The Warden of the Wild

There weren't always dragons in the Valley.

In fact, there weren’t any dragons in the Stonecrest Valley in recorded history. Kai knew this better than anyone as a Warden, it was his job to know. Dragons were already such a rarity in this country and the Valley wouldn’t be suitable for them. He’d seen them before but never here.

Well… he’d never seen one here until after the meteor shower.

Meteor showers were a lovely occurrence, one that he enjoyed on the odd occasion he witnessed them. The lights streaming down from the night sky like little stars falling was worth sitting out in the cold and snow and taking a break from his usual duties. He had climbed up a hill he knew would have the best view and enjoyed the quiet of nature in winter as greenish-white starlight streaked through the night sky.

It was only after a few minutes that something out of the ordinary happened. One of the meteors seemed to be hurtling closer and closer. After a short moment, he realized it was going to land in the Valley. Even though it was far enough away it wouldn’t cause him any harm, it was still blindingly bright as it vanished beyond the tree line and the sound of it hitting the ground echoed like a thunderclap.

Kai didn’t hesitate in making his way over to its landing site. He knew this would attract all sorts of unsavory types wanting to carry off the star rock to sell even if it meant fighting creatures and others to get to it. It was better to deal with it ahead of time, making sure there was nothing there for anyone to find.

He took notice of the dark clouds forming in the sky and the wind picking up speed. As he was closing in, snow had already started falling and the trees were swaying violently. Despite his annoyance, he decided to put off moving forward till the storm passed and headed back to his cabin.

Kai had experience with drastic weather changes, both natural and unnatural. For a sudden snowstorm to follow an event like this suggested something magical might inhabit the stone, even more reason for him to check it out. He wasted no energy worrying about it though, not much he could do in this weather. When he got back to his cabin, he started a fire to warm the place. He may have been well adapted to the cold, but he wasn’t foolish enough to think he could survive sleeping in it without heat. Once the cabin was cozy, he settled in for a good rest.

It was morning by the time the snow started letting up, bits of light creeping through the cloud cover. Kai had found himself awake just in time. He gathered some necessities and headed back out. The Valley was painted a dull blue, enough light to see but still quite dim thanks to the cloud cover. He had made it to his destination in hardly any time at all.

Kai surveyed the area cautiously. There should have been a crater from the impact but the whole area had been completely covered in snow, leaving no sign of disturbance anywhere. Despite the peaceful setting, he could feel magic radiating from beneath the snow. Any normal person wouldn’t have noticed, but Wardens were not normal by any measure.

He crouched down and set a hand on the snow, hoping that sending a pulse of magic through the ground may disrupt whatever the anomaly was, whether it was just runoff or something lying in wait. At first nothing happened, a positive sign until he noticed nothing was visibly happening. All of the magic began to bleed into the buried crater, pooling in one spot before a rumble could be felt underfoot. After a few moments, it stopped, and he was once again left in silence. He only managed to take a single step forward before the snow started moving, something emerging from the epicenter.

Kai couldn’t believe his eyes, the tiniest thing he could imagine with all the magic was now sitting in the snow, a child. A small boy, skin and hair like the snow with blackened eyes was now brushing little bits of slush out of his hair. He appeared as if he couldn’t be any older than three or four. The boy was unlike any that Kai had seen before, and he’d met many a demon and fey.

The boy looked around in obvious confusion. He hadn’t even noticed Kai yet, the Warden smart enough to back up into the shadow of the trees. He was unsure what the small thing was even thinking or if he was dangerous. His worries became unfounded as soon as the child thought there was no one in sight and immediately started bawling. It was almost a relief to witness that this oddity was indeed just a toddler.

He emerged from the shadows, now feeling a bit guilty for hiding in them. Kai could usually walk without being noticed but he had no intention to upset the boy further. The crunch of snow garnered the boy’s attention, earning a wide-eyed stare.

“Hey there,” Kai crouched a short distance from him, “It’s okay, you don’t need to cry.”

