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-So this is your way in -said Kenneth smugly, and the dragon answered: - Regarding this statement, "warm"; regarding the question of "how do I keep dragons out...cold...very cold."

Kenneth took a deep breath, and went in. The green embraced him with a cool, moist shadow; the surrounding sound disappeared ...no, it got muffled, like in a cave, or underwater. The rest of the world seem to stay a respectful distance away, and then Kenneth made a sudden turn, following the path of least resistance; he realized the wide green corridor split into two smaller corridors, one to the left, and one to the right. They were curved, and several meters into the right one it dead-ended with an inpenetrable wall. Kenneth looked over his head, but there wasn't much of the sky to see; just occasional bright blue dots underneath an squeezing light through tight spaces; tiny green leaves formed a dome of vegetation above his head, arching between the trees, and completely obscuring the corridors from aerial sight.

"Smart" - thought Kenneth. He kept going down the green corridor, nothing the difference in the soil here - the ground under his feet was brown and aromatic, like forest soil. "He's carried soil here" - realized the man, and then the circular corridor split into two more.

-It is a maze -whispered Kenneth, as if the maze could hear him and would react angrily to its secret being exposed. A cold wave of wind from the depths of the corridor hit him in the face, chilling his body almost to the temperature of well water. He shivered; and for a second, was sure that he was still on the Riy's back, flying though the sky, and the forest maze was just a dream.

In the silence of the maze the wind was making the strangest of sounds, like a musical instrument slightly out of tune sounding a beat a little under the hearing range. The vibrations of the wind were thick, resonating in his chests; The edges of the green walls were sculpted, exact, like drawings from an old geometry textbook; how the dragon had achieved that was the most spectacular mystery so far. Kenneth approached the wall of the maze , and took a deep breath; the strong odor of fresh spice hit him with nausea, and he had to fight an urge to vomit.

-So that's the answer to why no dragon wonders in; it must be murder for their olfactory sense; Some sort of mixture of aromatic plants scattered around? Something that smells nauseating to dragons- he took another whiff, discerning more and more scents, chaotically piled into an unpleasant, overwhelming odor. Taken separately, the scents could be called pleasant, and he could feel something reminiscent of ginger, something very much like lavender, but very faint, and an oily, stale smell like fermented catnip. To a dragon such a chaos of strong scents were probably too revolting to bear; Kenneth wondered how he had not picked the aroma earlier. He took a step back, and the wind blowing in the tunnels seemed to carry away most of the scents.

"Maybe my nose is still not well after I had the chills" - the human thought, continuing down the corridor, which split into three, completely dark compartments. Without a light, proceeding would not be a wise decision. He proceeded anyway, relishing the opportunity to examine this mysterious artwork made by his close friend; if this structure did not qualify as art,then what did? Going down the green corridors he reached a dead end; turned around, ran back, and found himself lost. There was enough light coming through the green filter of tiny leaver that made the forest look like a snow globe, protected under a green dome; the little dots of light that passed through the few openings between the leaves formed long, almost solid rays of light that he felt were solid enough for him to lean on; the illusion was truly beautiful. The rays crossed at different angles, creating bright spots where several rays would cross, and these spots hang in the air like miniature suns; almost painful to look at, compared to the dark background. Another corridor dead-ended on him before he stumbled on a small circle of flowers; they were white, with crimson leaf tips, and seemed to be glowing in contrast to the dark ground. There was another circle to their right, and yet another further down, only the flowers were a dark amber and their leaves were purple; the two circles looked like a full moon and a bloody moon next to each other.

Kenneth held his breath as a strange, large insect appeared out of nowhere and buzzed around him; it looked like a pair of flying praying mantises entangled in a mating flight, except for the single pair of dome-like blue eyes. The insect peered at him with a spark intelligence, if not understanding, then flew away; the silence resumed.

Feeling watched and scrutinized, Kenneth stumbled into the next corridor which took a sudden turn and ....it led him to an amazing sight.

