Puma padded down the entrance tunnel to her den. "This sucks." she said aloud.
It had been a rough week...what, was she a magnet for freaks? First that
DAMN kitsune and his sister...then that incident in the tavern with those 
magical potions, and the cloud of gas that reversed the gender of everyone who 
breathed it...and this latest incident, a damn vampiress waylaying her and using 
her as a light snack! Puma always knew this place was dangerous, and was usually 
prepared for it...but this week had been really hard. Unusually so, even for 
this place.
"Oog." Puma groaned softly as she stripped her shirt off over her head. The
stitches in her back pulled at her, making their presence known. Puma tossed
her grungy shirt into the hamper-corner and padded over to the mirror to look
at herself.
"Not bad..." she thought, placing her hands on her hips and striking a little
pose. She was a puma, tall, at 6' 3"...long, strong digitigrade legs that 
complimented her feminine form nicely, a slender, somewhat muscular build, 
small breasts that added a pleasant swell and nice curves to her chest. 
She spent a moment quietly admiring herself in the mirror, then frowned slightly 
and turned to walk away. As she headed towards the bathroom to shower, she 
rubbed idly at the stitches on her neck. Mementos of that kitsune and his 
sister, along with the ones on her back, chest, and rump...she growled softly, 
imagining what she'd do if she could ever get that bastard alone, and get his 
fucking collar off. That was another thorn in her side...made of heavy banded 
steel, black in color, the kitsune had placed it around her neck using magic to 
keep her in line and prevent her from talking about what had been done to her.
Puma cursed softly and shook her head...if only...then she stopped, nearly to
the bathroom door, and looked closer at what had caught her eye.
Over against one wall was her tote bag...the ugly O.D. green thing she used
to haul around all her stuff...but her sledgehammer, the magical one that
strange little man had given her years ago in the park...it was gone.
"Odd..." Puma said aloud, looking around. She knew that the hammer could
teleport itself to her, but it had never teleported away before. "I wonder
where it got to."
"I know where it is." a soft feminine voice hissed behind her. Puma whipped
around, dropping into a low crouch, claws held out in front of her body. She
knew that voice...and sure enough, out of the bathroom came a large
reptilian head, black in color...followed by a long, sinuous neck, and a
large draconian body. She moved smoothly on all fours, low to the ground so
she could fit through the bathroom door, and her wings, folded tightly
against her back rustled softly. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty..." she hissed. 
"Irwin." Puma said, her eyes wide. She knew the dragoness, from the Tavern
and around, but had never invited her to her den. "How the HELL did you get
in here?" Irwin slid smoothly out of the bathroom, her body filling a good
portion of Puma's den. Her whiplike tail lashed in the air behind her and
she hissed softly, "Your den wasn't that hard to find, kitty...all I had to
do was follow your scent...the entrance may be hidden, but your scent leads
right to it...not very sneaky, cat." Puma blinked. "I never had much of a
need to be sneaky." she said, slowly backing away from the large dragoness.
"Most guests to my home have the decency to ASK first. And they don't steal
my property, either." "Your hammer." Irwin smirked. "Yes, I had to remove
it...interesting little toy you have there."
"What did you do with it?" Puma asked.
"It's safe...in my lair, surrounded by spells and wards." Irwin hissed.
Puma chuckled. "Bad move." and leaped suddenly! Irwin's eyeridges shot up,
suprised...was the puma insane?
Puma held her hands out in front of her, and suddenly, in a bright blue flash
of light, her sledgehammer appeared! Irwin felt the sick shock of her spells
broken, smashed aside like a giant shrugging its way through a forest...the
spells of containment, the wards, even the powerful circle of force she
spent so much time on, all shattered by the hammer's teleport! The backlash
of magic staggered her, multiple *powerful* spells blown apart, and she
wobbled on her feet, suddenly dizzy...an opening that Puma took full
advantage of. *WHOCK!* Puma brought the sledgehammer down squarely atop
Irwin's head! Irwin SCREAMED in pain, agony shooting through her skull from
the blow...that hammer HURT, hurt BAD, like no physical blow should! She
was a dragoness, adult, fully grown and immune to nearly all physical
harm...yet she felt a warm liquid trickling down the side of her face, and
realized that her head was actually *bleeding*! *WHOCK!* Puma brought the
hammer down again, knocking Irwin to her knees, and she felt a blackness
creeping in on her consciousness...the pain blinded her and she heard a
whimper of pain escape her muzzle. "NO!" she thought to herself. "This
little mortal feline with a toy hammer is NOT going to defeat me!" Enraged,
she raised her head, and *WHOCK!* Puma brought the hammer down again,
relentlessly! She was doing her best to hammer Irwin into the floor, and
Irwin staggered, the first fear she'd felt in countless aeons gripping her
heart. Puma roundhoused the hammer, bringing it down in another powerful
blow, and *Thap!*
Puma blinked.
Irwin growled, low in her throat, and stood, the haft of Puma's hammer
gripped securely in her right hand. Blood trickled down her face, liquid
darkness against the black of her scales, and she raised her head up to look
Puma in the eye. Her intense gaze bored right into the feline, filled with a
rage, and a hate almost beyond imagining, and Puma *quickly* released the
handle, scrambling back away from the dragoness.  Irwin SCREAMED, a raw,
incoherent sound of sheer rage, and exhaled...a focused blast of plasma
roared forth from deep in her throat, aimed squarely at the feline that
DARED to hurt her! Puma yeeped! in suprise and dove to her left, the blast
of plasma searing her body in passing...it missed, smashing into the wall
of her den with explosive force, the blast knocking Puma breathless across
her den, tumbling amid a cloud of dirt and other debris.  She fetched up
against the far wall with a gasp, burned, staggered, the breath knocked out
of her, and raised her head up to look at the damage.  Her eyes widened
when she saw it...Irwin's blast had torn into the wall of her den that the
entrance tunnel was on...and completely collapsed it! There was no way out
except teleportation...and Puma had to concentrate for a moment to
teleport. "Oh no..." she gasped softly, and pushed herself up to her knees.
