FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Lightning shards crack the sky apart. The cheetah hisses, startled by the thunder echoing through the forest. He licks his muzzle twice, tongue disappearing inside an overly wet muzzle. The fat hare he ate was nothing but trouble. It took an hour of chasing, failing, stalking, and chasing again before the creature surrendered its life. And now, even it death, it continued to spite the cheetah. It led him away from his den in a chase that barely worth its cost.

He ran. The fur was too short and damp to contain warmth. Shivers already settled in, making the trek back to the den even more bothersome. Where was it, anyway? Trees sprung like spots on a cheetah's coat. They were everywhere; tall, dark shapes that seemed vaguely different in the retreating light. No. Sight was less then reliable. It was redundant.

Scenting the air, the cheetah found a trace of familiarity. He didn't know what it was for certain. Rain had a way of mixing the scents together before washing them away. Spanning his strides to a half-hearted sprint, the cheetah followed the trail. He was eager to be back to his den, a humble hollow at the base of a rocky formation.

The sky turned to a deep grey purple when he found... something. A steep incline led to an opening in the side of a small mountain. It didn't look like a proper den. More like a cave. Splashing the cold pads of his paws on the muddy ground, the cheetah approached. The scents were earthly and different, yet he recognized the sharp flagrance of his own scent. The familiarity bred well needed reassurance. There was no reason to be distrustful of shelter, no matter how foreign it seemed. Besides, with this kind of storm pissing its anger on everyone, it wasn't much of a choice involved.

Darkness replaced everything after a dozen of steps. Blinking, the cheetah moved carefully. He only saw vague shapes in the permeating darkness. He went around the stalactytes, yet as he went deeper, he found himself bumping into the ocassional wall or rocky protrusion. Maybe he was deep enough.

Shaking with fatigue and cold, the cheetah shook its already ruffled coat and lowered himself on the cold floor. At least, some much needed rest. Wrapping his tail around his body and curling his spoted form for extra warmth, the cheetah licked one of his paws. The taste of dirt was hardly pleasing, yet the warmth felt wonderful. He ran his tongue along the pads, the further up the lithe leg when a noise made his ears twitch.

What was that? The cheetah looked around. Blackness. He sniffed the air. Strange. There was another scent lingering in the cave, and it was almost as familiar as the rumbling sound he heard earlier. The cheetah froze, muscles tense with anticipation. Nothing seemed to happen. IT was probably that annoying storm again, with its ears wracking thunders.

Snarling in annoyance, the cheetah ventured deeper, determined to put that unruly storm truly behind.

--

A sudden wet shaking and a spray of water splashed against rocky walls. There was almost no light here save for the muted flashes of lightning that made it down here from a narrow opening way above. So the dragon had to be careful how wide to spread his wings as he tried to dry them, so as not to strike them against the cave walls.

"Always pushing yourself too far...", he muttered under his breath as another flash illuminated his green hide for a moment.

He looked up briefly at the gap and to the stormy sky beyond and frowned, it was not even remotely big enough for him to fit through, even crawling, let alone flying. The winding tunnel that he usually followed down here was the only way in or out unless you happen to be a small bird... which, despite his feathery wings, he wasn't.

Those wings were currently soaked through and it had taken him a good 15 minutes to stop his body shaking. He'd been hunting and had dared risk the weather. He'd not caught sight of anything large enough to sate his hunger, but the weather decided to take its payment anyway. Now he shook the rain water from his feathers and began to preen them.

This cave was a frequent stop for the young hybrid and he was glad he had the shelter at all.

--

The stone was damp and slimy under his paws. Claws clicked on the stone, finding no proper grip. It was so cold. A funnel of air circulated through the cave, seeping into the cheetah's short fur. A soft growl left him when he met something tough. Another wall. Pushing his head forth, he felt his way around the wall. Lightning stroke. A narrow path flashed before him, then nothing.

Click click click, the claws sang with each step. Ears perked, picking no particular sounds aside from the soft whistle of the wind. It had a chilly, accursed breath. The cheetah lost his patience and picked up the pace. He had enough of cold, slime, wind, and everything.

Stone rose in his way. He bumped into it. Pebbles and small obstructions in the floor's cave met his paws. He tripped. Even so, the cheetah kept going, inhaling the cold air through two flared, greedy nostrils. The scents spoke of another creature. Something...familiar. That was silly though. Who could reside in this cave? The opening was barely wide enough for something bigger than juvenile dragon.

And so the cheetah walked, ignoring the false trails sent by fatigue and exaggerated carefulness. Click click click click...then nothing. Something warm found its way under his paw. He ignored it. After so much time in the cold, even stone had a awy of feeling rather warm to his almost numb pads. One step. Then another. This was no stone.

After testing the surface with his muzzle, the cheetah jumped back. That was definitely something warm and feathery. Growling in surprise, he stumbled a few steps back.

Yelp! Paws scrambled for balance. THey found none on the smooth stone, and the cheetah fell rather unceremoniously on the cold ground. He gathered his footing just as the lightning ignited a moment of light in the darkness, revealing feathers, a smooth hide, four legs and a rather long neck. That explained so much. The cheetah needn't think back on the scent he caught earlier to make the connection.

"Y...y...you,", he slurred the words as shivers wracked his lithe body. "This...this is certainly a lucky day..."

He didn't mean the words. The dragon seemed distrustful and too eager to fulfill his own needs, yet the tenderness he displayed before the two parted ways gave the cheetah the courage to approach. Unlike the last time they met, he sat far removed from sun's warm rays. Yet...was this the right thing to do?

The cheetah could only wait and shiver while the promise of rest under a warm wing taunted his mind relentlessly.

The growl echoed through the cavern, making an already deep menacing sound seem less like something a living thing would make and more like rocks rumbling down a rough slope. But the dragon wasn't sure what was in the cave with him and had only just started to snooze as he was disturbed. The cave opened up into a cavern that wasn't very large, but another dragon could fit in here easily enough.

Even the dragon's eyes could only pick out a shadow, something smaller than he for sure. But what? His snout tasted the humid air as the illusive shade seemed to back away. His keen senses detected something familiar about this creature... something...

"You."

He took a step forward, rising to his full height, hoping for a flash of lightning to briefly illuminate his threatening form. But the storm seemed content in directing a cold draft which ruffled his feathers instead. Now he suddenly felt the cold that he'd almost forgotten about whilst curled up under his feathery wings.

He relaxed, settled his wings and rested on his rump. His expression softened as the miserable looking cheetah shivered in silence.

"If you piss on me again, I will eat you."

A mote of hope flared inside the cheetah. He didn't expect the dragon to adopt such a casual stance. This was his lair, was it not? If this dragon was like any other territorial predator, he would've driven any intruder off. The cheetah would have done that. Yet this wasn't one of his dens. The cavern reeked of dragon, wet and pungent. He had to be mindful, least be forced out in the storm.

The cheetah slapped his tail against the wall as the dragon's words broke the silence. What was probably a threat sounded more like an invitation to the shivering feline. He approached slowly, limbs tense as they lessened the distance between the two predators. Excitement and apprehension welled inside the feline as it approached the dragon's foreleg. Even from here, he could feel the warmth radiating from his body.

He paused, half crouching, as he perked his head to look in the dragon's ominous eyes.

"I will not mark you, if that is your desire. Perhaps I was wrong last time. We felines highlight the things that are important to us. Makes everything easier to find.", the chill made staying in one place difficult. Walking as he spoke, the cheetah circled the dragon.

"That includes you.", the cheetah poked his head under the dragon's wing. It felt warm, inviting. And so hard to resist. The cheetah attempted to sneak under the dragon's wing and share in that wonderful warmth.

The dragon listened as the cheetah explained the nature of his ways and huffed. he didn't exactly dislike this cheetah, in fact he found him fascinating.

He'd always considered himself to be a creature of the wilds, something far removed from the civilised races. but he could still read and write, wield magic, light a fire and understood the ways of the civilised races. he even owned a harness to more easily carry things.

But this cheetah was literally just an intelligent, talking animal. the feline was as far removed from Yogoloth as the dragon was from the civilised races.

"Well, I'd rather you didn't 'mark' me. I'm perfectly distinctive so as not to be confused with anything else."

The cold wet fur of the feline began to press against his hide and the hybrid nearly yelped. He quickly raised his wing away from the wet cat and moved away a step.

"Argh! You can dry out before you start with that! I've only just gotten dry myself. At fair expense mind you!"

The cheetah yelped in annoyance. Coldness had a spiteful touch. His fur bristled and shook as the dragon moved three paw lengths away. What a selfish bundle of feather and scales! The cheetah wouldn't have cared for his own comfort should the situation reverse itself.

"Apologies. It was my mistake."

Hissing slightly, the cheetah settled himself near the dragon's flank. Close enough to benefit from the dragon's residual heat, yet far enough so his spiky, damp fur wouldn't cause any further unpleasantness. The stone felt chilly to his fluffy belly. The damned thing had a voracious appetite for warmth. Yet that couldn't be helped. Curling into a ball, the cheetah licked himself. He brushed his spotted fur with long tongue strokes. The pads were first. After four quick licks, the cheetah went up the lithe hind legs and groomed his flank thoroughly before doing the same with his belly. Soon, the feline started purring in contentment, a fact empathized by the member protruding from its sheath. He gave that a couple of licks as well. A soft growl left him, tail lashing against the dragon's flank. The moist, barbed tongue folded the lump of meat in a wonderfully warm embrace. Tingles spread through his fur, banishing those nasty shivers. Grooming that certain part always felt so good. Lowering his hind leg over the partially dried belly, the cheetah continued with his tail. He brought it around his paws and licked the remainders of dirt and water off it.

After that, only front paws remained. The cheetah licked them with long, meticulous licks. And as he purred and groomed himself, he wondered what made him go to the dragon in the first place.

Yogoloth settled down again and looked up at the narrow gap in the cave roof that let the starlight in. it would be a great lair if not for that. Although the rain was thankfully falling at the other side for now, that could change depending on the wind. Yogoloth glanced across at the dark shadow of the cheetah and from his regular movements and sounds, assumed that he was grooming and drying himself. another flash of lightning and a roll of thunder confirmed as much.

He smiled and picked up a nearby rock in a fore paw and focused on it, forming the shapes required. he'd used a fair amount of magic to dry him self, but he had enough left to make a rock luminous. there were plants and animals in the world that glowed naturally, the trick was to encourage a mundane rock to do the same. the rock began to give off an dull but sufficient blue glow and the hybrid and the cheetah were illuminated. the walls of the cavern remained in darkness as he placed it on the ground between them.

"There, that's a little better."

An eerie speck of light attracted the cheetah attention. Turning his head away from a moist paw pad, he noticed a most unusual sight. The dragon had something in his forepaw. The light was too faint to notice what. The cheetah rose on all fours and approach. The rock --for that's what it was-- started glowing like a dull sun mote! Sure, it was much duller and of a different color than natural light, yet it was still fascinating.

The cheetah paused as the dragon turned towards him, releasing both the rock and several words from his maw.

"It's creepy how you do that. Wasn't fire an equally reliable source of light?"

He looks at the rock, then at the cave floor. They were in a cave. A damp, cold cave with stone all around. The cheetah realizes the wrongness of his words.

"Probably not.", he approaches the rock, sniffs it, then gives a brief look at his benefactor. The dragon sat on his haunches, blue light reflecting against his dark hide. His eyes sparkled like polished stone. It was weird how the dragon's hide looked more purple than his eyes, all thanks to the strange glow of that rock. His feathery wings lay unmoving at his sides unlike the tufted tip of his tail. That caught the cheetah's stare. How it twitched like small prey...begging to be caught.

The cheetah crouched and almost pounced before remembering who the owner of the tail was.

"I would ask how you ended up here, but your reason is my reason. The storm started right after I caught a hare.", the cheetah pushes the stone with his muzzle until it stops by the dragon's paw.

"It was a chubby one. Fast for its size. Didn't even notice the clouds and the wind picking until I sank my teeth into his flesh."

The cheetah settles on his haunches a short distance away from the dragon.

"That's when the rain started. Did you hunt anything?"

The dragon smiled as the cheetah examined the stone he had placed the shape within. the feline did not seem concerned about the strange light and then he began to talk about fire. he was a puzzle, he spoke clearly, knew of fire and wasn't surprised by magic. yet he was still just a cheetah at heart as he became drawn to the hybrids tail. Yogoloth quickly pulled it around his body as he settled slightly onto his side.

"You talk a lot."

The hybrid lifted his wing and gestured with his snout.

"You're dry enough. To answer your question? yes, but I'm still hungry."

The cheetah didn't expect the feathery dragon to expose his wing so quickly. True, he had a thing for cuddling and...other unusual things. What he did with his tongue was strange, but that could be said about the whole encounter. The cheetah wondered if there was a reason for the dragon's affections. The cheetah loved to cuddle, but this was a dragon! He had wings, teeth, even a long ruddy mane to go with the adorning horns. He didn't resemble a feline in the least. By all rights, the two shouldn't share the same habitat, least the same cave.

There were so many things left untold for the young cheetah. What made this dragon seek companionship? A recent loss, perhaps? Or something deeper, hidden in the core of his being? Whatever that was, instinct warned him to stay away from anything bigger than himself. Anything with claws and fangs, at least. And even then, the dragon's invitation seemed tempting.

Everything feels better when my fur isn't close to growing icicles on it.

The cheetah took small, measured steps as he approached the dragon's wing. It was the wrong thing to do. Being so close to another predator went against anything his instincts advised. Running seemed the proper choice. Yes. Flee.

The cheetah paused, paw lifted in the air.

"My mother spoke of dragons. She mentioned your appetites, among other things. You hunt everything smaller than you."

The cheetah picked up his pace. There was little choice involved. He had to appease the dragon in order to avoid appeasing his appetite. Closing in, he gently nuzzled the dragon's shoulder as he settled near his warm belly.

