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Coalnose was shoved to the back of the cavern for the fifth time, still trying to get at the caribou her siblings had captured while their parents were scouting for new hunting grounds. The sudden winter had killed many of the animals her family had depended upon for food; the sheep, the oxen, the cows, all so easy to grab from the human fields if one sibling distracted those guarding it, now herded south or into hidden dens for the winter. Coalnose knew her parents needed to find new lands to hunt in for the survival of their roost, but she wished they would hurry and return to make her siblings stop keeping the juiciest bits of their kill to themselves. Yet again she was left with the ankles, hooves, horns and part of the rump. Stomach growling, she slinked between her receding siblings and started eating despite their laughter. The smallest among the clutch, Coalnose's nostrils flared with wisps of smoke, but she ate in silence, knowing she would be wasting her time when they were much larger, their teeth sharper, their claws longer, their wings more developed and their scales so much thicker.

Coalnose took mostly after her mother Rubywind, who while fierce in her own right, was much smaller than her husband Snowmirth, her armored hide red and black, his white and pale blue. It was his charm and power that had wooed her from the far south over her other suitors, and he that same power which forced his rivals to yield, making him soon rise to leader of the flight. Her wisdom had aided him greatly, bringing three clans together when the humans slew a clutch in the northern territories, and her mercy that encouraged them to stay their rage on the humans unaffiliated with the fool who murdered the hatchlings. This had turned to be a boon when the humans had left an offering of gold, lamb and barley for the clans, which grew in alliance together, understanding that the humans as a whole were intelligent if ignorant, barely more than beasts, but useful as they domesticating animals to better feed and serve them, startling the dragons with their ingenuity. This proved far too futile for the dragons to do themselves due to the fear they struck in most lesser beasts, and though the dragons always sought out wild prey first, it did mean they always had an option of feasting upon fattened delicate animals from time to time.

Most had at first merely stole from the humans as word of their farms grew, but Snowmirth quickly put a stop to such nonsense, ensuring each dragon repaid the humans according to their need: ash for fertile fields, blockage in streams removed, other fearsome beasts hunted down and slaughtered, the ways were many, but oft not difficult to find. Some humans crafted items of beauty, metallic or jeweled which almost enthralled certain dragons to their desire for such things, one or two consumed by greed needing to be put down by humans and fellow dragons alike. Those who already had grown their hordes significantly found it difficult to let go, taking to hiding them deeper and deeper in caverns, almost daring the planet to reclaim what had once been stolen from it. It was during this sudden winter that one such dragon, Hooktooth, a great wrenix dragon had decided to steal a chest of treasure from the nearby human settlement, tearing into the dens he had seen the humans trying to conceal, leaving their kind to take care of them as he flew off to Bitterpeak Mountain's highest cavern. A lone dragon watched his silohette against the sky flying over her home as she gnawed on the bones and remnants her siblings left her, gasping as he saw something shimmering, falling from the sky. Looking back to her sibling for a brief moment and seeing them distracted in a game, Coalnose crept out of the roost and into the snow.

Krogar hugged his arms against his chest, wishing he had put on more than the sheepskin and leather clad on his skin, the harsh wind biting into his thin skin. He was leaner than most of the village, even thinner than his younger sister and many had thought he was too frail to survive long after his birth. He had grown up pushed and shoved, teased and cajoled, forced into battles he didn't seek with his neighbors, scrappy and a dirty fighter because he had to be, but with many it still didn't make a difference. He was just too weak without some advantage. So, as he swore to his father that he would reclaim the family heirlooms, his sister had laughed at him, as did the neighbors who heard him. Even Dorey, the milkmaid for whom his heart yearned had made jest, teasing that should he return with even a coin of the treasure she would marry him. His father merely waited in silence for the laughter to die down, going to his steed and bringing Krogar his battleaxe.
"Bring back a dragonscale son, or don't come back. You have made your vow, now carry it forth." Krogar had barely been able to carry the battleaxe to his father's side six years ago during the last dragonhunt, but now he at least managed to carry it on his shoulder even though it ached to do so. He was easily a mile now, at the foot of Bitterpeak mountain, panting and wishing he hadn't made such a stupid vow, but he knew that without the chest his sister would have no dowry, and he would have no inheritance. Wondering just how far the crazed dragon had carried its new treasure, the treeline having cut off all sight of the dragon hours ago. Something shimmered up ahead, however, and in desperate hope he raced toward it.