She turned her head to look at Irwin, and almost too late, saw the flash of
claws. She launched herself again, her powerful digitigrade legs carrying
her in a long leap towards the door to the kitchen as Irwin's hand,
wickedly-sharp ebony talons tipping each finger, smashed into the ground
where she was an instant ago. Puma didn't have time to celebrate
however...Irwin's tail, so long and flexible, lashed around like a whip and
struck her squarely in the ribs on the left side...so powerful was the
unexpected blow that Puma folded nearly in half around it, the crack of
breaking ribs loud in her ears. Her leap abruptly terminated, she smashed
heavily into the wall, well short of the kitchen door, and gasped in pain
as she collapsed to the floor. No sooner had she drawn an agonized breath
than Irwin's right hand *SMASHED* down onto her back, fingers opened...so
strong was the downward blow that Puma's spine shattered, agony beyond
belief shooting through her body as her spinal cord was torn and severed. 
"AHHH!" she screamed, as Irwin's hand closed around her body...her talons
tore deep grooves in the floor before her fingers closed around Puma's
torso, cruelly grinding her broken ribs together. Puma gasped in agony as
Irwin lifted her up off the floor...Irwin's hand tightened, the dragon's
incredible strength breaking more ribs...then her talons punched through
her skin and into her body as Irwin clenched her fist. Puma made sort of a
shocked gurgling sound as Irwin's knifelike talons punctured
deep...crunching their way through ribs, and into her lungs. "Cat..." Irwin
hissed, bringing the weakly struggling Puma up to eye level. Blood trickled
down her limp, useless legs from the talon-wounds as her hands weakly
clutched at Irwin's fingers, her pretty green and gold eyes wide in shock
and pain. "KILL YOU!!!" Irwin screamed, and clenched harder. Puma's mouth
opened wide but no sound came out...all the air was squeezed right out of
her by Irwin's crushing grip, her lungs punctured by her talons, her legs
useless from her broken back...her pupils dilated wide as she stared at
Irwin, realizing just what the dragoness said...and what she was doing.
Irwin clenched harder, sickening popping and crunching sounds coming from
within it as Puma's ribcage collapsed, and tears trickled down Puma's face.
Her mouth opened wide in a silent scream, or plea for help, and her hands
clutched weakly at Irwin's fingers, clearly trying to pull them open...but
Irwin just clenched harder, her body shaking in rage, and crushed the life
out of Puma for daring to hurt her. Puma's body shuddered convulsively, then
mercifully, thankfully, she passed out, her body hanging limply in Irwin's
grasp. Blood dribbled onto the floor of her den...a LOT of blood, pooling
beneath Irwin, and wet tearing and crunching sounds filled the air...after
a while, Irwin hiss-rumbled and teleported away, leaving behind only the
blood, soaking slowly into the dirt floor of the den, and the black steel 
collar...now bereft of any neck which to secure around. 

Puma floated...somewhere. It was sort of light all around her, and sort of
dark, too...she couldn't see anything, feel anything...but there was
something around her, enveloping her, holding her...like a presence, strong,
willful, somehow embodied in space around her. She felt...weird, like her
entire consciousness was focused down to a tiny point, and wondered what was
happening to her. Time didn't really seem to pass, but then, things were
different...Puma felt herself...spreading out somehow, enlarging...then she
became aware that she was curled up, warm, somewhere safe. She relaxed, and
enjoyed the warmth...then she shifted as she became aware of a need. She
needed to stretch, to spread her arms and legs...limbs she didn't even
realize she could feel again...the need built, becoming overwhelming, and
Puma began to push at the warmth all around her, like a wall, it held her in,
close all around her...it seemed like a long, long time Puma struggled, the
feeling almost claustrophobic now, then suddenly a cracking, crunching sound
echoed all around her, and her left arm straightened! Puma paused, and then
became aware that her arm was now cold...but it was a cold that pulled at
her, making the warmth around her stifling, suffocating, and she struggled
harder, more cracking sounds echoing, and suddenly her right arm joined her
left! It was hard, hard work as Puma clawed her way towards the coldness,
out of the warmth, panting softly and blinking as light and noise assailed
her senses...then she heard a hissing, familiar voice. "Welcome back, cat."
Puma blinked, trying to open her eyes...then was suddenly lifted, up into the
air, a powerful grip on the scruff of her neck. A sort of suprised mewl
escaped her as she was lifted, and she immediately curled her legs up to her
tummy, shivering at the cold that grabbed at her suddenly, and equally
overwhelmed by the feeling radiating out through her from the grip on the
scruff of her neck...it was all she could do to even open her eyes, blinking
hard even though the light was dim, and look around.
The first thing she saw was that familiar face...Irwin, holding her up so
she was eye-to-eye. Part of Puma wanted to run, to fight...but another part
just wanted to hang there, in her grip, and not move. It felt so
good...Puma shivered, and not just at the cold.
Irwin flicked her hand and Puma went sprawling, yelping softly in suprise as
she hit a pile of something that shifted and slid beneath her. She skidded
to a halt finally, in a shower of something metallic...blinked, and
realized it was coins, thousands, millions of them, of all different sizes
and colors. Of course...dragons have lairs, and hoard treasure, Puma
thought. Puma shook her head and wiped at her face...she was wet. Why was
she wet? She blinked some more and raised her head to look around.  She was
in a huge cave...light was provided by several torches, burning low, but
steadily and without smoke, set into sconces in the walls. The ceiling
stretched up out of sight into the darkness, and the floor was completely 
covered in treasure...gold and silver and brass and copper and more all
glittered, gleamed, or sparkled from mounds on the floor. Sparkled? Puma
looked closer and there were gemstones mixed in as well...a king's ransom,
more even, all lay about and openly on the floor. "I hope you appreciate
what I've done, cat." Irwin hissed. "I had to clean my lair because of
you...put all the weapons and things away." Irwin moved then, slinking
across the floor to Puma, and her motion revealed where she had been
sitting...a large nest, dug into the money covering the floor, and in the
bowl-shaped depression were two eggs...one cracked open. Puma blinked and
stared, as it became clear to her just what had happened, and why she was
wet and cold. "Oh...my...Gods." she said breathlessly, her voice sounding
tiny and high-pitched to her ears. Irwin chuckled, the sound carrying well
in the stillness, and shifted herself around the nest. "Your sister is just
about ready to hatch." she said softly, looking at the second egg. "What do
you think of that, dragon-cat?" Puma blinked, and looked down. Male
equipment! He was male! That's one of the first things he noticed. He
blink-blinked and looked at his arms...stubby and cublike, they moved
right, but looked all wrong. Black fur, not the sandy tan he was before,
and the proportions were all wrong...he sat up, and felt something odd on
his back. "?" he went softly, and reached behind him...his fingers
encountering something warm and leathery, something he felt as well, felt
the touch through. Irwin chuckled softly, watching him explore himself, and
Puma slowly flexed muscles he didn't have before...moving his wings out to
the sides. "Ah!" Puma gasped softly. He had wings! Honest-to-goodness
draconian wings...they came out of his back at a joint about where his
shoulderblades would have been...but again, they didn't look like Puma
thought they should. Puma blinked again, and stood up, his legs weak and
wobbly...then he saw why everything looked wrong. He was a cub!
