Once she's on the bed, Willow finds it very easier to doze off - especially since the only other sound is that of Mr. Bright shuffling papers and writing. The timing has another fortuitous side effect: Tulani is also dreaming.
So Alptraum finds himself atop a cloud-piercing mountain peak, feeling cold and damp. There's a cave behind him though, which should be protected from the wind at least.
"Where in Dagh's name am I?" Alptraum complains as he flicks his wings about himself to buffet any air and keep the damp from making him feel too cold. His wings will be still cold, though, so he has to make his way into that cave while wing-wrapped, which tends to cause an odd shuffling walk.
The cave is dark.. but that's not really an issue for an Eeee, nor is slippery footing. The cave gets dryer as Alptraum goes at least, even if it does get colder. The silver frost dragon is probably the reason for the latter though. Tulani is curled up, but has her eyes open.
"Hey, ice-butt, couldn't you have picked a warmer place to meet?" Alptraum complains as he moves a bit closer, then flips himself butt-first on the floor with a thump. "Also, if you're sleeping with your eyes open, that's creepy."
"I've been sleeping for.. some time," Tulani rumbles. "It's easier as a dragon. So that I wouldn't miss you. What is happening?"
"I didn't know you ever missed me," Alptraum jokes as he hugs his knees to keep warm. "Not much at all is happening, to be honest. I can tell you that the reasons for the raids had nothing to do with any of our theories. It's actually the former royal mages funding it, to test various defenses of the cities and such, and to try to map out all the strategies used by the Yodhrephath. Presumably, so that they can plan an attack or invasion. Also, they're using an almost-zombie army. They rescue almost dead people and thus enslave them by the methods they used to keep them alive. It is not pleasant; they use a very poor version of life transfer; kind of like mine, if it was done by someone with severe brain damage."
There's a steam-like hiss from the dragon. "So, are they there with you now?" Tulani asks. "Do you need extraction? I have a very good idea of where the base is. From high up, the entrance is hidden if you aren't looking for shadows."
"No, I'm in no danger at this time. The mages aren't even here; it's mostly other prisoners/slaves here. One of the mages won't be here for another day or so," Alptraum explains and shrugs a little. "Their base is in a deep cave somewhere, if that helps confirm your thoughts on the location. I am working out a plan with those here on a way to /escape/ by stealing one of the supply ships, but to do that they'll need agreement from the Yodhrephath they won't be gutted on-sight. They're victims in this too."
"I was wondering why they would throw themselves at the Yodhrephath like that," Tulani says. "It made no sense. And it seemed like most of them were taken out. The Yodhrephath survived, by the way. She didn't seem to at first.. I saw her fall. But then in the morning I saw her ptera heading back to Babel. It may have been a ruse of some sort - I didn't think the Yodhrephath did those."
"The switch-up of the Yodhrephath behavior confused them, by the way. The captured strategist doesn't know what to make of it," Alptraum says with a small laugh. "Do you think the Yodhrephath would agree for amnesty? Or do I need to speak directly to Koldesh like I am to you?"
"I don't deal with them, so you'd be better off making the suggestion," Tulani notes. "I need to stay close to the base. What's this about a supply ship? Do you need me to follow any airships?"
"But, if you did, then you and Koldesh could get your freak on," Alptraum says with a big- toothy, grin. "You and her would be ... hot."
"She'd want to paint half of me red and ride me into battle," the dragon claims.
"So? I kind of want to see her riding you, in several ways," Alptraum comments and waggles his brow.
"Isn't she your wife, technically?" Tulani asks. "In any case.. do you want me to keep an eye on any airships coming through the mountains?"
"Yes, please. Any heads-up you could do would be helpful. Or look for any ownership flags, markings, that sort of thing," Alptraum says. "And yes, technically, she is. Being with her is probably very similar to being with a guy, truth be told."
"There has to be some difference, unless their anatomy is affected as well," Tulani notes. "If I do see an airship approaching.. well, you'll need to check in with me regularly if I'm going to let you know. I'll switch my focus to the Saskanar side of the mountains."
