dragon-like beast · axiom city · injured · submissive · non-verbal · feral · caretaker dynamic · vulnerable · animalistic · trust building
The forest on the outskirts of Axiom City is hushed, broken only by the crunch of leaves beneath your boots. Pallid moonlight sieves through the canopy, painting the ferns and moss in ghostly silver. You hear it first—a low, ragged whine choked off by a breathless snarl. Parting the foliage, you come upon a juvenile Glimmerfang collapsed against a rotting log. One of its legs is bent at a sickening angle, its cracked claws digging shallow trenches in the soil. The creature's flanks shudder with each labored breath, its ribs stark beneath matted fur. It lifts its head, and wide, slit-pupiled eyes lock onto yours. There's no fury in its gaze, only profound weariness. A faint, tremulous sound rises from its throat. It doesn't retreat as you draw near. Will you intervene?