The corridor opened in the heart of the labyrinth. The perfect circle of green grass was at least a foot tall; it covered everything, apart from the center of the small space; the dome of vegetation above it was as perfect as a cathedral; and all around, different corridors opened under odd angles, and their dark openings, like the nostrils of a prehistoric beast, exhaled aromatic, cold, moldy winds. Stepping onto the deep grass, which sunk under his step, but did not crash was like stepping into a sacred place. The sound of his footsteps became muffled. The rays of lights which found a way in through invisible holes to form a stunning cone of light rays all directed at the center, where they set ablaze a small, inky pond in the middle of the cathedral-like space.

Kenneth felt that he had gone to an alien world, invaded its most secret place and now bathed in pure mystery and awe.

a lonely cricket sang in the grass, then went silent.

The air was suddenly heavy with the scent of peppermint, brought by a wave of gentle wind; Kenneth knelt, in the grass; sure enough, there was peppermint planted throughout the circle, and some other aromatic plant he did not recognize; the angle at which the light rays fell seemed to change slowly, in a hypnotic dance and the scent filled his lungs with freshness and life: "this feels like a place of healing" - thought Kenneth, whispering in his own mind, not daring to even think loudly, least the moment of bliss flew away or the surrounding space noticed him and accused him of blasphemy.

A single, fat ladybug climbed on his finger.

-What an amazing... work of art - whispered Kenneth, and the ladybug flew away, as if unaccustomed to the sound of a human voice.

-It is, isn't it? - asked Riy's voice, startling Kenneth into a jump; the dragon must have had another way in the maze, but the very fact he'd moved so silently was hard to grasp. Kenneth looked around, but he was as alone as a second before. Had his mind conjured the voice? Was it imagination, fueled, perhaps, by something hallucinogenic?

-It's...sacred? A monument? A place of healing?- asked Kenneth, trying to define where the dragon's voice would come from.

-No, it is not. And yes, in a way, it is. - said the dragon, clearly sounding closer, the echoes of the corridors adding a reverberation to his voice that made it almost ring, like coins on a metal pan.

-You never made art for art's sake; it's got to be more than just beauty - said Kenneth, deciding to tease the dragon with words.

-Not found of beauty, are we? - asked the voice closer, loosing some of the echo; the sound of rustling leaves was audible; if the corridors of the maze were not that many, Kenneth was sure he could pinpoint the dragon's position. The wall in front of him, right next to the opening of the leftmost corridor bulged; a second later, the dragon's head peered sheepishly from around the corner:

-Did I mange to scare you again? - he enquired, with an obvious delight in his voice.

-You managed to truly amaze me, which is considerably more difficult - said the human happily - This place is amazing! It's like a palace...

-It's like a cave- corrected him Riy - Dragons live in caves, remember? Preferably ones with water.

Kenneth's praise for the labyrinth was cut short, and he looked a little hurt.

-I'm not condescending - said the dragon quietly - But you deserve a clue for being brave enough to enter on your own. And for finding the center, of course. The center, you see, is everything.

Kenneth looked at the dragon quizzically, then remembered that he had to answer the question about how the maze was shaped. He'd already figured out that the small parasitic plant made the forest into ta monogamous whole, as good as a wall of green, but still very much alive and very much a forest; he knew what repelled other dragons and he had found the water source.

-You...planted the trees in a pattern... to form the maze? - asked Kenneth uncertainly.

-Of course I did - answered Riy indignantly. - That much is obvious to any observer of above average intelligence. But can you figure out the secret laid in plain sight?

Kenneth looked around, hoping to see a clue that would provide the answer, but none was to be found. How had the dragon managed to control the growth of the thin green vines that covered everything with miniature leaves? How had he forced them to grow into a shape that formed a perfect hedge, something that took trimming and care, and everyday maintenance? He clearly did not have the small size needed to maintain such a place...

-You got... people to do it for you - answered Kenneth after a long silence.

• I got people to do it for me, yes. - confirmed the dragon - But that's hardly the half of it. Come on, guess. You're getting warm.

-You...somehow control where the small-leaved vines will grow and how much

-That much is obvious. - agreed the dragon, entering the circular space, showing off the flexibility and grace of his body, which could move silently and step gently despite its power.

-You' ve...changed the soil here, perhaps? It's completely different from the sandpaper-like eroded surface outside.

-That is also true. But not related to the secret itself; not really - said the dragon happily, lying on the soft grass, and occupying a good quarter of the space the round chamber had to offer. He calmly drunk from the water that the small pond silently gurgled with, and looked at the human suggestively.

