Scales, once gold and gleaming, now were pale, almost seeming a dull silver, or even a grey. It had been so long since the young one basked in the sun, feeling the warmth.

It had been months, once or twice, she nervously left the lair, only to retreat back into it's shelter.

She didn't seem to mind, watching brothers and sisters for her mother while she was out.

Keeping herself clean by soaking in one of the warmer soaking pools.

But the absence of light, the warmth of the sun, still drained the color from her scales.

One day, she would get it back, one day, she would recover, she'd told herself this over and over again.

Yet still the days passed.

She hadn't even caught the scent of flowers, or chased the butterflies through the forest.

One day soon, she told herself, one step at a time.