The first of many questions that Ashton chose to ask centered on the mystery that is Sonja. She wished to know exactly who she was to him, and how they met.

Scott looked to his beautiful mooing companion then back to Ashton. "I met her early on when the dream started. She was a slave chef working at the local tavern. We got to know each other, perhaps a little too well, and one thing led to another. So, I bought her."

Sonja rolled her eyes at him then offered a wry smile. "He left out a lot of things, but it mostly worked out that way."

"So, you're a slave?" asked Ashton. "A for real one?"

"Yep!" said Sonja cheerfully.

Ashton did not know what to say to that initially. It did quickly bring up several new questions that she soon found a burning desire to ask.

"You seem strangely happy to be a slave," said Ashton. She tilted her head to the side slightly and gazed thoughtfully toward Sonja. "Why is that?"

She shrugged her shoulders then jerked her thumb toward Scott. "I've come to tolerate this one."

The little dragon offered her a blithe expression. "Well, that's good to know."

"Yes," said Sonja with a slight nod of her head. "It is much easier now that you are no longer a man."

"We're not married enough for you to make that sort of joke," replied the little dragon his draconic lips rising up for a toothy smile.

"Now there's a proposal that the bards shall sing about for untold centuries," countered Sonja with an arched eyebrow and a quirk of her lip.

"Proposal?" asked Scott with a scoff. "Why would I buy the cow when I get the milk for free?"

"You did buy the cow, though," she said with a playful chuckle. Sonja sobered slightly then offered a slightly more subtle smile. "Not that you've been claiming any of the milk."

He blinked slowly then acquired an approximation of a thoughtful expression. "True. I did buy the cow, didn't I?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "My life is a strange one indeed."

Ashton looked back and forth between them while she noted their little interplay. They clearly spent a lot of time together. In truth, she did not know how to feel about that. Surely, she had no actual romantic interest in the man. Dragon. Whatever! Even so, something about their level of casual intimacy annoyed her.

"So, you're from the dream world?" asked Shara.

"Yes," said Sonja. She did not volunteer more information. Instead, she looked over to Scott once more.

He nodded to her then said, "It's cool."

Sonja nodded back to him then turned to Shara. "Once my master purchased me from my former owner, a combination of events led to his ability to transfer his belongings and livestock back and forth between this world and my world of origin."

"Wait? Really?" asked Ashton suddenly.

"Yeah. As far as that other world goes I'm nobility, if not outright royalty, now." Scott padded around in a circle, his tail dragging behind him briefly, and then sat down. For some reason, doing that made sitting feel quite a bit more comfortable.

He noticed their varied gazes upon him and he cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. Anyway, it costs money but I can transfer objects, and even exchange currency from the jerin to dollars and back again."

"What about your status? I didn't get the option to bring things back and forth, but I can use my level one stats on Earth," said Ashton.

"Same deal." Scott nodded to her then waved his forepaw dismissively. "Seems we both get to use our special abilities here, too."

Before she could respond however, Scott scented the air lightly. His lizard-like nostrils flared gently. He soon began to feel odd. "Is it a little warm in here?"

"No," said Ashton.

"I'm fine," said Sonja.

"Kinda cold, actually," replied Shara.

He dropped his head down onto his forepaws and seemingly pouted a little. He did scent the air once more, however.

"Yes. Well, my powers mostly involve illusions," said Ashton.

"Transformations, some magic, looking this damned good... I'm a triple threat," said Scott lightly. A sudden urge overtook his sense of reason. He popped up and waddled over to Ashton then made another circle and sat at her feet.

His attempt at humor brought a few chuckles from the girls, but in truth it wasn't that funny. He had to live with himself after his nearly failed attempt at a joke, so he decided to save face a bit. "How are things going for you in the dream?"

Scott looked to Shara, "You, too. I don't think we ever really talk about it."

"No, we don't." Shara smiled at him then lightly tapped her chin.

Ashton spoke first. "Well, I just reached level four again. It takes a little longer for me now that I'm not human."

"My change is pretty recent, too, so my level is low as well," agreed Scott. Unable to restrain himself he rolled over onto his side then placed his head atop her foot.

Sonja eyed him curiously, her eyes slowly narrowing. Ashton, however, thought it was adorable. She reached down and lightly scratched his chin. Scott's tail began to wag gently and his tongue lolled out of his mouth.

"Life's a bit weird where I am in the dream," admitted Ashton after a moment. She hugged herself lightly. "My new race has a certain reputation, and honestly there are a lot of perverts from Earth who chase me around. Especially right now."

"What's going on right now?" asked Shara curiously.

