FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 7

Infinity blinked her eyes slowly, casting the grogginess from them. Than instantly closed them again. "Graaaaar." She let out a large tongue curling yawn as she felt the sensation of soft hands stroking the top of her snout. She immediately let out a loud purr of contentment. Moving into the soft touch of what she knew was Axton. "Mmmmmm. That feels nice." She sighed, giving out a small pleased snort and a slight thump of her tail on the grass. She smiles to herself as she feels the little human snuggle himself closer against her scales and let out a content sigh of his own.

She opened her eyes once again after untold minutes had passed. Or was it an hour? Or was it hours? She gave an internal shrug at the thought. It was not like she cared in the slightest anyway. She was content to stay curled the way she was, hugging her soft little human against her chest. She gave a soft rumble as she felt his small breaths, as he pressed his cheek against her. She sighed, admiring how even scared as he was he had stood up to the wizard. He had stated he did not want to hurt her, despite knowing the pain he was about to receive. My strong little brave human. She curled her head to give him a playful snort of air on his hair, causing him to giggle and grab at her snout.

"Hey!" He lets out smile filled groan.

Infinity just smirked as she continued to press further. This time she opened her maw and draped her slimy eel of a tongue all over his head. Very much like a mother would clean a hatchling.

"Hey watch that thing!" he laughs, trying to push her away halfheartedly. "I am not some hatchling that needs to be cleaned!" His voice turning into giggles under her smile filled ministrations of her tongue.

"You're not convincing me otherwise Axton." She chuckled, continuing her assault on his neck with her tongue. "You very well may be."

"I am not that young!" He protests through giggles.

"But you are!"

"Well, maybe to you!" He kicked his legs in her grip, his squirms futile as she holds him tightly still. "I'm almost.....an....adult!" Once again he lets out a loud bout of laughter.

"Well don't get all huffy about it." She pulled her snout away with a chuckle that radiated deep in her throat.

"Well... Just give me four years!" He crossed his arms, and wrinkled his face a tad. "Oh, huffy am I?"

"Well....a little." she waggled her paw back and forth.

"So if I am a hatchling, and you have me bound so...does that make you my mother?"

Well that would be interesting. Infinity laughed. She had never thought about it before, but if this is what motherhood had in store, she was on board for it. Comforting the little human had brought her such comfort. Perhaps I have really strong motherly instincts? She snaked her head back down and gave him one large nuzzle with her neck. "I might as well be."

"Oh really?" she felt him run a hand along her scales. "So what shall we do now MOTHER?"

Hmmmm. "I say we keep snuggling!" She laughed, nuzzling him once again, causing the human to let out another bout of joyous laughter.

"Agreed." Axton sighed, as she felt him wrap his arms around her neck. Than press his cheek against her. "Maybe..." she heard him mutter to himself.

"Maybe what Axton?"

"Uh...Night Rising?"

"Yes?

"I think he knows when you get out because of this." She feels Axton slowly trace the rune around her neck with a single digit. "It might be some sort of locater spell as well."

"Oh?" Her tail thumped slightly. I never thought about that. It would certainly explain everything. She narrowed her eyes at her own ignorance. I have been here for so long and yet there STILL things I do not know about this place.

"Maybe I could do something about it." His voice trails off to but a whisper. "Maybe....If I just find the right book. There are always answers in books."

Then if you need to find a book Axton...I know you will do it. "Then you need to do it." She stated, uncurling herself and allowing the human to escape her clutches.

"Although after today... I am scared what he will do the longer I take to find the right spell.." His voice lowers, "I don't want to fail." She noticed despite her allowing him to leave Axton stayed cuddled up against her.

"We will make it through together, I promise." She put on a smile for him. Hoping to herself that it would at least put his troubled mind as ease.

Axton did not more for a minute, as he stayed in silence before taking a deep breath. "Okay....I will just have to be brave for the both of us then." He puffed his chest up, holding his head high. "Can't have YOU being terrified after all."

Despite your apparent bravery Axton...I know that little statement was more for you than me. "You can certainly do that." She gave him another tooth filled smile, before once again licking him across the face.

"Jeeeze Mom." Axton pushed away her purple tongue. "'I'm fine...You don't have to lick me."

