My Mate 2
Author's notes:About four years ago, I wrote a story called "My Mate", to scratch an itch I was having at the time. It was received well, and some people even asked for a sequel. I, too, wanted to revisit Farin and Sekk'ral's world at some point in the future, but wasn't exactly sure how. I knew it needed to be a little more than just another long sex scene. Years later, during a long 12-hour bus trip, I started to get ideas, some of them influenced by an unlikely source - which I'm keeping to myself for the time being. These ideas began to take shape and I started to like where they were going. Suddenly, plot! All the ideas fell into place and I knew I was ready to get started on the sequel, which I now present to you. I hope you fine people like it! Standard Disclaimer:You all know how this goes. This story is not suitable for minors. It contains graphic depictions of consensual sex between two anthropomorphic male creatures. If you find any part of this description offensive in any way or form, stop reading right now and close the window; otherwise, please proceed. "My Mate - part 2"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Written by Kurashi (May/2012). Part 1 available here: http://www.sofurry.com/view/39132 Farin was a young anthropomorphic fox. His fur was orange as anyone would expect, except for his arms and legs -which were a of darker shade- and his chest and belly, which were white, as was the tip of his bushy fox tail. Nothing out of the ordinary for his species. He lived in the forest, as did other fox morphs like him, and fed on what the forest would give him, like anyone else. He had a slender build and was pretty quick on his feet. Again, nothing unusual for a vulpine creature. This young lad lived his days in the forest like any other fox morph, hunting and napping, until one day something happened. Something that would forever change the course of his life... Sekk'ral was a large anthropomorphic dragon. He almost doubled Farin in height. His skin was dark green, the fine scales on the front being softer and of a lighter shade than the thicker ones on the back. He was also very muscular, a common trait in his species. Not in vain were dragons considered the mightiest creatures that ever lived. Fierce claws that could easily rip a tree trunk apart, a strong tail and a pair of sizable wings capable of lifting him to the skies completed the picture. Dragon morphs were mysterious creatures, seldom seen, and Sekk'ral was no different, as he lived by himself in a secluded cave far, far away. Thus, this mighty creature lived his days in solitude, tending to his own business, until one day something happened. Something that would forever change the course of his life... They met. Farin had lost his way in an area of the forest unknown to him, running in hot pursuit after a particularly difficult hare that he ultimately could not catch. Finding himself utterly lost in a completely unfamiliar territory, surrounded by tall trees and thick vegetation that all looked the same to his disoriented senses, he could do little but wander aimlessly, hoping to get lucky and find a way back home sooner rather than later. Instead, he got to a clearing in the middle of the woods. In the middle of the clearing was a lake, and in the middle of the lake was a big dragon morph lazily bathing in its waters. He was, of course, Sekk'ral. Having never seen a dragon morph before, Farin's first reaction was to dive behind a tree for cover. Thinking himself successful at remaining undetected, the young fox morph observed the muscular bathing dragon go on his business, splashing water about his large body. Farin was somewhat frightened and wary at first, but soon he became more and more fascinated with Sekk'ral and his imposing muscular frame with each passing second, until the latter made it clear Farin's improvised attempt at stealth had been anything but successful. Luckily for the young fox, the big dragon morph turned out to be rather amiable. On the other hand, the dragon's phenomenal musculature was still having an effect on the inexperienced vulpine. The sight of those bulging muscles kept filling him with strange and confusing feelings as the dragon, unaware of this inner turmoil his very presence was causing, continued to make small talk with the struggling fox morph. Eventually, the surge of conflicting emotions was too much to bear, and Farin found himself in a position where he had no way out but to confess. "Can I... Can I touch you?" was all he managed to say, eyes downcast. Sekk'ral understood and agreed to let the young vulpine explore his body to his heart's content. Things took off from there. Little by little, one thing led to the other and, in the end, they both became one by the lakeshore, the setting sun being the only witness to their raw passion. On that day, joined by sheer chance as it were, Farin and Sekk'ral discovered that they were meant for each other. They completed each other. A dragon morph and a fox morph -and two males at that- becoming mates. Nobody ever thought such a thing could happen, not even themselves when they started their respective days. But it happened. And so, united by the inscrutable whims of fate, they both lived happily ever after... ...or did they?