Well-developed to be sure, able to stand and walk and move, but a cub for
sure. Puma looked down at himself for a long moment, with Irwin looking on,
and then asked softly, "What did you DO?"
Irwin chuckled, her body shifting around the remaining egg again. "I
rebirthed you." she hissed. "Remade you...recreated you."
"Why?" Puma asked softly.
Irwin looked down at him and didn't answer. The silence was broken by a soft
crunching, cracking sound. "Oh look!" Irwin said. "Your sister!"
Puma blinked, and despite a growing apprehension, looked closer. He watched
in fascination, unable to take his eyes away, as a little black hand cracked
out of the egg...soon another, grasping at the air, and at the shell, pulling
free exactly as Puma had. Puma felt the presence inside the egg as he
looked...sharp and strong, determined, it touched his mind in an intimate
way, and Puma knew...absolutely *knew*, deep down inside him, that part of him
was breaking free from that shell. He started forward, as if to help, and 
suddenly the creature in the egg gave a determined heave, and shoved its way
free, flopping over the side of the egg and into the coins below. Black fur,
just like his, leathery wings folded against her back, she sat up, wiped the
fluid from her eyes, and looked around.
Puma blinked, and stared. Irwin smiled softly, and hissed, "Puma, meet
Chi...your sister."
Chi's head spun around at Irwin's words, and her eyes locked in on Puma. So
intense! Her gaze seemed to bore right into him, and Puma flinched, backing
up a half-step, and stumbling on the coins as they slipped beneath his paws.
Chi stood up, but only onto all fours, and slinked closer to Puma...her black
fur spiky and sticking up in odd places from the moisture in the egg, like
Puma's did...but on her, it somehow made her frighting looking. Puma
scrambled backwards again, hands and feet pushing at the coins, and Chi
pounced, her cub legs propelling her forward in a short series of bounds to
*Whump!* squarely atop him!
Puma blinked.
Chi growled softly down at him, her little muzzle pulled back in a snarl.
Not all that little, actually...Chi was a little larger than he was, and Puma
squirmed nervously. "Good girl..." Irwin cooed softly, and Puma blinked up
at her. Chi hopped off of him then, sitting down on her haunches beside him,
and began grooming herself. Puma sat up, looking first at her, then at Irwin,
then back to her again.
"She's your sister." Irwin said, sitting at the edge of the nest and idly
toying with the eggshells with one finger. "While you were inside me, I
separated your nature...your soul, if you will."
Puma blinked.
Irwin continued. "She is your dominant nature, given body and form. You were
left with (heh) the submissive side."
Puma blinked again.
"I took your soul, your will, your spirit, and split it in two. I nurtured
the two halves, and when they were strong enough, placed them into
bodies...twin eggs I grew within my body. You are both a hybrid of puma and
dragon...genes from you, genes from me, identical in every way...except that
I made her female and you male."
Puma stared at Irwin in shock. "Why?" was the first thing out of his mouth.
Irwin chuckled, but didn't answer him directly. "Chi will take care of you
when I'm away, Puma." she told him. "She will watch over you, protect you,
feed and care for you..." Irwin trailed off, leaving something unsaid, and
Puma looked up at her.
Chi made a little noise then, distracting Puma, and he looked at her. A kind
of "Chirrup!" sound, compelling in an odd way...and she leaned forwards,
towards him, and licked his cheek. It felt nice...rough, pulling at and
combing his fur, and he leaned slightly closer.
Chi grabbed him suddenly then, her right hand darting forward to wrap around
and grasp his neck. He gasped softly and tried to pull away, but Chi was
stronger...with a swift yank, she pulled him up against her and began
grooming his face.
"Isn't she adorable?" Irwin cooed. "Just look at her...so taken with you
already!"
Puma squirmed just slightly in Chi's grasp, to which she responded by
wrapping her left arm around his waist and holding him tightly. "Why is she
like that?" Puma asked.
"What do you mean?" Irwin said, looking down at him.
"Well, she's...quiet. And she's *rough*."
Irwin snorted. "Stupid cat...I TOLD you. She's your dominant side given
flesh. And as far as her being quiet, she doesn't talk much...because
actions speak louder than words. Your sister is a feline of action, kitty."
"Oh." Puma said softly, feeling dumb. Irwin *had* told him about her
dominance, and he blushed slightly, the insides of his ears turning rose.
Irwin snorted disdainfully, then spoke. "I bet you two are hungry." she
said. Puma's ears perked up...in perfect synch with his sister's. "Yes!"
they said in perfect unison...the first time Chi had spoken.
Puma blinked and looked at her, suprised. She turned her head to look back
at him...her eyes were a deep, ice blue...then suddenly licked his nose. "I
CAN talk, you know." she said. "I just don't often."
"Oh." Puma repeated, licking his nose. It felt...weird where Chi had licked
it, and he tasted her saliva on his nose...like a secondhand kiss, and Puma
felt the blush in his ears increasing for some reason.
"Come ON." Chi said impatiently and hauled Puma to his feet by the scruff of
the neck. Puma made a little "Ulf!" sound and looked around...while he had
been staring at Chi, Irwin had left the lair...Puma didn't see her, and
couldn't tell where she had gone. But apparently his sister did, because she
bounded off on all fours towards the left side of the lair.
"Hey!" Puma protested softly, and scrambled after his sister. Unlike her, he
moved on two legs, walking upright...and with the coins slipping and sliding
beneath his paws, he moved a good deal slower than she did. She vanished
into the side of the lair, seemingly into solid rock, and Puma gasped
softly...he wasn't even halfway across the lair yet.
Making his way across the slippery, shifting coins Puma finally reached the
side of the lair where his sister had gone, and saw a tunnel, the entrance
of which blended in so well to the natural stone, it was virtually
invisible as you looked from the lair. "Huh!" Puma commented, and entered
the tunnel. It traveled into the rock for a little ways, then made a sharp
left bend... Puma saw a room just ahead, and caught whiff of an inviting
smell, and hurried along.
