A thud reverberated through the cold, metal floor, waking Hunter from his restless sleep. Growling quietly in annoyance, he rolled onto his side in a futile attempt to sleep, but the damage had been done. With a sigh of defeat, he twisted his body and sat up, reaching a hand behind him to rub his sore tail.

“Short journey…” Hunter scoffed as he stretched. The trip would've felt short if the ship had anywhere comfortable, not a metal box with seats welded in. A yawn split his muzzle as he fought lingering drowsiness.

He kicked off the worn blanket the crew gave him and rose slowly to his feet, not wanting to wake the few wolves still sleeping. After folding the blanket, he placed it on the closest jump seat then stowed his duffel bag pillow beneath it.

The constant drone of the warp engine was gradually replaced by the roar of thrusters, marking their departure from warp travel.

Carefully stepping over the other sleeping wolves, he worked his way towards the basic crew service facilities installed with the jump seats that were installed when the freighter was retrofitted and repurposed as a troop transport.

Despite the smell of corroded metal lingering in the air, the ship was in excellent condition for what it was. Most cargo haulers that had been refitted to troop transports were barely operable. This one likely had several more years of service ahead of it.

He passed the galley where most of the wolves spent their time socializing or playing various games and stepped into the bathroom.

As his paws touched the cold tile, he regretted leaving his boots in his bag. He sucked in a breath, forcing his other paw to the frigid metal floor.

After locking the door behind him, he flicked on the light and positioned himself in front of the toilet. Loosening the bands on his pants with one hand, he let the garment fall, braced his other hand on the bulkhead above and leaned in.

He thought of his destination as he relieved himself. Aliquam, an arid planet that had Dusk Airfield, his new training base. The thought of the arid planet made him dread the sand and heat that would accompany it.

A deep sigh of relief escaped him as the pressure relaxed in his bladder.

Hunter shivered as the stream dribbled to a stop. He shook away the last few drops and pulled his pants up again, tightening the straps until they were snug against his hips.

The stench of pooled, undiluted male urine filled the tight space.

He wrinkled his muzzle at the foul smell and quickly flushed the toilet. Hunter turned to the sink and washed his hands, lathering them with soap before rinsing.

The water was almost unbearably cold, but the stinging sensation was helping him wake up.

He looked up at the mirror to inspect his post-sleep appearance.

The dusty white fur of his snout and the dark gray fur on the side of his head had been flattened against him, making his entire head look lopsided.

He laughed lightly at his messy fur, imagining the first impressions he might have made if not for the trip to the latrine. He splashed cold water against his face, driving away the last of the mental fog and making his face a uniform mess of damp fur. With water still dripping from his chin, he looked at himself in the mirror again, alternating his gaze from his blue eye to his amber eye. He grabbed a towel and began to dry himself, breaking his stare. He rubbed the coarse fabric over his face, head and triangle ears until his fur was dry.

He dried his hands, set the towel aside, and started to work on the now-dry mess of fur that hid his face. Hunter carefully combed, ruffled, and pressed his fur until he looked presentable. Last came his tail, which only required a bit of ruffling to return it to its naturally fluffy state.

Finally satisfied with his appearance, he unlocked the door and returned to the cargo hold, only briefly considering joining the others in the galley. He flicked his tail to his side and sat down on the folded blanket just as the pitch of the engine lowered to a deep, steady vibration.

As he slipped his boots onto his feet, one of the ship's crew member came on the intercom. “We are beginning our approach to Dusk Field. Return to your seats and strap in.”

The dozing wolves stirred and slowly collected their things as the rest of them filed back into the cargo hold. Their heavy footsteps woke even the heaviest sleepers, and a few minutes later, everyone was secure in their seats.

