Leonora

She loved her life.

Leonora was a joyful dragon, a loving friend, a fierce pack member. She had a particular skill for hunting, wingbeats always silent as she descended on her prey. On the off chance they saw her, her pure, reflective wings would temporarily blind small creatures and render them immobile.

She'd joined a jolly mirror pack at a young age, a ragtag band of friends, always swarming and clapping and singing. They dedicated themself to the pack fully. They had no fears, no worries, only where she and her fellow nomads would sleep next and what prey they'd find tomorrow.

The troupe was somewhere over the sea, hunting occasionally in the shallows, when the first dragon took ill. They thought little of it, crowding around to care for their injured Clanmate. The dragon was one of theirs - an integral part of the whole, and they never even thought to distance themselves from her.

But a rash began across her scales and her symptoms worsened. By the time she passed away, other dragons were beginning to see the same pattern of growths along their own flanks.

They were too used to living together, flank to flank.

Even the mirrors that stayed healthy struggled to hunt alone and began to starve. As more of their numbers died or fled, Leonora found herself finally waking up, as though from a trance.

They were a part of a whole, but they also had to be able to stand alone.

Leonora calculated her odds and fled.

Flying until they were forced to stop, exhausted, they realized with pure dread that there were now-familiar growths marring the surface of their wings and flanks.

Entry 1
Leonora forced herself onward, despite her exhaustion. She wasn't sure if she was looking for someone who could help her or a quiet place to wait for the end. Eventually, she stumbled into what appeared to be a camp of the strangest dragons she had ever seen.

Her entrance had not been stealthy, and she found the two occupants staring directly at her. One, a dark pearlcatcher, after a moment rolled his eyes and went back to sorting herbs. The other, a little nocturne, simply held her gaze. She sat, confused, until a low, gravely voice, whisper quiet but with the force of a thunderclap, rang behind her.

"And who are you?" Leonora nearly jumped out of her scales, and spun to see standing over her a skydancer, wreathed in smoke and glowing ornaments.

"One with the snake's curse and too fool to accept it," the little nocturne hissed behind her. The skydancer cocked his head, studied her momentarily, and then stepped around, disappearing into the camp without another word. Leonora was baffled; she'd never imagined a dragon could be so cold to another. Her kin had always been so kind to any stranger they'd come across. The others in the camp were no better than the skydancer, the pearlcatcher ignoring her and the nocturne choosing to insult her for her illness.

Leonora sat up, dusted herself off, and addressed the camp, "I apologize for the intrusion. I'll continue on my way, and keep this illness far fro-"

"Oh gods you are dense," the pearlcatcher interrupted with a sigh and full-bodied eye roll, "you just have gembond, eat some fruit for the extra energy until it finishes coming in. Or mope about it until you waste away, it's your life. But you are right in leaving. Unless you've magic skill or extraordinary wit, which I highly doubt, you are no use to us."

Even more confused and hurt by the bluntness and disregard of these dragons, Leonora quietly turned and left. The knowledge that this illness seemed common knowledge in the world outside her clan, and seemed to not be even a real concern, left her shaken and questioning why her pack had had to be lost.

Entry 2
Leonora had fled, stumbling through the slowly falling darkness and dreariness of the Driftwood Drag. In her sadness, her absolute unconscious fumbling led her down deeper into the Shadowbinder's territory. The other tricksters and merry-minded shadow dwellers took notice of her well-spread illness, and many took refuge away from such a dragon...and yet, that only seemed to draw a certain dragon nearer...

After mindless running, she finally took the time to stand still and take a few deep breathes in. There was no longer those...rude dragons telling her to buzz off. But something felt off about this area. Despite the beautiful glow from the mushrooms all around her, Leonora couldn't help but notice the stark lack of prey...or movement in general. In fact, those mushrooms look quite nice to rest on...maybe they were soft and cushiony...a good place to rest a weary claw...

Just before she could be sucked into the depths of the Wispwillow Grove, and arrow shot right past her snout, true and well sung. Leonora turned to see a Dark Mirror standing atop of a gnarled tree perch, staring her down with a curious gaze. The cloaked figure startled Leonora, but before she could turn tail and continue her venture, an Enigmatic Looking Fae stepped out in front of her to confront her.

"Dear traveler. You look worn and weary. Come with us, you must be the dragon I had foreseen in my prophecies. Please, make yourself at home in Willow's Grove, she will be glad to have another to look after." DarkenedSkies murmured, carefully taking one of Lenora's paws into her own. MirroredFury flew down in a swift, fluid motion, settling down nearby to watch them closely. He obviously was watching for something, but it seemed unknowable why.

Yet, as soon as the strange thought crossed her mind, the answer came. A Restless Looking Healer bumbled out of the overgrowth and right into Leonora. He jumped back before shaking himself and apologizing, "Oh! Very...very sorry! Just excited for my travels, good luck to your travels, Leonora!"

As the healer went off on his way, and Leonora followed DarkenedSkies to Willow's Grove, she tilted her head and asked DarkenedSkies, "I don't mean to sound rude, but how did he know my name...?"

"Oh, my dear. We all do. The prophesies told of your coming, and they told us your name. Do not fret, you won't be staying here. Wherever you go after our hospitality, I hope you're welcomed there." The prophet answered concisely, and they finally reached the temporary housing for Leonora. It was a tidy area with many different dragons to speak with, and Leonora could tell that her stay here would be warm and comfortable, despite the reputation of the shadows being a place of menace...