FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Up in the air

A few hours and a short dragon-flight later, and a playful scolding of Vinarthun for waking up in such a sticky state, they all stood on the soft mossy shore of a crystal blue lake fed by three separate waterfalls cascading down from pale cliffs on the far side high above. As the sun began to rise over the ridgeline, the rays were caught and refracted by water and stone alike, flecks of crystal embedded in the cliff face scattering a radiant aura of rainbows across the lake surface.

Aedan's stunned silence was soon broken as Ardi and Mero dove in together, happy shrieks splashing into the water despite the icy chill. Zireda chuckled beside him before dashing in after them, waving for Aedan to follow as Vinarthun and Nirmareni padded their way out to the center of the lake, deep enough even for dragons of their size it seemed as more and more scales continued to disappear below the surface.

Reminded of his own newly scale-coated skin, and having left his clothing off after the morning's activities, Aedan quickly stepped in to the sparkling clear water as well, finding only smooth polished stone underfoot that gradually curved down towards the opposite end of the lake. A quarter of the way out and he was up to his neck, able to lie back against the chill and let the stains of the past few days be carried away.

The water felt almost pleasantly warm somehow, though he knew in the back of his mind somewhere he should be freezing right now, but such thoughts were pushed below consciousness as he watched the other dragons at play from a safe distance, Zireda among them as her siblings cavorted and splashed across the surface then dove down again.

In the soft glow of a mountain dawn, he was much better able to see her draconic form now than down in the caverns, glistening drops dripping from pale white scales, lustrous wings, and long graceful tail as she dove after Mero and Ardi, easily their match in the chaotic ripples. The hint of breasts still remained he noticed with still lingering embarrassment, but were also covered in the smooth silver plates running from neck to waist and the underside of her tail, clearly flexible despite their armored appearance. Even at this distance he knew, she was the loveliest creature he had ever seen.

Zireda turned towards him, and their eyes met for a long, mirth-filled moment, and then she dove back under the water only to reappear at his side one startling instant later, smooth hands catching him before he could sink in surprise.

Chuckling behind a paw, she led him a bit closer to shallower water, then stepped back and looked him up and down with a knowing smile and said, “Why Aedan, those are some truly marvelous scales growing in now. I don't think I've seen such coloration of any dragon in all the memories my mother shared."

Aedan glanced down, eyes widening further still as a white paw traced over his chest, now shielded entirely now in violet plated scales. Raising a muscled arm, much smaller pebbled scales of a deep ruby red trailed down to his wrists and up over his shoulders, and down his legs too it seemed as he turned down again. With the water as a mirror, his head twisted around enough to see twin gold streaks of scales through the red running down his back to the waist.

“I guess all that dragon essence was pretty effective after all, just look at them all," he said, admiring the flowing patterns and spirals the scales made as he stretched about to see them all. They still faded into skin in places like his joints and crotch, but he was developing a fine suit of armor.

Looking back up at Zireda with a thoughtful look, he continued, “As for memories, I had another dream when I was still living with Beldur, though this one was of the perspective of a hatchling emerging from the egg in a dark, frozen land, only a small fire nearby yielding its warmth. She was called Vendiri, and had the finest ruby scales, while in the first one that hatchling was a rich blue. If dragon's truly share the memories of the past, then perhaps my visions have been from them."

At that Zireda raised an eyeridge: “Most memories of birth are only able to be shared between hatchling and parent. It would explain the red scales, but the purple, that is rare but not unheard of among more distant families. Perhaps some distant renegade dragoness was named Vendiri in honor of her memory, for that name has been held sacred within our borders, or else you are truly her descendant in more ways than lineage, I cannot say."

She stepped closer to him in the water, taking his hands in her paws as her wings wrapped around them both in a warm embrace, “Dragons share many secrets Aedan, though much has also been lost in the passing of time. It is a wonderful gift, connecting both mind and feelings gifted through blood, preserving history without arrogance or prejudice, truth without falsification or denial, and passion unbound by hatred or vanity. But truth can be as much of a burden as any lie"

Tilting his head in turn, he asked: “Why is that? Such a mind must be the envy of historians and lore-masters."

“Well…" Zireda grinned toothily: “For one, clarity makes it difficult to hide secrets from prying little hatchlings. It also can take a long time for a dragon to forgive one's mistakes. Such a feud can span generations some have been held for millennia. For that reason alone, respect and privacy of one's thoughts is held in high regard among all dragons, and control of this power is the first lesson taught to all."

