Mating Season

Disclaimer: I don\'t own the lovely, kawaii Dragon Knights, they belong to someone that isn\'t me. Damn. I\'m just borrowing them for my own evil purposes, but I\'m not getting paid, so that makes it ok!

Author: Koneko Shido

A/N: Re-post, because ffn are *bastards*.

Mating Season

Part one: Bad dreams... or not.


\"NO!!!!!\" The irate yell of a certain blonde-haired elf echoed out over the forest, scaring birds from their trees and making Rune\'s two companions clap their hands over their ears, wincing.
\"Relax, dude, yol pol pop a blood vessel or something!\" Thatz grinned, sticking a finger in his ear to try and stop it ringing. Rune\'s face was red with anger, looking scarier than any demon, and his fingers were hovering over the hilt of his sword, twitching unnervingly.
\"Aww, c\'mon, it\'s just a little detour! There\'s supposed to be this huuuuge treasure, and-\"
\"No! No No No No No No!!! We\'re camping here tonight, then we\'re going straight back to Draqueen! No more treasure hunts, and no more demons!\" Rune snarled, close to hyperventilating. Thatz sighed, folding his arms.
\"Man, you\'re no fun. Right, Rath?\" The thief asked, turning to the youngest member of their group for some support, only now noticing how quiet Rath had been for the last few minutes. At the mention of his name, Rath\'s head snapped up in surprise and he gave a slightly forced grin, his eyes looking a little dazed.
\"Uh, yeah, right!\" He tried to sound his usual, chirpy, slightly psychotic self, but inside he was suddenly feeling strange. His heart was beating quickly, his breath slightly ragged and a light sheen of sweat breaking out across his pale skin. He felt dizzy and shaky, his whole body getting weaker by the moment. Rune also seemed to notice the strange change in Rath and he halted his angry tirade, stepping up to the youngest dragon knight and reaching out to touch his shaking shoulder, concerned.
\"Rath? Are you all right? You look awfully pale,\" the elf said gently, looking worriedly into Rath\'s eyes as he raised his head slowly, forcing a weak laugh.
\"Me? I\'m fine, Rune! So, where are the demons?\" He grinned, trying to force himself to stop trembling at Rune\'s touch, wondering what the hell was wrong with him. Rune obviously didn\'t buy Rath\'s act, nor, it seemed, did Thatz, who also closed in on the young demon-killer and frowned.
\"Y\'know, you do look a little... weird, you sure yre fre feeling ok?\" The thief asked, glancing at Rune with a concerned expression. Rath laughed and took a step back, his cheeks a little flushed.
\"I\'m fine, you guys! I just feel a little...\" He trailed off as his eyes suddenly glazed over, his small body swaying slightly.
\"Rath!\" Rune cried, alarmed as the youngest knight\'s eyes suddenly slid closed.
\"Ahhnnn...\" He gave a pained moan then collapsed into Rune\'s arms, his breathing coming in quick, ragged gasps as the elf caught him and lowered him to his knees, touching his pale face gently.
\"Rath! Rath, what\'s the matter!?\" Rune gasped, filled with fear for the dark-haired boy. To his relief Rath\'s slender fingers curled to clutch at the blonde elf\'s shirt, his eyes opening a little.
\"Rune... Ahh... I-I feel strange...\" He whispered, trembling. Rune waved at Thatz to start setting up their camp for the night and gently picked Rath up in his arms like a child, surprised at how light he was.
\"It\'s ok, Rath, you\'ll be ok. We\'ll find out what\'s up, don\'t worry.\" Rune soothed, carrying Rath over to a blanket Thatz had considerately laid out on the soft grass for him. The thief spared a worried glance for the semi-conscious boy then set about lighting a fire to keep them warm as night began to close in. He knew that Rune was the most likely to be able to find out what was wrong with Rath, being an elf and all, and he would only be in the way.


\"Rath, can you hear me? Say something, Rath!\" Rune cried suddenly, shaking Rath\'s small shoulder to try and wake him.
\"Rune?\" Thatz questioned, breaking off what he was doing to come up and kneel next to where the elf sat beside the youngest knight.
\"He...He passed out! Thatz, I-I don\'t know what\'s wrong with him! It\'s like some kind of fever, but...\" Rune told his companion frantically, feeling helpless as he watched Rath moan and writhe in his sleep.
\"Well... uh, I know! Why don\'t you ask fire?\" Thatz grinned, realizing that the dragon should have at least some idea what was wrong with its master. Rune\'s big, blue eyes lit up.
\"Yes! Why didn\'t I think of that?\" The elf gasped, crawling over Rath to remove his sword from the sheath at his side.
As the blonde knight freed the blade Rath moaned, making Rune\'s eyes widen.
\"Rune... Ohhh... Please...\" The unconscious boy gasped breathlessly, his small hands clutching the blanket as his body twisted and writhed.
\"Uh, Rune...?\" Thatz squeaked, his eyes also wide. Rune scuttled back, clutching the sword, and stared down at the boy groaning his name in shock.
\"Ohhh, yes... Rune!\" Rath cried, his skin glistening with sweat, his chest heaving with each breath. Rune\'s jaw dropped and he didn\'t move from where he was knelt, staring down at Rath with impossibly wide eyes. Thatz was just considering getting over his initial shock to burst out laughing when Rath moaned again, making him freeze as well, his eyes just as wide as Rune\'s.
\"Ahhh... Thatz... don\'t stop!\" Rath begged, his cheeks flushed and his back arching up from the ground, biting his lip as his head lashed from side to side.