"About time, slowpoke!" his sister berated him the instant he entered. Puma
blinked against the strong white light in here, and looked around.
It was a kitchen! Light came from several lanterns, burning without smoke or
heat just like the torches in the lair, but much brighter. There was a large
wood-burning stove emitting heat (which felt wonderful on his still-damp fur)
a double sink, cabinets and shelves everywhere...but all much larger than
Puma thought they should be. The countertop was higher than his head...then
he remembered. He was a *cub* again, and probably had to grow still.
"Uff!" Puma went as something yanked him abruptly to the side. Chi...she'd
grabbed his arm, and was now hauling him sideways determinedly, by the left
arm. "Hey!" Puma protested...then saw what she was dragging him towards.
Food. Lots and lots of food, on plates and in bowls, spread out on the
stone floor like a picnic. "Oh!" Puma exclaimed, a sudden hungry knot in
his stomach... and stopped being dragged along, and instead headed
willingly towards the food. His sister grunted softly and kept her hold on
his arm, walking with him over to the 'picnic' where Puma sat down and
reached immediately for a VERY inviting-looking steak. Cooked just enough to
warm it all the way through, the surface seared to hold in the flavor, it
smelled absolutely *wonderful*...then Irwin's voice rumbled from above,
"What do you say?" Puma blinked, pausing in mid-reach, and looked up at
her. She was leaning against the kitchen counter, in an anthropomorphic
form that seemed to suit her. She was nude, her black-scaled breasts and
body bare, and the slit of her sex was clearly visible between her inner
thighs. Puma swallowed, tried not to stare, and answered her. "Thank you?"
Irwin grunted and looked away...apparently not precisely the answer she
wanted, but good enough for now. "Eat!" Chi said suddenly, pushing at his
arm, and Puma blinked, looking at her...then grabbed the steak he had been
eyeing. A quick glance around confirmed that there was no
silverware...apparently fingers were supposed to be good enough, so Puma
shrugged, took hold of his steak in his claws, and bit.
It was *wonderful*, the flavor of the meat's juices washing across his
tongue like ambrosia, and Puma gasped softly, inhaling through his nose
because his mouth was full. His sister grinned at him over some kind of leg
of meat... lamb, Puma identified after a quick sniff. "Good, isn't it?" Chi
asked him, then tore off a bite of lamb, still grinning...Puma nodded! and
tore into his steak again.
Irwin watched the cubs stuff themselves, grinning...she had provided a high-
protein meal, exactly what the cubs needed...they didn't yet know it, but
their young bodies would grow and mature *rapidly* thanks to her...with
their metabolisms accelerated the way they were, Irwin knew that they would
reach full adult size in perhaps a year or two. Irwin watched Chi watching
Puma through the meal...she would stare right at him, tear a bite off a leg
of lamb or pork, and gulp it down...as if imagining she was eating *him*.
Irwin chuckled softly...Puma had NO idea what he was in for from her.
Both of the cubs looked up at her as she chuckled, and she waved a hand
dismissivly. "Finish your meal children." she rumbled, and both of them
resumed eating. It took them a while...a little more than an hour...but
they both put away an astonishing amount of food. Irwin was patient, not
moving again for the entire hour...after all, what is a mere hour when you
live ten thousand years? Tummies bulging, both cubs leaned back with a
sigh...and Chi belched *loudly*. "Chi!" Puma giggled, looking at her...and
she just grinned back, licking her chops. Puma burped softly, much quieter
than his sister, and looked around the kitchen, holding his greasy hands in
front of him. Chi saw the gesture, saw what he wanted...so she pounced him,
*Whump!* Puma oofed under his sister. "Chi!" he protested, pushing at her
with one hand...but she grabbed the offending hand by the wrist, and licked
it, starting with his fingers. Puma blinked and stopped struggling...he
just looked up at her, an odd expression on his face as she cleaned his
hands... then she settled down atop him and started cleaning her own. 
"Lemme up!" Puma protested softly, pushing at his sister and trying to
lever her off of him. Chi glared down at him and growled, pausing in her
grooming and cleaning. Puma blinked up at her, went still, and Chi resumed
cleaning her hands. Irwin chuckled again. Puma shot her a look, but Chi
ignored them both, cleaning between her fingers. "You two are so cute
together." Irwin rumbled. "I'm SO glad to see you getting along so well.
Isn't it nice having a sibling, Puma?" she asked him.
Puma glared up at Chi. "She sits on me." he said, stating the obvious.
Irwin chuckled. "She'll do a lot more than that, cat...get used to it." Her
tone carried truth, and Puma blinked up at her.
"She is going to be your caretaker...your companion, your guardian. She will
take care of you while I am away, look after you, and keep you out of
trouble. She will also rip your lungs out if you misbehave, so *listen* to
her...yes?" Puma blinked at Irwin, then looked up at Chi, who was still
half-sitting, half-laying on top of him. Chi smiled sweetly down at
him...and bared her teeth, large ivory fangs gleaming softly, clean, and
very, very sharp-looking. Puma swallowed and looked away. Irwin chuckled.
"Relax cat." she said. "Your sister loves you very much...don't you Chi?"
Chi made an affirmative little "Mrrp!" sound and nodded, grabbing Puma's
scruff in her right hand and lifting his head up so she could lick his face.
Puma went still, odd feelings tingling through him...and Irwin smiled,
looking on. "See?" she rumbled. "She really does love you. In fact, she
lives for you...you are the center of her world."
Chi released Puma's neck, and he blinked, looking up at her, then shifting
his gaze to Irwin. "What do you mean?" he asked her.
"There is nothing in this world your sister enjoys more than pleasing you."
Irwin stated. "She lives for *you*...to look after you, to be with you, to
care for and love you."
Chi smiled softly at the conversation, and licked Puma's shoulder. Puma
glanced briefly at her, then back at Irwin...then back to Chi, who licked
his nose again. Puma wiped his nose with the back of his hand, and looked
back up at Irwin. "So...what now?" he asked her.
"Now I explain to you how things are going to work around here." Irwin
stated. "Pay attention cubs, because I am only going to explain this
*once*...and disobedience, through either intent, or ignorance, will be
punished." Puma and Chi looked up at her as one, and Irwin smiled. "First
off," she said, "You are my *property*. I own you, body and soul...come to
terms with that, because it is not EVER going to change, for as long as you
live. Which, by the way, is a very long time...I DO hope you appreciate all
I've done for you, cat." Irwin looked sternly at Puma, glaring down at him,
and Puma gulped softly.
