Lost and Found

Story by Yogoloth on SoFurry

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

#9 of Yogoloth's Chronicles

A story inspired by a CERTAIN piece of art drawn my Patches Hyena... so my brain figured it was time to make it into a story. Damn you brain! XD

Just kidding, I love it. ;-)


Part 1

His own steady breathing and the soft sounds of the birds in the trees were all the green and brown hybrid could hear. He was laying slightly on his left side, legs sprawled out on the rocky mound he had found. Yogoloth's brown feathery wings were spread out too, a dark bloody stain on the right where one of the quarrels had cut through on its way into his flank. The dragon was catching some of the morning sun as it rose and its rays reached him through a gap in the canopy created by the small pond he had found a few days ago. A few days since...

He closed his eyes tightly and lowered his head. Marrus is gone, I let him die, the dragon thought darkly. He took a deep breath, opened his eyes and shifted his weight a little. There was a brief stab of pain in his shoulder as he nudged the quarrel still stuck here. Flies dared to buzz around his ears but most were more interested in his wounds, he killed them with a single thought. Yogoloth could easily pull out the quarrel himself and the other sticking out of his flank. But what was the point?

The dragon stretched slightly and could feel the weakness in his limbs. He hadn't eaten in... it must have been over ten days. He wasn't hungry though, in fact, he'd been sleeping a lot more recently. Each day a little longer than the previous day, maybe eventually he wouldn't wake up at all. The green and brown hybrid inhaled deeply and admired the view. The subtle sounds, hazy smells and the glint of sunlight on the pond ahead. This wouldn't be a bad place for his final rest. There was a noise behind him, the unmistakable sound of movement.

"Go away. Leave me alone.", he growled softly in the civilised trade tongue. He didn't bother to turn nor stretch his magical senses out. What ever or who ever it was didn't really matter. There was a quiet gasp.

"You can speak!", the feminine voice exclaimed excitedly, "Are you a gryphon?"

"No, now leave me alone.", Yogoloth growled loudly.

But he could hear her move closer to him, making no attempt to hide the fact, her steps disturbing the peace as she blithely approached his left flank. Why don't these people get the message? He could kill her, that would shut her up. But then he'd be left here with her corpse and it would only start to smell and attract even more flies and the dragon quite liked this place. Scaring her off shouldn't prove too difficult, however.

As suddenly as he could, Yogoloth stood up, spread his wings as wide as they would allow him, turned towards the intruder, baring his sharp teeth only a couple of feet from her face. He tried his best not to show how much effort that took nor how much pain he was in.

"Run! Before I eat you!", he growled as angrily as he could.

She cowered before him, eyes closed, teeth clenched in fear, head turned to the side, her ears folded back. Yogoloth didn't even know what she was. She looked like a black and white civilised wolf of some sort. But her ears were more cat-like and she smelled more like a feline than a canine. She wore a fairly ordinary woolen tunic with a lightly stained apron. Some of the stains were quite colourful and the dragon wondered what they might all be from.

But she did not run. Instead, she opened an eye and looked at the ferocious dragon before her. Realising she wasn't about to be bitten her ears perked up and she turned and looked him straight in the eye.

"If you were going to eat me, you would have done it by now. You wouldn't have told me to go away either.", she said with only a hint of fear.

Yogoloth growled and turned towards the pond, the sunlight was better over there anyway.

Part 2

It was only a small distance to the pond and the better sunlight that it would provide. But even this short journey was a little tiring for the green and brown dragon. Lack of food and staying still for days on end were not a good combination for keeping in shape. His injured right wing had actually begun healing quite well though, the quarrel that passed through it had left quite a clean wound and although serious at the time, the flesh was knitting well. It would still be weeks before he could fly again though, days if he used magic to heal it quicker. Although it didn't drag on the ground, he still had to be careful not to nudge the quarrels in his right shoulder and flank.

Annoyingly, the black and white wolf-like person followed him. She seemed quite at home moving through the light undergrowth and had clearly done this sort of thing numerous times. Not following and annoying dragons specifically, but it was obvious that she came here to this pond quite frequently.

"Last chance to run before I kill you.", Yogoloth growled half heartedly. She rolled her eyes, snorted slightly as she breathed in and then sighed loudly. The dragon knew it had been a feeble threat before he'd even finished saying it. He turned a little as he reached a sunny patch of grass and slumped down again.

