Greenstone Village

Story by RoyalxBlackxLace on SoFurry

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#2 of Seven Suns

So this was a request from a friend of mine in my new guild on WoW. I enjoyed it.

As always, send me a message with a character profile if you would like to be featured in a story.

Inn of the Seven Suns © Me

Seven Suns symbol © Me

Mestepheni © Me

Syl © My Friend

Words: 5690


Stephi and Syl [Human/Night Elf]

The small human had been trying to get his attention for weeks. She been there whenever he needed healing, smiling whenever he looked her way, but still he hadn't taken the hint as it was offered. Perhaps he thought her just another kind healer doing as she was supposed to, but that wasn't how she felt about it. She'd wanted him since the moment she'd seen him. Now she was going to make sure it happened.

Of course, that meant waiting for just the right moment.

A week passed before the blonde had her chance. The battle was won and the party split off 1 by 1, slowly disappearing off into the distance. However, the object of her current obsession remained behind, speaking to a pandaran and claiming a pouch bulging with coin. Quickly she sought a reason to pull him away into her temporary home, away from prying eyes and under prying fingers.

The little priestess smiled up at the panda and elf, placing her hand on the rogues arm. "Take my things to the house over there? I'll finish up." She pressed a very heavy pack at the elf, continuing to smile up at him with her soft lips and bright blue eyes. "Oh, this too." She held out her staff to him. Large hands snatched her weapon from her grip as well as the bulging bag of supplies. She watched as the mercenary frowned, grumbling under his breath something that sounded like a very sarcastic 'Yes your hiney-ness', and took what she had given him to where she had gestured.

Stephi, as she was called by most of her friends, turned and spoke briefly with the village Brewmaster. She declined dinner for both her and her elven companion, saying that sleep was best. And no, he didn't need separate accommodations, there were, after all, three beds in the house they'd been gifted for their brief stay. She graciously thanked him again once more, smiled and excused herself, following the trail she'd sent her companion down.

The red, white, and green structure was fairly large for the small village it was a part of. The entry allowed little privacy, merely a gold bordered archway in the front of the building. Within were the 3 beds the priestess had reminded the Brewmaster of, as well as a small screen around a wooden tub. It was simple and open, but as long as the panda's remained in their bar, happily drinking away, it wouldn't interrupt her plans.

The elf stood in a corner beside the screen, watching the entry as if he was looking for another attack. Stephi shook her head, sending her blonde hair to play around her shoulders before settling against her back. "No one else is going to attack us tonight." Her smile was sweet and warm, an expression she'd once practiced in the mirror. "You sent them all to their graves. You can relax."

Pauldrons that pulsed with poison lifted briefly in the air as Syl, the name he went by when they worked together (she was sure it wasn't his full name), shrugged but said nothing in return. Silence stretched between them.

The blonde was nervous. She'd wanted him, craved him for so long now and here he was. All alone, with her. She should walk up to him, tell him that she wants him and see where it went from there. But 'should' was the operative word. Instead she walked back to the tub and mirror, sliding off pieces of un-needed armor. Gloves were placed on a shelf, boots below it. Bracers and pauldrons were soon set nearby. Such monotonous duties left her brain to worry and argue, to beg and plea.

Shuffling from the other side of the single screen told the priestess that her hired protection was doing similar things. Curiosity burned in her, starting in her mind before making a physical appearance as she chewed on her bottom lip. With slow, deliberate steps she walked out from where she stood, bare feet barely making a sound now on the cold stone floor, pausing when he came into sight.

The tall figure was standing off to one side, setting his cuirass down on the wooden table to join many of his other pieces of armor. Of course, this left his bare skin available for view. Muscles shifted beneath his skin, bulging and stretching as he moved. The dragons etched into his skin twined their serpentine bodies along the long scar following his spine as he removed his belt and bracers. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight, those tattoos or that scar. She'd seen it more than once while healing him, but this was the first time she got to simply observe him moving without notice.

"No, you can't heal it. It adds character."

The healer blushed bright red at being caught, blue eyes snapping up to see his glowing orbs looking at her over his shoulder. Here was her chance though. To broach the subject, to tell him. 'Now or never...'. Her tongue darted out over her lips, chin ducking down as she looked at him through her lashes, appearing shy or coy. "I'd rather kiss it." The elf seemed to pause a moment before looking away, a chuckle coloring the air.

