A/N: hi guys! I'm back from my writing break for a second just to drop this little story off and try to sate your insatiable appetite. Not sure what I'll do with this, but I plan to make it a sort of short story/small book (5-15 small chapters, much shorter than Angel of Darkness). Review, and I may speed it up for you guys (it may be 1-2 weeks between chapters, depending on homework, projects, and ideas, but can shorten to around 5 days to a week. Maybe. Probably not, though.)

So I leave you with this little tidbit. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Spyro series (mostly centered around Dawn of the Dragons), though I wish I did D:

OH

Also, do you guys notice how much I like to create my own characters instead of focusing the stories on the real main characters? Yeah, I always feel like I'm going to butcher them or something… plus I really love making and defining my own characters. It brings out my creativity and challenges my brain to make stuff up.

BACK TO DA STOREH.

Caligo sniffed the air. Grublins, she thought in disgust. The insect-like creatures were buzzing towards the forest, clubs swinging in excitement. What did they want now?

The Grublins have been visiting her village each month, sometimes to demand payment for protection from Lord Malefor, sometimes just to torment the citizens. Caligo knew it was all her fault. She was their target.

Caligo was the only black dragon her village knew existed, and they were well informed on their trips into Warfang. In effect, the Grublins, as well as other common forest monsters, found it their duty to push her and her village around. She hated them.

A dark green dragon paced up behind Caligo. "Are they back?" he grunted.

She nodded. "Those dumb stick-swinging bugs will be here in less than 10 minutes. You should go tell the elders, Fel"

Fel shook his head. "Nah, Cal. We'll go together."

Caligo stared at him, her violet eyes boring into his. "Fel…"

His gray eyes stared right back with stubbornness evident. "All or nothing," he said firmly.

She sighed. "Fine," she finally said. "You tell Lapis and Fax. I'll tell Ardor and Crystallos."

He rolled his eyes in mock sourness. "Oh sure, give me the hard ones."

Caligo lightly slapped him with her scimitar-like bladed tail. "One's your mother and the other's a soft-heart once you get to know him."

"Still…"

"You're impossible!"

Fel gave her a sharp-toothed grin before trotting off to the Elders' Dwelling. Caligo followed with a roll of her eyes.

Once they reached the Dwelling, Caligo stared up at it in amazement. It was a massive cave, a thick curtain of lichen and moss covering the entrance to keep the cold out. A few good-sized holes let in sunlight and the moon's glow, though usually covered when rain's on the way. Outside the cave was a sign that read, "ELDERS' DWELLING – ENTER AT OWN RISK." It was a long-running joke between the eldest—Fax—and some of the youngest dragons. One small lightning dragon and his friends had stumbled into the cave while exploring the village, upsetting the elder and causing him to blow heavy smoke into the youngster's face. He ended up having to see the healer, but he would always return with some food he caught to present to Fax. They would share stories of new and old adventures long into the day until his mother would call him back. They were real friends.

Caligo hoped that he was in a friendly mood today.

Once the two dragons nosed aside the curtain and bounded inside, three of the four elders jolted to attention. They must have sensed their fear and awoke.

Caligo spoke first. "Ardor, where's Crystallos?"

The gentle fire dragon blinked his warm yellow eyes. "I believe she went out to see the healer. Her joints have been aching since winter is fast approaching, and she can barely stretch her wings."

Fel cursed; Fax whacked the green dragon with his heavily spiked tail. "Watch your mouth, impudent dragonling," Fax growled. Fel quickly apologized, shooting a glare at Caligo, who shrugged.

"Mother, Fax, I need to speak with you," Fel said, glancing at the delicate gray-brown dragoness in the dark corner of the cave. She nodded and pulled herself over to the grumpy dragon. Fel tried not to gawk at Fax's snaggletooth as he began to explain the situation.

Caligo asked Ardor to follow her to the healer. He complied stiffly. Obviously, Crystallos wasn't the only one affected by the coming cold. She tried to hurry him as fast as possible without hurting him, and they reached the healer's home in 2 minutes. Turning to Ardor, she quickly declared, "The Grublins are returning. They will be here in minutes. They may be traveling with more, including Wyverns and possibly some Orcs."

Ardor set his jaw, glancing to the heavens gravely. "Oh dear. Has it been half a year already?" He turned his gaze over to the horizon, where a cloud of Chief Grublins was becoming visible. "We must round up the warriors and hide the mothers and young ones," he said after a moment of silence. "Including you and Fel."

Caligo made a noise of protest. "But Ardor, I want to fight those vile creatures!"

He glared at her with an uncharacteristic amount of anger. "No, Caligo. You must stay out of sight. Protect the others."

She dropped her gaze and watched a ladybug crawl in the grass at her claws. Ardor sighed. "I'm sorry, Caligo. When you're older, you may go into battle with the warriors," he promised, "but until then you must stay in the village."

"Ok…" she mumbled, turning to the large hill beside her.

A stone frame held open a tall rectangular hole dug deeply into the hillside. Caligo raced into the long corridor, lit only by the soft smoldering blaze of fiery torches, until she reached the main room where patients would wait for the healer to help them. A curtain of moss separated the room with the healing chamber beyond.

The young black dragon heard the murmur of voices in the healing chamber. One was the distinct musical voice of the healer. The other was the high creaky tinkling of Crystallos. She took a breath, hating to be rude, and peeked inside.

"Caligo?" the medella dragoness, Sana, said with surprise. Her pure milk white body glowed with a comforting light in the semidark. The blood red of her eyes and wing membranes seemed to blend in with the shadows, and her single black horn was invisible. "I'm with a patient, dear. Can it wait?" Sana asked quietly.

Caligo dipped her head in respect. "I'm sorry, Sana Medella," she said, using the proper title of the healer. "I must speak with Crystallos. It's urgent."

Sana twitched her wings in thought. "Alright. But only for a minute. I may have a possible treatment for her aches."

Caligo nodded, guiding the old ice dragoness to the waiting room. Once inside, she told Crystallos what was happening. When she finished, Crystallos widened her clear sky blue eyes. "What?" she exclaimed in agitation. The pale elder lowered her head, pondering her next actions. "Did you warn the others?"

"I spoke to Ardor. Fel is informing Fax and Lapis."

"Good," Crystallos said with a tiny encouraging smile. "I assume you want to join the fight against the creatures, correct?"

Caligo nodded shyly.

"And that you were told not to?" she added.

Another nod.

"Do I have to worry about you charging bravely into battle with that troublemaker Fel?"

"No, ma'am."

Crystallos's eyes crinkled in amusement. "Good. Now, you must help the others find the warriors and inform them of the predicament."

"Yes, Crystallos." Caligo dipped her head, turned to the tunnel, and ran all the way out.