"Of course you- oh! You've got arrows in you!", she exclaimed as they caught her attention. The strange civilised not-wolf moved forward quickly to examine the dragon's wounds.

"Quarrels.", he muttered.

"What?"

"They're quarrels. Arrows don't get fired from crossbows.", he explained with the tortured tones of a tired teacher.

She stuck her tongue out at him. This simple action almost made him chuckle out loud, despite the annoying creature that she was. She reached out towards the quarrel in his flank and he growled at her.

"Leave them alone."

"What ever they are, they shouldn't be in you. They'll get infected.", she said with no fear at all. Of course, she wasn't to know that it was impossible. One of the first things you learn when you start to gain magical strength is that you can sense and target your own infections easily. It hadn't even been a choice on his part to kill the infections that the wounds had already attracted, he did it by instinct now.

But she did as she was asked and instead walked around in front of the resting dragon. Yogoloth squinted up at her from his resting place as she briefly blocked out the sunlight before sitting cross legged facing him. He was both offended by and respected her for her lack of fear. She should have been screaming into the forest by now. He was so close to her, he could easily rip out her throat and watch as her blood flowed into the clear waters of the pool. He'd barely have to move at all. Her eyes studied him.

"So if you're not a gryphon, what are you?"

"Stop talking, little wolf.", the dragon said. He couldn't even be bothered to growl, not that she seemed phased by them anyway.

"I'm a hyena, not a wolf. Wolves don't have manes or ears like this."

The dragon rolled his eyes, snorted and then sighed in mocking imitation. She ignored him and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"So, why do you want to die?", her tone more serious and seemed genuinely concerned.

"I don't-", he didn't want to be having this conversation right now.

Part 3

"I don't want to die.", the dragon/gryphon hybrid muttered under his breath. But the hyena was sitting right in front of him and could hear every word clearly. She was sat cross legged, leaning forward with her head resting on the backs of her hands and her elbows on her knees. The colourful stains on her apron were a pantheon of varied smells and they filled his nostrils with fascinating new scents. Many of them were probably dyes, herbs, spices or other plant extracts.

"Then why are you doing this to yourself?", she asked in a quiet yet slightly accusing voice.

"It doesn't matter, just drop it.", he breathed, barely audible. Yogoloth turned his head away to the left, unable to look her in the eyes, unwanted emotions bubbling under the surface threatening to break through.

She got up onto her feet and walked out of sight around to his other side and he soon felt her hand against his flank and he growled slightly. But she didn't pull away, instead she inquisitively ran her fingers along his hide.

"Why are you...? Stop that!"

"No.", she said abruptly and then stabbed him deeply between the ribs.

He roared in pain and shot up to his feet, heart suddenly racing, adrenaline pumping and turned, ready to tear this tiny creature apart. She was cowering again with her eyes closed and ears flat. Held out in front of her, like a shield or an offering, was the bloody quarrel she had just pulled from his flank. His teeth were inches from her throat as he realised she hadn't stabbed him at all. She opened her eyes and dropped the quarrel, although her ears stayed flat.

"Stupid creature! I nearly tore your throat out!", he roared into her face. There was a brief pause as he calmed his breathing and tried to decide what to do next, then she leaned forward and kissed him on the snout. His eyes widened and his head moved back in shock and confusion.

"Wha? Why did-", he began as she quickly leaned forward, grabbed the second quarrel and yanked it from his shoulder. He roared again in surprise, turning his head away and staggered back from her.

"Just stop... touching me!", he growled in desperation as he began to feel a little light headed. He planted his claws into the grass and soil below and closed his eyes trying to stop the world from swaying. His breathing was erratic, his legs were shaking slightly and he could feel fresh blood flowing down his hide from the aggravated wounds. He stretched out his magical senses and could sense her approaching him slowly. He opened his eyes, and glared at her.

"Back off!", he roared baring his teeth, wondering if he should just pounce on her now and be done with it. It worked, she stopped in her tracks and he started getting his temper and breathing back under control.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, but I couldn't just leave them there.", she said quietly. He took a few deep breaths and the sharp pain in his wounds slowly turned into an annoying throbbing sensation. He was angry, very angry, but most of it was aimed at himself, he couldn't feel much towards this hyena, she was only trying to help.

