Thesaurus

WAS a formidable hunter in his former Wasteland pack. Respected but quiet, he secretly cared for the runts and rejects, closely watching those mirrors who lagged behind the relentless troupe.

He honorably left one day, scouring the barren landscape for shelter until he came across an ancient forest in permanent, straining autumn colors. Along the way he met a MERCENARY.

A WARRIOR who was between jobs and taking shelter in the SCARRED WASTELAND.

She always carried a dagger and mace with her, but had such a knack with checkbooks and budgets Antaxis questioned her standing career choice. Nonetheless he was elated that she would join him on his search for a home.

Shortly after, they find THE FOREST and dig out their home together in the side of a dry, rocky hill. Before long, they get SOME GUESTS…

WERE A young couple, ready to have a nest but wanting to start off somewhere quiet and secluded.

They laid a clutch of three eggs in one of the dusty rooms of the underground lair, and there they stayed, excitedly tending their nest of THREE with the help of the Mirror and Obelisk as hopeful soon-to-be new parents.

MACCHI was slain in the forest surrounding the den. Her body (or most of it) was carried off before she could be found. She never would be.

Her eggs hatched within the mourning period. The den was now home two twin obelisks—brother and sister—and A SMALL SKYDANCER.

NEVER met his mother, but neither did his siblings. What this meant for him in particular, however, was that he would not have a Skydancer to learn from.

HIS FATHER was elusive on the topic of the hatchlings’ mother and the concept of mothers as a whole. For two years, the hatchlings lived in the confines of the surrounding forest and red dunes, mingling with the occasional traveller taking refuge at the den.

Accounts of the den’s quiet and peaceful nature were told over campfire meals between vagabonds. More, but not many, learned of the small resting home in Plague.

The den received more guests, more trade, and slightly better furnished rooms. A few travelers came in hope of doing their part for “the cause of helping your fellow dragon”.

Antaxis couldn’t believe how his home became so meaningful to others, and just took the statement as a opportuinity for a new employee. So employees they became.

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A sandstorm loomed in the distance. MHOCKA, scout-in-training, frantically raced back to the den to alert ANTAXIS of a COLLAPSED IMPERIAL IN THE DESERT.

Was ICEBORN, and should have definitely not have been in PLAGUE.

HE had been wandering in search of his family (but mostly shelter) for the better part of his life, never being able to move faster than a walking pace due to his flightless wings, which had been TOO SMALL SINCE BIRTH.

Once he had collapsed from heat exhaustion in the interminable deserts of Plague, he had only hours before he would succumb to the sun entirely, and only minutes before the sandstorm would be too close for any hope of rescuers. He believed his end would be cooked, or buried.

BUT HE LATER awoke to a cool room and crudely cushioned bed. His body felt the heaviest it’d ever been. He hardly had the strength to thank his Mirror caretaker.

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The first few days were wordless.

He poured his gratitude through his eyes, too hoarse to greet the Mirror once he’d recovered enough strength to move. The Mirror responded in relieved worry, since losing even more fluids wasn’t ideal, but also couldn’t help but be moved by the Imperial’s emotion.

With every muscle he recuperated, the Imperial attempted to repay the den, and mainly the Mirror, in kind. He completed any small job offered to him (small, since the few personnel still worried of overworking the Imp).

When the OBELISK set off to retrieve an old friend for the task of co-handling the den’s commerce, IMP was left alone with the Mirror.

After overcoming their equal coyness, and with his revived body, DESASTRE would repay the Mirror through a gentle and understanding friendship, since the Mirror would rarely meet someone as softspoken as himself.

THE TWO fell in love with the other, more with every conversation. At last they had someone to comfort, and someone to comfort them.