Present Day

Bajara dipped her snout, eyes on the fire in front of her and sighed as her wings drooped on her back, "And that was how it was....My first mating with a cheetah. I loved all parts of it. And...I would never forget him, like I would never forget that night."

Me and Luna just stared at her, after the red dragoness has finished her tale about....Her and the blue cheetah, Perdrue. Who was practically her....What she and Perdrue would call a mate.

And compared to Luna beside me, who seemed real eager to listen to that tale....My face was wide and the color of it was red as well. Red from all the details Bajara talked about. Now one word came in my brain. Wow. That was the only word that popped up. Just....WOW.

Frankly, that's something you don't hear everyday and night. And I NEVER heard a thing like that before. Bajara just blabbered about everything. How she described the things she said. The kissing, the blowjob, and even the sex. All of that was making me red. MORE redder than the thought of me showing my body to Luna! Goodness! Now my imagination went wild and I can PICTURE what they did before! Even hear their voices. I feel like I was there, but I wasn't REALLY there.

I still cannot believe I was sitting right beside my dragon listening to that story. I guess, I would've left after Luna said go ahead and tell the story, but...I didn't. I just sat here and listened, too. I guess out of my own courtesy to let our host tell her story, I was no doubt curious. Curious about how things went. I mean really, a creature about the size of a human, fucking a big dragon. That's what gotten me curious. Now I'm just acting like Luna.

Well apparently, despite my curiosity, just like my own human personality I was turning red when she got to the parts that went intimate. And now when the story was over, I was still red like Bajara here.

Then the blush went away when my compassion for Bajara's feelings came. As I was watching her eyes not leaving the fire....They showed sadness.

My heart literally cracked for the host of the cave. She loved him. Despite that they're different, despite they're different species....She loved him and Perdrue loved her. They didn't care. And I see now...She misses him. She hasn't forgotten that night. Hasn't forgotten about him.

I guess despite how abnormal it is...I sympathize her. And I think, for her sake and feelings, that I can at least accept what they did. I'm sure I won't be the only one. I can tell Luna accepted it as well.

Hmm...Now it's gotten me thinking....What happened between them? If they both loved each other, then why are they not together right now? Why is Bajara living in this cave alone? Did something terrible happen?

Bajara giggled deep in her throat and lifted her gaze onto the two of us, a smile etched on her muzzle, "So...What did you think?"

Luna was smiling, her wings rustling on her back, "I never heard anything like that before, but I think that was the sweetest thing I've heard." I rolled my eyes at her comment. Yeah, sweet, but ALSO erotic. She tilted her head slightly, "You really did not care what anyone would think, had you?"

Bajara shook her head, "Nope. Not even you two." She gestured her paw to us, "Course, I'm happy that you weren't judging me about it when I told you. Things like that just happen. Love is a strange thing."

Luna looked down beside her at me, "What did you think, little guy?" She snickered, "I think I saw you turn red a minute ago."

I let out a small laugh and remarked in a bit of disbelief, "I just can't believe what the hell I've heard."

Bajara chuckled, "If you didn't want to hear it, you could've just walked off and left your friend alone with me."

Luna snaked her snout close to me and said, "Yeah, you could've left, so why didn't you if you didn't want to hear it?"

I let out a defeated sigh, "Ok, ok, I'll admit, I was curious about...This."

The black dragoness gave me a teasing grin, "Has YOUR curiosity been filled?"

I laughed and nodded, "Yep." She rose her head away from me and I looked at Bajara across the fire, "I know that I...Didn't like the idea about what you did at first, but...I think as far as the story went...I think I've grown to accept it."

Bajara beamed when her ears perked up at my words, "You have?"

Luna joined in, "So have I." She giggled a bit and wrinkled her face, "Although, even I thought at first it was....Pretty strange. But....I can tell on your face and tone of voice that you really cared about him. And I have to agree, you guys shared a 'special' relationship."

Bajara just smiled warmly at me and Luna, "...Thank you very much." She shrugged her shoulders, "You're the first visitors to know the truth. I had guests here before you, but I never told anyone this."

I waved her off, "Hey, do not regret a thing telling us. We wouldn't judge you. I know, I won't for certain."

"Well, it's still sweet of you, and thank you, Mike." Then she made a stern look and rose a claw, demanded, "But you CAN'T tell anyone else about what I told you. If you reach Wingspan, you won't mention it. Understand?"

Me and Luna shook our heads, "We won't."

Bajara showed a relieved smile and made a nod too, "Thanks."

Luna waved a paw, shaking her head a bit, "It's not like anyone would believe us anyways."

I stated, chuckling in disbelief, "Well, I know I haven't at first! I mean, who would believe it? I mean, who would believe that one cheetah basically fucked a dragon?"

Luna asked, a big grin on her snout, "Did your momma teach you that language, Mikey?"

Bajara snickered, "Yeah, did she? I think, your mother needs to teach you some more manners."

I held up my hands in defense, "I have manners." I waved one of them at the red dragon, "I mean really, who would believe that story? I know that dragons and cheetahs were friends and hung together way before the war happened, but...Doing something like that to each other....Nobody would believe it."

Luna frowned, "....Yeah, I know what the stories were like back then but nothing like that." She giggled and stated to Bajara, "Perhaps you and Perdrue are one of a kind."

Bajara's smile went off her snout, "WERE one of a kind." Then she brought it back, "But thanks for the compliment. And can I ask you two something?"

I made a curious face, "What?"

"Well since I had told you this story about me and my love, have you both considered the possibility that maybe there were other dragons and cheetahs that were like me and Perdrue? That maybe some of them had entered that kind of relationship other than being friends?" She giggled, "Perhaps, that's why there was no mention of hearing that kind of thing happening back then. And you can understand why."

Luna's eyes went wide and she responded with her paw to her muzzle, "Oh...I never thought of it that way." She was giggling deeply, "Yeah, I can understand why."

Then a thought was crossing my mind and I was waving my hand at Bajara to get her attention, hesitantly asking her, "Wait, hold on...You believe that there were other dragons and cheetahs that were mates, right?"

Bajara replied with a nod, "Right."

"....Even the FEMALE cheetahs and MALE dragons? You think they got together too?"

The red dragoness was raising a quirked brow, "Yeah? What are you-" Then her face went wide as she was getting what I was gonna ask her.

I went on, pondered with my eyes on my lap, "I wonder...If..." My eyes were going wide at the image in my brain. Oh gosh! How could a drake stick it into something THAT small?! He's bigger than the little girl! My body shuddered a bit. Ouch.

Luna was howling in laughter as she was getting the picture herself, flicking her tail on the grass, "Wow, Mike, who's the one with an imagination? You really think a drake would fit his...Anatomy into something that small?"

I shook the image out of my head, shrugged with my hands, then a question popped out of my mouth, "I don't know. What do you think?"

"Hahaha, Mike! That's a little bit different than what Bajara and Perdrue did. We're talking about a female cheetah and a drake now!" She snickered and waved a dismissive paw, "I don't think a female of her species would take something that big."

Bajara chided in when she shot up her head with a chuckle, "Would've been nice for her if she did. She'd probably find a drake's cock amazing!"

I moaned as the image came to my imagination again and I found myself with a hand placed on my forehead. My eyes on my lap again, mumbling, "For fuck sakes, ladies." They were both tossing back their heads, laughing at my reaction.

Luna was giggling still when she said in fake pity for me, "Poor little Mike."

I swiftly took my hand off my face, shooting a glare at my best friend and saying in a mocked tone, "Don't say poor little me, if you don't mean it."

She put her paw to her chest, showing me an innocent expression, "I am." I know there was a teasing look in her eyes that showed she was playfully lying.

I rolled my eyes in disbelief, "Liar." Then Luna giggled, slowly lowered her nose to my shoulder with a fond look in her eyes and nuzzled it, bringing a smile upon my face, "But how could I hate you, despite my friend is a liar?"

Then she rose it and gave my forehead a quick nuzzle too, "You couldn't." I giggled too, reaching up to stroke under her chin, eliciting a pleased croon for me.

Me and her heard Bajara letting out a loud sigh as she looked at us, she spoke in a solemn tone, "I liked Perdrue petting under my chin." That brought our eyes on her as she went on, glancing away when her voice sounded depressed with that look, "You two are like a different version of me and him."

My face went red at that and I was waving my hand at her in a dismissive way, "Well, me and Luna never....You know...Did anything like that."

Luna shook her head, raising it away from mine, "That's right, we haven't." Then she cocked her head, voicing concern, "Are you ok?"

Bajara murmured, her voice sounded distant, "A little....I miss him."

Luna held a pity look in her eyes, "You're talking about...Perdrue?"

"....Who else would I miss?"

My eyes were showing pity too, as the questions I had moments ago came back. What happened to them? I'm getting a bad feeling what the reason was. But I need to know from her words. I found myself asking her with a curious brow, hoping that my questions don't hurt her or anything, "Look, um....You don't have to tell us or anything, but....Where is he? Where's Perdrue?"

Luna asked as well, gesturing her forepaw to her, "Yeah, if you guys loved each other....Why isn't he with you now?"

I asked again, now wondering why she's not living in Perdrue's village anymore, "Why are you living in this cave? I mean, you lived here for ten years, right? So....What happened?"

