FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 16

"You're awfully silent, do you need to stop? We can, if your wounds are becoming a nuisance. We don't have to fly all this way, it was merely my idea and a rather subjective one at that. Nobody perceives beauty in the same way after all. Let's land in this clearing, let's take care of your wounds"

"No, no!" Flare snapped, shaking his head "I'm fine, let's go to that special place!"

"Are you certain?" Coriza looked behind her shoulder, eyeing her fiery companion with sad eyes "There is no shame in admitting that your suffering is overpowering"

"There is no pain that can overpower me"

Again the blunt, straightforward response, she knew that it was innocent and he meant no offense by that. This is just his way of expressing himself.

That didn't change the fact however that she felt miserable and weak after his words, especially considering the fact that she faints at the sight of blood and cry even when she gets the smallest of bruises. That might lead to a fracture after all, weakening the already frail bones, not to mention the pain her lousy, nearly nonexistent regeneration process couldn't cope with.

She accepted her pitiful state long ago, she is brittle as glass and there is nothing she can do about it.

Being reminded of it though, especially when a dragon of a similar age to hers shrugs the pain away like it would be an itch, made her feel... unworthy of her origins.

She nodded with a forced, warm, toothless smile before she turned her head and looked down at the stretched world below. Thinking about nothing, but just what a poor excuse of a dragon she is.

Flare observed his friend intently from behind, oblivious to what she is going through, he was entirely focused on her and especially her flying style.

Or lack of any for that matter.

It was like the wind was dictating where she should be flying and with what speed and she was simply trying to keep up with its orders. Making her jerk and flop around in the air like a fish trying to swim in a puddle.

Flare snickered.

"The way you are flying is very funny"

The wind snapped suddenly, changing its current fiercely. If that logical thought wouldn't be put into consideration she was quite certain she would believe that someone has just smacked her across the cheek.

"I'm aware of my flaws"

His eyes widened and he felt as his heart just snapped in half at hearing this voice, this unmelodic, no longer beautiful and enchanting voice he loved to listen to.

He was certain that he was responsible for this.

Wouldn't be the first time he hurt a friend.

"Oh no!" Flare whined, dashing in front of his friend, spinning around to face her and flapping his wings backwards to maintain distance from her

Even in this uncomfortable, vertical position she still couldn't catch up with him and probably looked even more unnatural during the flight than him. This comparison made him even more certain that he screwed up.

"I didn't mean to do anything wrong! I'm very sorry if I hurt you! I didn't mean to do it! Please still be my friend! I really like you! Please! Please! Please! I'm sorry!"

His crying was heartbreaking.

And, Ancestors forgive, satisfying and pleasing in a way. It always feels good when it turns out in the end that you are not the target of mockery.

She rubbed her robed chest, calming her stinging heart underneath.

"There is no need for forgiveness when there is no reason to hear apology. I appreciate the gesture however, thank you. Your care is heartwarming"

"Really? I didn't hurt you?"

"No Flare" she smiled, raising her gaze yet her eyes were stopped on an unexpected, beautiful spark of light "You didn't" she blinked, raising her head just to again when her gaze encountered the same, fiery spark, more this time

They reflected from her gold eyes, dying within her orbs like a flickering candle flame.

A gasp escaped her throat when she finally managed to raise her head to its natural level. She barely acknowledged that Flare was in front of her, since momentarily her eyes were drawn to the fiery spectacle he was presenting.

Or his wings were to be more precise.

Fiery tendrils of flames were floating in the air with each flap of the burning wings. Shooting and sparkling like in some kind of fire show that you loved to watch as a child.

Heck.

Fire spectacles are alluring no matter what age you are, and this one, so close and basically at paw's reach was even more so. The sight was incredible and indescribable, like staring at the most beautiful, fascinating scene one could imagine.

She herself found beauty in many places, so she couldn't come up with a proper analogy for this scene. It was simply watching your fascination coming to life, piece by piece.

There was absolutely no way she could get her eyes off of it.

Flare cocked his head, watching the googly eyes of his friend. The look was adorable and so pretty, so different from the ones he remembered back in the prison some of the girls had. Those eyes were dreamy like Coriza's right now, but there was something creepy about them when he thinks about this now.

There was nothing creepy about Coriza.

Quite the opposite in fact.

"Coriza?" he whispered gently, smile stretching his mouth as he observed his friend

"You didn't hurt me" she replied automatically, her voice melodic but devoid of any emotions, as if talking was unimportant right now, but an unfortunate necessity

"I'm a preemie, my moves are uncoordinated, a bothering consequence, nothing else. Oh!" she gasped when the sparks pulsed surprisingly with more strength, exploding like little suns

Majestic.

Flare eye's widened, he finally understood what charmed her so much. It was his fire. Who would have thought that all he needed to do is to feel happiness to figure it all out.

He smiled, flapping his wings and stirring his element, adding more fiery illumination to the flaming tendrils.

He chuckled when he noticed her jaw dropping and a whine escaping her maw that was nothing more than a toothy, gaping hole right now.

"You like that?" he asked, amused

Something he never expected happened, something that tore the joy and smile from his snout like it would be an annoying, used bandage.

Her mouth, gaping in awe previously suddenly snapped shut that he could clearly hear the clamping of teeth. He was afraid that she sliced her tongue, or shattered some of her teeth.

Her gold eyes grew to immense size, they were so huge that for a moment he thought they were bigger than her snout.

Her gold orbs were filled with terror and embarrassment.

Blue scales momentarily adopted a red hue, far more fiercer and intense than his own, natural ones.

"I beg for forgiveness" she snapped, averting her gaze, pulling at her mane to somehow force it down and achieve the impossible resolution of disappearing underneath it

"I-I didn't mean to stare"

"Hey! Hey! I don't mind! It's very cute!" Flare blurt out defensively, scanning his burning body with a disinterested focus "I don't know what you see in those flames, but Cynder stared at them too! There is nothing wrong with that. You can ogle me as much as you want, it's cool!"

