Jewel

Jewel stirred, casuing her sibling to grumble a bit as she moved lifting her head drowsily from the amber and honey colored pile; sleepily she blinked as the entrance to the smallish cavern in which she'd been born darkened momentarily as her mother returned, the sweet smell of daisy's reassuring her. Normally she'd fall straight back asleep..but tonight.. tonight she woke fully up as her mother leaned against her fathers immobile form, the two nuzzling close.

She adored that about her parents, how much they loved one another.... even when things were tough.

All four of them knew that things weren't easy, even though they knew of a large clan just to the north of where they were, but none of the youngsters knew why her parent's didn't go to them. Food was scarce, but Jewel could say that she'd never gone hungry yet... but she, like her brothers and sister knew that their parents were paying the price, their ribs showing as they moved.

She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep as her mothers snout nudged them gently in reassurance, before lying down next to her larger mate.

For several long moments Jewel pretended to sleep, keeping her eyes closed as she listened to her parents breathing easing into that of sleep. With slow, careful movements she eased out from the makeshift nest that she'd been born in, tears filling her eyes as she set her plan into motion. She'd been thinking on it for days, if there was one less mouth to feed, then there would be more for her parents to live off... which gave her siblings a better chance of survival... she was the youngest...... she'd miss them all ... but ... but maybe they'd all have a better chance of survival.. she'd taught herself some things, and others she'd learned by watching her parents and the other creatures closely.

Each step seemed to tear a greater hole in her heart, and with a silent goodbye she left her small poodle mith toy next to her mother. She prayed to the gods that she would would see them all again one day.. but for now.... now she would leave them.... for their own benefit. With one last tear filled glance at her parents and siblings, she moved off into the night, hidden beneath the crystalline glitter of the Starfall Isles

~*~

She'd been travelling steadily for weeks now, her body slowly filling out and growing as she headed towards the distant green lands of the Viridian Labyrinth. She thought pf her parents and siblings quite often, but the new pull towards the lands of the Gladekeeper made reminiscing quite hard.

So far she'd already traversed through the Scarred Wasteland, and had been on edge of death more times than she cared to admit... she'd watched... and she'd learned the hard way how to exist in the plague touched lands, her sharp mind soon picking up what was safe to touch and what was not; and determination driving her every step.

Experience had also taught her that things were not what they would seem, a pretty and nice dragon, could often be the most dangerous and malicious... whereas a gruff and almost callous drake could have a heart of gold. Now she knew to be cautious of others, but no matter the appearance, willing to at least look beneath the surface, or beneath the rumors that could and did circulate around other dragons.

She'd since passed the lands of the Plagebringer, and was now into the domain of the Shadowbinder; the dark and glowing lands in some aspect reminding her of her birthplace... and though she didn't know what was waiting for her in the Viridian Labyrinth, nothing now would stop her from finding whatever it is that pulled her there...