Coalnose pounced upon the chalice, batting it around as she tried to find a good grasp on it, head turning as she heard snow crunch to her side. A human, young from what little she had seen of them, stared at her, jaw clenched, something sharp and shining in his hand. Though she had never seen one up close, it seemed to fit with the description Snowmirth had given the weapon humans called an axe and so Coalnose lowered her head, hissing lightly. Smoke wisps plumed from her nostrils but she tilted her head as the human merely lowered the weapon, sighing. Coalnose watched as the lad picked up the chalice and held it out, pointing toward it and gesturing as if his arm were a wing, flapping it around, gibbering and speaking the language of the nearby human tribe.

"Have you seen the dragon that dropped this? I really need to get the chest he stole back. It's really important to my family. Do you understand me? Look-" Krogar held out the chalice to the young dragon, a female he guessed due to the lack of horns under its jaw even at such a young age, though he had never seen one with such red and black coloration before. Like most of his village, he was used to the white and green dragon varieties in tales mostly, the few the region had seen the past century. "-I'll give this to you. You can keep it. Just, can you help me find the dragon thief?"

Coalnose didn't understand most of what the human said, but did understand the offering of the chalice as it was held out to her, gently grasping it, and two words, 'dragon' and 'thief'. She hissed, scales shuddering and wings curling. A thief! Right near her father's roost? How dare the dragon that stole from the human village! Snowmirth was leader of the flight and formed the alliance between it and the other flights on nearby isles. Her father would not be pleased to come back and find out... But, looking at the human, another idea came to her. Perhaps her father didn't have to find out. Surely the dragon must be young to even consider betraying the flight, and though Coalnose was the smallest of her siblings, perhaps with the human's help they could reclaim the stolen treasure? After all, any dragon worth their scales knew that dragons and humans worked together in large numbers when one of their number went rogue. Maybe they could bluff this one. She took the chalice gently in her mouth carrying it to a mound of snow under which she buried it, then she swished her tail, looking back at the human and almost swimming her head forward, trying to get it to follow her.

Krogar indeed did follow Coalnose up the mountain, both cautiously creeping higher and higher, Coalnose occasionally pushing Krogar forward when they climbed and Krogar picking a few mushrooms off the occasional tree, eating some to keep up his strength as well as showing the young dragon which were worth eating, something no other dragon had even considered before. When a pack of wolves started approaching after Krogar pulled himself over one ledge, Coalnose clambered over the cliff facing below at the sound of their growls. After leaping into the midst of them, she let loose a low roar, sending the pack barking and yelping, almost tumbling down the mountain in their hurry to find less guarded prey. The two slowly worked forward up the mountain the rest of their journey through the cruel winds but meeting no other beastly challengers, finally reaching the their goal as the sun began to set upon it, the den of the Hooktooth, dragonthief.

Hooktooth was so named for a gash in one of his incisors caused from foolishly missing a fawn and biting into a large stone when he was but a hatchling. Few knew how the gash had come to be, nor more than his name, however, as he mostly kept to himself, his raids typically going far and wide. They were a private amusement, revenge he took upon the humans, slayers of his father when he had gone crazed decades before, which in turn forced Hooktooth to flee and find another flight to join. And so, as Coalnose and Krogar approached his lair within the caverns, not even thinking to mask their scent, Hooktooth laid in wait, burying himself in his gathered spoils.

Krogar was certain that they had not missed the dragon departing his lair while he and the young dragon had ascended the mountain, but here was the family heirlooms, spilled out of the chest that had held them, joining a horde that would easily overflow his own home. He looked to the young dragon in confusion, then started toward the piles of precious metals and jewels, not hearing the soft fizzing coming from the center of the treasure, but turning as the young dragon hissed and leapt toward him.

Coalnose dove in front of the stupid human, turning her side toward the oncoming slag of metal that crashed against her hide, her scales singed from the acid that had melted it, but not enough of it had remained to cause more than a mild scar. Two of her ribs, however, cracked and made her stagger, falling to the cavern floor as she shielded the human. Hooktooth rose from his treasure horde, hissing and gnashing his teeth as he crept toward Coalnose, his neck curving back as he prepared to lob a ball of acid at the impudent young dragon, intending to seal her fate, recognizing the youngling, but knowing if Coalnose survived he would have to relocate anyway.