Bajara let out a big, drawn out sigh and turned her face to look at us, her tail thumped on the ground, "I know that I haven't told you about that part yet. And I knew that I was going to."

Luna waved her paw, shaking her head, "You don't have to tell us. We won't-"

Bajara cut her off by shaking her own head, having a reassured look, "I'll be fine. I'll tell you....What happened. Why I'm out here instead of my former home, and...Without my only mate that I loved." She was puffing out her scaled chest and let it out slowly, "Me and Perdrue always considered each other as mates. Only....Only things haven't lasted forever, as you can see. See...It lasted about....Four years."

My eyes widened up and I exclaimed, "Four fucking years?! How could you keep a secret like that in a cheetah village for four years?"

Bajara showed a hint of a smile, "Guess we were good at hiding one simple thing...Us." She lowered her eyes, sighing, "But things changed."

Luna said, her wings settled on her back, "Why? Did he not love you anymore?"

"Lets just say...I was kicked out of the village...Because of 'her'. She found it out."

My heart broke again hearing that. Well, so much for being good at hiding one simple thing. I asked, "Who?"

Bajara slowly got off her stomach, sitting on her haunches with her long tail curling around her. In the midst of the glare coming from the fire, she made a growl within her throat, anger was evident in her eyes, but she appeared to held herself together a little, "I didn't tell you this before, but here it is....Perdrue....Already had a mate of his own and he was living with her in his house. A female cheetah named Chira."

Luna gasped in shock, "He already had what?"

My jaw dropped at the revelation, "He was already with someone? What the hell, Perdrue?"

Bajara rose a paw and was waving it at us, "Don't blame him. He had a reason why he wanted to be with me."

I asked, "And what would that be?"

She lowered her paw and continued, "Well...Perdrue and his mate weren't perfect. They always fought and argued. See, while he was with her, he snuck behind her back, mating and loving me."

I'm not buying this bullshit. He was cheating on his girl! I narrowed my eyes, "C'mon, you believe that? Was he the one who told you? How can you be sure?"

Luna was thinking the same thing, letting out a snort, "He was probably lying to you."

Bajara shook her head, giving us a look of insistence, "No. He wasn't lying. And it wasn't just because he told me. I saw it. I remember seeing them fighting through their window. How they always screamed at each other in anger. He wasn't happy with her. And on top of that...He was truly sincere about what he said to me. I know in his eyes that he wasn't lying. He loved me. He was happy....With me. He said I was more better than Chira." She made a shrug with her paw, "Believe it now? What he did wasn't evil, it was good. He wouldn't do that to me if he found another good looking cheetah to mate with. He only wanted me." I think her lip was quivering a little when she looked down, "He said that I was...Beautiful."

I know I wasn't there, but I found myself believing her. And I think I can sympathize her for that as well....A little bit. Because this whole triangle thing reminded me of....Me, Gabby and Barry. I'm like Bajara, Gabby's like Perdrue, because I liked her, and Barry's like Chira. I mean, Barry really was a jerk, bully, and an asshole, and Gabby was just a sweet, beautiful, innocent girl. I never did see them fight before they both died. She said that Barry's sweet and she loves him, but she also said that her parents didn't approve of the blonde meathead and she doesn't like him when he bullies people. Hell, she was practically mad at him for picking on me! When I think about it, sometimes I think that she had enough of Barry and his bullying attitude. So maybe other than feeling sorry for what I went through, perhaps the other reason why she came and talked to me, other than apologizing for her boyfriend's actions...Maybe she was starting to like me, like she was developing a crush on me. Cause I was the...Calm type, as she'd put it. I could be wrong, though. Maybe she only just liked me as a friend and only wanted to hang with me, despite the risk that her boyfriend would get angry again.

She really was kind.

I apologized with a pity look coming back to my face, "I'm sorry, Bajara."

Luna nodded in agreement with the same look, "Yeah...Sorry."

Bajara replied to our apologies, "It's alright. I'm not mad." She let out a breath, "Chira wasn't exactly like me. I wouldn't hurt Perdrue like that. Wouldn't say that I hate him."

I said with a frown, "I'm surprised he didn't leave her. Considering that he wanted you and their relationship wasn't working out."

"He wanted to, but...He couldn't."

"Why?"

"....I'll get to that. Let me tell you what happened first." I tilted my head and so had Luna. I don't understand...Why wouldn't he leave Chira? I guess, we'll find out. Bajara spoke in a low tone, "Me and Perdrue were pretty quiet about things. We were good at it for four years. We'd both find a spot alone to kiss during the day, we'd mate once in a while outside his home during the night. Things were perfect, despite there were setbacks. Until...It happened."

Luna asked, "Were you caught?"

"A bit different than that. It wasn't like we were caught mating. Actually...Perdrue sleeps by Chira, when we're not making love. And then...From what I know, Chira wasn't asleep and she heard her so called mate mumbling in his sleep. He...He spoke my name with his eyes closed. And that was when she pulled that blanket off him....And found his confidence sticking out of his body." She let out a trembling sigh, "He was dreaming about me. And that was when Chira figured it out. It turned out, she had her suspicions for four years, but she wasn't sure about them...Until that night came."

Luna muttered, "Oh...." I turned my head away. Well crap...It's like getting caught with your pants down....When you're dreaming.

Bajara continued with the tale, "She made him get up from bed and confronted him heatedly about it. And...He couldn't deny it anymore. He confessed that...He loved me and has been with me for a long time." She held a hurt look upon her face and looked at the night sky, "Chira confronted ME the next day, outside the village. Calling me a disgusting creature and making her mate fall under my charms. She called me a lot of hurtful things. Perdrue told her to stop and she walked away. I....I remember that day well. Crying into his fur. I also felt guilty that I'd gotten him in trouble. We both should've known that something like that was about to happen."

I said out loud, "So....She was the one who got you kicked out of your home."

Bajara looked at us and nodded, a small tear going down her cheek, "Yes. A day after that confrontation, she went to the chief and...Talked him into kicking me out of there." Her eyes formed a glare, "Now you'll be surprised to hear this one. Chira didn't tell the chief that I was mating with one of his cheetahs. Turns out she told him that I was probably some kind of threat to the whole village. That I was acting suspicious, like I was...Plotting something. That I probably secretly hated cheetahs and had played them all for fools by my friendly act for a long time."

My blood boiled hearing that and I formed a glare too, "She did that?!"

Luna growled, "That's cruel!"

I shot up off the ground and waved towards her, "That's bullcrap! That wasn't what you were!"

Bajara melted that glare off her face and slightly moved her eyes off us, snorting, "I know. She lied to him. She was playing the chief for a fool. She told the chief all that, to get back at me for stealing away her mate. Figured it was the worst thing she could come up with. When the chief got anxious and suspicious of me, he made the decision. And it was because of that lie, the chief told me to get out of the village and don't come back. So with that, I'm not living with cheetahs anymore and that was ten years ago."

Luna pressed her with a couple of questions, "Did you protest? Did you defend yourself?"

"I tried. But the chief didn't listen to me. He took Chira's words seriously. It's his village and he thought he was doing his job to protect it...By exiling me. I...I didn't tell him the real reason why Chira went to him. Cause...I didn't want Perdrue humiliated because of the truth."

I wrinkled my brow, "Now wait a second. Perdrue doesn't like Chira, right? Why doesn't he just leave with you? He loved you!"

Bajara softly closed her eyes and sighed, "He couldn't leave with me....Couldn't leave Chira and the village....It's complicated."

Luna replied with a snort, "More complicated than their relationship?"

Bajara answered, stuttered a bit, "He....He had cubs with her." Her form shuddered and I heard her choke on a sob, like she was gonna cry, "....TWO of them."

Me and Luna finally got the picture, and we both glumly said, "Aw."

She took a deep breath, calming her nerves, her wings fluttered on her back and she got off her haunches to stand on all fours. Bajara opened up her eyelids and looked at us, a couple tears fell down her face, "He would've left, if he wasn't a father. He couldn't leave because of them. He loved them. And besides that....The outside world was dangerous for a cheetah like him. It wasn't too dangerous for dragons, like me. Even if I took him and his cubs with me, that's a big risk. I didn't want...Any of them hurt. I...I left him alone...Without saying goodbye. I left him."

I let out a worried breath, watching her look down at her feet. Shit...It's that kind of thing. That is why she's out here alone.

Bajara....

Now I feel so terrible for her. Losing a love like that probably devastated her. And it was all because of that cheetah bitch. Well, Chira's worse than Barry, that's my opinion on her! She made a fucking lie and got Bajara kicked out for something she wasn't doing! That's sorta like Luna, but a lot different. Being accused of such things, only it was all bullshit.

Ten years....That's a long time.

But at least I know that Perdrue wasn't dead because of the war. That wasn't the reason. At least, it was something else.

I walked around the fire, wanting to comfort our host. When I was close, I held out a hand and began rubbing the red scales on her belly smoothly. Bajara looked at me and I was staring right back, letting out a sigh for her, "I'm sorry, Bajara. You didn't deserve this."

Luna said from across the fire, Bajara's ears flicked at hearing her voice, "Me too. We're...Sorry for your loss."

