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Warning: contains soft vore

The dragon turned away from the truck. Neither Chris nor Sam moved an inch despite the lack of a roof.

“Don’t you worry,” she spoke as she paced down the road. Despite her head facing away from them, they had no trouble hearing her. After a few strides, she turned around, easily able to maneuver her body on the thin road. “I’ll be sure to do a fantastic job as warden. I promise.” Her motions contained a hint of flamboyance; she walked on the runway with a captive audience. Captives or not, neither of the two could take their eyes off her. The view she presented was far greater than anything they were able to see from their first encounter. They were given more than enough time to really comprehend the scale of her, but it affected the boys just as intensely as the initial shock.

She paced back over the truck and peered down at them. The dragon lowered her head closer than ever before. Her snout nearly touched the top of the vehicle. She huffed a long breath onto them, blowing Sam’s hair out of his face and into even more of a tangled mess. The few windows that weren’t smashed turned opaque from steam. The smell rang familiar to both of them. When she was done, her nostrils flared with an inhalation. But something immediately made her stop. Her head soared back up to its original great height. The smile she wore so proudly seemed lessened. However, as if she’d suddenly gained her memory, she snapped back into a Hollywood act.

“Of course the golden rule here is that I shouldn’t let you two criminals out of my sight, but I have to tie up some loose ends.” With a turn of her head followed by the rest of her, she went off down the road again. Her steps were far quicker this time with strides appearing as easygoing as before. Moments later she was a fair distance down the road. She peered downward before her tail went to work again. It snaked its way into the snow and retrieved the body of the moustached officer. She returned to them and continued walking by, knowing full well how easily the body could be seen. His eyes were stagnant and glossed over. She targeted the first flattened truck next. The dragon positioned herself in front of it and lowered her head. Her jaws opened wide, and she scooped as much of its front half inside as possible. As she gained a grip on it, her teeth punctured the metal of the hood all the way up to the windshield. Its two-ton weight affected her little; she lifted her head back up, holding it much like a dog would hold a toy. She set off down the road in the other direction now, coming to a stop where the trees grew further apart.

The pair’s eyes shifted in unison as another part of her body went into motion. The great wings that had been comfortably folded on her back spread open elegantly. Its leathery membrane that held everything together stretched to a strong and flexible position. The whipping wind of the blizzard pushed and pulled on the enormous wind-catchers, but she held her balance perfectly. On her command, all four of her legs primed themselves; flexed muscles visibly showed through her tough scaly hide. In one sweeping motion she leapt high into the air. Her wings flew downward, sending a gust of wind that pushed the trees around them violently. The truck nearly tipped up on two of its tires; the boys were sent tumbling to the other side window. Chris wriggled himself off of Sam quickly to watch out the window, but by the time he could see anything more, she had vanished into the grey sky. The reverberations of her wings could be heard for only a moment longer. Within seconds, they were alone in the storm. Chris’ eyes didn’t leave the empty sky for a long time, and Sam remained with his back on the seat, his head resting against the other door.

When Chris finally came to terms with their situation, he awkwardly stood himself on the seat. With his head above the walls of the vehicle, he scanned the area. Only the markings in the snow were left. The rough nature of the storm would cover those up completely within an hour. With current conditions, Chris had no indication of when she would come back. They had to act now. With all the might left in his tired legs, he jumped himself over the top of the car, landing on his stomach. He coughed and flailed before he could adjust himself and stand up. The snow buried his legs past his ankles. Sam only remained still in the truck.

Something a few meters away struck Chris’ eye. A shiny silver object contrasted with the white ground. He began to take slow, laborious steps over to the object, actively trying not to lose his balance. The wind and tightened muscles in his legs made it difficult not to fall, but he reached it unharmed. Only a few feet from the spot of the crushed SUV rested a partially buried keyring. Chris’ face lit up.

“Sam come here!” he screamed hoarsely. “We gotta get going!” He began to turn around to face the truck.

“Going where?” a soft voice replied. Chris gasped and fell into the snow on his behind. He had turned to face the same green dragon. He could have kissed her with how close she hovered over him. She waited a moment and observed his reaction. Chris didn’t try backing away like in his first encounter. Another hot breath wafted over his freezing cold body, a terribly bittersweet sensation. “I don’t think you would be able to go very far in weather like this. Besides, I have plans for you two.”

He gave only a slight shift in the snow as a response. Something pointy prodded at his behind. Soon enough, she grew tired of waiting. She began to extend her paw toward him, its underside turning over. Chris had only a moment. He forced his hands underneath him and clenched tight fists. His hands were far too numb to feel whether they had gotten a hold of anything. Her entire paw shoved its way underneath and scooped him off the ground. With a quicker motion than he would have preferred, he was lifted over the open truck. She turned her paw back over, dropping him inside like a toy. This time he landed in the front half of the vehicle, his head nearly smacking the dashboard as he fell in. The wind was completely knocked out of him. After a bit of coughing and wriggling to make himself a bit more upright, he tried moving his hands. A tiny sigh escaped his lips; his grip hadn’t released and he could feel something in them.

A big shake interrupted his celebration. He moved himself into the front passenger seat and saw right in front of him the same paw pressing on the car’s hood. All of the windshield was missing at this point, and one of her ebony claws had passed through the gap and rested only a foot away from his face..

“This isn’t a very great place, is it?” she said, removing her paw and letting the suspension bounce back. She stepped back from them with the two humans facing forwards. While he could, Chris clumsily stuffed his object into a back pocket. She set her legs solidly before lowering her head directly in front of them. Her enormous jaws parted, setting a steadily paced reveal. Chris stiffened in his seat, his eyes completely unable to take themselves off the sight. Like before, more saliva seemed to be pooled inside than was necessary. The consistency of it was rather thick as well. Her tongue extended past the rows of sharp teeth, its tip disappearing from view under the truck. Before either of them could prepare, the truck tipped back. Their line of sight into her mouth had only become clearer. The muscles of her throat moved with each broad breath she took. All the remaining windows in the truck fogged over from the warm air. After a long moment, the jaws began to close again. When teeth came into contact with the truck’s hood, they continued uninterrupted. The metal bent and broke like paper from the force, squeaking loudly. When the crunching stopped, their only view in front of them was of the tip of her snout. Occasionally a hot breath would still blow in through the windshield gap.

Their peace was only momentary. More creaking began, this time accompanied by the sensation of movement. Chris peered out the window. The ground was slowly but surely leaving them behind. When they came to a stop, they hovered at least twenty feet in the air if not more. Even with the snow below them, Chris knew jumping was a horrible idea. Even if he’d landed unharmed, escape wasn’t a possibility. He turned around and looked through the plexiglass wall. Sam faced forward, his chest heaving. His eyes met with Chris’ for only a second before darting to something outside the window. Chris did the same in response. Within view now was only half of the dragon’s monstrous wing, unfolded and ready to go. Just like the time before, she primed herself. Even with the warning, Chris was still thrown slightly in his seat as she jumped skyward. A massive whoosh pounded the ground and trees below them. Violent gusts blew frigid snowflakes in Chris’ eyes and ears. When he was able to open his eyes again, a swirl of snow shrouded almost the entire ground. Within seconds even the tops of the tallest trees vanished in the blizzard. When she had reached her desired speed and altitude, the beats of her wings slowed to a rhythmic and powerful pulse. The three of them sat in their own little world, completely unable to see the land below or the sky above.

Even with thrashing winds and stinging snowflakes, Chris didn’t duck his head down below the dashboard. What sat before him had him gobsmacked. Only a few feet from him was the dragon's snout. The scales that lined and guarded her snout were beautiful to say the least. Every single one showed more depth and brilliance than any human skin could. The thought that such a mythical thing living and breathing only a few feet away from him proved almost too much to handle. Now more than ever, sense of time had been lost. Despite what has happened to him or what may lie ahead, only the present existed. He even seemed to have forgotten about Sam. Without his acknowledgement, Chris’ hand rose in front of him and began to extend forward. He could see his fingers nearly glowing red, but he did nothing to stop himself. In fact, he scooted forwards in his seat to be able to reach farther.

