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Lathera gave her head a bit of a shake and rumbled, stretching herself out as she watched the humans marching through the small pass that would lead them out of the mountains. It was the same every day, and had been since Nathean had led them here to watch the strange creatures. She rumbled and rocked her shoulders a bit as she fought the urge to glare at the small shelter that the human had created so that he could stay near both herself and the other drakka. Takkas was besotted with him, in such a way that she was left struggling to find an excuse to get him out of their lives. The other drakka was fervent in her praise for the learned creature, often staying up late into the night to listen to stories or probe him for answers about various scrolls that had been brought with him. Scrolls! The very idea scorched her, but there was nothing she could do, and the fight wasn’t worth having, not as long as Nathean remained firmly loyal to them.

At least he hasn’t started yelling for the humans for help, I half thought he’d get us here and they’d be waiting with blades drawn. She thought, trying to remain charitable as she shifted in her position and watched a few mules trailing behind the line of humans.

The movement made her back tighten and flinch as the swollen puffy casings were pulled at an odd angle, one that sent a slight pain through her. Over the last few days the skin over them had become translucent, something that enthralled Takkas. She could feel them bulging up, straining towards the surface, nearly ready to break free, while her companions were still just starting to peak. It would be another week before they began to come close to emerging, and Lathera felt a small hope that she could hold off so that they both might become encased together. Certainly, it would be helpful if they could both fly, it would let them get past the humans to an area that was far more manageable and would have game to hunt worthy of them both. And perhaps even get rid of the human that was dragging a their tails.

The drakka turned her head and licked her back thoughtfully, her eyes moving to where Takkas was relaxing next to the stream, her scales almost glowing from her recent grooming. The thrall had spent most of the morning attending her with an attention that was almost too much to be born. There was something odd about him, something that tickled the back of Lathera’s mind as she considered just how odd a creature he really was. Most thralls didn’t enjoy their duties, they would shirk them if they were given half a chance. He had been given ample time to escape, more than ample time. She had purposefully put him in places to give him a chance to bolt and leave Takkas’s service, but he kept returning without fail. She would have thought him stupid if it weren’t for the fact he could read and write.

“I wonder why so many humans are on the move. You’d think they’d be content staying in the farmlands.” Takkas spoke up and slowly stood, giving herself a shake that showed the bulge of her wings, they were a bit puffier than they had been this morning.

“They’re probably heading to go fight each other, or they’ve got plans to resettle. The humans are always fighting and moving.” The drakka shrugged a shoulder, but the shifting movement pulled against the thin skin.

“They’re nearly ready.” Takkas padded over and brushed her muzzle right against one trapped wing. “You could easily break them free if you wished, then you could fly.”

“I’m not in any great hurry to fly.” Lathera lied smoothly and prummed softly. “I’d rather wait until we can leave here together.”

Takkas made an agreeable noise and shifted her nose down to touch the swollen skin. It was hot feeling, the fluids were building up around her wings, readying them to be spread for the first time. The touch of the muzzle was almost cool feeling as she leaned in against her friend and settled her sii and saa beneath her so that they could both watch the moving humans. There were always people on that path now, though it might be empty for hours at a time, there were always some on the move and getting ready to cross into the lands of the Uphold. Her curiosity about them stirred, but Takkas’s touch drew her back to her companion and she moved her tail to sweep around the other female’s haunches. It was a comfortable position, one that made her forget the fact that they had a thrall of their own.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Takkas prummed when she felt the tail around her body, and let herself be drawn in so that they were side by side watching the travelers below them. She rather liked their little pocket in the mountains, though she knew that Lathera was already working out grand plans. It was a good spot, one that was safe and went right towards cave systems they could easily retreat to if they needed to hide. She had spent many long afternoons exploring their limits, and so far she had found out they were well covered. The outcropping of rocks created a unique barrier between themselves and the humans. With Nathean to tend to the fire and help keep watch, she found herself willing that Lathera wouldn’t want to leave the moment their wings were encased.

_I think she’s growing a little more irritable since her wings have begun to grow so close. _ Takkas thought sympathetically, shifting her shoulders where she could feel her own wings starting to bulge.

