Instead of taking Joseph's penis into her mouth Maria found herself extending her tongue and beginning to wrap it around his shaft. As she did so she quickly ran into a problem. Her thicker tongue was as dexterous as it ever was relative to her body. It wasn't nearly as dexterous compared to Joseph though and she found her efforts hindered by the width of her own tongue. This actually startled her a bit and she quickly withdrew her tongue back into her mouth. “Well darn!” Instead of waiting for Joseph to ask what she meant Maria once again extended her tongue but instead of trying to wrap it around Joseph's penis she began to playful flick the tip of his penis about using her tongue. This brought a moan from him though it wasn't quite what she wanted.

With Maria holding him there was little that Joseph could do  This was actually proving a problem as he worried about what Maria would want from him. He had been teasing her ears with his hands drawing his fingers along their edges. Maria's ears twitched about and he knew she enjoyed this but wouldn't be anywhere near enough to get her off. “What is it Maria?”

“This fat tongue of mine can't wrap a penis properly anymore.” Despite the situation Maria gave a frustrated snort. She began to lower Joseph whenever she felt him pull on her ears lightly as if trying to get her to stand up. They had been together long enough for her to know this meant he wanted lowered.  It also expressed a stronger desire then simple words as she knew she tended to ignore those.”Yes?”

“How about you let me tend to you a bit? You're sort of making it impossible for me to do much up here.”

“Ah what do you mean! Your toes have been teasing my tits for a while now.” Maria gave an amused giggle as she noted the stunned look on Joseph's face. “I'm just kidding. I guess I am making it a bit difficult on you. Still I want to try this.” As she Spoke Maria wrapped her tail around Joseph's waist and began to lower him down her body holding him firmly against him as she did so. As his penis came between her breast she flexed her abdominal muscles and once again forced her breast together. A low moan escaped him and she was a bit surprised whenever she felt his toes press against her sides while his hands pressed her breast together.

As he pressed Maria's breast together Joseph found himself firmly messaging those massive mounds of flesh. Remembering what Dan had told him and his own experience he began to apply far more pressure then he normally would have. Maria seemed to enjoy this as he enjoyed the feeling of her breast shifting against his penis. In his current position though there was little he could do with his mouth except for talk to her. “So how much larger do you think you'll have to be before that's all of me between there?”

“Mm that sounds like a ways off. We'll probably have to settle for your abdomen for a while.”

“You are going to grow more you know. With the improvements you've been showing from training with the glyph it won't be long before you begin growing again or have to cut back on what you're eating.”

“What do you want me to do?”

As she spoke there was a low moan in Maria's voice that made Joseph want to wrap his arms around her and pull her massive body against his own with all his might. Given that wrapping his arms completely around Maria would mean breaking them and shredding them to pieces though he settled for continuing to work on her breast. “I want you to continue to eat what your rank allows you to eat. I'd like to reduce your hunger after all.” Joseph truly wanted to kiss Maria. Any part of Maria at the moment. With the way she was working his penis though and holding him that wasn't truly an option. At least it wasn't until he felt her right hand running along his side. His hand left her breast for a moment and he took hold of her hand lifting it to his mouth for a kiss.

“What about the burden on the community.”

“The life bloom helped to lighten that.”

To this Maria gave a nod. Even with their additional size they hadn't pushed the life bloom to its limit. There was still the danger that they would learn some horrible truth about the bloom that would force them to give it up. “That's true.” As she spoke Maria lowered Joseph further. She could feel herself growing wetter as they talked and fondled one another. She had also felt his penis pulsing several times while wrapped within her cleavage and knew he was about to release. She wanted to make sure that was within her though. If they were ever going to have a child they needed to have as many attempts as possible. A gasp of relief actually escaped Joseph the moment she freed his penis and Maria was made to chuckle. “Joseph would you like to have a child?”

That was typically the type of question Joseph would have liked to have a lot of time to think and talk about. Fortunately he had already had plenty of time to think about it. “I believe that I would.”

“Good. Mm what are we going to do if we have a son?”

“What do you mean?” As he had been speaking Joseph had been lowered so that he was now eye level with Maria's nipples. The fact that she had remained standing the entire time hadn't truly set in on him but he did realize what she was talking about whenever he saw her nipples. In response Joseph took Maria's nipples in his hands and began to gently work them while looking up at her smiling face. “Are you thinking that I might have to start milking you?”

“They may be too large for a human child to suckle you know if I grow even more.”

A slight chuckle escaped Joseph as he looked at Maria's nipples poking through her fur now. At her current size Joseph wasn't quite an infant to Maria. If she were to put on another meter or two he most assuredly would be though. Even now her nipples were quite large. “I can see that being necessary. I suppose that I would have to.”

Maria gave a gasp whenever Joseph took her nipple into his mouth and began to lightly suck on it. His left arm remained extended so that his hand could stimulate her nipple and his right now pressed into her breast. As Joseph squeezed her breasts Maria ran her left hand along his spine and around the back of his neck. A chuckle escaped her whenever she noticed how Joseph's hair felt. “We've been so caught up in our work that I didn't notice you need a trim.”

Instead of letting up on Maria's nipple Joseph extended his legs and pressed his feet against Maria's stomach. His toes weren't nearly as sensitive or as dexterous as his fingers he but still tried his best to trace the outline of her abdominal muscles. A task that had been quite simple even before she had grown. Would she actually end up so large though that he couldn't work her breasts and stomach at the same time even using this method?

Now Maria found herself unable to use her mouth to play with Joseph. Her tail was busy holding him and her feet were occupied as she continued to stand. The feeling of supporting Joseph's entire weight while he explored her body was giving Maria a rush though. At least she still had her hands. Reaching down Maria pressed up on Joseph's balls. She could feel his response in the way he was sucking on her nipple and messaging her breast. Pressing her thumb against his balls she began to lightly move them about between her fingers. Her fingers constantly teased his penis as she smiled down at him. “I love you Joseph. No need to stop.” As she spoke Maria pressed her left hand against the back of Joseph's head to keep it from pulling away from her breast.