"Well, yes, that is different down there," Alptraum concedes. "And yes, I probably should check in more often, I guess you are worried about me, or somesuch."
"It isn't easy waiting when I think I know where you are," Tulani grumbles. "I was going to give you one more day, then raid the place."
"I'm fine. I'm actually a bit bored. There isn't a lot for me to do other than wait for people to show up," Alptraum also admits and grins. "I guess I'm used to these situations being, well, worse. Oh, something you could do for me, contact the Mage's guild and ask them about life-transfer magic and what range it has. That would be useful to know as one of the worries here is if they could be sucked back dead from a distance."
"Aarrgh, you want me to fly back to Babel?" Tulani asks. "Can't you ask your contacts there via dreams instead? Who should I.. would they even talk to me about something like that?"
"Hey, it isn't exactly easy to contact people this way!" Alptraum points out, "But I suppose I can try so you don't have to fly your cold, lazy, butt back to the city."
"It's just that I can't fly back there and watch for airships," Tulani notes. "That is, I can't fly to Babel, get the information (if they'll give it to me) and fly back again right away."
"Fiiiiine," Alptraum says with a dramatic sigh, "The captive will do all the hard contact work!" He then grins widely and reaches over to poke Tulani. "I should really check in on several things, including Gorphat to make sure Her temple is functioning fine, along with Koldesh, and one of the mages"
"They're all more likely to answer you than me anyway," Tulani notes. "My in is with the Yodhbarada."
"Oh.. aside from the actual mages, would the Yodhsunala know anything about this life-transfer stuff? Definitely sounds like something they'd be against, is all," Tulani asks.
"They might, if they had dealings with the royal mages," Alptraum agrees. "Thanks for reminding me. I could try contacting one of them."
"It's just that this is all rather close to the whole Barsunala thing," Tulani says. "The moving life around.. or is it just spirit that you're supposed to be able to move around?"
"It's related. It's not unlike what I can do with the shadow," Alptraum explains and shrugs again. "I could contact Nekara and Sunala regarding it."
"Nekara is the creepy one that tried to kill you after bringing you from Sylvania, right?" Tulani asks with a growl.
"Yes, that one. We reconciled on that point," Alptraum notes. "And she has felt rather ostracized as of late, so involving her would give her something to do."
"Ah, I guess she saw the error of her ways then?" Tulani asks, showing her teeth this time.
"As far as I can tell, yes," Alptraum agrees. "So, no eating."
Sticking her long blue tongue out, Tulani goes 'bleh!'. "I'd never eat a Yodh. Well, maybe a Yodhinala.."
"I assume in the pleasurable way with one of them, then?" Alptraum asks, "What about a Yodhgorphat?"
"As a dragon, I don't think I'm supposed to eat green things," Tulani claims. "And I bet Yodhinala have a peppermint flavor. Or.. cake. They're probably like cake."
Alptraum rolls his eyes at that. "You're being ridiculous," he comments. "Any other news? Oh, one small thing on my end, the captured strategist is an Aeonian. He has the hots for me."
"I didn't think Aeonians got the hots!" Tulani says. "Oh, there are lots of wild.. uh.. animals.. in the mountains. They're like Rugrhats but.. 'ornery. More so than usual, I mean. Tasty though."
"Have you been eating animals raw and whole?" Alptraum has to ask.
"Not whole," Tulani replies. "Those things are big! But obviously I can't be starting any fires that might be noticed. But.. I do freeze bits before eating, usually."
Alptraum makes a face. "Gross," he comments.
"This from the guy on an all liquid diet of just one liquid?" Tulani huffs. "It's less messy if its frozen. And it tastes better."
"Hey, blood tastes good, thank you," Alptraum huffs and crosses his arks.
"Especially when it's frozen," Tulani agrees.
Alptraum blows a raspberry. "Well, that's all the news from my end. I'm fine, no need to raid the place yet. With luck, we'll be able to steal a ship and evacuate everyone here in the near future," he says.
