no doubt that she would look like her mother when she grew older, she would have larger wings then most and be more than capable of taking care of herself. She had no idea what her father looked like, nor did she really care. The very fact that he had left them when she had been in the shell, had actually abandoned them, not simply died, had been enough for her to care nothing for him. She had been raised to be strong by her mother, the Firemaidens had only helped to ensure that she would be confident and stand tall. Though, only Takkas had ever been her true friend, they had still accepted her and let her grow with their training.

Now, now she sampled the length of the other green dragon's tongue with a slow roll and stroke, feeling the way that she arched and shivered. Takkas was always so shy about such things, she didn't protest them, she only seemed to be unsure and allowed Lathera to take the lead as their bodies nestled in close. Her tail flexed and twitched, tightening so that their lower bodies were placed firmly together. The slight twitch of the base pushed them up together until she felt the trail of the lower scales running together while her hind legs spread open wider and she rolled with a twist of her hips with a gentle shift. The heavy forepaws pushed up against her chest, curling a little bit while Lathera responded by twisting her body just to hear her lover let out a thrumming cry as she was pushed onto her back. The drakka smiled to herself as Takkas hind legs splayed wide to hug around her own tightly, clutching her with a gentle press to make her feel the slight brush of the vulnerable slit.

This wasn't the right position for either of them, not when traditionally they should have been on the wing, but that was denied to a pair of females and they had begun to sort out their own ways to pleasure one another. Lathera rocked and dragged her hips backwards with a slow draw that ran their soft lips together. Their scaling was quite fine along the inside of their vents, it went from hard and plated to quite soft and pebbled so that the lightest touch could be one of pleasure. She shivered slightly and rippled her tail as they rocked back and forth, meshing their soft lips together with a gentle slip and push downwards. She felt Takkas shiver beneath her, the light tremor rocking down along the sweep of the belly and chest as they teased one another. She shifted her legs wider, putting more pressure down as Takkas let out a pant and the tongue pushed around her own with a rush of heat and passion that made her shiver.

There was something so appealing about another drakka. She had never felt his way for a drake, but the soft feel of green scales always made her hearts beat faster and her mind grow dizzy. She moved her tongue down and pushed forward, sliding deeper, pushing along the other one as she felt her vent starting to grow slicker, the arousal clinging out and smearing long the other female with a slow roll. The sweet alluring scents were filling her muzzle as she drew her head back and lapped her tongue right beneath the line of the muzzle, pushing down along the jawline with a light nip and nibble, her eyes focusing on the way that Takkas was rolling her body and warming to her touch. They were too young for this, that was what the FIremaids would have said, but there was no limit on how they felt or the stirrings. Why should they wait for their wings when they would never take flight with a male?

~ ~ * ~ ~

Takkas looked up through the dim light as she felt and watched Lathera move, the confidence and sensuality of her companion flustered her. She was never as sure of herself as the other female was, but the glide of scales against her roused her body to a warmth that had her pulsing. She lidded her eyes and spread her hind legs open wider as she felt the length of the tail curling along her jaws, the light flick that made her snap after it before her lover was spread over her facing the opposite direction. Of all the things they could do to one another to enjoy themselves, the position they chose here was the easiest. She moved her forelegs up to circle along the haunches as she got a glimpse under the tail and shivered a little bit at the pale green lining glittering up at her. She swallowed and then let out a breath as the heat of a tongue pushed beneath her tail as her legs remained spread wide, inviting the touch intimately as she did so.

Lathera's tongue tip probed lightly, nestling and pushing against the outer lips to sample with light flickes while Takkas leaned upwards and gave a firm stroke between the mound of the vent. She let out a breath, the heat of it rushing out to flush over the inner thighs and higher up. She spread her muzzle open wide, pushing the tip of her tongue out to probe lightly as she muffled a noise when she felt and heard the thrum of approval from the female above her. Lathera's tongue tip nestled and spread her open, the heat of it spread and slid forward so that the saliva coated around her outer edges before beginning to plunge forward with a forceful rock and ripple. It was delightful and pleasurable, a flush of warmth that spread over her body and had her squirming in place before the tongue begin to dig harder against her. The outer lips spread open wider, stretching and straining to open up before she felt the slow penetration sinking into her body with a forceful grind forward.