A jolt forced him back to a normal state. They now pointed downwards. Seconds later, a new landscape revealed itself as they escaped the clouds. Snowy slopes surrounded the entire area. The mountains that enticed Chris during his arrival now stood only a stone’s throw away. This time, the cloudy sky shrouded their full heights. Beneath them lay a valley carpeted by trees that stretched high and wide. She headed for a very specific spot. Her wings whipped the air as she slowed their full weight, and it sent Chris’ eyes darting right back on the situation at hand. Despite slowing down, her landing sent the two bouncing wildly in their seats. A moment passed as the echoey boom faded and the explosion of snowflakes settled. She carefully and methodically lowered the car, keeping her cargo at least somewhat level. When the back tires touched the ground, the creaking of metal sounded once more. A full row of teeth emerged from the truck’s hood, leaving as clean a bite mark as out of a chocolate bar.

When the truck was fully free she dropped the front half, which hit the ground with the sound of a million pieces of loose metal. The part of the truck she had carried sat crumpled and unrepairable, covered in a thin layer of her saliva. She quickly closed her jaws and backed away. When the entire scene calmed down, Chris allowed himself to take in where they landed. This clearing, no larger than the previous, felt strangely alien despite so many similarities. Snow covered every inch of the ground and weighed down the trees. Flakes were still falling at a solid pace, creating the same intimate bubble by muffling any distant noises (as if there were any this far out of the way). But what was the great difference? Not a single road marked an entry or an exit from the clearing. During all their time in Denali before, roads had always marked human occupation. Here sat uninterrupted Earth. It was a taste few experienced.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Her voice brought him out of thought. Of course, such a special trip for the boys came with a price. They found her staring down at them from a reasonable distance, quite amused with their childish awe. “Those pesky troopers won’t bother us out here,” she added, seemingly quite proud of herself. Chris and Sam remained silent with glassy, bloodshot eyes. For some reason, their view of her seemed clearer here. Through the front of the vehicle the boys observed most of the length of her underbelly. Her tail slowly swayed far behind. Something appeared different than before.

The dragoness took a step forward. Before either of them could grow in fear, she was right in front of the truck. With one glance to each of the humans, the dragon brought herself above them. Before their eyes, her teeth parted only a few feet, revealing a much subtler yet equally as potent view of her maw. However, this wasn’t a treat or a tease to them. Out of the gap snaked her tongue, pink and nearly dripping. Steam visibly rose off its warm surface. It lowered directly to Sam. Without any scream or plea, the poor guy kicked at anything he could reach, his hands yanking against the metal cuffs that held him. The plexiglass wall spared Chris’ view no obstructions. It fit itself underneath Sam and wrapped all the way around his torso. Sam’s clothing visibly darkened as it absorbed the copious amounts of saliva. His body wriggled with decaying energy; exhaustion plagued the both of them. Deja vu struck Chris when Sam looked to him with one final horrified glance. She lifted Sam up and out of the truck. Her jaws expanded just enough to accommodate her catch. Only one frightening grunt sounded from the panicked Sam before he was pulled between her dangerously sharp teeth and shut inside. The dragon tilted her head up high and shut her eyes. The sound of hot sloshing liquid sounded as she forcefully gulped. Directly above Chris, a small bulge slid down the full length of her neck before vanishing into her chest. The thought of that being Sam could not even register in Chis’ head. A powerful exhale marked her satisfaction. Her gaze flew down and smacked Chris on the face. Though the dragon’s stomach held Sam only a few meters away, Chris felt completely alone.

“Cool trick, right? Seconds are never quite as good, but it’s still a real treat,” she said, a tiny smile forming on her face. It only grew when she saw Chris’ face change. She knew what happened to them. “You can call me Kontra, by the way.” Finality seemed to be woven into what she said. His heart raced and his muscles tensed against each other. His seat suddenly felt frozen against his back. She started lowering herself to the truck again. When she opened her mouth for the second time, a complete blur flew right into the corner of Chris’ eye before his entire world began to tumble.

The moment flew by more quickly than he could have ever conceived. Painfully cold snow already began melting into his eyes and ears and nose. The frigid air only made his coughs more torturous. He was lying on his stomach. A horrifying mix of noises pierced his ears. Chris rolled himself onto his back and sat up, his breaths struggling to catch up. The truck laid on its side to his left. He could barely recognize it from all the damage. Chris had been thrown to the very edge of the clearing; the trees grew a few feet behind him. On the far side, snow whipped into a cloud on the ground. A mix of green and grey flailed inside. He saw Kontra’s snarling face appear then vanish again. The green dragon leapt out of the white into full view and faced her opponent. Her chest heaved up and down. Out of the cloud walked another beast. A flash of blue instantly gave away just who it was.

“You’re interrupting something here, Tallum,” Kontra said, the same sly smile from before returning. “You had your chance.” She spoke loudly enough for Chris to easily understand. The grey dragon growled, its voice sounding at a much deeper register than Kontra’s. His brilliant eyes set themselves on Chris only momentarily, but it was still enough to make the poor guy tense up. Tallum’s demeanor was entirely different. Kontra stared at Tallum, her smile slowly fading. He bared his teeth before rearing back and pouncing on her. It sounded like two cars crashing head on. Kontra managed to stay upright, but he pushed her all the way to the treeline.

Chris snapped his attention back to himself. He shoved his cuffed hands into his back pockets, praying that the keys hadn’t fallen out. They tightened and latched onto something. The keys feel out of his pocket into the snow, a clanging marking the tiny victory. His right hand finally snagged it by a single key. All he could do was try each one. His hands fiddled furiously as his eyes glued themselves on the battle taking place in front of him. After at least four or five tries plus a couple fumbles, a click set his left hand free. Soon his right hand joined in freedom, Chris grabbed the keys again and threw his cuffs away for good. Quickly he moved to hide. His feet barely supported him as he scrambled behind the truck.

Paws and claws swung, tails whipped, and wings thrashed about. This was no play. They tumbled over each other, slamming into trees and shaking the snow off them. Kontra managed to push Tallum onto his back, opened her jaws, and viciously sunk her teeth into his neck. The grey dragon gave a roar unlike anything the human ever heard before. He swiped a paw at Kontra’s face, scraping just underneath her left eye. With a grunt, she stepped back, eyes shut, allowing just enough time for Tallum to stand. He aimed the top of his head square at her midsection and pounced. It was a direct hit; the top of Tallum’s horns made for a nasty battering ram. Kontra landed hard on her back, causing the ground shake under Chris’ feet. Tallum leapt over to her. Before she could recover, his front paws left the ground and landed straight onto her exposed belly, compressing underneath his weight. Kontra’s eyes widened before her maw opened wide. The same small bulge snaked up the length of her neck, and out onto the ground came a soaking wet Sam. An entire bathful of thick liquid poured over him, much more than what he had seen before. Steam wafted from the ground. Chris witnessed the whole thing. Strands were still clinging to Kontra’s mouth when she quickly stood upright and began backing away. Tallum followed her, their eyes locked tight. The deep scratch showed red under her eye. A stirring brought Chris’ eyes back onto his friend. Sam coughed and flipped onto his back, the snow around him melting to where the rocky ground could be seen. Chris checked the dragons one more time before he jumped out from behind the truck and began to trudge over to him.

Immediately Sam stood to his feet, wide eyes flickering over his wet hands and arms. Chris stopped momentarily when he saw Sam’s face. Sam was in a complete panic. His short breaths choked. Chris sprinted over to him, his feet hitting solid, albeit soaked and sticky, ground when he reached him. Sam rubbed at his arms and legs, his eyes locking with Chris’ in a desperate yet silent plea. He couldn’t utter a single word. Chris unlocked Sam’s handcuffs and put a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him. In seconds, something tickled at Chris’ palm. With a sharp gasp, he yanked his hand back and wiped it on his freezing cold shirt. He felt a similar panic nipping at his heart and lungs.

