The shackles binding them were tightening, and no matter what they did... freedom always seemed just out of reach. A sasusaku supernatural/dragon-shifter mates AU snippet.
18+ due to: cursing, extreme gore, talk of copulation (in dragon-form... though it will only be slight and not overly graphic/detailed), and a death. (Unedited.)
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Soft veins of moonlight glinted off of her protruding scales, shining brightly amongst the otherwise dull shades of both green and brown in the dark depths of the forest; her lithe frame swayed slightly as she cautiously silently stalked her unsuspecting prey.
His eyes flashed crimson, a barely audible purr rumbling in the depths of his chest and throat as the male watched the female's movements with an intense fascination that would have been considered creepy, if not for her being his mate. He let out a low snort, smoke billowing from his nostrils as he shifted uneasily on his feet.
The image in the crystal ball distorted before fading away; the user's master silently glancing upwards over the sharp rim of his half-moon glasses as he gazed at his mount with unhindered interest; completely misinterpreting the reason for the beast's current state of seeming agitation. With the female-shifter now dissipated from view, the dragon's keen irises soon settled on his captor instead; deep-seated rage fueling his desire to rip this warlock's head from his boney shoulders. But he refrained, as the contract between them forced his hand to stay... forced him into submission.
The warlock's hands interlocked and steepled beneath his chin while simultaneously a small twisting of his lips pulled them into a disturbingly wicked sneer. "Pet...bring that one to me." With a low growl the midnight-colored beast turned on his heels, making his way to the mouth of the cave and let out a terrifying bellow before taking flight.
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The she-dragon was preparing to leap from her hiding spot amongst the foliage when a low rumbling from somewhere off in the distance began to shake the ground beneath her feet, causing her prey to cry out in fear, before taking flight. She growled her irritation and quickly turned as something large and heavy landed directly behind her.
Bracing for a battle, she let out an angry roar and swiped her protruding claws at the newcomer, who easily avoided the quick attack before countering it with a sharp swipe of his long spiky tail; sending her tumbling to the ground. She quickly righted herself and opened her mouth, letting loose a lengthy jet of fire that engulfed the surrounding greenery before quickly transforming it all from beautiful leaves to a pile of burnt ash.
She growled when he began to circle her slowly, avoiding the lit embers that remained on some of the branches and lowered her head before letting out a sharp snort. Her legs spread slightly as she readied herself for what would come next; her tail's flared tip twitching with agitation. But as she began to deeply inhale again, preparing to let loose anew, she paused; scenting the air.
As recognition slowly began to sink in, her opponent finally left the safety of the shadows; revealing himself to her fully in the soft glow of the moonlight. Her body relaxed slightly, her instincts fueling her actions...as much as his presence sent the female into a naturally calm state of being, almost instantly. She let out a deep breath through her mouth and her head tilted slightly as he cautiously approached her. In seconds, the male's nose was poking at her sides; then at her neck... followed by her cheeks and her muzzle until he settled on brushing his body along her side; a deep rumble vibrating deep within his chest and she hummed happily back in response.
But when his large muzzle bumped against her rump, she twisted sharply and snapped at him; her ears folding back while she bared her teeth, smoke billowing from the sides of her mouth. Taking the hint, he retreated somewhat and made his way around the clearing, checking for danger by sniffing the air; breaking twigs beneath his feet as he went before he settled directly in front of her, his gaze sharp and directed towards her as he silently waited to see what the she-dragon would do now.
The next move would be hers to make.
She eyed him closely, before moving closer... mirroring his previous movements before she rubbed her cheek against the side of his neck; rumbling while flicking her tail against his side. His scent was intoxicating; she couldn't resist the pull even if she wanted to. With the moon hanging high in the sky above them, the dragon situated herself in front of him and he moved in behind her, nipping her neck playfully from behind (the low rumble in his throat intensified) as he slowly mounted her.
Hours later, after feeling the inevitable bewitchment of their contractor's call, they sadly parted ways...vowing to return to one another as soon as they possibly could.
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"Damn that sneaky fucking bastard!!! How dare he try and attack our village like this. I'll kill him!!!! I'll fucking kill them all...," the blonde seethed as she secured the thick straps around her mount's soft underbelly; brushing her fingertips affectionately against the dragon's thick hide... who in turn bumped her large head against the witch with reciprocated tenderness before letting out a soft, billowy snort.
Gray smoke surrounded them where it drifted out from her nostrils as her master secured a leather sheath at her hips while she side-eyed her white-haired companion. Jiraiya was seemingly unfazed by her bluntness, but his lips were still pierced nonetheless as he situated a harness onto his own dragon's wide muzzle. The excitable beast snorted as he blew a warm puff of air from between his lips...cerulean eyes swimming with unrepressed mischief while he tried to get the female's attention.
She decidedly ignored him and snorted indignantly before shaking her head to clear it... metal clasps rattled from the movement as they clashed harshly against her scaly skin; her large, leather wings stretching outward in preparation for the battle ahead. "Just don't go overboard, Tsunade...," Jiraiya warned harshly after he mounted his eager dragon; the blonde followed suit before strapping herself into the high-backed saddle. "We've already lost too many warriors due to recklessness. We can't afford to lose you too."
"Don't worry," she hissed through clenched teeth; leaning forward after the dragon beneath her roared deeply before taking flight due to a swift kick to her sides. "I won't."