She tightened her sii on her lover and let out a noise, trying to contain her pleasure before she began to lick with powerful strokes. She used her entire tongue, not just the tip, she scrapped and tugged along the outer lips and danced towards the inner ones. Her long tail flicked and lashed above Takkas' the movements pulling at the puffy soft folds. They were as soft as silk once she got past the pebbled exterior and began to sink forward. The inner lining was decadently smooth as they rippled and flexed eagerly, wetness pushed up from line of them and spilled along her tongue, leaving her panting in shallow eruptions as she tasted the sweet clinging arousal along her lips. She loved that taste, it was something that her body responded too just as well as she responded to the thick tongue starting to spread her narrow passage open. The relatively slender tip sank forward demandingly, digging and squeezing, finding a way to pry her walls open wider and wider as she was trapped in place.

She closed herself down around the tongue as she pushed her own oral appendage up with a slide that started to spread her friend's passage open. The taste of sweet arousal clung to her taste buds, strange and earthy tasting as it spread further. She lapped and chased the strands of slippery arousal, pushing and sweeping around to glide inwards with a press that pushed the sleek inner walls open wider and wider. She let out a breath, panting it out in a short spill of pleasure while she felt the warmth pressing above her. The line of the chest rested along her belly as she squirmed and shuddered, her hind legs spreading wider and flexing, bracing herself with a muffled groan. The sound vibrated from deep in her throat as her hearts sped up, her eyes slid shut with absolute pleasure as she pulled heavily to draw the hips down against her.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Lathera thrummed out a sound of pleasure, the vibration rushed out of her throat, lifting higher up as she felt the tongue plunging out against her and curling through her body. She splayed her hind legs open wider and lifted her tail up so that she was exposed to the way the tongue pushed and followed the line of her channel. Takkas was always so dainty about it, delicious little flutters and darts forward before the draw backwards that left a spill of wet wetness pushing out to coat the muzzle. She loved the way that they ran through her, rushing upon her narrow passage and dragging out as her cunny grew slicker. The inner folds grew more sensitive and swollen by the moment, the pale pink flesh standing out as she reached one of her sii down and curled it just along the inner thighs with a prum of pleasure as she did so.

When she had first approached Takkas for this sort of pleasure, she had begun to have one of the body thralls file down one of her claws and blunt it. It was the smallest one, not one that would matter in a potential fight, but one that could be used on her partner. She curled her finger inwards and brushed with a stroke that danced right along the inner thighs with a rub back and forth. The female shuddered as the blunt edge hooked along the line of the vent lips and pried them open, soreading her enough that she could fling her tongue in a deep powerful stroke to glut the narrow passage in a sudden overstimulation of her tongue. She controlled her thrust, driving forward with a powerful drive that stretched the passage open wider and wider, the silk drawn taut and clutching around her while her stomach arched upwards.

She kept her eyes shut as she rode the sensation of the tongue plunges and twisting, the wet sounds echoed in her ears as she panted in short huffs along the puffy mound. She kept the walls stretched open wide, the contracting muscles worked against her at times and at others suckled her deeper. It was a distracting sensation as she was able to feel her body growing more and more aroused under the pressure and pleasure growing through her. The warmth spread over the edges and blossomed as she felt her stomach tighten in tell tale arousal. No drake made her feel this way, the very idea of one of them touching her was as unappealing as she could imagine, but this was exactly what she craved and needed.

