Tink tink tink…

"If I don't move… she won't see me…" It wasn't the first time Yelz had lied to herself; eggrolls were good without sauce, close-toed shoes looked good on clawed paws, green went well with pink, or it definitely wasn't getting harder to keep the belly paunch off with each passing year. "A dragon's eyesight is based on movement!"

Tink tink tink…

"Oh ho ho, the 'lil dawlin's skittish, ai'n't she? Precious." Hers'Skie's voice flowed like honeyed wine; smooth and rich, with the timber of an aged and towering oak. It crawled into Yelz's ears and wriggled down her spine, curling her scaly toes and sending her tail slithering across the back seat like an undulating snake. "Heelllloooo, 'lil thang? Come on out, I ai'n't gonna nibble ya too much!"

"Oh, jeeze! Oh, gosh!" Feeling her willpower slipping and being replaced with the desire to leap from the car and obey every word, Yelz grabbed her emergency car blanket and threw it over her pink head. Childish shame washed over the kobold, especially when the dragon's deep chuckle reached her ears, yet the dark confines of the Acura's backseat was the only place she could think to hide. Breaking the line of sight quieted the voices whispering submission and subservience. It wasn't so much hiding as it was burrowing down into a warren. "U-Um! I'm quite fine in h-here."

"Hershey won't bite you. Probably, I think?" Slowly, Yelz peeked from under the blanket like a scared hatchling, grimacing at how foolish she was acting. Still, the fear of falling into her instincts was so very real. Her eyes fell to the human's outstretched hand; one she slowly took on reflex. "Come on out, I want ya to meet her."

Hershey? He called her Hershey?

It was too late to say no, too late to pull back. She didn't even think Andrew could feel the small moment of hesitation in her resistance, pulled along as she was. The blanket fell to the floorboards as Yelz took a steadying breath, hooking her claws beneath the door handle and sliding to the cooling asphalt. Moonlight glinted off scales as she beheld Hers'Skie in full, the emerald dragon standing a head taller than Toltatik and only about as long, though her wings appeared much larger. They were as sails upon a cresting ocean, lacking only a brilliant breeze to soar through. The dragon looked like the swaying treetops of a pine forest come to life, resplendent in the easy beams of the moon, her graceful neck curving to look down upon Yelz like a nature goddess brought to life by loving worship.

"Well, aren't ya just gorgeous?" Crooning, Hers'Skie curved her neck this way and that, looking over the trembling kobold who felt herself smiling at the praise. It felt good to please the dragon. "Why, were times a bit older, I'd snatch ya up an' keep ya riiiiiight next ta me, sweet thang." A reaching claw went to scratch beneath Yelz muzzle, as delicate as it was powerful. "Ohhhh, you a right gem ya are!" Yelz felt herself lulled into a sense of… right. Drawn to that claw and those wonderful words… "A little pink tourmaline- ack!"

A calloused, tanned hand smacked the claw away, breaking the spell and shattering the goofy smile that had crawled across the kobold's muzzle.

"Ay, Hershey, you know what you're doing to her. Be nice, I don't want to see you bullying our new resident. Besides, I already got told off for petting her, so you can't either." Andrew waved that same hand before Yelz's eyes, chuckling at her rapid blinks and shaking head. "Look at what you did."

"Ah, Ah'm sorry shugah! I was bein' mean. Name's Hers'Skie, I know ya still can't help but admire how pretty us dragons are, but ya yer own gal now!" The claw that had been the center of her world was now offered in a sort of shake, Yelz weakly grabbing the ivory appendage in both paws. "There we go! Right as rain. Oh an', jus' a secret 'tween us, humans pet thangs what they think real cute."

"I'm um… Yelz. S-Sorry, I'll get my head on straight. It's just… dragons… and I'm not cute."

"Ah know, Ah know! Oh, ya be like a candied plum. It was mah fault. Weren't really helpin' ya there was Ah?" The world returned to Yelz slowly, dark clouds overhead rolling lazily around a full moon once more, as Hers'Skie lay upon the cool asphalt with a sigh. "Jus' keep in mind, that old lady over there scrubbin' the pool be the mistress o' this domain, not lil' ol' me." True to her word, the 'old lady' was still hard at work cleaning the pool. Though it seemed more like she was eavesdropping than working. Yelz was sure she'd been cleaning that same spot when Andrew had been disassembling the air intake… "Ya know what we need? An icebreaker, an' I see a nice clean pool ta do it in!"

