Text (C) 2006-2009, Sandwalker

Blaze (C) his player

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Author's note: This is a sequel to Gryphon's Escape_. I started it in 2006, and only managed to finish it (after deciding to just drop the sex from it) last night. The sex will come in a following part. Yes, I CAN write PG-13 stories. :p_

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Blaze stayed for a few days with his new friends, Eirann and Lavina, before he decided that he'd imposed on their hospitality enough and that he should finally go looking for a place to call his own. Now that he was free from the research lab, he was sort of at a loss with regards to how to spend his time. Having sex several times a day was certainly something that the orange gryphon didn't complain about, until his cock started getting sore from using it so much, but surely there was more to life than just hedonistic urges and satisfying them.

"Well, it was very nice to have you stay with us, Blaze," Lavina said with a smile as they stood outside their aerie. "We couldn't have had a better guest â€" or lover, either," she added with a wink.

Blaze nodded, grinning widely. "Thank you," he said, "for all your hospitality...and the sex," he added with a wink of his own. "I had a great time, particularly the other night."

"Oh, yes," Eirann replied, his eyes twinkling. "Rhea couldn't get enough of your cock, could she? I don't think I've ever heard a gryphon screech so loud in orgasm."

A bright red flush coloured Blaze's nares as he blushed in embarrassment. "I didn't think I was that good," he murmured, lowering his head to glance at the sand beneath him. "I liked being taken by Jerryn too; it hurt so much when he first went in, but by the time he was creaming my guts I was hoping he'd never pull out."

"That's a boy, Blaze!" Eirann's beak was curved into a big gryph-grin. "I told you you'd enjoy a good buggering! Maybe next time I'll get my chance, mmm?"

"Maybe," Blaze said, still blushing. "I'd love to get together again. Until then, I guess I'd better go. I want to find a place to settle in before I do anything else."

"Mmm, yes. We don't want to take up any more of your time," Lavina said. "Go forth and find yourself a home. Then you can invite us round for another orgy," she added with a vocal smirk.

Blaze nodded, his nares bright red. "I'll do that, if I find a big enough place." He stretched out his wings, fluffing the feathers out a bit. "Until then, thank you for everything." With that he crouched down and launched himself into the air, flapping his wings strongly to gain altitude.

"Bye now!" the other two called, waving claws in a farewell. "Fuck you later!" added Eirann, causing Blaze to wobble a bit in laughter. He climbed in a lazy circle until they looked like ants on the ground, then straightened up and flew away, following the rocky coastline beneath. A few deep inlets broke up the gentle curve, their edges defined by steep cliffs to which clung scraggly bushes.

As he flew, Blaze appraised the landscape, his sharp eyes searching the cliffs and hills for any likely looking residences. There were a few caves dotting the cliffs, and there were some nice sheltered valleys, but none of them looked as if they supported much wildlife; the coast was rugged, and he could see that there was an abundance of seabirds, but he'd rapidly get tired of eating the same thing constantly. That thought brought back memories of being in the research lab, being fed small globs of raw meat, often laced with some sort of new drug or poison they wanted to test his resistance to. The food had always been the same, but he had never known what might be in it the next time he ate.

He shook his head, determined not to think of that. Instead, he thought of how to actually catch his food. It seemed easy in theory, but when he'd watched Eirann and Lavina catch their prey it seemed a lot harder. He'd made a few attempts with their guidance, and managed to bring down some small animals, which earned him a few scratches to his face. On the whole, he hadn't done too badly for himself. With practice he'd probably be able to bring down full-sized prey eventually. As long as he didn't starve, he didn't too much mind what he caught.

After an hour or so of flying, during which he swooped down to investigate the odd cave that caught his eye, he found what he thought would be a great place to set himself up. The entrance was big enough for four gryphons to walk abreast, and as he glided down to get a closer look he saw that it extended back into the cliff and turned a corner, thus protecting it from any bad weather that might happen to blow in.

Blaze came in for a landing, pleased that there was so much room for his wings. Some of the ones he had scoped out had a nice ledge, but not much room for error for landings. He folded his wings to his back and looked around.