They talked on a few more topics as they returned to the cave together. Aedan learned that both her mother and Vinarthun were considered renegades, dragons that for one reason or another had decided not to live among the vast mountain territory of dragons surrounding the volcano. Though most renegades were simply dragons looking for a different pace of life, others were outcasts and permanently barred from ever returning to the mountains, and there were still more rumours of entire colonies of renegades across the sea.

As it was almost afternoon already when they returned, they decided to stay the remainder of the day with Zireda's family, Aedan learning of the delights of dragon-roasted boar and venison that night for dinner outside the cave, as he asked and learned as much as he could before sleep overtook him.

A special greeting

Aedan narrowed his eyes against the sharp light of dawn as he awakened. The journey back was much less tiring on him now, another one of the many changes taking place within him. The long hours of hiking up and down with Zireda gave him plenty of time to consider what life as a half-dragon could be like, and darker thoughts as to what people would think of him now, whether they would be suspicious or even fear what he would come to resemble in the future.

Beldur would understand such things he thought, shoving worries aside for the morning as he caught the smell of freshly roasted meat, and found Zireda with a crisp side of deer waiting for him by the coals of their fire set the night before.

She waved him over to sit down; “Caught this one out for a drink just before dawn, should have more than enough food for the way back now."

They took their time finishing the meal, a little too much time it appeared as a gust of wind blew through their camp along with the heavy thrumm of wing-beats. Together they looked up to see a feathery form that Aedan quickly recognized as it came to land, scattering dirt and ashes in the process.

Quickly up on their feet, Aedan stepped past Zireda and approached it carefully, uncertain of the capricious beast's intentions, though for now it seemed content to sit and watch his advance with a golden eye. He reached out and touched its downy neck feathers, and it cooed in response then bent down to lick at Aedan's hair.

“Hmm… it really does seem to like you, not at all like those usually obsessed with breeding everything that moves." Zireda commented: “I wouldn't mind its company as long as it doesn't do harm, it would certainly scare off any unwanted visitors. But would you be prepared to handle all of its needs? It is still a gryphon, and if your earlier encounter means anything, there is more than just a passing interest in you."

The giant bird half-cocked an eye and turned its attention on Zireda, then sniffed at her. She let him do that, but nothing more. Its gaze met hers shortly, then wandered back toward Aedan as he said with a sigh of defeat: “Well I can't deny he is a beautiful beast, not unlike a dragon in some ways. And you're right, having a gryphon around is worth more than a caravan of guards, and more if he'll allow us to ride."

Aedan turned and stood before the wild creature, staring back into those curious golden eyes with his own as he continued: “I've convened with wolves and taken rest among dragons, what more is a gryphon?" Then he started to tug off his traveling clothes, “And as you mentioned Zireda, there's really only one way to tame a gryphon once it's chosen you. Should find a name though if we're going to keep him."

Zireda chuckled at that: “If you're sure I guess, such a strange bird." Zireda approached the gryphon carefully and reached out with her paw. The gryphon sniffed at it but didn't otherwise object to her touch, “Cedru," and she looked to Aedan: “I think this name would fit him well."

Aedan nodded: “A good a name as any for a gryphon. Right then, Cedru."

He reached up and scratched between the gryphon's ears, earning a pleased thrum as it nuzzled against his palm, and then pushed its beak closer against his chest. Aedan responded by stroking down that wide downy-feathered neck, eventually sinking low enough to glance beneath the gryphon. Cedru was quite pleased indeed judging by the full sheath he found there, slowly spreading around the tip of the bulging fleshy pink length slipping out.

Cedru chirped down at him with a querying tone, then promptly sat back on its haunches, hindlegs splaying wide as it looked back at him expectantly. Aedan chuckled to himself, glancing over to a smirking Zireda once more before he knelt down and sidled himself between the gryphon's legs, but a hands-breadth away as he leaned in close and caught the tip of the shaft between his lips. His hands settled over the gryphon's fuzzy sheath, gently tugging and squeezing their way down until he cupped the heavy seed-makers in his palms, easily the weight of a small apple as he lifted and caressed the warm malleable orbs.

It didn't take much more of that for the Cedru to grow against his tongue with a soft trill of delight, soft paws gently pressing against his backside easing him closer. Aedan couldn't take more than a few inches past the tip as more and more fresh gryphon cock slipped free down to the thickening, throbbing base, but he made sure to cover every inch of what would shortly be sliding within. The fleshy, rounded barbs on the tip seemed the most sensitive as he felt Cedru tremble in his grasp, followed by an unexpected spurt that caught his cheek as he pulled back.