A cry of consternation, though one that didn't seem all that heartfelt, rose from Patricia as she removed her brush from the pool's depths. It seemed that spot was finally clean after all.

"Oh, you're just trying to get rid of me, you old worm!"

"Still younger than you, but only half as pretty." Hers'Skie graced the elderly human with a gentle raspberry, one that was returned with an animated middle finger. "Love ya tooooo!"

"But, I thought it had like… shock and stuff… in it. I don't have a swimsuit." Yelz shook her head, she could see a forced social event when it was coming. Still, wasn't this exactly what she wanted? A chance to chill out for a while? With a dragon no less? What kobold wouldn't kill to be in her position? "I mean… I don't want to be… indecent." Heat rose across her muzzle, her eyes darting at Andrew, who was stashing tools and equipment in his van. She'd swum naked before… but only with her warren.

"Pshaw, ai'n't got no shock in there, Patricia jus' sayin' that ta keep folk out at night. 'Sides, we got scales, honey bun! It's a crime to cover up those divine pink curves ya sportin'!" Annnd more heat… her face was going to cook at this rate.

"M-Miss Hers'Skie! T-Tha-"

"Hmmmm? Yes? The truth, right?"

"I mean… thank you, really… but could you tone it back a little? I'm gonna combust over here." Admission, embarrassment, maybe… a desire for more if she was honest with herself. Hers'Skie's words were… doing a great deal for that self-esteem Andrew talked about earlier. "Ugh! You're making me feel like a high schooler again!" Yelz stomped a paw, brazenly glaring up at the emerald dragon, her cheeks puffed in kobold rage. The flirt of a dragon paid her no heed, chuckling as she bounded over the iron fence and into the pool, sending a wave towards Patricia's ankles who rewarded the reptile with a smack of her brush before ambling off.

"Andrew, let poor Yelz borrow some o' your swimmin' trunks."

"Another thing I'll never get back. Like my friggin hoodies!"  Confused, Yelz watched as the human trudged off to unit one, Hers'Skie's unit. Surely his swimming trunks weren't in… in the dragon's apartment? What were his clothes doing in her apartment? Surely not… were they? The kobold's ears fell limp against the sides of her head as the man pulled out the same ring that held his van keys, sliding one of many into the dragon's door.

No no, he's maintenance. Yeah, he's got keys for everyone's room in case of an emergency like my leak! Yeah… why are you freaking out anyway? Get a grip, girl Awwwuuuggghhh but that doesn't explain why his shorts are in her apartment! That means he took them off in there and that means he's been naked in Hers'Skie's unit! AHHHHHH!

"Hoodies are to be conquered, baby! I gotta collection. Oh, bring mah hookah!" Hers'Skie rolled to her back with a sigh, her wings stretching across the water as her eyes rolled to the slowly relaxing kobold. "Baby girl, Ah really won't bite, promise. Tease ya, maybe," A wink, a shiver up Yelz's spine. "An' I won't stop ya from doin' what ya want. But Ah won't force nothin'."

"Well, I appreciate that…" Slowly, her ears rose once more. Just as it had with Tolly, she was becoming more comfortable around the larger non-human. "You really have his hoodies?" Shame burned her still blushing muzzle as her eyes roamed the dragon's naked form. Quadrupeds generally stayed nude, their tails and anatomy offering them enough modesty, though many had taken to wearing shirts or jackets. Hers'Skie was not one of them…

"'Course! Spacious pockets, fuzzy insides, an' ya can slowly replace whoevah it smells like wit' ya own scent. It be a 'armless powerplay, mah lil' carton o' pink lemonade." Was her blush ever going to go away? Experts suggested no, at least not with this pinnacle of draconic femininity teasing her endlessly. "Ah only stole two anyway! He should be thankful."

A part of her, more than a small one, desperately wanted to ask what the handyman meant to the dragon. Were they a thing? Obviously they were a thing; he was in her hom- no wait, he had a key to everyone's home, remember? Yet, she had his clothes! The hoodie… that Yelz could understand, but why was there a bathing suit? No way could a dragon fit in a grown man's swim trunks- their haunches just weren't shaped like that- and the tail! It had no hole to thread through!

