Virta 9, 0119

	Sometime in the night she awoke, feeling hot and uncomfortable.  
The rain had stopped, but the humidity was oppressive as she crawled 
out from under Pendor's wing.  She stood up and felt bones creak in 
places where she hadn't known she had places, much less bones.  She 
wandered around, wondering when daylight was coming.  She looked up 
and saw the approaching daylight, hours away, and sighed.  As she 
walked, she kicked something; her knife, which she had dropped when 
she had shredded her clothes.  She picked it up, looking at it 
closely for the first time.  It was intricately engraved with a 
language that was unknown to her.

	She was examining the knife under the residual light when she 
heard the voice, a high-pitched yet guttural sound.  Wondering what 
it could be, she turned in the direction she'd heard it come from.

	Hands wrapped around her shoulders, and a voice screamed in her 
ear, "The Knife points the way!  The Knife is the sign!  The Knife to 
The Key! The Key will be mine!"

	Kitty struggled with her assailant, who felt light and hairy.  
She threw it against the ground, shouting, "Pendor!"

	*Kitty?*

	"Help!" she screamed as hands scrabbled for her in the dark.  
The dragon rolled over and began to stand.  She punched her 
assailant.

	There was a loud "Oof!" as she was released.  In the dark she 
saw a tall, stick-thin shape against the light of distant ringworld 
sectors, and it cast a glance at Pendor.  "Mine!" it shrieked, 
screaming, running for the dragon.  Kitty ran after it, trying to 
grab it as it leapt up onto Pendor.  Kitty reacted with horror when 
she realized it was going for the splint.  "Mine! Mine! Mine!" it 
shrieked more.  Pendor screamed aloud as the cloth gave way and it 
pulled the staff free, twisting the wing as it did so.  There was 
another, much louder CRACK! as it leapt off.  Pendor howled in pain 
and fear.
	 Kitty jumped for the creature, hauling it to the ground.  
"Bastard!" she shouted, punching it.

	"Mine! Mine!" it shrieked in return, pushing her free and 
scrabbling to it's feet, running blindly into Pendor's head.  The 
dragon, incoherent with pain, opened his mouth and bit down hard.  
There  was a single, final shriek from the creature, and it died.

	"Pendor?"

	There was no answer except for monstrous waves of pain.  Kitty 
took one look at the wing and her heart broke; there was blood and 
bone, showing through the wing.  "Oh, god," she said.  "Oh god, oh, 
god."  She closed her eyes; she was going to be sick.  "Please," she 
said, not sure to who or what.  She walked over to the wing, her eyes 
blinded by tears.  "Oh, god."

	"This way, sir!  I heard it over here!"  She turned at the 
voice. startled, and waited.  A horse was crossing the woods, 
followed by more.  She seized the knife in her hand and shouted, 
"Don't come any closer.  Any one of you bastards tries to touch him 
and I'll kill you!"

	"M'Lord," the rider of the lead horse shouted.  "Over here."

	Another horse rode up, this one ridden by a melMephit in a red 
robe and a light, mesh chainmail.  "We heard the screams of an 
animal, M'Lady, and came to investigate."

	"He's not an animal!  He's my friend," tears welled in her eyes 
and she said, quieter, "and he's dying."

	"Healer!" the Mephit shouted.  "Attend to the creature."

	"M'Lord?" A Tindal in the back replied.  "I've no learning for 
dragons."

	"Do what you can."  The order was direct, the voice commanding.  
The Mephit dismounted and made a visible show of leaving his 
swordsheath on the ground.  He opened his arms wide and said, "We can 
help.  Please."

	Kitty's resolve wavered.  She dropped the knife and dropped to 
her   knees.  "Please," she said, exhausted, crying.  "Please, save 
him."

	"We shall do what we can," the Mephit said, walking forward and 
crouching next to her in the wet grass.  "What is your name, M'Lady?"

	"Kitty... Kitty of The Hall."

	The Mephit smiled at her and said, "Then we are kindred spirits, 
M'Lady.  I am Aaden of Tleil, of late, Lord of Degranni.  It is not a 
role I cherish."

	Kitty looked at him; he was smiling, but behind those eyes she 
saw honest concern.  One of the other riders walked over and said, 
"M'Lord, you should see this."

	"Will you be well, Kitty?"

	"I think so."

	"Then excuse me; I have to attend."

	"I'll come," she said, rising from the grass.  Aaden nodded; the 
Uncia guard led them to where Pendor lay, by his head.  The guard 
pointed to the remains of the creature that had attacked them.  
"Elahedrel, M'Lord."

	Aaden turned to Kitty and said, "Your attacker was a Fell beast, 
a creature of seeking, Kitty.  Do you know what he sought?"

	Kitty shook her head.  "When, when he first showed up he was 
after my knife, but he tried to run away with my staff."

	"This staff?" Aaden asked, picking it up off the ground.  Kitty 
nodded.  "Did he say anything?" Aaden continued.

	Kitty nodded and repeated what the Elahedrel had said.  Aaden 
said "May I see your knife, M'Lady?"

	Kitty nodded again and handed it to Aaden.  He looked at it 
closely in the darkness.  "Get me a light," he said to the guard.  
The guard returned with a small black bag.  Aaden took it and 
dismissed him.

	He opened the bag and removed a small, glowing ball.  "Now 
then," he said, examining the knife more closely.  After a few 
minutes he said, "Kitty, come with me."

	He led her a distance away from both Pendor and the horses.  "Do 
you know what you carry?" he asked.

	She shook her head.  "You are carrying the Sazknife.  The forces 
of Luccas will do anything to get it.  You are in great danger."

	"Why do they want it?"

	"I do not know.  But what you have told me leads me to wonder.  
Do they want it, or do they know that she who carries it has 
something else, the thing they really seek?"

	"My staff?" she asked.

	"Aye.  What disturbs me all the more is that I know not the why.  
Is this staff magical?  It surely looks the part."

	Kitty shrugged.  "I don't know if it's magical.  It was given to 
me."

	"By who, M'Lady?"

	"Shardik."

	There was a slight hiss between Aaden's teeth.  "Vatare' 
himself.  I do not envy you, M'Lady.  He has presented you with a 
burden, the purpose of which is unknown to us."  He turned around for 
a moment and said "Mezlo!  Attend to me!"

	A short, unkempt Felinzi wearing dark robes and an beret with 
holes for his ears walked over.  "Yeah?" he asked.

	"Mezlo, I need you to sit still and advise me in a moment."

	"Okay," the Felinzi replied.

	"Kitty, I need to ask you a question, and I need you to answer 
me as honestly as you can.  How do you feel about non-Humans?"

	Kitty blinked and said, "What do you mean?  I'm a Pendorian; I 
wouldn't be here if the Hall didn't think I belonged!"

	"Mezlo?"

	"She speaks the truth, Lord Aaden.  She is not a Luccan."

	"Thank you, mage.  You are dismissed."  Mezlo bowed and wandered 
away.  "Forgive me, Kitty.  I had to be sure."

	Kitty nodded.  "The Luccas are all human?"

