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Dusk swallowed the Shattered Forest like a purple-hued blanket tossed across the sky. Tess decided to make camp before night's encroaching grasp extended any further. She slung her heavy pack down against a fallen birch tree at the edge of a mossy glade. Tess wiped her brow. Though she spent much of her life wandering the wilds between cities encased in stone, she never grew accustomed to the thick, humid air that lingered in the deepest woods. The smell of damp earth and decaying leaves was almost overwhelming. At least night promised a temporary respite from Summer's heat.

Tess untied her bedroll from her pack, taking in her surroundings. The Shattered Forest made for arduous travel but cutting through it sliced days off her travel time. The sprawling woods earned its name for the myriad trees blasted away or snapped like twigs in one of several great calamities that befell the changing world before her birth.

Young trees now stood above the battered husks of their elders. Vines crawled across everything, layering them with leaves shaped like stars, and hearts. Brambles tempted with red and black berries nestled amidst lightly envenomed thorns. Bird calls, frog croaks, and insect chirps all blended into a single, cacophonous melody.

An old trade road circumvented the woods, but these days it was was overgrown and in disrepair. The former highway was now dotted only by tiny, superstitious villages that banded together for protection. Such places were more trouble than they were worth. They had few supplies to offer, and might not take kindly to a sorceress.

Sorceress.

It was an old term that once indicated both specific powers, and a hierarchal position. Nowadays it seemed anyone with a spark of ability was sorceress this, or sorcerer that. Tess, however, had far more than a mere spark. If the average magic-user was but a simple flame, then Tess thought of herself as a gods-damned wildfire. Her abilities were powerful but unpredictable, and not always in her complete control.

Tess did what she could to practice with her powers. In a way, her magic was like a muscle. The more she used it, the stronger it became, and the less it wore her out. Over the last few years, daily practice had calmed the tempest whirling in her soul enough for her to try and tame it.

In the years since the calamities that reshaped the world, there were more sorceresses than ever. Tess sometimes wondered if the Dragon Scourge had drawn them out of hiding. After all, an army of dragons razing entire nations off the map had a way of changing people's priorities. Where her kind might have once spent their lives in servitude to royalty, now they wandered their wilds, selling their services for a negotiable fee.

Often, those services involved hunting monsters. Though dragons, gryphons, and other such beasts existed before the Scourge, their numbers had been limited. Now, they were everywhere. No one knew whether they'd come from across the sea, or some tear in the sky. Tess didn't really care, anyway. That was all before her time. As far as she was concerned, more monsters just meant more pay.

Or at least it had until her last major bounty. Instead of coin, she ended up with an unwanted tagalong. As she dug her folding chair out of her pack, she glanced into the gloom gathering in the forest, wondering where her uninvited companion had wandered off to. Wherever Keg was, Tess doubted she'd be lucky enough for him to stay there.

She decided to take advantage of his absence with a quiet bath. There was a stream nearby that would make for a refreshing escape from the humidity. Tess dug out a hunk of fragrant soap from inside her pack. Such an item was a luxury, especially in the wilderness, but it seemed as good a time to treat herself as any. She took off her belts, pouches and weaponry, keeping only her sword buckled around her waist.

The walk to the stream was short, but rugged. Mossy stones slid about beneath her boots, and thorny brambles tugged at her leather breeches. She ducked branches, and tried not to snag her or tunic on anything. As she traveled, she mentally marked landmarks, blind spots, and ambush points. While she did not expect trouble, plenty of dangerous things called the forest home.

A wall of prickly brush guarded the water's edge. Tess set her soap down. She took a deep breath, and imagined her powers pouring out of her soul, coiling around the air in her lungs. The sensation tingled and warmed her all over. Her heart thudded. Tess spread her fingers, palms towards the brush. As she exhaled, Tess envisioned her magic leaving her with her breath, dissipating into the air, seeping into the brush.

“Part for me."

Tess spoke in a whisper, digging spread fingers into the air as if grasping unseen vines. She spread her hands, and the underbrush shifted. Tiny boughs pushed apart, leafy tendrils curled at the ground, and soon the brambles parted. Tess picked up her soap and stepped through the opening. The brush closed up behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder, smiling. “Thank you."

A narrow swath of mossy shoreline separated the underbrush from the water. Tess unbuckled her sword and left it on the bank. She tugged her boots off and set them near her sword. Then she stripped off her clothes and piled them on the shore to be washed later. With soap in hand, she waded into the creek.

The stream was not as cool as she hoped, but still refreshing. It was waist-deep at most, so Tess settled to the bottom and dunked her head. She worked her fingers through her hair. When it was thoroughly soaked, she returned to shallower water and lathered up. The smell of citrus and rose made for pleasant respite from the odor of travel. Once she was slathered in soap, she rinsed herself in the deeper water.

A roar split the sky in the distance, silencing the forest's evening song. Tess froze. The sound was familiar enough lately she was starting to tell one roar from another. This time, Keg's cry sounded brassy and victorious, rather than sharp and menacing. Satisfied nothing was amiss, Tess went back to washing up.

When she was clean, Tess decided to check in on her unwanted traveling companion. She settled down against the silty bottom, and took a slow, deep breath. Tess tilted her head back, holding her breath, staring at the sky. Tess pushed her thoughts towards Keg, and powers stirred as his name and image played through her mind.

Keg.

Kegrenar.

Black scales.

Vast wings.

Green eyes.

Tess's companion, and she used the term especially loosely, was a dragon. Unbidden, her powers dredged up memories of their first meeting.

She'd been paid to kill him. It hadn't exactly worked out, and now she was stuck with one of the most reviled creatures in all the land. The Dragon Scourge was responsible for re-shaping society. It drove survivors into city-states and kingdoms built from stone, made to withstand flame and siege, and reinforced with weaponry capable of shooting beasts from the sky. Though that was well before Tess's time, to many people nothing more represented evil and devastation than a dragon.

Then again, number two on that disreputable list was a sorceress. Tess herself had been called evil more times and accused of more blasphemies than she could count. She knew belief did not always constitute reality. Just because one dragon, or one sorceress might be evil, did not mean they all were. But her kind had become a sort of necessary evil, hired to fight fire with fire, as it were. Tess took the job fully intending to bring back the dragon's head and collect a fat pouch of coin for it.

But when the moment came? Not only had she spared his life, but saved it.

Someone else had beaten her to the dragon's capture. Tess found him, chained in the courtyard of some backwater village fort, being tortured. It was a cleansing ritual, punishment for the evils his kind inflicted on the world. His captors were bleeding him, collecting his blood. The various tools assembled told her they were planning to take pieces of him while they were freshest. While he was still alive.

Tess had barged right into the plaza, ignoring their protests and questions. She was intent on putting the beast out of his misery, and claiming his head. The villagers probably wouldn't even have been too angry, in the long run. They'd still have one less dragon ravaging their lands, and they'd still have the rest of his corpse for all its many, valuable uses. She meant give him a swift death, to put her sword through his eye into his brain. But the moment their eyes met, the dragon's voice was in her head.