“I enjoy being able to hold you like this. I know that as I grow I'm going to lose certain things. Yet when I think of what I'm gaining I feel such a rush. I want to know that I could stop anything from harming you or this forest. I guess I'm a long ways off from that but it's a nice goal to strive for. I'm sure we'll find other fun things to do as well.” It seemed Joseph was getting better at using his feet as she spoke to him. Maria could feel his toes pressing into her stomach with a a confident pressure now.  The feeling of them teasing the top of her crotch was sending shivers up her spine as well. Joseph was learning to improvise. “I wonder what we'll come up with if I do end up growing to matron size. You'll need to tackle one little bit of me at a time.”

Finally Joseph released his lip lock on Maria's nipple as she removed her hand from the back of his head. Instead of letting her breast go he pressed his face between them and reached out to either side of himself. As he embraced Maria's breast he pulled them together to better swallow up his head. It actually seemed like Maria could smother him by doing this for a moment if she were to restrain his arms and press them together. As he held this position Joseph began to kiss between Maria's breast pressing his lips against both of them at the same time. Her moan shook his entire body and he could swear that he felt it through her chest. As he relaxed his hold he looked up at her smiling face from between her chest. “Be careful when you nibble me at that size. At times you take a little more then I believe you realize?”

“Do I? I wonder.” A slight chuckle escaped Maria as she lowered Joseph further down her body. Instead of pulling him away from herself she held him closer that she could feel his smaller body gliding over her own. The feeling of his penis pressing against her stomach as it came closer to her vagina made her all the hotter. It was a heat that radiate from her vagina and seemed to infuse her entire body. Maria's top teeth came down on her bottom lip lightly sending a bit of pain from her head down to the wrest of her body to help counter the pleasure that was threatening to overcome her. She wanted to hold out a while longer. Joseph had pressed his hands into her side and was tracing the contour of her muscles as she lowered him while his feet pressed into her thighs. “I wonder what we'll do if I do become that large. I believe I'd enjoy having you climb me.”

“We can do that now.”

“Oh I know but I'm a little too small to give you a real challenge at the moment.”

The fact that Maria had defined herself as small made Joseph chuckle as he looked up at the underside of her breast then between them to her smiling face. “Do you think you could hold me up with just your chest?”

“OH that is a fun idea! I'm not sure if I could keep you from slipping from them but it'd be a lot of fun trying!” As she spoke Maria finally lowered Joseph so that his head was below the level of her breast. It felt like her lips were trying to take hold of his penis now that it was so close. A sharp gasp escaped her though whenever she felt Joseph press three of his fingers firmly against her lips and within her. Maria's body locked up while he smiled up at her. Joseph's normally methodical methods had left her unprepared for this and a loud moan escaped her as pushed his fingers into her all the deeper and spread them against her flesh. Instinctively Maria tightened her vagina on his hand forcing his fingers back together even as she began to pant.

He would have to thank Dan for the advice later. There was no way that Joseph could hope to match Maria's endurance. He didn't even know if he could get her off before cumming himself if he relied only on his penis. It was clear that she wasn't going to allow him to use any oral techniques though as she continued to hold him a lot. As he began to pump his fingers into her vagina Joseph reached up above his head and took hold of the nipple of her left breast. His middle and index finger came to wrest on either side of her nipple while his thumb pressed firmly against her nipple and began to rotate it. As he did this he brought himself forward and pressed his lips firmly against Maria's abdomen.

The force and speed with which Joseph had began to pump his fingers into her vagina had caught Maria off guard. Pleasure fogged her mind and for a moment she lost track of what she was doing as the heat from your crotch radiated out through her body. Her right hand wrapped around Joseph's penis completely engulfing it while her left reached behind him and pressed against his rear. “That feels so good!”

Was it Maria's tail that pulled him forward or had she pushed her crotch forward? Joseph didn't know but in an instant her vagina had swallowed up his entire hand. The fact that her vagina seemed to take hold of his hand and try to pull it further within was what caught him off guard. It's succeed was what truly surprised him as for a moment he couldn't begin to move his hand. He could feel her body trembling now and could only hope that if she was to fall she wouldn't fall on top of him. Despite her shivering body though she seemed to be holding her ground. As her vagina relaxed its hold on his arm instead of pulling it out Joseph pushed it even further within her. This seemed to be a good move as he heard a sharp gasp from Maria.

Maria's left hand didn't dare leave Joseph's rear. She wanted to give him as much leverage as possible as he continued to pump his arm within her vagina. Her left hand had began to anticipate Joseph's movements to an extent and tried to move with him to give him an advantage. Her right hand had left his penis as it pressed firmly into her body and moved to take hold of his left side both stabilizing and allowing her to feel his muscles working. “Oh that's it Joseph! Wow!”

Don't be afraid to be aggressive. As Joseph considered these words he opted to take a risk. His hand closed and he gripped his fingers against Maria's vaginal flesh as he drew his hand out. A loud moan slammed into her ears and her vagina locked his hand in place. He could feel her muscles tensing around his hand holding it with a firmness that he knew would have left his penis screaming in pain. A sudden rush of fluids flowed over his arm and soaked his lower body as he drew his arm out. At the same moment he could hear Maria panting and couldn't help but grin up at her as he removed his lips from her abdomen for a moment.  There wasn't time to talk though as Maria once again lowered him down her body. The feeling of his penis brushing against her lower lips told him to prepare himself. It felt like they'd pull his penis in much as they had done his arm.

Maria didn't push Joseph in immediately. Rather she lowered and raised him so that she could feel the tip of his penis brushing against her labia. She had to pull her hand back for a moment as he thrust forward then brought him in close again. This manipulation was clumsy as she felt his penis move about but that only added to the fun for her. As she began to insert Joseph's penis past her lips she felt her vagina tighten up around it. “I don't believe she wants to let you go now.”

“It's a good thing I don't want her to let me go then.” As he spoke Joseph leaned his head against Maria's body and lowered his hand from her breast. Reaching out on both sides of him he secured his grip against Maria's body as firmly as he could. As he firmed up his grip he was about to thrust into her whenever her hand pushed him forward thrusting him completely within her vagina. His grip grew all the tighter and he pressed his lips firmly into Maria's abdomen. There was no pulling back from this as Maria controlled his position. He didn't have to worry about that as she pulled her hand back and him with it. The feeling of her vagina tightening up around his penis as he was drew out made him shiver and he remembered the force with which she had gripped his hand. He hoped she wouldn't squeeze his penis that hard.