She slid along her friend’s side and turned her head to flick a tongue out to brush right behind one of the griff just to make Lathera shiver slightly in enjoyment, the back arched upwards. She didn’t try to divert the attention, so Takkas slowly ran her tongue down her long muscular neck. She tried to be sensuous as she slid her tail right over her friend’s. The warm feel and scent of the other drakka was a warm flush of enjoyment that had her closing her eyes. Ever since she had joined the Firemaidens she had been surrounded with their scent and found it soothing. It was the scent of safety and protection, something that let her stretch out and tease her tongue in a light draw that moved down towards the nape of the sensitive neck. She opened her eyes partially, looking at the nearly transparent wing cases and admired the size of them.

They would be powerful, her own were growing rapidly, but she believed that Lathera would always be a muscular drakka or dragonelle. She moved her sii lightly to come in close and felt the low rumble start in her friend’s chest. She drew her gaze away from the humans and tilted her head down to playfully flick her tongue out. They caught right beneath her jaw, flicking up along the edges in a light teasing flutter that made her shiver in delight. Takkas took the chance to push forward, unaccustomed to being the aggressor, but already lingering on the thought that she should have the drakka relax somewhat. They had been relatively chaste since Nathean had joined them, something that made her wonder if it was a vague punishment for allowing the thrall to follow them. Whatever the reason, the drakka decided it was time to put an end to it in the firmest way possible.

Lathera laughed, the sound made her eyes glow as she let herself be pushed to her side, reaching out with her sii and saa to push against Takkas lightly as she dropped to the ground. It was a good sound, one that brought her back to the Lavadome and when they had first met. She nosed against the broad chest with a little bit of a nudge and push, her muzzle tracing just along the chest as Lathera rolled over slightly with a soft sound. She licked out, stroking her tongue out with a little dance as she moved her legs to either side of the other drakka and partially pinned him. She let out a warm puff of breath as she twisted herself around at just the right angle to keep her friend pushed back while her tongue flicked out lightly. She ran along the underside, just between the saa so that she could feel the tail flicking upwards in a shuddering movement.

Takkas dipped her head down to slowly trail her tongue out in a smooth stroke that flicked along the outer scales and dipped inwards towards the glimpse of the vent resting between her legs. She moved her sii to press Lathera to the ground, pushing them right along her chest before she extended her tongue out in a slow deliberate lick that started at the base and pushed all the way up. She took her time, dancing against the scales, spreading them and curling just enough to make sure that the other girl was feeling the light teases that made her suck in a breath. She arched against the hard ground, rolling into the touch as if savoring it. Takkas only licked a bit more firmly, parting the folds open as she moved one of her sii down to brush a claw along one inner thigh.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Lathera felt the ache of her wings grinding against the ground, the pain of it barely felt as the tongue pushed up over her slit and began to probe against her. It was a delightful feel, the writhing push and slide of it made her twist and turn, her back arching just enough that her haunches were lifted up. The tongue tip pushed a bit harder, wedging forward with enough force to spread her lips open. It left a warm trail of wetness behind as she stretched herself out. She wrapped her tail up and around Takkas, flexing it slightly so that she could keep herself braced. Here was a brush of one of the sii that ran right along the outside edge of her mound, giving it a little bit of a tug that spread her open as the tongue pushed out with a powerful shove. The slow curl and stroke made her shudder and tense herself up, hissing out a breath of pleasure.

Takkas wasn’t positioning herself to allow her to reciprocate, she was deliberately pressing Lathera back so that she was spreading her haunches open wide as the tongue began to push outwards with a powerful shove. Her walls were spread open wider and wider, straining as she felt the weight of it sliding around her. The saliva coated along the inside of the passage slickly, gathering with her own wetness as the drakka curled her tongue down and swelled her open wider, forcing the walls to stretch open tightly. Her inside walls began to flex and clamp down, suckling along the length as there was a spill of her arousal being pushed out around the edges. The hot breath puffed against her while she rattled her griff as her hearts began to beat faster, rolling herself all the way onto her back as the thoughts of the humans were pushed out of her mind.