His words instead of calming her, somehow caused the blush of embarrassment to only gain on strength. To the point where he believed that her snout will melt away.

"T-That would be inappropriate"

"No it wouldn't! I'm totally fine with it! Look!"

She shook her head, tilting her head even farther to the side, so far that her neck started to hurt.

"I really s-shouldn't"

"We're friends Coriza, there is nothing wrong with looking!"

"With a glance, perhaps, but... o-ogling?"

"A look is a look!"

"Look can have many definitions, it can be represented by many nouns"

"Doesn't matter! Just look me over!"

She cringed, Flare had a gift for making her uncomfortable, yet there was something in him that prevented her natural shyness from thriving fully. In any other situation the embarrassment would push her away, she would politely and silently retreat.

Here, even despite all this social trouble she remained where she was, not that she had many options to run away to begin with, but it still counted.

A coward always finds a way.

He was charming with his natural naivety and bluntness, what really kept her in check was his honesty however. People, even those strongly good hearted, have secrets and tend to remain silent or walk around the truth in some cases.

Flare however had no such chains, he spoke what he believed to be right, spoke what his heart dictated him. He was honest as a hatchling, that alone made you understand that if he shows care you know it's real as the sky.

This fairness was impossibly sweet.

Not to mention that she didn't know how to decline, knowledge that would remain unreachable for certain with Flare around.

So she turned her head, cheeks burning like hot coals, even managing to quench the cramp in her neck. When her eyes finally landed on her companion all that embarrassment she felt, all that awkwardness turned itself off suddenly, as if those feelings were some kind of a mole mechanism that broke unexpectedly.

All of this was replaced by only one feeling.

Joy.

Joy of a hatchling that is having a blast with its first toy.

Flare was still hovering in front of her, straightened vertically he flapped his wings backwards, like always. Burning sparks were floating all around him, beautifully illuminating the sky with fiery hue.

The only thing that changed was his pose.

His tail was flicked upwards, raising along the length of his belly and chest. He was holding on to it with both his paws, right below the end of the tail, burning tip of which was covering a part of his snout.

He started to wave the tail from side to side, making circles and all kind of different acrobatics with it. His tail tip was like a torch, but instead of leaving a quickly fading dash in the path of the swing, his tail actually left a burning trail.

Which he kept on holding by swinging his tail back and forth the same route.

His tail was no longer just a mere torch, but a special, magical burning brush that painted on the very canvas of the sky.

"You are an extraordinary dragon" her eyes trailed the line of fire the burning tip left behind "I have never seen something so beautiful before" Coriza mumbled in honest, true awe

"Thank you!" Flare erased the line, instead drawing another picture in its place

A burning, smiling face appeared in front of the cleric.

Coriza giggled, wide eyes locking themselves with the artificial, flaming ones.

Her paw impulsively rose up, stretching towards the smilin8g face.

The air near it became warmer.

She jerked her paw back at the sudden change of temperature.

"You can touch it, it's not hot" Flare comforted her

She looked up at him, impulsively and completely inappropriately judging if he isn't lying. With every part of her soul she knew he wasn't, but the coward spark is a coward spark and it always flares up when faced with probable danger.

He nodded, assuring her that everything is safe.

Holding back her breath her paw began to move again, extending forward, towards the artificial face. Her leg wavered when the temperature increased, a warning signal was shot to her brain, reminding her of one truth she should never forget about if she values her health.

Just because someone doesn't consider something dangerous, that doesn't mean it's not dangerous for her. Life taught her the unfortunate lesson that there is hardly anything in this world that wouldn't be dangerous for her.

She really wanted to touch that pretty, smiling flame.

Gold eyes once more sought assurance in the yellow ones of her friend.

Once more she was shown that there is nothing to worry about.

Her leg pushed forward again, slowly reaching ahead.

She sensed another spike of temperature.

With a soft whine she retreated her paw.

Flare looked at her sadly, dagger of pity stabbed his heart. Another one of his friends is stuck in a cage. He tried to pull Iris out from one, but was told that he does more harm than good. Does the same rule apply to Coriza? He didn't want to hurt his friend.

"It's not hot, really. Look" he comforted his friend, reaching forward and grabbing onto the burning frame of the smiling face

Coriza smiled warmly, yet even he didn't have troubles seeing the shadows of disappointment and anguish on her snout.

"Thank you for your offer, but my interference into this art form would only ruin it"

"That's not true" Flare s shook his head "You're the most beautiful, gentle and caring cleric I know. You can't break stuff, you make everything better"

Coriza tugged at her robe, rearranging it to another level of perfection, never before she felt so humbled and proud after hearing a compliment. There were many in the temple that praised her for choosing this profession, the words of the faithful were nice and really warm.

The thing is that people of the faith have a very selective range of adoration and mostly there are no exceptions. That range is blocking the outside world from this holy circle of self admiration, there is hardly anyone willing from the inside to break the seal, or anyone from the outside persistent enough to penetrate the veil.

This is why Flare's compliment was so special, he was unshackled by the restraints of profession and proper tact basically. This is why his words rang with such honesty and were exceptionally powerful.

This is why she had to massage the part of her robe that covered her heart, which unexpectedly pounded with a force that practically numbed her senses and ordered her eyes to remain on her friend for every incoming, prolonged second.

His wings changed course, instead of pulling away from her they pushed him gently towards her. She wouldn't make much of it if not for his paw shooting forward.

It latched itself right above her draconic palm. She gasped, her heart skipped a beat and eyes shot wide at the feeling of his warm touch on her scales. Her startled gold orbs buried themselves deep into his yellow gaze.

He kept his claws away from her scales, careful not to poke them with his sharp tips, instead the blunt side of his claws massaged her leg tenderly, trying their best to relieve her muscles from the tension.

She was safe, his touch was enough of a confirmation of that.

Her shimmering, totally submissive gold eyes observed him intently. Shyly nudging him to continue and back off at the same time.

