Merrik

Long ago in the sun-bleached ruins of Light flight, a young skydancer hatched. Sunspot, as he was named for his golden eyes and spotted hide, was an adventurous and energetic young dragon. His mother warned him not to try and fly until he was six weeks old, but he did not listen. When the flapping of his young wings failed to get him off the round, he sought other methods. One sunny afternoon when the rest of the clan was napping, young Sunspot climbed atop a column and jumped.

His mother had been right. His wings were not large enough to support him in flight. He hit the ground hard. Sunspot’s panicked screams quickly attracted the rest of the clan.

Badly injured, Sunspot spent a month confined to his bed. Torture of the worst kind of an energetic young dragon. The clan healer did what he could, but the cracks in his glass belly would never heal completely. Sunspot was warned that if he ever fell again, he would likely die. Flying was far to dangerous for him.

The broken hearted young dragon folded his long wings and resigned himself to life on the ground. He learned to repair old books, so at least he could be of use to his clan.

It was a year or so later when a Dripcave Deputy came to the clan he noticed the young dragon with the air of sorrow about him.

“I can’t give you the gift of flight, but I can give you your health back.” The familiar said.

Sunspot accepted the offer and allowed the Dripcave Deputy to place a strange shackle around his arm. He found himself transformed into a gaoler. His spotted markings stayed the same, but his glass belly transformed into hard scales that covered his back.

“That will protect you against further harm.” The Dripcave Deputy told him.

Sunspot's claws were now to large for him to continue working with delicate old books. He also found his family was uncomfortable with his new body. Sunspot didn’t mind much, now that he wasn't preoccupied with guarding his fragile health, he began to examine the dreams he had put aside.

He had wanted to fly and see the world. He still couldn’t fly, but perhaps seeing the world was a possibility. He had heard that the trees in nature flight grew hundreds of feet tall. Climbing them might be almost as good as flying.

Upon arriving in Clan Arkar, he met a charming dragon named Magna Lycus . Even though she was a wildclaw, they managed to have a nest together. One of the hatchlings was stillborn, but the other was a fine strong son who they named Bloodwolf, in honor of the wolves that were revered by the clan.

Bloodwolf was half grown when he and his father had their first encounter with the shade. They were walking in the woods when they heard the excited yipping of wolves, and the crashing of brush. A deer came through the woods, and there was clearly something wrong with it. Dark fluid dripped form it’s mouth and eyes.

“Shadetouched,” Sunspot said in fear.

“We have to do something!” Bloodwolf cried.

“We have to warn the clan.” Sunspot turned to run.

“That will be too late, we have to do something now!” Bloodwolf cried. He charged forward, dispatching the seer with his powerful claws. He chased the wolves away with his horns, and then disposed of the contaminated deer. When he was done his father was nowhere to be found.

Other dragons of Clan Arkar met him as he came through the brush. “Your father told us what you did.” The clan leader said, “You are very brave, and your actions no doubt saved my precious wolves from a similar fate.”

Bloodwolf thanked her for her praise, and kept the fact that his father had run away to himself.
The secret ate at him though. He no longer viewed his father with respect. One day he saw his father talking to Sylph a pretty young female gaoler.

“I was transformed into a gaoler too we have so much in common.” Sunspot was saying.

“You might look like a gaoler, but you aren’t one.” His son snarled, stepping out of the trees, “When a shade touched creature wandered into our territory you ran. You wanted me to run too. You didn’t care what happened.”

Sunspot backed away. A lifetime of fearing injury meant he wasn’t about to fight his son. He realized in the moment that the had never really gotten over his injury, he had always been afraid of getting hurt again.

“I think I should go.” Sunspot said, backing away slowly. “Yeah, I think you should.” Bloodwolf said. Sunspot left the clan that moment. He’d always wanted to see the world, now he had one more reason to do it.