Chapter 44 39. Care

“So I keep meaning to ask,” Safraxi pondered to her rider, as they made their way through the halls of the palace to Sel’Ifis’s office. “what’s the orange mark on her wrist?” The dragon was back to Fraxi now. Safi took some time to figure out how to go back, but eventually just politely asking seemed to strangely do the trick. Fraxi didn’t understand it any more than Safi. At least she could remember the important points from Safi’s time out, like bullet points on a list.

“It’s a heatmark.” Tifse groaned and leaned against her dragon’s neck. “She thinks she’s sooooo special for it, too. Father never would have let her be his heir if she didn’t have it.”

“Wait, heatmark?” The dragon stopped and whipped her head around to stare at her rider. “You’re joking, right?”

“Umm… no? It’s real.” Tifse tilted her head. “A heatmark comes from when someone survives the intensity of the desert heat, or something like that. How have you not heard of one?”

“It doesn’t get that hot up north I guess.” She shrugged and rolled her eyes. “And people… like? Heatmarks? Why? Isn’t it the same thing?”

Tifse sat straight up and put on a serious expression. “Well yeah! Instead of being tainted by the cold they’re anointed by the warmth that keeps us alive!”

“Do you even know how you sound right now, Pipsqueak?” Safraxi nipped gently at her ear. “You sound like your dad.”

“I do not!” Tifse fumed and reached up to bat away the nibbles, but stopped at the last second and rubbed her dragon’s snout instead. “Seriously! That’s totally different!”

“How?” Safraxi opened up and planted a long wet lick across her rider’s right cheek and ear. “You’re shitting on coldmarked people again. Do you think I’m tainted or whatever?”

“Uh- well…” Tifse squeezed her eyes shut as the tongue rasped over her. “I… I guess not. But I… I really was different after.”

“Or they just saw you differently.” Safraxi snorted and continued her prior pace again. “I always felt more like I was treated different than I was different.”

“But you were a thief for so long. You still are!” The fox used a spell to dry her cheek off, but it only led to her fur becoming stiff and sticking together.

“It wasn’t an easy decision for us to start stealing, you know.” She glared back. “I survived by eating garbage and begging for spare change until I met Magli. She’s the one who showed me a better way, but it took convincing.”

“But- a heatmark is… it’s a blessing. That’s what everyone says.” For what little it was accomplishing she was still raking her claws through her fur, trying to get it to look right again.

“Then how come she’s a way bigger bitch than you are. She’s been nothing but shitty to everyone here, especially you and Magli.” Safraxi stopped outside the office of the woman in question and glanced back again, pointedly. “It sounds to me like they’re the same. Two sides of a coin or whatever.”

“I don’t think…” The fox trailed off as the door to Sel’Ifis’s office creaked open, and the older fox within stepped out to glare at the two of them, the office behind her still obscured by the door.

“Are you two coming in or not?” Tifse’s sister crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, tail swishing. “I don’t have all day. You said you would be here nearly an hour ago ago.”

“Something came up.” Tifse hopped down from Safraxi’s back. “Safraxi was out running an errand when-”

“Isn’t it your duty to run errands for her?” Sel’Ifis scowled. “Or is there something I missed?”

“What you missed-” Safraxi had transformed and gotten up into the other fox’s face, “-is that some matters are important enough that you handle them yourself. Or are you so used to being waited on hand and foot that you’ve forgotten that?”

The elder fox stumbled back as an angry shapeshifted dragon got up into her face, but quickly regained her composure. “Can we just go inside and speak like adults? Need you resort to such a… barbaric display of bravado? I thought dragons were supposed to be noble.”

“We are. I think you just have your ideas of nobility twisted.” Safraxi stepped back and gestured for the fox to let them in.

Sel’Ifis merely scowled and stepped aside so the two could enter. Once rider and dragon were within the walls of her domain, she stepped in, closed the door, and locked it.

“Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you?” Tifse sank onto one of the cushioned stools in front of her sister’s desk.

“She started it.” Safraxi patted her rider’s head and settled in. “Well, you called for us?”

