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The Sxinix Mountains had long been a natural divide between the drakes and the humans of Kernow, a boundary between the two races. To the drakes, they were safety. Without wings, many parts of the great mountain range were completely inaccessible, and these had become refuges for the western clans in times of need. Of these, the most defensible was the mountain of Kxisila. Known only to the clan of magic, the mountain was a last resort should the Nixan lair ever be breached, though such a scenario had never once occurred.

Shielded by sheer cliff walls that offered no nook or cranny for grip, Kxisila was utterly unclimbable. Locked to the ground, humans didn't have a chance of reaching the gentle slopes over five hundred feet above their heads. Above the cliffs, the mountain was thick with trees on the gentle slopes that rose up to the great peak, towering over everything around it. Kxisila was one of the tallest mountains in the Sxinix, and to any Nixan it was a beacon of safety second only to the comfort of their own lair.

As the sun started to sink to the uneven horizon cast by the mountains, the slopes of Kxisila were no longer empty and silent. Nine drakes had landed amongst the trees, exhausted from their long flight from the northern reaches of the Sxinix. Ddraig Anzig led them, Isikian by his side to guide him down to a suitable place to rest. The mountain had seen heavy rainfall recently, small streams bubbling down the grassy slopes before cascading down the tall cliffs, a fine mist descending to the distant flat terrain at their base.

There were a number of large caves dotted throughout the mountainside, and it didn't take long for the small band to find refuge in one of them, with more than enough room to spread out. Kxisila could house a whole clan if needed, the nine drakes would have plenty of space, but it still didn't feel like enough to one of them. As the others disappeared into the cave, Keita lingered behind, perching on the edge of the cliff and looking down over the dusk-tinged landscape. Most of it was little more than a blur to her imperfect eyes, but she had long ago learned to cope with her poor vision.

As conversations started to spring up inside, the dragoness became aware that she wasn't alone. She turned, expecting to see Anzig there, as he had so often been as they had grown up together, but it wasn't. Instead it was the Nyrian dragon Okazuni who approached. Though she had not known the diminutive dragon for very long, he had quickly become a close friend, her near constant companion on her wingtip during the long flights they had endured.

“Is everything alright?" he asked, settling down by Keita's side. His eyes tracked a distant eagle the dragoness had no hope of seeing.

It was a while before Keita answered, just staring out into the gold and green blur the setting sun cast in her eyes. She sighed, pulling her tail tight around her legs. “Just a lot to think about I guess," she said quietly.

“You know I'll always listen to what's on your mind," Okazuni replied, lying down on the damp grass with his head resting in his paws.

Looking across at the Nyrian, Keita couldn't help but smile. There was something about the Nyrian that made her comfortable. She had enjoyed his conversations from the moment they had met. It had been refreshing to hear from someone from outside her clan, having only rarely getting the chance to meet someone from beyond the Laxtal borders before. Despite having a powerful father, she had never been given any significant role in the clan by Ddraig Astar. She hoped that now his son ruled Laxtal, things would begin to change, but Anzig was the cause of most of her worries. She didn't even know where to begin.

“Carlee told me a long time ago that she thought Anzig had really strong feelings for me, that he utterly adored me," she said slowly, glancing back to make sure no one was around to overhear her. She couldn't see anyone, though she doubted anyone would know if Nataik was around, the colour-changing scales of the Xigax dragoness able to hide her from even the best of eyes.

“I can't say I blame him," Okazuni said softly, half-turning away from the dragoness as he looked down the sheer cliff. “You'd be a great catch for any dragon."

Keita swished her tail, but said nothing for the moment. Okazuni had told her that several times before, ever since she had been captured by the humans in the farmhouse, what felt like so long ago now. She had rejected his advances until now, working hard to keep the Nyrian as a much needed friend but nothing beyond that. Though he had respected her wishes, he still made the occasional effort to see if he could change her mind.

“Maybe that would be true if I could see," Keita whispered eventually, tucking her tail tight around her legs. She knew her limitations, the reasons why she had never become a respected dragoness in the clan like her father had once hoped of her. “I can't hunt, I can barely fight; I know that I'd make a pretty worthless mate. Maybe that's why Anzig has no interest in me."

Okazuni growled and shook his head. “Then he's a fool. You could outwit any drake that dared face up to you. Does the Ddraig think that's worthless?" he snarled, snapping a small branch in his paws. He thrashed his tail against the ground in his frustration.

