Juvenile 5 years later

Rose description: lightly pink scales with gentle, green colored eyes. She is slightly longer than Fire but not quite as tall on all 4. Small spurs protrude from her shoulders and feet pointing every which way imaginable. Her tail ends with a small club for a tip. Wing span is very close to equal to Fire’s. 6 silvery-white short horns protect the top and sides of her neck from the back of her skull, aimed slightly outwards.

Fire description brief: red about 12 feet long, 6 feet tall on all 4. Wingspan of 18 feet. Small claw on wing “elbow” about 6 inchess long, 8 inch spines run down his back from the base of his neck to mid tail. A frilled fan ran from the base of his neck to the back of his head. 4 horns protrude from his head one on each upper jaw bone and the corners of his skull all facing backwards to his tail, which had a sword like end.


Fire has learned how to use his transformation abilities and now has a small selection of common creatures at his use if needed but the price for the power was a great one. If he transforms too often the drain would put him into another coma that can last days. He knows he needs to spend a few hours in the form to recuperate or risk a hostile creature finding a free meal. His preferred morphs where a falcon and a raccoon both for stealth observations. He also located the red dragon, whom he still had not greeted in all this time, and felt something deep down that he could not just dismiss. But he could not bring himself to talk to her. He would often watch her from in the trees as one of his animal forms and could swear that she looked right at him a few times. He was not sure if she noticed that each time she seen him, that they where all the same individual, or just random encounters where the creature just did not flee at the sight of her. 'Fleeing would be more in character for these creatures but I can't help stare at her. I don't get it. What are these feelings I'm having?' he wondered to himself. His stomach grumbled at him. 'Damn. I guess I watched too long'. He thought. The red dragon started looking around rapidly before Fire could take off. Curious, Fire waited to see what spooked her. After a few minutes she seemed to calm down and Fire left. Fire took off to the pond that he knew so well now a days for a fish meal rather than hunt his preferred meal of raccoon or opossum. 'I wonder what got her so nervous back there?' he thought. 'Could she have felt me watching her?' Fire came over the pond and begin too morph to his own body while diving into the pond hard! A few minutes later he was enjoying a fish meal when he felt like he was being watched him self. He slowly scanned the tree line for any movement or unfamiliar objects. he did not see anything until he turned back to eat again when he saw something dart away from the trees to deeper into the woods again. When he looked somewhat that direction to see it better he thought it looked familiar somehow. But he did not feel like giving chase and let whatever it was go. “Uuhh” he groaned as he rolled over to take a rest from his morphing. He lay there for over 3 hours just staring into the sky and thinking about everything that had happened to him over the years. It made him feel uneasy for some reason. He just could not shake the feeling of foreboding he felt about himself and about that red dragon. He felt linked to her somehow. He did not understand it and it concerned him greatly. The only thing he knew was that if she was in danger, he had to help her this time, without hesitation. Fire started to get up and saw a shadow move amongst the trees that he did not recognize at all even thou the shape was all too familiar. Monkeys. Fire took to the air and started to track the monkeys trying to figure out what they where up to this time. They where headed towards the bird caves and Fire could not allow that even if it meant burning the forest down. flames raged from his hatred for the monkeys that slew his family in the past and he dove amongst them and barked “STOP!” having made himself surrounded he felt no fear of them continuing without attacking him first. “Where do you think your going in MY forest?” he demanded. Everything in the area fell silent and a calm began that was as eerie as darkness its self when jumping at your own shadows appearance. “We don’t answer to you, dragon! Now get lost or suffer our wrath! This is your only chance to leave unharmed” barked back the lead monkey. “Bad call monkey. I lost my family at monkey hands, NOW YOU SHALL FEEL MY PAIN!!!!” with that last statement his body lifted into the air effortlessly and begin to burn bright red like an ember. His body burst into a flame that burned all living non-plant life forms for a range or 30 meters in a sphere shape blast. The blast could have easily killed all the monkeys but Fire controlled it away from them with difficulty and spared their lives. He fell back to the ground, tired but ready to fight anything they had left. Huffing for breath from that burst of rage, HE FELT BETTER THAN HE HAD FOR YEARS! His baggage had been released and he was glad. He looked around at the monkeys and seen them all burned badly but judged they would survive their encounter with him. “Now do you still want to go at me monkey?” he spat out. Crickets were the only sound to be heard in the area. “I'll take that as a no. I want you out of here by tomorrow night as I know you’re not going anywhere today. Not like that at least.” dawn would break in an hour or 2 and he went to go rest by the pond. After he got there he dragged himself up his favorite tree overlooking the pond and went to sleep. *Fire hears voices talking about some monkeys that where found burnt alive and barely hanging on for life in the forest only 150 meters from the cave.* Fire snaps awake and slips off the branch he was sleeping, on clawing hard to stay on it, he falls on his back. “Ow” he grumbles *ya they are still over there if you need to see them for yourselves. Follow Me.* Fire is now wide awake and panicking looking every way looking for that voice he's hearing. He seen nothing then he thought 'wait, burnt monkeys? This morning! I burnt some monkeys near the birds cave!' he quickly morphed to a falcon and flew to the battle site to find a swarm of birds dragging the monkeys away from the forest, to the edge and the red dragon was there. 'Wow' he thought from high above the site. Red dragon perked up and looked around and then up. She spotted him! And he knew it. She said to the birds “I’ll be back. Don’t wait for me.” she opened her wings and took off faster than Fire had ever moved in his normal body and she was headed right for him! Panic griped Fire and he took off flying as fast as he could but he was mildly tired by his trip to the site and she was not. They flew for miles before Fire tried diving for the trees to shake her off his tail as she was close. She was only about 20 feet behind him at this point and gaining steadily as they flew. Fire was getting tired from this chase and needed to rest soon, or he would collapse from exhaustion. She seen him dart toward the trees and she gave it everything she had to catch him before he got there. Fire looked back just in time to avoid getting his foot grabbed and she suddenly pulled up. 'Uh?' SMACK! Fire ran right into the tree. He fell unconscious to the ground lucky he was not dead from that impact. When he awoke he found the red dragon watching over him 1 paw on him but not pressing down on him to keep him still. “Good you’re awake finally. Why have you been watching me?” she asked hoping he could respond verbally like her. Fire froze. His blood stopped in its tracks in his veins and he did not move for a few moments. ‘She knows it was me?' he thought. “Yes. I can hear that but I was not sure it was you for sure. I often seen you in the area the times I’d just start hearing things and there was no one around.” she took her paw off him and said “I’d get up slowly if I was you. You hit pretty hard. You left quite the mark in the tree up there.” Fire squawked in pain as he rolled over to his legs. 'Ouch! I think you're right but I can't stay here. I need to simply get off the ground and rest for a while before I head back. I did not want to go straight to my little pond with a tail on me.' “What pond are you referring too?” she asked. 'I doubt you've been there. Oh I don’t think we traded names yet. I'm Firebrand. And you are....?' “My names Zanta and please come out in the open next time you feel like watching me. I’d rather know who is watching than be creped out by shadows.” 'I'll try to keep that in mind then thanks. Mind letting me be alone now? I’m sorry if I'm being rude. It’s not my intent.' “Well ok but let me at least get you off the ground then.” 'No. I’ll be fine here. Thanks thou.' Zanta thought 'odd little thing' as she took to the air and headed back to the bird caves. 'Ouch' Fire winced as he looked up as she took off. As soon as she was out of sight he started to morph back to himself. 'Oh that feels better' he thought as his neck cracked back into alignment. “I thought so” Zanta said from directly behind him. Fire jumped and smashed his head on a branch. “AHH!” *smack* “OUCH!” he rubbed his new injury and turned around to see Zanta right there nose to nose with him. “Ahh” Fire rolled/fell over to his back in shock. “I did not even hear you coming back here! I thought you left.” “I did” Zanta replied “but I circled around to see if I was right. I kept seeing animals that would stare at me for hours and I was uneasy about it. When I seen the bird in the air and heard the voice again I figured they where related somehow. THAT's why I chased you down, and am I right that you where to one I seen the other day at that pond?” “What pond are you talking about? There are many in this forest if you haven't noticed.” “You where in a pond that I came to following that bird that you where looking just like a while ago. I saw you come out of it and lay on the bank starting to eat something then stop and looked around slowly.” “Oh that was you? Then ya, that was me both bird and on beach. I seen you turn and flee.” “How long have you watched me Firebrand?” Fire perked up at the question. “First things first. Please call me Fire. And as for how long.... a very long time but I could never bring myself to say hi. The first time I remember seeing you your scar was still fresh looking. I was about to come down from the trees and take a closer look when those birds came and got you.” “You where there that day? ... I did not know. I” “how could you have known Zanta?” Fire interrupts. “I kept to the trees and I found you unconscious I believe. If the birds had not shown up, I likely would have raised you as I have myself. I just did not know what to make of you right away. I'd not seen another dragon for years at that point. Oh and my apologies for cutting you off like I did.” “...” “...” They fell silent for a few minutes. Fire rolls over to his feet edging away from Zanta, keeping his back towards her, obviously uncomfortable about something and she picks up on his discomfort. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing I want to talk about. I need to be alone if you don’t mind feel free to visit the pond sometime.” and with that invite he took to the sky and headed home to his pond. He traveled slowly and could feel Zanta's confusion as to why Fire left so abruptly, and what had him so uncomfortable. How could she know what he was feeling? She just met him. Fire glanced back towards where Zanta was still sitting and felt bad for just leaving like that. 'That was rude of me.' he thought. 'But I couldn’t stay and keep fighting these feelings back much longer. Maybe this was the best action to take. I don’t know but the choice has been made.' he looked back ahead of him and altered course to go over the monkey fight site before heading back to rest. By the time he got there all the monkeys had been removed from the forest and left outside it. The birds were out playing and hunting or forging as they normally did when he seen them. They did not seem to notice him flying overhead. He flew in a large circle and headed home to rest. When he landed, he froze. Something did not feel right. He looked around but nothing looked any different than when he left except that where he fell was messed up yet. He carefully walked over to his tree, looking for anything odd, and brushed the dirt back level as normal, and then he started to climb to nap when he heard wing beats overhead. He glanced up expecting to see Zanta flying past but it was not her. It was someone new. A small purple dragon had come looking for water and spotted his pond. Fire started to walk out into the clearing when the dragon looked up and spun around. “Hi” Fire said. “Don’t be alarmed. I won’t hurt you unless you attack me first.” the dragon replied sharply “where did you come from? I saw no one on my approach.” Fire nods towards the tree he was about to climb in to rest. “I was about to get up there, when you landed.” Fire sits down on the beach about 20 feet from the purple dragon. “My name's Firebrand but please, call me Fire. If you don’t mind me asking, what's your name?” the purple one replied “I don’t trust you.” taken aback by this abrupt statement from him, Fire said “fair enough but I’m only trying to be polite. But if you don’t wish to share in manners, I’ll bid you good day.” And he got up and went to his tree and climbed in to watch and rest. The purple one did not take his eyes off Fire for more than 5 seconds at a time when he did. 'This fellows an odd one. Heh. He’s likely thinking the same about me I’ll bet. Fire stopped watching the purple dragon after a while and went to sleep. Fire awoke with a startle. The purple one was gone, and everything seemed normal but felt wrong. Fire got down and went to get a drink of water. Suddenly he hears a screech from the edge of the forest. He took off to investigate and see what the commotion was about. He saw Zanta flying in the same direction so he altered to intercept her. “You heard that scream too?” she asked him. “Yes. It woke me up in fact” “I’ve never heard such a scream before.” “I have” Fire said bitterly as he remembered the scream his sister loosed before the monkeys killed her. “Zanta, listen to me a sec. if I start to float, not hover by my wings, run like the wind that you are riding on now away from me things are going to get ugly for anyone too close.” Zanta nodded. They heard another scream coming from just past the tree line. There, Fire and Zanta seen a sight Fire never wished to have seen. The field was littered with bodies of humanoid creatures of many races. Humans, lizardmen, serpents, dragon-kin, and trolls littered the fields. Fire was stunned till the scream started and abruptly ended almost directly below them. Fire turned to Zanta and said one word very low key but with urgency. “Run” Fire felt the rage boiling inside him just like with the monkeys but he did not think he could stop it this time. Fire flew towards the center of the battlefield and Zanta flew for her life and Fire said. Fire’s body turned a bright red then intensified to pure white and he fought it every step of the way to give Zanta time. He never reached the center of the field before the pent up rage exploded from his body destroying EVERYTHING for 3 miles around him. Fire only hoped Zanta escaped the blast as he fell unconscious. When he came to he found he was in the center of a massive crater. There was but one other living thing there. A pink dragoness who's mother was slain trying to protect her and was pulled into the crater by the aftershocks of the blast. Tired Fire rolled over and weakly said “hi.” She did not respond to him but he heard her crying. Painfully Fire got to his feet and crawled over to her. “Are you ok?” he asked as he slumped at her feet. She stopped crying for a moment and looked at him. He looked her in the eyes and she burst out crying again and looked away. 'Ouch' Fire thought to himself. 'I must remind her of someone or something unpleasant.' Fire worked his way back to his feet and tried to comfort the poor girl. “If you feel like talking about what's bothering you I’m here. I won’t hurt you. My name is Fire, by the way.” she mumbled something in reply but Fire could not hear it over her sobbing. “I'm sorry, I did not hear that. But if you need someone for anything, I'm not going anywhere.” she looked up at Fire and spoke clearly this time. “My name is Rose” “Nice to meet you, Rose. I wish this was a better place to meet, but we are here. Do you mind if I ask why you are crying?” Fire waited for a reply that did not come. “If you don't want to tell me, that’s ok.” “Thanks. I just don't want to talk about it now.” “Ok. I’m not going to force you into anything. Not that in my position I could anyways. I can barely walk right now. It hurt a lot to get over here. You looked like you need cheering up,” Fire smiled weakly at her and she chuckled. “Ether your trying to be cute or a jerk. Ether way, thank you.” Fire was saddened but the idea that she thought he was being a jerk and lay his head down. “Ohhhh” he groaned. He was covered in bruises on his left side from his fall. He was concerned about her as well as she had bruised all over her body from her rolling down the crater. She nuzzled him gently and asked “are you ok?” “I wish I could say I've been thru worse. But I'm sure I'll be fine in time. It's just going to be painful for a while to move much at all” He closed his eyes for a second then yelped in surprise and pain as he jumped back. His eyes where wide open now and he was on his feet hurting by standing but he was in shock over what she just did. “What? Why did you scream?” she asked. In reply he asked “Why did you kiss me?!?!?!” She did not reply and looked at the ground. She was embarrassed by her actions. Fire was on his feet standing ready to move if she tried anything again but the feeling of shock was wearing off. He was hurting badly from his injuries. She still said nothing. She did not even look at him. His pain in his legs was getting unbearable. He flopped down on the ground in pain. “Uhhh” he groaned as he dropped. Rose looked up at him. “Are you ok?” She asked. “Are you going to tell my why now?” he replied. She looked down again and blushed as she said “I'm embarrassed to say this but you look cute like that.” “Great. Just what I needed, to look cute.” Fire lay his head on the rocks in front of him. “Do you mind telling me why you where crying earlier now?” “I'm all alone now. I never knew my father and my mother was all I had. She died protecting me shortly before the blast that trapped us both down here. My left wing is broken and I fear I won’t make it out of here before it's too late. There is no water down here.” “I wouldn't be too worried about that Rose. If it comes down to it, my wings are fine. I'll suffer the pain to get us out of here, before I'll sit here and watch us die.” “Thank you. But I couldn't ask you to do that.” “Did I say you had to ask me to? As for you mom ... At least you knew your mom. I did not know mine. She died before I was hatched. My father said she was killed by monkeys, but I’m not sure I believe him. As for my father, he was murdered right in front of me while he slept. My sister, and only sibling, was killed fighting for our freedom from the raiding monkeys. Since you told me of your family I felt you should know of mine as well. I've lived alone for years now, most my life I taught myself about myself and chose my own ways. Working off of instincts and feelings, I survived this far. Anyways I'm going to try and sleep off some of this pain, unless you got any more surprises in store for me.” Rose looked at him with a new sadness in her eyes after hearing Fire's brief past. She walked over to his left side, the side that was bruised badly, and lay next to him gently. She draped her good wing over him and said, “Good night.” she gently nuzzled him affectionately. “Please don't,” Fire asked of her. “We only just met. But thanks for the gesture. It is kind of you but it also hurts. That is my wounded side.” “Oh, sorry.” “Night” Fire said before drifting unconscious. Later that day Fire woke up to some rocks hitting him in the face. “Mmm? Uh.” He partially sat up as he remembered Rose was by him last. He looked around and seen her at the distance trying to climb the crater walls. 