The young woman stood in the window of her old, decrepit house, her spirit anchored to the land, much like the wise old oaks that thrived on the sacred ground. She supposed she could leave if she wanted to, in fact she had before. There was no reason to anymore. The world was a dreary place, with no respect for Nature or the power it held. She couldn’t stand to see the endless rows of tall buildings that had overtaken the skyline, and neither could Taran.
She glanced back at her friend, and smiled when she saw that he was asleep, per usual. He was young for a dragon, though he had been with her for nearly two centuries. He was the only thing that kept her spirit from melting into the Earth, like so many who had gone before her, and sometimes, in moments like these, she wished she could join her people. As much as she loved her dragon friend, there was something about human company that made her long for the past.
She turned back to the window, sadly gazing out at the empty cottages that once held so much life. She closed her violet eyes and imagined the fortress as it once was. She could hear the laughter of the children, smell the sweet, buttery bread, and felt what the wonderful feeling another humanoid being brought along with it.
The hot steam from Taran’s breath tickled her neck, and snapped her eyes wide open, evaporating her vision. She turned to her friend and gently kicked his scaly side.
“Wake, you great beast.”
“Ugghhh” Came Taran’s dignified reply. He opened an amber, cat-like eye to glare at the woman. “Amethyst, you have no respect for the slumber of an old reptile.” He mumbled, letting out another hot breath.
“I am older than you, beast, and I do not sleep all day or complain of my aching joints.”
“You should try it sometime. It relieves a great amount of stress.” Amethyst arched an ebony eyebrow.
“You have no stress, Taran.”
“Exactly.” The dragon stretched his slender body. “I sleep all day, and complain of my aching joints.” He gave an exaggerated wince to prove his point. Amethyst rolled her eyes, and opened her mouth to scold the mischievous animal, and then she felt it. Taran slowly met her eyes, an astonished expression on his reptilian face, as he rose from the cool stone floor. He felt it too.