"Let me know if there are any airships that need to be.. detained," Tulani says.
"I will do so! If I didn't think it would blow my cover, I'd tell them I know a dragon that could detain a ship, heh," Alptraum remarks.
"Your cover is that you work for Countess Draco," Tulani points out. "Dragon is right there in her name!"
"Yes, but how would I be able to claim we have spoken?" Alptraum points out.
"Magical horn.. oh, right, there's a real unicorn there," Tulani says, then smiles. "Nevermind!"
"Well, exactly. I couldn't justify it in any way that would work," Alptraum agrees.
"Maybe claim that when two unicorns mate really hard it summons a dragon?" Tulani suggests with a wink.
Alptraum rubs his face. "No one would believe that. And why do you think we've mated? I said he has the hots for me, I didn't say we did anything!"
"Well obviously you hadn't because a dragon wasn't summoned," Tulani points out.
Alptraum swats for that. "Har har. I'll be going now," he remarks a bit dryly.
It's possible that Tulani tries to freeze Alptraum's butt on his way out.. or it's just a chill.
Alptraum is never quite sure how to contact one of the Goddesses, but he's worried about Gorphat's temple and that things are fine there. So, he brings to mind, once outside and things are damp again, how it feels to be, well, Nicora, the doe, or the buck. Any of Gorphat's three; their various curses, blessings, and their love for Gorphat for doing that to them to see if he can draw himself to her. He may also end up as one of those forms in the process in this weird dream place, but that is okay. He's used to it.
The first hint of success comes with warmth, if not dryness. It's the humid warmth of decay, however. At first the expected odor is mild, but isn't as noticeable as the other changes. Parts of his body are hard, others are squishier than they should be, and the more private ones are just confusing. His tail feels heavy, as do the plates along his back as Alptraum becomes the Horribuck - something last associated with Magog's hell-realm.. the uncomfortable memories of the Yodhmagog eating certain tender parts only to have them replaced with carnivorous symbiotes.
The other changes are far more noticeable since the buck has to spread his legs and waddle-walk in this form, thanks to the larval-sac that swings heavily bethween them; something you cannot quite forget about being down there; nevermind his converting junk that switches between horrible-mal and mouth-like female bits based on the need at the time. The heavy drooping segmented tail, the plated ears and back so he has to hunch over a little, making his bulbous backplates arch up a little. It's an awkward and monstrous body, and it still has a sense of smell, so the odor also works his way into his mind. "It seems Gorphat wants her secondary demon to visit," the buck thinks as he opens those eyes and blinks to try and focus to see where he is.
"It has been awhile, Nephew," Gorphat purrs. She's on a throne of sorts, in a cave full of.. decaying, diseased bodies. It's a bit of a throwback for the Goddess. He's still spared the worst of the odor.. until there's a sharp pain in his long ears. The skin splits, and flops down against his head as something else emerges. They're moth-light antennae! But instead of being feathery, they feel hard and whiskery. Then the enhanced sense of smell they provide hits. But since it's no longer associated with his nose, he can appreciate the magnitude of the stench without having any vomit-inducing reflexes associated with it.
The monster-lapi poofs out where there is still stone to poof, along with a very pained whine as he reaches up and grabs at his now-hurting head! His hands pull away when he deels his split ears and their disturbing replacements that protrude behind, well, ear-holes in the top of his head. Then he's staggering when the smell hits him through these new senses that strike with a surreal sort of dizziness. "I have been busy," he explains as he approaches the throne then drops down to his knees to kneel before her, which pushes his larval sac out behind him rather uncomfortably. "But I wished to see how you and your temple are, and if there are things you will need of me soon," he claims, bowing his head in deference to the Goddess before him.
Gorphat pats the top of his head (which hurts, as bits of inside-out ear strips stick to her hand). "The new Yodhgorphat and Yodhmabb acolytes are soon to have their personal guardians," Gorphat gurgles. "There may be some mid-wifing needed, but the men should deal with that. Things are.. quiet.. for now. There are some things that may be recovered from the deeper layers of the Streets Below in time, however."