A slight jolt shook the entire ship as it broke orbit and entered the outermost layers of the planet's atmosphere with a burst from its steering thrusters. A steady vibration gradually intensified as the ship plummeted into denser and denser air. The noise came next. The ship creaked and groaned under the immense stress of reentry, joining the high pitched scream of the thrusters and the deep roar of air burning against the skin of the hypersonic spacecraft.

As the noises became louder, Hunter looked down at the four-point harness that secured him to his seat. He gave each strap a tug, making the harness snug against his chest before testing the clip. Satisfied he was as safe as he was going to be, he tucked his thumbs under his shoulder straps and held on.

The mind-numbing shaking never came. The rattling held at a slight vibration until the sounds of the straining ship died down, letting the thrusters dominate the noise within the cargo hold.

He tried to keep his mind away from the thought of becoming a smoking crater when the ship suddenly dropped once, putting Hunter's heart in his throat. Instead, he focused his mind on the day ahead.

His reporting instructions were simple enough. He had been given a map to look at, but the exact details eluded him. All he remembered was that the training facility was on the complete opposite side of the base from the main runway.

Another lurch made him gasp quietly. His hands gripped the shoulder straps even tighter, making them tremble and ache.

He quickly thought of something else. Tomorrow, he'd meet his dragon partner and start classes. The thought of dragons made him nervous in a whole different way and only added to his nervousness.

He regretted thinking about his upcoming first encounter.

A mechanical whirling joined the noise as the landing gear deployed, a loud clunk echoed in the hold as it locked into place. He felt the ship start to slow as they approached their destination, the deceleration pulling his body forward against the harness. He righted himself in his seat as the ship eased into a gentle flare, then a steady, gently descending hover.

With a light thump, the landing gear touched down, making the ship creak as it settled. The engine powered down, going from a roar to a soft whine before stopping altogether.

Hunter unfastened his harness with a click and knelt down to retrieve his duffel bag from under his seat. Resting the strap on his shoulder, he stood up on slightly shaky legs and faced the ramp, waiting for it to open. More hydraulic whirling echoed through the hold before the ramp broke its seal with a hiss and caused his ears to pop. Sunlight poured into the dark confines as it slowly lowered, allowing the first gusts of Aliquam air to mingle with the recycled air of the ship.

The wolves on board took a collective breath, scenting the warm air of their new home. Then came the sand. Each waft of air carried with it a light haze of sand and dust, coating seats, metal bulkheads, and travel weary wolves alike.

Before the ramp even hit the ground, wolves poured out of the cargo hold, eager to escape the cramped confines and soak in the warm sun. Hunter patiently waited for the ramp to hit the ground before disembarking.

Everyone seemed to know where they were supposed to be as the recent arrivals dispersed in various directions.

Hunter scanned the area, trying to figure out where he was and where he was supposed to go. In the distance, he could make out several large hangars as well as a control tower. Using the memory of the map he had seen, he set out toward the tower.

Every crunch of his boots reminded him why he was here. Weeks of practice and his intense dedication to improving himself had brought him here. SCAR, Splinter Covert Assault and Reconnaissance. The best of the best.

Excitement fueled his steps as he traversed the road, following signs until he reached the SCAR training area. He worked his way to the headquarters building, hit the button next to the door and waited. A few moments later, he heard a soft click and the door slid open. When it had opened wide enough for him, he entered. It hissed closed smoothly behind him.

“Let me guess… Hunter?” A wolf asked as he stood up behind the counter that separated them.

“How did you know?” Hunter asked as he gently stepped up to the desk and let his duffel bag drop onto the ground next to him.

“You are the last Rider arriving today.” He stood and plucked the only remaining tablet from a nearby charging rack. “I wanted to get you moving along as fast as possible. You're going to have some free time this evening. I suggest you use it to get to know your dragon. You will be working with him a lot, and the better you know each other the better you’ll work together.” He held the tablet out to Hunter. “It has a checklist of all you need to do today as well as your room assignment. I'll take your military records.” The wolf placed the device on the counter as Hunter knelt to retrieve the correct envelope from his bag.