-It's the water....-whispered the human, mesmerized by the simplicity of the answer.

• Hot - said the dragon, dipping his tongue deep into the clear blue water, looking seductive and inviting, and deceptively docile.

-The water is the key, because the vines need it to grow...and you can somehow regulate how much water goes where to promote their growth at some places and discourage it in others. But you still needed people to trim it...no, that's not it....If you only come here once every eight days, there would be growth...and these walls are as smooth as glass....like they were melted into shape....The vines are flammable!

The dragon continued to drink water slowly, in small sips, like a cat, then looked at the human with his heterochromatic eyes, and tilted his head - Hot -

-So...your fire and plumbing of some sorts?

The dragon nodded slowly, imitating the human gesture for agreement.

-Plumbing. Copper and lead, not the type of thing you want delivering water to your drinking well at any rate. But the plants do not.... complain.

Kenneth approached the edge of the pound and knelt; sure enough, there were a number gray, dull-colored pipes, roughly half covered in green so prominent they practically blended with the grass and the other half , the lead ones, for sure - too dull to be distinguished from the background with the little light the maze offered. They were all going in the muddy soil around the stone ring of the spring, with small knobs on them.

-You might need to adjust that one; -said the dragon, and looking at Kenneth's face, said smugly - I've become quite the expert at plumbing - said the dragon, pressing a muzzle against one knob - there's a little too much water to the periphery; I'm seeing growth there, I'll flame it on our way out, but the water needs to be cut down by roughly one quarter.

-So you're brought me here for plumbing and gardening - laughed Kenneth, reaching for the knob.

-I brought you here because it's private and romantic- disagreed the dragon - And to reward you for being trustworthy. I've never shown this to a guest, or to a lover. It's... special to me.

The human's hand froze over the knob, then moved uncertainly: - How much...to the left...or is it the right?

-Half a turn to the right - said the dragon merrily - But you're avoiding my eyes again. Shy with compliments? Or crying in joy? I would prefer the second, or if you still feel shame as a heritage of your culture, I would even prefer the first to it.

The human shook his head, and said: - It's...not that I am ashamed. But I don't want to...

-Say it out loud? - ventured the dragon, amused and relaxed ; -Even here? Where no evil ear can hear?

-Afraid your church will hear? You know that bishop of yours probably wants to rub me off just as much as you do, seeing his collection of books on dragons and maidens; it does not take clairvoyance to know he wants to be the maiden; but his hands are just too fat for my liking; like a Kraken tentacle...

Kenneth burst laughing, tried to stop, but couldn't; the leafy cathedral around echoed like a crystal with the sound of his laughter, pure and child-like; when he managed to stop, the echo of it haunted him for a while more like a guilty thought.

-I'm of the same opinion as regards to draconic believes, too - said Riy quietly - Or should I really believe that a spirit made dragon kind from shattered pieces of a star? And that stars move around because they are divine thoughts? It sounds too poetic to be true. And if it is, then I don't get the universe at all. Passion is real, undeniable; The rest is just in your head.

-We all have our...beliefs and origin myths - said Kenneth , catching his breath - But there is always...something more to them than just make-believe.

-There is little more to society than societal pressure - mused the dragon - If there was something more, we would be living in a different world. Even if there was only reason to guide us.

-Reason ...-sighed Kenneth, laying on the grass, and quickly finding out the stony edge of the water pound was dangerously wet.

-Careful. Wet humans catch pneumonias - cautioned the dragon with genuine concern. -I can eat troublemakers or you, even bishops, but I can't cure the common cold. So stay dry.

The human would usually object to such treatment, but this time just sighed: -Yes, wet humans do get that sort of things. Also, wet humans smell bad.

-Like soiled cow - agreed the dragon - Which would only serve to appetize me.... instead of excite me.

-This place...-asked Kenneth slowly - Is this your...masterpiece? Is it the only one?