'That’s useless' he thought to her. She yelped in surprise as she jumped at the sudden voice in her head. She slid back down to where Fire was, pelting him with rocks. Annoyed but amused, Fire chuckled lightly. She looked back at him and blushed. Fire stopped chuckling and his head suddenly felt hot. Now she started laughing out loud and she commented between fits of laughter “You look so funny! You should see your face right then. You looked sooo red and I don't mean your normal red. You look funny blushing like that.” Now Fire was embarrassed. He lay back down and covered his face with his paws. Rose started to calm down from her fits and seen him covering up his face. “Awww” she cooed as she walked over to him. “I'm sorry if the embarrassed you, but I'll keep it to myself. Ok?” she gently rubbed her muzzle on his paws trying to draw him back out. Fire said nothing but let her push his paws off his head. He looked up at her with the setting sun at her back he thought 'Oh wow. She is cute. I'm surprised I did not see it before now.' Suddenly she blushed and said “Thank you. I was not expecting something like that from you thou. You’re so kind and gentle that I guess I should have.” Fire turned deep red again embarrassed that she heard that thought, but at the same time he felt glad she did. “I did not mean for you to hear that” Fire mumbled. “But I'm guessing you did from your comment.” “Yes.” She replied softly. “I hardly know you but I like you. I hope you're not offended by me for my actions.” “Embarrassed, a little. Offended, not at all. I am feeling better.” Fire got up and to his feet and started to slowly walk around. “Still a bit stiff but we can try to take off if you wish. I'm willing to take any pain to try.” “No. Let's wait till morning to try and leave. So we can see where we are going.” “Ok It sounds reasonable as the sun is setting. It will be dark soon. But I do feel like we should get out of this crater just the same. We can rest on the edge of the forest and wait, while I rest from carrying us both up there.” Fire gently argued his points. “I guess so.” she paused for a few seconds. “I'm ready when you are then. Just tell me what you want me to do.” “Lay down so I can stand over your back. Keep your wings in as tightly as you can without hurting yourself. I know your left will hurt if you pull it too much. we will adjust for it after I see how far you can hold it.” Rose laid down as directed and pulled her right wing almost completely up to the shoulder blade but she barely got her left wing to her side before cringing in pain. “Ouch” she whimpered. “Easy now,” Fire gently told her. “Stop if it hurts.” She relaxed her wings. “I'm afraid that's it. It hurts bad to go farther than that.” “Roll half on to your right side and hold on to my leg. Bite it if you have to. But hold onto it.” He gently scooped her off the ground then winced as she bit his leg to hold on to him. He pushed off the ground and strained hard to lift them both up into the air. Slowly they Rose into the air, as Fire struggled to fly under the added weight of Rose. Rose let go of his leg when she felt confident he was not going to drop her. “Your doing good Fire.” Fire did not respond for fear they would slip back down if he did but was happy for the compliment and release of the pain in his leg. They spurred him to work harder and soon he was able to get to the ledge and land. He hit a little harder than he wanted but she did not care. She was happy to be out of the crater and to be with someone who cared enough to hurt them self to help. He was exhausted and could not move off of her as he lay on her injured wing. “I'm sorry if this hurts. You'll have to push me off if it does as I can’t move, too tired.” “I'm ok thanks to you Fire.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Mmm” Fire objected but could not move away. “At least you’re not red over it this time.” She smiled at him. Fire did not comment back. He had no reply to give her this time. For even thou he objected to the kiss, he liked it. He also realized that he was getting to like her as well. He decided that it would be nice to have some company for a while if she was willing to stay with him. But he also thought that if she did choose to stay, they would want to find someplace not so open to stay at. His mind went combing over his years that he spent alone trying to find a suitable location to check up on for shelter that he has seen before. H drew a blank on any cave but the bird cave and he could not evict them and Zanta to take their home. 'Zanta!' the thought suddenly ran thru his head that he had not seen her since the blast and hoped she was fine and safe. Rose picked up on his uneasiness and asked “What?” Snapped away from his thoughts Fire felt like an idiot for saying “Huh?” “What's eating you? It’s obvious something is bothering you. What is it?” “Oh. Just worried a friend did not make it far enough to escape the blast that brought us together.” Fire paused. “That and whether or not to ask you if you would like to stay with me for a while.” “I don't have anywhere to go, do I? No home. No family. No friends.” “No friends? You don't think of me as one?” Fire asked hurt a little. “I barely met you, but I trust you. I hope that means something to you at the least.” “Well other than the friend I'm worried about ... you’re my only friend.” Silence settled upon the pair as they lay there on the crater edge resting. Hours later Fire stirred. Rose had fallen asleep and was resting still. Fire carefully got up so not to move her wing to wake her with its pain. He walked over to the tree and placed his paws on the trunk and stretched out and felt a few kinks in his back straighten out and pop back into place. He looked around at the site of a former battle covered meadow now scarred by his powers that he could not completely control. He was frightened for anyone that would be near him if he lost control for no reason but for an argument. He feared getting too close to anyone for the fact that he was still teaching himself, what it meant to be himself, and the power kept growing inside him. He looked at Rose as he thought to himself. 'I should just leave now for her safety. It’s not safe around me until I can control this power.' He started into the forest but did not go far. He stopped and sighed. He turned around and went back to her side. He could not bring himself to abandon her while she was wounded like she was. She was shivering when he got back to her. It was not that cold out but she did have a blanket of sorts before he left. He laid back down gently over her and after a short while, she stopped shivering and murred. She mumbled something in her sleep to him but he missed it and was not going to try to get her to repeat it. She was someone that needed help for now and he felt good helping in every way that he could. Fire smiled down at her and lay his head across her neck and went back to sleep. *weeds rustling in the background* Fire awoke and lifted his head just a little. He thought he heard something. He looked around silently in the darkness. He blinked. He closed his eyes and shook he's head as it felt like he had dirt in them but nothing was in them. When he opened them again he saw something that made him shudder in fear and concern. He saw many energy patterns surrounding many creatures walking around in the forest and they were LARGE. They were barely slipping thru some tree trunks with out a sound. Fire placed a paw over Rose's mouth and gently shook her. “Shhh” he whispered when she finally objected to being woke up. 'Follow me silently.' He said to her mind. He placed his tail gently on her back so she would know where he was leading by following his tails pull. 'Something large and unfriendly feeling is near. Don't speak aloud think to me.' 'How do you know where you are going?' she asked. 'I can’t explain it but' *thud* 'Ow' Fire walked into a tree he did not see. Fire felt her stifled a snicker. 'Oh? So you want to try leading to safety then?' 'Sorry I could not help it. I just asked how you knew where to go and you hit something.' 'Ya, a bloody tree. ... No not a tree covered in blood. That would be bad for us.' *thud* Fire remarked 'Confound it! It’s harder to see the trees while walking away from those things.' 'Huh? How so? I can’t see anything but darkness.' 'I’m not sure how to explain this but I'll try for you. When I heard the movement I woke up and started looking around. I saw only darkness like you. I suddenly felt like I got dirt in my eyes and tried to shake it out. When I opened my eyes I seen colors in silhouettes surrounding you and them but everything else is dark.' 'Oh so you’re just leading me away from them then, and taking the hits for me to stay unharmed?' 'Pretty much, I guess. Not much scares me but they do. I don't know what they were but I don't intend to find out.' 'Mind if I ask you a question Fire?' 'Sure. I don't mind.' 'Where were you going when you got up earlier?' '... You were awake?' 'You woke me when you got off and I got cold. I heard you by the trees.' '... I'm not sure you'll like the reply. Do you still want to hear it?' 'Please tell me. I asked did I not?' 'Ok, but don't cry over it please.' Fire audibly sighs. 'I was considering whether to leave you here and go alone into the woods, to keep from getting close to you, and possibly harming you. That blast that sucked you into the crater was caused by me. I can’t control my power completely and I don't want to hurt you. And as I found out tonight I got abilities I don’t even know of yet. I like you and don't want to see you suffer because of me.' Fire and Rose walked in silence until they until they came to a clearing. 'I don't see anything around here. Let's rest here.' Fire let Rose lay down first and he lay beside her so she was laying on him. 'I'm glad I did decide to stay. It kept you safer than if I had left.' Fire gently nuzzles against Rose. Rose nuzzles back 'I'm glad you stayed too.' Fire felt a loving warmth in him that he was unaccustomed to but he did not care. He was happy that she was happy, and that was all that mattered to him as he slept. Dawn broke over the young pair and they were still sleeping. A familiar individual was approaching so Fire did not get woke up by his senses even though they told him someone was there. Fire woke up to pain running across his face. “YEOW!” he screamed as he woke up wakening Rose in the process of jumping back in pain. “When were you going to tell me you were alright????” Was the question that got barked at him sharply. “Zanta-Zanta-Zanta-Zanta-Zanta!” Fire stammered. He was in shock from two things: one, he was sure she was dead by the blast, and two, she just clawed him across the face! “Zanta, I couldn’t get out of the crater that the blast caused right away. My left side was badly hurt. We only got out last night from it.” Fire started to relax a bit. “Zanta, I did not think that you made it far enough in time. I was sure that you were killed by the blast. Even though I held up hope for your safety, I doubted it.” Rose butted in “I'm sorry to butt in but, who is this Fire? And then to you. *turns to Zanta* Why would you attack such a gentle individual like that? What did he do to deserve such a mark on his face like you got?” Fire let her finish before he spoke. “I'm sorry Rose. Rose this is Zanta. Zanta meet Rose. Zanta is the friend I told you about while we were in the crater.” Momentary silence. Rose asked Zanta, “and your reply?” “I have nothing to say to you.” Zanta hissed back. “Zanta, why are you being so rude? What’s wrong with answering the question? If it's just cuz it's her asking, I want to know why also.” Zanta fell silent. She glared at Fire for his tactic. Fire noticed Zanta was twitching her tail sporadically and guessed she did not like Rose for some reason. Fire stepped forward and sat between Zanta and Rose. He looked Zanta dead in the eyes and said sit please with out a thought or word. Zanta scoffed at Fire and looked around him. “Watch your back. You never know who's watching.” and then she turned and started walking away. Fire maddened by this threat by Zanta jumped up and tackled her. “You will not touch her. AM I CLEAR?” He whispered in her ear. Zanta looked up obviously feelings hurt. She looked back away as Fire got off her. Fire sighed. “Zanta.” She did not acknowledge his soft call. “Zanta, look at me please.” “Why should I?” “Alright, I'll move just ... don't turn away please.” Fire got up and moved and lay in front of Zanta, looking her in the eyes. “I'm sorry I tackled you. That hurt me probably more than it hurts you right now. You’re the first friend I've had. Can you forgive me for that at least?” The look in Fire's eyes told Zanta that he was not lying to her. Fire continued “I just don't want you to harm Rose as she is going to be my guest for a while. She lost everyone like I did. Even though we lost in different ways I feel sorrow for her. She also has a broken wing and can’t really get away if something attacked now. So I hope you can understand why I did what I did and accept my apologies. And I'm sorry if I ruined out friendship over this.” Zanta looked away from Fire and said “Leave me alone for now.” “I'll let you come to the pond to see me then. Good bye Zanta, my friend. Take care of your self.” And with that Fire stood and sauntered over to Rose saying, “I'm going airborne to see where we are.” Before Fire could take off Zanta called out. “Wait.” Fire looked at her. She was looking at him. Zanta pointed with a paw. “That way to your pond and *she shifted her point* that way to the bird caves.” “Thanks Zanta.” Fire replied. Rose walked up to Fire as Fire walked over to Zanta. He gave her a nuzzle in thanks and whispered to her. “The last thing I wanted to do is to hurt one of my friends.” She looked at him miserably and seen great sadness in his eyes as he looked at her. Fire broke eye contact with Zanta and they started walking to the pond leaving Zanta to mope. Rose and Fire strolled to the pond in silence and Fire felt uneasy about it. But he was not really in a mood to talk ether. During the walk, Rose was trying to start a conversation, but when she went to say anything, she could not say it. She felt bad about the fight between Fire and Zanta. She felt partly to blame for it as she was lying by Fire and Rose seen in Zanta's eyes that she really liked him. Fire finally spoke breaking the long quiet walk. “This is where I've been calling my home.” Wire walks to his tree. “This is the tree I usually sleep in but I'm guessing you'll want me by you at night. At least until your comfortable here.” “Thanks for everything Fire. I owe you a lot and I don’t know how to ever repay you for it. If it was not for you I likely would have died in that crater you made. Even if you can't control your power, if there is anything I can do for you, tell me. My life is yours to do what you will with. I'll do” Fire interrupts Rose. “Stop that right now then. If that's how you feel, then I release you to do anything you want. I don't want a friend as a servant or slave. Just ... be yourself. Ok?” Rose said nothing. “Rose?” “Hum?” “Ok?” Rose said nothing again and looked away from Fire. “What's wrong?” Rose looked back at him with tears in her eyes but she wouldn't speak. Fire walked over to her and sat in front of her. “You can tell me anything, Rose; I won’t let it bother me too much either way.” She sagged her head to the ground. “Hay. No. Up here.” Fire objects as he turns her face back up with a paw gently. “I don't want both of you not talking to me.” Fire frowns. “What do you want me to say?” Rose asked. Fire shook his head. “No. Not like this Rose. Not what do I, Fire, want you, Rose, to say. I want you to talk to me as you want to. Like we did while still in the crater. Like we did in the forest. Like before Zanta found us. Ok?” Rose looks away from Fire's pleading eyes and resists him when he tries to guide her gaze back at him. “Rose, you’re putting me into a difficult position here.” Fire takes a deep breath. “I'm going to give you a choice. Think about it well before you reply to it. I'm also giving it a minimum time delay before you reply to it. Do you understand so far?” Rose looks at him and nods. “Ok, here's the choice. You can act of your own free will, not trying to be like a servant to me, or when your wing heals, you leave. Because if your going to act like a servant, I will tell you to leave me and not return. And acting like a good servant you would obey. I don't want your reply to this till after sundown tomorrow. I want you to think about your choice well. Am I understood?” Rose looked saddened at the options but nodded that she understood. “Ok. Thank you. I hope you are happy with which ever choice you make Rose. Because I'm not backing down. I won’t have you serving me like your purposing. For you to do something for me to make me happy is one thing, to do them because I told you to do it is something else. I want you to feel free to say no to anything I ask of you.” Fire sighs. Here I've gone and made this a speech but I hope you get what I want from you.” Fire looks up at the sun overhead. It’s about mid day now. I'm going for a soak in the pond. Would you care to join me?” Rose gets up and follows Fire to the pond. “Careful near the center. There's a drop off and a strong current down there. If you get pulled under there there’s little I can do to help you short of sacrificing myself to try and keep you alive till the next air pocket. I don’t know how far that is from here. Rose wades out to knee deep and turns around and lies in the water head just above the water level. “...” Fire is concerned over this action. He wades out to the middle area and dives for a fish to give to her as he knows neither of them has eaten for at least 2 days. He catches one of the largest fish he could find, before his lungs started burning to tell him to get to the surface. He gets back to the surface and gasps for air around the fish in his jaws. Rose looks back at him then puts her head back where it was. Fire walks over to her and offers her the fish. “Hungry?” he asks. She smiles slightly but turns him down. Fire loses his appetite and releases the fish. Now really concerned over these new actions from Rose he asked “Since I know you have not eaten since we met 2 days ago, why do you starve your self? You just caused me to loose my hunger by not joining me for something to eat. What good will that do?” Rose sighed but did not speak to him. Fire lay down in the pond next to her and rolled to his back, placing his head on a nearby rock sticking out of the water. “Come here Rose.” He said gesturing for her to come closer to him. As she came closer he taped his chest near his neck. She lay in the water and placed her head on his chest. Fire spoke “I have a question for you and I want you to be honest with me Rose. Ok?” “Ok” “By saying ok you’re agreeing to respond to the question. My question is this. Did you come lay your head here because I asked you to, or because you wanted to?” He asked this while looking down at her. She did not know how to respond to his question she did come over when he called her, and she also came because she wanted to. How does she reply one side or the other when it is both? She could not answer his question to her and just kept quiet, looking at him. “Maybe I should put it a different way. Did you come over here because of my directions to do so? Or did you come over here willingly?” “Now I can reply to that one, Fire. I came willingly. But I also came because you asked me to. I was not going to lie by or on you unless you asked or invited me to.” “Oh. Well then. Let's put that out of the way then. Any time I lay down, you can lie with, on, or by me as you wish to, so long as at that time I do not object.” “Thank you Fire” Rose cooed. 