"Second of all, you are not to leave this lair without my permission...EVER.
There IS no way out...I have seen to that...but should you find a way
somehow, and not bring it to my attention immediately, I will punish you
severely. You are allowed to wander within the lair as you will, but never,
ever try to leave...do you understand?"
Puma swallowed hard and looked at Chi...who didn't really seem to care. She
almost looked bored, idly licking her fingers and hand still...then she
turned her head and licked his nose again. Wiping his nose, Puma turned back
to Irwin and nodded.
"Let me HEAR it!" Irwin snapped, her voice a dangerous growl.
Puma swallowed. "I understand." he said softly.
Irwin's eyes narrowed. "That's another thing...whenever you address me, you
will refer to me with a term of respect...ma'am or mistress will suffice."
"What about 'mother'?" Chi asked suddenly. Puma glanced at her, a little
suprised, but Chi ignored him.
Irwin seemed to think about that for a moment...then nodded. "You may use
the term 'mother', yes."
Chi nodded, and went back to her grooming. Puma looked at her...and she
licked his nose *again* suddenly.
Puma wiped his nose again...and suddenly Chi grabbed his wrist. Puma
blinked, and looked at her. She slowly, slowly raised her head, and
*glared* at him, her gaze intense. Puma recoiled slightly, unable to move
much due to her grasp on his arm, and Chi hissed, her voice sending little
chills down Puma's spine. "Stop wiping it off." she hissed. "I do NOT have
a disease."
Puma blinked, and stared at her.  Chi yanked hard on his arm,
jerking him nose-to-nose with her. "Do you understand?!?" she hissed, teeth
bared.  Puma tried to flinch backwards. "Yes!" he gasped quickly.
Chi licked his nose again, then released his arm with a little backwards
shove.
Puma sat back, rubbed his wrist, and resisted the urge to wipe his nose...
instead he licked it, again tasting the subtly different taste of his 
sister's saliva. Once again the taste brought on an odd reaction, and he 
flushed slightly at the feelings.
Irwin chuckled, and continued. "You are to obey me at all times, no matter
what command I give you. If I tell you to jump, you ask how high. If I tell
you to run, you ask how fast. And if I tell you to dive into a pool filled
with piranha, you DO it...is that clear?"
Puma blinked at her.
Irwin's yellow eyes narrowed, her gaze growing very, very cold. "Do...you...
understand?" she hissed softly.
Puma gulped, and nodded. "Yes." he said quickly.
Irwin's gaze seemed to darken more. "What?" she asked...and Chi suddenly got
up off him, padding on all fours a little distance away, and settling back
down on the floor. Puma glanced at her, then back up at Irwin, and said, "I
said yes."
"That's what I thought you said." Irwin hissed, and snapped her fingers.
Puma SCREAMED!!! The PAIN...it tore through his body like a living thing,
like fire, like a million angry ants chewing on his nerves. It radiated out
through his body, ALL of his body, searing at his very consciousness, and
seemed to last FOREVER...a full second, then two, an eternity during which
Puma wished, hoped, BEGGED in his mind for please, someone just let him
DIE...And suddenly it was over.
Puma gasped, and collapsed on the floor. Chi shook her head sadly and padded
over to him, licking the back of his head and around his ears. Puma felt
wet on his face, and realized it was tears...tears of agony, wept without
him even knowing it. Irwin was silent for a while, letting him
recover...then she hissed softly, "Puma...look at me." Puma blink-blinked
and slowly raised his head up off the floor, looking up at the dragoness.
"You forgot my third lesson." she hissed softly. "I TOLD you, whenever you
address me, you will use a term of RESPECT...and I told you punishment for
disobedience would be swift, didn't I?" Puma nodded weakly.
Irwin *growled* then, a deep rumble that Puma felt in his bones, and Chi
froze above him, going absolutely still. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Irwin roared.
Puma flinched. "Yes mistress, I understand!" he cried out quickly, praying
she wasn't going to do to him again what she had just done...whatever it
was. Irwin clenched her fists. "DID I OR DID I NOT TELL YOU THOSE
THINGS?!?" she roared down at him.
Puma started to shake. "Yes mistress, you did." he gasped out.
Irwin's tone suddenly dropped, becoming dark, quiet, and incredibly menacing.
"When I ask you a question you will answer it immediately...not some other
question, not something that's just on your mind...you will provide a clear,
concise answer immediately, do you understand?"
"Yes mistress, I do." Puma said miserably, shaking on the floor beneath Chi,
who still wasn't moving a muscle.
Irwin snorted explosively and crossed her arms, leaning back. "At least you
have the proper term of address down now." she said. Sensing something in
Irwin's tone, Chi suddenly moved again, leaning down and licking at Puma's
head, between the ears. Irwin watched Chi quietly for a moment, then 
continued.
"What you two do is up to you." she said. "But I will expect, no *insist*
that you obey your instincts at all times. Learn to listen to them, O
domesticated kitty...because if I catch you not listening to your gut, not
acting in the way your instincts tell you to, I will punish
you...understand?" Puma blinked up at her, for a moment, not comprehending
what she meant. Then he decided that he'd better answer, and said softly,
"Yes mistress." Irwin continued. "You two will feed yourselves, from this
kitchen...it will remain fully stocked at all times. This first meal I
prepared for you...after all, it IS your birthday." She smiled slightly,
almost a smirk, and went on. "You will be hungry *often* as you grow and
mature, and I expect you both to keep yourselves healthy...is that clear?"
Irwin actually looked at Chi when she said that, and Chi blinked, raising her
head and answering softly, "Yes mistress."
Puma echoed her. "Yes mistress." he said.
Irwin nodded, satisfied. "I've taken everything dangerous out of the lair,
so you two can play with whatever you find. This is your home, YOUR lair,
after all, so make yourselves at home. Any questions?"
"What if I hurt Puma?" Chi asked. Puma blinked, gaping at her, and Irwin
chuckled. "Ah yes! The healing pool...come along children. Chi, bring your
brother."
Irwin turned towards the doorway out, and started walking in that direction.