Carefully, Aedan turned around and crawled in front of the gryphon, then sank to his arms and knees as Cedru quickly stepped over him and leaned in with a soft growl, the pulsing shaft throbbing wetly against his back as it slowly drew back and slipped between his cheeks. Aedan reached behind and nudged the tip snugly against his pucker, and sucked in a sharp grunt as several inches of gryphon cock speared into him at once.

He turned his head to the side as Cedru leaned down and nuzzled against his neck with a soft croon of concern, and found Zireda lying back on an elbow, her other paw slick with feminine fluids as it nestled between smooth scaly thighs, openly splaying those dripping lips apart for him as she met his eyes, then glanced back to the excellent view she had of a fat gryphon dick working its way in.

Aedan felt his cheeks burn even through the new scales growing there as he sat there panting a moment, then Cedru gently drew back to thrust in more slowly, those tender barbs edging deeper still as another and another bulge of flesh sank into him, forcing walls apart and stretching sensitive nerves and pleasure points as the gryphon made room for himself.

Just as he began to get used to it and relax, his own arousal dripping between his legs, Cedru gave a forceful buck, shoving Aedan against the ground as claws dug into the earth beside him, quickly followed by another as the gryphon slowly gave over to its natural predation of dominance, rutting him like a proper female in heat.

Within moments the gryphon's heavy knot was soon swelling behind every thrust. There was no knowing how long it had been since the male had last released its seed, but the rough pace soon shoved even that bulge right in as Aedan sucked in a tight breath, his own cock throbbing madly beneath him as the tip tickled places deep inside him that even the wolves hadn't reached.

Cedru gave a shuddering caw as it tugged that knot back against his entrance, sliding Aedan back against the dirt, then slamming forward with a sharp cry as gushing waves of gryphon seed burst from that massive length, rapidly filling, and then visibly bulging against Aedan's stomach, to finally squirt in sticky streams as the pressure gushed around the slowly flexing base stretching him open.

Seconds drifted into minutes as they sat tied together there, until with a hot rush of seed Cedru finally pulled free, leaving Aedan a quivering mess in the small puddle of gryphon cum pooling between his legs.

Zireda was at his side as he shakily came to his feet, warm scales hugging closely behind him as she nuzzled his neck and whispered softly against his ear, “That was pretty hot, you're going to make for one hell of a sexy dragon."

Aedan could only let out another moan in reply as he felt a paw grope his butt, two smooth digits sliding between his legs and pressing easily into his slick, drooling pucker, then slipping away just as quickly as he watched Zireda bring some of the gryphon's seed to her lips.

Zireda grinned as she said, “If you don't mind, I'd like to try and 'tame' Cedru myself, and if you aren't too tired after all that, you are welcome to help me."

Aedan tilted his head and looked to the gryphon who was staring back at Zireda nonplussed. “Yes, you heard right." Zireda grinned toothily: “On your back now. You'll learn to obey, and if you are a good student, you will be well rewarded."

Cedru cawed questioningly in protest, raising his head back, but couldn't turn away as Zireda kept her eyes locked with his. She twirled a claw about, eyes flashing with more menacing intent, “On, your, back, gryphon."

The gryphon growled as he stared back at her for a long moment, an intimidating sight if not for the still leaking shaft between his legs. Then he knelt and rolled to his side with a dull thump on the grass, ears twitching expectantly.

“Good boy." Zireda said, and then hissed as he started to roll back over. She stalked over to him then as he held perfectly still other than the tail, switching back and forth wildly. Zireda let her minimal clothing fall away as she stepped up beside the great bird and gently placed a paw on the tip of Cedru's cock.

“Are you mad?" Aedan wanted to intervene: “You're really going to mate him?"

Zireda simply turned her head to look back at him with a grin, softly running her paw along the length of that pulsing shaft: “Well yes, though not as Cedru might expect I'm sure."

Cedru gazed between Zireda's legs with a rather intrigued expression and licked his beak, though not before Zireda caught him and narrowed her eyes: “Oh no, you're not going to breed a flock of gryphlets with me, but you still can take my flesh in another way."

The gryphon crooned in a less than enthusiastic tone, but held still when Zireda hooked a leg over and slung herself up onto his belly. She smiled down at him reassuringly from her new vantage point, stroking warm downy chest feathers as she said, “Now then, all I need you to do is lay there like a good gryphon and relax, keep those claws to yourself."