The dragon sensed, and to a lesser degree, watched the cheetah battle his indecision. he was clearly a very instinct driven creature, but here he was, fighting over the desire to keep his distance and the desire for a warm body to snuggle against. The temptation for warmth.

As the cheetah pressed his furry body against the dragon's belly, Yogoloth smiled and gently lowered his wing, lightly trapping the feline inside. Though he could easily push through the feathers if he felt the urge. The thought made the hybrid frown, he didn't fancy his feathers getting messed up again.

"It is true, most dragons will eat anything they can catch, even in some rare cases, other dragons. But I have a rule, I don't eat sapients. I've been teasing you in the past with that threat."

He chuckled as he moved a fore paw around the cheetah's chest and cuddled him tighter under the wing. the temperature difference between the air of the cave and the dragon's hide and feathery wings was luxurious. Yogoloth could feel the feline's heart beating through his belly scutes, their warmth shared, breathing slowed. it felt good to hold another living thing so close when so far away from his usual hunting grounds.

"It's probably for the best that you changed your mind about the mating, you're smaller than I remember..."

The cheetah yipped as the wing closed down around him, obstructing his view. He had no reason to, and his tense muscles slowly relaxed. The flowing warmth and the dragon's weird, suave scent were reminiscent of his own family. They cuddled in the same fashion, before...

The dragon's voice splashed against the river of memories. Licking his muzzle, the cheetah acknowledged everything he said. The dragon's paw took him by surprise though, and he couldn't help but yelp, fur bristling on the nape of his neck. The cheetah had the paw in his maw, ready to apply pressure. He needn't to. The dragon merely pushed him in a even warmer spot under the feathery blanket.

Releasing his toothy grip, the cheetah licked the paw twice then brushed his head near the dragon's joint. He liked the hard feel of the dragon's muscles and natural armor. And thus, it wasn't long before the feline started purring.

"Thank you, dragon. You are not what I expected. The kindness you have shown me is warm and soft, like your wings. The wings of a gryphon..."

The cheetah released a long growl and settled his head at the base of one of the dragon's forelegs. The word mating drew out more memories. Yet before that, one stood out.

"My siblings. We grew up on the plains, a lush and beautiful place. Yet not every creature of the sky shares the same rule as you do. Gryphons scare our prey and annoy us with their mischievous tricks. Dragons do the same, but they hardly consider us their equals. Seeing one in the sky often means death. Yet they rarely waste their time on us. No. Gryphons do that. Did, until we killed the one that feasted on my mother's flesh."

The cheetah paused. Was this the right thing to say to a dragon, even one as different as the feathery creature he snuggled with?

Yogoloth chuckled as the cheetah jumped at the feel of the wing wrapped around him and then again as his fore paw closed on his chest. The feel of the cheetah's teeth was a little exciting, there was nothing to fear at this stage. If the feline decided to take a bite, then the hybrid would merely take a bite from the back of his neck and be done with it.

But the strange cheetah didn't bite and instead placed a few licks across Yogoloth's fore paw. Dragons, like his mother, possessed hard scales which covered almost their entire bodies. But the young hybrid had not inherited that particular trait from his mother. Nor had he inherited his father's gryphon fur. Instead he had a thick hide which protected him well enough, but not as well as scales would have. He had a few scales on the top of his head; and his belly, chest and throat scutes were tough enough.

The end result was that his hide was more sensitive to the cheetah's rough tongue, far rougher than his own, and he sighed slightly at the feeling. The feline began to nuzzle against him and purr gently. The sound was not dissimilar to his own purr, but the feline clearly gave his out far more readily.

It seemed clear to the dragon that the cheetah held on to a lot of bad memories. The fact that they were spilling from him so fluidly implied that he'd harboured them for far to long. Such a simple looking creature, so like their purely wild counterparts, yet possessing and suffering from the same troubles as all sapient creatures can sometimes do.

"In the wilds, it's kill or be killed. If you'd told me that you'd hunted, killed and eaten an anonymous gryphon, I couldn't find fault even then."

Perhaps the cheetah wasn't the only one who had been harbouring his own bad memories. He swallowed audibly, his voice coming our more quietly than he'd planned.

"If... if the parents of the gryphon I'd... eaten when I was barely a fledgeling myself, had found me... then I... couldn't have blamed them for doing the same..."

Memories were wonderful, terrible, delightful, ugly things. It was easy to wish to pick and choose which you held on to. But perhaps it was for the best that you couldn't.

The cheetah swished his tail at the mention of killing. He did his share to stay alive. Predators had no choice in that, yet hunting was different from killing as night from day. Certain gryphons killed weaker predators to test their strength and ability, as if they couldn't do that between them.

Snuggling closer to the dragon, the cheetah poked his head under his frontpaw and crawled closer to his chest. His ears twitch and a continuous purr rumbled in his throat as the dragon's warmth seeped into the cheetah's spotted hide. He found himself liking this strange dragon more and more. His scaleless body offered warmth and comfort. His words gave reassurance.

A strange sound made the cheetah freeze. There was a noticeable change in the dragon's voice as he recounted his own experience. So he hunted down and ate a gryphon. What was wrong in that? He said it himself that was the way of the wild. Stronger predators were meant to kill weaker ones.

"There are no rules in the wild, dragon. If the bird's parents came to avenge their cub, you would have broken your rule again. You would have killed them to survive."

The scent of blood and vengeance coalesced in the cheetah's mind. He had parents too, before they fell prey to those birds. Two dead gryphons -- the one he and the dragon killed-- changed nothing, except offering a sliver of satisfaction. He wondered if the dragon had the same reason as he had, but no words left his muzzle. The cheetah growled softly and relaxed, content that he didn't had to worry about impending threats in the dragon's protective embrace.

His snout moved down to the cheetah's furry head and nuzzled gently between his rounded ears. The feel of his soft fur was nice against his own soft hide, especially between his nostrils where it was most sensitive.

The half dragon chuckled at the cheetah's words, but the sound was more than a little hollow. It was a forced laugh, perhaps as much to lighten his own mood as it was to reassure the feline snuggling in his embrace that the words had not offended him.

"There's hunting, there's killing and then there is murder."

Yogoloth's grip around the cheetah tightened almost imperceptibly and his snout pressed down slightly on the feline's neck, his green snout menacing with spikes of ivory as they entered the cheetah's vision. The dragon suddenly seemed very much the dangerous predator he was.

"If I killed and ate you, right now, would it be the same as if I had hunted you down on the plains?"

His grip loosened and his demeanour changed back to a relaxed, snuggly dragon.

"I murdered that gryphon and ate her. She was just a kid trying to befriend the weird gryphon with funny green skin."

He suddenly chuckled again, this time more genuinely in spite of his negative mood.

"Meeting you, I'm beginning to realise that I'm not as wild and uncivilised as I first thought."

The cheetah purred with delight. Eyes closed, throat rumbling, paws almost limp, he enjoyed every ounce of attention. The dragon's words passed like the breeze. Soft, quick, and barely noticeable. RrrrrRRRRRrrrrrRRR purrrr

Something pressed slightly harder on the cheetah's neck. His eyes snapped open. He noticed the dragon's fluffy mane and ear, mostly, but the grip on his neck was vividly real.

