"I guess I could trace it all back to one day." He said in reflection. "I did it for no other reason than because I was bored." He paused in his recollection of fond memories to look down at the fiery mane of hair resting against his bare chest. The fluffy locks stuck out in all directions, half of them spread either left or right against the tough hide that covered his body. He smiled, pointed teeth making sharp dents in his black lips. The delicate creature who was using him as a pillow stirred and moved a violet shoulder into the niche made by his ribs.

"You get bored easily, huh?" Inquired the horned vixen. Her voice was soft and throaty, seductive without trying to be. He loved the way she purred her words.

"Hmm... Used to. Not so easy now." He chortled when she let out a sweet-sounding mrrowl. She was no feline by any stretch of the imagination, but the animalistic tendencies made him wild. He was more beast than sentient anyway.

"Tell me about that day." She insisted, stretching a claw across his pectoral muscles.

"Alright, but you have to promise to shut up. I'm only telling it once."

"I'll be good." She sang to him. He smiled, leaned his head back against the wall, and began his long tale.

* * *

Domhar was bored with Sistarrist Drakan. It was entertaining at first, when all the clans had been forced to move there. Renegade had made himself into a god and claimed a good chunk of the hydra's underground lair as drasis territory. The land had been drenched with blood before they could call it home, for the hydras did not give up anything easily. That had been fun.

Now, however, Domhar had seen all of the lair's dank tunnels and slimy rooms. He was unimpressed by the sparse furnishings or the lack of a sky. Oh, they had days and nights alright, but the thick, green fog that covered this world turned them into boring shades of gray. Flying was pointless. Breathing in too much of that fog made him light headed and sick. Fighting was pointless. There was always someone around to break them up so that fewer people would die. Apparently the hydra monarchs didn't like losing soldiers to petty squabbles.

As such, Domhar spent most of his time annoying the hydra riders. Even that got boring when their mounts drove him off, threatening to eat him if he didn't leave. He occasionally dropped in on the black mages to see what interesting potions he could destroy. That ended abruptly when he accidentally blew up one of Krent's favourite mages. The hydra riders had yet to figure out who did it.

On the day in question, Domhar had resigned himself to a life of endless boredom. The portals were gone, so he couldn't even take a trip back to Tris'Hath to hunt some humans. All he could do was sit and brood with the other Stonetalons.

Domhar got bored of brooding and went off in search of something more amusing.

That was when he first learned of the effort to rebuild the portals. Krent had been very secretive about the entire process. Domhar supposed he didn't want any fool-hardy cut throats to blunder into the Warren and give them away. The dragon riders' next step might be to obliterate the planet entirely, which would severely hinder his ability to alleviate boredom. With that in mind, he vowed he wouldn't tell a soul about his find. Not even the people working on it. No sense in disturbing them now.

However...

Domhar was no fool-hardy cut throat. He was a skilled, stealthy assassin. Among the best in his clan. It was therefore advisable; nay, pertinent; that he aid the hydra riders by testing out one of these new portals. Someone would eventually have to find out where all of them went, and Krent would likely use the 'disposable' drasis anyway. Domhar was just cutting out a few steps in the whole process.

What the black dragonoid refused to consider was that the mages already knew where their portals went to. Not to mention that these unrestrained vortexes of pure magic may be just a little unstable.

No, Domhar was confident in his plan. So confident that he didn't even wait for the mages to leave their posts. With their eyes fixated on the newest portal, they could hardly have known that something was happening at one of the 'oldest'. So quiet and so quick was he that had no idea anything had changed.

Sneaking into the blackened, rubble-strewn remains of the former Portal Room, he crept along the wall until he came to the first portal. It swirled in a clockwise direction, black magic spinning ever closer to a black center. The edges were ragged and unkempt, flicking out from the two dimensional surface like solar flares off a wormhole.

There was one interesting detail about Sistarrist Drakan that Domhar never grew tired of seeing. Sight itself seemed to be an impossible feat. The black torches that gave off no smoke could light the black halls without even a strain on the eyes. The black portals that stood only a few feet away from the porous, igneous rock of the lair's foundation were clearly visible. How? Domhar had no idea. He had naturally more adept eyesight due to his birth, but nothing like this. This black world provided sight for one and all where every soul should have been blind.

Domhar plunged through the portal without a second thought. He opened himself up to the experience and was overwhelmed to feel... nothing.

Not a thing.

One second he was on Sistarrist Drakan, and the next he was standing on a metal platform being bypassed by people giving him odd looks. There might have been a little tug in his gut just before arrival, but it was too minimal to notice. Domhar was displeased.

"Well that was a bust." He muttered to himself, shoving his hands into the pockets of his worn out shorts. The soft leather had nearly worn through at the knees and the simple leather belt holding them up was frayed around the edges. It threatened to fall apart in places, clearly showing the holes Domhar most often used. With an irritated flick of his tail, the drasis began wandering off down the corridors.