“Yes. I wanted to ask what you two are up to.” She settled in behind her desk to stare down the pair before her. “You’ve been going to seedy bars, taking different forms and different faces, skulking about the library. You’re plotting something.”

“Do you have a rule against going to the library here? I didn’t see a sign for it. Then again, I don’t speak Stefaian.” Safraxi rolled her eyes. “And come on, if dive bars were illegal you’d have closed that one a long time ago. I just find them cozy.”

“And what have you to say, Tifse?” Sel’Ifis centered her ire on the party she knew was more susceptible.

“I-” The rider squirmed under her sister’s burning glare. The intensity of the heat in her eyes was enough to make her sweat in her seat. “-we wanted to… do some research on local law is all, maybe find some beginner texts to teach Safraxi how to speak Stefaian. I’ve been giving her lessons, since she’s supposed to be staying here.”

“Oh? What have you learned so far?” Sel’Ifis’s gaze landed on the dragon.

“Err-” Safraxi gulped. She could spin a lie, but she couldn’t fake a language.

“Repeat after me.” Tifse prodded her across the link. “Tr’bal. ‘Asi ‘aesir ilqafita.”

“Uhh- Truhbul. Aysee asser ilafi.” Safraxi stumbled through the unfamiliar syllables. “Why can’t you just take my mouth for a second and make me say it?”

“Because it’s more convincing if you’re awful.” The fox informed her smugly.

“That was… truly atrocious.” Sel’Ifis sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Do see that you practice more. You are butchering my beautiful language. Tifse, I thought better of your abilities. If she keeps talking like that I’ll need to find a tutor and relieve you of your lessons to her.”

“Alright, Pipsqueak, I’ll admit, I’m impressed with that lie.” Safraxi had to resist the urge to pull her into a hug. Her little fox was finally learning to be a scoundrel. She was so proud. Next she just needed her to steal something, but she was already working on it.

“Well, what about the shapeshifting then?” Sel’Ifis changed gears on her pseudo-interrogation. “We’ve seen you taking multiple variations of this form, and a Red fox with a white face. What are you getting up to with that?”

“Do you violate every dragon’s privacy like that?” Tifse shot up from her chair. “Have you leveled these sorts of questions at the prior residents?”

“Maybe that’s why they keep leaving. It’s very inappropriate.” Safraxi shook her head disapprovingly. “Leave it to mortals not to keep their attention to earthly matters. That heatmark has left your pride as swollen as a blister in the sun. And for your information, Sel’Ifis, shapeshifting is a challenging talent for a dragon to learn. I only discovered how recently, and am experimenting with how to best present myself to mortals.”

“I- I-” Sel’Ifis stammered at the remarks against her character. “I am only ensuring the safety and security of-”

“Are you implying that a granddaughter of Tiamat is a threat to the security of this city?” Tifse leaned onto her sister’s desk to look Sel’Ifis closer in the eye. “She may not be officially affiliated with the ministry, but that is blasphemous talk.”

“Now now, blasphemy may be extreme.” Safraxi tutted at her rider. “I think she’s allowing her personal relationship with you to blind her judgment. I can understand her concern, you are her little sister, and I’m sure she cares about you.”

“Yes! Yes, it’s that! My apologies, dragon.” Sel’Ifis bowed over her desk. “I will leave you to your business in the future.”

“You are getting so good at this, Pipsqueak.” Safraxi mentally giggled to her rider. “Of course, I apologize for jumping to such hasty conclusions. I see now you were merely blinded by the love for your sister. Now, if you could do something for me, I don’t know how your father’s schedule looks, but I need to speak with him.”

“Alright, we ready?” Safraxi counted the coins in her pocket again, on the following morning. Twenty five, just as they’d intended. It was probably overly generous, but there was always the chance that Alstif could be generous or humble, and lower the asking price.

Each coin was coated with a thin film of dragon saliva. Assuming that Alstif was a security minded man, and Tifse assured Safraxi that he was, at least a portion of the coins would go straight to his vault, wherever it was. Once it was there, Safraxi could easily track it by scent, and force open or pick whatever lock it had.

