Morning came with its sunlight filtering through out of Drak'thar, painting the guest chambers in shades of gold.
Owen woke first, still in his humanoid form, with Yuki curled against his chest. Her breathing was soft and steady, one arm draped across his scaled torso.
The slime, still unnamed, had somehow migrated during the night and now rested on Owen's head like a gelatinous hat, pulsing gently with its faint green glow.
He carefully extracted himself from Yuki's embrace, moving with the stealth of someone who didn't want to wake their partner.
But his tail swished unconsciously as he stood, still getting used to the balance required for bipedal movement.
The slime plopped down onto his shoulder, seeming content to ride there instead.
Owen walked to the window, looking out over the impossible architecture of the Dragon Kingdom.
