Billy




“You know…” Newton’s ears perked slightly as they always did, instincts on alert every time the voice of the immense cats echoed around him “if you, do decide to stay for more games, you might need to stop being such a miseryguts”

The semi-feral mouse grunted, tail and backside pressed still into the rough pads of the giant cat’s paw, taking a moment to st

The Hungering Shadow




Gone from twilight, the night truly upon the world, a lone figure hurried his pace on the earthen path that wove between the villages of the island. The determination to not spend another night on the ground, enflamed by the distant glow of light kept the traveller moving. Chill beginning to creep under his cloak as it re-emerged from the spreading shadows where it had hidden throughout the day.

Newton’s Adventure




The night had been peaceful, Newton had to admit. Of course, a lot of that he could easily attribute to the stress of the day. As he stepped out of the small room he’d had for a nest, out to the village of mice, memories of being hung beneath the rolling car, running for his life, being dipped in burning sauce… all of that at least briefly fled his mind. His first, bleary, aimless steps into

Newton of Muringard




Riding on a paw, was infinitely disconcerting. The very idea of being on a cat’s paw made every instinct in Newton’s body shiver. Used to a world that was solid under his paws… the, fleshy squish of the surface, and the bob of the whole feline’s body moving, the throb of a heartbeat he could feel… it was all so, different. He was certain he’d never get used to it…

Newton the Warrior




It wasn’t how Newton had ever imagined his death. The bright sky outside, dominating his view, with the world, buildings, fields, like pebbles and moss far below. And there, looming to block it all out, the fat cheetah who had been served his near helpless self. His jaw was locked shut by some sort of hardened sugar; his arms held tight by twine. Devoid of any tool or trick he had ever possessed. Newton

Newton in the city




Sleeping rough was, as the name implied, unpleasant. Newton stirred with an ache in his arm where he had been laying on it, and the ream of fabric he’d fetched from his bag to act as a bed of sorts felt damp under him.

The mouse sat himself in the brushland of grass, peering up over the top of the trimmed cover. The world of felines spread out before him. The road was a place he

Chapter 3




Newton stirred. There was a pleasant warmth, and dryness to the surroundings that he found comforting. The warmest places to sleep in the homes of cats, often were damp in a basic way. But he felt clean and content. Only yesterday, he had woken under a freezer, it was normally warm there, but the dust was eternal, as was the lingering moisture that trickled down from melting ice and held itself in the environment benea

Dizzy Daisy Gardening Club




Katherine reclined, trusting to her knees and the nails bolting the table to the floor to keep her from falling backwards, surveying the cafeteria with an appraiser’s eyes. Wondering idly who would be the lucky morsel to be her lunch today. The dismal bowl of meat speckled plant mush might as well not be there, not a thought of it crossed her mind. It wasn’t that the cafeteria food was bad,

Bound, being escorted down the long stairway from the alter at the foot of the room’s bed, these things dwindled in Newton’s mind in the wake of the presence in the room. His eyes locked onto the immense panther, what he had to assume was the, god Bartholomew the mice of this city worshipped. All he saw was a cat… an alert cat amid mice. The eyes of the feline carried a look he’d seen in every cat that had ever chased him… and yet. From his vantage he could see th

A constant thrum echoed around Newton as his dextrous paws pushed at his bulging backpack, patting down the lumps to better arrange the contents, only to add more, crammed into the opening. A squeaked grunt with his exertions, yet he finally tugged the flap down and sealed it with the buckles. He was fond of this bag… it had been a good find, an artifact of a different time… His paw rolled to his face, the heat… he wouldn’t miss about his hiding spot. The refrigerator

A Wisp Coming of Age: Part 2




The wisp Ral flicked his wings, short, controlled adjustments as he dived through the gauntlet on the lower section of the tree he knew as home. Largely it took the form of rings or barriers he had to avoid while manoeuvring through the route… the first section tended to be straight down in order to clear the floor it was attached to, before making a full ring of the tree. Sometimes he wondere

A wisp’s coming of age




The wooden daggers in Ral’s hands were splintered and worn, his tightening grip into familiar grooves. His breath came out in quick but controlled panting. Behind him, his expansive wings were half flared for balance, his stance forward to allow his short blades greater reach.