The only problem they had in planning with Magli and Idami was what to buy. Safraxi didn’t need property in the city when she could stay in the palace or the temple, she had no need of steel, as she was already equipped with rider armor and a rider blade in her bipedal forms, and Tifse had her own steel rider armor ready and waiting for her, should she ever take the time to return to Fellrock.

However, Tifse did have one idea, and no one else had a better one, so they were going with the fox’s.

“I hate being in this form so often… I can’t wait until we can get on the road and I can be myself again.” Safraxi groaned and stretched. “My shoulder blades are itching. I gotta let my wings out.”

“Want to go for a flight tonight? After we’re all done with this meeting with my father, that is.” Tifse opened another door for the dragon as they made their way to the chieftain’s office.

“Fuck it. He might not put the coins away immediately any- aw but- we gotta get Safi’s thing done, with the potion or whatever.” Raxi groaned and let her head hang back.

“She doesn’t have to be an biped for it. I can handle the payment and all.” Tifse stopped outside the office in question. “Ready to go in?”

“Yeah, fine. Let’s get this over with.” She reached up and knocked. “What a slimey, misera-” She quickly swapped to her mouth as Alstif answered. “Well there he is! Thanks for allowing us to meet so soon, sir. May I come in?”

The fox man lifted an eyebrow at her, but stepped aside for them to enter. “I do hope this does not have to do with our negotiations on your services. You promised me more time.”

“No, no, nothing of that sort.” Safraxi sank into a chair and brought her fingers together in a pose that made her feel most most intelligent looking. “I would like to apologize. I came on rather strong the other night. I believe that I claimed full ownership of my rider prematurely. Therefore, in the custom of your people, I propose a um… a reverse dowry.” She wasn’t sure how to actually pronounce the Stefaian term.

“’Iasata situd thru’os.”Tifse coughed, before clamming up again. Safraxi was supposed to be doing the talking here.

“You propose to buy my daughter as if she were your bride?” Alstif leaned back into his chair and brushed a knuckle against his chin. “It is unusual, I’ve never heard of a dragon going through these channels before, but… Let’s hear the offer.”

“Twenty five gold.” Safraxi tossed the little leather sack onto the desk. She expected it to make a more satisfying jingling sound, but they had crammed the coins in too tightly, and instead it made an unpleasant thud against the wood. “It’s overly generous, but I would like to have a good working relationship.”

The chieftain considered. Safraxi could see the gears turning in his head. She knew that she was probably offering way more than Tifse was ‘worth’ according to these people, but she couldn’t bring herself to try and argue that her girl was a cheap commodity. This whole thing was a sham, but at the end of the day, there was something exciting to her about it. They weren’t actually going to run out and get married, like you normally would for a reverse dowry, but having Tifse be hers like this… it made her want to squirm in her chair and giggle like a girl half her age.

Tifse, to her left, was in a similar boat. The plan was so absolutely absurd. Safraxi already had a perfectly absolute claim over her. A reverse dowry was just a bunch of bullshit being strung together to lead them to her father’s vault. His authority to grant ownership of her to Safraxi wasn’t something she cared about anymore. This was all about the scheme now.

“Twenty gold should do just fine.” He loosened the top and removed five coins to pass back to Safraxi. “You surprise me yet again. You are a wyrm of business. You may be an even better fit for resident than I realized.”

Safraxi’s lip curled into a smile. “You honor me. Now, I’ve taken enough of your time. I realize how much preparation you need to get done for the negotiations. I’ll let you get back to it.” She stood and bowed. Tifse followed suit, doing her best to look miserable and not let a devious grin shoot across her features. They just had to give it time, he wouldn’t deposit it immediately, and soon enough the vault would be theirs.

“Alright, alright. What are you dragging me all the way out here for?” Magli grumbled as she tailed Safi through the crowded streets of Salifir. “You’ve never tried to surprise me before.”

It was that afternoon, now. Alstif still hadn’t moved the coins out of his office.

“Well, you also didn’t really meet me before, so…” Safi was having trouble knowing how to talk to Magli. She did have memories of her time in Arghold, but… they didn’t feel like her’s. It felt as if she was just told the story by someone else, but she still did care for the moose. “I know we caused a lot of trouble for you, a-and even if it wasn’t… um… well. I’m trying to help make it right.”

