So close-but things get a bit more forceful

Slowly, I could see the Mark beginning to form, slowly becoming more solid, like an actual brand darkening the skin as it applies more heat. My hopes had begun to raise-at least, until my body did. A violent knee to my midsection saw me rising into the air, interrupting my casting. Hurt like heck, but I decided to revert to my more tendriled shape anyway. Clearly, the jig was up, and it was now time for a more proper fight. She seemed to have come to the same conclusion when she saw what she was dealing with-I could see her scales begin to spread further.

Unfortunately for her, she wouldn't get the chance as I wrapped around her. Her body growing larger exerted a certain ****-trying to grow out of my grip. However, my vines had more than enough strength to fight this pressure-and to hold fast-which ends up turning it against her. She could either back revert to her humanoid form, or be crushed by her own expansion. She choose the former, all while appearing to try and be in the running for most hateful looks.

With a lot more magic power at my disposal, even if its arrayed against a much stronger **** of her focus entirely on me on, I can overcome her resistance, my mark appearing over her lower body before setting her down with a probably unneeded amount of gentleness. I could see her practically quiver as she attempted to either activate her abilities or turn aggressive against me-both possibilities now sealed away without my permission. Just to solidify things all the more, I tell her to look up-to make it easier as I put a Seed into her nape, ignoring the feeling of expansion of a level provides. Looks like the dragon still technically qualified as a big challenge, even if I had basically cheated that one.

Part of the reason for this focus is a realization that I'm being watched. With senses keener than before, I can note that a little voyeur appears to be watching us, shifting about slightly in the foliage. A cervitaur, probably meant to verify things. I swear, I could practically watch her almost panic as I holler out. "Don't worry-she's harmless now. You can come close if you want." Nevertheless, she managed to muster herself to sheepishly approach, before asking about what exactly I had done to her, understandably putting myself between her and the fire-breather who was almost literally smoking with irritation. As I quickly give her an admittingly selective run-down, I could see her eyes practically light up before she asks something I hadn't expected: