Zephyria stretched the aches of yesterday from her tired limbs like a cat. She shifted her wings, giving them a few experimental stretches as well. Satisfied, she took in the clearing outside the stable connecting to the inn. The sky was partially cloudy and warm, perfect for finding a good rock to sun on. She looked around for signs of her human but couldn't find any, even his scent was weak. Considering nobody woke me, I assume he's fine though I have no idea what a mortal might be up to. I suppose I can go look for him, and it wouldn't hurt to finally explore this town when I'm not still fatigued from that overly long flight.

  Zephyria picked a direction at random and began to wander the town. She admired the polished dirt roads once more, but then also took the time to actually study the construction around her. She didn't recognize the style, not having been in any settlements before but found it interesting nonetheless. I can't help but admire the artistry in these buildings. The visible beams along the walls, slanting here and there forming crosses and patterns, it clearly serves some kind of purpose. Structure, perhaps? She took in the solid red stone that filled the gaps between the timber beams. At first she thought it was stone, but upon closer inspection it seemed to be some kind of dried red mud or clay. It reminds me of how bricks were described in that book, once. But those were small things stacked where this is a solid piece. Curious.

  As Zephyria walked slowly taking in the sights she found herself at the edge of town where she saw guards and workers constantly on the move building some some kind of defensive structure. Not very interested she turned to leave them to their work she heard a vaguely familiar voice call out from where she had just been looking. Turning over her shoulder a guard gave her a deep bow, several others had gathered with him. Unsure what to do, Zephyria asked. "Is there something you need, guard?" The guard stood and lifted his shaggy fur from his face with an exhausted smile. It was then Zephyria recognized the man, it was the guard that called her it! She had threatened to eat the man and here he was bowing to her. The guard spoke with firmness in his voice. "I wanted to thank you on behalf of everyone here for warning us about the fortress. If they had build up and attacked while we were unprepared it would have been a disaster, but as you can see-" The man gestured to the construction, "-We're getting some defenses built and keeping a larger watch. We'll be ready for them. So thank you, Great Patron." The guard bowed his head and spoke more softly, saying "I don't know if you recognize me from when you first arrived, but I wanted to apologize for that personally."

  Zephyria had never been thanked like this before, not so publicly and from a total stranger. She stared at the man for a long minute unmoving and even unblinking. Surely a mortal would have found the bandits? And how did they find out it was me? Zephyria refocused herself as the man started to look a tad uncomfortable. She tilted her head down slightly in turn. "All is forgiven, Guard. I'm gladdened that the mortals that were with me guided my wings to a favorable outcome." The guard's smile returned in full as he said, "Asher and Conall right? Those two have been singing your praises to anyone that will listen all morning." Zephyria tilted her head, "They have? Do you know where I might be able to find them?" The guard nodded and pointed vaguely into the city, "Near the town hall last I heard talking with the Cardinal Guard." Zephyria nodded in thanks and started walking into the town once more.

  Zephyria was hopelessly lost. Void take me, why didn't I ask for directions? I thought it would be easier to find a building called a town hall! It would be bigger, fancier, surely. But these all buildings all look the same and there's simply so many. Eventually she wove her way through the maze of a town, that very well should be called a city for its size, and found herself at the guild once more with a signature crowd around it. She strongly considered simply leaving the crowd again and returning to the inn and waiting for Asher or Conall to fetch her when someone unusual approached her. A tall broad shouldered cat-kin stood before her in uncomfortably heavy looking plate armor with a shield on his back and a blade upon his hip. He looked up at Zephyria and spoke with iron in his voice. "You are the dragon known as Zephyria." She noticed a large scar upon his jaw revealed by the motion of him speaking, when he was silent it lay hidden behind his fur. Zephyria stood tall and stoked her heart-flame, prepared to fight the dangerous looking man. He held a palm up and continued. "I apologize, Dragon. I am a High Warlock of the Fists of the Forgotten, sworn to an Oath of Justice. I have no name for I gave up such things in order to serve the law fully. I am here to thank you for your assistance identifying the soldiers building that fortress." Zephyria calmed and responded. "You are welcome, then, Warlock. Since you represent the order I have a question that I have asked several times now, but things keep interrupting. What, exactly, are the Fists of the Forgotten? All I know is that you are a large organization of warlocks and seemingly control the government of the in these lands. I barely understand how warlocks even function."

  The man frowned and spoke with confusion, "Where are you from, dragon? Everyone knows of the Fists." Zephyria responded, "The northern human territories. From what I understand they do not have warlocks but rather grow in power independently." The man nodded but then frowned again. "Then is that human, Asher, not your chosen? That was the impression I got from the reports." Zephyria sighed and cracked the polished road by accident as she whipped her tail in frustration. "What part of me not knowing how warlocks work was misunderstood? The only thing I know of these chosen is that they may or may not change race when bonding to their patron." The man held up both hands and responded with a hint of embarrassment leaking into his previously iron voice. "My apologies, Dragon. If you are willing to join me as I walk to the town square, I will teach you what I know." Zephyria calmed herself as best she could and said, "Then lead the way."