Keita shook her head. “Our clan isn't the same as yours. Laxtal prides itself on being a strong clan of warriors, second only to Axaatl. The weak have no place. Just look at Azlak," she said, glancing back towards the cave, where the seer would be lying down, probably some distance away from his companions as usual. As she looked, she noticed Anzig come to the mouth of the cave and look out at them. She was sure the Ddraig's eyes narrowed a little, but then he'd turned away back into the darkness. The Nyrian had noticed as well and his head bowed down to the ground.

“I should go back," he said timidly. Before Keita could stop him, he'd turned tail and started bounding back up the slope towards the cave. Sighing, she wondered if she should return back as well, but she decided against it. More than anything else right now she wanted to be alone, but especially to be away from the pitiful gaze of Anzig. She was getting tired of his constant doting stares, yet never making any attempt to approach her with them.

Her decision made for her by her growing discontent, she spread her wings and took flight, not caring if anyone happened to see her. She just needed time away to think by herself, without any distractions from her companions. Soaring down to the distant trees, she kept her descent steady and controlled so she didn't crash into anything her weak eyes failed to spot in the growing gloom. She knew it was a little foolish flying at this time, but she was beyond the point of caring.

But for a few birds squawking and screeching as she landed, Keita couldn't detect any sounds of any large animals in the forest that encroached upon the sheer cliffs of Kxisila. The ground was littered with wet mulch, leaves that had been torn down by the storm that had almost caught them out the previous night. Most of the detritus was amber and red already, autumn not far from giving way to winter. Most of the beauty was lost to her, the leaves underpaw reduced to just an orange blur mixed in with brown. Her paws were soon sodden and dirty from the mud, but she felt no desire to turn back.

***

A shadow followed Keita through the trees. Only the most astute of eyes would have seen it, a barely-visible ripple stalking through the leaves. It made no sound, expertly picking its way through the dried detritus on the ground. Though Keita occasionally paused and looked back, each time she shook her head and continued on her way. Nataik smiled. No one ever found her if she wanted to remain hidden.

The Xigax dragoness had watched Keita fly down from the mountain and had slipped off after her to make sure she was safe. She didn't even know why she had done so. The half-blind dragoness had done nothing for her and there was likely nothing to fear this deep into draconic territory. She guessed she just wanted a little freedom as well, away from the others for a few hours.

Xigax was a wide open territory with a large, sprawling lair. Most drakes there lived alone, only coming together to eat and to train. It was never lonely. Xigax drakes didn't get lonely. It was how her clan had lived for many generations, and the constant closeness of her companions was starting to grate on her mind.

Turning away from the trail Keita was making between the trees, Nataik bounded away into the darkness. Her scales shimmered in the soft moonlight, blending in almost perfectly with her surroundings. They were dappled black and brown now, tinted with a splash of orange. Pausing for a moment to listen out for any movement around her, she watched her paws darken to almost pure black. They melded in with the shadows perfectly, but while most drakes would struggle to find her in the dark, she had no difficulty in seeing exactly where her paws ended and the shadows began.

Nataik couldn't even remember what colour her scales originally were, if a colour-shifter like her could even be considered to have a set colour. Though it was somewhat harder for her to consciously change her scales colours, she truly could be almost any shade she wished, though she usually preferred the darker tones like brown and black. She had once lived a year as a pure white dragoness, but had found dirt clung to her too much.

Confident that the sound she had heard was nothing more alarming than a bat, Nataik continued her wander through the trees. It would not be hard finding her way back to the mountain, which the Nixans had called Kxisila, so she had no need to worry about getting lost. She was almost tempted to fly back to Xigax now and just leave this all behind, but she had made a promise to her Ddraig. She would see the Axinstone back to Nixa. After that, well, she would see. Ddraig Nunahra had not told Nataik how long she would be bound to the Laxtal Ddraig and when she expected her to return to her clan, or if she was to be expected to stay and help the western clans in their war against the humans.

Nataik sighed and rested against a tree. She was overthinking it again. Until Ddraig Anzig released her from his service, she would remain. That was all there was to it. One day soon she hoped Xigax's army would fly to the west, and she would return with them once the war was won.

A rustling in the trees caught her attention, something bigger than a wildcat, but smaller than a human. Her nightvision was better than most drakes, but still pretty poor compared to other creatures of the darkness, but even she could make out the dark shadow moving between the trees.

A small furred creature unlike any she had ever seen before stood there, looking somewhat like a dog on its hind legs, a couple of horns sprouting from his forehead. Two massive ears were perked right up, twitching at every sound. He smiled wickedly, smoothing down his grey fur and picking away an errant stick that had caught in it.