Slowly, Zireda pushed herself back, the soft fur brushing between her legs until something hot and drooling wet slipped against her rear. With a deft touch, she coiled her tail around the head of the gryphon's cock and pulled him under, and they both gasped softly as the bulging head caught against her tailvent. With another slight shift of her hips Zireda leaned back, allowing that tapered tip to just slip inside with a wet schlick.

“By the moon, you're huge…" she moaned, digging her hindlegs into his belly and squeezing the base of that length with her tail to avoid being impaled on a heavy spear of gryphon flesh. She leaned forward enough to let the top slide out again, and then sank back a little farther, tail curling in lewd display for Aedan as he sat watching by the gryphon's side with rapt attention. Zireda glanced back at Aedan, and then down at the hard arousal between his legs with a knowing grin, recovered already it seemed in spite of their earlier activities.

“You're one lucky bird today," Zireda said as she turned back to Cedru, panting hotly as tense muscles started to relax and let more of that throbbing length sink past her trembling pucker, “Because mmmff… I think Aedan wants his fair share of gryphon as well, don't you, Aedan?"

Aedan chuckled and said, “I suppose I could return the favor." Getting up, he moved around to the lion's half of the gryphon, stroking his hands along powerful furred thighs and then down to the heavy orbs pulsing between them, assessing the position: “Mm…yeah, this'll work just fine I think." He heard the startled squawk and could feel Cedru shiver in his hands as they slipped lower, spreading the furry rump to expose the tempting sight of a soft pink star nestled under that tail.

Then he leaned in closer, sliding his hands back over the gryphon's taint, over those fluffy orbs, wrapping around base of the bulging left still sinking into Zireda as he felt it pulse heavily against his grip, until his fingertips finally traced around the tender flesh of Zireda's well-stretched pucker. He could feel her shiver against his touch as he cupped his hands against that smooth scaled rear, drawing in along the inside of her thighs towards the melting heat at the center.

“Hope you don't mind~" he said, and finally slipped his fingers into the hot, dripping sex hidden between her legs.

“Fffuck…not at all Aedan" Zireda gasped, sinking down on another couple inches of gryphon cock.

Aedan smirked as he teased Zireda a moment longer before pulling back. Hands slick with feminine fluids, he applied them generously to himself and the gryphon's tailvent, finding Cedru to be quite accommodating as his whole hand was nearly pulled inside with but a small bit of effort. It reminded him of Vinarthun's words, imagining what 'lesson' Vinarthun might have given the poor bird. But desire soon outweighed conscious thought as he wrapped an arm around a twitching furry leg, dragged himself up between those fluffy cheeks, and thrust in, enveloped in the hot musky warmth of a gryphon.

It didn't take much before his hips were pressed snug against Cedru's rump, the thick tail beneath swaying between his legs, teasing his balls with fleeting caresses. He was close enough that he could wrap his hands around Zireda's hips, hands clasped around her belly scales as she slowly rose up and dropped again onto Cedru's length, driving that heavy tip deeper within with a lewd squelch. It was so thick it seemed he could almost feel it sliding through his hands, and with each roll and pulse, Aedan could feel an answering clench tightening around his own shaft that drove him to buck hard against that fluffy rump in return, starting a vicious, lusty cycle of scales, fur, and feather.

It was all he could do to keep pace with Zireda as she leaned back and grabbed hold of the gryphon's legs, panting weakly with a dazed grin on her muzzle as more than half of Cedru's length had stretched its way through her pucker.

“Almost as big as Mero was too, can only imagine how it would be if you'd really take me..." She groaned, rubbing a free paw over her dripping folds.

Cedru cocked an eye to her at that, watching her struggle and writhe against his cock as he rumbled softly. Silently, the gryphon let his paws slide down his belly and over her thighs, settling around Zireda's waist, and then pushed her down a little farther with a soft purr.

Zireda turned her gaze on him with a stern look, only to break into another moan as the gryphon shuddered and bucked involuntarily against her, and she ground back down onto that hard cock, determined to take him completely and satisfy both their desires.

Digging in deeper still under the gryphon's tail, Aedan picked up the pace on his end in turn, slamming his hips against that furry rump. He could feel every soft ripple of those silken walls along his shaft as hot seed pulsed just below the surface, a heavenly sensation as that pucker clenched tight around him each time he buried himself in to the hilt, knowing he was fucking such a powerful creature towards the edge.

