So these are the legendary mountains?, The path to the Mother Dragon

[Nyneave Al'Meara]

Nyneave stood before the jagged mountains that ironically looked like huge teeth. Ironic because apparently these mountains housed the legendary lair of the Mother Dragon, she who gives dragon eggs to those who are brave enough to trekk to her lair.

Smiling wryly Nyneave felt like she was on some elaborate quest with people drawing swords out of stone and flinging balls of fire around and yelling things like 'for the queen!'. She chuckled at this but enjoyed the ominous looming of the mountains, with her cloak whipping about due to the heavy winds and her hair fluttering she really did feel like some heroic quester. Although nothing about this killer was heroic.

Clutching her double blade talons tightly she gulped nervously. Hard of heart as she might like to seem the mountains did look ominous and deadly, not to mention there was probably a huge bloody dragon down their lazing about and waiting for someone to walk into her lair so she could devour them whole. Paranoia just kicked in.

"Am I supposed to do this alone?" She wondered aloud, suddenly smiling because she was never alone not with the multitude of voices in her head. "Better get on with it then..." She announced but didn't move an inch, she would have to climb the rock face to get to the entrance and Nyneave didn't like heights.

"Stupid mountain..." She grumbled staring at it then raked a blade talon against a boulder. Was she really supposed to do this alone? What if some big rock monster jumped her.

Stop thinking you squeamish coward and get climbing! one of 'them' hollered at her.

She nodded weakely but still didn't budge an inch, it was funny really. Nyneave who was not afraid to be killed by a charging boar was apprehensive about a mountain and some underground caves? She gave a sheepish grin and lifted her foot to rest it on the boulder. She braced both hands on the rock and hauled herself up agiley, moving like a snake. Her hands gripped another rock and her legs swung up and braced her.

Glancing down she blinked nervously, true she wasn't very high up but even those few feet were making her want to jump down and hug herself tightly. "I am not good with heights..." she told herself and could hear the voices laughing.

[Silver Bell]

Perhaps it was the knowledge that Autumn was climbing down the mountains that helped with his great fear of heights. The dragon egg was tightly bound in many layers of cloth, and was gently resting in his pack. He stopped for a moment to get his bearings, whipping a bandaged hand over his sweaty brow. He was heading west. Good. Autumn was not going to travel through that blasted desert, no sir, he was headed towards the Silverwood. The mountains were a bit rugged, and his hands (which were all ready raw from climbing up the mountains) would surely receive further punishment, but it would be worth it in the long run. His blade of stormsteel, and his scythe felt heavy upon his back and hip; and his daggers were uncomfortable rubbing against his swore feet. His water flask was now to the point where it might as well be called dry. Only last few drops remained... Autumn licked his dry and cracked lips. Should he wait, or should he have it all now? He looked up at the clear blue sky above. He would wait until he could stand it no longer.

With a heavy sigh, and dry throat, he continued his decent. He felt the small dragon's warmth against his back. 'All of this because of you.. Well my small friend... I hope you appreciate this...' Now that Autumn's mind was on the small, unborn creature, two thoughts came into his mind. The first, what breed was the dragon? Now, Autumn did not know the name of the dragon breeds, but he knew what each looked like. 'Surely not one of those small ones,' he thought, wincing as his bare finger were sliced open by a sharp rock. 'I'm sure the egg would be lighter then this.. That leaves three.. or is it still four?' Legend did say that the egg never gave a way the true race of the dragon. 'I guess I can saver mystery for now...'

His second thought was a name. Every creature had to have a name... But what to call a dragon? Or would the dragon chose it's own name? Which ever it was, Autumn had a strong feeling that the name would be after something of the earth. He didn't know why.. it was just this feeling that loomed in the back of his mind and heart... He looked down, fear crawling it's way up his spine like a spider slowly chasing it's prey. "If you have wings little one.." he chuckled to himself. "I suppose that I will have to get used to this feeling..."

[Silver Bell]

Autumn gave a small sigh of relief as his tired feet touched the path that lead down to the forest. Finally, the long climb was over. He looked up at the darkening sky. His dry throat was burning.. He finally gave in a put is water flask to his mouth, the last of his water only reliefling a small part of his thirst. 'I best be moving quickly,' he thought as he briskly walked towards the long silver shadow on the horizon that was the forest. 'I don't know how long I can last without water...'