CW:[Trauma Bonding, Platonic Snuggling, The briefest mentions of nudity. Possibly my most shocking and offensive chapter yet /s]

  Zephyria watched the brave little human called Asher as he wiped blood and mud off his hands. Zephyria flexed her own mud caked claws and snarled at them. I made it less than a day even remotely clean, and now to help this stupid human honor the dead properly I'm caked in mud. Better than being coated frill to claw in blood again. The already dark night grew even darker, looking at the sky Zephyria watched as a large amount of clouds drifted in intermittently covering the moon for now. She couldn't see too far into the distant skies but it looked like tonight would be dark and gloomy. Addressing the little human, she spoke "Tonight is going to be cold. Do you know of somewhere close that you can rest? Should it come to it I can sleep in the elements, but from what I understand you humans are much more delicate." The human looked up at her in the dark, "Ordinarily I would have gone to the city by now. Its not that far, but they close the gates after moon-high so the guards can rest." Zephyria looked at him curiously, "What is the city called anyways? Everyone has simply called it 'The City' so far." Asher let out a small laugh, "Ironwood. No idea why, there's not any iron in these lands as far as I know. Perhaps they just didn't want to call it Dragonwood" Zephyria let out a small draconic laugh at that "That would have been a better name, we dragons are simply incredible. Its only natural to name things after us." Asher simply shook his head.

  Asher flicked his hands about, trying to get them even a little clean. "The river is winding, if we walk that way for a while we should hit one of the shallowest parts of it. Not nearly enough to submerge ourselves in properly, but enough to clean up a bit. Maybe we can find some shelter along the way?" Zephyria scowled at her muddy and bloody paws again and readily agreed, "Its a good a plan as any, lead the way little human." After a relatively short silence she spoke again, "Say, the rude one cut you off earlier. You never did get to tell me your story. The only thing I know about your past is that you seemingly struggle with fire magic." Asher winced at the tactless dragon, but didn't admonish her. "Well, Zephyria. Can you keep a secret?" Zephyria nodded at him with a tilt of her head, visibly a bit confused. "Just don't tell anyone, its something rather shameful amongst mortals but something tells me you won't care about this sort of thing." Asher sighed, "I was a noble once. Our family is made up of exclusively talented pyromancers. My sister was a prodigy amongst prodigies. I never believed a word of it, but she even had a prophecy that seemed to apply to her, something about slaying a great beast and saving the lands. Nonsense like that." Asher walked in silence for a few minutes, In the dark and with him in front of her somewhat she couldn't tell what he was feeling. Despite her lack of social awareness she knew enough to give him time to talk. "The nobles all believed it though. They poured resources into her, training, tutors, guided hunts, everything. She had it all, and had the prodigious talent to make it worthwhile for them. And I.. I can't even conjure a flame. I can control them well, better than most and just as good as anyone in my family except my sister. But what enemy is going to stop and let me stoke a campfire in order to get enough flames to fight with? I'm worthless."

  Zephyria shifted her gait, walking to his side instead of behind him. "Worthless? I suppose so." Asher tripped over his own feet in surprise, stumbling. "A fire mage that can't conjure flames is indeed a worthless mage. But why force yourself to be a mage? I've seen you fight now, your an excellent warrior. You're very clever and worked new parts of a situation into your strategies without hesitation. I haven't forgotten you calling out to me to slap those bandits with my wing, that was clever indeed. I can't say I've ever struck anything with my wing before. You have a level of honor and respect that goes above and beyond what I have seen amongst mortals so far, truthfully I only have your group and another for reference but you still stand on your own. You are a skilled warrior and a natural leader, and yet you insist on your flames. I don't understand why." Without stopping Zephyria craned her long neck to look at Asher somewhat closely, studying his expression as he digested her words.

  Asher's face twisted, then calmed, then twisted again, when he finally spoke it was somewhat strained. "Because I have to. I simply have to. My family.. They disowned me. But I could go back to them if I could only be useful. I need to be useful, Zephyria. And I'm not useful without my flames." Asher let out a long shuttering breath. "I don't want to keep talking about this right now, can you tell me your story Zephyria? The promise of secrecy goes both ways, I won't reveal to anyone whatever business you have with the Heroes."