"If you say so Axton." She sighed, moving away from him, and spreading herself out on the grass. "Graaaar" She gave a pleased groan as she wriggled herself along the grass, swishing her tail back and forth.

"Do you want me to grab anything from the kitchens?" Axton looked up towards the top of the enclosure with a frown. "Although I imagine I will need a boost to get back up there again."

"So?" She laughed. "We already did that the first night we met, remember?"

"Oh yeah." He laughed as well, rubbing the back of his neck.

Infinity stood up and strode over towards the edge of the enclosure, leaned down and let him climb on top of her. Axton scurried quickly along the top of her scales until he was firmly on the next floor up from her enclosure. Once he was up she let herself fall back down, and sprawled herself out again. She opened her mouth again and went back to wriggling.

"Any requests?" He calls down from above, apparently have made his way back.

"Bring more CHOCOLATE!" she roared out with a smile. "Your Mother demands it!"

"Dont worry." Axton grins. "I will grab as much chocolate as my arms can carry." Without another word the human bolts away to what she figured was the direction of the kitchen.

"How touching that." a sudden voice as smooth as silk says to her left. It made her jump in her scales. She turned to see the wizard's form coming out of one of the stone walls. Like the material was just simple water to him.

"What do you want?" she growled, surprised at her own bravery in the sight of her all powerful captor.

"I would watch your tone beast." The wizard sneers. "I know YOU may resign yourself to experience the punishment of pain by my hand." he looked up to the enclosure. "However I know of course how to hurt you in ANOTHER way......A weak spot in your scales as it were... Perhaps I should tell him that you ripped a goblin to pieces that bore his face? Do you think the human would still care for you then?"

Axton! She was up on her feet in an instant, claws already going for the man's throat. How dare he threaten him again!

The wizard stood unmoving as her talon sliced right at his neck, which should have been a killing blow for humans. Where his neck should have been bathed in the crimson goo of his blood, he instead was clutching a black line across his throat. Looking amused rather than terrified that he had a deep enough slash in his throat to slay any mortal. She looked down to her claws and found they had small bits of blackened flesh....rotting flesh. Her eyes widened as she looked up to the wizard who bore a large grin now. Thin black lines now spreading out from the gash to cover his face. What-- what is this? She gasped out, backing away slightly, confusion ringing in her head. This was not an illusion... why did he not die?

The lines covering his face shatter like glass to reveal to her horror the form of a rotting corpse. Blackened eyes like midnight stare back at her from a dark flesh covered skull that looked like it was one size too large. The thing chuckled from it's unnatural throat, raising a bony hand towards her. "So now you see my dragon...." He gestured to his body, then to his throat. "I should punish you for this little outburst... but I find it amusing, the face you're making."

What face? She could not think the of the face she was making as her own limbs shook at this creature. She had heard stories of corpses that could walk... but nothing like this... nothing intelligent as he was... Had he heard about our plan about the runes? That thought terrified her more than the walking corpse in front of her. Her heart sunk. Maybe it would be impossible to kill him after all. How do you kill a corpse? She fought the urge to narrow her eyes as she slunk away from him with a whimper. I could always burn your body to ash.

"See that is a good girl. Your realize the futile effort on your part." He takes a step towards her. "Perhaps if I had shown you this so many years ago you would not have put up such a struggle..." He gives out a sigh. "Hindsight can be such a terrible thing. Now, Infinity you realize that your struggles are for naught, for I have conquered death. What could you possibly do to an immortal being such as I?"

"Nothing." She spat out in a lie. "There is nothing I can do to one with one such greatness. I just beg of you, spare the boy."

"That will depend on you, my girl." The undead thing looks up to her with dead eyes. "Obey my will, and I will not have to punish the boy for your disobedience." He took a few more steps until he was standing at her snout. "Now rest up both of you." He laughed, patting her on the snout twice. She shivered at the sensation of cold corpse touching her. "You both have earned it. Besides... who knows what the future will hold?" The undead creature walked towards the wall, his old man image slowly wrapping itself around him once more. He turned back with a wink before walking right into the stone, it parting for him like sand.

