The Dragons Mark

Chapter 5: Getting to know you

     Teal watched the door nervously, oblivious to Xerus who watched Teal with glee "What's wrong..." he chuckled "scared to meet my friends?"

The door swung open and a human female danced in "Okapi wants to speak with you Xerus but he is not in the mood to leave his nest." She stopped dancing when she noticed Xerus had company and started to chew her nails "Who is that?"

Xerus strode proudly over to his new bunk mate and grinned while he stroked the skin of her arm "this is my new toy..."

Teal hit him "I'm Teal," she smiled "I'm the reason for the panic earlier... apparently I'm fun to chase around" she glared at him as he continued to stroke her skin, ignoring the conversation.

"And... he lets you get away with that?"

"Get away with what."

"Hitting him..." she raised her eyebrows "I'm surprised you still have hands to slap him with!"

"What can I say, I'm fascinating" she tried to move away from him but he growled and pulled her back. "See..." she smirked

"That is more than fascination..." she stopped when he growled and looked up at her without moving an inch "anyway, I'm Steph" she smiled "Okapi's mate" she turned towards the the door but hesitated "when he is available send him our way okay?" Teal nodded and Steph left closing the door behind her but not locking it.

"That was rude," Teal was a bit concerned

"I know right," he chortled "what right does she have to tell all my secrets" he stopped what he was doing and walked over to the nest pausing at a trough along the wall to grab an apple. "I'm not to incredibly surprised, I mean it is Steph..." he leaned against the nest and took a bite "but still, rude!"

"That is not what I meant and you know it." She walked over to him "Why are you so fascinated with me?"

The look on his face said he was not going to answer that. "Well, let's go get your food cooking shall we" he skipped to the kitchen without another word.

"You're not going to get me to drop it that easily!" She shouted after him. When there was no answer she rolled her eyes and headed into her room.

      She entered to see him bustling around the kitchen cooking several things at once. He looked up to see her and smiled "So tell me, what was your first impression of me?"

     "As a beast or as a man?" She hopped up onto one of the counters and settled in.

     "Let's start with as a beast..." he tried to avoid looking at her "then maybe later we'll get into the as a man part."

     "You were trying to eat me, what is there to say."

     "You think I was trying to eat you?"

     "Weren't you?" She puzzled

     "We're talking about you, not me." He took out a plate a glass and some utensils and set them aside. "Answer me first, then we'll get into..."

     "Ladies first, really" she teased

     "Nope, I just asked first, so I get my question answered to my satisfaction first then we will cover your first question."

     "I already asked my first question," she leaned towards him smiling "remember."

     "Um, no?" He lied

     "My question was" she took an annoyed breath "Why are you so fascinated with me?"

     He fussed with the food nervously "When one of my kind find a female attractive there is a high chance they will violently attack first," he tasted the food he was working on "let's just say we are not usually happy about falling in love, and it usually happens suddenly."

     "Where you try to eat me or make love to me?" She questioned him.

     "Nope, that was your first answer..." he smiled at her "now answer my first question."

     "Well, I wasn't really paying attention..." she thought "I was just trying to stay one step ahead of you."

     He looked at her with hurt eyes then went back to cooking.

     "Okay, Um... I guess I can explain it like this." She paused to take a breath and collect her words. "I thought of you simply as a beast who was overwhelmed by his instincts." She sighed "I guess you can say I felt understanding pity, compassion..." she rolled her eyes "yes a bit of annoyance and anger was there to, but that was more about the entire events of the day and not just you."

     "Okay, I guess I can live with that answer."

     "Now what" she asked

     "Both..." he tasted the food again then started to plate his masterpiece.

     "Excuse me?"

     "You're second question..." he smiled "the answer is both." He handed her the plate and set her glass beside her on the counter "I'm going to go see what Okapi wants."

     He hurried out the door leaving her to her thoughts. As soon as he was in the hallway the noisy chatter stopped and the hallway went silent with dragons and mates all staring at him. "What?" He barked at them, then laughed as they all scurried back to their rooms in terror.

     He made his way down the hall then knocked on the door to Okapi's room. The door  swung open and he saw Steph staring at him nervously. "Oh, just you..."

     "Who else would it be?" He stepped inside

     "Well..." Steph started to answer but Okapi waved his aging hand at her as he sat down on the edge of his nest.

     "Leave us please dear" she nodded at him and scurried out then he continued "everyone is furious at you" Okapi turned his angry gaze on Xerus.

     "What did I do?"

     "Really," he raised his bushy black eyebrows at him "after causing such a ruckus today!"

     "Wait..."

     He raised his hand "Steph told me about the female," he tightened his gaze "but after the previous 16 females that didn't last long... you expect me to just say okay, all's forgiven?"

     "I didn't plan this Okapi."

     "Just last night we were discussing who got to" he raised his hands to use air quotes "act out." Okapi chuckled. You were not the one nominated and if I remember correctly that made you mad."

    "Yes it did." He nodded "but I don't see what you expect me to say." He ran his hands over his clothes brushing off some dust & dirt. "I was just flying around and her scent caught me rather quickly, it drew my attention and once I saw her" he sighed in annoyance "I lost control," he folded his arms across his chest. "Would you like me to apologize Okapi?"

      He sighed "No, but don't be surprised if the others do." He smiled "tell me about her"

     "She almost tried to kick my ass when she saw me human for the first time" they both chuckled.

     "Seriously," Okapi laughed "Why?"

     "I guess she thought I magically hid or hurt myself." He chuckled "I don't know if she was looking for me or a weapon, but she was scanning the room rather quickly." He smiled "my guess is though that she was looking for the latter."

     Okapi fell over laughing and rolled into the nest. His medium pudgy frame balled up with laughter. "That is the best reaction I have ever heard of..." he sat up in the nest and ran his hands through his long silky black hair to straighten it. "Didn't she scream in terror?" His bright Orange eyes glistened.

     "Nope."