He watched the boy sniffle, suggesting he understood.

“Come here, let’s get you out of this snow.” He reached his hand out, the boy looking to it and then back to the Warden’s gentle smile. With another little sniffle, he clambered out of the snow and stumbled over to Kai as fast as his little legs could take him.

Once the boy tumbled into Kai’s arms, he removed his cloak to wrap around him before scooping him up. The child seemed to calm down once he was bundled up. Upon closer inspection, he could see the boy’s irises were a deep violet; it was something that could be easily missed at a distance. This discovery almost made the fact he was being watched go unnoticed.

Despite nothing in sight, Kai could feel eyes on him. He knew better than to panic, not wanting to spook the child. He decided to take the long way back if only to provoke an encounter. As they traversed through the snow, it became easier and easier to sense what direction the attention was coming from. Just because he couldn’t see it, doesn’t mean there wasn’t someone or something there. It might not have been walking through the snow, but it was moving through the trees with stealth most wouldn’t have noticed. The occasional creak of a moving branch or snow shaken from them; the pattern of signs was easy to ferret out of the norm.

The two managed to make it back to the cabin, unbothered but that didn’t stop Kai from keeping his guard up. Kai put the boy down and secured the door, taking one last look outside before he did so. He turned around to see the boy was looking up at him curiously.

He put on his best comforting smile as he spoke, “Don’t worry. Nothing’s getting in unless we want it to.”

He gave the door two pats if only to show it wouldn’t budge. The boy watched before taking a few steps closer to the door and doing the same. A little smile took over his face, successfully reassured by Kai’s action.

“Now, let’s see about getting you something to wear. I don’t know whether or not the cold affects you but it's better to be safe.”

Kai went to one of the chests sitting against the wall, pulling out some fabric and leather, then to another and pulled out some fur. He had plenty of resources stockpiled and he might not be the best tailor, but he could definitely cobble together something for the child to wear. It didn’t escape his notice that the little boy was following him and looking into the chests after he did. The mimicry wasn’t surprising for a child, but Kai hadn’t expected it all the same.

After he collected everything he’d need, he set everything down on a large fur that covered the floor in front of the fireplace. He stoked the fires a bit, tossing in another log to bring the heat up. When the boy attempted to copy, he stopped him.

“It’s hot so don’t do that. You could get hurt,”

The boy stepped back with a little frown, withdrawing his hands. This just further suggested he understood what Kai was saying. He backed away from the fireplace, the boy sitting down on the large fur next to him.

While he set to work on making some clothes, the child seemed enthused by how soft the rug was. He rolled around on it, even rolling himself up in it, and beamed at Kai with the biggest smile he could manage. Kai couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You can understand me, it seems, but can you talk?” he received another curious look, not quite an answer but enough of one. “I’ll just take that as a no. I guess there’s no point in asking your name then.” He frowned thoughtfully, “I’ll just call you Arryx for now.”

The boy was now staring at him intently.

“Arryx?” Kai watched the kid perk his head up, “Arryx.” He sat up fully. “A… Arryx.” The little boy, Arryx, bounced over to him excitedly. Kai chuckled wryly. “I get it, you like your new name. Now settle down and stay warm while I do this.”

Kai made sure the cloak was properly wrapped around Arryx to keep warm before really starting his work. Once the first outfit was done, he swiftly clothed the child and then began to make more. By the time he had several articles of clothing finished, Arryx had fallen asleep curled up next to him.

It was reassuring to see that he shared the same habits a normal child would have.

This afforded Kai an opportunity to step away from him. He took a look out the window, barely moving the shutters to do so. The sensation of eyes on him hadn’t gone away but he wasn’t sensing any impending danger, so he was willing to leave it be for now.

He knew he could use advice since he was unable to discern what sort of being Arryx was. He went to his satchel, removing a small pouch from one of the pockets. The pouch contained some dried leaves delicately stacked together to prevent breakage as much as possible. He removed one and replaced the pouch before walking over to the window again. It was a druid trick, using the wind to carry a message. The leaf glowed as he whispered, a symbol appearing on its surface. Once he had completed the little ritual, he released it out the window and a summoned gust of wind carried it away.

