Cold. She hadn’t felt much else since they began the climb. Her legs were growing heavy, as were her eyes. Her leather-wrapped tail drug along the ground, her muscles no longer having the strength to keep it aloft. Raising her head she looked further up the path, where her companion was trudging along, looking just as tired as she felt. How anyone could live up here was beyond her.


“Alty, I need… I need to stop!” she called out. Her voice was raspy, throat dry from the heavy breathing she had been doing for the last several hours.


Altrue paused and looked back at her. His face was weary, purple eyes heavy-lidded with exhaustion. “We can’t! Gotta… gotta keep going. Sit down, you might… might not get up.”


She didn’t like the sound of that. Elana paused for a moment and doubled over, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. When she stood up again Altrue was next to her, taking her arm in his. He gently brushed off some snow that had been accumulating her hood. When she nodded the two set off again, continuing up the steep path that was slowly being hidden by snow. She hoped they could make it before it completely disappeared.


“How much further now?” she asked. It had been a frequent question of hers.


“We passed a marker not… not too far back,” he replied. “A couple hours or so. Less if we… keep good pace.”


“Goddess…” Elana groaned out, but grit her teeth and pushed on. She couldn’t imagine the sleep she’d get when they arrived.


The snow continued just as they did, and soon, despite her hopes, the path was covered in it. But her son seemed to know the way, so she put her faith in him as they trudged along. She was shivering hard now, body slowing down due to the cold. Only one thought was present in her mind; she was never volunteering for this again.


“We’re almost there!”


Altrue’s voice pulled her out of her sleepy stupor. She looked up, expecting to see fires, buildings, another person, anything. All she saw was a small stone cairn to the side of the road, and a hill in the path before them.


“Is it over that hill?” she asked, teeth chattering.


“It’s not a hill, but yeah. Just a little further, Mom.”


Not a hill? she thought. It looked like one. The incline in the path seemed to sap the last of her strength, she felt like crawling when she was only halfway up. But Altrue kept a firm grasp on her arm, keeping her upright and moving. The peak of the not-hill was slowly coming into view, and as they took the final steps, cold air rushed into Elana’s lungs as she gave a shocked gasp.


Her son had been right, it wasn’t a hill. The steep incline in the path came to an abrupt end, and in its place was a plateau that stretched for hundreds of yards. The mountain began to rise again at the far end of the plateau, while two small false peaks jutted out on either side, both several hundred feet tall. The three formations formed a shield against the cold and wind from three sides, and it was here that the wolves had made their home.


Their settlement was surrounded by a palisade wall, the logs carved to pointed tips. The orange light of torches showed her that the wall extended the entire length of the plateau, from one false peak to the other. And directly in the middle, not too far from where they were currently standing, was what she assumed was a gate. Several torches and a firepit illuminated the area, and she could see two figures, tall and lanky, in the dim light that the storm let through.


“C’mon, Mom. We’re almost there,” Altrue urged, gently tugging her along. “We’ll be warm soon.”


Elana let out a small groan but willed herself to keep going. The two approached the gate, and the figures slowly came into focus out of the snow. Two wolves, one male and one female, standing guard on either side of the gate. They wore leather armor and wielded spears with cruel-looking metal points. As the two dragons approached, the wolves stood at attention, banging the ends of their spears against the stone ground.


“Wha’ business do ya ‘ave?” the male wolf called out, harsh yellow eyes watching them intently. He spoke with the typical accent of the wolves.


“My name is Altrue… Altrue va-Elana. This is Ela-“


“She can speak for ‘erself!” the female wolf said, and Altrue quickly quieted.


“Go ahead, Mom,” he said under his breath.


Elana summoned the last of her strength and straightened up to her unimpressive 5’2. “My name is… is Elana va-Morini. I was summoned by Lady Tarith. I re… request entry!”


The two wolves studied them for a moment before banging their spears on the ground once more. “Open ta gate! Two dragons arriving!” the male called. With a metal groan, the gate began to swing open. Elana’s legs buckled under her, but Altrue was there to catch her. He steadied her on her feet and led her inside, nodding to the two guards as they passed.


“Good job, Mom!” he encouraged, nuzzling her cold snout with his own. “They like to put on a show and act tough for outsiders.”


“Can they do it faster..?” she said, weakly.


“Only another couple minutes, now. Then we can curl up next to a fire.”


A small smile, the first one since the morning, came to her lips. Nothing in the world sounded better than a fire right then. Raising her head, she began looking around the village of the wolves for the first time. Dozens of low, stone buildings were clustered together in the shadow of the summits. Most huddled up against the walls of the peaks, trying to shelter themselves as much as possible from the elements. Fires burned in pits and on torches, lighting paths between buildings in case of whiteouts. Most buildings didn’t have any windows, she noticed, and the few that did had sheets of glass in them. Through the glass she caught glimpses of life for the wolves; a tavern with patrons eating and laughing, a home with a mother nursing her baby, a pottery store with a bored-looking clerk.


“Where are we going?” she asked. Altrue pointed dead ahead. Through the snow she was able to make out a large building, larger than the rest, that was pressed up against the wall that became the real summit of the mountain.


“That’s Lady Tarith’s manor,” he said. “She’ll greet us there and show us where we’re staying.”


Elana nodded, not having strength for much else. It felt like forever, to her, but they finally arrived at the ornate wood door to the manor. A guard was standing in front of it, who stepped aside as they arrived.


“‘ey, Altrue. Back again?” he asked, nonchalantly. Elana was surprised by the change in demeanor compared to the previous two guards.


Her son nodded. “Hello, Tohk. Uh-huh, I’m back! Had to escort my lovely mother up here.”


Tohk nodded towards her. “Welcome ta the Peak, Elana.”


“Thank you. Can we… go inside?”


He nodded and opened the door for them. “Lady Tarith’s waitin’ fer ya.”


They thanked him and headed inside. The first thing that struck Elana was the warmth. Right inside the door there was an atrium with places to sit and hang your winter wear if needed. But, most importantly to Elana, was the fire crackling away in a fireplace. The aquatic dragon practically threw herself down at the hearth, letting out a happy sigh as she began warming herself. Altrue chuckled and sat down next to her. She closed her eyes as the warmth seeped into the leather clothes she was wearing. It would take a long time before she was actually warm again, but the temporary respite was more than welcomed.


“You did a really good job, Mom,” Altrue said, rubbing her back. “It's quite a climb for someone who’s never done it before.”


“I don’t see how the traders do it every couple weeks,” she replied, eyes closing as she finally relaxed a little. “This is my first time here and I already never want to come back.”


“It’s got a certain charm,” he said. “And the views when it’s clear are some of the most amazing I’ve seen.”


“The brothel doesn’t count as charm, Alty,” she smirked.


“Hey, I’ve never been there!” he replied, putting on an offended tone. But his exterior quickly crumbled under his mother’s gaze. “Well… I’ve never had to pay, at least.”


Elana chuckled and sat up, turning around so she could warm her back and pack on the fire. “Well, at least you won’t have to go there on this trip, huh?”


“Think you’ll have enough energy for it?” he asked, gesturing to her. “You look pretty worn out.”


Elana waved a webbed hand. “Just keep going if I fall asleep.”


Altrue laughed and leaned in to kiss her, Elana reciprocating with a weak kiss of her own.


“I love you, Mom.”


“Love you, too, sweetie.”


“Ready to go?”


Elana shook her head. “Can I have a few more minutes? I don’t wanna leave the warmth just yet.”


“We could have the meeting here, if you’d like?” said a voice behind them. They both gave a start and turned around to find an auburn she-wolf standing behind them. 


She was instantly recognizable as Lady Tarith. She wore decorated leather armour with many cuts and claw marks across it. A sharp, ice-blue eye looked down at them, the other partially closed with a scar cutting across her cheek and brow. Her left ear was lined with piercings of all kinds, while her right hung limply, a decent sized chunk taken out of it. The red fur on her muzzle was starting to show signs of grey. But the detail that most instantly singled her out as the pack leader of the wolves was the fact that she appeared to be carrying two small watermelons in the front of her armour. Elana’s eyes couldn’t help but widen at the size of the she-wolf’s breasts. She towered over them, tall as the rest of her tribe, and looking down past the two large mounds in her armour.


A smile finally cracked her hard exterior. “Altrue, it’s so good to see you again. Though you didn’t bring your pup this time, a shame.”


Altrue scrambled to his feet. “Lady Tarith! My apologies, we just needed to warm ourselves.”


“No need to worry, youngling,” she said, raising a paw at him. “The weather is dreadful for your kind. Please, introduce me to your companion.”


Altrue reached down and helped Elana to her feet. “This is Elana! My other mother, and my other wife.”


Elana held out her still-slightly-trembling hand. Tarith was an intimidating figure. Well muscled, and quite endowed, not to mention she was only a couple inches shorter than Altrue which meant that Elana’s face was currently at breast level to the she-wolf.


“Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you!” Elana said with a small bow. Tarith bowed back and took her hand, giving her a firm, rough handshake that almost knocked her off balance.


“Elana! So good to finally meet you,” she said with a smile. “You’ve been quite the mystery to me, hiding down in your temple. Your spouses don’t offer too many details, either.”