As Maria drew her hand back she placed her left behind Joseph's back to give him more support. This time when she pulled him into her body she was quicker with the withdraw. As much as she enjoyed feeling his arm within her there was a psychological aspect of having his penis within her that brought her pleasure even hire. Would this be the time she conceived a child? Maria doubted it but she quickly thrust Joseph back within herself. “If I start moving too fast be sure to tell me.” The feeling of Joseph's lips pressing into her stomach as she pumped him in and out of herself only seemed to make the heat radiating out into her body all the more intense.

He was going for a ride. As Maria pumped him into herself Joseph knew that all he could do at this point was hold on. His legs had limited use and his arms were holding onto Maria for all they were worth. As he pressed his head into her though he could hear her heart beating and her breath. The sound of Maria's excited heart beating was nothing like that of a humans. The rate at which the muscle worked would have put a humming bird to shame and he doubted any natural creature's heart beat with the same power. As she was pumping him into herself he could swear he felt the vibrations of that heart. Even as Joseph found himself astounded by Maria's body as usual he found himself fighting to hold out.

“I love you Joseph! I love feeling your body against mine and within it! I love that you want there to be more of me and you're prepared for the changes that will come with that! I love your sent and I love the way you're always watching out for me! I hate it whenever we part but I love knowing that we're going to meet again!” As she spoke Maria was pumping Joseph in and out of herself all the more quickly. Even if she couldn't kiss him due to their size difference she could speak to him. She could give voice to the thoughts that were racing through her head.

“I love you to Maria.” Unlike Maria Joseph's body wasn't able to handle the strain as well thus he couldn't speak as well. The fact that he was being moved back and forth quite rapidly was also a problem. If it wasn't for Maria's left hand keeping him stable and his own grip he doubted he'd be taking the ride so well. “I love your playful nature. Whenever you tease me or try to get past me. I love how you watch out for me and I love this wonderful powerful body of yours.”

Maria wanted to feel Joseph's hands against her chest as she thrust him into herself. In her current position and given their size difference that would have been too difficult for him. She wanted to use her own for a substitute but they were busy. It was frustrating but at the same time that frustration seemed to cause her pleasure to build to a greater intensity. Rather then just relying on her hands to push Joseph into herself Maria soon found herself thrusting against her own pushes to take him into herself all the more quickly.

It actually surprised Joseph whenever he felt Maria's body tense up and began to shiver. Typically his final moments was a desperate struggle to avoid cumming too soon. As he felt Maria's body responding though he allowed his own to respond. Feeling himself suddenly falling forward was still quite a surprise as Maria fell back onto their bed. The resulting thump was enough to make him very glad that he wasn't underneath her as he listened to her breathing. The fact that this only lasted for a few seconds while he still felt his heart racing reminded him again why it was important to get Maria off at least once before he released. “One of these days I'm going to truly exhaust you.”

Maria couldn't help but grin as she placed her hands on Joseph's back. “You're doing better these days. A lot of the time I'm desperately trying to get myself off before you give out.”

“Are you serious?” As he spoke Joseph found the strength to raise himself up a bit. As he did so he was surprised by how wobbly his arms felt. Apparently he had been holding onto Maria far more tightly then he had realized.

“Well yeah. How could I not notice how hard you try to hold out for me?” As she spoke Maria took hold of Joseph's sides and lifted him off her body being careful not to make the distance too great. It surprised even her how natural it felt whenever she brought him forward and began to settle him so that his upper body wrested against her breast. “That feels nice. Joseph I know that you always try to bring me to release at least once. You then try to hold out until the second and even the third time.”

“I guess we both have to look out for one another. I know it must be frustrating to always be so careful about your strength and claws when we're together.”

“I don't know. I have to be more careful these days but I've never been able to truly let myself go.” Instead of continuing Maria gave her shoulders a dismissive shrug. “You on the other hand. I know being with me has to be a different experience then being with another human. I'm larger. I'm fluffier. I also put a lot more demand on you then they do.” It surprised Maria whenever Joseph gave a sharp snort. “What was that?”

“I don't know about that last part. Especially considering some of the women I've met in the past.”

“Oh!” It was impossible for Maria not to grin as she placed her right hand against Joseph's back to make sure he couldn't get up. “Care to give me some details?”

“I'd rather not.”

“Oh come on! In what ways is a human woman more demanding then me?”

“Well for one thing they don't give as clear of signals in many cases. I have to admit that part of me likes being the one hunted in this situations rather then the hunter.”

A slight chuckle escaped Maria as she nodded her head. “Well I can see how that would be an advantage.”

“Plus I don't remember you ever using sex as a weapon or bait. Well except for when you're using sex because you want sex. There was this one woman who thought to use a few alchemical enhancers. Some very expensive materials were needed to make them and she wanted to pay using other means. I had neither the desire or ability to afford her request and she took it very personally.”

“She tried to pay you with sex? Isn't that insulting?” By now Maria could feel that her body had essentially recovered. As she listened to Joseph's heart and breath while taking in his scent she knew that he hadn't. This wasn't due to having sex with her though. His body was already showing signs of fatigue before that. He was still working quite intensively on something. Since he had began working at the citadel though it was hard for her to keep track of everything that he was doing. She knew that he had taken the information he gathered from his work with the glyph and was working on refining it but was he truly putting that much work into it?

“Why would it be insulting?” Joseph had to take a moment to adjust his position. As much as he liked wresting his head against Maria's chest he also wanted to be able to look at her face. The moment he did he could swear that nothing had happened. Her breathing had returned to normal and she was showing no signs of fatigue. Just a few minutes of laying down and any indicator that they'd just made love was gone. The notion of exhausting her was seeming even more unlikely as he considered what it would take.

“Well isn't it like she's saying that you're so desperate for sex that you'd be willing to give her such a valuable item? You said you couldn't afford to do that after all. That or maybe she just had such a high opinion of herself that she considered it worth it.”

“From how angry she became I believe it's the second.” Something about his words must have struck Maria as funny as he felt her chest shaking lightly. After a moment of consideration Joseph found himself raising up and pulling his entire upper body atop Maria's chest. The feeling of her right nipple poking into his chest was yet another reminder of how quickly she recovered. He had no doubt that she was prepared to go again. Unfortunately his arms were just beginning to let him know how much stress he had put on them while holding onto her. His right arm also seemed to be telling him how hard it had been worked inside of her vagina.