His gaze never faltered, sincere care radiating from his yellow soul nearly burning holes in her soul.

He didn't seem to want to break this rather passionate in its awkwardness moment. It was hard to tell in his case if he spotted her uneasiness in the first place. He watched her with the same amount of charmed attention as always.

Knowing Flare it was exactly that, social innocence.

No matter the reason however, that unchanged devotion was wonderful beyond words.

"Do you trust me?" Flare asked tenderly

His whisper was so enchanting, so palpable that the incorporeal voices that sometimes murmured in the temple's hall were nothing, but a breeze of the wind sleeping through the crack of a porous window compared to this whisper.

This is how she imagined the voice of an Ancestor would sound like.

Caring and honest, having only your well-being in heart. Assuring that no harm will befall on you, making certain that you are safe.

And glasses are extremely tender.

Big, gold eyes stared at her warm on both spiritual and physical level friend, mouth parted open, but not because to make room for words to pour out, but because her jaw lost the strength to keep it up.

She nodded, the only beings she ever trusted fully were the Ancestors, her cowardice didn't allow anyone else gaining that benefit. Since she trusted the Ancestors, she had to trust Flare, a creature sounding just like them.

"I will never let anything bad happen to you. I swear"

With that whisper he gently started to tug at her leg, pulling it tenderly towards the smiling, burning face.

Their eye contact was unbroken all this time, probably it would be creepy and at least awkward to stare into someone's eyes for so long, it should be especially uncomfortable for someone shy like her. Yet she couldn't, or didn't want to avert her gaze, no matter if it was wrong or invading. She couldn't peel her eyes off of him, like...like from the statues of the Ancestors dotting the temple, and their spiritual souls she fell in love with.

Her huge eyes blinked, in that moment every other sensation faded away, every thought was erased. All that remained was the indescribable fear and the prospect of incoming agony.

This isn't right.

This isn't right.

It was becoming warm again, hot even, the claws on her pulled paw curled in dread.

Flare wasn't the most wittiest of dragons, but even he didn't have troubles recognizing that something changed in the look of his friend. The dreamy, nearly blissful expression was shoved back by sheer terror.

A fear that frightened even him.

He felt her weak protest, her leg trying to bashfully break free from his caring grasp.

"No, Coriza, there is noth-"

"Please..."

He heard many cries for mercy before, only at the beginning they made any impact on him.

Later?

Later they didn't matter. They were just a sound, last dying gurgle of defeat.

Her begging whine however, he never heard such a wail before, there was something in it that froze the blood in his veins and made his heart rattle inside his ribcage like a lit dynamite bouncing around inside a box.

He felt weird, a tear formed itself in the corner of his eye, he felt as if daggers would thrust into his body from every direction, stabbing him over and over again.

He felt as if he was falling, nothing made sense and everything was unimportant, he was being sucked into a void, at the bottom of which he knew what can be found and knew that it would somehow kill him.

It was pain.

Pain was at the bottom.

The only thing that can hold him back was his friend and she was nowhere to be seen.

No.

She was here, the walls of the pit weren't simple stone, they were made of blue scale and he was tearing through it with his claws, with each lost centimeter of fall.

Coriza was bleeding and it was him who was causing it.

"I'm sorry!" Flare cried out, letting go off her paw and sharply backing away, with chaotic flaps of wings he destroyed the burning face

His burning body flared up with brighter flames, he pushed back so strongly that parts of the wounds he cauterized opened up and began to bleed anew.

He betrayed his friend and now she doesn't want to have anything to do with him.

He played the Diazen game.

His entire soul felt as if it was on fire.

This time however he was the one being consumed by the flames.

"Please don't leave me! I didn't mean to betray you!" he cried out and his voice rung with palpable agony

The pain in his voice was terrible of course, but not as fear inducing as the sight of his burning body becoming nearly dark due to loss of potency of his exterior flames.

Coriza's personal fright, personal awkwardness, personal everything faded into the unimportant and nonexistent. During her young life there were many things she labeled as the most scariest thing in her life, from spotting a creepy formed shadow to a dead body.

She never believed the last one could ever be topped.

Now she was certain that the podium was taken by another thing, the idea of being a heartless murderer was that thing. Right now she was certain that she is exactly that, she killed his flames and for a creature like him it was a death verdict.

She never hurt anyone before, his full of pain cry will haunt her for the rest of her life.

The sight of him, combined with the echo of his cry still ringing in her head, it was as scary and painful to watch as it was to feel.

"You have done nothing wrong" her melodic voice resounded, losing its charm at the end of the sentence where it started to stagger, quenched down by the sight of blood on his shoulder

She swiftly averted her gaze, yet even the unfortunate glance was enough to push the world into a slow, whirling motion

"I am to blame" she said, tone slowly returning to normal when her eyes weren't tormented by the sight of blood any longer

"You must forgive me my friend, solitude is my daily bread, diet such as that makes me a difficult companion. I apologize"

She didn't have to look his way to know that her words had an effect. Even from here and during broad daylight she could see the flickering, intense life of flames flaring up with new energy.

"Did you call me your friend?"

The enthusiasm in his voice was palpable, nothing remained of his earlier despair and anguish. He changed emotions like a mole changes his working tools. Swiftly, without a thought and precisely.

Somehow, even if the result was welcoming, she didn't feel thrilled.

She didn't know why really, maybe it was jealously, she couldn't cast the pain away so easily. Every ache lingers for what seems like forever.

Or maybe it was something else.

"I did"

Who knows.

"Yay!" Flare roared, making a backward flip in the air, leaving a fiery rainbow in his wake

"I'm Coriza's friend!" another shout and another spin

"I'm Coriza's friend!" and another one

She smiled, she didn't have any choice in the face of such joy.

"Careful, unending spins in one direction cause vertigo"

"How can I thank you?"

Her heart stung for some unknown reason, claw touched the lips softly, massaging them in small circles. She was glad she kept her eyes away from him, since for another unknown reason a blush crept on her cheeks.