The dragon grinned, clearly pleased: - Masterpiece. I like that word in your language in particular. Its not the only one, my friend, but it's the best looking. If I take a female of my kind here, she will be mine to mount for the beauty of what I've built alone. But you offer the added benefit of a great conversation to the mix; and I like to amaze you and share secrets with you - said the dragon quietly, and Kenneth fought back the moisture in his eyes, feeling his chests burn with emotion. He felt his chastity belt press against his arousal, and for a second almost hoped the flesh would defeat the steel...He was certain he had earned a release from these confines today, but the dragon was strict in that respect an could delay the reward with another week, which would be so difficult to endure....Not even a wet dream could offer him a relief without the key the dragon kept, so tight were the confines of the metal belt. Kenneth focused on earning his pleasure:

-You said this place has a purpose; it's not just art - ventured Kenneth - And it's clearly engineering that keeps in together. Maybe...you want to remake the forest that was once here?

A long silence followed, before the dragon sighed: - Few things would make me happier. If I could remake that forest, the world would change.

-But there is not enough water - continued Kenneth , pressing his mind harder to think even more clearly, with piercing resolve and wit. - So you try to make it enough by capturing springs with plumbing.

The dragon looked surprised, then paused, and his expression turned into one of little more than moderate approval: You are a very smart thinker.

-Thank you - blushed Kenneth, the confines of his chastity belt all the more painful now - But there has to be more than that. You said the plant that is used here to glue the other vegetation together with its tiny leaves is something important for dragons.

-I did not say it with those exact words - mused the dragon- But true enough. According to me, at least.

-And the ancient forest here was probably full of it; maybe like the forests in the tropical regions, where you have many levels to a forest; every level is a cycle of matter and food that's almost complete on it's own; and yet they are interacting. It's impossible to put down on paper, the scholars say, but they claim that older dragon books mention this as a central concept - something that translated roughly into a "systemic of living beings in the environment". The human scholarly term was, I believe, ecosystem. It's a very new concept to humans.

• A rare piece of information for a human to have - approved the dragon, then added: - I'm sorry for the speciesm, my dear Kenneth, but humans are backwards thinking when it comes to designing a living environment.

-True - agreed Kenneth, uncanny enthusiasm in his eyes -But the fact that you , as a dragon, are so much more educated about nature and inclined to make projects like this - he pointed at the surrounding green dome - Which is a large-scale experiment, if I ever saw one, that means that you're trying to design yourself a forest. You are trying to design...an entire ecosystem.

The dragon did not bother to hide his amazement this time, instead bowing his head lightly: - Very good. Indeed, I am trying to recover a lost art of "shaping nature", and this is my ....as you called it, experiment. Not that it is not beautiful on its own; no. It is. But it tries to recreate conditions that existed in select few dragon caves, namely, the homes of our mythical sages, which, according to legend, could shape nature. I think that was not a myth, but a misunderstanding, a mistranslation - it's not that they shaped nature....but they could , as you put it so well, design "ecosystems". It's the only explanations as to why forests did not disappear despite the draconic propensity to burn them. It's also an explanation, a unique answer, to the question of how they managed to multiply dragonkind without depleting stocks of wildebeests and other natural resources. Not that there wasn't a great deal of power play, spectacular punishments, iron rules and battles - I'm sure these go without saying. But at the heart of it all...was an uncanny understanding of nature.

-You must have learned a lot - said Kenneth with appreciation, looking around: - But there's something I still don't understand.

-If there's only one thing you're not able to understand for the fraction of an hour you've been here, then I'm doing the whole experimenting wrong. -laughed the dragon with good-natured humor.

-There's a species of insect here that I've never seen before. It looks like...two insects merged together. Not as in, a mating flight, but as a double being, double the number of limbs, and everything.

-And you no doubt know how I keep other dragons away from this "lair" or mine? - asked Riy, ignoring the human's question.

• It's a mixture of smelly plants. - rushed Kenneth, determined to show he figured that part out for himself - You're used to them, while the others get headache.

-Well well - remarked the dragon, more amazement showing on his face - True, but they don't get headache. Nausea is the more exact term, and it's results only serve to...fertilize my forest.

Kenneth made a face of disgust, then went silent.

-You're trying to create - said Kenneth finally, lifting his eyes to meet the dragon's. - Something very important to you; but also...to everybody, am I correct?

-Indeed you are - said Riy, then mused - I think it's not possible to expect any more brilliant thinking here; if you had been raised by dragons, nothing would have stopped you from figuring me out completely. And maybe laugh at my ideas. The dragon seemed saddened by the thought.

