Your blue eyes glowing brightly back at you.

It took a moment for your eyes to adjust to the bright light, but staring back at you was your own two eyes with a bright blue aura surrounding them. It was like a dream. How could you not have noticed something like this? What did it even mean? Did it relate to what the Drake's eyes were doing? Was this permanent? So many questions ran through your head. You began looking back and forth between the Drake and the reflection in the blade. Another smirk forming on the Drake's face the longer your back and forth movements lasted. Until finally you stared at the Drake, a low rumble of laughter seemingly coming from her chest.

"What is this?" you asked pointing at your eyes. "Did you do something to me? Did you cast a spell of some sort on me?" Your tone growing angry and fearful. Suddenly calmness washed over you like a warm blanket wrapped around you on a cold night. Calm yourself Human Mercenary, there is no deception on my part. Our souls have bonded. A feminine voice rang out in your head. There was no direction the voice was coming from. It was like it came from every direction and no direction at the same time. The tone was soothing and attractive. Forces more powerful than both of us have joined us together, though I can not say why as to my knowledge no Drake and Human have ever bonded in such a way before. The Drake. You whirled to face the Drake. She was staring intensely at you again.

"You can talk?" You asked accusingly. "Why didn't you talk to me before? We could have avoided this whole situation!" Your guilt washing over you again followed by the calmness again. I can communicate with you now that we have been bonded long enough. The longer we are bonded the more we will be able to, she pauses briefly as if to find the right word as her head looks back and forth, communicate, she finishes with a laugh that soothes your mind and makes you smile a little.

"What else would we be able to communicate" you ask curiously.

Emotions, knowledge, our locations across any distance, and our wishes and desires she purrs out the last word. You ignore the hint of the last word and focus on the first.

"How long does it usually take to communicate emotions, because it feels like we are already doing that. Twice now I could feel your calmness wash over me, and I could feel other emotions too like your laughter" you point out.

I do not know for sure. It has been a long time since I bonded with another Drake, but I do know the stronger the bond the stronger the communication and also the faster. This is the fastest I have ever been able to communicate with another creature. I will admit that this is unique as I could feel the genuine guilt you have for attacking me and causing me harm. You feel a brief flicker of fear before it disappears quickly.

"Do you fear me still?" you ask.

No, she immediately responds and then pauses to look away, and yes. No human has ever been able to cause me harm before. I did underestimate you, but you were the superior fighter anyways. No one has survived a blow like I gave you with my tail, and armor can't fully account for that in my opinion. She strikes the ground with her tail and her pride washes over you as she can now defend herself better.

I've faced **** before, but never was I so certain of it before today. Guilt and embarrassment washed over you again as you looked at your feet. Quickly calmness and what feels like acceptance cause you to look up again.

Human, it is going to be annoying if I have to deal with your guilt so often.

"I apologize", you retort, "It is not easy to let it go".

I am aware of how guilt works human. Believe me.

"Why are you forgiving me for my actions and how did you know I meant you no further harm?" You asked.

Your eyes, she responds, they began to glow. I knew at that moment you meant to help me and not harm me. I...I didn't know mine were glowing as well until you mentioned it. You ponder your next question. What would it have meant if just my eyes were glowing and not yours as well.

_Precisely what I stated. That you meant me no harm and that you wished to help me. At some point while being hunted our natural magic started to protect us. We were given visual cues as to who was an ally and who meant us harm. You and I are the only ones who can see our eyes glowing. Now a days we just avoid civilization all together if possible. That's why you kind of caught me off guard and I wasn't sure what to do. _You manage to only flash a pang of guilt before brushing it away for her sake.

"So next question then...how do we turn off our eyes?" You ask.

Are they that distracting and ugly to you?

"No," you reply immediately, "your eyes are very beautiful like this," you blush. "It's just that...eventually I'm going to need to shave this scruff," you point at your chin, "and I'd like to be able to see when I do it. I already have enough scars," you laugh out. Laughter fills your mind and you hear her rumbling laughter begin.

You humans and your weird practices. Covering yourselves with cloths, cutting off hair that nature has given you. Suddenly she gets a little more serious.

Perhaps before I tell you how we can turn this glow off we should give each other our names?