"Why do you care what happens to me?", the dragon asked as he slowly caught his breath. She seemed a little uncomfortable and looked down at the ground.

"Because you're hurt,", she shrugged and then added more quietly, "and I don't like to see beautiful creatures in pain...".

"What- what did you call me?"

Part 4

The hyena looked a little embarrassed, a slight redness visible through the black and white fur of her cheeks. She had called him beautiful, the green and brown hybrid thought confusingly. She must be insane, only that would explain this and the fact she hadn't ran away from the terrifying dragon by now. He'd never had this sort of problem scaring people before, sometimes he didn't even have to growl and they'd run screaming or collapse in crippling fear. She took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"Well, we better clean those wounds; and you're covered in blood and mud.", she said and then casually slipped out of her apron and tunic.

She walked to him briskly, reached up and gently grasped the fur on the back of his neck and guided him to the pond. He didn't even know what to say or do, so he didn't even resist. The pond water was clear and a few feet deep at the centre. He'd bathed in similar ponds before and the feeling of the water against his hide was always welcome after a long day. There were some amazing hot springs to the north that fed slightly sulphurous mountain pools. Places where no creature without wings could hope to ever reach.

This pond was much cooler but still pleasant. Yogoloth looked down at his hide and feathers, they were looking pretty awful. Dried blood and mud covered his hide and his feathers were messy and dirty from lack of preening. He dunked his head under the surface and flung water over his neck, back and wings a few times and then shook his wings. He was still pretty sore but it felt good. He heard a giggling coming from the side and turned to see the hyena up to her waist in water trying to stop her self from laughing.

"Are you laughing at me?", the dragon demanded.

"You wash just like a bird, a really big bird.", she covered her muzzle and regained her composure. She added quickly, "Let me help.".

There was no doubt she would ignore any protest, so he just accepted her hands as she reached out and touched him once again. She was very gentle but it was still very strange to have someone run their hands over his sensitive hide. The hyena started with his bloody wing while Yogoloth slowly ran his tongue over the wound on his shoulder. He felt stupid for letting himself get like this, he could almost hear Marrus's berating voice. I'll miss you old friend he thought fondly, trying not to think about it too much.

The hyena had moved her attention to the wound in his flank. Slowly Yogoloth's eyes closed in contentment as her hands made his body tingle. The dragon had pretty much given up on cleaning himself by this point and was just enjoying the attention, it was very pleasurable. His body began to respond and his relaxed heart began to pump harder once again.

"Unless you want an amorous monster on your hands, I'd suggest you stop.", he breathed without opening his eyes.

"Shush.", she commanded and moved her hands up the dragon's neck to his furry, gryphon-like ears. Once there, her own small claws scratched lightly around the sensitive flesh and, without his permission, a gentle rumbling sound started coming from deep within his chest.

"You don't even know what I am.", he said very quietly, as though even the slightest noise might make her stop.

"I don't need to know what you are to know you're beautiful.", she replied as she kissed him gently on the cheek.

Part 5

Yogoloth never normally fought with his instincts and this time was no different. The dragon had given her fair warning, which was more than most got, and she'd carried on caressing his hide anyway. The black and white hyena had also kissed him twice and he wasn't about to waste any more time. He wanted her under him, her warm fur against his scutes, teeth holding her neck, listening to her cry out in pleasure, pain or both. It didn't matter, neither of them really had a choice now.

He turned his head around to meet her as she pulled away from her last kiss and his snout caught her muzzle and he pressed his lips against hers. She stiffened only slightly then kissed back, her tongue meeting his as her other hand reached up and found her first, still around his neck. The kiss soon became more frantic as Yogoloth began to push her back towards the grassy bank. The hyena's hands explored the fur on the back of his neck with abandon, her small claws lightly scoring his hide. His own excitement now obvious to them both as they reached the shallower waters.

As her feet climbed out of the pond she stumbled slightly and broke their kiss. But the dragon merely moved his attention to her neck and nibbled gently, nuzzling deeply into her thick mane of fur. She wrapped her arms around his long neck as his tongue slipped out and briefly caressed her ear. The dragon's fore paw came up and gently but firmly pushed her down to the ground and onto her back. He growled hungrily and for the first time in their encounter, the hyena felt a little unsure of what to do. She looked down and realised that this beautiful creature was male after all and he soon noticed her gaze.

"Yes, I'm male.", he growled softly as he lowered his head towards her belly.

