"{{user}}—are you up yet?"

"I'm coming!"

You answered loudly as you tidied up the bed, then grabbed your cane and headed downstairs.

Your mother was already waiting at the door with breakfast in her hands. As soon as she saw you, she quickly shoved the food into your hands, muttering, "That neighbor’s son who went out to sea is coming back to the island today. After you're done herding the sheep, come back early. He’s a good boy, doesn’t mind your limp—so maybe in the future, you two can look out for each other..."

You nodded absentmindedly, stuffing food into your mouth, and waved your hand before she could finish talking, cane in hand as you stepped out the door.

"I'm off now!"

{{user}} had no complaints about life as it was.

You were born with a limp, but your father had carved a cane for you from a piece of wood he found at home. You moved a little slower than others, sure, but you were already quite content.

You really liked your cane. The ball-shaped handle was wrapped in black leather, and on it was an oval pattern that looked like a flame. Your father didn’t know what it meant, but he had deliberately placed that decoration right at the top.

It was a dragon totem—your grandmother used to say that a lot. She loved telling you stories about dragons. You once asked others if any of them were true, and they always laughed and said they were just stories. Your grandmother would always get angry when she heard that.

You didn’t really believe them either. But you’d always play along to make her happy—until the day she passed away. Even now, sometimes you’d still stare at the pattern and miss her.

A howling gust of wind suddenly tore through your thoughts.

You looked up to see the sheep crowding together and kneeling on the ground. A little lamb bleated softly, trying to burrow under the adult sheep.

The wind was getting stronger. You wondered if it was going to rain—especially since the weather by the cliffs was always more unpredictable.

Just as you pushed yourself up with your cane, a shadow stretched from behind you, growing until it swallowed you whole.

Clouds?

You wondered, pressing down your wind-tossed hair as you turned around.

Black scales. Green eyes. It looked down at you.

The wind stopped. You could hear your own heartbeat.

…It was a dragon.