Decay

Deep in the lands of the Viridian Labyrinth a Tundra fought with a Ridgeback while his mate attempted to flee with their clutch of eggs. If the Tundra and his mate lived through the
chaos and pain of the sudden attack from the Plaguebringer's charges, they've never returned. Not even for the egg left behind.

Slowly, over time, the scarred ruin turned back to it's vibrant colors. Sounds of peaceful nature filled the air, life returned to the ruin. Soft thudding shook the ruin ever so slightly. The rumbling grew closer to the ruin before suddenly going silent. A buzzing picked up in speed. The small Nature Sprite was chirping to the Gladekeeper. "A treaty might be the only means to ending or pausing this continued slaughter, my Lady of the Labyrinth." She buzzed around the head of the massive dragon. It put her on edge whenever there was a pause in responses. "My Lady?"

There was no response. The Gladekeeper was staring down at a bundle of leaves before moving closer. It wasn't a bundle of leaves but an egg. She listened for a sign that life remained within the egg and soft, shallow beats of a still forming heart echoed through out the Gladekeeper's ears. "Spree?" She looked up at the Nature Sprite. "You are charged with ensuring this child's survival to adulthood. "Raise her to know this is her home and she is to protect it." The Sprite carefully picked up the egg and placed it underneath a bush, to keep warm while preparing a nest. "I will protect and guide her in return for her oath to this ruin." The Gladekeeper moved to speak directly down at the egg. "If she ever strays to another God or heaven forbid my sister she will be exiled from the Viridian Labyrinth."

"What shall we call her?" Spree questioned.

"Decay will be her title, not only in honor of what saved her. The heat from the decaying leaves we found her in but, to be an example. From decay comes life."

The small dragon never saw the Nature Sprite or even knew of her beyond being the whisper at night that told stories.