“Is it going to be quick at least? I thought we had more lessons tonight.” The moose eyed the various various shops they were passing, trying to guess where they were going. The headache cure had done its job well. Magli was already raring to go on more lessons. She almost said no to Safi’s surprise.

“Well… not exactly.” Tifse was trying to avoid giving too much information as well. “There will probably be a bit of standing and waiting around, but we can practice telepathy in the meantime.”

“What could be so important that we’re coming out here?” She glanced around and leaned over to Safraxi. “What if they’re moving it now?”

“Then we’ll find it later. This is important.” Safraxi beamed at her. “Believe me, with my nose it won’t even be a challenge. I wanted to do something nice for you in the meantime. It’s going to be two stops, actually.”

“Two?” Magli rubbed her stump against her chin. Sel’Ifis had returned the rest of her things, except for Magli’s haphazard prosthesis. The fox had simply claimed she ‘assumed it was garbage’ and had it disposed of. “Do we have the time for that?”

“I got them both started ahead of time. It will just be a little longer once we’re there.” She did a little twirl and stopped out front of the alchemist shop again. “We’re here!”

Magli stopped short and stared up at the shop before her. “I- you can’t really mean…”

“Yup! I- a lot of the conversation in the cell was fuzzy for me but…” Foxxy rubbed her shoulder, starting to look bashful. “I do remember you mentioning the potion. Th-the one that gives you the body you want, I mean. T-Tifse got one too, and I just think… you should have a chance too. So consider it a small repayment for what we did to you?”

The moose stared at the front of the shop for a long moment. Safraxi could make out a mix of disbelief, contempt, and longing. The dragon-fox was beginning to wonder if she had made a mistake. Finally, Magli spoke again. “What are you playing at? What do you want from me?”

Foxy tilted her head at the question, ears pointing slightly back. “I just wanted to do something nice.”

“You and I already had a deal. I help you out and you-” She caught herself at the last moment before saying something out loud. “-you tell me your secret. What else do you want?”

“I’m just trying to do something nice.” The shapeshifted dragon reiterated as her ears flattened against her head fully. She didn’t remember Magli being the suspicious type like this.

“Why does that have to be so suspicious?” Tifse came to Safraxi’s defense. “She’s right, it’s been a long time coming for you. Why do you have to assume there’s some other motive going on? Did she never do anything nice for you in the past?”

Magli stood stock still and studied her old student’s face. Her own was back to being unreadable. Eventually her lips parted again. “You know this won’t mean I forgive you, right?”

Safraxi sputtered in surprise. “Y-you don’t? I-I-I-”

“You got other kids killed. Other kids we knew. You remember Triske? Skilt? Grumni? That’s only a few of them.” She began counting on her one hand. “There’s some I haven’t even tracked down! I don’t know what happened to them! If you think one potion is-”

Idami stepped between them and let out a low warning growl. “That’s enough. Either accept it or don’t.”

Magli winced and clutched her head a little at the mental contact, but she was getting better at mental communication. It didn’t hit her as hard as it did before. “I accept it. I just want to be clear. One gift doesn’t make up for all the harm you did.”

“I- I thought with Whiskers, that-” Safraxi stammered. She wasn’t expecting this kind of reaction. She had no idea what she could do. She cared about Magli. Did the moose even care about her anymore?

“Whiskers is a child. I’m not going to hold everything that happened against a child.” Magli crossed her arms and stared at the sign for the shop for a moment before moving towards the door. “Doesn’t mean I’m turning it down though. Just managing expectations.”

“It’s… it’s fine. You deserve something… something nice.” Safi stepped inside before Magli could say anything else. She didn’t want the moose to see how upset she was. Why did she think they were getting along better? “Alini, is it ready?”

“Almost, dear.” The old goat waved the group into the store. The interior smelled just as horrid as it did the day prior. Safraxi had to fight the urge to cover her nose with how potent the aromatics were. “Ah! Miss Tifse, it’s good to see you- oh. Hm. You are… shorter than the rest of your family.”