"You don't have to thank me" she replied without conviction

"I know!" Flare exclaimed, bursting with new fiery energy, it was doubtful that he even heard her modest protest

"I'm going to take you to your favorite place!"

She smiled at hearing his idea of the reward, which in truth he was offering, with little breaks, from the moment they left Warfare.

"This is very sweet, but you don't-Eeek!"

She squealed when unexpectedly she felt a warm body pressing itself against her back, trapping her wings under its weight. Strong, male paws grabbed her below the shoulders, hind ones wrapped themselves around her waist to the best of their ability.

Which, when considering her petite frame was a whole, locked hug. Every strand on of her mane stood up at the end when she felt a tail wrapping itself around her own and locking itself in the embrace.

A warm chin rested itself on the top of her head, even if she wouldn't know who is responsible for the sudden hug, she wouldn't have troubles aiming the responsibility.

There is only one dragon who emits such bright flames without opening his mouth to breath fire.

"I'm flying the right way?"

She was speechless, she couldn't respond to the bouncing jaw of Flare on top of her skull.

She nodded automatically, feeling her neck creaking from all this tension like rusted door. She couldn't think of anything else, but some body shoving its way through her personal space without permission and practically destroying it.

"Relax Coriza" Flare whispered comfortingly, dropping his head next to her right cheek, the brush of his warm aura caressing her scales

She averted her gaze in bashful panic.

"You're not going to fall, I won't allow it. Just relax your muscles and you'll see how much fun it is"

She would never do that, or at the very least put up a hilarious defense to somehow prolong this moment, or if she would be lucky win some pity. After all between her and the ground there is nothing but a pit.

Here she acted despite her cowardly instincts, she couldn't explain it and didn't really want to, she simply let go.

And she never felt so wonderful in her life.

Her mouth parted wide, stretching into a joyful smile of a hatchling, broken smile fully on display. As creepy as it may sound it was almost divine to feel wind blowing across her opened mouth that usually is better sealed than a treasure chest.

Her head dropped down, looking at the world below, spotting her dangling freely paws and unmoving wing. Her cowardly instinct slapped her again, reminding her that this is unwise and very dangerous considering her lack of any proper manual skills.

The spooky poison reached her heart, gold eyes glimmered and front paws began to thrash wildly in the air, in a futile attempt to grab onto something and gain some support.

Left foreleg was unlucky, in the end it was left to cope with the scary problem by itself. The right however found something as it bend and rose slightly up. It smacked its way along a scaly snout, until the toes and claws found something to hold on to.

It had a feeling similar to her mane.

Claws and toes sunk into the hair and pulled at it, dragging Flare's head slightly down. Flames shot in every direction when she locked her paw into a fist.

Flare chuckled and put up the most warmest and kindest of smiles a boy can offer after the sweet tug. It felt so damn nice to be able to save and protect his friend, also to feel that friend accepting his gesture.

She was his friend after all.

"I'm here, you're not going anywhere, don't worry"

She pressed her body against him, dragging his head a little more down to somehow draw him even nearer.

"You want me to speed up?"

Coriza observed the slowly swimming blur of the world below and enjoyed the pace with which it moved greatly.

"I don't want to be a weight, do as you wish if I'm overburdening you" she replied sadly

"You are very light! It's not a problem!" Flare blurt out cheerfully "Also your mane is so soft!" he gently rubbed his jawline against the hair, taking a deep whiff of the scent it emanated "And it smells so nice!"

Coriza giggled softly, her melodic voice gaining only more deep, enchanting power.

"I would advise against sniffing my hair, my tendency to accidents most of the time makes it barely tolerable"

"Nah. There isn't anything that would make me abandon you"

If his grip on her body is any indicator, she could hold him to his word without a doubt.

*

"This place is called The Oasis, of course it adopted its name from the way it is formed, so much similar to the places of refreshment so typical for the desert biome. There is more to this wonder of Nature than just the exterior. Oasis in the desert are a metaphorical healing circles, finding water in a dry land is as vital, nourishing and relief bringing as the most needed and powerful medical concoction. Here the meaning took a more literal turn" she smiled to herself "Your favorite"

She awaited for some riposte, but Flare was silent as a fish, he acted like that from the moment they landed.

Or the moment she started talking, giving in to her preaching nature she mastered as a priest. It had one flaw however, it can be tiring and as a cleric who is able to separate her thoughts from faith.

A pleasant, toothless smile stretched her lips.

"Am I boring you?" she turned around, expecting him to be snoring

To her surprise however his eyes glimmered with sheer interest and curiosity. He was sitting on the earth, straight and attentive if he would have ears they would be standing at an end. He looked like a student ready to listen to the lecture of his favorite teacher.

"I love your voice. You speak with such a deep passion that I can't stop listening to you, I never remembered so much after Volteer's lessons, I remember every word you said tho. I don't know from where all this voice comes from since you're so tiny, but don't stop please, I never listened to something so free. Freedom is cool and when you are a guide, you are more free than I ever was. You are such a wonderful, cute girl"

Her eyes widened, it wasn't the first time someone sent compliments about her voice, as well as her looks even if her body is nothing more than average compared to other pretty females out there. This was the privilege of her profession and respectful approach to people, for some reason the compliments were more touching when they came from Flare's mouth.

As sweet as it was it was not the thing that made her heart race, she really wanted to throw herself into his paws and hug him, squeeze the gratefulness and happiness into him.

She would do that, her naughty side was poking her, but she restrained herself. It was inappropriate and probably creepy, she cannot soil her holy robe, more than she already did.

It was his genuine interest in her history lesson that heated the blood in her veins.

"Are you certain that I'm not tiring you?"

Flare shook his head lively.

"Of course not. Go on, you have my whole attention"

Coriza bowed thankfully and turned around, taking into her sight the scenery she was familiar with all too well.

