text: You walk to the cave's entrance, lighting your lantern. Within the inky black darkness are piles of bones. Most of them are those of animals, though you spot a human skull in there. This might have been a bad idea. Still, you carry onward, swinging your sword around from your back and gripping the hilt tightly.
  
  
  As you journey further, you find no sign of bears or wolves or the like. So, you carry onward, intent on slaying whatever beast may live here. It is deeper into the cave that you begin to hear and feel a low rumbling. It shakes you to your core, and your knuckles whiten as you grip your sword tighter. Is it what you think it is?
  
  
  Your question is answered when your lantern's light glints off of maroon scales.
  
  
  A dragon, slumbering on a pile of branches and bones. By the size of it, it appears to be young, no older than perhaps an infant, though that does not mean that it will be friendly. Nearby are the skeletal remains of another dragon, this beast far larger. Was it orphaned? You've no idea.
  
  
  You are about to make your leave so you don't face the wrath of the beast when its eyes snap open.
  > You this beast might be wild. You swing wildly, hoping to wound it.
  You swing wildly, a yell escaping your lips. The blade meets the dragon's rough scales, and it lets out a roar of mixed agony and rage. Blood drips from its wounds, and it rears back, head turning to look at the deep gash in its side... Then, it charges at you.
  
  
  It barrels into you, sending you onto your ass. Another roar escapes its mouth, swiping a claw at you. You block the blow with your sword, cutting deeper into the dragon's hand, and it rears back yet again to determine its next move. It must not be used to fighting.
  
  
  It's making for another charge.
  > You stand your ground and stick your sword out, hoping the beast runs into it.
  As the dragon charges forward, you stick your blade out, hoping that it will be unable to stop and impale itself on your sword. Instead, it ducks below the blade, and though you try to adjust quickly and bring the sword down onto the animal, you're too late. It charges into you, this time biting into your stomach. You let out a yell of pain, repeatedly bringing your sword down onto its back, but by the time it is finally dead the damage is done.
  
  
  Your entrails are spilling out of your torso. Bloody coughs escape your lips. There's no coming back from this, unless a healer suddenly happened to come by. With your luck, another dragon would sooner come by instead. Eventually, the pain stops, and you close your eyes with a shuddering, blood-tinged sigh...
  
  
  THE END