It was certainly not the most common way to send a message but an expedient and more desired, discreet one. He expected a response in only a few days max, which was faster than anything else considering the weather. Not many could trek this far into snow-covered land like Kai, but he was summoning one who he knew could manage it.

A few days… what was he going to do for a few days with this child? He was not inexperienced with dealing with children with how his home group raised them but since becoming a Warden, he only dealt with curious, starry-eyed questions as many thought he was some sort of glamorous hero. Arryx didn’t know any of this, however. There was no way of knowing how much he knew about the world.

Kai spent the next few days doing menial chores close to the cabin, Arryx following in tow. He knew they were still being watched, but since no attempts at confrontation were made Kai left it be. He wasn’t willing to travel too far away from a secured place in case something did happen.

Arryx didn’t seem to mind, regardless. The little boy seemed fascinated by Kai, copying him as much as the Warden would allow. There were a few times he noticed the young boy trailing behind and he’d stop to take a break and let him play in the snow. Between gathering wood or gathering food, these were simple things that Arryx could keep up with.

Something Kai had noticed was there was more active wildlife around than before. He had been in the Valley since just before the start of winter and was already aware of the patterns of the creatures within it. To see small animals and even fish come close when they would normally avoid people was odd. Some even came close enough for Arryx to touch. Animals were much better at detecting threats than people, so it was reassuring.

On the third day, the two settled down inside the cabin to enjoy lunch since the temperature outside was dipping. Kai had made a warm stew and watched as Arryx mimicked him blowing on the hot spoonful, something done for his benefit, before eating. He was still as messy an eater as any toddler, but his constant need to copy Kai sometimes reduced the aftermath.

During this meal, there was a loud knock at the door. The suddenness made Arryx jump in surprise, but Kai seemed to be expecting it. He set a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder as he spoke.

“It’s alright, it’s just a friend.”

He followed Kai to the door, the elder opening it to reveal a person whose figure nearly filled the entire view of the entryway, and yet his face was still not visible. The new arrival gripped the top frame of the door as he ducked through the opening to come inside. Despite having the body of a large man, his head was that of a bull; with two pointed horns with symbols carved into them and little bits of gold jewelry hanging from them. The chestnut brown fur trailed down his neck and chest and across his shoulders, visible as he removed his cloak with a snort.

“You keep finding colder and colder places to hold up, friend.” His voice was a deep rumble, more boisterous than Kai’s in every manner.

“It is my job, Galmor.” Kai said as he shut the door behind him.

“Yes, I know.” The minotaur snorted, hanging up his cloak on a hook on the wall next to Kai’s. “You’d think it would deter the rabble-rousers I passed on my way through Stonecrest.”

“I apologize if you met with any resistance.”

“If you were truly sorry, you would have come visit me in my own home instead of calling me here.” His tone suggested he was at least partially joking. “We’re having our third child, you know.”

“Yes. I will make sure to send your husbands and wife an apology gift.” Kai gave him an apologetic look before shifting his stance to motion to the child hiding behind his leg. “Speaking of children, this is Arryx.”

“Ha!” Galmor barked a laugh, spooking the boy yet again. “Is that not the druidic word for jackalope?”

“I had to call him something. And try lowering your voice, you’re scaring him.”

“Yes, but why that word?” Galmor obeyed respectively, volume dropping.

Kai shrugged, “He’s also small and weird?”

“Indeed.” Galmor seemed to suppress more laughter as he knelt down in front of the boy. His tone had softened even further as he spoke directly to Arryx. “Hello, young man. My name is Galmor, I am one of Kai’s oldest and dearest friends though he may not admit it himself.”