This spot was called an oasis mainly because of its look, from above it really looked like a pond, the only difference was that there wasn't a single palm tree in the middle, rather the place was surrounded by trees.

Tress that formed a circle, they were leaning against each other, as if they wanted to place their crowns on the other's non existing shoulder. From the outside it looked like the trees formed a dam, with many visible arches at the base that served as an entrance for people who wanted to visit the oasis.

You had to pass through all those little, thin leafy branches that were like a drape, leaves that always caressed you like feathers whenever you entered.

This was a magical place, metaphorically and, in which she strongly believed, literally speaking.

"Do you know what happens with dragons after they die?"

Flare shrugged.

"They rot and worms eat their remains"

Coriza cleared her throat.

"This is a very grim way of explaining matters, but not untrue however. My fault for taking the wrong approach with the question, what I meant to ask is whether you are familiar with the theory speaking about the future journey of our essence after we meet our unavoidable fate?"

Flare scratched his burning mane in bewilderment.

"I really like you Coriza and love listening to you, but could you repeat what was the question?"

She giggled, covering her mouth.

"You know what becomes of our essence when we perish?"

"Not really. I don't even know what essence is"

"Let's call it our soul. There are those that believe, and this version is scientifically proven, that our souls venture into the earth, becoming one with it. This is how Spirit Gems sprout from the ground. There are also those that believe that our soul joins the sky to become one of the stars. I'm a personal fan of the second scenario, it's so extraordinary beautiful and somewhat romantic that my heart couldn't pass such a belief without attachment"

"I believe the truth however lies in between, while the Gems are the essential part of our presence in this world after our deaths, I believe that there is still a place in the sky for a tiny part of us. Perhaps it is a bit naïve, but I don't have the will to cast out such an idea, it is a noble destination, to add the beauty of your own soul to make the night sky even more breathtaking? How can this not be fulfilling?"

She smiled warmly, scolding herself in her head.

"Look at me, here I am wasting your time on the details of my feelings instead of continuing the story"

Flare observed his friend with nearly passionate, lustful interest. She was too one of those special dragons, having that something like Iris, Cynder, Spyro, Sparx, that despite his own personal feelings about them, unable to be ignored. That special thing was like his element, sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker, in Coriza's case right now it has reached beyond any reasonable level.

It was powerful, her spark was powerful, he could watch her and listen to her all the time and it made him feel wonderful. Excited, satisfied and to some degree possessive, he felt that his lack of knowledge about the alphabet wouldn't stop him from sitting down and writing a book nobody has seen before.

She was a muse.

So beautifully addictive muse.

"Back to the topic" the feminine, melodic voice continued "The legend states that the oasis was created by the influence of the Spirit Gems, yet here they didn't take the form of a crystal, rather their magic sunk into the environment. Infusing Nature with its gentle touch. Of course nobody can sense any magic in the trees or the ground, but the belief stands strong, such wonder cannot be available for our praise just by accident only, yes?"

"Legends say that our world wasn't always green and fruitful, there were times where this land was covered in ice, remnant and evidence of that theory is visible now in the presence of Dante's Freezer. Here a colony of dragons, led by the late Fulminus, who earned his rightful place among the Ancestors, erected the first draconic city"

"The world was covered in ice, there weren't many places where dragons could travel, wind and temperature was deadly too many. With no other viable option, Fulminus decided to settle, many protested, but with ice stretching from every corner they had no other choice, death awaited them no matter the decision"

"Dragons can survive without nourishment for a very long time, unfortunately among the group were also elders and those who despite their heritage are frail" Coriza bit her lip, sighing sadly "Those were the first to perish. You must understand that back then there were no manuscripts about Spirit Gems, that knowledge was a horrendous unknown"

"Panic stirred, despair was not so far behind. Fulminus however was an electric dragon, using his knowledge he sustained the population. It is believed that even when they managed to construct their first homes, they spent their nights cuddled together, dragon to dragon, a scene that from above looked like a huge snake trying to eat its own tail.

Fulminus as almost every electric dragon had unmatched intelligence, he sustained the colony by body warmth only, he perfectly estimated the movement of fish under the layers of ice, due to that he provided the population with food. He implemented every trick for survivability that for us is common knowledge now"

"And then came the Spirit Gems. He was the first dragon who harnessed their powers and taught others how to channel the energy. Magic is impulse and who isn't better at reading impulses than an electric dragon? I won't bore you with theories about energy and how exactly Fulminus managed to channel said energy, important thing is that he did"

"Spirit Gems supposedly give power to our kind, it influences our essence so much that we become powerful and practically immortal. This was the turning point for the colony, thanks to the gems the dragons could venture further, finding resources and thanks to Fulminus use those resources to the best of their capability"

"In the end, a hopeless stand for survival prospered into a flourishing city. Today people say that the earth still remembers that magnificent bastion for survival, hence the trees bow in the way so they resemble the sleeping, warming themselves dragons with the life giving oasis sparkling in between as a sign of thriving life"

"Even if this place was examined many times and many times it was proven that there is no magical influence remaining, people still came here and these people still felt invigorated after their visit. It is said that this place can even help those that are lost for a very long time. Here, in this place even the impossible can be achieved. Whether this theory is true, or is just a consequence of strong faith..."

Coriza shrugged "It is not for us to decide. I love this place personally because it helps me relax and who knows, if it has any healing properties maybe it will empower this medicine against infection so you won't have to worry about it in the future"

"Do those Spirit Gems really give us powers?" Flare inquired

She smiled to herself, such a quick question meant that her words didn't go to waste. She shook her head, smile disappearing, the answer however to this particular question wasn't her favorite.

"They say they do, personally I have never experienced it. You are better off asking someone else" she looked behind her shoulder, offering her loyal listener a warm, yet downtrodden smile "They are making me very sick. Speaks volumes about a dragoness who rejects her own kind's life essence, yes?"

