Forest elf's POV //

  In a dimly lit cave, a man y on the cold, hard ground, deep in slumber. The rich aroma of cooked meat wafted through the air, stirring his senses and pulling him from unconsciousness.

  Food... I smell food.

  He jolted awake, his eyes scanning the surroundings in search of the source of the enticing scent. Not far from him, a fire burned with a ft rock atop it, serving as a makeshift grill. Pieces of meat sizzled over the fmes, their juices dripping into the fire below. Clearly, someone had prepared it, but such a thought never crossed the man’s mind.

  Weakened by days of starvation, his mind was consumed by hunger. Logic and reason had long abandoned him, leaving only the primal instinct to eat.

  The man crawled toward the food like an insect, oblivious to his surroundings. Driven solely by hunger, he reached the sizzling meat, his mind too clouded to consider anything else. Without hesitation, he grabbed a piece and tore into it, ignoring the searing heat that burned his hand. The pain was dulled by his desperation, as if his body had developed a tolerance for suffering.

  Munch. Munch.

  He devoured the meat ravenously, consuming piece after piece without pause, unwilling to stop until his hunger was completely satisfied. Only when his stomach was full did he finally exhale, a deep breath of relief and satisfaction.

  "Phew… that was delicious."

  As the man's senses gradually returned, a throbbing pain in his hands made him wince—the consequence of grabbing the freshly cooked meat while it was still scorching hot.

  "Ow... my hands are burning," he grumbled.

  Once he finished examining his injuries, crity returned. His thoughts, once clouded by hunger, sharpened as a flood of memories surged through his mind. He remembered, he and his companions had been paralyzed by a swarm of ants, dragged into their ir to be used as food for the colony.

  Panic seized him as he frantically scanned his surroundings.

  "Huh!? Where… where am I?" he muttered in confusion.

  The cave he found himself in was completely different from the one he recalled. The ants' ir had reeked of decay, filled with rotting corpses piled atop one another, a stench so vile it could make anyone gag. And the sight… the horrifying sight of his companions being devoured piece by piece by a swarm of ants, it sent a shiver of pure terror down his spine.

  "You are in my dwelling… and you’ve devoured most of the meat I prepared for myself! Are you ready to face the consequences of your actions?"

  A majestic and commanding voice echoed through the cave, answering the man’s question with a stern tone.

  "Hieek…?" the man squeaked, his voice trembling like that of a frightened animal.

  As he turned to the source of the voice, his body stiffened in shock.

  Before him stood a small yet imposing fire dragon hatchling, towering at four feet tall. Its golden eyes glowed with an intense, piercing gaze that seemed to look straight through him. Fiery crimson scales covered its entire body, shimmering under the dim cave light, and a pair of majestic wings adorned its back. Its mere presence radiated both awe and fear, a being so regal that one couldn’t help but admire it, yet so overwhelmingly powerful that submission felt inevitable.

  The man's vision blurred before fading to bck as he fainted.

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  I watched as the man y unconscious after devouring most of my carefully prepared meal. Seeing him feast on my treasured food so shamelessly stirred an urge within me to reduce him to ashes. However, I quickly dismissed the thought, it was unnecessary. I understood his situation. Left paralyzed, starving, and awaiting a gruesome fate at the jaws of ravenous ants, it was a nightmare beyond comprehension. Considering this, I chose to spare him despite his unexpected theft.

  "I still have more food supplies," I reassured myself.

  With that thought, I began eating the remaining cooked meat, adding more whenever I felt unsatisfied. Once my hunger was appeased, I settled down to rest, patiently waiting for these two to awaken.

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  Forest Elves POV //

  I am Faul, a forest elf who dwells in the Great Forest. Our settlement lies on the border between the lush woodnd and the desote Barren Lands. Lately, the bance of our forest has been disturbed—creatures of great power, ones that should remain deep within the forest’s heart, have been seen wandering dangerously close to our home.

  In response, the elders assembled a group of our strongest warriors to investigate. I was among those chosen. As we ventured into the depths of the forest, we encountered several wild beasts, but with our exceptional teamwork, we swiftly dealt with them. When we decided to rest and feast on our hunt, an ant suddenly appeared and spat a strange goo onto the carcass. Without hesitation, we killed the creature with ease. Little did we know, that single act would mark the beginning of our nightmare.

  Exhausted and still without any clear answers regarding the disturbance, we set up camp for the night. However, under the cover of darkness, we were ambushed. A horde of massive ants swarmed us, their sheer numbers overwhelming even our strongest warriors. Their venom carried a paralyzing effect, and one by one, my companions succumbed to its influence. Powerless to resist, we were dragged into their ir, destined to be nothing more than food for their colony.

  “That is what happened, Lord Dragon,” I concluded my tale.

  “Hmm… I see,” the great dragon responded.

  When I finally regained consciousness, I found myself in the presence of a small fire dragon, resting nearby. Though it appeared calm, I could still feel the weight of its intense gaze, especially after I devoured its food. I was certain that it could incinerate me with its fmes or tear me apart with its cws. Carefully, I formuted a pn to escape, moving as silently as possible to avoid waking the beast.

  However, my efforts were in vain. The dragon stirred, its piercing eyes locking onto me as it threatened to kill me if I tried to flee. Left with no other choice, I surrendered to its command, and thus, my situation right now.

  Dragons are known for their short tempers, easily provoked by the mere intrusion into their territory. Fire dragons, in particur, are the most infamous for their explosive rage, capable of turning to violence over the slightest offense.

  Yet, this fire dragon before me was different. Its presence was just as overwhelming and destructive as any of its kind, yet something set it apart. By all logic, my act of stealing its food should have sealed my fate, yet it did not strike me down on the spot. More than that—it had saved me from the ants.

  "I still don’t even know how it managed to save me," I wondered silently.

  “So, in your opinion, the ants are the ones responsible for the disturbance in this forest?” the dragon asked.

  “Y-yes, Lord Dragon,” I stammered, my words stumbling over themselves as I hastily responded.

  But instead of reacting immediately, the fire dragon fell into deep thought. It seemed to already understand the true cause of the forest’s unrest, yet it chose to remain silent. I dared not question it further—pressing for answers might only invite its wrath, and that was a risk I could not afford to take.