	"To a one," Aaden said.  "That is why I was suspect; you are 
human.  Not all humans are Luccas, Kitty, but it is getting hard to 
tell them apart.  The Luccas do not accept ought else."

	"M'Lord," a voice interrupted.

	"Healer," Aaden replied.  "What news?"

	"The dragon will live, Lord Aaden, and he will fly again.  He 
must not move for several days, however.  The Healer's Strength has 
become unconscious, M'Lord, and I fear for her; it was a task worthy 
of Gregor's strength, and he is not here to see it- she has certainly 
overextended."  Aaden nodded.  "I have men seeking proper splinting 
for the Dragon in the meantime, and for food.  Looking at the beast, 
it will need food in great quantities.  We may need to call on the 
Mage."

	"Thank you, Healer.  Tell the Sergeant that I shall require a 
constant watch of three.  We shall stay here until the Dragon is 
ready to fly again."

	"Sir..."

	"That is an order, Healer.  The lady here has become extremely 
valuable to our cause, and as she was willing to protect its peaceful 
dying with her life, I do not think she would leave it in its 
healing."  Kitty shook her head.  "Therefore, we stay.  Also, tell 
the Mage to prepare to call Castle Degranni; I shall need to speak to 
the Captain of the Guard."

	"Yes sir," the Tindal replied.

	"Come, Kitty.  Let's us eat; you must be hungry, and we have 
fresh meat."  Kitty nodded, dully.

	The sergeant at arms, a tall Satryl named Ahamo, was busily 
setting a fire now that word had gotten to him that they would be 
staying a few days.  "'Ere's the stew, M'Lord," he said with a 
grinding sort of voice.

	"Thank you, Ahamo."  Aaden passed a bowl to Kitty and took 
another for himself.  "Are the guards set?"

	"They are, Lord Aaden, they are.  I'll be on the first watch.  
You can call me if y'need me."  Ahamo walked away, muttering under 
his breath.

	Kitty sat down next to the fire and brought the bowl to her 
lips, sipping it carefully, grabbing hold of a chunk of meat with her 
teeth and chewing slowly.  "M'Lady," Aaden said quietly.

	"Aaden, excuse me if I play out of character for a second, but I 
don't know why I'm here, what I'm doing, or what's going on.  I 
walked the Hall less than a month ago.  I feel so... so lost."

	"I can understand some of that.  As I said, I am a Tleil; I am 
the only Mephit in all of BackWater.  I'm not sure I'm fully out of 
IS myself."

	"IS?" Kitty asked.

	"Incorporation Shock," Aaden replied.  "The sudden realization 
that 'I am a person, not a thing.'  Sometimes I am still a 
pre-programmed set of memories and ideas.  But one thing Vatare' 
didn't put into me was BackWater; I came here because it was the 
fastest way to get away from everything I knew, to 'find myself.'"

	Kitty laughed.  "That's funny.  Ken put me here for the same 
reason, to get away from what I was."

	Aaden nodded.  Kitty felt safe next to him, and in her 
exhaustion she leaned next to him, putting her head on his shoulder.  
"Kitty?" he said.

	"Yeah?"

	"Before you make assumptions, I have something to tell you.  I 
am not physically attracted to your kind."

	"Humans?" she asked.

	"Females," Aaden replied.

	Kitty rose with a start and said, "You're gay?"

	Aaden laughed.  "The word is entalie' in Pendorian.  But yes.  
That much I know.  I prefer my own sex to yours."

	"I didn't mean-  I'm sorry."

	"I am not offended.  True entalie' are more rare then true 
erolie', I am told.  I could not have expected you to guess."

	"No, no.  I mean..." Kitty broke off, feeling uncomfortable.  
What had she meant by lying against him like that?

	Aaden put his arm around her shoulders and said, "Kitty of the 
Hall, how old are you?"

	"Seventeen," she answered.

	"And I am but two.  The ground is still wet, but not miserably 
so.  Come, drag out what bedding you have and sleep by the fire.  I 
have some matters to attend to."

	Kitty nodded and rose, retrieving her blankets.  "Kitty," Aaden 
said, "How did the dragon's wing break?"

	"I... I don't know.  He just suddenly got tired and couldn't fly 
anymore.  And we just fell."

	Aaden bit thoughtfully at the thin lower lip of his muzzle for a 
second.  "May I ask a favor?"

	"What?"    

	"As long as I do not hurt your friend, may I ask the Mage to 
examine him and find out why he fell?"

	Kitty returned the thoughtful look, then nodded.  "If it'll 
help."

	"It may.  It is a mystery, at any rate."

	Kitty lay down and bunched her light blanket under her head for 
a pillow.  "Goodnight, Kitty."

	Kitty nodded and fell asleep.


	Aaden walked over to Mezlo, who was closely examining Pendor's 
good wing, a small opaque monocle in his left eye.  "What have you 
found, Mage?"

	"I have found out why the dragon lost flight, M'Lord, but an 
explanation of it would require that I leave character."

	Aaden sighed and said, "People seem to be doing that a lot these 
days.  Okay, Mezlo, give it to me straight."

	"Well, Dragon's aren't terribly aerodynamic.  Apparently, even 
though they qualify as a full Pendor race, they're at least partially 
cybernetic in their own right.  When I leave BackWater, first thing I 
want to read is on Dragon reproduction."

	"How so?"

	"My guess is that Dragons are born with a trans-generational 
angstrom-level mechanism installed by the previous generation's 
mechanism in the womb.  The mechanism builds an array of energy- 
scavenging Corran-field cascades."

	"Millions of nanotech-sized gravitics generators."  Mezlo 
nodded.  "And they're solar powered."  Mezlo nodded again.  "Does 
this mean all dragons can't fly at night?"

	"No, M'Lord.  This dragon apparently had been flying all day; 
any store he had reserved had burned out immediately upon nightfall.  
Also, I can think of some magic and some science that could keep them 
airborne."

	Aaden cursed under his breath.  Kitty was asleep; it would have 
been useful to ask her how long she and Pendor had been airborne.  
"Very well, Mage, you have cleared one mystery.  We have others.  I 
must speak with The Captain."

	"Yes, M'Lord.  Come."  Mezlo led Aaden back to where he had left 
his saddlebags and dragged out a small golden sphere.  As the Mage 
muttered under his breath, Aaden could feel the air coming alive, 
could feel the breath stirring in his chest.  He felt just a little 
jealous of the power Mages wielded, he admitted to himself.

	"It is ready; I am in touch with Mara, M'Lord.  She has sent for 
the Captain."

	"Thank you.  Greeting, Mara."

	The voice from the sphere said, "Good evening, M'Lord Degranni.  
How is your journey, that you wake me so late at night?"  Aaden 
scowled slightly at her tone.  Mara and he had had an encounter he 
would sooner forget; it had been that night he had realized his lust 
ran towards males.

	Aaden bit back his feelings and proceeded to tell the entire 
tale to Mara in one long breath, trying to get out everything as fast 
as he could.  The voice that came over next was masculine and 
soothing, and he relaxed when he realized it was Captain Gregor.  
"M'Lord, that is some tale.  You have the Sazknife in your 
possession?"

