Girl Talk

"So, while Iskandor cooks should we bathe while chatting?" Lar suggests.

"It's efficient so I don't see why not." Hikari states. Serena also agrees with a nod.

The three go to the stream not far from the campsite and just out of Iskandor's field of view.

"So, what do you think the trials will be?" Serena asks while undressing.

"Not sure, but I have a feeling Iskandor might have a better guess than I." Lar responds, now wading into the stream.

"If I were to guess, probably some sort of trial of character, or at least for one of the trials. If I were to set up trials to a place like this I would include it no matter what. I wouldn't want the treasure at the end to fall into the wrong hands, or in this case hotsprings." Hikari predicts.

"On another note, we should become more familiar with our magic if we can use it anyway. I have attunements to light and dark primarily but I can use a bit of fire magic too." Serena says.

"Fire, air and probably dark." Hikari responds.

"Not sure, haven't thought of it. Mind giving me a rundown of how to find my attunements?" Lar asks.

"Well, visualization as Iskandor calls it seems to be an effective method for discovering attunements, it's worked for me." Hikari responds.

"And I've done the same on my own, albeit accidentally..." Serena adds.

"Start off by visualizing the elements, and try to will them into existence or move them from the surroundings." Hikari instructs.

Lar starts with fire, she tries to envision tinder getting engulfed in flames but in response nothing happens other than a nearly imperceptible chill that comes from the back of her head. Next she tries earth, she pictures the gravel beneath her feet rising up and breaching the water and packing into a larger mass of stone. Again nothing happens, but the chill in the back of her mind gets ever so slightly stronger. Then Lar tries to manipulate the air to gently shake the tree branches with a small gust of wind. And yet again, nothing happens. Finally she tries water, she tries turning the water to create a small whirlpool, nothing happens but something seems to click inside her mind.

"I'm not sure I can materialize my mana into magic, but I felt a subtle chill in my mind, perhaps instead of externally using magic I can use it internally." Lar says. She then thinks of the book 'The Magic Within' "Perhaps I can't use my magicka for mana but for qi instead. Afterall qi, like mana requires the use of magicka but just in a different form, and in this case is internal rather than external."

"Reasonable, magicka can behave in strange ways at times. I sensed none from that Ollis guy now that I think about it... Perhaps he is in a similar situation as you." Hikari states.

"Well, whatever the case it just means that I can't learn the same way as you to make the most use of the magicka I have. There's no point in sulking about it as I can't change it, I can only do the best with the hand I've been dealt." Lar replies. "Sure, it may be depressing to most but to me it just means when I do rise to greatness, if I rise to greatness, my story with be that much more impactful."

"Very inspiring, not many are mature enough to calmly accept they may be inferior in one way or another, and even less are capable of showing it really isn't a disability of sorts, rather just a difference between them and others that can prove beneficial in situations it would be a detriment to be like another." Hikari replies.

"That came off as a little coarse, but I feel what you said gave the right meaning." Serena says.

"On another note... Considering mating season for dragons isn't too far off, how do you want to prepare?" Lar asks. "Afterall, some dragons can get a bit rough..."

"We have just over two weeks to think this over... If we make assumptions to predict the worst reasonable outcome we can have an idea of what to prepare for, if we assume the best possible scenario we know what to hope for, if we do nothing we will have no expectations, meaning we won't be let down, or have it go way beyond..." Hikari stammers, but manages to get out.

"Might as well give a crash course." Lar mutters. "First off, most dragons mate for life, however there are some exceptions. Dragonborn are also like this, they normally mate for life but again, there are exceptions. These exceptions include those with a unique and very powerful bloodline, such as the royal bloodline that died out thousands of years ago, another exception is dragons with some demonic blood, particularly from succubi or incubi. The others are really obscure so there's no need to delve into the few I have heard of. Assuming a dragon is one of the exceptions they normally form a harem but also become invested into each of them almost equally. They treat the members of the harem much like how other dragons treat their mates, with kindness and compassion. They also don't hesitate to harm those that harm those they care for. Dragons as a species are a fairly non sociable species, but in the old days still had a hierarchy of sorts. During mating season dragons typically flock to some undisclosed location that their instincts drive them to and quickly find their mate, or that is in the case of younger dragons who experience mating season for the first time or those yet to find a mate. Once a dragon finds a mate they typically go to one of their layers and start their nest. Typically they go to the lair of the stronger of the two but again there are always exceptions. Due to dragons nesting together after they find a mate a dragon lair is typically abandoned and a young dragon who is ready to leave the nest stumbles upun it and moves in. The mating itself, to not go into vivid detail, is intense and passionate, in some cases rough, in others gentle, assuming you can consider that gentle by our standards..."

"How do you know this when you haven't had a dragon parent." Serena asks with a blush.

"THAT'S YOUR FIRST QUESTION TO THAT!" Hikari snaps in embarrassment and frustration with Serena's seemingly nonchalant response.

"To be honest I don't know how I know this... Perhaps it's like how birds know what ways is North, or how ants memorize their destination based on the number of steps it takes."

"What the hell, why do you know that!" Hikari 'asks'.

"I put ants on stilts... Duh..." they hear from towards the campsite. "I was gonna tell you foods almost done but I'll leave you to it for a few, based on the muffled conversation I was trying not to eavesdrop on it doesn't seem like you did much washing..." Iskandor says before the girls see his shadow walk towards the campsite after tossing a couple bars of soap towards them, nearly knocking Hikari on the head.

"Watch where you are throwing shit!" Hikari yells back.

"Sure, I'll toss you a few towels for when you are done." Iskandor clearly sneaks a peek as an act of malicious compliance.

"I didn't say you could take a peek at me!" Hikari yells.

As Hikari is busy fuming Lar sneaks behind her and decides to startle her by coping a feel.

"Despite their size your brests are really soft and tender." Lar teases.

"Kyaaaaaa!"