Bajara slowly made a thankful smile on her snout, turning her eyes on Luna, "Thank you." Then she locked her gaze back on me, "And thank you as well."

I smiled and said this to comfort her, give her hope, "Just to tell you something....He's probably thinking about you now."

Bajara snorted, "Probably....While he's with Chira." Then she giggled deeply, "Other than missing my company, I'll bet he misses me lifting my tail for him."

I laughed a bit at the remark, "Probably." Luna giggled nearby.

Bajara let out a calmed breath and started to shift around to totally face me, looking down at me, "Thanks for trying to help. But I'm going to take a walk. You guys going to be ok?"

I nodded, "Yeah, we'll probably go to bed soon. Will you?"

Bajara bowed her head a bit, assuring us, "I'll be alright." Then I took a step out of the way when she was strolling forward away from the fire. When she was halfway out of sight in the dark, she looked over her shoulder, folding her wings and tail went stiff behind her, "Be back later." She looked ahead and padded away till she was gone.

I took a deep breath and let the air out of my lungs, then I looked at Luna and said with my arms crossed across my chest, "Well....This night really has been something." Both my brows were raised, "Actually, PRETTY something."

Luna looked at me, the glare from the fire was on her black scales, "I know. We've learned a lot of things from her." She gave out a chuckle, "Other than knowing how she and her cheetah mated."

I strode around the flames, till I was very near her, putting my hand on her shoulder and hanging my head, "Yeah..."

Luna tilted her head in concern, "Are you ok? Is it about Bajara?"

I nodded and then looked up at her silver eyes, "I feel sorry for her. To lose someone by a jealous female cheetah. She's hurt Bajara." I looked back towards the trail the red dragoness walked on, breathing in through my nose, "The way she was accused of reminded me of you. None of that was fair."

Luna nodded slowly, "Except, she didn't do anything wrong. A lie made her look like she had. Only I actually did all the bad things others accuse me of."

I sharply turned my head and pressed my forehead against her warm scales on her side, and ran my hand around her to rub her chest in slow circles, "No. Abyss and Dark Storm made you do something wrong."

She smiled at that, "Right." She was lowering her head to me, as I lifted my head off her to look in her silver eyes once more, "I guess the only other difference I have with Bajara is I wasn't driven away from home by a jealous female. I left on my own." My grin widened up in a teasing way and she frowned her face, "What are you smiling about?"

I chuckled, "Since you were speaking about jealous females, remember that you were acting like one?"

Luna rolled her eyes, "Oh please, I told you I couldn't help it."

I thumbed off to the direction Bajara went to, "You were angry that I complimented her name. I don't think Bajara wants to be driven away by another angry female. And for what? Cause I gave her a compliment. It's her cave, you know, so she'll be the one driving anybody away. SHE'S THE HOST."

That time she playfully rolled up her silver eyes, "I KNOW THAT. I wouldn't challenge someone who owns a cave. Besides, I'm not the jealous type."

I giggled and made a pat on her nose, "Kinda acted like it earlier."

"Well, I'm not that bitch of a cheetah that drove her off. And if I was Bajara, I'd kill her."

I shrugged with a shoulder, "If that were up to her, she could. But she can't. Wouldn't want to give the chief an idea that his suspicions were right."

Luna shot her head to her right, "That's true."

Then I raised a finger, "Buuut, I think I have an idea."

She cocked her head, "What would that be, little guy?"

"The idea is that I would drag that bitch off outside her home. Drag her all the way in the woods and then I'll let you ladies tear Chira apart." I winked.

Luna dipped her snout and let out a laugh, "Sounds like you're more than just a little guy. You're a SCHEMING little guy."

"Hey, that furry bitch thought she could get away with her revenge plan. Might as well come up with my own revenge plan and help Bajara."

She hummed to herself, I see she was liking the idea, "I kinda like it. Don't know HOW you're going to sneak in her village and drag her furred ass out of there, but it's a good idea anyways. That way Bajara would reunite with her mate." Then she added when she came up with something, "Actually, instead of tearing her apart, let's have Bajara snatch her off the ground and scare her so much, she would NEVER mess with our host and Perdrue ever again."

"Narrg, I liked the tearing apart part better."

Luna giggled deeply, pressed her nose against my head and nuzzled it, "We're not the monsters, Mike. If you want someone to literally kill her, go find some Dark Dragons to do it."

I playfully replied, lightly pushing her nose away with a hand, "Sure, I will. And while at it, I'll tell them not to try to kill your ass."

She let out a snort that blew some of my shaggy hair on my head, "You better hope they won't kill YOURS when you find them. Cause I'm not gonna save you because of your scheme."

I shot my head to my left and shrugged my shoulders, "It's ok. I'll be firing arrows if they do."

"Knowing how badly you fight, hope you'd practiced your skills. You're gonna need them." She gave me a teasing wink, "HAVE you, Mike?"

I let out a small whine, "No, I have not."

She was rolling her eyes in sarcasm, "Oh boy....What's your excuse this time?"

I reached up and used a finger to poke her nose a few times, "The excuse, big girl, was I was strolling with you while you were flapping your snout about you seeing my anatomy today and ready to fight someone WHILE I was naked for three damn hours." I put my hands on my waist, "That's my excuse."

Luna's face was wide, then she narrowed it, "Lame." Then it was her turn to poke when she raised a talon and poked at my chest, "You can still do your training WHILE I'm flapping my snout about what I saw."

I let out a sigh, "Even when I'm naked?"

She laughed deviously, poking me one last time, making me stumble back a bit, "Yep, my student! Even when you're naked!"

I groaned, "Damn it." She gave me a snicker in amusement. I let out a tired sigh and was giving her a pat on the side, "Alright, I'm getting a little tired. You ready to head off to bed?"

Luna got off her haunches, flicking her tail behind her, "Sure." She was turning her whole body to stroll off, drawing back her head and let out a loud yawn, "C'mon." I followed alongside her, one of her wings stretched out over me for a second before curling it on her back. A minute later we went in Bajara's cave, and Luna started to lie down on her stomach, letting out a relaxing sigh, "Well, the floor feels cool." I walked up to her front and she looked down at me, tilting her head, "Do you want to sleep close with me again?"

I was having some thoughts running in my head before I replied, "...Sure."

She wondered what my hesitation was about and asked me, "What's on your mind? Thinking about practicing fighting some more seriously?"

I made a teasing look, "Nooo, I wasn't thinking about that."

She curled her neck into an shape of an s, "Oh....Then what is it?"

I chuckled lightly, my eyes trailing along the ceiling as I was thinking of a way to ask her this question, "Well...This sort of question came and I kinda want to ask you it." My eyes were right on her now, "Since we were talking about anatomy, I wanted to ask you....How did you learn so many things about anatomy? How did you hear about it? Other than teaching you how to fight, did Illuminus taught you something about it?"

Her muzzle was slowly making a toothy grin, "Well, you can say that Illuminus taught me. But I didn't know about it at first...Lets say I saw something about it."

I wrinkled my brow, "Uh...How?"

She rose her paw to her snout when she snickered, "You might turn red again."

I shook my head and shrugged my hands, "Just tell me. Thanks to Bajara's story, I think I'm getting used to listening to somebody talk about something dirty."

Luna nodded, "Alrighty. Well...I was a teenager...Maybe fourteen years of age. I was having a stroll around the city in the night. Wanting some fresh air. I was minding my own business and then....I heard somebody moaning. It came from an alley."

My eyes gone wide, "Wait...Someone was mating in an alleyway? Like not in their house?"

"That's right. I found a drake on top of a dragoness while lying on her back, looking up at her lover passionately. I thought they were wrestling, since I was new about the whole...Mating thing. But then I saw that he was rolling his hips, and....Something that looked pink stuck out between his legs. Which came out, what I'd find out, called a slit. And he was...Heh, thrusting that thing in her."

I laughed, "I guess they were fine with doing that outside their home."

She shrugged, "They didn't notice me. They just kept at it. Heck, if one of them did maybe they didn't care."

I exclaimed loudly at the thought of it, "Well, I'd care if someone, including you, was watching me doing that to a girl! That's a VERY private matter!"

She was trying to stifle her laughter by my statement, "ANYWAYS, I just stood there and watched...With my eyes widen with curiosity. The drake went faster and the female was snarling at him. I think he was almost finished with her. While he was at that pace, that was when I ran off back to Illuminus. Wanting to tell him and ask him what I saw."

Well lucky you, Mike. You've just heard another sex story that came out of a girl dragon's mouth. Only the second one just has two dragons doing it. Kinda can't believe that I've heard that one also! I replied, shrugging my hands, "Well, I can imagine you were going to see something like that someday. But I'd think it'd be when you were...Older than fourteen."

Luna rolled her eyes, "Whatever, Mike." She was waving her paw, wanting to move on with this, "After I saw what happened, I went back to Illuminus and told him. That's when he was telling me the basics of anatomy. Anatomies about dragons, gryphons, and cheetahs. Including about mine, since I'm a female. What I remember most about the subject was when he told me about each different kind of males that has either internal or external balls. From when I saw those dragons mating, that was when I knew the concept of anatomy."

I slowly raised a brow, "Since Illuminus knows so much, I know gryphons and dragons don't mind showing off their stuff, but I wonder how he knew about cheetah anatomy. They wear clothes and they're modest, so how would he know about theirs?"