Emboldened by her apparent success, Stephi lifted her chin, peering at him a moment longer before taking slow, deliberate steps across the room to his side. She watched his gaze find its way back to her, once more looking over his shoulder as she approached. Carefully, as if she was afraid of spooking him, she raised a hand to lay upon his arm, gently squeezing to feel the strength of the muscle lying beneath his darkened skin. Her eyes didn't leave his as she moved around behind him, trailing her fingers in the barest of touches from his bicep to his back.

The elf's continued lack of rebuke urged the little human on. Fingers danced over the lines of his dragon tattoo, traced the design of the one nearest her while her other hand drew a line down his back over the scar that marred the smoothness of his back. Her tongue flicked out to slide slowly over her lips as she debated her next move. Her lip disappeared beneath her teeth, chewed and gnawed until she made up her mind. She leaned in, her breath warm over his flesh until she softly pressed her pink petals against the old wound.

The healer might have stopped sooner if it had not been for his response. The sound of his pleased little sigh as his head bowed forward and his shoulders relaxed noticeably merely enticed her to have it linger upon his skin. She pulled away only for a second before repeating the action, delighted that she'd been bold enough to act upon her desires. It was soon after that kisses were trailed across his back in devotion. Each part of his tattoo was rewarded with a brush of her attention and, when she felt the courage build up enough, her tongue joined the fray to taste his flesh for the first time.

Compliant to the healer's whim, her elven companion remained mostly still. His eyes were shuttered from the world behind his lids as he seemed to focus on her actions. The longer he remained silent but for little sighs of enjoyment, she grew more and more daring. She shifted on her feet, starting to move back to the side she had come from, her kisses layered in a heated trail back to his arm. Only there did she finally pause, her eyes lifted to catch sight of his features, a question dancing in their depths.

Syl's only response was to turn under the blonde's touch, facing her fully as he dropped his own large hands down, letting them fall to her hips and settle there comfortably. How could she have taken that as anything other than permission? A little grin tugged at the corner of her mouth, turning her expression playful as she continued to meet his gaze. Palms came to rest on the defined abs of his stomach, her kiss finding its way to pay tribute to his chest; teeth, lips, and tongue working in careful accord.

After deliberate and slow exploration, the priestess slowed her attentions. Thoughts were racing through her mind, ideas that had her stop and glance up at the object of her desire. His eyes were hooded, glowing from slits as they watched her move. Her lip once more became the object of abuse, teeth setting in as her mind whirled. She was tired of her lips pressing into unresponsive skin. She wanted to feel him return the embrace, but how could she tell him that? Instead she could only stare at the line of his collar bone, trying to decide how she would go about it.

The pause, stretched too long in stillness, was broken by Syl. The rogue's hand raised from her hip, finding its way to lay gentle fingers beneath her chin and slowly lift her features up. Color stained his cheeks, a peculiar thing in her mind, but then she didn't notice anymore. Soft, full lips were pressing against hers in a hesitant caress, making her earlier worries entirely invalid.

The healer's own lips moved, encouraging herself, and her companion, to delve a little deeper into the possibilities opening before them. Her tongue was the first to reach out, lips parting so it can dart out and stroke across his bottom lip. As she tried to coax his own tongue into playing, her touch rose from his stomach, slowly sliding upwards over the planes of his body until she brushed over his shoulders. An answering wet muscle made her hum low in the back of her throat. She slid forward, pressing the line of her small frame against his, making him wrap his arms around her lower back, encasing her in his warmth.

With careful, meticulous, luring, the small woman teased her protector's tongue to follow her within the confines of her own wet cavern, encouraging him to explore the new confines. As he delved within, his confidence grew. Long, sure strokes became his approach, leaving her to feel a heat spread beneath her skin, a flush following in its tracks.

Stephi wasn't sure when she had closed her eyes. She only remembered opening them as she whimpered, the sweet contact they'd been sharing being pulled from her. Her lashes fluttered a moment before she looked up, her blue orbs darkened to a rich cobalt. She was greeted with a look of uncertainty, his eyes blazing bright but not sure where he should go from there. Her head tipped to the side, giving him her own sweet expression as a smile pulled at her mouth, quickly followed by a sweet giggle. "You don't know what to do with me, do you?"