“Sam,” he began slowly. It was obvious that he barely held onto his own stability. “We need to go, please.”

Chris grabbed Sam’s hand, wincing at the same wet feeling touching his skin yet again. He began to pull his friend, leading them to the treeline while there was still distraction. When the tingling returned, Chris’ teeth clenched. Sam still coughed and began to wheeze with each hurried breath. They reached the treeline before the heavy whooshing of air indicated a takeoff. One of them had disappeared. Chris pulled and begged his friend to move faster with no real destination in mind, only away. A gasp from Sam preceded his hand being yanked from Chris’ grip. Chris turned to see Tallum dragging Sam away, a claw hooked on his pants. Tallum brought Sam back out of the trees and placed the human in front of him before looking him over. Chris jumped behind the nearest tree and watched in horror, his mouth agape. A low growl rumbled the ground before Tallum lowered his head directly above Sam. His jaws parted and a similarly massive tongue revealed itself. Chris couldn’t believe his eyes as the dragon licked over the entire length of Sam’s body in one go. The weakened man couldn’t do much besides cover his face. Tallum did this several times before reaching with a paw and flipping Sam over on his back. He again repeated, not seeming to enjoy the process a huge amount. When Sam was thoroughly soaked for the second time in a row, Tallum stopped and turned to face Chris. Reality struck when he saw those blue eyes lock on him, and he quickly ducked behind the tree. The noise of his breathing did very little to hide him.

“Come out here,” commanded a large deep voice. No slyness hid in it like in Kontra’s. Every possible option flew through Chris’ mind . Running, staying put, screaming, outright refusing, threatening? They all pointed to the same result.

With a shaky sigh, Chris stood to his feet. He stepped out from behind the tree and turned to face his familiar adversary, hands clenched into tight fists. Despite his fear and anger, Tallum stood a real sight to behold. Several deep wounds resembling a bite mark were visible in his neck. The blood that leaked dripped to the ground and stained the pure white snow with spots of red. Chris trudged through the trees until he had walked back into the clearing. Tallum’s form was all the more terrifying after seeing him use such power against Kontra. Chris glanced to Sam. Shock painted Sam’s face, and his skin almost glowed red in irritation. Before Chris could study him any more, Tallum extended a paw over Sam, gripped his body within its grasp, and pulled him off the ground entirely. Immediately the same paw moved toward Chris, opening just enough to get a grip around him. Before Chris could even take another step, he was pressed against the slimy warmth of Sam’s skin and clothing. This time, Chris didn’t feel any tingling sensation on his skin. Breathing wasn’t incredibly easy, and their arms were pinned. Chris looked down and glimpsed at the same ivory claws from before, gulping at how easily they had cut through the tough surface on Kontra’s face.

Tallum opened his wings and instantly took flight, propelling the pair into a rough windstorm without their hands to protect them. Chris could only glance into the valley one last time before they were shrouded. They both closed their eyes and endured the battering, not opening them again until they heard the powerful bang marking a landing. Tallum released the humans on their feet before moving a few dozen meters away from them. Chris coughed and breathed the frigid air in full breaths again. Their surroundings were recognizable. A massive boulder blocking the cave sat beneath the same large rocky cliff. Chris turned to see the road heading out into the forest. If the blizzard had calmed any, it was not noticeable. He recalled the spot where the two officers caught him and Sam, then where Kontra found them and committed murder. The whole chain of events looped right back to where he stood. A little thud sounded next to him. Sam had collapsed face-first into the snow. Chris bent down, flipped him over, and gave him a slap right on the face. Sam’s eyes flew open and flickered at their white surroundings before settling onto his friend. The heavy sound of earth and rock rubbing together made the two of them jerk around. Tallum stood next to the now open entrance to the cave, his eyes on the both of them. The boulder had been rolled a good twenty feet.

“In,” he said sternly, gesturing inside. His expression struck as disturbingly serious. Chris quickly stood and snagged Sam’s arm before pulling him to his feet. Sam’s was limp with exhaustion. Chris slung his friend’s arm around his shoulder and again faced their captor. The giant let them waddle through the snow and reenter the place they had successfully escaped. As Chris continued to lead Sam to the still roaring fire deeper inside, the same rocky sound reinforced their fear and dread before they were sealed inside. He let Sam lay where the fire had warmed the rocky ground and turned around with squinted eyes. Now only another wall marked the cave entrance. He observed not a single gap in the boulder’s fit this time. Tallum stood tall in the shaky firelight, eyeing the two like one would observe a couple of ants. The entire enclosure stretched just large enough to fit him to move around comfortably.

Tallum began to silently march toward them but only passed by. Chris’ gaze followed with nervous curiosity then noticed what the dragon had been targeting. A carcass lay sprawled out near the bend in the back of the cave. Attached to its head was a pair of beautiful antlers. Tallum reached down, picked up the carcass in his mouth, and walked back over to them. A moment later, he dropped it on the ground in front of the boys with a nice plop. Blood still dripped from the deep cut through the elk’s throat. Tallum moved a paw over the corpse. He touched a single claw to the hide and pressed. It pierced through the hide like a hot knife through butter. Easily, the dragon cut a large piece off its leg and dropped it on the ground in front of Chris’ feet. The clear ivory of his claw now dripped red. A small smear of blood stretched along the cave floor, eliciting a deep sigh from Chris. Tallum opened his mouth once again, took hold of the rest of the carcass, and carried it over to the entrance. Chris found himself staring more than he anticipated. Quite casually, the dragon laid his entire weight on the ground. Tallum leaned his head back and let the entire elk fall into his maw. A squelch sounded as a single gulp sent the massive creature to his stomach. With a small sigh, Tallum laid his head on the ground and closed his eyes, taking deep long breaths that echoed lightly through the cave.

Chris eyed their surroundings closely now that he was not under direct watch. The grey dragon blocked the entirety of the entrance, not to mention the boulder now had zero gaps in its seal. Behind them, the tunnel turned sharply to the left, not allowing any view further than a hundred feet. Even when forgetting of the echoey acoustics of their enclosure, the probability of highly sensitive hearing from Tallum made staying put a very valid option indeed. A moan and a cough signaled him back to his friend. Sam laid on the ground with squinted eyes, his cloudy pupils locking on Chris in dread. His skin was noticeably inflamed, far worse than any sunburn. Chris glanced at the hunk of raw meat flopped on the ground near him and gulped. He never had to do anything like this back in LA.

He scanned the ground nervously. Various stones and sticks were scattered around the perimeter of the fire. As if at gunpoint, Chris stood up and began to shuffle around the area, checking each and every last piece of debris. He latched onto a few thicker sticks and a stone with a particularly sharp edge. When he glanced to Tallum, he jumped as a blue eye was open and focused directly on him. After five seconds, it closed again; the dragon’s message was sent and received. Chris snuck back to Sam and knelt down beside the hunk of meat. He gathered all the bravery he could and took hold of the sharp stone. Painfully, he cut away the hide and any fat he could see. Then he sliced the entire thing in half. His hands were now covered in the same blood. A sneeze caught him off guard and he got a bit of the gross stuff on his nose. A gag or two later, he wiped his hands on his ragged jeans and took hold of the sticks. He stabbed the sticks into the pieces of meat, crouched next to the fire, and held them over the flame. Occasionally the flame nipped at his hands, making him jump back. After a few fumbles and eventual recoveries, Chris retrieved two overcooked pieces of elk meat. He took a minute to pick off some of the charred edges and brush off the bits of gravel and burnt wood. He extended the piece to Sam, who took the offering with a shaky unstable hand. Chris bit into it first. Chewy. Very very chewy and smokey. Almost too smokey. Not too bad for someone who had never even worked with raw meat before. Sam followed after, not seeming to complain too much about being given a hot meal under their current circumstances. When Chris glanced to Tallum again, his eyes were closed, though his demeanor showed a strangely subtle hint of satisfaction. Something told Chris that he was not really sleeping at all.