Ashton's cheeks colored slightly and she coughed into her fist delicately. "Uhm. I would rather not talk about that."

Scott's eyes became lightly glazed over. He whimpered like a lonely puppy then lightly licked Ashton's foot.

Surprised by his rough tongue, she jerked her foot back and cried out, "Hey!"

"Scott!" exclaimed Sonja, equally surprised.

Shara gasped then stuck her foot forward. "No fair!"

He blinked slowly then sat up. "What?"

"You just licked Ashton," said Sonja in a cold tone.

"I did?" he asked, confusion evident in his response.

Ashton sighed loudly then drew her legs up onto the couch with her. She wrapped her arms around her knees then bit her lower lip a little. "Probably as much my fault, as it was his fault."

"It's your fault that he can't keep his tongue to himself?" asked Sonja with a snort.

"Aha!" cried Shara. She pointed toward Ashton. "You're in heat aren't you?"

"Not so loud!" Ashton, threw a couch pillow at the red haired girl then wrapped her arms around her knees once more. "I can't help it, you know."

"Huh? What now?" asked Scott. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and he slowly began to pant. "S-so hot in here."

"In heat?" asked Sonja. "Wait, like a dog?"

"No! Not like a dog!" exclaimed Ashton heatedly. Her demeanor changed slightly in the next moment and she looked away. "More like a fox..."

Sonja barked out a laugh and shook her head. "So, last night?"

"I didn't know it would affect him like that! We were working, and stuff... and then with the things. I don't know!" Ashton threw her hands up and groaned. She snorted softly then bit her lower lip a little before she continued. "Thought for a minute that he might tear my clothes off and take me right there in the work room."

"You don't sound like that would have upset you," said Sonja knowingly.

"God, I've never been so... and then..." Ashton shook her head slowly. "It was the same for me. Something about his scent made things so much worse for me."

"Makes sense," agreed Sonja.

"It does?" asked both Scott and Ashton at the same time.

"Of course," said Sonja. She waved her hand around a little then said, "Dragons will pretty much mate with anything. If they get excited they put out a scent that causes willing females in the area to become even more willing."

She pointed to Ashton, "If you were putting out a scent that would make a mate want you, and a dragon had even the slightest interest in you, then I'm surprised you aren't pregnant right now."

Ashton's face paled. "I am so not ready to have a child, much less lay a dragon egg."

"Don't worry," said Sonja. "He's not like that..."

The Valkyrie looked to her master. "I'm not sure that it's my story to tell, but sex stuff isn't something he is comfortable with..."

Ashton offer her sarcastic smile. "Really? He certainly had no problem ripping my clothes off and sliding his hands all over me."

"What? No." Sonja looked to Scott then back to Ashton. "He didn't burst into tears or anything?"

"Huh?" asked Ashton. "I don't think so?"

Scott sat on the floor with his head tilted back. He panted heavily, and his eyes had nearly rolled back in his head and this point, but he snapped out of it when he noticed the silence.

"You touched her like that?" asked Sonja softly. There was a trace of something indefinable in her eyes.

"I don't remember much about all of that," said Scott. "I do recall going to work and some of the work room stuff. I mean, she shoved her face into my ass and started sniffing me when I went to get a pen or something that was under a desk."

Ashton's cheeks colored once more, but she refused to acknowledge his words further. Instead, she propped her chin up on her knees.

Sonja eyed him coolly for a moment, but he seemed not to notice her. His focus was inward. Scott tried to piece together missing parts of his memory.

"I remember the voices a little, but something seemed to drown them out," said Scott. "One minute I was on the verge of a freak out, and the next thing I remember clearly is waking up here with my tail wrapped around your thigh and my head nuzzling up between both of you."

"Please tell me there's a video," said Shara in a giggly tone.

"I wish!" Scott grumbled loudly. "I'd love to know what happened, too."

"Well, the things is that you sort of took charge of me," said Ashton. She chuckled softly then drew in a deep breath. "Even the thought of it makes me tingly."

"Did the two of you...?" asked Sonja slowly.

Ashton shook her head. "He pawed me like a wild animal, inside and out, but it never really went any farther than that. We even had the time to do it too, but he seem happy to take control."

Sonja looked down at her hands. She flexed her fingers lightly for a moment then released a breath that she did not know that she'd taken. "Among my people it is common for sisters to share a proper husband. If you would indulge me... we could settle this situation peacefully and to mutual benefit."

"What do you mean?" asked Ashton, her eyes widening slightly. "Wait..."

Her expression became cool as ice as she balled her hands into fists. Sonja cracked her knuckles dramatically then looked Ashton in the eyes. "Come outside and show me what you've got, little fox."