"I'm thinking about dragon butts too much…" Yelz sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. The adult thing would be to just ask. More information, communication, it was all it took to smooth things out! This is what grown, mature people do. Yelz knew this… she did… It's what the matriarch always espoused… communicate, communicate, communicate… Yet, when she thought of opening her pink little maw to do just that, fear and worry and stupid little voices whispering that everyone would think she's young and dumb would clench her throat shut. No, Yelz, she'd tell herself, you have to maintain the image of someone who knows what she's doing. Yeah, they'll wanna be your friend and totally won't know you're a nervous wreck most of the time…

"Don't ya worry, lil' strawberry, most folk can't get dragon's offa their mind once they see us." Hers'Skie's purr made Yelz want to melt into the stone beneath her paws. She'd said that out loud.

"I am… so sorry."

"Haaaa, darlin' Ah live ta hear cuties talk about mah rear."

"Ohhhkay, Andrew! Anytime no-agh!" Yelz was never more relieved to have a pair of oversized swim trunks slap across her muzzle. Paws scrabbled at the strange material, thankfully smelling of laundry detergent, to free her snoot into the cool night air. Dignity wasn't exactly something in wide supply within kobold warrens, and soon the pink lizard was free of her solid green t-shirt and jean shorts and into Andrew's comically larger black swim trunks stylized with orange flames. Thankfully, they were alone, and the man had turned his back to offer privacy. "Time to change subjects, weeee!"

It was cannonball time. That Andrew was right there was of little consequence.Yelz giggled midair as the human quickly covered Hers'Skie's hookah before the splash could reach him. Cold water rushed over the kobold's scales, shock squeezing her head and pressing her ears flat to the top of her skull as a euphoric exodus of thought and worry flew from her soul like a flight of pigeons. This was annoying, always doubting herself… though she knew it wasn't going to stop, it could be postponed. She was in a pool with friends and it was time to unwind, just like Hers'Skie said.

"Pwah!"

Float…

As kobolds are wont to do, Yelz found herself imitating the gorgeous dragon next to her and floating on her back lazily about the decent-sized pool. Andrew took the lull in chaos to set a hookah upon Hers'Skie's chest, lighting the device with a match he flicked into a nearby bin. Trilling her thanks, Hers' long tongue pulled one of the many hoses into her slender maw for a long pull, the others securely wrapped around the base and well away from the water.

"Haaaaa… this be the life, right 'ere, darlin's." Another drag, another cloud of smoke… one that smelled like… campfire and berries… it made Yelz's head woozy. In a good way! "So, Ah hear ya workin' at Wild Greg's! How's that pannin' out, shugah? Be honest, now."

"Remember the rules." Andrew sat heavily upon a nearby pool chair, seemingly unperturbed by his wet shirt via a kobold cannonball. "We're honest here in Patricia's Palace."

"Ngh… I'm hanging in there, but it's scary. I hate saying I'm just a kobold bu-"

"Then don't, shugah plum!" Hers'Skie smiled, wide and toothy, turning her muzzle to look Yelz in the eyes. "If'n ya don't like sayin' it, don't. Words got power over ya, they mean somethin'. When ya say it, ya bringin' it into the worl'. Ya want somethin' ta change ya gotta start in ya own head." Andrew rolled his eyes but… nodded after a moment.

"Manifest your goals. Focus on your objective. You let those little parasite thoughts eat at you, and you'll end up more scared." He leaned back further, pulling one of those dumb vape things from his pocket. "Learned that the hard way."

"An' who taught ya?" Hers'Skie's giggle was like the tinkle of bells in a spring breeze, one that forced a smile onto Andrew's face. "Ah ai'n't gonna tell ya to be careful in there, I'm sure Andy already done did it."

Andy? First Hershey and now Andy? Just what were these two? Ugh, just ask Yelz! But… ngh…

Just like Wild Greg's, the answer was scary. So was asking. So was everything.

"Ah only ever went in there once… saw one o' mah kind, spinnin' up on a pole. Look on 'er face… makin' good money but oh, she didn't wanna be there. Trapped, she was. Place is a…" Hers'Skie trailed off, her tail whipping to propel her across the pool.

"Dungeon?" Yelz offered, ears perked.

"A dungeon… yeah, shugah. Wild Greg's be best viewed like broken glass, toss it on a dirty street cornah an' watch it reflect the grime o' those what rot inside." Wind filled Hers'Skie's slender chest, her lungs swelling with that mind-melting smoke that made Yelz's thoughts flicker. "Sprinkle some blood an' a little bit o' muck on the pieces, an' ya get an' idea o' what the place really be like in those hazy reflections. Each lil' shard be a window into another rustin' soul."