For a moment Maria said nothing as Joseph settled atop her right breast as if it was a medium sized pillow. After a moment of looking at him her mouth broken into a toothy grin. “I kind of wish that was all of you wresting right there.”

“Mm your breast aren't that big.”

“Oh I know. I just thought it'd be neat if you could lay your entire body atop one of my breasts. I could cover you up with my hand give you a nice comfy bed to sleep on.”

“Just don't poke me with your nipple too hard.”

“Ah well. I'm sure if I was that big we'd find away around that issue. Then again perhaps you'd be using my nipple as a pillow instead.”

“How long until you wish that I could use your dimples for a pillow?”

“Oh I don't know about that one! I'd need a way to make sure you were safe and comfortable atop my titty and wouldn't fall off. Joseph I hope you don't mind me asking but what have you been working on? I know you helped with the distrusted but you're still showing signs of stress even with your glyph working out.”

It was a relief when Joseph knew he could answer Maria's question honestly. “I've been using the information gathered from you and Flora as well as the sisters that were killed and processed to design a more refined glyph. The second glyph isn't to replace the first one but it should aid you in directing energy into your body. Now that I have an idea of where to begin.”

“Ah! You mean that the next group of testing subjects won't have to suffer like I did?” As she spoke Maria gave a slight pout.

Was Maria seriously upset that the other sisters wouldn't have to suffer like she had? As Joseph looked at her face he was certain she wasn't. There was too much of a smile in that pout and it was too cute. She was just being fussy. “Unfortunately that's not what I meant. The first glyph is to get you going down the right path. Once you learn how to resist its influence though it's time to move on and begin really practicing with the other half. I'm a little worried about this one though as there is a very good reason for using a glyph of draining.”

“You don't want to trigger growth and in doing so make us dependent on the glyph.” By now Maria was no longer pouting and had relaxed again. Her right hand had also found Joseph's rear and was currently working on squeezing it while he was holding on to her breast. She doubted he realized it but his penis was hardening again. Hopefully she could have one more session before he was ready for sleep.

“That's exactly the problem. I've also been considering different techniques to improve your conditioning as well. Well that and working on designing a much larger glyph.”

“For teaching the matrons?”

“That's one of the reasons.”

“Huh? What's the other reason?”

Now it was Joseph's turn to grin. He could see that Maria was concerned with what he had in mind. “Well the glyph you're currently using doesn't allow for much movement. I'm hoping that I can make a larger glyph to give you more room for movement and allow other activities. I mentioned it to Vera and she even said she'd like to resume your training. Unfortunately it's not as easy as it sounds. Whenever you make a glyph larger you make the lines longer or thicker and that does influence the magic.”

“You have to be kidding me! She would have to be inside the glyph as well. How does she expect to continue teaching me to fight whenever we're having the energy drained out of us?” As Maria spoke she was truly concerned now. She had no doubt that Vera would at least try to continue her lessons if Joseph succeeded.

“Actually she seemed to believe that was a wonderful environment to continue your lessons in combat. She said that knowing how to battle in such a hostile environment could easily save your life eventually and should make fighting in the forest feel much easier. I mentioned that she would be under the glyph's influence as well but that only seemed to make her more eager. She said something about always being a bit fearful that she'd encounter a mage that had somehow found a weakness if your bodies and being upset that she hadn't been able to prepare for it before.”

Maria tried to hold it in but she couldn't help but groan. “So you're really working on this large scale glyph and not just messing with me?” Even as she was speaking Maria was certain Joseph was telling the truth. The tone of his voice and his body response indicated he wasn't joking. Unfortunately he didn't seem to be stressed enough about the questions for her to be certain. Joseph had become comfortable enough when joking with her that he didn't give the tells of lying so long as the joke flowed smoothly.

“I'm very serious Maria. Besides this way you'll be able to teach several sisters at once and even move around rather then having them each within their own glyph.”

“Who said anything about me teaching?”

“Maria. We talked about this earlier. That's part of the cost of being one of the first test subjects. I'm sure that Flora is going to be there to help you given that she was the second.” As he spoke Joseph gave the side of Maria's right breast a few quick pats. The feeling of the vibrations going through her breast and the pout Maria was giving him made it nearly impossible for him to keep from laughing. He knew that Maria wasn't looking forward to teaching but with first hand experience she would be a far better teacher then what he was.

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“Good grief you're a heavy girl!” As he spoke Dan was astounded by how heavy Dremera was. Currently the young girl had her arms wrapped around his neck and her head wresting on his shoulder. Her legs were also wrapped around him while he had his arms under her supporting most of her weight.  It was his first time packing Dremera and her purrs were shaking his entire body. It truly seemed they were making it more difficult to walk as he looked up at Mina. “I told you that she wouldn't hurt me.”

Mina was glad that her daughter hadn't taken a chunk out of Dan yet or sunk her claws into him but she was still keeping a close eye on them. Apparently Flora had mentioned to him that sisters learn rather quickly. After all the time they'd spent sleeping with Mina between them and other moments she was confident Dremera had gotten the message. No claws, teeth or hard squeezes on daddy. So far it seemed like she was right. To be certain though Mina had Dan drink a potion of iron skin before she'd let him carry their daughter. She didn't know if it would keep him from harm but she was certain it would buy her the time needed to separate them if the situation became dangerous. “I guess but she still shreds her toys so quickly!”

“Well yeah but no one has tried to teach her to be gentle with her toys. Isn't that right my big girl?” A delighted squeal escaped Dremera that surprised even Dan as he looked at his daughter. Apparently she had learned whenever her father was talking to her. To have him packing her as well really seemed to hit her happy button.”I guess you like it more then I thought you would! Oh but dang. Daddy isn't certain how long he's going to be able to keep this up before his arms and legs give out.”

For a moment Mina felt her fur stand up. She could still remember what had happened whenever they tried to get Dan's clothes away from Dremera. Hopefully she wouldn't do her father the same. Just to be certain though Mina found herself feeling of her side and noting the small satchel was still there. She had also required Dan to prepare three very powerful healing potions in the event that Dremera did get her claws or teeth into him. She felt herself relax a little bit whenever her hand told her the bottles were still there. “Now are you sure this is where we should be going?”