	"I do not, Gregor.  I have left it with the lady; it is her 
burden."

	"Now one we share.  The Luccas have had a pogrom."  A chill 
crept up Aaden's spine.  "They burned a farmhouse on the edge of the 
Alliance territory.  Seven dead.  Although they burned, Mara tells me 
that the family was tortured before death.  They did not 'touch' the 
family, however."

	"Luccas," Aaden hissed.  "What was the family?"

	"Centaurs, M'Lord."

	Aaden closed his eyes in pain, visions of young Lerea, a 
handsome boy-stallion who lived with his family at Degranni searing 
in his head.  "Gregor, a reward for whoever knows of the animals that 
did this, and where they might be found."

	"Aye, M'Lord.  I have news that would interest you as well."

	"Such as?"

	"I shall bring it to you personally.  Tomorrow, at noon."

	"We are three days from Degranni, Gregor.  How do you propose to 
deliver it personally?"

	"That shall be the news, M'Lord.  Speed has come to Degranni."


	The dawn spread slowly over the land, and Kitty awoke to the 
sounds of fighting.  Looking up she saw two of Aaden's men practicing 
in a corner of the field, striking at each other with swords made of 
wood.

	She turned over to see Sergeant Ahamo peering at her with a 
slight smile in his face.  "So, you're awake?" he asked.  Kitty 
nodded.  "Here,  Lord Aaden told me to feed you when you awoke.  It's 
not sweet, but it will fill you."

	Kitty nodded and took the bowl from Ahamo.  It was a thick, 
almost pasty gruel, and she downed it quickly, thinking to herself 
that it tasted vaguely like a combination of Elmer's glue and wet 
cardboard.  She smiled at the anachronism.

	After attending to her body's other needs, Kitty walked over to 
Pendor.  His eyes were still closed, but he seemed to be breathing 
evenly.  "G'Morning," she said quietly, touching him on his head 
gently.

	*Is it good?* he replied quietly, his eyes fluttering open.  He 
smiled a gentle smile.

	"Does it hurt?" she asked.

	*Yes,* the dragon replied.  *But your friends have been kind.*

	"I'm glad you're okay.  I was so worried about you last night."

	*You thought I was going to die.*

	"And that's not fair.  You're only two days old, Pendor.  It was 
no fair for you to be hurt like that yesterday."

	*I am learning, Kitty.*  He raised his head and nuzzled it 
against her shoulder.  *As I listen to the people around me, 
connections happen in my mind.  Connections that teach me what I am, 
what you are, what is happening around me.  I know this is called 
Incorporation Shock.*

	Kitty nodded.  "I know.  I heard that phrase for the first time 
last night."

	Pendor's head turned so he could rest it's full length against 
her chest.  *I also know something else, Kitty.  And I know it's 
embarrassing for you to tell me.  But what you felt when you were 
riding me- that's called an orgasm, isn't it?*

	Kitty's face burned as she thought about the incident.  She 
wanted to flee for a moment, then shook her head.  She nodded.  
"Yes."  Her tongue felt thick and dry as she said it.  "I'm sorry."

	*Why?*

	"Because I used you.  Because I felt too embarrassed to tell 
you.  I don't know why."

	*You feel pleasure at riding with me.  And they told me you were 
going to fight soldiers with that tiny knife of yours to protect me.  
Isn't that a kind of love?*

	"I don't know, Pendor.  I just don't."

	*Do I frighten you?*

	Kitty couldn't answer for a moment, then finally nodded.  It was 
all so clear to him, she realized.  All so simple.  Yet the words, 
"love," "lust," "friendship," had different meanings for her.  As 
Shardik had been so fond of saying, they were tainted by Terra, 
Terran words.  Inside, she wanted to hug Pendor and kiss him and tell 
him how she felt, but she couldn't.

	Pendor looked at her.  *Kitty, I would never hurt you.*

	But you do, Kitty thought to herself.  Just by being so direct, 
so honest.

	*Kitty, I have no reason to be dishonest with you.  Would it 
stop hurting if I were?  What could I be dishonest with you about?*

	Kitty looked up, horrified that he had heard her.  She shook her 
head and said plaintively, "No, that would just hurt more."  She 
shook her fists in frustration and said, "Pendor, I don't know if you 
can understand this.  Please try.  I... " DAMMIT! she thought.  I 
can't say it.  I've got to say it.  "I love you."

	She sighed, grateful to get it over with.  "But I can't," 
immediately followed her words.

	*Why not?* the dragon asked, his 'voice' sad.

	Kitty took a step back.  "Because I'm a human and you're a 
dragon and we just don't meet, anywhere.  Because both of us are less 
than a year old, and I've only known you for two days, and I don't 
know you."

	*What is there to know, Kitty?* Pendor asked, confusion in his 
voice.  *All that I am is all that you've seen.  I haven't had time 
to be anything else.*  His voice was full of pain.  *Kitty...*

	"Pendor, maybe what I feel is the kind of feeling I get when I 
get a new kitten, okay?  Maybe it's because you're so simple, so 
direct."

	*Is that all I can be, then?  Are we back to my being a pet?*

	"I don't know!" she shouted, running away from him into the 
woods, crying.  In the back of her mind she heard him call, once, 
*Kitty...*

	She stopped deep in the woods, and behind her she heard the 
crashing of footsteps.  "M'Lady!" she heard along with the running.  
The voice was Aaden's.

	"Over here," she said, her voice cracking slightly.

	"M'Lady?" the voice said as Aaden appeared from behind a clump 
of trees.  "Kitty?"

	"Here," she said quietly.  Aaden walked over to her, the heavy 
soles of his boots making loud crunching noises on the drying leaves.  
"What's the matter?" he asked quietly.

	She shook her head.  Unselfconsciously, Aaden dropped himself to 
the ground.  "Here, sit down," he said.

	"I'll get my pants wet," she said.

	"It's not that damp," he replied.  "Please?" he asked.  She sat 
down.

	"So," he said, "What was that all about?"

	"Aaden, is it possible to love someone you can't have sex with?"

	Aaden worked his jaw for a second, as if he were chewing on the 
thought, and replied, "I don't know.  I imagine it would be possible.  
Are we talking about you and...?"

	Kitty nodded.  "Why can't you have sex with him?" Aaden asked 
innocently.

	"Are you kidding?" she asked.  "Look at him!"

	Aaden bit his lower lip again, a habit Kitty was beginning to 
find annoying.  "Kitty, I am a gay mel.  Now, from one standpoint, my 
body was designed.  I'm the product of a gengineer's fantasy.  Being 
a relatively competent gengineer, however, Shardik decided not to 
tamper too much with the functions evolution had created.  So let's 
be honest for a second and say that, to be honest, no part of my 
anatomy is really designed to be penetrated, to experience the 
violence of even the tenderest of lovemakings, the way a part of 
yours is.

	"Despite this little drawback, I, and Shardik, or so I've been 
told, like being on the receiving end, so to speak.  You're a product 
of evolution, Kitty, not engineering.  You're a Terran Human.  Be 
honest with yourself.  Your mind evolved to make you a better killing 
machine."