Takkas used her claw to hold her open, spreading her vent wider to show the sleek pink inner folds as the muzzle pushed up tightly while the thickest portion of the base started to stretch her open wider. Her inner walls suckled, squeezing as the tapered tip rushed in deeper and gave a little flick and curl upwards. There was a deliberate draw backwards, the drag and stroke that tugged through her quivering walls to make the wetness be gathered up, the drakka pulling her tongue back with a slippery wet slurp. The tongue lavished up and swallowed, obviously savoring the taste before flicking right it out again with a powerful stroke. She ran right along the outer edge, the slow smooth movement curled right up at the tip and flicked right along the tender nub that caused her stomach to tense down.

Lathera moved, roiling slightly while the weight pushed her down a bit more firmly against the ground, the pressure building against her encased wings. She hissed slightly, feeling a tinge of pain, but forgot it the moment the warm lavishing strokes began to slide their way through her body. She felt the muzzle pushing up tight, nestling and parting her vent open wider as the tongue tip flicked upwards. The drag backwards only moved a few inches before the next push forward with a wet sound, her body warming up as she spread her saa open wider, letting the dragoness settle there while her tail lashed along the other drakka’s back and sides. The slow deliberate strokes worked, the tip of the muzzle lightly nestled forward, pushing a bit more firmly against her outer lips.

At first, it was simply the sensation of the tongue running through her, pleasant and pleasurable, designed to keep her worked up to a fever pitch as the tongue tip danced back and forth. And then Takkas pushed forward. The tapered tip of the muzzle started to spread her open wider, the push and glide ran and spread the walls open slowly, a shocking penetration. She hissed out, lifting her head up while she felt the tongue slither out again. The flick and dance worked deep inside of her passage as the muzzle pushed her open wider. Takkas had a slender muzzle, short and slight, it easily began to push its way forward with inch by slow inch spreading her wider. The movement making her walls contract and tighten in response. She shuddered, a tremor that rocked her from nose to tail at the feel of herself being stretched open, bowing her back up with a cry of pleasure.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Takkas couldn’t breathe, her nostrils slipped into the other dragoness as she held the passage open as wide as she could go and felt the two saa puss up against her shoulders to brace themselves as she kept licking. The sweet taste of her lover filled her maw, rolling over her taste buds as she pushed forward and felt the walls tightening down in response. The powerful movements clutched around her, tugging at her scales so that she had to stop before dragging backwards. The strands of arousal clung around her muzzle as she licked her way out with soft rapid flutters. The movements were timed perfectly so that as soon as the walls relaxed she was able to pull out. She let out a low noise, the sound a pleasurable purr that vibrated before she began to lick her way in again. She knew every part of the tender passage, she could feel it as it grew swollen with desire and need. The touch made her work all the harder to push deeper.

She didn’t know what it would feel like to be with a dragon, but she knew that many spoke of their endowments with obvious pleasure when they were larger. She worked to give Lathera that sensation with her muzzle, pushing inwards and fighting the way that the muscles tried to clutch down. The narrow cunny grew tighter around her, the puffy skin thinning down as she let out a low growl from deep in her throat. She sent the rumble flushing into the warm passage, teasing through with a vibration to make the walls clench down again. Her tongue pushed as far as it would go, finding that it could edge just that much deeper in the dance. The saa pushed harder against her shoulders, the claws lightly curling just at the bulges of her rising wings, but there was little more than a faint feeling of discomfort. It mattered little to the drakka, who was bathing in the feel of pleasure.

She spread her own saa slightly and could feel her vent parting, a glitter of wetness starting to show, but the need was pushed to the background as she felt the spasming little flexes clutching against her. They were pulling, the movements timed so perfectly that she was nearly moaning out her own pleasure before pulling backwards. She lavished another lick, barely pulling her nose out, only letting herself gasp in a breath before pushing back in again. She stretched slowly, invading as her muzzle forced the walls wider and Lathera responded by a cry. The sound was choked into a muffled burst, some part of her friend’s mind still recalled the hunters below, but she was too far gone to truly concentrate on that knowledge now. Takkas shivered and pulled her muzzle back, licking out with a powerful curl, thickening her tongue by doubling it up.

