Kokiri

__ As a hatchling, I took after both of my parents with my beautiful ivory coat and dappled blue feathers. I was always pulled more toward the nature around me than the endless cosmos above, and I often found myself running around and exploring the nearby forest. I didn't spend much time around other dragons except when my parents called me to their side.

__ As I grew, my parents allowed me to wander farther and farther away from the lair. I enjoyed getting to see all the different plants and creatures that lived outside of our home; However, one day I wandered a bit too far and crossed the boundary into the wasteland. The trees thinned out and were replaced by large thick brambles that looked quite sharp and dangerous. I suddenly felt very small and alone after losing the shelter the safety of the trees had given me. A loud shrill cry rang out from above. Startled, my head snapped up toward the sky and my eyes briefly catch sight of a long dark red tail disappearing into the trees behind him. I edge away, brushing up against some of the brambles as the bushes behind me rustle.
__ Four glowing red eyes gaze balefully out at me through the leaves before its dark red head emerges from the brush. Blood leaks out of claw shaped gashes across its snout and drool escapes from its mouth as it pants. The lone mirror's hazy gaze bores into me as it takes a step forward. I look around frantically, searching for a place to hide. I'm not yet comfortable using my wings for flight, and I doubt I'd be able to outrun a fully grown mirror, especially one driven by hunger. My eyes lock onto the brambles that surround me; if I can squeeze far enough underneath them, then the mirror won't be able to reach me! It lunges at me and I hastily squeeze under the brambles behind me. The thorns tear at my skin and my tail burns. Tears flow down my cheeks as I slowly crawl through the brambles until I no longer have the strength to lift my claws. I stare at the brambles around me blearily as the sounds the mirror is making slowly fades into the background. My thought wander back to my clan as my vision slowly fades.

__ The first thing I notice as I start to come to is how much my body aches. When I open my eyes to see the brambles around me, my memories of what had happened with the mirror come flooding back to me. I spot a small opening in the brambles to my right and start dragging my battered body toward the exit. I wonder if I'll be able to make it back to the lair like this? I glance at the deep gashes and dried blood covering my body. How long have I been passed out under there for? Has anyone noticed and gone looking for me..? I slowly made my way back to the lair.
__ The hatchlings ran from me when I came near. I do not know whether it was because they had never seen an injured dragon before or because my bloodstained appearance had frightened them. The other members of my clan approached slowly, hiding the hatchlings behind them. They did not act as if they could recognize me at all. Were they... afraid of me? Ignoring the pain in my body, I turned and fled back through the forest, unable to bear their accusing eyes any longer.

__

__ I ran for many moons, passing through a small stretch of the wasteland and into a dry rocky land. I wondered how other dragons would see me with these scars etched all along my body. Would they see me the same way my clan did? Or how I saw the mirror that attacked me? Maybe our situations weren't that different after all. No, I shake my head as if to dislodge the idea from my mind; I would never stoop so low as to attack a hatchling for food. I scavenge around as I travel through the dry plains and tall canyons, looking for scraps of fabric and feathers to cover my scars. It's difficult, and I can tell I'm not cut out for this kind of climate, but my view of the great tree ahead of me drives me ever onward. I'm mentally exhausted and worn out by the time I make it to that lush forest. I find a comfortable little niche in the trunk of one of the trees and fall fast asleep.
__ I wake up to a rustling noise nearby. I open my eyes to see a small black nose and amber eyes staring at me from under a small pile of moss. Wait, the moss is part of the animal? The small creature tilts its head at me and makes a small noise. It seems to still be a baby. It slowly creeps closer to me and--taking my silence for acceptance--curls up next to me.
__ "Are you lost little one?" The small boar just huddles closer and looks up at me with its curious eyes. Maybe it doesn't have a home to go back to? I can sympathize with that; I'm in the same situation after all. I guess I wouldn't mind a little company.

__ While traveling through the forest with my newly named companion--Amber--by my side, I stumble upon a small group of dragons belonging to many different flights. They bear neither accessories nor companions, except for one skydancer near the center of their gathering. She is dressed like a warrior with a bird's skull covering her head like a mask; the dark blue plumage contrasting nicely with her mottled gray and blue coloring. A few of the dragons turn toward me as I approach and I notice that most are either around my age or younger. They tell me that they're training so that they can one day serve the Gladekeeper herself.
__ "How does one serve the Gladekeeper? Does that mean that I can stay here in this forest forever?" I couldn't help but become excited as I asked these questions. But... if going to serve the Gladekeeper means I have to leave my apparel and Amber behind, I don't think I can do it. The others seem really excited but they don't have anything to hide. I wonder how their thoughts toward me would change if they saw my scars. I hesitate as I place my claw on my mask; It should be fine, right? The dragons around me recoil as I reveal the scars hidden beneath my mask. I flinch and hastily shove my mask back onto my face before turning around to flee back the way I came, narrowly dodging between the trees as I begin to pick up speed; my surroundings blur in and out of focus as my eyes well up with tears.

__ My body suddenly crashes into something hard, and I can feel my wooden mask crack in half and fall to the ground as I tumble through the undergrowth. I slowly crack my eyes open and wince as my body throbs in pain. There's some sort of large pink and white blob standing over me. Is that what I crashed into? I blink in an attempt to refocus my eyes and a worried pearlcatcher slowly comes into view.
__ "Are you alright? That was a really nasty crash." He asked as he bumped his nose into mine.
__ "What..? Oh, yeah... wait, I'm the one that crashed into you? I should be asking you that." I withdrew a bit, while this kind of friendliness is something I longed for, I was no longer used to it.
__ "It's fine, it's fine. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going anyway so it's both of our faults." He grins at me cheerfully. "But are you sure you're alright? You look like you've been crying."
__ "Eh?" Wait, how can he tell? I should have my mask on... no, my mask broke when I crashed into him. I look around frantically. "My-my mask. Where is it?"
__ He holds up a badly broken piece of wood with paint markings on it. "I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything to fix it. It must have been very old wood to have broken into this many pieces." He sets the piece of wood down into a small pile and separates a few of the red feathers from it. "The feathers are still salvageable though, and I think they would go really well with your outfit." I freeze in shock as he tucks the small bundle into the feathers on my head and rearranges them.
__ "You... you're not afraid..? or disgusted..? of me?"
__ "Why would I be?"
__ "Because of my scars..." I stare down at my feet, waiting for him to reject me.
__ "Of course not!" He crouches down to my level, "Your scars do not define who you are. Whatever feelings others should have toward you shouldn't be because of your scars but because of who you are deep down. If they cannot see that, then they're not worth being around." He nudges me a bit and I look up into his bright gaze. "My name's Nyuunryuu! Would you like to travel around with me for a while? I could introduce you to my clan as well; they'd gladly welcome you, in fact, I doubt they'd turn you away even if you were a zombie. Although, I'm not sure that we don't already have one of those..."
__ "If you really don't mind then I would like that. My name's Kokiri."