Elana cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”


“I just don’t hear about you very much is all,” Tarith continued, dropping Elana’s hand finally, though it hung in the air for a moment as the dragon digested the pack leader’s words. Did Altrue and Tahara not talk about her? “I have to say you’re not what I expected, seeing a couple of your offspring now. Tahara’s blood runs strong.”


Elana gave a weak smile. “Heh, yeah… that it does.”


“So, you’ll be the one teaching the pups to swim,” Tarith said, placing her paws on her waist. “Probably couldn’t ask for a better teacher. Do you have many opportunities to teach down below?”


“Not very often, no,” she replied, her smile breaking for a second. “But I love to do it when I can!”


“Excellent! There’s seven pups in this batch, so you’ll have those webbed hands full.”


“Where will I be training them?” she asked. She didn’t expect water to stay liquid very long up here, nor be good to swim in.


“We have a hot springs a little down the other side of the mountain,” Tarith replied. “A small hut was built there, should serve you just fine.”


“And when should I be there?” She didn’t want to mess up her only first impression to the tribe.


“After sunrise is fine, give the whelps some time to wake up.”


“Lady Tarith, if I ma-“


“Tarith will do just fine, Elana.”


“R-right, Tarith,” Elana corrected, “I’ve been meaning to ask, why am I training these kids? I find it hard they’d find much water to swim in up here.”


Tarith sat down on a bench. “You’re right about that, there isn’t much deep water here on the peaks, but what if they go below? Many of our whelps turn into traders and hunters who will often have to deal with the rivers. The time to learn is not when you’re already treading water.”


Elana nodded. “You’re right, that makes perfect sense.”


“Any other questions?”


“No, I think that’s everything,” the aquatic dragon replied. Tarith clapped her paws and stood up, once again dwarfing Elana.


“Excellent. I’m sure you’ll be wanting to retire to your quarters soon. The storm couldn’t have been easy on you two.”


“No, it wasn’t,” Altrue said with a shake of his head. “We were hoping to avoid it, but since Elana can’t fly it took a bit longer to get here.”


Elana felt her cheek frills droop and she shuffled her feet. It wasn’t her fault, she thought.


“Well, you two made it mostly unscathed, and that’s what matters most,” Tarith said. “Your lodging will be three plots up on the left. I hope you find it suitable. I also left you a little present to thank you for making your way up here,” she added with a wink. They both perked up at this. A present? They loved gifts.


“Please, rest here as long as you like before heading to your temporary home,” Tarith continued. “I, unfortunately, have petty squabbles and nonsense to attend to… I was a warrior once, can you believe it?” she asked with a roll of her eyes. “If anyone asks you to take on a leadership role, run away, little one.”


Altrue chuckled and gave her a bow. “Thank you for everything, as usual, Tarith.”


“Y-yes, thank you!” Elana added, also bowing. Tarith returned the bow before turning on her heel and walking towards the door that led to the grand hall of the manor.


“Don’t be afraid to call for me if you need anything! …oh, and Altrue?”


“Yes?”


Tarith paused in the doorway. “Bring your pup next time. I like him, he’s nice and has a cute face.”


Altrue smiled and nodded. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to make the trip.”


Tarith gave a wink before disappearing around the corner.


***


When the two were sufficiently warmed, they stepped back out into the snow, hurrying towards the home that supposedly was theirs. It was a small stone building with no windows and a brick chimney. They noticed that the chimney was smoking, which was a welcome sign. Altrue pushed the door open, ushering Elana through and shutting it quickly behind them again. He turned to look at the interior, a smile coming to his lips when he saw what awaited them.


The decorations and furniture were sparse. A single bed, which suited them just fine, stuffed with feathers and covered with furs. A table and two benches sat on the opposite side of the room, and between them was a large fireplace with a dwindling fire inside. Elana quickly added a couple fresh logs from the pile on the hearth, reviving the fire. But what caught Altrue’s eye was the present on top of the table. It was a large silver platter overflowing with food. A whole cooked bird sat in the center, choice cuts of meat, sausages, vegetables covered in butter and salt, a bowl of assorted fruit, and a pitcher of some liquid Altrue didn’t recognize but was sure he’d love.


The two exchanged a glance before they fell on their meal. Two days of dried rations and the climb this morning had left them craving real food, and by the time they were done there was not much left on the platter but scraps and bones. With their bellies full and thirst quenched, they stripped off their cold weather clothes and collapsed onto the soft bed. For a while they just lay there, naked and content as they digested their meal and rested their sore muscles. But, eventually, inevitably, they found themselves in each other’s arms.


Altrue was nuzzling between his mother’s large breasts, enjoying her scent and the feeling of her smooth, aquatic scales against his face. Elana was happy to let her son stay there as long as he liked, gently stroking the back of his head as he enjoyed her body. His arms tight around her, pushing his face deeper into her titflesh. She heard, and felt, a happy sigh leave him, and she couldn’t help but giggle.


“So this is what you’re like when you go most of the day without mating,” she teased, her finger playing with his spinal frills. Her response was a nod.


“No wonder Karin loves going on these trips with you…”


Altrue finally removed his face from between her breasts, leaning up to press their lips together. He could still taste the fruity drink that they had been enjoying on her. After a long moment they broke apart.


“What did you think of the trip?” he asked.


“It was… tiring,” she replied. “But I have enjoyed getting out of the temple for once, and I’ve been enjoying this time with you.”


Altrue smiled and kissed her again, giving her a gentle squeeze. “I’ve been enjoying it, too.”


“Though I see, now, why you like to come up here,” she said with a smirk. It took a minute for Altrue to realize what she meant.


“What, Tarith? I don’t come here for her.”


“Puh-lease, I saw those udders she has. You’re trying to sweeten her up!”


Altrue flushed slightly. “N-no I’m not! She doesn’t even like me. If anything I think she’s trying to sweeten up Karin.”


Elana laughed and booped his snout with her own. “You know, Tahara talked about how big they are, and how much bigger they are outside of her armour. I just wasn’t expecting… that.”


“Karin just about tripped over his jaw when he first saw them,” Altrue laughed. “But, anyway, why would I bother with all that when I have these right here?” He pressed his snout back between her breasts for a moment. “Not to mention I much prefer the person they’re attached to.”


Elana chuckled and rolled her eyes. “You’re so romantic, sweetie.”


He grinned and kissed her again, deeper than before. A soft moan left his mother as she hugged him tight. Altrue rolled slightly until she was laying on her back, gently pressing his weight down onto her. When he finally broke the kiss, they were both panting slightly and flushing brightly.


“Think you’re up for it?” he asked, giving her a quick kiss. “I want to be inside you so bad.”


Elana nodded. She was feeling the need for relief just as much as her son was. “Just be gentle, I’m sore after the climb.”


He reached down and moved her balls to the side, allowing him access to her slit. He pressed the tip of his lower cock against her skin, starting to rub up and down as she slowly became wet.


“And if you fall asleep?” he joked. Elana let out a soft moan before smiling up at her son.


“Like I said before, keep going.”


Altrue laughed and continued to rub against her until she was sufficiently lubricated. With a push of his hips, mother and son became one as their bodies started to rock back and forth, the light from the fire casting their shadows onto the wall. Giggles and moans filled the previously quiet stone hut. Sleep didn’t take her until much later, after her husband had satisfied them both.


***


She was awoken by two sensations. The first, and least pleasant, was the ache in her legs. Every muscle was on fire, strained and tired from the climb the day prior. The other sensation was much more pleasant and familiar; her son’s lips kissing along her collar bone. She let out a small sigh and opened her eyes. Looking down she saw Altrue laying on top of her, kissing and licking along her neck and upper chest.


“Good morning to you, honey,” she said softly. His big, purple eyes flicked up to meet hers.


“Morning, Mommy,” he replied before going back to his work.


“Alty, mmm, you know we don’t have time for that this morning,” she protested, starting to sit up, but was stopped by him pressing his weight down.


“Pleeeeease? I want you, Mom,” he whined, giving her his best puppy dog eyes.


“I want you, too, sweetie, but we don’t have the time. We still need breakfast and to get to the springs by sun up.”


“It’ll be quick, I promise!”


Elana scoffed and tried to get up again. “Alty, it’s never quick with you.”


He laughed but finally relented, rolling off her and allowing her to get out of bed. Elana groaned as she stretched her legs out, stiffly walking towards where they had dumped their cold weather clothes on the floor the night prior. Her morning wood wobbled in the air in front of her. She picked up her pants and began stuffing her legs into the leather. “Goddess, this is not going to be fun. I didn’t consider how sore I’d be…”


“Want to see if Tarith can push it back a day?” he asked, getting up off the bed and grabbing his own set of clothes, his own morning woods also waving in the air in front of him.


“No, no, I don’t want her to think I’m so weak I can’t climb up a mountain,” she grumbled as she pushed her cock down into her pants. “Let’s just get some breakfast, I should feel better then.”


They finished donning the rest of their gear, Altrue playfully making a sound of disappointment when Elana’s breasts disappeared inside her coat, then headed out into the cold morning air. The sun had not risen yet, though the few clouds in the sky were starting to turn pink. The village looked deserted, save for one or two hunters already returning from their outings, dragging their game on sleds behind them.


“Where can we get something to eat?” Elana asked, bouncing on her toes as she tried to fight off the cold.


