A lone figure was climbing along a narrow mountain path, white staff pounding the dirt ground with every other step. Her clothing consisted of a mixture of cloth and dragon scales. The scales of course, were given to her because the dragons trusted her. Long, dangling earing bobbed and swayed as she walked, the various flasks and vials hanging from her belt were also clinking together. She wore no shoes, no face paint like the women of the town, or cut her hair. She was natural through and through. And yet....that was the key to her beauty.
She breathed lightly, not at all phased by the long trek from the town to the cave which she called home. It was rather guarded--many wards placed about and quite hidden. She reached the smallest crest of the mountain (took her nearly a day and a half's walk to get there), Briseis, the Elvaan Dragon Keeper, came to a halt. Her hazel colored eyes scanned the small clearing on which she stood, then swiveled towards the wall of rock on her right. She pointed her staff at a large boulder which astonishingly began to roll to the side revealing an opening in the rock.
She smiled, satisfied and walked through the entrance. Immdiately the cave echoed with pips and squeaks. Dragon Hatchlings. Three to be precise. Briseis dropped her staff and crossed to the opposite side of the rather large cave and opened waist high basket.
There were many items in the cave, several hand-woven baskets holding dry goods, clay pottery that held water and wine, hundreds of flasks and vials lined the walls of the cave where shelves had been carved from the rock. Inside the bottles? Various potions and liquids. Dried herbs and fish hung from wooden pegs.
From the basket, Briseis pulled dried beef. She then moved to pour a bowl of water and then carried both items back to the dragon hatchlings. She knelt beside them, then laughed as they stumbled and crawled over to her. She fed them, silently, stroking their scales as they ate. One clever little male began pawing at the bag on her side, trying to get inside of it.
"Ok, ok...you can have this too." Bri opened the bag and pulled out fresh raw meat, smiling as the hatchlings nipped her fingers in their attempt to eat if quickly.
Something moved outside. In an instant, Briseis put the hatchlings back into their nest, threw the blanket back over them and dashed to the opening in the rock.
She breathed lightly, not at all phased by the long trek from the town to the cave which she called home. It was rather guarded--many wards placed about and quite hidden. She reached the smallest crest of the mountain (took her nearly a day and a half's walk to get there), Briseis, the Elvaan Dragon Keeper, came to a halt. Her hazel colored eyes scanned the small clearing on which she stood, then swiveled towards the wall of rock on her right. She pointed her staff at a large boulder which astonishingly began to roll to the side revealing an opening in the rock.
She smiled, satisfied and walked through the entrance. Immdiately the cave echoed with pips and squeaks. Dragon Hatchlings. Three to be precise. Briseis dropped her staff and crossed to the opposite side of the rather large cave and opened waist high basket.
There were many items in the cave, several hand-woven baskets holding dry goods, clay pottery that held water and wine, hundreds of flasks and vials lined the walls of the cave where shelves had been carved from the rock. Inside the bottles? Various potions and liquids. Dried herbs and fish hung from wooden pegs.
From the basket, Briseis pulled dried beef. She then moved to pour a bowl of water and then carried both items back to the dragon hatchlings. She knelt beside them, then laughed as they stumbled and crawled over to her. She fed them, silently, stroking their scales as they ate. One clever little male began pawing at the bag on her side, trying to get inside of it.
"Ok, ok...you can have this too." Bri opened the bag and pulled out fresh raw meat, smiling as the hatchlings nipped her fingers in their attempt to eat if quickly.
Something moved outside. In an instant, Briseis put the hatchlings back into their nest, threw the blanket back over them and dashed to the opening in the rock.