Dakota

The hum of the broiling thick, toxin filled air padded down his feathers. He had come to this plagueful land to sell his wares he had collected on his travels. This wasn't his first time in this land, he knew that the plague dragons. Despite their reputation for being brutes, terrible dragons focused on disease. They weren't truly evil as other dragons thought.

They were dragons in a different environment, they only wished to persevere. If one acted right, they had nothing to fear. Which Dakota knew, and so he relaxed at the edge of the Wyrmwound. The amount of illness filling the earth did not scare him. This was once his home, he wasn't scared of dying of whatever infects him.

But he simply kept watching the bubbling mixture. His business wasn't as wanted currently, the plague has spread. And the clans were fighting for all the new space. The absence of the loud boisterous voices of the plague dragons were something he actually missed.

But the bubbling brew distracted him enough not the notice the soft footsteps behind him.
"Hey!" A voice chirped out, startling Dakota out of his daze.

A look behind him revealed the owner, a soft green and blue female coatl with misty runes.
"A-ah-" he stuttered, still a little surprised. Before regaining his posture. "Hello! I umm- were you interested in some of my wares?" He asked, gesturing to his small cart his pulled around. Full of clothes, food, and even a couple familars and specially items.

"Ooo- sure!" The coatl chirped, and Dakota found himself relaxing. She seemed nice,
"I'm Dakota." He introduced himself, "What were you looking for today?"

"Im Brisk! I was out looking for some battle stones for our warriors. If you'd happen to have any?"

"Ah- yes! The plague battlestones are right over here." He said kindly, reaching into his cart and pulling out a bag with a plague emblem. A bit caught off guard when he saw Brisk staring at him. Catching his confused look, Brisk responsed.

"You're a plague dragon! Your hat made you look like a Shadow, or maybe Earth. Do you live nearby?" She asked, seeming to completely forget about the battlestones.

"Ah- well no, I'm a traveling merchant. I just came from Nature's lands. I know it may be a bit unsafe to travel alone but I'm quite alright-" he assured, knowing that most got a bit worried when he spoke about traveling.

"Alone? That sounds… loney" she said with a slightly sorrowful tone. Before perking up, "Hey! Why don't you join our clan? We have space, and could use more dragons."

Dakota could only stare at her for a couple seconds. Her toxin feathers glimmering in the sun's rays. Leaving him a bit in a daze, they were beautiful. But he managed to respond

"I-I can't, I'm not a dragon for settling in one place. That's why a travel-" he said. Trying to persuade the dragon to let it go. But they only returned his look with a determined one.

"But you like it here right? You were watching the Wyrmwound, and your a plague dragon. This is your home!" She said before grabbing him by the arm, "how about you meet the clan ok? Then you can choose!" She said, not even giving him the choice as the surprisingly strong dragon started to drag him.

He wriggled a bit, trying to get free before giving up. Grabbing his cart's handle with his tail before he was pulled to far. "Fine- but I can walk myself!" He tried to say, but Brisk didn't seem to care as she marched towards her clan. A bright smile on her face.

"You're gonna love it!" She chirped happily as they headed towards the sunset.
...
And now, after many days has passed since then. He looked down at Brisk, his now mate, swaddling her latest hatchlings. He smiled, knowing she was right. He couldn't imagine his life now if he had moved on. But he didn't have to.

He was happy right here

~~~

Lore by JingleTingle