“I believe this is just what she needs. You know I would grab that tail of yours if my arms weren't occupied.” As he spoke Dan had noticed Dremera's tail flicking about. Several times he had worried she might take his legs out from  under him but she seemed to know not to smack him in the legs with it. “I swear Mina I feel like our daughter's purring is going to shake me to bits.”

“Well this is just about the hardest I can remember her purring.” As she spoke Mina couldn't resist reaching down and gently rubbing her daughter atop her head. She was a bit surprised whenever she heard Dan grunt. “Dan are you alright?”

“Yeah she just shifted her weight whenever she pushed up against your finger. Don't give her something to push up against please.” As he spoke Dan tried not to show how relieved he was whenever Mina removed her finger from Dremera's head. For a moment there he thought he would be going to the ground. “I'm glad you didn't allow me to become soft whenever I began working in the alchemy shop. I'd probably be laying on the ground by now.” At least now Dan could see their destination as he noted the door leading into Joseph's laboratory.

“I'm a bit surprised you haven't collapsed already.” As she spoke Mina moved ahead and opened the door for Dan. She didn't want to risk him stopping for fear that he might not be able to get moving again. He seemed to actually speed up once the door was open.

“Hey people!” As Dan spoke he looked around and noted Maria and Flora. Ridon and Joseph were a short distance away and Mira was there. We come visiting again.”

Immediately Maria set up. She had to resist the urge to run out of the circle and over to Dan as she noted him packing Dremera. “Oh my! You're already packing her around?”

“Already! No! If I don't do this now then it's never going to happen. My arms feel like they're about to come off.” As he spoke Dan was walked over to Joseph. “Okay Dremera this is my friend Joseph. I want you to behave yourself. No smacking him with your tail do you understand?” Dan knew there was know true way for Dremera to understand his words. She was still learning though she did seem as if she'd learned to understand the meaning of certain words. This especially held true for any word associated with a meal. He was hopeful that she would be able to understand his tone as he walked over to Joseph.

As Joseph remembered the switching Dremera had given him the last time he was a bit nervous. Considering how focused she was on her father though he doubted she was even aware of him at the moment. “Dan are you sure this is a good idea? She might do you like she did your pants considering what happened last time.”

“Of course I'm sure! Dremera is a good girl and a quick learner. Joseph do me a favor and come stand next to me. I was going to give you a hand shake but there is no way I can let go of Dremera right now and keep from dropping her.”

Flora, “I doubt you have to worry about that with the way she's holding onto you!” A slight chuckle escaped Flora as she noted the young sister and the way she was looking around. “You love your daddy don't you Dremera? You just don't want to let him go.” Flora couldn't help but giggle whenever Dremera gave another delighted squeal. Apparently the young sister was quite happy with all the attention especially considering how much of it was coming from her father.

“I can't believe I'm this nervous around a child.” As he spoke Joseph moved to stand beside and a bit behind Dan. It still took a moment for Dremera to notice him and immediately he noticed her nose curling up and a low hiss was heard from the sister. It surprised even him whenever a look of guilt passed over her face a moment later.

Dan, “No!” While he couldn't use his arms Dan fixed his face in a stern expression and looked strait into his daughter's face. He hadn't shouted but made sure he had given her a hard no. It was an expression he held even whenever Dremera looked back at him seemingly confused. He didn't know what to think whenever her cheeks were made to suddenly puff out. Instead of waiting for a response he moved closer to Joseph. “Okay set your hand on my shoulder.”

What was this person doing putting his hand on her father? As Dremera looked at Joseph and the proximity of his hand she wanted nothing more then to bite him. That or to switch him with her tail. Yet when she looked at her father she felt a deep dread within herself. His sharp word had really hurt her. What would he do if she did bite Joseph? It wasn't a question she wanted answered even as she looked at him and then her father. With nothing else to do she felt tears forming in her eyes and began to cry.

A sigh escaped Dan as he looked at Joseph. “Let's set down so I can use my arms. Come on Dremera. Let's give daddy's arms a break. No. I'm good Mina no need to take her.” As he spoke Dan made his way over to a seat Ridon had already prepared. It felt like his arms sung in relief as he settled into his seat and relaxed his grip. “So Joseph how goes the work? Is my Dremera going to get to live hunger free?”

“I'm not sure but don't you think you should do something about her crying?”

“Absolutely not. Anything I do at this point will just reinforce this behavior. She has to learn that sulking will not get what she wants. Just give her a little bit and she'll settle down. Wont you my fussy lady? Your mommy spoils you too much doesn't she?”  As he spoke Dan placed a hand on Dremera's head and gently rubbed it. He knew that Mina was staring at him after his last comment but he wasn't going to look at her just yet. “Now what do you mean you're not sure.”

“Well Maria and Flora are both showing good results to be honest. I've pretty much stopped feeding Maria extra food from my own supply and she's continued to function just fine.”

Flora, “I didn't know you'd done that.”

Maria, “We did it a little while after you scolded me over being dependent on the extra food Joseph was providing me.”

Flora, “Well I'm glad to here it and quite proud of you.”

Mira, “Yeah wait to go Sis.”

“Ah well thanks but it hasn't been much fun. I always got a naughty little thrill whenever Joseph would feed me extra.”

As the others were speaking it was clear to Mina Dremera was settling down. She still found herself sniffing the air for any signs of blood where Dremera might have gripped Dan too hard. She had learned a while back that he was good at hiding his pain when he felt there was a significant need. She was quite relieved whenever she couldn't see or smell any indicator of damage. She was still rather worried what would happen when Dremera began to roam. It actually surprised Mina whenever Joseph placed his hand on Dremera's back only to receive a sharp hiss.

“Don't worry Joseph keep petting her. This little lady isn't going to smack you as long as I have her.” As he spoke Dan reached behind himself and began to tickle Dremera's right foot. The hiss instantly vanished as she gave a sharp laugh. Her little leg pushed against his hand but she didn't kick. “That's my good girl.”

Maria, “Hey that's not fair!”