Krogar shuddered, staring at the young dragon that had protected him, seeing the dragonthief rising and the chill of fear gave way to a darker, boiling sensation, rushing around Coalnose to cry out in rage and swing his father's battleaxe at Hooktooth's neck. Despite his rage untrained with it and too weak to wield it properly, the battleaxe flew from his hands, the inertia driving it upward still, crashing it into Hooktooth's left eye. The twin points atop the blades stuck fast into the wrenix dragon's cornea and eye socket as aqueous and vitreous humour leaked out like a broken dam. Hooktooth roared, his acid shot going wide and missing Coalnose, trying to use a clawed hand to pull out the battleaxe and failing to get purchase at first, further scarring himself before managing to cast it aside. He pulled back his head again, this time intending to lob acid at the human warrior he had misjudged when suddenly his lower jaw was split twin by a forceful explosion. Coalnose limped forward, shaking in pain but pulling back her head, nostrils billowing smoke as she fired another blast at the dragonthief's head, then another. Shielding his face, Hooktooth slowly moved forward, unable to spit its acid for now, unable to bite, but his sharp claws were still equal if not greater in size to Coalnose's own head. This fact was not lost on the young dragon, who kept backing up and found her fiery blasts diminishing in heat and size. Just as Hooktooth lowered his one guarding hand down to try to slash at Coalnose he found himself unable to breath, a sharp pain in his neck. He batted the human into Coalnose as it gripped the battleaxe tightly, trying to pull it out to swing again. Hooktooth roared and groaned, staggering and trying to cover the missing scales, but Coalnose rose her head and fired at his destroyed eye, setting its remains ablaze. The wrenix dragon cried out in anguish, writhing and trying to put out the fire, but it was too late. Coalnose pounced on Hooktooth's neck and tore into the second layer of scales that had been beneath the one Krogar tore off, and the human followed that with a swift strike into the muscle, blood flowing freely as the dragonthief writhed and let loose one last, final roar.

Carrying the human's treasure, a few of Hooktooth's scales and even the tooth that gave him his name on her back, Coalnose snorted a puff of smoke through her nostrils, still amazed at what the two of them had accomplished alone. She eyed his axe, a bit wary of it, but trusting Krogar after what they had just gone through. She winced with every few steps until the human had found a specific tree in the forest, ripping off bark and chewing some himself before giving it to her. Strangely, her pain reduced, not significantly, but it was a start at least. Almost passing the buried chalice, she dug it out of the snow and put it into the chest upon her back, much to the surprise of Krogar. What use did she have for shiny baubles with the treasure she saw before her? She put a hand to her chest, thumping it and trusted the human with her name. The human was confused at first, but then realization dawned and he did the same, smiling broadly. And, as the two continued down the mountain to return his family heirlooms, each considered what had happened, and what future lay in store for them together.

Description
Coalnose was shoved to the back of the cavern for the fifth time, still trying to get at the caribou her siblings had captured while their parents were scouting for new hunting grounds. The sudden winter had killed many of the animals her family had depended upon for food; the sheep, the oxen, the cows, all so easy to grab from the human fields if one sibling distracted those guarding it, now herded south or into hidden dens for the winter. Coalnose knew her parents needed to find new lands to hunt in for the survival of their roost, but she wished they would hurry and return to make her siblings stop keeping the juiciest bits of their kill to themselves. Yet again she was left with the ankles, hooves, horns and part of the rump. Stomach growling, she slinked between her receding siblings and started eating despite their laughter. The smallest among the clutch, Coalnose's nostrils flared with wisps of smoke, but she ate in silence, knowing she would be wasting her time when they were much larger, their teeth sharper, their claws longer, their wings more developed and their scales so much thicker.

Coalnose took mostly after her mother Rubywind, who while fierce in her own right, was much smaller than her husband Snowmirth, her armored hide red and black, his white and pale blue. It was his charm and power that had wooed her from the far south over her other suitors, and he that same power which forced his rivals to yield, making him soon rise to leader of the flight. Her wisdom had aided him greatly, bringing three clans together when the humans slew a clutch in the northern territories, and her mercy that encouraged them to stay their rage on the humans unaffiliated with the fool who murdered the hatchlings. This had turned to be a boon when the humans had left an offering of gold, lamb and barley for the clans, which grew in alliance together, understanding that the humans as a whole were intelligent if ignorant, barely more than beasts, but useful as they domesticating animals to better feed and serve them, startling the dragons with their ingenuity. This proved far too futile for the dragons to do themselves due to the fear they struck in most lesser beasts, and though the dragons always sought out wild prey first, it did mean they always had an option of feasting upon fattened delicate animals from time to time.