_This is what she’s needed. She worries too much, she’s too worked up, she needs to be relaxed. _ Takkas thought, confident in her choice as she heard the drakka call out again when she began to sink her muzzle forward.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Lathera dug her sii into the ground and raked furrows as she felt the muzzle pushing forward again, the intense feel of the muzzle pushing its way through her passage was enough that she was gasping for air. Her hips were shaking, her entire body arched and writhing before Takkas withdrew. New places were being stimulated, feeling every detailed outline of the scales that slipped through her, creating new places that had her shaking in place. Her eyes squeezed shut, swinging her head backwards a few more inches as she arched her shoulders up. The need built, her entire body was so wet that it had formed a gossamer webbing on the emerald green dragoness’ muzzle. Takkas didn’t stop to clean herself, but drove on with the heated desire of a being thirsting for more. It was intoxicating as the drakka braced herself and felt the muzzle pushing back into her.

The tongue was licking faster, hot rolls and turns, finding new places to seek out to push against the edges and when they drew back she was nearly roaring out. She knew that there were humans nearby, she made herself stifle those calls, but it was almost painful to do so. Her walls milked and suckled, pulling the muzzle in a way that she had never done with a tongue. Her breathing became more ragged, her body stretching to form fit the drakka until she felt the pressure growing. It wasn’t simply in her lower belly, it was all over her, a build up behind a wall that was surging towards the surface as she let out a noise that wasn’t quite a whimper. She closed her eyes, letting that feeling grow by the moment, surging to the forefront of her thoughts before there was a sudden drive of the tongue. The pressure swelled, her walls clamped down around the muzzle, savoring the way that the scaling stimulated and teased through her at just the right angle. She couldn’t take it, there was no stopping it.

Lathera arched her back, feeling something burst over her, hot and liquid with pleasure as she spasmed tightly around Takkas. She felt the tongue urging her on, the wild twists and turns that were curling through her, rolling in a way that had her shuddering in place, her breathing rasping out in wild bursts. She felt darkness run along the edges, the near painful pleasure that caressed over her was beyond compare, stronger than anything she had ever known. She wanted to fall into it, to build up every wave that hit her and hold on for dear life. She couldn’t, not really, but she rocked her hips in time with the beating of her hips as her sii raked the ground, running furrows until she felt something liquid coating against the tips of her fingers.

That… that woke her up from her shaking pleasure. Her lover’s muzzle slowly pulled back, the tongue slithered free with a wet noise while Lathera realized she wasn’t just feeling the wetness beneath her tail, she was laying in wet damp earth and the ache throbbing on her back was real. It wasn’t just pressure, but the scrape of newly emerged scales against the hard ground as her newly uncased wings came in contact with the air and tried to surge into being from their hidden depths. Takkas made a sound and pulled back, lapping at her own muzzle to clean it, but her eyes were wide and fixated on Lathera. It took her longer to gather her thoughts, the throbbing aftermath of her pleasure was still at the forefront of her mind, making the world feel hazy and strange.

The drakka-no, the dragonelle—rolled over with a slight hiss as she felt the wings moving and freeing themselves with the movement. She didn’t get up, she rolled onto her stomach and swung her head around to see the ragged scaled skin ripped open where the wings had slipped free, both of them wetly slapping against her sides as she flexed muscles she had never had before. They twitched slightly in response, new and odd feeling as blood rushed to fill the long wing sales, pulsing as the long wing fingers were dropped down to touch the ground. The wetness coated them, slippery looking still as she spread them out and felt the effort it took to splay them open wide. She couldn’t look away from the way muscles rippled and shifted in the light. The newly emerged scales were darker than the rest of her, a deep emerald green that almost glowed at the bases.