Kenneth tried hard to squeeze more logic or knowledge out of himself, but his brain felt limp. The air was so moist and thick he was almost tempted to blame it for his brain being non-draconic.

-The air is thick - said Kenneth suddenly The dragon looked up at him, and showed surprise before concealing it; he had shown too much emotion already today.

-So it is - he admitted cautiously, as if they were treading on the verge of a great secret. If I follow your hints correctly - said Kenneth, gathering courage - You're manipulating the environment here. But it's hardly an end to itself; even if you could somehow achieve a change in the scale of your project; even then, this little garden-maze seems more... personal. A lot more...invested in, if this is the word. You're too invested in it for this all to be just an experiment, or a demonstration to prove a point. This does something for you - it must give you leverage, power, knowledge, or opportunity; maybe it's...healing?. these conditions, the moisture, the vegetation here...they do something for you. Something tangible.

-Yes, they can indeed do something for me - agreed the dragon happily , then contained his enthusiasm- Could you guess what?

Kenneth thought hard, trying to look at the issue from different points of view. It was hardly a place to use for seduction , or at least for seduction only, it was not big enough for teaching other dragons; it was not an orchard to grow some particular plant; it wasn't a type of atmosphere even a dragon would consider healing... and the only thing that moisture did for dragons was affect the toughness of their eggshells, and little more. Sleeping here could hardly be good even for a grown dragon...It was clearly not magical; what effects could this maze produce?

-This is... a nursery - realized Kenneth- This is a place to affect the development of eggs. But it's not warm enough!

-Exactly - said the dragon, heat coursing through his body from the excitement. -Well done, my friend.

-But eggs are vulnerable! -Kenneth was surprised to find himself genuinely terrified.

-There there, don't be so scared about dragon eggs - laughed the dragon, poking a muzzle in the human's chests; - Eggs can be moved safely across distances; you have done splendidly for me! I'm truly proud of you! It is a marvelous feeling - said the dragon, deeply happy - To be understood.

The dragon leaned over and positioned his giant head carefully over the human's shoulder, in the draconic equivalent of a hug. This was a gesture reserved for the young, and for friends that you were a mentor to, so Kenneth cherished it greatly before asking -But why put the eggs in a replica of an ancient environment? Will they get stronger?

-Maybe - said the dragon, thoughtfully- Maybe not. But they will, if I am right, tend to hatch female.

Kenneth froze completely still, considering in disbelief, considering the implications; dragons had a high male to-female ratio, and that was the one reason they weren't reproducing as fast as the flocks that fed them; the other reason being the time it took for a dragon to reach reproductive age.

-I'm not trying to hurt the human world - assured him Riy thoughtfully- But if we just change the ration of males to females, like it was long, long ago..

-...when dragons dominated the world -? - offered Kenneth. He shut his eyes closely after those words.

-Yes, when there were more of us than now, in a matter of speaking.

"If this sort of thing works, and I don't tell anybody about it, I'm betraying my own species" - thought Kenneth slowly, trying to grasp the concept of such a betrayal, and failing. He could already feel the dread of knowing that if it came to it, he would stand by the dragon's side, no matter what.

-With more females, there will be fewer mating fights. Less violence. Less death. Even someone like me, who prefers male dragons, could then leave progeny - continued the dragon, melancholy and longing creeping in his voice along with the undertones of hope.

-And there would be a lot more dragons - said Kenneth quietly - So you need to figure out how to modify the forests and the livestock so they can sustain them.

-I would have answered, not a span ago, "yes" to those concerns. Now I am not so sure. I told you that's what I wanted originally, didn't I ? But it seems the fertility of the "changed" eggs, the ones that would have been males originally is under question. I might end up creating sterile females. It will still help greatly - even if the female is sterile, a female is still a treasure; a pacifier. A diplomat. A peace-giver.

-Now that will change everything... - started Kenneth, but was interrupted:

-Only if we lived in an ideal world - huffed the dragon, swaying his head - In reality, it will be more of a curiosity than an accepted practice. Dragons are stubborn and slow to change. Even when the change is actually a return to their own old practices. Whatever this experiment shows, I'll wait for years before revealing my idea. Results are easy to burn; even a whole forest it.