Hunter handed over the sealed documents and picked up the data pad, quickly scanning the items on his to-do list as the wolf put away the envelope in a cabinet.

“The other two go to the hospital. You go straight out the door and take the first left.” The wolf turned to face him again. “Welcome to SCAR training, Candidate.”

A small smile curved the ends of Hunter's mouth up as he heard those words. “Thank you.”

He picked up his bag and returned to the door. Throwing the shoulder strap over his head, he stepped back outside and followed the directions the wolf had given him until the hospital was in sight. West side of the training area… just past the Officers’ Club.

Like all the other buildings he had seen on the base, there was not a spot of paint to be seen. Must get sandstorms frequently Hunter thought to himself as he approached the bare building. The orderly at the front desk scanned Hunter before taking his remaining two envelopes. She too, welcomed him to SCAR training.

Before leaving the shelter of the hospital, he read through the rest of what he had to do that day. All he had left was to check into his room and look over his schedule for the next day. His stomach grumbled until he added another item to the list. He exited the hospital and quickly found a sign that pointed him to his new goal.

Following the map, he wandered towards the mess hall, which was located beside the hangar serving as a barracks. To no surprise, the student mess hall was a plain building, small compared to the others. His boots echoed on the tile of the eerily quiet cafeteria.

“Want something to eat?” A voice called out from what he assumed was the kitchen.

“If it isn’t too much trouble.” Hunter called back.

The sound of clattering metal told him that it wasn't too much trouble. “To go?”

“Sure.” The tables had been recently cleaned and the chairs stowed neatly under them. He pulled one out from under the table and sat down.

As the smell of fresh food filled the air, he examined the tablet and the other buttons present on the touchscreen. He experimentally pressed various symbols, discovering a map of the base, a collection of textbooks, and documents on base protocol. Opening the map, he examined his new home from an aerial view, each building labeled for easy identification. Switching back to his room assignment, he quickly found which side of the hangar he would be living in, and where his room was located.

As he perused the map, a wolf wearing an apron walked up to him and offered him a small bag containing two boxes of food. “Here you are.”

“Thank you.” Hunter quickly tucked the tablet under his arm and accepted the bag. The cook quickly returned to the kitchen without another word, leaving Hunter to eagerly examine what each box contained.

The first thing he grabbed was the bottle of water, half of which he drank in one go. The cool liquid eased the thirst that had been nagging him since he disembarked. Next, he slowly opened the box, which was warm to the touch. The smell of real meat tickled his nose, making him salivate as he saw what it contained: the leg of a bird he could not identify and a few crisp looking stems that he assumed were from a native plant.

Tucking the water bottle into his bag, he left the mess to find his way to his room. As he walked, he ate, savoring each bite. He devoured the roasted bird leg. Meals at other bases were usually a meat substitute with weird textures and no taste whatsoever. This was a real treat.

The stems were a light green color and cylindrical with a few spots where other parts of the plant had been cut off.

He cautiously bit into it and was surprised to find that the inside was soft and sweet, but he made a mental note to spit the tough shell out.

The base was a hive of activity, giving him plenty to watch as he walked. Wolves ran to and fro, either to exercise or to tend to something important. Vehicles periodically rolled by him on the road, transporting supplies and personnel.

He heard a whooshing sound behind him and ducked, nearly dropping his meal into the sand as his heart skipped a beat.

A dark blue dragon swooped in from overhead and landed just a few paces in front of hunter, the breeze of its passing leaving Hunter in a cloud of dust. It shook itself and folded its sleek wings, throwing off a layer of dust. This close, Hunter could see powerful muscles ripple under its scales with every movement it made. It turned towards the door and pressed the button with a taloned paw. A moment later, the door opened, and with a flick of its tail, it vanished into the building without giving Hunter so much as a glance.

He was more grateful than ever before these graceful and dangerous creatures were allies and not enemies. Hunter was suddenly more apprehensive than ever about meeting his own dragon.