She answered, "I never asked him that question. But since he was created by the gods and wasn't exactly a normal dragon, he probably just knows. Or he's seen a few of them naked before. Who knows."

I giggled, "Well, if he JUST knows, then I guess I won't show myself to fill his curiosity."

She grinned, "Probably."

Then I frowned, "And just to ask you something....Since you thought that my balls be bigger....Did you think they'd be big like a drake? I am small, after all."

Luna had a surprised look, "Why would you ask me that?" She laughed a bit, "I know they couldn't get any bigger than THAT. And if you must know, I was only guessing if they were a bit bigger. I was stating an opinion, remember?"

"Oh."

"Like I'm always guessing that drakes have big balls, even though I can't see them. Well, I'd think they are since we're dragons after all. Why wouldn't they be big?"

I hung my head, like I was in shame, "Well, you said that mine were small. That...Did make me angry, but other than that...I was also embarrassed and hurt a little. I mean...Bajara has said to Perdrue that his were big, she brought that up. So...Why's mine any different?"

Luna stared at me a moment before she mentioned, "Actually, Mike....They are."

I shot my gaze to her immediately after that, "Huh?"

She gave me a confident smile, "I know what I said before. That I stated an opinion and joked about it. But the truth is...They are big. And why I'm saying that now....Because you're brave and you saved my life. That's pretty much what a drake would do. You have big balls like a dragon, little guy." She chuckled, "Although NOT internally."

I smiled warmly at her, "Are you saying that because I'm your best friend?"

"No, Mike." She lowered her head until it's right in front of mine, "I mean it well. I wouldn't lie about that. You have big balls, human. And they would impress any female who'd see them."

My heart pounded happily as she said that, "Like you?"

She licked sweetly across my cheek, "I was. You showed your anatomy for once, which I'm still grateful you did, and I was actually impressed by it." She peered deeply in my eyes, her own showed that she meant it, "I mean that, Mike."

I was pausing as I was just looking at her, then I leaned in, held her chin in my hands and give her nose a kiss, "Thanks, Luna." I looked at her eyes again and just held it. Her gaze never left mine.

As I was staring right into those silver eyes that I like so much....My stomach was feeling different. A fuzzy feeling came about in there and it was warm. That made me internally curious, but I didn't show it on the outside. Wait...What's that? I...I don't think I've felt it before.

Did I?

It appeared while looking at her eyes just now. I had looked at them before, but it never came. Why now?

Then suddenly, Bajara's story with Perdrue came to thought. My imagination showing them very intimate. I'm...Getting a feeling I know what it is....

Me....And....?

Now, hold on....That's ridiculous.

I think Bajara's story is making me go a bit crazy.

The feeling's probably nothing, Mike. Don't worry about it.

Luna's quizzical tone cut through my thoughts, "Mike?"

I shook my head out of them, "Huh?"

She squinted her eyes, "Are you ok? You're staring."

I gave her a nod, "Yeah, I'm fine."

She jerked her head out of my hands, and then she was starting to lay on her side on the floor, "Alright. I'm going to bed now." As she made herself comfortable, she lifted a forelimb to invite me in, "Come here, my human." I smiled and nodded. I got on my knees and crawled up to her body, until I was laying my side like her. When my back was close to her scales, she wrapped her paw around me, holding me close to her warmth. Luna was laying her head on the floor, saying affectionately to me, "Goodnight, Mike."

I took a deep breath, shifting around a bit more before saying back, "Goodnight...Luna." I feel her body taking a deep breath and letting it out. Feeling that she's about to go to sleep. I did the same thing, closing my eyes, letting my body relax in slumber. Trying to get the feeling and that ridiculous idea out of my head.

It's nothing.

Just lay down and sleep in her limb.

*****

Bajara trotted on the trail on her way back to her cave. Where her guests are probably at by now. When the red dragoness made it back to the fire she made, noticing that Mike and Luna were gone after she left them, she was close to the pit and then flared her wings to begin flapping them towards the fire at fast like pace. Blowing a lot of dust and wind in order to put the flames out. Don't want any fires started in this beautiful forest. She remembered almost making THAT mistake before. One tree years ago was practically caught on fire and she was afraid another one would be set ablaze too. She didn't want that to happen.

She stopped flapping and curled back those wings on her back, admired the work she'd done as the firewood was now burnt and smoked. The smell of it rose to her nostrils as she was taking a deep breath.

That's when her guests came to mind, thinking about the part before she left them alone. Thinking about how bravely she told them her story about herself and Perdrue. How they didn't mind it one bit....Even though the little human was turning red from it. She obviously couldn't blame him. Mike probably doesn't hear that sort of thing a lot. A giggle escaped her snout. It seemed funny to her, how embarrassed he appeared.

A part of her soul couldn't believe that she told them both about what she and her....Former mate were before. About how they both met, how they both confessed their love, how they got together, and how they shared their first mating on that beautiful night outside their home. On that beautiful hill. She held her eyes up at the sky. Seeing how bright the moonlight was in the night looked. She can pretty much still remember that night and never forget about it.

Perdrue would never forget about it, also. Even if he did mate with another cheetah. Then Chira came to mind. Knowing what a bitch that female cheetah is. She could never MAKE Perdrue forget about it, that the dragoness is sure of.

Bajara smiled a bit to herself. She was happy that her guests didn't judge her for it. They didn't mind it. They were willing to keep that a secret. Which that was good enough for her. Honestly, she wanted to tell someone about it for a long time, but couldn't find herself to do it. Sometimes she thought, why not, it's not like they're together anymore. But...It was still something you probably couldn't tell anybody about, even when you're not together with someone not in the same species. She took a deep breath and let it out, feeling relieved that she didn't regret saying a word about it.

They aren't bad to her after all.

Then Bajara's eyes drew to her cave entrance, thinking that her guests are sleeping in there now. She had the same thought, after drawing back her snout and letting a yawn come out of it. Well, since she was tired she's gonna go to bed too. The thought in mind, her tail was wagging behind her as she padded around the smoky pit and strode up through the mouth of the cave. Ducking her head a moment before her horns barely grazed the low ceilinged entrance. Her wings settled on her back as she put down one paw quietly at a time. Don't want to wake them up if they are asleep. Things sound quiet in her home.

Then not long after she went in there, the red dragoness found her guests sleeping very closely together. Luna's form laid on her side with her forelimb wrapped around the little human's. They both looked comfortable and content like that.

Bajara smiled at seeing them like this. She found their friendship very cute. Even the position they're in looked cute. Then she remembered what she said to both of them before she left for her walk. That they both look like the different version of herself and Perdrue.

They do in her eyes. And seeing them sleep like that made her think of her and mate. She had slept by him before, with her paw wrapped around his furry body. She liked the way his fur pressed against her scales. If only they'd done that every night. If only Perdrue wasn't with Chira. If only there was this possibility that the other villagers in his home would understand his relationship with her. Then they would cuddle like that every night.

But despite that small set back, they still did cuddle together, sharing their warmth. Only....Those days are gone.

Ten years....Ten years since it happened.

And now she cannot lay with him anymore.

Bajara was lowering her gaze to the floor as her sadness was about to overwhelm her. She hadn't broke down for a long time. Maybe it was....She couldn't remember when she last cried.

A single tear fell down her snout before she wiped it off with a claw, holding back her own tears. She didn't want to shed them right now. She just wanted to sleep. Maybe let her dreams about Perdrue soothe her mind to her sweet slumber. She misses him, but her dreams about him always help her mind unwind. She brought her eyes off the floor, and then the dragoness slowly made her way to her spot on the cave floor, tail flicking behind her. She dropped to her chest and then to her stomach, curling her tail close to her belly.

Bajara laid her head down on the floor, eyes only on Mike and Luna sleeping still. The host of the cave smiled fondly at them. She did see the way they looked at each other. How those two just adore one another. Especially in Luna's eyes. She remembered how much she adored her furry little lover. It was those same eyes Bajara had. And when she saw Mike looking back at those eyes...She'd thought they were the ones Perdrue had too....When he shared her their first kiss and told her how he'd felt.

Bajara's now thinking....Maybe they both liked each other and don't realize it? She doesn't know why, but in her heart and mind she can feel something between them. That something has grown between the two of them through their journey all alone before they came here. How they must've been so scared to lose each other and how they're protective of one another. That those two belong together....As mates. She may have just met them and they have said that they are best friends, but she can see it right in front of her eyes. Only Bajara believes that they don't.

Bajara knows it probably won't be an easy thing to do, but she wants to help them both see it.

Her eyes concentrated right on the human. Bajara knows that Mike doesn't belong in Avarilan. What she wasn't sure about is IF there is a chance Mike can go back to his home or not. Then her eyes traced onto Luna. But if there's a chance he can go home, if Luna does love him more than a friend....

The red dragon knows how losing someone you love forever feels like....She don't want Luna to go through it also. If Mike does get home and can't come back...It'll break Luna's heart.

She needs to help the black dragoness open her eyes and see the truth about her feelings in herself. And also help Mike open his eyes as well. The red dragoness knows that he cares for Luna, like Luna cares for him. And if they both see the truth, especially Mike....Maybe he won't want to go home and leave Luna. And they'll be together.