Most had at first merely stole from the humans as word of their farms grew, but Snowmirth quickly put a stop to such nonsense, ensuring each dragon repaid the humans according to their need: ash for fertile fields, blockage in streams removed, other fearsome beasts hunted down and slaughtered, the ways were many, but oft not difficult to find. Some humans crafted items of beauty, metallic or jeweled which almost enthralled certain dragons to their desire for such things, one or two consumed by greed needing to be put down by humans and fellow dragons alike. Those who already had grown their hordes significantly found it difficult to let go, taking to hiding them deeper and deeper in caverns, almost daring the planet to reclaim what had once been stolen from it. It was during this sudden winter that one such dragon, Hooktooth, a great wrenix dragon had decided to steal a chest of treasure from the nearby human settlement, tearing into the dens he had seen the humans trying to conceal, leaving their kind to take care of them as he flew off to Bitterpeak Mountain's highest cavern. A lone dragon watched his silohette against the sky flying over her home as she gnawed on the bones and remnants her siblings left her, gasping as he saw something shimmering, falling from the sky. Looking back to her sibling for a brief moment and seeing them distracted in a game, Coalnose crept out of the roost and into the snow.

Krogar hugged his arms against his chest, wishing he had put on more than the sheepskin and leather clad on his skin, the harsh wind biting into his thin skin. He was leaner than most of the village, even thinner than his younger sister and many had thought he was too frail to survive long after his birth. He had grown up pushed and shoved, teased and cajoled, forced into battles he didn't seek with his neighbors, scrappy and a dirty fighter because he had to be, but with many it still didn't make a difference. He was just too weak without some advantage. So, as he swore to his father that he would reclaim the family heirlooms, his sister had laughed at him, as did the neighbors who heard him. Even Dorey, the milkmaid for whom his heart yearned had made jest, teasing that should he return with even a coin of the treasure she would marry him. His father merely waited in silence for the laughter to die down, going to his steed and bringing Krogar his battleaxe.
"Bring back a dragonscale son, or don't come back. You have made your vow, now carry it forth." Krogar had barely been able to carry the battleaxe to his father's side six years ago during the last dragonhunt, but now he at least managed to carry it on his shoulder even though it ached to do so. He was easily a mile now, at the foot of Bitterpeak mountain, panting and wishing he hadn't made such a stupid vow, but he knew that without the chest his sister would have no dowry, and he would have no inheritance. Wondering just how far the crazed dragon had carried its new treasure, the treeline having cut off all sight of the dragon hours ago. Something shimmered up ahead, however, and in desperate hope he raced toward it.

Coalnose pounced upon the chalice, batting it around as she tried to find a good grasp on it, head turning as she heard snow crunch to her side. A human, young from what little she had seen of them, stared at her, jaw clenched, something sharp and shining in his hand. Though she had never seen one up close, it seemed to fit with the description Snowmirth had given the weapon humans called an axe and so Coalnose lowered her head, hissing lightly. Smoke wisps plumed from her nostrils but she tilted her head as the human merely lowered the weapon, sighing. Coalnose watched as the lad picked up the chalice and held it out, pointing toward it and gesturing as if his arm were a wing, flapping it around, gibbering and speaking the language of the nearby human tribe.

"Have you seen the dragon that dropped this? I really need to get the chest he stole back. It's really important to my family. Do you understand me? Look-" Krogar held out the chalice to the young dragon, a female he guessed due to the lack of horns under its jaw even at such a young age, though he had never seen one with such red and black coloration before. Like most of his village, he was used to the white and green dragon varieties in tales mostly, the few the region had seen the past century. "-I'll give this to you. You can keep it. Just, can you help me find the dragon thief?"

Coalnose didn't understand most of what the human said, but did understand the offering of the chalice as it was held out to her, gently grasping it, and two words, 'dragon' and 'thief'. She hissed, scales shuddering and wings curling. A thief! Right near her father's roost? How dare the dragon that stole from the human village! Snowmirth was leader of the flight and formed the alliance between it and the other flights on nearby isles. Her father would not be pleased to come back and find out... But, looking at the human, another idea came to her. Perhaps her father didn't have to find out. Surely the dragon must be young to even consider betraying the flight, and though Coalnose was the smallest of her siblings, perhaps with the human's help they could reclaim the stolen treasure? After all, any dragon worth their scales knew that dragons and humans worked together in large numbers when one of their number went rogue. Maybe they could bluff this one. She took the chalice gently in her mouth carrying it to a mound of snow under which she buried it, then she swished her tail, looking back at the human and almost swimming her head forward, trying to get it to follow her.

Krogar indeed did follow Coalnose up the mountain, both cautiously creeping higher and higher, Coalnose occasionally pushing Krogar forward when they climbed and Krogar picking a few mushrooms off the occasional tree, eating some to keep up his strength as well as showing the young dragon which were worth eating, something no other dragon had even considered before. When a pack of wolves started approaching after Krogar pulled himself over one ledge, Coalnose clambered over the cliff facing below at the sound of their growls. After leaping into the midst of them, she let loose a low roar, sending the pack barking and yelping, almost tumbling down the mountain in their hurry to find less guarded prey. The two slowly worked forward up the mountain the rest of their journey through the cruel winds but meeting no other beastly challengers, finally reaching the their goal as the sun began to set upon it, the den of the Hooktooth, dragonthief.

