Star-Crossed
Previous: The Gifting Comet [SFW]
You don't have to read it but even though it was written as a humorous one-shot, it very much helps set up this story.
You brace yourself against the boulder, silently swearing to no one in particular as you contort your raised leg in ways previously considered impossible, searching for the right position that’ll grant access to the greaves. Why did they have to make it so stiff? So shiny? The sunlight reflects perfectly off the metal, blinding you every time you twist at the wrong angle.
A curious chirp floats its way past the rocky barrier shielding you from prying eyes, and you quickly dismiss it. “Almost done, Val. Just need to fit…this…damn…leg…” As if on cue, the appendage slides into its prison, nearly causing you to fall over as you return to standing on both legs. Finally!
You give the greaves a quick adjustment, grateful for the padded interior that at least offers some form of comfort. A short handful of steps confirm that your precious mobility has become a thing of the past, and you wonder: how in the world do hunters battle in these things? Maybe you’ll get used to it…assuming you even wear it again. You look ridiculous.
But Val is waiting, and she’s the one who wanted this, and there’s technically no downside to it, so…
“Okay, here I come. Just…” You sigh, “…don’t laugh, please.”
A confused growl questions why she’d ever laugh, which causes you to smile in a forced manner. “Oh, you’ll see,” you mumble to yourself.
Despite your reluctance, you don’t hesitate to step out from behind the boulder, becoming noticeably aware of the increased weight hampering your movements. Thank goodness you only have to deal with a chest plate and greaves. You don’t see yourself running in these things anytime soon, if ever.
Some distance away lies your best friend, crimson eyes instantly trained on you. You suddenly feel meek, each step towards her causing your pulse to rise in turn. You look ridiculous.
Val doesn’t appear to agree, however. Her beak slowly curls up in the beginnings of a smile as she rises off the ground, and you decide to halt while she makes her way to you. You’re an Anteka sighted by a Tigrex, rooted to the spot as Val slowly paces around you, taking in your getup with rapt interest. In hindsight, it was silly to think she’d make fun of your appearance considering its design. Sleek, silver, boasting the same fin-like protrusions of hers, only smaller. It even has orange accents dotted around select parts, meant to mimic the dragon energy burning inside her. Fashionable? To some, maybe. For you, it only feels like a cheap imitation of the real thing.
Val finishes her pacing, coming to a stop in front of you. Her eyes sparkle with delight, an enthusiastic growl solidifying her appraisal. You melt a little at the compliment, but remain strong as you look up to her. “I look like a hunter. In fact, the smithy thought I somehow managed to do in a Valstrax! That was a fun explanation.”
Your gear is not the result of a successful hunt, but the materials of Val. You were surprised when she casually showed off the collection of shed scales, shells, and other knickknacks that would normally be disposed of without second thought. She was aware of their potential, and figured you could make use of them. But you were resistant, insisting that your complete deterrence from hunting meant armor of any kind would be moot. It’s not like you’re at much risk of being attacked when out and about, and the odds drop to nil whenever you’re around her, which has grown into most of the time. Regardless, she saw no downside to acquiring it, and you had a hard time refuting her…except for one little detail you failed to consider until the smithy brought it up.
You mentally shed a tear, paying respects to what was. You’re about as wealthy as Val now, but if she’s happy…
Val chirps, and her teasing tone isn’t lost on you as you rub your face to hide your growing embarrassment. “That wasn’t me, it was them. I see the semblance they were trying to achieve but…it doesn’t work. It doesn’t feel natural.” You gesture to her. “It doesn’t match the real thing.”
Val’s smile brightens, claws scraping the ground as she thanks you. From this point of view, you swear her chest vents briefly pulse, but it’s too faint to properly distinguish. “And thank you for making this – “ You point to yourself. “– possible. Although, I’ll be honest again…I really can’t think of anywhere it’d warrant use.” It’s true. While you do love that she’s considerate enough to think of it, unless you suddenly decide to send an application to the Guild, it’ll probably see little to no field experience.
Val’s smile falters as you continue. “But I do appreciate it. Again.”
A chiding warble reminds you that it’s better to be safe than sorry, and what if something happened while she wasn’t around?
“I can count on zero fingers the number of times I’ve been attacked while alone, or caught in a scuffle, or anything that could be classified as dangerous.”
Val frowns.
“Besides, armor isn’t an infallible defense. It’s normally worn by hunters, and they’re FAR more durable than a normal person. I’m just a regular weak hum– “
Val interjects with a curt growl, displeased with your self-depreciation. For some reason, the truth bothers her more than it bothers you. Regardless, you know better than to go down this road – again – so you pacify her with a wave of your hand. “Point being, I’m fine when I’m alone, and doubly fine when with you, so there’s nothing to worry about. Actually…” You gaze away in thought. “…I’d argue it’d see more use when we’re together.”
That’s enough to pique Val’s curiosity, a confused warble wondering how in the world would that be possible, to which you smirk, wagging a finger at her. “All those emergency ejections.” You’re of course referring to the occasional event where you’re on Val’s back during takeoff, and she starts moving while you don’t. It’s become far less common, but you’ll take the opportunity to poke fun at her. “Wearing armor might cushion the fall.”
Val rolls her eyes, and you mark that down as a minor victory. Then her eyes go wide for the briefest of seconds, and you cock your head as her beak opens. Despite that, nothing comes out.
“…Something you wanted to say?”
A chirp confirms it, but she doesn’t immediately divulge her thoughts. Rather, her focus drifts elsewhere while a low, unusually weak warble says that she…was thinking…about it…for some time…
Val refuses to meet your gaze, intently scanning the mountainous ground as each soft warble brings forth a brush of heat in your chest. Stars above, you love it when she gets timid around you. It’s a rare occurrence for someone as proud and confident as her, and being the one who causes it will always bring you joy.
Speaking of heated chests, you think her vents are starting to exude hints of crimson. She obviously isn’t angry or overheated, so it must have something to do with her current predicament, which probably means...
Gog, she’s adorable.
It’s impossible to keep the amused smile off your face as Val powers forward, having decided that…maybe…it would be best…if you had more support while riding her…something kind of similar to…a saddle…?
…
Val refocuses on you; the shy, reserved expression that made your heart flutter instantly transforms, eyes going wide as a sea of frantic growls spill from her beak, assuring you that NO she was NOT referring to a saddle just a device that works like one because your well-being is paramount and it ONLY makes sense and it’s NOT a saddle SHUT UP.
You have no idea what your face looks like that would cause such a reaction, but the sheer disbelief that has paralyzed you probably isn’t leaving a good impression. You remind yourself that the world isn’t ending. Maybe you could try easing up?
You don’t remember tilting your head so hard it’s borderline sideways, but you remedy that with a quick push. Val appears anxious, claws leaving divots in the mountainous ground with each rake, as though she regrets saying anything. Her suggestion wasn’t bad at all, it just caught you off guard, to say the least.
“I…thought you hated them,” you croak. One hell of an understatement. Val abhors any sort of restriction that could potentially impede her flying, the sole exception being you ONLY because she’s the one who first suggested it. She’s fully aware of the implications that come with wearing a saddle, and after the first – and last – terse discussion that ended with a profuse number of apologies from your end, the matter was never brought up again outside of a joking remark here and there once you were more familiar with her boundaries. To go back on that…what the hell could’ve possibly changed her mind? Actually, she already said it, but…
Nervous chirps affirm your statement, Val once again avoiding eye contact as she questions if there was anything wrong…with considering your safety to be more important?
Your incredulity doesn’t fade, but makes room for a surge of warm fuzzies that leave your face burning. She said it. Again. You can only rub your face, an action you’ve been performing more and more lately while you consider her words. She’s right, there’s nothing wrong with wanting you to remain secure. However…
“I…appreciate your consideration…but it wouldn’t be right.” At that, Val returns to you, perplexity adorning her features. “You don’t like saddles, and it’s only fair that I give equal consideration to you. I’m not the one who’s gonna wear it.”
A somewhat miffed chirp reminds you that she’s already fine with wearing it, but you’re unconvinced. “Outside of the occasional rough landing, I’m really not – “
Val growls, and you freeze as annoyed foreclaws strike the ground with each statement: it is HER body and SHE chooses what she wants to do with it and right now she WANTS to wear the saddle so you better SUCK IT UP and find someone who will make one NOW.
…
“…I guess I’ll ask the smithy.”
Val grunts, satisfied with your obedience. What an about-face.
…You’d be lying to yourself if you said you didn’t also love when she gets assertive. Not quite as rare as the inverse, but almost as good.
You chuckle softly to yourself as Val’s strict demeanor lightens, a grin slowly emerging through the apologetic click of a beak. You dismiss with another wave of your hand, marking it down as just your average interaction with her nowadays.
You turn away from Val, staring out into the faraway valley where the city resides. Actually, if you stopped by today, the smithy would probably be able to get started right away. Of course, they’ll need measurements first, so it’s essential that Val is around. This worked out nicely.
You turn back to Val. “If you’re up for it, we can pay a visit to Dundorma and see what the smithy has to say.”
Val nods, but the action is limp. While her sight is set on you, she appears to be lost in thought.
“You okay?”
That snaps her out of it, and she refocuses on you. There’s a delay before she speaks, as though she’s reluctant to talk. Still, a hesitant series of chirps fill you in: there’s a very important…’event’ coming up.
“Oh? What for?”
More chirps, and once again her gaze drifts away: a special time, occurring once every…fair number of years, where her species forgo their usual solitary lifestyle to answer an instinctive calling and gather at a location with the purpose of finding or reuniting with…mates.
…
You blink.
Val continues. The ‘event’ usually lasts around a month, after which the mated pair part ways.
…
“…How do you feel about that?”
Deflect. Breathe. That’s all you can do at this moment. Ignore…whatever it is that you’re feeling and focus on the monster in question.
Val thinks it over for a few seconds, claws scraping the ground before an apprehensive warble answers: mildly nervous, and kind of…excited?
She’s…excited. The foreign emotion clouding your judgement is pushed to the side. She’s looking forward to this. When Val is happy, you’re happy. You brighten up, putting a little more pep into your demeanor as you grin. “Good for you! Time to find yourself a nice little…wait no, NOT-so-little, handsome Valstrax.”
Val perks up, and it dawns on you that she wasn’t entirely enthusiastic when divulging that information, which didn’t match how she feels about it. Was she worried about your reaction? Even more reason to support her.
“I have no idea how it works, but if you need help with anything,” you start, jabbing yourself with a thumb, “I’ll be right here.”
At that, Val smiles, an appreciative growl thanking you for your support, which you respond to with a thumbs up.
“Always!”
Nothing about this event was mentioned in the elder dragon bestiary you own. Of course, not much about Valstrax was mentioned in the book period. When a monster is as fast and solitary as them, encounters are fleeting and offer little chance to gather information. Your friendship is almost a fluke, the result of Val somehow taking interest in the fascinated human who always noticed her streaking across the sky.
The weird feeling in your chest has mostly dissipated, and now you know why: surprise. You were caught off-guard by the news, and felt how anyone would feel when their best friend suddenly announces they’ll be gone for a month. With that out of the way, you can focus on Val and doing your best to support her in any way possible.
Because that’s what friends do.
[Day Two]
You wade your way to the shore, the lake’s crystal-clear water rippling as you move. You’re grateful for the lack of clouds today, allowing the midday sun to warm the water – and you – to acceptable levels.
Each step further exposes your naked form to the elements, and once you’ve reached a dirt ledge, you take a glance to where Val resides a fair distance away. She’s turned away, wings and body stretched out, lying on her side while her tail lazily swishes across the grass. Good. You haul yourself out of the water, the lukewarm liquid streaming down your skin while you make your way to a nearby tree where your belongings reside. Toweling yourself off and redressing is a simple affair, and eventually you’re making your way back to Val where your knapsack resides. Her head lifts, craning around as you approach.
“Thank you for respecting my privacy.”
Val grunts, rolling her eyes while you pick your bag up from aside her chest, stuffing your items inside with little care for tidiness. A disgruntled warble wonders if you’ll ever stop bringing that incident up, to which you scoff, albeit with a tinge of amusement.
“It was more than one, and it’s BECAUSE you keep trying to claim it was one that I keep mentioning it, you gaslighter.”
You had your share of faux pas while the pair of you navigated through the unfamiliarity that came with a budding interspecies friendship, but Val was far less inclined to blunder…mostly because she didn’t view hers as such. Still, that didn’t mean she was immune to mistakes, and her most egregious error started with a rather shameless beak attempting to pull down your pants to ‘see what all the fuss is about.’ She simply couldn’t wrap her head around the concept of wearing non-armored clothing around the clock, even when the weather didn’t call for it; combined with her eventual curiosity on what ‘humans actually look like when you aren’t cloaking yourselves in dead skin,’ culminated in you nearly tearing your legwear in shock and embarrassment while yelling at her to stay out of your pants. That was your first ever fight with Val, over such a hilariously dumb issue…
It didn’t stop there. While Val understood your reasons, that didn’t mean she completely respected them. This was an elder dragon you were dealing with, and you’d come to understand through various sources that they were used to always getting their way. More than once, you caught her trying to take peaks at you during your naturist bathing sessions when she just happened to be around. She always denied it, claiming your vision to be faulty, but you knew better.
The peeping tom in question chirps, stating that she doesn’t know what a gaslighter is but she is NOT one and you must be confusing her with someone else.
…The joke writes itself.
You know full well you won’t get anywhere with this, so you merely chuckle. “Sure.” At least you know her nosiness is innocent, and not out of some perverse desire to see you nude. You doubt she’s ever had an indecent thought in her life. Her only interests nowadays seem to be flying fast and spending time with you, although the latter took quite some time to develop. Actually, there’s that thing coming up too…
Your good mood vanishes on the wind, chest tightening in turn. Right, Val departs in almost a week; away to find herself a mate…which is a good thing. Something she’s eagerly anticipating. You’ll miss her though, it’s okay to admit that. That’s why you feel the chilled throes of disappointment lapping at your gut. But it’s fine, because when Val is happy, you’re happy.
A growl breaks through your pondering, and you look to Val, who’s eyeing you with growing concern. “Huh? No I’m fine. Was thinking, is all.” You don’t recall stopping your packing, but you resume. “About your, ah… ‘trip,’ I mean.”
She perks up ever so slightly.
“To find a…mate, do you guys just converse, or is there something more to it? Forgive me, I’m clueless on the details.”
Val’s gaze drifts skyward, humming lightly in thought while you finish packing, slinging your knapsack over your shoulder just as she refocuses on you. Explanatory warbles begin educating you: conversation comes after a courtship ritual, where –
Val abruptly cuts herself off, crimson eyes narrowing in suspicion as a low growl questions if your curiosity is your own, or the result of nosy researchers…?
“Mine, of course.” You know she’s referring to the time when you politely asked if she was okay with answering a few questions for the biologists back in Dundorma, who were astonished that you – or anyone – could be friends with a Valstrax. You didn’t particularly care for their words and were in a rush to return to her, but they implored you at least gather data that would greatly benefit humanity’s scarce knowledge of her species, and return to them when you saw fit. Helping your fellow man is always a plus, so you saw no harm in letting Val know what was up…until she more or less told you to tell them to kick rocks. Thus ended humanity’s hope of gaining insight, as you refuse to divulge information you learned about her, deeming it too personal.
Val nods, a single chirp apologizing for doubting you before she continues: a courtship ritual. The female calls out with a short melody, usually only a few notes. No two melodies are the same, and it serves as an invitation to any male drawn to the hymn. Once a male takes interest, he reciprocates with his own, albeit lower in volume. If the female likes the male’s melody, she bows to him, which he returns before parading around her, showing off his features that would typically be desirable in a mate. If the female isn’t impressed, she simply walks away. If she is, however, she returns his display with her own, finishing with a repeat of her melody that the male joins in on, forming a duet that ends with the newly smitten pair touching beaks.
Huh. You’re somewhat awestruck by her instincts as you absorb the newly acquired information. “That’s…fascinating.” Who needs words when you can find your soulmate through heartfelt hymns? You never would’ve guessed that elder dragons engage in such an…animalistic method, but the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. Valstrax are kind of like –
Val’s eyes narrow yet again, a few clicks of her beak letting you know that no, her species are NOT birds.
…
You balk. “Wha…no! Nonono, of course not,” you sputter. “I…I wasn’t thinking it at all! In fact, I daresay birds have copied you.”
You might never witness a more skeptical expression on Val, her unamused look letting you know just how much she believes you. Did you dry off properly? Where did all of this moisture come from?
Quick, deflect back to her! “Wow, I sure learned a lot from that! Would you, um…care to demonstrate?”
Your evasive maneuver works a little too well: Val’s beak rapidly twists between surprise, confusion, and something else you can’t quite place. A quiet warble repeats your request, as though she must’ve misheard. A part of you wonders if you strayed too far past her boundaries, but she doesn’t appear agitated…and you’re still more than intrigued about everything she mentioned.
“Yeah. I’m curious to know what a typical melody would sound like.”
Val appears to ease up, clicking her beak in agreement –
“Oh! Better idea.” Your mind is abuzz. “How about you practice on me?”
Val’s eyes go wide, but you’re on a roll. “It’s always good to be properly versed in your performance, and I’m honestly quite a bit curious on what it looks like. And since I won’t be there…”
Stammered growls, along with her claws raking the grass and her refusal to maintain eye contact, leave your heart aflutter: it’s not that interesting, you wouldn’t like it, it’s honestly kind of silly…
Excuses, excuses.
…Is it you or is it getting warmer? Heat pulses over you, and you’re aware of the chest vents to your side. You can’t help but smile at the unconscious tell. “I don’t think it’s silly at all. You don’t wanna show your best friend how it’s done?”
You shift lightly on your feet as Val thinks it over, the divots in the ground growing ever deeper. If she says no, you’ll respect her choice and won’t push the matter.
Eventually a timid chirp replies, Val refocusing on you with a small smile. Wonderful!