After five minutes of sitting perfectly frozen, unable to tear their eyes from Rath\'s erotic writhing, his breathy gasps and pleas ringing in their ears, the two older dragon knights were jerked from their state of shock by a clanging sound behind them, making them both spin around, squeaking in terror.
The tiny dragon, Fire, stood with its paws on its hips, glaring up at the two dragon knights. It was holding a spoon, which it had been banging against a pot to get their attention.
\"F-Fire?\" Thatz whimpered, twitching as behind him Rath suddenly cried out his name in what sounded like ecstasy. Rune just watched, almost catatonic from shock.
The little dragon scowled at him and held up a sign, blinking.
::Hentais:: The sign read. Rune snapped out of his almost-coma at that and growled scarily, grabbing the little dragon and lifting it up to eye level.
\"What in the hell is wrong with Rath? And why in the world is he...he...\" Rune trailed off, trying to think of how to phrase his question. Fire helpfully held up a sign.
::Moaning like he\'s being molested by you two hentais?:: The little dragon snickered.
\"Hentais?!\" Thatz managed in a high-pitched squeak, turning bright red. Rune ignored him and in a \'this-is-not-happening\' way he very calmly placed the little creature on the floor, holding it in place by its tail, and leant over it, a large mallet appearing in his hand, poised to splatter the poor dragon.
\"Tell us what\'s wrong with Rath.\" The elf ground out through clenched teeth, trying not to hear what was going on behind him.
\"Please... ohhh, please! Harder! Faster!\"
::Erm...:: Fire\'s sign read, and Rune drew back the mallet to strike, eyes glowing evilly.
::Ok, Ok! Don\'t squish me!:: Fire waved his sign frantically, looking relieved when the mallet was discarded.
\"Well?\" Thatz growled. Fire gulped.
::You know that my master is part dragon like you guys, right?:: The first sign read. Rune nodded, although none of them actually knew what Rath really *was*.
::Well, it looks like he\'s just entered his first...:: Fire\'s sign said, trailing off at the end as the little dragon made circles with its paw in a *you know* gesture. Rune and Thatz looked blank.
\"Huh?\" Thatz said, watching as the little dragon sighed hopelessly and drew out another sign, turning it around for them to see slowly.
::Rath is starting his first mating cycle, from what I can tell. His special life force is making it more intense than it would be for anyone else.:: The little dragon told them, eyes popping wide as both knights looked at one another, read the sign again, then promptly fainted.
Fire\'s eye twitched and it sat down, pulling out one, last sign.
::Idiots:: It read simply.

Part 2: Information... but are you sure you really want to know?


