Something to Care About

"My sword!" A man cried out in the sun, checking the luggage on his caravans camels to make sure it wasn't there. The man in question was dressed in garbed robes of many colors, he wore a head cloth wrapped around to help keep the sun off it. While no swordsman, he was certainly a silver tongued merchant who sold, and stole, many treasures like jewelery, weapons and armor, and miscellaneous items. He was no saint but was always tracked down by voracious bandits and soldiers of the major cities who caught him for his crimes.

The merchant was none too pleased when his favorite sword went missing, a steel scimitar jagged in a unique shape much akin to a dragons tooth. Perfectly balanced, it was really the only weapon he was masterly skilled with... and now it's gone. The merchant to panic until he saw a series of draglines through the sand. Cocking his head slightly, the merchant kneeled down at the edge of his makeshift camp and inspected the many lines in the sand. Some were narrow, some wide and smooth and others jagged. There was a familar drag line though, the wide gouge in the sand of his blade! Quickly, he packed the rest of his equipment on his camels and began to vigorously follow the trail, camels in tow bound to his hand with a rope. Whoever stole his weapon would certainly pay!

Though that, "Whoever," was more a, " Whatever." From the Birdseye view, a small red dot scurried along the dessert sands, a large cacti fruit held tightly in a long tail and behind it followed a large mass of mainly doorknobs and coins of great rarity, however with those items were also numerous daggers, arrow tips, random jewelry, and of course, a certain dragon shaped scimitar. These things were pulled by an invisible force almost right directly behind a large red critter. That, "Critter," Just so happened to be a dragon or rather a hatchling rather. It chirped with great vigor as if calling out to something, trying to get the attention of a long sought-after friend. Or rather, it's mother.

Abbadon didn't even know how to talk let alone think like a proper hatchling, merely a very young and recently hatched dragon that acted on instinct. Though he needed care, a much needed bath to help get dead little leave, sticks, and sand from between his fine scales. Berry and fruit juice were plastered on his scales though old and slowly the colors fading, leaving old green and brown stains. He was very scrawny but not in the sense that Abbadon was born that way but the fact he was starving, unbeknownst his tail grasped a fruit. To the hatchling, there was a sense of sadness a d urgency, it couldn't even remember the call of his mother and any call would be deemed a parent! The adventurous and curious hatchling traveled a great deal to find his mother, avoiding the dangers by sheer dumb luck despite his constant chirping.

In the distance, Abbadon heard a noise and turned his head. Seeing smoke in the distance, there were buildings and tents in said distance. Immediately, he turned that direction and began to quickly make his way to the noise. Desperate for attention, the hatchling simply wanted to return to it's nest and find his mother waiting for him.

A cart slowly moved over the desert, as Sul, joined by his daughter El, was heading out to find some supplies. Food had been disappearing from Ammos, so they were heading out for a farming settlement to get more food stores. It was then the the El spotted something... weird over a dune.

"Dad.... Is that... a pile of metal moving around." Sul shook his head at first, handing his daughter a canteen.

"Get some fluids into your system, El. You're seein.... What the heck?" Sul stopped the horse that was pulling the cart, and quickly looked out, trying to see what was going on. "Keep the horse calm." He then pulled his hood and face cloth up, and slowly walked ahead. He looked to see.... A hatchling? A dragon hatchling with tons of things trailing him. Well... it was a sight at least.

Abbadon, a hatchling of the endangered EarthWing tribe was nothing more than mindless yet curious thing. If there was ever an answer as to why he always escaped the caring clutches of his mother was quite simple. Abbadon had an adventurous quirk, though innocent, he meant no harm but wasn't aware of the dangers of this massive world. In due time the little lizard might grow into a dragon who thinks all these monsters, humans, these conflicts between the dragons, and the mundane might just be normal where others will find it... aberrant.

The young hatchling traveled hard, thirsty, hot, hungry and seeking it's mother, he desperately moved toward the human settlement not knowing any better. How could he know better? Soon a sound caught his attention a d he and the massive pile of clutter came to a halt. Looking around for any predators Abbadon spotted a cart, driven by a human. He stared for a moment as of weighing his options, then in a flash his mind forgot of the settlement Ammos and he turned. He began to travel toward the cart, chirping quit loudly compared to some other hatchlings.

Súl looked around before noticing the little dragon was headed straight for the cart. He looked over to El, quickly waving his hands.

"The little guys coming to you!" The girl was quick to hop off the cart, and looked at the little dragon. She smiled, crouching down and beginning to use her dads lessons to talk to him in a dragon's tongue.

"Hey there little fella." The teen did her best to not bring attention to the mass of metal behind him, thinking it would scare the little thing.

The small lizard made its way with the pile of junk falling over and reforming itself in a new change of pace. With clinking and loud sounds of metal scraping across another, presenting a not so pleasant music. Once the hatchling got of several inches of the human girl he stopped and stared at her. He sniffed the ground then the girl herself as he grew just centimeters, a slow yet near quiet growl coming from him and a small chirp that escaped him.