'At least I got her making a choice for her self there and admitting it' Fire thought to himself happily. “Boy, the sun feels good on my belly this time. I rarely lay like this. I think I'll need to lie on my back more often.” “I agree.” Rose said softly. Fire slipped slowly into a dreamless sleep with Rose on his belly. Dusk was setting in when Fire woke up. Rose had moved up to the beach and was asleep again. Fire started to roll over when he was grabbed and pulled back on his back. Zanta had snuck up on him and seen him in the water. “Zanta? What?” she whispered in his ear, “meet me by the crater after dark tomorrow night” “Why? Wait. You know I can’t see in the dark that well. I'll get lost too easy.” Fire whispered back. “Trust me. Tomorrow night after dark. Be at the crater.” “Zanta I do trust you. I'll be there.” Zanta then snuck off as quietly as she approached. Fire laid there in the water wondering what she wanted from him over at the crater. After a while he got up and walked over to the beach he walked a ways away from Rose and shook off the water as best as he could. A cold breeze hit him and he shivered from the cold touch. He thought about lying by Rose but decided to go to the tree instead. He did not want to wake her up on accident. He walked over to his tree and started to climb in but something got his eye. He did not notice it while walking over but someone left a fish on his tree branch. It was still wet. 'Zanta?' he wondered. 'If so why?' Cold and wet, he put the fish on a higher branch for later as it was dead already. He was not in a mood to eat anything even though his gut demanded it. 'Why does Zanta want to see me at the crater?' Fire was stumped over this puzzle. He was not sure if he was going to tell Rose that Zanta wanted him to meet her there or not yet. But he knew he had to go, to try and fix his friendship with her. Fire's gut rumbled again, complaining that there's food by him and none in him. Fire sighed, reached up, took the fish back down, and ate part of it. He put the rest back up in the trees branches and lay there looking at Rose hoping she would choose to stay over trying to slave to him. Fire ended up passing out after a while. He awoke to Rose staring up at him in the tree. Dawn had arrived and she wanted something. “Morning” Fire said. “Morning” Rose replied cheerfully. “You’re a lot more chipper than last night.” He remarked as he got up to his feet. “Oh, I got a question for you quick. Did you put anything here last night?” “No. Why?” Fire took the half eaten fish down from the branch. “This was whole when I got up here. It was still wet too.” He commented. Fire hopped down with the fish and walked to the pond and tossed it to the center for the other fish to feed on the rest. “Have you eaten since the crater yet?” “Yes. I got a fish laid by me last night on the beach placed on a rock. Wasn't that you?” Fire shook his head no. “I'm afraid that half-fish is all I've had myself since I offered you last night.” “I wonder who did this then.” “...” Fire had a good idea who but said nothing. 'I wonder if she's trying to apologize for her threat yesterday.' Thought Fire. He shook his head. “Well how about I show you around a bit? Being that we will be on foot, I can’t really show you much.” “No. I'd rather just wait for my wing to heal up, before you show me around.” “As you wish. What would you like to do then?” Rose looked at him and blushed. Fire realized what a poor choice of words he just used and had trapped himself. “No. I won't do that, Rose.” His head was getting hot and he knew he was blushing himself. She giggles at his blushing. “Maybe not now, but some day, you might change your mind.” “That's yet to be seen Rose. But it is possible.” “I'm confused now. You've been flirting with me since we met but you reject me. Why?” Fire was stunned. 'Have I been trying to draw her attentions?' He asked himself. 'I've just been trying to be nice to someone that suffered a loss that I understand all too well, and was being friendly to her. Was I sending the wrong messages to her on accident?' “I'm sorry if that's what my being polite felt like to you, Rose. But I only like you. But I'm not trying to flirt with you. If I am, I apologize for sending to wrong messages to you thru my actions. I have felt the losses you have and feel sorry for what you have ahead of you. If you want, I will be here to comfort you in your grief, but I'm here as a friend. Nothing more.” Rose was crushed by these statements and started to walk away. “Wait Rose. Don't go. Please stay.” She continued to walk away from Fire and went to the far side of the pond and wept quietly. Fire gently glided over to her and softly landed by her side. She turned away from him and said “go away.” “I will in just a minute. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings Rose. But I understand them. I do like you. I don't want to see you in pain like this. So I'm sorry. Please forgive my words.” And with that he gave her a kiss. “Please don't take that kiss the wrong way. I consider you the closest thing I got to a family right now.” Fire started to walk away and let Rose be as she asked. She had stopped crying at least when he kissed her. She started to think it was only a matter of time before she could have him. She decided right then that she wanted to stay and be with him, even if he kept resisting her advances. His resisting her just made her want him more. Fire walked off to the distance and lay down on the ground miserable that he hurt Rose's feelings. A whisper from the tree line made him look up. He saw no one in the direction that he heard the voices come from. Fire lay his head back down not wanting to do anything. He felt horrible about Rose. The male laid there for hours not moving, not wanting to feel anything. He did not hear Rose, and did not want to get up to see if she was still on the beach or not. Every ounce of his being hoped she was not driven away by his comments to her. He started hearing a flapping sound on approach to the pond and he looked up. As the flapping got closer, he saw one of the birds flying over the pond area then fly towards him. It had a red scale in its claws. It said nothing but dropped the scale in front of Fire and left. Rose seen the bird flying near Fire and was curious. She walked over to the closer edge of the pond before Fire looked around and seen her. Fire seen her walking over and quickly buried the scale. “What was that thing?” Rose asked when she got near. “That was a bird and a reminder to me from Zanta.” Rose looked confused. “I understand your reaction. I did not know whether to tell you or not. Zanta came here near dusk. You had moved on the beach before she came. She wants me to go to the crater tonight and speak with her. She would not say why.” “Are you going to meet her then?” “Yes.” “I've made my choice if you'll accept it now, since you are not going to be here at dusk.” “Then what is your choice?” “I want to stay.” Fire smiled, happy to hear that. Rose looked up at the sky. “It's about mid day. You have time. Care to join me for lunch?” Fire was now grinning like a fool. She was acting like herself and that pleased him to no end. “Of course I'll join you.” He said happily and said, “What did you want? Fish? I can find something else if you'd like.” She turned to him and replies, “No. I'm getting them. I asked you to join me.” “As you wish. Fish is fine with me. Just one favor. Don’t hurt your self down there.” Rose smiled back at him and dove into the water. Fire waited for a minute and then terror crossed his face as blood surfaced. He ran and dove in the water as fast as he could. He looked around quickly and seen her holding the rocks near the swift current. Her tail and hind legs trapped in the rapidly moving waters. She had bit into her wing to call for help to him. He dove to her and pressed his mouth to hers and thought to her 'Air. Take what I got and I'll be right back down.' She exhaled and took Fire's breath. Fire turned and shot for the surface lungs burning without air in them. He gasped as he burst out of the water and dove right back in. Lungs filled with air but still burning from the strain from having been empty he returned to Rose who was slipping. He got to her and thought to her 'this will hurt' as he sank his teeth into her back and pulled with everything he had. She came free quickly. He released her back and grabbed her by her front paw and jetted for the surface. She gasped heavily as they reached the surface. “Are you alright Rose?” “Next time I say I'm getting the fish, hit me.” Fire laughed. “I'll take that as I'll be ok.” Fire helped her over to the waters edge and said he'll be right back. Fire took off to a near by cave where he knew of herbs that helped him when he was hurt. He also had started using that same cave as a storage location for skins and pelts that he used for bandages. He gathered an ample supply and headed back to tend her wounds. By the time he was done it was almost dusk. Rose said “Thanks again Fire. I owe you my life a second time now.” “Well as long as you don't try to slave your self to me, conceder it debt paid.” “You’re too kind to me.” She said. She looked at the sky. “If you're not going to stand Zanta up, you better get going.” Fire looked up and nodded. “I don't think I’ll be back tonight. I don't see well at night, as you know firsthand,” Fire said rubbing his head as he remembered all the trees he walked into that night. “I'll see you when I get back. Oh shit. I'm going to have to delay a few min yet. Be right back.” Fire dove into the pond. Rose waited for him to get back. Fire surfaced with a large fish after only thirty seconds. Fire gave it to Rose. “We missed lunch and dinner. I can't leave you hungry.” Rose blushed. “Awww.” She said. “Well, I better get going. Try not to aggravate your wounds while I'm gone.” With that he took to the air and flew as hard as he could to the crater he made. When he got there it was quite dark. Zanta was no where to be seen. He started walking around the edge of the crater looking in and remembering his chat with Rose. He was lost in thought when he hears a rustling from behind him. He turns around just in time to get rammed into and bite into his rammer. They both fall into the crater and sustained moderate injuries. His attacker had broken both wings in the fall. He broke a front leg and sprained his wings. He knew he was not leaving soon nor was his attacker. He got up on his 3 good legs and moved away from his attacker and lay down a distance away listening for any movement. He wished he knew how he had gotten his aura vision to work that first time so he would at least see what his attacker looked like. He was not going to sleep with someone that just attacked him nearby even if injured like him. Hours passed and he heard nothing from his attacker. He guessed they were asleep and dared to rest him self. Hours later, Fire awoke, sat up, and yelped in pain as he forgot his leg was broken. He assessed his wounds before anything else. He was bruised fairly decently across most of his body as he rolled most of the way down. His wings felt like lead weights and he felt it was not a good idea to move them unless he had to. Other than his broken leg everything else seemed fine. Now Fire looked around angry at whoever did this to him. He looked around and seen no one at first. Then a bunch of rocks caught his eye, and he started hobbling over to them to take a look. He did not see a pile like this when he was here with Rose. As he got closer he heard someone whimpering. 'Grrrrr' He thought. He was going to give them an earful for what they did. As he got to the rocks the whimpering stopped and they tried to scuttle away. Fire saw who it was and was appalled. “Why did you ram me?” He demanded. The individual stopped trying to run and faced him slowly. Fire was given one of the saddest looks he had ever seen. “I’m sorry. I should not have yelled at you like that but still. Why did you do it?” Fire asked softer. The figure did not reply to Fire. “Am I supposed to guess why now?” The figure replied only with, “My wings are broken. I don’t have a way out of here now. Anything I say is pointless. I won’t survive in here.” “My wings are hurt but I’d rather suffer than wait for death, and you should know that already. That was part of the reason you clawed me as you did. Because I suffered to help Rose. Rose has a broken wing and could not fly when we met. Now I got a broken leg and could not carry anyone if I wanted to. If I try I might lose my leg altogether. … I see no options but two. One my wings can’t hold me in a day and we both die. If they can hold me I get up there and knock some trees over for you to climb out on, or get the birds.” Zanta replied “The birds wouldn’t be able to carry me.” “Then we better hope I can get a big enough tree when I get up there.” Fire limped to Zanta. “Now please tell me why you rammed me.” “Jealousy. You like Rose and spent the night right at her side. I wanted that from you.” “Yes, I like her, but I like you also Zanta. If you wanted lay at my side, why did you not just ask me? You’re my friend Zanta. Friends shouldn’t hurt each other if they can avoid it.” Zanta hung her head in shame at this. “My plan backfired on me when you grabbed me and pulled me in with you. I would have come down here to see if you were ok in the morning and say that I waited for you and slept up there waiting for you to show. I wanted to be the one to help you so you would like me like Rose likes you.” “Well Rose is in bad shape right now. She botched a fishing attempt. There is a swift current below the pond and she got caught in it. I had bite into her back fairly deeply to pull her out. I think she will make it but I am worried about her. I almost did not come to stay with her, and watch over her. … I feel bad for you both but I can only take so much myself. This pains me greatly Zanta. I got such pain in my own life from my own losses and being stuck in here again does not help.” “I’m sorry. I was thinking of myself and not of you. I did not realize what you have been going thru.” Fire sighs. “Well I’m tired of talking for now. I’m going to lie down. If you want, you can lay with me. Just don’t expect romance like you said you want.” Fire went and lay down against the rock pile. Zanta sulked as she walked over and sat by him. He looked up at her and painfully lifted a wing invitingly. She took it and lay against him. “I’m not trying to send mixed messages to you but I feel as though I am with this.” He remarked. “I want to keep on being friends. That’s all I want with Rose as well. But I doubt you believe me now. That is all I have to say.” Zanta was silent at this. She lay her head down and rested, deeply saddened. Fire could feel her sadness and nuzzled her. “Hay. Cheer up Zanta. I’m not trying to be rude to you but, your killing my mood being so glum.” He said as he dropped his own head to the ground next to hers. He sighed as she did not even acknowledge him. He rested restlessly but did not want to move and disturb Zanta who fell asleep. He was too worried about Rose. He hurt her a good bit saving her from the current. And he knew she expected him back by now. ‘Here I am trapped in this damn crater again. This blows.’ He thought. ‘And to top it off I can’t stop thinking about Rose.’ He groaned as he slumped to his side. ‘Ouch, that hurt.’ Zanta stirred but did not wake. He looked to the sky and seen it was mid afternoon. He knew Rose would be looking for him worried herself by now. He tried to reach out to her mind, but could not make a connection with her. ‘She must be too far away from here to reach.’ He assumed. He lay his head down and tried to sleep but ended up awake until dusk. Zanta woke up and shivered. The sun was down and Fire was not covering her anymore as he rolled half over. “Are you awake?” She whispered. “No.” Fire replied sarcastically and grinned. She smiled at his attempt to be funny. “How are you feeling?” “Sore all over, pain in my leg at least quieted down a few hours ago. How about you?” “I’ve been better.” “Did you sleep well?” "Not really. But I can’t say it was the worst I’ve lately. Did you get any sleep Fire?” “No. I was too restless to sleep. I’m worried about Rose. I’m worried about us getting out of here. My mind just would not be still enough to sleep.” “Oh. Well did you want to be left alone then?” “It doesn’t matter. But I don’t really want you to leave. Just knowing someone’s here is comforting a little.” Zanta maneuvered closer to Fire and pressed gently against him. “Ah. Careful, I’m bruised everywhere from that roll last night.” He pulled his broken leg up to avoid being hurt more and placed it on her side. “Ooohhh. Well that at least did not hurt as much as I thought it would. Be careful if you pull away. That’s my broken leg.” “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.” She cooed back at him as she turned and looked him in the eyes. Fire could feel himself getting hot headed and blushed. “I, uh, um, and …” Fire was at a loss for words for once. Zanta stifled a giggle. “You look so cute right now.” That did not help his blush as it only got redder. Zanta could not help herself and burst out laughing at Fire. “I’m so sorry but you do look so cute all red like that! I wish there was water in here for you to see yourself.” Fire buried his face under his good paw. “Good night.” He said. Zanta twisted and Fire yelped in pain. “Aaaaahhhh. FUCK my leg dang it!” He grabbed his broken leg with his good leg and pulled it back off Zanta’s side. “Sorry. I forgot about it.” She moved closer to him scooting so they were belly to belly. She carefully helped him place his leg back on her side, and then lay her head on the ground, looking at him. She gently rubbed her tail against his. He turned deep red at this sensation he was getting from her rubbing on him. Fire was extremely red now. Well beyond his crimson red of his scales. He felt very uncomfortable with Zanta doing what she was doing but couldn’t bring himself to tell her to stop either. He started to squirm under the feelings he was having. “Is this making you uncomfortable Fire?” “Extremely.” “Oh.” Zanta stopped rubbing on him. “Sorry.” “Don’t get me wrong on this Zanta. It felt good but very uncomfortable.” Fire’s coloring was returning to normal. The sensations that he was having died down and he felt much more comfortable than a few seconds ago. “Zanta, I’m going to try and get some sleep. Please don’t try anything on me, ok?” Zanta nodded. He closed his eyes to try and sleep. No more than 30 seconds later Zanta kissed him on the cheek. Fire’s eyes snapped open and he pulled away. He pulled away, right into the rock behind him. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. He just knocked himself out. When he came to it was daytime already and Zanta was not by him anymore. “Ouch!” He said as rubbed the spot he bashed his head last night. Zanta heard him say ouch and came running. “Morning. Sorry about last night. I don’t know what got into me. But you definitely made your point when you knocked yourself out.” “THAT was an accident Zanta. I expected you to not do anything like that as you said you would not. I pulled away in surprise and shock, just to knock myself out.” He turned bitter towards the end of that statement. Then he turned and said “Well I guess it’s as good a time as any to try to get out of here, right?” With that he struggled to his feet groaning. His head felt like it was spinning for a few seconds then it calmed down. He shook his head to shake the feeling. “Ok. Checklist. Fly to ridge. Find large tree. Chop down tree. Push tree into crater. Got it.” Fire spreads his wings and takes to the air with remarkably little pain in his wings. He flies to the top of the crater with no troubles and lands carefully. He starts limping around looking up for the tallest trees he can find. He picks one and takes and maneuvers to swing his tail at an angle that will send it towards the crater edge. He takes the swing and it cuts cleanly threw the trees trunk, like a bullet threw paper. “TIMBER!!!” He yells as it slides off the now stump and falls toward the crater as expected. What he did not expect was that the tree top was so heavy that it flipped the tree over before it hit the bottom of the crater and got stuck part way. Zanta yelled up “I see it I’m going for it.” “That’s too far to jump Zanta!” Zanta looked again and thought ‘he’s right. I’d never make that jump.’ Fire yelled out “stay back! I’m sending another down!” He chops another tree and it falls right next to the first one. “Fuck! That did not work too well.” Fire walks over to the forest and starts to pace. He was running out of ideas. He had to get her out of there. He would not be able to forgive himself if he left her to die here like this. He was going into a panic trying to come up with something, anything, other than a mercy killing to keep her from suffering. He reared up on his hind legs and a black energy started to build around Fire. He felt like every ounce of his being was being crushed into its self. His eyes turned pure black and in that brief instant he had full control over all his abilities. He let loose a beam of pure demi energy at a 45 degree angle into the crater and cut a shaft in the rock itself. When the beam subsided, a large number of pebbles dropped out the bottom of the shaft. Fire heard yelling “What was THAT!” Zanta screamed at Fire. He did not reply as he did not know himself. He just looked down the shaft in awe. Zanta came into view and seen the pebbles and tried to move them “Wow! Either I’m really weak right now or these thing weigh a ton for their size.” She started to climb out of the crater thru the shaft Fire had cut. “What was that, Fire?” “I’m not sure but it hurt like hell.” “Huh?” “It felt like I was being crushed to death. I don’t know any better way to describe it. Regardless, let’s get moving. I don’t want to be here any longer that we have been. Rose is likely in a panic over my not being there by now.” “Fire.” “Hum?” “Go to her. I’ll be fine alone.” “No. Zanta. I want to get there as soon as I can, yes, but I’m not going to leave you. I’ll hobble along just fine. Come on.” Fire started to hop down the path but Zanta did not follow. He stopped, looked back at her and asked “What is wrong Zanta?” “Don’t do this for me Fire. I don’t deserve it. I attacked you in your sleep, I attacked you here, and I tried to get romantic with you after you said no.” “Forget it. Let’s go.” “No. I can’t.” “Do I have to start pushing you to get you to move?” He smiled as he said this as she knew he would not. “Yes. You will.” His smile disappeared in an instant. “Zanta, don’t be stubborn. I’m willing to look past everything if you’ll just forgive yourself.” She refused to move. “Fine. I’m choosing to walk. Now you can either sit here or join me.” With that Fire started hopping down the path again. Half an hour later Zanta caught up to him. “I did not want you to walk you know.” She said. “Yes but it was not your choice to make. It was mine.” “Here let me help you. It is my fault you’re hurt to start with.” She crouches down by him keeping her hind up, offering her back for him to lean on as they walk. “I’m fine for now. But thanks for the offer. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I get the feeling you were offering more than assistance walking.” “Was I that obvious?” “Yes.” They walked in silence for most of the morning. “Zanta. Can I ask you a question? Where did you get your scar?” Zanta did not speak. “Is that an uncomfortable question for you? If so forget I asked.” “I just don’t want to talk about it.” “That’s fine. I don’t like talking about my family ether. Too many things I wish I could forget. But they are part of who I am. I can not change that. I live with that knowledge every day.” “So do I. The events of my past are plain to see but I try to hide it. I can’t hide it any more than my scar.” “Zanta if you don’t wish to talk about it I won’t push you for more. I will respect your wishes.” “Then let’s just walk then.” “Ok.” Hours later they reached the pond and Rose was no where in sight. “I better stay here. I can’t be running around looking for her. And if she’s just out hunting, she would be back here.” Fire went to the pond and got a drink. He noticed some of the bandages were scattered around the area. He hobbled over to them and looked carefully over them. They were the ones he put on Rose alright. He did bring enough to change the bandages and he hoped that was what happened here. He gathered up the bandages and cleaned up the pelts in the pond. He then took them to his tree to dry out. He tossed up 3 of them when he hears footsteps approaching. He leaves the rest on the ground and moves backwards into the clearing as he did not see who was coming yet. Rose walks out from the tree line not looking up. “Rose!” Fire exclaimed happily. “Boy am I glad that is you!” He said as she looked up, dropping the mouse she had and staring for a few seconds. “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!” “I knew it. Continue. Get it out so I’m not interrupted.” She walks up to him and smacks him hard with her paw across the face. “OUCH! ROSE!” “That was for talking back as you did. Now where have you been? I expected you back yesterday.” “So did I. Care to sit or lay? It’s going to take a while to tell you everything.” Rose sits down. Fire begins to recount the events of the past two days starting with Zanta attacking him at the crater. He leaves out nothing. By the time he’s done speaking it is late dusk and getting quite dark. “And that’s what happened. Now it’s late and I’m tired. I’m going to lie down and try to sleep if you will excuse me.” Fire gets up and goes to the pond and gets a drink before he goes to the beach and lays on his right side. Rose comes over and lies at his back so not to hurt his leg by moving. “Mmm. You’re joining me? I figured you wouldn’t.” “I need to apologize to you Fire. I was out of line by striking you. I did not think about listening before I hit you. I was just mad that you did not come back and thought you left me here.” “Well, Rose, I thank you for apologizing but you were justified in doing so as well as not. I did say I’d be back in the morning, not a day later. And I could have just left Zanta and flown here and been back in the middle of the day instead of late afternoon like I was. So I don’t see an apology as needed.” Fire rubbed his head against hers. “Either way I forgive you for striking me.” He laid his head across her neck and cradled her closer to himself. She curled into him willingly, getting comfortable. She smiled to herself slightly. She went to sleep happy that night, glad Fire forgave her actions. He felt content just to have her near him. He thought about what could have been if his powers had not helped him that day. He feared the fact that there were powers, which he felt during that split second, that he knew nothing about yet. He fell asleep uneasy that night. Little did they know there was a shadow in the tree line that was fuming over seeing them lying side by side as they where. As dawn broke, Fire awoke when Rose got up. “Mmm. Morning.” “Morning Fire.” She replies as she looks lovingly at him. She walks in front of him, rubbing her tail against his face. Fire was slightly aroused by this but tries to hide it by shifting position. Rose could feel his unease and figured she’d have to try something else to get his attentions. She also thought ‘I’m not sure if I should try now. He is hurt after all. It might just make it worse.’ She decided to wait till his leg healed a bit more before trying again. Rose walked off to the forest and went hunting for food. Fire felt better when she left him alone. ‘That was not cool. That was a first time I’ve been aroused like that by someone.’ He looked the way Rose went and thought about following her. ‘No. She’s likely hunting food. I don’t want to stop her if she is.’ Fire went to the pond edge and took a few swallows of water before everything went quiet. Fire stopped mid drink. Something was wrong he felt. He started hopping towards where Rose went, then he seen Rose come dashing threw the trees and she collided with him. “Ouch!” They both yelled as Zanta came plowing into them. Fire was stuck under of both Rose and Zanta. His leg hurt badly from the jostling it just got. He was doing everything he could not to scream in pain from it. “Get off. And tell me what the hell is going on here?” Fire proclaimed sharply. Rose struggles off of Fire and Zanta bites into her leg as she pulls away. “Zanta!” Fire kicks Zanta in her jaw and makes her let go. Zanta turned to him with a fire in her eyes that he had not seen her have before, and it scared him. She turned to Rose again and Fire swung his tail and tripped Zanta. He quickly jumps over her and stands there, not holding her down, but telling her with his actions to stay put. Zanta looks at him enraged. He glares back, but says nothing. Zanta tries to get up, but Fire flops down on her, pinning her in place. “Rose, Zanta, Someone, Anyone, Tell me WHAT THE HELL?” Silence reigned over the pond. “What do I have to get you two to get along?” Silence returned. “If no one is willing to speak, I’m laying out what I know. You are BOTH flirting with me hard. You BOTH seem to want my affections as more than a friend. You BOTH won’t take no for an answer. So what am I going to do to get you BOTH to settle down? Pick a partner? The way you are acting, I would pick neither of you. I’d stay single and leave. You’re both making staying very uncomfortable for me.” “But” Rose and Zanta both try to interrupt. “No. I’m not done. If I was going to pick one of you, I will pick in my own time, and you would know it. Now,” Fire gets off Zanta, “if you’re going to fight make sure you think long and hard before you swing. Attacking each other will not encourage me to pick you when the time comes.” Fire moved away from the girls and lay down on the grass to watch them. To his surprise instead of fighting they quietly talked to each other. “That’s better.” He mumbled to himself. Since they were talking he did not fear going to sleep and resting off the stress they caused him. When he awoke the girls were on each side of him. And not looking harmed any more than before. He got up and Rose stirred but he ignored it. He started to go to his cave for bandages and the herbs to tend his leg. He also broke a thick branch and took it along. He was too focused on his tasks that he did not notice Rose was following him at the distance. When he got to the cave he broke the stick into two lengths, splints for his leg. He carefully laid the sticks across two large pelts, and placed some herbs on it where his leg would lay. Rose walked up to him at this and asked if he needed any help. “Sure can you tie that one while I tie this one? Be sure it’s tight but not extreme tight.” Rose ties her pelt without any troubles but Fire is not working it so well. “Let me.” He lets Rose finish the knots. “Thanks.” Your welcome.” “Mind if I ask what started today’s fight with Zanta.” “I was in her hunting grounds. She did not like it. She said get out and I was leaving but she attacked anyways.” “Is that what she would tell me if I asked her?” “She should say about the same. You saw me on the run and not fighting back. She bit me not me biting her.” “Yes. I saw that. And I respect that. I prefer talk to fighting. I feel that words can solve more problems than they create.” Fire stood up at that. “Can you load my back up with some bandages filled with those herbs please?” He grabs the pile of large pelts and flips them across his back. Rose gathers the herbs and ties them into three larger pelts. “I’ll carry these.” “Ok. Thank you Rose.” They walk back to the pond together and see Zanta still asleep. “Shh. Don’t wake her.” He whispered. Fire led Rose to the tree he used to sleep in and sat down and began to dig with his good leg. After he had a small hole he said, “Put the herbs over here and cover them up.” He reached around, grabbed the pelts on his back, and placed them on the branch. He moved out of Rose’s way so she could place the herbs into the hole. A few hours later Zanta awoke and left. He did not try and stop her. She would likely come back later. A few days later Fire was getting tired of asking Rose to hunt for him. He tried to use his leg and was surprised that it held his weight again. He healed faster than he expected. It was still sore from the jostling Rose and Zanta gave it in their fight. “Rose, what do you say to fish today?” “Are you asking me to go after them?” “No, I will. My leg is feeling much better now and I can stand on it again. So I was offering to get lunch. So you want fish or not?” “I’ll pass on the fish but give me a few minutes and I will join you for lunch.” “Ok. I’ll see you in a bit then.” He walked over into the pond and dove for the fish area in the center. He grabbed a medium sized fish, as he was only getting for himself and not Rose also. When he returned to the surface Rose was just walking back into the clearing. ‘Heh, great timing Rose’ he thought to her. He climbed out of the pond and lay on the beach. Rose lay beside him and rubbed him gently before digging into her mouse. He grabbed the fish by its tail and gutted it on his far side with a claw. He then ate the remaining fish. When done, he collected the guts, waded out to the middle and dropped them into the water. Rose was done by the time he got out of the water and was thinking about trying to get him again. He walked up to her and said “I see that twinkle in your eye again Rose.” She blushed. “I don’t mind you trying but I do mind when you try to force me to change my mind.” He said aloud, and then he whispers in her ear. “Try me tonight and maybe I’ll give in.” Rose looked at him in shock at what she just heard from him. She dropped her jaw wide open and stared at him. He looked at her for a few seconds then said. “It’s not polite to stare like that you know.” He gently placed a paw on her chin and lifted her mouth closed. She could not speak, let alone think. He just told her there was a possibility for her to have him tonight. She was not expecting that sort of remark from him at all. He had openly resisted her up till now. She was thinking that she had a lot of work to do on him, before he would think of getting with her. Fire walked away from the pond slowly, looking over his wing at her. He was somewhat looking forward to tonight’s flirts from her, and had not decided whether to take her or not yet. He was not sure what to tell Zanta if he did take Rose tonight. But he decided to wait for now and see what Rose would try to entice him over with tonight. He felt aroused just thinking of the possibilities. He took off to go to the supply cave to do some creation for incase they both got hurt again. He crafted a small cage for live animals for storage for feeding on at a later time, with a hinged top that he or Rose could stick a head into. He made the cage out of carved rock bars, two rock slabs with holes, and tied it up with pelts to make it stay intact for carrying. He added an extra pelt on top for a handle to allow for it to be carried easy. He dropped a large rock inside the cage for keeping it secure with out the pelts to hold it constantly. He then carried it back to the pond site. When he got there Rose was gone. He took the new cage to the tree that he used to sleep in and set it over the remaining buried herbs. He looked at the sun and seen it was late afternoon. He had been gone a long time working on the cage. He decided it was time to relax for a while and wait for Rose to return. He grabbed a boulder and used his tail to carve a resting slot in it so he could lie on his back in deeper water and not fear falling asleep. He made sure he made a fan slot and a groove for the spines on his neck and upper back to fit in without harming him. When finished he took it out to the middle shallows and lie down on it, it keeping his head above water without slipping. ‘This feels nice.’ He thought to himself. He lay there for about an hour before Rose came into the clearing and Fire felt her presence. The sun was dipping below the horizon and dusk approaching. He knew Rose would likely take up his offer and flirt with him. He got up and pulled his resting boulder out of the pond. He did not take it far from it but placed it on the beach. “So Rose, how was your day?” He asked as he went to the cage to show her. “Fine. It’s hard to keep mice still when you’re hunting more for someone else.” “That’s funny as I just made this for us if we both get hurt again.” He carried over the cage. He pulled out the rock and showed her the trap door and how to remove the pelts so the mice don’t eat them. He explained that the rock was to keep it closed and secure when there was occupants in the cage, without pelts keeping it together. After showing her the cage he took it back to the tree. ‘Well I guess now is as good of a time as any.’ Rose thought. She walked up to him and nuzzled him lovingly trying to arouse him. She ran his nose along her entire body from head to tail tip, and she gave him a good look as she stretched forward raising her tail up high into the air. He could tell she had brought her best to the table this time and couldn’t help himself but to get aroused at the sight of that pink little slit she had. He stood up as he was getting uncomfortable sitting down now. “Ugh. I don’t know how much more I can hold out on.” He whispered to himself just loud enough for her to hear him. She turned to him, seen his member at full attention. She walked right up to him, kissed him, and whispered to him “I’m ready if you are.” Fire stopped resisting, turned her away, and slowly mounted her. He placed his paws on her wings. He let instincts take partial control. He carefully piloted his member to her slit and gently started in. He only went a few inches before he hit something semi-hard. She looked back and said, “You’re my first. Break it. Please take me.” “You’re my first too, Rose.” He pulled back a bit and pushed forward threw the semi-hard cherry of Rose, bursting threw without any problems. “AAAAHHHHHOOOOOHHHHHYAAAA!” She cried out in pain at first, but rapidly changing to pleasure. He slowly thrust shallowly into her over and over as she enjoyed every moment of his member being in her. “Give it all to me!” cried Rose. Fire quickened his pace a bit and pressed deeper into her pink, wet, and slick little pussy. He felt something welling up inside him. She started screaming in ecstasy as she came all over his legs. He quickened his pace even more as he neared his release. She started squirming as she was coming down from her pleasure high and felt it building again. This only drove Fire to go faster and deeper. “Oh holy blessed ancestors! GRAAAA!!!” Fire screamed as he came hard deep in Rose’s pussy. Zanta heard the scream from Fire. She was walking to the pond to talk. Now she was running, ready to fight. When she got to the clearing she saw Fire half-lying on Rose’s back, his member still erect in her. Fire climbed off of Rose and lie on the ground, exhausted from his release. “That was fun Rose. We need to do this more, but only if both of us want it.” He smiled up at her as she lay beside him. He heard whimpering coming from the distance. He rolled over to see Zanta walking away slowly crying. His heart suddenly sank to his nuts. He knew that she got a good look and was crushed. Rose spoke to him. “Go. Go to her. Try to stay friends if you can.” “I don’t think that will happen unless I give her what I just gave you. She wanted me so badly and I knew it. But I don’t share as deep of feelings for her as she for me.” Rose said nothing but turned away. “If that meant your turning a blind eye to me and her, I won’t do it. I can’t do it.” She turned back to Fire. “Your too gentle sometimes Fire. Go do your friend a favor. Give her what she wants.” “No. That’s not me. I can’t do that.” “Then you risk losing her as a friend.” “I know. I will do what I can tomorrow to patch things up with her. But I won’t do that to her. I won’t go that far.” “You’re a good dragon and an honorable partner, Fire. If you’re not going to go after her now then let’s get some rest.” “Ya, let’s rest.” Fire agreed as he pulled her closer to him. They fell asleep together happy. Despite the short time they knew each other; they felt like they knew each other for ages. The next day Fire went to the bird caves to try and find Zanta. The large one said he had not seen her since the previous day when Fire asked. He politely thanked him and left. Fire decided to fly around and try to sense her presence. He started by going out to the crater that he made. She was not there. He tried to trace his flight they took during the chase that they met after. Nothing. He went to the cave that he made his storage area. Still no sign of her. Fire sighed and started to the pond again. He almost reached the pond when he felt Zanta’s presence nearby. He started to search the area carefully. When he got to the pond, there he found Zanta lying on the far side of the pond, as far from where he and Rose slept as you could get, but still being in the clearing. He swooped down near her as she spotted him. “Wait, hold up Zanta.” Zanta was already moving to leave and stopped when he called to her. He landed by her. “Can we talk or are you too upset at me to listen?” She sat down but did not look at him or say anything. “I saw you leaving last night. I’m sorry you seen that.” “Why should you be sorry? You wanted her didn’t you?” “Why should I be sorry? I obviously hurt your feelings Zanta. I’m deeply sorry for that. And as for me and her, yes part of me does. But part of me wants you too. I’ve been fighting my own feelings during this whole ordeal and decided to take Rose last night. It is Rose’s suggestion that I give myself to you as well to patch our relationship up. Zanta, I would do just about anything for you. But that is the one thing I don’t want to do now that I’ve mated with Rose.” Zanta looked up at him sadly with tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry Zanta.” Fire stepped closer and Zanta laid her head across his back to weep. Fire sat upon his hind legs and pulled her close in a gentle hug. “Can we still be friends at least Zanta?” he asked when she calmed her crying some. “I don’t know.” She replied. “I want to stay friends Zanta. What can I do to help?” She stood up, turned her back to him, lifted her tail, and looked at him, hope in her eyes. “Zanta. I already said no. Not even after Rose said do it with you. I can’t bring myself to do it.” Zanta looked away and said, “Then I need time. Good bye Fire.” She started to walk away slowly. “Zanta.” Fire spoke gently. “Yes?” She replied with hope in her voice. “Take care of your self.” “Thanks.” Zanta was depressed by his refusal of her yet again. She walked back to the bird cave slowly that day, hoping Fire would change his mind, and pursue her over Rose. He was depressed himself, as he was certain he lost his first friend over not being his mate. He walked back to the tree that had been his sleeping tree before, and noticed the cage was gone but the rock was there. ‘Hum. Rose must have taken it hunting with her.’ He instead then went to the pond, got himself a fish for lunch, and ate in peace. After an hour, Rose showed up with 10 mice trapped in the cage. She was carrying it like a trophy. “Look at the mighty hunter returning from a fruitful hunt.” He said as he bowed to her respectfully. “How are you feeling Rose? It’s the morning after. I don’t regret last night. And I would do it again if we had the chance to change what we did.” She did not reply at first. “If we could do it again, I would have done it sooner than I did. I did not want to wait till night fall. I was ready the day we got here and my wing was still broken.” “Heh. Ok you made your point. But I did have another thought. This is not exactly a good nesting ground. If we are going to keep getting together like last night, we need a new place to call home.” “I agree.” “Do you want to go looking together or separately? We would cover more ground separately but then we can’t get a definite yes alone.” “Let’s go together and look around.” “Ok. That was my thought as well.” Fire and Rose spent the remainder of that day looking around the forest looking for a better home for a family but found none. They went back to the pond for the night. The next day Fire spoke to Rose. “I had a thought yesterday as we were looking. We are looking inside the forest. Why do we not look at the mountains? They have caves in them or I can try to make one.” “Ok, let’s take the mice with us this time. I was hungry during the flight.” “Of course, I’ll carry them.” Food in the cage they took off for the mountains to the east of the pond, heading farther from Zanta and the bird cave, as they flew. They flew for most of the day before they reached the mountains and rested for lunch. “Dang, they are a ways away from our home.” Fire commented. “Yes, they are. Good thing we brought the mice along. This cage came in handy too.” “Ya but we did forget the rock for on top. We will need a new one.” “Easy to find. Look around of. Rocks of all sizes.” “True Rose, but I don’t see any that I can work with around here, like the cage is made of. If it breaks then I got a long trip to get proper rock to fix it.” Fire looks up at the sun. “It will be getting dark in about three to four hours. We need to find somewhere to sleep the night soon.” “Then let’s get to it shall we?” Fire bundled the cage back up and prepared to take off again. They flew looking for an hour before they found an empty cave they liked. “Let’s take it Rose. If not as home, as the shelter for the night, at least.” “No, not just a shelter, it’s our new home. It just needs some bedding materials and some decorating, and it’s home.” She said as she looked around the cave. “I agree right now it needs work but it’s almost dark also. I think that getting supplies should be tomorrow’s task for us. But let’s get some rest for now, ok?” he rubbed her lovingly as he spoke to her. He then walked to the back of the cave and rolled to his back and invited her to join him. She smiled and lay on his wing, which was stretched out to full length, against his body. She placed her head along his neck and napped peacefully alongside him. He was not far behind her to fall asleep. The next day, they went looking for the nearest ponds. They looked around the mountain first and found none. The forest was not far from the mountain so they looked there. They found a river running along not far inside the forest and they stopped to drink. The water was fairly slow moving and Fire thought to look each direction for reeds to use as bedding in their new home. “I’ll go this way and look if you will go that way. I’ll keep looking for a pond to relax in as I go. See you at our new home later?” He spoke to Rose. She was uneasy about splitting up. She was having a bad feeling. “Fire, something’s not right here. I think we should just leave now, look elsewhere.” “That’s odd. I’m not sensing any threats nearby. Would you prefer not separating? I would hate to find out you got hurt if it could be avoided.” “No, I think I’ll just head back to the cave now. Fire, be careful. I just have a really bad feeling. I don’t like it one bit.” “Ok, I’ll be careful. You be safe Rose. I’ll see you soon.” With that he gave her a kiss on her nose before heading on to look. Rose flew back to the cave and out of sight. Fire was worried about her. He took to the air for rapid searching of the river. He found a large pond the opened up to a lake on the far side. There were reeds galore to be picked up and used. He started gathering the reeds and placing them on the shores. He was just about to collect all that he collected and go to the cave, when something in the water grabbed him briefly and stung him in the leg. “Ouch.” Fire jumped out of the water and looked at his leg’s wound. It looked like something scratched him and it was not bleeding. He decided to ignore it for now and keep an eye on it. He gathered his reeds and flew back to Rose at the cave. When he landed his scratched leg suddenly buckled and gave way. “AH!” Fire landed on his shoulder as his leg gave out on him. “What the heck? It was fine just a second ago. It’s numb now.” Rose darted to his side as she heard him yell ah “What happened?” “Something in the water, in the pond I found these reeds in, jabbed me and left only a scratch so I thought nothing of it. My leg just went completely numb and gave out on me as I landed.” He got up on his other three legs and hobbled to the back with the reeds he collected. “Here let me make the bed for you.” “Thanks. Here.” He hands over the reeds to Rose and she made a large nest for them. “That’s very nice dear. Thank you.” She looked at him for a second. This was the first tine he called her dear. He climbed into the nest and got settled in. “It will be dark soon. Few hours at most. Care to come to bed early?” “No. I think I’m going to go flying around the area and see what I can find.” “Ok. Just be careful… Where have I heard that before? Do me one thing Rose. Come back safely. That’s all I ask.” Rose smiled as she told him to be careful before she left him for the cave. She took off and returned safely a few hours later. “Did you find anything interesting dear?” He asked. “No. Nothing worth mentioning to you. Mostly I was just getting familiar with the area.” “Oh. Well coming to bed then?” He lifted his wing to let her under it. She smiled. “Soon, but not yet.” “Oh, ok.” He relaxed his wing and put his head on his paws and slowly fell asleep. Later that night, she woke him getting into the nest with him. He stretched his wing to cover her lovingly and went back to sleep. The next morning when he woke up, he found his leg was feeling better, but was quite stiff yet. He got up and started to walk weakly upon it. He stumbled here and there but he could use it. A short time later Rose woke up, looked at fire for a few seconds, and then darted to the cave entrance. She vomited outside the doorway on the side of the mountain. “Are you alright, Rose?” He asked as he stumbled over to her. “That’s the first time I’ve known you to throw up in the morning like that.” She did not say anything and vomited again. “Umm. Ok, I don’t know what to say now.” His face was twisted in disgust at what he saw. They stood there in the entrance for a few more minutes but Rose had stopped vomiting. “Feeling better?” He asked. “A little bit, thanks. I’m not sure why I suddenly had to puke like that. It’s a first for me.” “Well, are you up for going down to the river, so we can clean up then?” “I think so.” “We’ll go slowly, don’t worry about it. If you’re not feeling well, I don’t want to aggravate it and make it worse.” She smiled weakly at this remark. Fire grabbed the mouse cage and they flew as slowly as Rose wanted to go. When they got there, they bathed and rested without incident. Fire offered her a mouse for breakfast and she happily ate it. He was not hungry after seeing the mess at the cave. ‘Going to need something to carry water, to clean that mess up, and keep water at the cave as well.’ He thought to himself. “I agree with you on that. Any ideas?” “I’ve got to control that power better. I was thinking to myself and you heard me. As for ideas, none at the moment. But I’ll be keeping a look out and thinking of that problem.” “How’s your leg doing? I see you are walking on it at least.” “It’s stiff but manageable. I think it will be fine by tonight.” He suddenly had a thought on how to carry water back. “I just thought about where we are living. There are boulders all over the place lower on the mountain. If I hollow some of them out and attach a branch or something to carry one, we can have water in the cave!” “Sounds like a project for a while.” “Yes it does. But I’m not looking to keep stumbling everywhere today. So that’s what I’ll do today.” “Ok. Are you ready to head back then?” “Ya, I’m ready.” They flew back to the mountain with the cage in Fire’s claws. When they got there, he placed the cage near their nest. “I’m going down the mountain, if you need anything from me, dear. Please don’t hesitate to get me.” “Ok. Take care. I’ll see you later.” Fire took to the air and glided to the base of the mountain and he looked for some large boulders to work on. He found five of worth while size to work with. He uses his tail blade to slice off the top portion and create a flat top area and then he uses it to drill into the rocks. He gets two hollowed out before he sees Rose flying by. ‘Rose? What’s up?’ ‘Nothing. Just couldn’t sit still any longer. I’ll be back in a while. Don’t worry.’ ‘Ok, have fun.’ He went back to working on the new pots for the cave storage of water. He got all five hollowed out about an hour before dark and carried one up to the cave. He got there and seen Rose was asleep, so he carefully placed the pot on the floor. He moved two more before dusk set in and he could not risk carrying the next up. With three pots lined up and ready to be filled he went and lay with Rose in the nest. She did not move as he was careful not to bother her. He was tempted to give her a kiss before he fell asleep, but stopped himself. He went to sleep by her side with out bothering her in any way, wishing she was awake when he got there. The next morning Fire was woke up by Rose coming back to the nest. She smelled of vomit again. “Another bad morning, dear?” She shot him a look that said don’t go there again. She lay back into the nest and tried to rest. “What’s wrong Rose?” he asked while pulling her gently closer to himself. She pushed back against him and got up. “Rose?” He did not want to invade her mind to try and find out what was bothering her. He got up and followed her concerned. “Rose, please talk to me. I am worried. You never were like this before. What is bothering you?” She ignored him and sat in the entry to the cave. He walked up to her and sat right next to her. “I don’t want to invade but something is bothering you. I’m worried about you Rose. And not talking to me at all makes me feel bad, like it’s my fault and you don’t want me to know or do anything to help. My heart is in your paws. So, do we talk, or do I just feel like shit?” “Leave me alone for now Fire. I just want left alone.” “…” Fire looks at her sadly. “Alright I’ll let you be then.” And with that he dives over the lip of the cave to the pots he left the night before. Fire took the pot he carved for carrying to and from the water source to the river and filled it. He then flew the pot back to the cave and filled part of one of the pots for storage. He made these trips for most the day and left Rose alone as she asked of him. He couldn’t help but think of her all day. It really bothered him that she would not tell him what was wrong. He finished filling the third pot and he went and got the fourth from the side of the mountain. He returned to see Rose lying in the nest. He placed the pot by the others and walked to her. “Is every thing ok dear?” “I’m just tired. That’s all.” “Rose I know you better than that. I’m not even listening to your feelings and I know you’re lying to me. Please tell me what is going on. I’m not mad at you. I have those days I want my space as well. That’s why I left you alone.” “…” “… If you can’t talk to me who are you going to talk to? There is no one out here. And if you won’t talk to me at all, you will be forcing me to read your feelings to figure out what’s wrong. I don’t like doing that to you. It feels wrong to me. But I feel like your trying to hide something from me as well. … I hope you see what I’m getting at.” He gives her a kiss and lies down by her. “I just don’t want to talk about it now.” She finally replied. “Ok. I won’t press you on this then. Can I ask you one question before I drop it until your ready?” “Depends on the question.” “Is what is bothering you something I did or said wrong?” “No. I think it was our night of fun that’s got me ill like this.” “You think your carrying?” “Yes.” The look that ran across Fire’s face was a mix of shock and joy. “I’m not sure how to say what I’m feeling Rose. That’s great news for us though. I’m in shock at the timing but overjoyed as well. Don’t over stress your self now. If you are, I would not want you to lose it by carelessness. Sorry if that came off as rude. I’m happy if you’re happy.” Rose smiled for the first time in three days and kissed Fire on his snout. “I love you Fire.” “I love you too Rose. It makes me happy to see you smile again. I would ask that you take it easy and let me do the work for the time being. Ok?” She nodded and relaxed onto her side inviting him to join her. “Mmm, do I rest now or finish to last pot tonight?” Rose shot him a look that made him laugh. “I’m joking dear. Of course I’ll join you in bed now. It was a no contest choice.” He climbed into the nest and snuggled close to her belly. He gingerly placed a paw on her gut and rubbed gently. She murred at his gentle touches and welcomed it more. “You like that?” “Mmm, yes. More please.” He scoots down and kisses her belly as he rubs it. She starts to squirm under his tongue and paws, but does not ask him to stop, as she’s enjoying the feeling. Fire feels the tension in the room is a sexual energy and is aroused, but he refuses to let it get the better of him. Tonight is all about pleasing Rose. He kept at it, after a while she couldn’t hold back anymore. She creamed on him and their nest. As she came off her pleasure high she had a question for him. “Why did you not hump me instead?” “I don’t want to risk our child, dear. I can wait.” She seemed satisfied by the response she was given. He slid up in the nest now that she was satisfied and kissed her on the cheek. “Let’s rest. I got a lot to do tomorrow. I want an early start at it, but I’m always here for you first.” She kissed him lovingly for his comment. “Good night Fire.” “Good night Rose.” They went to sleep before long. Fire was dreaming that night. He dreamt Rose was walking alongside him talking, with the sun shinning, and a small child trotting along after them. He felt at peace with his life for the first time ever. The sky started to darken and clouds bellowed out of nowhere and covered the sky. Winds suddenly picked up sharply and pushed Fire away from Rose and their child. The ground shot up behind Rose and the kid as their cave appeared. Rose herded their child into their home and sought safety from the storms. Fire struggled as hard as he could to reach the cave but kept being pushed farther and farther away. The sky split open and a burning rock fell from the sky going towards their home. It landed on the top of the mountain just feet from the entrance, their entire cave collapsed in upon its self. The winds died down finally and the clouds parted just enough to let a single beam of light shine down upon the remains of the cave. Fire seen Rose and their child were walking along the beam of light and he seen Rose turn to him and say one word. “Goodbye.” Fire awoke, shot up, and screamed. Startled by Fire’s scream, Rose shot up ready for anything. Fire was sweating like crazy and in a state of near panic, when Rose stopped looking around for what scared him. Unable to shake the feeling the dream gave him, he got up, walked to the entrance, and looked into the sky. His belly was cracking as Rose’s juices from earlier had dried on him now. Fire looked into the black sky and remembered the dream. Tears welled up in his eyes, as Rose crackled as she approached. She seen him crying for the first time, and knew something was up. “Fire, what’s wrong?” “Just a dream. But I hope it’s a dream that never comes true.” She felt there was more to it than he was saying, but she did not press him on it. “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen.” He smiled at this slightly “Thanks, but I don’t want to worry you with it.” He decided to change the subject, “I noticed we both cracked as we came over here. I think we better clean up.” He gave her a seductive smile as he had something in mind. “I guess your right. It is an odd feeling that I could live without.” “Go lay on your back in the nest and I’ll be there in a second.” He walks over to the mouse cage and removes the pelt handle while she goes to the nest and lies on her back. He dips the pelt into one of the water pots and walks over to Rose. He slowly starts to clean her belly from just below the ribs. “Mmm.” She murrs. He gradually works his way down to her belly and presses just a little harder. “Oh. Can you do that a little lower please?” She asks, clearly enjoying the cleaning. He smirks at this. “Just wait a bit dear. I’ll be there soon.” He continues to finish cleaning her belly and proceeds on to her tail. Skipping the area she wanted on purpose, he cleans her tail off. Once done, he works his way up her tail, and proceeds to her between her legs. She was getting quite aroused by this care and her excitement was building. He cleaned the last of her up and turned around to go clean up the pelt, when she let out a roar of pleasure. There was a splashing sound that followed shortly after. ‘Great timing’ He thought to himself. “I’m sorry. I held out as long as I could.” She softly said to him. He turned to her and smiled. “That’s fine. At least this time it’s wet.” She giggled at this remark and replied, “True.” He went and cleaned off the pelt quickly and rung it out. Then he returned to her and wiped up the fresh mess. “There, your all cleaned up now.” He said. “Will you let me tend to you now? Or do you want to clean yourself?” She asked him. “Did you want to?” “If you’ll let me I do.” “Ok. Here.” He hands her the pelt, goes and lies in the nest on his back and relaxes. She smiled at him. She wet the pelt and came back to the nest. She practically crawls on top of him, before beginning to scrub his chest and belly down. She worked his chest clean and worked down to his belly. After cleaning his gut, she went and rinsed the pelt out and came back. She begins working on his tail and worked up to his member's slit. He was not aroused yet, she noticed. She almost lay on his tail and began to lick at his slit. Fire jerked at the sudden sensation of her licks, but did not object. In fact, he found that he liked it. His member started to show itself, and Rose began to lick on it instead of his slit. It was not long before he was fully aroused and erect. "If you're thinking of going and try to ride me, dear, I must say no." "No. I just want to try and please you, as you did me both today, and last night." "Oh. Then no objections there." She started to wrap her long tongue around his member and stroked it slowly, stopping and licking it from time to time. She proceeded slowly as she was trying to gage his pleasure by his reactions. "Mmm, that feels nice, dear. But can you do something for me?" She stopped and looked at him waiting for his request. "Come around here to the side instead. I have something in mind for you." She moves to his left side as he asked and says, "Is here good?" In reply he reaches out, under her belly, and gently pulls her over his chest. "Now you're good." He says before he sticks his tongue into her pussy and smiles. She murred as he stuck his tongue in her, and played with her insides with his tongue. She was enjoying herself so much, she forgot about pleasuring him for a bit. He pulled his tongue out and commented to her, "Mmm. You taste sweet dear." Rose twitched at this as she realized she stopped giving him pleasure like he was currently giving her yet again. She wrapped her tongue around his shaft and continued to play with it. They played with each other for a bit before Fire felt pressure building and he spoke up, "Oh, that has felt wonderful dear. But it's about to blow soon." She did not reply but sped up her working on his shaft. Fire tried to hold it back but couldn't. She felt his release starting and mostly closed her jaw on his member. He shot jet after jet of cum into her mouth as he roared in pleasure, and she took it all. She swallowed it all without question and remarked, "I thought it would be less bitter than that. I'm still glad to have helped please you, my love. Were you done with me, or not?" Fire turned and glared at her for that last remark. "You know better than that dear. You're sounding like a servant asking if she can leave now. You know that I won't hold you here if you want to go." Rose flushed and cringed as he said this, realizing what she just said. "Woops. Sorry. Did not mean it quite like that, dear. I was trying to ask if you wanted to finish me again, or not." "Did you want me to?" Was his reply. In reply, she got off of him and went to the water pot with the pelt. She wet it down and cleaned herself off and rinsed it out. She tossed it over to him so he could do the same. Fire looked at her and says, "I take this as a no?" He cleaned up himself and the nest. After they got everything back in order, Fire said to Rose "I'll be back shortly dear. I got to get that last pot filled with water yet." He grabs the handled carrying pot, heads to the river and fills it. He returns to the cave to see it empty except for the mice cage, their nest, and the water pots. He fills the water pot and sets the carrying pot down. "Rose? Dear? Where did you go?" He calls out. Nothing responds except the mice. He goes to the cage, pulls out a mouse for his breakfast and slowly eats as he thinks. 'Let me see what we need in here. We will need someplace for storage of pelts, more cages, another small nest, more bedding for us, something to keep the place warm on colder nights, and a door of some sort for the main entry.' He finished eating his mouse and walked out to the doorway. 'We will need more pelts too. I haven't seen much of the forest around this area, so I don't know if the creatures around here are big enough to bother skinning.' Fire decides to start with getting wood collected for the doorway and a Fire on colder nights. He hauls them back to the cave after he strips most of the branches off. He leaves a few on them to help hold them together as a door. He gets them back to the cave and eventually crafts a large door for the entry with difficulty. He was ready to try and put it in place when Rose came back to the cave. "Welcome home, dear." He said looking up at her. She was not looking happy about something. She gave him a don't ask look and walked to the nest. She slumped down into bed as he walked over. She was not physically hurt, but her demeanor said something was very wrong. "Mind if I ask where you went, dear? It's almost night now. You've been gone all day." "Not now." "Ok. I won't press you. I'm just curious where you went." "… I went looking for Zanta." "… Did you find her?" "No. The birds have moved even. I couldn't find them. I … wanted to try and talk to her, and invite her to come here to stay with us." "Why? Why to stay here with us? You know she would try to get me to take her as well." "Yes, I know. But she is your friend. I did not want to be the one that was forced to push you apart. I wanted to try and bring you together again." Fire crawls into the nest and lies beside her, draping a wing over her as he snuggled closer. "Thank you for the effort, but she did say she would need time. I'm going to let her have it. I just have the feeling that she and I will be meeting again someday. Maybe then I will be willing to give her what she wants. But not now. I can't. I love you, Rose. I want you to be happy." Rose leaned into him and murrs. "I love you too, Fire. I am happy with you. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than at your side." He kisses her on the snout gingerly. "Thanks dear. The time I've spent at your side has been the most happy time of my life so far. Not even Zanta made me this happy, just by being there." "That's sweet of you to say to me. But, what if you could have had us both, would you?" "You surprise me by asking a question that the answer has been given already. Zanta wanted me to take her but I refused her. She did not give up hope, even as she left the pond. She hoped I would leave you, for her." "… Why didn't you just give her what she wanted?" "I feel that would have been disgraceful and dishonorable. Not to mention disrespectful to you both. To mate with her after I mated with you would call her my second choice. It would also say I'm unfaithful to my mate. That would be disrespectful to you." "For all that you have done for me already, I wouldn't have cared. I live my life for you. I owe you that much at the least. I would have been just as happy if you had taken Zanta as your mate as well. You saved my life twice. I would have no right to object to her being with you." "No. If I had taken her, you would have every right to object. Your feelings matter Rose. You're a living being. You're not some rock on the mountainside, just waiting to be moved around. You can choose to do what you want. I will never force you into doing something that you don't want to do. I won't hurt you ether." He looks out the cave. "It's almost dark now." He said. Rose rolls over to her back and bats at his face playfully. "Oh, so that's how your gonna be, huh?" He half crawls on her, pinning her down across her forelegs, and then kisses her repeatedly across her face. "Ha, ha, ha. Ok, ok. Stop. You win." Fire stops and crawls off her. He lies down at her side again and smiles at her. "I guess I asked for it didn't I?" "In a way, yes. I know you were trying to be playful with me. I only responded in kind, as we are partners." He looked into her eyes lovingly as he spoke softly. Neither of them said anything, or looked away from the other, for minutes. Finally, Rose turned away and blushed. Fire rubbed his head under her chin and murred. She spoke at last. "It's late. We should sleep." "As you wish, dear. Good night." He said as they put their heads down to sleep. A few weeks later, their home was comfortable, and they were happy there. Fire had used his limited demi powers to carve a storage room, and they collected his old stored pelts and some rocks for cage repairs, when needed. Rose was well along and showing it. She rested most of the time and Fire tended her every need. They had a nest prepared for the egg when it was time. There was a large stockpile of wood along the back of the cave and a ring of large rocks for a fireplace. The door in the entry had been fixed many times before they figured out how to move it without busting it again. They had a smaller pot for easy water carrying, rather than the large one Fire used to get water to the cave in the first place, for around the home. They still had just five pots filled with water. Fire had been working with Rose on training his telepathy and nearly doubled his range in a matter of days. He now could be reached by her part way into the forest, while he hunted for their food. He had trained his powers a small bit other than telepathy. He knows how to operate his aura vision at will, as well as keep his thoughts to himself. His control over fire and demi were still crude but controlled and not wild as before. He also learned a bit about ice. Fire was out refilling the cage after breakfast that day. He had the cage half filled when he felt Rose calling him. 'Yes dear?' He thought. 'I need you here, Fire. How much longer you going to be?' 'I can be there in a short bit, if you want. I got the cage half filled. It will last us a day or two.' 'Come back then. I need you.' 