Bajara only had both of them in her sight now. She has to talk to them...Before they go off and leave.

She mentally make a vow to herself that she'll do what it takes to help them see it. She'll do it.

With the vow made, Bajara took a deep breath, the tip of her tail making a thump on the ground and she softly closed her eyes. Waiting for the dreams of her and Perdrue take forth to help her sleep away in the night.

*****

As the firewood was being popped repeatedly by the orange flames, me, Emily, Damon, Cora, and Rick sat around it. Cora laid on her stomach on my left with her wings settled on her sides and her red tail thumping on the grass. Emily was sitting with her legs held to her chest on my right, while Damon and Rick were sitting across the fire from us.

I glanced at the short red dragoness who was just looking right into those flames. The shining glare casted upon her scales. I smiled a bit when I held a breath and let it out. Her first day on this journey with us, and things have went smoothly so far. Now her first night out here has arrived. For a fact, I'm sure she hadn't slept out in a cool night for once in her life. For all her life, I'm sure she only slept in her cave close to Rocko. Heh, well why would they sleep outside when they have shelter close by?

Only shelter's not nearby and now she'll be sleeping with the four of us out in the night. I kinda thought Cora would be nervous but I don't think she is. No expression of that kind was made on her. Well, with travelling being one of the new things she's done, I guess sleeping out here would be another new exciting thing for her. My brain mentally giggled at that. Sleeping's supposed to be relaxing, not exciting. But for Cora, I guess it outa be both. Excited AND tired.

Well, if she was still excited about what happened today, then I hope she can get some sleep outside her home. If we meet trouble along the way, she'll need it.

My eyes moved onto Rick. He had a bit of a serious frown on his face. He was looking at Cora for a second before staring down at the fire. I rolled up my eyes in a bit of annoyance. Rick....Let the issue with Cora go. You know Cora's not going home. She's like your daughter, old man. She's not taking ANY type of crap from a grownup figure.

Since what he said earlier, since his daughter set him in his place about having the young dragoness with us, he hasn't said a word about it for the rest of the day. He was real quiet. Good for him, cause if he probably annoyed Cora for a bit of a time, she would kick his ass before his daughter would!

Well, all of us weren't in the mood to listen to his attitude, so we were glad he shut his mouth.

Perhaps he would accept Cora into our group as time goes by and not worry about it anymore? With his stubbornness....I'd say....Maybe a yes or a no. I don't know which it'd be, honestly. But he better get used to that.

Like he OUTA get used to his daughter going out with a so called 'bad' boyfriend that he thinks I am. Cause, like Cora won't go home because he thinks so, I won't leave Emily cause he thinks so.

Pride welled up in my chest. He can think what he wants. We're not gonna do it.

Cora deeply sighed pleasantly and I turned my head to her now, as she was speaking out loud holding her snout up to the night sky. Staring at it with a grin on her muzzle and awe in her voice, "I still can't believe it." She chuckled deeply in her throat, "I get to sleep outside tonight. I never did that before."

I giggled at her enthusiasm, "Those were my thoughts exactly. Your first night, girl."

Emily chimed in, looking around my form to the dragoness, placing her hand to her chest with a huge grin, "I was thinking it, too."

Damon spoke up when he tossed up his head, "Ha! So have I!" Me and Emily were laughing along with the green dragon. Except for Rick who was just still silent with that frown upon him.

Cora looked surprised and she cocked her head, "All of you thought about it?" She giggled, turning her head away, "Wow, I guess I wasn't the only one."

Damon asked, "Why wouldn't we think that?"

Rick cut in, "I wasn't." I made a low groan at his stern statement. He was probably lying, but hey, he won't admit it.

Damon basically ignored the stubborn grownup and motioned his paw towards the short dragon across the fire, "Still, why wouldn't we think that? We had figured you haven't slept outside before." He was nodding three times as he added on, "Laid out here, yes, but sleep outside, no. We know you've slept in your cave for years."

Cora looked right at the drake's yellow eyes, her tail making another soft thump on the ground, an amused smirk on her snout, "That didn't take you long to figure that part out."

I spoke after Damon, "Knowing that Rocko didn't let you do much throughout your years, you didn't have to say it."

Cora looked at me, "Yeah, he had reasons to do it."

That's when Rick mentioned, "What a sensible parent would do."

Emily shot a glare at him, "But a sensible parent would also let his daughter grow up and leave his home."

Rick shot the same look back, "Out in a dangerous world? Nah, I wouldn't do that."

"Letting a child live with a parent forever isn't exactly healthy."

"Still would protect your daughter."

Emily was crossing her arms under her breasts, "You know, I think we liked you more when you were quiet."

Rick rose his eyebrows, leaned his body forward and was tapping his chest with his finger, "I'm the grownup here. So I'm not gonna stay quiet."

Great, he won't be quiet. I spoke through a disgruntled sigh, "Nice."

Then Rick threw his hands in the air and flopped them back down, sighing himself, "BUT I'm sure that you won't listen to me about Cora. So what's the point that I'm not being quiet?"

Cora shook her head, then held it up, shutting her eyes smugly, "Can't make me leave, Rick. I'm staying." My hand reached to stroke her back between her wings and she giggled at my affection as one of them twitched.

Rick grumbled with his head down, grumbling in a tone that even I barely heard it, "Out of control."

Cora's ears flicked and she hollered as she seemed to have hear it, "I'm not out of control!"

Damon heard it too and shot a narrowed look down at him when he snorted, "Yeah, Ricky, she's not out of control." I was giggling. Wow, I barely heard what Rick said, but they must have better ears than humans. I better watch what I say when I'm around them. And Damon said Rick's name wrong again! Heheh, last night Damon called him Ricko and now he called him Ricky!

Nice job on the different name calling, Damon.

Rick looked up at the green drake, "Will you not call me Ricky? That's not how you say my name."

Damon shook his snout and replied, "Nope. You don't ever say my name right, I don't say yours right." He winked and he was chuckling out of controllably at his own joke. Me and Emily were giggling along with the drake.

Rick, however, wasn't laughing and he sighed again, "Whatever."

Cora frowned when she leaned her head over to whisper to me, while me, Damon, and Emily composed ourselves, "Wow...No wonder he wasn't your favorite. He's still in a bad mood." She quietly chuckled, "He's like Rocko when he doesn't want to wake up in the morning."

I held a hand close to my lips as I whispered back, "He's been like that ever since I met him."

"I think he needs to sleep more. That's what he should do."

"Well, even when he was sleeping well, he still acts that way."

Her eyes went wide at that, "Really? .....Then I'm out of ideas."

Since Emily was closer and heard us, she tossed her whisper out to Cora, "I hope you're not giving up now."

Cora giggled and said to her quietly, while I'm just sitting casually between them listening, "No. Actually, I was thinking that we'd start coming up with ideas together."

Emily's eyes lit up and she nodded, "Sure, we'll share ideas later." I was giggling at the girls.

Rick was wrinkling his brow suspiciously at us, "What are you three whispering about?"

We all held innocent faces and said it in unison, "Nothing."

Rick wasn't falling for it, "Uh huh, sure."

Emily was waving him off, saying in a sincere tone, "It's nothing, dad. Honest."

Rick just looked at her and then he turned his face away. Not saying anything afterward. He probably wasn't believing it still and chose not to say anymore. That's what I think.

Damon snickered when he was lowering his snout down to his level, making a crack about it, "I wouldn't worry about it. They're not...Planning on doing something that you think they're planning on doing."

Rick frowned confusingly as he looked back into his gaze, "What are you talking about? What....Do you think I believe they're planning on doing?"

Damon giggled deep in his throat and shrugged with a forepaw, "Heheh, well you believe.....They're probably planning on telling you to....Get a mate for yourself."

Rick's face went wide and he almost choked on his own word, "What?!" All of us laughed at his outburst and he narrowed his eyes at Damon, face turned red a bit, "That wasn't what I was believing they were talking about, and I KNOW that wasn't what they were planning at all." I laughed hard as I saw him turn red. Oh my gosh, he's turning red!

Damon said through his fits of giggles, "How would you know? You didn't hear them. My ears heard them talking over there. And I heard them mentioning that they are wanting you to get a mate for yourself."

Rick adamantly shook his head, "I don't believe that."

I knew that was just a joke, so I went along with it, finally calming myself down with a few giggles, "No, it's true." I gestured to the girls with both my thumbs, "I heard them talking about it."

Cora giggled, nodding twice, "We did. Your daughter and I think that if you get a mate, you'll be less grumpy."

Rick just shot back with his eyes rolling up, "Oh, be quiet, I'm not grumpy."

Emily rose a teasing brow, "You don't take jokes well, cause you're grumpy. Also, you're still acting like a child."

"I'm a damn grownup, Emily. Not a child."

Emily snickered, "Then get a....'Mate', and then I won't call you one."

Rick stuttered as he was trying to come up with words, "How can I get a....'Girlfriend' if there aren't any woman of my age out here?"

Damon cocked his head, "Girlfriend?" From the look in his eyes, he hasn't heard the term 'girlfriend' before.

I playfully shot at Rick before he could speak to Damon, "I know that we're guys and all, so...I think, there's a very simple alternative to find a way to make yourself happy....Without anyone else around."