The hatchlings tail let loose the cactus pear, it's pink midsection now turned dark with clearly mangled and squished. The once proudly plump fruit fell an inch to his right, though the hatchling seemed more focused on investigating the girl to even notice the fruit. Or the pile behind him.

"It's ok. I won't hurt you." El smiled, though still kept her movements slow. She watched her dad enough to know how to react around dragons. Meanwhile Sul had finally made his way up, but stopped to let his daughter handle this.

The hatchling, careful to inspect the girl grew closer until the thing was up to her skin. He sniffed it vigorously and yet the growls subsided replaced by low chirps. There was one growl before it quickly evolved into the joyful chirps and calls the hatchling gave before. It seemed the girl presented no danger or whatever was perceived as harmless. The hatchling was quick to climb into the girls arms, but for as small and scrawny as he was he weighed quite a bit. He inspected further by sniffing some more until crawling along her shoulder and onto her back and all over her, a curious thing really. The pile of junk grew closer until it was literally against the teens legs and trying to climb onto her as well.

El was surprised when the little dragon quickly jumped onto her, but instead of being spooked she giggled.

"Well you're a playful o.... What the...!?" Now the metal beginning to try and climb up her leg, that scared her. She tried kicking at it, and Sul was quick to come up.

"What the heck!"

The Hatchling continued it's curious assault as harmless as he was, however the metal continued to climb up the girl until the random objects began to collect on the hatchling. However in the girls struggle, the Hatchling climbed downward toward her legs until he got kicked harshly in the head. The little critter fell down almost shocked and so the did the metal, he reared back and retreated a few feet away, hissing not of anger but of fear since he got a hard blow to the head. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he continued to take a defensive posture, trying to scare the humans away with his best efforts and coiled his body.

El looked at the hatchling, quickly looking apologetic.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to kick you." She responded in a draconic tongue before slowly stepping closer. Súl followed her, staying calm.

The hatchling still hissed and began snapping, the only problem behind his attempts at defense were he was not lurching forward, thus couldn't really do any harm. And though his bite would hurt it wasn't anything less than receiving a shallow cut from a blade. Just when the hatchling slowed his defensive role as the girl quietly, and calmly spoke to him, something darted from a distance. A game arrow; small and quick, found itself in the hatchling left hind leg and a large whelp-like chirp escaped his maw while he recoiled and was jerked away by the force of the thing. And another barely missed the top of his back and whipped past by into a nearby dune.

The same trader who'd followed the trail if his stolen goods stood thirty feet away with a light crossbow in hand, already placing the next game arrow and locking it in place. He quickly made his way down a hill and came to sliding stop about five feet away, lowering the weapon so he wasn't aiming at anyone but the hatchling. He muttered something in another language as if weighing his options before stating, "Hello there! It seems you've found the little thief!"

The traders friendly demeanor could go either way, as more a ruse or quite genuine. Regardless, it was clear he was excited yet not too thrilled when he saw the dragon from afar, using a scope as he closed in on the trail. People getting involved was one thing, however he assumed that they were trying to lure it in for their own kill. No no, this was His business! Not theirs!!

The garbed man then raised his crossbow to the girl and stated, "You see, I've been hunting this one! It would do quite nicely as a trophy, maybe even bring in good money, after I clean it. You won't be taking this hunt for yourself, so back away." He then gestured with his weapon for the girl to move back, keeping his sights on the other man who stood a few feet away in his peripheral. If they tried anything, the trader was ready to hurt, even kill for the price the hatchling would put up.

Loud chirps continuously poured from the hatchling as deep purple blood escaped it's leg. It curled up with it's eyes forced shut with tears streaming down it's cheek scales.

Súl would whip around while El gave a scared and worried look. The archer's bow was already nocked and drawn before he even finished the turn. He looked at the merchant, glaring at him. El meanwhile was doing her best to not help the pour little dragon. She really wanted to, but with this guy pointing a crossbow at her. It was then that Súl spoke up though.

"Well then, first you may wanna take that crossbow out of my daughter's face, or things aren't going to be good for you."

"Put your bow down, have the girl back away, and I'll do so." The merchant stated, his tone was an amused one clearly not taking the bowman seriously. Though Súl should most likely take the man as more a threat, the merchant dated not take his aim from the girl. It was clear he'd be willing to shoot her, but wished to avoid such squanders.

"This kill will bring so much hold and business." The merchant thought already coming up with sales prices for meat and individual scales and teeth. Jewelry fashioned out of a dragon would sell highly too. Meanwhile, the hatchling, curled up in a tight red ball stops all movement and noise. Whether the would or anything could have gotten it, it was enough that the merchant was not pleased. He wanted finish it with the blade it stole from him.