“Alright! I’ll be the male and you’ll be…you.” Again, her eyes briefly flash wide, and the waves of heat from her vents only grow stronger, emboldening you. Flustering Val might be your new favorite pastime. You haphazardly drop your knapsack, taking note of the hushed click confirming her role as you walk away, jabbering all the while. “Just think of me as another Valstrax! A tiny, wingless, clawless, beakless, tailless, elementless…okay, you might need to think REALLY hard about it.” Where’s your armor when you actually need it?
You don’t go far, turning around to face Val, who’s rising to her feet. You offer an encouraging smile, which is returned before she closes her eyes. Her beak scrunches together, head tilted to the cloudless sky as she appears to ruminate.
A single note pierces the silence, higher-pitched than anything you’ve heard from her. Held for a second before descending into another note, then a burst of rising chirps. Each note is vibrant, resonating well in your untrained ears. You know she doesn’t like it but you have no better comparison; you’d personally be flattered if someone compared your voice to the songs often produced by avians.
True to her words, Val’s melody is brief, abruptly cutting off as she looks back to you. Her smile is somewhat demure, as though she’s searching for your approval. You’re hanging on to the remnants of her hymn, trying to store it in your memory for future appreciation, but you can offer appraisal while –
Wait, this is your cue. You’re supposed to return her melody with one of your own. You scratch the back of your neck, suddenly aware of your own shortcomings. “I don’t think I can top that, but…”
Val chirps, uncaring of your abilities and wanting you to do your best. You nod, taking a page from her book and closing your eyes in thought. Although you aren’t confident, you don’t feel nervous in the slightest. It’s just practice after all, although you would prefer to produce something of value since it’s for Val. When was the last time you whistled?
A splash of inspiration. Your hand has a mind of its own, slightly lifting to conduct yourself. A deep breath. Your first note hangs similar to Val’s, following her lead. Why fix perfection? Lower this time. Your eyes open as you embrace the melody, hand gliding through the –
You freeze. Val is staring at you. Val is gawking at you, beak slightly agape as though she can’t believe what she’s witnessing. A tsunami of heat assaults your bones, and you can’t stop your stomach from sinking in shame.
“…Is it that bad?”
That snaps Val out of it, a hasty series of growls assuring you that of course it isn’t bad, she just wasn’t expecting you to produce such a sound…NOT THAT SHE THOUGHT YOU WEREN’T CAPABLE OF IT –
Your shoulders relax as you chuckle, waving a hand to dismiss both her poorly worded compliment and your own fears. Val clicks her beak a few times in amusement, albeit somewhat strained.
“Well, I’ve never had much reason to whistle. But thank you.” Val nods, and you take that as your cue to continue. You lost your focus, but since you already know your melody, it shouldn’t be that hard to regain. Eyes closed and thoughts mostly empty…remember her hymn…
You open your eyes as the first few notes ring, although your gaze is directed skyward. You feel as though looking at Val would be distracting. Ascending notes, futilely attempting to match the richness of hers, that halt halfway through the melody and instead descend back to its start, leaving the last note hanging in the afternoon air. Borderline plagiarism…
A soft warble brings you out of your trance, looking back to Val who’s smiling. The comment sounds genuine, and you fail to shoo away the newfound warmth in your face. “Thanks…”
Unexpectedly, Val lowers her front half, assuming a bow of sorts and oh right this is the next part. You really need to stop lagging behind.
You return the gesture, accentuating it with a slight hand flourish. Now you’re supposed to present yourself to her. There’s a critical lack of Valstrax anatomy in your arsenal, so you’ll have to make do elsewhere.
You walk towards Val, making sure to maintain eye contact with her throughout. Her smile has lessened a bit, head cocked slightly to the side in curiosity. Normally you’d take the opportunity to call her adorable, but you’re already mentally taxed trying to keep a straight face over your plan.
You come to a stop before her, taking a few seconds to stare up at the attentive crimson irises focused on you. You close your eyes, sighing dramatically. Your face is starting to hurt. Eyes open, looking anywhere but at Val.
And then you flex.
Arms tensed, shamelessly showing off your guns. Don’t hold it for too long. Now move a little towards her side…new pose. Make sure she catches a different angle this time. Maintain it…now move again. Flex. Don’t look at Val. You know damn well how ridiculous you look and you’ll never stop smiling if you look at Val.
…You take a peek at Val.
Her head is tilted almost completely sideways, beak curled up in what you quickly conclude is mirth. You immediately turn away, letting out a sharp breath in a desperate effort to maintain stability. Your cheeks are in physical pain. Flex. Regain composure. Move again.
You’re discovering poses you never knew existed, but you’re not done yet. Once you aren’t far from Val’s forelegs, you dash underneath her chest. You think her head swings down to follow your movement, but you’re officially dead-set on not looking at her until you’re done. Your emergence on the other side is finished with a new stance as you resume your show.
An unusual sound graces your ears; or rather, a continued, repeating burst of sounds. Throaty, sharp caws, low in volume but still more than audible. You’ve never heard Val produce that noise before, but it sounds awfully similar to…
You immediately put your back to her so you can grin like the idiot you are. It’s not fair, you never planned for her to audibly throw you off!
You’re in no condition to face her, so you adjust your posture to give yourself time to compose yourself. Again. Thankfully it takes little time to gather enough wits for a teasing remark. “Ex-CUSE me. I’ll have you know: this is an immensely passionate display amongst my people.”
The caws pause, an amused growl stating that she never said otherwise. You can only “humph” in response, the exchange actually helping tremendously in bringing your mental state down to a manageable level. You continue strutting your stuff back to her front, able to look in Val’s general direction again, who is at least kind enough to stop chuckling.
You’re nearly finished. You take your place once more in front of Val, striking the same pose you started with before finally setting your sights on her. She’s grinning, completely enthralled in your performance. Exactly what you wanted.
Your own smile returns, albeit tainted with slyness as you point to her. “Your turn,” you crow with a wink.
Val blinks, grin somewhat dissipating as the weight of your words sink in. Did she completely forget about it? Her beak creaks open, a chorus of flimsy chirps her excuse: oh, after that display she doesn’t think she can top it…
…Wow. Actually implying that you can do something better than her? She is DESPERATE. Unfortunately for Val, you smell blood in the water, and it involves your new favorite activity.
“Maybe not, but don’t let that stop you from trying. Besides, who could ever reject this?” You flex again for good measure, the action coaxing an eye roll out of Val. “Now come on – ” You beckon her forward with a casual flick of your fingers. “– ya don’t need to impress me when I’m already yours.”
Val shakes her head at the silly display, a sharp huff escaping while she looks to the ground. Still, even from this angle you can detect the smile on her beak. Her claws dig into the grass, and hints of crimson puff from her chest, causing your own to heat up. The seconds tick by, but eventually Val’s eyes drift up to you, a low warble wanting you to promise that you won’t laugh.
That she cares this much about your impression of her to feel this way is enough to kill any chance of that happening…which was already at zero. “I’m here to support you. I’d never laugh. Promise.” You finish with a thumbs up, letting your arms get some rest.
Your words have their desired effect. Val looks back at the ground, letting out a deep breath. While your sigh had humorous intentions, she appears to be psyching herself up. Even her chest exudes a little more energy with each pulse as she takes several steps back, increasing the distance between you and her. When she stops, a period of silence follows.
Val bows, trident-like wings fanning out before swinging forward until the tips cross, shielding their owner from view. A pause, then they slowly pull apart, revealing her. Just like your performance, Val avoids looking at you as she rises, stretching forward similarly to a felyne. Her wings return to rest just in time for her to suddenly glide forward, not directly at you but at an angle. First to the left, then your right with quick, yet lithe bursts that remind you of a Nargacuga. You’re awestruck by the grace of her movements that are akin to a dance.
She’s close to you now, and the wing closest to you spreads open, partially shielding your view of the sky. It remains above and in place as Val slowly circles you, every step forcing you to rotate to keep her in view. Then she darts away, keeping low to the ground before neatly twisting to face you again. Her beak opens, and –
You flinch as a torrent of furious growls demand you STOP LAUGHING YOU SAID YOU WOULD NOT LAUGH, violating your ears and snapping you out of the trance you didn’t even know you were in. Val appears flustered, tail whipping violently in protest of your alleged betrayal. You’re befuddled, to say the least.
“I…I’m not?”
Displeased warbles inform you that YOU ARE SMILING WHICH IS THE SAME THING.
….What? You weren’t aware of your facial expressions during her display, but even so, she’s a teensy bit off. Her chest vents continue to exude spurts of energy; if those silver facial scales could change color, she’d probably be beet-red. You want to immediately pacify her, but seeing Embarrassed Val just fills you with warmth, which only widens your smile, which only feeds into her delusion.
Miffed chirps begin mumbling to herself that she never should’ve agreed, before you cut her off. “Hey, hey…I was smiling because I was so…charmed! That was an amazing display.”
Val lightly shakes her head before looking away, albeit with a soft smile. A few clicks of her beak: you’re just saying that…
“You know damn well I’m serious. It’s impossible not to be smitten after that.”
Her head turns even more, eyes closing for a moment before refocusing on you. Val doesn’t say anything, but the fire within you only intensifies from her demure smile, and you can’t help but beam in response. Shy Val is adorable, and you love being the cause.
You’re not sure how long you spend unabashedly staring at each other, but you do notice her smile wilt as she seems to lose focus. Your own jubilance lessens as you observe with mild concern.
“What’s up?”
Val blinks, shaking her head as she returns to the present, a dismissive chirp assuring you that nothing is, in fact, up.
“Mmmm, doubt it,” you retort. “What’s up?”
Her expression falls, wings drooping a little as her gaze drifts. Val’s beak opens, but nothing comes out. After a few seconds, a hesitant, lengthy growl mumbles that…she isn’t sure…if she should go anymore.
Go? Go where…?
…Oh. Your stomach falls as reality comes crashing down. That. Funny how it slipped your mind when this entire diversion was due to it. Somewhere down the line it started feeling less like practice and more like…a fun activity with your best friend. But your own feelings don’t matter at the moment. You’re appalled at her newfound reluctance. Where did this possibly come from?
“…Why?”
More weak growls, Val refusing to look at you: she doesn’t know…maybe the males won’t be interested…
You’re growing more and more stupefied as she speaks. Are you certain you’re hearing her correctly? Maybe your ears need better cleaning despite the recent bath.
“…Why the hell wouldn’t they?” It’s impossible to keep the disbelief out of your tone, and you swear a faint huff departs her beak, but it isn’t enough. Several feeble chirps: she is kind of…small for her species.
…
That does it.
“Stop. Please. My Gog, I…” You throw your hands up in frustration. “…I don’t even know where to begin!” At that, Val finally glances back to you as your boot taps the ground, your thoughts a frenzy of emotions. She still appears gloomy, and that only further aggravates you. You should probably adopt a friendlier, more encouraging expression, but you simply can’t. Not after that.
“First off, any Valstrax stupid enough to care about your damn size can piss RIGHT OFF. They were never worth pursuing in the first place.”
At that, Val’s beak curls up slightly.
“You don’t need anyone that pathetically shallow. Second of all…” You grimace, gesturing towards her. “This…that…isn’t you! Where’s the unwavering confidence you always have?! The complete lack of doubt in yourself? I mean, I understand if you get bashful around me – “
A non-existent eyebrow raises, diluted by her slowly growing smile.
“– and honestly, after THAT display – “ You perform a quick flex. “– who wouldn’t?”
A rather blunt snort escapes Val, and your own faux anger melts as you grin. You can’t stay frustrated when she’s like this. “But you know DAMN well what you’re worth, and you’ve NEVER had a problem letting everyone know, so don’t you start questioning yourself now.”
Val’s smile has mostly returned, albeit reserved. Her sharp crimson eyes lack the light from earlier, but at least she’s in a better mood. She mulls your words over for a bit, before a low warble quietly thanks you for the kind words, which you dismiss with a toothy grin.
“Just speaking the truth.”
Your stomach still churns a little in reminder of what said pep talk was actually for, but you remind yourself that it doesn’t matter. This isn’t about you.
When Val is happy, you’re happy.
[Day Five]
Can your hands possibly get any dirtier? Can you possibly get any dirtier? Probably. Still, you were called to sculpt, and sculpt you shall.
You finish patting the clumps of dirt together, standing up with only a small groan betraying your soreness. A quick glance to Val reveals her in the process of dismembering a tree branch; a sharp crunch of her beak breaks it in half, and she’s quick to drop the lone piece into the nest. You’d offer a “thanks,” but after the first hundred or so she told you to quit it.
Following routine, you pick it up and inspect the torso-high wall for a suitable groove. Upon finding one, you walk over, kneeling down to firmly lodge it in. Repetitive, yet just varied enough to keep your mind busy enough to forget the fact that Val is leaving in a few days oh Gog-dammit.
Your chest tenses up, icy-heat flooding your system for reasons well below abashment. You wish it would go away, but every moment of remembrance is just another punch to the gut. Yes, she’s leaving. Yes, it’s okay to be disappointed. But she won’t be gone forever. She’ll return and everything will go back to how it was before. Except, of course, for the new addition, the sole reason you’ve been constructing this for the past couple of days…
You scowl to yourself, putting a little more force into your shove than intended: the branch cracks under pressure, but you don’t care. Val’s departure is a necessary event in her life, and you seem to be forgetting that. Regardless of how you feel – and quite frankly, you should be delighted – you’re supposed to be supporting your best friend every step of the way. It’s why you’re literally here, so instead of moaning and groaning, how about you focus on the bright side more often? Like your current endeavor, for example.
You rise to your feet, walking over to grab the other half of branch that was deposited during your internal musings. Val wanted you to help with building the nest. The very support that will house Val and her…her…
She thought you’d be a valuable asset in construction…no, she didn’t say that. She did, however, explicitly request your assistance, although you made it clear that you had minimal experience in nest assembly. Of course Val didn’t care, and the pair of you spent many hours zooming back and forth across the lands with as much material stuffed in your beaks, claws, and stubby arms as possible. Logs, branches, leaves, grass, dirt…you even stopped by your village, asking around if anyone had spare blankets or fabric they no longer needed. Then you got to work. You were completely clueless on how to start, but Val guided you thanks to her instinctive knowledge. Create a base layer of branches, then fill in the gaps with smaller interwoven pieces. Use dirt to strengthen…
Although your size and strength pale in comparison to her, you have proven to excel in other areas: dexterity being the main one. You can fine-tune material placements, and reach small areas that would otherwise be inaccessible to her claws or beak. Further fortification was left to Val, who displayed an unexpected trait during the process. You weren’t expecting to see her slender tongue dart out, slathering various points in saliva. Upon noticing your fascinated stare, she explained that she was reinforcing the nest.
…Then she demanded that you stop thinking about her and birds.
Val’s mind-reading, thankfully, is limited. Talk has been scarce, mostly related to your work, and you’re somewhat grateful for that. You aren’t in the mood to discuss the looming future. For now, focus on the task at hand. Be grateful that your best friend wanted you to assist in such an important matter. Is that not enough reason to be happy?
You fall back into rhythm. Grab material, place material, look at Val. She’s patting the outer wall with her claws, a fairly apathetic, yet focused expression adorning her beak. Your chest tightens. She won’t be gone forever. Grab material, place material, look at Val. She’s nibbling on a claw. She’ll return. Grab material, place material, look at Val. She’s staring at a tattered blanket. Why can’t you just be happy?
You don’t know how long you spend toiling away, both under the sun and your incessant thoughts, occasionally pausing for water and rest. All you know is that eventually, when you go to pick up more material, there’s a distinct lack of supplies in the place where Val’s been leaving them for you. A quick check of the roost shows the original pile has disappeared, save for remnants of dirt.
You glance over to Val, who’s closely eying the nest’s exterior some distance away. “Val,” you holler, “ya think we need more stuff or is this sufficient?”
A gentle growl asks for your patience while she figures out just that. With nothing else better to do, you scope out a relatively flat spot on the wall and hop up, sitting down to observe your boss’s audit.
It’s a big nest…for you, at least. Large enough to comfortably fit a Valstrax and her growing…chick. You didn’t think the pair of you would be able to complete something so sizeable so quickly, but that’s the power of teamwork! Much better than Val having to build it on her own, which would normally happen thanks to the ‘deadbeat dad,’ a term that tickled her when you explained it.
Val circles the nest, occasionally pressing on the wall with a claw or beak. You’re too lazy to turn around as she reaches you, but thankfully she doesn’t ask you to move.
Then you yelp as a firm weight presses down on your head, slightly squishing you like a piece of cheese between two slices of bread. You barely have time to reach up before it vanishes, and now you decide to twist to face the offender, who’s claws are returning to the ground. She doesn’t glance at you at all as you smile, only smirking softly to herself while she moves on.
“Funny.”
Val’s appraisal of the exterior must be good, because she steps inside to continue. The interior is surprisingly soft, or at least softer than the solid rock that makes up the roost. The night you spent on its incomplete form with your trusty sleeping bag was proof enough; your back actually felt normal for once. You’re kind of looking forward to spending time in it. Although, it’ll mostly be occupied by…
There goes what little good mood you had. You try to ignore the persistent throbbing in your chest, instead focusing on Val. She’s walking around, periodically tapping the surface or applying more weight to certain spots.
After a few minutes, Val turns to you with a smile. A low chirp confirms that it’s perfect…but her demeanor lacks the enthusiasm you’d expect from finishing such an important task. Even her eyes don’t shine like they normally would. Maybe she’s exhausted from working for so long. You know you are.
Despite your weariness, you put a little more pep in yourself, grinning in approval. “Alright!” you exclaim with a thumbs up. You learned a valuable…well, maybe not that valuable skill over the past two days. Could probably woo a Forest Pteryx with your newfound talent alone.
Val perks up a bit as more chirps thank you for your assistance, stating that it means a lot to her.
For once, the incoming warmth is positive, and your grin widens. “Like I’d ever let you do it alone. We’re THE interspecies duo!” Now her eyes brighten a little. “I’d go in for a high-five but you’d probably flatten me.”
She doesn’t actually know what a high-five is, but your remark still coaxes a huff out of her. You need more of this: more making Val titter, less wallowing in self-pity. It’s about the only thing that can brighten your spirits lately.