"Why do you get sick? You said they make us stronger"

"I have no answer to that question. Maybe they know I'm brittle and weak, there is no point in empowering glass when one kick is enough to shatter it I suppose"

Coriza gently moved the natural curtain away, revealing even more, nearly heavenly green and flowery terrain beyond.

"Will you be so kind as to accompany me?"

The thought of refusal never crossed his mind, without a word he jumped on all four of his legs and pranced ahead, slipping through the natural doorway right next to his friend's side.

She bowed gently, thanking for acceptance of her offer.

"Despite its beauty, this place doesn't get many visitors. It's all forgotten by now due to advancement in medicine and already mentioned gems. Cheetahs have their own beliefs and moles are usually too busy to think of anything else. Yet there are sometimes people here, everyone always seek refuge in the refreshing embrace of the pond, I have however a different spot, would you like to see it? We can take care of your wounds there in peace"

Flare's mouth stretched into a broad, happy smile.

"You don't have to ask me for permission. We're friends! I'll go and do whatever you want and whenever you want!"

The cleric gently nodded and with a toothless smile continued walking.

"I appreciate that, but isn't following someone without a thought a bit dangerous? Don't you have any questions?"

"Just one"

She smiled kindly, gold eyes looking intently.

"Yes?"

"How can you speak volumes?"

Coriza laughed, his tail wagged happily at the sound that it nearly threw his rump from side to side. Besides giggles and chuckles he never heard her truly laughing before, his knees buckled at hearing the wonderful, deep, melodic laughter.

It was the best experience he got to feel in his life. This was it, this will be his goal now, to make all of his pretty, female friends smile and laugh. He hardly felt warmth anymore, but this... this pumped more blood to his heart, he could sense it sweating.

"I cannot properly explain it, but you don't have to worry about that, you already speak volumes" she looked behind her shoulder, there was something really magical about her shy glance, pleading and captivated even

"If I may step out of the line and suggest something? Please don't change your tune"

He could never refuse those eyes, even when it came to do things he had no idea about.

"OK!"

He followed his friend without hesitation, not aware where they are going since during his excitement and passion of supporting his friend, his paws tapped the exact same rhythm as her female ones. He set that familiarity as his goal immediately, like he believed that their friendship depended on the right and exact rhythm of their steps.

He knew she was pretty, but only now he truly realized how beautiful her legs were.

"We're here" Coriza announced and his head immediately snapped up

It was dark here, not like in the night, but darker than it is under an open sun. Only after a while he realized that they were in the shadow, a huge tree was towering in front of them, its lush crown stretched above, hanging above them like some kind of a fat paw.

The leaves were dancing constantly, allowing and denying entrance to the sun's rays alternately. Columns of light were flickering unendingly, as if there would be a couple of electric dragons sitting on the clouds, spitting in turns their element at the earth.

They were surrounded by bushes and flowers, there seemed to be only a single way they could get here and that was the grassy road they just took. Flowers made the surroundings very colorful, even more when the petals were illuminated in the special alternate rhythm of the sun.

The bushes surrounding them weren't big and particularly thick, enough however for dragons of their size to be completely obscured. Behind them, at least from the north side, past the big tree, there was definitely that famous pond. The sound of small animals and gentle breeze of water reached even behind their modest, green wall.

"How do you like it?" her voice lacked that typical for her comforting, but serious and modestly confident tone. This time it was hopeful ashamed and scared, as if her life depended on the next answer

Flare smiled pleasantly "It's cool and so quiet. Like we would be some kind of assassins who just snuck into a vault nobody thought that it was possible to enter"

Coriza smiled her cute and polite toothless smile. But there was something in it, as well as in her eyes that sparkled suddenly, or perhaps it was just the trick of the ray that just illuminated her snout, that sent a numbing tingle through his tail.

"I cherish this place, because it reminds me of the serenity of the temple and the privacy of my house, but I suppose your version is a viable option as well"

She reached under her robe, revealing to the shadows a string and a pouch attached to it which she received from the cheetah healer.

She tenderly grabbed the pouch, rising it to her sight.

"Also the gloom this wonder of nature provides accomplishes a more useful function, the shadows will allow me to apply the necessary treatment without having to confront my phobia too much. Someone like me has to increase their already slim chances, extinction meets us otherwise. I will try not to faint"

"You don't have to do this Coriza" Flare protested gently "I don't want you to get sick because of me"

"I will get sick only because of my own limitations. You are not to blame"

"I'm burning, you won't find many shadows around me"

"Can you lower the intensity of your aura?"

"I will take care of it myself"

"You will never reach your thigh. Let's not fight because of this, please, don't force me to retreat"

Even if her whine was as soft as her mane, it still felt as if a saw would just slice through his bones.

"I'm sorry" Flare sat on the grass biddably, folding his wings "I just wanted to help, I don't want you to suffer because of me. Why do you want to take care of my wounds so badly?"

Coriza fiddled with the bag in her paw, gold eyes squinted without their usual, lively intensity.

"I owe you a debt of gratitude. This is not the least, but my only way of showing that to you. I'm not rich, influential or strong. I beg you to give me the chance to repay you, otherwise I will owe you a favor for all eternity. I would like to feel useful for once beyond the temple"

Flare's fiery aura dimmed, he didn't like the idea, but he had enough brain to realize that it means a lot to his friend. The thought of her suffering through the ordeal however wasn't the best perspective.

"You don't owe me anything, this is what friends do, but if you insist then go ahead" his paw landed on his wounded shoulder to cover it, much more serious injury than that on his thigh "Since you owe me, then I would like you to take care of my leg, I will deal with the wound on my shoulder. Deal?"

Her mouth stretched into a toothless, sweet smile.

"You are familiar with the art of negotiation I see"

The flames surrounding him became weaker, now flickering like a dying fire. His head started to hurt and the world began to shake slightly.

He ignored it completely.

"I was a prisoner, sometimes a trade had a better chance of keeping me alive than fighting"

"I'm sorry to hear that"

Flare grinned.