Takkas padded into view, the drakka looking at her with large eyes, fixated on the way the wings were spread, inviting to be admired. The new weight on her sides was strange and familiar all at once. She had always held that weight, but at the same time, it had always been neatly tucked away to her sides instead of being flaunted out in the open such as it was. She flexed them just a little bit, experimentally, and felt the way that they rippled down along her sides before she turned about and looked to the other one. They were perfectly proportioned to her body, broad and strong. They weren’t the light elegant wings she had seen on some dragonelles, btu they would be powerful on the air. She almost felt the itch to try leaping up immediately, a draw to the wide open air above her.

“They’re beautiful.” Takkas spoke with feeling, prruming approvingly. “Absolutely beautiful!”

Lathera arched her neck a little bit, forcing herself to sit on her haunches instead of give into the urge to take flight before her wings were ready to take her weight. She spread them as wide as she could and nearly prrumed with pleasure as she felt the languid stretch that extended them out wide. She flexed her wing fingers a little bit and let out a breath. They were growing more substantial by the moment, though it would take some time for the scales to cure in the air, but once they did they would be able to be used quite easily. She flicked her wing fingers up and watched the scales rippling again.

“Well, at least they became uncased in a thrilling manner.” She spoke quietly and tilted her head down to lick the edge of one. “And at least we didn’t end up alerting the humans down there.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t.” Takkas ducked her head, her fringe falling along her eyes when she did it, but eying the wings before flexing her own shoulders.

They were growing, it wouldn’t be too long before her own wings were uncased. Lathera moved closer and spread a wing, stroking along the drakka’s back lightly as the dragonelle felt a thrill. She was a full adult now, there was nothing closed off to her now. She could take to wing easily and be gone in the blink of an eye. She would no longer be confined to walking, and as soon as Takkas could join her they could truly settle on their next plan.

“Your wings will come in soon.” She murmured and nosed the drake lightly, licking along the elegant neck with a gentle stroke. “And I can be patient.”

“You shouldn’t.” Takkas protested and shivered as the wing rested along her back, Lathera thrilled at the warm shifting of the body beneath the underside of the wing sail. It was so delightfully warm. “I should be happy to wait here as you test them…”

“I have other concerns.” Lathera murmured and flicked her tongue out, a long elegant stroke that rushed down along the shoulder. She could taste the warmer skin that covered the still hidden wings. They were starting to truly bulge, it wouldn’t be long until they were ready. And until then… Lathera could almost feel the need that came from the other female.

~ ~ * ~ ~

“Be careful with that blade.” The dragonelle’s rumble was a warning, a sound that made him swallow a ball of nervousness. “I want the scaling trimmed down neatly.”

“He will, just enjoy being groomed.” Takkas put in, the drakka stretched out in the sun, heavy eyed with the pleasure she had enjoyed.

Nathean did his best not to breathe, not to make a move, that would cause the dragoness that was under his hands to take exception to anything he was doing. He knew that she was watching him closely, Lathera’s eyes were suspiciously following each movement of his hand as he moved along the hanging scales from the broken skin. It was heavy to the touch, still wet and supple, but quickly losing feeling so that he could trim it away with a set of shears. The way she watched him was unsettling, Takkas never looked at him that way, she always seemed to be quite happy with his attention, but this dragon was certainly not the one he was used too. When Takkas had volunteered him to clean up the scales where the wings had broken through from the casings, and he hadn’t had the chance to try and protest. Not that he would have, he didn’t think Lathera would hurt him, but she unsettled him.

When Takkas had offered him this chance to leave the Lavadome he had been excited. He’d imagined that he’d see the sun again, the upper world would be comforting and familiar, but that wasn’t exactly the case. He had known Lathera for some time, she was a staple in his Mistress’ life, but he didn’t understand her. He had been serving Takkas for three years now and had grown used to the needs she had of him. The small things that he could do that pleased her, such as attending to her claws in detail or making sure to bring her particularly enjoyable food to wake up with. Lathera had none of those subtle queues, she seemed to want to be left alone, though he often knew that she glared at him and could feel the disapproval radiating from her.