The cave was bare, as he expected, aside from a number of bones from some large animal scattered over the floor. He strolled further in, and found a soft padding of sand over the back part of the cave, extending into the protected part. "Interesting," he mused to himself as he explored that section. The sand there was built into a sort of crater, like a large nest, about as wide as three times his length. Some crudely carved shelves in the rock held a variety of objects, ranging from a large phosphorescent crystal to a very dog-eared book. It then occurred to him that this cave seemed already occupied, and by something far larger than he was.

Just as he thought about turning to leave, the light suddenly darkened, accompanied by the sound of large wings beating ponderously in a landing. "Uh-oh," he muttered, a sense of dread suddenly overwhelming him. Whatever it was, it was huge, and probably not much in a mood to argue with an intruder. A quick glance in the dim light showed there were definitely no hiding places available to him. He backed up as far as he could, trying to make himself as small as possible, wishing he could just fade into the walls.

A large angled head, apparently a slightly iridescent dark blue in the dimmed light, came into view, thrust into shadow by the rest of its cerulean bulk. It didn't seem to notice the gryphon at first, but as it turned to settle into its sandy wallow it couldn't help but see him. Its eyes, multi-faceted and swirling with soft blues, blinked slowly. A strong puff of breath came from the creature's nostrils, perched on the end of its muzzle, giving Blaze a whiff of whatever it was the thing had last eaten.

A few seconds of silence passed, relieved only by their breathing. At last the creature spoke. "Who are you?" The voice was a low rumble, mellifluous in tone with a hint of annoyance.

For a panicked moment Blaze's mind went completely blank. "I, uh, I'm...um...Blaze!" the gryphon burst out as his mind resumed normal function. He opened and closed his beak a few times, trying to think of something else to say.

"Blaze. Hmm." The beast turned his head to the left, to the right, appraising the gryphon. He was silent for a seemingly interminable time, then he spoke again. "I am Fy'satu'an, or...'Fizzy' to my friends," he added. He stared at Blaze intently, then asked, "What, pray tell, is a gryphon doing in a dragon's cave? Are you, perchance, lost?"

"I, well, no..." stuttered Blaze, wanting to tell the truth, but not wanting to dig himself any deeper either. "I was looking for a home for myself," he said eventually, looking hard at the ground, not wanting to meet the creature's gaze. "The cave looked free, so...." He trailed off into silence.

"I see," Fy'satu'an said ponderously. Another long pause followed. "You know, I usually eat ones such as yourself, who take it upon themselves to intrude upon my private domain. Particularly those whom I find back here in my nest, so close to my nick-nacks." The dragon grinned then, showing off an impressive array of dentition. Adhered to a few teeth were what appeared to be the remains of his last meal; even a feather was evident.

Blaze eyed the grin, and swallowed hard. For a few moments he imagined himself being crunched up in those huge jaws, then his bloody carcass slipping down into the dragon's stomach, and started to feel quite weak and helpless. This was it, he was sure. These would be his final minutes of life.

"However," Fizzy continued, observing Blaze's discomfiture, "I sometimes make exceptions, depending on my mood. And right now...I'm feeling more playful."

Blaze's thoughts were whirling in a crazed cacophony of panic, so it took a few seconds for the gryphon to comprehend what the dragon had said. "Uh...playful? How do you mean?" he asked warily. He was even less willing to be a meal if he was going to be played with, like a mouse being batted around by a cat's paws.

"Well," Fizzy said, eyeing Blaze like a cat would a mouse, "I mean 'playful' in the context of...." Here the dragon paused for dramatic effect before finishing with, "Sex." He spoke the word with a snap, darting his head forward towards the gryphon, causing Blaze scrabble backwards in fright. "Yes, you'd feel good underneath me while I rub myself against you, getting myself all aroused before I slip under your tail...." Fizzy trailed off, watching the gryphon's face closely to judge his reaction.

Blaze was feeling a bit confused. Here was a dragon that was almost big enough to fit him into his belly in one piece, and he was wanting sex? He stared back at Fizzy, tilting his head a little inquisitively. "That's all? You just want to fuck me and let me go?"

That wasn't quite the reaction Fizzy had been expecting, or hoping for. "You don't seem too surprised," he murmured, leaning back and letting a lungful of air out with a quick huff through his nostrils. "Bother. I usually get more drama when I say that." He seemed genuinely put out. "The last intruder I had fainted dead away. She wasn't much fun after that, though she was nice and tight!"

