Maelstrom

Valentino was the lone dragon that stayed behind, abandoning the Mirror led clan. While Arantha was deserted by her partner and two of her children who spread their not-quite-ready wings, Valentino decided he would stay. He had grown tired of the nomadic clan he’d joined after leaving his home lair in the Shifting Expanse. Seeing Reinhart and his daughters join the nomads while leaving his wife and third daughter behind troubled Valentino. Sure, clans don’t always have permanency to them, but it seemed a shame that he was willing to give up what sounded vaguely appealing to Valentino. He saw in Arantha what Reinhart didn’t see- the potential for greatness. A current within that can’t always found in dragonkind, but she had it. That electric hum of promise, he could see it within her. He was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

He didn’t tell Arantha that he was considering staying, at first. He had seen many dragons meet their self-inflicted demise far too often to be fooled by rash decisions with permanent consequences. He stayed behind after his nomad family moved on, and observed what would come to pass without Reinhart there to contribute. Sudden jolts to a clan’s dynamic could be fatal. He had a feeling this gamble might pay off.

So he watched.

He waited.

The Viridian Forest slowly closed its jaws around his vulnerabilities.

And he stayed.