	Kitty looked up at Aaden.  "I don't understand."

	"Natural selection prefers those that both feed themselves well 
and defend their territory and genetic right to evolve well.  Humans 
are omnivorous.  Your kind, Shardik's kind, evolved sentience because 
it would help them do what they eventually learned to do better than 
any other species on Earth.  Kill.  Trap.  Attack and defend.

	"What I'm getting at is that, despite this design intention, 
humans make music.  They draw.  They sing, they paint, and they fall 
in love.  Your mind wasn't really created to do those things."

	Kitty smiled and said, "And your body wasn't designed for some 
of the things you put it through, either, I suppose."

	"Exactly," Aaden said, grinning.

	"Except Ken would disagree with you," Kitty said.

	"Would he?" Aaden asked.  "How so?"

	"Everything comes back to the desire to procreate.  That's his 
claim.  Music, Dance, Love.  He told me people just do those to get 
laid."

	Aaden laughed.  "How crudely put!  Still, I suppose it's 
possible.  But that doesn't describe me, and it doesn't describe you.  
I only like males, Kitty.  There's little chance of procreation 
there, M'Lady.  And you've fallen in love with a Dragon."

	"Maybe I'm just being protective."

	"Does the why matter?" Aaden asked.  "And as for sex, M'Lady, 
you've two hands, and he's quite a tongue.  I don't see why you two 
couldn't have some interesting times together."

	Kitty scowled at him, then laughed.  "What the Hell," she said.  
"It was only a month ago I was willing to be turned into a Centaur."

	Aaden laughed and said, "I'm glad that's a decision I shall 
never have to make.  Come back with me?"  Kitty nodded and Aaden led 
them back to the camp.


	Pendor had lain his head down on the grass, eyes open.  Kitty 
walked up alongside him and touched his shoulder, caressing his neck 
gently until she reached the ridge that ran along the top of his 
head, scratching.  *A little harder?*

	She smiled and increased her pressure, enjoying the attentions 
she was giving her Dragon friend.  "Pendor?"

	There was no answer.  "I'm... I'm sorry."

	Pendor turned his massive head towards her and said *I know.  
You are a very silly person sometimes.*

	That reply made Kitty feel a little angry.  "Silly?"

	*Kitty, you protected me.  You were going to give your life for 
me.  What is that except love?*

	The anger faded.  She knelt down on the grass, noting to herself 
to ask someone how BackWater dealt with grass stains.  She leaned 
over and draped her body along the length of his head and neck.  "I 
don't know.  Pendor, I... I _think_ I love you."

	*I know I love you, Kitty Moran.  You saved my life.*

	"No, the healer did tha-" she was broken off by the sound of 
enormous wings beating over head, of a huge, dark-green dragon shape 
flying by.  It came closer, and Aaden's men were pulling out swords 
and preparing to deal with it if it was threatening.  "Ho, Men!" she 
heard a voice from the Dragon, a voice she knew she'd heard before.

	*Another Dragon!* Pendor nearly shouted.  *Hello!*

	There was a pause.  *My name is Pendor.  Allegan's a pretty 
name!*  Kitty realized she couldn't 'hear' the other dragon's 
conversation, a fact she suddenly found very annoying.  She wanted to 
know everything that was going on around 'her' dragon.  She 
recognized the feeling as jealousy and began laughing.  "Oh, my God," 
she said aloud.

	"Kitty!" she heard Aaden's voice call her as the Dragon landed.  
"Come meet my Captain of the Guard."  Kitty left Pendor with a kiss 
to his massive reptilian head and wandered over to where Aaden stood.  
Next to him was a massive, wiry human, tall, wearing white leather 
and a steel breastplate.  "Kitty Moran, meet Gregor."

	She reached out a hand.  The captain bowed and kissed it.  "A 
pleasure, M'Lady.  I am Gregor, Aaden's Captain and man at arms."  He 
turned to Aaden and said, "This is my news, M'lord.  We have a 
dragonfriend at Degranni.  Allegan, meet M'Lord Aaden, Master of 
Degranni."

	Aaden bowed; the dragon seemed to.  "A pleasure," Aaden said.  
Kitty wondered if he had 'heard' the dragon or not.  "This is 
interesting news.  What have we on the Luccans, Gregor?"

	"Nothing M'lord.  The people are frightened; they do not want to 
come out and admit to knowing anything."

	"I am tired," Aaden admitted, "of this entire game.  Tales of 
seduction and intrigue I admire; mass murder, even simulated, is 
distasteful to me.  And the idea that real individuals could be 
carrying out such behavior revolts me."

	"I know, M'Lord.  It is unusual of the Gods to throw such 
trouble our way."

	Aaden sighed heavily and then smiled.  "Tell me, Gregor, how is 
Sufi?"

	Gregor smiled and said, "His studies are doing well, M'lord.  
His swordplay is quick and will be deadly when needed, but with a bow 
the lad is simply amazing.  I have never seen such an aim.  And he 
speaks of you often.  He truly misses his Lord and Love."

	"Good.  Can you tell him, Gregor, that I shall be a few more 
days in the field, awaiting Pendor's return to flight?"

	"I shall, M'lord, although it shall make him most unhappy."

	"As long as his studies do not suffer."

	"Of course."  Gregor saluted.  Aaden returned the salute and 
watched as Gregor remounted Allegan and the two of them vaulted 
skyward.

	"Healer!" Aaden shouted.

	"Yes, M'Lord?" the Tindal asked as he came up from the campsite.

	"How is the dragon progressing?"

	"We are feeding the Healer's Strength as much as her stomach can 
handle; were it not for the immense demands being made of her she 
should grow fat and lazy.  The dragon will be fit to practice in two 
days."

	"Two days?" Kitty asked.

	"Two days, M'lady.  It is a monumental task."
	

	The two days passed without much incident.  Kitty practiced with 
a sword Sergeant Ahamo lent her, and she thought she was picking up 
the basics rather quickly, but not without picking up a few bruises 
along the way.

	"Ready?" she asked Pendor.

	*Of course,* he replied.  *I've been sitting for three days 
doing nothing.*

	"It was better than dying," Kitty replied.

	*I know.  Thank you again.*  Kitty blushed.  Pendor bunched his 
massive legs underneath him and with a lunge he was airborne.  *It's 
a little sore,* he told her as he flew by, *but it feels great to be 
airborne again!*

	She laughed.  "What did he say?" Aaden asked.  She relayed the 
message.

	"Well, we did spend a lot of time here.  Kitty, could he carry 
you and me to Castle Degranni?"

	"Ask the healer," Kitty replied.  "That's his call."

	Aaden departed, returned a few minutes later.  "The healer says 
it's okay, as long as we let the Dragon rest the second he feels 
tired."

	"Okay."

	"Sergeant!" Aaden ordered.

	"Here, M'Lord."

	"Sergeant, you are to break camp in one hour and make for 
Degranni at best possible speed with your men.  I will accompany the 
Dragon."

	"Yes, M'Lord.  Good speed to you, sir."

	"And to you," Aaden replied.