Val stares at you, still smiling. Then it’s like a switch is flicked. Her smile strains before rapidly fading, eyes falling and form slumping until the somber Valstrax before you looks like a completely different monster.
Your own mood wilts, confusion rising. “Wha…oh.” Your gut sinks. Ignore it. Your only concern is Val; removing her doubts and supporting her. You purse your lips, tutting lightly. “What is it this time?”
A new day, a new excuse. The second excuse: migration to the grounds takes over a week and she’s unsure if she’s cut out for it. Val. The best flier you’ll ever see in your lifetime. The third excuse: she’ll be gone for so long she’s worried another monster might try and take over her roost. You’re well aware of the markings and scent that signify her ownership, but you promised to visit periodically to check up on its status. Belligerent monsters are a rarity nowadays, and you heavily doubt anyone would ever attempt to poach her roost, especially one so high up. The fourth excuse: aka. today’s…
Val doesn’t look you in the eye, but at least she doesn’t try anymore to pretend that everything’s fine. A weak growl: she’s worried…about you.
Huh? You’re caught off-guard by that. “What about me?”
Her gaze returns to you, chirping in turn: what if something happens while she’s away? What if you get hurt?
Ah. This is the same issue she used to justify creating your armor. Nothing’s changed…except your answer.
You gesture out to nothing in particular. “The world’s a lot more peaceful than it used to be, and I’m good at staying out of trouble.” Val doesn’t appear eased by your words…but they aren’t meant to soothe.
“Besides, I’m a big boy,” you say with a grin, although it’s almost a grimace. “You won’t always be around to defend me.”
Val’s beak seems to tighten, and her wings droop even more. You aren’t dense enough to miss the signs, and your chest flares up. It’s as if someone tied a knot around it, but you continue.
“When you return, you’ll have…” Your mouth is open, but the words are stuck in your throat. Maintaining eye contact is too much; you have to look away. You can only stare at her foreclaws. Say it.
“…You’ll have something more important to protect. So…” You let out a faint sigh, attempting to push down the smothering weight as you drum your fingers against the wall. This. Isn’t. About. You. Your head flies up, refocusing on Val, who similar to you, has taken to staring at the ground. From this angle she looks extra crestfallen, which makes you feel worse. But you adopt a melancholic smile, even though she can’t see it. “…don’t worry about me. Hell, considering how often we’re around each other, I’d be more worried your kid’ll grow up thinking I’m their father.”
Another sharp huff, and Val looks back to you. Somewhere amongst that funk is a sliver of amusement, and you fervently reach out to it as a series of warbles wonder why you phrased your parental abilities as a negative.
“Weeeeellllllll, when you put it that way, I suppose every child needs a fatherly figure in their life…” You make a show of bringing your hand up to tap your chin in mock thought. “…and since Mister Deadbeat won’t be around…”
The faintest of smiles appear on her beak, a low growl assuring you that you’d make a wonderful father. Her words are a ray of light amidst the shadows, and your smile becomes a bit more genuine.
“Don’t make me blush.”
You wish you could remove the doubt plaguing Val. You hate seeing her like this, but you can’t let her miss such an important event in her life.
Because that’s what friends do.
[Day Seven]
The full moon’s luminescence shines bright, reflecting off the sizeable muted silver digit draped over you. You’ve begun to slouch so you remedy that, the nest beneath you crinkling as you adjust yourself against the ridged cheek supporting your back. Val doesn’t stir, remaining frozen in place as she’s been for the past…you don’t know how long. You don’t know what time it is, and you don’t care either. You just want your brain to shut up and go to sleep.
It’s necessary. You know. She’ll be happier this way. You…know. Your chest aches; it’s been this way all day. Tomorrow’s the big day, and you want nothing more than to rest.
It’s necessary. You. Know. She’ll be happier this way. You. KNOW.
A light sigh escapes Val, enough to slightly rustle your form. She’s awake as well; you know what she sounds like when snoozing.
…
“Too excited to sleep, huh?” you weakly joke.
A disgruntled huff is her only response. Val’s reluctance has only gotten worse, and at this point you’re the sole voice of reason. If you must be the one who supports her when she won’t even support herself, then so be it. The constant bitterness in your chest, your own disappointment, your own wants…none of that matters because they all have one key component: you. If Val stays, she’ll regret losing out on such a critical life event, and her dejection will no longer be temporary. That’s why you have to speak the truth, even if…a part of you doesn’t like to.
“…It’ll be worth it, y’know.”
A pitiful, rolling growl lets you know just how much she agrees with that assurance.
“Just think about it. You’ll finally find someone who can soar the skies alongside you.”
No response. Maybe she’s actually pondering it. You’re about to slip back into your thoughts when the claw blanketing you shifts, pressing you against Val’s head just a bit harder as flat warbles state that she already likes doing so with you.
You can’t stop the wave of heat from flooding your system, quietly huffing to yourself while doing your best to ignore the increased tension in your chest. “…You know what I meant.”
Silence. You’re tense now, awaiting another rebuttal from her, but as the seconds lurch by, it becomes clear that one isn’t coming. Good, now you can finally focus on getting some rest.
You glance up to the night sky and its seemingly infinite stars, debating if you should just lie down properly. But your sleeping bag is next to Val’s chest, and you don’t want to move. Guess you aren’t lying down.
…
It’s necessary. You KNOW can you SHUT UP ALREADY.
You almost miss the quiet, hesitant warbles directed at you, and you have to take a second to process the question. The aching in your chest only intensifies, and your soft exhale feels unusually hot. You find yourself gently stroking the digit keeping you secure.
“…No,” you reply in a hushed tone, “it won’t be the same.”
You’re lightly rustled by Val’s twitch.
“It’ll be better.” You’re grateful that she can’t see your face. “You’ll have two dashing, new Valstrax to call your own. One…as a mate. And the other…as a chick. So I think…” You swallow, using the error to recompose yourself. “Sorry. I know, once you’re there…you’ll discover what you’ve been missing.”
The stillness in the air is deafening. Seconds? Minutes? A part of you wants to call out, to ask if she even heard you. The other parts can’t bear to speak anymore. You need rest. From the day. From your unrelenting thoughts. But that means sleeping, and for some reason your body is rejecting the idea. You can only pray to the stars for exhaustion to take hold.
…
She’ll be happier this way…
[Day Eight]
You brace against a fin just in time to be roughly jostled as Val touches down. A reasonable walk away lies a village hidden in the mountains, still shaking off the early morning drowsiness: the place you call home.
…
You hop off, landing with barely a sound.
…
You feel like you’re being constricted by a Najarala. Your movements are stiff, jagged steps moving you towards the great scaled head hanging low.
…
You remain silent as you come to a stop directly in front of Val. She doesn’t look at you, remaining affixed to the grey rock beneath your feet.
…
It hurts.
It’s as if someone dropped a boulder on your heart. Your breaths are shallow, unable to muster anything more than the bare necessity to keep you alive. There’s an inferno in your chest, and you can only stand here, staring at the beak of your best friend. The anguish isn’t physical, but right now you can’t tell the difference. Remind yourself: this is necessary. This isn’t about you. It was never about you. At this moment, you need to support her. It doesn’t matter how you feel, only that she does the right thing.
You attempt to smile. Grin. Lighten up. You can’t. Your face is flat, the best you can muster in this situation. Your jaw hurts from the strain. You have to speak. Val won’t; she hasn’t said a word since last night. You haven’t either. You can’t. You feel like you’ll unravel if you open your mouth. It’s taking every milligram of mental fortitude to simply stand here in silence. But you must. Not for yourself, but for her.
You reach out, hand hesitating before touching the underside of Val’s beak. A light push gets the hint across, and she slowly raises her head to meet your own. Her expression is deflated, beak clamped firmly shut. The sharp crimson irises normally full of fire stare somberly at you, and the weight on your chest only further crushes you. Your throat is dry, mouth parched. But you must.
“…”
For her.
“…”
You must do it for her.
“…You’ll love it. I promise.”
Silence. No rebuttal, no frown, no half-hearted agreement. Just the same empty stare. You wonder if you look the same to Val.
Your other arm goes up, and Val’s head dips forward, allowing you to wrap your arms around the top of the avian appendage. You’re immediately overwhelmed by a surge of heat throughout your body as you gently stroke her beak. Why did you do this. You don’t want to let go. You’ll see her again, but you don’t want to let go.
“…Love you too, buddy,” you hoarsely whisper.
You feel her beak shift, but nothing comes of it. You don’t know how long the pair of you spend holding this embrace, but it has to end, and it’s Val who pulls away, leaving your arms to fall limply to your sides. She takes a few steps backwards, never meeting your gaze while she turns around to amble away. You don’t blame her. If anything, you’re glad that she values you enough to go despite her reluctance. You really are her best friend.
Val walks slower than you’ve ever seen her walk before. You…you’re just trying to keep it together. This is necessary.
Eventually once she’s reached a safe distance she stops. You see her head lift, setting sight on the morning sky. Then she looks back to you, and even from this distance you can see her piercing eye set on yours.
Why. Why did Val do that. You no longer have the composure to speak. If you open your mouth…
Up goes your hand. Arm out, stop shaking. Thumbs up. It’s all you’re capable of.
Val blinks. Every second feels like an eternity as she stares at you. Please look away, you’re an utter wreck inside.
Finally, she turns. Her wings adjust, and the familiar hum of draconic energy fills your ears. Their tips burn red, building more and more –
Val is gone.
You stare at the crimson comet rocketing across the barren sky, well above any cloud formation. Staring until it’s nothing more than a streak.
Then a dot.
Then emptiness.
…
The tension in your body gives way. Your shoulders relax, jaw loosens, and hands unfurl from the fists they were involuntarily curled into. You no longer have to be strong for her.
She’ll return. You know this. You’ve always known this. Her departure is only temporary.
…So why does your chest still burn? Why does the boulder not lift itself? Why can’t you breathe properly? Nobody has died. Val will eventually come back, and you’ll be reunited with your best friend.
So why does it still torment you so much. Why won’t the pain go away. It hurts, more than any physical injury you’ve ever experienced.
You slowly look away from the sky. You don’t know where to look. The ground seems nice right about now.
When she returns, she won’t be dispirited. You’ll be able to look back and laugh at how silly you both felt.
…
Once Val is happy…you’ll be happy.
[Day Unknown]
Hungry. Starving.
Your body demands sustenance, but that requires departing your bed. You tell yourself to get up; pull off the covers, go make yourself a meal. Go outside if you must, grab something from the canteen. What time is it anyway? From the rays of light peeking through your curtains, you’d guess morning. Not like it matters. No, it does matter. One day closer to Her return.
The weight still crushes your heart, your mind stuck in an infinite loop. You’ve grown tired of begging yourself to stop, to spare you from the mental anguish that plagues every waking thought. You know. You know she’ll return, it’s the only thing that keeps you functioning. But it doesn’t give you hope. It doesn’t brighten your day.
You don’t know exactly how many days have passed; only enough for your neighbor to come knocking on your door yesterday, explaining that no one had seen you for a week and they were worried. Oh, that’s how long. You dismissed her concern, a little more forcefully than intended after she made a passing comment on your best friend’s departure. This is your personal affair, not anyone else’s.
Your head sinks further into the pillow. You’ve probably given your bed a permanent indent with how little you’ve moved. Hungry. Starving. Seconds feel like minutes, minutes like hours. But time lurches on. Even through the pain, the world moves forward when your own has stopped.
She will come back. Your focus drifts across the room, over to the dresser housing most of your clothes, then the basket half-full of dirty laundry. You were supposed to wash them a week ago. Your current clothing has yet to be changed. You haven’t bathed since then either. Disgusting, or at least you’d feel as such if you cared.
Your eyes briefly pass over the armor stand, but quickly jerk away as you’ve done the past few days. It’s just another reminder of Her. Her…gift to you.
…
You gaze back at the stand. At the two pieces of armor proudly displayed, shining brightly amongst the otherwise drab decor. The sleek, silver-plated gear meant to mimic the elder dragon it embodies, down to the black coating and orange accents. A far cry from it, but a good try nonetheless. You remember the twinkle in Her eyes when you showed it off. She was thrilled, and you brushed it off like the moron you were. That you are. She was only trying to keep you safe. Gog-forbid she want you to stay out of harm’s way, right? Armor specifically made from Her own scales, and even wanting to use a damn saddle when she previously abhorred the very idea.
She cares about you…a lot. You care about her…a lot. Enough to be stuck in an endless loop of misery, where the only thought that could ease your torment…doesn’t seem to exist. Why?
…
Maybe…you need a new perspective.
Your blanket is pushed to the side.
---------------------
Hand over hand, ensuring a proper grip on the towering spire before pulling up. You don’t want to fall. Thankfully there’s a sizeable rocky platform below that divides a single harrowing climb into two manageable ones. You can stomach a fall down to it, but reaching that checkpoint did leave you nervous. Right now, though, you’re only focused on climbing. It’s oddly therapeutic, and grants you the mental reprieve you desperately needed. Just climbing…and how tired you are. Goodness, one week of inactivity and you’ve already fallen out of shape. Well, that isn’t the only factor. The armor and knapsack weighing you down probably play a role in your increased fatigue. You’ve grown more used to moving around over the past number of hours, but its weight still shackles you. You never expected to climb in it, let alone across such a drastic distance.
This isn’t the first time you’ve made the solo trip to Her roost, however. You surprised her one day when you popped up, mostly to see if you even could do it but also to visit if she happened to be here.
…You then spent the following twenty-or-so minutes convincing her that the roost wasn’t too low and she didn’t need to pick a higher point, and no monster in their right mind would climb this high to poach it.
Hand over hand. Occasionally to the left, occasionally to the right. You’re nearly at the top, and can feel yourself sweating from both exertion and the midday sun beating down. Good thing you took a bath. All this activity has also made you work up a mild appetite, and you’re glad you had the sense to grab a meal at the canteen before departure. The chef was shocked to see you, having assumed you dead, but happily served you and – most importantly – kept his mouth shut on your unexplained absence and new getup. It was no secret that She was leaving; gossip spreads like wildfire in small communities. But you never divulged why.
A calloused hand finds purchase on the ledge, and you hoist yourself up with a grunt, your arms smoldering from the workout as you roll onto your side to catch your breath.
Eventually your pulse starts returning to normal and you feel well enough to stand, allowing yourself to reminisce. The vastness of the spire’s relatively flat summit lay before you, large cracks marring its surface. Her roost; home away from home. Your chest aches. This was the longest you’ve spent away from it in…you don’t know. Quite a while.
Not far from you, on the edge is a scorched crater, the blackened rock your location of choice for cooking. It was also the location of choice for Her first and last attempt at the culinary arts. Using her wingtips to cook was a clever play…if it didn’t result in a completely charred lump that was still raw on the inside. After that, she left the rotisserie to you.
The corners of your mouth creep up ever so slightly. On the opposite side of the spire is a tiny section that juts out farther than the rest. You remember standing on it, staring down at the clouds and valley below as She encouraged you to jump, insisting that she would catch you. That of course, led to a fight where she questioned just how much you trusted her.
You softly shake your head in mild amusement. And off to the side…your stomach sinks, the weight on your heart pressing down. Her nest. Not the roost itself, but the amalgam of trees, dirt, and every suitable material you could find, molded together to create a proper place of rest. The nest she built, not by herself but with your assistance. Together. Because she wanted to build it with you.
…
You start towards it. It’s one of the reasons you came here, after all. That, and…
Vaulting over and into the nest is a simple task, the branches crinkling under your weight. Your knapsack is dropped unceremoniously to the floor as you make your way to the center. Upon reaching it, you slowly drop to your knees, turning around to lie down. Your chest is constricted again. The furnace rages, and your breathing has returned to shallow intakes. Staring up at the brilliant blue atmosphere, you can only swallow.
Your entire torso is under immense stress. Wearing her armor…doesn’t make you feel like She’s with you, but it does feel like she’s protecting you. Close enough. Relax. You attempt to loosen up, but your shoulders refuse to listen. A slumbering part of you knows why, and you give up. Your heart is racing. You know why you’re here. It’s because she’s…
Val. Val is gone. And you are…sad. You know she’ll return but despite that, you’re still depressed. That knowledge isn’t enough to appease you.
Why?
The pressure in your head grows. It’s as if someone stuffed it with cotton. Be honest. Your gear threatens to smother you. You feel trapped in your own armor. Be. Honest. This is why you came here. Your body is completely paralyzed. You need to be honest with yourself.
You…miss her. You know. You...didn’t want her to leave. You know. But the trip is a good thing, is it not? Yes…for her. So why can’t you be happy for her? Because…because…
…You don’t like it.
It doesn’t matter if her new mate won’t be around. There will always be another, an…interloper in your relationship. Be it her mate or her child, it won’t just be you and her anymore. Val’s focus, her affection, her care…all of it will be shared. And you don’t like that. You…hate it. You don’t want a third. You don’t want anyone else to get between you and her.
You just want Val.
…
You wish you could say the tension in your head relieves, that the boulder finally rolls away, and the furnace gets doused with water. Nothing changes. No instant relief, no pat on the back. You feel just as hopeless as you did before your confession. It’s true, you’re a selfish bastard who wants his best friend all to himself.
You huff to yourself. You’re just as bad as Val; two jealous monsters who get upset when anyone else tries to butt in. In a way, you’re perfect for each other. Well, you would be, except she’s gone.
The boulder digs in, your hands digging in turn into the nest. That’s right; when she returns, there'll be a new mate in her life. A new child. This is the inevitable future, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Unless…what if things don’t work out? What if Val doesn’t find a mate? Would she return –
The boulder instantly lifts, but your stomach sinks. A wave of burning ice washes over you; you’re all too familiar with the shameful sensation. What the HELL is wrong with you?! Why would you ever WANT that?! Why the hell would you even think that?! You grit your teeth in anger. Not at the world, but yourself. Is this truly the kind of person you are? Low enough to wish the worst on the one you care about the most, just to satisfy your own selfish desire?! You. Are. BETTER than this. You told yourself before, and it applies now more than ever: THIS ISN’T ABOUT YOU. It’s about Val, it’s always been about her. So if you care about her, as much as you KNOW you do, you’ll lov–
You’ll…
The accompanying word freezes on the precipice of your thoughts. It was automatic, thrown out without a second thought, but you’re rooted to the floor nonetheless, chest constricted in shock and headache threatening to emerge. Breathe.