"It's ok! Clean slate!" he extended his paw forward, opening his palm and turning it upwards "Shoulder first, it's starting to hurt very badly"

Gold eyes looked at him with knowing, nearly loving attention.

"Didn't you say you don't feel pain?"

He shrugged.

"I played tough, now I don't have to" he twirled his claws eagerly, nudging his friend "Come on, or I'll start to cry. You won't like this place anymore when I do"

She observed him with great interest and curiosity. He was a fantastic dragon, not as dim as Sparx believed him to be. Perhaps he was oblivious to the rules of the world and sociality, but when it came to friendship and displaying care to those he values, he had no match. Becoming intelligent, funny and interesting, his devotion to friendship and what she believed to be an artistic sensitivity towards the people he cares about, not to mention that he actually proved his honesty in those feelings, were extremely attractive.

After all, she knows a thing or two about devotion. It was so appealing to find it beyond the temple walls.

She looked up, at the thick and massive crown of the tree above, guilty about such thoughts, but at the same time free that she could express them, even if only in her mind. At least here, where she felt that the tree somehow manages to shield her from the gaze of the Ancestors.

Her head dropped down, back at her friend with a happy smile despite the pain he claims to feel. She knew he lied, he possibly knew she knows that too, but that didn't prevent him from trying to protect her, while remaining fair to her wishes.

She placed the pouch on his opened, draconic palm.

"I accept your offer"

With a cheerful smile Flare accepted the gift and without hesitation began applying the ointment on his wound. Carelessly all facts considered, but she didn't have the stomach to watch him in action, nor the confidence to scold him for the recklessness.

It was not because he didn't care, as a loyal friend he didn't want to disappoint her by ignoring the treatment completely. His moves were uncoordinated and deprecating because his focus wasn't entirely into it.

Before she looked away she realized that his attention was split into three actions. She took the biggest chunk of it, he kept looking at her with all that childish, happy attention all the time. The second place was reserved for his tail, which she watched even now when her head was turned away, it was coiled around his leg, running and sliding up and down, left and right along his leg.

She was intelligent enough to know that it wasn't merely a coincidence that his tail took his injured leg to its liking just now.

At the bottom was his shoulder and even lower the attention he put into taking care of it. She found his move both charming and foolhardy.

Of course she didn't have the courage to mention any of it.

"I'm done" Flare announced, she didn't know how long taking care of a wound like that usually takes, but she had a feeling that he did it longer than it was necessary. He extended his paw with a little, now greasy flask on it.

She was pretty sure of it actually considering all his secret moves.

Coriza nodded in acknowledgment.

"Allow me to prepare myself"

He had no idea what kind of preparations are needed to mend wounds, all he ever did was just to burn this stuff and forget about it, however he respected his friend, respected her as she was, so he respected her choices.

She turned around, facing the tree, her back directed at him. His eyes widened slightly when she rose on both her hind legs, pressing her both fores to the trunk. She started to climb, using only her front paws, stretching her body up for an unknown reason, as well as her robe.

Just when he was about to ask what she is doing his sight landed on her back legs, with her body stretched the robe curled up, revealing more of her hind paws to him. He examined her back legs with great admiration, the sight of her well-toned, beautiful legs made the claws on his remaining foreleg on the ground sink into the earth. The yellow dash of scales that was visible on the back of her hind paws added more of that alluring charm to them.

With her muscles stretched like that, curvy, feminine silhouette of her legs firm and slender, fully on display, he couldn't think of anything else, but how wonderful it would feel to trail their figure with his paw.

Soon the legs started to return to their normal position, only then he managed to get his eyes off of them, noticing in the last moment how she slips from her robe, robe that now was hung on one of the protruding, tiny branches in the form of a wooden stake that was sticking out from the brown tree trunk.

He didn't remember if he ever saw her without a robe before, dragons wear their scales as clothes, but in her case it was a little different, at least for him. She was always in a robe and now she casted it away, his eyes trailed her petite, sliding down the tree figure with unbridled excitement.

Even if it was as natural as it can be, there was something dirty and sexually suggestive with the way her body was now free from the shackles of cloth. His sensual attention didn't falter when she turned around, in fact it became even more potent when he looked into her eyes and a strand of her mane dangling down her head, in between her eyes, a small part of which covered a piece of her left, gold like the sun, orb.

She really was a muse.

A forbidden fruit that only a handful see without her robe.

"Flare?"

"Do you know that you have wonderful legs and are extremely sweet without the robe?"

Paw shot to her chest, clenching at the scales, claws scraping against the draconic flesh, her gold eyes widened suddenly, realizing that she in fact had no robe on her. She threw a demanding gaze, pitiful glance behind her shoulder, blaming the robe for being there where it was.

His devotion was fascinating, but being in such center of attention wasn't her priority, nor it was her comfort zone. She would reach for the robe, tear it off the branch to cover herself, but she couldn't do it, knowing that it would hurt her friend's feelings.

Instead she looked back at him, putting up her only line of defense that was a devastated, defenseless, stare of a starving puppy that found its way to a door and an owner of said doors from which tasty smells were coming from.

She could only count on mercy.

Her body squeezed itself together, muscles and limbs pressing against each other to the best of their ability. She felt as if she was shrinking.

As alluring as her pose was, his soul didn't lose the sensitivity of a friend, it immediately noticed what is happening and instantly scolded his instinct for its inappropriate observation.

"I'm sorry! I didn't want to sound like a creep! Here! I just wanted to give-" his voice trailed off when he looked at his extended paw, his tilted down extended paw without nothing on it

The flask was lying in the grass. He didn't know when his nerves went numb.

"I will never call you attractive ever again!"

He blurt out, reaching down for the flask as if his honesty depended on it.

From all the words she expected him to say, those weren't the ones she wanted to hear.

It however showed how much he was aware of his inappropriate behavior, at least he realizes his mistakes and that alone is greatly valued.