The desert fox squinted at the old woman. It was her first time actually coming to the shop with Safraxi. “I am, but… do I know you?”

“Well, it’s been nearly twenty years, but yes.” The old goat chuckled. “Your parents brought you here for your gender transformation potion too. You must have been what? Six? I’m not surprised you don’t remember.”

“She’s my rider.” Safraxi beamed. “And my um…” What would she call her? Wife? Girlfriend? Neither felt quite right. “She’s my mate.” Her cheeks flushed some at the word. She couldn’t stop her tail from flicking back and forth just a little as the words came out. Her ears couldn’t decide whether to stay up from excitement or down from being flustered.

Tifse reacted similarly to her dragon and nearly choked on her own spit as Safraxi said the words. “Y-yeah. I guess- I guess we are! But… what does my height have to do with anything?”

“I might have overdone it some when I made that potion for you, my lady.” Alini chortled and patted the desert fox on the head. “Lots to keep in mind making a potion like that, guess I messed up on the change in your height. If you want I can fix that for ya, no problem.” She patted the stunned and squat fox on the head before turning finally to Magli. “Are you the one I’ll be helping today?”

“Uh- y-yes ma’am.” The moose straightened up some at her gaze. Safraxi could tell just how uneasy she was with the situation. “I- S-Safraxi said she was-”

“Yes, yes. I have most of the preparation finished. I just need to know what you want out of it.” She returned behind the counter and began pulling out her tools. “It’s not so simple as just ‘swapping over’, a lot of people fail to realize that the body is so much more complicated than that, and there are a lot of gradients in between what people perceive as ‘man’ or ‘woman’. You just have to tell me what you are looking for beforehand.”

Magli stared at the woman and the vials sat before her for a long minute, seemingly stunned. After some time she managed to choke out the words, “I don’t- I don’t know. I never… thought I’d ever…”

“Take your time, miss. It’s a major decision.” She reached across to pat the moose’s hand. “Tifse, would you like to handle yours while she’s thinking?”

The desert fox seemed almost as surprised as Magli. “I-I- um… I don’t know. I think I’m actually pretty happy with my height.” She considered what she would have changed, if she could. Yeah, her parents had gotten ahead of themselves with the potion for her when she was a child, and she hadn’t gotten much of a say. There was one thing she always wanted to try but… was it worth it?

“Go for it.” Safraxi nudged her. “I think you’re cute this height, and I think the others do too, but if it’s what you want…”

“No, I don’t think that’s what I’m going for.” She pulled the taller fox down for a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, though.” With that discussion complete, she gestured for Alini to lean down closer, and proceeded to whisper into the old woman’s ear.

After a moment a sly smile crossed the goat’s lips, and she nodded emphatically. “That I can do for you, little lady.” She drew a knife and cut a little tuft of fur off of Tifse’s arm, before dropping into one of her vials, already prepared on the counter. “I can start on yours at the same time as this lovely lady, once she’s ready.”

Magli startled as the attention was drawn back to her. “I- um… could I have some privacy, everyone?” She eyed the two other people inside, and the dragon poking her head through the window. “I- it’s nothing against you, I just…”

“Hey, I get it.” Safraxi patted her old mentor’s shoulder. “We’ll be just outside, okay?”

Magli averted her gaze. “Right.”

The dragon faltered for a moment but stepped outside without another word. She still didn’t understand where they stood. The last few days had seemed… good. They weren’t as close as they once were, that was understandable, but that suspicion and hostility seemed… odd.

As she exited she transformed back to her dragon form and curled up against Idami. She’d been forced to use her anthronoid forms far too often lately. It was getting exhausting. She desperately wanted to get back on the road. “Thanks for standing up for me earlier. I still don’t understand her exactly…”

“Yeah. I think she’s got her own issues the same way you do.” Idami groaned and winced at the contact, and had to adjust herself. “I’m sure you’ll get through to her though.”

“Are you okay?” The blue dragon shot back a worried look to her aunt. “What was that just now?”