	Pendor landed and offered his back to Kitty and Aaden, and they 
clambered on.  Kitty noted with some amusement that Aaden gripped her 
tightly; he was clearly more than a little frightened by the power 
and strength she had befriended.  "Is it always like this?" he 
shouted over the wind.

	"Like what?"

	"This... unnerving?"

	She laughed aloud and said, "I like it, M'Lord.  I find it 
thrilling!"

	*I know you do.*

	"Voyeur!" she shouted at the dragon.  "But I love you anyway!"

	*Good!* the dragon replied.

	The flight lasted less than two hours following the road before 
they reached Degranni.  Aaden instructed her to land in the courtyard 
directly outside the Castle walls.

	A flurry of guards greeted them, surprised by the sudden 
appearance of a black dragon, then relieved to see Aaden was one of 
the riders.  "Ho, Gregor!" he shouted.

	"Ho, M'Lord Aaden!" Gregor replied.  "And how have you been?"

	"Wet, cold, and lonely, Captain.  How is the Castle?"

	"We await your return.  I have been instructed to inform thee 
that no matters of court await thee."

	"Good," Aaden replied, sliding off the Dragon's back.  "Kitty, 
come with me.  Gregor," he said, raising his voice, "Find bedding for 
the Dragon."

	"I will endeavor, M'Lord."

	"Excellent."  He walked to the gates; Kitty followed.  "M'Lord!" 
a voice rang out from a set of steps to their left.  A young (in 
Kitty's eyes, very young) Uncia came bounding down the stairs four at 
a time with such rushed and unsteady steps that Kitty feared he would 
break a leg on the way down.

	"Sufi!" Aaden shouted in reply as the Uncia reached the bottom 
step and ran blindly for him.  They crashed together and Aaden swept 
the Uncia off his feet, into his arms, and kissed him on the muzzle, 
hard, running licks along the fur. 

	Kitty felt slightly embarrassed watching the display.  She had 
never before watched two males kiss before; this was far more than an 
intellectual acceptance of homosexuality, and she found herself 
fascinated by it.  She waited, a slight smile on her face, until 
Aaden dropped Sufi on the ground again and said, "Sufi, meet Kitty 
Moran."

	"How do you do, M'Lady?"

	"I am... well, thank you for asking."

	"Come, come," Aaden said.  "Let us retire.  I, for one, am 
desperate for a real, hot meal, a bath, and sleep in a real bed."

	"Only sleep, M'Lord?" Sufi asked with a disappointed tone.

	"Perhaps other things may be in order.  Come."

	He led them through the inner gate and doorway, into a large 
hall filled with people in all manner of garb going about the 
business of managing life in a Castle.  Aaden strolled into the 
center and called out, "Pamles!"

	"M'Lord?" A young femFelinzi came treading out of a large wooden 
door to the left.

	"Pamles, would you find a room for the Lady Kitty?"

	"Of course.  If you would come with me, M'Lady."

	Kitty nodded and followed.

	Aaden smiled at Sufi and said, "Get me a meal from the kitchen, 
then join me in the Lord's Chambers."

	Sufi grinned and said, "As fast as I can!"

	"Not that fast, Lad," he replied, grabbing the youngster by the 
collar.  "I will bathe first."

	"Of course, of course!"  Aaden released the Uncia.  He shook his 
head slowly and smiled, walking towards his chambers.

	He made his way to the upper curved hallway of the castle, where 
the residences were tucked away.  His own, that of the Lord of the 
Castle, were the largest; he had three rooms of his own.  The 
receiving room was the largest of the three rooms, replete with rare 
rugs and tapestries.  The other two were supposed to have been the 
bedroom and the office, but he had converted the second room to suit 
Sufi's needs.

	Once inside, he stripped off his clothing, tossing the leathers 
over a wooden rack set up to hold them.  The air ruffling through his 
now-free fur itched painfully, and he indulged himself in a fit of 
scratching before making his way to the bathtub set in one corner of 
his bedroom.  He opened the sluice set above it, allowing the tub to 
fill with unheated water, then filled a pail and placed it above the 
fire.

	As he was waiting for the water to come to a boil, the door 
opened and Sufi padded in, carrying a tray quietly, but with an eager 
smile on his face.  Aaden turned and nodded to him.  Sufi's smile 
grew as he put down the tray and ran over, throwing his arms around 
Aaden and hugging him tightly.

	"I did miss you."

	"I know," Aaden replied.  "I missed you as well."  He reached up 
to  scratch the Uncia's head; the response was a deep and joyous 
purr.

	Sufi pulled away to look into Aaden's eyes.  "You are unhappy."

	Aaden smiled and said, "I could never hide anything from you, 
can I?"

	"If M'lord would forgive me, I am grateful that the court 
intrigue never became too intriguing; you could never hide anything 
from anyone."

	"Am I that bad?" Aaden asked.

	Sufi nodded.  Aaden pulled Sufi back into his lap, hugging him 
close.  "Sufi, what are you like on the outside?"

	"You mean, outside BackWater, M'lord?  Not much different.  I 
still look the same, if that's what you mean."

	"The same youthful lad?" Aaden chuckled.  "With your hormones 
raging every second."

	"Indeed," Sufi laughed, pushing himself further into Aaden's 
embrace, snuggling as close as he could.  "Why are you asking all 
these questions?"

	"That's only two questions," Aaden said.  "I'm just tired.  I 
think... I think I've 'found myself,' and I don't believe BackWater 
does it for me.  It's fun, but it's not what I want.  And all the 
recent bloodshed makes me very sad."

	"And you'd want me to come along?"

	"Sufi, you were my chamberboy before Mara, and you have been my 
love for almost a year since.  You have been special to me."  He 
sighed.  "I wouldn't want to lose you."

	Sufi shrugged and said, "I shall make my own decisions, Lord of 
Degranni.  I... I'm really happy in BackWater, M'lord.  The adventure 
and the fun are part of it; I don't imagine I could have been your 
love if I hadn't started out as your catamite."

	Aaden shivered.  "Such an ugly word."

	"But the truth.  I cannot say I did not go willingly, but it is 
a truthful word."

	Aaden hugged Sufi a little tighter, then yawned.  "Are you 
tired, Sufi?"

	"I could stand a nap, M'lord.  I see you are tired.  The road is 
long and brutal."

	"Let me bathe first," Aaden said, retrieving the pail of water 
and pouring it into the bath.  He trailed his hand through the warmed 
water and found it to his satisfaction.  "Wash me," he ordered Sufi, 
handing him the box holding the soap powder.

	"With pleasure, M'lord.  In a moment."  Sufi re-filled the pail 
with fresh water from the fount and replaced it in the fire.  He 
returned, wet his paws in the bathwater, dusted them with soap and 
started on Aaden's broad chest, determined to get under the pelt to 
the flesh underneath.  Aaden settled completely into the water, and 
Sufi gleefully stroked and massaged Aaden's shoulders and arms, 
working with strong, careful practice.  "You're so very tight, 
M'lord."

	"My muscles, or in other things?" Aaden asked.

	"Both," Sufi replied, laughing.  He leaned over and kissed Aaden 
gently, licking his muzzle and playing his tongue over the Mephit's.