As were the dragon's words. Or at least seemed so. The cheetah barely had the time to register what happened before the tightness around his neck vanished. What was that? A feign? A trick? Dragon play?

"It would meet the same end, dragon. Hunting is another word for killing, as killing is another word for murder. Death is death, despite the way you choose to inflict it."

The cheetah wanted to nuzzle and offer comfort the dragon. He obviously seemed affected by the death of the young gryphon cub.

"She...probably made the wrong choice by approaching you"

The cheetah slowly retreated from the dragon's field of vision.

"Maybe I did too."

He dragged his spotted form to the dragon's side. Though he didn't leave the warm shelter, the cheetah became more aware of the possible danger he was exposing himself to. Tail swished nervously, and limbs were tense with apprehension as he waited for the dragon's reaction.

"No creature that walks on four legs can ignore its wild side. You've seen why. You know why."

Part of him regretted scaring the cheetah to drive his message home. But although something that he felt so strongly about was worth the risk of losing a warm body to cuddle. Yogoloth wondered if he were so desiring of this cheetah because his feline body reminded him vaguely of his gryphon mate.

As his words and actions took root in the cheetah's mind, his relaxed state understandably gave way to caution and readiness. His comforting purrs stopped and his furred body shifted nervously.

"She did, but you haven't."

A moment's pause and he smirked before quickly adding.

"Now quit shifting about, you're letting the cold in."

"Words...", the cheetah sprung away from under his comforting shelter. "Tools of trickery and deceit. Gryphons were good with words too. I fell in that trap enough times to know what hides beneath their muddy feathers."

Too late the hybrid realised he'd said the wrong thing. The first and last deception that a liar gives is the one of his own honesty. Ironic that those who are trustworthy will in honesty do the same.

Pushing his legs in a brisk walk, the cheetah blended with the surrounding darkness. His instincts were right. Kindness and comforting words could very well be the precursor to something much worse. And the cheetah wasn't about to wait and see what. Last time, indecision cost him his brother's life. He fell at the claws of a gryphon with honey on his beak and murder in his eyes. The cheetah allowed the bird's lies to weave and entangle their way around his mind. He wanted so hard to believe some gryphons were different. By all rights, he should have been the one fighting for his life.

But he wasn't. He ran like a scared cub while his sibling yowled and trashed as claws marked his hide with spots of blood. He fled... because he was a coward. The sting of guilt made his fur bristle. Foolishly, he stopped, chancing a look behind. It lasted as long as a fleeting heart beat. Flee, instinct urged. Avoid further entanglements, experience whispered. The cheetah's limbs surged with fear and determination as he ran further into the darkness, towards the cold and rain raging outside.

"Look, I...", he started, but the cheetah had already burst free of Yogoloth's loose grip. Darkness claimed the feline as he moved with the grace only cats possessed.

The half dragon stretched his magical senses out and picked up the cheetah's life force flowing rapidly up the tunnel and towards the cold and wet of the storm. Yogoloth sighed under his breath, things always seemed to make themselves harder than they had any right to be.

"Fine...", he quickly formed the shapes that were rapidly becoming second nature. One that caused paralysis wrapped in another that sought out the hidden warmth of life that didn't resemble the hybrid himself. To a fellow dragon or gryphon, they would slump down, but soon tear through and recover. But a mundane animal or person, one without magic, would be left helpless, unable to move or even speak for an hour, maybe more.

The scent of fresh rain entered the cheetah's nostrils. It was cold, damp, and smelled of freedom. Scratching the slimy floor with his paws, the cat stumbled through the blackness. He was so close. Faint light could be spotted ahead. Just a few more minutes and-

The dragon released the shape and it soon found the cheetah and struck.

He fell with a yelp. The coldness of the stone urged him to raise. He had to run. Had to... do what? A sense of dread ran across the cheetah's spine, all the way up to his very tail tip. His limbs felt stuck and numb, as if the stone itself encased them. The cheetah chirped in alarm. Or tried to. No sound left his throat as his eyes moved around restlessly. What was happening?

The truth blazed in his mind clear as daylight. The dragon did something, curse his scaleless hide. Gryphons used similar tricks, yet on a much lesser scale. The cheetah never felt as helpless as he did now. Instincts took over, warning him of an impending threat. The cheetah tried to move. Growl. Do anything. Nothing worked. Stuck on the slimy floor of the cave, he could only wait until the dragon came to recover his prize.

Yogoloth didn't want to have to get up, he was mostly warm and comfortable where he was. But couldn't leave the cheetah slumped where he was either. So, with his limbs complaining, he rose to his feet and padded out of the cave and into the tunnel that led to the surface.

The cheetah had made excellent progress, even through the dark. The young hybrid wasn't sure how this was all going to "pan out" as the civilised races said, but it was worth a try.

Soft steps could be heard in the darkness. The cheetah's heart rammed wildly in his chest. He would be one of the dragon's meals for sure. Predators never left their catch slip from grasp

And the sound grew closer. The cheetah blinked, preparing for his certain demise. What an unfair way to die. Even the rabbits he hunted squirmed and trashed in his jaws. When the dragon's teeth would sink into his flesh, he wouldn't even be able to twitch a paw.

Yogoloth reached the cheetah's slumped, motionless form, his life glowing brightly to the dragon's magical senses. He had fallen similar to how Natanii had fallen when he'd paralysed her. But paralysing a magically adept gryphon was much more difficult than this mundane feline.

The dragon had stopped his advance. He was so close. His scent engulfed the whole cave, and the warmth of his body was faint and noticeable. The cheetah could only swallow at the dragon's boast. What a vain, pitiful creature. Why couldn't he eat his prey and be done with it?

"Why would I try to trick you with words, when I could trap you with magic?", he settled down in front of the paralysed cheetah and carefully lifted him onto his back. His wings rose and held onto the limp feline as best they could between his shoulders as he took him back down into the cave. This one was proving to be most challenging to win over. Though, from what he'd been told, he could understand the reasons behind it.

The answer surprised the limp cheetah. His erratic breath somewhat lessened when it were not the fangs, but gentle paws that lifted him on the dragon's back. Nestled between the hybrid's neck and feathery wings, the cheetah waited, mind racing with possibilities. Each of the dragon's steps tested the feline's balance, in the same way the questions assaulted his mind. The dragon was bringing him back to his lair, but why?

The cheetah found out when the faint blue light broke the eerie darkness. He was back into his original place, under the dragon's warm wing.

Soon Yogoloth settled down where he had been and slowly lowered the cheetah down too. He held the cheetah in almost exactly the same position as before, his back against the hybrids warm scutes, a warm feathery wing draped over and a protective fore leg wrapped around his furry chest.

"If I had wanted to harm you I would have, but I choose not to. I didn't want you freezing to death out there if I could help it. I'm sorry for scaring you earlier."