-.-.-.-.-.- My Mate, Part 2: The Dragon's Cave -.-.-.-.-.-__________________________________________________________ - "What?! You still haven't found him?!" The loud, rumbling voice echoed throughout the expansive room; anger and exasperation almost tangible in each word. The winged figures kneeling in the darkness flinched instinctively. No one dared say one word. The ensuing silence soon became unbearable. The figure at the front of the group, not daring to rise his gaze from the ground, realized that the unpleasant task of answering the question directed at them rested squarely on his shoulders. Trying his best to remain calm and collected, so that his voice didn't betray the fear ravaging his insides, he answered. - "No, my Lord. Not yet. We--"- "What is your excuse?", the powerful rumbling voice interrupted.- "M-my excuse?" -the kneeling figure said, his voice cracking slightly despite his best efforts- "My Lord, please! The world is vast! He could be anywhere! I assure you we are trying our best!"- "Clearly, you aren't trying hard enough! Now go and find him at once, and don't even think about coming back until you've done so!"- "Yes, my Lord!" The silhouettes immediately stood up and marched out of the darkened room to be greeted by the glaring daylight outside. Stretching their large dragon wings wide, they all took to the skies, to resume their search...
Farin opened his eyes and yawned, stretching himself after a good night's rest, though he stopped as soon as he became aware of his surroundings. To his utter surprise, he found himself lying on a pile of hay inside what seemed to be a cavern, clearly far removed from his usual sleeping spot back in his home forest. Puzzled, the fox morph wondered where he was and how he got there. The last thing he remembered was being near a lake in the middle of the forest and... "Oh!", he gasped as the memories came rushing back to him. Getting on his feet, he exclaimed Sekk'ral's name to himself. Farin recalled the magnificent dragon morph he encountered the day before, and the amazing experience they both shared. But Sekk'ral was nowhere to be seen. "Where is he? ... Where am I?", he wondered quietly. Taking some hesitant steps, Farin decided to explore the cavern. Of course, there wasn't much else he could do at the time. There were a few lit torches hanging on the rocky and uneven walls of the cave, providing some lighting for the confused fox. Although very much welcome, it was barely enough to let him see his immediate surroundings and not much else beyond that. He decided to take one of them with him. And so, leaving the small chamber he woke up in behind, Farin ventured into the twisting corridor ahead, torch in hand. Slowly and carefully, he made his way through the rocky passage. It eventually opened up into a larger chamber. Waving his torch around, the young fox could see four or five other tunnels at the other side of the room. His heart promptly sunk and he let his arms hung limp by his sides, finding himself at a loss. What could he do? Which way should he go? He sat and pondered his options for a few moments, but it was no use. He simply had no idea how complex the cavern was, and had no way to know either. A faint glimmer to his right caught Farin's attention. There was something lying on the ground. Moving closer to it, he crouched and examined the small object resting over the rocks and dirt. It seemed to be a precious stone. The fox picked it up and dusted it off. It was actually a ring engraved with a green gem -- an emerald, perhaps? Having never seen anything like that before, he looked very closely at it from every angle, clearly fascinated by the multifaceted green stone. Then, something else caught his attention. A certain smell began to permeate his vulpine nostrils. It smelled like roasted meat! Farin stood up, his stomach grumbling in response. An understandable reaction, considering he hadn't eaten since the day before. Sniffing the air a few times, the young fox morph quickly turned his attention to one of the tunnels ahead. He was certain that the delicious smell was coming from there. His acute canid nose could most certainly not fail him! Guided by the