“The tavern usually has a good stew,” he replied, placing a hand on his mother’s back and leading her down the road. Now that the storm had passed, Elana had a better, if dark, view of the settlement. If she had to guess there were probably at least a hundred buildings ranging in size from the small hut they had stayed in the previous night to ones that were at least a hundred feet long. Each was topped with a roof made of clay and straw, and each one had a chimney poking out from the top. Signs hung above the doors on some of the buildings, engraved with words or symbols that told passersby if they were a shop or eatery or other kind of establishment. Elana took note of several as they passed; a fletcher, a crockery, a butcher, and a tannery. They passed a large building that had no windows. Above the door was a simplistic, but very informative, depiction of two individuals engaged in intercourse. Elana raised an eyebrow and smirked at her son.


“How’s the food there?” she asked. Her son gave a small chuckle, not meeting her gaze.


“It’s, uh, alright,” he admitted. “You’re not really there for the food, though…”


“So do the she-wolves have..?” She made a gesture to her breasts, then made a line down her torso.


“Yeah, they have eight,” he replied. “Though the other six are just the nipples.”


“Tarith must be thankful for that. Could you imagine her with eight of those things?”


After a couple minutes of walking the two arrived at what Elana assumed was the tavern. She was just starting to shiver from the cold, so the blast of warm air when Altrue opened the door for her was a welcomed sensation. Inside the building was dimly lit, only a couple torches on the walls and a dying fire in the pit in the center of the floor. Benches and chairs lined the walls, with a couple larger tables taking up the majority of the floor space. A pair of wooden room dividers blocked off about a third of the interior, and from behind them the pair could smell the aroma of cooking stew and baking bread. Aside from themselves, the only other occupants was a she-wolf at the other end of the room. They seemed to have interrupted her sweeping, and she was holding a broom in one paw while the other rest on her hip.


“Take a seat anywhere, if ya can find one,” she joked, gesturing around the empty tavern. “I’ll ‘ave some food to ya righ’ quick.”


“Thank you, ma’am,” Altrue replied, pulling Elana along with him as he took a seat as close to the dwindling fire as he could. Sure enough, he had barely started to remove the leather wraps on his wings when the she-wolf brought over a basket of fresh bread and a saucer of warmed butter.


“Can I ge’ ya somethin’ ta drink, goldhorns?” she asked. Elana took the opportunity to get a look at what the wolf was wearing. She had on a leather tunic that went down to her knees and a cloth top that seemed to be padded with feather down. A symbol was embroidered onto the chest of her top, above her left breast, but wasn’t one that Elana recognized.


“Do you have takala juice?” Altrue asked with hope in his voice. The she-wolf nodded.


“No’ much left, ‘opin’ ta get’ a new batch soon. Wan’ me ta bring ta whole lot?”


Altrue nodded excitedly. “Yes, please!”


The wolf smiled and looked at Elana. “An’ for ya?”


“Do you have any tea?” she asked. The wind and cold yesterday had drained a lot of water from her.


“We never run out,” the wolf replied. “With ‘oney?”


“That would be lovely!”


The she-wolf nodded and disappeared behind the dividers to prepare their drinks. While she was gone they helped themselves to the bread. They picked up a loaf together, each of them holding it in one hand. Pressing their foreheads together, they said a small prayer before they pulled the loaf apart. Altrue gave a small cheer when he saw he got the larger half, quickly slathering it in butter and digging in. Elana giggled and followed suit, letting out a soft sigh as she enjoyed the warm bread. Their drinks arrived, and they ordered a bowl of stew for each of them. When the wolf had left again, Altrue quickly downed almost half his pitcher of juice, coming up from it with a happy sigh.


“You’ve got something on your face,” Elana mentioned after he had finished off his second loaf of bread.


“Where?”


“Right here,” she said before leaning in to kiss his lips. She pulled away with the small bit of butter that had been clinging to his lip in her mouth and gave him a playful smile.


“Don’t tease me, Mom,” he complained. “You know I’m pent up…”


“Guess you’ll just have to wait until tonight, huh?” she smirked, taking a sip of her honey-sweet tea and leaving her son to give a small whine. Though his mood was quickly turned around when the steaming bowls of stew were placed in front of them. They could feel their mouths watering just from looking. A thick, milky broth held small cuts of meat, vegetables, and potatoes, and they could smell various spices that had been thrown in for flavor. They didn’t hesitate to dig in, both making pleased sounds as they devoured their breakfast. As they ate their meal, a few patrons began to arrive. Elana thought she recognized a couple as the hunters they had seen earlier. She also noticed that they all chose to sit at benches that allowed them some distance from the dragon pair.


They finished their meal, Altrue draining the pitcher of every last drop of juice, and began preparing to step out into the cold once more. The younger dragon re-wrapped his wings, placed a couple gold pieces on the table, then helped his mother to her feet. After a wave to the tavern owner, the two stepped out into the snow. The sun was just peeking up over the horizon now, and the few clouds that had been around had vanished. The clear blue sky stretched on for as far as the pair could see, and there was not a breeze to speak of.


“Looks like this will be a perfect flying day…” Altrue mentioned, more to himself than to Elana. However, the mother couldn’t help notice the undertone in his voice. He sounded almost disappointed.


“Maybe the weather will keep up until we’re done?” she offered. He shrugged slightly.


“Maybe. Things change pretty quickly around here…” He stared up at the sky for a moment before shaking his head. “Anyway, let’s get going. Don’t wanna be late on your first day.”


Elana nodded, a small frown in her face, and followed behind her son as they headed out of the settlement and down a path along the north face of the mountain. Thankfully, the climb down was much, much shorter than the climb up had been yesterday. It only took them about fifteen minutes of following the path and markers to see the hut in the distance. They could see small specks of colour running around it, and as they got closer, voices attached themselves to those specks. As Tarith had said, seven young wolf pups, probably no older than twelve, were occupying themselves by talking and playing while waiting for their instructor to arrive.


“They’re a lot less intimidating like this,” Elana joked. “All the wolves are so tall…”


“Mom, everyone is taller than you,” Altrue teased back, causing his mother to stick her tongue out at him. Though she really couldn’t fight back against what he had said. As the two approached the hut, one of the pups caught sight of them and gave a whistle. As if someone flipped a switch, they immediately stopped playing, the ones that had been sitting on nearby rocks jumping to their feet, and moved to form a line facing the two dragons.


“Impressive,” Altrue muttered under his breath.


“Um, hello,” Elana said as they finally arrived at the hut. “My name is Elana, this is my son, Altrue. I’ll be your trainer for the next few days!”


“Greetings, Elana,” the children said in unison before giving a bow.


“Err, right…” she stammered. She hadn’t been expecting such formality. The classes she had taught back in the village had been much more relaxed. “Well, um, let’s head inside so we can warm up! Then we can go over your names and what we’ll be doing today. Okay?”


“Yes, ma’am!” they said as one, turning and headed into the hut.


“Even the children are like this?” she asked her son once the pups were inside.


“They raise them young to be fighters,” he replied. “I wonder if you might be able to get them to relax at all.”


“Goddess, they need it. They’re just kids, they should be throwing snowballs at each other, not learning to be warriors.” She rubbed at her eyes for a minute before starting towards the door of the shack. “Let’s see what I’m dealing with here.”


Altrue hurried ahead and held the door open for her. With a nod of thanks she stepped inside and was surprised to see just how dark it was. The only source of light was from the open doorway. She was also surprised at just how warm it was. It felt like there should have been a roaring fire, but there wasn’t. Her hand fumbled around the wall closest to the door, trying to see if there was a sconce for a torch.


“It’s on ta other side, ma’am,” came a voice from one of the pups. As she began feeling the wall on the other side of the door, a realization suddenly struck her. These kids were so used to being ordered around they didn’t even question that their instructor just told them to sit in a pitch black room.


Her hand finally closed around the shaft of a wooden torch, and she pulled it free from its sconce. She held it out to her son. “Would you mind?”


He took it from her, feeling a bitter liquid starting to rise up in his mouth. With a retching sound he shot a flaming ball of sticky liquid onto the end of the torch, which easily ignited it. Light filled the dark hut, and they were finally able to see inside. The hot spring the hut was built around was decently large, about fifteen feet across at the widest. The steaming water was tinted green from minerals in the mountain stone, and as Elana peered into the water, she saw that it was deep as well. She could probably stand with her head completely submerged at the deepest point. Turning to look at the pups, she found them all standing at attention around the far end of the spring. Now that they could see, Altrue went to light the torch on the opposite side of the hut while Elana moved to stand in front of the pups, looking them up and down.


“Okay! How about we start with names, hmm? Right to left.”


The seven listed off their names in quick order, ending with an auburn she-wolf. “Tarith,” she said, still standing at attention.


“Tarith? You mean like..?”


“It’s actually a somewhat common name,” Altrue said from behind his mother.


“It means ‘ablaze’ in ta ol’ tongue,” the girl said, and Elana had to admit it was a fitting name, for both the girl and the pack leader.


“Do you want to follow in your namesake’s paw prints, Tarith?” Elana asked the young pup with a smile. The girl nodded, a spark in her eye.


“It would be a great honour ta lead ta pack!” she answered, her words sounding like she had rehearsed them a thousand times in her head.