She relaxed visibly, due to his apology and the fact that he no longer maintained eye contact with her, only his paw was stretched into her direction, shaking in fear as it held the flask with the medicine.

"Your compliments flatter me Flare, but there is a place and time for everything and tact is essential on every level of interaction we face in life. Especially in my case, boldness intimidates me, I'm not used to it. I strongly believe in secrecy and privacy, some thoughts shouldn't be unraveled quickly. For that fact alone I keep hidden the other part of me, since I don't want you to risk stopping liking me for who I am right now"

"I will alw-" he stopped, biting on his tongue, feeling that it was a futile time for excuses and assurances

"I know. The issues is that I easily get attached, but badly adapt. It takes me a very long time to get comfortable, this is my shy nature unfortunately. As much as I appreciate honesty, I ironically don't readjust myself really well to the new conditions and resolutions truth brings with itself"

His wounded gaze looked up at her, with head hanging low, and the light of his natural flames nearly dark he looked like a beggar begging for just a sip of water, knowing already that it won't help him at all right now.

"I don't understand what I should do to make things right"

Coriza smiled.

"Accept my limitations and unfortunately respect them, as I have to do" she walked forward, taking the flask from his paw "Stay still please"

He obeyed, putting all of his fours paws firmly on the ground, tail however remained in the same spot, at list at first glance. In truth it was lower, pressing against the fiery, yet dim feather on the hock, keeping it away from sleeping out into the open. Limiting the light even more as a consequence.

She swore to herself that she won't look at the wound, but the funny thing about promises to yourself is that you always break them and almost never feel bad about it. It was exactly like that in this case, her eyes landed on the injury even despite she didn't really want to look at it.

She didn't know why she was surprised, especially when she spotted Flares every odd move, yet she was shocked by the injury, if it can still be called like that. There was no blood on it, every drop was accurately cleaned, even the cut itself wasn't as drastic as she imagined it to be. She didn't know if the cauterization process or his earlier skullduggery had anything to do with it, probably both, but the wound looked like a really ugly bump than an actual laceration.

She no longer understood why she had to remind him of respect when the wound shows exactly how well he understands it.

She poured the remains of the medicine on her paw, there wasn't much of it left, part was used by flare and almost the other half eaten by the ground. It was a slick liquid that didn't smell very well, like rotten wood, but she followed the instructions and applied the medicine.

She expected his leg to kick, muscles to flinch or at least a hiss to come out from his mouth, she didn't know why she was ready for such a sound of any sign of pain when he stated and proved many times that pain doesn't bother him.

She didn't know why she was expecting such a natural reaction from him.

Of course he did no such thing, he stood exactly where he stood when she pressed her paw to his thigh, remained still even when she started to spread the ointment all along the wound. It wasn't so bad as she thought it'll be, to her own surprise she didn't feel ill, nor any vertigo assaulted her. It was as normal as rubbing a bump with oil.

She only realized when she was finished when no more drop could be squeezed out of the flask and his leg was glistening more intensely than her cheeks after a skirmish with cosmetics and mirror.

"All done!" she announced cheerfully, smelling her paw impulsively and wincing at the ugly scent "Ugh!"

"What's wrong?" Flare looked behind his shoulder, eyes glimmering with worry

Coriza shook her head tenderly.

"Nothing, it's just that my nostrils don't tolerate the scent of this medical specialty very well"

"What specialty?"

She waved the flask at him.

"Oh! Yeah, it is pretty nasty" as to give his words credit he smelled his paw, wrinkles of disgust appeared on his nose "There is a pond right over there, we could go for a swim and wash it off"

Once more the shimmer of her eyes disappeared. He immediately knew he did something wrong again.

"How bad did I screw up?"

Coriza offered him an apologetic, yet reassuring smile.

"It's not you, it's me. Your proposition is a fantastic one, in any other circumstances and probably with every other person in the world. I however can't swim and tend to stay away from physical activities as far as I can"

"I can always teach you. Nothing will happen to you, I'll protect you"

"I know you will, it's not a matter of security however. I wasn't born for labor of any sort, I'm very fragile, I don't heal well. This is a very tragic role for a predator, but there is nothing I can do about it. This is why I tend to keep to myself, this is where my cowardice was born. I can shatter easily, I enjoy life very much, this is why I do everything I can to prolong my existence. Which probably is shorter than I imagine myself, history likes to make a circle and our race tends to be in the bulk of every conflict. I will consider myself lucky if I'll reach one hundred years"

"One hundred years?!" he blurt out in sheer terror "But...but you will be so young!"

She smiled sadly.

"Death knows no remorse. This is a fact we all need to accept"

"That's not fair! I will do everything I can to-"

A soft humming came from behind the bushes, a sound that nearly melted his heart.

Coriza swallowed, fear suddenly gripping her spine.

"Flare?"

"Did you hear that?" without waiting for her response he moved towards the line of bushes that separated them from the pond. His element was still tamed even if it wasn't required anymore

"We're not alone"

That announcement was enough to make her nearly topple on the ground, she didn't really understood why, people come to the oasis after all. Yet somehow this was different, she had to follow Flare, she wanted to follow him in the line of bushes from which his tail protruded, wagging happily from side to side.

Even despite the fact that her coward's soul screamed at her that if she does so her life span perspective will be shortened by a very considerable chunk.

"Flare?" she whispered and despite everything started to push through the bushes next to her friend

As she moved the tiny branches and leaves away she sensed the temperature getting slightly lower.

There was some weird feeling coursing through her heart, as if she would be the last neutral territory in a land ravaged by war between two massive forces. A territory that was never found, a mystery never revealed and these bushes were the barrier that protected her from the greedy eyes of the waring forces.

A barrier she just broke.

Her golden orbs widened when her eyes saw through the bushes, already well experienced in perceiving things through swinging obstacles thanks to her mane.

Part of the life giving pond was turned to ice, almost half of it. This wasn't however what froze the blood in her veins.

It was the dragoness who was dancing on top of it.

It was Iris.