smell, Farin moved onwards. He moved fast, spurred by his empty stomach, and it took him no more than a minute to finally stumble upon the source of the smell: a roasted hare tied to a pole suspended directly above a small bonfire. Farin's mouth watered at the sight; his long, dripping tongue hanging out to a side. He hastily put both the torch and the ring he had found earlier down, and quickly helped himself to one of the legs of the roasting hare. It was hot, though, so he had to blow air onto it a few times before he could finally sink his teeth on it, but once he did, he didn't stop until he was holding nothing but the bare bones. - "Well, somebody sure was hungry!" Farin's ears perked up. He quickly turned to the source of the voice. It was, of course, Sekk'ral, the dragon! - "Sekk'ral!", the fox said, beaming. The large dragon morph walked in and pointed a clawed finger to the roasted hare. - "I caught it just for you" -Sekk'ral said- "I hope you liked it".- "It was delicious!", Farin replied, smiling brightly.- "I'm glad to hear that!", the dragon assured, smiling back to him. Sekk'ral went on to explain that that cavern was, in fact, his home, and that he had taken him there during the night. "You were fast asleep, and I just couldn't leave you out there, in the middle of nowhere. I hope you aren't mad at me", he said. "How could I?", Farin replied, then continued, looking at him in the eyes: "Sekk'ral, what I said yesterday, I really meant it. I do want to stay with you forever... I-I mean, if you... if you don't mind..." Farin couldn't help but trail off and lower his gaze in embarrassment. The dragon morph smiled, then moved closer to the blushing fox. Leaning down, he gently lifted Farin's chin so that their eyes met again. He then locked lips with the smaller male, kissing him tenderly. The eyes of the fox morph closed as he let himself get lost in the sensation of Sekk'ral's warm lips pressed on his. Then their lips parted, and Farin's eyes slowly fluttered open. - "You are adorably cute" -the larger male smiled, stroking Farin's furred face- "I would never want you to leave my side".- "I never will", said the young fox before leaning forward and throwing his arms around the dragon's wide muscular neck, locking lips with him again.
Somewhere, high in the sky, three dragon morphs glided in a perfect triangle formation, scanning the surface from above. They wore shoulderpads and a couple metal plates covering their chest and waist areas. Leather straps kept all of the aforementioned armor parts in place. All three dragons were quite large and bulging with muscles, similar to Sekk'ral in many ways, but not quite so in some others... - "This is like looking for a needle in a haystack!", protested Vrekkias, the tallest of the three dragon morphs. He was also somewhat slimmer than the other two, while still just as muscular. The scales covering his body were green with a bluish tint.- "Yeah, this is pointless! We'll never find him!", seconded K'orr, the short and stout one. Despite his fairly prominent belly, his musculature and strength were nothing to scoff at. Contrasting his partners, his skin was of a more yellowish shade of green. It's also probably worth noting that his left eye was missing; a huge, horrible scar running right across it.- "Shut up and keep looking! It's not like we have any other choice in the matter, and you know it!", exclaimed Ra'ghalek, annoyed. Clearly, he was the leader of the group. His build was befittingly impressive. His tough, hardened skin was full of old scars of which he was proud, and his scales were a very dark shade of green - practically black, actually.- "But... I just don't get it" -said Vrekkias- "I mean, let's say we find him... Then what? It's not like we can force him to come back with us!"- "He's right", nodded K'orr in agreement.- "One thing at a time! First and foremost we have to find him, so shut your goddamn traps and keep searching!", snarled Ra'ghalek.- "Yes, boss!", Vrekkias and K'orr exclaimed loudly, knowing better than to disobey their leader.- "It's General Ra'ghalek for you!"- "Y-yes, General Ra'ghalek!"- "Much better. Now let's move! We still have a lot of ground to cover!"