“Well I don’t know if swimming will help, but I’ll do my best to teach you pups,” she said. “Have any of you swam before?”


Only one of the pups raised his hand. “My father took me down in ta forest ta hunt and we had ta cross a river.”


“Good! How well did you do?”


The boy’s ears drooped. “N-not well, ma’am…”


“That’s okay! That’s what I’m here for,” Elana said in a comforting voice. “How about we just start by getting in the water, hmm? Looks like this side is shallow enough to stand on. And get those clothes off, don’t want them getting wet.”


The pups looked at her in confusion, then shock as she began to strip off the insulating leather clothes. First was the coat, which she pulled over her head. Her large breasts came free, bouncing slightly as they fell into position, the silver piercings on her pink nipples sparkling in the firelight. She gave a happy sigh once the garment was off, shaking herself out and causing her breasts to sway. Next was the wrap on her tail, which she removed in a couple sharp yanks. Then her boots, her clawed feet happy to be touching the cold stone again. Last was her pants. She untied the knot on the tie that was keeping them secured around her waist, then reached behind her to do the same to the one secured above the base of her tail. With a quick motion she pulled them down, exposing her sizable, pink shaft and hefty, white balls. She kicked her pants off into the pile with the rest of her garments before turning back to the pups. None had moved, all staring at her in awe. Altrue had to suppress a snicker as he looked at the scene.


“It’s easier to practice swimming when you’re naked, unless you want to walk home in wet clothes,” Elana said, looking at each of the wolves in turn. “I know I’m a bit… different than what you’re familiar with, but we’ll be naked each day until your training is complete, so you better get used to it.”


The wolves didn’t say anything, simply shuffling their feet and looking away. Elana put her webbed hands on her bare hips. “If you have any questions, I’ll answer them now before we start.”


It took a moment, but finally one of the pups raised their paw. “Um, are you a girl or a boy?” a male asked.


Elana chuckled. “I’m a hermaphrodite, which means I’m a bit of both at the same time. I like to think of myself as a woman, though.”


A young she-wolf raised her paw. “So, you can have babies?”


“Yes, I can,” she replied with a smile. “I had Altrue here many years ago, and a few others since then.” Altrue gave a small wave when she gestured to him.


Tarith, this time, raised her paw. “Wha’ are tose tings on ya sides?”


“Oh, those are my gills!” she answered, raising her arms to show them better. “Aquatic dragons, like me, have gills. They let us breathe underwater.”


“Ya ca’ breathe underwater?!” a couple of the pups asked in unison.


“For how long?” another asked.


“Forever, I think,” she replied. “I’ve never tested it, but I’ve been underwater for several hours before. I even fell asleep once!”


The pups chattered amongst themselves for a moment before Elana refocused them with a clap. “Any other questions before we start the lesson?” She didn’t want them getting too off-track with talk of her biology.


“Since Altrue is ya son, is he a, uhh… is he like you?” the pup who first asked if she was a boy or girl questioned. Elana looked over at her son and allowed him to speak for himself.


“That’s right! Though I’m a bit different from my mom, so I think of myself as a man!”


“Different how?”


“You’ll see if she makes me get in the water,” he replied.


“Okay, I think that’s enough questions. I want you stripped and in the water in two minutes!” Elana commanded. The pups shifted gears instantly, obeying the order and starting to strip down. As Elana looked them over, she began taking notes of the differences between their species. As Altrue had mentioned earlier, the girls had eight nipples, the final two placed just above their hips, though only the top two were starting to show signs of breast growth. Curiously, though, she noticed the boys also had eight. Though theirs were smaller and lacking any growth. The boys also had something else that stood out about them. Instead of an exposed penis like those of the dragon tribe, including herself and her son, they had a furry sheath between their legs. From what little she had learned from lewd conversations she had eavesdropped in her travels, apparently their shafts grew out of the sheath. She was surprised they could fit in there.


While the wolves were dressing down, Elana turned to her son. “Would you mind getting in the water, too? I’ll basically be doing all the teaching but I may need your help.”


“Of course, Mom,” he replied, starting to quickly shed his clothes. He could feel the eyes of the pups on him as he started to disrobe, waiting to see what was special about him. They were not disappointed. As he slid off his pants, he could hear the same word being repeated, not-so-quietly whispered by the wolves.


“Two?!”


Altrue dropped his pants in the pile of his clothes, naked as his mother. His twin cocks, skin black and shining in the firelight, rest against the pillow of his large balls. He strode to the far end of the spring, cocks swaying as he walked, and stepped into the water. A loud splash filled the air, and he surfaced a moment later.


“Oh, this feels so good after the walk here,” he said, eyes closing as his body absorbed the heat. Elana had to admit she was looking forward to getting in, herself. Returning her attention back to the pups, she gestured to the shallower end of the pool of water.


“Alright, everyone in!”


One by one the young wolves stepped into the water, the small shelf of rock allowing them to stand with the water coming comfortably up to their stomachs. Elana walked to the far side where her son was keeping himself afloat, and hopped in as well. Her entry was much more graceful than Altrue’s had been, only a small splash disturbing the surface. Her body took over the second she hit the water. Her lungs sealed off, gills starting to pulse as they pulled water down her esophagus, through a pair of special organs that acted like small pumps, and finally through them and back out into the pool. In a flash she had reached the bottom, swimming in small circles as a warm up before surfacing in front of the children. They were obviously surprised at how fast she was able to move underwater.


“So! Shall we begin?”


The hours ticked by, and it was obvious by the end of the first that Elana had her work cut out for her. The pups were dreadful swimmers. They seemed to despise the water at best, or were afraid of it at worst. More than once she had to save a panicked dog who had forgotten how to keep their head above the water. But she did her best to keep their spirits up, giving them praise and occasionally telling stories of how bad some of her previous students had been. They didn’t need to know the stories weren’t true. Throughout the first half of the day, she’d occasionally glance over at Altrue. While it was true she told him she’d ask for help if she needed it, she had been hoping her son would be a bit more engaged. Instead, he had spent most of the time in his own world, floating on his back and looking out the small hole in the roof at the bright blue sky. Occasionally their eyes would meet and he would give a small wave or mouth an ‘I love you’ at her. She, of course, returned them, but she couldn’t help but feel a little let down.


By midday, the pups were starting to slow down, their performances getting even worse. Elana decided that it would probably be best if they took a break for lunch. The weary young wolves pulled themselves out of the pool and shook themselves dry, something that Elana found quite entertaining, before they slipped their clothes back on and headed out the door.


“Be back in an hour!” she called after them. She shut the door before instantly slumping over with a heavy sigh. “Goddess, what have I gotten myself into?”


A splash of water and a moment later she felt her son’s hands on her hips. “Hey, I think you’re doing a great job,” he encouraged, gently turning her to face him. “Anyone else probably would have quit by now.”


“I know I’m doing great, Alty,” she replied. Her answer was half joke, half sincere, as her swimming abilities was the one area she allowed herself a bit of pride in. “I don’t know if I can train them in just a few days. They’re just… so bad!”


“Hey! If anyone can train this lot, it’s you,” he said, leaning down to give her a gentle kiss on the lips. She giggled into the kiss before returning it, her hands wrapping around his waist and pulling him closer. For a moment there was just the sound of the water dripping off them onto the stone under their feet.


When Altrue finally broke the kiss, he had a sheepish look on his face. “Hey, Mom? I was wondering…”


Elana rolled her eyes, an exasperated smile on her lips. “No, Alty, we can’t mate right now. You are not going to be done by the time they are back, and how would I explain the belly?!”


Altrue laughed and shook his head. “I wasn’t going to ask that, Mom.”


“Can’t blame me for thinking that, can you? What’s on your mind?”


“Well, you seem to have things pretty well handled around her, and it’s such a nice day outside. I was wondering if it was okay for me to leave. I really wanna go flying.”


Oh.


The smile that had been on her lips faded before she quickly returned it, or the best facsimile she was able to conjure.


“Sure, sweetie. Go ahead,” she said.


“Are you sure? I can stay if you need me to.”


“No, I’m okay,” she replied, giving a small shake of her head. “Go have fun. Like you said, I’ve got things handled here.”


Altrue gave her a big smile and another kiss on the lips. “Thank you, Mom!” He quickly dried himself and pulled on his clothes. He gave her a wave as he pulled the door open to leave. “I’ll meet you at the tavern after you’re done!”


“Sounds good, Alty. See you then.”


With a powerful flap of his wings, he was gone. Elana watched his blue streak in the sky for a moment before shutting the door. Once more, there was only the sound of water dripping off her naked body. It sounded different this time. A different kind of quiet.


***


“Tari, please don’t go!”


“I’m sorry, Ela, but I have to,” the older dragon replied, giving her bodypaint one last check in the obsidian looking glass. “It’s my job.”


“But you’re gone all the time now!” the twelve year old protested. “You never used to be gone this much!”


“I wasn’t acting priestess before,” Tahara answered, walking over to their shared bed and sliding into her white dress. “I don’t want to leave you alone, either, but this is what I have to do now.”


“And what about Alty?” Elana said, nodding down to the blue, seven-month-old dragon that was currently nursing from her breast. “I can’t take care of him alone!”


“It’ll only be for a few hours, sweetie,” Tahara said, kneeling down in front of her girlfriend. “After his lunch you can put him down for a nap, and I should be back before he wakes up. You’ll do fine, I know it.”