A flash of yellow, as his opponent lunged, powering a stab with a surge of their own wings. It

Chandra the highwaydragon




In the depths of woodland humans dared to tread, a small group of four stumbled into a wider spot amid the trees, a natural clearing set on rocky ground where roots finally had to yield. “Bout time we found somewhere”

Roger scowled back at the retort, though no further challenge came from his men. Still, for emphasis, framed as adjusting his belt, he made sure his sh

It was out of character for Alexia to rise early. Normally her want was a slow beginning to the day, a long rest in the silken embrace of her sheets, disturbed perhaps by the maid but only for a few moments. And the staff didn’t quite count as a disturbance. Theirs was a presence eternal and overlooked. This would be followed by a light breakfast of refined cheese’s and delicately spiced and herb encrusted breads and crunching crackers, taken either in the immaculate and frequently v

Short Stories of the Dragonring




The rough circle of the dragonlands was marked in various ways around its vast circumference, a reflection of the humans who lived, pressed up to the edge. Fencing, or singular poles of wood or stone stood as it’s markers around the vast rural edges. But where the capital of humanity settled, dense and thriving, pressed between the thick woods and the endless sea, cut in two by a river that

The Lost expedition:




Light dappled through the canopy, tinted with the many greens of each tree to cast the woodland in a verdant hue. Even the air seemed thick with the life that rose so impossibly huge all around. Vilt found himself spinning in the air, gazing up in passing at the tall mountains of trunks that held the trees so very high. He could climb for a week and never reach the top. Yet the dragons made it seem so easy.

Vicarious Part 2




His own memories were so surreal, Quin noted as he leaned to the leg of a bench, looking out upon the… immense world. It had only been a week, give or take, since he remembered his old life. Or, well, since he and the… real, original Quin were one and the same. He still remembered that potent, depressed resignation, the decision to stop fantasising about ways to bring his fetishes to life, to accep

Short Stories of the Dragonring: Merchantary




It was the most devious of rain that cascaded onto the long blunt muzzle of the dragon sitting just outside of Lia’ter. Water came down in a fine mist, so fine he could barely feel it against his scales. But the air was thick with it. In no time at all he was soaked and cold. He hated the rain, he reflected as he hunched his shoulders down, curling up as much as he could while s

Zorian’s Date




Chandra woke, a faint rumbling moan as the echoes of sensation washed in at her mind. The solid stone beneath her scales, and a warm spot between her head and paw. She rubbed her jaw to the pleasant warmth, mind pleasantly adrift with no reason to uncurl herself. Then the warmth moved, little, floundering paws pushing to the firm edge of her jawline, digits slipping between her lips. Memory returned, and her

Short stories of the dragonring: a romantic digestion




Muriel fussed over her stall; a perplexed frown affixed to her lips as she tried to figure out what was wrong with the dispersal of her wares. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it was bothering her none the less. In vain she adjusted the hats, rubbed creases from the shirts and adjusted for the fifteenth time that morning the collar on the fine sturdy jacket that w

The town of Lia’ter, translating in the older tongues as veined stone, sat on the north-western edge of the ring of civilisation that looped solidly around the untamed dragonlands. The reason for the naming of that place was a lot more obvious than that of Lia’ter.

The market was loud as usual, voices crying out fresh deals as competition stirred, the whiney of horses coming from the traveller’s quarter at the northern end of the long, open path that ra

The street felt cold against Quin’s back, barely dulling the ache developing in his lower back. In his defence, he reflected bitterly to himself, it shouldn’t have taken this long.

Above was the arc of the domed ceiling of the city, displaying the mock of a sunny day, faux birds glitching unevenly across its surface. More eye-catching were the spots where the display had failed, and instead revealed the ebony sky, speckled with gusts of red dust. His world wa

StormBlown Chapter 6





Cayas closed his eyes, lifting his head to let the wind play along his jaw and the sensitive markings that would glow so in the dark. It was a nice breeze for flying. He could feel his wings shivering with his deep longing to take to the sky again. But he knew better. Still, his wing didn’t hurt.

He opened an eye a crack to eye the arc of his wing. The scales l

“The City of Scalin” Rick mused to himself, wandering with his partner into the main square of the large settlement. It was a place he’d barely heard of, and certainly never visited. But work did allow him reason to travel, when the job was lucrative enough.

Scalin seemed a prosperous city, sure enough. The roads were finely carved stonework. Not exactly uniform, in fact, in some places it seemed almost patterned. All was the same, off-white stone. The

“Are you going to be alright, captain?”