Finally they finished the entire thing and settled onto the warmed ground beside the crackling fire. It was only once he had satisfied his starvation that he was really able to think again. The thoughts poured. With everything that had happened to them within the last three days, how the hell could it have ended up like this? Anger, confusion, fear, and exhaustion do not make a healthy mix. He couldn’t hold it up any longer. He stood and faced the sleeping dragon.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked quietly, though his voice echoed easily through the space. For a moment, the dragon didn’t move. When Tallum’s eyes opened, they darted to focus. But it wasn’t on Chris. With lightning speed, Tallum raised his head and stood up, his teeth bared. The human turned around as quickly as he could and gasped at seeing Kontra only a few meters behind him. She was low, her legs primed for pouncing. She stayed still, her eyes locked on Chris. He still easily noticed the deep cut underneath her eye. When the ground shook from Tallum’s growl, Kontra raised her head toward him. Her eyes narrowed as she began to slowly back away from Chris. After a few steps, she stopped and put her eyes on the human again. Tallum’s growls grew even further. She snapped back to him and continued moving. When she reached the bend in the cave, she stopped. Tallum relaxed, though his gaze did not shift any.

Chris knelt back down to Sam, who’s eyes were wide with panic upon seeing Kontra again. Tallum glided past the boys and over to Kontra. This time she held her position. Chris tracked Tallum as he approached his foe, put in awe only more by the size of shadow he cast in the cave. When the two dragons were only meters apart, he stopped. Kontra looked ready to burst, but Tallum didn’t want to have any of it.

Yet without warning, Tallum turned his head around, his eyes focused on the great boulder blocking the entrance. It appeared like his gaze pierced through to the outside. Kontra remained still, seeming to be interrupted by something as well. Chris listened everywhere, but all he heard besides the crackling of the fire was his own fearful heartbeat. Soon, a minute passed by. Each second felt thicker and longer than the last, as if the fire was growing hotter and hotter. Beads of sweat formed on Chris’ forehead, but he didn’t dare to wipe them off. Finally another sound grew into the picture for the two humans. They heard a low hum for only a moment before it stopped. Ten more seconds passed. Nobody moved. Then, a muffled car horn shattered the thick air, making the littler pair jump. A second and third blast followed. Only after the third time did Tallum move, immediately walking over to Chris and Sam. He was obviously very upset. He stood high above them before lowering his head only inches above where Sam lay. The fire next to them cast an eerie light on the already intimidating giant.

“Listen to me very carefully,” he insisted, his voice hushed and intense. Even with the fire blazing next to them, the heat and smell from his breath reached the two captives. “You’re going to hide around that corner over there. You will not move until I tell you to. If you make any noise, I’ll crush you both like toys.” When his stare was met with incessant fear, he turned to Kontra, giving her a similar scrutiny. She did nothing but stare back in response. He faced the boys once again and motioned his head toward the back of the cave. “Hurry now.”

Chris jumped and grabbed Sam with all his might, fighting the desire to grunt or groan with his friend’s weight. He uneasily waddled the two of them around the fire and past Kontra. Chris finally rounded the corner and sat Sam upright against the wall before taking a seat next to him. Darkness enveloped them as both of their jaws dropped at what they heard next. The earth trembled as the cave opened up. Bright white light penetrated the dark tunnel. The crackling of the fire was now suppressed by noisy whipping wind. Chris couldn’t sit still. He placed a hand on the wall and rose to his feet, his knees bent and shaking with fear. Before he could take another step, something grabbed his pant leg. He turned to see Sam’s head shaking slowly, his eyes wide with anxiety. Chris pulled his leg away and put a finger up to his mouth before carefully tiptoeing around the bend, his back pressed against the cold rock wall. Slowly, he leaned himself to the side, poking his head out. He squinted through the blinding light until he could focus.

Had Chris not felt another tug on his leg, he would have outright screamed. Chris turned once more to see Sam kneeling on the ground, his eyes in complete panic this time. Rather than react to his ill friend chasing after him, he stared back out to the cave entrance. Kontra stood in the cave’s mouth. Tallum’s front half was visible outside. Both of their heads were angled downward to something smaller. In front of the dragons stood a thin woman. Her head darted back and forth between Tallum and Kontra. The woman was pointing something in her hand directly at them. She was obviously fearful, but she somehow mixed it with confidence. A police cruiser sat partially visible through the blizzard with its driver’s door ajar. Her big puffy parka was a slap on the face to Chris. Where was his food and his warm things? The woman was speaking, but nothing was audible to Chris and Sam through the storm.

~

“Where are they?” she asked dryly. Her eyes darted into the cave for only a second and spotted the fire. She raised an eyebrow.

The dragoness glanced at Tallum and back down to the woman. “I got them. They had seen something,” Kontra began, her voice sounding very contrasting to how she had spoken to Chris and Sam. She was walking on eggshells. “I put them off a cliff straight west of here. It looks fine.” Tallum glanced at Kontra with deadly eyes. She would run to get the other truck right after this.

The woman appeared agitated. The radio call the others got will be a red flag if they had driven themselves off a cliff. She swapped the video camera from her right hand to her left and waited a moment, her eyes cautiously cycling between Tallum, Kontra, and the camera screen. She never once took her eyes off any of those three things. The wind battered her and froze her hands to a deep red, but she remained unfazed. Her right hand prudently began to unzip her thick parka to about halfway down. Still with her vision unwavering, she reached inside a pocket and produced a small book. She reached her right hand up to her left and, without shaking the camera off the dragons, retrieved a photograph from the book. While her left hand held the camera and the photo, she placed the book back inside her jacket pocket and zipped it up. Then, she grabbed the picture with her right hand and fully extended her arm with the picture facing outward. “Christopher Mitchell Burton. Have you got him?”

Tallum began to lower his head in order to see the small image. He moved incredibly carefully, as if he were at something far worse than gunpoint. When he noticed the subject of the image, he retreated back a step, resumed a normal standing position, and nodded his head slowly. The woman’s stern countenance remained unchanged.

“Very very good,” she said, almost like she was praising a pet. “And I’ve heard some news out of Indiana. Five foot four with long curly blonde hair, name’s Samuel Gleicher. Got lost up here a few days ago on a vacation with a cousin.” Once again, Tallum nodded. This time, the woman lost her appearance of suspicion entirely and formed a great big smile. “I’m so proud of you guys, you little hungry bastards.” She stopped to chuckle a little. “Trust me, I won’t stop ‘em coming. I know they’re your favorite, right?”

Tallum nodded reluctantly. Only the freshest dread painted his face. Kontra showed hesitation, but proved to be a bit more convincing in answering the woman’s question. Acting or not, it was hard to tell.

“You’re just going to be right here for me, yes?” Her speak was cute by now. They both nodded. “Right?” the woman continued.

“Yes,” Kontra and Tallum said in unison.

“Good. Back in you go then!” She waved her hand toward the cave.

Kontra suppressed a sigh and did a 180 before walking back inside. Tallum tailed her, his eyes carefully scanning the entire cave up to the bend. The coast was clear. He turned around and placed his blue eyes on the woman one more time. She answered with a smile and a wave. The camera still sat firmly in her grasp. He used his front paws to pull the round stone back in front of the cave. Once the stone was set in place, Tallum checked for any gaps and proceeded to wait. Outside her engine roared to life. It was at least a minute before the sound of her engine disappeared entirely for the two dragons. Once they were clear, Tallum pushed the boulder and revealed the entrance again. He shot a glance to Kontra. Without any reaction, she walked past him out into the storm, unfolded her wings, and took flight to go place the second SUV in the fake crash site. Tallum closed the cave shut once more, turned to face the empty straightaway, and opened his mouth.

“I have a job for you two.”

