I Became Part of the Dragon's Hoard

Two days after the death of her father, Bery's smile returned. She twirled her body beneath the warm sunlight, her thin dress spinning with her. She beheld the sight in front of her with glee.

Water extended beyond the horizon as far as her eyes could see. The sand of the warm beach prickled at her feet. The blue of her one piece dress flapped a bit in the ocean breeze.

Valerie grinned at her dancing kitten. "I knew you would look wonderful at the beach. The ocean suits you well, and you look so adorable."

Bery's cheeks reddened. Though she was embarrassed, she really wanted to see what it was like to touch the ocean water. She slipped off her dress, revealing her bikini beneath. The blue fabric covered her important parts and wrapped around her pristine body with thin strings.

The moisture in the humid air dripped down Bery's succulent thighs. Her tail waved around behind her, and she ran to the water.

"So cold!" The contrast between the warm air and the cold water on her feet made her shiver slightly. She turned around and looked towards the dragon who'd been staring at her.

The dragoness stripped off her own thin black sundress and exposed the black bikini beneath. Her top struggled against her large chest, the sides of her boobs threatening to burst out.

Bery found herself staring at the muscular body of Valerie. She bit the corner of her mouth while looking down at Valerie's thick thighs. However, Bery had other plans in mind.

The kitten giggled to herself, turning away from the dragon and running further out to sea. The small waves helped to pull her deeper into the ocean current. It was only when she could no longer stand that the kitten realized something important.

"I can't swim!"

She screamed in a panic, but the salty water pulled her beneath the surface. She swallowed a bit of it, until she felt two strong arms wrapping around her.

"Silly kitten," Valerie said, holding onto Bery tenderly. "You wanted to play a game with me, but you don't know how to swim."

Bery's face became even redder than before. This time it was not out of any sense of lust but embarrassment for her stupidity.

Valerie held onto her and nibbled her ear playfully. "Don't worry, my little kitten. I can teach you how to swim properly."

"You will?"

"Of course, though admittedly, it did surprise me that you couldn't swim. You ran out here so eagerly in order to tease me."

Bery frowned. "I know! I wasn't thinking straight. I was only thinking that you would come capture me."

The dragoness chuckled. "And I did come capture you, so in a way, you can consider that your mission is accomplished, pretty kitty."

Bery turned around and wrapped her arms around Valerie, planting a kiss on the dragon's lips. "Consider this a payment in advance of your swimming lesson."

Valerie smiled. "The payment has been accepted. Your lessons shall start at the scheduled time...which is right now."

The kitten giggled and allowed herself to be lifted into the water.

"First, your body needs to be like this," Valerie said. "When your body is flat against the surface like this, you will not sink. Of course, this is not taking into account any current. In still water, it's true. If you lie on your back, your body will float above the surface."

Bery nodded, the dragon taking her arms and putting one in front.

"When you paddle in the water, scoop down, and twist your arm beneath the water's surface. When you get back to this position, you will do the same thing again. Both arms should be alternating. While your left arm is back, your right arm will be forwards. This is the fastest way to swim for a kitten like you, and your legs should act like little flippers. Maybe if you get your tail involved you can go a little faster."

Bery's eyes widened, listening to Valerie's explanation. "You really know how to do a lot of things."

The dragoness chuckled. "You don't get to be as old as me without learning a few tricks."

"What about if I just want to travel slowly?"

"That's pretty easy. You can scoop your arms to the side like this." Valerie pushed Bery's arm down to the sides of her body like the kitten was some type of water bird. "It's also good for swimming beneath the water's surface. Your feet can paddle gently, and you can simply angle yourself how you want to go."

"How long do you think I'd be able to holy my breath underwater?"

Valerie shrugged. "I have no idea. I can stay underwater for hours, and it would be infinite if I used a spell. Shall we try it? Hold your breath, and keep your eyes closed. I will dunk you beneath the surface, and you tap on my leg when you need air."

Bery nodded. She took in a few small breaths before holding it altogether. She closed her eyes, feeling her head pushed beneath the water by Valerie. She panicked immediately and tapped on Valerie's leg.

The dragoness pulled Bery out of the water patiently. "Do not worry kitten. I will not let you drown, so you can clear your mind."

"Okay, let's try it again."

Valerie dipped Bery beneath the surface again.

Bery closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. It helped to think of her dragon's gorgeous face. She always felt a sense of calm relief while staring into the fiery red eyes of Valerie.

The kitten opened her eyes hesitantly. The stinging sensation of salt burned a bit, but she held them open anyway. The clear water looked amazing. She saw fishes swimming about in the shallows. Most of them were small, and a few of them were nibbling on some underwater plants. It's like a little underwater forest.

After about five minutes, Bery felt tightness in her lungs. She tapped on the dragon's leg, and Valerie pulled her up.

"Good job, kitten. You lasted longer than I thought you would."

"Maybe it's because my breathing has become better since being with you? After all, you are always taking my breath away."

Valerie's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Such a silly kitten. You are feeling extra flirty today." The dragoness looked towards the water. "How was it?"

"It was great. Sorry, I opened my eyes, but I saw a whole bunch of fish! I never expected that their would be so many this close to the shore."

"Don't worry about it. I knew that your eyes were open. As for the fish, that's because this spot doesn't have any intervention. I found this place while we were flying. If there were fishermen, it would be more deserted."

"Ah, that makes sense," Bery said. "I want to try swimming underwater."

"Alright, but don't push yourself. I will pull you up right away if there are any problems."

The kitten nodded and dipped her head beneath the surface. The way she worries about me is so adorable.

Bery struggled to swim. Even though Valerie taught her how to briefly, actually doing it was hard. She tried waving her arms to the side like a weird bird, and her legs paddled. However, nature was strong.

The waves pulled her further than she wanted or expected and panic set in again. She'd completely forgotten what to do with her body and began struggling against the current.

Two hands pulled her back out of the water. "You need to remain calm, kitten. The moment your mind starts panicking is when you've forgotten how to do anything. Do you remember how your mind is when you're painting?"

"When I'm painting?"

"Yes, kitten. Each time your paint brush touches the canvas, your face is serene. You enter a trance, and the only thing you're thinking about is the painting in front of you. That's how your mind needs to be when you're swimming. Stop thinking and do it."

Bery sighed. "If I stop thinking, I will forget how to swim."

"No, kitten. Simply do it. Don't think about it. When you think about it, you over complicate it in your mind. You lose sight of the goal."

"Okay," the kitten said, patting down her cheeks. "Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking."

Valerie shook her head slightly, a small chuckle escaping her. "You are such a silly, kitten. Just keep doing that, cutie. Clear your mind, and when you are ready, I will let you go."

Bery sat there and closed her eyes. She tried to remember how it was when she painted. Did she really have a clear mind then? When she wanted to paint a landscape in front of her, the only thing she saw was how beautiful nature was. She channeled that into her brush hand and started working.

The kitten's breathing calmed, and Valerie released her.

Bery opened her eyes beneath the surface, holding her breath. She pushed her arms down to her sides and paddled with her feet. She focused on the fish in front of her and their little underwater forest.

Majestic…