"Deeper than those scroungers outside can go?" Horribuck asks after having to wince and hiss from the painful pulling on the top of his head. "I am glad to hear the new acolytes are doing well, and that soon they will be stretched to allow passage of your sacred creatures from their given loins," he adds in a respectful sort of tone.
"The ground has risen for many centuries, and the deepest, oldest layers have their own ecology now," Gorphat says, pausing to lick some of the bloody ear-goo from her hand. "It may be possible to reach them through the ancient via cloaca of the city."
"That does not sound pleasant," Horribuck observes wisely. "Whom do you intend to send into that ... passage? And what is to be recovered?" The monster-lapi then leans in and nuzzles Gorphat's knees and inner thighs like a pet.
"Nicora.. and the barmabb, Crabs," Gorphat says. "Special preparations will be needed."
"Special preparations?" Horribuck asks. If his ears were still there, they'd fold back, but instead, those antennae just sort of twitch. "What do they need to do to prepare?"
"Oh, it isn't a matter of doing, but of being prepared," Gorphat coos. "Although the Skreek should be fine as is."
"If he is fine, why would Nicora not be? She is not any larger than he," Horribuck points out.
"Her mobility will need to be.. enhanced," Gorphat notes, waving a hand, which causes some fluid to flick off. "Eeee are not made for squirming though pipes."
The horribuck groom-nibbles on Gorphat's left thigh for a moment or two. "Ah, fair. So, she may need to be more ratlike for that. Will the preparations take long? Will she need to be in your temple for a while?"
"Ratlike? Oh noooo," Gorphat assures, as some of her fur comes off in the Horribuck's teeth. "It's a task that only a Yodhmagog form is really suited too. It will need to be done before dear Zakarro puts too heavy of a claim on your time.. although I don't see what She hopes to gain from your presence, beyond not feeling 'left out'.."
This causes the monster to pause a moment. "You are giving Nicora to Magog?" he asks, voice sounding, well, horrified! Magog scares him, no matter what form he has at the time!
"No, I am merely going to borrow Magog's form for Nicora," Gorphat says.. reassuringly? "You have had enough opportunity to become familiar with it."
"I am familiar with it, yes," Horribuck concedes. "It is a horrible body, and horrible thing for someone to be forced to be," he adds, trembling a little.
A damp hand cups the buck under the chin and tilts his head back to look up at Gorphat. "It is a beautiful form, the embodiment of the cycle of decay. The return of the flesh to the soil. Where Sunala's domain ends and mine begins."
The lapi whimpers as he looks up, and ends up fidgeting some too. "It scares me," he claims, eyes wide.
"You have been blind, have you not?" Gorphat asks. "Have you not been bound, and deafened, and in all ways had your senses muted? What is there to frighten in the simple form of a Yodhmagog? Is it not pure and uncomplicated?"
"And squishy, and itchy," Horribuck points out. "They ooze like Nicora does from her wound, but they cannot reach it to soothe that itch."
"Do you not appreciate the forms I've shared with you?" Gorphat asks. "Come to love their hidden charms and beauty? I think you must.. because you continue to seek me out."
"I can appreciate them and love them, and still be scared of them," Horribuck notes. "I ... love your touch, your caress. Your blessings and gifts. I miss you terribly when I do not see you for a while, I wish to serve you, worship you, and love you in all ways. You terrify me, and you are irresistible."
Gorphat grins, which causes something black to dribble from the edge of her mouth. "My challenges strengthen you, so you seek more as is proper. To overcome your terror.. yes, I must push you to the extreme of that as well."
The monster-lapi peans in to briefly rub his quivering nose against Gorphat's wound, then draws back. "I hope I will meet those challenges and ..... survive," he says, sounding a little defeated on this point. He pledged himself to her, after all; she owns him.
"And you wish for me to give you this greatest of gifts?" Gorphat leads.
Antennae quivering, Horribuck says, "Please. I know I am not worthy of such, but please."