Description
Warning: contains soft vore

The dragon turned away from the truck. Neither Chris nor Sam moved an inch despite the lack of a roof.

“Don’t you worry,” she spoke as she paced down the road. Despite her head facing away from them, they had no trouble hearing her. After a few strides, she turned around, easily able to maneuver her body on the thin road. “I’ll be sure to do a fantastic job as warden. I promise.” Her motions contained a hint of flamboyance; she walked on the runway with a captive audience. Captives or not, neither of the two could take their eyes off her. The view she presented was far greater than anything they were able to see from their first encounter. They were given more than enough time to really comprehend the scale of her, but it affected the boys just as intensely as the initial shock.

She paced back over the truck and peered down at them. The dragon lowered her head closer than ever before. Her snout nearly touched the top of the vehicle. She huffed a long breath onto them, blowing Sam’s hair out of his face and into even more of a tangled mess. The few windows that weren’t smashed turned opaque from steam. The smell rang familiar to both of them. When she was done, her nostrils flared with an inhalation. But something immediately made her stop. Her head soared back up to its original great height. The smile she wore so proudly seemed lessened. However, as if she’d suddenly gained her memory, she snapped back into a Hollywood act.

“Of course the golden rule here is that I shouldn’t let you two criminals out of my sight, but I have to tie up some loose ends.” With a turn of her head followed by the rest of her, she went off down the road again. Her steps were far quicker this time with strides appearing as easygoing as before. Moments later she was a fair distance down the road. She peered downward before her tail went to work again. It snaked its way into the snow and retrieved the body of the moustached officer. She returned to them and continued walking by, knowing full well how easily the body could be seen. His eyes were stagnant and glossed over. She targeted the first flattened truck next. The dragon positioned herself in front of it and lowered her head. Her jaws opened wide, and she scooped as much of its front half inside as possible. As she gained a grip on it, her teeth punctured the metal of the hood all the way up to the windshield. Its two-ton weight affected her little; she lifted her head back up, holding it much like a dog would hold a toy. She set off down the road in the other direction now, coming to a stop where the trees grew further apart.

The pair’s eyes shifted in unison as another part of her body went into motion. The great wings that had been comfortably folded on her back spread open elegantly. Its leathery membrane that held everything together stretched to a strong and flexible position. The whipping wind of the blizzard pushed and pulled on the enormous wind-catchers, but she held her balance perfectly. On her command, all four of her legs primed themselves; flexed muscles visibly showed through her tough scaly hide. In one sweeping motion she leapt high into the air. Her wings flew downward, sending a gust of wind that pushed the trees around them violently. The truck nearly tipped up on two of its tires; the boys were sent tumbling to the other side window. Chris wriggled himself off of Sam quickly to watch out the window, but by the time he could see anything more, she had vanished into the grey sky. The reverberations of her wings could be heard for only a moment longer. Within seconds, they were alone in the storm. Chris’ eyes didn’t leave the empty sky for a long time, and Sam remained with his back on the seat, his head resting against the other door.

When Chris finally came to terms with their situation, he awkwardly stood himself on the seat. With his head above the walls of the vehicle, he scanned the area. Only the markings in the snow were left. The rough nature of the storm would cover those up completely within an hour. With current conditions, Chris had no indication of when she would come back. They had to act now. With all the might left in his tired legs, he jumped himself over the top of the car, landing on his stomach. He coughed and flailed before he could adjust himself and stand up. The snow buried his legs past his ankles. Sam only remained still in the truck.

Something a few meters away struck Chris’ eye. A shiny silver object contrasted with the white ground. He began to take slow, laborious steps over to the object, actively trying not to lose his balance. The wind and tightened muscles in his legs made it difficult not to fall, but he reached it unharmed. Only a few feet from the spot of the crushed SUV rested a partially buried keyring. Chris’ face lit up.

“Sam come here!” he screamed hoarsely. “We gotta get going!” He began to turn around to face the truck.

“Going where?” a soft voice replied. Chris gasped and fell into the snow on his behind. He had turned to face the same green dragon. He could have kissed her with how close she hovered over him. She waited a moment and observed his reaction. Chris didn’t try backing away like in his first encounter. Another hot breath wafted over his freezing cold body, a terribly bittersweet sensation. “I don’t think you would be able to go very far in weather like this. Besides, I have plans for you two.”

He gave only a slight shift in the snow as a response. Something pointy prodded at his behind. Soon enough, she grew tired of waiting. She began to extend her paw toward him, its underside turning over. Chris had only a moment. He forced his hands underneath him and clenched tight fists. His hands were far too numb to feel whether they had gotten a hold of anything. Her entire paw shoved its way underneath and scooped him off the ground. With a quicker motion than he would have preferred, he was lifted over the open truck. She turned her paw back over, dropping him inside like a toy. This time he landed in the front half of the vehicle, his head nearly smacking the dashboard as he fell in. The wind was completely knocked out of him. After a bit of coughing and wriggling to make himself a bit more upright, he tried moving his hands. A tiny sigh escaped his lips; his grip hadn’t released and he could feel something in them.

A big shake interrupted his celebration. He moved himself into the front passenger seat and saw right in front of him the same paw pressing on the car’s hood. All of the windshield was missing at this point, and one of her ebony claws had passed through the gap and rested only a foot away from his face..

“This isn’t a very great place, is it?” she said, removing her paw and letting the suspension bounce back. She stepped back from them with the two humans facing forwards. While he could, Chris clumsily stuffed his object into a back pocket. She set her legs solidly before lowering her head directly in front of them. Her enormous jaws parted, setting a steadily paced reveal. Chris stiffened in his seat, his eyes completely unable to take themselves off the sight. Like before, more saliva seemed to be pooled inside than was necessary. The consistency of it was rather thick as well. Her tongue extended past the rows of sharp teeth, its tip disappearing from view under the truck. Before either of them could prepare, the truck tipped back. Their line of sight into her mouth had only become clearer. The muscles of her throat moved with each broad breath she took. All the remaining windows in the truck fogged over from the warm air. After a long moment, the jaws began to close again. When teeth came into contact with the truck’s hood, they continued uninterrupted. The metal bent and broke like paper from the force, squeaking loudly. When the crunching stopped, their only view in front of them was of the tip of her snout. Occasionally a hot breath would still blow in through the windshield gap.

Their peace was only momentary. More creaking began, this time accompanied by the sensation of movement. Chris peered out the window. The ground was slowly but surely leaving them behind. When they came to a stop, they hovered at least twenty feet in the air if not more. Even with the snow below them, Chris knew jumping was a horrible idea. Even if he’d landed unharmed, escape wasn’t a possibility. He turned around and looked through the plexiglass wall. Sam faced forward, his chest heaving. His eyes met with Chris’ for only a second before darting to something outside the window. Chris did the same in response. Within view now was only half of the dragon’s monstrous wing, unfolded and ready to go. Just like the time before, she primed herself. Even with the warning, Chris was still thrown slightly in his seat as she jumped skyward. A massive whoosh pounded the ground and trees below them. Violent gusts blew frigid snowflakes in Chris’ eyes and ears. When he was able to open his eyes again, a swirl of snow shrouded almost the entire ground. Within seconds even the tops of the tallest trees vanished in the blizzard. When she had reached her desired speed and altitude, the beats of her wings slowed to a rhythmic and powerful pulse. The three of them sat in their own little world, completely unable to see the land below or the sky above.

Even with thrashing winds and stinging snowflakes, Chris didn’t duck his head down below the dashboard. What sat before him had him gobsmacked. Only a few feet from him was the dragon's snout. The scales that lined and guarded her snout were beautiful to say the least. Every single one showed more depth and brilliance than any human skin could. The thought that such a mythical thing living and breathing only a few feet away from him proved almost too much to handle. Now more than ever, sense of time had been lost. Despite what has happened to him or what may lie ahead, only the present existed. He even seemed to have forgotten about Sam. Without his acknowledgement, Chris’ hand rose in front of him and began to extend forward. He could see his fingers nearly glowing red, but he did nothing to stop himself. In fact, he scooted forwards in his seat to be able to reach farther.