Puma stood up to follow her, but suddenly Chi's hand clamped down on his
upper arm, his left one, and she *lifted* him to his feet. Puma tugged at
his arm. "I can walk on my own." he said tersely, and Chi's other hand
flashed out swiftly, grabbing hold of the scruff of his neck. She growled
softly and dragged him bodily towards the door. Puma gulped softly and
tried to walk with her, tried to follow, but his legs didn't seem to want
to work right...he kept wanting to just curl up into a little ball and
close his eyes as his sister hauled him along after Irwin. The dragoness
glanced over her shoulder at the pair following along behind and chuckled
softly when she saw what Chi was doing. "It will be easier once you've
grown, dear." she said reassuringly, and led the way out into the main
lair. Puma spent the trip across the lair wondering exactly what she had
meant by that little comment, but he remained silent...it seemed like it
would be a lot of work to talk for some reason, so he kept his mouth shut.
Irwin led them across the lair and into a much larger tunnel than the
kitchen entrance... another tunnel Puma had not seen before. Chi continued
dragging him by the arm and the scruff, grunting softly with the
effort...Puma weighed nearly as much as she did...but she didn't complain,
and in fact, had a soft smile on her face, as if she was enjoying it
somehow. Puma tried not to dwell on that. The tunnel opened up into a huge
underground room, the ceiling made of quartz crystals that glowed a soft
bluish color. The air was moist and Puma soon saw why...a large underground
lake spread out before them! Probably several hundred feet across, Puma
could only guess at how deep it was. Irwin paused, her hands on her hips,
and smiled at the pool. "Ahh." she rumbled softly. "Here we are."
Chi dropped Puma then, releasing both his scruff and his arm, and he sort of
collapsed on his rump on the stone floor. Chi padded over to the edge of the
pool and sniffed at it curiously, Puma seemingly forgotten for the moment.
Puma sat on his butt a short distance away and rubbed the back of his neck
with one hand...it felt weird, warm kind of, as if slightly burned, and he
spent a moment trying to figure it out. His thoughts were interrupted by
Irwin speaking.
"This water seeps up from the very core of this world." she said, gesturing
to the pool. "It is mixed with a kind of magical oil that has subtle healing
properties...instant regeneration it is not, but given time, it can and will
heal virtually any injury."
Irwin stepped down into the pool, smiling, and turned her head back to look
at her cubs. "And it is also very good for my scales." she told them, slowly
submerging herself into the water up to her neck.
Chi reached out and dabbled curiously in the water with her left hand. Puma
blinked, the fact that she was a southpaw just now dawning on him...she had
used her left hand to eat as well, but Puma was so busy stuffing himself
that he'd hardly noticed. "It feels weird." Chi said softly, rubbing her
fingers together.
"That's the oil." Irwin said softly. "Don't drink too much of the water or
it will make you ill...give you the runs." She swam out into the lake,
ripples radiating out away from her head, and Chi stepped cautiously,
curiously into the water, moving on all fours.
Puma sat on the bank, watching Chi...she padded further and further out into
the water, up to her belly, then all the way in, dog-paddling a little ways
out then back again in a little circle. "Puma!" she called suddenly, looking
right at him.
Puma blinked at her, and she gestured for him to enter the water. Puma took
a little breath, pushed himself to his feet, and padded over to the water's
edge, leaning down to dabble in the water much as Chi had done earlier.
Chi let out an impatient little huff, and surged through the water towards
him. Puma yeeped softly and scrambled backwards, away from Chi and the
water, not wanting to be yanked in or dunked. Chi snorted and surged out of
the water and onto the bank after him...then paused, blinking back over her
shoulder at Irwin, who was laughing heartily.
Puma peered at her as well, and she chuckled. "You two are so cute
together." she said, swimming slowly towards the shore with a graceful
breaststroke. "I can't wait to see you two together once you're grown
more." Chi made an odd little sound, like a chirp, and suddenly leaped!
Puma yeeped, tried to scramble out of the way and *Whump!* Chi came down
squarely atop him. "Oof! Hey!" Puma protested, pushing at her, but Chi
growled, and grabbed the scruff of his neck again, yanking him up close to
her, face-to-face. Puma stilled, and Chi's demeanor suddenly changed...she
smiled, licked him on the nose again, and trilled softly to him, drawing
him up into a wet embrace. Puma licked his nose, blushed slightly, and
squirmed a little in Chi's wet arms, to which she responded by nuzzling the
left side of his neck. "Aww." Irwin said softly from behind Chi. Puma
glanced over Chi's shoulder at her, and saw that she had swam up to the
shore and was resting on it, partially in the water, her legs kicking and
swishing idly behind her as she rested her muzzle on her hands.
"Pay attention now, cubs." she said softly, and Chi turned to face her,
still holding on to Puma. "I'm going to explain how this pool works."
Irwin splashed her fingers in the water. "The oil has anaseptic properties."
she said. "It also accelerates natural healing somewhat...but more than
that, it enhances it, makes your immune system and healing systems work in
ways they normally couldn't. For example, if you were to loose a limb, if
you soaked in this pool every day, the limb would regenerate in a couple
weeks or so." Puma blinked, staring at her, and Irwin smiled. "As I said,
it's no instant, magical cure...but if you're wounded, bruised, cut or
otherwise broken, soak in this pool, and over time, you WILL heal
completely. Chi, I suspect that you will need to bring your brother here
periodically when you've been rough with him...I will expect you to take
care of any injuries you inflict upon him, is that clear?" Her tone was
soft, but serious, and Puma blinked between her and his sister.
"Yes Mistress." Chi said, nodding her head.
Puma stared at his sister for a long moment, which she ignored, looking at
Irwin. The dragoness chuckled, watching him, then spoke again. "Use this
pool as you see fit, both of you. Swim, play, do as you like, but
remember...if you drink too much of it, you'll regret it. Also, be
careful...it is VERY deep, thousands of feet straight down in fact. Should
you sink, or drop something in here, it is NOT coming back...understand?"
"Yes Mistress." Puma and Chi spoke in perfect stereo. Irwin grinned, and
Puma blinked at Chi who also grinned...and licked his nose.
Puma stifled both a giggle and the urge to wipe his nose, licking it instead
and turning his gaze back to Irwin.  "I can't really think of anything else
you two need to know right now." Irwin said, looking at them. "You know the
rules, you know what will happen if you disobey...any questions?"
Puma glanced at Chi, who glanced back at him. They were both silent for a
moment, then Puma looked back at Irwin. "What about a bathroom?" he asked.
"We haven't yet seen that."
Irwin nodded. "This way." she rumbled softly, standing up out of the pool
and heading towards the door out of the lake-cavern. Puma started to stand
to follow her, but Chi stood first, hauling him up with her. Holding him to
her body she trotted after Irwin, carrying him along.
"Chi..." Puma said softly. "I can walk on my own..."