HELP ME!

His voice came as a terrified, desperate plea that raked her mind with icy claws. It left her stumbling, clutching her head. Tess wasn't even sure if he meant to send his voice into her head. The dragon had little experience with his abilities, and he was so afraid, his mind was lashing out, a drowning swimming struggling to stay afloat. Maybe the dragon was even praying, if they did that. If there was a god who could hear the prayers of dragons, they were not listening.

But Tess was.

The dragon's fear was so palpable it left her trembling. It pulled at her, clutched at her, threatening to drag her under its dark waters. As she tried to focus, Tess found herself drawn to the dragon's eyes. Deep, emerald green a very rare color for a dragon. Deep green oceans filled with the fathomless terror of a young creature who saw his life ending all too soon. His voice rolled through her head, panicked and overwhelming.

Help me! Oh, please, gods help me! I don't want to die, not like this, not like this! Help me, please, they're torturing me! Please, please! Don't let me die like this, please, just help me!

Tears ran down his pebbly black scales, glittering in the sunlight. Tess knew in that moment that whatever he had done, whatever his people had done, she would not allow him to be tortured to death. For the first time in years, Tess gave into her powers, and set free the wildfire in her soul.

Tess shattered his chains, tore down the fortress walls, and fought through all those who tried to stop her. When her powers drained her, she collapsed in courtyard. Just before she blacked out, she remembered the dragon scooping her up. There were only two other things she recalled from that moment. The first was pride, that she'd done something good for once.

The second was wondering which one of them lit the ruined fortress on fire.

When she awoke again, she found the dragon had carried her to safety. It seemed a fair trade, at the time. Tess saved him, he saved her. She assumed he would fly away after recovering, and that would be the end of it.

How very wrong she was.

Instead, the dragon declared himself her new protector. A noble intent, but Kegrenar did was make Tess's life more challenging. She couldn't exactly walk right up to a city built to protect itself from dragons with a damn dragon at her side. And the more she tried to get him to leave, the more he retaliated by making himself as aggravating as possible.

Tess shook off memory's mantle, to focus on locating the scaly bastard. Tess visualized him, from his black scales to his red and gold markings. Soon, she found the invisible thread she sought, and let it pull her mind towards his. From the moment the dragon forced his panicked thoughts into her head, he had bridged them somehow. Tess doubted anyone could sever that cord now but him.

Flashes of dragon-sight came to her, the world through Kegrenar's eyes. There was blood on the ground, and caking his forepaws. A glimpse of his muzzle, also blood-soaked. Buried in something furry. Keg was feeding. Tess wasn't worried about the blood. She'd seen it often when he hunted, and it was rarely his.

Connecting their minds was still new to her. It was not something she'd ever practiced before. Hell, for all she knew, the dragon might have inadvertently awoken the ability in her. Keg certainly didn't like it when she slipped into his mind without permission. Not that she blamed him.

When Keg lifted his head, she caught a glimpse of a half-eaten bear. No wonder he'd roared, she thought. That was an unusual kill. Since he hadn't noticed her, Tess honed her focus. She may as well practice while she could. Sensations and emotions at the surface of the dragon's mind came next. Fading hunger. Thirst. Pride over his kill. More specific thoughts filtered in, next.

This is good. Real good. Gotta catch more bears.

Should bring Tess some.

Should bother Tess tonight.

Maybe I should bring the head back, stuff it in her bedroll!

Tess paused. Experience told her that the clearer the dragon's thoughts became, the easier it was for him to notice her listening in. She started to pull her mind back, gently as she could.

Hello, Tess. Kegrenar licked his muzzle. Thought I told you not to do this?

Tess grit her teeth, sending a reply before she could stop herself. And I thought I told you to fly off and get lost?

Smugness emanated from the dragon's mind. So you are there. I wasn't sure.

“Damn it." Tess cursed out loud as she sloshed to the shore. She fetched her clothing to wash them.

At least you're easy to trick. Keg made a show of licking blood from his paw, focusing his mind on hers to send her the image.

Tess held up her middle finger, focusing on that image in return. Kiss my ass, Keg.

Oh? The dragon rolled onto his side, cocking a hind leg into the air. He stared down at himself, circling a paw above his sheath and testicles. Then you may press your lips to this!

Despite herself, that made Tess laugh. The dragon's literalness combined with his habit of crass insults always amused her. She supposed if she had to be stuck with a dragon, it was better to be stuck with one who had the sense of humor of a tavern-dwelling pirate. After all, it matched her own.

I'd have to find it first. Tess returned the same mental picture, as if she was staring at his male parts. I think it's getting smaller!

Kegrenar dropped his hind leg down with a derisive snort. Funny, human. I'll be home soon. You want some bear?

Tess grimaced. Home. Whenever the dragon was on his way back to her, he always said he was 'coming home'. It didn't matter that they were rarely in the same place two nights in a row. Wherever Tess was, that was home for Keg now. Tess wasn't sure if she was more warmed by the sentiment behind that thought, or more disheartened by the fact it meant he'd never leave.

Yeah. I'll get a fire going. See you in a bit.

Tess pulled her powers back, closing their shared connection. As she rubbed soap into her clothes, she took stock of herself. Even small uses of her powers sometimes bore an unexpected toll. But nothing hurt, nothing felt numb, and her breathing and heart rate were normal. When her clothes were clean, Tess she climbed out of the stream.

She wrung her clothes out best she could, then considered the damp garments. The last time she used her powers to dry her clothes, she accidentally lit her shirt on fire. Tess decided just to wear them as they were. Once she had a campfire started, her things would dry quickly enough.

It didn't take Tess long to reach the glade. Tess set her sword against her bedroll, near her other weapons. She had a tent and rain tarpaulin packed away, but preferred sleeping under the stars when the weather was warm, and clear. The smoke would keep most of the bugs away, anyway.

Tess searched the area for suitable firewood. Much of what she discovered was damp, rotten, and home to myriad insects. Eventually she found enough dry wood for a small fire and carried it all back to camp. Tess fetched a trowel from her pack, dug a pit, and lined it with stones. Then she arranged some of the smaller dry sticks into a square-shaped stack.

She used a knife to shave off tiny, fluffy bits of wood to serve as kindling. Once she had enough, she struck flint across her knife, coaxing sparks until they settled into smoldering place. Flames soon sprang to life, devouring the fluffy wood shavings. When the fire moved onto the piled sticks, Tess added a few larger pieces of wood, leaving plenty of room for air.

Once the fire was going, Tess collected larger pieces of wood. She set them around the fire so that the heat would help dry them. Steam wafted from the logs, joining the curls of smoke rising above the fire. The scent of woodsmoke soon washed away the aromas of damp earth and forest. Tess put her chair near the fire, and settled in.