A jolt forced him back to a normal state. They now pointed downwards. Seconds later, a new landscape revealed itself as they escaped the clouds. Snowy slopes surrounded the entire area. The mountains that enticed Chris during his arrival now stood only a stone’s throw away. This time, the cloudy sky shrouded their full heights. Beneath them lay a valley carpeted by trees that stretched high and wide. She headed for a very specific spot. Her wings whipped the air as she slowed their full weight, and it sent Chris’ eyes darting right back on the situation at hand. Despite slowing down, her landing sent the two bouncing wildly in their seats. A moment passed as the echoey boom faded and the explosion of snowflakes settled. She carefully and methodically lowered the car, keeping her cargo at least somewhat level. When the back tires touched the ground, the creaking of metal sounded once more. A full row of teeth emerged from the truck’s hood, leaving as clean a bite mark as out of a chocolate bar.

When the truck was fully free she dropped the front half, which hit the ground with the sound of a million pieces of loose metal. The part of the truck she had carried sat crumpled and unrepairable, covered in a thin layer of her saliva. She quickly closed her jaws and backed away. When the entire scene calmed down, Chris allowed himself to take in where they landed. This clearing, no larger than the previous, felt strangely alien despite so many similarities. Snow covered every inch of the ground and weighed down the trees. Flakes were still falling at a solid pace, creating the same intimate bubble by muffling any distant noises (as if there were any this far out of the way). But what was the great difference? Not a single road marked an entry or an exit from the clearing. During all their time in Denali before, roads had always marked human occupation. Here sat uninterrupted Earth. It was a taste few experienced.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Her voice brought him out of thought. Of course, such a special trip for the boys came with a price. They found her staring down at them from a reasonable distance, quite amused with their childish awe. “Those pesky troopers won’t bother us out here,” she added, seemingly quite proud of herself. Chris and Sam remained silent with glassy, bloodshot eyes. For some reason, their view of her seemed clearer here. Through the front of the vehicle the boys observed most of the length of her underbelly. Her tail slowly swayed far behind. Something appeared different than before.

The dragoness took a step forward. Before either of them could grow in fear, she was right in front of the truck. With one glance to each of the humans, the dragon brought herself above them. Before their eyes, her teeth parted only a few feet, revealing a much subtler yet equally as potent view of her maw. However, this wasn’t a treat or a tease to them. Out of the gap snaked her tongue, pink and nearly dripping. Steam visibly rose off its warm surface. It lowered directly to Sam. Without any scream or plea, the poor guy kicked at anything he could reach, his hands yanking against the metal cuffs that held him. The plexiglass wall spared Chris’ view no obstructions. It fit itself underneath Sam and wrapped all the way around his torso. Sam’s clothing visibly darkened as it absorbed the copious amounts of saliva. His body wriggled with decaying energy; exhaustion plagued the both of them. Deja vu struck Chris when Sam looked to him with one final horrified glance. She lifted Sam up and out of the truck. Her jaws expanded just enough to accommodate her catch. Only one frightening grunt sounded from the panicked Sam before he was pulled between her dangerously sharp teeth and shut inside. The dragon tilted her head up high and shut her eyes. The sound of hot sloshing liquid sounded as she forcefully gulped. Directly above Chris, a small bulge slid down the full length of her neck before vanishing into her chest. The thought of that being Sam could not even register in Chis’ head. A powerful exhale marked her satisfaction. Her gaze flew down and smacked Chris on the face. Though the dragon’s stomach held Sam only a few meters away, Chris felt completely alone.

“Cool trick, right? Seconds are never quite as good, but it’s still a real treat,” she said, a tiny smile forming on her face. It only grew when she saw Chris’ face change. She knew what happened to them. “You can call me Kontra, by the way.” Finality seemed to be woven into what she said. His heart raced and his muscles tensed against each other. His seat suddenly felt frozen against his back. She started lowering herself to the truck again. When she opened her mouth for the second time, a complete blur flew right into the corner of Chris’ eye before his entire world began to tumble.

The moment flew by more quickly than he could have ever conceived. Painfully cold snow already began melting into his eyes and ears and nose. The frigid air only made his coughs more torturous. He was lying on his stomach. A horrifying mix of noises pierced his ears. Chris rolled himself onto his back and sat up, his breaths struggling to catch up. The truck laid on its side to his left. He could barely recognize it from all the damage. Chris had been thrown to the very edge of the clearing; the trees grew a few feet behind him. On the far side, snow whipped into a cloud on the ground. A mix of green and grey flailed inside. He saw Kontra’s snarling face appear then vanish again. The green dragon leapt out of the white into full view and faced her opponent. Her chest heaved up and down. Out of the cloud walked another beast. A flash of blue instantly gave away just who it was.

“You’re interrupting something here, Tallum,” Kontra said, the same sly smile from before returning. “You had your chance.” She spoke loudly enough for Chris to easily understand. The grey dragon growled, its voice sounding at a much deeper register than Kontra’s. His brilliant eyes set themselves on Chris only momentarily, but it was still enough to make the poor guy tense up. Tallum’s demeanor was entirely different. Kontra stared at Tallum, her smile slowly fading. He bared his teeth before rearing back and pouncing on her. It sounded like two cars crashing head on. Kontra managed to stay upright, but he pushed her all the way to the treeline.

Chris snapped his attention back to himself. He shoved his cuffed hands into his back pockets, praying that the keys hadn’t fallen out. They tightened and latched onto something. The keys feel out of his pocket into the snow, a clanging marking the tiny victory. His right hand finally snagged it by a single key. All he could do was try each one. His hands fiddled furiously as his eyes glued themselves on the battle taking place in front of him. After at least four or five tries plus a couple fumbles, a click set his left hand free. Soon his right hand joined in freedom, Chris grabbed the keys again and threw his cuffs away for good. Quickly he moved to hide. His feet barely supported him as he scrambled behind the truck.

Paws and claws swung, tails whipped, and wings thrashed about. This was no play. They tumbled over each other, slamming into trees and shaking the snow off them. Kontra managed to push Tallum onto his back, opened her jaws, and viciously sunk her teeth into his neck. The grey dragon gave a roar unlike anything the human ever heard before. He swiped a paw at Kontra’s face, scraping just underneath her left eye. With a grunt, she stepped back, eyes shut, allowing just enough time for Tallum to stand. He aimed the top of his head square at her midsection and pounced. It was a direct hit; the top of Tallum’s horns made for a nasty battering ram. Kontra landed hard on her back, causing the ground shake under Chris’ feet. Tallum leapt over to her. Before she could recover, his front paws left the ground and landed straight onto her exposed belly, compressing underneath his weight. Kontra’s eyes widened before her maw opened wide. The same small bulge snaked up the length of her neck, and out onto the ground came a soaking wet Sam. An entire bathful of thick liquid poured over him, much more than what he had seen before. Steam wafted from the ground. Chris witnessed the whole thing. Strands were still clinging to Kontra’s mouth when she quickly stood upright and began backing away. Tallum followed her, their eyes locked tight. The deep scratch showed red under her eye. A stirring brought Chris’ eyes back onto his friend. Sam coughed and flipped onto his back, the snow around him melting to where the rocky ground could be seen. Chris checked the dragons one more time before he jumped out from behind the truck and began to trudge over to him.

Immediately Sam stood to his feet, wide eyes flickering over his wet hands and arms. Chris stopped momentarily when he saw Sam’s face. Sam was in a complete panic. His short breaths choked. Chris sprinted over to him, his feet hitting solid, albeit soaked and sticky, ground when he reached him. Sam rubbed at his arms and legs, his eyes locking with Chris’ in a desperate yet silent plea. He couldn’t utter a single word. Chris unlocked Sam’s handcuffs and put a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him. In seconds, something tickled at Chris’ palm. With a sharp gasp, he yanked his hand back and wiped it on his freezing cold shirt. He felt a similar panic nipping at his heart and lungs.