The entrance to the enormous hangar was just a short walk from the Mess Hall, and he barely had time to finish of the last bit of fruit. He chewed the sweet plant, swallowed the refreshing juice, and spit the remains back into the box.

The building itself appeared to have been built to house a moderately sized starship. The massive hangar doors had three small access buildings spaced out along them. They were small metal armored bunkers with thick glass doors, hazed over from years of exposure to Aliquam’s sand storms. He approached the closest door and hit the button to open the sealed entry, entering on the eastern face of the structure.

As he stepped inside, cool air blasted him from within, ruffling the fur on his exposed limbs.

Hunter’s ears pinned back reflexively at the sudden gust, and he squinted as he stepped into the brightly lit space. He tested the air with a few light sniffs as he looked around.

After he had stepped inside, the doors automatically hissed shut behind him. The air was clean, dust free, and the cool temperature was a welcome relief from the hot air outside. The vaulted roof of the hangar extended forty meters above him, arching slightly from its peak to where the walls met the ground on each side. Along one wall was a row of armored doors, leading into metal structures similar in appearance to the hangar entrance – reinforced bunkers, these recessed somewhat into the ground. Another row stretched on from the entrance across the hangar.

To his left was a short building with a wolf-sized double door on the near side. A simple sign mounted on the wall marked it as a recreation area and rider’s lounge.

He dumped the now empty husks of the plants he’d eaten into what appeared to be a waste bin along with the empty bag and boxes. A foul smell wafted up from the sealed container when he opened it, and he was quick to reseal it.

Hunter strode around the rider’s lounge to the row of rooms along the left wall of the hangar and searched for his room.

As he moved down the line, he passed another small building marked EQUIPMENT STORAGE. Past that on his right was an open space, and then a larger structure without a label. At the far end of the building was a doorway, taller than a wolf and roughly the width of the double doors he entered through. Thin tendrils of steam flowed from within, accompanied by a loud hissing sound.

Hunter briefly paused, wondering if the room was related to the equipment storage lockers. Maybe that’s is where they wash their equipment. He glanced back at the name plates on each door as he passed until he reached the last one in the row, not far from the steaming doorway.

The last door on the left was his.

Hunter

14-D (M)

“M?” Hunter raised his eyebrow as he tried to decipher what the letter stood for. 14-D was his class, and he assumed that the cryptic writing on the second line was just his name in the dragon language. With the mystery in his mind, he read the instructions that were written on the massive door. He slid the placard aside, revealing two sets of retinal scanners.

There was a set fitted perfectly to scan his eyes, and a lower one that was far too wide for any wolf.

They must use these rooms for dragons too. Hunter shrugged as he lined his eyes up with the narrower set of scanners. An electrical hum came from the door as it registered his eyes before beeping. The hum changed into a mechanical whirl and then disappeared altogether with a loud pop. He closed the placard and pressed the large handle down, opening the metal door with a hiss.

“They really designed everything here with dragons in mind...” He muttered to himself as a light flickered on above him. The moment his second paw was firmly on the ground, the door started to close behind him. Hunter barely managed to swing his tail out of the way as it sealed shut, plucking a few strands of fur off of his tail causing him to yelp in surprise.

The smell of lubricating oil overpowered his nose as he stood there checking his tail with a hand. Satisfied that he didn't have any new bald spots, Hunter inspected the second door, wondering what ridiculously complicated methods it would take to open it... Just a handle.

He grasped the large handle with both hands and slid the door open, taking in his first glimpse of his new home.

It was rather empty, the only visible features being an elevated bunk on the opposite end the room, and two doors near the short ladder serving as the foot of the bed. A soft looking pad was inlaid into the floor, filling about half the floor. He thought the massive pad might serve as a bed when a dragon occupied the room. The bunk was secured above the other, creating a small alcove for the dragon bed beneath. It was appropriate for someone Hunter's size.