His snout found the top of the cheetah's head again and nuzzled it gently, it didn't feel the same knowing the feline couldn't move. He wouldn't stop the cheetah escaping again, it wasn't worth the magical cost nor the time. He was tired and wanted to sleep at some point tonight. He gently reached his senses into the cheetah and found his paralysis shape and gently tugged at it. It unravelled and the cheetah was free to do as he pleased.

Though the early shock had yet to dissipate, the cheetah enjoyed his predicament. Warmth and reassurance were a fat better bargain than what he expected. He felt the dragon's snout brush the top of his head, warm breath ruffling his fur. He was gentle, almost... caring.

"Do what you will, you have as much choice as I do.", Yogoloth rumbled gently.

And most of all, he was right. Right about everything. The cheetah's form shaked and shivered as he regained control of his body. Scrambling on weakened paws, he rubbed and pushed his way closer near the dragon,s lower belly, where a meaty flank provided just the perfect amount of warmth

"I have mis- misjudged you, drag- gon. Yo- you have shown- n me nothing b- but kind- dness.", the words slurred as they came out his maw. His tongue felt strange after the paralysis, and the shivering made everything so bothersome. Licking his whiskers, the cheetah nuzzled the dragon's side before he lowered his head on the front paws. For good or worse, remaining here seemed a better choice than any.

When the cheetah did not flee and instead snuggled closer, the half dragon couldn't help but smile a little. For all of his wild ways, the feline was as intelligent as he was. Perhaps ruled by his instincts a little more, but weren't all predators to some extent?

"Kindness? Perhaps I just want something to keep me warm tonight.", yogoloth chuckled, hoping that the cheetah didn't think he was being too serious. He noticed a couple of dark, muddy patches on the feline's coat where he had slumped after the paralysis took hold. The hybrid found himself licking the dirty motes away with long strokes of his purple tongue.

The act soothed his body and mind, the feel of fur against his belly and tongue reminded him of his mate and how much he was missing her right now. As the cheetah's fur returned to its cleaner state, he wondered if he'd not been joking at all before. The thought of cuddling up to a warm furry body would give him great comfort. He suddenly felt a little selfish.

His tongue was not as well designed to clean fur as well as the feline's. So as he moved from the now clean flanks to the cheetah's sensitive belly, he nuzzled with his snout just as much as he drew his tongue in lines across the spotted coat. He'd seen what the cheetah had enjoyed before, the dragon hoped he wouldn't mind a little attention of the same sort.

The shivering slowly subsided, replaced by a soft purring sound. Warmth radiated from all around, and the dragon's bizarre scent became increasingly appeasing to the cheetah. It reeked less of gryphon and more of a caring, misunderstood dragon. When the dragon expressed the reason for his actions, the cheetah slowly dragged himself closer to his front. He knew the dragon wasn't serious. For all his words and half hearted jokes, he seemed in dire need of companionship. The way he lowered his great horned head to bring his moist tongue upon the cheetah's flanks spoke more than any word could.

The cat mewled softly. The serpentine tongue had caught him by surprise. Its slithering was warm and moist, rekindling the mutual grooming he had with his family. Swishing his tail with enjoyment, the cheetah arched his head, nuzzling the base of the dragon's neck. His hide lacked the protection of scales, allowing the rough barbs of the feline's tongue to scrap and slither its way gently across the dragon's neck, all the way to his shoulder.

Tension melted, replaced by an overwhelming purr and a soft, soft growl. Propped on the dragon's forepaw, with a hind leg lifted and his belly exposed, the cheetah surrendered himself to the dragon's treatment. His careful nuzzling made the feline purr with fulfillment while the long strokes of tongue often drew a growl or a mew from the feline. With his head on the ground and eyes closed to the ethereal light, the cheetah nibbled and licked at whatever he could --mainly the dragon's foreleg. He would have groomed the dragon's head if he wasn't so relaxed. Cheetahs did that all the time. Though it felt selfish to content himself with only one of the dragon's four legs, the cheetah was very reluctant to stir. Dragons definitely had wetter licks, but they made them so much more pleasant as the tongue passed between the strands of fur, clumping them together. Images flashed through his mind. The joy of grooming, the rumbling purr, the gentle touch... they were a cruel and taunting reminder of what the cheetah lost. He tried focusing on the cave, but that barely worked. Thoughts jumped from family to mate, then from mate to dragon.

The cheetah kicked his leg, tail sweeping the ground once. Moist and warm... the thought inflamed the cheetah's lust, and that bold tongue only made it worse.

The cheetah's purrs and gentle rumbles were all the encouragement the hybrid needed to continue his slow assault on the feline's furry flesh. The rough tongue that played across his neck and then his fore legs was very pleasant and more than a little enticing. He felt his throat tighten by reflex to stifle any purrs that threatened to escape.

But why? As the dragon and cheetah gently groomed each other, Yogoloth wondered what harm there was in letting his own pleasurable purrs mix with his new companion's. He often felt guarded against letting his feelings be known, but he'd already done more than enough to this cheetah for him to already know his friendly intentions.

A deeper sound slowly rose to mix in with the feline's purrs. Unmistakably a pleasurable sound but very distinct from the cheetah's. The sound vibrated gently through the hybrid's belly scutes into his companion as his tongue found the furry sheath between his hind legs. The dragon drew his tongue in a long slow path over the cheetah's most sensitive flesh and closed his eyes in his own bliss.

The cheetah pawed, a growl threatening to erupt from his rumbling throat. Claws scrapped the ground and a hind leg kicked the air as the feline's muscles tightened under pleasure's fetters. The dragon's tongue sent a jolt across the feline's spine, releasing the mellow growl residing between clenched teeth. His engorged member broke through its fleshy shelter like a spear, throbbing defiantly against the dragon's invading tongue.

The act of licking the cheetah was all it had taken to arouse the dragon and his drakehood had already pushed out of his slit. The purple organ was not the focus of the dragon's attention though, his tongue on the cheetah's own member was.

Teeth pressed weakly on the dragon's foreleg before two quick strokes of tongue replaced it. Warm tingles spread thorough the cheetah form, making his ears twitch and his paws jolt unexpectedly. It was too quick, too much, and the dragon's growling purr only added to that. The cheetah arched his head, yipping angrily at the bold dragon. He was about to jump on his feet and catch that sneaky tongue when release threatened to burst its way through the feline's terse defense. He couldn't. Not now. Not like this. Dragons weren't supposed to- His seed would-

The cheetah yowled, a weird mix between a series of high pitched chirps and a deeper, hissing snarl. His member tensed, acquiring the strength of the rock dwelling under his paws. Latching his front paws around the dragon's forepaw and aimlessly kicking with his hind ones, the cheetah released.

The heat and the fleshy texture of the dragon's tongue melted any hope of resistance. The member throbbed once, preparing to unleash the fire welling deep inside it. Thin streams of seed burst forth, each throb wracking the feline's form with jolts of elation. The cheetah bit on the dragon's paw, grabbing it firmly between his jaws. Instinct demanded that, and during the peak of pleasure, thoughts were scarcely needed.

