Greldort

Greldort doesn't talk much. Doesn't do much these days, either. But there was a time, Greldort remembers, when he had far more on his plate than sitting around looking pretty and making pretty babies.

A small clan had just been started in a cavern in the Crystalspine Reaches by a couple of fae. They put out a call for help from other dragons wanting a new home - Crystal dragons especially requested, and Greldort was one of the few that came by and decided to stay.

He didn't really have a reason not to. He came from a nearby clan in the Starwood Strand, who had encouraged him to leave on reasons Greldort barely even remembers. He'd found the fae's cave within half a day of leaving home, and figured the easy option was probably the right one. They took him in with open wings, but as soon as he settled in, they set him to work, since a new clan needs all talons on deck.

Working was more than Greldort had bargained for, but he convinced himself that packing up and moving again would only be more work. Plus, he couldn't even guarantee he'd end up in a clan where he could be lazy anyway.


Over the next couple of weeks a few more dragons joined the ranks:

• A pair of Coatl, one of whom was a failed potion-maker, who just couldn't make it in the high-demand environment of the Tempest Spire. The other was a quiet sage from The Viridian Labyrinth, who left her home following a vision of pink crystals.
• Two Skydancers arrived as well. One seemed to be made of nothing but luminous stones. He now spends his days hoarding his treasures deep in the heart of the floating rock that the clan calls home, but his greatest pride his his son Andes, who has moved to a clan on their way to The Gladeveins to become a top-class hunter. The Skydancer who hailed from The Fortress of Ends was a shimmer of blues who left her homeland after realizing she wasn't appreciated there.
• An Imperial whose body could have been mistaken for part of the peaks that make up Crystalspine Reaches joined to be away from the other Imperials from her home clan. She now bears the accolades of her new clan with pride.
• An older Wildclaw flew in - yes, flew - one day on a breeze from Reedcleft Ascent to join a clan in Starfall Isles so that he might learn more about how magic can be used to beautify the world. He wooed the Icy Skydancer and melted her heart. At least a little. Maybe only towards him. But it was a start. They had a pair of daughters, who have stayed with the clan, each taking a mate only once, and only years after the clan's foundation.
• And finally, most importantly to Greldort, a Nocturne from Emberglow Hearth with as much ambition as sense. Which is to say, a lot.

This Nocturne, called Dawnspirit, realized the opportunity she had in this fledgling clan. Lyyltoy, the fae female, didn't seem to have much interest in leading a clan. She and her mate Glimmergaunt had started the clan, but the tiny dragons had no idea how to run things, and Dawnspirit knew the clan needed a Strong matriarch.

Dawnspirit realized the Coatl named Callie was likely also eyeing the role of clan leader. Callie began leading expeditions out to go train, and brought along Lyyltoy and Callie's then mate Falaereon. The fae was obviously not a threat, but a strong female with a strong mate? That could be a problem. She needed a mate too.

Considering her options were stealing someone else's mate, trying to bond with the female Imperial, or Greldort, Dawnspirit weighed her options. Trying to win over a male who was already paired seemed more likely to backfire than anything else. Lufynwyn was big, beautiful, and having the Imperial at her side would likely make anyone who disagreed with her bite their tongue, but Dawnspirit worried about her opposition using her then-guaranteed lack of progeny against her. Hard to call yourself a Matriarch with out any children.

Which meant one thing. She had to find a way to get this lazy dragon to step up enough to be a suitable mate.

Luckily for her, if Greldort was going to have to do a thing, he'd much rather he be told exactly what to do than be left up to figuring things out on his own. When this intimidating but beautiful Nocturne barged into his cave one day and told him he was going to be her mate, but on the condition that he had to do everything she told him no matter what - though any physical effort asked of him would be short term, he was definitely willing to consider the proposal. When she told him it would give him the position in the clan with the least responsibility but best housing, he made up his mind instantly. His only other option was continuing a life of minor but unending work for the clan, after all.

Dawnspirit's first task for him began that same day. They were going out battling. He could not be her mate if he wasn't strong enough to stand next to her. Callie caught sight of them as they headed towards the battlegrounds and "innocently" invited herself along. Dawnspirit could deal with this. She actually formed quite a brilliant plan for sabotaging Callie, and Greldort was her more-than-willing collateral damage.

[that story will be written properly later. basically she feigns pleasure at Callie's presence, and suggests the three of them become a team, because her darling Greldort wanted to learn to battle, but was smart enough to not go alone. then she convinces the group that they should all focus what they're training differently, to be a well rounded team so they could be a well rounded clan. callie was fooled and worried more about being quick than strong. and dawnspirit focused on learning to deal damage, while greldort floundered around as a mage. when it came time to decide clan leader, dawnspirit beat Callie soundly in a fight, after which greldort never had to battle again]

Things were great for Greldort for a while. He had no responsibilities, and got to spend all of his days lounging around. Unfortunately for him, change is inevitable and Dawnspirit's position as head of the clan became threatened and then taken from her.

[stuff about iceflower taking over, but DS finding a role she's willing to play]

Now the only thing Greldort is required to do is mate every moon cycle or so, so Dawnspirit's legacy can continue to bring the clan profit.