Chapter 35. Tarakona’s past

[Well I guess my story starts when I first hatched. Nothing special about that except my mother was a fire dragon so we didn't spend much time together due to her touch literally killing me.]

"Wait how the hell did a fire dragon give birth to or I guess lay a frost dragon egg?" I interrupted having turned around to face Tarakona. Zeldi didn't take too kindly to that and roughly turned me back around to face her boobs.

[My father. He was an Earth dragon that had come from the union of a water and ice dragon, so it's believed that he passed it down.]

Genetics got it. Maybe I should have paid a bit more attention in science class when they were talking about dominant and recessive genes. Not that I knew how much of it applied to dragons.

[So when I grew old enough to take care of myself I left the lair my parents had made and traveled until I found a cozy place up in the frozen peaks of a mountain. It was high enough up that any dragon hunters that tried to get me were stopped by either avalanches or the cold itself.]

Zeldi let out a shiver. "I'm glad you liked it but I can't deal with the cold."

[It's not for everyone. I was fortunate at the time because from my lair I could see down onto a farm like this one. It was so interesting watching creatures care for each other for mutual gain. Dragons hunt and only keep what looks shiny to them.]

"So dragons hoards are a thing?" I asked this time not turning away from my task.

[Yes. Apart from our bodies it's why so many dedicate their lives to hunting us. A single hoard could turn a common beggar into a noble so it's somewhat enticing.]

"What about your hoard?" Zeldi asked.

[My hoard was of my own ice sculptures. It was a hobby of mine when I got lonely but isn't very valuable to steal if you didn't bring a way to keep it frozen. So I was actually left alone for most of my early cycles. Then came the day I found out I was a livestock.]

Zeldi and I could both hear the regret in her tone as she began this part of her story.

I bought another two bottles as I filled the fourth one.

[I spent my days watching the farm at the base of my land learning how it all worked, how livestock would produce something that the farmer would use. It was interesting but that was because I didn't fully understand what was being done at the time. The owner was effectively only giving each of their livestock as much attention as he needed to to get their resource before leaving them in their enclosures.]

"Enclosures?" I interrupted, the word catching me off guard.

[Yes enclosures. The farmer had built multiple areas that he forbade his livestock from leaving.]

"But we can't leave the farm." Zeldi said trying to make sense of what she was being told. "Why make that are even smaller?"

[Stupidity. It didn't last long though as the livestock all banded together to shove the owner out of his farm then stabbed him over and over untill he died.]

And no resurrection. I thought to myself.

Not if the livestock say no.

I gave Zeldi a squeeze that I hoped conveyed my thanks for saying yes to my own.

[One of the livestock then became the caretaker and the farm got a lot better at least for the three of them. It took a couple of cycles but eventually one of them found the deed and became the owner so that they were all safe from ever being owned by anyone else.]

"That's heartwarming." I said then let out a laugh. "Being invincible didn't save him them?"

[It did not.]

"But what about you? Why didn't you join them? Don't get me wrong I like that you're here but why not join that farm as it seemed like a nice place?" Zeldi piped in.

[Because they were all prey creatures. They lacked the will to accept me, something I did try but I knew it wouldn't work out. It also didn't help the owner was a Selky and didn't like me freezing all her water.]

That would do it.

[I laid my first egg just after they killed the original owner and kept my distance once I realized I was like them. Over time the feeling of needing a farm grew and I approached them to see if there was a place for me at their farm. This was after one of them became the owner as I didn't want my fate to be decided by someone who found a lucky piece of paper.]

I could already see the answer before she even said it.

[Unfortunately I knew if I bound myself to their farm the owner would just sell me off to avoid the hassle of dealing with my frost, and the fact I was a carnivore. Not mentioning that as a dragon I would have been worth a huge sum.]

"Well at least you don't have that here." Zeldi said trying to bring the mood back up. "Master won't ever sell you so you're stuck with us, right Master?"

"Of course." I answered removing one of my hands from my mares chest to rub Tarakona's snout. "I think I prefer you whispering sweet nothingness into my ear than anyone else's."

Tarakona hummed her appreciation before continuing.