The cheetah's almost violent reaction surprised the young hybrid. He had seen animals mating before, and it had all seemed rather quick. But part of him had expected more resistance, more stamina from a talking animal. As such, the feline's seed also surprised him before he was ready to catch it. Most he managed to catch and gulp down, but some escaped onto the cheetah's fur and the cave floor.

The bite surprised him too, but in the height of his own passion, the pain mixed into a pleasure and the growl it triggered was half hearted and blended with the purrs he was already giving. He took another lick of the cheetah's spent member, but much more gently this time. He imagined that after such an energetic orgasm he might be quite sensitive now.

A riptide of energy and fulfillment washed through the cheetah once his member spewed a last, weak spurt. The dragon cleaned everything thoroughly, his tongue paying a last visit to the spent member. It traced the length of the barbs, eliciting a last, weak throb before the tiny fleshy protrusion retreated into its den.

Yogoloth settled back down on his side and wrapped his fore leg back around the feline's torso, his paw pressing his soft pads onto the cheetah's furry back. "At least it wasn't my tongue you bit this time."

The cheetah was about to get on all fours before the paw wrapped around him, pinning his slender body to the dragon's reverberating belly. A low growl left his throat. He had to groom himself. The scent of his own seed was vaguely familiar in the haze of the dragon's arousal. The cheetah took several whiffs, trapping the sharp scent in his nostrils. The scent spoke of fertility, desire, and plenty more in no unsure details. It was plenty clear the dragon enjoyed what he did, but why? He was a male, a fact empathized by the fleshy protrusion making itself known to the cheetah's lower belly. The purple snake somehow found its way between the feline's hind legs when the dragon laid its head back.

The cheetah eyed it through a brief glance. That thing was thicker than his legs! Though it shared the conic shape of the cheetah's member, the glistening rod was almost as long as a tail. It reminded the cheetah of the snakes he encountered in the grass. It vaguely resembled one, save for the slippery feel. And the heat. And the soft throbs that pushed it through the cheetah's fur. The thought of mating suddenly flashed through his mind. The dragon said something during their first encounter. He wanted to....to...

Turning his head from that gruesome scenario, the cheetah allowed his tongue to slide across the dragon's jaw.

The cheetah wriggled a little in Yogoloth's embrace. His furry body so warm in the cold of the cave. His pleasured yowling and growling distracting from the storm outside. Yes, the hybrid had made the right choice in letting him stay... forcing him to stay.

"I... mating bites are harmless. Dragons are thick skinned. You shouldn't have felt much."

"Thick skinned? You still drew blood.", the young hybrid replied.

Yogoloth was a little surprised himself as he spotted the neat puncture wounds slowly filling with dark liquid. The bluish light from the stone making the red blood appear black in the cave. His tongue slipped out again and cleaned the bite. It was small, not worth any concern.

"Blood? Where?"

The cheetah approached the dragon's snout. He found the wound first. Blood's metallic flagrance felt weak in the mixture of several potent scents. Flicking his tongue, the cheetah allowed his own tongue to caress the small puncture. He made them. it only felt natural to clean and aid to the healing process.

Then the dragon's tongue met his, and he retracted as if stricken by a gryphon's claw. The small wound was far from threatening. It barely oozed any blood, and the pain would be hardly felt. Yet it felt like improper payment for the dragon's generosity.

He pushed his head into the hybrid's neck. The constant vibration and the dragon's heart beat soothed him, but no more than what he did with his tongue. The cheetah's member still tingled at the thought. Wasting his seed was selfish and improper, yet it felt so good! The cheetah wanted to know the reason, but instead he just cuddled near the dragon in complete silence. He thought of the plains, of his family, the mate he got separated from...

...and the dragon, mounting him like one of his females.

The cheetah blinked. No. That wouldn't happen. He licked and nuzzled the dragon's neck for extra reassurance, yet the pole ramming against his belly, pleading for release, was a persistent reminder of what he said back then. The cheetah licked his muzzle, then broke the silence. "You do have a mate, don't you?"

More affection flowed from the cheetah's body to his. The nuzzling and licking were very arousing and Yogoloth wondered what the feline was up to. He couldn't actually mate with the animal, he'd probably kill him in one thrust. It would take a very experienced male of that size to take a dragon of his size. Perhaps he planned on reciprocating? That rough tongue would no doubt feel wonderful!

"Yes, I have a mate. Her name is Natanii. But don't worry, gryphons are very open with their mates. We can seek companionship like this when we are apart.", Yogoloth replied. The feline was asking about his mate? The cheetah WAS planning something. A smile spread across his snout and his paw gently ran through the fur on the feline's spotty back. Yes, he definitely made the right choice.

Busying himself with one of his paws, the cheetah listened. The first words passed like the licks. Quick, smooth, flowing on his short, spotted fur. So he had a mate. Nata who? The cheetah's tongue slid again over the slick fur. Names were no more important than the creature themselves. Why did it have to be a gryphon? The cheetah tried to ignore that. He spread his fingers, licking the pads and everything between them.

Gryphons opened up their mates? Like, killing them? No. The dragon was here. Flicking his tail, the cheetah continued his grooming. It didn't matter what they did. The cheetah never planned on ever taking one of those vile birds as his mate. The dragon's choice was his own. Who was here to tell him otherwise? Certainly not him. With any luck, the dragon would see what truly hid behind those feathers and ruffle them like he did with his first.

The last bit made him perk his ears. Companionship was good. Every creature survived longer when having the benefit of a group. Siblings, mates, or rogue dragon-gryphons, it didn't really matter what. Everything worked better than loneliness. And, sharing in this dragon's warmth as his paw ruffled the fur on his back confirmed what the cheetah knew. He definitely made the right choice.

He nuzzled the dragon's chest one last time, then laid on his side, head tucked between a paw and belly scutes.

"Gryphon...", he yawned widely, tongue curling between his fangs. "She must be more worthy than the ones I met."

Yogoloth smiled as the cheetah groomed himself. Such a clean creature and yet so wild and untamed. He would only get messy again soon, it seemed pointless. That tongue was certainly enticing, almost barbed in a way, rough. Just the thought of it made the hybrid tingle.

"She's very worthy, like many creatures I seem to meet these days..."

The cheetah slowly closed his eyes. And opened them again as something pushed into his belly. He chanced a look, hoping he would be wrong. He barely supressed the growl leaving his throat. The dragon's snake was still there! A huge, dark thing that created fur clumps all around it. Instinct urged him to paw that thing. Strike it away from his belly. He almost did, until a light bite reminded him of the dragon's kindness.

Dropping his head on the warm stone, the cheetah closed his eyes. He focused on the warmth. his own tiredness mixed into it, allowing awareness to slowly slip from grasp.

His reply was subtle, too subtle. The cheetah yawned and snuggled closer as he slowly drifted off to sleep. Sleep? But? But! BUT!? His breathing slowed and the feline's body relaxed, comfortable against the dragon who had offered himself as such a wonderful bed.

