Sleep, that is what the small black dragon had done most of the Winter. Purple belly scales pressed upon the floor near the hearth of the home that she and her "father" Galen had shared.
Galen had long since disappeared, yet she remained still, green eyes slitted halfway as she started to awaken.
By now the remnant of the embers within the hearth were just a memory, but the walls still protected from the bitter chill.How long had she slumbered?
No longer the little hatchling Galen had taken care of, sometime in her torper she had grown in size.
Still small enough though to claim the building as her own. At least until the thaw, or her food ran out.
Food, hunger, she was reminded of such as her stomach rumbled.
She remembered where her father had stored much of the reserves.
Hesitant to leave the hearth spot, she finally made her way towards the kitchen, where she had found a few hanging haunches and hams.
Perhaps they had been left for her before Galen had disappeared.
Reaching up, she bit off a small chunk of ham, swallowing it. Small bites, one at a time, if only to make the meal last.
There was enough there to last through the bitter cold, if she was careful enough to ration herself.
Green eyes flicked towards the door that remained closed then. She could hear the wind howling outside.
It would not be a good day to go outside.
One day, come the thaw, she would abandon the building perhaps. Or maybe use it to store things.
In the back of her mind, memories stirred, memories once locked away, of kin, of a sister. Maybe come the thaw, the Spring, she would find her way back.
She had not seen Icer in so long. Not since she had found a lair with her own mate,Vendrek'kal.
But one day, her mate had just seemed to vanish, just as her adopted father seemed to have done.
She was alone again. one day, come the warmth, she would find her way back to her kin, or maybe claim one of the empty caverns nearby.
One day, when it was warm.
Another glance toward the door, then towards a window which still held the cold white snow. It wasn't time. Not yet.
Curling back up in her spot near the hearth, green eyes closed once more as she faded back into slumber, and the promise of warmer things.
Galen had long since disappeared, yet she remained still, green eyes slitted halfway as she started to awaken.
By now the remnant of the embers within the hearth were just a memory, but the walls still protected from the bitter chill.How long had she slumbered?
No longer the little hatchling Galen had taken care of, sometime in her torper she had grown in size.
Still small enough though to claim the building as her own. At least until the thaw, or her food ran out.
Food, hunger, she was reminded of such as her stomach rumbled.
She remembered where her father had stored much of the reserves.
Hesitant to leave the hearth spot, she finally made her way towards the kitchen, where she had found a few hanging haunches and hams.
Perhaps they had been left for her before Galen had disappeared.
Reaching up, she bit off a small chunk of ham, swallowing it. Small bites, one at a time, if only to make the meal last.
There was enough there to last through the bitter cold, if she was careful enough to ration herself.
Green eyes flicked towards the door that remained closed then. She could hear the wind howling outside.
It would not be a good day to go outside.
One day, come the thaw, she would abandon the building perhaps. Or maybe use it to store things.
In the back of her mind, memories stirred, memories once locked away, of kin, of a sister. Maybe come the thaw, the Spring, she would find her way back.
She had not seen Icer in so long. Not since she had found a lair with her own mate,Vendrek'kal.
But one day, her mate had just seemed to vanish, just as her adopted father seemed to have done.
She was alone again. one day, come the warmth, she would find her way back to her kin, or maybe claim one of the empty caverns nearby.
One day, when it was warm.
Another glance toward the door, then towards a window which still held the cold white snow. It wasn't time. Not yet.
Curling back up in her spot near the hearth, green eyes closed once more as she faded back into slumber, and the promise of warmer things.