"I don't know what you will allow me to do..."

The elf's response briefly surprised the little human. She couldn't do much more than blink at him for several long moments, her face gone slack. That is, until a torch lit within her mind and a grin bloomed over her face.

The blonde pulled away, sliding free of her companion's hold until she can place her tiny hands within his much larger pair. She started to back away, keeping hold and leading him to the larger beds across the room. "Then let me show you..."

As the edge of the bed hit the back of her calf, Stephi tugged him close, getting on her toes to kiss the mercenary's shoulder before pulling away. She moved into the bed backwards, fingers coming up to the laces binding the top of her attire. "If you can see it, you can touch it." She glanced down as her cleavage became more pronounced. "If you can touch it... It means I want you to." She peeked back up, running her tongue over her bottom lip before abusing it with her teeth. "Understand?" Her question slipped free just as the last lace did from her blouse, letting it fall open to reveal her bare breasts beneath, small pink nubs dimpling as the cool air traveled in from the outdoors.

Syl seemed enraptured by the priestess's actions, watching intently and taking in the view as it came into sight. His head lowered in a very slow nod before speaking. "I think so." His own tongue darted out, wetting his lips as he started to come forward, but she held out her hand to stop him.

"Not yet." The healer grinned at the elf, enjoying her role for the moment. "Just wait." She let the sleeves of her top slowly slip down her shoulders, pooling at her wrists before she plucked it away, tossing it to the floor to be forgotten. Her nimble touch found the ties at the hip of her skirt next, a single flick of her wrist pulling the bow free and loosening the garment dramatically. "If you can't see it, you can still touch it, and I still want you to." She actually had the nerve to wink at him, her smile a teasing grin now.

The rogue gave Stephi an answering smirk, moving forward into the bed to follow her. "I think I can handle that." His long fingers came across her ankle, lazily trailing the curve of it up her calf and towards her thigh with his nails. "Like this?" His head lowered, pressing a kiss to the arch of her foot as he looked up at her, his wild hair adding to his blazing eyes and morphing his features into deviousness.

Stephi let out a little hum, rolling her ankle and flexing her leg under his nails, goosebumps rising in their path. "Yes. Just like that." She leaned forward, her large breasts pressing into her thighs as she reached out for him. The pads of her fingers found his chin, drawing him to her with a delicate touch that he followed obediently, crawling over her on his hands and knees until she lay below him. It was simple then, leading him down onto her lips so they could both sink into another shared kiss, this one far more heated than the last, and growing more passionate with each passing second.

A single elbow propped the tall form above the far more delicate frame, making certain he wouldn't crush her beneath his weight. His free hand moved along her side, bringing the goose flesh from her leg higher, creating a shiver that ran up her spine. She arched up in reaction, her bare chest hitting his and causing them both to hum low in their throats. Her arms raised, wrapping around his neck to pull him more thoroughly against her body, persisting against his attempts to be kind and lifted above.

The elf was very careful to respond to the healer's whims. His lips pulled from hers so that when he lowered above her, he could find the line of her jaw and follow it to the curve of her throat. Butterfly touches awakened her mind to his attentions. Her lids fluttered shut over her blue orbs as she tilted her head to the side, encouraging and allowing easier access. Those soft brushes of skin on skin soon brought new experiences as his teeth tugged at her neck and his tongue came to soothe his abuse.

The little human shivered, her body reacting perfectly to her companions playful attention. Her nipples perked and hardened, her interest growing with every passing second. She followed him with her mind as he traveled lower, feeling as he trailed over the line of her collar bone gradually creating a path to the swell of her breasts. She shifted below him, pressing herself up as he teased about her peaks. The darker flesh there seemed to twitch in anticipation, flushing as heat grows over her body.

The elf pauses, his warm breath dancing over the healer, keeping her interest focused. His eyes slip up to meet hers and she stared at him through thick lashes. Very deliberately his tongue flicked out, catching the hard pebble waiting eagerly for his caress. However it wasn't only his tongue she got to feel. Teeth nipped at her, sending a thrill through her body that made her gasp aloud, arching up involuntarily as pleasure spiked.