…Is that it? That…word.
…Is that why it hurts so much?
In your heart, is that…truly how you feel about her?
…
You’re in the middle of soul-searching, but amidst the flurry of emotions coursing through your brain, something is knocking at the door. It’s not mental, something else is demanding attention; important enough to push through your mental battle.
Your mind – and heartrate – is a mess as you attempt to return to the mortal world. Right, you’re in Val’s nest. Lying down, staring at the sky…
…What’s that noise?
Muted heavyset thuds, sounding awfully similar to footsteps. Even the faint clicks of claws scraping against stone. You’ve grown familiar with the sound, and wisps of hope pepper your thoughts. Is that…? No, she’s gone. You would’ve heard her fly in. But…who else could it be? No one comes up here except her.
Common sense knows the answer, but you have to check. You’re definitely hallucinating anyway.
You sit up, which doesn’t help considering how tall the walls are. It isn’t until you stand up with a resigned sigh that the rest of the spire comes into view. Unsurprisingly, nothing is there, except for…
You stare blankly at the rather hulking figure near your makeshift kitchen. Ocean-blue scales gleam in the sunlight, tapering off to a subdued beige that encompasses not only their massive paws, but the row of spikes and mane flowing down their back. Monstrous, yet lupine in appearance. You’ve never seen one in person before, but the name instantly springs to mind.
…What’s a Zinogre doing here?
The party crasher appears to be inspecting the scorched ground, taking a few steps around as they sniff the area. They don’t appear to have noticed you yet, and the longer you inspect them, the more features become apparent. One of their jagged horns seems to be broken at the tip, and scars pepper their scales, the most notable streak marring an eye that remains permanently shut.
Where did they come from? Did they climb up the spire? How? If someone of your size could barely find purchase, how in the world did they…? Well, there is an entire half you neglected. You took the path of least resistance, or at least the path you could see. For all you know there’s a better option. And Zinogres are supposed to be fairly agile for their size.
…That doesn’t matter. Why are they here?
Finishing their probe, they continue forward, looking around the roost as they pace. A sweeping glance is directed towards you, though they seem more interested in the nest itself.
…
The Zinogre freezes. Mid-stride, paw in the air. Their startled expression completes the look, and it’s comical enough to ease the knot in your chest. Still, your confusion remains abundant, your eyebrow having ascended to new heights.
“…Hi.”
Their surprise quickly fades, becoming neutral as they adjust themselves to face you. They haven’t done anything wrong – just unexpected, so you’re not too bothered by their arrival…although it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
“Mind if I ask what you’re…what made you drop by?”
Unexpectedly, their eye narrows, stance slipping lower as a low growl makes you pause. Did they just call you…
Your own eyes widen at the realization, hands going up in appeasement. “Noooooo, I am NOT a hunter!” you hastily reply, shaking your head with vigor.
A harsh growl questions why they’d ever believe you. You’re caught off-guard by their accusatory tone and defensive stance, pulse rising in turn. Where did this accusation come from, and why would they immediately assume the worst?!
“Because I – I’m not a hunter?!” You gesture to yourself. “I don’t even have a weapon!”
Skeptical snarls cause you to look down, eying the ‘stolen scales,’ as they so bluntly put it, adorning your form. Oh damn, why did you have to wear these now of all times…
“Nonono, this was a gift! No one died; my friend gave me her discarded scales! I’m not a hunter, promise!”
The Zinogre lets out a short, mocking bark, and you can’t help but twitch at the emphasis as further growls make your heart throb. Why is it so improbable for you to be friends with a Valstrax? You don’t care how asocial she is, or was; everyone can be friends with anyone if they try. It’s not just an insult to you, but Val. You want to refute, to tell them they’re wrong, but their mannerism borders on aggressive and you don’t want to agitate them. You can only swallow the lump in your throat, hands clenched into fists.
“…I…”
They don’t wait for you to finish, disgusted snarls voicing their opinion. That every monster should learn from Valstrax and avoid humans. That they’re plague on the land, mutilating nature and bringing disaster wherever they go, killing as they please. The Zinogre’s claws dig into stone, the grating noise assaulting your ears almost as much as their words. Where did this unprompted speciesist rant come from? Did they forget who they’re talking to, or do they think that little of you?
You can only mumble a weak retort. “…We’re not all – “
You flinch as a sharp bark demands your silence. You don’t think you like this Zinogre.
More frustrated growls express their anger over climbing up to what they thought was a recently unoccupied nest, only to find YOU lying in wait, as though you were trying to ambush them.
You doubt you’ll get through to them on that matter, but the first part is the real issue. This is Val’s nest, and her temporary absence isn’t grounds for someone else to move in. But this fanged wyvern’s aggression is becoming troublesome, and if you agitate them too much…
You do your best to sound neutral in hopes of pacifying them, although your rising heartrate isn’t helping. “Actually, it’s my friend’s nest…and she’ll be back in about a month…so…”
Unexpectedly, the Zinogre doesn’t respond. Instead, they merely stare at you, snout twisted into an expression you can’t place. But you don’t feel calmed. The growing chill in your gut grants the opposite.
“…I…”
Where did this numbness come from? It doesn’t matter, this is Val’s nest and you promised to keep it safe.
“…uhhh…”
That single slitted eye pierces through you, and your throat dries up. This is her nest.
…
“…I’ll…just leave.”
Shame instantly courses through your system. You don’t want to abandon her home. But you don’t know how this Zinogre would react if you took a stand, and all current signs point to it ending…less than favorably for you. You don’t have a weapon for defense. You can’t fight. You’re weak, and can only slink away with your tail between your legs. Also…you really don’t like that look.
The Zinogre says nothing. No movement, no change of face; you don’t even think they blink. And the more they stare, the more the numbness crawls over your skin. Val can’t come back to a poached roost when she’ll likely be...gravid. Maybe they aren’t planning on staying? If worst comes to worst, you can always put in a request with the Guild…with what little funds you have. You’d also be feeding into their delusions. Regardless, this is a bad situation on all ends and you need time to think about it.
You walk forward, vaulting over the wall and nearly falling in the process. Your limbs feel unusually weak, but your goal lies ahead…just off to the side of the frozen Zinogre. You’ll have to go past them to begin descending.
…Ignore them. Don’t even glance at them. Calm down, heart, you’re just walking.
It takes a great deal of effort to avoid a bow-legged gait as you lurch forward. Each step requires active thought, your arms locked against your side. Relax. You need to relax.
You don’t want to look at the Zinogre. You try not to. Your eyes dart around, avoiding their face, their general form. But peripheral vision does its job: they continue boring into you. Expressionless. Motionless. And the closer you get, the worse your heartrate grows. A dim part of you realizes you forgot your knapsack. It doesn’t matter, you’ll get it later. Right now, you need to leave.
Breathe. You need to breathe.
Slowly. Stiffly. You advance ever closer to salvation, one unsteady step at a time. The silence is stifling. You’ve nearly reached it –
The Zinogre moves.
A single step, one paw casually placed to the side. Towards your exit. Towards you.
…
Keep walking. One leg in front of the other. Don’t stumble. Breathe.
Another step, their other paw ahead of the first.
Slightly to the side now, so you can keep a wide berth. It’s fine. Don’t trip. Breathe.
A third step. One more and they’ll…
Forward now, since you have to move past them. They’ll stop, and you can leave. Don’t fall. Breathe.
A fourth step.
…
You stare at the massive scaled paw blocking your way.
…
Your entire body is filled with pins and needles. You can’t feel anything. You can hear your heart pounding against your chest. You can’t stop shaking.
RUN. YOU NEED TO RUN.
Your breaths are shallow and you can barely stand. Your legs won’t move. You can’t stop shaking.
RUN. YOU NEED TO RUN.
A noise shatters the silence. Sniffing. Your movements are outside of your control: your head remains still, but your eyes drift up to the twitching black nose taking in your scent.
A low rumble: you…might have been telling the truth about your relationship.
That doesn’t ease your mind.
Then a flat, rolling growl: …exactly why they should kill you.
Your blood turns to ice.
…
You run.
You’re hyper aware of the incoming jaws that snap shut inches behind you as you dash behind and past their foreleg. You don’t want to die. You see them moving but your only concern is the ledge a short distance away, and when you reach it –
AWAY. YOU NEED TO GET AWAY.
You jump.
No hesitation; you launch yourself into the air, away from danger. And then gravity immediately takes hold, pulling you down to the platform below.
You’ve…never actually fallen this far. You don’t know if you’ll be fine on impact; if it’ll hurt a little or a lot. But you know it won’t kill you, and right now your only objective is getting far away from the monster that wants you dead.
You’re nearly hyperventilating, stabilizing your flailing arms as you rapidly approach the rocky outcrop, bracing for the impact. You’re actually kind of close to its edge…will you miss –
“Guh!” You’re practically flattened to the ground, armor clanging against the stone as you almost bounce forward from the impact. It hurts. Your appendages – mostly your arms – ache, but outside of that you feel fine; the armor kind of cushioned the impact. You support yourself with your arms, whipping your head back up to see if you’re alone. In the distance, at the very top of the spire, the front half of a burly figure peeks over the edge. Will they pursue you…?
Then a set of paws dip out, and the rest of the Zinogre follows.
No. Nonononononono.
You don’t stick around to watch their descent. Your arms and legs move on their own, scrambling forward. You don’t want to die. You practically pull yourself to the ledge, using one last forceful push…
To jump.
You hear the weighted slam of limbs touching down behind you as you dive. Adrenaline surges through your veins, but even with the overwhelming desire to live guiding your actions, staring down at the distant level…you instantly know you screwed up. You are not a hunter, and this is much higher than your previous fall. At BEST, this is going to hurt…a lot.
All you can do is right yourself so you don’t hit the ground face-first. The wind howls in your ears, heart hammering in terror as you do your best to mentally – and physically – steel yourself.
You’re falling quite fast, seconds away from landing, and you vaguely remember the advice you heard in passing from a hunter: roll on impact. You have no idea if it’ll work, especially at this distance, but there’s no harm –
Something races past, not far from you. Wha…?
No. Nononononononono.
The Zinogre hits the ground on all fours before you, its force heard even through the rush of air obscuring your hearing.
You’re next. Roll. It’s as if an actual boulder crushed you. Your arms fly out to protect your head as you crash down, the breath ripped from your lungs while the force causes you to bounce off the stone. An explosion of searing heat rips through your body as you somewhat roll, mostly to the side. Pain. Everything hurts. You’re alive. But you can’t stay still. You need to get away.
You desperately reorient yourself, gasping for air as you push through the fire burning your insides and move to stand, but nearly fall when one of your arms fail to provide support. It doesn’t matter. You don’t want to die.
Movement catches your vision. You don’t think, just act, launching yourself sideways but it isn’t enough. Your immobile arm is subject to a streak of flames from a passing claw, and you stumble, struggling to put weight on a foot. The Zinogre. You need to get away.
You don’t want to look away, but you must. You’re panting, frantically alternating your sight between what’s ahead and your pursuer as you run parallel to the cliff face, your foot screaming in protest. Something wet runs down your useless arm, but it doesn’t matter. You need to get away.
Suddenly they leap forward, beige paw outstretched. You burst forward in turn, narrowly avoiding the slam behind you that cracks and tremors the ground. You don’t want to die. You’ve stopped looking ahead. Dodging them is more important.
Then they twist, twirling neatly on the outstretched limb in an unexpected display of nimbleness –
From your blind spot, a glimpse of fur. That’s all you detect before an object smashes into your form, launching you sideways. The flames burn hot, world becoming a blur, then –
Pain.
Another explosion of heat as you crash into something, crushed once more before falling into a heap. Your head is spinning. Your body is an inferno. You try to breathe, but you can’t. Your nose is blocked, and something damp is spattered across your face. Your face is on fire and you taste iron. Everything is in agony. You can only gasp for air as you struggle to reorient yourself. Every minuscule breath sends flames rippling through your chest. Your arm is useless. Your foot is useless. Your limbs are failing to support you and you’re staring at a wall. You need to get away.
Your functioning arm takes charge, trembling from the strain as it flips you over. Your head hits the ground, arm already losing strength. Not far from you, the Zinogre stands. They’re observing you. You need to get away.
Your legs won’t move. Your functioning arm is no longer functional. You can only lay here, completely immobilized.
The Zinogre moves. Slowly, one paw in front of the other. You need to get away.
“…Please,” you wheeze hoarsely.
Slowly, calmly. Almost tauntingly, never taking their eye off you. Your eyes well up, vision blurring. You need to get away.
Your body trembles on its own. Your heart feels like it’ll burst. The tears won’t stop, burning hotter than any injury. The shaking won’t stop. You can only whisper:
“…Please…”
You don’t want to die.
…The Zinogre comes to a stop before you. Staring at you.
…
Then they freeze.
…
Their head flies up, away from you and off to the side, ears perking up in turn They’re looking at the sky, you think.
…
Suddenly their eye goes wide. Their gaze shoots back to you, then the sky.
…Then they abruptly turn around, sprinting away in a mad dash.
…
Huh?
You can only stare at the retreating form rapidly distancing itself from you. Your heart is still threatening to pop. Are they…leaving?
A flash in the sky diverts your focus. Off to the side; an orange dot. No, a streak. No, not orange…crim–
You flinch as a massive crimson blast erupts from the ground and shakes the foundation itself, chunks of rock bursting outward in an incredibly loud –
BOOM
Another flinch as a second, even more deafening explosion – audible only this time – erupts from the source like a shockwave. Your first thought: loud. But as fragments begin raining down, another thought creeps in: you’ve heard that before.
Debris flies through the air, some of it pelting you but that’s the least of your concern. What…was that?! It looked like it came from where the Zinogre was running.
That’s when an earsplitting roar causes you to cringe, but even through the pain, your hairs stand on end. You…you’ve heard that before.
The roar doesn’t stop. It’s a continuous raucous shriek, akin to a person screaming in unhinged fury. It’s coming from the origin of the explosion. The Zinogre is gone…no, off to the side, on the fringes of your field of view. Movement. You crane your head as much as possible, but you can only get a partial view of it.
Silver.
…
Your arm forces itself back to life. Trembling up a storm, you slowly put weight on it, the limb struggling to lift your upper torso. But you need to.
The shrieking peters off for a second, then resumes. Your ears are ringing from the extended abuse, but it doesn’t matter. You’ve heard that before. You lift yourself just barely enough to roll your head back, properly taking in the source.
…
Trident-like wings, completely crimson in color, violently thrust at their target. Draconic energy surges from her vents, harsher than you’ve ever seen before, almost entirely engulfing her front half. Her argent scales are streaked not only with crimson, but red spatters.
…
Her expression is maniacal…no, more than that. You don’t think any word can describe it. The roar abruptly stops, and a beak dives in, crushing the motionless Zinogre’s throat. A quick, vicious jerk, and the avian appendage is painted red.
…
The stabbing resumes for a moment before her wings flare out, wingtips pointed at the target. Balls of energy form in each, trembling from the strain and you flinch as another, slightly smaller explosion engulfs them, rocking the ground and sending more debris soaring.
…
You try to call out, but your throat burns. Your arms burn. Everything burns. You can only gasp in pain. You need to speak.
“…”
More stabbing. Slicing. Battering. You think you can hear the grating pings of her wings striking the stone now. You can’t tell where the crimson ends and the red begins on her scales. It’s a grisly, visceral sight, more gruesome than any post-hunt meal shared with her. This isn’t out of necessity. The Zinogre probably didn’t even survive the crash, but she isn’t going to stop. You need to speak.
Your chest ignites as you gather the strength to call out, but the result is more of a wheezing, pitiful croak.
“…Val…”
…She freezes. Even through the sounds of dismemberment, even through her boundless rage. Her head whips over to you, and for some reason you get a feeling of deja-vu.
Then she runs, abandoning the lifeless remains and sprinting towards you. The Zinogre never got very far, and it takes only a couple of seconds before she skids to a stop, towering above you.
Val…how…
The fury is gone in milliseconds. The sharpness in her crimson eyes is absent and she looks…scared. You’ve never seen her scared. You don’t like it. A mishmash of frenzied growls spill from her beak while she bows down to closely inspect you, and you realize you can’t understand a word she’s saying. Her claws dig into the stone, and she shoots back up. Her chest – which was previously simmering down – begins flaring up as it heaves. She’s starting to hyperventilate. Val…is panicking.
You don’t know how you look, but considering the dampness smeared across your face and incapacitated arm, you mustn’t be a pretty sight. Every breath is a choking, raspy struggle. However, you do know how you feel, and…actually it might be worse. The inferno raging through your body is doing its best to prove it, that’s for sure. Everything hurts. You need medical attention. You want to live.
The inferno flashes, and you can’t prevent yourself from hacking, each cough a searing-hot knife through your chest. Your arm gives up, and you collapse to the ground again. Your taste buds are coated in iron.
Val lowers again, beak nearly touching you. She’s trembling more than you. Frantic warbles this time, just as incoherent as before. The fear plastered across her face is soul-crushing. Elder dragons can’t cry…yet Val looks to be on the verge of tears. You hate it. You never want her to be this afraid ever again. You don’t want her to cry.
You’re not speaking for yourself. You’re speaking for her.
“…Village…”
It takes a moment for the word to register. Val’s eyes briefly flash in acknowledgement before she leans forward, blood-stained beak hesitantly opening above you. Despite her gentleness, you can’t avoid groaning, the fire igniting across your limbs as she lifts you. You don’t go far, thankfully, and another wave of anguish passes over as you’re tenderly deposited into a set of open foreclaws. The sizeable digits close, wrapping around your ailing form just enough to prevent movement. You can’t see much except silver, but you do feel the subtle bounce of her own movements. The hum of draconic energy. And then –
You’re abruptly pressed into her palm from the influx of force. It burns, but despite that, despite your precarious health…you aren’t worried. You aren’t terrified anymore. Just being in her embrace eases your mind. You’re flying, and that’s all that matters. Somehow, Val…has saved you.
