Auror: Hey Kantri!

Kantri: -is mostly asleep on couch- What?

Auror: Can I type up the next chapter to Saabys' story tonight?

Kantri: Whatever guides your wings. –rolls over-

Auror: Hey Kantri! Look at all these reviews you have!

Kantri: -glances at clock on wall- It's 3 in the morning, go to sleep or at least let me sleep Ms. "Watch me eat 50 pixy sticks in one minute!" –pulls blanket over head-

Auror: -squeals- Hey Kantri! Look at this picture!

Kantri: -muttering a mantra- Don't kill. Don't bloodlust. Don't kill. Don't bloodlust.

Auror: -gets up from computer desk and goes over to poke at moody sleepy bundle- HEY KANTRI! ARE YOU AWAKE?

Kantri: Be humane, don't kill, and don't kill.

Auror: -prod-

Kantri: -gives a snarl and comes out from under blanket- Human side be slegged! DIE!

Auror: -runs screaming-

Saabys: -comes back from getting ice cream and sits down at computer- Wonder how the others have

Auror: -runs past screaming- SAVE ME!

Kantri: -chasing- Here midnight snacky!

Saabys: been? –blinks- Ookay… Back to my story!

The very next morning Drake roused Geoff very early so that they could begin searching. The pair was up in the air before the sun had left the rim of the world. A fact of which was not lost on Geoff.

"Why, in the name of all that is holy, did you have to start searching at sunrise?" the teen whined from the dragon's back.

"We have the best chance of catching any predator early in the morning directly before the hunt." Drake explained.

They landed near the waterfall, carefully downwind and observed quite a sight.

Out of the waterfall came a living breathing shadow: a dragon so black in color that it absorbed the light without giving even a gleam off of dripping wet scales.

Geoff hopped off of Drakes back after recovering from shock and was trying to sneak closer to get a better view.

The new dragon reared back on its hindlegs and began sniffing the air and listening for any threats. The strong breeze carried its scent to the only other dragon.

Drake's eyes went wide as his instincts recognized the smell immediately: a strange female, unattached.

The dragoness probably heard or smelled Geoff or Drake, but her attention was diverted elsewhere at the moment, to where she could hear many humans crashing through the underbrush just beyond the end of the pond.

The mob of humans came by, all armed with torches and pitchforks and intent upon driving out the "demon" that had been eating their livestock.

The dragoness crouched down in the water and virtually disappeared. She could smell the alcohol on the breath of these men and that stench stirred memories she would sooner have forgotten. She wasn't afraid of letting them go into the cave in search of her, for she had nothing they could destroy with mere fire and pitchforks.

Memories of the past stirred, and she became visible again, standing up tall and roaring. A delicate flick of long black tail sent waves lashing to either side of the pond. Webbed paws moved in the water and left no trace of passing, as fangs long as sword blades and silver as the full moon were bared to the dawning sun.

The men had turned around at the sound of her roar. All they saw of the ensuing confrontation was the black charging and then Drake interposing himself between the humans and the dragoness with a roar of warning, halting her in her tracks.

Drake looked the black-scaled one over at this close range. Her body was built closer to Gryphon's, with the exception of her ribs not being as broad as the red's, and she was very lean for her great size: not having any distinct musculature. Past her ribs her body pulled in before widening out enough to allow for the powerful hindlegs and long, whip like tail. The tail itself was very different from his: it had no specialized tip at the end. What fascinated him the most though was her head. Again it was more like Gryphon's in build, but was more canine than that. The long snout was open in a warning hiss, and long black forked tong tasted the air to determine what he was doing. The head itself topped a long and slender neck, and Drake noticed the ears that were folded flat to the dragoness's head in threat just beneath the single pair of horns that twisted like polished onyx. Drake turned his attention to the eyes and had to do a double take. Crossing from just in front of one ear to the other, over where the eyes were supposed to be, was a jagged scar. The scarred tissue was grey compared to the rest of her, and it occurred to him that she must be blind.

During the confrontation Geoff had jumped off of Drake's back and was hurrying the villagers away as quickly as possible. But he did look back to see his brother and the strange dragon standing fang to bared fang.

The female seemed to relax, though every line of her body screamed of tense wariness. She backed away for several lengths and closed her mouth, dangerous fangs hidden once more.

"Enac rae su?" she tilted her head and fanned her ears up ever so slightly.

Drake blinked repeatedly, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Now it was the dragonesses turn to look confused, "You don't speak Draconic?" her voice was light and soft, and carried a heavy accent.

"No."

"I asked who you were."

"I'm Drake, who are you?"

The dragoness bowed her head to Drake, "I am Sojourn."

Saabys: Believe it or not, it took me a week solid to write that. Pitiful eh?

Auror: -in the kitchen putting away my hand made dinner-

Kantri: -curled up on the couch with my forehead against my knees, looking green around the gills-

Saabys: Roommates. We've been so busy lately the computer is gaining dust. I think Kantri has gotten food poisoning from that fish Auror made…

Kantri: I'm fine.

Saabys: ANYWAY, cya when we cya.