Hunter knelt down and let the strap of his bag slip off his shoulder as he untied his right boot. He pulled the boot off and switched to his left. When both feet were free, he picked up his bag again and went to investigate the two doors that were in the corner of his room.

The one closest turned out to be a small bathroom with just a toilet and sink. The other was a closet. For a moment, he stood in front of his open closet, debating whether he should rest a bit before putting away his belongings or get the unpacking out of the way first.

Every glance at the bed made him want to climb in and rest, but with a reluctant sigh, he set his bag down and unzipped it. He piled most articles of clothing in neat stacks on the embedded shelves, then hung up his issued uniforms on the rack in the larger storage space above. Nicer shirts were hung and his pants and casual shirts shared the one drawer near the floor. He placed his boots in the smaller cubby at the top.

At last, he folded up the bag and stowed it on the top shelf along with the data pad he was given. Finally settled in his new home, he started to climb up to his bunk when he paused.

This was his room. All his.

Smiling at the thought, he hopped off the ladder and pulled his shirt off over his head. With just his pants on, he hesitated for a moment before loosening the bands and letting them drop to the floor too. Completely nude, he walked over to the front door and flipped the light switch, plunging the room into darkness. He felt his way back to the ladder and climbed up, perfectly content lying atop the soft blanket.

He couldn't help but wag his tail slightly as he lay there. Despite his plan to only rest for a little bit, he quickly found himself dozing off. Just as the tendrils of sleep were claiming his mind, he heard the muffled sound of a room door opening. His eyes cracked open and he looked into the darkness towards the wooden door.

Just as he was about to close his eyes again, the door slid open. Light between the doors cast a vertical beam across the floor and over his chest.

Hunter jerked himself up, almost banging his head against the ceiling as he tried to see who the intruder was. The silhouette of a dragon made him freeze in panic. Unable to speak, he watched as the door slid shut, plunging the room into darkness again. With his eyes unadjusted to the dark, he listened as talons clicked against the stone floor towards him. As the sounds grew nearer, he slowly grabbed his pillow and placed it over his hips.

His ears perked forward, listening for the sounds of the dragon moving about. For a creature of that size, it made surprisingly little noise.

It quietly exhaled, filling Hunter's nose with its smell. Raw meat, blood, and a slight hint of a natural oil.

The lights suddenly flicked on, forcing Hunter to shut his eyes against the blinding assault. As the intensity subsided, he cracked his eyes open. He held his breath and his ears snapped back, betraying the sudden rush of emotion. Fear, awe, humiliation.

A huge green dragon sat in the middle of the room, the end of its long, tapered tail hovering over the light switch. As Hunter watched, frozen in confusion and terror, it stood up and walked closer. The large, ivory talons clicking against the stone floor as it approached him.

Hunter's stare locked with the dragon's piercing golden eyes until they were a an arm’s length from him. It sat down near the edge of the dragon bed, ruffled its wings slightly, and coiled its tail around its body.

The wedge-shaped head sported two curved horns as white as its talons. They didn't look sharp, but he had no doubt they could kill. The dragon's body was covered in dark forest green scales and its chest and upper belly he could see were a lighter emerald green.

After a few moments of silence, the dragon spoke.

“Some way to greet your partner.” The voice was undeniably female, making him clench the pillow harder.

“Partner?” Several questions raced around in his mind, none of them helping him to regain his composure.

She pointed at his pile of clothes with a claw. “I hope this isn't a habit…”

“No... Not a habit.” As he sat there, he remembered the dragon eye scanner and the large dragon bed. He remembered the placard on his door. 14-D (M). “... Em?”

She gave him a warm smile, nearly melting him with its sincerity and warmth. “Hunter, right?”

Her smile eased his nerves and his heart started to calm down, no longer threatening to punch its way through his chest.