"Not after you'd fucked her," Blaze replied, shaking his head a little. "Do you often treat uninvited visitors that way? What do you do with them after?"

"Uh...." Fizzy made a vague gesture with one of his claws. "Usually I just eat them straight off. It's nice to come back from an unsuccessful hunt and find a fresh meal waiting for me. A quick wrench of the neck, and it's over for them, as far as life is concerned." He paused uncomfortably for a few seconds before continuing. "And when I fuck the others...well, sometimes I eat them, and sometimes I take them far away and just leave them."

A lengthy pause followed Fizzy's admission. "And what will you do with me?" Blaze said, in a small, quiet voice. He'd dropped down onto his haunches, his wings spread a little around himself, suddenly feeling very much like a bit of prey.

"Well...you seem to be...sincere. I mean, you're probably the first 'visitor' I've had that wasn't here looking for stuff to steal." Fizzy peered at Blaze, starting to feel a bit sorry for this orange gryphon. "Say...you're not from around here, are you? I mean...well...you're orange. I've never seen a gryphon in such a...bright colour."

"No, I'm not," Blaze replied, shaking his head. "I...well, don't really know how I got here. I escaped from...a bad place," he contemporised, "and I came through that Barrier thing. I found some new friends, who helped me to recover from that experience, then I set out to find a home for myself."

"Ah, the Barrier." Fizzy turned his head to look out towards the clouding sky, as if by doing so he could see the Barrier. "So many have tried to go through, and so many have failed. I tried it, when I was but a young fool. Nearly killed myself in that attempt." He sighed and turned back to regard Blaze with a new-found respect. "If you believe in any gods, they must surely have been watching you."

Blaze thought about that. "No, I don't believe in gods of any kind. Just the way I was brought up. Or lack of upbringing," he amended. "For nearly all my life, my days were confined to four walls and endless tests. I couldn't even believe in death. I was so close any number of times, but I was always pulled back to the world of the living."

Fizzy was distinctly uncomfortable now. He'd expected to get a quick, hard fuck, and possibly a meal out of this oddly-coloured gryphon, but instead he was getting a candid confession. Now he felt more like taking Blaze under his wing and offering comfort than taking his rump. He sat back on his haunches, studying the selcouth gryphon before him with a keen gaze, causing Blaze to look away after a few seconds.

A quiet peal of thunder rumbled far off in the distance, disturbing the tableau of silence. "There'll be a storm before long," Fizzy murmured, glancing over his shoulder again. "I...well, you're welcome to share my company for least the duration of the storm," he offered, deciding that for once he'd befriend a 'visitor', rather than have his way with them. Besides, as much as he liked his solitude, now and then he ached to have someone share his cave with him, particularly during inclement weather. Curling up in his nest and listening to the rain and wind lashing at the cliffs was pleasant, but it always brought home to him that he was alone, possibly the only living soul for miles around. Look at me, getting all sentimental, mused Fizzy. Over someone who's not even a dragon, at that! But yet...he's alone too. Like me.

Blaze was a little startled at the offer. Though he was still somewhat afraid of Fizzy, the dragon seemed honest, and concerned for him. "I wouldn't want to impose," he protested weakly, "though the invitation is appreciated."

"Please, be my guest," Fizzy insisted. "I'm not going to fuck you, or eat you. I just...." He trailed off again with a small sigh. "I just want some company. You don't know how lonely it is up here. Sure, the view is great, and I have plenty of room to stretch myself out, but...." Fizzy shrugged, his wings extending out slightly as he did so. The smooth sail of his left wing was marred by several gashes, which looked as if they hadn't healed properly. One still had clotted blood on it.

"What happened to you?" Blaze asked, stepping forward to get a better look at the damaged wing. His eye-ridges furrowed as he focused his gaze at the gashes. To him, they appeared to have been caused by some sort of predator, made by vicious claws raking downward over the strong, but tender, fabric of the wing.

"Huh? Oh, I got jumped by a couple of foolish young lions. There's a pride about a day's flight east of here. I was a bit careless in my hiding place, and I was surprised. So were they when they went down my throat. They struggled for ages before they settled down."