Tears came to her eyes. “Tari… please…”


Tahara gave her a sad smile. “Don’t cry, Ela, you’re gonna make me cry and I just did my make-up. I know things are a lot different now, and… and most of it is my fault, but it’s just something we’re both going to have to get used to. I can’t be here all day like I used to be. I have responsibilities now.”


“Like being a mother!” Elana yelled at her. The sudden change in volume startled the baby Altrue, who recoiled from Elana’s small breast and began crying. Elana felt her heart sink and began attempting to quiet her son. “Oh no, Alty, I’m so sorry. Shhh, it’s okay, please stop…”


Tahara was a sea of emotion as she watched her girlfriend and her son. She didn’t want to leave them, even for a few minutes, let alone the hours it would take for the festival. But she didn’t have a choice. This is who she was, now.


“Elana, I-”


“Just go,” the pre-teen said, her voice colder than Tahara had ever heard it. She was currently spinning in a small circle, bouncing her crying child in an attempt to quiet him. “I’ll take care of our son.”


Tahara felt her lower lip start to tremble, but quickly steeled herself. She rose to her feet and gathered the last of her things before heading towards the door to their bedroom. “I’ll be back before dark, Ela. I promise.”


“Fine.”


Tahara stared at them for a moment, then she was gone. Her claw-scrapes faded, the door opened and shut, and then Elana was alone. It took many long minutes to get her son to calm down, but she finally coaxed him back to her breast. As he continued his lunch, the pre-teen sat on the bed, listening to the quiet that filled their home.


***


Altrue was already waiting for her when she got to the tavern. 


The walk back from the spring was cold. Bitterly cold. A thick mass of clouds has rolled in, obscuring everything that wasn’t just a few feet ahead. She had to rely on the children to lead her back to the village. After that, she wandered up and down the unfamiliar streets until she found her way to their meeting place. Hurrying inside, she hugged her arms close to herself in an attempt to warm up as she looked around. The tavern was much more crowded than it had been early in the morning. Wolves of all ages sat at the tables and benches, a hum of chatter filling the air, along with various smells from the plates of food sitting in front of them.


“Mom!”


She looked towards the voice and saw her son waving at her. He was sitting at the table closest to the fire. She nodded to let him know that she saw him before starting to weave her way through the crowd. When she reached the table, he stood up and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She returned it, the two earning themselves more than a few cocked eyebrows and confused looks. After the kiss she sat down opposite him, noticing that he was already halfway through a thick cut of meat.


“I wouldn’t mind one of those,” she remarked, her mouth watering at the aromas coming from the kitchen. She hadn’t eaten since the morning, and all the swimming and wrangling of children had left her starving.


“I put in an order for you just a couple minutes ago,” Altrue said, already cutting himself another bite. “Should be here soon.”


“Thank you, sweetie,” she replied, touched he was thinking of her. She started looking around for a server. “I’ll need something to drink…”


“Tea’s on the way, too,” Altrue added, talking around the bite of meat he had taken.


“Maybe I didn’t want tea,” she teased, reaching towards a jug that was sitting close to the edge of the table.


“Well, you don’t want that,” her son warned, nodding towards the jug. “Had one sip when I got here and my mouth is still on fire.”


Elana frowned and brought the jug to her nose. She gave a quick sniff before her head snapped back. Coughing, she promptly returned the jug to its original place as far from the two of them as she could. She could hear a couple of the wolves at the tables nearest to them snickering at them.


“Goddess! What is that?!” she exclaimed, wiping at her eyes.


“Something they use to keep the cold away,” Altrue answered, taking the last bite of his meal. “I guess their fur isn’t enough.”


Elana was about to reply, but she was interrupted by a pretty, young she-wolf carrying a plate. The server placed Elana’s meal down in front of her, followed by a steaming mug of tea. Elana said her thanks before quickly diving into the meat, carving out large chunks and swallowing them with barely any chewing. She was halfway through the cut before she started to slow down.


“This is really good, what is it?”


“I think they said… goat,” her son replied. “One of the hunters brought it in this morning.”


“I wonder if we can get the maidens to add it to the menu,” she said before taking a large sip of her tea. “Aurochs is good but a change of pace would be nice.”


“I’m sure they can figure something out. They added those cakes for you easily enough.”


Elana chuckled as she cut herself another bite. “You like those cakes, too, sweetie.”


Altrue smiled and let his mother continue her meal in peace, ordering himself a glass of cider and another mug of tea for her from a passing server. By the time they arrived, Elana had pushed her empty plate away from her, just about licked clean.


“Goddess, that hit the spot,” she said, licking some sauce off her fingers.


“Want me to order you another one?” he asked, already looking around for a server.


“Maybe, let me have some tea first and we’ll see how I feel,” she replied, taking a sip from her mug to wash down her meal. “So, what did you get up to after you left?”


“Oh, right! Well, lots of flying,” he answered, a smile coming to his lips. “It was so clear you could see all the way to the temple! I flew around the mountains and dove off the Plank a few times, probably annoyed the guard posted there.”


Elana chuckled, though the smile on her lips was only half-real. She was still a little hurt that her son had left her just so he could play around.


“The air is really cold, so I can’t fly for too long without having to stop and warm up, but it’s so worth it for the views.” He gave a soft sigh and looked down at his cup of cider. “Tari would have loved it…”


Elana felt her heart sink. There it was, again. She wasn’t enough. She was never enough.


“Yeah… she probably would have,” she said, quietly.


She placed down her mug, barely half empty, and started to get up. “Actually, I’m kinda tired after walking through all that snow. I think I’m gonna go back to the cabin.”


“Oh, okay,” he said, a small frown coming to his lips. Why the sudden change in attitude? He downed the last of his cider and got up from his chair. “I’ll come with you.”


“It’s okay, Altrue. Why don’t you stay and enjoy the fire and food?” she suggested. “I think I saw one of the servers keeping an eye on you, too.”


“Okay… Mom, are you alright?”


“I’m fine, honey,” she replied, her tone hinting that she was absolutely not fine. “I’ll see you later.”


With that, she turned and left the table. Her exit was accompanied with a blast of cold air from outside, and then she was gone. Altrue sat alone at the table, frowning at her empty plate and partially full mug. He didn’t understand. Had he said something wrong?


***


The door to the cabin opened about an hour later, and Altrue hurried inside. He removed his cloak and looked around for his wife. It wasn’t hard to find her in the small room. She was sitting up in bed, naked, reading over a scroll in the flickering firelight. She looked up, briefly, when he entered and gave him a small smile.


“Hi, honey.”


“Hey, Mom,” he replied, shedding his clothes and padding over to the bed. He cuddled up against her side, arm across her belly. He couldn’t help but notice she didn’t reciprocate his affection. “Whatcha reading?”


“Oh, just something I borrowed from Tarith before I came home. The one with the big boobs, not my trainee,” she answered. “It’s a little bit on their laws and doctrine.”


“Anything interesting?” At least she was answering his questions. He still didn’t understand her sudden change in attitude. Had he done something wrong?


“A little bit, actually. Apparently they settle all disputes with combat?”


“Yeah, there’s a pit on the far side of town,” Altrue explained. “They fight until one is unable to continue, and the victor is the winner of… whatever they were fighting over. That’s how they choose their pack leader, too.”


“Seems… terribly inefficient,” she replied. “Just because someone wins a fight doesn’t mean they were right about whatever it was they were arguing over!”


Altrue gave a small shrug. “That’s just how they do it.”


“I guess that explains why they all have scars despite them never fighting with the other tribes,” Elana commented, turning her attention to the scroll again. “Tarith must be quite the fighter.”


“Apparently she’s downright scary when she’s in the pit, which is impressive considering she’s going to deal with those boobs flopping about,” Altrue joked.


“Wait, they fight naked, too?!” Elana exclaimed, and Altrue nodded. He was happy to see that their conversation seemed to be bringing his mother’s normal demenour out.


“Yeah. It’s something about ‘fighting the cold as well as your enemy’. Seems like it’s just something to make it harder on them.”


“These people are insane…” Elana sighed. 


“I’m sure they probably think the same of us,” Altrue replied, leaning up to give his mother a small kiss on the cheek. He was happy to see that she leaned into it. “A bunch of weirdos living down in the forest farming and tending flowers. Did you know they don’t blood-bond, either?”


“I think we’re the only tribe that does, Alty,” she said, putting down her scroll and placing her hand over his. “Seems like they are limiting themselves, if you ask me.”


“Right? What are you supposed to do if you’ve got a really sexy mom? Not mate her?”


Elana chuckled and nuzzled against him. “That must seem impossible to you, huh?”


“If I had a mom like that, I probably wouldn’t go a day without mating her,” he grinned at her. “Goddess, if I had two? You’d never get me out of bed.”


Elana giggled and leaned over to kiss her son on the lips, a kiss he happily returned. “Well, the day is growing short, and your mother is, currently, un-mated.”


She opened her arms, and he quickly fell into them, happy that his mother seemed to be back in good spirits. Her breasts squished against his chest as he hugged her close, pressing their lips together. His tongue gently parted her lips before sliding into her mouth, wrestling with her own for a moment before starting to slither down her throat. She let out a moan, hands moving down his back to grab palmfuls of his sizable rear.