Mira had a big grin on her face as she looked at her sister. She had walked over to Dremera and began playing with her as well. Instead of just settling for that she quickly repositioned herself so that she was also blocking Maria's view. The fact that she heard a growl come from behind her made it nearly impossible for Mira to keep from laughing and pretend she couldn't hear Maria. “So you just needed your daddy to behave is that it? I guess chasing Joseph isn't worth it whenever you have your father to give you attention.”

“Woe now.” As Dan spoke he released his hold on Dremera as she released her hold on him. As she began to shift about in his lap he was reminded of her weight. She was being careful but she was still quite young. Fortunately his iron skin potion was holding so even when she placed her little knees on him it didn't truly hurt. A moment later she began to lower herself to the floor. “Are you ready to look around now?”

Joseph, “How in the world did you do that? Whenever I first met her she had a death grip on your pants.”

“Mina told me about that and the other times. Honestly I've never seen her behave like that. So long as I'm in the room she just seems to roam around. Now you should have seen me whenever I first picked her up a little while ago. She was sniffing and licking me most of the time. I swear I thought she was going to rub my skin off for a little while. I guess she gets tired of even me eventually so long as she knows I'm available.”

Flora, “It's quite likely that she held onto the pants because she knew Mina was going to take them away from her. They were something forbidden that reminded her of you so she found them even more amusing.”

Mina, “He makes it sound easier then it is. You should see what happens whenever he leaves the room. It can be such a nightmare whenever he leaves to go work in the laboratories to begin working. She's learned not to use her claws but well I'm glad Dan can slip out of his clothing quickly.”

Flora, “Oh that must make her so sad! For a sister to see her own father running away from her.” As she spoke Flora put a sympathetic tone to her voice as she looked towards Dremera.

Mina, “Oh he doesn't run! Once he slips free after I have a good hold of her he takes a few moments to comfort her. It is a real battle to keep her from taking hold of him again though. My arms and tail are just barely enough to contain her. We make sure that Dremera sees her father leaving and try to make sure she knows he'll be coming back.”

While they were talking Joseph turned his attention to Dremera. He was quite surprised whenever he saw that she wasn't crawling though she was on her hands and feet. Dremera's body was more in a pouncing position then a crawling one. The sound of her claws scraping against the floor and the speed with which she moved about was even more surprising. Rather then crawling she was pouncing around the room and at an extremely rapid rate. The site of the young sister's spine moving fluidly with each jump leading into another reminded him this wasn't the body of a human child. Her muscles and flexibility already allowed a form of movement a human just couldn't perform. “Flora is that how most sisters move around?”

It was impossible for Flora not to grin as she watched Dremera running around exploring the room. She had dashed over to the glyph's edge for a moment only to make a quick retreat to the far wall apparently searching for something. It was likely that she wasn't searching for anything in particular but was searching for something interesting. “Humans learn to crawl on all fours before you walk. In the case of us sisters we tend to learn to run on all fours before we learn to walk. It is one of our fastest forms of locomotion.” A sharp thump immediately drew Flora's attention back to Dremera. What she saw was a young girl covering her head near a wall. She knew what had happened. “Unfortunately learning to stop tends to come after learning to run.”

Joseph, “Ouch.”

Dan, “Mina don't.” As he spoke Dan took hold of Mina's tail. He could tell that she wanted to run over to Dremera to see if her baby was okay. He had watched his daughter play enough to know that she was already. Especially from the way she was rubbing her head. She wasn't rubbing her head because she was in pain. She was rubbing her head because she was embarrassed and frustrated. He released Mina's tail whenever Dremera gave a sharp hiss at the wall and quickly bounced back towards them.

Joseph, “Does that mean she's mad at the wall now.”

The sisters tended to see the brothers as delicate and in need in constant protection. It was an image they were working on removing. For someone as strong as Mina though she saw her own sisters as delicate and in need in protection. So to see her daughter collide with something as solid as a citadel wall it was hard to keep still. She was actually grateful that Dan was there to catch her. “No. The wall didn't take one of her favorite items from her after all. Well help in taking the item away. I wouldn't be surprised if she tried for.” A sharp scraping noise brought a grin to Mina's face that almost split in half. “Revenge.”

Joseph convulsed violently as he tried to keep himself from laughing. Dremera had put some distance between herself and the wall only to get a running charge and claw at the surface. Now she was standing on all fours with her back arched growling at it. The wall didn't seem frightened though and showed no sign of damage. “Okay now is that normal?”

Flora, “Nooo.” As Flora looked at Dremera she didn't know what the young girl was thinking. While a young sister might hiss or growl at a toy growling at a wall was quite a bit stranger. The only time she'd seen Maria or Mira do that was when there was prey or they believed there was prey on the other side of the wall. “Mina do you have any idea what's going on?”

“Perhaps she's upset that she wasn't able to leave any scratch marks in the wall?” As she spoke Mina finally began to walk towards Dremera. “Come on honey quit trying to frighten the wall. You don't want to know what would happen if it ran away.” For a moment Mina just looked at the wall. The way Dremera was bent over in her arms it seemed to suggest there was something there she wanted. After a moment of close inspection and not being able to see anything other then a wall she turned to pack her daughter back to the others. Despite her intentions though she didn't stop Dremera from struggling free after only a few steps. “Well if you want to stand there and be angry with the wall that is your choice.”

Instead of returning to the wall Dremera quickly made her way back over to Dan. The force with which she pushed her body against his leg surprised him as he smiled down at his daughter. “Well climb back up if you want in my lap. That or are you just coming over here for a visit. Just a visit I guess.” Dan had a big smile on his face as Dremera quickly moved over to Joseph. The fact that Joseph appeared a little nervous wasn't surprising. What was surprising was whenever Dremera pushed her side up against Joseph's leg much as she had done him, gave a soft hiss and then dashed over to Mira.

Joseph, “What was that!” Joseph didn't know what to say. When Dremera had first came over to him and began to rub against him he had thought she wanted to play. Before he could do anything though she had hissed and ran back to Mira. Had she forgotten who he was for a moment?

It had worried Maria whenever Dremera had hissed at Joseph. While it would have only taken her an instant to dash over to him she was a bit worried about spending so much time within a glyph of draining. Her legs were never quite the same whenever she first stood up after spending time within the glyph. The fact that upon hissing Dremera had quickly sprinted over to Mira made it even stranger. “Joseph I believe that might be Dremera's way of greeting you now.”