Blaze looked somewhat aghast at the thought of Fizzy gulping down two lions...alive. He shuddered involuntarily, but still dared to ask, "Do you prefer your prey live or dead?"

Fizzy thought for a few moments. "Well...alive, for the most part, unless they're proving too much trouble. Large fish feel particularly good, flapping and squirming as I slurp them down. They slide down so easily."

"I've never had live fish," mused Blaze. "By the time I'd managed to get my claws on one it was already dead. They're difficult to catch, so I had to let others get them for me."

"Ah, yes, they are a nuisance to get a grasp on. Took me weeks to perfect the catching skill."

Another rumble of thunder sounded, slightly closer than before. "So will you stay with me, at least for tonight?" Fizzy wasn't exactly pleading, but he had that tone of voice. "You're welcome to share my nest if you wish."

Blaze didn't really know what to say. It was true that he needed somewhere to spend the night, particularly with a storm brewing, but he wasn't sure he'd want to spend it cuddled up with a dragon. After some deliberation he nodded. "All right. Just...don't eat me during the night. I don't want to wake up in your stomach."

Fizzy smiled, showing off some of his dentition. "Of course. I don't eat my guests. That would just be rude."

"Heh heh...yes, it would be," replied Blaze, nervously. As though stimulated by the conversation, the gryphon's stomach suddenly rumbled in counterpoint to the thunder. "Oooh...I've not eaten anything today. I completely forgot."

"You haven't, hmm? Well...I could probably snag something from the ocean to tide you over. I think I've got enough time to do so before the rain hits. By the look of it, it'll be a nasty blow." He straightened up and turned to head to the entrance of the cave. "Not too fussy on what I grab?"

"Oh, no, not at all!" Blaze said, somewhat amazed at Fizzy's generosity, especially considering the circumstances. "Just...something small."

The dragon nodded and waddled to the entrance. "Righto. I'll be back soon, then." With that, Fizzy thrust himself out into the air, wings snapping open as he dropped, putting him into a tight swoop towards the ocean.

Blaze wandered out to stand at the edge, his eyes focusing distantly to watch the dragon skimming over the water, wings spread wide, talons extended beneath him and neck outstretched as he scanned for fish below the surface. The distance was great enough that Blaze eventually gave up watching as Fizzy drifted out of comfortable focal range. He sighed heavily and lay down, crossing his foreclaws and resting his head upon them. Already he was missing the companionship of Eirann and Lavina, as well as the daily trysts that they'd involved him in. He even missed Fizzy, as odd as that seemed to him.

The gryphon mulled over his current situation even as his eyes tracked the gathering clouds in the increasingly darkening sky. Not even a week on this island, and already he'd made five friends, if one included the dragon. Now all he needed was a place to call his home and a ready supply of food. Surely that couldn't be too much of a mission?

Time crept by, marked only by the movements of the dark clouds obscuring the sky. After what seemed like an hour or so there were so many clouds clumped together that Blaze could almost swear that night was falling, despite the time of day being barely midday.

A short time later Blaze heard the sound of ponderously flapping wings, and a few seconds later Fizzy appeared from just overhead, his forelegs holding a number of large fish whose scales shone iridescently in the dim light. "Here we go!" Fizzy said as he carefully lowered his feet to the ground, then his catch upon the ground. "Five fresh fish, mostly still alive. The two smaller ones are for you." The dragon pushed the two small fish away from their fellows towards Blaze, then picked up the nose of one of the others in his jaws. With a practised upward flick of his head he sent the fish up into the air, then opened his jaws wide. Down came the fish, falling head-first into Fizzy's maw. He kept his jaws open for a few seconds as the fish flapped around feebly, then gulped hard, almost seeming to inhale the fish. The fish disappeared down Fizzy's throat, the long bulge it made in his neck wiggling as it slipped down into his chest. "Ooh, that felt good," the dragon growled with pleasure.

Blaze stared at the dragon, his gaze moving down to follow the fish's progress into Fizzy's stomach. After several seconds of staring Fizzy waved a claw in front of Blaze's face. "Hello?"

"Huh? Oh...sorry. Spaced out for a bit," Blaze replied, blinking as he looked up at Fizzy. "It was just...fascinating watching the fish go down."