Things were heating up between Farin and Sekk'ral as their kissing grew more and more passionate, their hands exploring each other. Eventually, the young fox morph parted lips with his big, draconic lover and gazed at him with sultry eyes. - "Sekk'ral?"- "Yes?"- "Can I ask you something?"- "Sure".- "Can you... flex for me?" Sekk'ral blinked, not quite expecting that request, but then he smiled and stood up. Taking a few steps back to have more room, he extended his right arm and flexed it for Farin, his sizable biceps promptly bulging out. The eyes of the younger male visibly widened at the display presented to him. - "You mean like this?", asked the dragon morph, varying the angle of his flexed limb a bit to give Farin a better view of his impressive arm muscles at work.- "Yes" -said the fox, the almost whispering tone of his voice clearly giving his state of mind away- "Please, show me more". Sekk'ral raised his other arm and flexed it, all the muscles bulging out at once. He then extended and flexed it a few times, while still exerting force, to better exhibit the impressive build of his amazingly muscular arms. He then proceeded to flex his legs, showing off his wide, well defined thighs and legs; thick veins appearing all over his magnificently sculpted limbs. Sitting on a rock across from where the big dragon morph stood, Farin watched the show intently, fascinated with Sekk'ral's incredible build. The young vulpine spectator was leaning forward slightly, legs firmly pressed together and hands crossed over his lap, perhaps in an unconscious effort to hide his otherwise obvious arousal. - "Enjoying the view?", said Sekk'ral, turning around to show off the stunning musculature in his back. He even moved his tail to a side to let the fox have an unobstructed view of his firm, shapely buttocks.- "Uh-huh..." -uttered Farin, unable to articulate anything more coherent at the time.- "Well, there's still some more, just for you." The big dragon morph turned to face the smaller male again, this time tensing all of his chest and abdominal muscles for him. His broad pectorals became even more prominent, as did every one of his sharply defined abs. Various veins emerged all over his torso, accentuating his raw masculinity. Farin's eyes were transfixed on Sekk'ral's incredibly built body, every muscle beckoning him, overpowering his senses, completely dominating him with just the sight of it, not unlike the first time he saw him. - "Farin?", the dragon asked, still tensing his formidable abs.- "Y-yes?", the young fox stuttered, jolted out of his trance-like state.- "Why are you still sitting there? I know you are dying to touch me." Farin blushed a bright red. But the dragon morph was right. He -really- was dying to touch him! - "Come on, foxy boy! I don't bite...too hard!", joked the dragon. Farin nodded with a bashful smile, eyes downcast. Then he stood up and sheepishly walked to the bigger, stronger male, his tail waggling excitedly from side to side to Sekk'ral's amusement. Once up close, Farin found himself face to face with the dragon morph's impressive mid-section. He was, after all, that much shorter than his huge draconic mate. By this point, Sekk'ral's large body was covered by a fine layer of sweat, which made his pronounced musculature glisten under the warm light of the torches in the room, further accentuating his build. The young fox could feel his own heart pounding as he tentatively raised one hand, unable to resist the urge to touch those strong, rock-hard muscles. And so, he touched him. Pressing his palm on Sekk'ral's rippled abs, he felt the hard, unyielding muscle underneath the glistening skin of the dragon's well defined midriff. He then slid his hand around, feeling every one of Sekk'ral's abs of steel and the crevices between them. - "You are so big... and strong..." -Farin said.- "Well, physical strength is very important for us dragons", Sekk'ral explained, still flexing for the younger male worshipping him. The fox morph closed his eyes and moved even closer, until the tip of his nose touched the alluring skin in front of him. Then, he began to lick Sekk'ral's abs, his hands roaming everywhere he could reach: across the dragon's large pecs, on his muscular sides, along his wide thighs, over his firm buttocks... and all around the large bulge between his legs; stroking, caressing, grasping, kneading, squeezing... - "Ooh... I like it when you do that", said the larger male, enjoying the attention he was getting. Farin moved lower, licking the veiny skin around the dragon's pubic area, stroking the inner side of Sekk'ral's thighs with his muzzle, then pressing his nose right under the larger male's sizable privates, taking in his powerful, intoxicating scent. It didn't took long for Sekk'ral's maleness to stir under the fox morph's ministrations. It soon emerged from the dragon's genital slit, steadily growing bigger and harder as it filled with blood. Farin reached to it and