It took a few minutes of deep breaths to settle down the beating of her heart. Had it been beating so fast the entire time? She tried to wrack her brain for what had just happened. That....thing....that wore the mask of a human wizard....Axton had read her a story one night she was certain with something just like it. She laid down onto her belly, and placed her head into her still trembling paws. It was called a Lich...a powerful undead.....unkillable... She gave a weak thump of her tail. There goes the simple of plan of just kill him when he was unaware one day. She let out a snort as she rolled her eyes. Although the plan to get away is still an option. It might be the only option. She held up her snout to look past the ceiling, and past the towers stone. She prayed up above the stars were out tonight. A memory flashed before her, of a soft caring voice telling her about the stars above being the souls of dragons that had passed onto the other side. Please let him have not heard the plan for us to escape... She buried her snout into her paws as tears began to well up at the words. Why they brought her pain and sorrow she knew not, for the reason was still as murky as a thick fog to her. Please....I....WE...need to escape. She wiped the tears from her snout, with a snarl. Don't worry Axton...We won't let that monster win....NEVER. These thoughts brought comfort to her mind, and allowed her paws to stop trembling in the grass.

Axton comes running back with another wicker basket clutched in his grasp. It wobbles back and forth in his grip. "I GOT SOME!" He laughs out loud over his heavy footsteps. He nearly trips before he reaches the enclosure, however manages to catch himself. "Woah!"

"Watch yourself, Axton!" She let out a concerned snarl.

"Okay, Mother." Axton laughs, rolling his eyes playfully. He places the basket on the floor, and pushed it towards the edge of the enclosure. "Oh right... I don't have my rope, I will have to lower it down to you! Can you reach it?"

"Yes, of course I can!" she strode over to the wall, standing on her hind legs she propped herself up against the wall for support.

Axton slung his feet around the railing, and stretched as far as he could to lower the basket down towards her waiting maw. "Almost... there..." He mutters in determination, as he closed the distance.

With a quick snap she had the wicker basket between her teeth. She was careful as to not snap the thing, as to not spill out it's delicious cargo she knew it contained. I hope it's nothing but cream puffs.....or just chocolate. She smiled as well as she could around the basket. Slowly and carefully she lowered herself, than the basket to the grass and let it down gently. She raised her head to admire the small brown thing, grinning at her ability to handle it so gently. Her ears perked as she heard a soft sigh come from Axton.

"Uh...Night Rising? Can I have some help?"

She raised her head to see that the human had fallen forward and was holding himself against the enclosure wall. He still had his boots locked around the railing above. Thankfully he looked to be in no rush of falling down.

"I may have miscalculated.."

She let out a soft rumbling chuckle as she neared towards him. "You've got a bit of problem there." She stopped when she was right below him, her snout looking right into his blue eyes. Instead of fear in them of falling she saw mere amusement as he gazed back into hers.

"Okay, if I drop... Will you catch me?"

"Of course!" She snorted, her tail swishing behind her. She rose to her hind legs, and poised her forepaws ready to snatch the human from the air.

"Okay..." Axton breathed in deep as he shut his eyes. They only stayed that way for a moment as he dislodged his legs and dropped into her waiting limbs.

"Got you." She smiled, lowering the smiling human to the ground. "See, I told you."

"Thanks!" he replied quickly, dusting himself off with a few quick brushes with his hands. "I nabbed everything I could find!" He smiled, running over to the basket and gesturing to it with his arms spread wide. "You should have seen me Night Rising." He swelled his chest up and stood straight. "It looked like I was gathering a hoard of my very own!"

You are ADORABLE. She smiled, padding over to him, laying down, and settling her snout into her paws. She twitched her tail slightly, before curling it around herself. She watched in amusement as Axton started leafing through the basket, once again picking out every little item he had nabbed and lining it up along the grass. She spies the smorgasbord of meats, cheeses, bread, and fruit. She could already feel her maw begin to water in anticipation of the delectable food.

"You go on and eat." Axton settled down beside her, pulling out a small leather bound book from his pack. "I am not hungry at the moment." He leaned up against her as he cracked it open.