Hunter replied with nod. “Mind if I put my clothes on?” His ears lifted a little as he relaxed a bit, loosening his grip on the pillow.

“Go ahead.” She nodded.

He didn't move from his spot as he waited for her to look away. She didn't move, instead she continued to look him over, golden eyes seeming to explore and memorize his appearance. “Can you turn away?”

“Sure.” She turned her head away, facing back toward the door.

Taking the given opportunity, Hunter quickly hopped off the bunk, landing gracefully on his feet with a soft thud, then after a moment set the pillow on the floor at his feet. He squatted to pick up his pants, then rose, pulling them over each leg and carefully tucking his tail through the hole with his hand before pulling the straps tight. As he scooped up his shirt, he saw the dragoness watching him out of the corner of her left eye.

His ears immediately flattened in embarrassment.

He pulled the shirt on over his head, flicking his ears as he pushed his head through the hole. When he finished adjusting his shirt, he looked up to see the dragon with her head turned away.

“I saw you looking...” Hunter muttered quietly, his face feeling hot from embarrassment and his ears flattened yet again.

She did not respond, except to turn her face back to him, golden eyes meeting his own.

A moment later, Hunter looked away and chose to move onto another subject. He ran a hand through the fur of his head. “I'm sorry about all this... I thought we were going to meet tomorrow... And that I had this room to myself.”

A yawn split her green snout, giving Hunter a full view of her large sharp teeth and curled pink tongue. She closed her maw and shook her head. “No harm done.”

“So...” Any sense of comfort, relief, and satisfaction he may have felt prior to his little nap was gone. His ears were burning, and he could not remember feeling so humiliated. He was curious, and part of him had been excited about getting to know his dragon partner, but he never could have imagined this was how their first meeting would go.

“Sorry for startling you.” For the first time, she sounded sympathetic. She walked over to her bed and sat down next to his feet on the soft pad, leaning her head to the side to restore eye contact with him. They were touched by genuine concern. “I am around wolves all day, so I sometimes forget that not all of you are comfortable around us.”

Hunter did not expect such feeling from a dragon. He was silent for a minute. He wanted to look away again, his embarrassment still raw. But in those eyes, behind the armor, horns, and brashness, he saw something that surprised him. She was searching. Piercing. He felt as though she were reaching into his soul. But in being so penetrated by her eyes, he sensed an openness and vulnerability within their golden depths. Hunter’s ears slowly perked back up. You want me to like you… he thought.He let that sink in a moment before responding to her. “It’s alright. I should have figured it out when I saw your name on our door.” He paused, before forcing a smile. “Em…”

Just like that, as quickly as it appeared, the vulnerable spot Hunter thought he had seen evaporated, the gold of her eyes seeming to harden even as her muzzle broke into a smile again. The corners of her eyes creased. “I have had a bit of a long day...” She continued as her voice trailed off. “I'm going to sleep a bit early. We'll talk tomorrow.” Her smile did not fade, even a little bit as she looked back to him. “…Hunter.”

With that, the dragoness turned away from him and ducked under his bunk. He watched as she settled into her bed. She laid on her side and curled slightly, setting the end of her tail near her nose. She extended her wings and sprawled them across the room, laying one on top of the other.

“Goodnight, Em.” He subdued his itching curiosity about dragons and slight disappointment that she was turning in so soon after meeting him. He had so many questions he wanted to ask.

When Hunter caught himself staring at her, he averted his eyes and climbed back up to his bed. As he lay there, one hand under his pillow and another resting next to him, he listened to Em's breath. It settled into a slow, steady rhythm as she fell asleep.

Despite the lingering tiredness that occupied the back of his mind, sleep refused to come to him. He tried shifting his position until he felt comfortable, but his heart continued to beat faster than normal, denying him rest.

Sighing softly, he gave up. He crawled towards the ladder, making each movement as quiet as possible as he climbed down. Once his feet were on the floor, he guided himself to the closet with a hand. Relying on memory and the dark shapes he saw, he grabbed his tablet and started to make his way to the door.