"What she means is," Andrew poked the floating dragoness with a foot, sending her on a lazy spiral across the pool towards the enraptured kobold. "It would be better off as a smoldering pile of ashes. Nothing good comes from it." Shivers of pleasure rippled through Yelz as she felt the larger reptile bump into her, scales brushing upon scales as she was caught up in the gentle whirlpool that was Hers'Skie.

"Hm hm hm, hey there cutie. Wanna puff?" Blinking, the kobold looked crosseyed at the hookah hose held between the dragon's scaly toes, the emerald green paw immaculately polished. "Just an herb. Nothin' hard."

"I've… never smoked before."

"Than ya gonna cough like a chimney, baby girl."

"I'll… pass." Hers'Skie just nodded, pulling the gleaming metal back into her own maw, but not before taking more than a moment to wrap her scaly lips around the end in a show of… well… Yelz wasn't quite sure what the dragon was doing. It was working, but on what she just didn't know. Hers'Skie made her feel things she hadn't before.

"Keep it 'tween your legs, lizard." Andrew hollered from the edge of the pool. At some point, he'd ditched his boots to dip his feet into the refreshing water. "You just met her an hour ago."

"Don't take dragons long to know what we wan', baby doll!" Yelz yipped as a paw pulled her into Hers'Skie's neck, her shamed blush seemingly permanently plastered to her muzzle.

"Hershey." Andrew warned, his eyes narrowing.

"Awriiiight Andy, Ah know a jealous male when Ah see one." Mercy! Personal space was finally returned as distance slowly grew between the two, Yelz drifting away from the chuckling dragon. Pet names again, though…

"U-Um… so… Hershey and… A-Andy… are you two like…" Yelz tapped her claw tips together as she ran her bare paws over one another under the water, feeling like a bashful hatchling.

Tik-tik-tik

"Haw haw haw, oh dawlin', Andy an' Ah used ta be a thang." A longing, loving gaze was tossed the human's way, one he… returned warmly. "Ah asked too much o' him. Didn't realize… well… that be a story fer anotha time."

So they used to be together… but not anymore? Still… the way they were looking at each other… it didn't seem like they'd grown all that far apart to Yelz. She'd seen people get back together for less than half a bottle of wine after exchanging looks like that. Which… really wasn't any of her business, yeah…

So…

Why did she suddenly feel… like she was running out of time?

***

From the pool to the shower, Yelz hadn't even had a chance to drip dry. Nor take off Andrew's shorts, she noticed. The man, much like Johnna, had become a sort of… anchor for her. A neat little rock in the torrent that had become rural life, which was shaping up to be much more chaotic than she'd expected. Warmth spread across her scales as she sighed, slipping the human's clothing off and tossing them over the shower curtain to plop wet and forgotten on the floor.

"Uggghhhh, Yelzzzzz… you're a mess. Why didn't you just ask if they were getting back together?" Sighing again, she was getting good at that, the morose kobold let her head rest upon a paw. Sulking in the shower was making her feel both better and worse. "Ooooh, big and bad independent kobold can't open her maw and ask people if they're single! Uuugggghhhh, I'm gonna end up with a bed covered in plushies at this rate. Why do I even care? I've only been here a week!"

Even worse, even worse, was that after Hers'Skie had told the kobold to her face that she and Andrew were no longer seeing each other… Yelz couldn't help but feel like that was one set of bedroom eyes away from being a thing of the past. Not to mention… the dragon herself had an allure all her own… would it be so bad? Would it be so wrong to act like her ancestors and throw herself at the dragon's paws and let herself drown in that… worship? It felt so good… so good to be looked at and called 'shugah'…

But she was on an adventure… right?

Pink paws pulled at her lower eyelids, frustration building as she turned the shower handles with her feet until the relaxing water died to a trickle. This wallowing was getting her nowhere- less than nowhere! The matriarch would be so disappointed, in fact. What was she doing? Acting like she was still in school, giggling over which color to paint her claws and who was seen smooching who behind the bleachers… it was lavender for a gentle formal, green for fun, and lavender for funsies, by the way.

