Founder

It began in the coldest, darkest part of winter one year. The Founder looked out upon the waters of the Frigid Floes... It seemed the sea never quite froze completely anymore, not even in these winter months. The hatchlings jumped and frolicked between the massive chunks of ice, hurring and playfighting while their dutiful mothers watched on, ready to snatch them from a watery grave should they fall into the water. It was a rough land, to be sure. Alas, the Founder saw that it would soon be a memory.

The ice was shrinking.

The game was getting scarcer.

The Southern Icefield was becoming more crowded.

Ice by birth and ice by heart, he loved the home he had made for his clan. They had done quite well for themselves there; his first litter of hatchlings had grown strong on fish caught from these waters and game hunted in these lands. Many generations had taken their first steps of flight by hopping from floe to floe, as these hatchlings were now. He had made many friends here, gone on many a thrilling hunt through the ice, created many memories.

Only a fool would want to give it all up.

Nevertheless, he sent his most trusted companion, Alistair, one who had been with him from the beginning to seek out a new place to raise their young. The Skydancer looked far and wide, seeing and learning much, and the clan was blessed by the knowledge and many companions he returned with. Still, it would be many years before he came upon the land which would become their new home.....