“Sam,” he began slowly. It was obvious that he barely held onto his own stability. “We need to go, please.”

Chris grabbed Sam’s hand, wincing at the same wet feeling touching his skin yet again. He began to pull his friend, leading them to the treeline while there was still distraction. When the tingling returned, Chris’ teeth clenched. Sam still coughed and began to wheeze with each hurried breath. They reached the treeline before the heavy whooshing of air indicated a takeoff. One of them had disappeared. Chris pulled and begged his friend to move faster with no real destination in mind, only away. A gasp from Sam preceded his hand being yanked from Chris’ grip. Chris turned to see Tallum dragging Sam away, a claw hooked on his pants. Tallum brought Sam back out of the trees and placed the human in front of him before looking him over. Chris jumped behind the nearest tree and watched in horror, his mouth agape. A low growl rumbled the ground before Tallum lowered his head directly above Sam. His jaws parted and a similarly massive tongue revealed itself. Chris couldn’t believe his eyes as the dragon licked over the entire length of Sam’s body in one go. The weakened man couldn’t do much besides cover his face. Tallum did this several times before reaching with a paw and flipping Sam over on his back. He again repeated, not seeming to enjoy the process a huge amount. When Sam was thoroughly soaked for the second time in a row, Tallum stopped and turned to face Chris. Reality struck when he saw those blue eyes lock on him, and he quickly ducked behind the tree. The noise of his breathing did very little to hide him.

“Come out here,” commanded a large deep voice. No slyness hid in it like in Kontra’s. Every possible option flew through Chris’ mind . Running, staying put, screaming, outright refusing, threatening? They all pointed to the same result.

With a shaky sigh, Chris stood to his feet. He stepped out from behind the tree and turned to face his familiar adversary, hands clenched into tight fists. Despite his fear and anger, Tallum stood a real sight to behold. Several deep wounds resembling a bite mark were visible in his neck. The blood that leaked dripped to the ground and stained the pure white snow with spots of red. Chris trudged through the trees until he had walked back into the clearing. Tallum’s form was all the more terrifying after seeing him use such power against Kontra. Chris glanced to Sam. Shock painted Sam’s face, and his skin almost glowed red in irritation. Before Chris could study him any more, Tallum extended a paw over Sam, gripped his body within its grasp, and pulled him off the ground entirely. Immediately the same paw moved toward Chris, opening just enough to get a grip around him. Before Chris could even take another step, he was pressed against the slimy warmth of Sam’s skin and clothing. This time, Chris didn’t feel any tingling sensation on his skin. Breathing wasn’t incredibly easy, and their arms were pinned. Chris looked down and glimpsed at the same ivory claws from before, gulping at how easily they had cut through the tough surface on Kontra’s face.

Tallum opened his wings and instantly took flight, propelling the pair into a rough windstorm without their hands to protect them. Chris could only glance into the valley one last time before they were shrouded. They both closed their eyes and endured the battering, not opening them again until they heard the powerful bang marking a landing. Tallum released the humans on their feet before moving a few dozen meters away from them. Chris coughed and breathed the frigid air in full breaths again. Their surroundings were recognizable. A massive boulder blocking the cave sat beneath the same large rocky cliff. Chris turned to see the road heading out into the forest. If the blizzard had calmed any, it was not noticeable. He recalled the spot where the two officers caught him and Sam, then where Kontra found them and committed murder. The whole chain of events looped right back to where he stood. A little thud sounded next to him. Sam had collapsed face-first into the snow. Chris bent down, flipped him over, and gave him a slap right on the face. Sam’s eyes flew open and flickered at their white surroundings before settling onto his friend. The heavy sound of earth and rock rubbing together made the two of them jerk around. Tallum stood next to the now open entrance to the cave, his eyes on the both of them. The boulder had been rolled a good twenty feet.

“In,” he said sternly, gesturing inside. His expression struck as disturbingly serious. Chris quickly stood and snagged Sam’s arm before pulling him to his feet. Sam’s was limp with exhaustion. Chris slung his friend’s arm around his shoulder and again faced their captor. The giant let them waddle through the snow and reenter the place they had successfully escaped. As Chris continued to lead Sam to the still roaring fire deeper inside, the same rocky sound reinforced their fear and dread before they were sealed inside. He let Sam lay where the fire had warmed the rocky ground and turned around with squinted eyes. Now only another wall marked the cave entrance. He observed not a single gap in the boulder’s fit this time. Tallum stood tall in the shaky firelight, eyeing the two like one would observe a couple of ants. The entire enclosure stretched just large enough to fit him to move around comfortably.

Tallum began to silently march toward them but only passed by. Chris’ gaze followed with nervous curiosity then noticed what the dragon had been targeting. A carcass lay sprawled out near the bend in the back of the cave. Attached to its head was a pair of beautiful antlers. Tallum reached down, picked up the carcass in his mouth, and walked back over to them. A moment later, he dropped it on the ground in front of the boys with a nice plop. Blood still dripped from the deep cut through the elk’s throat. Tallum moved a paw over the corpse. He touched a single claw to the hide and pressed. It pierced through the hide like a hot knife through butter. Easily, the dragon cut a large piece off its leg and dropped it on the ground in front of Chris’ feet. The clear ivory of his claw now dripped red. A small smear of blood stretched along the cave floor, eliciting a deep sigh from Chris. Tallum opened his mouth once again, took hold of the rest of the carcass, and carried it over to the entrance. Chris found himself staring more than he anticipated. Quite casually, the dragon laid his entire weight on the ground. Tallum leaned his head back and let the entire elk fall into his maw. A squelch sounded as a single gulp sent the massive creature to his stomach. With a small sigh, Tallum laid his head on the ground and closed his eyes, taking deep long breaths that echoed lightly through the cave.

Chris eyed their surroundings closely now that he was not under direct watch. The grey dragon blocked the entirety of the entrance, not to mention the boulder now had zero gaps in its seal. Behind them, the tunnel turned sharply to the left, not allowing any view further than a hundred feet. Even when forgetting of the echoey acoustics of their enclosure, the probability of highly sensitive hearing from Tallum made staying put a very valid option indeed. A moan and a cough signaled him back to his friend. Sam laid on the ground with squinted eyes, his cloudy pupils locking on Chris in dread. His skin was noticeably inflamed, far worse than any sunburn. Chris glanced at the hunk of raw meat flopped on the ground near him and gulped. He never had to do anything like this back in LA.

He scanned the ground nervously. Various stones and sticks were scattered around the perimeter of the fire. As if at gunpoint, Chris stood up and began to shuffle around the area, checking each and every last piece of debris. He latched onto a few thicker sticks and a stone with a particularly sharp edge. When he glanced to Tallum, he jumped as a blue eye was open and focused directly on him. After five seconds, it closed again; the dragon’s message was sent and received. Chris snuck back to Sam and knelt down beside the hunk of meat. He gathered all the bravery he could and took hold of the sharp stone. Painfully, he cut away the hide and any fat he could see. Then he sliced the entire thing in half. His hands were now covered in the same blood. A sneeze caught him off guard and he got a bit of the gross stuff on his nose. A gag or two later, he wiped his hands on his ragged jeans and took hold of the sticks. He stabbed the sticks into the pieces of meat, crouched next to the fire, and held them over the flame. Occasionally the flame nipped at his hands, making him jump back. After a few fumbles and eventual recoveries, Chris retrieved two overcooked pieces of elk meat. He took a minute to pick off some of the charred edges and brush off the bits of gravel and burnt wood. He extended the piece to Sam, who took the offering with a shaky unstable hand. Chris bit into it first. Chewy. Very very chewy and smokey. Almost too smokey. Not too bad for someone who had never even worked with raw meat before. Sam followed after, not seeming to complain too much about being given a hot meal under their current circumstances. When Chris glanced to Tallum again, his eyes were closed, though his demeanor showed a strangely subtle hint of satisfaction. Something told Chris that he was not really sleeping at all.