“Ignore me! Lord Asterbury shouldn't be here!" the creature said with a bark of laughter, backing away into the darkness before Nataik could even think of chasing it down. Though she could hear its giggles for a while after, its footsteps soon faded to nothing. Whatever the creature was, it was no threat to her. Shaking her head, she continued on her way.

The trees ended in a sudden clearing, the moonlight shining down upon the ground. Strewn around the open space were a number of branches scattered in some sort of pattern that eluded Nataik's comprehension. In the darkness amongst the trees opposite was a black shadow, tall and angular. There was a smell lingering around the place too. It took Nataik a few moments to place it, before recognising it as human, but unlike almost any other human she had known. It seemed almost lupine to the dragoness' nose.

About to go out into the clearing to explore, Nataik paused when she heard a sound not too far away. She froze. It was something large and heavy, something as big as a human. She melted back into the shadows as a human emerged from the trees on the far side. In the darkness she was only able to make out its rough shape until it stepped out into the moonlight.

About as good a judge of humans as any drake she knew, Nataik could tell that this was a male of about twenty-five years. He was on his own, she was sure. His was the strangely lupine scent, and there was no other human smells around the small clearing. Unlike most other humans she had seen, this one seemed a little rougher around the edges. His facial hair was unkempt and messy, his eyes fierce.

Nataik was just about to slip away again when the human turned in her direction. “I know you're there," he growled, peering into the shadows. He didn't look right at Nataik, but he was close enough that she felt her heart hammering widlly.

“You have nothing to fear from me, I promise you," he said. His eyes scanned the darkness, both hand raised up so the dragoness could see that he carried no weapons. Still Nataik didn't move though. She was experienced enough around humans to know they rarely deserved trust.

“I promise you, I'm not like the others. Someone to talk to would be nice. I've not had a proper conversation in a long time," he said, holding one hand out in the direction of the dragoness. His eyes locked on to hers. It was no coincidence. He knew exactly where she was. Shuddering, Nataik stepped out into the clearing. There was no use trying to hide.

The human's eyes brightened as he beckoned Nataik over. “Welcome, dragoness, to my home," he said, waving one hand around the clearing.

“Your home? Aren't you the wrong side of the mountains for that?" Nataik asked, narrowing her eyes as she looked around. In the darkness she could make out what looked like a crude shelter built from felled trees.

The human sighed and sat back on a fallen log, patting next to him to indicate for the dragoness to sit next to him. Nataik declined the offer, staying well out of reach of the human.

“I'm not really welcome amongst most humans, I suppose you could say," he said, leaning back and resting on his hands, looking up to the stars. “I've done some things that aren't really proper. Got chased away somewhat. Didn't feel like staying in Kernow so I decided to take up refuge here."

“But why here of all places? There's nothing around for humans," Nataik asked, tilting her head and approaching the human against her better judgement.

The male looked down at her with a grimace. “Exactly. No human in their right mind would come here, so no one will find me," he said, letting out a weary sigh. “My name is Cal by the way. I should have introduced myself first."

“Nataik," the dragoness replied curtly, lifting her nose and sniffing around the small clearing, just to make sure that Cal had spoken the truth and that he was alone. Still she could detect nothing else. But for the few bats overhead, there was nothing else around.

“Well Nataik, it is nice to meet you. I hope you'll indulge in my company for a while longer though, as it would be nice to talk to someone for a bit," Cal said, stretching out his legs.

Nataik glanced up at the stars. Though it was reasonably sheltered within the trees, the air was starting to noticeably cool now that the sun was down. It wouldn't be long before it would be too cold to fly.

“I can't stay. I need to get back to my cave and lie in front of the fire," she said with a little shake of her head. She extended her wings out wide, but Cal jumped to his feet and stood in front of her.

“My cabin is warm enough. It may not look like much from the outside, but you'd be surprised. I've got some crystals that will keep a dragon warm in the polar regions, so you won't need to worry about that," he said, holding his hand out to Nataik. The dragoness glared at his suspiciously, growling deep in her throat before relenting.

“Very well, I shall come with you," she said eventually, tucking her wings back against her side. Cal beamed widely as he led her inside the small cabin, pushing open the small door that creaked and scraped along the floor. What met her eyes inside actually surprised her. Rather than the sparse furnishings she expected, it looked like the human had put considerable effort into the interior of his little dwelling.