  The gruff man started speaking, his iron voice gentling into the tone of an experienced teacher. "As you likely know, when the old gods abandoned us the paladin orders of old collapsed. Without their gods they just became well armed soldiers. The years following that time were hard without the paladins keeping order and keeping the monsters at bay. A dark age, that was." The pair passed by a number of towns people as they walked, all looking at Zephyria with admiration and not fear as she expected. She was surprised by how much she preferred mortals to act this way towards her. The man kept his lecture going, "It was in those dark years of struggle and death that the first Great Patrons approached us. They taught us an ancient ritual that predated even the gods that would bind a mortal to a great magical beast granting them great power at the cost of their freedom. It was from these years that warlocks got the reputation of being pacted to demons, the demons were never real but cruel patrons forcing witless warlocks into evil certainly happened. Over time warlocks banded together and formed the first neutral order not bound to any particular patron. The Fists of the Forgotten, because we would be the strength between the monsters and those forgotten by the gods."

  Zephyria nodded along, and then asked a crucial question. "But these old patrons, none were dragons?" The man shook his head and said "Not that we know of. Calling the patrons immortal is a bit of a misnomer, they simply grow very very old but even they can be taken by the ravages of time. Records from back then are scarce and none who were alive then are alive now." Zephyria shook her head softly and said with genuine regret in her voice, "Dragons are true immortals, we simply grow larger and stronger as the centuries pass. I know of several who were alive back then, and heard of one who was there when the gods arrived and lifted us from wyrms into dragons." The man stared at her unblinking, his maw agape. "The gods did not abandon us, the void beasts were drawn to them like beacons. They lead them away from us as a gift, an end to the endless war. Dragons were the favored of the gods, granted the lifespan and strength to fight the corruption of the void no matter how long passed. No, it was us dragons that abandoned and forgot you all. It should have been our place to guide you through the their departure, and ensure the sacrifice of the gods were remembered."

  The nameless warlock gaped at her, stock still in awe. The hustle and bustle of the town's life had been growing denser around them as they walked, and now they were blocking foot traffic standing in the middle of the road. She nudged him with her muzzle and said, "Are you well, warlock?" He closed his mouth, closed his eyes and took a long steadying breath. Opening back up he resumed walking towards the town square and said, "As an Oath of Justice warlock, I can tell when someone is lying as easy as breathing. You told the entire truth as you understood it. If that information can be verified, that would change the Fists as we know it." Zephyria shook her head, "Dragons are isolationist, territorial, and arrogant. You will struggle to find a dragon that was there to speak to." The warlock shook his head and said, "No matter, I will report this to the heads of the order and we will see what can be done."

  He sighed and ran his gauntleted hand over his short cut head. "We are almost to the square, so we will have to keep your other question short, unfortunately. You need to know the basics of warlocks then." Zephyria cut in saying "I already know about the affinity merging, at least on a surface level. The patrons and Warlock's natural affinity merge." The man nodded and breathed a small sigh of relief, "That part is always the longest to explain, good you already know. The basics then. As a patron you should know there is no commitment to your pacted unless your contract includes it. Unless you order a warlock to do something you cannot be held responsible for their actions. If you wanted to get a half dozen warlocks during your stay here nobody would care and you would only suffer a minor temporary setback in power. However the Fists do try to regulate this, so if you want any warlocks please approach the guild and they will match you with someone appropriate." The pair reached the town square and Zephyria admired the space. Dozens upon dozens of people were hurrying about between market stalls and important looking buildings.

  The man walked the pair to the edge of the square and gestured for Zephyria to lower her head to him. Once she did so, he spoke more softly. "Chosen are a more sensitive matter. They are incredibly rare and impossible to study due to their unshakable loyalty to their patron. We don't know how they come about, just that sometimes someone will be inexplicably drawn to a magical beast, vanish for a time, and reappear… different, unshakably loyal and with major personality shifts. Worse, neither the patron nor the chosen will ever speak of it. They become inseparable. Not just their magic comes altered, but the body as well, becoming like their patrons. The most famous are the full body transformations, such as the Phoenix you likely heard of, but I've met a few who have subtle alterations. Eyes matching their patron, nails turning to claws, a few sharpened fangs. Little individual changes. It is why I assumed that human was your chosen, he seems to have the right temperament." The warlock hesitated, his brow furrowing. Coming to some kind of decision he said, "The change is often incredibly hard on the mortal, especially those will full body changes. They often lose their family, their friends, their body, and the personality shift is often crushing... If you can avoid it, I suggest keeping Asher as an ally rather than a chosen." The man looked at the late morning sun and said, "I'm already late to my appointment with the Cardinal Guard." He reached out and placed a gauntleted hand on Zephyria's chest and said, "Thank you, Dragon. You've given me much to think about regarding our history." The tough man walked off as Zephyria said, "You have given me much to consider as well, thank you, High Warlock."