“Oh nothing, just sore.” Idami chuckled and bumped her nose against her niece’s. “Running around all of yesterday and then walking out here again took it out of me some. It’s nothing to worry about, really.”

Safraxi happily accepted the nose bumps, but still couldn’t shake her concern. It was becoming increasingly clear that she wasn’t meeting Idami’s physical needs. She wasn’t big enough to fly her somewhere else for exercise, this city was too crowded, and she didn’t know enough about dragon biology to help another hatchling. “You should be home, with your mom.”

“Hey now, we already talked about this. I’m here to help.” Idami shook her head again. “You’ve made great strides. I helped you out where I could, but I still see a long road ahead, especially with you and Magli.”

“Me and Magli is me and Magli’s business.” Safraxi snorted. “I can handle her myself. I’ve been through worse.” She stopped and considered for a moment before continuing. “I can even tell when I’ve become another version of myself. I’m ‘Raxi’ again, by the way. All I’m saying is we’re doing better.”

“Isn’t Raxi the one that’s pushed people away before?” Idami quirked an eyebrow. “You’re expecting me to listen to you when you’re the version of yourself that keeps burning bridges?”

“I am not-!” She growled and whipped her head back to look away. “I’d still visit. I’m not trying to get rid of you.”

Idami rested her head between a few of Raxi’s spines. It was difficult finding anywhere on the blue dragon’s body that wasn’t sharp and uncomfortable sometimes. She almost seemed spikier sometimes than others. “I’ll cut you a deal, Raxi. I’ll go home to Mom, IF, you can drop me off in Fellrock yourself, and at least say hi to your family. You don’t have to stay, it doesn’t have to be long, and you don’t have to talk with absolutely everyone and make it a big awkward reunion. See Amjazel and Emren, maybe Rubis if you’re up for it, and we can go our separate ways for a while. But, as soon as I can fly long distance like you, I’m going to track you down and check in on you. What do you say?”

Raxi considered the deal. She definitely wasn’t ready to talk with Rubis. At best, maybe Safi would be able to. She’d probably sprint over the horizon if the red dragon appeared unexpectedly, though. “Yeah. Deal. We can swing by before we go north. I can even say hi to Granny when I pass through.”

“Then the pact is sealed!” She bumped her horns against her niece’s. “We shall return to Fellrock together!”

A few minutes later, Magli returned to the outside, and the group spent some time chatting. Tifse and Safraxi wandered off for a few minutes to bring back some street food for everyone (it took a few tries to find someone who could provide a dragon sized amount of food, but they did it). Magli had become quiet. She only responded when spoken to, and seemed to be in another place.

Tifse and Raxi understood, at least. Getting a whole new body was a big step. The moose had a lot to think about. A change like that will always be something distracting.

“Soooo, Pipsqueak.” Safraxi leaned down to nip at her rider’s ears. “What’cha getting changed? Do I get to know?”

“It’s a surprise.” Tifse giggled at the contact. She loved when her dragon nibbled at her or groomed her with her tongue. She might need some privacy with her dragon tonight if everything went according to plan. Maybe Magli and Idami could stay in her bedroom and she and Safraxi could go across the street to the temple for the night?

“I’m certainly open to it, Pipsqueak.” Raxi grinned and flashed her teeth, eliciting a flustered squeak from her rider.

After nearly an hour Alini opened the door to her shop and gestured for them to come back in. “They’re ready, they’re ready. Just be sure you take the right bottle! Hah! I doubt Magli would want to be four feet tall.”

“Heh, yeah, I’ll pass on that.” The moose rubbed the back of her neck as she entered. “Do um… do we just drink them in here?”

“Drink them wherever you like, madame.” Alini handed each of them their potion, with their name on the side in bold. “It won’t go bad for another week. Take it when it feels right.”

“Well, before our next stop for today, unless you want to delay it.” Safraxi grinned. “We’d have to go later if you waited.”

“Eh, bottoms up.” Tifse uncorked it. “Done it once I can do it again.” She brought the edge of the vial to her lips and downed it in two quick gulps. Immediately, she felt a somewhat familiar hot and tingly sensation.