Rune awoke with a soft groan, rubbing his head and wondering what had roused him.
\"Ahh! Oh, Rune, yes!\" Came the breathless cries from behind him, and Rune almost choked.
\"He\'s still at it? Man, that kid has stamina!\" Thatz muttered from next to him, also sitting up and looking down at the still-dreaming demon-killer.
\"Ehh...\" Rune whimpered weakly, remembering what Fire had told them and looking around for the little dragon.
Fire was found asleep next to Rath, seemingly uncaring of its master\'s moans and cries, snuggling peacefully into the blanket. Well, that was until Thatz picked it up by the tail, rudely awakening the tiny creature.
::Um, hi?:: Fire\'s sign read as the dragon hung upside-down. Rune glared at it and then at Rath, then, just for the hell of it, at Thatz too.
\"Nani?? What did *I* do?\" Thatz muttered, but Rune just ignored the pouting thief and instead went back to glaring at Fire, folding his arms.
\"What,\" he growled, \"Is a mating cycle?\"
Fire blinked.
::You don\'t know?:: Its sign read. Rune growled.
\"Would I ask you, if I knew?\" He ground out, trying to be patient, which was hard with Rath crying out his name in pleasure as he dreamed god-knows-what behind them. Fire sweatdropped.
::I guess nobody bothered to tell you, then.:: Fire\'s little sign read. Thatz swore he could see smoke coming out of Rune\'s ears as he turned red with anger and ground his fanged teeth together, twitching alarmingly.
\"Tell...Us...What??\" He hissed slowly, eyes narrowing to very evil-looking slits of evss. ss. Fire gulped, and Thatz wisely decided not to say anything in fear of being ripped to shreds by the irate elf.
::Dragons have a mating cycle, for two days each year, didn\'t you know that? And since you guys have dragon blood now...:: Fire told them, quickly scribbling on another sign and holding it up. ::You guys have mating cycles too! Uh, please don\'t kill me?:: The sign read, and Fire leapt into Thatz\' arms as Rune suddenly lunged for his throat, snarling.
\"MATING CYCLES??? What the hell do you mean, mating cycles??? Two days? We have these too? What\'s happening to him?? TELL ME OR I\'M GOING TO BOIL YOU ALIVE IN OIL AND FEED YOU TO THATZ!!!\" Rune almost screamed, a vein on his forehead pulsing, looking as though he might have a heart attack at any moment. Fire looked up at Thatz to find him grinning evilly, and pulled out another sign shakily.
::Will you really eat me?::
\"Yup!\" Thatz grinned happily.
::You people are evil! Anyway, my master would be angry if you ate me::
\"Do I care?\"
::I taste bad:: Came Fire\'s lame attempt to save himself.
\"How do you know?\" Thatz asked.
::Uhh...Well, I\'m guessing.::
\"But-\"
\"AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!!!\" Rune roared, grabbing the little dragon by the neck, and whackThatThatz over the head with a pot.
\"TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW!!!\" Rune demanded, and Fire nodded frantically, not wanting to find out what Rune would do to him if he didn\'t.
::For two days a year, dragons have a mating cycle, just like other animals, right? And since you three have dragon blood, it looks like you\'ll have a mating cycle too. My master started his first, but they happen at different times, so I don\'t know when, or even if, you guys will have one. There, that\'s all I know, honest!::
Rune finished reading the sign then dropped Fire numbly, his blue eyes filling with tears. Thatz raised an eyebrow and watched as the blonde elf swayed slightly, looking dazed.
\"I...We...He...but...but...\" He managed, before clinging to Thatz and bursting into tears.
\"IYYYAHHH!!! WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME?? WHY DO THESE THINGS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?? I WANNA GO HOME!!!\" He cried, and Thatz just patted him on the back, sighing.
Another typical day, then. Rath was in some kind of weird, mating-season coma, Rune was having his daily emotional breakdown, and *he* still hadn\'t gotten any treasure. But, at least it was fun to watch.
Abruptly Rune sat up and sniffled, drying his eyes, then glared at Thatz and stamped off to the other side of the fire.
\"I\'m going to sleep! I\'m not dealing with this; it\'s all your fault! This isn\'t happening!\" The elf said, laying down and pulling his blanket up over his head.
\"Eh? Why is it my fault??\" Thatz demanded, also lying down.
\"It just is! Shut up!\" Came the muffled reply, then everything was silent except for the wind in the trees, the crackling of the fire... and Rath\'s incoherent moans of rapture.
Fire just rolled its eyes and climbed back into the sword, where he was safe from being maimed by Rune, eaten by Thatz or molested by Rath. If he ever decided to wake up, that is.


As dawn broke over the forest, a pair of wide eyes opened, joined by a slightly insane giggle.

Part Three: Gotcha!

Rune awoke a little after dawn, yawning and sitting up, brushing his blonde hair from his eyes and looking down at Thatz sleeping nearby, mumbling softly about gold and food and shiny things. The elf smiled, turning the other way to look at where, had it been a normal day, Rath would have been sleeping, muttering about demons and growling occasionally. Rath\'s blanket was empty.
And, on that minor discovery, the events of the previous night came flooding back to Rune, who yelped and jumped up, staring around him wildly.
\"Rath? Rath!! Where are you?!\" The blonde elf called, looking desperate. Kneeling down next to Thatz, Rune shook him roughly and tried to wake him, tears in his eyes.
\"Thatz! Wake up! Rath is gone! Wake up, you idiot! Rath could be anywhere! He-he could be... I don\'t even want to think about what he could be doing if he isn\'t thinking straight! He\'s bad enough when he *is* thinking straight! THATZ!!!\"
\"...But mommy, I don\'t like celery...\" Thatz mumbled, sticking his thumb in his mouth then turning over, away from Rune. \"*My* sparkly...\" He muttered, clutching at his blanket possessively, and then started snoring. Rune whimpered.
\"But...I...Rath...Wake up!!\" He sobbed, shaking Thatz again. The thief just hiccupped cutely, like a baby, then went back to his dream.
Finally giving up, Rune stood and looked around at the shadowy woods, vaguely terrified of what might be lurking within. Namely, Rath.
But, he seemed to have no choice except to look for the insane demon-slayer, since Rath was dangerous enough when he wasn\'t on a random, violent mating cycle. There was no telling what he would do, and Rune wasn\'t exactly sure he *wanted* to find him.
And so, picking a direction he half-hoped Rath hadn\'t gone in, Rune set off into the woods, hugging his arms to his chest and looking around at every tree as though it might suddenly turn into Rath and dive at him.

