Scourge

"Is that one of the Elytra Guards?"

"He's certainly big enough to be one. His wingspan alone is terrifying."

"I heard he's a negotiator, but I doubt he ever uses his words. Have you seen those claws?"

"Shut up, you loudmouths, he's coming this way!"

At that hushed exclamation, the Guardian dragon finally looked up from his path ahead. He searched his surroundings before spotting a group of dragons that were walking along the same road that he was, only to catch them turning away with their heads bent down, which inadvertently made him seem bigger in their peripheral vision. He wasn't able to hear their whispers over the quiet tune he was absently humming to himself, but he did feel the numerous sets of eyes that were previously trained on him. Scourge, unbothered by their behavior, turned to fully face them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," he began with a laugh that was meant to be aimed at himself. "Were you talking to me? Could you repeat yourselves?"

They didn't budge, except for one dragon who began to tremble. None of them answered him. Scourge nodded before finally breaking the silence.

"Ah, my apologies for not catching you the first time. Have a good rest of your day."

He continued down his path through Byrum City, weaving through more crowds as he moved closer to its resident houses. He silently berated himself for not listening more closely to those dragons, convinced that they were upset by his inattentiveness.

"Scourge! Scourge!"

His mood instantaneously improved at the sound of a young dragon calling for him. She was no bigger than one of his greaves and easily slipped through the legs of the older dragons around her.

"It's nice to see you too, Frodo!" Scourge replied just as enthusiastically. "So, what's the plan for today, little one?"

"You'll see!" she said simply before leading the Guardian back to her shaded home. "Hurry, hurry!"

He laughed at her insistence.

"After you, my dear."

"Can't we play a little bit more, Scourge?" Frodo whined as he carefully picked up her strewn about toys with his incisors.

"As much as I'd love to, Frodo," he answered, mindful of not piercing the cloth of her one of her dolls with his teeth. "I have to go back to my own home. It's getting late, and it's a long trek back."

After he placed the final doll back in her toy chest, she got up on her hind legs to paw at his arm.

"But I'm not tired yet! I'll miss you too much if you go now!"

Scourge smiled warmly before bending down to the younger dragon's level.

"On my next day off, we'll play just as much as we did today. I promise."

"I know, but..." Frodo began before bowing her head and planting all of her feet back down on the floor. "I don't think I can wait until then. Mama and Papa will be around, but I feel alone when you're not here."

"Frodo..." he said softly. "Do you really feel that way? Could you look at me, please?"

Frodo turned her head away with a pout.

"You don't care." she replied.

"Of course I do," Scourge retorted while softly nudging his head against hers in an attempt to get her to look at him. "I do care—I care about you, your parents, and everyone else on this cliff. You're all very, very dear to me and that includes your feelings."

She eventually looked back at him, blinking away briny tears.

"Then why do you have to go so soon? Why can't you just stay here all of the time? I told you, I feel alone when you're not around!"

"I need to go because how else am I to protect you and all of those who live here?" He answered while smiling sadly at the younger dragon.

"If it were possible, I'd move to live here with you in a heartbeat and spend the rest of my days playing with you, but guarding Bryum City is a full-time job, one that requires a lot of time, attention, and dedication, and I don't intend to ever hang up my battle garbs anytime soon."

When Frodo bent her head down again to hide the water that pooled in her eyes, he nudged her head again, still speaking in a soft, but now solemn, tone.

"But that doesn't mean I'll ever quit on you," he continued. "I love Bryum City and all of its inhabitants, and that doubly goes for you and your family. Don't you ever forget that."

After Frodo shakily nodded, Scourged nudged her head a final time; not to refocus her attention, but to dry her wet cheeks with his own.

"As long as you keep me in your heart, you'll never be alone." he said gently into her ear.

”You’re not alone in those woods. You never are.”