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Zephyria stood at the edge of the town hall, unsure of what to do once more. She laid down against an empty wall and watched the crowd move as she was lost in thought. They aren't even giving me second glances, as though a dragon within biting distance of their young is the most natural thing in the world. I set off to find my human, and have been met with situations I could not have imagined occurring. Zephyria was considering getting up to begin her hunt for her human again, when she felt something very small land on her tail. She growled as she whipped her heard towards whatever dared to touch her without her permission, but faltered as she saw a small wolf-kin hatchling straddling her her tail, playing with the eel like fin on it. The little girl froze as Zephyria growled at her, she spoke very quietly, "I'm sowry mister dwagon." Zephyria instantly stopped growling the moment she saw the little girl, but the damage was done and she looked like she wanted to cry.

  Zephyria was at a loss at what to do. A little hatchling, with its parents nowhere in sight. Do I send it off? Call for a guard or help it somehow? Dragon hatchlings are already fragile, I can't imagine how easily I could break this little mortal by accident. I need to send it away for its own protection. Zephyria hesitantly spoke up, "Little hatchling, where are your parents? Don't you know dragons are dangerous?" The little girl frowned and pinched at her fin absentmindedly. "Dead, I think. They left one day to go hunting and never came back." She gave Zephyria the kind of bright smile that only comes from the resilience and innocence of youth, and said "But its okay! Miss Nadine takes care of me now! She's a merchant and has been teaching me lots and lots." Zephyria was shocked into silence, she truly was out of her depths now. The little girl shifted on her tail and asked, "Can I ask you something mister dwagon?" Zephyria swallowed hard, afraid of doing anything to the little girl, even speaking to her. She very hesitantly said, "Its Dragon, little hatchling. And my name is Zephyria and I'm a girl like you." She hesitated a moment longer and said, "And.. you may ask me anything though I cannot promise I will answer." The little girl beamed at her and scooted up her tail until her feet were just barely off the ground. She spoke to Zephyria with a conspiratorial tone, "Dwagon. Dragon! Thank you miss Zephyria! I'm going to ask my question now." Zephyria nodded cautiously. "Miss Nadine adopted me a few years ago. Dragons are really old and wise, right? That's how my storybook said dragons were." Zephyria again nodded slowly and cautiously, confused and concerned by this hatchling. "Okay then. Miss Nadine said it was okay to call her mom now. I don't really remember my original parents.. do you… is it okay for me to call her that?"

  Zephyria's mind was spiraling, things which she hadn't let herself think about were being forcibly dragged to the surface by this little girl. My mother is a red. I never met my father. Her clan never accepted me and I'm something else. I'm… 'Adopted', aren't I? My mother wasn't really my mother, she just raised me. The little girl said, "Miss dragon, are you okay?" Zephyria took a shuddering breath and spoke to the hatchling gently. "I think I might be like you little hatchling. The dragon I knew as my mother is a very different kind of dragon than me. It makes sense that she took my egg in and raised me in my parents place." The little girl frowned and then flopped on Zephyria's tail, hugging it with all her might. "I'm sorry miss dragon, I know how hard that is." She sat up and looked at her hopefully. "But you called your Miss Nadine mom, right? That must mean its okay to think of her as my mom too." Zephyria's head was swimming. As strange as it is, the hatchling speaks wisdom. If I was 'adopted' then it doesn't really matter, does it? She was still my mother in the ways that mattered. Zephyria gave the little girl a hesitant nod and spoke softly, "I think so, little hatchling. She was my mother in the ways that counted. Its only fitting to call her such." The little girl straddling Zephyria's leg looked contemplative and looked like she was about to say something when a woman ran over yelling, "Rita! Rita! Are you okay!?" She ran over and plucked the little hatchling off of Zephyria's tail and hugged the girl close. The little girl squealed in delight and as she was put down, she looked at her caretaker and said. "Its okay, mom. Miss dragon was very kind!" Miss Nadine gasped and covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. She hugged the little girl tight and said with tears in her voice, "I love you too, my little Rita." Miss Nadine reluctantly broke the hug stood facing Zephyria, "Thank you, Great Patron, for keeping my little girl safe." Zephyria leaned down and gently nudged the woman in her chest with her nose. Nadine hugged Zephyria's muzzle for a moment before grabbing Rita's hand and leading her off.