When the two finally broke apart, they were panting heavily, saliva dripping from their lips. Elana cleared her throat and gave her son’s ass a squeeze. “Eager tonight.”


“I’ve wanted to be inside you all day,” he replied, giving her a quick kiss.


“Mmm, why don’t you put that tongue to work, first, and then you can be inside me as long as you want,” she purred, and he felt her legs spread slightly under him. He didn’t need to be told twice, starting to kiss and lick his way down her neck and towards his goal. Elana gave a pleased sigh and closed her eyes as her boy’s tongue danced over her scales. He came to her breasts and nuzzled between them, gently squeezing the large mounds against either side of his face. Elana giggled as her son played with her boobs, watching him with half-lidded eyes. He surfaced from the titflesh, his tongue starting to lick around her areolas, and finally, her pierced nipples. His mother let out a soft moan and squirmed under him and he teased the sensitive nubs. Back and forth he licked, occasionally swirling his tongue around them.


“Mmf, Alty…” she moaned softly. Her cock was hard and dripping, wanting some attention of its own, but Altrue wasn’t moving on yet. He continued to lick all over her nipples, the taste of her skin and the metal on her piercings sharp on his tongue. It wasn’t enough, he wanted more. Something else. As he continued to lick, his lips got closer and closer, until his hormone-filled brain realized what it wanted.


Milk.


His lips latched on to her nipple, and he began to suckle. Gently at first, then stronger as nothing was coming out. He massaged her breasts and continued to stimulate her nipple with his tongue, but to no avail. Finally, he opened his eyes and realized his mistake. He was trying to nurse from the wrong mother. He popped off her nipple and looked up at Elana. Gone was the look of pleasure and lust that had been there just a moment ago. In its place was a look of uncertainty.


“Altrue?”


“Y-yeah?”


“Were you trying to nurse from me?”


His ears flattened against his head. He didn’t like her tone.


“I was, I’m sorry. I just got a bit carried-”


“Get off of me.”


“Wh-what? Mom, I- hey!”


He fell to his side as she yanked her legs out from under him, throwing him off balance. She got up from the bed and stamped over to the fire, arms crossed with her back to him. Altrue could only stare at her, utterly confused by what had just happened.


“M-mom… what’s wrong?” He got up and started walking towards her. “What did I do?”


She spun on her heel to face him, and in the firelight he could see the tears falling down her cheeks. “Why am I not good enough for you?!”


“I- Wha- Mom… I don’t understand!” He had never seen her like this before, and he hadn’t the faintest idea what to do. 


“Do you h-have any idea what it’s like for me? In this family?” she cried, her cheek frills extended in anger. “I’ve lived thirty-six years in Tahara’s shadow. Watched her get all the attention as we were growing up! Watched you clearly favor her when you’re supposed to love us both! Watched all of our children look like her!”


Her voice broke on the last word. Altrue opened his mouth to say something, but his mother wasn’t done.


“You drink her milk every day. You mate her multiple times every day. She is your first pick for basically everything! So when we planned this trip, I thought this was my time. I’d get to spend time with my son. I’d get to be his first pick. You’d only be able to mate with me. But here we are!” She wiped at her nose, a humourless smile on her lips. “Even when she’s not here, I’m second! You leave me to go flying, and then say you wish she was here. You try to mate me and then pretend I’m her! Maybe you’d just be happy if there were two of her and none of me.”


She let out a heavy breath and shakily walked over to sit down at the table, burying her face in her hands.


“Do you know what it’s like, Altrue? To look at my family and see nothing of myself? There’s no orange eyes. No webbed hands. No gills. It’s just me. And it’s a reminder that I will always be in her shadow. My own h-husband doesn’t even l-love me as much as her.”


Her words stopped, she simply sat and cried. There was a long moment of silence, broken only by the crackle of the fire and his mother’s cries. His mind a hurricane of thoughts and emotions, Altrue knew he had to say something, but didn’t even know where to begin. He took a hesitant step forward, then another. Finally, he sat down on the opposite side of the table from Elana. It was longer, still, before he attempted his first words.


“Mom, I’m… I’m so sorry I left you today. I thought you didn’t need me.”


“I didn’t, I did fine on my own,” she said, raising her head. Her eyes were wet, red, and puffy. “But I wanted you there. I wanted to spend time with my boy.”


“I-I’ll stay for the rest of the lessons, Mom! I’ll help out as much as I can. I promise!” he said, trying to put feeling into his words.


“It doesn’t matter, Altrue,” she replied, lower lip quivering. “I know you don’t want to be there, or here with me.”


Her words stung, and he felt himself grow angry at them despite the situation.


“That’s not fair! I do want to be here, and I do want to be with you!” He reached out to try to take her hand, but his gesture was ignored. “I love you, Mom, and I do want to spend time with you.”


“Just, not as much as her, right?” Elana said pointedly.


“You know that’s not true.”


“No, Altrue. I don’t.”


Altrue was silent for a long moment, looking across the table at her. Purple eyes staring into orange.


“I would be lying if I didn’t admit that Tahara and I have… a special connection,” he said, trying to choose his words carefully. Elana scoffed and wiped at her eyes, but didn’t say anything. “I don’t know why, but we do. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love you any less, Mom. You’re still my wife. You’re still a mother to at least two of my children. I love you so, so much, Elana. And I’m sorry if I haven’t been properly conveying that to you.”


“I love you, too, Altrue… But, goddess, how am I supposed to believe that? She’s your first choice for almost everything, and I’m left waiting. What is it about her, huh?” She was becoming aggravated again. “Is it the milk? Is it those chains she wears? Does she feel better than me? Is it because I’m f-fat…” Her words trailed off and she started crying once more.


“Mom, no…” he said, attempting to grab her hand again but once more was ignored. “First of all, you’re not fat. Goddess, I love how you look! I love that you’re soft and curvy. And you don’t feel any less amazing to be inside of. Her chains are sexy, yes, but they don’t change how I feel about her. A-and her milk… I can’t deny that I do love her milk. I would be sad if she stopped making it but I would give it up in a heartbeat for you to be happy.”


“So what is it, then? Why is she better than me?”


“She’s not… she’s not better than you,” he said, almost pleading with her to understand. “I couldn’t imagine life without either of you. There is no future where I am happy if I only have one of you. I don’t know why she and I have this connection. Maybe it’s because she was the first person I mated, or the first one I got pregnant… But whatever it is, it doesn’t mean I love you any less. It just… just means I’ve done a horrible job showing you.”


Elana was silent, simply staring at him across the table. Once more, he reached out to take her hand. She didn’t ignore him this time, hesitantly placing her hand in his.


“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to give you any children that look like you. I knew they were all winged, but I didn’t realize it was a problem.” He gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “But if Karin is yours, does that mean you love him any less? And what about Elian, and Silvana? They are yours, your little boy and girl. We made them together because we love each other. I know they don’t look like you but you’re there, a piece of you is in them! And, goddess, if we have to keep getting each other pregnant until one of us has an aquatic, then I’ll do it.”


Elana gave a small chuckle and a hint of a real smile. “Altrue…”


“I love you, Mom. I’ve been neglecting you, and for that I am beyond sorry. I swear I will do better, starting this minute. You’re such a beautiful, sexy, wonderful person. I love you with all my heart, and I promise I will do everything I can from this moment forward to make sure you know I mean that. And if I have to pray every day that one of our babies comes out with gills, I will do that, too.”


“Alty…”


“A-and I’ll start keeping track! I’ll make sure you’re first for mating half the time! I’ll make sure to spend more time with you and come with you on trips, and… and-”


“Alty!”


He stopped and looked up at her. Her eyes were still red and puffy, but she wasn’t crying anymore. She sniffed and gave his hand a squeeze. “Can you just tell me two things?”


“Anything.”


“What did Tahara say to you when we got married?”


He furrowed his brow and cocked his head slightly. “She, umm, she said I was the best gift she’s ever gotten, that I was a good son and father, and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with me.”


Elana nodded. “And, what did I tell you?”


He realized where she was going with this. A smile came to his lips. “You said you wanted to keep it short. That we were your world, and that you looked forward to seeing us every morning.”


Finally, it was Elana’s turn to smile. “Thank you. I just… I needed to hear that.”


“How could I forget that? That was the happiest day of my life, I’ll never forget it.”


“I know, sweetie. It was mine, as well. I still feel the same way.”


“I do, too, Mom,” he said, gently. He stood up and moved to her side of the table, holding out his hands to her when he reached her. She took them and was helped to her feet. The two stared at one another for a moment, before Altrue pulled his mother into a hug. It was a long, quiet embrace, the two feeling each other’s heart beat in their chest. He gently stroked her back, his tail reaching around to twine with her own. Her scent was strong, and he breathed it in deeply.


“I love you, Mom,” he said, finally breaking the silence in the room.


“I love you, too, sweetie,” she replied, giving him a gentle squeeze.


“I’m sorry.”


“I know, and it’s okay.”


They pulled back, and Elana stood on her tipclaws to give her son a kiss on the lips. “Let’s just go to bed, huh? We can start fresh in the morning.”