Unable to see the dragoness' spread wings, he pointed the tablet towards the wall and flicked it on, illuminating the room with a dull glow. Spotting the thin, green membrane, he carefully skirted around it until he was in front of the wooden door. He grabbed his boots and slid the door open just wide enough for him to slip through before closing it behind him.

He squinted his eyes as the light flickered on in the room between the two doors, his nose scrunching up as he got the whiff of the cleaning and maintenance supplies used on the door. Bending over, he quietly pulled his boots on, tying the laces neatly before standing up again. The moment he stepped forward onto the pressure plate by the armored door, it slid open for him, letting him leave the silence of his room.

The heavy door sealed behind him as he entered the large barracks again. A slit window told him that the sun had set on the planet already. Despite the time of day, he heard talking in the direction of the lounge and the sound of running water from the showers that were near him.

Tablet in hand, he decided to take the time to preview the material he would learn in class. He turned left and headed to the study area. The soundproof door opened silently as Hunter entered the room dedicated to studying and other quiet activities.

Only one other wolf was in the room, sitting in the far corner and intently reading something on his tablet.

Hunter chose another corner and sat himself in a cushy chair, curling his tail until it sat besides his legs. When he was comfortable, he turned the device on and scanned through the textbooks and documents that were provided.

Small group tactics, maneuvers, insertion, extraction, vehicle identification, weapon use and maintenance. Hunter had already read many of them during basic training and tech school.

Dragons. The title caught his attention.

His finger traced the titles of the other books, but he ended up opening it with a tap of his finger. He skimmed the table of contents and found the information to be interesting to him so he continued onto the first chapter.

It started with the basics: Average dimensions, bone structure, organs, and muscles. He skimmed through the first few chapters, looking over the diagrams with mild interest. He stopped skimming at chapter 6: Culture and behavior.

Much of it was simple. Females were larger and fewer in number than males, creating a society led by dragonesses. The next several pages depicted several gestures as well as a short description of what it meant.

The first one showed a dragon with its nose pressed against another dragon's chin.

This is a common gesture of friendship, usually used as a friendly greeting. The dragon who initiates the gesture tends to be the younger of the two. Among dragons of similar age, it is not unusual to see the other dragon reciprocate it afterwards.

The next one showed two dragons side-by-side, one with its head beneath the others jaw.

Much like the previous gesture, this one is a sign of affection similar in meaning to an embrace between brother wolves.

The more Hunter read, the more he realized that the dragons shared a few things with wolf culture. Submissive gestures were common, averted gaze, and lowered heads were also similar to many of the motions wolves made. However, he realized that the dragons did not rely on their tail or ears nearly as much as the wolves did to convey emotion.

He tried to memorize all he could, but as time ticked on, it became harder and harder to focus. As a yawn split his muzzle, he shut off his hand-held computer and stood up. Hunter slowly stretched his arms, bending his back slightly as another yawn made him spread his mouth wide. Groggily, he left the study room and made his way back to his quarters.

The noises of the metal door opening made him cringe as he remembered that the room contained a sleeping dragoness. When he stepped into the room separating the two doors, he untied his boots and pulled them off. Boots and data pad in hand, he opened the second door and stepped inside. He set his boots to the side of the door and turned the small computer on again, illuminating his path back to his bed.

He placed the tablet in his closet before blindly groping around for the ladder. A quiet whang echoed through the room as he suddenly found the metal ladder with his hand. Hunter hissed in pain and grabbed a rung, climbing them one by one until he was on top. Every noise he made made him stop and listen to Em's steady breathing to make sure he hadn't waken her.

The blankets ruffled as he lay down and pulled them over himself and laid his head on the pillow. Sleep came quick, the few moments before he fell into sleep filled with thoughts of the dragon that slept on the bed under him.