Brock grunted in answer, hand rested to the weathered wooden railing around the edge of the main deck, closing his eyes and willing his stomach to settle. It was proving insubordinate

“Give me peace, James” he waved his navigator away with a slight brush of his hand “Fifteen years I’ve captained this ship, and not a lick of seasickness. The storm has set a whirlpool going

Reginald glanced up from the waning pool of drink in his mug when the, noisy pair entered. A child could have told you they weren’t from the frontier villages. Both look and manner were just, not seen here. Most notably how loudly they spoke.

“A real adventurer’s tavern, just like the tales” the woman of the two spoke with, unsettling passion

“Rather barren though” the man of the pair added, notably despondent

StormBlown Chapter 5




Cayas dragged his paws into the gloom of his cavern, light flickering from the fire that still burned. Sparing it a look, he grudgingly noted to himself that he’d have to drag in more wood for it. His regal head hung low with the weight of a carcass in his jaws. An odd, thick bodied prey thing he had found. Squat, oval body shape, stubby legs, but it seemed meaty enough. It put him in mind of a mammali

TDoDK: The other Den of Dari’Karra




The golden muzzle rested on a strewn paw, Dari’s belly looking wider than ever, sprawled to the floor of his cavern. He cast his own flank a long, silent look as he waited. It was curious. He envied the slimmer dragons he met, sleek and regal. Yet his, being so well fed seemed attractive to some, a badge of skill, he supposed… The golden dragon sighed deeply. A dragon would n

Stormblown Chapter 4




The two-legged hunters were vigilant, Cayas noted as he pressed himself a bit lower to the ground, keeping his focus on the lone of the bipedal primates. The posture really was, shockingly upright. No tail for balance, but yet, the very lack of that was likely what allowed them to be so, straight up. No need to lean forward to counterbalance a tail, but no tail to adjust their balance. Till now, he hadn&rsqu

TDoDK; Here thar be dragons

The sea was in a pleasant mood today. Not calm. He’d never trust the sea when it was calm. But the tide was even and soothing, rocking the weathered boat back and forth. He could feel the sea through the deck beneath him, batting the ship playfully. The strength of even that basic play shot up his arm as he held the wheel to keep their course.

“You called, captain?”

&l

Stormblown Chapter 3




How his wing ached. No amount of willpower could free Cayas’s focus of that throb. Even with the growl in his belly and the sight of a herd of the, horned prey he’d sampled before. He had been in luck. Facing the morning, he had heard them close, and stalked in for his breakfast. But his wing… the pain that ached in it was so much more than the day before… had he managed to sleep on

TDoDK; Nerves to overcome




Kir laid strewn on his back in the cosy room he called home, stirring as sunlight peeked through his solitary window to splay across his bare chest. The zaipu yawned a bit, tufted tail flicking against the smoothed wooden floor. He was a lithe creature, skin a yellowed brown, hair the colour of fresh dirt. Sprightly and fit. An unassuming and common zaipu.

Slowly he sat as the h

First Contact of the Merafel; Part three (finale)




“This will not stand” the first queen hissed, her antennae twitching in agitation as she considered the round room the queens settled in. Simple perhaps, but a place of practicality… Seven seats, built to blueprint by their mera in the deepest cavern of the colony. Two seats were empty. “This has ceased to be a matter of efficiency and best use… th

Stormblown; Chapter 2




Cayas woke with a slow yawn, hesitating before stretching his wings. The throb of pain in one of them was sobering, and a harsh reminder. The storm, lost at sea… and the strange new place he had washed up. He allowed himself a long, dismal moment of self-pity, sprawled in the cavern. The stiffness in his joints when he moved was enough to convince him that laying on the cold, hard stone all day would

TDoDK; The prisoner of Diet




It was an injustice, that he was here. So Vergil thought to himself as he stared at the solid door to and from his prison cell. He knew in his heart he’d done nothing wrong… not that they’d agree, hence the bars and concrete. He was hungry, painfully hungry. But that would change soon.

A light rattle at the door preceded the sole slot in it opening. Though n

First contact of the Merafel Part 2

The fourth queen, Eradel moved with practiced caution around her laboratory, clawed forelimbs touching at the machines, tweaking settings, checking the readings, humming a little to herself as her antennae idly twitched to the faint traces of chemical chatter in the air. Not for the first time she looked back to her abdomen, checking she wouldn’t knock anything over as she turned to move to a new section of the underground worksh

Stormblown




“Cayas, keep up!” the roar broke through the howling wind as Cayas beat his wings with his all, biting back a frustrated, tired reply as he fought to keep the shadows of his fellow dragon’s wings in view through the haze of rain and darkness.