Syl paused and pulled away, looking down at the blonde with a raised eyebrow. "Like that?" He shifted and repeated himself on her other nipple, making her moan and quiver under him. A masculine chuckle filtered from his chest as he continued, his tongue and teeth working in a satisfying rhythm. Little vampire bites soon peppered her breasts, her skin made red from his affection. His downward passage continued then, those lips and teeth never stopping as he dropped low, making her skin jump and her body squirm.

As the elf's mouth lowered, a hand rose to take its previous occupation, nails, fingers, and palm making sure that he didn't leave at least one plentiful mound neglected, using his elbow to try and keep him hovering above. The other hand, however, sunk further than even his mouth, finding the edge of her skirt so he could slip long digits beneath it. Her thighs quivered, twitching beneath the soft pads of his rising caress.

The mercenary's mouth and stroke worked slowly towards each other, bringing heat to build in Stephi's core. Anticipation made her stomach twitch and clench while his tongue played with her belly button, teeth nibbling as the skin just underneath. His nails found the edge of silken undergarments and began tracing back and forth across the side of the barrier, outlining the one place still entirely sealed away. Her skirt was nudged up and out of the way, bunched around her waist, leaving the pink silk bare for him to view.

Syl's lips touched down just above the rose toned triangle of fabric, teeth coming to nibble and tease as he finally released the priestess's breast from his toying grip. She squirmed, pressing her hips up, begging without words. Her own fingers were tangled in her hair, arms raised above her head to keep her from grabbing the male and having her wicked way with him. She didn't want to scare the skittish man away, after all. Though with the way his tongue was sliding across her skin, she had a feeling it would be hard to get rid of him at this point. His body shifted, folding up to take him down the bed and off his elbow, freeing his hands for a new task.

Four fingers hooked into the sides of the woman's lingerie, pulling the meager cloth from its position to reveal her last hidden place. Her hips rose from the bed, allowing the bikini to ride lower under his guidance. He sat up as he moved, finally pulling his prize from her toes and flipping it with a lazy finger behind him. She watched as his eyes traveled over her body, taking in every inch of her that now lay bare before him, rounding over her curves and delving into her divots with just his hungry gaze.

The glowing orbs of the kaldorei rose and met the blue human eyes. The look he gave her was full of fire, hunger showing in the lines of his face. Large palms traced over her legs, spreading them gently as he bent forward, never breaking eye contact with her darkened orbs. She flicked her tongue over her lips, her pulse beginning to race in the realization of what he was about to do. Even knowing what was to come, her head pressed back into the bed beneath her and a moan tainted the silence in the air. She was barely able to keep her eyes open, watching through her lashes as his sinful mouth delved upon the tiny, sensitive button that lay at his mercy.

The elf's tongue was a wicked, wonderful thing as it played with the healer's senses. It circled and danced, dipping low to trail along her nether petals before returning with a fleeting flick across the receptive nub. Her breath had begun to color the air in heavy sighs, spilling forward between little gasps and hums as he made pleasure crawl in her depths. The slick muscle had dipped in, just barely splitting her lower lips, coming up to run a circle around her jewel, not quite touching, before sinking in to her now weeping core.

Syl began to lap inside the little human, his tongue sliding in and out, licking at her moist walls. Coils of pressure swam in her womb, tightening and growing ever so slowly. Her bottom lip disappeared beneath her teeth, being chewed mercilessly as she rolled her hips, pressing up into his hungry mouth. He left her empty, flicking up to tease over her clit once more, driving a little moan up from her throat before slipping back inside. Her eyes closed entirely, unable to watch him anymore. Fingers tightened their hold on gold strands, tugging at her own hair to stop herself from pressing him into her core herself.

The rogue was cruel in his intentions. The slow languorous workings of his tongue only gradually picked up in pace, slowly driving the blonde up the wall. What used to be sighs rolling off her tongue were now whimpering moans. His hands held her to the bed, stopping her from pressing too much upward with her hips and forcing more from him than he was prepared to just yet. She simply couldn't take it anymore. The bundle of pressure within her womb had spread throughout her body, leaving her skin too tight to contain it. She started to beg, simpering pleas for more. She could only cry out when he obliged.