Normally, she'd already be padding her way up to the matriarch's room for advice or maybe even from her mate, he was just as wise, if more seldom spoken. Who could she speak to here, though? Patricia? That was… a choice… but she didn't want to bother the elderly woman at such a late hour. Andrew was already gone, which left either calling her warren, which would let them know everything wasn't okay, or…

"That is such a cliche… little kobold running to a dragon for help…" Cliches existed for a reason, though, and it wasn't like there was anyone else… also, if there was anyone who could help her, it'd be Hers'Skie. With a slap to her still-wet cheeks, Yelz Tinker rose to nearly tumble out of the tub onto Andrew's soaked swimming trunks, thankful that no one was around to see her blunder, and set about getting ready to visit a dragon.

***

Hesitation was a skill the little kobold was not proud of, but well-practiced with. A skill that was on full display as she held her balled up paw only inches from Hers'Skie's apartment door, still and very much not knocking. Just as bad as the freaking shower, just dragging her tail and dulling her claws. Taking a deep breath and straightening her Five Finger Death Punch shirt, Yelz raised her fist to knock. For real this time, for sure. The decision was made for her, the door swinging open at the behest of a bemused Hers'Skie who leaned on her doorframe, one scaly eye ridge raised in question.

That darn smile…

"Well well, darlin'. Ya ai'n't the first ta come knockin' on mah door undah the cover o' night, but ya are the cutest."

"U-Um… h-hi, miss Hers'Skie-"

"Ya can call me Hers, sweetie bunch."

"Hers… s-sorry, I'm really nervous and um- well, I uh… ugh crap…" The teasing grin slid from the dragon's muzzle, replaced instead with a softer, more understanding smile. A warm one that eased Yelz's shivering anxiety.

"Come on in, Ah'll put on some tea." Yelz nodded, her steps timid, as she padded into the much larger apartment after wiping her paws on the double-wide welcome mat. Obviously, this was one of the suites, twice as big as her own apartment, yet still open concept. A perfect little den for a dragon more humble than her ancestors. Of course, it wouldn't be right for a dragon's home to be devoid of some treasure. Splendid rugs hung from the walls, their edges rimmed with tassels and ceramic beads that cascaded to hide the boring white drywall and create a rainbow of gentle color. Spaces in between were covered with art or photos, some even appeared to be of a foreign land, and none featured Hers'Skie herself. Not a single patch of wall was bare; the surrounding boundaries of the reptile's domain were a tapestry of memories and treasures.

Yelz found herself tentatively stepping to a large, cup-shaped couch that ran along the curve of a bookshelf that faced the only window in the room. Books galore surrounded a television that displayed a fake fireplace, the crackle imposed over a gentle rainstorm and a haunting string quartet YouTube video playing 'Debussy's Finest'. The kobold had to hide a yip as she slid to the center, the furniture designed for a dragon to lounge in, whether they wanted to stretch out or curl up, and her nose couldn't help but wiggle… it smelled like Hers'Skie…

"So, darlin'" Said dragon leaned her long neck over the separating counter that acted as a barrier for the living room and kitchen, one much more lavishly supplied than Yelz's own. "Ya just settle in, relax, an' get ya shivers out. Ya in mah territory now. Safe." It was just a single word, but her kobold instincts felt the power laced in the dragon's hiss… or at least… the reassurance.

"Thanks, I'm being dumb. I jus-"

"No, ya ai'n't. Disparagin' ya'self won't do no good, honey suckle!" Hers padded around slowly, a tray of steaming tea held in her tail that came to rest on an artsy coffee table. Yelz didn't even get to perk her ears before a small cup was in her paws. "Ya came to ol' Hers fer a reason, so tell me. No judgement in here, jus' girl talk!"

"Well- ngh!" Paws shuffled the kobold aside as the dragon joined her on the couch, sandwiching her between two slender yet strong forelegs. As seemed to be the norm around Hers'Skie, Yelz found herself blushing as she was forced to sit against the dragon's chest. Yet… it was warm, it was safe, and she was a dragon. Something in the back of her mind screamed this was a good place to be… somewhere kobolds belonged. "U-Um… this makes it hard to think…"

"Ya can do it. Ah'm a snuggly lady."

"R-Right… I'm… just- how do I say this…" Ears flopping limply, toes curling, tail wrapping around her own leg… "I have these dumb thoughts that… that are… I'm supposed to be more… focused and mature than what I'm thinking…"

"An' what ya be thinkin', mah lil' candy cane?" Hers sipped her own, much larger cup, threading a claw through the handle. Yelz took a moment to taste the tea… chamomile, peppermint, annnnnd… lemon balm. It was good… "We all got thoughts we feel be childish."