She curled her claw inwards, spreading the walls wider and wider, dipping into the passage as her tongue began to saw in and out with slick wet noises. Her saliva mingled with the arousal as she shifted her haunches and gave a buck and arch downwards, rocking forward at just the right angle before dragging backwards. The slow pull of the tongue escaping her passage made her seize up slightly and the pressure grew, flushing through her lower belly and burning before she dropped her hips downwards and started to pump her hips slowly. Every breath came faster, savoring the warm green body cast beneath her, the twist and arch making her pant out in a shaking burst before pushing down again. Her tongue wedged as deep as she could possibly go, parting the walls wide so that she could feel them stretching open wide, feeling how they cling and suckle.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Takkas was alive with new sensations that were burning over her body and flushing through her, pouring so swiftly that she could barely think past them. Her entire body was locked up beneath the weight pressing her down against the ground. She felt the warm scrape of the scaling against her own was delighting her and stirring her. This position was all wrong, her body craved the feel of wind wrapped around her, something more to hold her, something deeper inside of her, but at the same time Lathera knew exactly where to touch and what spots would give her the strongest reactions. They were like nothing else in the world, the way the thick tongue dragged out and the sudden push inwards made her tail crack against the ground wildly. Her breath came in bursts, ragged and snort, her jaws spread wide as she gulped down a breath and then released it once more.

When she tried to bury her cries by spreading her muzzle wider her sister pushed down more firmly against her, gaping her jaws wider and wider. Her breathing came out in a rush, the hot and humid rush slid over the edges as she pushed her tongue in deeper and gave a series of short slow swipes back and forth. She swirled lightly and then plunged in deeper, spreading the walls so that they were clamping down tightly around her touch. She could feel the way the muscles were dragging over her, trying to suckle her tongue in deeper as she began to let out short heavy pants and groans. Her entire body was throbbing and beating, even her firebladder was throbbing and she felt the plunge of the tongue scooping in deep inside of her. The increased pressure working through her shaking body as she dragged her own tongue backwards. Her breathing came in a short burst, panting it out against the vent pressing against her.

It was a blur of motion, of feeling her muscles bunching up and the line of her tender passage starting to clutch and squeeze. It was working towards a fever-pitch, her stomach rippling as she kept her friend drawn in tight against her. She clung to her, her tongue pulled back with a wet sound. The slick arousal was clinging to her scaled muzzle, her breathing pants in short ragged bursts before she pulled backwards again. Her tongue slipped out, running along the edges of the soft sleek passages. She lapped rapidly, her tongue tip scooping and pushing to gather up the taste of arousal. Her hips jerked a little bit higher in the air as she felt another plunge that worked deep inside of her body. The stretching of her inner walls were spread open wide, quivering and working to be kept open as the first spasm rippled through her body.

She flexed her tail down against the ground, her stomach tightened and squeezed as the pleasure rushed up through her body. She felt it surging up higher in her chest, the need bursting free and coming from her jaws in a high pitched call as she was pushed over the edge in a rush of pleasure that burned through her body. It spilled over, every throb and beat making her swallow and hunch her haunches up higher along the edge of the hips pressing against her. The shift and rock forward was met with a press of the dark green haunches down against her, the weight kept her pinned in place for each and every rush of pleasure that ran over her body, building in a throbbing spill that made the world narrow down to just herself and the other drakka.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Lathera swallowed down the rush of pleasure that was being pushed out from Takkas' vent, she lavished the length with powerful strokes and swirls, gathering up the arousal. She let out another panting breath, the steamy pants running the inner thighs. She moved her feet down to pull the hips up higher against her, pulling higher up with a tug before she felt her haunches starting to tense up with a crash of her tail. The snap of it brushed along her companions' head, a light tremble made it harder to control herself. She closed her eyes, concentrating only on the way her tongue was dragging and rubbing inside of her friend, but it was impossible to ignore the slender tip that danced through her. It was a feverish burst of movement that was so incredibly different then what had been done to her before. There was no comparing the light and deliberate touches with the frantic feverish burst of caresses that had her hiking her haunches high in the air and leaning forward.