A thumb came down on Stephi's sensitive bud with vigor as the elven tongue pushed greedily within. It only took moments more for the sensations to drive her over the edge. With a cry her pleasure spilled from between her thighs, feeding her desire to him as her walls seized around his tongue. His movements didn't stop, pressure and movements taking her peak higher. Her thighs shuddered, her back arched, and her hands clutched to the bed above her as she tossed her head to the side. She felt more than heard a chuckle vibrate through her. Obviously he was amused by her reaction. She might have pouted if not for the orgasm still racking her body thanks to his constant speed and attention. Or maybe it was another. She didn't even know anymore.

Quicker than Syl started, he began to slow. His thumb let up, gentling as his mouth pulled back, moving to lap at the blonde's nether lips. Her moans fell back into whimper, then sighs as her skin quivered and jumped. After what could have been several minutes for all she knew, she finally noticed that he had stopped entirely and left her to swim in her own release. Her breasts lifted with each heavy breath as she lifted her lashes so she could see him once more.

The elf was kneeling between her thighs. The top of his trousers had been released, the long ties left to dangle to the side of his dark, engorged length. She licked her lips, tearing her eyes from his leaking shaft held by one large hand and up his chest until she could meet his glowing orbs. A smirk danced on his features, a satisfied expression that showed he was more than a little pleased with his handiwork.

Stephi poked up her bottom lip, lowering her arms to cross over her bare breasts. Her body was flushed from the excitement and still far too stimulated to just be stared at without her cheeks turning brighter. She pushed her self up, twisting her legs out from around him so they could be on either side of her. A hand moved out, swatting him across the knee. "Don't look so smug." She huffed but her companion's grin didn't falter.

The priestess poked out her bottom lip, staring up at the elf as he grinned before her eyes started to lower. The little trembling lip moved until she too was wearing a wicked little expression. Her tongue darted out, moving over her lips as she cast a quick glance up through her lashes. In the next moment she had leaned forward, pressing her lips to the velvet head of his member, giving it a gentle kiss just to watch his eyes darken in a hunger to match her own.

Stephi shifted until she was comfortable before starting her play. This was something she enjoyed a great deal. A delicate hand shifted to move the rogue's away, putting hers in its place wrapped around his base. As her tongue came out, taking the first taste of his shaft, lightly lining a circle around his head, his grip found something new to hold on to. He pulled her hair up into a make shift ponytail, making it so that she was easier to view. She hummed at the feel of it, shifting her head a bit against the hold just to feel it tug at her scalp.

The woman paid special attention to everything she did. She wanted to make sure her companion enjoyed this as much as she had enjoyed him. Her tongue washed over his head, a quick swipe before her lips descended, taking him into the heat of her mouth. His manhood was thick inside her, large to match the rest of him, particularly compared to her own small form. However, even with that to deter her, she was starving in her actions. Her tongue spun and teased, lapping at him as she drew back only to sink once more, taking just a bit more than the time before. Her small hand wrapped around him worked towards her lips. When she drew back, her hand sunk to his base, when she pushed more of him inside her waiting cavern, her hand rose to meet her, creating the illusion of taking far more than she was.

A low sound rumbled from above the blonde's head. Blue eyes flicked up, looking through her lashes. The elf above had his lips parted as he watched her suck him in even further than before. His glowing eyes looked to be filled with fire as she hummed around his shaft, sending vibrations running through him. She pulled back, just to tease, swiping her tongue down the underside of his cock and back up to suck at his tip once more. She never took her eyes off of his and could feel her own pulse jump in reaction to the little growl of pleasure she received. She continued her little game, slowly taking in more and more as his breath deepened and he started to tighten his fist in her golden strands.

The woman mentally smirked, pausing for a long moment as she prepared herself. One second she was swirling her tongue around the elven prick and the next she was pulling him into her throat until tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. Fingers met lips as her throat convulsed around him. She heard him groan above, but she couldn't look. She moaned around him, pulling back only slightly to sink again, working him deeper. The grip in her hair tightened, pressing her down on his cock, forcing her to take just enough that her muscles convulsed around him once more as she gagged.

The elf moaned and pressed more on the priestess's head until she was forced to push back against him. He obliged her resistance by pulling her away, making him fall from her mouth with a wet pop. She was able to get a few gulps of air before she was tugged up to his lips and kissed desperately. A moan rumbled up from deep in her chest, responding to his fever with a growing one of her own.