In one corner was a low bed, a collection of dried grass beneath a strip of fabric to provide somewhere for the human to sleep; other furnishings carved from wood and even stone. She wasn't sure how he did it, so isolated and remote. There was even some light produced by some sort of luminescent strips attached to the low ceiling. The dragoness had never seen anything like them before.

As the human gnawed on an apple, Nataik wandered around the small room, running her paw over the carved wood. For the most part it was exquisitely carved, but in some places she noticed deep gouges through the wood, like claws had slashed at it. They were larger than what a drake would be able to produce, the marks looking to be about the right size for a clawed human hand. Cal didn't seem to be about to provide any explanation for them though, so she turned away and set her focus to something else.

Still eating the apple, Cal pulled a small bowl out from beneath his bed, a number of red crystals filling it. Chanting a few words in a language Nataik didn't recognise, the human held his hand over the bowl as he placed it on the crude table. Almost immediately Nataik could feel the warmth radiating up from the crystals, more intense than any fire she had known. It warmed her face, chasing away the lingering chill from the outside air.

“For one who wanted to talk, you're certainly staying quiet," Nataik said dryly, glancing at the human.

Cal lowered his eyes, looking down at the floor. “I'm sorry, talking is… a strange thing for me now. It's been quite a while since I've had company that speaks back."

Nataik frowned, hopping up onto the table to curl up beside the bowl of heating crystals. “So why exactly am I here?"

The human shrugged. “I guess I just wanted to hear someone talk. It would be nice if you could just tell me about what's happening in the world, as I don't know much about what's going on."

Nataik stared up at Cal. “I don't know if I trust you enough for that. What if you're just a human trying to get information about the clans?"

Cal laughed and shook his head. “I don't know what I can say to make you believe that's not true, but I can assure you there are few humans indeed who would listen to a word I had to say."

The dragoness relented. There wasn't much she knew about the latest from east of the mountains, having been travelling in human territory, not that she told Cal that. Instead she just talked, and, true to his word, Cal just sat and listened. She tried not to explain too much about the clans, but the human was innately curious, and she found herself explaining how the leadership structure throughout the forty-two clans worked. He seemed genuinely interested, rather than trying to squeeze information out of the dragoness.

Before too long the human yawned, stretching his arms wide. Kept warm by the crystals, Nataik didn't feel tired herself, but Cal seemed to have reached the end of his endurance. He stripped down, the dragoness averting her eyes to avoid looking on his naked form, and wrapped himself up in the blankets that adorned his bed.

“You're welcome to stay if you have nowhere better to be." Cal said, stretching his arms above his head as he got comfortable in the bed. He patted the straw mattress by his side.

Nataik glanced towards the door. It would be cold outside; the flight back to Kxisila difficult at this late time. The reward would be a cold hard rock to lie on in front of the fire. She looked back towards Cal. No flight, and the blankets looked soft and warm, the bed easily large enough for the two of them. Her decision was quickly made, and she leapt up onto the bed next to the human, her paws sinking into the straw a little as she settled.

She was surprised to feel the human's hand on her back, his soft and gentle skin feeling strange against her scales. For a few moments they just lay in silence, motionless and relaxed but then he started to run his hands down her back.

“I'm not a dog you know," she said, a little growl in the back of her throat. “You don't have to pet me like one."

Cal didn't move his hand away, keeping it resting between her wings. “Oh I know, but there I times when I can't help but wonder…" he said, trailing off with a distant look in his eyes. Nataik frowned, but didn't press the human to continue that particular thought. She already had a reasonable enough idea of what he meant, and yet she didn't feel the urge to flee. Closing her eyes, she had to wonder if that meant she shared that same fascination.

“Have you ever… you know, with a human?" Cal asked after a few more moments of silence.

Nataik shook her head. “No. Have you? With a drake I mean?"

“Never. Did you want to?"

“Won't you be a little big?" Nataik asked, looking up over the human who was easily twice her height.

“Shouldn't be much of a problem," Cal replied, a tinge of a blush on his cheeks. “Put it this way I suppose. The women I've been with weren't very impressed with it."

Nataik just frowned, her tail twitching against the bed. She kept on expecting the human to make a move, but he just sat there, looking down at her and seemingly frozen with indecision.

“Oh for goodness sake, I'm not just waiting like this," Nataik snarled, digging her claws against the blankets and tugging on them and throwing them off the bed. The human was completely naked beneath, giving her first look at a human in its entirety. She couldn't say she was overly impressed, Cal's pale and vulnerable looking skin covered in a fine layer of hair in some places.