Takkas had told him that Lathera wanted to live a life without thralls, in a life that was quite different from the one that the Tyr had made. When he had been found out she had taken him aside and told him that he should be careful of her. She was worried about him, something that should have thrilled him, but it made him only feel more cautious as he spent his life tiptoeing around the other drakka. He wasn’t comfortable with her, he was sure that she would swallow him whole one day just to be rid of him. The only thing that stopped her was Takkas’s continually defense of him and the enjoyment she felt at keeping him close to her. The only times she took any interest in him that wasn’t annoyance and frustration came when he read to Takkas at night. Sometimes he would see her turning her head towards him and listening, though she pretended that she didn’t, she still enjoyed whatever story he was sharing with his mistress.

It’s not enough to make her treat me with even an ounce of consideration. He thought with a grimace. The best I can hope for is that she tolerates me.

He subdued a sigh and used the shears to start clipping away the loose skin so that the area around the base of the wings, making sure he didn’t do it too far down to cut into skin that still had nerve endings. He had been doing this for twelve years, ever since he had been captured outside of the lavadome. He had never imagined being a servant to dragons, but there was little in his life he could do to change it. Many thralls had savage masters, they were frequently injured to the point of being maimed as the creatures had little regard for their thralls. He had been lucky enough to serve the Firemaids and Firemaidens. It was a comfortable position for him, the drakkas and dragonelles seemed to be less apt to be cruel and he had been assigned to one that did little to make demands of him. He could not complain much about his life, it was a good one as far as being a thrall was concerned.

Nathean could have run at any time once they were above ground, he had even thought of it, but had little idea where he would run too. He had been so long in the halls of the Lavadome that he doubted he would seem normal to other hominoids. He spoke dracine easier than he did his own native tongue, he was used to the machinations and quirks of dragon society. He had no family here, no one that would miss him if he never returned. There was no reason for him to leave at all, so he had kept following her. He at least knew that she needed him and wanted him with her. That was important to him, to feel needed, especially by her. His feelings for her were confusing, they always had been, especially once she had begun to encourage him to read to her. Perhaps it was because she was the only drakka to treat him as intelligent, or maybe it was the years spent in her vicinity, but he found it hard to ignore the compulsive enjoyment of her presence.

He clipped his way further down the side, catching the tell tale scent of female musk that still clung to the lean emerald form. That scent made his heart leap in his chest, feeling it hammering uncomfortably fast as he struggled to keep his mind on his task. They talked over him, the light hearted chatter that was forming their plans for when Takkas’s wings would come in, which gave him time to glance down along the muscular body. He couldn’t look at Lathera without thinking of what he had watched only an hour before, something that was emblazoned on his mind so strongly that the mere thought brought the heat rushing to his cheeks. He had never seen the like, and he doubted he would ever forget about what it had felt like to see them together.

He had been drawn in to Takkas’s eager body, in a way that had left him pulsing and flushed with need, something that he was uncomfortably aware of there being no cure of in that moment. In the Lavadome there had been other women, they were normally loose with their attentions and easily found, but here there was nothing but himself and the two females. The half-mad delusions he had entertained when he’d been day dreaming in the evenings suddenly took the forefront of his thoughts. He had never really thought about how the drakka and dragonelle satiated their bodies natural needs when they had no mates. Males were few compared to females, it was simply a fact he had learned during his enslavement, but now he knew exactly how they attended those needs and he wanted to know more.

Stop being foolish. _ He told himself roughly, clipping and tossing the skin down as he reshaped the torn hide into something more pleasing to the eye. _I’ll be lucky if I survive this! Take what you have and be happy with it.

_ _

~ ~ * ~ ~

Lathera was loathe to admit it, but it felt good having the rough torn skin cleaned up and the human’s hands were gentle as he worked over the sensitive spots. The sun was starting to sink as she remained sprawled out under his ministrations and allowed herself to relax her tense muscles. She had snarled when Takkas had suggested letting the man touch her, but that annoyance was easily forgotten once she had given in. Nathean was doing his best to be still and unobtrusive, his body tensed up and ready to bolt if she so much as twitched a wing, but his hands were steady enough to please her. It wasn’t the artful grooming that other females desired, but a simple cleaning up that allowed her wings to rest more comfortably without catching on the torn skin.