Stephi lifted a hand, curling it around the back of Syl's neck, holding him to her as they continued to kiss passionately. She leaned back, shifting her legs as she went and forcing him to follow or break contact. The latter was certainly something he seemed unwilling to do. Soon the two forms were back in the position that had begun in, only now his hips lay nestled between her thighs where heat quivered and sparked.

A hand was still tangled in the healer's hair, though it had traveled down to cradle the back of her head, mirroring the other on the small of her back. Her own clung to him, nails dipped into his skin to leave half moons in his flesh. He shifted, arching his body and moving his grip down to her backside, lifting her just enough that his throbbing hardness was brushing against swollen lips. She hummed in the back of her throat, lifting her hips to press herself down towards him, enticing him to do more than just tease.

The elf could only oblige, but he did so at a torturous pace. The thick head of his member dragged forward, making its way into the tight confines of his lady's core. She whimpered, keening as she tried to thrust up, moving to bring him in faster, but his hands steadied her, holding her back to let him continue his gradual course.

Elven lips found her throat, laying butterfly kisses across soft pale skin, a stark contrast to their heat only moments before. He was doing everything he could, it seemed, to make her beg for him. She was close to doing just that. Her bottom lip was being chewed mercilessly as her whimpering cries tried to filter through. She was just about to spill pleas into the air when she felt him nudge against resistance inside, pressed against her womb.

There was nothing truly gentle about having the long elven shaft penetrating the small human core. The swollen member filled and stretched her, pressed up against her inner wall with still more begging to slide inside. His lips found hers as he stayed still within, letting her get used to the size of him. It didn't talk long for her to press up further, encouraging him to continue. She slit her lids open, revealing blue eyes traveling up to see his face and meeting his gaze instead.

The elf was so gentle at first, his heat and passion tightly reigned in. The priestess could only imagine that he feared to hurt her as he stared down into her blue eyes, but she wasn't concerned about that in the least. Instead of holding back, she moved her hips to meet his every thrust, making him sink deeper than he intended. The sharp thrill that traced up her spine every time he hit resistance against her cervix was fuel to the fire inside. "Don't go slow..." Her voice came out over her breath, barely more than a begging whisper. "Please."

The woman's only response was to see those glowing eyes darken yet again as he obeyed. His next thrust came in hard, pounding against her inner wall and making her cry out, body arching up to meet him. He hesitated, seemingly nervous once more until she spoke again. "No. Don't stop." Ever dutiful to her demands, he continued, gradually creating a rhythm as he moved his body into hers.

Coils of pleasure coiled in her womb once more, building faster and stronger than before. Her head tossed to the sides as she clung to her lover, nails biting into the back of his neck as she held him to her. His face was buried in the crook of her neck, harsh breathing filling her ears from lips. Occasionally she'd feel his tongue on her skin, or his mouth locking to suck at her flesh and draw a deeper moan from her chest.

Locked together, the healer urged their thrusting to more rapid rhythms, driving the rogue to use his speed and strength in tandem to satisfy her keening cries for more. He shifted up, pulling from her arms, lifting her hips so he could angle his thrusts to squeeze past her g-spot again and again. Her fingers clutched at the blankets, knotting them in her fists as she plead to the powers above for release. She could hear him moaning now, grunting as their bodies hit against each other with audible slaps of flesh.

A haze of lust drove them forward. The woman's body quivered and quaked, her thirst for him only being fed to greater proportions and refusing to release. The man was unable to stay above as he thrust into her eager form, letting himself fall back over her. He moaned against her neck and his movement lost their flow and pace. He became frenzied, his thrusts quick, hard, and shallow. Her hands found their way back around his neck to cling to his dark skin. A kiss at her throat gave way to teeth gripping and pulling at her skin just before the hard cock inside her womb burst, shooting forth hot streams of cum to coat her walls. The sharp pain at her throat let her join his release, her orgasm ripping through her and leaving her to float in delirious bliss while her body arched up impossibly towards him, quaking and thrumming with her peak.

Syl slowly pulled free of the healer, their joint release flowing between them. His lips peppered kisses over the red circle he'd left with his teeth on her neck, soothing away the small hurt. She hummed, relaxed and sated. She nuzzled against his head, blue hair sliding across her cheek. His arms came up, wrapping around her waist and pulling her him him as he rolled onto his side. A little smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She vaguely thought about saying something, but darkness tugged at her consciousness, and soon she was drifting into dreams.