And close the gryphon was as Cedru had rapidly dragged Zireda closer between his legs, until with a heavy groan she finally felt the last tremendous bulge sink in with a wet squelch. Gently, tongue lolling out at the intense stretch, she pushed up just enough to feel that girth slip out again and dropped back onto it with a lusty growl, impaling herself as deep as she could get. She felt loose claws suddenly clamp tight around her hips, as something deeper within, the tip of that throbbing gryphon shaft, suddenly swelled within, a prickling, tingling feeling as soft fleshy spines hardened and dragged against tight, clenching muscle, followed by the release of rope after hot sticky rope of Cedru's virile seed.

The luscious display of cum drooling in thick, messy spurts from that slick scaly rump was more than enough for Aedan as he gave a last heavy thrust under that sticky tail, claiming the gryphon fully as his.

***

“We could try to fly with him back home which would immensely cut down travel time. I'm not entirely sure how to make it clear for him, though." Zireda pondered: “At least we can be sure he won't be trying to throw us off mid-air."

Aedan nodded and wondered himself as he stroked Cedru by the neck gently. But a few hours had passed and the sun was high overhead as they sat and enjoyed the morning breeze for a time.

He turned and looked up at the gryphon who warbled amiably, “You wouldn't drop me, would you? You know, Zireda is a friend as well. Treat her as you would me. We both are lacking in such magnificent wings as yours."

The gryphon snorted and cawed back at Aedan with a glare, as if he should ever let such a thing happen. Then he lowered his neck and chest to the ground, a clear invitation for Aedan to ride.

Aedan chuckled a bit and moved to sling himself over the gryphon's back, then hesitated as another thought came to him: “Hmm, we should probably practice directions before flight, and the ground will look very different from above. It won't do much good to be yelling to each other the entire way against the wind." Then he pulled himself up, resting above the wings as Cedru rose back to his full height, at least as tall as the great elk he had seen sometimes making their way down the valleys.

“If I tap at you with my right foot, Cedru, you should turn right. If I tap at you with my left foot, you should turn left. Both feet to descend, or take off, but I think we can leave the best height for flying to you. If we run into trouble in the air, storm, beast, or otherwise, I'll dig my heels in sharply and you should dive straight for the ground to let us off and seek shelter. I know your instinct might tell you to fight, especially if it were another gryphon."

Cedru looked back at him with an eye and bobbed his head.

“Good. Let's try it on the ground first then," Aedan said, gripping the softer scruff of the gryphon's neck, and tapped with his right, then left as Cedru turned to one side and then the other. He gave a harder tap and Cedru turned all the way around to the right, and then left again.

“Perfect." Aedan said stroking the gryphon's neck-feathers.

Zireda tilted her head up at the pair and smiled as she said, “I've sometimes seen a female atop a gryphon, those from the Order of the Silver Talon I mean. They often patrol the woods. You'd be a good rider, perhaps even the first male one." She then sighed: “We must be careful though as the Order frequently seek out rumours of wild gryphons to tame, averting any dangers to human, elven or werekin females. They might very well try to capture Cedru if they find him alone."

Aedan nodded, but answered, “I think it is worth the risk, the sky is a vast place and we won't keep Cedru near the cities or towns. If anyone should see us from below then it's more likely they'll imagine a bird than a gryphon. I'm more worried of explaining him to Beldur really."

“I often dreamt of flying," Aedan continued, “Sometimes it ended with falling into an endless darkness as I awoke, yet still other times it seemed I could just run and leap in to the air with nothing but the wind carrying me higher for endless leagues, seeing through terrified yet wondrous eyes as the ground stripped away before me."

Zireda nodded: “All those born to fly have had such dreams, where you are free from boundaries of responsibility. But freedom comes at the price of fear, fear of the unknown, and fear of what lies within you. You must always take care when you trust your wings to the wind, for it can carry you above the highest mountains, or throw you down into the darkest valleys. Your will to survive is all that keeps you alive, or so my mother always told me."

Zireda took a deep breath, and then smirked at him: “For now though you are still too much of a human. I promise you, should you fall, I'll turn back into my dragon form and catch you; I'll not let you fall to your death."

Aedan laughed at that, and then looked out to the clear blue skies with anticipation. “Fine weather as any for a good flight," Zireda remarked as she watched him, “You flew with us to the lake and back, are you prepared for another?"

