I awoke in the rain soaked forest. The small life inside it twittered and called to one another. There was no sign of the elves that attempted to ambush me the day before. I climbed my way to the tops of the tree and beat my wings heavily and took to the air. I spent a good amount of energy climbing ever higher so that I could soar without effort on the updrafts of warm air.

The heavy rain clouds had traveled further north following the cold winds that swept it away. I angled away from the rising sun and traveled inland away from the coastline. My eyes stayed peeled for any signs of larger beasts such as dragons going through the lands below.

The lands seemed more lush after the awakening of Klaxu. Once his rage was spent and he received the worship of the people of the land. Some desperate desire to be recognized for one’s power. The life of the gods grew more mysterious to me by the year. The games that they played with the birth of a sibling into the world and using us dragons to make sure the life in the world survived that event still boggled my mind.

The sense of freedom that I got while in my true dragon’s body was invigorating and truly made me feel alive. I had no idea where the people of Klaxu settled. The villages were insular and highly territorial over the lands that they gathered and hunted in. The food sources highly important to them all. There were mummering of trying to secure more reliable food. For when hunts failed, when the bushes and trees were picked clean.

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I winged towards the birthplace of Klaxu. If Crafter was in her right mind I might be able to ask her if she had any ideas on how to find these other dragons that have been created. If not I at least would have an update on how she was doing after all these years. I hoped beyond hope that the rage that was suffused into her soul had been extinguished by time and the draining power that the cave seemed to hold.

I changed my direction and headed slightly west southwest. The sun rose high into the sky as I soared for hours. Catching the updrafts of warm air. A relaxed feeling fought against the excitement with the quest I was on to find my new brothers and sisters. The wounds of the loss of Gathers Knowing passing away burned like quiet embers at the depths of my soul. I both wanted to return to the people and seek their comforting presence, but I also wanted a purpose so I wouldn’t wallow in the loss of a longtime friend.

The looming mountain had come into view on the horizon as the sun set before my eyes. The painting of the world in the hues of orange and pink. I couldn’t fly any longer, the muscles in my wings soar from all the flying I had done over the last day. It had been too long since I had flown. I took a slow descent into the lands and swooped over herds of wild beasts grazing and running from the sight of me.

I found a copse of trees, their leaves broad and wide, soaking up the light of the moons. Their roots deep into the soil of the world. I curled up amongst them. This part of the world was warm and the earth was soft beneath my claws. I wrapped my tail around myself and let sleep take me after an exhausting day of watching the world slowly move below me.