(general pov)

  The sun beat down relentlessly as we stood on the outskirts of the Wildspire Waste, and Hanna was rubbing her cheek trying to soothe the aftermath of the reveal that she had kissed another. I?a was not happy, but fell to grumily acknowledging that the Dragon instincts given by the system they shared were kind of intense. I?a hurt herself more than she physically hurt her mate, but Hanna would keep that quiet.

  They were hunting, ahead their prey; A Kulu-Ya-Ku digging at the ground with single-minded focus. I?a stood a few paces ahead of Hanna, her sharp eyes tracking its movements with the precision of a seasoned researcher. She hadn’t rushed in yet, choosing to observe its behavior, her notebook open and ready.

  “It’s looking for eggs,” she whispered, her voice low but tinged with fascination. “That’s consistent with their scavenging patterns. They target nests first, then move to vegetation if nothing’s avaible. But…” She tilted her head, her gaze narrowing. “It’s favoring its left side. A minor injury, maybe?”

  “You’re the expert,” Hanna said, smirking. “But you might want to stop admiring it before it gets away.”

  She shot me an amused gnce before slipping her notebook into her pack. “I’ll handle it,” she said, her tone confident. “Just don’t interfere unless I need you.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Hanna replied, stepping back to give her space.

  I?a moved with calcuted precision, her scaled form glinting faintly in the sunlight. She approached the Kulu-Ya-Ku slowly, her steps light and deliberate. The creature didn’t notice her at first, too engrossed in its search. But as she closed the distance, it froze, its head snapping up as it let out a startled squawk.

  Without hesitation, I?a darted to the left, cutting off its escape route. The Kulu-Ya-Ku grabbed a rock with its cws, holding it defensively as it backed away. Hanna watched as she circled it, her movements fluid and deliberate.

  “Defensive posture,” she murmured, more to herself than to me. “They use objects as shields and distractions. The trick is to keep them from getting enough space to use it effectively.”

  The Kulu-Ya-Ku lunged suddenly, swinging the rock toward her. She ducked under the swipe, her scaled arm fshing as she struck its side with a quick, controlled motion. The creature staggered but didn’t fall, letting out another squawk as it tried to retreat.

  “Stubborn,” she muttered, circling again. “But predictable.”

  She lunged forward, her hands outstretched toward the Kulu-Ya-Ku’s legs. It hopped back, filing its arms as it tried to put distance between them. I?a didn’t let up, her movements relentless as she forced it toward a cluster of rocks.

  The Kulu-Ya-Ku finally made a break for it, dropping the rock as it sprinted toward the open sand. But I?a was ready. She grabbed a loose stone from the ground and hurled it with surprising force, striking the creature’s side and knocking it off bance.

  “Got you,” she said, a satisfied grin spreading across her face.

  She closed the distance quickly, her cws fshing as she aimed for the creature’s legs. The Kulu-Ya-Ku thrashed, its cws swiping wildly in an attempt to fend her off. One strike grazed her arm, drawing a thin line of blood, but she didn’t flinch.

  “Careful,” Hanna called, stepping forward instinctively.

  “I’m fine,” she said sharply, her focus unbroken. “It’s not going anywhere.”

  The Kulu-Ya-Ku let out a desperate screech as she pinned it against the rocks, her cws pressing into its side. It struggled briefly before going limp, its chest heaving with shallow breaths.

  “Your turn,” she said, stepping back and gesturing toward the subdued creature.

  Hanna moved quickly, lunging forward faster than either I?a or the bird wyvern could see, and ramming her elbow into the creature's neck, ending the Kulu-Ya-Ku’s struggles. Its body slumped against the rocks, the tension in the air dissipating as the fight came to an end.

  “Not bad,” She said, turning to her. “You’ve got some moves.”

  “Observational skills are half the battle,” she replied, wiping her arm where the creature had grazed her. “But I still need to work on speed. It could have gotten away if it were healthier.”

  “Or if you didn’t hit it with a rock,” Hanna teased.

  I?a smirked, rolling her eyes. “Details.”

  Back at the nest, I?a crouched beside the Kulu-Ya-Ku’s lifeless body, her hands brushing over its feathers with the careful precision of a researcher.

  “So,” she said, gncing up at me. “I really have to eat it?”

  Hanna nodded. “That’s the only way to take in its bioenergy. It’s… weird at first, but you’ll get used to it.”