You’re safe now.
The late afternoon sun batters your view, forcing you to squint as you take a peek at the head of your dormant savior. She isn’t asleep, but her eye is shut in relaxation. At least she had the sense to face away from the light source. You could move, but…you’re cozy enough. Besides, it’s better to be properly facing her if you plan on talking. Which you do. But she looks so comfortable…do you really want to bother her?
…
Maybe not yet. You lean back, your head resuming its rest against a foreclaw. Same activity, different position, different day. You’ve been locked mostly to her nest for the past week and counting, and it doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.
Your eyes shut once more to spare themselves from the sun’s glare. You try to empty your thoughts, to focus on lounging around like Val, but you can’t. It’s been getting more and more difficult to ignore the Gammoth in the room.
It was effortless in the beginning. A Valstrax landing smack dab in the middle of a community tends to attract attention, especially considering your promise to the villagers that it wouldn’t happen again. Of course, in such a dire situation Val didn’t give two cohoots what anyone wanted…but you digress. Thankfully people were familiar enough with her distant presence, and the initial shock and screaming were minimal enough to quickly discover the battered human in her claws. You were taken to the physician’s house, where you could finally receive aid.
A broken nose, concussion, ten fractured ribs, dislocated shoulder, sprained ankle, torn quadriceps, a deep gash along your arm, moderate internal bleeding, and so. Much. Bruising. But it could’ve been far worse. If you weren’t wearing Val’s armor that day…In any case, the physician got to work, and you unfortunately discovered just how great of a painkiller adrenaline is. If you thought your wounds hurt before…
Your anguish didn’t go unnoticed by Val, and although you couldn’t see her, you could definitely hear the nervous whines floating through both doors separating you from her. You’ve never heard her produce such a sound before, and demanded that the practitioner tell her you said it was fine and – most importantly – necessary. Still didn’t stop the occasional one from dribbling out when you couldn’t tough your way through the worst.
When the initial fix-up was done and you were moved to a proper bed, you were told you’d be out of commission for several weeks at minimum. Fat chance. You were caught hours later trying to leave the house to see Val, and after a rather angry chiding from the physician questioning your intelligence, you were sent back.
But you couldn’t stop worrying about her. You knew she was worried about you, and you wanted to check on her. And after the third straight day of the practitioner confirming that Val had yet to move, you told him you were going to see her regardless. Thankfully he didn’t argue, and in fact appeared a little relieved when you casually mentioned you weren’t running away. She was there, right next to the door. She could speak again, and her surprise quickly faded to alarm over the abundance of pink-tinged bandages and crutch supporting you, but you lessened her worries, encouraging her to go out; stretch, find sustenance, and clean all that caked-up blood and…pieces off because you were going to be stuck inside for a while.
You do know Val, however, and the next day another inquiry confirmed that she still hadn’t moved. But you weren’t expecting him to mention the appearance of some form of meat – probably Aptonoth – and water in two barrels beside her. You didn’t ask anyone for help, but they were kind enough to offer food when Val wouldn’t even feed herself. You had a strong hunch who the benefactor was, and would later thank him.
You also discovered the miracle of potions. Normally too expensive for consistent use and simply not needed most of the time, you considered your situation too severe. But they drastically sped up your natural recovery, turning a months-long recovery into weeks. So quickly in fact, that after day seven, the physician remarked on your rapid improvement; much slower than hunters, who could fully shrug off your injuries in as little as a week, but still above the norm. He considered your status stable enough for release, under the condition that you continue to rest and avoid most physical activity for at least another week. He…also revealed he didn’t know monsters could get as concerned as Val looked, and was tired of being scrutinized every time he entered and exited his house.
The remainder of your recuperation has been spent at Val’s roost; after all, the practitioner never specified where to rest. From water to carcasses to be butchered and cooked, she’s brought you everything in record time. Even when other needs require privacy, she keeps minimal distance and simply looks away. It’s clear that Val doesn’t want to leave you alone anymore, and you appreciate it. Although it’s her nest, it’s still the origin of the…’incident,’ and the handful of situations that require her departure are always stressful no matter how much you try to convince yourself you’re safe. The mental wounds will take much longer to heal.
So here you are, roughly two and a half weeks after your narrow escape, mostly back to normal. Your nose still simmers, your chest aches every time your breathing hastens, and you can’t leave weight on your foot for too long, but it’s all more than manageable. And while it was effortless in the beginning to ignore the thoughts – when you were only glad that she was back – you’ve had too much idle time to avoid them all. She hasn’t said anything about it, and you don’t think she will without a bit of coaxing.
Val has returned, which is what you wanted. But…she’s early. So early, you can easily deduce from her initial statement about the week-plus long travel: she never even reached the mating grounds, and turned around before that. She decided not to go.
It’s what you wanted, after all. You remember your self-admittance, your selfishness, your…confusion over your feelings. If it was friendship that caused you grief, or…
Your pulse quickens. A simple word. You use it with Val jokingly, less as a declaration and more a humorous projection of her own feelings she doesn’t admit. She doesn’t have to say it, you already know it. But here she is. Content to lay with you no matter how many times you insist she stretch her wings. Val, who considers any extended period of inactivity beyond sleep to be wasted time. The same Valstrax who waited over a week for you to be discharged, putting your well-being above the village’s perception of her. Who has only grown more concerned with your safety over time. You remember her rage over an overzealous Magnamalo…and her fear as you lay dying on the ground.
…
You open your eyes. Val is looking at you, slitted eye calmly observing your movements. You don’t know how long she’s been doing so, but it doesn’t matter. Your mouth is dry. You have to take a deep breath to steady your heart.
“…Why?”
Silence. Val looks away, expression falling in remembrance. You’re glad she inferred your question from that lone word, but you aren’t liking her mood. A sigh, similar to yours, before low chirps state that she never should’ve left in the first place.
“But, the mating grou– “
A dismissive, annoyed click of her beak shuts you up: she doesn’t care about that.
Then her head lifts from rest, turning to properly face you. The oversized digit supporting your back rustles you as it gently brushes up and down, another hesitant click finishing her thoughts: she…cares about you.
Heat floods your system. It doesn’t matter how many or how few times she says it, it always makes you fuzzy. Val doesn’t stop there, however. Her head lowers, avoiding your gaze as deflated growls kill your growing warmth: she tried to care. She wanted to care. But the more she thought about it, the less she wanted to go. It…was only your continued insistence that kept her from staying. If her…best friend believed in her when she doubted herself, why not trust him?
Your heart lurches, stomach sinking into the cold abyss, but Val continues. Morose warbles this time: she knew. She noticed your own spirits sink over the days, but you never stopped encouraging her. Even when she could see the hurt in your eyes, you always tried to hide it and push her forward. And if her…best friend believed it was for the best, even through his own sadness, then surely it must’ve been.
The boulder you thought rolled away has returned. This was all your fault. You want to apologize, but Val keeps going. She’s never divulged her feelings as much as now…but you don’t think she’s ever felt this dejected before. Somber chirps: it wasn’t until she left, when you were no longer physically around to offer encouragement, that her thoughts consumed her. She wasn’t happy. She wasn’t hopeful. She was miserable, and the only thing she wanted to do was return home. The only thought that gave her hope, was returning…to you.
Now the boulder is heated, a confusing mix between guilt over your egregious error and joy from her repeated admission of cherishing your presence.
Val still doesn’t meet your eyes, but her chirps are less dejected, more resolved: It wasn’t until the fourth day apart that she realized it wasn’t worth it. That no good decision should ever make her feel that way. So, she turned around and came back, flying faster since she was no longer dreading the trip. She wanted to see you, but…
Val trails off. Her gaze finally drifts back to you. A single, strained warble: she decided…to check on her nest first…
Val’s beak tightens. The subtle rise and fall of her body with each breath becomes more pronounced. You’re starting to vibrate…no, it’s the claw on your back. Somehow, a growl slips out of her firmly clamped beak: that’s when…she…she…
Val’s looking at you, but she doesn’t see you anymore. Puffs of crimson emit from her chest vents; the nest itself is starting to shake. Her breaths are rapid and shallow, eyes growing wide in mounting fury.
You can’t bear to see her like this. You rise, quickly closing the distance. Out go your arms, wrapping around the top of her beak as you rest your forehead against it, closing your eyes while softly stroking the avian appendage. “It’s okay…s’alright…”
It doesn’t take long for her breaths to start calming, and you can’t help but flinch as something blankets your back, but realize it’s just her claws. They squeeze your diminutive body firmly into her beak as the trembling slowly lessens.
You don’t know how long you spend standing there, embracing Val, but eventually a sigh escapes her, and the pressure on your body eases up. You take that as your cue to step back and properly view her. She appears a little down, but at least she’s looking at you again, and the words you never got to say come naturally.
“You saved my life,” you whisper. “Thank you.”
Val shakes her head with an irritated growl mostly for herself, finding little comfort in your words: she never would’ve needed to if she didn’t leave.
You take issue with that statement. “Val, it was a freak accident. The wrong place at the wrong time. And, I know…” You sigh, rubbing your head. “…I know this is a bad time to say it, but…although we’re together a lot, we aren’t together all the time.”
Now her beak tightens.
“You were right: bad things can happen at any moment. And I…” You scratch your head to stave off the growing fuzzies. “…love that you worry about me so much. I really do.”
Val’s eyes narrow, adopting an unusually reserved expression.
“But you won’t ALWAYS be around to protect me.”
A warble instantly bursts out: but she wants to.
You both freeze. Her eyes widen, as though she just realized what she said, while the warm fuzzies attack you with a vengeance. Still, Val recovers before you, another hesitant warble seemingly affirming her words not just for you, but herself: she…wants to protect you. Always.
Your heartrate ramps up. Val’s starting to breathe harder, beak hanging open while her gaze alternates between you and the space surrounding you. Unsteady growls: she thought…she was going to lose you. First to a new mate that…she didn’t need to search for in the first place, and second, to that ’thing.’ And it…scared her.
Val’s chest heaves with each breath, vents discharging steady streams of energy. You feel hot, body growing number with every word spoken.
Her gaze settles on you, shaky warbles following: she sees the relief in your eyes when she returns from a gathering trip. She feels your shaking, and your heart racing every time you wake up in the middle of the night. She knows why you’ve been waking up, and she…hates it. She never wants you to be that terrified ever again. She doesn’t…want anyone else. She…doesn’t want to lose you.
Val takes a deep breath, eyes closing as she steels herself. An eternity passes, then her sharp crimson irises look firmly into yours as a single chirp breaks the silence: because…
‘I love you.’
…
Breathe.
Your heart is hammering. You’re no longer numb, the heat washing over you in waves. Val more than cares about you. She…loves you. It was more than jealousy that tore you up, it was heartbreak. Because…you love her free-spirited nature that comes with ruling the skies. You love her boasting that she’s always able to back up. You love how bashful she gets around you, and only around you. You love the silver digit that’s been pressing you further into her neck, tenderly stroking your trembling form after every traumatic nightmare. You love the faint kick of her hind leg when you scratch her crest, and her promise to drop you from the top of the stratosphere if you divulge that trait to anyone else. You love that, somehow, an elder dragon accustomed to living a life of solitude has grown to cherish your presence. You…
You love Val.
You break out of your stupor. How long were you lost in thought? You have an apology to make. Val’s breathing has mostly steadied, though her chest still pulses with crimson. You can see the minute twitches of her pupils scanning your frozen form; slightly on edge, awaiting your response.
“I’m…sorry,” you croak.
Val stiffens, beak clamping shut.
“I kept pushing you to leave when you didn’t want to.”
Val blinks.
“…When I didn’t want you to.”
Val loosens up, letting out a faint sigh. You don’t know what that was about.
“I smothered my own feelings because I thought your departure was a necessary event in your life. I…thought I was being selfish and jealous by wanting you to stay. But in the end, I ended up hurting both of us.”
She doesn’t seem bothered by your apology, and a few warbles confirm it: you only did what you thought was best for her.
You frown. “No, I should’ve respected your feelings more.”
Val shakes her head, smiling softly. A series of chirps: you didn’t force her to go. Ultimately, it was her choice to make. But now, she’s tired of dwelling on past mistakes, and would rather focus on the future.
Her expression shifts, a slightly more tentative smile blooming as another chirp questions you: that is, of course…if you…
What? If you wha–
Oh.
Your eyes widen, blurting out the first words that come to mind without a second thought. “YES, I do! I – I love you too!” You were so caught up in your own revelation and apology that you completely forgot to reciprocate her declaration. “I’M NOT…saying that jokingly like I usually do,” you hastily clarify, tripping over your words. “I mean it this time! Well, I…meant it those times too…but I mean it now…even more…” you awkwardly trail off. Your pulse is a mess. You could not have butchered this moment any harder if you tried.
“…I guess.”
Val, bless her heart, is unfazed by the airship wreck that is you. In fact, she appears amused, and you have to force a grin to hide the smoldering current of embarrassment working its way through your system. “…Yeah.” Your face must be redder than a Teostra, but you’re just relieved that she feels the same way about you.
A period of silence follows, but it doesn’t feel awkward. Val’s amusement tapers off, but she remains smiling, and you wonder what she’s thinking. Your own mind is abuzz over what the future holds. So, what happens now? Will anything change between you two? You don’t see any reason for that. Rather, you get to enjoy the added knowledge that your love runs deeper than friendship. You’ll probably start spending more nights at her roost, if such a thing is possible. Your own home has been collecting dust for several seasons, to the point where the villagers are surprised when you are there. And speaking of villagers…will they know? Hell, do they ALREADY know? Val spent an entire depressive week parked outside the building where you were recovering. You spent an entire depressive week in your house while she was gone. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots.
…Do you even care what they think…? No, you do not.
Movement makes you pause. Val has risen, and offers you a passing glance as she steps out of the nest. You observe her out of curiosity while she slowly walks away, eventually turning around once she reaches the center of the roost. She sits down, fluffing her wings while her gaze meets yours; calm, fairly neutral. But her chest vents exude flickers of energy. Your head cocks ever so slightly in intrigue. You’re definitely interested now.
Val’s head drifts up to the sky as her eyes close. She lets out a sigh, form sagging a little. Her beak creaks open, and –
A single high-pitched note rings through the air.
…
It carries beyond the roost, far louder than before. Held for a second, then proceeded by a lower warble. Each note leaves you breathless, and her melodic burst of ascending chirps send waves of heat flooding through your immobile form. A calling.
The last note hangs for a moment, fading out as Val lowers her head. A timid smile adorns her beak, complete with the steady puffs of crimson from her vents.
You’re rooted to the spot, heart pounding against your chest while your skin tingles. This isn’t practice. Val isn’t demonstrating for anyone. She’s baring her heart not to the world, but the person she loves.
She’s calling to you.
You’re moving before you can even tell yourself to move. Vaulting over and out of the nest, one unsteady step at a time. Your limbs are a mess. You’re trembling, and your heart feels like it’s stuck in your throat. You’ve never been so nervous in your entire life. You don’t want to get it wrong, to screw up and ruin the moment…again.
But your future…mate has called, and you WILL answer.
You come to a stop not too far from Val. She’s still smiling, and seeing that bolsters your spirit. It’s not the end of the world if you err; she won’t be disappointed. But you still want to do it properly. If Val could confess her love the human way, you can proclaim your love the Valstrax way.
You close your eyes as well, taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly. Let it all out; the nerves, the fear, and remember her melody…your melody. The memory flickers to life, and you do your best to focus on it, to embrace the hymn. Your hand raises, an unconscious conductor. You’re still nervous, but confidence has taken charge. One whistled note, lower in pitch than hers. Sotto voce. You can’t hold a candle to Val, both in volume and richness, but you’ll do your best.
You follow her lead. Lower, then a rising ladder that stops halfway, held briefly before descending to its start with a fading note. Still mediocre compared to hers, but…
You open your eyes. Val’s smile has brightened, and you remember her compliment over your basic talent. Of course she meant it. Your heart skips a beat, and you can’t help but smile a little too.
Her front half lowers, and you’re quick to return the bow with a flourish. Next up…
…Will you really? During such a sacred, soulful ritual?
Again, your movements are automatic. Walking forward: legs much sturdier than they were less than a minute ago, but heart still working overtime. You avoid eye contact with her, instead taking extreme interest in her foreclaws, but there’s an echo of a smile on your face. It isn’t until you take your position in front of her that you look up. Val’s head is tilted to the side, beak curled up in growing amusement. She isn’t curious; she knows exactly what’s coming. And really, would it NOT be poor manners to go against a lady’s expectations?
You can’t help but smirk a little, biting the corner of your lip to maintain your cool. Your eyes close for a moment as you let out a dramatic sigh, then…
You flex.
Start with the classic, it never fails. Don’t hold it for too long. Now move a little towards her side, and…new pose. Maintain eye contact with Val: this is a serious display you’re pouring your heart into, after all.
You can’t stop yourself from grinning, not just from your own actions, but Val. Her smile is wider than you’ve ever seen it, crimson eyes sparkling in delight. Your anxiety dies on the spot. She’s already hooked, but you’ve only just started.
It’s during a reposition, when you’re facing away while adopting another pose, that a low burst of sharp caws breaks the silence. Your grin only widens as the next set rises in volume, and you make sure to look back at her while you quickly move to her side.
Val throws her head back, entire body heaving with each throaty laugh. There’s nothing reserved about it; her eyes are closed, and the joy etched on her face is only surpassed by the loud caws shamelessly announcing her mirth to the world. Heat surges through you, and you can’t stop grinning. Your cheeks ache from the strain, and each caw only emboldens you to flex harder, to quickly dash past her forelegs and resume your display on the other side. You don’t care if she can’t see you right now. You’ve never felt such elation in your life. You love this. You love making Val happy.
When Val is happy, you’re happy.
You continue flexing and posing your way back to Val’s front while she recovers, laughter petering off with a sigh, albeit still beaming. Her head dips, searching for the source of her jubilance and finding you nearly finished, taking a few steps to place yourself back where you started. You pirouette, twirling around to flow smoothly into one final flex that finishes with a pose, hand extended to point at Val. A less cheesy, more charming grin as you wink, beckoning her forward with a finger.