Back at the camp, Fire poked its head out from behind a pillow and watched Rune go, snickering.
::Idiot:: Said the tiny dragon\'s sign.

*CRACK!*
A twig snapped behind him and Rune whirled around, gasping, but found nothing except a broken twig. \'Can twigs just break on their own?\' He wondered, carrying on along the small path he\'d found towards a gap in the trees ahead. It turned out to lead into a small, pretty clearing with a stream running through it, a deep pool on one side fed by a small waterfall. \'Pretty...\' Rune thought, then noticed something black lying beside the pool. Rath\'s clothes. He rushed over and picked them up, his eyes wide. \'Oh no! What if he\'s hurt? What if he\'s drowned? What if a demon got him and this is all that\'s left after it aim? im? What if-\'
\"Rune-chi!!!\"
\"IIYYYAAAAHHH!!!\" Rune screamed as a pair of pale arms suddenly wrapped around his waist and hugged him tightly. Ignoring the scream, Rath giggled and snuggled against Rune\'s back, purring like a kitten.
\"I was waiting for you, Rune-chi!\" Rath laughed happily, then leant up and licked Rune\'s ear, giving a playful growl and pushing the startled elf down onto the grass, rolling him over and straddling his waist. Rune looked up at Rath and squeaked in shock, averting his eyes as a bright blush spread across his cheeks.
\"Put your clothes on, Rath! What the hell are you doing walking around naked in the middle of the forest??\" Rune yelled, thrusting the bundle of clothes at Rath, who took them, grinned wickedly, then threw them away to his side.
\"I was swimming! And I was waiting for you, Rune-chi,\" Rath grinned, shaking his wet hair, spraying Rune with water, then stretching like a cat.
\"W-w-w-waiting f-me?\me?\" Rune stammered, blushing violently as he watched Rath, straddling him and running his fingers through his damp black hair, a hungry look in his eyes, grinning evilly.
\"Yep! You took sooo long, Rune-chi! But you\'re here now...\" Rath licked his lips wolfishly and suddenly leant down, kissing Rune. The elf gave a startled yelp, which became a muffled protest as his lips were forced apart by Rath\'s tongue. Drawing back to breathe, Rath suddenly gave a deranged cackle and tore off Rune\'s shirt, ignoring the weak protests of the dazed elf beneath him. Rune\'s lips tingled from Rath\'s harsh kiss and he blinked away the hentai daze surrounding him to glare up at Rath angrily.
\"What in the world are you doing?! Get off me!\" Rune demanded, surprised by the reaction he got. Rath sniffled, his eyes filling with tears, and he looked as though he were about to cry.
\"Y-you don\'t want me, Rune-chi?\" The youngest dragon knight asked, his voice trembling. Rune paused, looking slightly guilty. \"Don\'t you like me?\"
\"No, Rath! That isn\'t true! Of course I like you, it\'s just-ahh!\"
\"Yay!\"
Rune gasped as Rath giggled, all traces of tears gone, then leant down and licked his chest.
\"Rath, stop, I-I... I...\" Rune trailed off, giving a soft moan. Rath\'s hot little tongue moving over his skin was making it awfully hard to think straight, and any reasons why he shouldn\'t be ing ing this happen seemed tsertsert him for the moment. This time, when Rath leant to kiss him, Rune threaded his slender fingers in the younger knight\'s unruly hair and pulled him down, arching his head back as Rath nipped playfully at his throat.

As night fell once more over the forest, Thatz looked warily over at the tiny dragon sat across from him.
\"Got any sixes?\" He asked.
::Go fish:: The dragon\'s sign read. Thatz gave a muttered curse and looked up as a cry of pleasure echoed out over the trees, scaring the birds from their perches. He sighed.
\"They\'re *still* at it?\" He shook his head hopelessly.
::Don\'t you think we should help Rune?:: Fire looked a little worried. Thatz just grinned.
\"Hell no, he\'s probably enjoying it. Besides, this is great blackmail material. I wonder what Lykouleon-sama would say if he knew those two were going at it like bunnies?\" Thatz smirked, rubbing his hands together like a crook, which he was. Fire just rolled his eyes.
::You\'re evil:: The little dragon\'s sign read.
\"Yup!\" Thatz grinned.

TBC

Yep, there\'s more.