-You think...-stared the human

-That those unhappy with my experiments would be so inclined so as to burn them. Yes, that's a common way to express criticism in draconic communities.

Kenneth went silent before asking quetly:

-One last question.

-Before what?- mused the dragon, slowly tracing his tail over the human, careful not to leave too much of its weight and equally careful not to scratch the human with its many spikes.

Kenneth's body shivered with the primal feeling, and he traced hands over the gigantic tail as it withdrew: -You know, when it comes to foreplay, you should write a book. A forbidden book at that.

-That does not sound like a question - noted the dragon, tracing his tail over the human once more.

-Why ...a maze...? Why... is it... a maze? Asked Kenneth, composing himself with effort. He begun to undress, but the dragon stopped him with a claw gesture.

-it's too cold here to lay with you naked.

-Your body is warm enough - suggested the human.

-I'm not risking you getting a cold again - said the dragon - And it's a maze because I like mazes. He lifted a paw and pressed it on the humans shoulders, knocking him to the ground and keeping him there with all the pressure the frail human body could take.

-That's your favorite..."thing", isn't it? You deserve an award; for all the thinking you did today...And most of all, for understanding me. Maybe I will free your from your belt of chastity...If you do everything I want here, and what I want is very specific.

Kenneth said nothing, as his body sunk into the grass and then in the soft soil, which gave more than several inches before suddenly becoming moist. Kenneth made an indiscriminant sound.

-This is about as much pleasure as I can master to give - admitted the dragon, releasing his human

-Anything - said Kenneth with a thick voice, climbing on the dragon to find the pouch with scented oils.

-I want the cleanest one; smell doesn't matter - said the dragon and Kenneth obliged, taking out the bottle of clear, filtered oil. The dragon rolled on his back cautiously, as the human spread on his belly and for a second both of them stood motionless.

-You wish you could mount me? - asked Kenneth, not bothering to conceal the tones that showed he had the same desire.

-I've hurt dragons when mounting them; I'd never risk you - groaned the dragon, his voice thickening.

The human spread some oil on the soft green tube that begun to emerge from the dragon's abdomen, but the dragon interrupted him:

-Before you refuse, I have it on good authority it will work. Kenneth tried to assure the dragon he would not refuse anything, then the dragon said: - Oil your hand, and push it in my sheath.

Kenneth dropped the bottle and was lucky it was self-sealing. Before he could say anything, the dragon noted: - You promised to do anything. Don't argue for one bit; or we'll loose the...window of opportunity -The dragon pointed at his sheath, in the bottom of which a pink hardness was beginning to take shape.

Kenneth paused for a moment, then, just before arguing imagined what it would feel like if he actually achieved that, and decisively covered his right hand with oil; then he paused again, reflecting on the fact his hand could probably get stuck.

He placed more of the oil on it.

-Good - praised the dragon - Now gently, but quickly place it in, like in the sleeve of a shirt; I have pushed claws into it, and never had problems; rotate your wrist to go deeper.

Kenneth caught the moving tube of grey with his left hand, and tried place his right hand inside the entrance, like putting on a strange, warm, pulsing sock that smelled faintly arousing. The thick scale-covered flesh hardened under his efforts, but he only managed to get his fingers in.

-Rotate;burrow yourself in - directed the dragon, hitting a tree with his leg involuntary and then retracting it back. Kenneth pressed harder, wiggling his hand first clock-wise then counter-clockwise, and for a second the sheath inflated, as he had closed it almost airtight with his hand, and on its bottom the red tip was expulsing the air. His wrist stretched the entrance a little and went all the way past the last knuckle of the thumb, until it felt stuck. But then the tube of flesh expanded a little, as it prepared to release the spear it held, and he sunk almost five centimeters further in, and then another five. The dragon made an non-characteristic noise, but indicated with three lifted claws that the sound was one of enjoyment. Kenneth continued: burning how air escaped the sheath, past his hand, and seemed to find its way straight to his nostrils, intoxicating him; he had never felt that scent so strongly, despite his recent flu that he thought had damaged his sense of smell. The length of the tube was easily twenty centimeters, but what would come out of it was twice it's circumference and double it's length; Kenneth repeated that to himself, as his hand went deeper and he felt pulsing veins around; he repeated it again, to assure himself he would not get stuck.