Whereas all drakes were smooth and streamlined beneath, the human carried his genitals externally. It didn't look very attractive to Nataik, the balls looking especially soft and weak to her eyes, the small shaft flopping down on top of them.

As though sensing her lack of approval, Cal shifted in the bed, hiding behind his hand. “You know you don't have to if you don't want to do it," he said quietly, reaching down to pull the blankets back up again, but the dragoness batted that hand away.

“I said I would, didn't I? Always try everything at least once," she said, grinning toothily up at the human.

That made Cal swallow nervously. “Uh, you'll be careful of those teeth, won't you?" he asked, still keeping his hand protectively in front of his cock.

Nataik laughed, edging forwards towards the human, breathing in his unusual scent. There was something about him that wasn't quite human, she was sure, but she knew it was hardly something she could question now.

“I promise you no drake has ever complained about how I use my teeth," she said, nuzzling against his hand to push it out of the way.

Cal didn't seem massively convinced by that, but he moved his hand away at Nataik's insistence, giving her a closer view of his crotch. She took in another lungful of his scent, tilting her head around to inspect what lay before her. His balls were covered in wiry strands of hair, and as she nosed against it she confirmed that it was indeed soft beneath her touch.

Still the human made no movement, just closing his eyes and breathing heavily as she gently and carefully explored, bringing her paws up to fondle at the pliable balls. They moved around easily in her grip, making Cal utter a quiet gasp.

She looked up quickly, making sure she wasn't harming the human, but his eyes were still closed, a faint smile on his face. He seemed to be enjoying it well enough, so Nataik pushed her muzzle between the two balls, right at the base of the shaft. She slowly brought her tongue out, grimacing at the strange taste of the human's skin.

Pulling back a moment, Nataik flicked her tongue around her mouth, trying to get used to the taste. Her paws kept fondling at the human's balls to keep him occupied, taking care not to extend her claws into his weak skin. She doubted the human would appreciate her being rough around those. She'd heard human males made the funniest sounds when being kicked around the crotch, but she'd never had the chance to hear it for herself, and Cal had been too nice to her to consider doing it to him.

There was little point putting it off any more though, and Nataik moved forward again, releasing the human's balls as she took the tip of his shaft in her mouth. True to her word, she kept her teeth well away from the delicate and sensitive flesh, just flicking her tongue over the tip. Cal responded with a low moan and his hands gripping against her back.

“Oh that feels… different," he said quietly, slowly stroking down Nataik's back. His touches were rough and hard, making the dragoness want to bite down a little, but she resisted that urge. The human trusted her enough to place his most vulnerable parts into her most dangerous – she would repay that faith.

Like his balls, the shaft had a strange taste, and not one Nataik thought she really liked. Rather quickly, the cock stiffened and hardened in her mouth from the ministrations of her tongue, forcing her to open her mouth a little more. It was large enough to brush against the back of her throat, though naturally she couldn't compare its size with any other human as she had no reference to go off. If he really was small though, then she had to be thankful for that.

Wrapping her tongue around the shaft, she slowly started to bob her head on it, knowing that male drakes loved that at least. Judging from the soft groans from above her, Cal did too.

The first dribble of the human's pre was a bit of a surprise to her. It was watery and almost tasteless, only slightly salty. She swallowed it down quickly, bringing her paws back to Cal's balls as she pushed down hard on the shaft, pressing her muzzle all the way down to his crotch.

She could feel Cal moving his hips a little, trying to thrust forward against her but just about restraining himself. Rolling the balls around in her paws, she lapped and sucked at his shaft, curling her tongue around it completely.

Nataik felt the human's hands move lower down her body, his fingers prying around near her legs. She slapped them away with her tail, uttering a little growl around his cock. That was something she wasn't wanting to sample just yet.

Returning her focus back to the cock, she felt it tremble and pulse against her tongue, a few more splashes of pre dropping down her throat. She lightly squeezed the balls again, feeling their warmth against her scales.

She knew the human was close, she could hear his panting getting louder and more desperate. Even so, when it happened she was still surprised. Cal gripped her sides hard, pushing his cock up into her throat so hard that she couldn't help but graze him with her teeth. He cried out – in pain or pleasure she wasn't sure – as the thick, salty cum filled her mouth. She tried to gag, but the continued thrusts forced her to swallow.

Cal tried to keep her in place, but she wiggled and squirmed free of his hands, coughing and wiping her mouth on his blankets. As the human panted in recovery, Nataik turned away. She was breathing heavily herself, swallowing a few times in an attempt to rid her mouth of the taste of cum.