Arryx relaxed as he stepped out from behind Kai. Galmor was starkly different than his caretaker. Kai had long, jet black hair partially tied back to keep it out of his face and more facial hair than just stubble but not enough to be a beard. His eyes might have been a sharp grey, but they were often gentle in demeanor. He was nothing like the bull-headed man in front of him but he could sense the same kindness in them both as he reached a hand forward to touch the fur on Galmor’s neck curiously.

“What is with these clothes, Kai? They’re incredibly dull.”

“It couldn’t be helped,” the Warden held up his left hand to bring attention to his missing ring and pinky finger. “Hard to do anything fancy.”

“Hmph! I should have arrived sooner then. I will see what I can do about fixing them.”

Kai was relieved by the interaction, but that small bit of joy wasn’t allowed to stay. His attention went out the window, pulling the shutters aside just enough to peek out. There were a number of people in the woodland, not nearly as stealthy as their first observer.

“Arryx, stay with Galmor for a bit,” Kai stated as he grabbed his cloak from where it was hung, the boy looking at him with worry as his little hand grabbed onto his pants. “It will be alright, I’m just going to go check on something, alright?”

“Come now, little Arryx.” Galmor set a comforting hand on the boy’s head to softly ruffle his hair. He pulled on the strap hanging over his shoulder to reveal a lute, “Maybe I can tell you a story? Perhaps one about Kai…?”

This seemed to earn Arryx’s attention as his head spun around to look at the minotaur with fascination.

“See now? Go handle your business, Warden, and I shall watch the young one.”

Kai’s attention lingered on the two as they settled in front of the fire and music began to fill the little cabin. Though he had suggested it, he was a little reluctant to leave. He shook the small moment of melancholy as he stepped out the door.

He wasted no time in putting distance between himself and the cabin. He knew he couldn’t go at his usual pace, or risk losing the attention of his chasers by leaving them in the snow. Kai normally would have played a slow game of leading them through the woods to a place that suited him, but he didn’t have the patience for that now. He’d rather bait them into attacking early so he could be done with it and head back to the cabin.

He was surprised by his own attachment to the child. He was originally planning to ask Galmor to take him, Arryx being no older than the minotaur’s eldest daughter, Sienna. He knew his friend would take care of him and there’d be other children for him to get along with, but now that Galmor was actually here, he was becoming more resistant to the idea. The company he’d had the past few days was the most relaxed he’d been in a while; even with eyes on them the whole time.

His pace had slowed while he was in thought, and this was when the intruders decided to strike. It wasn’t a surprise but Kai still cursed his own distracting thoughts for a second as two arrows closed in on him. He managed to catch both between his fingers, attention turning to the archer as he snapped the shafts and sent the tips flying back at the sender like darts. When he heard a yelp, he knew he’d hit his mark.

This caused a panic among them, thinking they’d lost the benefit of surprise as they all charged him. He was counting on such brash thinking, as predictable as most mercenaries and poachers were.

“First to kill the Snow Stalker gets the biggest cut from the payoff!”

Kai drew his dagger from his belt, dealing with the closest in a single strike before dodging the swords of the next two. With a swift move, he knocked an ax out of the hand of the third, catching it in his free hand and throwing it, using it to deal with an archer who thought he’d be able to fire from a tree branch with stealth. He then dealt with the three closest to him with expedience before the next wave of fighters closed in.

He had already taken notice of two hanging back, an unfamiliar sensation of magic coming from one. Despite the sounds of fighting, Kai had no trouble hearing their conversation with his sharpened senses.

“-Sir, need your spells now!” the other seemed to plead with the mage.

“You can’t deal with one man?” the mage was unsympathetic to the plight of the fighters.

“He’s a Warden of the Wild! They’re known as the fangs of the druids!”

“Please,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Druids are already poor excuses for magic users, but if you insist-!”

Kai made a point of interrupting whatever magical attack the mage was going to launch at him, a knife flying past close enough to cut him before hitting the tree just behind. They met eyes for a moment, the hostility in the Warden’s eyes telling him “don’t.” A chill ran through the mage but instead of listening to his instinct, he began to boil in arrogant rage as he blasted a bolt of arcane energy toward his foe.

