Nature and Nurture
FoThe Guardian’s claws dragged through the soil of the ground below. The blades of grass parted with each of her belabored steps, the dragoness’s head hung low to the ground with exhaustion, breath ruffling the low growing plants with every tired huff. Her green eyes were bleary and glazed, the toll of illness heavy on her shoulders as she slowly lumbered through the forest.
A few other dragons passed her as she walked, some staring, others paying her no mind, but none stopped to speak, all eventually going on as she neither turned nor acknowledged their presence. In time, a voice did call out to her, laden with authority.
“Stop! You approach the Behemoth, residence of the Lady Gladekeeper. State your intentions.”
The dragoness lifted her head as much as she was able, startled by the sudden outcry. The brown and green Wildclaw looked down at her, her own expression firm and unwavering. The Guardian shifted her stance as much as she was able, trying to straighten up, but wincing as her aching muscles protested the movement, and slumped her head back down. Her voice was scratchy and exhausted.
“I-... I was just...”
“If you do not have a reason to be here, I’m afraid I will have to ask you-”
“Peace, Folia. I know her, let her come.”
An ancient voice rung out over the Wildclaw’s words, the wise and gentle voice of the goddess interrupting the guard’s words. The Wildclaw bowed and moved to let the Guardian pass without question at the command of her deity. The Guardian slowly began to lumber towards the great wyrm, raising her head to look up at the ruler of the Labyrinth as best as she was able.
With skin like bark, a mane of leaves, and glowing, green eyes, the Gladekeeper looked down at the tired dragoness that had made her way to the Behemoth, her expression softening at the tired form barely holding itself together before her. The great wyrm’s voice was soft and powerful, like the gentle creaking of the Behemoth’s own boughs.
“Were you ill again, my child?”
The Guardian turned her gaze to the ground, unable to find her words as her throat tightened, eyes prickling with heat. She nodded her head.
“Then come.”
The dragoness went to the deity’s feet as quickly as she was able, laying down next to her root-like limbs and leaning against them. She felt a few tendrils of low growing plants gently wrap around her claws, not tightly, but like a tender and comforting embrace. The Guardian huffed when they tickled, slightly, squeezing her claws back at them.
She was already falling into the comforting embrace of sleep, all fear and tension gone from her shoulders as she let herself relax, knowing now that she was safe and would be cared for until she was once again well. The quiet voice of the great wyrm was above her.
“Stay until you are healed, no one will drive my children from my care until they are in health once more.”
It was all the Guardian could do to smile in response, tucking herself in further against the goddess as she heard the Gladekeeper return to the meeting she had been having with some older clans, her voice a comforting lull above her.
Maybe she wasn’t okay right now, but she would be.
And she knew she could stay here until she was.
Safe in the embrace of both nature and nurture.
