Moss

A dragon so old that he remembers when the Behemoth of the Viridian Labyrinth was a young tree, not yet stretching over the horizon of nearly every corner of Sornieth. One of the very first guardians born from the Sea of a Thousand Currents, and one of the first to set out into the world in search of his charge, which he found in the form of a sapling in what would eventually become the Worldedge Wetlands.

He cultivated the sapling, watching it grow into a young tree, and then a behemoth in its own right. It was a life of isolation, but as a guardian who had found his charge, that was fine. Did he miss company sometimes? Certainly, but his tree was healthy, and he could protect it, and as long as he lived, he would not part with his tree, his charge. He protected his tree, living off of the fruits it bore, the insects and animals that came to live in its bark and leaves. It was a sober life, but plentiful in its own way, and he was happy with it.

Thousands of years went by. The tree grew, and he stayed, growing older and older, eventually forgetting even his own name, as well as going blind from age. Though he could not see his tree anymore, he could still, if he did not move, feel the life within it. Thus, he stayed as still as possible, listening to his tree, only moving when necessary, until moss, lichen, and mushrooms started growing on his very scales.

And he as content with that. As long as he could stay with his tree, that was fine.

Until, one day, a young tanuki wandered into the roots of his tree.

At first, the old guardian wasn't sure what to think of the tanuki, who introduced herself as Frog. It had been so long since anyone had come close to him and his tree, and honestly, he didn't know what to do. Chase her away? Strike up a conversation? Eat her?

Feeling the pangs of loneliness he hadn't realized had been tormenting him for so long, he settled on striking a conversation, during which she promptly gave him the name "Moss". He thought it was amusing, but it was as good a name as any, in his opinion.

He and Frog grew quite close over the years, and he had to admit he enjoyed her company. Though she was not a dragon, she was as sharp, if not sharper, as one. She brought him tea, pastries, jam, and all sort of things he'd missed while caring for his tree.

Alas, just as he was old, so was his tree.

And one day, the tree died.

He was crushed- a guardian who loses his charge is less than worthless, and while it had not been anything he could have prevented, it still stung worse than anything ever had. All he could was sadly lay at the base of the now-dead tree, and quietly lament over the loss. Even Frog's cheerful personality could not bring him any joy anymore, and it looked like he, as many of his species do at the loss of the charge, would wither away.

Until Frog, fed up with his pining and whining, finally put her foot down, and pushed him into leaving the dead tree to explore the world with her. He was not very enthousiastic about it, truly, being old and blind and sad, but Frog was very insistent, and eventually, he gave in, thinking that the very least he could do was be with his only friend as she explored Sornieth.

He did find that, while it wasn't as good as having his tree, that exploring with Frog was enjoyable enough. Even if he was blind... he could sense nature, could sense the world around him, and he'd imagine things when Frog described them.

It wasn't fine yet, the wound of losing his tree still too fresh... but he did feel that, maybe he would be able to live on after all.

Frog and Moss ended up in the Purring Winds after running into them while they were on a vacation from their home in wind. The old Moss suggested using the clan as a resting point, and traveling along with them, as it was less taxing on his old bones.