“I think that’s a good idea,” he replied. She led him to the bed, and they snuggled close together under the furs. A few more kisses, and Elana pressed her snout into the crook of his neck. She was out in minutes, though Altrue didn’t follow her. The herm lay awake, staring up at the ceiling, a scheme forming in his brain as the minutes wore on. His mother wanted proof that he loved her, and he was going to give her just that.


With the moon high in the sky, the door to their cabin opened. Altrue, bundled up tight in his winter clothes, slipped out into the frigid night air. He didn’t worry about his mother waking before he returned, she was the heaviest sleeper of the family. He walked through the dark streets of the wolf village, face occasionally illuminated by a torch or light from a window. He exited the town and continued towards the edge of the plateau. A huge boulder rested near the edge, and that was his goal.


He approached the Plank. A huge trunk of a tree, long since felled, cut in half and left to hang over the edge of the world. The boulder was the only thing keeping it secured to the earth. It was guarded by a miserable-looking wolf who, no doubt, wished he could be anywhere else. They exchanged a nod, and Altrue stepped out into the massive half-trunk of tree. He unfurled his wings, took the step into nothingness, and fell out of sight.


***


The first rays of sunlight were just starting to peek over the horizon when Elana opened her eyes. A soft groan left her as she stretched her limbs out. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up in bed. When she could see again, those eyes widened to the size of saucers.


The room had been transformed overnight. Floor to ceiling was decorated in flowers she could tell had been picked from the temple grounds. Each and every one a favourite of hers. Chains of them hung from beams in the roof, wreathed the doorway and fireplace, and adorned the table and benches. On the table itself was a small feast of food. Breads that looked freshly baked with butter softening next to them, her favorite stew steaming in a clay bowl, a pitcher of juice with a cup already poured for her. A small parcel wrapped in parchment was placed next to the stew, and Elana couldn’t help but wonder if it was a present. And, at the end of the bench, looking incredibly tired and exhausted, but nonetheless had a pleased smile on his face, was Altrue.


“Good morning, Mom,” he said, like it was any other morning for them.


“Alty… what…” she stuttered, unable to find the right words.


“Do you like it?” he asked, walking over to her. She could tell from his gait how tired he was. When he reached her he held his hands out. She took them, allowing her son to help her to her feet.


“It’s incredible, sweetie… how did you do all this?” she asked, wide eyes still looking over the transformed cabin.


“Very quietly,” he teased, leading her over to the table. “With many trips back and forth to the temple.”


“You didn’t have to do all this. I know too much flying is hard on you.”


“No, I did,” he replied, letting her hands go as she sat at the table. He sat down opposite her, tired eyes looking into hers. “I needed to show you how much you mean to me.”


She gave him a loving smile and looked down at the small banquet before her. “I don’t know where to start.”


“How about with that?” he suggested, pointing towards the small parcel. She picked it up and untied the twine holding the parchment together. Inside was a small, wooden box. She cocked an eyebrow at him before opening the lid. A soft inhale left her, followed by her hand going to her mouth, when she saw what was inside. Resting on soft white fabric was a small charm made from a couple shells, pearls, and pieces of coral affixed to a small band of gold. She gently lifted it from the fabric and held it up to the firelight. The pearls seemed to glow orange.


“Oh, Alty…”


“I see you looking at these every time we go to the village,” he said. “I’m not sure why you never got one, you clearly wanted one.”


“Because they’re meant to be given, not bought for yourself,” she said softly, placing the charm on her right horn, opposite from her marriage charms. “How do I look?”


“Beautiful,” he replied with a smile. 


She leaned over the table and gave him a kiss on the lips. “Thank you for this, sweetie.”


“You’re welcome.”


She sat back in her seat and turned her attention to the food. She gave a quick prayer before pulling the stew towards her and starting to eat. Thick and creamy, it fought off the morning chill and warmed her as she ate. She ripped a loaf of bread in half and buttered it, taking bites occasionally between spoonfuls of the stew. Altrue watched her as she enjoyed her meal, a small smile on his lips. He had eaten before she woke up, wanting her to have as much as she pleased.


She mopped up the last of the stew using the last bits of bread and chased it down with the last of the juice. With a happy sigh she pushed the empty bowl away from her, licking her lips and then her fingers. “Goddess, that was delicious. I can’t believe you managed to fly all that up here!”


“It wasn’t easy, but I’d do it again for you.”


Elana gave him a loving smile. Standing up, she motioned him over to her. “Come here, you.”


Altrue was quick into her embrace. The two hugged for a long moment, Altrue resting his chin on his mother’s head while she nuzzled against his chest. She listened to the steady beat of his heart, while all he could hear was the crackling of the fireplace and the soft whistling of the wind outside. When they finally broke apart, Elana gently pulled him down to her level. She took his face in her hands and pulled him in for a gentle kiss. He closed his eyes and kissed back, hands moving to the small of her back and pulling her closer just as gently.


She felt something poke against her belly and broke the kiss with a giggle. Sure enough, when she looked down, her son’s cocks were hard and twitching. “Well, hello there,” she teased.


“Just ignore them,” he said, pulling her back into a kiss. With their lips locked, Altrue felt himself being guided towards the bed, Elana finally breaking the kiss when they were standing next to it. She layed down and once again motioned him over. Without hesitation, he climbed on and knelt over her, smiling down at his wife. Another quick kiss on her lips, and then he started to move down her body.


“And where do you think you’re going?” she joked.


“You didn’t think your pampering was done yet, did you?” he joked back. He came to a stop with his head between her thighs. Her own cock hard as well, laying against her chubby belly, with her large balls hanging just below that. He nuzzled up against her soft thighs, kissing and licking them as he slowly moved towards his goal. Elana let out a sigh and closed her eyes, enjoying the sensations on her sensitive scales.


He finally reached her cock, and gave it a gentle kiss of its own. Then a lick, the skin warm with a familiar taste. Elana gave an appreciative sigh, encouraging him onward. Another lick, then another. He stuck more of his long, forked tongue out and wrapped it around the shaft. Up and down he slid, lubricating her cock in his spit. He could feel her twitching and pulsing against his tongue. By now, her tip had started to drool, her pre adding a second familiar taste to the act.


“Mmm, that’s nice,” she moaned softly.


While he was enjoying pleasuring his mother, her cock had never been his end goal, and after several minutes of stroking her with his tongue, he let her shaft out of its embrace. He gave it another kiss before moving on. Lower. He took her balls in his hand, giving them a gentle squeeze and rub, before pushing them to the side to reveal her pussy. Puffy and leaking, his real prize was eagerly awaiting him. He nuzzled up to it, rubbing his snout against the sensitive skin and causing his mother to jump.


“Mmf, Alty…”


He smiled up at her before sticking his tongue out again. He ran it up and down along her slit, tasting her fluid, teasing her clit at the end of every lick. She squirmed and moaned with every lick, thighs tightening around his head. When he felt he had teased enough, he pressed his tongue against her entrance and slid it inside.


“Oh, goddess…” she moaned out as his long tongue wormed its way into her. He made sure to rub it along her walls as he pressed deeper, tip flicking and teasing her as well. He finally felt his tongue press against something firm, and knew he had found her cervix. After a moment of searching, he found a small hole and pressed against it, his tongue finally slipping into her womb.


“Ahh! Mmmf, yes…” she called out, thighs clamping down tight as her son’s tongue began to coil in her womb. He rubbed and teased and licked at her walls, both inside and outside her womb. He began to bob his head back and forth, a few inches of his tongue leaving and entering her womb each time. All the while he continued to flex the muscle, making sure to tease every part of her that he could reach. He felt her hands on his head, then around his horns. She gripped tight, controlling the speed at which he tongue-fucked her womb. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. He didn’t mind in the slightest. After all, this was all for her.


As time passed by, she could feel herself getting close, her walls tightening around her son’s tongue, and she let go of his horns. Not yet, she wanted him inside her, first. Properly.


Her thighs loosened. “Alty, come here, darling.”


He, reluctantly, pulled his tongue from her depths and moved back up her body. When he reached her face, she pulled him down into a deep kiss. With their lips still locked together, she wrapped her arms around his neck, coaxing him down on top of her. Her large breasts squished against his chest, and she gave a soft moan as she felt his weight settle down onto her. She could taste herself on his lips and tongue, the same tongue that was now working its way down her throat. It was many long moments before the two finally broke apart, a heavy trail of saliva connecting their lips as they looked into each other’s eyes.


“I love you, Alty,” she said, softly.


“I love you, too, Mom,” he replied, giving her a gentle smile. “I’ve always loved you, and always will.”


She nuzzled his snout with her own, hugging him tightly, as close as she could get to him. “Mate me, sweetie. I need you in me.”


“What about the less-”


“I don’t care,” she interrupted, her voice heavy with need. “We’re going to make up for all the time we’ve lost in the last few days.”


Further convincing was not necessary. An eager, but careful, hand reached down to move her balls out of the way, exposing her soaking wet and ready slit. He positioned the lower of his twin cocks, hard as diamonds, twitching, and drooling pre like a faucet, against her entrance. As easily as could be, he slid into her. Mother and son let out a mirrored moan as they became one, his sizable length stretching her tight muscles. Muscles that were clamping down against him like they never wanted him to leave.