Emily figured what I was getting at and made a look of disgust, "Eww, Scott. That's gross!" I let out a laugh and she slapped my shoulder.

Cora tilted her head, frowning, "I don't get it."

Damon's muzzle let out a laugh as he had apparently got the idea, while Rick was flashing anger in his eyes, "I'm not doing anything like that."

I gestured to him, modestly saying this, "Okaaay, you can be a grumpy ass then."

"Fuck you."

"See? You're being grumpy still. And...I think you should take your own advice." Rick's only response was an embarrassed low groan.

Damon shot up his head and remarked, curled his wings on his back, "Scott's right. I've done something like that before and doing that makes me happy." Mine, Emily, and Rick's faces were widened up at hearing that. Well, that was pretty blunt. He just admitted that he....Masturbated!

Rick threw off that wide face and formed a narrowed one at Damon, "I'm not gonna do that, Drayton."

Cora was laughing a bit, then looked directly at the green dragon, "What? Did he just call you Drayton? I thought you were Damon. Are you?" Damon just shook his head and grumbled.

Emily yelled at her father after she made a narrowed look too, "Dad, IT IS DAMON!"

Rick huffed, "Whatever. I'm not going to do...." He pointed his fingers at me and the drake, "What you two are implying!"

Emily giggled, scooched a bit and leaned her head onto me, "Oh, Scott, you got him rattled...Even when the thought's disgusting."

I glanced to her with a mischievous grin, "Women do it when they're alone."

"I don't." She lifted her head and teasingly frowned, "And HOW would you know?"

I only shrugged, "Just a guess." Emily paused as she continued to look at my eyes, till she and I were giggling together.

Rick said in a voice showing distrust, "That's too good for a guess. Tells me that you're interested in someone else...Like another girl."

Emily made a glare and shot it at him, "DAD....He's not."

Cora tilted her head, "Huh? .....What's he talking about, guys?"

Damon snorted as he looked down at my girlfriend's father beside him again, "Apparently, he's accusing Scott something that isn't true."

Rick didn't bother looking at him, only grumbling, "You'd understand why if you were in my shoes."

Cora shook her head in a bit of confusion, "No, seriously, what are you guys freakin talkin' about?" She looked right at me and Emily, how close we both are, how I wrapped my arm around her. That was when Cora beamed and showed us her toothy filled smile, her tail made a flick behind her, "Aw....It's no wonder you guys seem....Close."

We both turned to her with giggles and nodded. I said, "We are. We're actually together."

The red dragoness asked with awe and compassion in her eyes, "Awww....So are you guys really mates?"

Mine and Emily's smiles melted away when we frowned, the same question came out of our mouths, "We're what?"

That's when I asked before a second would end, "You mean, boyfriend and girlfriend?"

She shook her head softly, "Noooo, I mean mates. Are you two mates?"

Damon joined in the conversation, "Yeah, you two told me that you're together, so....Aren't you really mates? What's boyfriend and girlfriend?"

I'm kinda not surprised that they don't know these terms. So before I would, Emily explained, "Well, boyfriend and girlfriend are terms of a relationship humans are in." She raised a finger, mentioning another term of a human relationship, "Another one is married."

Damon and Cora both cocked their heads in confusion, "Married?"

Emily laughed, "Ok, I see that dragons don't know what marriage is."

Cora admitted, "I honestly don't know what you're talking about. That's new."

That was when Damon asked, "So....You two are NOT mates? Why didn't you tell me?"

I playfully shot back, "C'mon, seriously? We'd assumed you figured it out."

"I thought you two humans are what dragons would call 'mates'." Then he held a pity look on his face, "And here I'd thought before that you...'Claimed' Emily as yours."

I held up my chin proudly, big grin on me, "I have claimed her."

Damon shook his head and started waving his paw, trying to correct me, "No, no, I mean....Like were you....Look, I kinda do have a feeling that humans are modest, but uh....I want to ask....Scott did you ever put yourself inside Emily and claim her?"

Emily's color drained off her face and mine has too. I stuttered when I tried to form words, "Uh....Heh....What?" You've got to be kidding me! Why did you put me on the spot, Damon?!

Rick was glaring furiously at the two of us, hissing through his teeth angrily, "Scott." Whoa ho! He's mad! Not exactly the kind of thing a girlfriend's father should be hearing. I know what he's thinking. Well Rick, me and your daughter....Never did anything!

We didn't!

Damon pressed us, "Uh, guys?"

I was shaking my head out of the awkward embarrassment and replied softly, "Um....No."

Damon wrinkled his face, "Huh? Really? You two never mated?"

Emily exclaimed embarrassingly, "Damon!"

The green drake's cheeks showed a pink tint. Realized what he'd done, "Oops..." Then he defended with a smirk on his snout, "Just curious that's all!"

Cora asked, not showing any embarrassment about the subject, as she brought her muzzle close to me, her nose barely touching my arm, "So...You aren't mates?"

That's when Rick heatedly asked, "Yes, Emily and Scott, you AREN'T mates?"

Emily looked right at her dad, color returning to her face, "No...We aren't."

Cora dipped her snout and made a pitiful whine for us, "Nawww."

Damon was still surprised about that revelation, "Wow...Uh....I assumed-"

I cut off his sentence with mine, "Yeah, well, you wrongly assumed."

Damon started scratching behind his neck with a wing tip, "I did....Sorry."

Rick had his eyes up at the sky and let out a sigh of relief, "Whew...Thank god."

Emily was glaring at him, "Well, it wasn't any of your business anyways. That's just between me and Scott."

Damon shot his head to her, while he was staring at Rick, "Your daughter's got a point." Then he made a glare too on his green scaled face and his tail made a swish across the grass, "And what's your deal with them together? I mean, you hate Scott because he's with your daughter."

Cora held a surprised look, "Really? Scott, is that true?"

I nodded at her, "Yea....That's why me and her dad don't get along with each other."

"Why?"

Then Damon asked the same question, "Yeah, why? Rick, I would think that you'd be proud that your daughter's with someone."

Rick groaned and got up on his feet, the look on his face was showed a glare, "Well, lizard, I don't. I don't like those two together." He waved his hand at me, "I don't even like HIM together with her." I rolled my eyes. Here we go again.

Emily tried to stop him from talking some more, "Dad, that's enough."

He pointed his finger at her, "I told you that I'm the parent. Now quit telling me what to do."

Emily angrily shot back, "More like a child than a parent."

"Enough, Emily!"

Cora reared back her head in surprise and Damon made a bit of a hiss, telling him this, "Hey, that's your daughter you're talking to. Take it easy."

Rick turned furiously to the drake and shoved his finger into the green scales on his side, "Take it easy? I shouldn't take it easy when her mother didn't do a good job at parenting, and let our daughter go out with someone who's bad."

Emily shot off the ground and said in a sneering tone, "Dad, cut it out!"

Cora cocked her head, "Scott...Bad?" She formed a smile, believing in what she sees about me, "Scott's not bad. He seems nice to me."

Rick then waved his hand at her across the fire. The glare from the flames showed his eyes full of anger, "You don't even know him like I do!" Then he smacked the back of his hand against Damon's form, "Neither do you! You two don't know him like I do! Just like my daughter doesn't know him like I do!"

Emily argued, "Yes I do, dad! He-"

"No, you do not! I told you time and again that he's no good for you, but you keep ignoring me like an out of control child!"

I was slowly getting up off the grass too, holding out my hand to try to calm him down, "Ok, Rick, just...Calm down."

But Rick didn't stop there, "You don't like me either, and now you're telling me to calm down."

I narrowed my eyes, "I'm just tired of getting into fights and arguments with you."

"MAYBE we'd get along just fine if you weren't with my only daughter."

I gestured to him, a high pitched tone in my voice, "Why the hell won't you listen to me or Emily?"

"I'm following my instincts."

Emily made a heated remark that time, "Well your instincts are wrong!"

Rick was shooting his look at her, "Oh really? Well, let me tell you something, dear daughter." He continued to open his mouth when he was bringing his eyes on Cora beside me, "You weren't there yesterday, while me, Scott and Cora here were picking apples. Those two were playing with each other."

Emily shrugged her arms, "Yeah, and so what? Cora wants to be friends with us."

"I'm not talking about that kind of playing!"

Emily wrinkled her brow, "....Now what are you talking about?"

My eyes went wide at what he was getting at. About to mention something else that's not even true about me. Something about me thinking about Cora in some way. Oh....No....He's not going to bring THAT up....Is he?

Rick let out a bit of a grr and shouted when he threw his hand at me, "I'm talking about when he was kidding around with her! I know I didn't see it, but I KNOW that he was doing a very disgusting thing with Cora behind Rocko's back!"

Cora frowned, "Yeah, Rick, we were playing. But what are you talking about?"

He blabbed it out straight away, "That you and Scott were MATING in the woods!"

Cora's red scales went pale and her eyes widened up, "What?!"

Damon and Emily did the same, "What?!"

That got under my skin and I shouted angrily at him, "Are you kidding me?!! Me and Cora didn't do anything and you know it!"

Cora denied it by shaking her head, "That's right, we didn't do anything!"

