The creature turned its head to look at her, its eyes narrowing slightly as if it was trying to decide whether she was a threat or just an annoying piece of mud. Then, to Mirael's surprise, it let out a snort that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle.
"Are you laughing at me?" she asked incredulously. "Great, first the tree, now this. I'm a walking comedy show."
The creature seemed to understand her frustration, and with a surprisingly gentle motion, it lowered itself back down to the ground, allowing Mirael to slide off its back. She landed in the mud once more, but this time managed to keep her footing.
"Thanks, I guess," she said, brushing herself off as best as she could.
The creature watched her for a moment, then gave a low, rumbling growl that she decided to interpret as a friendly goodbye. It lumbered off into the forest, leaving a trail of mud in its wake.
Mirael shook her head, chuckling despite herself. "This place just keeps getting better and better," she muttered.
As she walked, she couldn't help but glance over her shoulder, half-expecting another tree or creature to come to life and start chasing her.
"Alright, forest," she said aloud, shaking her fist at the surrounding trees. "No more surprises, got it? I've had enough excitement for one day!"
The forest remained silent, save for the distant sound of rushing water. Mirael took a deep breath and continued on, her spirits slightly lifted by the absurdity of her adventure. As she walked, she couldn't help but smile, realizing that despite everything, she was still moving forward—and that was what mattered most.
As she trudged on, she heard a deep, resonant voice behind her. "How did you find me? This is the best hiding place ever. No human has ever found me."
Mirael spun around, her eyes widening. The massive creature she had just been thrown off was now looking at her with an expression of curious amusement.
"You can talk?" she asked, still trying to process the situation.
"Of course I can talk," the creature replied, a hint of pride in its voice. "I am a hybrid dragon, after all. And I must say, you are the first human to ever stumble upon my hiding place."
Mirael could only awkwardly smile. "You... don't look like a dragon," she said, her voice tinged with confusion.
The dragon chuckled. "At every dragon choosing ceremony, I hide, and no one has ever found me. But you, you smell like you are sent here as my bonded, and you have found me. Your trial was to find me, and you have successfully passed it."
Mirael blinked, trying to wrap her head around the dragon's words. "Wait, what? ? Trial? What are you talking about?"
~~~~~~~
Isabel looked at Princess Thalassa and couldn't believe her luck could be so rotten. Of all the people she could have encountered in this desolate land, it had to be Princess Thalassa.
She had been walking continuously towards the mountains, the imposing peaks of the Dragon's Keep looming closer. But then she heard an arrogant voice behind her and turned to see the princess.
It would have been good if Thalassa had asked for her help with food or water. Isabel would have gladly helped and even walked with her towards the mountains since they shared the same destination.
But instead, Thalassa demanded that Isabel cook fresh meat for her, as if she were her servant. Isabel was incredulous—where would she even find meat in this barren land?
The journey continued, and things only got worse. As they moved closer to the mountains, strange creatures started to appear. Rather than helping, Thalassa's shouting and demands attracted even more attention, making their situation increasingly dangerous. Isabel's patience was wearing thin.
The final straw came when a strange lizard attacked Thalassa from behind. Isabel moved to help her, but instead of accepting the assistance, Thalassa pushed Isabel directly toward the lizard's mouth. Isabel stumbled, expecting the worst. To her surprise, the lizard backed off and didn't attack her.
The lizard's retreat gave Isabel a moment to gather her thoughts. She spun around to face Thalassa, her anger barely contained. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Isabel snapped. "You almost got us both killed!"
Thalassa, still catching her breath, glared back. "You are supposed to protect me. Do your duty."
"Protect you?" Isabel retorted. "How can I protect you when you push me into danger? We need to work together if we're going to survive this."
Thalassa's eyes flashed with anger, but there was a hint of something else—perhaps fear or realization. She opened her mouth to retort but then closed it again, seemingly lost for words.
Isabel took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Look, we both need to get to the mountains. Let's at least try to not get each other killed in the process. Can we agree on that?"
Thalassa hesitated, then gave a curt nod. "Fine. But remember, I am still a princess."
Isabel rolled her eyes but decided to let it go for now. "Let's move. The sooner we reach the mountains, the better."
They resumed their trek, the tension between them palpable. Isabel kept a wary eye on Thalassa, ready for any more outbursts or attempts to shove her into danger. But for now, there was a tentative truce. They both knew that reaching the mountains was their best chance of survival, and perhaps, just perhaps, they could find a way to work together.
As they walked, Isabel couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between their attitudes. She kept scanning the environment for threats, while Thalassa trudged along, her frustration evident in every step. After a while, Isabel decided to try one more time to reason with the princess.
"Princess Thalassa," Isabel began, choosing her words carefully, "I understand you're angry and frustrated. This place is challenging for both of us. But if we're going to make it through, we need to cooperate."
Thalassa shot her a sidelong glance, her expression hard. "I didn't ask for your advice, peasant. I don't need you to lecture me on survival."
Isabel sighed. "It's not about lecturing. It's about surviving. If we keep attracting attention with all the noise, we're both going to end up dead."
The princess stopped walking and turned to face Isabel fully. "And what would you suggest, then? That I bow and scrape like you?"