  She frowned thoughtfully, more intrigued than disgusted. “Alright. Let’s see how this works.”

  She unsheathed her field knife, carving a small portion of meat from the Kulu-Ya-Ku’s thigh. Without hesitation, she took a bite, her expression neutral as she chewed.

  “Tastes… earthy,” she said, swallowing. “Not as bad as I expected.”

  The dragon among the two snorted. “Wait until the system kicks in.”

  Her body remained still for a moment, her gaze unfocused as though she were waiting for something to happen. Then she stiffened slightly, her breath hitching as the system activated.

  “I feel… nothing at first,” she murmured, her tone almost clinical. “But now there’s this… warmth. Subtle, but present.”

  “That’s the bioenergy integrating,” Hanna said. “You’ll feel it more once you start using it.”

  She nodded, her focus shifting inward. Hanna knew the look well—the moment when the system’s interface became visible to her.

  “It’s showing me options,” she said, her voice tinged with awe. “Tough Scales, Agile Reflexes, Strong Body…”

  “Start small,” Hanna advised. “Tough Scales is a good baseline. Just don’t overdo it.”

  I?a nodded again, selecting the trait.

  Her body tensed as the transformation began, a faint shimmer enveloping her. Her sharp gasp cut through the clearing, her cws digging into the dirt as the sensation hit her.

  “It burns,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “But it’s… oh, it’s—”

  Her words caught in her throat as a wave of heat swept through her body. It started deep in her core, radiating outward until every nerve was alight with sensation. She could feel her skin tightening, hardening, each scale pressing against the ones around it like a thousand tiny pinpricks.

  But even that was nothing compared to the ache building between her legs. It was a dull throb at first, barely noticeable amidst the other sensations. But as the transformation progressed, it grew, pulsing in time with her heartbeat until she could think of nothing else.

  “Hanna,” she gasped, looking at Hanna with wide, desperate eyes. “It’s… it’s too much.”

  She averted her gaze, giving her a moment of privacy as the transformation coursed through her. When it was over, she straightened, flexing her arm experimentally. Her scales glinted in the sunlight, tougher and more resilient than ever before.

  But even that paled in comparison to the heat still simmering beneath her skin. She shifted uncomfortably, her legs rubbing together as she tried to ease the ache.

  “I feel… different,” she said breathlessly, her voice husky. “Stronger. But also…”

  “Horny?” Hanna supplied, smirking slightly.

  I?a shot me a look, though her faint blush betrayed her. “Let’s just call it… stimuted.”

  “Fair enough,” I said, stepping back. “Ready for the next one?”

  Her sharp grin returned, though it was tinged with a new kind of hunger now. “Always.”

  I?a didn’t waste any time, carving another portion of the Kulu-Ya-Ku’s meat and consuming it with deliberate focus. The sight of her treating the process with such calm precision was almost amusing, given how much Hanna floundered her first time experiencing the system. I leaned back against a nearby tree, watching her carefully for any signs of strain.

  She looks over all the traits avaible before she throws me a wide grin. Hanna tilts her head before I?a taps four buttons in rapid succession. Hanna's eyes go wide before she smirks at her mate. She did this to herself, really.

  The transformation hit Ina like a tidal wave, each new ability crashing over her in a rush of sensation. Her tail sprouted from the base of her spine, shing and flexing as though it had always been a part of her. The muscles in her legs and back rippled with newfound strength, her body tensing and hardening.

  But it was the Agile Reflexes that truly overwhelmed her. The world slowed, each sensation drawn out into an endless loop of pleasure. The slightest brush of her scales against each other sent shockwaves of ecstasy through her body, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

  "Hanna," she moaned, her voice strained with need. "I can't... I need..."

  Her words dissolved into a scream as the orgasm ripped through her. Her legs buckled, her tail thrashing wildly as she fought to stay upright. But the pleasure was too intense, too overwhelming. With a final, shuddering cry, she colpsed, her body convulsing as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over her.

  Hanna watched, transfixed, as Ina rode out the aftershocks. The researcher's skin glistened with sweat, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. Her golden eyes met Hanna's, dark with desire.

  "Fuck me," Ina panted, her voice rough with need. "Please, Hanna. I need you inside me. Now."

  The dragon growls out lustfully, a deep rumble that shakes the canopy above. "Yes Ma'am."