The Woods

Dragon's Name: Terra
Dragon's Gender: Female
Color: Green/Forest
Type: Earth
Age: Adult
Breath Weapon: ?
Mate: Kagen
Parents: Yang and Mayina
Adoption Date: 1/15/02
Birth Date: 1/22/02
Adopted From: Silver Valley Dragons

You look up and find a fairy coming out of the trees. You tell her that you just stumbled and have a small cut on your head.
"I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! I should have come sooner, so that I could lead you to the home. I can heal you with my magic, if you want. Healing is my only power, but I can heal almost any minor wound!" She says, taking your head in her hands. "I am going to start now," she warns. You feel a slight tingling on your arms, and then blackness engulfs you.

She had to keep running. If she didn't those things would get her! They had suprised her with a sudden attack, and had crushed one of her wings, rendering her flightless. Panting, she ran harder, knowing that there was a clearing not to far ahead, and then after that, a small town. Briar looked back and saw the dark forms rushing after her, gaining on her. The clearing! Almost there! Briar thought joyfully. She ran into the clearing, and ran straight into a human girl holding a bow. Both fell backwards with a cry.
"Oh! I'm sorry, but there is something following me! More than one something!" The girl jumped to her feet, and drew out an arrow from a quiver at her back, and then knocked it on her bow. She stood, waiting. The black things, two of them, came into the clearing. The bow sang ture as the girl released the arrow. It landed with a loud thunk, a few inches away from the feet of the first. In the blink of an eye, a second arrow landed next to the first, and then a third.

As you step through the magic gateway, you study your surroundings. Sunlight streems through the leaves in the trees overhead. You search at your feet for a path to lead you to the dragons home. Fae follows your gaze.
"Oh, there is no path here. You will need to find your own path here. If you just travel straight, Briar should be able to find you, and then lead you to the dragon's home. Good luck," Fae says, and turns back twords the gateway. She pauses before entering, and turns back to you. "By the way, try to make your way through this forest as quickly as you can. Their are things in this woods that don't take kindly to strangers. Heed my warning, if you value your safty." And with that, Fae steps though the gateway and closes it after her.
You turn back twords the dark woods and begin to make your way though it. Birds chirp and insects buzz as you weave your way though the thick forest. A loud noise like a screem makes you jump, and spin around. You find nothing, but then are startled by a green blur crashing into some bushes. The screeming noise sounded again, along with a different growl. You hurry on. After a few more paces, you feel eyes on your back. Spinning around to confront the looker, you are met with nothing. A small movement catches your eye. Two pairs of eyes watch you from behind a near by tree. When you take a set twords it, the eyes vanish. Becoming suspicious, you continue your journey, but at a quicker pace.
A few minuets later, you are met by a group of trees, to close together, that there is no way to find a way though them. You have no choice but to go around them, and stray from your line. When you make it to the side of the group of trees, you see movement to your left, and hear a small rustling sound. You watch it green form move in the shadows. Not watching were you were going, you stumble, and begin to fall forward. You throw your arms out to catch yourself, but you still scrap the side of your head on a rock. Sitting up, gasping, you touch your head and find blood on your fingers.
"Oh no! What happened?"

