Sahra

"You are hear-by ordered, to fall upon the human city, and to put all under your fiery breath, under seventy." This was the treacherous, ruthless, and cold blooded order given by the Dragon Emperor of the North Pole, in the three hundredth and third year; When the dragons slaughtered the noble family of the Cammots. The infamous surprise attack on the unsuspecting royal family, came on a cold, blistery night. Their home and rulers destroyed by the winged underlings of the wrathful Emperor, the remaining humans disappeared into the darkness of the surrounding forests. His enemies finally vanquished, The Emperor, along with his soldiers retreated back to their homeland. The Kingdom of Dragons was alight in celebration; The tyrants who threatened their survival were, at last, quenched of their hate in their charred graves. All shared in a bounty of their spoils and plunder from the human kingdom. Under their harsh generals orders, they were given permission to destroy whatever they wanted, kill whom they wanted, and take what they wanted. Among their plunder lay gold, jewels, artifacts, and game most fancied by all nobility of the human realms. Though the dragons were excited about their spoils, most were just happy that not a single one of their own had perished in the battle; At least not on this night. As his soldiers and subjects enjoyed the rewards of their victory, the Emperor retreated to his lair. Despite his unholy desire fulfilled, there was no cheer in his heart. There was no feast he looked forward to, nor was there a gathering that could lighten his darkened soul. In his torch illuminated cave, on a soft, comfortable nest fit for a king, lay his deceased mate. A poison had over taken her. A poison inflicted upon her by a hunter, hired by the puffed up Cammots. Through his fits of anger, tears, and confusion a seed of hate grew within him. Knowing that the surviving humans of the Cammot Kingdom would surely tell the rest of the world about their massacre, he called a decree that any human found settling, crossing, or even so much as laying a foot on dragon's land, must be killed. This shocking development was not as concerning as his next decree: Any dragon found hesitating to honor the first decree will be executed along with the human in question. The Emperor had changed; The world had changed. Not a single dragon nor human ever saw the likes of each other.

For two and a half thousand years, there was a not a human spotted on dragon territory. The emperor was rarely seen outside of his walls down at the North Pole. Not even his closest relatives ever visited him. To the dragon youth of the current generation, he was known as the Invisible King. Both children and adults of the dragon race had nearly forgotten the terrible night of so long ago, when the house of Cammot fell. It seemed like ancient history at this point. Most dragons didn't even know what a human was, let alone, what one looked like. Humans where nothing more than a old tale and most did not care for them. As far as the dragons were concerned, humans were still forbidden from ever making contact with them. So you could guess their surprise as well as their concern when they spotted a trail of smoke just within 50 feet of their borders.

"Those vermin have returned!" exclaimed one of the older guards.

"We should go and remind them who's land they're trespassing on!"

Amongst the squabbling soldiers was the esteemed, Ethelora; Chief Captain of the Pine Mountain Guard. As her subordinates hastily made plans to eradicate the intruders, she calmly thought about the situation.

"Allow me to go and investigate." She finally proposed. This idea was not as popular to the soldiers. They were insults and opposing opinions, beckoning her not to go alone.

"They are only humans," She responded with a smile. "I have slayed more than a lion's pride in my prime. I'll be back before the sun even kisses the mountain. If I do not return, send a small patrol." Suited up in her armor, Ethelora flew to the last known sighting of the smoke in the sky.

Ethelora had always loved to fly. Apart from training her soldiers, soaring across vast plots of mountainous regions was her favorite thing to do. Flying high gave her time to take in some fresh air, and take in the breathtaking views of her mountain home. Unfortunately, on this particular day, she had no time to bask in natures majesty. She had a job to do. Today, it was to find the human threat and deal with it... by the book, as you'd say it. Although dragon law had stated that humans should be killed for trespassing, that wasn't what she had intended to do when she found the humans.

Ethelora was always fascinated by the history of the ancients. Especially the story of the failed friendship with the Cammots. Everyone knows the story. The who, the what, the when, and the how. But there was one thing that tugged at the back Ethelora's mind for decades now: Why? Why after such a long friendship, did the Cammots choose to assassinate the Empress? It never made any sense, and the Emperor refuses to ever talk about that night. To even mention his mate's name is a quick way to be disgraced... if you're lucky. Despite law suggesting otherwise, Ethelora was eager to find the answers she sought for. Perhaps these humans could give her a clue. A direction, a name, a place, something.

The Blue scaled dragon soared over the wood, lightly grazing the pine tree tops. She descended down into the dark, dense forest, just a few feet from the human's suspected hiding spot. Their suspicions had been correct. There was a cabin built right here in the massive grove. Ethelora began her investigation. The cabin seemed big enough for about 2 people. Perhaps a couple were settling here. She found a pile of logs alongside an unfinished pile of chopped wood. The axe was nowhere to be found. She looked through the windows of the cabin to see if the occupants where inside. It was vacant. Inside the cabin was a single bed near the dining table, which paralleled the cabinet kitchen. In the center of the cabin was what looked like a smaller bed. It rested on round upswept wood. Ethelora had heard about these. Humans made them to cradle their young. Perhaps these particular humans had a baby or were expecting. She pulled herself away and began to stroll past to cabin and face the dark wood.

"Hello?" Ethelora called out. No answer came. She figured she had come at the wrong time. When she started away from the cabin, an unfamiliar smell had perked her nostrils. She followed it to a small gap in the bushes far off from the cabin. Hidden in the bushes, Ethelora discovered, to her horror, the owner of the cabin, lying dead on the ground. His axe found inches from his lifeless fingers. She suspected a mountain lion had come and he wasn't able to fend it off with his tools. Then to her fright a loud wail came from the head 0f the bush. When she went to look, there a small human. Alive, well, but super loud with it's balling. She curiously looked close at him. She nuzzled him with her nose which seemed to calm him down.

"Who are you little one?"