"Me and Cora just met and we don't know each other that well, and you're accusing me that we've went there!" I pointed an accusing finger at my...Hopefully, not soon to be ex-girlfriend's father, "You are just saying that just to get me and Emily to break up. Admit it! You're trying to break us up!"

Rick spoke in a soft, mixed with disgust in his tone of voice, "I wonder what other disgusting things you have in that brain of yours. You must be sick. In fact, you're probably thinking of cheating on my daughter with another girl, let alone a GIRL DRAGON at that!"

"I would never cheat on her! Listen to yourself! What, has being in this world made you gone completely insane?!"

"I am protecting my daughter from entering a bad relationship with someone who is a sicko! Just like maybe your brother was! After all, he is, or WAS, a troublemaker!"

Cora cocked her head at me, "Brother?"

I shot back, "You better watch what you're saying."

"Or what?! That you're going to defend your brother for all the bad things he did? Are you admitting that you are a bad boy like him? That you FINALLY admit that you're no good to my daughter? No wonder you two are related."

"Fuck you, Rick!"

Damon, who looked confused by what we were talking about, was holding out his paw to diffuse this, "Ok, guys, that's enough. We might attract attention with all the-"

But I didn't stop myself when I walked around Emily and past the fire, strolling fast to Rick and I stood in front of him, "You know what, Rick?" I motioned my hands like I was done with this crap, "I've had it. I am sick and tired of trying to convince you that I'm good to your daughter! I've had it!"

Damon was getting off his haunches behind Rick, as he gave me more heated words, "So are you going to leave her?"

"Why would I want to leave her? It's YOU who should!"

"Where am I gonna go, damn it!? Did you forget that we're not in our world because of Hilary!? If it wasn't for her, if she didn't buy those tickets for the cruise, then we wouldn't be trapped in an UNFAMILIAR FUCKING WORLD!!!" He took a deep breath a moment before he let the last sentence out, "Everything that'd led to us is all her fault!"

Emily protested, "Dad!"

Rick only turned his head and held up a finger, "Emily, don't interrupt me."

I slapped his hand down and he was glaring at me again. Furiously enough that even a few veins were shown on his neck. I yelled, "Quit talking to her like that!"

"You're not even a father! So how would you know how to parent?"

"I know that I wouldn't talk to my daughter like that. Remind me not to invite you to meet your grandchild."

I think that got under his skin and he shot another accusation at me, "So you did sleep with her!"

I slapped my forehead and sighed angrily, "No, I didn't have sex with her."

"Doesn't surprise me none when there are out of control kids amidst the group. They always have sex before marriage comes along and then there's teenage pregnancy!"

I shoved a hand into his chest, "Screw yourself! We're not out of control."

"Don't know, your brother was out of control, so you probably are too."

I made a heated remark, "You're the one who's out of control. Your overprotective attitude is annoying and it's making you crazy."

But the father of my girlfriend ignored me when Rick shouted again as he spread out his arms and shot them back down, "OR, maybe your whole family's out of control! That's where you and your brother took all that from!"

"Wow, I said that you were un-fucking believable before, but now you are just WAY BEYOND UN-FUCKING BELIEVABLE!"

Damon tried to stop this again with his snout curled up in a snarl, as Cora got off her stomach nearby, "That's enough!"

But Rick went on with his rant, this time striking a chord in me that shouldn't have been struck, "Or I could be wrong. I could be wrong. I have heard that only your uncle raised you, right? Well, where's your mother and father? Huh? Did they leave you boys to your uncle? Because they were sick and tired of dealing with your problems?"

Emily tried to protest, "Dad, you need to stop-"

"I bet even your mother most of all was tired of raising you boys and she didn't care about you anymore. That she was ashamed of you. Well...I can see why. You and your brother are a couple of punk asses."

Emily held a hand to her mouth when she let out a gasp. Damon and Cora both perked their heads and had their eyes gone wide with so much surprise. My blood was boiling with anger as I heard him say all that. I asked in a somewhat calm tone, "Rick....What the fuck did you just say to me about my mother?"

Rick paused as my heart pounded with fury towards him. He leaned his leering gaze to mine, "You heard me."

That was when I didn't hold back when I gave him a hard shove, making him stumble back with a grunt, "You don't know me or my family! Especially my mother! And if you EVER talk about my mother again....I....I will-"

Then Rick pushed me back, "Don't push me!"

I shoved at him once again, "Like this?"

"No, goddamn it, like this!!" But that time he didn't push me, he actually threw a punch at my face, knocking me on the ground with a pained groan. My cheek was throbbing with a bit of pain now. Rick was getting ready to attack me while I was lying on my back.

Damon shouted in panic, "Rick!" Then he used his forepaw to push Rick to the ground before he would get to me. Now Rick was pinned beneath him, and Damon snarled with his wings flared on his back and tail thrashed behind him, "Rick, I said that's enough!"

Rick thrashed with his legs flying up behind the forepaw, screaming furiously at the drake, "Get off me!"

I sat up on the grass, moaning in pain as Emily and Cora came to my aid. Emily just stood near me while Cora lowered her snout to nuzzle me in concern. Emily shouted at her father in fear and shock, "Dad, look what you done!"

Cora asked me with the concern shone in her eyes, "Are you ok?"

I nodded, petting the side of her face, "I'm alright...Ohhh." My cheek still felt a bit tingly and I rubbed the palm of my hand on it. Emily bent down and hugged me to her chest.

Rick finally calmed down and was just heaving beneath the paw pressed onto him, "You can let me go. I'm calm now."

Damon narrowed his yellow eyes down at him and snorted when his tail thudded on the ground and his wings curling on his back, "Should I?"

"Yes, dragon, now let me up!"

Damon paused, not so sure if he should really do it. But when Rick was giving him a silent word that he's not going to punch me again, Damon slowly raised his limb off him. Rick groaned when he got off the grass, dusting himself when his clothes were a bit dirty. I was still on the ground, watching all this happen. Rick was breathing heavily as he was staring at me.

Emily has let go of me, and stood up with a furious look, "Father, how the hell could you do this?"

Rick let out a sigh, like he felt a bit better that he had done it, "It...It was a long time coming."

She thrusted her hand down to me, "Are you happy now?! Are you happy that you did this?! You punched a kid!"

Apparently his stubbornness hasn't left him alone, "Yes, a kid who's a punk."

Emily was getting more furious when she was trying to speak, "I can't....I mean....I mean really....How can you...I must be really...." She huffed, clenching her fists down at her sides, "Errr, I'm done with this." Then to everyone's surprise, she whirled around and dashed off to the woods.

Rick held a worried glance and called out to her with an outstretched hand, "Wait, where do you think you're going? Emily!" Then he went after her, running past me and Cora as he ran through the bushes after his daughter.

After I watched them leave over my shoulder and looked at the path they ran on, I groaned as I stood back on my feet and turned my whole body to look at the woods. Staring at them like Cora and Damon are. My heart slowed down in my chest, as my fury went away and I was calming down. I can't believe it....Rick punched me! Now a bit of worry along with guilt was shone in my eyes. Cora turned her snout with her eyes full of worry and concern on her end. My only thought was Emily....She looks very sad and pissed off.

Shit....I should've just let it go and just sat still where I was.

But....Too late for that now.

Oh god....Emily.....

*****

Emily walked in very fast strides, after slowing herself down when she ran a bit, a glare evident in her eyes. She was so angry. Angry at her father. No, more than that....She was furious. She just watched him punch her boyfriend. The girl couldn't believe it. Of all the stubborn things her father could ever do, that was the worst of it all. After watching her father punch him, she'd wanted to punch her dad for retaliation!

Her mother's words came to her mind and that stopped her from walking anymore. That her mother told her to not stay mad at him. And before tonight, Emily still loved him...Despite her anger for his mistreatment towards Scott. She had forgiven him more than once. Hoping deep down that he would change for her.

Her hands were balled into fists. Well tonight was the final straw. She's done. She's done with him! She's done with loving her father! He hasn't changed for her for several days and she's done! What he did to Scott was cruel and offensive to her sensibilities. There was no love in her heart for Rick anymore. The only love she has was for Scott. She hates her father. She wishes that Marco was here in Rick's place. She wishes that her mother's boyfriend was with her at the very beginning!

If only her mother had listened to her about her father. Emily knew that he wouldn't trust and get along with Scott. If only things haven't came to THIS.

Emily's done. She can't take it anymore.

Then she heard a voice she didn't want to hear a few feet behind her, "Emily."

Emily's frame twitched at her father's tone of voice and her fury came to her chest, sending it up through her arms and all the way up to her hands. She really wanted to knock him out for hurting her boyfriend. She had the urge. But....She was holding herself back. Wondering what good would that do. She thought about saving that punch for later. She has several words she wants to say to him. Very slowly, she took a deep breath and spun around to face Rick who was taking very slow steps to her. About one foot in front of her.

Rick's chest expanded when he took a breath and let it out. He asked in a bit of a surprised tone, "Where are you going?" He shot his hand back to where they came, "You just left everyone alone. Did you forget that we all have to stick together? Avarilan's dangerous."

Emily held on her glare, not melting it away, "I think the concept of sticking together has abandoned us after you punched Scott. Right now, I think YOU should leave instead of me."