[Well after I figured that out I left my lair because I was too afraid of accidently bonding myself to them. I traveled a fair distance and even crossed an ocean before coming to a cave on a ravine. It wasn't as cold as I'd have liked but it was away from any farms.]

There was some silence as Tarakona seemed to be taking a breath.

[My real problems started then unfortunately. Due to the lack of snow it became quite obvious I was living there as ice started to gather where it had previously not existed. This caused more than a few hunters to target my lair and without the mountain I'd previously lived in it was quite easy for them to make it all the way.]

Tarakona hesitated again before continuing.

[I killed them. They didn't give me a choice.]

Neither Zeldi or myself reacted to that fact and Tarakona seemed to relax slightly.

[As more came the feeling of needing a farm grew. I told you sometimes it would wake me up right?]

"Yeah with visions of you being skinned."

[Yes. Well it also started to show me where farms were in correlation to where I was living. I felt like I was being pushed further and further away from myself until you sent me your offer.]

Still had no idea what it said. Any chance you can tell me system?

Silence.

Didn't think so.

[I knew there were some hunters climbing up to kill me so I made the choice to accept your offer. Unfortunately they were a bit more prepared than I expected and had a harpoon launcher set up as I escaped.]

"How far away from here was your lair?" I asked a bit curious because she had landed here with that harpoon still sticking out of her.

[About a day and half a nights travel.]

I whistled at that, I wasn't ashamed to admit I was impressed with her tenacity.

Zeldi's second boob slowed to a stop just as the thing bottle filled. So between just her front two I got six bottles worth, not bad.

"Mind getting up Zeldi? May as well do your back ones as well."

Zeldi covered up her boobs and unlike when she first sat down they fitted much more snuggly into her top.

"Of course Master but no drinking from these ones." She scolded playfully before standing up and flipping her dress out of the way.

[You have more boobs?]

The surprise from Tarakona was followed by a snort of frost that hit Zeldi causing her to jump in surprise but nothing more as she realized the frost wasn't cold.

"Yes Tarakona I have four. Hey Master is this your doing?" She indicated to the gathering frost along her flanks.

"Quest reward. We are all immune to rapid temperature decline, so basically we're immune to Tarakona freezing us." I answered while brushing some of the frost off her back.

[That explains why you were unfazed by the water while bathing me.]

"Yip."

With Zeldi now standing I began the process of milking her back teats. Again without her being able to hold the bottle I had to do it one handed.

[What does your milk taste like?]

"Vanilla." I answered in her stead. "Or I don't know what the meat equivalent would be. Can I give her some?"

"Sure but from the bottle." Zeldi was quick to answer. But then again I wouldn't be too confident letting someone of Tarakona's size try to suck from me.

I filled the bottle I was currently using to about halfway as I may have already sold the other ones so they didn't cram up my inventory. I'm now up to fifty six points.

Tarakona was nice enough to open her mouth so I could pour the half bottle over her tongue in the hopes she could get a little taste. If not it was going to cost a lot in potential points just for her to have a sip.

[It's creamy. Kind of reminds me of bovine type creatures I've eaten before.]

Cows. Tarakona is comparing Zeldi's milk to a cows.

"I'll take your word for it." Zeldi hummed. "To me it just tastes sweet but has an aftertaste that's really bitter, kind of like Masters sperm."

Tarakona snorted again this time aiming away from both of us.

[I will take your word about that. For now at least.]

"So." I interrupted before they went too far. "The hunters were more prepared?"

[Yes I should have kept the harpoon but I was hit just after leaving my lair.]

"That must have hurt." Zeldi exclaimed.

[Oh like a bitch. But I knew I would be healed if I just made it to Clovek's farm.]

"So you flew for a day and half a night with that harpoon inside you?"

I had to stop milking Zeldi just to be sure I heard it correctly. My Centaur was equally as surprised.

[Yes. I didn't have another choice, it was make it or die. If I fought the hunters I would have probably been killed by them or my wounds afterwards so...]

"You made the choice to run the gauntlet." I finished for her. "Well I thought you were impressive before but I'm even more convinced now."

[Thank you Master.]

Deed owner deal from Cavern Farm.

Offering: Livestock Tilty

For: Nothing

Do you accept?

Yes / No

Well what do you know. Seems Tilty was very impatient.