It was at that moment that the shape in the stone chose to finally unravel, the slightly blue glow faded and they were gradually left in darkness. Yogoloth blinked a couple of times in silence as the cheetah slept against his belly and fore legs. A growl threatened to leave his chest but never even made it to his throat. Instead he chuckled. He'd not only misread the creature, but also assumed too much.

It suddenly all made sense. The reaction to the kiss, the lack of understanding about the subtle terms that he'd used. The distrust, following his instincts. This truly was an animal. An animal with speech, but nothing more.

His own body relaxed and he laid his head down and around the cheetah's own. He could mate the cheetah right now, but it hardly seemed right after everything he'd done to gain his trust. It didn't seem to right to do that when he was the one who'd misunderstood the level at which they were conversing.

Pity, he'd been clawed on the snout, bitten on the tongue, pissed on and bitten on the paw... and he still hadn't gotten himself mated! It all seemed rather unfair...

The dragon's weird chuckle made the cheetah blink, yet it was not the familiar blue light that greeted him. Darkness settled over the cave, and not even the keenest eyesight could pierce through the black haze. Eyes were useless, and his hearing was constantly thwarted by the dragon's purr and his own. His only free sense was the scent, and even that failed to pick on more than the dragon's arousal. It entered his nostrils, tainting his mind like a persistent itch.

Licking his nose, the cheetah pushed his head into a paw pad. His own scent felt comfortable, and much less intrusive. It didn't last. The dragon sinewy neck went around the cheetah's form. Of course the dragon had to lay his own head inches away from him!

A soft growl left the cheetah's throat. He didn't want to be annoyed. The dragon already did so much for him. Maybe even cared for him. He was the only being with wings that showed genuine concern for the cheetah's well being. He did more than that. He... provided pleasure. The cheetah couldn't prevent the mew from escaping his tongue. He never felt anything so wet and warm like the dragon's tongue. He was back there, exposed to the whims of a beast. The tongue that would lap his blood now gently ran across his throbbing member...

The cheetah swished his tail. Was he actually aroused? His member flexed almost instinctively, providing an immediate answer. He froze. This couldn't happen. It wasn't natural. The dragon was a male! Males weren't supposed to....

The feline rubbed his nose against the soft pads of his paw. No. That was the scent speaking. All these thoughts about mating wouldn't be here if that accursed snake retreated in his den. The cheetah's belly felt slick and slimy. He need to clean it! Needed to do something to get his mind away from the different couplings flashing through his mind.

The cheetah had shifted about idly as Yogoloth had tightened his body around him. His warmth penetrating his tough scutes and providing warmth in an otherwise cold, dank cave. Yogoloth knew deep down that the small cheetah wouldn't be providing much heat to the larger dragon, but even that small amount was comforting.

His earlier frustration was beginning to wane as his eyes became heavier. A warm furry body to cuddle was a fine alternative to a warm tight hole to fuck. His mind began to wander and his arousal began to lessen as the cheetah carefully began to rise.

The feline moved his head slowly, careful not to disturb the dragon. Pushing a paw on the ground, the cheetah slowly reached towards his belly. The dragon's scent was all over his fur. Flicking his tongue, he gently ran it across his damp fur, straightening it. He stopped. It didn't only reek, but taste of dragon as well! He washed his tongue in his own saliva, then licked again and again. The cheetah slowly closed his eyes... A couple of licks turned into several, then from several into a dozen. It didn't help. The dragon was mounting him. Then he was mounting the dragon. There was no sense in those senseless images, only lust.

The cheetah blinked. Nothing changed. He was still in the cave, grooming the hard, fleshy draconic rod with precise licks of his tongue.

Grooming what?! The cheetah yelped as if bitten. He scrambled on his paws, backing into a feathery curtain.

At first Yogoloth had wondered if the cheetah had decided to sneak away, but he had hardly waited long enough for the dragon to fall asleep and the storm still raged outside. The flashes of lightning may have stopped, but the rain still beat a powerful rhythm on the ground above their heads. No, the cheetah was merely grooming himself. Cats... the dragon smiled to himself always gr- Aah!

Yogoloth's fore claws immediately protracted against the cold rock of the cave floor. The feel of the cheetah's rough tongue against his softening cock sent thrilling jolts up his spine and the fleshy organ became rock hard itself. He clenched his teeth against a growl that tried to make itself heard, he didn't want to scare the feline just as he'd decided to take the plunge. So he held his tongue and his body as still as he could as the felt his temporary cave-mate place lick after lick against his drakehood.

Then suddenly it stopped and the cheetah pulled back sharply. The dragon's words sounded a little more desperate than he'd have preferred. "Wh- why'd you stop?"

"I- I shouldn't... shouldn't be doing this."

The cheetah shook his head, ignoring the dragon's pleading tone. He could have licked himself if he wanted to. But was that what the cheetah wanted? His tongue flicked inside his maw, wet with the dragon's taste. This strange arousal really had him wrapped in its fetters. The little reason he had left screamed for him to pull back. Flee. Run away from this strange dragon, but the tug of instincts had a tight leash, scrambled as they were.

He approached again, claws clicking on the cave floor. Tongue left his maw almost his own accord, brushing in a long, tantalizing stroke. The dragon tasted like he smelled, sharp and somewhat bitter. More. He licked along the length, purring with excitement. Wrong or not, the cheetah was too aroused to care. With a paw placed at the organ's base for support, the cheetah licked repeatedly, his own member throbbing with desire. It flexed like an enraged beast, trapped between bare stone and warm fur.*

The cheetah rolled on his back, hips thrusting briefly in the air. Front paws wrapped around the dragon's protrusion while his hind ones lightly scrapped the dragon's flanks and belly. A smooth drop of liquid wet the cheetah's tongue as it passed over the tip. He tasted it briefly, then assaulted the small opening with more and more strokes of his tongue.

The cheetah's reaction suddenly made sense, like so much about this creature, Yogoloth kept being reminded of just how wild he was. The feline probably had no experience or knowledge of sexuality beyond reproduction driven by instincts. Casual mating for pleasure alone may well be beyond his understanding.

The words that came out of the cheetah's muzzle, spoke volumes of his confusion and uncertainty. Even as part of him rebelled against what he saw as an unnatural act, another part seemed to keep him from fleeing from it. Yogoloth felt some sympathy, but it was being pushed down by his desire. Just as he thought the feline was about to run from the cave, he padded back and tasted the hybrid's cock with his beautiful tongue.

"Aaah...", the sound came out like a long exhale. It had been a very long time since he had last felt a tongue other than his own on his drakehood. The cheetah sped up his pace with a number of suddenly enthusiastic licks. He felt a little pre-cum leak up and the feline accepted it and then attacked his tip as though he wanted to encourage more.

The rush of air leaving the dragon's nostrils was barely registered by the cheetah who licked furiously at the dragon's member. The rich scent quickened his blood and inflamed his lust. With each lick, he tasted more of the dragon's maddening release. If felt strangely similar to the heat of his own females.