"I- I wouldn't have minded... either way...", she whispered as she felt his breath against the inside of her legs. A shiver ran up her spine as the dragon's tongue found what it was looking for and ran in one long, slow stroke all the way up from the base of her tail. Then the tongue moved back down and began to find and stimulate every sensitive spot she knew she had. Her hands moved up to rest on her forehead, she closed her eyes and arched her back as that exquisite tongue did things she'd never felt so intensely before. She cried out as her body exploded with sensation and she held her breath as she rode out the waves crashing through her.

Yogoloth's nostrils were full of the scent of her and his tongue tingled with the taste of her. They threatened to remove what little restraint he had over his actions and he couldn't let that happen, she was no where near as large nor as tough as a dragon. He lifted his head up and practically slithered forward, his scutes gently rubbing against her breasts. She lifted one leg up and around his waist then turned slightly onto her side as he mounted her where she lay. She felt him against her legs and then he was inside her.

She stifled a cry and squeezed her eyes shut. But the initial pain soon gave way as he began to move against her. She had never felt quite so full and her breathing began to speed up along with the dragon's thrusts. The hyena had expected him to wildly hump her like an animal, but the dragon was controlled and suddenly he didn't seem much like an animal at all. He took her hard and yet somehow gentle at the same time and she found herself not regretting a single thing she'd done that day.

The rest of the world seemed to fade until it was just the two of them moving together. His gentle growls and her intermittent cries of bliss melded together and slowly drowned out the sounds of the forest.

Part 6

The birds of the forest had begun their morning ritual of preening as they slowly began to fill the trees with their songs. The sun had not risen above the horizon yet, but its otherworldly glow had begun to light up the clear blue sky and there was no mistaking the start of a fine day. Not every feather in the forest belonged to a bird, however. A short distance from a clear pond a dragon was starting to stir as well.

Yogoloth lay slightly on his right flank, his breathing calm and his wounds nothing but a dull ache. For the first time in days he welcomed the day, the promise of new things, a fresh perspective. He knew the injuries in his shoulder and flank would flare up once he started moving, but for now, he was content. He smiled as he felt a slight movement against his chest and looked down under his wing at the small black and white hyena as she stretched a little in her sleep. Her white mane rubbed against his scutes and he curved his neck around to gently nuzzle the thick fur. She murmured gently at his touch.

The green and brown hybrid had felt totally exhausted and had quickly fallen asleep before the sun had even set. He vaguely remembered all but collapsing and his companion cuddling up against his belly. Lack of food, blood loss and the day's exertions had been enough to send him into a deep slumber soon after. But now he felt fresh and alert, still a little weak perhaps, but his head felt clearer than it had since... since Marrus died. He frowned at the memory but the emotions didn't overwhelm him.

He slowly stretched his hind legs, yawned and then carefully rose to his feet to stretch his wings and fore legs. A sharp pain in his right shoulder made itself known and his right wing felt tender and weak. Yogoloth looked down at the hyena, she still wore nothing save her own fur and was still asleep. He smiled at the memories of yesterday as he walked slowly to the nearby pond, he was glad that he hadn't managed to scare her off nor tear out her throat.

The hybrid's wings were generally clean but very untidy, if there was a single feather in its correct place, he couldn't find it. He quickly began preening, starting with his left wing, carefully checking for bits of dirt, removing parasites, oiling and straightening feathers as he went. His right wing took more time as it was still weak and delicate, but he gave it the same treatment and by the time he'd finished he looked and felt much better. The sun had risen in the sky and he realised he'd probably spent half an hour on his wings, it had always been so relaxing.

Yogoloth realised he was being watched but didn't bother to turn around right away. Even without magic he knew it was the little hyena as she walked up to him, so he just folded his wings against his flanks and turned to look at her. She had slipped back into her tunic, draped her apron over a shoulder and wore a sly smile on her face.

"I thought you'd gone when I woke up.", the hyena said as she came up beside him and leaned slightly on his neck. He brought his good wing around her and squeezed gently.

"No, but I have quite a bit of travelling ahead of me now.", he said, sounding slightly saddened.

"Will you be ok?", she asked, nuzzling the fur on his neck. He pondered the question for a moment and then smiled.

"You know... I think so.", he said brightly as his stomach began to rumble. He really fancied some venison right about now.