Flickering shadows danced across waving branches as the sounds of hooves clattered over gravel. A pair of glowing, yellow eyes drifted in the darkness, then disappeared behind a large tree. Horses kicked up dirt as the squad gathered and torchlight shone in the night.<br/><br/>"Sir, no sign of it anywhere!"<br/><br/>"It can't have gone far! Search until you kill that beast!" the Captain ordered.<br/><br/>"Sir, our best trackers have no leads. It's gone!" The Captain cursed and spit on the ground in disgust.<br/><br/>"The general isn't going to like this. We've been tracking this beast for weeks now. He's going to have our heads!"<br/><br/>"Better he than that monster..." Someone muttered. This sparked quiet chatter among the gathered soldiers until the Captain slammed the end of his pike into the ground.<br/><br/>"I just might take them if you continue this insubordination!" he yelled, pausing for a moment, "Return to camp. We'll catch it another day."<br/><br/>The sounds of hooves traveled into the distance and darkness enveloped the area once more. Heavy footsteps thudded as the yellow eyes reappeared and a sudden flash of flame lit up the rest of the Dragon, standing upright. It raised it's head as it brushed the bark from it's hands, it's claws clicking together quietly. With a huff, it turned and headed towards the nearby lake, tail ablaze with a dancing flame.<br/><br/>A roaring fire danced before him as he sat, staring into the flame. He was tired of being chased like this. He knew they would be back but didn't know when. He just wanted peace and to be left alone. With a sigh, he laid beside the fire and closed his eyes, folding his wings neatly behind him and curled his tail toward him, slowly drifting off to sleep...<br/><br/>This was as close to peace as he could get. The external world fell away, all the people who unjustly hated him were gone, no one left to be afraid of him. No one to judge him by how he looked.<br/><br/>In the darkness, he felt at ease, but he suddenly could sense another. It was odd, to be alone, yet knowing someone was there.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"The Circle must be formed..."</span><br/><br/>"Who is there?" he called into the darkness.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"The Chosen will arrive..."</span><br/><br/>"The Chosen?" he asked, "Who?" The voice didn't respond after and his dark, comforting world suddenly began to brighten, being replaced by the flickering fire, and a pair of long leather boots before his face. Panic gripped his heart as his yellow eyes snapped open and he glanced up at the person leaning over him, but calmed when he saw the smiling face and long pointed ears.<br/><br/>"Dreaming again, Drake?" she asked, "This is new."<br/><br/>"Aye." he grunted as he sat up, "And odd dreams they are."<br/><br/>"Care to share them with me?" She asked, taking a seat on a log beside him. Drake stuck his bare hand in the fire, his claws grasping the smoldering logs as he stoked the fire to make it brighter.<br/><br/>"It wasn't much. Something about a Circle to be formed and the Chosen arriving." he said, hearing her gasp he added, "Tara, what is it?" The Elvish woman looked into the fire as well as she spoke.<br/><br/>"That would mean the Dark Lord will rise again." she said, "I'm sure I've told you the story of the Circle."<br/><br/>"That old Legend? I suppose it would be related."<br/><br/>"Our Champions will be arriving?! How exciting!" she swooned, "I wonder what they will be like? What worlds they will come from? How powerful will they be?"<br/><br/>"It was just a dream, Tara. I doubt it was a premonition of whatever is to come." he said, "I'm more worried about the King's men."<br/><br/>"Ah yes, about that." she said, digging in her bag. Her staff lay beside her resting against the log, it's large purple stone softly glowing in the darkness. She produced a parchment and handed it to him.<br/><br/>"A wanted poster? Not really what I asked." he said, huffing in disappointment.<br/><br/>"The King was unavailable." She said, "I'm sorry, love. But the local Adventurer's Guild had this up for their members. The bounty is offered to their members."<br/><br/>"Great. More people to worry about." he said, "I did nothing and they want me dead...." Tarathar stood and went to his side, putting her arms around his thick neck.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry, love. But we either have two options. Leave to another land and hide, or keep running from everything trying to get at you." she said.<br/><br/>"Or, I could fight and give them a reason to want me dead.." he muttered, letting the wanted posted fall into the fire.<br/><br/>"Now is that what you really want to do?" she asked. Drake put his massive arm around her waist and sighed.<br/><br/>"No. I wouldn't hurt anyone. I just want peace." he said. After a long moment of them simply holding each other and staring into the fire, Tarathar turned to sit on his knee and lean against his hard, scaly chest.<br/><br/>"I wonder why you were dreaming of the Circle and the Chosen out of the blue like that?" she wondered aloud, "I don't suppose you're one of them..." Drake's gaze drifted down to her and a chuckle began in his throat quickly leading to the two of them laughing together...