Lov was awakened in the night, hearing a snuffling sound outside. He climbed to his knees, grabbing his ax and bow, then slunk towards the entrance. Outside was the biggest bear the young half-dragon had ever seen, it would top Nord by its head and shoulders. The bear's shaggy brown coat was wet with a rain that had fallen while the young half-elf had slept, but that didn't detract from its aggressive look. It seemed to favor one paw as it walked toward the cavern’s mouth. Lov wished he had been able to start a fire, but there wasn't any fuel available.
The bear spotted him inside the cave. It gave a roar as it charged the entrance. Lov reacted without thinking, swinging his ax around. He caught the bear in the shoulder as it charged over the rocks. His weapon was lost as the beast tore away, taking off through the jungle. Lov gave a curse before pursuing. He didn't want to lose his weapon.
He tracked the bear for hours, heading into parts of the jungle unknown to him. After a few hours, and many miles, the bear finally collapsed from exhaustion. Lov approached cautiously, the beast didn't react. Tentatively, he reached out and gave his ax a tug. It refused to budge from where it was, but the bear finally reacted, groaning in pain and agony. Lov touched its fur and felt its pain acutely. He knew there would be no recovering from this wound. This bear was old and sick. It had just been looking for a place to die. Lov felt pity for the beast and drew his sword.
He put the bear out of its misery, then set to work freeing his weapon.
Lov huddled, freezing in his cave. He tried building a fire for warmth, but for some reason he couldn't keep one alive. He would have a good ember burning in his kindling, but it refused to catch. The young half-dragon had seen flames for a second, but they had faded immediately. As if something suffocated them. He thought his grandfather might have something to do with it, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Sight wasn't a problem. Lov could see the night-darkened jungle outside the cave as if it were daylight. The trees swayed in the breeze and the air filled with the soft sound of bird calls.
He left the cave, knowing that movement would warm him, and began looking for a plant he had seen before. Its large wide leaves would serve nicely as a blanket. Before long he was nice and warm, barely feeling the chill that had overcome him in the cave. Lov found a grouping of several nice plants. The leaves were long and wide, just one would make a nice umbrella. He broke the branch-like stalks of the leaves, picking as many as he could carry then headed back.
When he reached the cave, Lov piled them on the ground, then hopped onto them, pulling the topmost layer over himself like a tattered blanket. He fell asleep thinking of how nice a fire would be. He'd be able to cook some of the bear meat he had been eating raw. While it gave him energy, his dragonhunger craved cooked meat.
While the leaf blanket helped, Lov was still cold and shivering as he fell asleep.
Lov sat at a campfire. His father and uncle were nearby, sharing a wine skin, and talking about the lofty people of elven society. Their family was a bit of an enigma. Amon had stepped forward into a leadership role when the elven king died. An unusual role for a dark wilder elf. Lov knew he was a hero whose shrewd tactics saved countless lives, but his father always changed the subject whenever Lov would ask questions. Still, it was a warm and pleasant dream.
Lov heard the relaxing sounds of a crackling fire nearby. He sat up, startled as he finished awakening. He hadn't been able to get any fires going, yet a soft yellow light lit the cavern. Looking to the glow, he saw a large fire burning. It danced and sent shadows across the cave walls.
Lov climbed to his feet and approached the fire. As he drew near, he saw a huge lizard, easily the size of a large dog, lay stretching and warming itself by the flames. Its scales glowed orange and red in the firelight.
"What a wonderful fire you make." The lizard said in his grandfather's voice. "A soft glow with lots of warmth. Reminds me of the fires your mother would make when she was just learning."
Lov gave Tryton a puzzled look. "I didn't build this fire." He said, wishing he had. Maybe Tryton would take him home then.
"Of course you did." Tryton replied, eyeballing Lov. "You slipped into a dream and used that to help build it up, didn't you?"
Lov shook his head. "I did have a dream, but it was just me relaxing with my father and uncle."
"Was there a fire there?" His grandfather asked, knowingly.
Lov nodded. "We were sitting around it. They were discussing some of the councilors and generals from home."
Tryton smiled at Lov. "So, if it wasn't me who built the fire..." Tryton flipped onto his back, exposing his soft blue underbelly to the flames. He scratched a claw across his blue skin. "And it wasn't you, well, who else is there, kid?" Tryton rolled himself back onto his feet, and transformed himself into the old man from the other day. He stretched, reaching for the ceiling, and gave a loud sigh of pleasure. "No form is more satisfying to stretch in than a humanoid one. Cat is a close second, but something about being able to stand and do it." Tryton's eyes went to Lov, considering. "Well there's a lot we need to teach you, and as usual, the universe never seems to give us enough time. I'm sure you'll find that out over the course of your long life." Tryton stood and headed for the cave entrance. "I guess I should get you some supplies." He disappeared, the air clapping into the space he vacated. Lov shook his head, thinking his grandfather insane. He went and cut the rest of the bear up, determined to cook the meat before it spoiled. The smell of cooking flesh filled the air, making his mouth water. The young half-dragon grabbed a piece, still hot from the flames, and gulped it down. The juices warmed his tongue and throat as the meat traveled down. As he was tossing another chunk into his mouth, he heard a slight poof, and felt the air move as if it were fanned. Tryton waved his hands around his face. "Whew. Sorry, Lov. I thought I left that behind."
An overpowering aroma wafted over Lov. It smelled of rotten eggs and broccoli. He gagged at the putrid stench, almost losing the meat he had just eaten.
Tryton held out a bound book to him. He also passed the young half-elf some quills and a couple of ink pots "I want you to start keeping a dream journal." Tryton told Lov. He pointed to the book. "There are two hundred blank pages in there. I don't care how stupid it seems," Tryton jabbed his finger into Lov's chest. "You write it down!" Tryton jabbed his finger at the book. "Give it a couple weeks, and I bet you dream every night."
Lov tossed the book onto his leaf bed. "Fine, but only if you stop putting my fire out." He told Tryton as he dropped into his bed. "And no more late night surprise visits. You can come by at a decent time just like anyone else."
Tryton started laughing. He laughed so hard tears streamed down his face. After a moment, he collapsed to the cave floor, still rolling with his mirth. When he ran out of breath, Tryton sucked in lungfuls of air, and slowly calmed down. "It's so cute, you thinking you can dictate me." He gave one last chuckle. "Still, I suppose I should tell you why I'm suppressing your fires. You really don't understand how pressed for time we are. One day you'll comprehend though."
Tryton rose to his feet, and transformed into a magnificent macaw. A large crest stood off his head, and his feathers were mostly red with green and yellow wing tips. "I have work I've been neglecting for you, kid. So stay out of trouble, and try not to get yourself killed." Tryton took off into the night, leaving Lov alone with his thoughts and struggles.