Vigilate

She stumbles out into the open, blind and afraid. She's never thought that being hatched alone could lead to something like this.

Hatched alone in the boneyards wasn't exactly an ideal situation. Dragons who are motherless wander those places without any recollection of their previous lives they could have lived. Instead, they search alongside wild packs for food, hide from swarms of mirrors who would love to have them over for dinner, and living in less-than-perfect homes that are abandoned within a day or two.

After living her first year or so in the most infected area possible she crossed over to grassier areas, quite literally! The warm grass felt like it tickled her scarred footpads. She could breathe the air and not feel it burn her throat all the way through. She could maybe live again here?

Or so she thought.

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Finding a nice abandoned den to lay in for the night, she began to close her eyes. The moon looked so close and beautiful. She could almost reach her hand out and touch the moon with her cold claws. She could almost sleep, but couldn't.

There was a spontaneous howl close by.

Jolting upright, she stiffened. Howling where she came from meant a pack of mirrors or other types of creatures were following. It sounded much lighter though, almost breathy in some senses. She whipped around only to hear another howl, this one accompanied by glowing green eyes. And another, and another. She was surrounded.

Angry from their hollow being taken by an intruder, the gale wolves circled. Whisping by here and there, almost as if they didn't exist in one breath and came back to life in another. She flashed her fangs bright, she knew how to take on a group of mirrors, this shouldn't be any different right?

Wrong.

First, one of them would jolt forward and strike her as hard as they could. Then another. Some rushed passed as distractions so another could come in to the fray and strike her hard. She was loosing balance. Even the wind kicked up and tossed her hearing from one corner to the next. She was done for if she couldn't keep up with them.

But, one thing nocturnes are good at are their senses of smell. She could catch whiffs of one passing by and find another one closing in, but only when the wind would let up. She twirled around, clipping one by the jaw with her wing, and another in the stomach area with her foot. These things don't let up. They must be hungry.

She lifted her wings to attempt to fly away. On the down-stroke, one latched to her side. Yowling in pain, she tried to flap harder. This was only met with another wolf that had snapped at her wing tip, pinning that one downwards. She

Smart little buggers that the wolves are, they had now moved down-wind. Striking with more force and dashing to the side or back. She quickly became helpless, she quickly became defeated. They ensured their victory once they had become accustomed to attacking her face, especially her nasal and mouth cavity. She yowled, eyes gouged out and whipped as quiclkly as she could to get them off. She could hear them swirling and growling, but felt alone.

Another noise bolted from the outer rim of her hearing. Something that sounded like hoof-steps. Knocking? Something rushing the wolves? Yelping? She whirled her head around wildly, sniffing to find out what it could possibly be. There was a hint of something that seemed equine in nature, but it didn't smell like anything she knew.

The noise of bugs and the still air grew around her eventually. She lay there keeping her balance before crashing to the ground. Still was the night, but never was her heart. She couldn't sleep that night.

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Nights passed as she lay in the thickets blind and helpless. She didn't think that being born motherless would have her end up like this. She had wished and waited for the wolves to come back and finish her off, but they seemed scared by the unknown assailant.

Off in the moonlight, she wondered if she could see it again. Maybe she could have at least one eye come back right? The way some miracles happen right? She huffed, silently crying herself to sleep that night. As she lay unconscious, hooves were heard in the distance.

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She jolted awake to a cold unknown object laying across her mangled snout. She hyperventilated, sliding out from under it's grasp. "Oh, you're awake" she heard. It sounded sweet, sincere, and quite raspy. "I've been waiting to talk to you. Are you okay?" She shifted, spreading her wings and wincing at the pain. The voice spoke again, this time a scaly large hand held her face loosely. "You are safe here, dearest. No one can get you in my grove." The hand guided her back down softly and gently. The mint leaf bed soothed her body throughout as the sun warmed her wounds.

"Do you have a name young one? Do you know who you are or where you came from?" She felt a breath from the large being on her face, she knew the being was close. She tried to open her mouth, but she found her mouth to be healed shut. She shook her head no. Never did she need a name, never did she know anything other than running and hiding.

"Poor dear. You've ran from anythin' that was out there. Why don't you find yourself here. You'll find we're quite in need of some extra help." Those hoof steps were heard again, this time with a snort. She perked up realizing her savior. "I am so glad that my Qiriq here has found you. He likes to go wherever he wants."

From that day, the newly named Vigilate began to help the name-known Biowaz out with her familiars. Feeding them and finding out where the food bowls were, where they slept, and other portions became her main focus. Her senses of smell came back with the healing from Heart and Skyfall. But she began to take particular interest in helping those familiars after their death.

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As she approached adulthood, all dragons are required to confront the matriarch and her trusty sidekick artist. The inner council surrounded Vigilate in observance.

"Good Evening everyone. This group of fine-young dragons have been chosen to join our inner sanctum and become strong with us. Positions have been dropping left and right. And it is our duty to keep our army strong and to one day bring the Windsinger back to his post above the flatlands."

She listed off each hatchling, some of them going towards the fight to bring their deity back and some to join in the ranks as librarians, nurses, and trainers.

"Vigilate. Your knowledge of animals and dragons is astounding, even with your sight being lost. I hearby announce that you will join our ranks as our grave keeper. May your heart grow strong, and your might ring on." stated the announcer. After hearing this, her smile widened as much as it could. She would be able to help those into their next life, for even their souls are needed for the fight.

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Till this day she tends the forests that outlay the final resting place of dragons from the land of Breeze and Smoke. She hides her grotesque face with a plague mask so children who visit their loved ones won't stare and shy away. She buries them underneath healthy trees, etching their names in the sides of the bark with her claws.

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