She stared up at the evening sky. Glittering stars were strewn across the eastern horizon, while the last hues of lavender and lilac still clung to the western skyline. Night birds called in the distance. Her campfire crackled and popped. It was a lovely, peaceful evening, that last only until the deep, whump-whump of dragon wingbeats shattered the calm.

Kegrenar cut a shadowy silhouette across the forest, leaving treetops quaking in his wake. The sound of his wings smothered the bird calls. As he swooped in to land, the downdrafts from his final wing beats sent dead leaves spiraling around the glade. The gusts violently buffeted her campfire's flames.

“Hey!" Tess shielded her face with her forearm as embers swirled around her. “You better not put my fire out, numb-nuts!"

The dragon thumped down onto all four paws on the far side of the clearing. I assure you, human! The dragon's snorted and tossed his head. His mental voice reverberated uncomfortably through her mind. My nuts are far from numb!

“It's not a literal…" Tess sighed, lowering her arm. “Never mind. I thought you were bringing me some bear meat?"

I did. Kegrenar lifted a forepaw, inspecting the ragged piece of bear flesh he'd been clutching, now flattened and moss-crusted. He hobbled towards her three paws. I'm sure it's fine.

“It's a damn fine thing I don't actually rely on you for food." Tess skirted around the fire to meet the dragon halfway. “I'd have starved to death months ago. And speak out loud, please. You're giving me a headache."

“As you wish." The dragon's physical voice was brassy, with a slightly formal accent. Tess sometimes wondered where he learned it, or if he'd somehow taken the knowledge from her mind. Kegrenar clutched the meat to his plated chest. “But if you're going to complain about my generosity, I'll eat it myself." A smirk spread across the dragon's muzzle, his red-tinged frills perked. “Say please."

Tess held her hands out, glaring at him. “Please just give me the meat before the stink of bear-blood on you makes me vomit." There was so much of the stuff on him that the golden barring across the front of his forelegs was almost completely obscured. “Or I'll smack that grin right off your muzzle."

“That's better." The dragon set the bloody, ragged piece of nearly unidentifiable meat into her hands. It was still warm. “To an extent, anyway. Not that I'd notice your little love tap."

Tess turned back towards the fire. “Guess that depends where I hit you." She used her knife to slice the bear meat into strips. “And how much of my power I put into it."

“You'd have to use it all, if you expected me to notice." Kegrenar stretched out his forelegs, front paws splayed. He yawned, pink tongue curling in his black muzzle. As his stretch ended, Keg settled onto his haunches. “I'm saying you're weak, if it wasn't clear."

Tess made a gesture of mock approval. “I can tell you've mastered the art of banter."

“The what now?" Kegrenar cocked his head, his eye ridges furrowed.

“Nothing." If the dragon didn't know the meaning of the word, she wasn't about to explain it. Instead, she dug out some skewers and threaded the strips of meat onto them. “Thanks for this, though. Saves me some rations."

“You are welcome." The dragon dipped his horned head. “See? I am useful."

“You have your moments."

Tess set the skewers over the fire, then returned to her pack. She dug out a wineskin and poured some red wine into a wooden mug. The aroma of ripe fruits and oak made her mouth water. She eased back into her chair and glanced at Kegrenar just in time to see the dragon scratching his testicles. Tess laughed and shook her head.

“That, however," she said, gesturing with the mug. “Is not one of them."

“What?" Keg set his paw down, his head tilted. “They itched."

“Maybe." Tess shrugged, and sipped her wine. It was redolent with the flavors of dark fruit and slightly tart berries. “Or maybe you're just doing it to annoy me. As usual."

“No idea what you're inferring." The dragon stared into distance.

“Uh huh." Tess took another sip. “Besides, you-"

“Besides!" The dragon beamed at her, his many sharp teeth on display. He looked far too pleased with himself for stealing her word and using it to cut her off. “Itchy balls are annoying to me, not to you."

Tess just rolled her eyes. “Oughta buy some itching powder to dust them in while you're sleeping. Then bind up your paws with my power, and watch you wriggle."

Kegrenar shuddered, his scales clicking and wings rustling. “Why would anyone ever create such a thing as itching powder?"

“To get back at people like you." Tess waved her mug. “It could be worse. If I'd left you to that village, they'd probably have turned them into a dragon-leather coin purse."

“Which is why I remain eternally grateful to you for saving me from such a fate!" The dragon snapped his wings open to their full extent. In the firelight, the crimson blotches on the ebony membranes looked like misshapen pools of blood. “And why I now protect you in return."

Tess snorted, rolling her eyes. “I woulda got more value outta the coin purse."

Kegrenar folded his wings back against his body. “Only because it's great size would allow it to hold…wait, how many coins is a lot?"

“Two." Tess sipped her wine.

The dragon thumped his spined tail against the mossy ground. “Only because it would have held two coins!" He lifted a foreleg and thrust a single unsheathed claw at her. “So, hah!"

Tess burst out laughing so hard she nearly spilled her wine. She set her mug down, and craned her neck, staring between his hind legs. “Yeah, you're right, that little pouch would only hold two coins."

“Hey!" Kegrenar jerked his head up. “You said two was a lot!"

“I'd have thought even your little lizard brain would realize two's not a lot of anything." Tess folded her arms, still laughing.

“Two's a lot of some things." The dragon tried to mimic her gesture, struggling to cross his gold-striped forelegs over his chest. “If there are three of you, and two of you die, that's a lot of death."

“You're really reaching, now."

The dragon ignored her, focused instead of trying to fold his front limbs. Try as he might, he could not get them stay in position. “How do you do this?"

“The hell should I know?" Tess leaned back in her chair, turning her attention to the skewers. The meat sizzled, and the gamey smell of roasting bear left her stomach rumbling. “I don't think your arms work like mine do."

“Ah hah!" The dragon gave an uncomfortably loud trumpeting noise. “Gaze upon my folded legs in awe!"

Tess glanced at the dragon. Keg had managed to fold his front legs together, with his forepaws tucked beneath them. She arched a brow. “There's literally nothing awe-inspiring about folding your arms."

Kegrenar's only response was a dismissive grunt. He arched his long neck, peering at his own limbs. While he was distracted by his own stupidity, Tess took a moment to look him over herself. Though they'd been together a few months now, it still struck her to be sitting so close to a living and non-captive dragon. There were few people who could truthfully make such a claim.

Dragons were not quite as massive as some of the old legends claimed. Keg was about half again as big as a large horse, but not so immense that Tess couldn't reach up to his shoulders when he stood. His body was covered in black scales that varied widely in size and texture. They were finer and pebbled across his face, broader and slightly course across his sides, and plate-like over his chest. Then the dragon's scales grew finer once more along his underbelly. More plate-like scutes, striped with vibrant gold, covered the front side of all four limbs. More gold barred the top of his tail. Uneven, deep red blotches marked his wings.

