Mate of the Dragon God

🔞Chapter Five: Mating Frenzy

When Auria awoke Cyrus was nowhere to be found. The fires in his cave that burned low before she fell asleep had begun to burn brighter, almost sensing that she was ready to wake and greet the light. She struggled to unwrap herself from the blankets and finally managed to wiggle out. She looked around for any sign of the dragon but could find nothing. Not even a note.

"Cyrus?" she called out. She listened to the echo but heard nothing in response. Ungracefully, she managed to stack the blankets that had been wrapped around her to climb out of the floor divet. She took the opportunity to explore. Cyrus had shown her many things the previous day, including his horde which contained so many books that Auria felt that being here wouldn't be too bad. He had also shown her where he stored food, where he bathed, and where he liked to sit to warm himself. She would check where he liked to sit, first, knowing as a dragon perhaps he liked to bask in warmth. Next, she'd check his horde. Perhaps he was counting gold or polishing armor, something that made her smile imagining. After that, she'd check the area with food. Maybe he meant to cook breakfast? Lastly, she'd check the springs he'd shown her. Though, she was embarrassed at the thought of the man being naked and bathing.

One by one she slowly made her way to each location. None turned out successfully, leaving her with her final known option, the baths. She groaned at the thought, flushing, but carried herself to them nonetheless. Upon feeling the steam on her skin, she thought it'd be more polite to call out for him than simply barge in.

"Cyrus?" In response, she heard a large splash. She flushed, knowing this must be where he'd been. "Are you decent? May I come in?" Truthfully, Auria wished to read the books in his horde, but being here alone made her feel slightly unnerved. She was not comfortable with the space, and she felt frightened and alone. Being near Cyrus, though he was the root of the problem, made her at least feel comforted and cared for. It was clear to her that he meant no harm, and she knew enough of magical creatures and mating to know she'd be safe. Maybe it was her response to the mating bond, to seek him out, following him around his den like a duckling.

Cyrus did not respond to her, and that made her worry. She wasn't sure if a dragon could drown, but she didn't like the thought of it. After all, beyond all of her confusing feelings towards Cyrus, the bottom line was that he had not shown her how to leave the den, or where she even was. When he had dragged her in upon her arrival she was too overwhelmed to track her way back, and the cave system was needlessly complex. If Cyrus were to suddenly disappear, she would be royally screwed. Not to mention, should she wind up back home, would they welcome her? A sacrifice that's run away, surely she'd bring the wrath of their God. Even more worrisome, she realized, would be the disappearance of the fires should he die. With that, her feet quickly took her into the springs.

Cyrus was nowhere to be found. Though she was sure that she'd heard a splash... perhaps he was being playful? Maybe it was a gleeful sort of dragon game to dive into hot springs. However, Auria thought it certainly wouldn't be the most pleasant feeling. She peered over the edge of the hot spring, seeing bubbles occasionally pop up. "Cyrus? What are you doing in there?" she questioned. There was no response. The bubbles continued to slowly pop up. The water was still, but murky with minerals enough to the point she couldn't see the bottom. Still, she knew he was there. She could barely make out the shape. She began to worry about how long dragons could hold their breath. "Do you need help?" A few more bubbles than average appeared after she asked. Maybe that was a "yes". She huffed, unsure what to do. She deeply did not desire to jump into a hot spring. If anything, she'd like to slowly enter, get accustomed, and relax into one. She made up her mind, however, to try and get the dragon to the surface. He might have been bathing and she startled him. Again, she did not want the fires to fade, so she finally firmly decided to go after him.