	Aaden lay in the water, going more and more limp as Sufi 
massaged the many days of the road out of him.  "Sufi?" he asked.  
"I'm afraid I'm not going to be much fun, but I'm exhausted.  I don't 
think I'm even hungry enough to eat what you have brought me."

	"I understand, M'lord.  I did not expect anything from you."

	"Good," Aaden sighed.

	"M'Lord?  Do you plan on sleeping in the bath?"

	"What?" Aaden asked, opening his eyes; it occurred to him that 
he had indeed been falling asleep.  "No, no," he said quietly, 
standing up and stepping out if the tub.  Sufi took the pail of warm 
water he had retrieved from the fire, Aaden assumed while he was 
sleeping in the tub, and ladled it out over his fur to rinse him.  It 
was a slow and gentle ritual they had repeated many times in the past 
year, and the sensation of Sufi's hands scrubbing under his fur 
conspired with his exhaustion to put him to sleep standing up.  The 
feeling of being wrapped up in the enormous towel Sufi used to dry 
him off afterwards was even more convincing.

	"Come, M'Lord.  To bed with you."

	Aaden quietly obeyed, walking over to the huge bed and crawling 
in.  He threw the covers off; it was a warm day out and he had enough 
fur on him.  Sufi drew the curtains, darkening the room.  The 
curtains were not very thick, and they gave a dark blood-red 
appearance to everything.  He felt Sufi crawl in next to him, and as 
he lay on his back, Sufi lay atop of him, off to his left.  He was 
amused to feel Sufi's paw find it's usual place atop his sex.  He was 
equally amazed to feel his sex filling with blood.  "Sufi, you're 
determined to get a roll out of me, aren't you?"

	"M'Lord?  You are tired.  I'm sorry if my presence excites you.  
I'll leave if you wish."

	"And let my back get cold?" Aaden said, chuckling.  "Don't you 
dare.  And don't stop."

	"Yes, M'Lord," Sufi smiled.  His paw was insistent on Aaden's 
sheath, and Aaden felt his cock harden swiftly.  It was an odd sort 
of feeling, because he was so very tired, but there was no way he was 
going to fall unconscious with this erection.  It had been eighteen 
days on the road, six days longer than planned, and that was a long 
time for him to go without Sufi's attentions.

	Sufi stroked his cock slowly, bringing it to full hardness.  
Aaden sighed and tried to relax further, letting Sufi play as he 
would with him.  Sufi's paw closed as well as it could around Aaden's 
cock; Aaden smiled at Sufi's original expression of surprise when 
Aaden had first taken him; never having had anything to compare 
himself to, Aaden had assumed his penis was of average size.

	He felt a shifting of the bed, and opened his eyes to see Sufi 
straddling his waist.  "I have waited nigh on a month for you, 
M'Lord."

	"Are you sure, Sufi?"

	"There is no pain anymore, M'Lord.  Just pleasure."  Sufi held 
Aaden's cock in place and pushed down onto it; his sphincter opened 
and Aaden felt his cock sink into the warmth of Sufi's body.  "I 
oiled myself while you slept in the tub."

	"How long was I asleep?"

	"Just long enough for me to grab the pail of water and the 
oils."  Sufi began stroking up and down; he was still not taking the 
full length of Aaden's cock, a fact Aaden was not surprised at.  Sufi 
had one paw on Aaden's chest; the other was stroking his own penis.  
Aaden rose up for a second and tried to get Sufi's cock into his 
muzzle, but the best he could manage was merely the tip.  He settled 
back.  "I missed you so,  M'Lord."

	"I missed you as well, child," Aaden admitted.  His pleasure was 
rising; he was surprised at how awake he felt sexually, since his 
body was craving unconsciousness.  It would never happen, not until 
one of them gave up.

	Sufi was determined that it be Aaden; Sufi was stroking himself 
much more slowly than usual, and Aaden saw that.  Sufi stroked 
himself harder upon Aaden's flesh, now finally taking the entire 
length.

	Aaden could see small quivers of pain in Sufi's face with every 
stroke, and he could feel the head of his sex hitting bottom.  "Are 
you okay?"

	"Fine, M'Lord," Sufi panted as he sped up even further.  Aaden's 
frustrations rose as his body responded.  "I want to make you happy."

	"Just a little further, Lad," Aaden moaned.  He began pushing 
his hips upwards with every thrust, meeting Sufi's buttocks on every 
stroke.  He was going to climax before the boy did.  He fought it to 
no avail; his orgasm, so long denied by the pressures of the road, 
exploded through him, a ripping shout of pleasure as his seed flooded 
Sufi's insides.

	Sufi looked down at him and said, "How was that?"

	"Fine, you wicked little cub," Aaden mumbled gently as Sufi 
pulled himself off Aaden's sex.  The sensation made Aaden moan and 
close his eyes.  They did not reopen as he sank down into 
unconsciousness.


	Kitty found herself not quite so much tired as merely bewildered 
by the vast array of activities going on around her; the constant 
sounds of animals, the braying of horses, and the shouts and clashes 
of steel as Pendrii fought mock combats, preparing for real combat.  
She watched as a Tindal, not known for their strength, wielding only 
a light rapier, repeatedly and quite handily defended himself against 
a Human weilding a much heavier sabre.  "M'Lady?" a voice said behind 
her.

	"Yes?" she asked, turning around.  Behind her stood Pamles, a 
Felinzi wearing a heavily embroidered shrift and skirt, belted with a 
blue rope.

	"I have been asked to show you your quarters.  We have a tent 
set up for your Dragon."

	Kitty smiled.  "He's not my Dragon.  He belongs only to himself.  
Are my quarters near the tent?"

	"No, M'Lady.  Do you require that they be so?"

	Kitty thought about it for a few seconds.  "If it's possible."

	"Anything is possible, M'Lady.  I'll see what I can arrange."  
She turned to leave. 

	As she left, Kitty wondered how anybody could stand being laced 
into clothes as tight as Pamles's appeared to be.  She wandered about 
the Castle almost at random, coming upon the kitchen only after 
following the smell of fresh bread.  "Hello?" she asked aloud.

	"Greetings, Lady," said a beefy-looking Centaur who was standing 
next to a pot that looked just big enough to hold him.  "I am 
Gelvilya.  How can I help you?"

	"I smelled food..."

	"And you came looking for some, eh?" he asked, laughing.  "The 
right place this is, trust me.   I've some stew, but 'tis no doubt 
the bread that just came from m'oven that dragged your nose in here, 
the rest of ye' followin', right?"

	Kitty laughed and nodded.  "Here, M'Lady.  Grab yon dish and 
bring it here."  Kitty picked up the bowl, which was about a foot 
long, a third as wide and as deep, and brought it to Gelvilya.  He 
took it from her, dropped down half a loaf of bread into it, tore the 
soft center out, ladled some stew from the pot into the depression 
made in the breadcrust, and dropped the bread back on top.  "There, 
M'Lady, the household's finest stew.  And there be mead, over on the 
counter.  'Tis truly some of the finest in the land, and they be 
m'bees, too."  Kitty thanked him and asked for a spoon.  "Over yon 
table.  Grab any one."