“Well that's confusing. How am I suppose to know when she's angry?”

“Well that might be the point. Maybe she likes making you nervous but knows she's not allowed to attack you?” It was impossible for Maria not to chuckle as she considered the implications. “Mom what do you think?”

“Well it is possible that she likes making him nervous and learned that hissing at him does that. After what happened with Dan and the way she ran over to you I thought she was over her anger.” Even Flora couldn't help but chuckle as she considered what this could mean. “Then again maybe she is over her grudge but during that time she learned it's fun to make you nervous.”

Instead of commenting Joseph found himself walking towards Dremera. “Is that what you're doing Dremera have you learned to enjoy frightening me?” There was no attempt on Joseph's part to be subtle. As he walked over to Dremera he spoke to her to make sure she noticed him. He didn't hide his intentions as he reached down and placed his hand on her head gently rubbing it as he did so. It was also intentional that he used the hand he'd set on Dan's shoulder a short while before. The feeling of Dremera pushing up against his hand with her head and her body vibrating as she purred seemed like good evidence that she'd given up on her grudge.

Flora, “It's kind of annoying isn't it Mina?”

“The fact that Dan was able to convince Dremera to forgive Joseph in a few minutes when I've been trying for several weeks now.”

“Don't think of it like that Mina. You've been laying the ground work this entire time after all. I just added the last few details.” As he spoke Dan finally found himself able to stand up. His legs still felt the affects of packing Dremera for so long but some of his strength had returned. It was enough that he could walk over to her and not worry about falling on his face. “Woe!”

Dremera hadn't meant to bump into her father with quite that much force. As she pushed her body against his legs though excitement took over. She could tell that her father was better wrested then he had been a moment ago. His thumping had calmed down a great deal and he was standing again. Immediately she knew that she'd made a mistake though as she heard him give a slight shout and noticed his position shifting. She felt the shock waves before she saw her mother. Before her father could even begin to fall her mother was behind him supporting him with one hand. Immediately she backed off fearful that she'd been too rough.

“Thanks Mina.” Dan didn't take more then a moment to straiten up. “Careful there young lady your daddy is still on wobbly legs.”

Flora, “I believe she was waiting for you to get up. Perhaps she wants you to pack her around some more.”

“I'm not quite ready for that one yet. Hey Dremera come over here and meet Ridon. He's been quiet this entire time.”

As Dan led Dremera over to him Ridon grinned. “I was fine watching. Besides someone has to keep an eye on Maria and Flora while that bundle of energy has you distracted. Hey there Dremera it's nice to meet you.” As he spoke Ridon bent at his knees bringing himself closer to Dremera's level. “Hm I guess she isn't that interested in me.” Despite Dan's leading Dremera over to him the young girl had quickly turned away and sprinted back towards her mother. He wasn't so hurt whenever Dremera leaped into the air and took hold of her mother's tail with fang and claw. “Which given what she just did I'm quite okay with.”

Mina gave an amused giggle as she brought her tail around to look at her daughter. “I believe someone is ready to hunt.”

Flora, “By the makers Mina have you been teaching her to do that?”

“Well I've been playing with her using my tail. I mean it's one of the softest parts of my body and she sure seems to like attacking it.”

“I hope that you're teaching her not to do that with everyone's tail. I swear the first time Maria did that to me I was worried she might have taken a chunk of my tail with her.”

At first Mina said nothing. She was teaching Dremera that she had to be careful when playing with brothers. The notion that she might be letting Dremera be too rough when playing with herself hadn't really set in. “Oh that is a good point. I guess that could make it more difficult finding a care taker for her.”

Mira, “You need a care taker for that little ball of energy? Does that mean you're ready to rejoin the wrest of us?”

Mina gave her head a nod even as she began to run her fingers along Dremera's side tickling her. She could feel her daughter's claws and teeth pushing into her tail even more firmly as she tried to strengthen her hold. “Well sort of. I'd like to have a few hours a day to spend practicing with the matrons.”

Mira, “I'm pretty sure that I could handle her for a few hours.” As she spoke Mira had walked over to Dremera and gave the sister's tail a quick flick. The speed with which Dremera's tail struck back surprised her even though it wasn't enough to catch her. “Wow she must have practiced using that on Joseph a lot! I heard a little snap there.”

Mina, “It isn't just Joseph. She tends to use it to get hold of her father as well and to try to get free from me.” By now Mina had really began to work her daughter. She could feel the little girl's body shaking as she tried to repress her laughter and maintain her grip. It seemed success had come whenever she felt Dremera loosen her grip but it quickly tightened up and brought two more bites to Mina's tail. “Are you being more viscious then normal because your daddy is here? Are you trying to show off how tough you can be?”

Maria, “So I tried to do that to you mom?” As she spoke Maria couldn't help but smile. Even while feeling the energy being pulled from her body watching Dremera play with her mother was entertaining. The fact that Maria didn't feel the drain nearly as much as she first did also helped.

“If I had ever let you get that far you might have. I would have given your little bottom a few smacks by now. Now Mira are you sure that you have the time needed to take care of Dremera? Tending to a young sister is a very involved process leaving very little room for anything else.”

“Yeah. I'm sure I could spare the time.”

“Okay. Well if Mira can't do it feel free to ask me Mina so long as I'm not within this glyph.”

“What about Alex?”

Flora actually felt her teeth parting into a rather toothy grin as she looked at Mina. “I was thinking I could let Dremera play with him. Perhaps she could practice what she started with Joseph.”

Mina, “Flora! That would just be asking Dremera to learn the wrong lessons. I'm not going to have you teaching my daughter how to torture someone until she knows what a brother is and what a dirty lying manipulative beast in a human's skin is.” By now Mina really was making progress. She could feel her daughter shaking and finally her mouth opened in a delighted squeal despite her best efforts. Mina was now attacking Dremera's tickle spots including her soft little tummy and the young sister was fighting desperately to maintain her grip.

Flora, “Oh alright! No using Dremera as an instrument of learning.”

Joseph, “I believe you mean torture.”

For a moment Flora said nothing but just looked at Joseph. Her smile didn't begin to fade in the least. “Torture is cruel and the brutality exceeds what is required. I assure you that such interaction would benefit the individual far more then harm. You have a good point though Mina. Still a few of my claimed have been helping me out.”