  Zephyria looked at the man for a while, considering what to say. I could tell him, he seems the type to take a secret to his grave. Its not like he could hurt me with this knowledge, at worst he would warn the heroes I'm after them but they would have to be fools to not be expecting me after I killed one of their own. If the silence bothered Asher he didn't let it show. I might as well, perhaps with more information this human will be more useful to me. Zephyria tilted her head up, trying to get a glimpse of the moon once more, "Two days ago the supposed heroes killed my mother. They disgraced her body and left her heart-flame to fade away and rot. If they had killed her to take her heart-flame I may have understood. If they had killed her to take her hoard I may have understood. But she died alone and scared, and then was left to rot amongst her almost entirely intact hoard. It was not the hunt of a predator seeking worthy prey, but a kill for the sake of cruelty. For that, I will kill the heroes and grant them the honorable death they did not give her."

  Zephyria was looking for the moon still, so she was unable to see Asher's reaction. But the gasp he let out when she first started speaking gave her some comfort. They walked in silence the rest of the way to the river. Zephyria found the silence surprisingly comfortable, she liked this little mortal. She liked the sound of what he had said before, Friends.

  Reaching the river Zephyria waded into the shallow water. It only came part way up her leg so she had to practically lay down to clean her belly. How embarrassing, scraping my belly against a shallow river like a beast. She looked back in the frustratingly dim moonlight, embarrassed, and saw Asher watching her with a small smile on his face. "Stop staring at me like that, I'm not some animal to find amusement in. I cannot help that I am filthy after helping you honor those people. I've never had to dig so deep before, filthy." Asher just laughed, the night air had turned chilly and his breath was barely visible in the air. He responded merrily, "I'm not laughing at you like some animal Zephyria, I just found it amusing how different we are. I want to wash as badly as you do, but freezing cold river water in a chilly night like this might actually kill me if I can't warm up afterwards. You just walked in without a care in the world!" Zephyria felt embarrassed again, but for entirely different reasons now. "Oh. I had not considered that. Should we start a fire then? I doubt you wish to sleep covered in filth, I would imagine that would not be much better." Asher smiled at her more broadly, seemingly appreciating her concern. "I'd like that Zephyria. I can't start a fire, but if you can start it for us I will stoke it and ensure it remains lit and hot enough for my needs." He yawned and then looked around for a moment. "I don't think we'll be finding any shelter tonight. But so long as it doesn't rain a chilly night next to a fire won't be too much trouble. Unpleasant, but it won't hurt me." He set off into the trees without waiting for a response. He's lucky I can actually start a fire with my lightning, if a bit explosively sometimes.

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  Once Zephyria was relatively washed off she lay on the rocky shore of the fairly shallow river waiting for Asher to return. Right as she was starting to grow concerned he returned with a large bundle of dry looking sticks and branches. She watched as he set them up near a relatively soft and open section of grass, presumably for him to sleep on. Its difficult to reconcile how little he thinks of himself compared to his breadth of skills and unwavering determination. I imagine few people would be setting up a fire to run back to after they take a freezing bath on a cold night in the middle of the woods while watched by a dragon. Even fewer would do so without complaint. He is more resilient than even those in my books.

  Asher adjusted a few sticks as Zephyria got up and padded over to him quietly. He jumped in surprise when he realized she had gotten so close, "How in the void does someone so large walk so quietly? I swear you were still resting on the bank!" Zephyria grumbled in amusement, saying "It is not my fault dragons are superior to mortals, now stand back. I will attempt to light your fire but lightning can be volatile." Asher backed up, even going so far as to hide behind Zephyria. She stuck her muzzle as close to the sticks as she could without disturbing them, and pushed her mana from her heart-flame to her muzzle. Restraining it as much as she possiblly could she let out a trickle of tiny bolts. Much to her delight and continued affirmation that she is incredible, she set the fire first try without blowing anything up. "Your fire is started, mortal. Do what you must, then wash. Now that I've cleaned myself, your smell is distinct and unpleasant." Asher glared at her, rolling his eyes for a moment. Grumbling to himself he cast the first magic Zephyria had seen him cast. Much to her delight he hadn't been misleading her, he truly was incredible at controlling natural flame. Within moments the barely smoking wood was a comfortably roaring fire. Zephyria circled around and positioned herself opposite to the river, laying around and somewhat close to it. She rested her head on the grass and closed her eyes for a moment.

