Darbi stepped through the carved tunnels of the abandoned mine, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He had been sleeping a few minutes ago, but some loud noise had stirred the other, younger kobolds in the chamber. They woke him, and he had volunteered to take a look.

The noise was a low grating noise, like stone sliding on stone,certainly concerning to anyone living in a cave. Darbi did his best to follow the sound, tracking it right to the makeshift door to the cave’s largest chamber, the chamber the dragon his family and he attended to.

He paused for a moment, “Mistress?” His voice sounded quiet in front of the massive door. Then another grating rumble echoed from the chamber on the other side. Having had time to wake up somewhat, he could recognize the noise. Vilia, the dragon within, was having another restless sleep. She’d been having them a few times a month since the last of her children moved out to carve out their own dens in the world.

Darbi carefully opened the door and peaked in. Inside, dimly lit by a series of glowing crystals set on ledges in the chambers, Vilia lay on a pile of pillows and blankets. Her tail was twitching nervously, and her muscles twitched as if she was in a nightmare.

“Mistress? Are you alright?” he said, too much in a whisper to really do any good. His hands shook as he waited for a response that didn’t come. He took a step in and paused again.

The world spun on for a while, and then Vilia stirred again, rolling in the pile of pillows and whining quietly. Darbi’s heart broke a little and he approached carefully. He came close enough to feel the heat from her draconic breath. “”Mistress? H-” His voice cut short as she stirred again, his nerves taking back over his compassion.

But, before his nerves could take him out the door, her stirring brought her form over him. The next think he knew, he was being cradled in a ball tucked against Vilia. She was on her back and holding him to her chest. Her head hung over him from above but her eyes were still closed. The dull sides of her talons made slow, mindless passes over his neck and side, and her breath came out in strange notes. She was humming.

Darbi stayed there, looking up at her in surprise. Her tail’s twitching had stopped, and he could feel her heartbeat slowing in her chest as she cradled him there like a hatchling.

There was a moment where Darbi considered how he could leave, but he eventually decided it was best to stay.