Chi growled softly and gripped Puma's scruff *hard*, her little hand
clenching and her sharp claws digging into his skin. Puma's eyes went wide,
then drooped nearly shut, a soft exhalation escaping him as his body
relaxed, almost despite itself. Chi gave his scruff a little shake,
rattling his head, then held him like that, arms wrapped around him and her
grip strong on his scruff, as she followed along after Irwin. The dragoness
remained silent, occasionally glancing back over her shoulder at the pair
following along behind, and smiling at the two of them. She led the way out
into the main lair, then into yet another previously-unseen side-tunnel. It
sloped downward slightly, then made a sharp turn into a large, clean room
with white stone walls, polished nearly smooth. A fully functional bathroom
was there, carved out of the stone, complete with sinks, two of them, a
toilet, and a *large* bathtub, partially set into the floor.
"Children, this bathroom is supplied with water from the kitchen, not the
pool, so it is safe to drink. Besides, the healing properties of the water
in the pool are greatly reduced if it's removed or piped elsewhere...the
cavern itself seems to impart most of the magic into it." Irwin told
them. "In here, you can drink, bathe, groom, and do what you like."
Chi set Puma down and looked around, and Puma blinked, shook his head
slightly, and did the same. There was a large towel rack with different
sizes of towels, a shower stall in the wall that he hadn't noticed before,
and two toilets, actually, not one. Apparently they were expected to share
the shower and bathtub, but had their own sinks and toilets.
Irwin let the cubs look around then spoke. "You will bathe together." she
said. "Keep each other clean, and well-groomed...I will not have my pets and
children looking scruffy."
Puma blinked, but Chi only nodded. "Yes Mistress." she said.
Puma stepped forward. "But what if I want to take a bath by myself?" he
asked Irwin...then blinked, and quickly added, "Mistress!"
Irwin's gaze narrowed at Puma, then relaxed slightly as he remembered her
title. "That depends on Chi...if she'll let you." she said.
Puma blinked, and turned his head back to look at Chi over his shoulder. Chi
smiled softly at him, padded over to one of the sinks, and turned on the
water, playing with the fixtures and ignoring him. He turned back to Irwin
and gave her a questioning look.
"She will let you bathe on your own if she wants to, Puma." Irwin told him.
"Remember, she will be at your side nearly all the time...so it's up to her,
just like I said."
Puma blinked, then nodded. "Yes Mistress." he said softly.
Irwin smiled. "Now then...any more questions?"
Chi stopped playing with the sink and got a thoughtful look on her face.
Puma glanced at her, then put some thought to it himself...he DID have
questions, a ton of them, but didn't quite know how to put any of them to
words. Irwin waited patiently, leaning casually against the bathroom wall,
her black scales contrasting sharply with the white stone. Still nude, and
Puma tried not to stare at her, though he kept glancing...a fact which
Irwin either didn't notice, or didn't mind, because she didn't react,
simply leaning there and waiting.
*Whump!* Puma was suddenly tackled from behind, the force of it knocking him
flat on the unyielding stone floor. He Ooofed! explosively, and Chi growled
softly, right behind his head, her hands on his shoulders, pinning him flat
on the floor, face-down. Irwin chuckled, then said softly, "Chi...down."
Chi's weight on his back suddenly vanished, and Puma rolled weakly onto his
back, panting to get his wind back, and looking up. Chi sat on her haunches
nearby, grooming one forearm as if nothing happened, and Irwin straightened,
pushing away from the wall she was leaning against and padding over towards
them both.
"I saw you staring." she hissed softly, and stopped, right in front of him,
taking a wide-legged stance that made the slit of her sex between her legs
clearly visible. "So did Chi, and she was jealous...a trait I admire in her.
However, children, both of you WILL be expected to please me sexually when I
desire...is that clear?" she said, glancing at Chi.
Chi lowered her head slightly. "Yes Mistress." she said softly, her tone
unusually reserved. Puma blinked, staring at her, suprised when Irwin's tail
nudged him. "Puma?" she asked softly, her tone warning.
"Yes Mistress!" he said quickly. "But...aren't you our...mother?" he asked.
"So?" Irwin asked, smirking, and shifted her stance slightly.
Puma blinked, staring up at her, and she just smirked down at him. Puma
blushed suddenly, the insides of his ears turning bright rose, and he had to
lower his gaze. Irwin chuckled softly, turned away from him, and padded out
towards the main lair. "Come." she said back over her shoulder.
Chi huffed softly, a slightly amused sound that Puma didn't quite
understand until he thought about what Irwin had just said, in context.
Then he blushed some more.
His thoughts were rudely interrupted by Chi's arms coming tight around his
chest. "Chi!" he exclaimed, squirming as she hauled him bodily towards the
bathroom door after Irwin. Becoming irritated, he whapped her with his
tail and-
"Ulk!" Puma went, a short, choked-off sound as Chi's teeth clamped closed
around the left side of his neck. Her sharp canines dug painfully into the
skin on his neck near his windpipe, and her lower fangs dug for purchase
near his spine. It HURT...she may have pierced the skin, Puma couldn't
tell...but for some reason he felt himself growing almost lightheaded,
separating himself from the pain. His neck felt warm, a sensation that
spread outward through his body, and he went still.
Chi growled softly and bit down harder. Puma was almost sure she was
breaking the skin now, and whimpered softly. He heard a chuckle and
realized that Irwin was watching from out of his field of view somewhere.
In response to his soft whine, Chi growled again. Her tone was clear to
him, as clear as if she'd spoken..."Silence!"
Puma licked his nose weakly...what was WRONG with him? Was Chi choking
him? No, he could breathe all right...
Irwin's voice echoed in his ears. "While you were inside me, I separated
your nature...your soul, if you will...You were left with (heh) the
submissive side." Puma couldn't tell if it was a memory-voice, or if Irwin
was actually speaking, and he shuddered slightly. The submissive side... 
Chi gave her head a little shake and suddenly released his neck. Puma
blinked as his head suddenly slumped forward, the motion serving to snap
him alert...almost as if he had been partially asleep.  Irwin chuckled, and
Puma turned his head to look at her. As he did, a sharp pain stabbed
through his neck and he winced, freezing in place and reaching up towards
his neck. However, Chi's arms were still tight around him, and he could
only bend his elbow a little. "Don't defy her, Puma." Irwin said clearly,
her tone serious...but also slightly amused.  Puma blinked, and turned his
head a little further, carefully, to look at her. As he did, Chi suddenly
licked the side of his neck, and Puma hissed softly...it *hurt*! Chi had
indeed bitten hard enough to break the skin.  As his sister lapped at the
fresh blood in his neck-fur...blood she herself had just drawn...Puma
looked at Irwin. "I said don't defy her." Irwin repeated. "She is larger
and stronger than you are."