The hybrid forced his neck to curl around as the feline rolled onto his back. The cheetah was erect again, his member bobbing needily from its sheath and against his belly. Yogoloth was as light and gentle as possible with his tongue as he tasted in return. He wanted if possible to draw out his partner's pleasure. He slowly moved one of his paws to the cheetah's hind leg and gently pulled him closer. Then he felt his own organ tense and a pressure suddenly build seemingly from nowhere.

A touch graced the feline's neck. He was too enraptured to see what it was. With the throbbing organ fastened between his paws, he had complete control over the dragon's most sensitive possession. Whirling his tongue around and inside the tip, the cheetah snarled with delight. The heat. The moisture. It was back! His flanks shivered and thrust into the slick flesh as if it was one of his own females. High pitched chirps left his throat, descending into hearty moans and whimpers. The cheetah's fur burned with arousal. Member tense, paws clenched in the air, he yowled, sounding more like a wounded kitten. His member throbbed once, preparing to burst. The intense heat and pressure assaulting its spiny base was too much. Seed traveled through the cheetah's engorged member, erupting in a riptide of delight.

"I'm- I'm about to...", his paw gripped the cheetah a little tighter and his tongue pressed heavily against the cheetah's cock as his erection began to spurt its seed into the feline's mouth.

A single spurt shot before gooey slime splashed into the cheetah's half opened maw. He choked, tongue struggling to push the liquid out. Even his nose was stuffed! He could barely move his head, paralyzed by the seed leaving his own member. Closing his muzzle, the cheetah closed his eyes. If the first wave drenched his muzzle, the second covered everything above his nose. The dragon's scalding seed was relentless, pushed forth by mighty throbs drumming between the cheetah's clenched paws. He unwrapped them just as the need for air became dire.

Scrambling on his feet, the cheetah took another spurt on his chest. He tried to raise, but the dragon's grip was too strong. The cheetah panicked, wheezing and coughing, Air entered through his sticky maw, caught by greedy breaths. A few splashes were heard, dwarfed by the rumbling growl confined withing the dragon's throat.

Yogoloth had been prepared for the cheetah's sudden release and would have caught it all. But the strength of his own pent up seed was stunning. Literally, Yogoloth felt as through he'd been stunned briefly and barely noticed the feline's own seed splash against his snout.

He growled deeply in his throat, trying to hold it back, not wanting to distract his smaller, more timid partner. Although the cheetah's timid behaviour might well have been banished in one stroke after the near frenzied strokes that he had placed on the dragon's cock. As his pleasure died down to more manageable levels, he became aware of the feline's struggling and his attention was soon focused.

A sneeze pushed the seed remnants out of the cheetah's nostrils, and the tongue did the rest. He felt so sticky and dirty. Almost half of his fur dripped with lukewarm seed. He shook his head repeatedly, sending droplets everywhere near his vicinity. No doubt the small blobs of seed found refuge on the dragon's scale less body. His warmth was noticeable, even if his form wasn't.

Quickly drawing on his reserves he hastily searched for the stone in the dark, snatched it up and placed the familiar shape inside. The cave was greeted by a gentle glow once more and the hybrid looked over to see the cheetah spluttering his head and chest covered in drake seed. Yogoloth tried not to laugh as the feline draw slightly ragged breaths. But he looked a bit like...

"You're like a half drowned kitten...", he tried to force the grin away but didn't do a very good job. A dribble of the cheetah's own seed chose that moment to run down into one of his nostrils and he snorted involuntarily and shook his head. His tongue came up and cleaned it away, he imagined there was probably still more covering his snout though. "Here, let me clean you up..."

The dragon's jape did not go unnoticed, but the cheetah chose not to reply. Chirping happily, he joined the dragon, paws leaving their signature prints behind him. This was such a bad time for words. Affection could only be expressed through heartfelt licks on the dragon's neck and chest. Propping two forelegs on the dragon's shoulder, the cheetah planted several wet licks on his chin before he dropped back.

"That can wait.", the cheetah released a mellow growl. He licked and rubbed his way around the dragon's forelegs, fur vibrating with delight and the sound of restless purrs.

Yogoloth smiled and nuzzled the cheetah happily with his snout and very gently gave his back scratches with barely protracted claws. His tongue couldn't help but snake out and trace lines around the feline's head and neck. Even by accident, the cheetah was slowly cleaned during the affection.

The hybrid felt relaxed and satisfied, perhaps the cheetah could climax repeatedly in quick succession, but Yogoloth would need to rest. As the two of them nuzzled, scratched, licked and rubbed, the half dragon slowly began to encircled the smaller feline. He rested back on his side and encouraged his furry partner to join him.

Rumbling purrs left the cheetah's open maw. The scratches felt so good, parting his somewhat slick fur. He enjoyed the dragon's treatment thoroughly, until he dropped down on his side. The cheetah crouched, snuggling between the dragon's forepaws, right under that lengthy neck of his. He laid there for a couple of moments, the fur on his neck feeling all sticky and weird. He cleaned it as best as he could, yet he couldn't get anywhere near his neck.

Rolling on his back, he looked at the dragon

"You missed a spot."

The hybrid carefully cleaned the cheetah's throat with broad strokes of his tongue, seeking out any last areas of stickiness. The taste of his own seed not at all alien to him after many years of having to serve himself on occasion. At the same time he snuggled closer and nuzzled the slightly damp fur with his snout.

Fore paws and a wing embrace meant that warmth began to increase once more. Yogoloth's snout rested, nestled in the cheetah's neck, his warm breath flowing over the fur. His heart beat, still noticeable through his chest and throat scutes, calming as he gently began to purr deeply, yet gently once more.

Purrs and even a slight growl of fulfillment left the cheetah's throat. Front paws went on either side of the dragon's neck, pawing his strange, furry ears. They felt warm, like that rolling tongue and puffy breath. With each lick, the cheetah grew more relaxed in this warm, feathery embrace.

He licked the dragon's forehead, tongue following a straight path from nostrils to that furry mane. He was so gentle and affectionate. It was the least any lesser predator would expect of such a beast. Placing a paw around his neck, the cheetah relaxed his tense neck muscles. He rested his head on the dragon's front paw, lulled to sleep by the gentle vibrations rumbling through the dragon's chest.

"This is a better shelter than I could ask for." ,he coiled his neck around the dragon's nostrils. Those fur ruffling breaths felt better than anything. "You are...a better companion than I hoped to encounter."

Yogoloth chuckled lightly but otherwise said nothing in reply. At this point his tired eyes felt oh so heavy and the warm cheetah was very comfortable. Soon his body relaxed, wrapped partially around the furry feline and he started to sleep. Even the rain, still falling heavily, never even once threatened to wake him.

No words greeted the cheetah's reply. He blinked in the lazy blue light. It certainly seemed strange how a storm could lead to such an unexpected outcome. If any other beast inhabited the cave, the cheetah would have probably died. If he didn't find the cave, he would have shivered in the cold rain, absent warmth and shelter. If...

He yawned, interrupting the train of thought. Only the warmth mattered, and the creature providing it. Pushing his head under the dragon's head, the cheetah closed his eyes, oblivious to anything but the combined purrs rumbling in the heart of the cave.