Val’s smile eases up a little. No words of encouragement are needed this time; there’s zero hesitation as she rises, nor in her retreating steps as she distances herself, taking a page from your book by looking at the ground instead of you as you drop your pose. Still, she doesn’t appear nervous at all and her chest confirms it, not a trace of crimson to be found. When Val stops, she rolls her head, briefly flexing her body while her eyes close. There’s nothing special about it; it’s just to loosen her up, yet for some reason the gesture sparks an ember inside you. You know what’s coming…
She bows, her wings fanning out before swinging forward, tips crossing over each other to hide their owner from view. Then the dexterous limbs slowly pull apart to reveal Val, whose slitted pupils affix firmly to yours.
…You freeze.
Val rises. Slowly, carefully. Her wings flow to her sides as she stretches to the sky, jutting her chest out. Never breaking eye contact, beak slightly curled up in a smile, but...there’s more to it.
The ember has grown into fire, its intense heat spreading across your immobile form. Your heartrate ramps up. This intimate, heartfelt display…it’s for you.
Suddenly Val drops, darting forward to your right. She keeps low to the ground for a few steps. Fast, lithe. Rising up to a stop, stretching forward with her chest jut out, a set of foreclaws raised. You take in the muted argent scales encompassing her underside, and the exposed, glossier ones that reflect the late-afternoon sun. The subtle crimson accents across her chest vents and crest. Each large digit of her foreclaws, likely developed to better absorb the impact of landings. You’re familiar with all of these traits; your compliments when you first met are probably what made her decide you were worth keeping around. But now, as Val presents herself to you, you’re examining her in a new light. And that soft gaze that never leaves yours… it makes your pulse quicken.
Another burst forward, now to your left. Val almost glides across the ground, her movements as graceful as her flying and leaving her fairly close to you. She strikes the same pose, only with her other foreclaws raised, and you notice that one of them is partially broken. To anyone else it would be seen as a blemish, but for you? No, quite the opposite: a mark of pride, of her love for you. There are other signs as well. One shoulder doesn’t shine quite as bright as the other, indicating the ongoing regeneration of scales. She wears her scars proudly, and you only love her more for it.
The wing closest to you spreads wide open above you, casting a shadow over your form as Val slowly parades around. You’ve always been fascinated with her wings and the extraordinary flexibility and utility they offer, rivaling your own hands. Not even flying wyverns are granted such a gift, and she uses it to its full extent. You love the scorched, striped pattern permanently etched into each from the immense expulsion of draconic energy, the scales that fade to black just like on her fins, and the bits that protrude just past the membrane, giving it an appearance awfully similar to the feathers on an avian’s wing. And as Val completes her circuit, you gaze at her form again. Sleek, yet strong; incredibly, almost impossibly so. And she knows it; she’s always known. Her expression…you don’t know if it’s smugness or something else, but…the fire in your body burns hotter.
Then Val bolts forward, leaving you to stare as she moves nearly to the edge of the roost, twirling elegantly on her claws to face you. Her wings extend, pointed upward, and you recognize the hum of energy, orange flickers building in her wingtips – albeit not as intensely as normal – as her gaze finally breaks from yours to look up. She crouches, and you’re hit with a small wave of pressure as she bursts straight up into the air, flickers erupting into streaks. Her ascent is slow enough for you to easily follow, and you’re surprised when she stops, wings adjusting to instead hover.
Val is floating. Head pointed to the heavens; eyes closed. Her silver scales gleam underneath the sun, crimson clashing against its sky-blue backdrop.
You…think you understand now, what a Valstrax would see. Those supple wings keeping her airborne with an incredible stillness and even more incredible display of control. The sizeable foreclaws that have blanketed you every night. The deceptively powerful hind legs that leave you in the dust every time you challenge her to a race. Val…
Val is beautiful.
You don’t know how long she spends there suspended, nor how long you spend gaping at her. But eventually her wings shift, exhaust trails lessening, and she descends. Carefully, with just as much grace as everything else she’s done. She lands with barely a sound, wings coming to rest. Still smiling softly.
Then Val’s eyes open. A single step forward; precisely, deliberately. Then another, foreclaws directly in front of the first. And another. Sauntering towards you, those calm crimson irises never leaving yours. Her strut, her gaze, the light sway of her tail…it’s alluring. Your heart races at the thought.
Val’s beak opens, and her melody rings out. And even through your daze, when she calls, you will answer. Her last note is barely fading as yours begins, and she comes to a stop before you while your last few notes play. You can’t stop yourself from smiling through your whistling, and Val’s own brightens up. But this isn’t over, and you both know that.
Your last note peters off, and you use that brief second to gather yourself. You take a deep breath and close your eyes, tilting your head further back as Val follows suit, the pair of you directing your voices to the sky with confidence.
A duet of notes. Never practiced, never mentioned, but you know. Val knows. Her chirps, your whistling; in harmony, from the highest of notes to the descending burst that follows. No longer separate melodies, but one triumphant song announcing to the world:
A new unity.
The final note hangs in the air like an echo. You feel light-headed, and have to take a moment to refuel your lungs. But when you open your eyes, Val’s there, looking at you with the same joyful expression that gave you life during your display. A wide grin quickly forms on your own visage, and you automatically throw your arms out as she dives forward, nearly being pushed to the ground by the beak nuzzling its way into your torso. You can’t stop smiling, your body buzzing with delight as her foreclaws join the embrace to press you firmly into her.
Your cheek is smushed against Val. “I think we make a pretty good team,” you croon.
A light set of clicks is her only response, and you chuckle in turn. This happiness…you never want it to end. Your head adjusts, and without thinking, you plant a quick smooch on her beak. The appendage twitches, and it’s not long before a curious chirp inquires into your action.
“That? That was a kiss” you reply. “Because I love you.” You repeat the gesture.
Another burst of clicks as you bring your forehead back to her beak. You don’t know how long the pair of you will spend embraced, but you can do this all day. Val sighs, a wave of air washing over you before her claws shift, lightly rubbing up and down your form to match your own motions. Light warbles jostle you: she doesn’t need a mating ground. She doesn’t need a Valstrax. She doesn’t need anyone else…She wants you.
Your heart skips a beat, heat flooding through you.
Then a guttural growl, lower than anything you’ve heard Val produce. Husky in tone:
She needs you.
…
The fire has returned. Goosebumps dot your skin, tingling as your pulse skyrockets and your ministrations cease. Val’s courtship is still fresh in your mind; her lithe, almost…sensual movements. Your emotional attraction to her has always been a given. You’ve never thought about your physical attraction to her. But…after that display…and her voice…
You give Val another kiss. Slower this time, your lips lingering on her beak. A content click: soft…
You slide lower. As your lips touch Val, another throaty growl – almost teasing in tone – resonates through you: she wonders…what happens after courtship…?
Your breath is hot as you slowly trail down her beak, planting tender kisses as you please. Your arms resume stroking Val as her own digits stop, yet remain firmly pressed into you. A wave of intense heat washes over your lower half, alongside a low, teasing warble: she can feel your heart…it’s beating so fast. Why is that…?
You don’t know where in the world she learned to tease like this, if she was always like this, but by Gog it’s working. Your member twitches, your growing arousal impossible to ignore. You briefly pause, your voice as husky as hers. “After that display?” Another kiss. “…It knows what it needs.”
Your arms shift, one moving just underneath her ajar beak to nudge it. Val gets the hint, raising her head for you continue following the curve, another heat wave enveloping you as you kiss the tip of her beak. Her claws shift, loosening their pressure and her head lifts slightly; you spot the rows of sharp teeth lining her mouth while a slender pink tongue pokes out. It darts forward, the top catching your shirt and gently sliding upwards. The firm muscle makes contact with your face, and as it grazes your lips, you don’t think twice; your own reaches out to press firmly against hers.
You lightly trace against her tongue, taking in its pebbled texture, its warmth, the thin layer of saliva overpowering yours and coating your face. Her breath is a furnace that blankets you, hotter than the fire burning inside you and your own soft panting. As the tip of her tongue passes over your mouth, it pauses, and you slowly trace a circle around it, dipping down to glide your own across its smoother, slicker underside. So soft, so…large. Thicker than your arm. You want…no, need more. You need to kiss Val properly…but even through your building arousal, you recognize the size difference that ails you. Some things are truly impossible.
Val’s tongue finishes its journey, a gentle flick tilting your head back and leaving your face damp as it departs. Another rush of heat douses you, the digits on your form receding as she pulls back. Her chest vents pulse with energy and just like you, her breathing is heavy. As you gaze into her half-lidded crimson eyes, the sharpness normally present is gone, replaced with something more. Something that stokes your own flames, your cock starting to rise in response.
Lust.
Val rises to her full height, never taking her eyes off you as she steps over you to casually walk forward, the ground tremoring slightly. She stays just off to your side, one foreleg in front of the other as before. Her movements have just a little more sway, and as she passes by, her tail dips low. The thick silver appendage firmly brushes against you to travel further down its length with each step. You’re hypnotized by the…seductive sashay of her hips and the tail that seemingly guides you towards her, your cock nearly at full mast.
When the tip of her pronged tail finally reaches you, Val stops. She bows, and her tail gives you one final caress as it rises. Her hind legs shift, spreading out beyond their usual stance as if to brace herself. When she’s finished, Val’s tail is lifted well into the air, granting you a look at the muted scales of her underbelly, one spot standing out amongst the rest. At the base of her tail, just past her hind legs…
A hint of pink clashes against Val’s argent scales.
…
You’ve grown quite familiar with her underside, but in all the time you’ve spent voluntarily or involuntarily staring at her, you’ve never seen Val’s…slit. You think you would’ve noticed by now, but it’s not like you were actively trying to find anything. Yet, there it is.
Your heartrate is working double-time to keep blood pumping not just through your body, but into the erection straining against your pants. You glance down to the ground, past Val’s legs and just off to the side where you can see her head peeking beyond her limbs, craned back to look at you. A single eye watches you, her expression painted in desire. One lustful chirp hangs in the air:
‘Please…’
You’ve never thought about Val in such a way until today. But now, as the one you care about the most presents herself to you, tail raised to the sky, begging you to take her…your need, your desire couldn’t be any clearer. The inferno in your chest knows what you want. It’s as obvious as your love for her, and hers for you.
You want to fuck Val.
A drop of pre forms on the tip of your cock while you step forward to her alluring display, one hand already moving to remove your shirt. Towards the thin, flushed horizontal line of pink in an ocean of silver…wait, is it sideways…?
Val’s genital slit is indeed sideways. Not what you were expecting, but it doesn’t matter in the slightest. Your shirt is discarded to the ground as you approach, her most intimate entrance resting above and well out of reach, almost teasing you with its placement…
Well…out of reach…
…
You stop. Somewhere along the line, your other head took charge, but your brain is starting to assume direct control once more. And now, through your lustful haze – as you stare up at Val’s slit – the most glaringly obvious roadblock finally hits home.
“…I…can’t.”
You look back down to Val’s head. Her mounting confusion is apparent, and you’re quick to answer the unspoken question.
“No, I – literally can’t.” The corners of your mouth creep up. “I’m…too short.”
The ensuing stillness could be cut with a knife. Val stares wordlessly at you with a blank expression you can’t place. And for some reason, the more the awkward silence drags on, the more amusing the situation gets. You huff to suppress the giggles threatening to form.
“I didn’t think about it either.” Never have you gone from one hundred to zero so quickly, and your erection withers as you slowly lose the battle against yourself, biting your lip to avoid smiling.
Val finally blinks, and her head turns away. You take the opportunity to quietly wheeze to yourself as she rises, lowering her tail and almost hitting you in the process. Now that your mind is going back to normal, you also realize just how much smaller you are than her…sexually. Would she even feel anything? What an utter mood killer.
You manage to collect yourself and adopt what you hope is a suitably apologetic face as Val turns around to approach. Her chest vents have calmed and she appears annoyed – you’d undoubtedly feel the same if your conundrum wasn’t so hilarious. It could NOT have cock-blocked you at a worse time, and for BOTH of you to forget that crucial, blatant detail…
You snort as Val comes to stop in front of you, sighing. A snappy click of her beak tells you all: this isn’t funny.
Still, through her displeasure you can see a non-existent eyebrow raised and the echo of a smile forming. You’ve definitely rubbed off on her if she’s now able to find some form of amusement in the ruins of what was supposed to be The Perfect Moment, and you’re determined to salvage the situation. Your cock won’t work, but there are other ways…
“I…need something to stand on.” You begin slowly turning around, examining the perfectly flat roost for any sort of elevation that would offer a suitable perch. “Otherwise, we’ll probably have to try a…different position. I mean, if you’re okay with it. It’s kind of…well…”
A curious chirp floats from behind as you stare at a somewhat low rocky outcrop extending above the edge of the roost. Should you? Are you that horny, to the point where you’d risk falling backwards into the great beyond just to please Val?
…Kind of.
Maybe you can do better. You keep turning as you assemble a suitable choice of words to respond to her prodding. “Humans normally…mate with the female laying on her back.”
Intrigued warbles this time. You were honestly expecting her to be more offended by the idea. Your search is nearly finished and you’ve found nothing. “Yeah, but less ‘mounting’ and more like he lays on top. Unfortunately, now that I actually say it out loud, it wouldn’t be possible. Your fins would get in the way.” You complete your rotation, sighing in disappointment as you look back up to Val, whose gaze has drifted away. She appears to be lost in –
Wait. You glance back down, past her forelegs, past her hind legs, where your new residence sits. The nest. Its walls…of course!
“Val!” Now she focuses on you as you point to salvation. She twists a little to see, and when her head turns back, a knowing smile is forming. Her only response is a light jerk of her head towards the nest, beckoning you forward as she turns around to start walking. Your heart skips a beat as you follow suit, the embers you assumed snuffed out starting to reignite.
As you stroll, you can’t help but take a peek at Val’s mostly hidden underbelly. Her tail is low to the ground, but you can still sort of see it from this angle. Interestingly, her slit is less pronounced than before, just a sliver of pink visible now. Does it only show itself during arousal? That would explain why you’ve never seen it before.
Your perverted staring causes your member to stir. Then, as if reading your mind, Val’s tail slowly raises, granting you proper view of her entrance. The inner walls seem to become more pronounced with each step, and your body flares up. Is she doing this on purpose? Does she know you’re looking? Your cock rises at the thought. She’s such a tease.
By the time Val steps inside the nest, your erection has returned to full mast. You stop at the wall, taking the opportunity to remove the rest of your clothes. Even if your cock isn’t doing any penetrating, it just feels right. Previously you’ve been shy about being nude around her, but that’s an issue of the past when you’re about to do far worse…or rather, BETTER things.
As your undergarments are tossed aside you hear the nest crinkling. It isn’t until you look back up that you see Val has turned around to face you. Her expression is somewhat sensual, expecting, but there’s an air of curiosity in it. You don’t hesitate to climb up the mishmash of branches and dirt, fully exposing yourself to her and the cool afternoon air.
You don’t have to crane your head as much to observe the crimson eyes that drink in your form…or rather, one part of it. Val is more than familiar with your torso, and it’s clear that her interest lies further south. Right, she’s never seen it before.
Despite this being your first time completely naked in front of her, you don’t feel too self-conscious. In fact, you’re enjoying the attention and mildly tickled by her fascination as she leans down, head cocked to the side to continue staring at your unabashedly erect cock…although the lack of action is starting to dull your arousal.
“A little different than what you were expecting?” Now that you think about it, has Val ever seen a penis before? You might be her first, and for some reason the thought excites you, your cock throbbing in response. A drop of pre is forming at the tip, threatening to fall down. More than that: Val has never had sex before…although she’s already a natural at the art of seduction. You’re definitely her first, and that’s all the more reason to make this a memorable event, hiccups notwithstanding.
A short warble confirms it: is it always that erect? Does it always hang out, completely exposed?
You chuckle, resting your hands on your hips. “It looks like this when aroused, and yes, it always ‘hangs out.’ That’s one of the reasons I always wear pants.”
Val’s beak inches closer, but its only when it slightly parts that you realize what her intention probably is. The tip of the slim muscle darts forward, and you twitch as your cock is subject to a wet, warm wall that briefly glazes over it. Her tongue departs as quickly as it arrived, leaving your cock damp, void of pre, and already demanding more.
You smile a little as Val leans back, tongue returning to its home. A second passes, then her beak scrunches up in distaste, the action causing you to snort.
One click: bleh. The dream of Val giving you head dies on the spot, but it was more a fleeting want than real desire. You desire something else. Your only goal is to give her as much pleasure as possible.
“Yeah. But enough with this.” A sensual grin forms as you raise a finger, twirling it. “You gonna turn around or do I have to do it for ya?”
Val blinks, and a pang of doubt forms in your gut. Maybe you took it too far.
But then she huffs, and you detect a flicker of heat departing her chest. A shy smile forms as she obliges, giving you one last look that stokes the flames in you. Her tail raises just in time to swing over you, giving you full view of her slit, which is just above your head. Your cock throbs at the sight; you’ll never get tired of this view.
“Back up to the wall and lower your haunches, please.” As Val does so, you can’t help but chime in with your own opinion. “Y’know, since we’re talking differences, I’ll admit: I wasn’t expecting yours to be sideways.”
Her heels are almost touching the wall as she stops, a somewhat confused chirp drifting from Val’s hidden head, but you’re barely paying attention. Right in front of you, in line with your member, is her entrance. Its pink walls glisten, inviting you in, and your heart beats faster. Patience…
“Yeah, humans’ are vertical,” you respond with little thought. “Up and down, not left and right.”
Your hand slowly reaches out to her slit, another slightly puzzled chirp floating by. You won’t start –
Wait, what did Val just say?
You halt. Her last word lingers in your head.
“’Clo…aca’?” The term hangs on the precipice of your memories. Why does it sound familiar…?
A short burst of hesitant, questioning warbles as you stare at Val’s…cloaca, pressure building in your head as you try to recall its definition.