The creatures screemed in anger, but retreated back though the trees.
"I thank you," Briar said, truly thankful that the girl had helped her.
"My name is Deborah, who are you?" the girl asked.
"I am Briar Rose, what were those things?" the girl's eyes narrow.
"Those things are a spawn of the essence of evil itself. They are the slaves of an evil wizard, and his dragon. They may be eaisly frightened, but they will gather more and come after us. We have to leave now!" Deborah gently took Briar by the arm, and started to trot through the forest, her bow was out, with an arrow dangling from her fingers. A loud screach ripped though the air, making Briar shudder.
"Thats them, they have found their reinforcments, and are coming. Run faster!" Deborah dropped the fairy's arm, and began to run. Briar followed as fast as she could. Now the girl had the arrow nocked in her bow.
"Kagen! Celeste! Kanya!" Deborah screemed, the creatures screamed back, their black forms flitting through the trees. "Hurry! Over here!!" Several distant roars reached the fairy's ears. They ran on for what seemed an eternity, but could have been only moments. Suddenly, the black creatures were ahead of them, blocking their path. Deborah drew her bow back to her ear, and held her breath, ready to fire. Suddenly, three shadows blocked the faint light through the trees. Three roars, following one another, ripped though the air. The creatures scattered, yelping and screaming in fear. Three dragons landed on the ground infront of Deborah.
One was a deep purple, another, varing shades black that made him fade into the shadows, and the last was a brilant pearly white with pinks, blues, greens, and many other colors swirled in. All had huges wings, that showed Briar that they were built for flight.
"Thank the Light you got here in time," Deborah said with a sigh, putting her arrow back in her quiver behind her back. She moved to the dragons, putting her arms around each of them, one at a time. "I am so glad you convinced me to let you come along with me." The shadow glanced at the fairy, and Deborah followed his gaze. "Oh, everyone, this is Briar. She ran into me fleeing those things. Briar, this is Kanya, he is a purple air. This is Kagen, a shadow air, and Celeste, a crystal air." Each nodded when the girl said their name. "They are my bondmates, all adopted from the agency, Silver Valley."
"Silver Valley? They let you... let you bond dragons? I have heard of dragons bonding to humans, but only in fairy tails of dragon and human heros." Deborah smiled.
"Yes, I have heard those tails, but there are places that allow you to bond dragons that need good homes. My bondmates are all from there."
"I..." Briar said, "I would like to learn more about this Silver Valley." Deborah smiled deeply.
"Then I will tell you. I am journing to Silver Valley now, would you care to come?" Briar gasped.
"Oh yes! Please! That is, if it is alright with you three as well," Briar said sheepishly look to the dragons. As one, they all grinned...

Later, Deborah asked Briar to become a Keeper for a new dragon that she had been working hard to recive from Silver Valley. Briar accepted.

A few weeks later, a dark shadow fell across Deborah and Briar as they worked on the new dragon's home. Both fairy and human looked up with a start, not knowing what the shadow was. A few moments later, Bright Star, Silver Valley's head dragon, landed with a soft thump, caring her bondmate, Raven, who was the owner of Silver Valley.
"Hello!" Raven called, climbing off of Bright Star's back. "Great news! I got your application for a dragon, and you have been chosen to care for one of the eggs!" Briar's mouth fell open in suprise. Deborah squeeled with pure joy, and ran up to Raven and gave her a hug. Deborah jumped back and began to caper around the small clearing. Raven giggled. "I'm glad your so happy! Well," she said, reaching back around Bright Star's back and reaching into a large pouch, "Here is your egg." Raven handed Deborah a large, dark red egg.
"Congratulations," Bright Star said is a beautiful voice. Deborah stammered to get out a few words around her joy.
"Thank you, so much..."

About a week later, the hatching began. Deborah and Briar were sitting together, their blood red egg in it's nest before them. A few minuets ago, strange clicking noises had started to come from inside the egg. Deborah reconized it, and knew the egg was hatching. The two looked up unexpectedly when they heard a loud thump behind them. Standing not to far away from them was a dark, shadow dragon.
"Hello!" he called cheerfully. "My name is Mercury. Raven sent me to make sure that the hatching went ok." Briar and Deborah greeted him happly. Just then, the scraping noise loudened. With a snap, a little grey nose appeared. Deborah carfully worked some of the shell away from the baby dragon's nose. With another loud snap, the baby punched a hole out with his tale.
Then, a long crack appeared down the center of the blood red egg, and then the shell split neatly in two, revealing a grey hatchling dragon. The little one blinked at the light. Deborah giggled softly, not wanting to scare the little thing, and scooped it up into her arms, cooing softly. She hummed a soft little dragon lulaby that she had used with every one of her little dragons, and soon, the little thing was asleep.
"Grey? I didn't know grey was a color the dragons could be." Briar said, stroking one hand down the now sleeping baby.
"Oh it is not. Grey is the color all hatchlings are. Then, when the hatchlings grow to adolesence, they will gain their colors." Mercury congratulated them, and then took his leave to go and supervise the hatching of other dragons. Deborah let out a sigh.
"A girl. A helty little girl." She giggled again, and then kissed the little nose. "I shall call you Terra..."