	She found a quiet table to eat, although she was busily shooing 
away flies much of the time.  To her palette the bread was simply 
incredible, the stew equally so.  She was surprised at how hungry she 
was, eating the entire meal so rapidly she worried afterwards about 
cramps.  Still, it was the first real meal she had had in four days, 
and her need for it could not be denied.

	She found after eating that she was growing tired.  "That's 
silly," she said aloud.  "It's not even dark yet."  On the other 
hand, she wasn't yet used to Pendor's thirty-hour days.  How long had 
she been awake?  She had awakened around... dawn, she thought.  She 
had been getting used to waking up about then.  So that would make it 
about twelve hours she had been awake.  "Maybe I do need a nap," she 
said.  retrieving her pack and her staff, she went in search of 
Pamles.

	Pamles found her first.  "There you are, M'Lady.  We've given 
you a serving quarter next to the stables; the Dragon is housed 
opposite it on the courtyard.  You'd be just a step away from his 
tent."

	"Thank you, Pamles."

	"You're welcome, M'Lady.  Would you care to see it now?"

	"Yes, please," Kitty said, trying to get into the spirit of the 
accent and not really doing very well.  She shook her head and 
followed the female feline out.

	Pamles led her through a variety of passages towards the rear of 
the castle.  To her left was a large stable, from which horses could 
occasionally be heard nickering.  On the right, a huge and 
festive-looking tent had been erected.  The flaps had been thrown 
closed, but she could hear snoring coming from within.  She shook her 
head and said, "He's sleeping again."

	"Seems to do a lot of that, M'Lady," the Felinzi offered.  "Also 
seems to do a lot of eating.  We were afeared that he'd spook the 
horses, but there's been no sign of that."

	"That's good," Kitty said.  "Where's my room?"

	"Over here," Pamles replied.  She led Kitty through a doorway 
and down a short hall.  "Second door on the left; the first is 
storage for the tack."

	"Pamles... I didn't move anybody getting this room, did I?"

	"Oh, no, M'Lady.  This is a spare; You're getting Sufi's old 
room."

	"Aaden's..." she fumbled for a word to describe Sufi.

	"Mate is appropriate, M'Lady.  Yes, I had much the same trouble 
when I came to Degranni."

	Kitty smiled and said, "Where are you from, Pamles?"

	"In Life, or in BackWater?"

	"Which is more important?"

	"Well, when I came to BackWater I came to Kendre, where I was 
a... lady of Senn."  She blushed gently.  "But it was na' the life 
for me.  I made my way out to Degranni 'for I wanted to live a clean 
life.  Degranni's just a little farming castle, no big empires, and 
Lord Aaden is good to his folk.  As was Lord Ijuf before him."

	"And before that?"

	"I was a techie at Tangent Arcology.  I left when they cancelled 
my project."

	"Why did they do that?"

	"Because with the invention of the SDisk system, Tangent To The 
Arc of The Ring starship facility was no longer needed."

	Kitty nodded.  "Are you bitter about that?"

	"Bitter?  No, merely bored.  I was upset; I enjoyed the 
macroscopic scale of the thing.  But I'm happy where I am."

	Kitty nodded and walked through the open door Pamles offered.  
The room inside was well-appointed; the bed was big and covered in 
animal furs.  "Will you be needing me for anything else, M'Lady?"

	"No, that's quite alright.  Thank you, Pamles, for both your 
help and your story."

	"You're quite welcome, M'Lady," the Felinzi said as she closed 
the door.

	Kitty sighed and stripped off her clothes.  With nothing more 
than a perfunctory washing of her face, she fell down into the bed 
and was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.


	She awoke with a start, the unfamiliar smell of the bed and the 
sound of horses rousing her before she remembered where she was and 
eased back down.  She did not at all feel tired, now; the adrenaline 
that had kicked in with her waking had erased any final sensation of 
fatigue.  She cursed quietly and got out of bed.

	A small oil lamp glowed against one wall. She didn't remember 
lighting it, and wondered if maybe Pamles had returned to do so.  In 
any event, she appreciated the gesture and turned it up, giving the 
room even more light.

	She took a better look around the room.  There were a variety of 
drawings mounted to the wall, all done with charcoal, and all marked 
with a Quen 'Silya' mark, the first initial of Sufi's name.  "You're 
pretty good," she said to the drawings.  They were of a variety of 
male figures, most of them in combat poses.  She distinctly 
recognized one of them as Aaden.  "And that one must be Gregor, the 
Captain," she said aloud.

	She found the bathtub, and the pail.  Having read a few gothic 
romances, she had a reasonable idea of how to go about making a bath, 
but the idea of struggling with the fire seemed like a lot of effort 
to her.  She sighed and set about the kindling anyway, using the 
flame from the lamp and some light straw to start the fire.

	She knew for a fact that baths were a privilege, not a 
necessity, in medieval stories, but this didn't stop her from going 
through the whole rigamarole.  She was glad to finally sink into the 
heated water of the tub.  With an efficient hand she scrubbed off as 
much dirt as she could.  "God," she said quietly, "I'm an archeology 
project, one layer after another."

	"I'm talking to myself again."  Or maybe she just hoped Luke 
would answer her.  The book had thus far been silent since she and 
Pendor had had their little accident four days ago.

	With another exaggerated sigh she climbed out of the tub and 
looked herself over.  Her body was clean again, and she felt better 
than she had in a few days; at least the bed hadn't been as lumpy as 
the one at the Inn.

	With a little effort she dressed into one of the two changes of 
clothes she had found in her pack.  She debated taking the pack with 
her, deciding against it finally; the less of a deal she made about 
it, the less likely anyone was to know it carried anything valuable.  
She strapped on her knife and took her staff; everybody seemed to 
know how valuable they were.  She took her lantern.

	The air outside was warm, but the humidity wasn't as bad as it 
had been the past couple of nights.  She found it comforting.  With a 
glance around to see if anybody else was about she walked over to the 
tent and found a space between two flaps.  She found a hook on a 
tentpole and turned the light up a little.  Inside, Pendor was rolled 
onto his back, and she found herself next to one of his legs, which 
was hanging lazily in the air.

	*Hi,* she heard in her head again.  *What are you doing up at 
this hour?*

	"You sound like my mother," Kitty said.

	*Do I?* the Dragon asked.  *I'm sorry.  It just seems so late.*

	"Why are you awake?" Kitty asked.

	*I'm not sure,* the Dragon admitted.  *I guess I slept all day.  
It wasn't a very long flight.*

	"No, but it was your first real flight since the accident.  Wing 
okay?" she asked.

	*Feels a little strange.*

	She walked over to the previously wounded wing and felt along 
it's length.  "The muscles are a little tight."

	*What does that mean?*

	"I'm not really sure.  It always happen when you strain weak 
muscles a little bit.  It's not serious, and the more you exercise 
the less it'll happen."

	*Can you do anything for it now?  It hurts a little.*

	"Well, I could massage it.  I don't know how effective that 
would be on a Dragon."

