Drake reached for his sword, holding a glance with Black for just long enough to see his eyes.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: orangered">Yellow eyes...and by how easily he can hold my blade... I'm pretty sure he can't be a human. But...did I hear right....Black?  That name sounds familiar....like a distant memory passed down in my family's heritage. At least it does because I can't fully recall it at the moment. Let's see... that half demon has yellow eyes too, and this Black fellow doesn't look part animal....That's it! He has got to be a demon.</span></span><br/><br/>Drake suddenly remembered where he heard that name before. In the stories passed down about the great Dragon-Demon Wars, where many a dragon was slain. Could this be the same one who had slain his...uncle?...no... his uncle and uncle's brothers.. so long ago? That was about...1700 years at least, because Drake's uncle would have been about 2300 when Drake was born, but died at 1300 years of age, just about twice Drake's age now. The stories of the Demon who had single handedly lain waste to his family...That man was not to be trusted.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: orangered">But if he is that same person...why has he not tried to kill me? And the dragon traveling with them? I won't let my eyes off him if I can help it.</span></span><span style="color: orangered">"So...Black is it? Why is it you let this...weakling... order you around? I imagined that one with your knowledge should be in charge of the human, not the other way around."</span>He turns to Skippy,<span style="color: orangered">"And you, little one, I am sorry to say the sword is not enchanted, just built for one like me to use with ease.</span><br/><br/>Drake considered his next action carefully, and thought it might be appropriate in the situation.<span style="color: orangered">"As Black was whispering to the boy...no, I am not a human. I imagine your dragon friend here felt the same thing as I did, and knows the truth already, but this is not my true form. I am quite old, at least by many standards, but nowhere near the ancient ones of my race.</span>Drake backed a bit away from the group, and then his eyes flashed red. His form seems to shimmer and become ethereal, expanding outwards and upwards. It solidified into his true form, a red and gold dragon standing about thirty feet tall with his head in its normal "resting" position above his body, at least twenty feet from his foot to shoulder. Also, from head to tip of tail around fifty feet long. As Drake's form finished solidifying, his right foot came very close to stepping on Ijemaru.<br/><br/><span style="color: orangered">"This..."</span>he growled,<span style="color: orangered">"is my true form. But do not worry, I choose not to eat humans, as long as they don't annoy me. Nor would I eat you little one,"</span>directing himself toward Skippy,<span style="color: orangered">"as I only hunt wild, 'dumb' prey, those who cannot speak the common tongues of any land."</span>With that Drake repeated the process and returned to his human form, cracking his neck a little as everything returned to its previous place.<span style="color: orangered">"I have been to the city many times over my life, and it changes little. There is a fine inn just within the gate, and if we hurry, they will be cooking their finest steaks and meals, as many a traveler comes to visit, and they respect those of any race, as long as they have money or connections. Also, young one, would you like to assume a form less likely to cause stares? I believe I can help you, though I do not know how long my spell would last. But I only offer, if you so wish."</span>He said this last part to the dragon, knowing that even though the inn would accept her in, any strangers who saw a dragon with a mashed up group of travelers would either assault them or spread rumors. And judging by the evil feeling he was getting from something being carried by these travelers, it was safer to not draw attention to them.