A pair of spiraling gray horns crowned the dragon's wedge-shaped head. A half dozen curved spikes tipped the end of his tail on both sides. Spiny, fan-like frills stood out behind his pointed ears, with a larger frill running down the top half of his neck. The frills were edged in crimson, while the spines that gave them structure were tipped in gold. As far as Tess knew, most dragons had eyes in metallic colors. But Keg's eyes stood out as piercing emerald lights shining amidst the darkness of his face.

Though Tess would never admit it out loud, perhaps the dragon was a little awe-inspiring.

Keg unfolded his forelegs and lifted a paw to his muzzle. He sniffed it, then gave it a lick. “I taste like bear blood."

Or perhaps not. “That's because you're caked in it, you scaly idiot." She waved towards the nearby creek. “Go take a bath, or something."

“Oh, very well." Kegrenar pushed himself up to all fours. “Join me?"

“Nope." Tess used her knife to turn the skewers. “Bathed while you were hunting to avoid that problem."

“Well, aren't you clever." The dragon snorted and turned away, his spined tail tip swishing just above the fire. “I shall return soon."

Tess shrugged. “Feel free not to."

Keg shot her a glare over his folded wings. “Feel free to gaze upon my testicles!" He hoisted up his tail, showing off the ebony goose eggs hanging beneath it.

Tess just laughed, turning another skewer. “I don't think that sounds half as insulting as you imagine it does."

“Then I shall endeavor to conjure up something more irritating while I bathe." The dragon rumbled his amusement as he slunk through the trees.

When Kegrenar reached the edge of the clearing, darkness swallowed him. Soon he was visible only by hints of firelit that glittering off his golden barring. Before long, even that was gone. With the fire going, Tess hadn't realized how dark it had gotten. She tilted her head back, staring at the ocean of stars scattered above her. Some shone brighter than others. A few glimmered with orange-gold radiance, while a few more shimmered with faintly blue light. The clear skies promised a pleasant night with refreshingly cool temperatures.

Tess finished her wine before retrieving her skewers from over the fire. While the meat cooled, she poured herself more drink. She hefted her wine skin and scowled. There was only enough left for another day or two. Thankfully, she still had a flask full of whiskey and another of rum tucked away. When they reached a suitable village, she hoped to stock up. Keg's presence made that difficult.

There were not many settlements willing to tolerate a dragon roaming their streets. Most towns were as liable to attack a dragon on sight as anything else. Given what happened during the Scourge, Tess couldn't blame them. And even if they weren't immediately hostile, enough dragons easily devour an entire city's worth of livestock and crops.

Since Kegrenar had first started traveling with her, Tess had been trying to figure out how to get him into a city. Most of the so-called Walled Cities would not let a dragon near them, let alone allow one inside. Her destination was not quite on that grand, fortified scale, but it was still going to be a challenge. Just getting Keg into a village had previously proven an immense challenge. Tess had managed to convince the townsfolk she had control over him, but spent the entire visit afraid Kegrenar would get bored and blow their ruse.

Tess plucked a strip of bear meat off the skewer, chuckling. One way or another, she had to figure out how to keep him well-behaved once they were inside the city. Tess took a bite of bear and chewed it thoughtfully. The meat was tougher than she'd like, but richly flavorful, with hints of minerally earthiness.

While she ate, Tess contemplated a story she heard passed around taverns. Rumor and hearsay claimed one of the remaining kingdoms possessed a number of captive monsters, including a live dragon. As the story went, a group of female knights bested the dragon in battle but spared its life in return for a pledge of loyalty. Supposedly that dragon now served as bodyguard to the kingdom's eldest princess.

Maybe that was as good a place as any for her to start, she thought. Tess could spread word that she'd defeated Kegrenar in combat, and spared his life in return for his service. If word spread far enough, she might even be able to raise her prices.

Tess waved her skewer, thinking aloud. “Why just hire a sorceress, when you can hire a sorceress with a dragon at her bidding?"

Yes, Tess thought, she liked that idea. It was about time all the rumors swirling around sorceresses worked to her benefit. She might even be able to use them to shield herself from any possible bounty on her head. After all, she thought, who would be foolish enough to rescue a dragon, and then advertise it?

“Must have been some other sorceress," Tess said to herself, pulling meat from another skewer. “This dragon attacked me, and I made him regret it. Spared him though, because I needed a new minion."

Given that most people rarely asked questions of sorceresses, Tess thought that ought to be convincing enough. Granted, a sorceress known to travel with a dragon might spawn other sorts of rumors. Even the tale of the princess and her dragon grew bawdier the later at night it was told. With enough drink in the storytellers, all sorts of stories emerged about just what the princess had the dragon do for her, and her handmaids. Tess always found such stories worth a good, coarse laugh. She didn't much care what they assumed about her and Keg.

Besides, she had to convince him to play along in the first place. The whole thing would fall apart if he suddenly decided to toss her into a sheep pen, then told the crowd to 'gaze upon his testicles' as he helped himself to their prized livestock. By the time Kegrenar returned, Tess was on her third cup of wine, and finishing off the last of her dinner.

She waved a skewer at Keg as he pushed through brush and broken trees. “We're gonna need to have a talk before we reach the town. I think the best way for us to avoid trouble is if they think I'm in control of you."

“But you're not." The dragon skirted around the flames. Keg's ebony scales now gleamed like polished obsidian in the firelight. His golden barring glowed and shimmered, while the red blotches on his wings looked like wet blood splattered across them. Keg rumbled laughter as he walked up alongside Tess, nosing at her pack. “You're definitely not."

“But they don't know that." Toss tossed her skewer down. “And you don't even have to call me your master, or mistress, or whatever a dragon might call the sorceress he serves."

“Good, because you're none of those things."

“They'll need to think I am," Tess said, retrieving her mug. “Unless you want to end up chained down in another village. All you have to do is behave, and avoid making me look bad. I'll do the rest." She glanced over at the dragon. “You can handle that, can't you? Because if not…" Tess trailed off when she spotted something faintly pointed and crimson jutting under the dragon's belly. When she realized what it was, and when she did, she glanced away, laughing. “Actually, looks like you've something else to handle first."

“Yes, our intended direction!" Kegrenar delicately opened the largest flap of her pack, pulled it open, and poked his snout inside. “Where's that map?"

“Left side, bottom pouch." She pointed towards her pack without looking back. “Do keep your claws sheathed if you're going to unfurl it, though." Tess fixed her gaze on the fire, trying to give the dragon some modicum of privacy until his situation resolved itself. “But that isn't what I meant, and you know it."

Keg cocked his head, giving her a blank look. “Not sure what you mean." He opened the pouch in question, and carefully retrieved Tess's map, printed upon cloth.

“Your erection, dragon." Tess laughed again, fighting the urge to look. “If you haven't realized it, when you're standing that way, it's rather…presented."

The dragon just tossed his head. “It's only a part of my body, human, you needn't be take offense."

