"Stupid mom, stupid dad," Nolan muttered to himself, "why do they always have to fight?" He sighed and looked around. The creaking of the trees in the wind sent shivers down his spine. His plan had been to make his own home in the woods. He’d known it would be lonely but he was used to lonely, being the only kid in the village and all. This however, he was unprepared for. The young elf took a few deep breaths, steeling his resolve. He would make his home in the woods, he didn’t need anyone to care for him. He shook his head, with newly gathered determination he walked on towards the nearby clearing. If anywhere, that was a good place to start.
He walked the familiar forest paths, the old trees familiar yet unwelcoming to him, the cool night air changing the feel of the forest radically. The old split trunk tree! He smiled despite the scary night sounds. Almost there then, just… through… these… bushes! There! With a rip in his pants he tore free from the bramble. He proudly harrumphed to himself! He knew he could do it! It took him a moment to process what he saw. When he did, he screamed, pushing himself backwards into the bramble bush despite the thorns. The dragon however, did nothing but keep a curious eye on him.
It took an embarrassingly long time, during all of which Nolan simply curled up inside the brambles, to realise the dragon wasn’t doing anything. Slowly, the young boy crawled forwards, back out of the brambles. Man… Mom was going to be livid about the clothes… He froze when he saw the dragon shift, their head turning to face him. Their slitted eyes pressing down on him with the weight only a being easily thrice his height could. A pained whine almost inaudibly left its mouth. Nolan blinked in surprise, immediately re-examining the creature. That was a lot of blood, he wasn’t sure his entire body had that much, wow. Was… was the wing supposed to bend that way?
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He looked the beast in the eye, fearfully swallowing his spit. What he saw within was no anger, only pain, sadness and regret. He felt a pang of empathy for the dying creature. Slowly walking closer, afraid of how they might react. But it’s initially piercing green eyes had unfocused to stare into the afterlife, its breathing slower every time. The boy put his hand sympathetically on its wing, head dipped low in respect to the all but fallen creature of legend.
A snort, Nolan’s eyes shot up and he stumbled back. The dragon’s eyes unclouded, a moment of lucidity. It gazed at the elven youth with an evaluating gaze, he felt his heart skip a beat. Hair’s breadth from death or not, he had little doubt they could kill him with ease. But it didn’t. Instead he saw it slowly, painfully slowly lift its broken wing with a series of pained whimpers. “stop! Don’t hurt yourself! Please!” Nolan yelled, but it didn’t. Then he saw why, his breath caught in his throat. Cradled protectively in its claws sat a large spherical object, larger than his head with ease. The dragon pressed its snout against the egg for a second, giving it a loving lick. Then rolled it forwards.
"Dal’quem."
"Dalquem?" He repeated, disbelief clouding his mind. The dragon dipped its head, eyes filled with a silent request. Nolan gulped, he wasn’t sure he wasn’t dreaming, but he understood. Feet heavy he stepped forwards. Heaving to lift the egg from the ground. He could feel a calm acceptance within the dragon. Its eyes increasingly unfocused with every breath, each one slower and shallower than the last. Nolan kept it company throughout until he was certain the next breath wasn’t coming. He snapped out of the trance like state, looking upon the dead parent one last time.
“Rest easy,” he mumbled under his breath. The weight of a life heavy in his hands.