Tikhomir

Tikhomir may be small, but he's no hatchling. Born in Dragonhome, Tikhomir's early life was beset by misfortune. Not only was he unusually slow to grow compared to other hatchlings, he was sickly and his activities restricted because of this. Resentment grew, and as he grew older and his childhood illnesses less frequent, he ran off to explore by himself out from under the watchful eyes of his clan before sneaking back— and so this went on for months until he slipped into the water and nearly drowned, only to be rescued by a passing dragon.

Tikhomir's resentment of being treated like glass dwindled briefly before returning more strongly than ever as the other dragons his age reached their full size and Tikhomir remained incredibly, impossible small despite his maturity. He began to grow close to a visiting alchemist with green eyes who told stories of far-off realms in Sornieth. Tikhomir began to learn. And Tikhomir began to dream.

When the alchemist moved on, Tikhomir hid himself in their luggage and found himself carried across the world. The alchemist was furious at Tikhomir's deception and being made an unwitting kidnapper— no longer would their services be welcome in Dragonhome. Tikhomir's reply that he was no child went unheard, and the two of them parted ways after the alchemist made sure that he was in a safe place where he could find a new clan: the largest trading post in all of Sornieth.

Tikhomir spoke with representatives of several friendly and welcoming clans during his stay there but ended up connecting the most with Leiss, a daredevil Snapper waiting on her Imperial friend to finish up errands. Leiss, by contrast to most Snappers Tikhomir had met, spoke enthusiastically about flight and skydiving and her life on a series of impossible floating platforms. Tikhomir, charmed by his mental image of a utopia without regard to physical limitations, asked to accompany her back.

While he swiftly found that the clan was just another clan like any other, he did find that it felt like it could be a home and set about making it one.