Her dad responded to that, reaching out to plant his hand on her shoulder and having a guilty look that made it hard to believe in her eyes, "Em....I'm sorry."

She jerked away from his reach, snapping at him, "Bullshit, you're not."

He pulled it back and then he was holding up both hands as in surrender, "Look, calm down. I was-"

"Calm down? You're telling me to calm down? You're the one who needs to calm down."

"Emily, can we just go back to the others before we get attacked or something?"

"Why, so you can take me to YOUR cave and keep me trapped in it? Fuck this."

Rick was giving her a demanding glare, "Hey, watch your mouth."

She patted her chest with her hand, "I'm NOT a fucking little girl anymore! Do you not get that?!"

"Emily, I'm your father. Scott's bad and-"

She sighed, "Why, cause he did all those things you accuse him of? A lot of things that aren't true? You accuse him of being a bad boyfriend. You accuse him of being a punk like his brother. You accuse him of being dirty and planning to cheat on me with another girl. And now..." She was making a groan that sounded of disgust, "And NOW, you accuse him of....Of.....Fucking Cora in the woods! What the hell is wrong with you?! Is Scott right, are you insane?!"

He tried to speak, "Emily-"

"How can you even think of something like that?! Who do you think you are?! To make a disgusting accusation like that when it's not true. That's even worse when you accuse Damon of being evil!" She put her hands to her hips and huffed, "What's next? Are you gonna accuse him of being a child molester? Is that it?! Are you going accuse him of that next?!"

He was trying to defend himself, "Emily-"

But Emily cut him off again with an angry sneer, "You have treated Scott like crap! For DAYS! You accuse such horrible things towards Damon and you have been wrong about him! When do you think you're wrong about Scott?! Huh?! When's that?!" Rick didn't say anything. He was just narrowing his eyes at her. She was shaking her head softly in disgust of his presence, "You'll always think you're right about him, won't you? You won't think differently about him. I keep thinking that you would change, and actually like the first and only boyfriend that your daughter had. But I guess you won't, right? You don't care what he says, so why care what comes out of your daughter's lips, huh?"

Rick had the guts to say something and he was giving her a bit of an innocent, pleading look, "Emily....I do care what you say."

She rolled her eyes in total disbelief, "Funny way of showing it. I tell you differently about Scott, but you never listen."

He said in a bit of a cracked voice, "Be-....Because.....I'm trying to protect you."

That frustrated her and she snapped again, "Protect me?! Protect me from what?! Scott has been protecting me, and you're telling me that you're protecting me from the guy who HAS been trying to protect me?! Well, I think Scott would protect me from anything." She thrusted her pointer finger right at his face, "Like protect me from YOU! God, how you talk, it's....It's..." She reached up to grab handfuls of her long blonde hair, wanting to tear it out of her skull, "Arrrrggggh!"

Rick held out his hands to hold her wrists, "Emily! Stop it!"

Then she gave him a hard push and shrieked, "I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!!!" Her dad was surprised by her attitude. He hasn't seen her that way before, that Emily's sure of. He was getting a taste of her fury coming out. She sneered, "You have not been there for me for years and now you want to help me? Where were you when I needed you?! Where was my father at?! You haven't been my father when you left mom and now you're acting like a father now. Telling me to leave Scott and be with a perfect boyfriend. Well, let me ask you something! What's the definition of 'perfect' to you?! What is it?! What, do you want me to be with Channing Tatum?! Well, guess what, dumbass, he's already married!!!"

Rick's face was just wide, as she took a deep breath and spat at him, brushing her hair off her shoulder, "You better hear my words, RICK! I won't leave Scott! I love him! You know? Love? That feeling you shared with mom? Before you left her! Before you called her an enabler! Before you called her a slut! Is that what you think I am?! A slut just like mom?! Because I wear makeup just like mom?!"

He fired back, "No, I don't think of you as a slut! I don't want you to be one! I don't want you to act like it!"

"Oh, but I am one when I'm with Scott, right? I am just like mother! The slut who has been with a few boyfriends after you guys divorced. Well, that slut and enabler you called her, has raised me compared to you! You hate each other, but she was the only one who has. She has raised and taught me how to be responsible, I was never out of control. It's you that is!" Then she pushed him away again, "For god's sake, you now say that this....Everything that we've been through, even ending up in this world....Was all her fault. That it was her fault that she bought some tickets for my ever first cruise, so I could have fun and spend my time with you! Mom didn't know about what would've happened! This wasn't her fault and you have the balls to say it was....I'm disappointed in you, RICK."

Rick appeared to have been struck internally when she called him by only his name. He shook his head at her in pity, "Em-"

"What are you going to say now? You're going to say that it wasn't her fault now? Now are you going to say that it was Mike's fault? Mike saved our lives and you still resent him! He's our hero! Just like Damon! He was never a punk! If he was never a punk, then his brother wasn't either! Have you even thought about THAT?!" Tears were about to be filled in her eyes as she was close to breaking down in front of him, "You haven't been there for me....Once when you left mom."

He sighed and said in a low voice, "Emily....I did want to be with you. It's just....My job and-"

"I don't care about that! I just wanted my father back! I wanted my whole family back!" She sees that those words struck his heart too and she screamed some more, "But you don't care about being with your family! You don't even care about ME! I'm done trying to build some time with you! I'm done being your daughter! My REAL father who has been with me was Marco! And you know....You asked me once if I wanted to be stuck in this world with Marco, well here's your answer! I do! Because he cares about me! I wish that he was here in your place! I wish mom was here, too! I want her! I'm still scared of this world and I want her! I only want Marco and mom, but you.....You.....I HATE YOU!!!"

Emily broke down in tears as she spun and ran off further in the woods, rushing past the tree limbs and bushes. She heard her dad call out to her but she didn't look back. She ran for only a minute, until her body collapsed against a tree on her knees and she was crying her eyes out. The tears were just streaming down her face.

She didn't know how long she has been alone, and she didn't care. She just didn't want to see her father again.

With another sob and a sniff, she felt a hand smoothly running up and down her back. Emily looked over her shoulder and saw that it was Scott who came and found her. The young human girl shifted around to face her boyfriend and he got on his knees too, peering right in her tear filled eyes. He cupped her chin with his hand and gave her a concerned, comforting voice, "Are...Are you ok?"

She sniffed loudly and her strands of hair flung around when she shook her head, "No...." Her eyes only turned away from him, "....I'm not." Scott chose not to ask her anything else, only just to let her talk or let her sob. She said after a moment of silence, "Scott....I....I..." She tried to talk, but her tightening voice prevented her from doing so. Scott nodded in understanding and just shushed her. She did find the strength to talk again and said with her eyes full of apology, "Scott....I'm sorry. I'm sorry....For this. I'm sorry for everything."

He shook his head, "It wasn't your fault. It was mine. I...I should've stayed still. I shouldn't got in your dad's face."

Her eyes wandered down to his chest, "....I hate him. I hate him so much."

Scott put his hand on her shoulder, "Don't say that. He's your father."

"But I hate him. Because....He doesn't care about me....About you.....He doesn't care about both of us." She sobbed again, "I want my mom....I want my mom....I want to go home."

She felt him clenching her shoulder, "Don't worry....We will." Then Scott held her in a hug, holding her close to him, "I'll help....Us get to Wingspan. I promise." He kissed the top of her head. Emily's frame was wracked by her sobs as she cried into his shoulder.

******

Damon's ears heard sobbing at a distance, as he followed Scott's trail in the woods, after Rick came back and Scott left to look for Emily. The green dragon told Rick to keep an eye on Cora while he follows Scott. With the trees and all in this area, they did slow him down. But he still kept his pace, wings folded against his back so they wouldn't get hurt by all the tree branches around him. When the sobs drew closer, he sees who's been making them. He stopped where he was at, maw dropped in sadness at the sight he's seeing.

He sees Emily sobbing into Scott, as he was shushing and holding her tight.

The drake's face and ears drooped when he watched the sad scene before him. His heart broke at watching Emily crying. This was twice he saw her in tears. And looking at her like this....Reminded him of Luna again.

Damon can remember the days when he had to comfort the black dragoness in his limbs and wings. Holding her just like Scott's doing. He even pictured the humans as himself and Luna....From years ago when they were teenagers. Before she left the city of dragons forever and never came back.

Damon remembered holding his best friend....Nuzzling her in comfort....Her head buried in his scales as her tears fell on them. He remembered feeling how wet and warm they were....Feeling her pain coming out of her eyes.

With those memories in his head, he was feeling sorry for Emily.

And that wasn't the only thing he was feeling.

His claws kneaded at the dirt and grass, and he growled deeply in anger. Watching Emily crying now made him mad, and it showed when fire flashed in his yellow eyes. He was angry at Emily's father. He knows that Rick's stubborn, but this....What just happened was too much. He hurt Scott physically, and MENTALLY hurt his own daughter!

And now, only one thought came to mind and he was going to make a commitment out of it.

Damon was gonna have a SERIOUS talk with that human and set his attitude straight, once and for all. That was it! That was the final moment of stubbornness Rick will ever show! Even to his own family!

Emily is crying like Luna and he'll help make things right. He won't let her dwell in pain like Luna couldn't help had.

And he's going to follow through that commitment....Tomorrow.