“Whether I am or not, I trust Cedru will take care of us. Though we should probably travel as light as possible, Cedru won't be used to carrying the extra weight of two people, much less the food and extra supplies," said Aedan, patting the gryphon's neck affectionately, “Just shake your head if it's too much weight Cedru."

Cedru gave a happy chirp in response. Weapons were of course a necessity and Aedan could easily strap his sword and bow to his back, while Zireda's claws were more than enough for her, and what food they had they either ate or fed to Cedru, who happily gobbled down the last of their breakfast as well.

With Zireda's paws clasped around his waist and Aedan's hands wrapped around the gryphon's neck, they held on tightly to each other as the gryphon broke into a smooth walk, then a loping gallop with wings spread as they neared the edge of the tree-line and a sharp depression, before leaping into the air with a resounding cry that echoed through the mountains.

The climb was dizzying at first, a fresh gust of wind lofting them high above the peaks below as Cedru's wings beat hard and fast to break through the turbulent air. And then just as quickly, they were soaring up and above the wispy clouds, gliding free.

The gentle breeze was refreshing, if a bit chilly at that height, and as the mountains gave way to hills and forest beneath them Aedan began to grasp their bearings. From here he could clearly see the river they had followed down towards the range, and there the valley that had led them to Zireda's parents, and the crystal lake glistening in the afternoon light.

Looking the other way, following the river into the distance at the edge of his sight, he could just barely make out a hazy bit of smoke rising through the trees. If that was Beldur's house as he thought it was, then they couldn't be more than an hour's flight away at most. With that thought, the entirety of his world became smaller, and yet much, much bigger.

He nudged Cedru with a leg, and they turned towards the river.

Planned departure

As they landed under the heavy thrumm of gryphon wings, they found Beldur rushing out to meet them from the house, sword half-drawn before he recognized the pair of them.

Beldur looked at first to Aedan and then Zireda, then shook his head with a laugh as he resheathed his blade, gesturing toward the gryphon: “You are a wonder to me every time, Aedan. Have you really tamed such a beast? The gryphons of the Order are known throughout the kingdom, but never have they bowed before any man, much less a wild one."

Smiling, Aedan answered as he dismounted and helped Zireda dismount as well: “This is Cedru, father; I tamed him together with Zireda. He was following us and seemed to take a liking to me, though I still don't really understand why myself. He is an exceptional flyer though; as you can see we arrived in less than a tenth of the time It would have taken on foot." He turned to the gryphon and introduced them: “This is Beldur, Cedru; he raised me as if I were his own."

Cedru kneeled to let them down and cawed a greeting as Beldur chuckled: “Well I'm glad you took good care of them then, Cedru. If Aedan trusts you then you are certainly welcome here, and a strong, fearsome gryphon will ward off some of the more unsavory types along the road." He reached up to stroked Cedru's neck, who warbled back amicably, chest-feathers puffing out proudly.

“Still, I doubt he could carry all of us; it was a heavy landing. We can all have a rest and discuss the plans for tonight now that we have some time to spare, though there's not much room inside for a gryphon I'm afraid, Cedru."

The three of them sat inside at the kitchen table as Cedru, unable to squeeze through the front door, settled for watching them curiously through the windows.

Beldur began with spreading out a dusty old map before them: “There have been sightings of strange creatures coming in from the south, darkling things that accost travelers in the night, settlements near the borders closing their gates for fear of demons roaming the dark of the forests. All rumors mostly until one of the provincial scouting patrols was lost somewhere along the road from the capital, Lundau. The Queen fears that the wizard Rastaban is making his return, and she wishes you by her side should the kingdom be attacked. I can't protect you against dangers of the magical sort, and she knows this."

He looked at Aedan's scales: “You'll have to cover those up for the road. A coat and gloves should be enough for now, though once they grow in fully we'll have to avoid cities and travel by night. Dragons are barely tolerated now, and you must remember that no one knows of your relation to Esin. There are as many dangers among our own people"

Aedan said, “And what can we do about Zireda's form? This won't be easy at all."

Zireda answered: “I can still scout ahead for us. The wolf tribes are scattered far and wide across the world, and I can take my rest with them when we come across towns and villages. Cedru though will be difficult to hide, especially with members of the Order guarding the cities."

Beldur replied with a thoughtful look: “Then we shall have to pay a visit to the Aerie of the Order along the way. Who knows? You might become the first male member of the Order."

The route now planned, neither Aedan nor Zireda had any questions left, and the two of them retired to Aedan's room for the night, afternoon having come and passed in the excitement of the day.