Dragon Riders of Paranon

There weren't always dragons in the valley. The valley way was meant for man, defended by the warriors; and lusted after by the wizards. Therefore, the tiniest and youngest of dragons could have only arrived by design...

Dawn had broken and the youngest of dragons had overstayed his time above ground where he could be easily caught. Three shadows fell over the baby creature. Nevertheless, it gave a nervous pause and simply stared ahead from the remedial hiding place of a shrub. It didn't dare make a move toward its underground caves now; it would only continue to draw attention. Besides, the people approaching were only maybe slightly bigger than the youngest of the young dragons. Besides, it almost sensed a sense of trust in at least one of these imps...

Treyos, the youngest of three brothers born to the warrior, Angard, was sandwiched between his two friends as they explored their realm. Corr, a schoolmate and the oldest of the group at six months older than Treyos, walked with his typical air of superiority over Treyos and Sorra, the girl whom had grown up next door to Treyos so as to make them fast lifelong friends. Now at age ten, Treyos began to harbor...feelings...for his lifelong friend. However, the questions always were if Sorra felt for the same; or, perhaps, if she felt for Corr as older and more adventurous. It was a difficult conversation to approach for a lad of ten and he quietly looked forward to his time with Sorra, even if it did mean that Corr would fill out the last of the trio and, as the oldest, would always take the reins of leadership.

That day, Corr was carrying a wooden short sword that his own father, Elkor, had fashioned for him in his youth. For the briefest of moments, the smallest of dragons saw a weapon and nearly gave away his hiding place by flying to safety. However, at the last possible moment, it saw the sword was fashioned of wood, not steel, and his youthful reasoning won out that it couldn't do much harm. However, the displaced dragon imp did watch quietly.

"This way!" Corr cried out over his shoulder, brandishing his toy sword and pointing.

Treyos wasn't much for a game of follow the leader that day; Sorra seemed quicker to fall in behind Corr and Treyos, never one to be left behind, fell in behind her. As Treyos feel into his place in line, the baby dragon was extra trusting of the oft-overlooked boy child and he began to experimentally flutter his tiny wings for a better look from the air...

The shrubs shook and rattled from the disturbance of the dragon's wings. Treyos took the time to take notice.

"Hold." he said, turning toward the bush.

Sorra had paid him any mind and turned to him as Corr continued to pretend to lead an adventure troupe. That suited Treyos just fine as he poked his nose into the slightly disturbed shrubbery.

"Oh, Treyos, should you really...?" Sorra began.

There was a pronounced squeal from inside the bushes, then the smallest of the dragons did successfully fly airborne.

"A dra...!" Sorra began to gasp.

"No, Sorra!" Treyos finally answered. The smallest of dragons pled quietly with her as well. The oldest of the children may have carried a wooden sword; to a dragon who had not yet learned to breathe fire or blow smoke, that wooden sword still made the youth armed.

Sorra seemed to understand the conundrum and got quiet to gaze upon the tiniest of dragons in awe and wonder. The sense of bewilderment settled over Treyos as well; however, it mixed itself with curiosity and he stuck out an arm.

"C'mere, boy." he coaxed the tiny dragon. "Come-come."

The tiniest of dragons saw the most feeble of boys beckon to it and it felt a trusting connection. At long last, it planted itself on the boy's shoulder to Sorra's bewilderment.

"Treyos, it just obeyed you!" she gushed.

Meanwhile, the smallest of dragons nuzzled at Treyos's neck.

"I think I made a friend!" Treyos added.

"Friend!" the dragon seemed to repeat the sentiment.

Treyos and Sorra both stared, cock-eyed, at the dragon infant, then looked at one another.

"Maybe you'd best catch up with Corr before he turns around and starts looking for both of us." Treyos advised. "If he catches a dragon down here in our valley, he'd just as soon tell my brothers, or my father, in search of notoriety."

"Right." Sorra answered. "You'll stay here?"

"Yeah; I'll stay here with...hmm, he does deserve a name, don't you, you little imp?" Treyos asked, reaching delicately across with his spare hand and chucking the tiniest of dragons under the chin.

Sorra giggled in turn at their interaction.

"I'll stop back by later to check on you and our new friend." Sorra vowed, sprinting off.

It had been the most attention that Sorra had paid Treyos lately; and, granted she had run off in the end, but that had been to protect the dragon from being spotted. Treyos wasn't going to lie and claim that he hadn't enjoyed the attention...

===========================

The mountains of Tri-Peak hid the the sorceresses and witches of Paranon. From there, they weaved their spells to try to impact a humanity that had cast their ancestors out. Sagia, a more mischievous sorceress, had been the one to pluck the baby dragon from the innocence of familiarity and displace him in the valley. Nonetheless, now she could no longer find his mind and heart when she wanted to control it against the humans. She checked between her wand and cauldron; nothing.

At that moment, a glistening, golden giant of a man entered the chamber.

"Soothsayer, you have found my dragon?" Sagia asked.

"No; your dragon has found a boy." answered a fluid, displaced voice. "It seems settled in innocence with the child of its choice."

Sagia rubbed her chin in thought.

"Then, it will still foolishly coexist among the world of man." she answered. "Find the baby again. If it won't be controlled, then it will grow. We will let the prejudices and foolishness of the warriors handle the rest..."

"As you say." the future-seeing servant answered for his mistress as he left the chamber...