“Oh, that’s not what it felt like being turned into a dragon at all.” Safraxi shivered as she shared the strange sensation. “Is- is your underwear tighter?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll tell ya later.” She slid the now empty vial back. “Thank you. Who knows, maybe I’ll be back again.”

“Of course, my lady.” The goat smiled sweetly at her.

“Fuck it. I’ve waited too long.” Magli ripped the cork off and slammed it back in a single gulp. When her reaction began to set in after a moment, it was much more extreme than Tifse’s. She had a lot more she wanted changed.

She quickly hunched over, gripping her stomach. From Safraix’s perspective she could see the bandaged nubs of antlers shrink and whither away, the bandages wrapped around them falling to the floor. She lost nearly three inches of height, and her shoulders narrowed significantly. The spectating dragon could barely make out through the moose’s already thick and baggy clothes that her figure was changing, and her chest had grown to nearly triple its previous size.

Finally, after nearly a full minute Magli was able to stand to her full height again. She was gasping for breath, and Safraxi could already hear a difference in her voice through the gasps. The moose’s dewlap was greatly reduced now, though not entirely gone. The buttons on her shirt, under the heavy outer coat, were stretched near to their limit, but not evidently in danger of breaking. “Fuck… y’all could’a- could’a warned me.” Her voice was still obviously hers. It had risen a few octaves, but it was the same gruff, gravelly tone beneath. “Think I could get a ride to the next stop? Legs are shakin’.”

Safraxi shot to the ready position outside the door. Tifse wouldn’t mind terribly if she let the doe use her saddle for a bit. It did feel unusual for her, once Magli climbed on, though. The moose weighed nearly twice as much as Tifse, and probably much more than Idami did as a weasel. Magli was still two feet taller and even after using the potion, and still had her prior muscular build. The dragon was surprised at the strain. “Alright… Safi, want to take the helm again? This was your idea?”

She waited for a moment, and still felt like who she was before. Asking nicely worked last time, but seemed ineffective now. She didn’t really know what else to try. “Well, Safi, you’ll just have to ask Tifse for a detailed play-by-play later.”She rolled her eyes and lumbered on to the second half of the surprise.

It wasn’t far, only another ten streets over or so, but Safraxi could still see that Idami was beginning to feel strained. The city’s streets were very uneven, and had a lot of elevation change from it crawling up the uneven and rocky sides of the mountains towering above it. She was growing increasingly worried about her aunt’s health. Was she being pushed too hard or just getting the exercise she probably needed?

Finally, after about twenty minutes of hiking through the crowded city they made it to the second surprise. It was a blacksmith shop, with a sign out front advertising that they had steel. Magli climbed down from Safraxi’s back and glared up at the sign for a moment, mulling over what the surprise may be. “What, are you getting me a weapon too?”

Safraxi shifted back to her rat form and shook her head. “Nah, new hand. Sel’Ifis tossed the old one, and I wasn’t going to let that stand. It was Safi’s idea. Anyway, it should be ready, they might just need to adjust the straps for you.”

The doe stared up the steps to the blacksmith for a long moment before nodding. “Sure, you owe me that much at least.”

“I- I owe you? Is that a joke? Tiamat forbid we try to do something nice without you making it about what happened eight years ago!” Safraxi spat.

“Hey, hey, okay, I get it.” Magli grimaced and put her hands up in surrender. “Maybe I was harsh earlier, kid. You caught me off guard is all.”

“So you do forgive me?” Raxi squinted.

The moose shook her head. “I didn’t say that. I said I was harsh.”

“But- but what about-” She was fuming. None of this made any sense. “You never corrected me when I called you my sister! Or when Whiskers did, or whatever!”

After Safraxi was finished, Magli sighed and pulled her into a hug. “You are my sister. And… I am thankful for both surprises.” The pair of does stood stock still like that for almost a full minute before Magli finally broke the silence. “I don’t forgive you, but I don’t think I could ever stop giving a shit about you.”

“Even if… even if I’m the one out of us that turned you in?” Raxi’s eyes were beginning to moisten. She had been waiting with baited breath the entire time, scared of being rejected yet again.