“Oh by the gods that felt good," Cal said, his eyes closed as he leaned back against the cabin wall, both his hands resting over his crotch. He didn't even seem to notice or care about the couple of small scratches on his shaft where the dragoness' teeth had caught him in his desperate thrusting. “Thank you, Nataik. Thank you for your company."

The dragoness just looked on and watched as he slid down the wall, a slow-motion collapse into his bed. By the time his head hit his makeshift pillow he was already asleep, falling into the pattern of regular, heavy breaths.

No longer feeling comfortable, Nataik jumped from the bed, still shaking her head and flicking her tongue out of her mouth, desperate for something else to swallow. She found the human's stash of apples, taking one and biting hard into the crisp flesh. Though she rarely ate anything but meat, the taste of the fruit was certainly preferable to the salty cum.

Once she was sated, she looked back up at Cal. He was fast asleep now, shivering slightly in the open air despite the crystals. She sighed, hopping back up to the bed and pulled the blankets back over him. He murmured sleepily, his eyes flickering open for just a moment as he smiled. She rested a paw on his head before turning around and leaving.

All things considered, she would still like to come back and find Cal again, once all the fighting was over. He owed her after that.

The night air was cold, and it took Nataik a few strong beats of her wings to get airborne. Even in the darkness, the looming shadow of Kxisila was easy to spot, guiding her back towards her companions. She would speak about this with no one, but even so she could not bring herself to be totally ashamed about what she had done.

***

Keita was starting to panic. She had been alone in the darkness for so long now, unsure what the way back was. She didn't dare take to wing as she was still deep within the forest, with little light getting through the canopy of trees. Almost blind, she stumbled over tree roots she was sure were writhing up to snag at her legs.

Finally though, after what felt like hours of searching, her weak eyes found another source of light that wasn't the moon. She followed it, not once blinking in case she happened to lose it, until she stumbled out into a small clearing. The light was on the far side, but she allowed herself to be distracted by the sound of wingbeats and a dark shadow leaping into the air.

She didn't know whether the drake was friend or foe, but she hurried after it, leaping into the air and following in desperation. She called out to the drake. They yelped in shock, slowing their flight and turning around.

“Keita? I'd have thought you'd be back by now." It was Nataik, Keita realised. She quickly beat her cooling wings to catch up with the other dragoness.

“I got lost," Keita replied, her head low. Somehow she knew that the Xigax dragoness had followed her out from the cave, remembering the occasional rustling of leaves behind her. That had to have been Nataik.

“What were you even doing out here?" Nataik asked, slowly beating her wings as they started to fly back towards Kxisila. “You of all drakes should be staying where it's safe at night."

Keita scoffed at the rebuttal. “I can look after myself," she said, growling softly at the other dragoness. “But I had to come out to think. Okazuni and Anzig have given me a lot to think about."

“Choosing which to be your mate?"

“How did…"

This time it was Nataik's turn to scoff. “It's really not that subtle. The Ddraig swoons over you but is too scared to act. He's weak, and will lose control of Laxtal the moment he sets wing back there. Okazuni may not be a Ddraig or Haeraig, but he is the much stronger dragon. Choose the Nyrian and you'll thank me for it later."

“But I have been friends with Anzig almost since the day he hatched," Keita protested, more for the sake of arguing than anything else. She heard and understood the truth in Nataik's words. It almost perfectly echoed what her thoughts had been before she had realised she was lost.

“Better to be mated to a respected Nyrian, than with the disrespected overthrown Ddraig of Laxtal," Nataik said harshly. “I may not always do the right thing, but I do know a thing or two about males. If you only have to listen to me just once, then make it this time. You will not regret it."

Keita remained silent, and Nataik respected this and didn't speak again on the flight back to the cave. Though many hours had passed, no one seemed to have even noticed their absence. No one had remained awake for them, and the cave was silent and still when they finally slunk back inside.

A fire was burning on the rock, kept alive from Inilta's magic. It would burn for days on end if needed without any additional input from the Nixan, and the two dragonesses appreciated its warmth to help shake away the night's chill.

Nataik immediately curled up right next to the fire, pushing Carlee out of the prime spot. The aging veteran didn't even rouse.

Keita just stood by the cave entrance for a few moments longer. As though to emphasise her choice, but Anzig and Okazuni were lying at opposite sides of the chamber. Anzig by the fire to her right; Okazuni to the left.

She turned left.

Curling up beside the little Nyrian dragon, she found his tail in her own, entwining together. His eyes opened slightly, a gentle smile forming on his lips.

Her decision had been made.