“No…the females do not. It really doesn’t matter regardless, but…I swear I’ve read abOH!” Sweet, sweet relief floods your brain as the memory surfaces. One entrance is shared with multiple tracts. “Right!” How convenient. Although, that does raise the potential issue of –
An unamused growl interrupts your pondering, and it’s impossible to miss the strained tone: if you compare her to birds one more time…
…
“What?! I WASN’T!” You can’t help but chuckle a little, which doesn’t help your case. Val’s head is blocked by her massive wings, but you can hear the sharp snapping of branches as her claws dig in to the nest in presumed annoyance.
“This time I wasn’t! I swear!” You quietly wheeze to yourself…again. Just…why did she choose NOW to bring that up?! You think you can literally see her vent folding back in real time, her walls slowly disappearing from sight. Your own erection is rapidly fading, and once again the mood has been killed. The pair of you are on a roll today.
You grin – mostly in exasperation – while a miffed warble, almost defeated in tone and probably not meant for you, trails off: why did she think this was going to be serious…
Hey now…you’re mildly offended by that. But, you know she’s not exactly…‘experienced’ in this matter, so you don’t blame her. And in fact, if it wasn’t for one key detail, she’d be fully in the right to feel that way.
You step away from Val’s backside, hopping off the wall and into the nest and walking forward until her head is visible. She must’ve heard your movement, because her head has already turned to face you. Her expression is fairly neutral, but you know that’s not how she feels. She remains silent as you come to a stop in front of her, smiling softly while holding up two fingers.
“Two things.” Which to start with… “First: we’re mostly familiar with each other by now. Mentally, emotionally, physically…but not sexually” You shrug. “We still have a lot to learn in that department, and when our anatomy differs, we’re bound to run into surprises during the discovery phase. Do you agree?”
Val looks away for a moment, then gives a click of her beak. Great.
“Second: sex – sorry, ‘mating’ is a serious, intimate affair…for the most part. That I agree with.”
At that, Val’s expression and form slumps a little. She definitely didn’t think you heard her.
“But, minor hitches can occur. Maybe someone slips, or says something unintentionally funny…or the romantic couple are too lust-driven to remember just how much smaller the male is – “
An amused smirk is forming on her beak.
“– or the male realizes his mate has an unexpected, yet incredibly attractive cloaca.”
Now Val snorts, and your smile widens.
“Things happen, and it throws off their rhythm; it lessens, or outright kills the mood. BUT, that’s no reason to stop. They take a moment to collect themselves and once both parties are ready – if both parties are ready – they resume. And when it happens to be an interspecies couple’s first time together, hitches WILL occur. It’s inevitable.”
Val’s looking at you, but her gaze is unfocused. Her face has fallen a little, which isn’t what you wanted, but it needed to be said.
Your smile becomes more apologetic. “That said; if you believe my actions strayed too far for your comfort, I’m sorry. I promise to be completely serious from this point on. If, of course…you want to…” your voice trails off.
Several seconds pass as her expression slowly morphs to mirror your own. When Val finally refocuses on you, a timid warble apologizes for being so negative.
You scoff, dismissing it with a hand wave as you walk towards her. “Nothing to apologize for! Now come here, it’s been minutes since I last hugged you and I’m already gettin’ antsy.”
Val rolls her eyes, but she does lighten up as her head lowers to make contact with you. The smooth texture of her beak feels oddly pleasant against your exposed skin, and you enjoy stroking the warm surface more than usual. You’re starting to get used to being nude amongst nature. Maybe you should do this more often.
You smooch Val’s beak. Loudly. The prolonged, exaggerated squelch of suction causes a wave of heat to wash over you as she huffs, and the avian appendage digs just a little more into your torso.
“I think we’ve gotten over most of the hurdles,” you murmur, “so how about we keep going?”
The click of her beak jostles you, and you give Val one last kiss before stepping back to properly view her. She’s in better spirits and her light smile is genuine, but the atmosphere is anything but erotic. You need to fix that.
“Two more things. Let me know if I…um…” You suddenly feel awkward, as one usually does when discussing biological affairs. “…if I…‘stray’ off the beaten path, so to speak.”
You can already see the confusion mounting on her face, so you continue, occasionally taking interest in the space aside her head. “Well, when you have…multiple tunnels all converging at one entrance…there’s always a chance…”
An amused series of chirps spare you: the vaginal canal distends and shuts off access to the other tunnels when aroused, so it’s impossible to penetrate anything else.
That…makes perfect sense and lines up with what you’ve seen so far. “Oh. Good! Thank you for the biology lesson.” You rub your heated face to stifle your growing embarrassment, both from your error and Val’s humored expression. “Like I said: discovery phase. And lastly, your pleasure is paramount. So if I’m not hitting the right spot, or you want me to go faster, or keep doing exactly whatever it is I’m doing, let me know. Communication is key, but…” You grin. “You aren’t shy about speaking your mind so I’m probably stating the obvious.”
A confident click. Val is on board, you’re on board; all that’s left is to set the mood.
“Now…” Your eyes become a little heavier, expression sultrier while you step towards Val. “…enough talk. We’re both done waiting.” Your hand reaches up to caress the underside of her beak, trailing across to her cheek as you walk alongside her head. Only her crimson eye adjusts to watch you, and it’s grown softer. You wink before shifting your attention forward, your other hand joining in as you reach her neck. What might a monster want to hear…? What might Val want to hear? “You…need this.” You glide along the smooth silver scales that briefly constrict as you move to Val’s chest.
“…To feel the heat in your chest.” Almost on cue, you detect a small puff of energy from her chest. You step underneath her, lifting your arms to continue down her underside. Your hands carefully glide along her chest vents, and a flicker of hot crimson washes over you.
“…To moan as I mate you,” you husk. You can detect the more pronounced falls of her breaths, and the form towering above shifts slightly lower as you continue past her chest, allowing you easier access to her underbelly. The scales here are coarser, smaller, and perhaps more sensitive…
Your cock is stirring as your imagination goes wild. Your hands never stop caressing Val, doting over as much as your diminutive size can reach. And as you stray closer to your prize, you stop just aside her hind legs.
The slender limb flinches at your touch that starts from the ankle, slowly running up the rough inner scales of her hock. You feel the powerful muscles beneath tensing up from your stroking. So deceptively strong…
“I want…these beautiful legs to quiver in ecstasy.” Up to Val’s thigh now, and as your fingers glide further towards her haunches, her leg shifts, leaning in and applying pressure to your touch. Your own chest is heating up, your member rising in response to her desire.
“…until you can barely stand…as I rut you,” you growl.
Your arms briefly vibrate as Val shivers, and your cock rises to attention as the claws before you dig into the nest, the sounds of crinkling filling the relative silence.
“…Just like that.”
A quick glance to the side shows Val’s head up and out of view, but you can see the small puffs of energy from her chest. Good enough. Your hands resume their travel along her underbelly, and she dips even lower into your touch. But you’re at the wall now, and all good things must come to an end. You reluctantly part from your teasing, awkwardly hoisting yourself up due to your erection.
Val’s tail hangs high in the air, and your gaze is immediately drawn to the alluring pink entrance peeking out from her ventral scales. You want to dive right in, but where’s the fun in that?
Instead, you stretch up, touching the underside of her tail with both hands. Resuming your innocent strokes, slowly trailing down, closer and closer…
The form before you shudders as your hands stop just above her slit. Even here, the increase in warmth is noticeable. You can only imagine how heavenly her walls must feel, and your own fire burns stronger from the thought, your cock throbbing in turn. Don’t be selfish now…
Her ventral scales are less pronounced and somewhat rough, but you enjoy dancing your fingers across them all the same as you trace along the edges of Val’s slit. Your hands move in opposite directions, coaxing another shiver out of her.
Then a husky warble, more akin to a mewl, breaks the silence: please…
You haven’t even penetrated Val and she’s already cracking. She’s quite sensitive, more than you were expecting, and you wonder if she’s ever…’experimented’ with herself.
“Since you asked so nicely…” you coo while your hands meet to finish their circuit. You rest one against her scales while the other slowly slides up. Normally you’d start with a finger or two, but her size makes it pointless.
Slick velvet caresses your digits, her heat enticing you further as you slowly ease in. You can see Val briefly tense up from the intrusion, along with a sharp inhalation from her hidden head. You wish you could see her face; just the thought makes your cock twitch.
Her walls are pleasantly snug, but you aren’t going far. You stop at your wrist, then carefully pull out, exposing your hand to the cool afternoon air. Right before you reenter, a couple of chirps –sounding slightly out-of-breath – pipe up: it’s more sensitive…at the entrance.
That…is extremely valuable information. But your cockhead is the most sensitive part, yet you don’t only focus on that area so, just to make sure…
“You want me to focus on that spot?”
A pause, then another warble: keep doing…whatever you want.
An involuntary huff of amusement escapes you. You give a mini speech about communication and then she tells you to do as you please. Well, at least you know she’ll speak if anything changes.
To reward Val’s communication skills, your next careful thrust proceeds past your wrist, ending halfway up your forearm. More light shivers, and the faint crunch of branches snapping while you remove your arm. Her trembling doesn’t stop as you push back in, halting at your elbow. But when you start to pull out, she shifts. Val’s haunches slightly push back, determined to prevent your limb from leaving. Wordlessly expressing her desire for more.
More pre is forming at the tip of your member, your heart beating faster from the display. Oh, you’ll give her more. As your busy hand departs her slit, you remove your idle one from its resting spot below her entrance, placing it next to its wet partner. Now…
Both of your arms gently slide into Val’s tantalizing folds, parting them with zero resistance. As you push deeper, a drawn-out, higher-pitched mix between a warble and growl graces your ears. You’ve never heard it before, but your own breathing hitches at the sound, chest flaring up in heat. That might be the hottest thing you’ve ever heard, and you once again rue your inability to see her face.
Up to your elbows, then back out. You fall into a steady rhythm as you firmly pump into Val. Her wings, previously dormant, flex briefly, their trembling more pronounced than the sleek argent haunches that fully consume your view.
Your arms twist a little, massaging the warm walls that seem to constrict on each thrust. You can hear Val’s increasingly labored breaths in between her periodic needy warbles, and it only fuels your fire, your cock pulsing in response. This is what you wanted. You want Val to get lost in the ocean of pleasure coursing through her. You want to give Val the best – and possibly first – orgasm of her life. You want Val to collapse to the ground, legs too weak to support her after riding a blissful, orgasmic high.
Throughout your dutiful pumping, a thought has been pestering you: you want to make this even better for her. You want to caress Val’s beautiful, argent scales. You want to feel her body tremble underneath your touch with each thrust. You want to growl into her ear as you mate her. So, so many wants…but you recognize the impossibility of some of them. You are simply too small.
But…maybe you can meet yourself halfway. Your eyes drift down to Val’s shapely hind legs. It’s worth a shot.
Each bestial moan is music to your ears, but you’ll have to put them on pause. You withdraw your love-soaked arms from Val’s slit, relishing in the small trickle of juices that has started running down from her entrance. She’s probably coherent enough to hear you.
“Val,” you start, and you surprise yourself with your somewhat labored breath. You’re more worked up than you thought. “Move your hind legs close together, lean forward a little and lower your haunches.”
Only the sound of soft panting replies, but right when you’re about to supplement your request with “if you want to,” she shifts. Val’s legs tighten together, haunches lowering until her vent is no longer at chest height nor reachable…at least from your current spot. You also spot the grooves where her claws previously dug into the nest. Hot…
You hop down, landing with unexpected grace on a scaled hock, which remains mostly parallel with the floor. Your weight is negligible to Val, but even so you feel the limbs underneath you tense up while you balance yourself on both, putting her slit in line with your chest. Great.
“Now…” you purr, placing your hands on Val’s entrance to softly stroke the visible walls. They pulse under your touch, a light growl-warble escaping her.
Your arms push back into her heated slit; no teasing, no slower pace, just resuming right where you left off. You’re vibrating: the legs beneath you shiver, and you’re shifted as her claws find purchase into the nest, another lustful moan your reward. Your chest is aflame, and you have to sharply exhale to calm the rapid beating of your heart. It’s not exactly the same as a traditional mounting, but you hope the physical contact enhances her experience.
Your thrusts are firmer, maintaining the same speed but applying a bit more pressure on Val’s walls. Her contractions are more noticeable, and you hear not only the crunch of wood breaking beneath every set of claws, but also the deep breaths that tremor her form and into you. Yet, it still isn’t enough for you.
“If I could,” you start, your voice husky, “I’d do you proper. You’d feel the weight on your back…as I mounted you.”
Her growls are increasing in pitch, and her haunches push back to meet your thrusts. Your erection is dripping with pre, pining for relief, but it’s easy to ignore when your mate is lost in the throes of pleasure.
“I’d take those foreclaws in mine…and pin them to the ground as I rut you.”
You’re in love with Val’s amorous shaking that trembles your own body, your new position allowing you to at least share in her pleasure. Her legs shift slightly, and you find your stance automatically widening alongside her own. From your peripheral vision you spot movement, and a quick glance reveals her wings slowly stretching out from rest, although still maintaining their ‘fused’ appearance.
“You’d feel the heat washing over your neck…over your scales…as I bit you.”
Val’s throaty warbles have grown unsteady, sharper and less drawn-out to match her hastened breaths. Your stance spreads out even more, and you find yourself sinking…? No, Val’s legs are lowering. She’s no longer pushing back, but leaning forward. Almost as if you were mounting her…
Your heart is racing; you can feel the hotness of your own breathing, nearly as heavy as Val’s. Is she close? Your arms never stop pumping into her, upward at a slight angle now due to your new position. Her slick walls tighten on each thrust, and your cock throbs at the thought of them milking you dry…
“I want…” you growl “…to make you gravid with our young.”
Just as you’re about to pull out, your hand slides over a soft protrusion that doesn’t mesh well with the texture your arms have grown familiar with. You stop. Is that her –
A rolling, strained growl forces its way into your attention. Low at first, then rapidly rising in pitch and volume. Val is kneeling, the legs beneath you shaking in growing intensity that has the entire nest vibrating. Her heated folds clamp down on your arms, and as her growl erupts into a light, piercing shriek, you realize what’s happening. Already?
Through Val’s electrifying peak – as she roars in ecstasy – you can distinguish the cacophony of branches disintegrating. Her legs tense up even more, and you’re caught off guard when you suddenly drop a bit lower to the ground. Glancing behind, you find that her claws have lost purchase on the floor, instead clenching firmly around air.
Holy…There’s an inferno in your chest, your cock rock hard at the display. Val’s lustful roar…feeling the powerful limbs underneath you quivering in bliss, too overwhelmed to even stand…the slick, pulsing walls that have your arms in a vice. You NEED to see her face, to look at her as she experiences the greatest pleasure of her life. You’d pay a million zenny to view Val’s head at this otherwise perfect moment.
Seconds? Minutes? Your heartrate is a mess while time loses all meaning during Val’s climax. Her roar peters out, continuing into unsteady growls as her body still trembles, slit refusing to release you as you ride out the waves. But eventually you feel her legs slowly lose tension, shaking less on each exhalation. Her folds loosen, and her haunches shift lower from the permanently raised spot they were in. You use the come-down to somewhat steady your own heart, taking an extra minute to compose yourself and allow Val to bask in the afterglow. Then you carefully remove your arms from her slit, coaxing a shiver out of her.
She’s probably satisfied.
You hop off to the side, your erection bobbing as you casually stroll around a limp wing, inspecting Val. She’s prone to the floor, essentially lying down save for her tail, which still hangs in the air. The pronounced rise and fall of her body as she recovers is a lovely sight, along with the occasional involuntary twitch from her claws. Navigating around her wing, you spot her head mostly on its side, resting on the floor facing away from you. If she was in this position the entire time you were railing her: face down, haunches up…
Curse your diminutive form.
Val remains (mostly) still as you approach. From this angle you can see her beak open, still softly panting, and just that sight is enough to fuel your erection for minutes to come.
A crimson eye locks with yours as you circle around, and you can’t prevent yourself from adopting a reserved, but still smug smile. Val’s expression is that of someone struggling to return to the mortal realm. She appears slightly out of it; her beak shifts in what you assume is supposed to be an attempt at speech, but nothing comes out.
Gog, your ego may have just surpassed hers.
You proudly rest your sticky hands on your hips. “So…how was it?”
Val’s eyes lose focus for a moment. Her beak once again moves, and a pitiful mewl dribbles out. You have no idea what that means; she must realize it too, because when she refocuses on you, her actual proper response is… a faint nod. She’s adorable.
You can only huff to stave off the amusement, fighting back a chuckle. “I…am glad you feel that way.”
A faint smile forms on Val’s beak while her gaze drifts lower. Meanwhile you’re thinking about the subtle ache in your member. Now that the fun is over, going this long without stimulation of any kind is starting to bother you. But it won’t kill you to put up with discomfort as long as Val is –
A light, questioning warble snaps you out of your thoughts, and your attention returns to Val, who’s staring at the cause of her inquiry. You look down, joining her in shamelessly gawking at your erection. This is what gave her back the gift of speech…?
“Hmm? Oh, no, it goes soft after orgasm.”
Val’s growing puzzlement isn’t lost on you, and you answer the question you know was coming. “No, it was impossible since my hands were occupied with you.”
You can almost feel the raw perplexity radiating off of Val now, every response only leaving her with more questions. That you (probably) know what’s she’s thinking is a testament to your bond.
“Well, sometimes when a male needs release, he –“ You pause. Wait…there’s another way to interpret her confusion. “Ohhh…sorry. What I meant is I used my arms and hands on you.” You hold up an arm, pointing at the thin film of dried juices on your forearm.
Val blinks.
“Yup.”
Her confusion rapidly fades, morphing into…something less than thrilled. You raise an eyebrow, your own cheerful mood diminishing somewhat. “What?”
A tentative chirp questions you, and you aren’t dense enough to miss the loaded nature of it: you…used your arm?
“…Yes?”
Val’s head rises off the floor to properly observe you. She doesn’t appear upset, but she definitely isn’t happy.
“Not to disparage myself too much but, do you see the size difference between my arm and my cock? Between me and you? There’s no way this – “ You gesture to your fading erection “– would do anything for you.”