Takkas was shuddering under her, that rush of orgasm danced on her tongue as the sleek pussy began to suckle and squeeze, and that was enough to push her over the edge. Her muscled haunches bunched up and tensed before she drew her muzzle backwards. Her tongue pulled free with a slick wet noise, popping back into her muzzle before she snarled out a rush of pleasure and delight both as her hips hiked up higher in the air. She didn't cry out loudly, she swallowed the noise with shaking pleasure while she felt her interior walls contracting and twitching, instinctively trying to clutch around a shaft that was no there. It wasn't a male she was thinking about as she rubbed herself along the muzzle, teasing along the powerful tongue as the slick trail of wetness ran from her quivering passage. The strands of arousal decorated the sleek scaled muzzle and lips.

Their breathing was both coming in short pants, rising and falling in time with their beating hearts as she rested forward and rubbed her muzzle along the inner thighs. She licked lightly, a dance and curl along the small delicate scales. Takkas let out a whimper and squirm, the shifting arches made her wriggle and arch, lifting her larger body above her friend with a slow groan and slid to one side. She felt relaxed, her muscles spasming a little bit as she stretched herself out with a slow stretch and prumm. She moved a foot to stroke down the line of the curved hard scaled side as her friend squirmed and flushed a little bit. Her features still dazed and eyes unfocused while they relaxed against one another. The only sound was the distant sounds of the night animals starting to stir for the evening, no hint of other dragons anywhere to be smelled or sighted.

This was the best idea she had ever had. They were made for this life. And together, they would carve out their own lair and home, their own lives, they would live the way they had been born to live. With the sky above them and the earth below. Life could not get any more perfect than it could in this single moment.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Takkas padded out into the darkness, her head cocked slightly to one side so that she was able to make sure Lathera was well asleep. She had no desire to have her friend roused and angry for any reason, especially not this early in their trip. Right now, she was passed out and satiated, pleasured and well fed, she should sleep for long enough that there would be little risk that something would rouse her. The drakka gave herself a bit of a shake as she listened to the night calling birds and insects filling the night air and making her lift her head up higher to enjoy the sound of them calling to one another merrily. She had never heard anything like this in her time in the Lavadome. True, there were singers and music, but this was natural and peaceful sounding, the sort of song that she could listen to for hours on end.

She passed through the forest, but kept her eyes on the distant spark of fire that she could pick out against the velvet black. IT hadn't been there earlier, of that she had been sure, but she had left her orders to her thrall that he wasn't to light any fire until well after dark for fear that Lathera would spot him. She had been adamant that they were to spend their lives on their own, with their wits and skills instead of with the help of the hominoids. She had agreed, to a point, she had no reason to drag a string of thralls with her, but there was one special one that she refused to simply abandon and leave behind because of her friends more radical approach to their new lives. The drakka lifted her head and sniffed slightly, turning her muzzle about to follow the faint trail of smoke all the way to the welcoming crackle of a fire.

"Mistress!" Nathean's voice was welcoming and warm as she stepped through the trees with an easy flick her tail, warming to see the human thrall crouched beside the fire. "I had thought you had forgotten me."

"Impertinent." Takkas drawled out with a lazy rumble, feeling the warm fire flushing along her scales as she stepped into the clearing and gave a lazy smile.

The human thrall was something unique when it came to the hominoids, especially those that found their way into the Imperial service. He had been captured five years ago and from there had found his way into her service simply due to the fact he was poorly suited to most heavy labor. She had used him for light things mostly, but it had been the day she had discovered he could read that her interested had lifted. He had a clever tongue, though the rough speech of the thralls brutalized his lovely words, he was also quite adept in drakken. He was a scholar of sorts, as far as she understood it, from Hypatia. He had spent most of his life there enthralled in stories and enjoyed them still when he had reached her service and she had begun to use him to read some of the odder collected scrolls. Most scholars would have nothing to do with hominoid writing, but she had found it somewhat fascinating to study and had taken pains to have him translate what he could for her when she had time to relax. He was valuable to her.