'Ok. I'm on the way.' Fire packed up the cage for carrying and flew home. When he got there Rose was waiting for him at the entry. She ushered him in as soon as he landed. She closed the door behind him. He took the cage to their nesting area and placed it where they always did. She came rapidly up to him and spoke to him with urgency. "Fire, I need you to do something for me. The one thing I don't want to hear is no." "Well, how often have I said no to you, Rose? Not many times. What do you need?" "Come over here first." She said as she led him to bed. When they got there she turned to him and reached under him as she spoke. "I need this in me. I've been feeling like this for hours now. I must have it." "… I must say what you don't want to hear. No. I won't endanger our child. But I will do something else for you. I will give you a promise. After the egg is laid, I will as soon as your ready, whether I want to or not, I will. Can you wait till then?" "Do I really have a choice?" "Yes. You always have a choice. You can choose to persist and keep getting shot down, or accept it and wait." "I see. Then I'm still made to wait even if I persist on you, right?" "Right." "So ether way, I'm still waiting." "Yes." "I guess I have to wait then. I'm not happy about this. You better keep to your promise." "I will. Don't worry about it. I'm sorry that you want what I won't give you right now. Hopefully, I can give it to you soon again. I want to see you happy above almost anything else. The only things I hold higher is your life and our child's life. I don't even hold my own life as high as your happiness." "…" "… Was there anything else you needed dear?" "No." "Care to rest by my side for a while?" He asked as he laid in the nest on his back. She said nothing, but moved to lay on top of him. "Easy now, hun. It hurt last time when you just dropped on me." He winced in remembrance of her frame collapsing on his. He carefully helped her walk up along his body and lay gently upon him. She lay her head along side his. "Are you comfortable?" He asked. "Yes." Came the softest reply that could still be heard. Fire laid there with her asleep for about an hour, before he fell asleep himself. A few hours later, Fire woke up to Rose whimpering in her sleep and shifting around often. He gently held her sides, she calmed down, and stopped shifting around. She muttered something he did not make out. He took one paw and, slowly and gingerly, stroked the back of her neck towards her body repeatedly. She relaxed upon him, and fell back to a deep sleep. He looked towards the cave entry for a hint at what time it was. He could not see any light so he figured it was still night and went back to sleep. When he next awoke, Rose was already awake and off of him. She was having breakfast and did not see him rolling over. He got up and stiffly walked over and nudged her side. "Morning," he said. "You had a bad dream last night?" She looked at him and nodded, but said nothing to him. "I knew it. It woke me up, but don't think I blame you for one second, dear. It was not like you could help it." Fire gets his breakfast as she replies. "It was the oddest thing. In the middle of the dream, I felt something at my sides and back of my neck. When I felt that, everything just … faded to the background of the dream. It was so comforting. I can't explain it." Fire pins his mouse so it can't run away. "That was me. I held on to you because you were shifting around so much, I feared you'd fall off me. Then after you calmed down a bit, I stroked your neck and you relaxed very fast." Rose looked at him and sighed. "I know you probably don't want to hear it, but I'm sorry that it woke you up." "You're right. I didn't want to hear it. I don't blame you for your mind's doing while you're asleep." Fire's mouse bit him on his foot. "Ow." He reacts to it by lifting his foot automatically and shaking his foot. The mouse darts every which way looking for the exit. "Hardly cute." He mutters to himself as he catches it and gulps it down. Rose couldn't help but giggle at his misfortune. "We only got a few left. I'll take the second cage and go fill it up. Is there anything that you need before I leave dear?" "Not right now. But if I think of anything important, I'll call for you." Fire gets the second cage and takes off for the forests edge and starts catching mice for the cage. He almost has it completely filled, when Rose calls for him to come back immediately. Fire grabs the cage and rushes back to the cave. Rose was standing in the back of the cave quivering. He drops the cage filled with mice and it breaks open as Fire rushed to Rose's side. "Is it time?" He asked as she winced in pain. "I think so." She snapped back. Fire dismissed the fact that she snapped at him to the pain that she was feeling. He gently stood at her side, and waited, while she endured the pain of laying their child. The mice were all running franticly, looking for any place to hide, or escape the cave threw. Fire was standing by Rose and thought he would try and comfort her during the pain. He started to gently rub her belly with his paws. "Mmm. That's nice feeling, but it's not helping." She said bitterly. Fire stopped trying to help and stepped back. "Sorry, I thought it might help." She started to scream in pain as she felt the need to push the egg out. The feeling subsided before she succeeded. Huffing hard, she looked at Fire. Her eyes told him she wanted him in her, regardless of the egg. He just looked back at her blankly. Pain shot across her face again as she felt the push again. She let out a bellowing roar as she pushed out a reddish-orange egg that landed on the cave floor, and started to roll away. Fire scooped up the egg and placed it into the small nest they prepared for it. He then walked over to Rose and was erect and ready, if she said yes. Her eyes said all that they needed to and he moved to mount her. Before he could, she spun around and smacked him as hard as she could. Shocked, he looked at her. She snapped at him, screaming "YOU LIED TO ME! YOU SAID YOU WOULD HUMP ME AS SOON AS I WAS READY, AFTER THE EGG WAS LAID! AS SOON AS IT DROPPED, I WAS READY! YOU TOOK CARE OF THE EGG BEFORE ME!" She shrieked at him in fury. "I am here now, ready to fulfill my promise, Rose. I was about to when you struck me." "NOT GOOD ENOUGH! YOU LIED TO ME!" "No, Rose. I did not. The egg was rolling away. I couldn't let it just go." YOU TENDED THE EGG FIRST!" "I ensured the safety of our child. And since you insist on continuing this raged attitude of yours, you can forget about my promise until you cool off and can act civil again. I want to hump you just as badly as you want me to hump you. But you're turning me off with this attitude." Fire turned and started to walk to the nests. "DON'T YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!" He looked back at her. "That attitude better stay back here when you're done with it." He looked away and continued. She jumped on his back and forced him to the ground. Fire lay on his belly as she was on his back now. "ROLL ON YOUR BACK NOW!" She demanded. Fire rolled in his back and looked at her. She was visibly pissed off at being denied after such a long wait. She spoke in a stern and angry tone. "Now, give me what you promised." Fire rolled to his belly again. "Not as long as you have this attitude." He got up forcefully and walked to the nests, carrying her on his back. He lay back down in their nest and rested. The mice had all escaped now. The cage was ruined. He would have to make a lot of repairs. Or just make a new one. And he still had Rose fuming over not getting laid before the egg was cared for. Rose forced him out of the nest and laid in it herself. Fire did not resist her kicking him out, but instead rolled over and out of it. He moved over to and lay by the egg, as if to protect it. He watched her rage silently for a while, before he thought of doing anything else.  When he seen her settle down a bit, he crawled over to the nest, and placed his head on its edge. She seen him but said nothing. She also did not turn away, or gesture for him to leave. "May I come in, honey?" He asked gently. She just looked at him for a minute before replying. She sighed before she spoke. "I guess so." She said softly. Guilt was in her voice. Fire climbed into the nest and lay facing her, on his side, his belly facing hers. "I owe you an apology, Fire." Fire cut her off by placing his paw on her nose. "Shhh." He slides closer and gives her a kiss to show his forgiveness without saying it. He pulls her close gently and hugs her. "You deserve better than I've been. I'm sorry." She says regardless of Fire's hush, as she holds him. "I already felt it in your voice. I didn't need to hear the words." Fire says as he strokes her along the side of her face with the back of a paw. He glances up at the smaller nest briefly before looking back at Rose, who did see his glance. He looks her in her eyes and asks wordlessly. "No. Not after how I behaved. I don't deserve that. I don't want to feel that good right now. I feel horrible over what I tried to do. If you won't punish me for it, then I must to myself. And as punishment, I'm denying that pleasure for a while to myself." Fire let her finish before he said anything. "Do you realize that your punishment upon yourself punishes me as well? I want to please you, dear, just like you wanted it. But your attitude was stopping me. You went off on me for protecting our child. I did tell you that your lives come above your pleasure or my own life. So I leave it up to you. Do you want to punish us both, or forgive your actions to yourself? I already forgave you myself." Rose looked away from Fire's gaze and said nothing. He did not press her any more, but pulled her as close to himself as she would let him and held on to her. "I love you, Rose. Even after what you tried, I still love you." Rose felt even worse after hearing this, and spoke to herself just loud enough that Fire could hear her. "I really don't deserve such kind and generous partner. I almost wish he would do something to punish me for what I've done." Fire gently pushed her back and got up. He looked at her disapprovingly but said nothing. He walked out of their nest and went outside to sleep under the stars. It was a colder night. He shivered for a while after he left the cave doorway. He took to the air and flew to the forest and collected a few branches. He took them back to the entry and set them down. After he had a few gathered, he lay down and moved the branches to cover him self. Just as he placed the last branch, Rose came out of the doorway. She saw him laying there, covered in the branches, and gestured for him to follow her inside. Fire just looked at her. When she realized he had not moved, she walked over to him, knocked off the branches, and started to push him inside. Fire gave dead weight resistance to her moving him. She didn't give up until he was next to the nest again. Exhausted from pushing him around, she lay upon him on the floor. Fire finally moved. He pushed under her and lifted her into the nest, before closing the doorway and lighting a fire. He walked back to the nest but did not get in. "You really want me at your side don't you? But yet you want me to do something to punish you for your actions. I left your side for just that. You insist that I do something. I chose to make you sleep alone for a few days as your demanded punishment. And now you forced me back in here. I'm going to sleep by the fire. Don't push me over here or join me." Rose was too tired to object as he walked away from her to the far side of the cave. He lay down and got uncomfortable in his new "bed". He fell asleep shortly after the fire died down a bit. Fire awoke to Rose rubbing up against him. He grumbled and pushed her away, only for her to immediately return. He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "What is it? It better be good." He was grumpy from her rude awakening of him. She kissed him on his nose in reply. Fire sat up confused and intrigued at the same time. But it did wake him up and wipe the grumpiness off his mind. She rubbed her snout against his, from nose to cheek, before kissing him on his cheek. "Looks like someone's a little frisky this morning." He commented. "Trying to get what you said you were denying your self?" "You're punishing me in your own way, and freeing us from my self punishment." "..." "What? Don't you want to?" "I do, but don't." "Huh?" "I want to please you, Rose. But do you really think you deserve it? I mean just because I refused to sleep at your side?" "..." "I didn't think you would be able to say yes." Fire gets to his feet and walks to the door. He steps outside before stretching out. Fire thinks to himself, 'as much as I want to Rose, you chose your punishment for your self, for your own reasons. I'm going to abide by your original wishes.' He calls back into the cave to her, "I'm going out flying for a bit. No destination, no purpose to it. Just going out flying." A soft call came back to him. "Ok. I'll see you when you get back then." Something in her voice bothered him and he walked back inside. "What's wrong Rose?" She was lying in the nest again. She did not reply to him, or move to acknowledge his call. He walked up to her and nudged her gently to get her attention. "Hay. What's bothering you, hun?" "Why should I talk about it?" "Ouch. That was sharp of you. That hurt me right here." Fire tapped his chest over his heart. He continued, "I only asked what's bothering you, because I care about you, Rose. If something is making you unhappy, it's going to affect me as well." "... You want to know what's got me upset right now? Fine. YOU have me upset. You say that you want to enjoy me, but you refuse me. I was offering myself to you this morning and you said no. How do you think that makes me feel?" "No better than it made me feel to say it. It made me feel like crap to deny you. But you chose to deny your self for a reason. I'm respecting your wishes, even if you're backing out on them." Fire laid down on the edge of the nest looking at her. She turned to look at him finally. Tears were in her eyes. He reached out a paw and gently wiped her tears away. She moved closer to him, laid her head on his back, and cried. He held her close, with tears in his own eyes, as she cried on his back. Fire spoke gently to her when she was done. "Rose? Why do you think I chose to say no to you this morning?" She pulls away from his embrace and looks at him. "I thought that you didn't really like me at first. That you just screwed me to screw me, our first time. But now, I really don't know for sure." "… If I really did not care about you, do you think I would be here right now? I hope that would at least tell you that much. As for our first time, it was part feelings, and part just to get you both to leave me alone. But I don't regret my choice. I would still make the same choice if I could do it all over." "I I I ... I don't know what to say to that." "Than say nothing. Just know that I choose to be here just as you choose to. I know I was going to go out for a bit, but to heck with it." Fire stands up and climbs into the nest. Rose stares at him, stunned, as he lies down on his back and invites her to lay on him. She doesn't move. He gestures for her to join him again. She snaps out of her stunned state and moves towards him. She climbs on him, from his tail's tip, and walks to his chest before lying upon him gently. She cries out in surprise and stands back up. She looks down under her and sees his shaft unsheathing its self. She looks up at him and he looks back at her as he speaks softly. "If you can forgive your self, then take it. If you can't forgive your self, then don't. Deny yourself the pleasure as you wanted before." She just stands there, staring at him in disbelief at what he said and is offering to her. After a minute goes by without her moving at all, Fire reaches out a paw to her face. The contact snaps her out of it and she lays down on Fire in such a way that her pussy is just on his shaft's head, but does not take it in her. She looks at him. He looks back at her in her eyes. The look in her eyes told him she wanted to but something was stopping her. "What is it, Rose?" "I don't know that I can. I regret what I did, or rather tried to do, to you. As much as I want this, I feel I shouldn't." "Well, look at it this way. If you could go back and do it over, would you try it again or do it differently? You said you regret it, I feel your guilt over it. So I look at it this way. If you can honestly say you wouldn't do the same thing again, if you could do it again, then you can take me." Rose was silent for a minute then she finally spoke. "No. I can't do it. I wouldn't do the same thing, but I can't just forgive myself and forget it, as if it never happened." "Ok. If that's how you feel, I will respect it." Fire reaches up and around her, and gives her a big hug. She smiles at him. He hears her thoughts as she thinks to her self. 'Such willingness to forgive such an act. I wish I was ready to forgive myself. It feels like I am punishing him for my actions.' She pulls gently against his embrace and he lets her go. She walks out of the nest. Her thoughts continue. 'I barely pulled against his grip and he just released me. He is almost too kind to me. … Why do I deny him the pleasure that I chose to deny myself?' She looks over at him as he lay in the nest, still on his back, watching her. 'He seems to be waiting for me to come back to him. Why don't I? What's keeping me from forgiving myself?' Fire rolls to his side, belly facing her. His erection was almost completely faded. He gestures for her to lay by him. She walks back into the nest and lies at his side, giving him her belly. He slides close to her and rubs her belly with a paw lovingly. She murrs at his touch. 'Oh this feel's good. But it's better than I want to feel now.' She reaches out to Fire's paw and stops him. "Don't. Not now please. I …" Fire doesn't try to argue and stops rubbing her. Fire hushed her by placing his other paw on her nose. "I heard you. Yes, I know it was your thoughts, but I still heard them. You know I don't have it completely controlled yet. I'm still working on it. I'm sure you will forgive yourself in time. I will just have to wait until then." He places a paw on the side of her face. "I love you, dear. I will be here when you are ready." With that he kissed her on her nose. "I" Fire immediately hushed her with a paw. "I know. I knew you would object but I was going to anyways." Fire nuzzles close to Rose and settles in to nap. She opens her mouth to object, but stops herself before she does. 'He seems happy. Why should I take that from him?' She thinks. She gets settled into bed herself but doesn't feel she deserves his company. She just lay there at his side while he slept. 'I don't see how he could forgive me for what I tried to do, just like that. I don't think I could, if he was the one to try it on me, instead of me on him.' She eventually fell asleep. Weeks have passed and Rose never could forgive herself. Fire kept at her side, but never pressed her about it. Daily life was uncomfortable for them both. Fire tended what was needed and kept Rose as happy as he could, but he was sad inside. He wished Rose would forgive herself, even if that was all that happened. Rose was out in the lake bathing and Fire was at home relaxing as best as he could. Fire got up and started to walk around the cave. He felt restless. 'Guh. I just need to move. Feels cramped in here. I need to feel the wind und…' He was interrupted by a sound of cracking. Fire thought to Rose quickly. 