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"FUCKING DIE ALREADY," Tsunade screamed, her sword swinging wide before slamming into Orochimaru's blade. It had been over four hours by now, but neither side seemed ready to give in and the desperation was mounting on both sides while the war raged on. Her dragon flew through the skies above, striking down an assortment of different birds of prey swarming her brethren... while Jiraiya's own fought by her side.
She'd lost track of her mate, given the pandemonium that had ensued almost immediately after she'd flown onto the battlefield, but even so she could feel his presence nearby; her mate was close and he was still very much alive— for now at least.
Being forced to fight against one another made her ache, and she avoided him like the plague so as not to be forced into a situation where she had zero idea what the outcome would be. Orange and red embers erupted from her throat as she swung her head around... left and right... killing the aviary army one by one by burning the alive; their screams of pain soon dying off before their lifeless, charred remains fell to the ground below.
She hovered above the chaotic battlefield... emerald eyes scanning before zeroing in on another target. She averted her angle and dive-bombed downwards at lightning speed; an enraged screech penetrated the unsuspecting enemy's ears mere seconds before he turned to face her; but it was too late.
She was on top of him in seconds; sharp teeth sinking into his upper torso before slowly seeping into bones; snapping them easily like twigs underfoot, before tossing one half of his body to the side. Blood oozed from the gaping wounds, his face a mask of absolute terror... frozen in time while he gazed lifelessly at the evening sky. Licking her jowls clean, she turned towards the next; stalking her newest opponent from across the field before quickly ripping into his thigh as he desperately slashed his short blade at her approaching figure, cutting deeply into her shoulder, but she felt no pain as she clamped onto his leg... twisting and ripping through tendons and bones until she yanked the appendage free.
Leaving the wounded to bleed out, she moved onto a third; then a fourth, fifth, and a sixth until—
"Damn it."
Her focus shifted to her master, feeling a tug at their bond through the invisible strings that bound them and her rage intensified at the sight in front of her. Tsunade was on the ground, her back forced into the mud, while she struggled to defend herself from a sharp blade just inches away from penetrating her lower abdomen. Orochimaru was sneering down at her; pressing on the small weapon forcefully with both palms as he tried desperately to deliver the final blow. The dragon's attention was immediately shifted and with a harsh battle cry, she charged forward... her long, flared tail swinging widely before roughly slamming into the seventh man sending him flying several feet away into a stone wall. Her mouth was wide; gaping open, light blue flames licking at the back of her throat but just before she was about to let loose, something forced the air from her lungs, sending her tumbling to the ground.
She was quick to rise to her feet and faced the new threat head-on... seething as Orochimaru's second in command barricaded her from easily reaching her downed master by placing his own body between them; an enchanted sword wielded between his frail-looking hands. Though definitely not as strong as his leader, Kabuto still posed a threat she couldn't easily handle while he used the magic granted to him through the power transfer. She growled dangerously and shifted her weight as she readied herself once again.
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He was attempting to avoid most of the bloodbath when he felt it; a sharp, albeit slightly dulled pain slicing through his underside directly above his guts. A quick glance indicated he was completely unscathed; which could only mean one thing.
His keen eyes sought out his mate— what he saw caused his blood to run cold.
Orochimaru, his master, standing directly above her with a sharp sword piercing straight through her midriff; while she tried her best to desperately twist her way out of his strong hold. Her own master was roaring with fury... but was held captive by several of Orochimaru's henchmen. When the snake's dark eyes worked their way up until he was glaring at the dragon, his face twisting into a dark mask of delight, he was finally snapped from his motionless state.
Knowing the consequences, he maneuvered his way down until he landed directly on top of the pair; ripping his captor off of his mate with an infuriated howl of pent-up rage. He felt several blades penetrate the skin between his scales... but refused to let go as his jowls slowly closed around the snake's skull. His teeth slowly sank into the warlock's pale flesh allowing blood to ooze downward, coating the ground beneath them in a deep crimson, before he felt his canines reach bone. He paused, the pulse of his master thrumming as he desperately scratched at the dragon's face and neck in an attempt to free himself; relishing in the man's frantic screams that were muffled by the mouth of the beast.
It took all of two seconds before silence surrounded them, and he released the body with a loud plop. His focus was soon diverted from his dead master to his beloved who lay motionless on the ground just a few feet away. Everyone stilled as he approached her, his bloodied muzzle nudging her wounds before he let out a gentle snort of despair. He could feel his own body finally giving out... the force of the ruptured contract too great... and he collapsed next to her seconds later; unconscious.
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Three weeks later...
"Be sure to visit okay," Tsunade demanded as she rubbed the warm snout of her dragon, who in turn blew out a small stream of smoke from her nostrils before nuzzling against the blonde affectionately. The witch then turned to the tall beast beside her with a weary gaze. "And you... look after her now. Don't you dare let anything happen to her or I will fucking kill you and mount your head to the wall above my fireplace. Got it." The large beast snorted indignantly and turned up his nose at the insult. Satisfied, the blonde gave her dragon one final pat, resting her forehead against the she-dragons before stepping away from them with a small smile on her lips.
The littlest one turned and nuzzled the side of her mate's neck before shaking out her wings; extending them while letting out a happy cry. He in turn follows suit before lifting off the ground and taking flight; followed shortly behind by his little mate. Tsunade watched as the beasts flew off into the sunset above the forest, her smile remaining on her lips as a warm hand landed on her shoulder.
She twisted to see that Jiraiya was also smiling... his own dragon close behind as he watched the pair disappear into the distance with a fond expression. "They'll be fine."
Tsunade's smile grew wider. "I know. I have faith. We'll see them again soon. I'm sure of it."