Tess sipped her wine, rolling her eyes. “I'm the last person to be offended by a hardon, dragon. But that also doesn't mean I want one just standing at attention alongside me. Especially a dragon's."

“I don't know. That sounds like offense taken, to me." He took a few steps back, map in his paw. “Let me turn around."

“I'm not offended." Tess folded her arms. “I'm trying to give you a little privacy."

“Kind of you, but dragons are rarely embarrassed by their anatomy." Kegrenar turned completely around, presenting Tess with the other side of his body, and everything attached to it. “Better?"

Tess sighed, shaking her head. “Whatever, dragon. Just go take care of it."

“I'm busy." Kegrenar unrolled the map in the orange firelight. Detailed, colorful images spanned it, marking forests, mountains, roads, dangerous areas, places burned and devastated by dragons, villages, cities and more. He tapped a single finger pad against the Shattered Forest. “So, we're here. Oh! Itch!" The dragon hiked up a hind leg and fervently scratched his side with a back foot. The motion left his erection bouncing in Tess's peripheral vision.

Tess put her face in her hand, giggling. “That has to feel odd."

“The itch?" Keg gave her a confused look, red and gold tipped frills flared. “Yes, why do you think I'm scratching it?" He scratched his side a few more times, maleness bobbling.

Morbid curiosity threatened to overwhelm Tess. It was as if she were passing a battlefield and trying to keep her gaze averted from all the blood and entrails. She'd never seen the dragon so…exposed. She'd caught glimpses of it peeking from his sheath, but that was it. When she didn't think Keg would notice, she cast a casual, covert glance in his direction. The dragon's penis was quite unlike a man's. It was a bit larger than her forearm, thickest at its ridged base, then smooth and tapered to a point. The whole thing had a sort of ruby sheen in the firelight.

“Help you with something?" The smugness in Kegrenar's voice and smile on his muzzle told her he'd caught her looking. It also told her he'd probably planned that all along, just to get under her skin.

Tess downed the last of her wine in an angry gulp. “Will you just slink off and deal with that thing already?"

Kegrenar tilted his head, his voice all feigned honey and innocence. “What thing?"

This time, Tess made a point to stare at it. “Yes, I see what you mean, it is rather negligible. I might not have noticed it at all, if not for your scratching. Still, it's a bit unsightly, don't you think?"

The dragon snorted, but did not rise to her bait. Instead, he carefully rolled up the map. “No idea what you're referring to." Kegrenar returned her map to its place in her pack, then walked around the fire, and settled down onto his haunches across from her. In that position, Keg's forelegs framed his erection, and the hefty dragon testicles beneath it. “So, plans for tomorrow? What time do you wish to rise?"

Tess fought back laughter, shaking her head. Much as she hated to admit it, she admired his persistence. He was going awfully far out of his way to continue the joke, no doubt in hopes of annoying her. It reminded Tess of herself, though she wasn't sure what that said about her.

She waggled her empty mug at him. “Must you frame it that way?"

Kegrenar lifted his frills. “How else am I to ask such a question?"

“I know you're doing this on purpose," Tess said, her voice flat.

“Doing what on purpose?" The dragon rustling his wings, staring at her.

“You can drop the innocent act." Tess leaned back in her chair, staring up at the stars. “Or I'll dip into your mind to prove you're only trying to aggravate me."

The dragon's mental voice slipped into her head, like a whisper through a window. If you do, I'll be sure to think all sorts of exciting thoughts.

Tess just chuckled, folding her arms. “I suspect exciting thoughts are what caused that thing. You spend your bath imagining female dragons with hoisted tails?"

Kegrenar shifted his weight, dry leaves crackling beneath him. The movement was small, but perceptible enough to serve as answer. “Is that the sort of image you'd like me to send you?"

“Wouldn't bother me if you did." Tess got up, and added a log to the fire. The flames popped, and embers whirled into the air. “I'm neither offended nor embarrassed by your erection, or your dirty thoughts. If anyone should be embarrassed, it's you."

“Why should a dragon be embarrassed by such a thing?" Kegrenar snapped his teeth.

Tess flopped back into her chair, delighted he'd taken the bait that time. “Because I always assumed a dragon would be a lot bigger than that."

“What?" Kegrenar jerked his head up, green eyes wide and shining in the firelight. “It is perfectly average for-" He clamped his jaws shut, then hissed. “I assure you, it is appropriately sized!"

Tess held her hands up, not wanting him to realize how satisfying it was for her to finally get under his skin, for once. “I'm sure it's fine! It's just not as big as I imagined."

“Oh, I see what you're doing." Kegrenar snorted. “Trying to insult me, in hopes that embarrassment might cause it to go away! Yet now that I know you find its display irritating, I shall endeavor to display it around you more often."

Tess scowled, drumming her fingers against her chair. The beast caught on faster than she'd hoped. “I'm not irritated by it. I'm irritated by the fact you're using it to irritate me."

Kegrenar waved a paw. “Same difference."

“I suppose whenever it's out, I'll just ignore it till it goes away." Tess propped her feet up near the fire. “Much like I'm sure female dragons do."

The dragon shifted his weight again. “And much the way I shall ignore your attempted insults, until you stop making them."

“There's something that'll never happen." Tess glanced between the dragon's hind legs again. His unsheathed penis stood at proud attention, jutting up against his underbelly. “I'll give you one thing, dragon, your ability to keep it up is impressive. Or…keep it out? Whatever dragons call it. I think must human men would have lost it ages ago without manual intervention."

“Dragons are very impressive creatures!" Kegrenar arched his neck in pride, then spared a look down at himself. “Though, truth be told, I rather expected it to have retreated already."

“Must be all pent up." Tess made a shooing gesture towards him. “Just slink off into the woods and tend yourself."

The dragon bristled, flaring out his spines. “The last time I did that, you complained for an entire day!"

“That's because I was trying to sleep, and you kept me up!" Tess ground her boot heel against the earth. “At most, you went ten paces into the forest. And you're not quiet!"

“As if you'd be any quieter, were you to satisfy yourself in such a way!" The dragon flicked a wing out for emphasis.

Tess smirked. “Have you heard me yet?"

“What?" The dragon's wing went limp, hanging at his side. “You did? When?"

“Often." Tess shrugged, then pointed to the forest. “Now go get rid of that thing. I'm getting tired of seeing it."

“Oh?" Kegrenar cocked his wedge-shaped head, smiling. “And here I thought you weren't offended."

“I'm not." Tess thumped her boot heel against the ground. “But I'm getting fed up with your smugness about having it out in front of me, so I suggest you deal with it before I lose what's left of my patience."

Kegrenar stared down at himself. “If you're that sick of it, perhaps you should assist me in relieving it."

Tess's eyes widened. That was bold, even for him. Normally she'd have laughed off such a suggestion and told him to deal with his own problems. Hell, in the right circumstances, she might even watch. But since he only meant it now as insult, Keg was starting to cross the line from annoying Tess into genuinely pissing her off. She leaned forward, glaring at him. “Now you're pushing your luck, lizard. Drop it."