Infinity hovered her snout over all the food displayed before her. What to try first? She nosed the meat with a sniff that made her twitch and sigh in delight. I could have the fish...or... She turned to the cheese, remembering the sharp taste that made her croon with delight. Or the cheese. Her eyes fell to one of the bright green apples just sitting there with the rest. Or a sweet apple... "Hmmmmmm." She rumbled, tail twitching in the grass. She closed her eyes. Well, they are all good. Might as well just choose one at random. She spread the food around with her right forepaw, before grabbing hold of some item. She rose it to her mouth and bit down, finding she had gone for the fish. It tasted like it had been roasted over burning wood, and it made her give out a little pleasured moan.

"You're enjoying that aren't you?" Axton laughed.

She just opened her eyes, turned to the little grinning human and gave him a big nod. She returns to eating her way through bread, cheese, more fish, and eyes a small white box with string. Chocolate! She smiled, her ears perked as she heard Axton's stomach let out a small cry. She turned back to the human, who was still reading despite all the time she had spent eating, and she had not seen him take a single bite of food.

"You should eat." She says softly, curling her tail so it surrounded him.

"I've got to find it out." he muttered, looking up and gestured to her neck. "It's up to me." He rose his right hand to gently brush her tail away.

"You can certainly eat and read, dummy." She laughed playfully, nosing him on the neck.

"Hey!" He laughs, putting the book down in his lap. "Now you're insisting on me to eat now?" He rose up to grab a bright red apple with his hands before returning to her side. "Are you sure you're not my mother in disguise?" He opened his mouth and took a large bite, then swallowed it down. "There...Happy now?"

"Slightly." She wrinkled her snout. "One apple is hardly enough food for you. Even one so small as yourself."

"Oh I got something for you to look at!" he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He quickly bolted up from his spot back towards his pack. He pulls out a wrapped up scroll before rushing back over.

"Mmm?" She had grabbed a piece of bread and stuffed it into her mouth.

"I figured you did not know where we were...So I figured you would want to see this!" He unwrapped the scroll and held it wide in front of her eyes. "It's a map of the continent...And the kingdoms!"

She traced the thin parchment to see that it had a shape that looked like a dragon on it. There were little blue wavy lines around this dragon...Some designs that looked like trees. There were also things on there she knew were called letters, but she knew not what they said. "I do not."

"Well I think we are here." He pointed to some pointy lines on this map. "On the outskirts of Lumara. I am not exactly sure..." He takes a piece of breath without her prompting. "I figure when you escap-"

"We." She said firmly to correct him.

"Right...when we escape.. We should head to Rothdell. I hear they are more likely to accept dragons over there."

"What about this one?" Infinity placed her claw over a section of the dragon's wing. There was a large castle it seemed made of stone, with two large floating rocks."

"Lumara?" Axton wrinkled his nose. "They are famous for driving dragon's from their borders....We don't want to go there....I heard they still have a dragon hunter there that slew a great red dragon." Axton held his hand to his chin, "His name was Arcturus I think...So we definitely don't want to go there."

"I can handle one simple man." Infinity growled. Picturing a cruel faced man with a wicked sword. And he must be easier to deal with than that....thing that is disguising itself as a man.

"Course we could always go to Drenedar." He pointed to a small building structure on the dragon continent's front paw. "Although we are definitely closer to Rothdell." He placed the map on the ground as he kneeled before her, hands on his knees. "So what will the first thing you do?......Well I suppose fly way..."

"I don't know." She admitted to him. She had actually never made it that far, and did not have any detailed plans before Axton. She chuckled to herself. She was actually at a loss of what she would do once she had actually obtained her freedom. "I guess go find as much chocolate as I can, and roll around in the grass." She smiled.

"Fun." he laughed with her. "We could always go find other dragons for you to meet."

I did not think of that... "I suppose... Although I would not know how to act."

"Maybe we can find your family out there."

"I think he killed them." Infinity growled, as she could not exactly pull the memory from her mind. But surely if her parents were alive they would have come for her? They would have fought tooth and claw until she was safe? "The only thing I can possibly remember is blood."

"Well I guess we could always just fly away as far as you can....Somewhere he can NEVER get us."

She nodded. "Maybe we can find strong allies." If such a thing exists anyway.

She watched him eat in silence for a few minutes, until with his next mouthful gone he resumed his questions. "Is 125 old for you?"

"Really we are on age again?" She gave him an amused smile. "No..It's young actually."

Axton nodded. "That makes sense I suppose......Have you ever learned the wizard's name?"

