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Subject: Journal Entry 082 / 0119  [ Healing the Dragon ]
Message-ID: <1992Jun5.012044.26399@nwnexus.WA.COM>
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Date: 5 Jun 92 01:20:44 GMT
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     Kitty's Journal 082 / 0119

     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 day, 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 I 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 was 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 an 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, quietly, but with an eager smile on his face.  Aaden
turned and nodded to him.  Sufi's smile grew and he 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.  "Your 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 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
retrieved from the water, 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 combined 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 the 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, 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, weilding only a light rapier,
repeatedly and quite handily defended himself against a Human weilding a
much heavier saber.  "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."

     "Your 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
drawing 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 rigamorale.  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 at 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 find 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 again 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.

     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., And Related Tales
are (c) 1989, 1990 Elf Matheiu Sternberg.  May be freely distributed by
cybernetic media; hardcopies are limited to single printings for
personal use.
-- 
 __   Eagles soar, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines.   __
 \/                                                                 \/
                            Elf Sternberg
    elf@halcyon.com    elf%polari@uunet.uu.net   elf@seanews.wa.com