The beast shrugged his wings. “You're the one who's so eager for it to leave. I simply thought perhaps you should hasten its retreat for me."

“Did I not just warn you?" Tess exhaled slow, weaving power into her breath. “It's not funny anymore. Bring it up again, and you'll regret it."

“Oh, I'm terrified." Keg leaned back against his tail, trying to fold his forelegs again. “Perhaps if you don't wish to help, I'll just 'tend' it right here in front of you." He canted his head. “Or wait till you're trying to sleep, again."

As far as Tess was concerned, that was two warnings he'd ignored. She grit her teeth. Maybe it was time she made good on them. She kept a smile on her face, secretly molding her unseen power. “Remember dragon, I warned you."

Kegrenar waggled his forepaws. “Yes, and I'm positively shaking!"

“Let's see if this helps your erection!"

Tess coiled unseen strength around a sphere of sculpted power, and hurled it forward, slamming it into the dragon's testicles. The black eggs bounced from the invisible impact. Kegrenar gave a great, coughing cry, both forepaws flying to his balls in an instant.

“HHWWAAAAWWWWW!"

The dragon's green eyes popped so far out of their sockets Tess half-feared they'd fly into the fire. His muzzle gaped wide, his tongue lolling out. Keg hunched forward, clutching himself in both paws. Tiny, abbreviated, whimpering grunts escaped him as his ears and frills slowly flattened back. The dragon's bugged-out eyes went completely cross, then rolled halfway back into his head. Finally, he pitched over sideways, crashing down onto the earth with his wings haphazardly draped behind him, and his testicles clasped in his paws.

Kegrenar gave a low, rumbling groan, rubbing his hind legs together around his paws. “Oooooorrrrhhhhh!"

“Bahahahaha!" Tess laughed so hard she nearly fell out of her chair. “Your face! You should have seen your face! Oh, that was priceless!"

The dragon's tail curled and twisted, writhing like a wounded snake. “Awwwwhhhhh!" He rolled over onto his belly, hoisting his hind end up into the air, only to flop over onto his other side. “My balls!" He rubbed his hind legs together again, moaning. “Oooooh, my baaaaalls!"

Hearing those words come out of a dragon's mouth, and seeing a dragon squirm that way only made the entire situation even funnier to Tess. She shook her head, still laughing. “I warned you twice Keg, so that's what you get!"

Keg rocked back and forth, tail coiling. “Thought you were…" He stretched a single hind leg, groaning. “Bluffing!" The dragon stretched his other leg out, hind paw splayed. “Awwwwwwww!"

“You oughta know by now, I don't bluff." Tess jabbed a finger in the air towards him. “So maybe in the future, when I say I've had enough, you'll stop waving your damn boner around."

“Nrrrrrrhhhh!" The dragon curled up tightly, as if to protect himself. He shuddered, wings rustling, then groaned. “I thought it was funny!"

“And I thought hitting you in the balls was funny." Tess rested her elbow on the arm of her chair, and her chin on her hand, watching the dragon.

“Sounds like something a gryphon would say!" The dragon managed to laugh between groans of pain. He uncurled and rolled back towards her. “Awwwrrhhh. Really thought my testicles were out of range."

“Of my boot?" Tess wiggled it at him. “They were. Of my power?" She shrugged. “That's a lot harder to avoid. And now that I know how well it works, I may have to do that more often."

Kegrenar squirmed over onto his belly again, digging his hind claws into the earth. His muzzle screwed up in pain, and the way he flexed his back limbs hoisted his rump into the air. With his plated chest on the ground, he rubbed his aching testicles in both forepaws. “Really rather you didn't!"

“Then I suggest you learn to behave yourself." Tess got up out of her chair, picked up her mug, and went to her pack. She retrieved a canteen, and filled her mug with water, then put it away and returned to her chair. “Or you could just fly off, save yourself the trouble."

“Not gonna happen." Kegrenar remained in that awkward position, ears and frills flattened back. “You saved me, so now I protect you. That's permanent."

Tess sighed as she settled into her chair. She took a drink, scowling. “As honorable an idea as that may be, it's not needed. Or wanted."

“Doesn't matter." Keg slumped over onto his side, groaning. He released himself with one forepaw, rubbing his ebony eggs with the other. “Oooh, how did you get them both equally? That never happens!"

“Guess I'm just that good." Tess ran a hand back through her half-dry hair. “Look, can you at least stop going out of your way to drive me mad?"

“No!" The dragon snorted, and thumped his tail. “That would be boring."

“I suppose I'll just have to work harder to return the favor."

Tess drummed her fingers against her leg. If not for all of Keg's obnoxious antics, it would be a lot easier to appreciate the nobility of his desire to protect her. Still, there was something oddly sweet about that single-minded determination to keep her safe. Something she certainly never expected from a dragon. Or…anyone, for that matter. Tess gave a little sigh. She wondered, if only for a moment, if she was being too hard on him.

When she glanced Keg's way again, she noticed that his erection had finally retreated into the black sheath that usually housed it. “Hey look, dragon!" Tess pointed at him. “Your little friend finally went back into hiding."

“I wonder why." Kegrenar pulled his other paw away, breathing deep. “At least the worst of it is fading now."

“And now I know how to be rid of an unwanted dragon erection!" Tess giggled, leaning back against her chair. “I'll remember that the next time you waggle it around in front of me."

The dragon grunted, sprawling on his side, hind legs half-parted. Given the display he'd put on, it was hard for Tess to avoid noticing his sheath and testicles. Usually she paid them no mind. They were just part of him, like everything else, and it wasn't as if dragons wore pants. Tess tapped a finger, considering turning the tables on him. She could feign innocence too, after all.

Tess gathered up power, and set it gliding upon her breath. She brushed across the dragon's sheath with the gentlest of touches. There, the dragon's hide was without scales, just soft and sensitive. Tess traced her power over him, imagining it a female dragon's finger pad, sliding down his sheath, and between his balls. His ebon pouch tightened in reaction, outlining the heavy ovals within.

Keg tensed up, glancing her way. “Was that you?"

“Was what me?" Tess just stared at him, as if waiting for him to explain.

The dragon huffed, rolling away from her, sprawling on his other side. Tess didn't have to see his underbelly to continue. After all, the location of a dragon's genitals was hardly a mystery. Tess brushed tendrils of invisible touch across his hind legs, a teasing breeze. Next, unseen fingers stroked the scales of his thighs. Then her power dipped between the, tickling the back of the dragon's scrotum.

Keg shivered, then lifted his head, gazing back at her. “What are you doing?"

“Sitting in my chair?" Tess arched a brow and took a drink of water. “Hydrating after my wine?"

“Besides that." Tess gave him a confused look, till Keg flattened his frills and lay his head back down.

