Kaelen's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the small dragon hovering in front of him. The two of them locked eyes for a few seconds, neither one of making a sound. The cave seemed to grow still around them, with the faint glow of light casting shadows along the rough stone walls.
Its jet-black skin, its battered and bruised wings, making it felt familiar. And then it clicked. Kaelen muttered as he realized.
"You're... from before"
This was the first dragon he had encountered in the forest, the one that had towered over him with terrifying power. But now, it was the size of his forearm.
He furrowed his brow in confusion. What had caused it to shrink so drastically? He couldn't begin to understand, but the sight of the once-mighty dragon reduced to such a small form filled him with a strange sense of unease. Kaelen asked it with a soft voice, unsure if it could even respond.
"Where's your kin?"