gave it a few strokes, watching in awe as it grew to an impressive size. Even though it wasn't the first time he'd seen it, the fox was still amazed at the sheer size of that mighty phallus. Slowly, he slid a finger down its underside, all the way from the tip to the base, and then back up. He then wrapped his fingers around the impressive girth, feeling its warmth. Stroking it slowly, he felt every ridge and vein on its hot surface, the soft skin sliding along the rock-hard length under his grasp. Holding it up with one hand, Farin slid his long canine tongue along the dragon's huge, thick shaft, from base to tip, reveling in its taste. Then he did it again, licking along one side, and then the other, coating the entire length with his saliva. The fox gave it a few more slow strokes, watching the foreskin slide back and forth, hiding and revealing the bulbous, glistening head topping that amazing rod. He wanted that. He wanted it inside his mouth. After licking it some more, he finally took it in, wrapping his lips around the hot dragon flesh. He slid it in as far as he could, taking in about one-fourth of the hard, throbbing length before he could go no further. It was just too big, so he settled with stroking the rest of the enormous, veiny shaft with his hands. The younger male then began to suckle on the engorged dragonhood filling his mouth, rolling his tongue all over it, tasting it, eager for his mate's seed. - "Gods... You really know how to treat a dragon, foxy boy", said Sekk'ral, his breathing becoming more labored, Farin's hands and mouth doing wonders with his throbbing pride. Picking up his pace a little, the vulpine lad continued suckling on the dragon's meat as if his life depended on it. Every now and then he'd take it out of his mouth to vigorously stroke it with his hands for a few moments. He'd pay extra attention to the big, sensitive head, avidly sliding his fingers all over its slickened surface, making the dragon morph groan in response. Sekk'ral's eyes were closed; his mind lost in a sea of pleasure. All that unrelenting stimuli was having the desired effect, as Sekk'ral felt his release building up deep inside him. Farin must have felt it too, because he began to suck harder, his grip becoming tighter and his stroking faster. The large dragon morph threw his head back, groaning, the sensations overwhelming his senses. Farin's mouth felt heavenly to him. "Oh, gods, Farin..." -he said, his breathing becoming heavier and heavier, his muscles tensing up... And then, Sekk'ral climaxed, his dragonhood violently erupting inside Farin's welcoming mouth. The fox morph tried to swallow it all, but it was a tall order, the dragon's hot seed quickly overflowing his mouth and trickling down his chin and neck. He still did his best, though, happy to savor the essence of his mate. Finally, Sekk'ral's powerful orgasm subsided, and he took a few moments to catch his breath and recover from the amazing experience. Opening his eyes, he noticed that Farin's hands and tongue were still working his large maleness, worshipping it tenderly. The young fox morph then looked at his draconic mate with big, pleading eyes and said, in an almost supplicating tone: - "Take me, Sekk'ral. Make me yours, please". How could he ever say no? The sight of his cute 'foxy boy' -as he liked to call him- holding him in a tight embrace, arms wrapped around his waist, begging him with those huge, submissive eyes of his, was practically impossible to resist - not that he wanted to. Smiling, the large dragon morph pointed at Farin's brown loincloth -his only piece of clothing- and said: "You'll have to take that off first". Blushing a bit, the smaller male did as told, but kept his hands on his privates. Amused, Sekk'ral couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Aw, don't be shy, foxy boy" -he said- "Didn't you just say you wanted me to mount you?". Farin nodded meekly, still blushing under his facial fur. "Then come over here", the big, muscular dragon morph said as he reached out to his smaller, younger mate. With both hands, Sekk'ral picked Farin up by the waist and lifted him off the ground, a move that took the fox morph off guard. "Put your arms around my neck, and your legs around my waist", the bigger male said. Farin did so as indicated. At that moment, he felt the dragon's enormous pride poking at the most intimate part of his body, and gasped audibly as a shiver ran up through his spine. - "You aren't having second thoughts just now, are you?" -Sekk'ral inquired.- "N-no. I want this" -Farin said- "But, please, be gentle..."- "I will". Sekk'ral began to push his vulpine mate down onto his engorged member. Resting his face against the dragon's massive pecs, eyes closed, Farin hung tightly onto his partner's big, muscular body as he felt the large, bulbous head press firmly against his quivering opening. Slowly, it pushed its way past the tight ring of flesh, entering him. The fox morph gasped again; more and more of the dragon's impressive maleness being pushed into his tight passage. Sekk'ral paused for a few moments, to give the young fox a little time to catch his breath. - "Everything okay?" -the larger male asked.