	*Could you try, please?*

	"Sure.  Turn over."  She suddenly realized how much of a 
production that simple command was going to generate.  The Dragon 
shifted, trying to ease himself over without hitting a tent-pole and 
bringing the canvas down.  "Just like that," Kitty said.  
"Comfortable?"

	*Sort of.  I'm lying on my other wing.*

	"Is that uncomfortable?"

	*Not really.  But it will get cold in a little bit.*

	"Okay.  I'll try and make this quick."  She reached up where the 
wing met body and pressed in with both hands, once again shaking her 
head.  There was no way she was going to make any progress; his hide 
was too thick and there was simply too much of him for her to make 
any impact.  She located the strained muscles under his body and 
decided to change tactics; with the balls of her palms she began 
striking against his body gently.  "How's that?"

	*Feels good,* the Dragon replied.  *More?*

	Kitty laughed and began pummeling Pendor's flank harder, feeling 
the knots give way slightly under her influence.  "Better?" she 
asked.

	*Much* the Dragon replied, flexing his wing slightly.  He rolled 
over onto his back again, and as he did so Kitty noticed something 
caught between the Dragon's legs.  At least, she thought it was 
something caught until she realized that what she was staring at was 
Pendor's erect penis.  She blushed and turned away.

	*Something wrong?* the Dragon asked.

	"No, no," Kitty answered quickly, not sure if she should feel 
humor or shame and coughing with the effort of deciding.

	*Oh,* the Dragon replied, *I understand.  I'm sorry, there's 
nothing I can do about it.*

	"No, it's okay," Kitty said.  "I should get used to it; it's 
part of you, after all."  She walked over to his head and kissed him 
under the chin.  "I'm sorry."

	*Why?* the Dragon asked.

	She shrugged.  "I don't know.  I don't know what I'm apologizing 
for.  Just think I should."  She kept finding herself glancing up 
along the length of the Dragon's body, staring at the penis staring 
back at her.  She finally made her decision.  "Pendor?" she asked 
quietly.

	*Hmm?* the Dragon responded.

	"May I go and take a look at your... maleness?"

	The Dragon raised its head and looked at her.  *I don't see why 
not.  You're not going to hurt me, are you?*

	"I hope not," Kitty said.

	*Then feel free.*  Kitty smiled and walked around the Dragon's 
body again, careful not step on his outstretched wings.  She walked 
up to where his legs hung in the air and stared at his penis.  "It 
isn't that large," she whispered to herself.  What was she saying?  
It was still as big as her forearm, and even longer!

	She jumped up gently onto his belly, coming face-to-eye with the 
monstrous sexual organ of a Dragon.  *How does it look to you?*

	"Big," she answered.

	*You just said it wasn't that big.*

	"I meant in terms of how big you are.  I was afraid you'd be 
much bigger."  Kitty felt a blush cross her face.  She couldn't 
believe she was talking about Pendor's sex as casually as she did his 
wings.  But why should it make a difference?  It was just another 
part of his body.  
Wasn't it?

	She reached out and touched it gently; it was bigger than her 
arm, by quite a bit, and she found it fascinating.  There was no way 
she was ever going to have any sort of lovemaking with this dragon in 
the traditional sense.  But she wanted to make him feel good, to feel 
the pleasure he had given her every time they had flown together.

	Under the lantern light, Pendor's sex was a dark brown color, 
covered in veins that pulsed silently under a thin layer of 
translucent skin.  The sheath it came from was heavily scaled, and 
she couldn't see any obvious testes.  "Well armored," she reflected 
quietly.

	Under her fingertips she could feel its heat and its strength.  
It flexed slightly, and she giggled.  *What's funny?* the Dragon 
asked.

	"I don't know," Kitty admitted.  "It just seems so strange, 
playing with your... cock, so casually like this."

	*I like the way your hand feels.*

	Kitty smiled and took tried to wrap her hand around as much of 
it as she could.  It was huge, and her hand just barely covered half 
of it.

	Pendor startled; Kitty grabbed ahold of his leg to keep from 
slipping off.  *Careful,* he said.

	"Shh..." Kitty said.  She took his sex in her hand again and 
slowly  began stroking it slowly.  It was hardening under her hand, 
but it didn't grow at all.  She had to hold on tight when he flexed 
the muscles in his groin.  But she stroked him incessantly.

	A feeling of power grew in her, and of pleasure.  *Kitty, what 
are you doing?*

	She smiled and thought as 'loudly' as she thought she could, 
*I'm giving you a hand.*

	*It feels wonderful.*

	*You can hear me!*

	*Yes....*  The Dragon's 'voice' trailed off as she pulled faster 
on his sex.  He groaned; she straddled his sheath with her legs and 
planted her bare feet against his legs.  Every time a shudder ran 
through his body she found herself thrilled at the power she was 
exerting, even as the effort was becoming tiring.

	*Kitty...* the Dragon seemed to say even as a deep rumble broke 
through his throat.  *So beautiful...*

	"Good," she said aloud, rubbing faster, giving him more 
friction.  It was going to be a close thing; her arms were burning 
with exhaustion.  The dragon shuddered hard, and every muscle in his 
body tensed.  She ducked as his legs tightened, and then his sex 
surged in her hands, pulsing.  She felt each pulse through her legs, 
her thighs.  She closed her eyes and felt his orgasm roll through her 
head, feeling as good to her as the pain four days ago had been 
awful.  It was a sweet, joyous feeling.

	The dragon lay there, panting quietly, as Kitty slid off of him 
and went in search of a towel.  She found one on a table in the 
corner of the tent, one meant to wash horses with, she noted.  She 
returned and slowly wiped up the little rivulets of semen that had 
deliquesced and run down the sides of his body, collecting somewhat 
on his left wing.

	*Kitty...* the Dragon spoke after a short while.

	"Hmm?" Kitty asked.  It was becoming impossible to keep her grin 
off her face.

	*Is that what you feel when we fly?  That kind of pleasure?*

	She nodded.  "Yup.  That's how good it feels to fly with you."

	*I'm jealous,* the Dragon said, the seriousness of his words 
betrayed by the obvious pleasure and humor radiating off of him.  
*You can do that all the time.*

	"Women are like that, Pendor.  A Fact of Life, so to speak."

	*It was wonderful,* the Dragon said.  *And now I'm tired enough 
to go back to sleep.*

	"Me, too.  I should have them bring a bed out here."

	*Not tonight,* the Dragon said quietly.  *They're all asleep.  
Wait until tomorrow.  Go sleep in your human bed.*  He raised his 
head and leaned close to her.  She took his head in her hands and 
kissed his nose softly; he returned the favor, licking her cheek with 
his red tongue.

	"Goodnight, Pendor."

	*Goodnight Kitty, my sweet.*

--
"Healing The Dragon"
The Journal Entries of Kennet R'yal Shardik, et. al. 
are copyright (c) 1989-1994 Elf Mathieu Sternberg.  Distribute freely 
via electronic media.  This copyright permits individual users to 
make single hardcopies for their own use.  The Journal Entries may 
not be sold or otherwise distributed for profit.