Mina, “That is right. You still have a few trusted claimed you take care of. I suppose you couldn't expect Alex to do much if he didn't have anyone to work with.” The sound of her daughter laughing made Mina laugh and she quickly scooped up the young girl the moment she felt her arms and legs give out. “Mommy has you! Yes I do! Yes I do you mean little rascal!” By now Mina was lightening up on tickling Dremera and allowing the young girl to settle down. She was still coming down from her tickling and seemed to have plenty of laughs in her even as Mina set her back down. “I swear Flora it feels so strange to be so much larger then my own daughter. I remember whenever you had Maria and Mira. An extra meter can change a lot in how you feel can't it?”

“I have no idea. I'll let you know whenever I have my third daughter.” It felt strange for Flora to speak of having a third daughter. In truth she was amazed that she had two so close together and considered herself fortunate to do so. She still had many decades left in her though and the possibility of having another child was there.

“With the way you've been producing children it wouldn't be surprising. If you two are any indicators your mother is due to become pregnant again rather soon.”

Maria, “That is true. You do seem to have a child every twenty years.” As she spoke Maria turned to her mother who had a grin on her face.

“That isn't true. I was much older then twenty whenever I gave birth to you Maria. The fact that your sister came shortly after you underwent the long sleep was a one time event. If you're any indicator of the time it takes me to become pregnant then I still have quite some time to wait.”

Mira, “I don't know about that mom. How much time did you spend trying to convince a child before you conceived Maria?”

“Oh well.” A slight chuckle escaped Flora as she looked between her two daughters. “I just hope that you two are as fertile as I was. Actually it would be better if you could be a bit more fertile. I would love to see my grandchild soon and you know they aren't many young sisters for Dremera to play with right now.” By now the young girl had calmed down and Mina had set her down. Flora was keeping a close eye on the girl despite her apparent forgiveness of Joseph. After the incident with the ball Flora wasn't going to underestimate Dremera's cunning. It was possible that the young girl was waiting for everyone to relax their guard before she went after Joseph again.

While the larger females spoke Dremera made her way back over to her father. This only required three rapid hops from the young girl. Her experience from before insured she knew to take the final hop easy so that she could retain control. She didn't want to bump into her father the same way she had slammed into the wall. As she came to be next to him Dremera quickly raised up onto her hind legs and placed her hands on her father's stomach. At the same time her tail wrapped around his leg to hep her maintain her balance. Walking on two legs was still much harder then walking on all four limbs and slower as well.

Dan had noticed whenever Dremera came to stand next to him and braced himself. As he felt Dremera's hands pressing into his stomach he looked down at her and began to bind at the knees. “Hey there little lady do you want to be carried for a bit? Well I believe my arms have recovered enough for a little while.” As he reached down Dan took in a few deep breaths. He was a bit surprised whenever Joseph took hold of Dremera from behind.

“I'll help you get her up.”

“Thanks if you don't mind be there for me to lean on as well. I'd normally let Mina do it but we're trying to build some positive association here. Okay little lady up you go.” As he spoke and began to lift Dremera Dan was hit with the notion that Dremera felt heavier then she had before. This wasn't because of her growing in mass though but rather the fact that he hadn't recovered yet. He was grateful whenever he felt Joseph helping lift her. Despite the strain he still had to chuckle as Dremera first looked at him then over her shoulder at Joseph and back and forth several times. It was clear she wasn't certain what to think of the situation. He couldn't help but chuckle whenever she gave Joseph a hiss then purred a little. “I believe she's confused.”

Joseph, “You think so?” Joseph could still remember how much it stung to be smacked with Dremera's tail and he had no doubt that those claws and teeth of her could take a good chunk out of him. Yet despite her hissing at him he wasn't fearful of her attacking him at the moment. It seemed fairly clear that with Dan around she wasn't going to attack him. At least so long as he didn't do anything to provoke her. It also seemed quite clear she was conflicted at the moment especially whenever she felt her continuing to purr when she looked back at him. “Good grief Dan your daughter has a healthy purr. Are you sure you won't be shaken apart?” Joseph actually was spooked a little whenever Dremera added a hiss to her purr. “Dan was that what I thought it was?”

Mina, “By the creators! She just hissed while purring.” While she had meant to keep back while Dremera was with Joseph and Dan Mina couldn't help but walk over to her. Her first instinct was to rub her daughter's back but she wasn't certain if she should encourage such behavior. “At this point your poor old mom is never going to know when you intend to attack someone or when you're just being silly. Flora have you ever seen a girl that was this hissy?”

Even Flora was chuckling as she noted Dremera. By now Dan had a good grip on her and Joseph had backed off a bit. Typically she would tell Joseph to pay attention to his experiment especially given that her daughter was part of it. Flora even found herself thinking that they may have been within the glyph for longer then was planned. As she considered her own condition and Maria's though she was certain there would be no harm in spending a little longer. Especially with a distraction like Dremera in the room. “Mina I believe that might just be a side affect of her amazing grudge holding skills. I swear it's as if she considers Joseph a friendly person but she still wants to say she's angry with him. I'm angry with you but I want you to pet me.”

Joseph, “How does that work? Well more importantly does that means she's going to go back to attacking me once Dan leaves.” After the first few moments with Dan in the room Joseph had believed they may be able to convince Dremera to forgive him. Now it seemed like she was treating holding a grudge as if it was a game. This thought brought a rather large grin to Joseph's face. It seemed like something he could live with so long as she didn't attack him. Dremera's hissing was extremely cute so long as she couldn't truly threaten him.

Flora, “I. I don't think so. This is just so strange! Ah well. Ridon how much longer do we have to remain within these glyphs? I've been waiting to give that little lady's tail tip some flicks for a while now.”

Mina, “Ah! You here that Dremera? Flora is going to flick your tail!” As Mina chuckled she took a step back from her daughter who was actually looking a little confused at the moment.

While the others had been talking Ridon had turned to the timer. Immediately he realized they'd made a mistake. “Whoops. Okay everyone out of the glyph now. Mira, Mina if you don't mind give them a hand they tend to be a bit wobbling after their sessions.”

End Book 7