Once more he looked down, and saw nothing but a shifting, inky blackness. The storm had blown them off course so subtly… he&rsqu

The Den of Dari’Karra; The Empress and Dari




“Mm… right there” Weavera crooned, stretching her long body out on the nest of cushions she settled into so comfortably. Twitches in the tendrils at her jaw spoke of the delight shooting up her spine from the tender work of her, little servant.

She opened an eye, glancing down herself. Settled in the crescent shape of her chamber she ha

Risks of Research




When Zorian found time, between hunting, keeping her sister in check, patrolling the borders of her, territory for two, sleeping and of course, stalking the little morsels who walked a little too far from her sister’s protective wings she liked to settle on a crag that burst up from the trees, and idly watch the humans.

They were not particularly special in that regard. She had wa

First Contact of the Merafel




The crackle of gunfire lit the night, a flurry of the small scaled winged things that colonised the planet’s trees taking wing and scattering. But then the night was still again.

“Geez… gave me a heart attack” One shadow in the darkened trees murmured, eyes cast to the direction of his companion’s fire “eww…”

Times of new growth




“No, you don’t hold the bow like that” Triel sighed, pressing the fingers of his left hand into his forehead for a moment, enforcing calm on himself before looking to the youth manhandling his first bow…

“Legs apart, keep the bow close. You’re not throwing the arrow, nor are you stabbing, in fact, forget the arrow completely”

The dark Alley




It was an all but forgotten corner of the town, where Mark skulked on his way to his evening’s entertainment. All in all, he doubted anyone here would care about his presence, but still, he kept himself quiet as he moved through. The place was forgotten, but far from abandoned. It was a vicious cycle the region was caught in. As it drifted from the eye of the town at large, shadowy dealings crept in, which f

Rheal the Exiled

It was delicate work, the piecing together of broken pottery, particularly in this case. Johan could feel the ache of fatigue on mind and spirit as he carefully glued another piece into the reassembled pot. It was tedious work, stressful work. Largely because he had no care about the artistic value of the pot, what he wanted was the words that had been carved into it.

Mottled brown, the pot was from a dig out to the east of the c

Grackle; Ralin’s Final Stand




“Damn it!” Ralin couldn’t help but waste breath on the curse as he felt the change of air pressure… a moment before he wove to the side, dragon jaws snapping shut where he had been. Still… as the head retreated, he caught the faintest sound of a rumble… Grackle was playing with his food… the dragon was confident this time… not without reason.

Triel regarded, with notable disappointment, the… pitiful meal he had before him. It was his share, and while once, when he was smaller it might have felt suitable, after a day in the woods, it felt decidedly meagre…

The times of plenty were long past. Now was the worst time of the year. The trees had stopped bearing fruit, the animals had begun to ebb from their growth in numbers thanks to constant hunting, and it was becoming time to settle down and endur

TDODK; The sweetest couple, the sweetest dessert




“You seem in a fine mood today, master”

The sleek green dragon lifted his muzzle from the deep, reflecting pool in the back of his cavern, shooting he human grooming the scales of his sat thigh with a hearty rumble “I am indeed, it’s my favourite day of the month”

“Ah, already?” the human d

One wild field trip




“I thought you’d be more excited, Blue”

The sorority girl turned her bored eyes from the flicking scenery outside their bus to shoot her, current boyfriend a look. He just shrugged and resumed chatting with his friends across the aisle. Blue sighed, bored, and looked back outside. The trip his fraternity and her sorority were taking had sounded exciting, at first. Ta

Rheal goes to school




“Letter for you Johan”

With considerable effort the archaeologist pulled his head from the writings he was translating, turning his focus to the door to his office. Well, office was a slightly grandeous term, like calling himself an archaeologist, although… since he’d met the strange dragon Rheal, that term felt more fitting. Office however, had not. The room

Ralin stirred the stew on his pot with a certain intensity. It took all his effort to think about the food. Certainly, he was concerned with it burning, the hearty stew was a relative luxury, but that wasn’t the main reason. He was trying not to think about Grackle.

Since the day he had escaped the dragon by throwing an itching powder he’d ground together from the irritating feathery barbs of a particular seed pod over its muzzle, Grackle had been pursuing hi

With weary hands the village’s doctor placed a new candle into place, a flicker of light from the previous, dying candle flaring it into life, illuminating the inside of his meagre house.

“I’m not the right man for this, Frederick” he muttered, shooting the, half comatose carpenter a forlorn look “I’m getting old, and truth be told I was never smart enough to learn this profession well…” he lifted a dried cloth from Freder