He didn't know where he was. He didn't know how to get back. In fact, he didn't know if he even could get back at this point. However, this place had many interesting things and that was surely a bonus in his books. At last he had found a place that wouldn't bore him!

Domhar spent several minutes just wandering around the halls of this odd, new world. He could tell it was like the hydra lairs insofar as it was entirely underground. There were no windows to the outside here, nor any hint of fresh air. This place must have been deep beneath the surface in order to require reinforcements of such strong steel.

He had never seen such odd magic before either. Lights blinked and beeped at him from every which way. The wide, white strips overhead gave off a constant level of brightness, but no heat. He could not fathom the kind of spells that must have been required to create such a masterful light source. Nor could he imagine what went into the metal encased beasts that passed him every now and then. Some crawled, some rolled on wheels, and there were even a few that flew without wings. Once or twice, he had thought to follow them, but then something else had grabbed his attention and he was off again.

After nearly a full hour of wandering, Domhar happened across the only room he could put a name to. It was a hatching bay, and there was a dragon brooding on the sands. He paused just outside the entrance and stared at the beast.

~Are you going to come in or just stand there?~ The voice invaded his mind without per-amble, drenching his inquisitive thoughts in a thick, masculine colour. Domhar visibly started, his wings partially flaring as if to ward off the assault.

The dragon on the sands grunted and shook his furry head. ~I apologize. My name is Rurilusith and I am the father of this clutch. If you are one of the few who believes themselves worthy enough to stand for my children, then I suggest you move closer. I demand the right to inspect each candidate individually.~

Domhar was a little put off by this forthright attitude. First the dragon invades his mind, and then he starts making demands. If his curiosity weren't so wrapped up in this mottled bunch of eggs and their overprotective father, he might have left.

"Father?" The black drasis inquired as he took tentative steps onto the hot sands. "Isn't the mother supposed to watch over the clutch?"

~Yes.~ Rurilusith snorted. And that was all. He gave no elaboration as to why he was here in place of the mother, nor did he seem inclined to explain even if asked. The dark, furry creature only stared at Domhar with one, blazing red eye.

"My name is Domhar." The winged man paused, considering this dragon's demeanor. Though the action was delayed, he could tell that Ruri was impressed by his respectful bow.

~Welcome, Domhar. So what makes you think you are worthy of my children?~ The great beast lowered his head so that he was nearly on eye level with the drasis. Now Domhar had two bright red eyes fixated on him, each reflecting a partial view of himself in their glassy depths.

"I had not considered that." He answered honestly. "I was merely passing through."

Ruri gave him a long, hard look, then snorted dismissively. ~I see. You may go.~

"If I may inquire... Sir... who was the mother?" The drasis had half-turned towards the bay entrance again so that his scales shone black on one side, and were cast into darkness on the other. Sharp, green eyes never waverd though, and met with the dragon's crimson ones.

~No one you would know. Her name was Toyrt-mow. A hydra hybrid unable to escape her bad blood.~

Ah, now that was interesting. Domhar turned around to face the dragon again and gave him another half-bow. "Sir, I have changed my mind. I would very much like to be considered for your children."

~Is this because of what I have just told you?~ Ruri demanded abruptly. His long, bushy tail flicked against the ground, stirring up puffs of sand that settled atop some of his precious eggs. ~If you're looking for a wicked beast, you won't find it here. My children will be good and honourable dragons.~

"Of course, sir. I meant no offense, sir." Domhar kept bowing, nearly making himself dizzy with the effort. If this beast wanted 'honourable' sorts, he'd have to fake it as best he could. "I agree with your desire to find good candidates for your children. Only the best will do."

~And you think you're the best, hmm?~

"Hardly, sir, but I believe I can be what you are looking for. You see, I believe whole heartedly in honour and doing what is right." Domhar lied through his teeth, showing the dragon a wide, guileless grin. He knew he must have looked intimidating in this dangerous form. When dealing with someone whom he wanted to keep at ease, he always had to take his human form. He would have to remember to be human for the hatching.

~Why should I believe you?~ Ruri demanded again. The dark opal threads of his mind voice lashed against Domhar's flimsy barricades. The drasis was not used to fending off telepathic inquires, especially ones as brutal as this.

"I give you my word, sir. A drasis is bound to their word by blood." Of course, Domhar didn't mention the fact that Stonetalons were notorious for breaking their oaths. They didn't care so much about morals as getting the job done. "To disobey mine would mean my own death."

Ruri drew his head back and tilted his nose down. He twitched his ears this way and that, seeming to keep track of his decision by turning each one a specific way. When he was done considering, both ears were facing backwards.

~I'll consider your words. Come back when it's time for the hatching.~ That was Domhar's dismissal. The drasis knew to take the cue, for any further conversing might lose him his spot. The idea to stand had only come up on a whim, but so far it had served to amuse him. Whether he bonded or not didn't matter at this point.

"Thank you, sir." The drasis said with a charming smile as he bowed himself out of the bay. "I give you my word that I will be prompt."

And he would be. Domhar wouldn't miss this for the world.

Domhar is standing at: The BWR Giveaway