Cyclamen

Cyclamen started out of his birth clan the moment he was old enough. This is normal for many dragons hoping to find their place or new home. Only, he left when he felt he was old enough. His parents and many others told him he was still far too young. He laughed at them, mocking their supposed cowardice. He snuck away in the night, with only a small bag of food and his thirst for adventure to his name.

He didn't know The Southern Icefield was so cold and unforgiving. His clan was never this cold. The snow never seemed to blow so hard. It was then he remembered how he still slept nestled between his parents. How he remembered hearing how magic made it so the snow storms never torn so badly through the clan. He was suddenly filled with regret, fear and longing for home. He couldn't see through the storm though. Still too young and inexperienced to smell his way back. He pushed through the best he could, until he came across something. Strange clumps of snow that looked funny. They didn't look like the normal bumps that form over rocks or fallen trees. Their shape was all wrong, as were their smell, which made his fur bristle. He followed the odd lumps until he found a cave. He ran in, grateful for safety and some possible warmth. He realized rather quick he wasn't alone.

There was the sound of clattering. Like someone's claws were shivering against the cold hard cave floor. Perhaps another dragon finding shelter? Yet when he approached, they quickly scampered back and away from him. It was then he realized that they were something else entirely. He got close enough to make out their shape. A beastclan. But not longneck. They smelled of feathers. Not talonok, the face was wrong. That only left one option; Harpy. At first he was just as scared as the beastclan was. They hated dragons! Right? And harpies were some of the WORST when it came to how much they hated them! Yet...this one did nothing. They trembled and cowered. And the more Cyclamen looked, the more he realized that this harpy, was full grown. Surely they know that he's still growing...right? He continued to stare, tilting his head until he realized. This, was a male. He'd only ever seen pictures and read books, and heard stories. But he did know that males were stupidly rare, and are never out and about without a flock of very protective and angry females. Then it hit him. The odd lumps outside, the smell...His flock froze keeping him safe...and now he's alone and may suffer the same fate. Cyclamen felt so much so suddenly for this terrified harpy, he acted without thinking.

The harpy cried out softly in fear and shock, expecting a sudden and swift death when the tundra came close, but was surprised to find himself embraced and huddled under the soft and warm wing of the dragon. He dared not move, but he found himself feeling warmer, and very tired. He tried to fight sleep. He was so scared, so alone, he couldn't sleep. Yet...after being so alone for so long, the soft comfort of this dragon...also oddly soothed him. They both drifted off, sleeping huddled together to stave off the cold.

Cyclamen and his new harpy companion then began their travels together. They helped each other stay alive in different ways. Cyclamen found food for the harpy, and the harpy would fly and keep an eye out for danger and shelter. It took sometime, but they finally managed to teach each other their respective tongues. They talked about everything as they traveled. How Cyclamen was dumb and nearly got himself killed because of wanting to adventure. And the harpy told the tale of how he and his flock were relocating to a safer part of The Windswept Plateau only to suddenly be blown off course by a violent storm, stranding them in the ice and snow of Cyclamen's home.

The past was too painful for the harpy, and Cyclamen could tell. He had lost a wife. A sister, his eggs. He didn't even dare speak his old name. Again, the tundra felt painfully for the harpy. So he decided. They'd leave the ice and snow, and he'd give him a new name.

And this is the tale of how Cyclamen the tundra, and Thawe the harpy, found their way to Eden.