"That's it exactly. I've been here a week and already I'm… looking at others like… more than I should. Like… ugh… that's not even the crux of it! My head's all over the place."

"No judgement, 'member?"

"Mhm…" Yelz sighed heavily. If she couldn't put it into words, she'd just… blurt it out and deal with the aftermath of sounding like a freak. "Like I want them to be more than friends. It's weird, freaky, I just met everyone here. My head keeps telling me oh Yelz, you're just looking for a relationship to use as a crutch 'cause you're lonely and work is stressful and you really don't know what you're doing and you're scared you'll fail if you keep going it alone, and I know… I know that's not true… yet I can't stop thinking up ways to try and… you know…"

"Aha, that's adorable, if'n ya don't mind me sayin'. Ya are lonely, an' it ai'n't no shame lookin' for a new warren. Call what ya doin' what it is." Another sip, one Yelz watched intently… those scaly lips gracing the tea cup… "We all make believe, it be a copin' mechanism. An' ai'n't no one see the future. Failure, victory... goin' it alone... baby girl, only people who can make it alone are sociopaths. Like Ah said, ya copin', don't look down on ya mechanism."

"Well, mine's weird. You and Andrew are obviously a thing, I mean, Hershey? Andy? Come on… and Johnna and Tolly are too…" Yelz hung her head as she felt the wall of scales on her side tremble with a chuckle, one that grew into a laugh. "Don't need to laugh at me…"

"Oh shugah, Ah ai'n't laughin' at ya." Hers resisted the urge to nuzzle the top of the kobold's head, she was pushing the boundaries of personal space as it was, she didn't think anyone else other than a dragon could get away with such a brazen invasion. "Tell me all ya dark secrets, ai'n't tha' the point o' girl talk?"

Yelz felt the conversation die for a breath, her thoughts muddled by the warmth radiating off the larger reptile. She was… right, of course. Was it really wise to spill her heart out to what amounted to a stranger she'd met today? Hers'Skie had this air of wisdom that was different from Patricia or the matriarch, however… she felt it was okay to… trust.

"Yeah… yeah, I guess so. I know it's 'cause I'm lonely. I'm used to a warren! Kobolds wherever you turn and someone to talk to no matter what time of day it is… I think I'm using the thought of a relationship as a crutch." Yelz sighed, rubbing her pink muzzle with her free paw. "I know it is. That's so messed up… I've no right to look for a relationship based on that."

"Lookin' fer someone 'cause ya lonely be exactly why folk look fer someone. Ya need ta get yaself in order first though, darlin'."

"Yeah… I'm barely getting by. I don't bring anything to the table. I'll… get my feet under me and then think about… more. For now, I should focus on being friends." Yeah… yeah, this was much more mature! This was how adults did things instead of wallowing in the shower.

"An' platin' seeds so ya prospect maybe might like ya back when ya ready!" Hers'Skie hissed, pleased with herself. The kobold was cute, smelled good, and was endearingly inexperienced. Waves of protective instincts rolled through the dragon as she fought another urge to snuffle her snout between the smaller lizard's ears. Kobolds weren't servants anymore, they didn't belong to anyone… unless… they wanted to. "So, tell me all the juicy details! Who caught lil' Yelz's eyes, huh?" Paws closed in, trapping the kobold. It seems 'no' wasn't an appropriate answer.

"W-Well… Johnna is funny and fun, easy to talk to… but he and Tolly have a thing obviously- Tolly too!" Yelz smiled, her paw balling in excitement as she picked up steam. "She's so pretty and free! And she feels so… strong. Like predatory strong but not in an 'eat me' way, you know?"

"Aha, Ah get ya, shugah! Ya know, those two got twinkles in they eyes 'bout each other but neither pulled the trigger yet. Maybe if'n ya offer 'em another option ya could bag one?"

"That seems mean though…"

"Love be a battlefield, baby!" Yelz tilted her head at that. Hers was right… but… it was something to consider later. She had to get her affairs in order if she was going to make herself valuable in a relationship! "Who else? Andrew, Ah be guessin'?"

"Yeah, he's so… down to earth. He has a way of- of… ah…" Yelz waggled her paws, searching for the right words. "Making me think. What I should be doing- how I should be spending my time. It brings things into perspective. He's funny in a different way too, drier, I guess… why did you laugh when I talked about you two?"