Tess went right back to work, sending warmth into her invisible forces. She guided them to rub his sheath, like a female dragon's fingers trying to coax him back out. More power curled around his balls, cradling and caressing them. All the while, she maintained her innocent facade, sipping her wine and watching the fire.

“That h-has to be you!" Kegrenar eased onto his back, his wings sprawled across the ground.

“What has to be me?" Tess kept up the attention, even as she forced false concern onto her face. “Did you eat some bad mushrooms in the forest or something?"

“You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Kegrenar squirmed, his tapered penis peeking out. “You'd better not get mad."

“Mad about what?" Tess added feigned exasperation to her voice. “Damn it, Keg." She folded her arms, glaring at his steady advancing soldier. “Just because I'm not offended by it doesn't mean I want it showing itself all the time."

“It's not me!" Keg gave a frustrated whine, arching his neck. The dragon stared down at himself. He splayed his ears, seemingly confused by the fact his penis was soon once more jutting up over his belly on full, rigid display.

“I know, I know." Tess rolled her eyes. “Mind of its own, right? That's what they all say." She slapped her palm. “Am I gonna have to swat you in the nuts again?"

“That isn't funny!"

“It was funny to me." Tess let her power trail down over his balls, then across his tail base. “You almost rolled right into the fire! I don't suppose dragons are fireproof, though, so you'd better move before I do that again."

“That's not what I'm talking about!" Keg shivered, his sac tightening, tail curling. “I kn-know that's you, Tess! At least, I hope it is, because if it isn't..."

“Still don't know what you're inferring." Tess leaned over her chair arm, watching the dragon's reactions with great amusement. Then she gasped, jumping to her feet. “Wait! Is there some other sorceress out there, teasing you with magic for her own perverse amusement?" She fetched her sword and yanked it from its scabbard. “Let's get her!"

“Oh, shut up, Tess." Kegrenar snorted, slapping a single wing against the ground. “I get it, now. I acted innocent, so you're doing the same."

“Took you long enough." Tess laughed as she put her sword away.

Kegrenar pushed himself up onto his haunches, wrapping his wings around himself. He pushed his head under his wings. “I knew it was you, anyway."

“Don't sulk, Keg. We've even now." She flopped back into her chair.

“I'm not sulking." The dragon's wings muffled his voice. “I am going to have to deal with this, though."

“Well, you look like you're sulking." Tess picked up her mug and took a drink. “Do what you must, I won't stop you from tending it."

“I should hope not, since you're the one who left me hanging." Keg pulled his head out from under his wings.

Tess chuckled, realizing the dragon had a point. This time, it was her fault. She'd been a bit hard on him earlier, perhaps she should offer a little extra kindness now. Tess wondered if Keg would even want her help, though. Teasing her about it and accepting such an offer were two different things.

“You know," she said, sitting up straighter. “If you wanted help with it…" Tess shrugged, glancing away. “I do need more practice with finer manipulations."

Kegrenar perked his ears, and lifted his frills. “Really?"

“Never really used my powers for something like that." Tess wasn't even sure it would work. Even with years of practice, she was always learning more about just what she could do. Her eyes met the dragon's, and she offered him a playful smile. “Suppose there's only one way to find out if it'll work. Tell you what. If you'd like your mystery sorceress to continue, just lay on your back."

Keg did not hesitate. He quickly but carefully returned to his back, wings draped at his sides. Tess giggled, supposing she shouldn't be surprised. She stood up and moved her chair a bit closer for a better look at what she had to work with. Keg's ebony balls hung towards his tail base, while his erection hovered just above his belly scales.

Tess breathed warmth into her unseen powers, and sculpted them into the forepaws of a female dragon. With one, she cupped Keg's balls, and with the other, she grasped his erection. Keg moaned immediately, lifting his hips. Tess guided her magic to toy with him, and pump him slow, testing what she could easily accomplish. The dragon's balls hovered in the air, shifting back and forth. At the same time, his maleness bobbled over his belly, as if held in loving grasp.

“You actually make pretty good practice."

“I'm glad." Keg whimpered in delight, tail tip curling. “Cause that feels nice, Tess!" He reached down to grasp himself.

“Oh, no." Tess tugged the dragon's balls away from his body till they bulged in their black sack. She pressed them together, threatening pressure. “If we're playing this game, you have to let me do it all with my power."

Keg retracting his paw. “Okay, okay, don't squeeze them!" He tucked both forelegs up against his chest in submission.

Tess eased her mental grip, but kept his sac gently stretched. “Good boy."

She rolled the dragon's balls around, watching them shift. Tess tugged them a little further from his body, till the motion caused his erection to rise away from his belly scales. With warm, unseen force she stroked him from his tip to his testicles, smooth and steady. Soon Keg was panting and thrusting into the air.

Keg moaned and lay his head down, horns digging into the mossy earth. His mating tool twitched, and a few beads of clear liquid ran from its pointed tip. “Gods, that's good!"

Tess breathed more heat into her invisible touch, her pace increasing. As Keg's pleasure grew, he was soon panting and whimpering. His tongue lolled from his muzzle. Curious, Tess guided her power to accelerate its blissful motion, now matching what she imagined would be a female dragon's frantic pace if she was just trying to make her mate shoot all over himself.

“Aaah!" Kegrenar gave a clipped cry, arching his back to push into the ceaselessly stroking magic. “Tess! Tess, I'm gonna…!"

“Yeah, that's what I thought!" Laughing, Tess slackened her powers to ease him back away from the edge. “You're just about to blow like a fountain, already." Tess coiled a single strand of her magic around his length, lazily rising and falling.

“That doesn't even make sense!" Keg swallowed hard, eyes half-lidded. “Fountains don't blow."

Tess smirked, and patted his balls. “See, that attitude makes me consider leaving you unspent, after all."

“That's not very nice." The dragon squirmed, shivering.

“At what point have you ever known me to be nice? Saving your sorry hide was the first nice thing I've ever done." Tess gently pulled the dragon's balls side to side, testing the limits of his comfort. The motion made his cock move with them. It twitched and sent another dribble running down to his underbelly. “You're still close, aren't you?"

“No!" Keg glanced at her, muzzle parted in sheepish grin. “Actually, yes."

Tess laughed, shaking her head. She tugged the dragon's testicles away from his body, making his member rise. The dragon's muzzle screwed up, and his erection twitched in threat of release. “So much for all that dragon stamina. I guess you keep it up better than you keep from finishing."

“It is not used to being manipulated this way!" Keg took a shuddering breath, gazing down at his own pointed, ruby tool. It jutted up nearly towards the night sky. The little ridges around its base were flared out, now. “If you keep pulling on it like that…"

“Yes, Keg, I'm well aware of what happens when you tug one a few too many times." Tess eased the pressure to lower it, then giggled as few amusing memories surfaced. “Had that happen under a tavern table once, with a thief I fancied. And, another time with a drunken gnoll I was trying to get information out of." She curled her fingers in the air. Her power mimicked her gesture, wrapping around the dragon's length. “Yours, I suspect, just isn't used to be toyed with."