- "Y-yes..." -answered his partner- "Go on... please". Very slowly, Sekk'ral began to make love to Farin, gently pushing him up, and then back down onto his large dragonhood. Then he did it again, and again, as gently as he could, all the while paying close attention to how the fox morph responded. After a few minutes, the dragon started to pick up his pace, causing the younger male to moan in response. Gradually, Sekk'ral's thrusts grew faster and more pronounced, reaching deeper into his lover. Short gasps and grunts escaped through Farin's lips as he felt the dragon's rock-hard length filling him so completely, hitting spots he didn't know existed, sending jolts of pleasure to his brain. - "Ooh... Ah... F-faster...", Farin managed to articulate between gasps. He didn't have to say it twice. Sekk'ral was more than happy to oblige. Dropping all restraint and finally letting loose, the big dragon began to thrust his huge, throbbing rod furiously into the moaning fox morph, pounding his insides like there was no tomorrow. Farin was in ecstasy, his mind transported to a world where there was nothing but that enormous, towering mass of solid muscle using his small, fragile body as he pleased, making him feel things -powerful things- he could hardly describe. Lust and animal instict had indeed seized the dragon as he furiously rammed his massive shaft, over and over, into the warm, tight insides of the subjugated fox hanging onto his large frame. Farin had willingly and wholly submitted himself to Sekk'ral's overwhelming virility, his mind lost in a hazy sea of bliss, happy to be possessed by his adored muscle god. Farin and Sekk'ral, joined as one. The air was heavy with the strong scent of their wild, passionate love-making, their pheromones pervading everything in that cave. The fox morph threw his head back, feeling his release building up deep within his being. The dragon morph leaned forward and bit the furred neck of his partner, doing so with just enough force to assert his dominance over the smaller male without actually hurting him. Farin gasped as he felt Sekk'ral's teeth firmly pressed against his neck. That did it. That was what sent him over the edge. "Oh, gods, Sekk'ral!", the climaxing fox morph screamed as his whole body tensed, jolted by a powerful orgasm, his vulpine seed erupting all over the dragon's chest and abs in spurts. Sekk'ral, in turn, felt the warm flesh around his length dramatically tighten all of a sudden, which also pushed him over the edge. Letting out a mighty roar skyward, the dragon morph fiercely shoved his entire shaft into Farin, pumping gallons of his hot essence into him. Slowly, their orgasms subsided. Both lovers, still joined, stood there for a few moments, gasping and panting, sweat running down their bodies. Finally, Sekk'ral sat down on the ground and carefully leaned against a wall, Farin resting on top of him, both of them exhausted. Time seemed to stand still. For a few moments, no words were spoken. Of course, none were needed, as they both enjoyed the aftermath of their sex in peaceful quietness. It was just the two of them, together, their body warmth permeating each other. Sekk'ral petted Farin's fur with tender strokes, the smaller male's arms still wrapped around the dragon morph's wide neck, hugging him tightly. If at least for that fleeting moment, everything was perfect in the world. - "I love you, Sekk'ral", was all Farin said, with half-lidded eyes.- "I love you too, my foxy boy", the dragon responded, still petting his mate tenderly. And they remained there, just cuddling quietly, bathed by the warm light of the torches in the cave. Over the days that followed, Farin and Sekk'ral's bond only grew stronger. First and foremost, the dragon showed the fox the cave, as well as the surrounding areas, to help him get acquainted with the new environment. He noted it wasn't actually too far away from the lake where they had first met. He also took the fox morph to various nearby places, sharing many outdoor experiences with him, like hunting, fishing and sleeping under the stars. One day, he even took his earthbound mate to the skies, an experience Farin wouldn't ever want to repeat. But, in the end, they both had a great time together. About two weeks later, and after the fox had told Sekk'ral about his upbringing in the woods, Farin grew curious about the dragon's past, of which he never spoke much about. "What about you?" -the younger male said- "Did you always live here, in this cavern?". Sekk'ral remained silent for a few moments, his expression changing somewhat. It was subtle, but Farin noticed his mate wasn't exactly eager to talk about his past. He was about to change the subject, when the dragon morph spoke. - "No" -Sekk'ral said, his gaze fixed at some point in the distance, a hint of forlornness in his eyes- "Before settling here, I lived far, far away, in the Great Southern Canyon, with my kin".