  Zephyria heard Asher walk off towards the river. She heard a splash and muffled curses and then she heard little else. Opening an eye she saw the man nude in the river attempting to wash out his clothes the best he could. A maiden may have blushed but Zephyria was entirely uninterested in such a sight. Letting her eyes draw closed once more she focused on the comfort the fire was providing her, I haven't been this warm in a long time.

  "-fear anything here? Zephyria?" Confused and still half asleep she growled at whatever had dared wake a sleeping dragon from its slumber. "Zephyria! I'm sorry. I hadn't realized you had fallen asleep." She lifted her head and looked around, the moon was on its arc into the morning well past moon high. She looked at the human next to her, Asher, and spoke, "I'm awake. I didn't fall asleep. I would never-" Asher cut her off with a wave of his hand, she growled at him for this, and said without faltering in the slightest, "Hey, its fine. I get it. It's late and we never agreed on a watch or anything. But I do need to ask, is there anything in these woods we need to fear tonight?" Hmm, is there anything in these woods? I was so concerned about it before, but tonight I was so comfortable I slept like I was in my hoard again. I hope my hoard is alright, I'd hate to lose my books. I killed those Wolzards and the Iron Wolves wouldn't dare mess with me again. I don't believe there is anything else of consequence here. Voicing her thoughts, "I slew a pack of five Wolzards not long before I met your group. The Iron Wolves are terrified of me for good reason. Unless you are aware of any other large predators in these woods that I am not aware of, then I believe we are safe for tonight."

  Asher's brow furrowed, ".. No. No I don't believe there are any other monsters in these woods. I read the reports as best I could before going out." He relaxed his expression and with a yawn sat down by the fire. "I trust your presence will scare anything off. No need for a watch." Noting he was fully geared again, Zephyria watched as he circled the fire and laid down on the grass a short distance from her tail. She still wasn't that great at reading mortals yet, but even she could tell he was uncomfortable laying there. For some reason she knew she wanted to help the man, and yet didn't even know where to start. She simply let an offer hang in the air, ".. Let me know if there's anything I can do to ease your discomfort."

  Asher lifted his head off the ground with raised eyebrows. "I- I had not expected an offer like that. I'll let you know." They both let their eyes drift close, the warmth of the crackling fire soothing their tired and bruised bodies. As she started to doze off again, she heard Asher turn over. Ignoring it, she let the quiet night take her mind away until she had almost fallen asleep when Asher tossed his weight around, his gear clanking a bit. She tried to embrace the gentle comforts of the night. The soft chirp of insects, the croaking of frogs in the river, her scales bathed in the warm glow of the fire, the sound of Asher clanking again as he rolled over once more. Growling at Asher she lifted her head and glared at him, "You are restless like a hatchling undergoing his first molt. Why."

  Asher refused to meet her gaze, looking in what she was certain was embarrassment. "I.. I'm having a harder time falling asleep like this than I thought I would. I'm warm, but sleeping on the hard ground in my full armor and gear with not even a pillow to support my head. Its proving challenging." Asher's eyes drifted to Zephyria's rear, and she could see the flames roiling in his head as he thought. "May I try something with your tail?" Zephyria tilted her head in complete confusion, but gestured slightly for him to continue. She studied him as he scooted closer until he was practically touching her tail, after a moment of hesitation he laid his head along her tail. He scooted slightly, finding the perfect spot to support his neck and then visibly relaxed. "You are much softer than I thought you would be. If this doesn't bother you, I'll have a far easier time sleeping like this." Zephyria looked at him in pure befuddlement, staring wide eyed at the mortal who just snuggled up to her tail like a hatchling. "It- I- I'm-" She paused to collect herself, "I'm merely surprised, it does not bother me at all. Certainly less than you constantly turning." Asher closed his eyes, and his body slowed to a still, "Then thank you Zephyria. We'll speak again in the morning."

  The warmth of the mortal on her tail, the crackling fire next to her, the pleasant sounds of the evening air. Before she knew it, Zephyria had fallen asleep.