Fizzy chuckled. "Really, now? Perhaps you should try it yourself, while they're still flapping." The dragon hooked the smallest fish with a claw and offered it to Blaze. "I recommend head-first; it's much easier."

The gryphon looked at the fish, at its glassy eyes, its slightly iridescent scales. Then he looked up at Fizzy again, before he gingerly took the weakly flapping fish into his beak. For a few seconds he debated over whether or not to just let the fish flap out the remainder of its life before he swallowed it, but then he steeled himself and went for it. He flicked his head up and gulped hard, forcing the unwilling piscine down his gullet. It took three swallows before Blaze felt the tail slip into his throat, its ragged edges scraping the tender flesh of his pharynx before it disappeared. He could feel its movements on the downward journey to its final resting place, an unusual sensation that was oddly...thrilling.

"So? What'd you think? Feel good? Still flapping in your belly?" Fizzy asked with a big grin, moments before he downed another fish.

Blaze thought for a few seconds before he replied. "Yeah, I think I liked it. And I can feel it wiggling in my stomach." A bubble of air made its way up his throat and he belched. "Not for long, though." He looked down at the other small fish, and hooked it with a claw. He flicked it up into the air and made to catch it in his beak. It was halfway down his throat before he realised that the fish had landed tail first. The scales scraped the inside of his oesophagus as the fish went down with some difficulty. "I see what you mean about head first being easier," he croaked after the fish had finally eased into his stomach. "That was...not nice."

Fizzy looked at Blaze sympathetically. "It comes with practice." The dragon swallowed the remaining fish with predatory pleasure, let loose a belch to rival Blaze's, then flumped down onto the stone, staring out of the cave at the almost black sky. "The storm'll hit shortly." He raised his head and turned to regard the gryphon. "Would you like to join me?" He slowly raised a wing, inviting Blaze to join him underneath it.

"Sure," Blaze responded, taking up position beside Fizzy's much larger bulk and making himself comfortable. He leaned against the dragon's side, flinching slightly when Fizzy lowered his wing to cover him.

Presently the sky was brilliantly lit up by a spectacular flash of fork lightning, followed a short time later by a peal of thunder that rumbled into nothingness over several seconds. "Impressive," Fizzy remarked, glancing down at Blaze, who had huddled up beneath his wing. "Did it scare you?"

Blaze nodded, his eyes wide. "Since I've been on this island, the weather hasn't been this bad."

Fizzy hmmed, tucking his wing a little more tightly around Blaze's shivering body. "It's quite rare to have such bad weather at this time of year. It'll blow itself out by tomorrow, I'm sure." He smiled and nuzzled at the gryphon's beak. "I'll keep you safe."

Blaze returned the nuzzle, relaxing a little. "I don't like the thunder, but the lightning is pretty to watch." As if nature had heard him, another fork of brilliant white light cracked the sky, leaving its image imprinted upon his retinas. He flinched when the thunder rolled again, but he didn't cower under Fizzy's wing again.

Together the unlikely duo watched the natural battle raging outside. The occasional gust of wind howled into the cave, blowing cold, stinging rain against them, but Fizzy just cuddled up more against Blaze, protecting him from the worst of the elements.

After some time had passed the rain was falling in earnest, strong gusts blowing it through the cave entrance, lit occasionally with blinding flashes of light. "Fizzy?" Blaze asked, breaking the silence that had grown between he and the dragon.

"Mmm, yes?" Fizzy rumbled, turning his head to focus his faceted eyes upon his smaller companion.

Blaze hesitated, wondering how to phrase his question. "Have you ever had someone to...uh...."

"Be intimate with?" the dragon offered. At Blaze's nod he raised his head to stare into the distance. "I did, once, a long time ago. Beautiful red-brown hide, soft green eyes, a wonderful sense of humour and very loving...." Fizzy trailed off, falling silent for a minute or so before he continued. "One day he went out flying, to the mountains in the centre of the island...and he never came back." Fizzy's voice was dull, but it was imbued with sadness. Another flash of lightning illuminated the dragon's face, showing tears leaking down his cheek.