“Your wings should come in within a week.” Lathera commented and watched Takkas nosing her own back a little bit. “Once they do we’ll be able to figure out where to go.”

“I hope so, yours are magnificent.” Takkas complimented, her eyes looking back towards the dragonelle’s wings with obvious pleasure. “You don’t want to try and settle here?”

Lathera nearly preened at the attention, curving her neck just a touch while she prrumed her delight. She had to admit that it felt good to have the pressure gone from her back. She was able to finally move muscles that she had been aware of being cramped for several days now. They were finally dry and filled out, the wing sails truly impressive. She had her own private suspicion that Takkas’s would be lighter and more delicate, but only time would tell on that mark. She shifted and felt the human scrambling over her back, his feet a light touch on her scales as he moved to the other side with his shears and glanced up at her with fearful eyes, as if ready to hear her chide him or snarl at him for some perceived wrong doing. She sighed, she had never been cruel to thralls, she simply didn’t want him here with her. It wasn’t his fault Takkas had brought him along.

“Why should we? We can fly! There’s an entire world out there!” She curved her neck with pleasure. “There is nothing off limits to us, we can fly to nearly every part of the world, even across the oceans to the islands that we were told about when we were younger.”

“Ye-es..” Takkas dragged the word out, shifting. “I had thought you wanted to settle though, to have a place of our own.”

“And we will!” Lathera shifted as she felt the tug against the ragged edge of scaling. “Once your wings come, we’ll have adventures first. Why should we settle now? We will be young dragonelles!”

Nathean was listening to them both closely, she could almost feel his attention to the conversation, but she did nothing to snub it. She felt a small pang of guilt for how she had been making him tread softly around her in the past few days. Despite her desire to live her life outside of the Lavadome as a free dragon, she had always had a soft spot for many of the thralls that served the Firemaids. They were normally a reserved and intelligent group. She had once been told that they took in the trouble maker thralls as a rule, because they were the most intelligent and good care could easily create devoted and loyal servants.

“I don’t know many places above world, but I know that there are many dangerous places.” Takkas tilted her head, just a touch. “We’ll want to be careful of where we go.”

“Careful?” Lathera laughed and gave a little shake, partially displacing the human that was trying to trim the scales. “We will be dragonelle! It is the rest of the world who should be careful! We aren’t rage filled dragons who want to do battle, we are intelligent and trained to face incredible odds.”

“You talk like one of the Drakwatch.” Takkas laughed a little bit and tilted her head up. “I suppose you are right, when my wings are uncased we can see some of the world before we settle. Or until some scarred dragon comes to sing his life song to you and whisk you away to an adventure of eggs.”

“As if that would ever catch my eyes.” Lathera snorted in an unladylike fashion. “I have no desire to hear any hulking dragon come to try and sing his lifesong to me. Most of them have to do with a hundred and one reasons they have gotten into fights that they could have avoided if they had even half a brain. Why should I tend to eggs on an egg shelf and let him spend his life seeing how many scars he can get on his hide as he has adventures?”

“You would have made a good drake.” The compliment came with only the slightest hint of a tease, something that made Lathera whip her head around to watch Takkas turn her head to nose against her back again as if embarrassed.

Lathera let out a deep rumble, she didn’t know why the compliment made her feel a flush of warmth before relaxing back into the humans ministrations. She could already imagine how it would feel to have the wind rushing over her body and beneath her wings. It would be thrilling and freeing, she’d be able to dance from breeze to breeze without a single thought as to obligations. Perhaps they could see the sea? Or they might even go further north to where the snows were always falling? The world was theirs for the taking. There was a tug and pull against the edge of one of her scales, the movement making her twitch her back a little as the human continued to work. Takkas would have to understand that they couldn’t bring the human with them. He was frail, he wouldn’t survive, it was a kindness to let him go and rejoin his own kind.

I’ll just have to explain it to her. She’ll understand and he can rejoin the humans that keep passing through this valley. It really is the kindest thing.