"That is what I wished to hear," Gorphat says. "I am the one you came to willingly. I did not trick you, like Inala, or beg for you like Zakaro. And I believe Blakat and Rephath serve you, do they not? Even Barada."
"I am not sure if they serve me, but they do not command me," Horribuck concedes. "You have always been the most ... approachable. You are honest in what you present. I may be scared, I may fret, but I have not regretted serving you."
"You can always trust Death and Disease to be without deception," Gorphat claims. "The others operate on a more mortal footing, rather than transcend it."
Alptraum nuzzles between Gorphat's legs again for a moment. "Thank you for claiming me," the crazy-lapi claims. "I do fear i desire too much of you at times, though. You have many servants now."
"Servants are not family," Gorphat notes. "They hold less sway over me than I over them, after all. I do not see Penance changing me so much as inheriting Nicora's efforts. These new ones are not as strong yet. But.. they come to me because of Nicora. I will make them love me for what I do."
The buck bobs his head, then dares to even lick Gorphat's Wound, once. "They are not," he agrees, "And they could not endure all you have done to me, but they are inspired by it. Penance in her own way wishes more of your touch. She has willingly embedded feather-worms in herself, and various fungal infections of her nethers and other places. She is growing to love life in Your service and doing things to honor You."
"To honor me, or to punish herself?" Gorphat wonders. "I suppose I'll have to actually let her commune with me at some point, just to straighten it all out. Stand up.."
The buck rises up slowly. "I was thinking perhaps Nicora should send for the piercer to decorate her in ways similar to the High Priestess, or similar could be done with ... bugs," he concedes. Those antennae quiver again, the buck worried as to why he had to stand. His legs are spread awkwardly as usual as the squirming, pulsating, larval sac resumes its slow swing down there.
Gorphat reaches down as a new larva emerges and inflates. She gives it a damp stroking that the buck certainly feels as if the insect were part of him.
The buck's head tilts and he grunts a bit at the feeling of things stretching open, then things getting petted down there. It's both uncomfortable (being stretched open like that) and pleasurable (the touch), so Gorphat's usual conflicts are well in-place. He draws several deep breaths then leans in a bit and actually kisses Gorphat, on her lips. He fears no disease from her; whatever she gives him is an honor.
As usual, there's a long strand of something connecting their lips afterwards, and Gorphat gives the larva a squeeze. "You draw pleasure from all that I do to you, do you not?" she asks.
"I do," The Horribuck gasps, following that squeeze. "You have shown me that pain itself is a form of pleasure that can be embraced to become stronger," the lapi-monster claims as he licks that strand of something away, then goes in to kiss her again.
During the second kiss, Gorphat rips the larva free. It hurts, but the buck can still feel it in her hands.
The buck cries out in the kiss, and his hand goes down to cup and massage the hole left in its wake! When the sensations continue with it apart from him, the buck even groans in spite of himself.
Gorphat breaks the kiss, and brings the larva up to her lips instead so that she can give it a lick.
The buck staggers back a step and gasps, eyes wide. He watches this, and shudders at the lick. And even odder, one of his own hands is pushing two fingers into the hole left behind, and the other hand massages one of his aching, swollen, breasts.
Gorphat then gives the fat little worm a bite. It still feels.. well, intense certainly.
The buck arches and groans in a disturbing sort of way, and both the hole left behind and the breast he squeezes oozes a rather sickly looking fluid. "Why am I enjoying this?!" he wonders in shock.
"You fear the Yodhmagog, but.. you don't really know what it feels like.." Gorphat says, and then sets the larva down on the pile of rotting flesh next to the thrown. It starts to burrow in and feed, and that feels.. nice..
The buck arches forward and moans and shudders roll through him and disturbing ooze ... squirts from below. How is this feeling good? Why? Why? And why in the world is he always drawn back to her when he is gone for a time? What is wrong with him? Though, he can't think about it that long as the sensation rush is just too much, leaving Gorphat's 'pet' a gibbering animal.