Hooktooth was so named for a gash in one of his incisors caused from foolishly missing a fawn and biting into a large stone when he was but a hatchling. Few knew how the gash had come to be, nor more than his name, however, as he mostly kept to himself, his raids typically going far and wide. They were a private amusement, revenge he took upon the humans, slayers of his father when he had gone crazed decades before, which in turn forced Hooktooth to flee and find another flight to join. And so, as Coalnose and Krogar approached his lair within the caverns, not even thinking to mask their scent, Hooktooth laid in wait, burying himself in his gathered spoils.

Krogar was certain that they had not missed the dragon departing his lair while he and the young dragon had ascended the mountain, but here was the family heirlooms, spilled out of the chest that had held them, joining a horde that would easily overflow his own home. He looked to the young dragon in confusion, then started toward the piles of precious metals and jewels, not hearing the soft fizzing coming from the center of the treasure, but turning as the young dragon hissed and leapt toward him.

Coalnose dove in front of the stupid human, turning her side toward the oncoming slag of metal that crashed against her hide, her scales singed from the acid that had melted it, but not enough of it had remained to cause more than a mild scar. Two of her ribs, however, cracked and made her stagger, falling to the cavern floor as she shielded the human. Hooktooth rose from his treasure horde, hissing and gnashing his teeth as he crept toward Coalnose, his neck curving back as he prepared to lob a ball of acid at the impudent young dragon, intending to seal her fate, recognizing the youngling, but knowing if Coalnose survived he would have to relocate anyway.

Krogar shuddered, staring at the young dragon that had protected him, seeing the dragonthief rising and the chill of fear gave way to a darker, boiling sensation, rushing around Coalnose to cry out in rage and swing his father's battleaxe at Hooktooth's neck. Despite his rage untrained with it and too weak to wield it properly, the battleaxe flew from his hands, the inertia driving it upward still, crashing it into Hooktooth's left eye. The twin points atop the blades stuck fast into the wrenix dragon's cornea and eye socket as aqueous and vitreous humour leaked out like a broken dam. Hooktooth roared, his acid shot going wide and missing Coalnose, trying to use a clawed hand to pull out the battleaxe and failing to get purchase at first, further scarring himself before managing to cast it aside. He pulled back his head again, this time intending to lob acid at the human warrior he had misjudged when suddenly his lower jaw was split twin by a forceful explosion. Coalnose limped forward, shaking in pain but pulling back her head, nostrils billowing smoke as she fired another blast at the dragonthief's head, then another. Shielding his face, Hooktooth slowly moved forward, unable to spit its acid for now, unable to bite, but his sharp claws were still equal if not greater in size to Coalnose's own head. This fact was not lost on the young dragon, who kept backing up and found her fiery blasts diminishing in heat and size. Just as Hooktooth lowered his one guarding hand down to try to slash at Coalnose he found himself unable to breath, a sharp pain in his neck. He batted the human into Coalnose as it gripped the battleaxe tightly, trying to pull it out to swing again. Hooktooth roared and groaned, staggering and trying to cover the missing scales, but Coalnose rose her head and fired at his destroyed eye, setting its remains ablaze. The wrenix dragon cried out in anguish, writhing and trying to put out the fire, but it was too late. Coalnose pounced on Hooktooth's neck and tore into the second layer of scales that had been beneath the one Krogar tore off, and the human followed that with a swift strike into the muscle, blood flowing freely as the dragonthief writhed and let loose one last, final roar.

Carrying the human's treasure, a few of Hooktooth's scales and even the tooth that gave him his name on her back, Coalnose snorted a puff of smoke through her nostrils, still amazed at what the two of them had accomplished alone. She eyed his axe, a bit wary of it, but trusting Krogar after what they had just gone through. She winced with every few steps until the human had found a specific tree in the forest, ripping off bark and chewing some himself before giving it to her. Strangely, her pain reduced, not significantly, but it was a start at least. Almost passing the buried chalice, she dug it out of the snow and put it into the chest upon her back, much to the surprise of Krogar. What use did she have for shiny baubles with the treasure she saw before her? She put a hand to her chest, thumping it and trusted the human with her name. The human was confused at first, but then realization dawned and he did the same, smiling broadly. And, as the two continued down the mountain to return his family heirlooms, each considered what had happened, and what future lay in store for them together.