Yet another week later, Terra went through her adolesent changing. Terra grew into a beautiful green/forest dragon. The newly grown adolescent was just as curiouse as when she was a hatching. One day, Terra wandered into her forest, to explore and learn more about it. The day was warm and bright, the soft sunshine pooring through the leaves. Terra looked up at the sudden hissing sound above her. She looked up and saw tons of glittering red eyes staring down at her.
"Wha..." Terra gasped as the creatures swarmed down at her. She let out a yelp and turned to run into the woods. She ran as fast as her legs would allow it, panting. The dark creatures let out dry cackles from behind her. They were catching up, and they knew it. Terra roared out in fear and pain as the first creature jumped from a branch. She fought back, but was greatly out numbered. Suddenly, two green blurs streeked out of the trees, smashing into the twisted black things. In a few moments, the remaining things retreated into the woods. Terra looked up at her savoirs. Two green cat-like creatures stood, looking at her.
"Who... who are you?" Terra asked. One cat thing that had feathered wings replyed.
"I am called Emerald." the feathered thing replyed.
"And I'm Malicite." the one with dragon wings said.
"Thank you so much for helping me. I am greatly in your debt." Terra said with a bow of her head. Emerald waved her thanks off with one of her paws.
"It was nothing. It is our destiny to protect this woods, and any creature that lives within it."
"You are a Silver Valley dragon, arn't you?" Malicite asked. Terra nodded. "Then since you live here, we must protect you too!" He said cheerfully.
"Thank you... really." Terra said again. "I was just out to explore my woods."
"Explore huh?" Emerald said. "Well, we have lived in this forest longer than you, how about we show you around?"
"I would love that! Thank you!"

A week after Terra encountered the two strange forest creatures, the young green dragon decieded to see how much she knew about her forest. Briar was reading one of her books, and Terra decided it a good time to go. Whenever Briar got into one of her books, it was hours before she got back out, leaving the young dragon to stretch her freedom in the forest, or in the meadow just outside of her forest. Terra jumped up from the toys she had been playing with on the ground and ran as fast as she could past the fairy. When she ran past Briar, the dragon said.
"Briar, I'm going into the forest!" Briar waved her hand to give her permission, and Terra ran into the dark woods. Once a few minuets into the woods, Terra giggled at how easy it was to slip away by herself. Malicite and Emerald were probley off patroling the edge of the woods for any intruders. Terra smiled, she wanted to be alone this day.
For the last few days, the adolescent had been feeling strange, but didn't tell Briar. Terra knew exactly how she would react. The fairy wouldn't let her go out and play, and she would call over every other dragon in the entire Forest to see if they knew what was wrong. Terra was not willing to give up her explorations.
These strange feelings would come over her suddenly, leaving her scared and tired. After each one Terra would find comfort in the woods. She felt very at home in them. The deeper she went, the better she felt. She knew what the feelings were. They had happened to her once before, when she grew into an adolecent. She knew the changing was coming soon. The dragon continued her walk though the forest when one of the feelings over came her. Terra froze. One of the feelings had never happened while she was in the forest.
She was growing. Her roar ripped though the trees, sending birds and small animals running. It felt like her whole body was streching. It didn't hurt at all, which didn't suprise her, that had happened in her last growing.
Terra saw the shinning gateway open as Deborah came running though it, not waiting for the gateway to totally finish opening.
"Terra? Terra are you alright?" Her bondmate asked, running a cool hand over the dragon's neck. Terra nodded weakly. "It's ok, you are going though changing, arn't you?" Terra nodded again. "I thought so," her bondmate said, still running the comforting hand over her. "You will be alright." Then, suddenly, as soon as it had started, the growing feelings stoped. Terra stood weakly. A grin appeared on Deborah's face. "Your an earth!" the human giggled. "An green earth!" Deborah threw her arms around the now adult Terra.