Puma stared at her for a moment as Chi continued to lick his neck. Her
tongue was warm, comforting, and slightly rough...not as rough as a cat's
should really be, though. It was actually pretty nice, soothing, and Puma
felt himself relaxing a little, despite the pain. Irwin smiled as she
looked on.
Puma really couldn't think of anything to say, so he remained silent as
Chi cleaned and groomed his neck. She had bitten hard enough to punch her
fangs through his skin, front and back, and she spent several minutes
carefully cleaning each of the four puncture wounds. When Irwin saw that
she was finished she chuckled, waved her hand, and resumed her march back
into the den proper. "Come." she rumbled, gesturing as she walked.
Chi's grip tightened around Puma's chest and she hauled him around,
half-carrying half-dragging him beside her as she followed Irwin along.
Her expression was fierce, determined...but Puma could see another look in
her eyes, like slight satisfaction. Again, he tried not to dwell on it too
much.
Chi emerged into the main lair, and Puma looked around for Irwin. At first
he didn't see her...then Chi dragged him up and over a large mound of
coins, rather like a sand dune, and Puma saw her waiting near an alcove in
the wall.
Chi dragged Puma up to the alcove, and looked between it and Irwin
curiously. Puma tried to turn to get a better view, but Chi was holding
him too tightly, and he couldn't see.
"This is yours, children." Irwin rumbled softly. "Your own little den."
Chi chirped softly and hauled Puma up and in. There was a slight lip, the
opening to the alcove slightly higher than the floor of the lair proper,
but then it dipped into a bowl-shaped depression, heavily lined with
sheets, silks, blankets, various pillows, and furs. As he looked
around, Puma tried not to wonder if any of the furs had come from sentient
species. There wasn't a bed, exactly...all the bedding was simply heaped and
piled into the alcove, which measured perhaps ten feet across. Obviously
the children were expected to simply arrange the bedding however they
liked. Chi chirped again, turned around to face Irwin, who was standing in
the entrance.
"You like it?" the dragoness inquired softly.
Chi nodded! emitting another enthusiastic chirp, and Irwin smiled. "Good."
she rumbled. "This is your personal space...a little home just for you two.
It's private, cozy, and warm, and you can always come here to just be by
yourselves. All right?"
Chi nodded again, vigorously, and squeezed Puma tightly. She licked his
ears...then seemed to suprise herself with a sudden huge yawn. Irwin
chuckled, and rumbled softly, "After that big meal, I thought you two
would get sleepy...you need lots of rest if you're to grow. Especially you,
Chi...you have more growing to do than your brother."
Puma blink-blinked at her. More growing? Chi was already a little bigger
than he was...how big was she going to get?
Irwin chuckled softly, looking at Puma, and read his expression perfectly.
"You'll see in time, cat." she hiss-rumbled softly. Puma blinked, the
insides of his ears blushing slightly...it was eerie how well Irwin read
him, and Puma couldn't shake the odd feeling like she was reading his
personal diary or something.
His muse was interrupted by Chi...again. With a sudden shove, she tossed
him down into the soft bedding, and began sort of stomping and digging
around, sorting out the bedding to her liking. Puma shot her a little
glare at the manhandling, and began to arrange a spot of his own...when he
saw movement in the alcove entrance. Glancing that way he saw Irwin
shaking her head at him.
Puma paused, looking at her. The dragoness smiled softly and pointed at his
sister, who was still vigorously stomping around in the bedding with a
smile on her face. Puma didn't understand until he saw the sort of little
nest she was making...a space slightly bigger than Puma thought she'd need
alone.
Puma snorted softly and turned to continue making his own space. Chi be
damned...he was going to sleep on his own tonight.
"Ulk!" Puma went as he was hauled backwards by the scruff of the neck. Chi
had reached over and grabbed him while he wasn't looking, and now she
yanked him backwards by the scruff into the little nest she had created. 
She didn't bother laying him down in it...she just kind of collapsed
backwards into it, pulling her brother in with her. Puma oofed softly as
his back whumped into her chest, and her arms closed around him like a
trap. With a soft cooing sound she began to lick the back of his head and
ears, slowly rolling over to her right to lay Puma and herself down on
their sides.
Puma squirmed a little, but Chi draped her left leg over his own, adding
that to her arms that already held him in place. Puma felt weird...this
was all so new, so...alien to him, yet lying there, his sister holding him
tightly from behind as she groomed his ears, he felt...comfortable. Like
this was familiar to him, despite the fact it had never happened before.
Chi's tongue was warm, and soft, rasping gently across the short fur on his
ears, and she coo-purred softly into his ear, an oddly comforting sound.
Irwin watched with amusement as Puma's sister effortlessly turned him into
a living body-pillow, hauling her twin brother into place and holding him
there. Chi's eyes began to droop closed as she groomed her brother's ears,
and Irwin murmured softly, "Sleep well, children." as she backed slowly
away from the alcove. She let the anthropomorphic body slip away, reverting
to her natural draconian form as she moved easily across the familiar piles
of gold to the nest where the broken eggshells were. As she carried them to
the kitchen to dispose of them she reflected...Chi's dominant personality
would assert itself more and more, and poor little Puma...
She chuckled softly, throwing the eggshells away in the kitchen trash. He had NO 
idea what was in store for him, and the thought amused her greatly. She moved 
back into the lair and peeked in on her children...Chi was sleeping with her 
arm, leg, and chin draped over her brother, who was curled up beneath and
beside her, his expression peaceful as he dozed in the soft furs. No doubt
he was wonderfully warm, half-beneath his sister like he was. Irwin
smiled, her broad draconian muzzle crinkling...she had done well, and was
pleased with her work so far. She had every confidence things would turn
out exactly as she planned, and she looked forward to it.
As she curled up in her own nest, the bowl-shaped hollow she'd formed in
the treasure, pleasant thoughts drifted through her mind about her new
twins...the coming days would be interesting indeed, more fun in fact than
the dragoness had experienced in decades. Centuries, possibly. She smiled,
and with pleasant thoughts about her new children clear in her mind, she
allowed herself to doze for a time.