She shook her head back and forth, once again hating her ignorance. "No...Never in my entire time of being here has he shared it."

"Damn." He lowered his head for a moment before turning towards her neck. "Night Rising?"

"Yes?" She tilted her snout to the side.

"Can I touch your runes?"

She felt he heart beat faster for a moment, as she felt her scales tingle. She tried to shake the feeling of dread gripping her heart. She knew it was Axton but she could not help but think about the wizard touching them. "S-sure." She said finally, calming herself with several deep breaths. She lets out a sigh as Axton softly caressed her neck with his gentle fair hands.

"How....did he do this?"

"It's....hard to remember." She looked to him, finding his eyes were filled with sadness. "I...blacked out alot I think."

He continued to run a hand along the runes, "How do you keep going after so long?"

"Well I do keep trying to leave.."

"Oh?"

"Well I keep planning and plotting about how to get out..It..." She gave another deep sigh, as she nuzzled the human with her neck. "Helps you not think of the pain."

"Did...you ever?" He scratched under her scales in just the right way to cause her to let out a purr. "Think about killing yourself?"

"More than I should." She snorted, disgusted at the very idea it had crossed her mind so often over the years. She felt the human wrap his arms tightly around her neck. She leaned in towards the pleasant sensation.

"Well I am glad you were here.....This place would be far more lonely and darker without you."

Infinity closed her eyes and simple relaxed with Axton clutching her neck like it was his favorite stuffed animal. She wished they could be like this somewhere else, away from the wizard, this tower, and simply be free.

"Night Rising? When you DID escape...How did you do it?" That way we do not try the same way again."

"There were gaps in his magic at times. He miscalculated my bravery at times, or my magical prowess."

"Did you ever try and escape through the water in your other enclosure?"

You are not that bad at this. "No I don't think I have."

"Well...maybe we should practice your shapechanging...It could come in handy."

"But we never know when he could be watching." She whispered, thinking back to earlier when he had emerged from the stone.

"True...." Axton replied, lowering his voice to match hers. "He even watching right now." Axton looked around twice before leaning in and whispering into her ear. "I will record when I have my lessons. Then while he is there with me...Cause he usually is...You can practice your own magic!"

"Okay." She nodded slowly. It would be a start...especially if they could predict his movements like that.

"THan I can find a way to remove those runes." Axton padded around the runes on her neck. "I promise Night Rising.....I will do this....Please don't be scared."

You did not see what he was Axton....She shivered slightly, "It is hard to NOT be."

"But you said WE could do it!" He placed his hands on his hips. "I know we CAN do it."

She nodded again, but with the doubt swirling in her mind she was no doubt easy to read. Her suspicion turned true as Axton brushed her snout with his right hand, and ran it up as far as he could the underside. His touch was soft, warm, and soothing.

"Hey..."he says softly. "You're supposed to be the strong one!"

"Being strong isn't as easy as some might think."

"Well...want to know a secret then?" He whispered, moving back towards her ear. "I'm scared too....terrified even." He shivered.

I know that Axton...You're not that good at hiding your emotions. She nuzzled him again reassuringly.

"B-but I see you all brave and strong...and I know I can be as well."

Infinity curled up around him again protectively. She wiggled her tail as she snuggled him close in her warm embrace. She felt him halfheartedly push against her scales.

"Hey!" He laughed, his protests soon stop. He laid his head upon her hide. "You know you're going to spoil me." he says, his voice soft.

"Yes." She chuckles, nosing him with her snout. "And that's okay." She gave a pleased rumble as she felt Axton sigh.

"Ahhhh. Why are you so comfortable!"

"Because I can be." She teased.

"You know....in those books the wizard has...They describe dragons as these large monsters that destroy most things...I don't think that's fair."

"I don't know too much outside this place...But it appears as though life is not fair.." She nuzzled him one more time for good measure. "We will just have to change their minds."

"Definitely!" he laughs, holding his arms wide. "And we can get you a large mound of treasure! Like a proper dragon should have!" And some magical stuff! Maybe some servants..." he chuckles softly into her scales. "You deserve it Night Rising. If any dragon in the entire world did...You do."

She closed her eyes as she rested her head next to his. Maybe this can work. Maybe one day...we will be safe.