- "I see" -Farin said, never actually hearing of that place before- "Why did you leave?"- "I just... didn't like it there". The fox knew there had to be more to it, but he didn't want to insist. Not for the time being, at least. So, instead, he just dropped the subject. Looking for something else to do, Farin took out the ring he had found some time ago -which he had been keeping in a small pouch in his loincloth- and began to idly toy with it. It didn't take long for Sekk'ral to notice the small emerald-encrusted item in the hands of the younger male. - "Where did you find that?" -the dragon morph said, somewhat surprised.- "Oh, this? I found it lying on the ground several days ago" -Farin answered- "Is it yours?"- "It... used to be, but not anymore" -Sekk'ral said, his expression hard to read- "Just... throw it away". Puzzled, the fox morph put the ring away. "Maybe that little round thing is somehow connected to his past? It has to be", he thought. Again, Farin's curiosity was piqued. Sekk'ral was definitely hiding something, and he really wanted to know what it was, but he didn't want to be a bother. Then again, if the dragon didn't want to talk about it, that was his choice, and he had to respect it. Farin understood this, yet he still felt that he had some right to know. Thus, the conflicted fox found himself thinking hard about how to best approach the subject, considering many different ways of wording the questions he wanted to ask his draconic mate. That is, until Sekk'ral interrupted his thoughts with a heavy sigh: - "I guess I owe you an explanation" -the large dragon morph admitted, leaning back- "All right. I'll tell you all about me. After all, it's only fair".- "Um, okay" -Farin nodded, and then added- "But... well, you don't really have to tell me anything if you don't want".- "No, it's fine. I knew I had to tell you one day" -Sekk'ral said, putting a hand on the fox morph's shoulder- "But first, let me go hunt something to eat. It's almost noon and I'm getting a little hungry".- "Yeah, me too" -Farin smiled- "I'll get the fire ready while you are away". Standing up, Sekk'ral stretched and said: "I'll be back in a few". Then he headed out of the cave, leaving his beloved furry mate alone. He wouldn't have done so if he knew what was to happen just a few moments later...
Somewhere else, Vrekkias and Ra'ghalek were taking a short break from their mission. They had landed in the woods after scouting the skies for hours, their search as fruitless as ever. Frustrated and tired, the two dragon morphs waited, surrounded by large trees that obscured the sun. Vrekkias, the tall one, was leaning against one of the trees with his arms crossed over his chest and an unmistakable expression of annoyance on his face. Ra'ghalek, the leader, paced back and forth nearby, his mood matching that of the other dragon. - "It's been a month already, boss! We'll never find him! Can't we just go back home?" -exclaimed Vrekkias, making no effort to hide his impatience.- "And face execution for failing in our mission? I don't think so!" -said Ra'ghalek, clearly not in the best of moods either- "Oh, and it's General Ra'ghalek!" -he added, stressing each word. Vrekkias just stood there, cursing his luck inwardly. After a few moments of silence, he sighed and said: - "Where's K'orr anyway?"- "I sent him to look for something to eat" -Ra'ghalek responded- "He should be back any moment now".- "He'd better. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse". As if on cue, the shorter, wider dragon morph emerged from the thick vegetation, looking like he had been running non-stop across a respectable distance to reach his companions. - "Boss! Boss!" -he repeated, gasping and panting heavily.- "It's General Ra'ghalek, damn it!!"- "S-sorry, my general!" -K'orr apologized, still panting, then extended his index finger, pointing behind him- "I... I think I found something! ...over there!" About fifteen minutes later, the three dragon soldiers stood near a lake in the middle of the forest, examining some footprints on the ground. - "What do you think, boss?" -said K'orr, then quickly corrected himself- "Ehr, I mean, General Ra'ghalek?" The black dragon let out an exasperated groan and rolled his eyes before getting on his knees to take a closer look at the footprints. - "They're definitely a dragon's" -he said- "And I think he wasn't alone. Look at all these smaller footprints here, and here".- "Hmm. They look like a canid's footprints. Maybe a wolf, or a fox" -reasoned Vrekkias, examining the smaller prints- "What could this mean, general?"- "I'm not sure, but I'll be damned if these aren't Sekk'ral's footprints!" -Ra'ghalek exclaimed- "Come on, let's move! We have to see where they lead us to!" - "Yes, General Ra'ghalek!"