You open your eyes and find the pain of the cut gone. Briar was sitting in front of you, watching.
"Do you feel better?" you nod, "Good," the fairy said, then paused, "I know what you saw. You saw what you did because I heal using empathy. When I use my empathy powers, it kind of... connects us, and I saw how you recived your injury, and you see some part of my life. The part is alwasy the same, no matter who I heal. You saw the day when I met Deborah, and Terra's hatching and growings." You nod, understanding now, "My life changed greatly when Deborah saved me. Afterwards, she took me to an inn she was staying at so that my wing could recover, and she offered me this possition as a dragon's Keeper and guardian. So... here I am."
You jump when you notice the two pairs of eyes again. This time, you can see more than just their eyes. One looked like a cat, but had a long serpant tail and scales. The other looked more like a cat, but had large wings on it's back. Both were varing shades of green.

Briar looks up at the cat things, then back at you. "Those two have been here since we arived. They have been guarding the forest for longer than Terra has been alive. They tell Terra that it is their destiny to do so. The one with feathered wings is called Emerald, and the one with dragon wings is called Malicite. They would speek with no one untill Terra was saved by them from these strange black creatures that live here. They have become good friends." The cat things turn, and slip back into the trees.
You ask about the dragon.
"Well, as you know, Terra came from the Silver Valley, and is a full grown adult. She is a beautiful green/forest earth dragon." The fairy laughes, rembering something. "Terra is the most curious little thing I have ever seen. She is always getting into everything. She is bound to get into trouble!" She giggles, and then looks around, as if wondering if their was anything she had forgotten to tell you. After a few moments, the fairy seems satisfied that there was nothing, and looks back at you. "Well, come on, I will show you Terra's home." Briar climed to her feet and then started off into the trees. You follow, a few paces behind.
A few minuets later, you come to a small opening in the trees. Nothing like the clearings you had visited on other trips, but much smaller. In the tiny clearing sat a large nest made of out leaves, twigs, moss, and other things of the forest. It sat right between a few trees.
A few feet away was a large pile of toys. Enough to burry the little one in. You grin. This little dragon is well indulged with toys. The trees give shelter from the sun, even in this tiny gap, making it so that sun streemed only in little patches, dancing across the floor with the movement of the leaves, an never ceasing waltz. "Well," Briar says, "This is it! Kind of cosy huh?" You nod in agreement. You look around for the dragon, and then gasp as you notice the green earth dragon sat happly near the pile of toys, playing with a few babbles.
You stare at the dragon. She had blended into the trees and leaves so well that you didn't see her at first. She looks up at your aproach, curiousty filling her green eyes. When you stop in front of her, she stands.
"Hello! Here to visit?" you nod. She sniffs at you, her curiousty getting the best of her. The green dragon nudges you with her scaled nose. "Wonderful!" she say, continuing her inspection of you. She sniffs at you, and nudges you with her nose. You stand still, letting the dragon fill her curiousty.
Finally, after lifting up a strand of your hair with her claw, the dragon seems satisfied.
"My name is Terra. It means earth in Latin. Do you like my home?" She askes, indicating the tiny clearing with a sweep of her large paw. You nod, smiling to tell her you do. Terra giggles happly. "Good, well, I am going to play with my friends and explore my woods. If it is ok with Briar..." Terra trails off, looking hopfully at her guardian. Briar nods.
"Of course you can. I just saw Emerald and Malicite. I think they were looking for you." Terra bounces happly onto her feet. She gives Brair a quick hug and then dashed off into the woods, her green leaf patterns blending into the forest...

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