"Oh," Blaze murmured, having not expected such an answer. "I'm...sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Blaze." Fizzy heaved a heavy sigh and laid his head down upon his claws again. "You didn't know, and it was a long time ago. I think about him now and then, half expecting him to return. Since then, I've been completely by myself."

Silence fell again. "And I can't miss what I've never had," Blaze eventually replied. "I've never had someone to love me. My life in the lab was nothing but tests and cruelty. Here...I've had plenty of sex, but not intimacy born out of love."

Fizzy regarded Blaze with slowly whirling eyes, their blue facets tinged with yellow. "Do you seek a mate? A gryphon mate?"

"Well...yeah, I guess. I'd like to share my life with someone. Eventually, if I can find someone."

"Would you consider...a dragon for a mate?"

Blaze blinked, for a moment taken aback. "You mean...yourself?"

The dragon nodded slowly. "I like you, Blaze, and...I think I would like to be your mate, if you would have me. You don't have to answer right away." A moment's pause, then he continued. "I must sound desperate, don't I?"

"Slightly," replied Blaze with a murmur. "I'd be more comfortable if we gave it some time first. See if the relationship would work." He rubbed his beak against Fizzy's muzzle. "I wouldn't mind getting to know you more intimately. I think," he added, sounding a little uncertain.

"Neither would I." Fizzy returned the nuzzle, stroking his nose over Blaze's head. "I'm probably too big for you, though."

"How big?" Blaze asked, curiosity prompting him to ask.

Fizzy hmmed and moved his claws to measure out a space about a foot and a half long. "About that long, and...about that thick?" he suggested, moving two digits of his right claw to make a large circle.

Blaze's eyes widened once he'd comprehended the measurements he was shown. "That's...big," he murmured. "Much bigger than anything I've taken. I'd like to try, though," he added with a chuckle.

"Maybe it'd work the other way around," Fizzy suggested. "Anyway, we'll see what happens." He stroked a foreclaw gently over the gryphon's head. "Come share my nest, Blaze," he murmured, before he slowly moved away from the cave entrance and headed towards the back. After a moment's hesitation, Blaze followed him, flinching when another crack of thunder boomed outside.

The dragon settled into his nest, positioning himself a bit on his side and curling so that there was some room left for Blaze. He rumbled quietly as the gryphon fitted himself in. "Just enough room," he murmured, gently stroking over Blaze's head again. "Your feathers are so soft," he added in bemusement. "Quite unlike my hide."

Blaze made a quite chirring noise in response to the head strokes. "Thank you," he replied, leaning against Fizzy's warm body. It felt nice to be with someone again, even if he'd left his gryphon friends only that morning. There was something about Fizzy's size, however, that made him feel more comfortable. He shifted around, until he was somewhat curled up within the dragon's embrace, with his back against Fizzy's belly.

Another brilliant flash of lightning lit up the cave, followed a short time later by another air-shattering boom of thunder, as Fizzy nuzzled at Blaze's head, slowly extending his tongue and licking lightly over the gryphon's beak. Blaze responded with a lick of his own, tilting his head back slightly to meet the dragon's muzzle.

Fizzy rumbled in pleasure, pleased that Blaze was reciprocating, at least so far. He stroked his claws lightly over the gryphon's body, moving from the orange feathers of his head and neck to the darker brown fur of his lower body.

# # #

As the minutes passed the thunder lost its intensity as the storm gradually moved off, and the rain continued to fall, providing a soothing susurrus as the drops ended their earthward journey abruptly upon the cave's outer ledge. The light stayed dim, however, as the storm clouds were in not much hurry to drift away. Blaze found himself falling into a half-doze, lulled by the sound of the falling rain. He was mostly aware of Fizzy's stroking and cuddling, and he snuggled up more against the dragon, feeling strangely content and happy to be in the embrace of a much larger figure.

Fizzy heaved a sigh, cuddling the gryphon to him. This was the first time since his mate had disappeared that he had shared his nest; he'd made it a bit smaller sometime afterwards so that the empty space didn't seem so large. He wondered if he was rebounding, by wanting Blaze to be his mate. That thought occupied his mind as he closed his eyes and rested his head on the edge of his nest.

# # #

The rain persisted, easing into a drizzle that pattered on the ledge, accentuated by drops plinking into the small puddles that had formed in the uneven surface.