-Push my tip back in - requested the dragon and won himself a puzzled look

-Gently press against it to make it go back in; I do it to myself sometimes. While it's still soft it's perfectly safe; - he insisted, and Kenneth opened his mouth to protest, but, sure enough, as the dragon had sensed all too well, he found himself pressing against the familiar tip; he tried to press it back down, using his left hand which assisted from the outside, but failed.

-Try...sliding it...under a sharp angle...-advised the dragon, and his body moved as if convulsing. He indicated again that it was pleasant to him and Kenneth continued.

After several tries, Kenneth found the right angle and to his shock the iron-hard tip retreated in the tight, burning depths;

-Try a different angle to go deeper - suggested the dragon, making another strange noise; his other words were lost to the noise.

Kenneth tried to find the tip he had pushed back, and as the sheath stretched around him and seemed to enlarge, he went halfway to his elbow inside the dragon. The tips of his fingers found the tip of the dragon's spear, while his wrist slipped past something that felt like a tight ring, which relaxed, letting him in; he realized, shock creeping on his face, that his left hand, still outside the warm, moist tube of flesh, could feel that his right hand was now at the end of the tube of flesh. What lay further were the dragon's insides.

-Go inside; very slowly; press... down... and then to the left... under an angle - said the dragon, and his eyes met the human's; there was so much pleasure there that Kenneth swallowed and massaged the end of the tube with his left hand, hoping that his right hand would not fit in.

He felt the pressure of a large, round muscle, which parted, like a band of leather around his wrist as his hand went inside the dragon's abdomen. The burning heat was so surprising, he almost pulled back, but stopped himself in time. He felt dull suction pull him in and the muscle tightened around his wrist. He could feel the warm tip pressing against his palm, and something, probably a blood vessel, pulsed against it; then something else spilled warm, gelatin-like liquid on his fingers and the pulsing stopped. The dragon suppressed a roar and opened his jaw wide, like he did only when feeling great pleasure.

Another pulsation against his wrist caught Kenneth unprepared, and the tip slid from underneath his hand, opening room which his hand filled; another warm reservoir of something spilled against him hand, and he found himself in a tighter, more muscular tunnel.

The dragon said something in his own language, which Kenneth loosely translated as words of praise and then a cynical word about why he had not had that done earlier. Suddenly the hard, cone-shaped tip pressed so hard against the human's hand, it pushed it back against the ring-shaped muscle that held him trapped inside the dragon's abdomen, and it parted effortlessly, expanding in all directions. The dragon's member pushed him further back, and he found himself with his hand back "outside", if the dragon's sheath could be called that. Before he could ask Riy what the dragon wanted next, the tube of pulsing flesh expanded visibly and released his hand with ease, expelling it easily, and making way for the giant tower of red flesh that came out of it.

Before he could rejoice that his hand had made it out, a wave of translucent, thick seed crashed in his face once, twice, and then, with a final spur, died out. Before managing to note that the ending should have been slower, had he done a good job, the dragon moved and Kenneth fell to the ground; From the ground, he noticed as another release exploded through the red, barbed and spiked tower of flesh, then stopped like the previous one, and was followed by another climax, much smaller, but obviously more painful. The dragon convulsed and roared, expelling a flame into the air, which dented the wall of green vegetation in front of him, evaporating the green growth and leaving only the trees, charred to black.

The dragon laid back, panting, with trembling limbs, his breath warming the leafy chamber; he started making a great, huffing noise the human had not heard before. Several minutes went on before the dragon managed to speak the common language again, saying:

-That...feels better...even better...than it looks. -Without any praise, or further comment, Riy laid in the grass he has had planted, in the middle of his giant forest maze, breathing heavily, as if wounded, eyes closed, and seemingly asleep. It was a long time before he moved. He spoke slowly:

-Don't worry about the fire damage; it will heal in the next three span. I...I honestly haven't felt something so intense since the first time I had a partner, and lost some of my control. You, my friend, are free from the confines that stop you from pleasure without my permission...for now, that is. Make it a show of pleasing yourself for me, and if you can get me to go again, the belt will stay off for a sunrise or two.