"Ah sweetie muffin. We were a thang… 'bout a year ago, now. Ahhh… we were a cute couple." Hers'Skie sighed warmly, sipping her tea at the memory of the human sitting exactly where Yelz was now. "Ah done demanded too much o' him. He entertained mah passions- mah hobbies, ya know? The stuff Ah wanted ta do. An' when it came to his…" The gentle honey of memories swirled into something more… melancholic… Hers face tightened with regret. "Ah nevah put the effort in. Ah realized Ah was treatin' him like a decoration. Ah could 'ave put more effort in, Ah could 'ave… but it weren't fair. He deserves a gal what makes him happy." Another sip, another sigh… "We make better friends than lovers… thinkin' he be a good fit?"

"Hm… maybe… I was thinking… w-well… I w-was… um… there's another… just o-one more…"

"Meeee?" Hers'Skie smiled, wide and bright and teasing, her voice dropping to a sultry hiss. Yelz gulped, heat rising to her face as she began to play with her own tail. The kobold squeaked, downed her tea in one gulp, and nodded.

"Yeah! Part of it is… kobold instincts. Another is you're so freaking gorgeous… and your voice makes me shive- oh by the first scale, listen to me!" Yelz shook her head, covering her mouth with a paw in humiliation.

"No no, keep goin'."

"O… okay… you… You have such pretty thoughts, too. Like when you described Wild Greg's. I felt like I could fall into your words… and- and um… is… is it so wrong for a kobold to want t-to… worship a dragon like the old days again?" Shame… disbelief at her own words… betrayal? Kobolds had worked hard for independence, and now she was thinking of walking right back into that life of servitude? "I'd want more though! I'd want… a dragon… lover…"

"Oh, Yelz… ya a mess girl!"

"I knooooooooow!" Giggles abound as the pair devolved into comfortable laughter, Yelz's tired spirit lifting on a warm updraft courtesy of Hers'Skie's gentle wings. What had once been a source of fear now filled the kobold with a desperately needed relaxation, her shoulders lowering as the muscles in her back eased off their tension. Yelz hadn't even noticed how long she'd been holding them, the tip of her tail lightly wiggling with relief as the dragon above her snorted. "You snort when you laugh! That's so cute, oh my gosh!"

"Ah, don't go tellin' no one, ha! Only Andy knows."

"And now me. I'm moving up!"

"Thinkin' o' baggin' ya a dragon lover?" Though the teasing tone was still there, the question was genuine. It brought Yelz to a contemplative stop, her lips returning to her empty cup as she thought… yes… she wouldn't mind giving Hers'Skie a shot at all. Hershey felt good on the tongue, too, though she dared not say it too loud… that being said, it wouldn't be fair to Andrew, Tolly, or Johnna to not give them their due course either. Still, none of that mattered right now. No, what mattered at this moment was Yelz! There was no way she'd be comfortable dragging anyone into her life so intimately when everything was so… shaky.

"Maaaaybe… but not right now. Like you said, I need to get my own affairs in order." Setting the teacup on the table, Yelz hopped off the couch and out of Hers'Skie's loose embrace. Reluctantly, she admitted to none but herself. "Thank you so much, Hers. I have a lot to think about, but I feel so much better."

"Ah'm glad, cherry blossom." Paws graced the fancy rugs as silent as a thief as the dragon walked the small kobold to the door. "An' since Ah didn't get aroun' to it. Yelz," Pink ears perked, attention grabbed, and the little lizard's eyes round. "Ah know ya said ya were drawn in part to ya instincts. Ah'm tellin' ya now, Ah would nevah use 'em against ya, but Ah won't stop ya if'n it feels good fer ya to… indulge. Ah won't lie an' say it don't feel good fer me too when ya get all starry eyed," Hers dipped her head, that toothy maw splitting with a deep purr. "But it be ya choice. Now, of wit' ya. Get some rest. Oh, an' one more thang; Wild Greg's evah scare ya, run ta mah place. Ah'll ask Patricia ta make ya an' extra key. If'n Ah'm not here ya call me, an' Ah'll fly on over an' call Andy while Ah'm at it."

"R-Right! That… really does make me feel a lot safer." Yelz graced the dragon with a smile, one that reached from ear to ear. "I'll see you later!" Cool night air, decidedly late night air, wrapped around the flustered kobold as she quickly padded across the parking lot back home. Yelz didn't even register locking her front door or skirting around the couch, leaping into the oversized bed for all she was worth with an elated yip. The old Nokia was in her paws before she even realized what she was doing, the number for her warren on speed dial.