Back in Sekk'ral's cavern, Farin was busy picking up wood from the chamber the dragon used as a storage room. He was almost done collecting enough wooden sticks to make a bonfire when he heard noises coming from the entrance to the cave. "He's back already?" -thought the fox morph, thinking it could be his mate returning earlier than usual for some reason. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't the case, but there was no way he could know. Oblivious to the impending danger, the young fox naively headed to the main chamber... - "That was fast! I couldn't even get the fire st--" Only the sound of the wooden sticks falling to the ground at once followed, as Farin utterly froze in place, finding himself face to face with not one, but three enormous dragon morphs, none of which was Sekk'ral. They were huge and bulging with strong, hard muscles, just like his mate - but, unlike him, there was something horribly, utterly sinister about them... - "W-who are you?" -the fox said, his voice trembling somewhat.- "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" -sneered the taller dragon.- "If it isn't a puny little fox!" -cackled the shorter, more rotund one, grinning evilly.- "Interesting..." -said the black one, taking a few steps toward the petrified fox morph- "Listen here, kid. We are looking for one of our kind. His name is Sekk'ral. Do you know where he is?"- "I..." -Farin stuttered- "I never heard that name before! I swear!" The black dragon morph laughed quietly; a kind of malevolent laugh that sent chills up the spine of the poor fox. But what terrified him the most about that one dragon was his eyes. They were full of what could only be described as murderous intent. - "You are a lousy liar, kid" -he said, baring his sharp teeth menacingly- "Now tell me: where is Sekk'ral?"- "I-I don't know what you're talking about!" -Farin said, pushing his luck- "P-please, go away!" The sinister dark dragon -Ra'ghalek- grew impatient, his unsettling smile quickly fading. He swiftly moved forward and grabbed Farin by the neck, effortlessly lifting him off the ground with one arm. "I don't have time for this!" -he said, his voice sounding like an ultimatum- "You either talk or die!". Then, Ra'ghalek released his grip on the fox morph, who promptly fell to the ground. Coughing, Farin clutched his sore throat as he lay there, completely defenseless. Suddenly, something caught K'orr's attention. - "Boss! look!" -the stout dragon morph said, pointing at something lying near the fox. It was the emerald ring Farin was keeping. It had fallen off the hidden pouch in the fox morph's loincloth when he was dropped to the ground. It glimmered faintly under the light of a nearby torch. Ra'ghalek took the jewel-encrusted item and examined it. "It's Sekk'ral's ring..." -he muttered. - "Vrekkias!"- "Yes, my general?"- "Get the fox".- "Yes, my general!"
Feeling good after a successful hunt, Sekk'ral landed outside his cave, a dead hare and a boar in tow. Dropping his kill next to the entrance, he entered the cavern. "I'm back!", he said, but there was no answer. Puzzled, he called his mate's name as he made his way further into the cavern, his voice echoing in the eerie silence. Still no answer. A shadow of apprehension appeared on the face of the dragon, as he called Farin's name again, picking up his pace. But the fox was nowhere to be found. "Where is he?" -he wondered, growing more and more worried with each passing second. No matter how hard he tried, the dragon couldn't shake the sinking feeling that something really, really bad had happened in his absence... Finally, Sekk'ral stumbled upon a piece of paper lying on the ground, next to a handful of wooden sticks. There was a message scribbled on it. The eyes of the dragon morph widened, somehow anticipating the contents of the letter. Hesitantly, he picked up the piece of paper and read the words written on it. Almost immediately, his expression changed to one of pure fury, and he crushed the piece of paper in his tightly clenched fist; his eyes ablaze with ire. Every muscle in Sekk'ral's body tensed, thick veins popping up everywhere, as his sudden, uncontainable wrath exploded in the form of a powerful, savage roar full of absolute rage that was heard throughout the entire forest. - "RRRAAAAAWWWRRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!" There were only four words in that piece of paper. Those words were: "We took the fox". To be continued...