  "Well, that was the cutest thing I've ever seen." Asher said with amusement in his voice. Zephyria startled and nipped at him playfully. "Do not sneak up on me like that, little dragon. Its not safe to startle a dragon." Asher playfully flicked her armored nose and said, "What was all that about anyways? I only showed up for the reunion." Zephyria nudged him with her muzzle. "Asher, do you think I was adopted?" Asher choked on his spit and coughed horribly, leaning on her muzzle for support as he recovered. He coughed a few more times, cleared his throat and said with a slight rasp, "I thought you knew? I mean I don't know about dragon breeding or anything, not exactly something dragons hand out encyclopedias on. But your mother was a massive red dragon full of fire and vengeance and while your a comparatively small kinda fishy dragon full of lightning and cuddles. Just made sense to me." Zephyria nuzzled his chest again, leaving her nose pressed against him as she said softly, "I never let myself consider it before, it was quite the shock when I realized. I was not prepared for a hatchling to help me realize something about myself today. I suppose it does not matter, really. She was my mother no matter what, though it does make me wonder if the ones who laid my egg are still out there." Asher hugged her muzzle silently.

  Asher stepped back and pat her muzzle affectionately. "Follow me back to the stable, Zeph. I got you something while I was out." Zephyria stood and stretched, accidentally bumping someone with her tail who just laughed it off. "I've had enough of this town for the day. Lead the way, little one."

  Arriving back at the stable together Asher lead her to the edge where a large fancy looking book rested on a table. The cover was a rich green with golden lines spiraling and weaving together into an ornate pattern. Asher gestured towards it and spoke with a voice laced with affection, "Its all yours, Zeph. Its a re-print of the complete collection of books, a trilogy. I figured claws might get in the way so I found a warlock in town who specialized in enchanting, its not indestructible but as long as your reasonably careful it should survive far more than any mundane book. Waterproof too!" Zephyria slammed her muzzle into Asher with a loving purr. Asher hugged her tight and said, "I knew you hadn't had a chance to read since.. your mother. So I thought a return to something comforting would help." Zephyria pulled back as he continued, "Petra said she had a contract for us tomorrow, and Conall said he might visit this afternoon so you've got the rest of the day to just relax." Zephyria spoke with a purr tinting her voice, "Thank you, little dragon. I will treasure this gift."

  Asher looked at her with a moment of hesitation, before saying, "Now that we're somewhere private.. Before you read, did you want to talk about earlier at all? I won't force anything, but that sort of realization isn't too uncommon amongst mortals and it tends to be pretty hard." Zephyria sighed and spoke softly, "It hurts more than I expected, and leaves me with so many questions.. but I will be okay, little one. As many questions as it creates, it answers too. I never understood why my mothers clan treated us so poorly, but if I was from another clan then it all makes sense." Asher gave her a concerned look, "You mentioned something like that the other day, before you let Conall fly with us." Zephyria spoke gently, "Indeed. As isolationist as dragons can be, they form tight clans and live in groups together. My mother was shunned from her clan when I had barely hatched. When I was very very young they would sometimes visit, I rarely understood what they talked about and my mother tried to shield me from them… But they spoke ill of me, called me a Pet, and encouraged her to get rid of me. I realize now that this was all because I was not of the clan. Adopted. As much as it pains to me to realize that she was not my true mother, it fills my heart with gratitude that she chose me over her clan." Asher looked at her with grief in his expression, "I'm sorry, Zephyria. She seemed like she was a good woman, as far as dragons go." He looked contemplative for a moment, "Explains why you hate being called a pet so much, the bastards. To treat a child so poorly.." Asher just sighed. "Thank you for telling me, and I hope getting it off your chest helps. I'm here if you ever want to talk about this sort of thing. My own family wasn't any better, so I know how it is." Zephyria nuzzled him for a moment and said, "Thank you, little dragon. I appreciate you more than you know."

  She turned and laid down next to her book, reaching a claw out to flip to the first page when she recalled her discussion with the High Warlock earlier. 'Unshakably loyal and with major personality shifts', he said. She looked at Asher as he busied himself cleaning his gear while leaning against her side. She thought about the little ways they were both changing, how Zephyria was growing softer as Asher grew to be more like a dragon. Is it just our time together, or is it something more? Is this bond we share.. is it related to the chosen?

  Asher's cleaning was interrupted by large yawn. He set his gear aside, half clean, and said to Zephyria, "All the business of this morning has me more tired than I realized. Do you mind if I take a nap under your wing while you read?" I suppose it doesn't really matter right now, there is always later. "Not at all, little one. Enjoy your rest. I will wake you if Conall visits." Asher let out another little yawn and crawled against her side and under her wing. He was asleep within minutes. Under the light of the early afternoon sun, Zephyria began to read the book she was gifted.