It didn't even ring twice before her family picked up the line…

"Yeeelz! Ah, Kerts, don't push!"

"Is that Yelz? I wanna hold the phone."

"The cord is only so long, dumb-tail."

"Hey, hey! Is rural life amazing, Yelz? I bet the air is soooo clean!"

A cacophonous wave of familiar voices brought a smile to the lizard's face, her eyes twinkling with mirth as jostling and shouting spilled across the line. It felt so good… so good, especially after her talk with Hers'Skie.

"Soooo, I have news! I met someone freaking awesome today." Yelz wasn't above bragging… or taking the time to get comfy under the covers while her brothers and sisters huffed and growled at her to continue. "I met… a dragon."

"What?!"

"A dragon? What color? A dragoness or a drake?"

"Do they own the apartment complex?"

"I bet they have hoard!"

"Her apartment is so pretty! All holed up in the suite, of course." The jealousy in their voices was delicious. More than likely, she was the only one in her warren who had even met a dragon besides the matriarch and her mate. "She's a gorgeous emerald green, and super wise, just like the matriarch!"

"What did you guys talk about?" Yelz recognized the voice, Moray, one of the cooks. He could make a mean steak. "Had to be good, if it came from a dragon!"

"Life advice," Though, she'd be caught dead before admitting to anyone that she told a dragon she was hot… "It's been… a little rough without you guys, so I went to her to talk, you know?" The chorus of 'aawww's and 'we miss you's filled Yelz with warmth. If only she could reach through the phone line and feel the warmth of her warren… their scales and laughter… she'd do anything to melt into a sleeping pile of her family or sit in the corner and lazily listen to a group of them chat about nothing. The latter had been one of her favorite pastimes after all. So many adventures and idle thoughts other people had, their lives and minds painting the gray world with shades of color like a bursting kaleidoscope.

She was on her own adventure now, though, regardless of how hard it may be. Hers'Skie was right, she needed to get her head straight and her affairs in order! There was no way she'd let her paint be dull…

Still… the voices of her family were so… warm… it tugged at a part of her heart that longed for the familiarity, the routine, the constant…

Homesick…

"I miss you guys too! I'm okay, though, please don't worry."

"You know we will," Another voice, Rorak, one of the tailors who fixed the warren's clothes. He'd sewn all the holes in everyone's pants for their tails. "It's our job to worry about each other! You are making friends, right?"

"Oh yeah! I've made three human friends so far. The maintenance guy- and the gas station owner across the street! Not to mention the lady that owns the apartment complex itself."

"Wait wait wait, the dragon doesn't own the complex?" Evelyn, an accountant in the city, and one of the money makers for the family. Her voice was so gentle and soft…

"Nope! Though she does live in the biggest unit. I think she's comfortable living all modest… anyway, my last friend is a gryphon! She talks… funny though."

"Ooohhh, they talk so fast and twitchy! They're funny, but wicked smart! Don't let them fool you even an inch!" Rorak butted in, Evelyn's nearly imperceptible 'ouch' drifting across the line as the kobold's heads collided. Yelz couldn't stop the giggle, it was a common thing when they all swamped the phone. "When are you coming back to visit? Or can you?"

"Oh… I'd love to, but the gas is really expensive… besides, I'm only off the weekends and I've got plans out for like half a month right now."

"Haha! I knew you'd make it out there. Look at you! So many plans your schedule is airtight." If only it wasn't full of things she didn't want to do… like work at Wild Greg's tomorrow… "Anyway, it's movie night, so we'll let you go! Tata for now!"

"B-Bye guys…" Yelz was left alone, huddled beneath the covers in her dark room, in a bed too big for her… wishing she was squished on the too-small sectional back home…

Watching a boring movie with her brothers and sisters…

Just like every time she called home, the elation and joy she felt talking to family faded quickly, replaced by melancholy and longing. Yet… there was nothing for it but to close her eyes and endure, for tomorrow would come whether she was sad or happy.

Wild Greg's awaited.

So with a sigh far heavier than a kobold her size should heave, Yelz Tinker set her phone on charge, rolled over to face the dark, undecorated wall, and closed her eyes to ward away the cold in her chest.

"I should put up some pictures… cover the walls… like Hershey does… Ha, look at you... a week away from home and barely holding on."

There was no one to answer her.