Talwen watched Enzo as he slept near the fire. He’d done as she’d asked and then some. To show such a strong connection to the flame was impressive and he’d responded quickly when Talwen commanded he regain control. He even seemed to understand the importance of protecting the egg without truly knowing how important it was.

I’ve found a protégé, thought Talwen, as she continued to watch him sleep. He may be a human, but he takes lessons well. It was rather shocking when he could understand me, but that may just work in my favor.

Talwen sat for a moment longer before lifting the egg from the fire. She allowed the flames to be extinguished and took a last look at Enzo before she took off from the cliffside and flew to the top of the mountain.

It wasn’t an especially tall mountain, but perched at the top, Talwen could see the surrounding forest and sea clearly. Far to the east, the human port city bustled. To her surprise, a new village had been started where the rolling foothills transitioned into the thicker mountain forest. Smoke rose from the chimneys of several buildings and a cart led by oxen hauled felled trees to the port.

Talwen brought her focus back to the egg. It sparkled a brilliant garnet red in the afternoon sunlight. Looking at the egg filled her heart with conflict. Sadness at remembering the loss she suffered, but hope as well for the new life she’d brought into the world. She found a snug, sun soaked nook on the side of the peak that overlooked the ocean and laid the egg down.

Hopefully that is far enough out of sight for a couple hours. I need to stretch my wings and find something real to eat.

Confident that the egg was safe, Talwen leapt into the air and glided, following the rising drafts of wind to save energy as she searched. To the west and south of her mountain lay the sea, though too many humans traveled and traded along the southern coast for her comfort. She drifted to the west and out to sea, soon leaving the coast just a smear on the horizon.

She began her hunt over the ocean, but the waters this time of year were cold. Few fish stayed this far out when the waters of the harbor nearby were warmer, but she’d seen a pod of whales on her frantic flight south. Catching an adult by herself might prove too big a challenge, but if one was young or injured, she could eat for days. When a half hour spent drifting over the quiet ocean proved fruitless, however, Talwen returned toward the mountain and the forests beyond.

To the north, lay the Spine, the harsh land ruled by the dragons. Towering, frigid mountains ran up the entirety of the western coast of Chenrel, allowing only the most hardy of creatures life. It was a territory of harsh realities but also immense beauty. Only creatures who could fly could truly thrive there, and none were mightier than the dragons.

While returning to the familiar southern mountains of her clan’s territory was tempting, Talwen couldn’t risk it. She knew the clan had disagreements with the Green Glas dragons to the immediate north of her territory, but never expected them to attack her and her mate. Without a better understanding of the situation, she couldn’t risk returning. She would just have to risk hunting in the forest near her mountain and hope none of the humans in the new village noticed.

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Enzo awoke with a start as the last rays of the sun set behind the horizon. He looked around the cave and found himself still alone. Unsure of what to do with himself, he lit a small fire in his hand for light and found the rest of his berries. After finishing those, he made a quick jog to the stream and drank his fill before returning to the cave.

Night had completely fallen by the time he returned to the cave, and still there was no sign of Talwen or the egg. With nothing else to do at the moment, Enzo decided to explore the rest of the cave. The main chamber was large and oval-shaped, with an entrance at one end of the oval, and the opening that overlooked the ocean on the opposite end. The fire circle was positioned in the back of the main chamber, away from the front entrance and to the side of the rear opening. Across from the fire circle, Enzo discovered a passageway that led deeper into the mountain.

The passageway spiraled down underneath the main chamber and opened up to another smaller chamber. In the dark, Enzo could barely make out some shelving on the walls and what looked like a bear fur on the floor. After looking around the room and finding nothing else interesting, he climbed back to the main room and found Talwen sitting near the firepit. The egg sat in the middle of the magical flames and reflected the light around the room.

“How was the hunt?” Enzo asked. He figured she wouldn’t have found much in the couple hours he slept but held out hope for some meat anyway.

“Uneventful. I was able to catch a couple ratkel, they will have to make do for you,” she said as she tossed two of the weird six legged squirrels down in front of Enzo. “You can try to clean them yourself, or I can just scorch them for a moment and you can work around the bones.”

“Go ahead and toast them, I’ll figure out how to skin them another time,” Enzo replied. “I found a room beneath us with some shelves and furs. Has this cave always been yours?”

“This cave has been lent out to others in the past, they likely used the room as a more sheltered place to sleep,” Talwen said as she blew flames onto the two ratkel. “You’re welcome to make it your home while you train here. Eat quickly and take over the fire, I will need most of the night to find something suitable to eat.”

Enzo tore into the small rodents and found the meat to be tough and bland. Maybe some of the berries could be mashed into a sauce to give it some flavor. I’ll have to gather some more, and maybe ask Talwen about some edible herbs and mushrooms around the forest here. As he finished the first ratkel, Enzo sat in front of the fire and began to focus on maintaining his breathing.

“I’ll save the other for tonight. I need to be up all night watching the fire, right?” Enzo asked.

Talwen nodded in response. “Be sure to maintain it until I return. Even if the fire dwindles, do not let it be extinguished,” she explained as she moved to the edge of the cave. “The egg can survive with reduced heat but will not make it through the night in the cold.”

With that, she leapt from the mouth of the cave again and soared out over the waves. Enzo watched her fly for a moment, before he focused in on the flames. It was going to be a long night.