“You especially. I… I know you only did it because you were scared, kid.” Magli rested her chin on Raxi’s head.

Safraxi didn’t know how to respond to that. How could you love someone but not forgive them? Shouldn’t that mean Magli hated her? She squeezed her sister tighter, her claws digging into the moose’s coat as she gripped her. “I-I don’t get it. How do I make you forgive me then?” Tiamat’s Tail, she’d cried more in the past three months than she had in years. Every day it was something. But for some reason she always felt a bit better afterwards. “I don’t know what to do…”

Magli grimaced at the sharp daggerlike fingers digging into her back, but didn’t push Safraxi away. She’d learned that lesson already. “C-careful with the claws, kid.” The words came out as a gasp. “You’re not a regular rat anymore, remember?” She winced again as she made mental contact with the dragon, but some things had to go without being said out loud.

Raxi gasped and released her. “I didn’t dig in too much did I? I should go back to the palace and let you-”

“Absolutely not.” Magli grabbed the rat by the collar as she was already attempting to skedaddle. “It’s y’all’s surprise. Y’all gotta be here for it.”

Raxi stumbled as she was tugged back, but didn’t argue. “Right, right. Sorry. Old habits.”

“I know, Raxi.” The moose smiled down at the terrified looking rat. “Look, you want to know what you’ve gotta do if you want me to forgive you, right?” She waited for Raxi to nod before she continued. “Just do what you already set out to do. Start that orphanage, and put me or someone else in charge of it. No offense, kid, but you were always horrible with children.”

The shapeshifted dragon snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. “You’re right, I can’t be trusted with them.”

“Oh I’ll say. You had no idea what to do when the younger kids cried!” Magli guffawed and wrapped an arm around Safraxi. “You remember when you just tried making faces at Tsali and she just kept crying louder? You were scaring that poor girl!”

“You did the silly faces thing too! It worked for you!” Raxi giggled along. “I could never tell what made you so special with it. Hah. Did… is Tsali…?”

“She’s fine.” The moose jumped in to inform her. “She was too young to have a hand cut off. Last I heard she managed to get an apprenticeship with a tanner. She might become a journeyman any day now.”

“Oh thank Tiamat…” Safraxi let out a sigh of relief. “I would have felt like a real shithead if you brought her up only for…”

“No, no. I wouldn’t do that to you. You’re beating yourself up plenty, kid.” Magli tightened her arm to pull Raxi in for a noogie. “I was being a jackass earlier. Dumping all that guilt on you isn’t going to do anything but make you feel like shit. We should be working on what’s ahead, not arguing about what’s behind us. I’m sorry, Safraxi. Now let’s go get me that new hand, yeah?”

Getting the final adjustments done on the hand didn’t take nearly as long as it did to wait for the potion to be completed. In no time at all the Magli was walking back down those steps with her new and improved metal hand. Safraxi had spared no expense. It came with multiple detachable pieces which could be swapped out for different tasks: an adjustable clamp, a lockpick attachment, and a fake metal hand with a hole down the center that thin long objects could be fit into and held loosely. “Well, kid, I’ve got to hand it to you, this is a pretty great gift.”

“Fuck me…” Safraxi rubbed her face. “Is it too late to change my mind on us being sisters?”

“No way in hell, kid. You’re stuck with me.” Magli gently bonked Safraxi on the head with her metal fist. “We going back to the palace now? Could check if the coins moved.”

“Actually, Safraxi, I need you for something else tonight.” Tifse cleared her throat. “Sorry, if you want to, I can-”

“No, no.” Magli grinned and waved her off. “You two go have fun. We can check in the morning.”

“Yeah, I can get back on my own with Magli. You two have fun.” The orange dragon winked and started her descent back down the city’s hillside. “We’ll meet up in the morning to check on the coins again?”

“Sure, if Safraxi can walk in the morning.” Tifse smirked and climbed back up to her own dragon’s saddle.

“Wh-” Safraxi squinted at the fox on her back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, just get us to the temple.” She stroked her dragon’s long neck with a smirk. “You’ll see.”