“I don't usually…" The dragon licked his muzzle, then groaned, his head lolling when Tess lazily stroked him with her magic. “I mean, I do, but…"

Tess twisted her hand back and forth. Her power did the same, leaving Keg shivering. “Lemme guess. When dragons masturbate, you just hump your paw real fast, moan too loud, and then fall asleep."

“More or less." Kegrenar glanced her way again, his ears splayed. “Is that not what humans do?"

“Humans do a lot of things." Tess glided her power down his length, and grasped the dragon's balls again. She held each dragon testicle separately, rolling them around. Keg's balls shifted and moved within their sac, as if of their own accord. “Maybe I should just tease you all night, and then make you go without finishing."

“That would be spectacularly cruel." The dragon cocked a hind leg, staring at himself. He seemed fascinated by the sight of his own nuts floating upon unseen forces. “I'd finish myself off when you fell asleep."

Tess parted her hands, gently moving the dragon's testicles until both fat ovals were outlined at opposite sides of the dragon's sack. “Oh, please. We both know you're going to accidentally spurt all over your belly scales any moment." With her powers, she delicately kneaded the isolated glands, leaving each one wobbling in the air. “That make them feel a little better?"

“Yes…" Keg whimpered, his head lolling on his long neck. “And I will…not."

“Liar." Tess sent more of her power to snake around the dragon's erection, coils of warmth squeezing him from his ridges to his pointed tip. “You're shooting just being toyed with."

“A-am not!" Keg grit his teeth, balling up his forepaws.

“You're fighting it right now!" Tess tightened her grip on Kegrenar's balls, making him suck in a breath. “If you keep lying to me and mess your belly scales anyway, I'm going to squeeze these flat."

“Alright, alright!" Keg held up his forepaws, showing her his pads. Far as she could tell, it was an old draconic gesture of acquiescence. “I'm close! I'm very close!"

“Of course, you are." Tess shifted in her chair, picking up her mug. She took a drink of water, letting her powers cradle him like a set of warm, soft hands. “You should be honest about it. If some female dragon really were toying with you, and you were about to finish? If you told her so, she'd be prepared. She'd probably smile at you, tell that's alright, and stroke you through your release." She swirled her mug, guiding her powers to idly caress the dragon's balls. “But if you told her you could hold out, only to blast all over yourself, she'd laugh at you and leave. Hell, if dragons are half as wicked as their reputation, she'd probably smack you right in the balls on her way out for wasting her time."

“Your point is taken!" Keg whimpered, cupping his muzzle in his front paws. “Any more teasing, and I'm going to release my seed!"

Tess snickered at the dragon's formal phrasing. “Any more teasing?"

She pulled the dragon's balls towards his tail, forcing his pointed erection away from his underbelly. Pointed upwards, it looked akin to an exotic spear. It twitched, on the verge of exploding. Tess connected to the dragon's mind, conjuring the image of some beautiful female dragon with purple-hued scales in his head.

The phantom female grasped Kegrenar's maleness, and Tess wreathed her power around it to simulate the sensation of soft, warm paw pads. In Keg's, the female dragon lowered her muzzle towards the treasure in her clutches. Ever so slowly, dragged her tongue across its highly sensitive tapered tip. Tess worked her power over it the same way, willing it to feel warm, wet, and hot.

“AH!" Kegrenar arched his back, thrusting himself into the air. His balls tightened up. “Tess!"

The dragon's voice dissolved into a rasping, feral snarl of ecstasy as he came. His cock pulsed once with little to show for it. The second blissful jump brought a burst of thick, whitish liquid that splattered against the black scales of Keg's underbelly. The next eruption was far more forceful, a larger spurt of draconic semen that spattered his plated chest. Tess's power stroked him swift and steady, the way she imagined a loving mate might pump him all through his release. She kneaded his balls in matching time.

Keg wriggled and snarled through his orgasm. His flattened back, even as his crimson-edged frills flared out. Fangs were bared in blissful grimace. His tail coiled, and his hind legs both stretched towards the sky, toes curling. Keg made awkward thrusts against her powers, dragon spear bobbling and bouncing. Only when he was utterly spent did he finally slump against the ground. Tess stroked him a few final times, and then withdrew her powers to let him recover. His member lay against his underbelly, gradually retreating towards its sheath.

Tess laughed and dusted off her hands. “Well, that was easy."

Keg shot her a glare, still panting. “I thought you wouldn't laugh if I was honest!"

“I don't recall saying that." She stood and stretched her arms over her head. “That was fun, though. Enjoy yourself?"

“Immensely." Kegrenar rested his head against the ground, horns digging into moss. “Th-thank you, Tess."

“You're welcome." Tess fetched her mug, and refilled it from her canteen. “Don't expect it to be a frequent occurrence, though."

Kegrenar thumped his spined tail. “And here I thought practice made perfect."

“Well…" Tess swirled the water in her mug, considering it. “It does make for excellent practice with finer manipulation. But so would grinding your balls together."

The dragon winced, curling to give his testicles a sympathetic rub. “I should prefer more of the first, and less of the second."

“In that case, you should put serious consideration into changing your behavior." Tess returned to the fire, and added a new log to it. The flames crackled and popped, and embers wove brief, fiery stories in the air. She settled back into her chair. “Cause I'm thinking, I do need more practice. And whether you've spent the day pissing me off, or treating me with respect may determine what sort of practice I undertake."

“Surely the teasing would make for better practice than mashing my testes." Kegrenar wiped his belly with his paws, and wiped his paws on the damaged moss all around him. “I think I require another bath."

“I think you do too." Tess propped her feet up on a stone, near the fire. “From my perspective, pleasuring you and putting you in your place are equally helpful practice. And since your reactions are amusing either way, I think we'll leave it up to your behavior."

“I suspect by my behavior, you actually mean your mood." Keg rolled over onto his paws, pushing himself up.

Tess gathered a little power. “There's that misbehavior now." She flicked a hint of collected force against the back of the dragon's left testicle, bouncing it.

“OW!" Keg stumbled, then stopped to rub himself. He took a few slow breaths, glancing back at her over his folded wings. “Point taken." He set his paw back down, snorting. “I shall bathe now."

“You do that."

Tess watched the dragon faded into the darkness beyond the firelight. Maybe she'd finally found a way to make him behave. And she had to admit, that little practice session was more fun than she expected. It also left her wondering about some of the other stories she had about the princess and her dragon. Maybe if she grew desperate, those tales would inspire her to find another use for the dragon's sharp tongue. The idea made her laugh.

A gentle probing nudged her mind, and Tess let the dragon's voice in.

I'll be home soon, Tess.

Tess folded her hands behind her head, leaning back into her chair. See you then.

In all her life, Tess could not remember anyone ever feeling at home, just by being around her. She smiled, staring up at the stars. Maybe it wasn't so bad to be stuck with a dragon, after all.

*****

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