'Hun, you better get up here.' He walked over to their egg. It was cracking open slowly. A few minutes goes by as Fire watched the egg. Rose gets to the doorway, huffing hard from her lack of flying recently. "I need to get out more often." She remarks. Fire doesn't flinch at her remark and that puzzles her, until a shell fragment popped off the egg. She walks, as quickly as her exhausted body will let her, to the nest. The cracks are all around the top portion if the egg now. A few cracks run along the sides, but most are in a ring near the top. It only has one small portion missing. The fragment that Rose seen fly off. Rose nuzzles Fire lovingly as they watch the egg hatch in silence. After a few minutes, the egg begins to wobble and another shell fragment breaks off. And then another. The wobbling stops for a minute. Another shell fragment breaks off the egg. The wobbling started up again and a few more fragments shook free. The top ring was almost completely stripped of its shell. And the wobble stopped again. Rose moved to help the child but Fire grabbed her, pulling her back and shook his head no. She started to protest but he hushed her with a look. The egg flung another fragment off and the top lifted a bit, before falling back in place. Rose saw this and stepped back beside Fire. The wobbling stopped for a few minutes. The cracking and chipping had stopped as well. Fire whispered to Rose, "Don't touch it" as they got closer to the egg. As they got over the nest, the top lifted again and a tiny white face with blue-green eyes poked out of the shell just a little bit, and then withdrew back inside. They waited and a short time later the face reappeared, and the top of the egg fell off as the egg rolled to its side. The baby dragon worked its way out of the egg shell and into the nest. It was near pure white, but had specks of blue across its entire body and wings. Fire began to lick the baby clean, and when it rolled to its side, they seen it was a female. After Fire was done, Rose nuzzled into the child's belly gently. "What shall we name her?" Rose asked Fire. "Hum. How about Snow. Like the snow on the top of the mountain here. Or Frost." "Hum. Both sound nice. Got one you prefer?" "You're leaving it to me?" Fire was surprised at this. "I'm asking you, aren't I?" She asked. "I guess so. Well. I like them both as well. But I think Frost fits better. Fresh frost shimmers like those blue specks across her body." "Then Frost it is." Frost yawned as Fire and Rose spoke. "Looks like someone's already set for bed." Fire carefully pucks her up and walks into the large nest. He lies down on his side and puts Frost down. Rose walks over as Frost settles against Fire's belly by his front legs. "You two look cute together, my love." Rose says as she gets in the nest. She lies down by Fire's hind legs, and places her head upon his body near their daughter. "I can't say I know much about being a father. You remember, I told you I was only a few months old, when I lost mine. But I will learn. You know more about being a parent, threw being with your mom, than I do." He says before giving her a kiss and lay his head down to sleep for a while. It was a few days before Frost got the hang of speaking. When she did, her questions were near endless. She was curious about everything around her. She asked Fire and Rose questions that they sometimes didn't have an answer to. Of course they don't know WHY the sky is blue, or WHY the trees leaves are green. They answered what they could and fumbled around on trying to answer the rest. Until she hit them with questions they BOTH didn't want to hear. "Why am I here? Where did I come from?" They both didn't respond to it for a long time, and Frost picked up on that they didn't really have a reply that they wanted to give. Fire asked Rose to walk with him and Frost to stay put. Frost was confused but obeyed. Rose knew what he wanted to speak about and readily followed. "What do we tell her? The full truth? Do we tell her about Zanta and you fighting over me? That I chose to make out with you, and that's how she came to be? Or do we just tell her … what? I'm at a loss here." Fire said when they were a short ways away from the cave. "I don't know dear. But I think discretion is most defiantly needed. I don't want to explain everything to her this young, just to explain it again when she's older." "I agree. But what do we tell her was my original question." "I think we should try to avoid that question as much as possible for now." "… I don't think she will just drop it like that. But we can try. I think the best way to do this, would be to tell her that we will tell her, when we think she's ready to know everything." Night was setting in soon. "Come on dear. Let's get set for bed." Fire called to Rose as he walked back to the cave. She followed shortly after. "Frost, your mother and I decided not to tell you about that until you're older. We will tell you when the time is right. Now it's getting late. Off to bed. That is for us all." Fire said as he looked at Rose. He walked into the nest they all used now and got settled in. Rose settled against his belly and Frost just stared at them. "Come on darling. Bed time." Frost slowly got into the nest and settled against Fire's belly and neck. When Fire awoke the next morning, Rose had moved to the opposite side of the nest. Frost was up on his belly, as he has shifted on to his back. His legs were splayed wide open as he was relaxed. He felt something that made him twinge and look down. Frost was exploring again, only this time, she was trying to explore his slit. She was starting to push her snout inside. Fire grabbed her and pulled her away. He looked over at Rose, who was still asleep, and set Frost to the side. He got up and quietly called Frost to follow. She followed without question. When they got outside, Fire spoke. "Frost, what do you think you were doing back there?" "I was curious as to what's in there." Fire puts a claw to his forehead. "Uh. This was not how I want to start this conversation. It's not one I want to have with you this young either. For now I want you to just understand this. That's mommy and daddy's area only, on both mommy and me. Yours and mommy's area are the same, but mine is not." Fire was getting flustered trying to be general as possible. "Just, leave mommy and daddy alone down there. Ok darling?" Frost was confused understandably but agreed not to go there. "Thanks Frost. Some day mommy and I will either tell you about that area. Until then, don't touch us there." Fire and Frost walk back in as Rose stirs. She sees Fire and Frost walking back from the door. "You're up early, hun." Rose comments. "Yea, going back to bed now." He yawns as he gets back into the nest. "Then why were you outside?" She asked. "Uh …" He looks at Frost. "Can you hold that question for later hun?" He finishes his comment with. Rose seen him look at Frost, and figures its private. She agrees to wait. A few hours later Fire gets up again. Rose is already up and about, while Frost is still sleeping. Fire takes and walks up to Rose then gestures to the back of the cave. She walks in the back with him and they speak quietly. "Frost woke me up trying to get into my slit this morning." He explained. Rose blushed. "Oh my." Was her reply. "I took her outside and we had a little chat." He explained what he and Frost spoke of and agreed on. "… I'm not looking forward to that chat in the future. Almost thinking showing and filling in the gaps would be the better way to explain, when the time comes. But that's an argument for then." "Yea. A lot can change in a short amount of time. Just remember us not that long ago. You and I only met a few months ago." "Yea, I know." Fire started to walk to the nest but Rose stopped him. He looked back at her with a puzzled look on his face. Rose walked back to his side and whispered in his ear. His eyes lit up as she whispered to him. "If we can find someplace private, or get Frost to stay here while we are gone, then I'm ready for you." Fire spoke quietly back to her. "You're finally forgiving your self? Hun, that makes me very happy just hearing it. And that isn't looking at us getting together as why either." Fire kissed her and continued to the nest. He lies back down with Frost and waits for her to get up. Frost stirs after about an hour and eventually gets up. Fire gets up and looks at Rose. "Are you ready to go dear?" Rose turns and looks at him and Frost. "Oh, she's up finally. Yea, I'm ready." Rose smiles at Fire and walks to the cave's entry. Fire speaks to Frost. "Frost, darling, mommy and daddy are going away for a little while. We want you to stay here in the cave. Don't go outside. You know how to use the cage, if you get hungry. We will be back before nightfall at the latest. Ok?" "Can't I come along too?" Frost asks sounding hurt about being left behind. "No darling, you can't. Mommy and daddy need some time to themselves every now and then. Now can you be a big girl and stay here all by your self?" "… Yes, daddy." Frost sounded sad. Fire nuzzles Frost's cheek before heading to the entrance with Rose. They leave Frost home alone and head to the pond in the edge of the forest. Rose wastes no time and pushed Fire on his side, catching him off guard, and rolls him to his back. She climbs on top of him, looks lovingly at him, and rubs her tail along his. Rose shifts and positions her pussy right over his slit, as he gets aroused. As he gets hard and grows, his dick slips right into her pussy, and she murrs at the pleasant feeling. When he reached full length, she starts to ride him slowly. Fire arches his neck and kisses Rose on the nose as she slides along his shaft. She picks up the pace as Fire begins to thrust with her. She rides him like this for a short while, before Fire reaches up, pulls her wings to her side, and rolls her on her back. He then begins to pound her pussy, fast and hard with his member. It wasn't long before she was screaming in ecstasy as she came on him and herself. As she came off her high, she whispered one word. "More." Fire kept banging her for as long as he could before he felt like he was going to explode in his groin. He pressed as deep into her as he could, and let out a pleasured roar that shook the very trees around them, as he loosed jet after jet of cum in her pussy. After he stopped cuming, she looked at him and spoke softly, as he settled on the ground. "Can you go another round dear?" "I can't for a bit. I'm beat." "Then let me on top for now, while you rest a bit. I'll keep it slow." She offered. Fire lies on his back and let her have his belly. As she gets into position, Fire reaches up and around her, pulling her down on him. "Just rest with me, dear. If you really want it again, I'll give it to you again soon. Let's rest a bit first. Then we can go again." Rose doesn't resist his pull and listens to his words. She relaxes on top of him. They remain there for over an hour before Fire looks at the sky. It's late afternoon. "We probably should be headed back here really soon. We better get up and clean up before heading back." Rose looks at him. "Just a little longer. I'm happy right here, right now." Fire brings a paw to her face and lovingly rubs her cheek. "Mmm." She murrs as she presses into his paw. "This I can give you at home." He says. Rose gets up and off of him. "You made your point." She says as she walks to the pond. Fire gets up and follows her into the water. They clean each other off and then they head home together. When they get there, they open the door and a herd of mice bolt out. "What the?" Fire exclaims in confusion. As they walk in, they see the cage is disassembled and Frost is covered in blood. Fire quickly gets a pelt and starts cleaning her up, carefully checking her for wounds. "DAD, I'm fine!" She objects as she's cleaned off. He continues despite her assurances. When she's cleaned off, he sees that she was unharmed. Confused he asked, "What was all that blood from?" Frost looks over at 4 shredded bodies of mice in the back. Fire follows her gaze and chuckles. "Playing with your food again I see." She smiles up at him. "Well, since you dismantled my cage, how about you help me reassemble it." Fire and Frost rebuild the cage and set it by the nest. "Rose, dear, it looks like it's going to be an early day for me tomorrow. With no food here, I will need to go out early and get us some." Fire walks over to the pots and slices one down in size. He grabs a pelt and looks at Frost. "Come here, missy." Frost lowers her head and walks slowly, knowing she had been bad, and was about to get her punishment for it. "You got a mess to clean up." He says as he tossed the pelt to her. "It may be cute to see at first, but it's your fun, so you can work to clean it up now." "Do I …" A look from Fire silenced her. She looked at Rose seeing if she could get out of it. Rose looked back at her. "Do as your father said, darling. The longer that you wait, the later you will be done." "…" Frost looks disappointed and goes to start cleaning her mess up. Fire walks over to the nest and looks at Rose invitingly. She follows him into the nest as he lies on his back. She lies on his belly and murrs happily. Fire raises a paw and strokes her neck as he smiles at her. She slides back on him just a little and begins to rub his tail with hers. Fire gasps and whispers to her. "Not with Frost here." "Don't resist me." Rose shifted so her pussy is on top of his slit. Fire didn't fight it any more and let him self be aroused by her. His shaft slipped quickly into her as she rubbed with his tail with hers. She gasped loudly as he slid into her. Frost heard Rose and looked over. "Mom? What's wrong?" She asked. Frost started to walk over to them. "Frost, nothing is wrong. Go back to cleaning unless you're done already." Rose and Fire were both getting red. Frost could felt the tension in the cave jump drastically since she spoke. She walked over to Fire and Rose. As Frost got close, she could start to smell a slightly sweet scent. "Do you smell that?" She asks. She keeps sniffing, following the sent back to Fire and Rose. She follows it to their slits, where Fire is still erect in Rose. Frost starts to try and stuff her nose in between them to find what smelled so sweet. "FROST!" Fire and Rose both bark at the same time. She backs out instantly. "What? I'm just trying to find that scent." Fire sighs. "Rose, I know nether of us wanted to explain so soon, but I'm thinking we can't wait. Not with Frost investigating us like this." Rose sighs and slides off of Fire's shaft. Frost stares in wonder as Fire's dick is exposed to her from her mom's pussy. "Well, now you know what's in my slit Frost." Fire rolls to his feet and sits. They have a very uncomfortable conversation that goes late into the night. Fire barely slept that night. He got up as the sun came up and he could see a bit. The sun was partially hidden by clouds that had rolled in over night. He went and grabbed the cage and took to the air. He flew to the forest and began to catch mice for the cage. As he filled the cage, he had an ominous feeling come over him. He looked to the sky and then looked back down after a few seconds, shaking his head. The clouds parted in a few places and small meteors shower the area. Fire hears the first impact and looks back up. He sees the beams of light shining on the land. His thoughts flash to the dream he had so long ago. He starts to panic and thinks to Rose, screaming to her, 'GET FROST AND GET OUT! NOW!' The sky above him rips open and a meteor falls in the direction of home. Fire kicks the cage, opening the top, and leaves it behind as he flies rapidly into the air. He gets over the trees just in time to hear the meteor hit above the cave's opening and collapse the cave in on its self. He flies as fast as he could to the remains of the cave. His heart sank as he gets close. As he flew very close, he felt the powers within him fully awaken once again. He thrust a paw at the mountain and ripped a large portion of it away as he lifted his paw. With a flick of the paw, the ripped off mountain flung to the side and he did it again. He ripped a majority of it way before he felt the power slipping away from him. He landed and began to dig by using his paws. It wasn't long before he found Frost's body. She was dead and his heart was torn. He already knew from to powers being unlocked for that short while, that Rose was gone as well but he had to know by seeing her. He kept digging and eventually found her. She was dead as well and he felt as if the entire reason for his life was ripped from his very soul. He finished unburying Rose and Frost and moved Frost to Rose's side before lying with them. He was broken up inside himself. His life wasn't worth continuing he felt. Fire lay there with their dead bodies all day and night before anyone came by. It was the purple one again. He just happened to be flying by with some small yellow bug. He spotted Fire and swooped down low past him. When Fire, Rose, and Frost didn't move, he said to the bug as he pointed, "Sparks, let's find out what happened there." "I'm not so sure that's a good idea Spyro. What if..." Spyro interrupts him. "Yea yea. What if, what if, what if. Sparks you need to stop being a chicken someday. Life is full of what ifs. You got to face them. Not cower from them. Now come on." He swooped down and landed by Rose's body. As he reached to see if Rose was alive, Fire growls at him. Spyro jumps back ready for a fight as Fire gets up. Spyro looks closely at him and gasped. "You! I never figured I'd see you again." Fire stops growling and cocks his head. "We've met before? … No. I don't think we … Wait a minute. Yes, I think we have." He moves between his dead family and Spyro and lies back down. "I'm in no mood to deal with your crap. Just leave me alone as you did before." "Spyro? You know this guy?" Sparks asked. "Yes and no. I was out and about without you and we met when I stopped for water. It just happened to be where he was living. He was polite but ... I wasn't. I'm sorry but I don't remember what you said your name was, after all, it was a long time ago." "..." Fire didn't reply. "I'm sorry I didn't at least give you my name. Let's start out right this time. My name is Spyro. And this is Sparks." "Firebrand." "I'm going to assume that's your name?" Spyro replies. "Yes. But everyone calls me Fire for short." "Well Fire, I'm sorry I was rude the first time we met." Sparks started to fly over to Rose. "Who is this?" Fire jumps up and into the path Sparks was taking. "You WILL NOT touch her." He barks at him. Sparks VERY rapidly flies behind Spyro. Fire sits down. He sighs. "I just lost them yesterday." He said as he lay back down. "I'm sorry to hear that. What happened?" Spyro asked. "Things fell from the sky and destroyed our home. They were in it still. ... They didn't survive. I've been here since." Fire became subdued and didn't speak again. Spyro looked around a bit and found the small bowl and took it to the river. He filled it and went back. "Here. You need to drink something at least. You won't last much longer if you don't." Fire knocked it away, spilling it all over the area. He spoke bitterly. "I just want to be left alone." Spyro got the bowl and filled it once more, but this time he just left it nearby. "Before we leave, I just want to say this. If you truly respect them, why would you kill their memory by killing your self?" With that, he flew off with Sparks on his tail. Fire ignored his remark at first. As evening set in, he started to think about what Spyro said. 'He's right, I won't last much longer going like this.' He weakly got to his feet and slowly moved to the bowl of water. 'All it would take is knocking this over again, and I most likely won't survive myself.' He looked back at Rose and Frost's bodies. '... No. I can't just let them fade into nothing.' He turned to the bowl and started to lap up the water. He lay back down after he finished off the water. 'Oh. This damned headache. I got to move tonight to get water.' He strained back to his feet and gave one last look at his loves before leaving them behind with a heavy heart.