She hadn't wanted to leave him behind. It would have been unfair, he never would have found someone to take him in as a thrall that would have used his talents properly. She had thought about freeing him, but some part of her was loathe to see him go and be wasted on other hominoids. They would have no idea how intelligent and valuable he was, they wouldn't know about his strange mind or ideas. No, it was better that she keep him, that she could enjoy his strange mind and talks with her, that she could protect him. He was valuable and a treasure to her, and there was even more as she watched Nathean push some more logs onto the fire, the little stick he used barely roused the flames before she intervened. With a prumm she leaned over and spit a gob of foua on the fire so that it crackled up brighter, the warmth spreading against her glossy scales.

"I do not try to be impertinent, Mistress." Nathean answered and she dipped her head down with a little tip of her chin. "It is good to see you here."

"Did you bring the scrolls with you? The ones I told you to find?" She asked and settled herself along one side of the fire, her head turning towards him with a smile on her muzzle.

"Of course! I would not forget them." He answered and shifted, pulling his pack to one side so that she could see the coiled scrolls hidden there. "No one will miss them, Mistress, I am sure of that."

"I doubt they will." She answered and stretched herself out with a low rumble of laughter, the sound vibrating from low in her throat. "Pick one and read it to me, it will be a pleasant way to end my evening."

"Do you not wish me to move closer to you?" He asked and shifted a little bit. "I had thought that I would be accompanying you."

"And you are." She answered with a low rumble and gave a slow stretch and arch of her back. The movement rippled along the curve of her shoulders and all the way to her tail. "But you aren't going to be following me any closer until I have a chance to speak with my companion."

"As you wish, Mistress." The human answered and gave his head a little dip down, a near bow forward that had her raising her brow up.

"A scroll, thrall, something that will allow me to rest well this evening." She shifted herself, curling her body so that she was partially wrapped around the fire, letting it warm her stomach.

A pleasant way indeed to listen to the sound of his voice and the weird hominoid stories that amused her, but the sound of his voice was offset with the interest she held in watching him as he unrolled the scrolls and began to pick out a spot to begin with. The human was strange, his skin was a dark tan, nearly gold colored, too lovely to be called simple brown or tan. It was offset with dark hair that was glossy and smooth instead of tangled and filthy like so many thralls. He took pains with his appearance, cleaning himself often and dressing with an eye to make himself look lean and well put together. His leathers were never ragged or stained, they were always well tended and oiled. Of all the other hominoids in the Lavadome, he alone seemed close to a dragon. Oh she could never really compare him to a drake in truth, but there was something interesting about the care that he used with himself. It made her appreciate him, made her enjoy looking at him.

In the firelight, he was lovely looking as he spoke, his clean shaven face so strange without a muzzle, but appealing in and of itself. Her tail flicked lightly behind her as she listened to the cadence of his voice and stretched herself out beside him as she listened to the tale of some great warrior or another. IT didn't matter that the story was quite silly and spoke of humans as if they were great honorable creatures, what mattered was the time spent beside him. Perhaps Lathera would be enraged to hear of this, her friend would surely come to see that her little scholar was something that should be treasured between them. She was not so stubborn as to hate all hominoids, she was simply unsure of them and wished to do things for herself. Nathean wasn't going to be a servant in that way, he would be a treasure for them both. She just had to pick the best time to reveal his presence to her.

_This will all work, it truly will. This is the first step on a grand adventure and I simply have to carefully present my thrall to Lathera._She let out a breath and stretched herself out with an arch, closing her eyes as she listened to the human speak.

In the distance. Lathera's firebladder pulsed with annoyance as she saw her friend curled around a fire with her head turned towards a human that was reading from a scroll. She couldn't believe that Takkas had lied to her! They were supposed to be doing this on their own, not hauling servants along as if they were on some Imperial camping trip with people to care for them.

We shall see about this!