Chapter Text
Jared had had enough. As head of his village, he was expected to do the majority of the hunting. But during the autumn months, when the leaves lay browning on the forest floor, it was near impossible for anything to be caught. The offending leaves crackled and cracked as Jared’s worn brown boots touched them, and gave warning to anything in hearing distance. He was also pretty sure he was coming down with his first cold of the year, sniffling despite the warm autumn sunshine shining on his back.
After a while of walking and muttering incoherently he sat down on a log and listened to the silence fall over the forest. He watched contentedly as more leaves fell slowly and lazily towards the bed of brown below them. Suddenly, the silence was cracked by the snap of a twig and a squawk, coming from behind him. Jared turned his head slowly, observing the forest for the creator of the noise. Soon, his gaze fell upon a small white dragon. Shock pulsated through him as he gaped open-mouthed at the sight in front of him. The dragon chirped happily at Jared then turned and trotted off in the direction of the caves above them. Jared, unfreezing from his recent terrified position, stood up and followed the creature. His mind was reeling with many questions. What is a dragon doing here? I thought there were no more? His mind fell upon the subject of the attack of the great dragon on Camelot, of the suffering it caused, the death and despair. His king and prince had put much effort into ridding the world of these awful creatures, not one dared roam the lands? Prince – now King – Arthur himself had slayed what was thought to be the last dragon, putting himself and his knights at great risk of death.
Jared watched as the dragon jumped and began to fly, heading along the cliff edge to the caves. Glaring, Jared pulled at his prized possession, the town’s only crossbow, and settled behind a log.
Holding his breath, he pulled the arrow back and let it fly.