His tip hit her cervix, which was already spread slightly from his tongue work earlier. It put up no resistance as he pushed against it, sliding into his mother’s womb just as easily as he had the rest of her. Elana gave another moan as he penetrated her deepest parts, legs wrapping around his waist in an attempt to pull him even deeper. And deeper he went, he still has a good three inches to give her. He hit the back of her womb and kept going, starting to stretch her insides to fit him. As he did, a bulge appeared on her belly, growing as he pushed more into her. But, finally, he had no more to give, and his hips pressed against hers.


Every time he mated with Elana, which was frequently, a little voice in the back of his head reminded him that, once upon a time, he had grown right there in the womb that he was currently invading. The woman he was currently filling so completely had carried him for nine months inside herself, and now he had returned to show his love. Sometimes he wondered if he had spent more time in her womb as a baby or as her lover.


Elana seemed to be in the same mindset. She pulled away from his neck, where she had been nuzzling and kissing as he entered her, to look up at him with half lidded eyes. “Welcome home, my son.”


Her words sparked something in his brain, the younger dragon quickly leaning in to press his lips against his mother’s. Their lips parted and tongues began to dance and twine together before snaking down the other’s throat. Unable to wait any longer, Altrue slid his hips back, pulling his length out of her warm, wet embrace. Elana moaned into her son’s mouth, her body naturally clamping down on him in an effort to keep him inside. She could feel every ridge on the underside of his shaft as it tugged and teased her walls. His tip left her womb, an emptiness replacing it that she desperately wanted filled. Only a couple inches of him was left inside her before he paused and reversed direction, sliding back up into her. He breached her womb once more, the emptiness leaving her as he filled her completely once more. Now it was his turn to moan into her mouth, hands moving to grip her breasts as he enjoyed the feeling of having her pulse and squeeze around his entire length.


His hips began to rock back and forth, pace slowly increasing. The sound of their slapping hips soon filled the small cabin, a rhythmic clapping that absolutely could be heard from outside. They finally broke the kiss, their need for air greater than their want to continue exploring each other’s mouths. The sound of their panting and occasional moan mixed with the slapping of their hips, elevating the chorus of their lovemaking. Altrue propped himself up and looked at the woman under him. His mother’s eyes were closed, mouth open slightly to allow her moans to escape, hands grabbing at the sheets. Her large breasts were moving in small circles as her body rocked in time with his thrusts, silver piercings glinting in the firelight.


“Goddess, you’re beautiful,” he breathed. Elana opened her orange eyes and smiled up at him.


“You’re just saying that cause you’re inside me,” she replied.


“You’re still beautiful even when I’m not,” he said, lowering himself back down on top of her. “I need to tell you more often.”


Elana smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Well, this is a good start, sweetie.”


Altrue picked up the pace once more, hips rapidly thrusting back and forth, the slapping faster and louder. Elana gasped then gave a pleased moan, legs wrapping around her son’s waist. She pressed her snout into his neck, her moaning loud in his ear. His free cock and her own were trapped between them, rubbing together and coating their bellies in a significant amount of their combined pre. Altrue’s hips were completely soaked from his mother’s fluids


“Oh, goddess, Alty…” she moaned out, hugging him tight as her tail wrapped around his own.


“Mom, Mommy…” he moaned back, kissing and licking and sucking on the side of her neck. “I love you so much, Mommy.”


“I love you, too, sweetie,” she replied, reciprocating his attention to her neck. “My darling boy...”


He thrust into her several more times before pulling out completely, his cock dripping from her excitement.


“Roll over,” he instructed. Elana couldn’t help but grin, doing as her son told her. Altrue preferred to be on top, especially when he was worked up, with his favourite position being him laying on top of his partner. Sure enough, she was barely on her belly before his hands were on her ass. He spread her sizable rear with one claw, while the other lifted her tail out of the way.


“I love this view,” he breathed, enjoying the sight of the spread before him. Her fat ass normally hid everything from view, but like this he could see all of her. Her round, heavy balls that weren’t as large as his own, but were definitely second among the family. Above that, gaping slightly while leaking like a river, was her puffy pink pussy. Aquatic dragons, due to evolving to have sex while in the ocean, produced a ridiculous amount of fluid to ensure proper lubrication. Thick and slick, it made sex enjoyable both in the water and on land. It was not uncommon for Altrue to look like he’d just waded through a river or dunked his head underwater after spending some quality time with his birth mother. And, in his opinion, that just made everything more fun.


Elana felt her son press back into her, two the letting out moans as they became one again. His hips pressed against her butt, followed by his chest against her back. His arms wrapped around her, holding tight just under her breasts. She knew what was to come, and her husband didn’t disappoint. His hips pistoned into fast, quick thrusts, his cock leaving her womb just barely before pushing back in. Over and over. Elana gripped at the sheets and buried her face in a pillow as she gave a loud, pleased moan. The sound of Altrue’s heavy breathing, as well as his hips and huge balls slapping against her, were loud in her ears.


“Mommy, Mommy, Mommy,” he panted out, head swimming with emotion and hormones. “I love you, you’re so beautiful. You always feel so good, I love being in your womb.”


Elana could only let out another muffled moan, face still buried in the pillow, and give an appreciative clench around his length. She was getting close. He could tell.


“I loved making babies with you,” he continued, nuzzling the back of her neck. “You looked so sexy with that big belly. I wanna get you pregnant again.”


“Oh, goddess, Alty..!” she gasped out, head coming away from the pillow, finally hitting her climax. She continued to moan as both her balls and her canal repeatedly clenched. Her cock pumped out rope after rope of her seed, a puddle quickly forming on the furs under them and spreading out around her hips. She gripped her son’s shaft over and over, her body attempting to entice him to do the same inside her. She knew he had to be close, the breeding talk was usually a sign that he was nearing his end.


“Can I, Mommy? Can I get you pregnant?” he pleaded. He needed to hear it, to make it feel as good as possible.


“Y-yes, Alty!” she exclaimed, claws digging into the furs. “On my next heat, breed me!”


A deep growl left his throat as he hilted forcefully inside her, finally reaching his climax. A flood of his seed burst from his shaft, quickly filling her womb to capacity and then more. Her belly began to bulge as his huge balls dumped more and more of his essence into her. His free cock coated her back and ass with an equal amount, flowing off her scales and onto the bed in small rivers. All the while his growls continued, hips occasionally bucking and grinding against her.


When it was finally over, the furs were ruined, and Elana was laying in a small puddle of their combined fluids. Her belly was bloated, full of her son’s virile seed. She weakly raised her head off the pillow and looked over at him. He was laying flat on top of her, head resting on the pillow next to her own. As she watched, a purple eye opened and looked into her own.


“Goddess… Alty… That was… That was…”


Whatever she was trying to say never left her mouth, as Altrue pressed his lips against hers. When they broke apart, he only had one word for her.


“Again?”


She could barely nod. “Uh-huh.”


***


It was several hours later when the two had exhausted themselves. Elana looked ready to give birth from the amount of her son’s seed in her womb, and Altrue was sporting his own small bump as well. The two were cuddled up together, nuzzling and kissing, Altrue fondling her breasts while Elana played with his empty balls and half-chubbed cocks.


“Goddess, how do I take these things? You’re not even fully hard and I can barely get my fingers around one,” she remarked, wiggling one of his shafts in her grasp.


“You should try taking both one of these days,” he joked, giving her nipple piercing a gentle tug.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you wanted me dead,” she joked back, sticking her tongue out at him.


“Hey, I miss getting both in you! I haven’t done that since, what, before we got married?”


“I think you were fourteen or fifteen the last time we could take both, and even then it was tough,” she answered. A crooked smile came to her lips. “Blessed but unable to make use of it.”


“Hey now, I can! I just need both my beautiful wives to help me out.”


Elana giggled and leaned up to kiss his lips. “I love you.”


“I love you, too, Mom. You’re the best mother I could ever hope for,” he said, nuzzling his snout against hers.


“So now I’m the best?” she teased.


“It’s a tie.”


She giggled again and released his cock from her grasp before lightly trailing a finger up his belly and towards his chest. “So… is my handsome breeder son really going to get me pregnant again?”


A soft moan left his throat, and his cocks gave a twitch. He was so easy.


“Absolutely, Mom. I can’t wait.”


“Mmm, neither can I,” she replied, pulling him into a loving kiss. When they broke apart, she laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat slowly stabilize as they relaxed from their morning romp.


“Think we should go to the lesson?” Altrue asked after a long silence.


“We probably should… don’t know how I’m gonna hide this bump, though,” she replied, looking down at her belly.


“Just tell them you had a big breakfast,” he said. “That, or that your son filled you up five times.”


She chuckled and sat up. “I’ll figure something out. Are you sure you want to go? You look exhausted. Why don’t you stay here and get some sleep?”


“And miss spending time with you? Never.”


She flashed him a smile. 


“Think they’re even still there?” he asked.


“If they’re as disciplined as it seems they are, they’ll probably wait until dark.” She stood up, nearly falling due to her shaky legs. After righting herself she began to get dressed. Altrue watched her with a small smile, eyes taking in the naked body of his wife.


“You coming, or are you just gonna gawk at me?” she asked without turning to look at him. She knew him well. He laughed and got out of bed, finding his clothes and starting to slip into them. He noticed, with more than a little bit of pride, that she was having trouble fitting her faux-pregnant belly into her clothes. When they were both ready, the two walked out into the late morning sun, hand in hand.