Kai stomped his foot into the snow, a mound of it rupturing up to absorb the blast. He used this as a cover to scale a tree. He managed to navigate branch to branch out of the mage’s eye-line before dropping down and sending a surge of magic through the ground. With a creak, a tree branch swung down and knocked over the mage and the mercenary next to him. This shook the fighters, allowing an opening for Kai which he fully took advantage of to drop them. This put a dent in their numbers, but the fight was not yet over.

He was preparing his next move when the sound of little feet in the snow caught his attention. He could see Arryx was running towards him as fast as his little legs could manage, still slipping in the snow to fall on his face.

“Arryx, get away from here!”

Once he sat up, looking at Kai in shock since he had never heard him raise his voice, his face scrunched as tears started streaming down his cheeks. This had drawn the attention of one of the mercenaries, a bad idea emerging as the brigand started closing in on the crying child.

Kai bolted across the snow as fast as he could, noticing too late the mage had recovered as a bolt of hot plasma hit his shoulder like being assaulted by a brick. Despite the loss of his balance, he still managed to throw a knife and bullseye the sword out of the hand of the closing threat before he hit the ground. He caught a glimpse of Galmor catching the mage by the arm in the distance, swinging him round to slam him into a tree to render him unconscious.

Arryx came running towards him in a panic, little hands touching Kai’s face as he attempted to sit up. He tried to hide the pained grimace as Arryx barreled into his chest, bawling as hard as the silent child could manage.

“Ssh, it’s okay. I’ll be fine.” He soothed the boy as Galmor barreled towards them, many mercenaries clearing out of his way.

“Already in a mess, I see.” The bard huffed, a puff of air from his snout visible in the chill.

“You were supposed to watch him.” He shot Galmor a glare.

“He looked and then took off suddenly. He is a lot faster than I’d expected.” Galmor turned, emerald eyes scanning the numbers closing in. “Oh, what an inconvenience.”

“The Warden is wounded! Let’s finish him off!”

“Not so easy a task, I promise.”

Kai still managed a threatening glare through his pain which put their enemies off for a moment before their lack of intelligence won out and they charged again.

They were braced to deal with the attack but then something strange had happened.

A screech had cut through the noise as a tree branch snapped, falling into the snow below as its destroyer shimmered into existence before them. A drake just larger than Galmor with scales silver flowed through the battlefield. It was only on sight that the creature appeared with grace. Before any of them could react, it went after the mercenaries in a violent frenzy. Their weapons meant very little to it, not even scratching its scales as it hit them like the force of a storm. After the first few fell, the rest had wised up and chosen to run.

The drake didn’t chase them, only shrieking in their direction in a defensive, almost territorial manner.

The realization had hit Kai when the draconian’s posturing had stopped and it turned a curious look to them that the reason he couldn’t locate their patient observer was because it didn’t want him to. Just like the forest animals, Arryx had likely drawn this creature’s attention even if he were unaware of it.

With his uninjured arm, he scooped up Arryx and stepped past his protective friend. Galmor noticed the Warden’s stance had relaxed and followed his example. Kai took several slow steps towards the drake, hoping to not spook it.

It made a few curious grunts as its long neck craned around to look at the group curiously. Its face was getting closer as Kai stepped forward. Arryx had kept his face buried in Kai’s chest at first but once the drake’s nose was close enough to sniff the two of them, hot breath against his exposed ears, he rolled his shoulder to shield them. The act seemed to make him finally look and see how close the creature was. Even though he was still sniffling, he was looking at the drake with interest. Its sliver of irises widened like a cat as two small hands reached out to touch the scaly face.

An affectionate purr came from its throat and the adults seemed to breathe in relief. The drake had now tossed caution to the wayside as it weaved between the group of them as they began walking back towards the cabin. Kai was certain by its behavior, it wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

There weren't always dragons in the Valley, but this is the story of the first.