Val observes at you for a few seconds, and for some reason you feel the weight of guilt seeping in. She looks…somewhat disappointed. A low growl confirms it: you…didn’t mate her?
“Val, sex – dammit, ‘mating’ can be more than just the male thrusting his penis into the female for the sole purpose of procreation. You don’t have to stick to penile penetration, and in this case, I decided it didn’t make sense. I wanted you to feel good. I wanted you to orgasm, and my penis would not’ve achieved that.”
A firm series of warbles fire right back: she wanted you to thrust your penis into her for the optional purpose of procreation.
You’re put into a weird spot where you want to laugh at Val’s blunt admission, but the guilt coursing through you is making it difficult. Eventually the latter wins, and although your mouth automatically creaks open in rebuttal, you have nothing to say. Val silently stares at you, though you don’t have a read on her emotions thanks to your own thoughts running amok.
She’s right, obviously. Ultimately it doesn’t matter if she came; it’s clear she doesn’t value that over you mating her ‘properly’. All of this is for her, and if she isn’t satisfied at the end – which right now it looks like she isn’t – then what’s the point? You should’ve started by doing exactly what Val wanted, and when/if it was needed, progress beyond that. Common sense that you failed to consider because you were too preoccupied with your own selfish wants.
You return to reality with a sigh. Val is looking away and off to the side. She appears to be lost in thought.
“…You’re right. I’m – “
A gentle click of her beak cuts your apology off, shushing you.
…Huh?
Val rises, and your confusion mounts as she turns to walk away. Still, even through the fog of regret clouding your thoughts, your pride swells to critical levels at the sight of her trembling, bow-legged gait, tail swinging and wings adjusting to maintain balance.
That was all you.
Val steps out of the nest, and your sight drifts to her recent spot of rest. The splintered, deep gashes stick out like a sore thumb amongst the relatively flat floor, and…is that spot singed?! That must’ve been where her chest was. After today’s raunchy event, the pair of you will need to perform some…restorations to the nest. Maybe it would’ve been better for her to stand outside of it.
Looking back to Val, you see she’s strolled over to one of the natural walls along the edge of the roost. Her gaze alternates between it and the ground, head cocked slightly to the side. Then a foreclaw stretches forward, and you’re treated to the grating sound of stone disintegrating beneath it. She presses into the ground a few times, a small frown forming on her beak. You have no idea what she’s trying to accomplish.
Val’s wings stretch out and forward, trident-like wing talons reaching down to the ground: one set in the groove and the other spaced aside it.
Your poor ears are promptly violated by the harsh ruckus of not one, but two sources of stone being pulverized. Val’s wings casually dig into the ground with as much effort as you would use when shoveling soft dirt, and you’re reminded once again of the absurd power oft hidden in her.
Hot…
When she stops, she takes a few steps back, wings trailing across the ground, and you assume she’s finished. But then the noise resumes, and at this point you’re utterly baffled.
“…May I ask what you’re doing?”
No response, not even a glance up. It sounds like two Khezu going at it, so she probably didn’t hear you. You make your way to the nest wall, leaning against it to observe Val’s strange behavior.
You’d guess it takes about a minute of scraping, but eventually Val does relent, stepping back and staring at her work. Two sets of two grooves have appeared in the ground, their depths unknown to you from this view. Dust, pebbles, and debris mar the vicinity, but she appears satisfied with the results. She paces to the side of the grooves, sight still set on them. Then her wings flare out, and after a quick glance at them, she drops to the ground.
You raise an eyebrow as Val attempts to…roll over?
…This is new.
Her massive wings are in the way, and you’re seeing their flexibility in full force as they expand. Val continues twisting, the occasional grunt forcing its way out as she works on flipping over. You don’t know what would compel her to do this, but you do know her fins will get in the way regardless.
Val must’ve figured something out, because her wings move up to her head and against the wall, leaving her free to continue rotating. Her back arches a little, and you’re surprised at what little space appears between it and the ground. Shouldn’t her fins…oh, the grooves! She rolled onto them. So that’s why she was digging.
Val’s wings lower, stretching out beside her as she scooches back. It’s admittedly cute, seeing her beak scrunched up in concentration while she wriggles along the stone. But she isn’t doing this for show; her head and back lift off the ground until they’re partially supported by the wall. It doesn’t look particularly comfortable, but she’s the one who naps on bedrock without a care in the world, so…
Val’s head cranes forward, looking around at her setup. Her wings lay on the ground, flexing briefly. Both sets of foreclaws rest beside her; combined with her legs lazily splayed out, she looks like she’s lounging. It’s cute, and you smile as she lets out a sigh of satisfaction.
Then Val’s attention turns to you, and her expression changes instantly: softer, eyes half-lidded.
You freeze.
A foreclaw raises to point at you. Two casual flicks; beckoning you towards her with the same gesture you use.
…
This was her goal. You didn’t think it was possible, or that she’d even want to assume a vulnerable position. Yet, she carved out a section of rock just to lie on her back, so you can…
You vault out of the nest without second thought, your cock stirring. Val motions at you with her head all of the time, but doing it with her claws – just like you – sparked something inside.
Val’s eyes never leave you as you slowly approach, low warbles instructing you: this time, you…are going to do it properly.
Your chest flares up, heat flooding your system.
Husky chirps: she wants…to watch you mate her.
Bits of rubble poke at your bare feet as you walk alongside her tail. You think you can hear the rapid beating of your heart, your member rising in response to her teasing.
A hint of crimson puffs from her chest, heavy warbles continuing: she wants…your cock in her…
Val heard that term once and already knows how to use it; and by Gog, it’s working. Your cock stands proudly at full mast as you come to a stop just before her hind claws.
A lustful growl:
‘Now.’
Your breathing is already hot, and you oblige Val, slipping past her claws and to the base of her tail. You can see her slit, its alluring pink walls exposed to you and a clear sign of her need.
You hoist yourself onto her tail, awkwardly crawling forward thanks to your erection. Her underbelly scales are a bit rough on your exposed skin, but you’ll live. Soon enough you’re looming over Val’s entrance, erection pointed straight at it like it knows where it wants to be.
You…definitely want to do this. But amidst your arousal is a pestering thought, reminding you that it hasn’t been that long since Val came, and you’re familiar with the sensitivity that follows post-orgasm.
You look up to Val, whose head sits comfortably above. Energy flickers from her chest, beak slightly parted from her heavy breaths.
“Just to – “
A click immediately cuts you off. Your name.
“Yes?”
Val’s crimson eyes narrow, a throaty, demanding growl reverberating through you: shut…up, and BREED her.
…
Your chest is an inferno, and you swallow hard, letting out a deep breath. You don’t think your cock can get any harder, and the same epiphany from earlier rears its head:
You NEED to fuck Val.
Your gaze returns to her slit. One arm supports you while you lower yourself, the other guiding your cock. No relishing the moment, no hesitation; once your tip makes contact with her heated entrance, you push right in.
You’re nearly overwhelmed by the silken walls caressing your cock, an unsteady breath involuntarily escaping you as you tremble. The warmth, the slick softness…your arms could never properly appreciate this. You also basically blue-balled yourself earlier, so it makes the relief all the more satisfying.
You can feel Val’s massive form tensing up as your hips become flush with her exposed vent. She’s so warm. The disparity between her ventral scales and the light breeze on your back is like night and day. All that dragon energy inside has to be used somehow…
You glance back up, a difficult task when you’re lying on Val. Her gaze is softer but still amorous, beak slightly curled up in a smile. A whisper of a click: …just like that.
You lightly huff, your own smile forming before you focus back on her slit. Because her walls slightly protrude, it feels natural to pull out until your cockhead is kissing her entrance, then thrust back in. You fall into the timeless push-pull of sex, finding it arousing how your balls press against her slit with each thrust, coating them and your hips in her juices.
Since Val is so much larger, to avoid straining your neck, you’re relegated to staring at her ventral area or the larger-than-you hind legs walling off most of your view, the latter of which is…pretty hot. You can see them twitch a little in time with your thrusts, and a quick glance back reveals her claws slightly flexing in turn. Val did say her vent was most sensitive at the entrance, and you’re glad you’re able to bring some pleasure to her.
But…it’s more than that. She doesn’t care about whether or not you make her cum; Val made that clear. Her enjoyment, her pleasure, comes from knowing that you’re mating her ‘properly’ – your cock in her slit, as nature intended.
Well…nature probably didn’t intend for a human to have sex with a Valstrax, but you’ll gladly go against the grain.
You crane your neck up to observe Val, who’s still watching you. If you had to describe her expression in one word, you’d say she appears…blissful. Her body shifts, and her foreclaws, previously hidden from view, rise from aside her. One set is placed just below her chest, the other trailing down her underbelly and coming to a rest just above your head.
You opt to support yourself with one arm, the other sliding up. Val’s claws drift slightly lower, and one of her oversized digits blankets your forearm. Your hand gently rubs the mute scales, and a puff of crimson bursts from her chest as her smile widens. Your own chest flares up, member throbbing against her walls from the intimate action while you smile. Knowing this is what she wants…it makes your heart beat ever quicker.
Soft chirps break the relative silence: this position...she likes it. It’s more…intimate.
You nod before lowering your head to grant your neck relief. You can already feel pressure building in your cock; you don’t want this to end just yet. And while you’re firmly set on doing as Val wants, there’s nothing stopping you from making it better for her.
You shift your weight to your outstretched arm, the one previously supporting you sliding down to Val’s slit. As you pull out, your hand joins your cock in pressing against her entrance, and her body tenses up again. A low couple of chirps begin to question your actions, but they’re cut short by your entry, your arm – and cock – returning to its job. It’s far from the most comfortable position, and your movements aren’t completely synced, but you’ll manage.
A firm warble gently chides you, but it’s somewhat diminished by the noticeable heaviness in her breathing: didn’t she tell you what she wanted?
You don’t look up as you respond. “Lucky for you, I can do both.”
Val says nothing, but her digit does tap your arm, which coaxes an amused huff out of you.
Doing two things at once is easier said than done, but the change has worked out for you as well. Focusing on maintaining pace with two appendages has somewhat staved off your looming release, but you know it’s only a matter of time. Her heated walls stroke your cock on each thrust, and your breathing has become more audible, matching Val’s.
You’re not just pumping into Val, however. Your busy arm shuffles on each thrust, carefully sliding along her walls, searching for a certain nub you discovered right as she came. It was on the bottom of her vent…wait, that means it’ll be on top now, where you first assumed it was.
Your hand grazes over a familiar protrusion, and immediately a sharp gasp emits from her out-of-view head. A light tremble rustles you as Val’s walls briefly constrict over your cock, her claw applying an uncomfortable amount of weight on your arm.
Your motions stop, instead opting to lightly run your hand around her clit. It’s…big. Easily bigger than your fist. Val shudders, and a restrained growl-warble graces your ears as you feel yourself shifting. It’s her haunches; she’s pushing into you.
Your cock pulses, and you have to fight off the urge to oblige her and breed her with no restraint. Then a shaky growl pipes up: s-sensitive…
Your hand removes itself, sliding out of her vent. “Sorry.” You look up to Val. Her chest steadily exudes energy, and her crimson eyes are heavy with lust, beak parted as she softly pants.
…Gog, that might be the hottest sight you’ve ever seen. This is what you missed out on when you were behind her. Your heartrate skyrockets, cock demanding release.
Another unsteady growl: no…touch it…but don’t focus on it.
Oh, you can do that. You want to continue looking at Val but this angle is brutal on your neck, so you return to staring at Val’s scales as your thrusting resumes. Your hand brushes over her clit on each pump, tender and never lingering.
Your favorite sound in the world returns, Val’s low moans reverberating through you. Her claw squeezes your arm, hips rhythmically bucking against yours. Her slick vent contracts over your member on each thrust, turning you into a sweating, panting mess and inching you closer to your peak.
Then one of Val’s moans makes you slow down for a second. You have to focus on her voice, but the accompanying growl sends fire flooding through your system.
…Your name. Val is softly moaning your name.
Suddenly, you realize the situation you’re in. Val’s heated, velvety walls massaging your cock, her passionate moans caused by you, her gentle humping that rocks you against her, the digit squeezing your hand…you love all of it. You’re also much closer to release than you thought.
“V-Val,” you whimper. You look up to her face, partially obstructed by the bursts of crimson from her chest. You’re breathing harder and faster than her, and her wanton expression only makes your cock throb, aching for relief. “I’m…close…”
A husky warble slips from her beak: remove your arm…
…If that’s what she wants. Your arm departs Val’s slit, and you once again use the soaked limb to support yourself. You take a brief second to collect yourself, but you know you’re already on the edge. Your cock is pulsing in her slit and there’s a furnace burning in your chest, hotter than it ever has in your life. But this is what she wants, so why delay it?
You resume thrusting, letting out a quiet moan when Val’s vent contracts again. Your technique is quickly losing tempo, growing more forceful as you shiver. So warm, so wet, so heavenly…
Then a throaty, lustful growl vibrates through you: now…
‘…Make me a mother”
…
A surge of heat rips its way through your body. You can only press yourself as deep as physically possible while a rolling moan erupts from you, cock pulsing rapidly against Val’s silken walls that seem to milk you with vigor. The sizeable claw on your forearm tenses up, and a rumbling growl fills your ears as the world flashes white and your heart pounds furiously against your chest. Your body quivers in unbridled ecstasy, and your supporting arm quickly gives up, leaving you to ride out the euphoric high firmly against her warm argent scales.
You don’t know how long you spend under the ocean of pure bliss, but eventually the tide starts to recede and your mental functions begin coming back online. Your first action is to resume breathing, panting heavily while you try to form a coherent thought. Your body won’t stop shaking, and your cock is still rock hard, occasionally throbbing as spikes of pleasure working their way around your length. You’ve been reduced to a quivering blob of sweat and nerves.
Your heartrate is returning to normal, and you think a minute passes before the rest of you starts coming back to life. Right, Val. Your arm is a bit unsteady, but you’re able to apply enough weight on it to lift yourself and crane your neck up to her. Her eyes are trained on you, beak curled up in a soft smile. Her chest has calmed, void of crimson. She appears satisfied…and a little smug.
A light click of her beak: so…how was it?
You blink, still working on calming your breathing. Words…you don’t think any words can describe how you felt. Both of your arms are occupied as well, so…
You faintly nod.
Val huffs, and a sheepish smile creeps up on your face. You get it now.
A couple of chirps ask if you’re able to move. You can definitely do that. “Yeah.”
The digit draped across your extended arm slides off, and you suddenly feel empty inside. You reluctantly pull your softening member out of her slit, carefully crawling over it to stand up on her underbelly. Your legs tremble as you rise, and another amused huff escapes Val as a set of foreclaws flip over just above her thigh.
You like to believe your post-sex balance is better than Val’s as you lurch your way to her exposed palm, climbing onto it and sitting down. Now that you aren’t pressed against her, you’re realizing just how hot and sweaty you got, and you welcome the cool air against your damp skin.
Val lifts you up to her chest, and as her head inches towards you, you realize what she’s about to do.
“Wait.”
She pauses, a hint of confusion forming.
“I’m all sweaty and sticky.” You glance at your coated limbs. “Do you – “
A click of Val’s beak shushes you, the avian appendage moving to dig into your torso. Of course, you return the gesture, wrapping your arms around it and smooching her. You both need a bath after that anyway.
A content growl: that was…wonderful.
“It was,” you sigh into her beak. A few hiccups here and there, but that came with the uncharted territory and you’d say by the end, the pair of you navigated it fairly well. All things considered; you couldn’t have asked for a better first time.
“I’ll be honest: knowing how Valstrax work, I was kind of expecting something a little more…absurd.”
Val’s beak gently pulls away, and her head cocks slightly to the side, a non-existent eyebrow raising.
You shrug. “Well, flying fast is a large part of your life, so I thought it wouldn’t be too out there to imagine you guys mate mid-flight.”
You huff lightly to yourself at the thought. But instead of looking at you like you just said the dumbest thing ever – which you did – Val just stares. Her expression becomes neutral, and her gaze drifts away from yours. And for some strange reason, you don’t like that.
…You especially don’t like the ghost of a smile etched on her beak.
“Val, I…I was joking.”
Val looks back to you…and you especially do not like that peculiar glint in her eyes.
“Again; joke. It was a joke...”
A cheerful…almost too cheerful chirp remarks that she is aware. Shouldn’t you have stopped sweating by now? Maybe you should change the topic…
The other thought on your mind sobers you up. After all, it was the trigger that pushed you two over the edge, but you’re both fully aware of your biological differences that prevent it. You aren’t completely in the know about her feelings regarding the matter, but considering her earlier unabashed comment regarding your…penis, you have a good idea. Still, you’d rather air it out than pretend it doesn’t exist.
“Mmmm. Not to ruin the mood so soon, but…” You can’t help but hesitate. “…you’re okay with me not being able to give you hatchlings?”
Unlike you, there’s no hesitation in Val’s upbeat warbles: she doesn’t need hatchlings, and admittedly…thinks they would probably slow her down.
The first bit isn’t surprising, but you fail to suppress a smirk at the latter. That’s about in line with what you’d expect from her.
Then Val’s eyes become heavier, a sultry growl making you freeze: …but that won’t stop her from trying…
You have to huff a little to steady your heart and the heat washing over you. Normally Valstrax would only mate once every number of years: during their migration. You have no idea what Val’s libido is like, but that line is making your imagination run wild. Elder dragons and humans probably can’t breed, but it’s not like there’s any information on it…
Val appears slightly amused, and her beak moves forward once more to press into you. As your arms embrace Val, you feel the weight of her other set of digits blanket your back, smushing you further into her while she nuzzles you.
A single soft chirp:
‘I love you.’
You tenderly kiss Val’s beak, rubbing your head against her.
“I love you too.”
What a day to remember. From confessing your love, to sharing your love. You can’t think of any whimsical, fantastical words to describe how you feel at this moment, embracing and embraced by the one you love. Simply put, you feel…peaceful. Content. And really, that’s all that matters. Because…
When Val is happy…you’re happy.