Finally they finished the entire thing and settled onto the warmed ground beside the crackling fire. It was only once he had satisfied his starvation that he was really able to think again. The thoughts poured. With everything that had happened to them within the last three days, how the hell could it have ended up like this? Anger, confusion, fear, and exhaustion do not make a healthy mix. He couldn’t hold it up any longer. He stood and faced the sleeping dragon.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked quietly, though his voice echoed easily through the space. For a moment, the dragon didn’t move. When Tallum’s eyes opened, they darted to focus. But it wasn’t on Chris. With lightning speed, Tallum raised his head and stood up, his teeth bared. The human turned around as quickly as he could and gasped at seeing Kontra only a few meters behind him. She was low, her legs primed for pouncing. She stayed still, her eyes locked on Chris. He still easily noticed the deep cut underneath her eye. When the ground shook from Tallum’s growl, Kontra raised her head toward him. Her eyes narrowed as she began to slowly back away from Chris. After a few steps, she stopped and put her eyes on the human again. Tallum’s growls grew even further. She snapped back to him and continued moving. When she reached the bend in the cave, she stopped. Tallum relaxed, though his gaze did not shift any.

Chris knelt back down to Sam, who’s eyes were wide with panic upon seeing Kontra again. Tallum glided past the boys and over to Kontra. This time she held her position. Chris tracked Tallum as he approached his foe, put in awe only more by the size of shadow he cast in the cave. When the two dragons were only meters apart, he stopped. Kontra looked ready to burst, but Tallum didn’t want to have any of it.

Yet without warning, Tallum turned his head around, his eyes focused on the great boulder blocking the entrance. It appeared like his gaze pierced through to the outside. Kontra remained still, seeming to be interrupted by something as well. Chris listened everywhere, but all he heard besides the crackling of the fire was his own fearful heartbeat. Soon, a minute passed by. Each second felt thicker and longer than the last, as if the fire was growing hotter and hotter. Beads of sweat formed on Chris’ forehead, but he didn’t dare to wipe them off. Finally another sound grew into the picture for the two humans. They heard a low hum for only a moment before it stopped. Ten more seconds passed. Nobody moved. Then, a muffled car horn shattered the thick air, making the littler pair jump. A second and third blast followed. Only after the third time did Tallum move, immediately walking over to Chris and Sam. He was obviously very upset. He stood high above them before lowering his head only inches above where Sam lay. The fire next to them cast an eerie light on the already intimidating giant.

“Listen to me very carefully,” he insisted, his voice hushed and intense. Even with the fire blazing next to them, the heat and smell from his breath reached the two captives. “You’re going to hide around that corner over there. You will not move until I tell you to. If you make any noise, I’ll crush you both like toys.” When his stare was met with incessant fear, he turned to Kontra, giving her a similar scrutiny. She did nothing but stare back in response. He faced the boys once again and motioned his head toward the back of the cave. “Hurry now.”

Chris jumped and grabbed Sam with all his might, fighting the desire to grunt or groan with his friend’s weight. He uneasily waddled the two of them around the fire and past Kontra. Chris finally rounded the corner and sat Sam upright against the wall before taking a seat next to him. Darkness enveloped them as both of their jaws dropped at what they heard next. The earth trembled as the cave opened up. Bright white light penetrated the dark tunnel. The crackling of the fire was now suppressed by noisy whipping wind. Chris couldn’t sit still. He placed a hand on the wall and rose to his feet, his knees bent and shaking with fear. Before he could take another step, something grabbed his pant leg. He turned to see Sam’s head shaking slowly, his eyes wide with anxiety. Chris pulled his leg away and put a finger up to his mouth before carefully tiptoeing around the bend, his back pressed against the cold rock wall. Slowly, he leaned himself to the side, poking his head out. He squinted through the blinding light until he could focus.

Had Chris not felt another tug on his leg, he would have outright screamed. Chris turned once more to see Sam kneeling on the ground, his eyes in complete panic this time. Rather than react to his ill friend chasing after him, he stared back out to the cave entrance. Kontra stood in the cave’s mouth. Tallum’s front half was visible outside. Both of their heads were angled downward to something smaller. In front of the dragons stood a thin woman. Her head darted back and forth between Tallum and Kontra. The woman was pointing something in her hand directly at them. She was obviously fearful, but she somehow mixed it with confidence. A police cruiser sat partially visible through the blizzard with its driver’s door ajar. Her big puffy parka was a slap on the face to Chris. Where was his food and his warm things? The woman was speaking, but nothing was audible to Chris and Sam through the storm.

~

“Where are they?” she asked dryly. Her eyes darted into the cave for only a second and spotted the fire. She raised an eyebrow.

The dragoness glanced at Tallum and back down to the woman. “I got them. They had seen something,” Kontra began, her voice sounding very contrasting to how she had spoken to Chris and Sam. She was walking on eggshells. “I put them off a cliff straight west of here. It looks fine.” Tallum glanced at Kontra with deadly eyes. She would run to get the other truck right after this.

The woman appeared agitated. The radio call the others got will be a red flag if they had driven themselves off a cliff. She swapped the video camera from her right hand to her left and waited a moment, her eyes cautiously cycling between Tallum, Kontra, and the camera screen. She never once took her eyes off any of those three things. The wind battered her and froze her hands to a deep red, but she remained unfazed. Her right hand prudently began to unzip her thick parka to about halfway down. Still with her vision unwavering, she reached inside a pocket and produced a small book. She reached her right hand up to her left and, without shaking the camera off the dragons, retrieved a photograph from the book. While her left hand held the camera and the photo, she placed the book back inside her jacket pocket and zipped it up. Then, she grabbed the picture with her right hand and fully extended her arm with the picture facing outward. “Christopher Mitchell Burton. Have you got him?”

Tallum began to lower his head in order to see the small image. He moved incredibly carefully, as if he were at something far worse than gunpoint. When he noticed the subject of the image, he retreated back a step, resumed a normal standing position, and nodded his head slowly. The woman’s stern countenance remained unchanged.

“Very very good,” she said, almost like she was praising a pet. “And I’ve heard some news out of Indiana. Five foot four with long curly blonde hair, name’s Samuel Gleicher. Got lost up here a few days ago on a vacation with a cousin.” Once again, Tallum nodded. This time, the woman lost her appearance of suspicion entirely and formed a great big smile. “I’m so proud of you guys, you little hungry bastards.” She stopped to chuckle a little. “Trust me, I won’t stop ‘em coming. I know they’re your favorite, right?”

Tallum nodded reluctantly. Only the freshest dread painted his face. Kontra showed hesitation, but proved to be a bit more convincing in answering the woman’s question. Acting or not, it was hard to tell.

“You’re just going to be right here for me, yes?” Her speak was cute by now. They both nodded. “Right?” the woman continued.

“Yes,” Kontra and Tallum said in unison.

“Good. Back in you go then!” She waved her hand toward the cave.

Kontra suppressed a sigh and did a 180 before walking back inside. Tallum tailed her, his eyes carefully scanning the entire cave up to the bend. The coast was clear. He turned around and placed his blue eyes on the woman one more time. She answered with a smile and a wave. The camera still sat firmly in her grasp. He used his front paws to pull the round stone back in front of the cave. Once the stone was set in place, Tallum checked for any gaps and proceeded to wait. Outside her engine roared to life. It was at least a minute before the sound of her engine disappeared entirely for the two dragons. Once they were clear, Tallum pushed the boulder and revealed the entrance again. He shot a glance to Kontra. Without any reaction, she walked past him out into the storm, unfolded her wings, and took flight to go place the second SUV in the fake crash site. Tallum closed the cave shut once more, turned to face the empty straightaway, and opened his mouth.

“I have a job for you two.”