Chapter 132: Flora

I slog into a dense part of forest and remove my sopping clothes. I tie them into a small wet package that I can carry in my beak. My shifting powers are different than conventional shifters because I need words to start the process. I whisper the sacred words in my head that my mother taught me and her mother taught her. The world goes from blurry to crystal clear. In human form, without my glasses, I can see for miles if the view is unobstructed. Close up is another matter; all eagle shifters are far sighted when in human form. Shifting to eagle brings everything into focus.
"Stupid dragon," I mumble in my head as I scoop up the bundle and fly out of the tree line. I can't help turning and flying over the lake. There he is deep in the water bathing, thank the goddess. At least when he flies me back to my realm he won't smell like a dirty old shoe.
I don't think about what I'm doing, it just kind of happens. He plunges his soapy head into the water and I swoop back around. My gooey discharge hits him on the forehead, which was easy because he came back up with his head tilted back. I let out a loud squawk and fly away feeling very satisfied with myself.
I return to my room and take a quick shower before dressing in Ashrac's hideous clothes again. I look down at myself. No curves and I do look rather bulky. My shifter metabolism keeps me thin and always will, but I'll be damned if I tell him that. He's so hung up on looks I can't take it.
Yeah and he's also hung, period. I will never be able to wipe the image of naked dragonbreath from my mind and I probably won't want to. I'll bring out the memory when I bring out my vibrator. It would be so nice if a good man stood behind the meat. I understand we are attracted to the physical body. Until dragonbreath, I thought lean was attractive and I liked a man who stayed in shape. But that was never all I looked at. I'm all about what they have between their ears and not between their legs. My mind cuts to what's between Ashrac's legs and I disconnect the thought. Only at special times will I think about that.
After a shift, I need to eat. I sadly spotted no scurrying rodents on my way back to the castle. That means if I want to eat before we leave, I need to cook dinner. If I'm cooking for me, I should cook for Ashrac because it's the polite thing to do even though the moron wouldn't know polite if it bit him in his green butt.
I head to the kitchen. Thankfully I had Ashrac help me clean up the mess he made with the cake before we went to the lake. He grumbled but I threatened to swat him like his mother does if he didn't help clean. I'm about halfway through cooking the meal, when I hear voices coming from the dining room. There are too many for me to decipher. The door swings open with dragonbreath in the front. Six heads and twelve eyes stare at me from under his arm, scrunched against each other so they can see.
I lift my hand. "Hi," I say, ignoring dragonbreath and hoping he doesn't think I'm talking to him. Six kids slip out from under his arm and enter.
"She has funny glasses, Uncle Ashrac," one of the older boys says.
"Yeah they're weird," an exact replica of that boy adds.
I'm staring at three sets of identical twins. Two girls and four boys. One set of older boys, the girls somewhere in the middle, and two young boys.
It's one of the littlest ones who throws out, "I think she's pretty, Uncle Ashrac."
I smile at him before looking at the two who talked about my glasses. I remove them. "No worries, I only need them to see."
They smile at me and the boy who said I'm pretty adds, "She's funny, Uncle Ashrac."
If only Ashrac had his sensitivity.
"And who are you?" I ask.
He steps forward with a glowing look. "I'm Botan of the Purple Dragon Clan and I'm four." He turns slightly and places his small hand on his brother's arm. "This is Rotan of the Purple Dragon Clan and he's four too."
Rotan brushes off the brotherly hand. "She knows that, dummy."
Botan lifts his fists. "Don't call me dummy, dummy, or I'll punch you."
"If you punch me, I'll punch your face in."
They're bloodthirsty little devils but so darn cute. One of the older boys steps in and breaks up the fight before it comes to swinging fists.
"That's enough. You rascals are being rude in front of Uncle Ashrac's mate."
Wait, what? I look at Ashrac before turning back to the kids. "I am not his mate and I'll be going home tomorrow. I'm sure he'll bring a mate here soon enough but it won't be me." Why does saying that punch me in the gut? No matter, I will be leaving tomorrow.
Six sets of eyes turn to their uncle. He shrugs. "What can I say? She doesn't see becoming a red dragon as an honor."
They start laughing and one of the girls points out, "But you're green, Uncle Ashrac. There's no dignity in being green." She turns back to me. "Wise decision."
Wow. Even the kids are hung up on the color of their scales. The sooner I'm out of here the better.
Ashrac steps forward. "Finish introductions and head home before you bring down the walls of the castle with your bickering." He looks at me and shrugs. "I'm not really they're uncle."
I watch as shoulders suddenly drop. One of the oldest twins steps forward and gives me a short salute and an eye roll towards Ashrac. "We like to call him uncle because it bugs him. Name's Drayce of the Purple Dragon Clan. We're twelve. This is my brother Ejder of the Purple Dragon Clan." They are both tall and lean with a lot of growing to do, but you can see they'll be the size of Ashrac before long.
Both girls dutifully step forward next. They begin at the same time, stop, and then the one on the right speaks. "I'm Zara of the Purple Dragon Clan and this is-"
Her sister interrupts. "I wish to do my own introduction," she tells her sister and then turns to me. "I'm Zora of the Purple Dragon Clan and we're eight." The girls are feminine versions of their brothers. The girls' hair is long and shiny. Even at their age they take care of themselves better than their uncle or un-uncle does.
Now that introductions are over, Ashrac nods to the kitchen door.