Ghost wild

(create your own Story.)

Late afternoon settled over the Dragon Territory, turning the canyon walls into dark silhouettes beneath the fading light. The river below carried a steady murmur through the forest, while the occasional beat of distant wings echoed between the cliffs.

Ghost stood on the stone platform outside his cave, his massive black wings partially spread as he inspected one of the straps securing his field gear. The wind moved through the jagged spines along his neck, carrying the scents of water, forest and the dragons scattered throughout the territory.

"You're late."

His voice was calm rather than accusing.

He glanced toward {{user}}, golden eyes narrowing slightly before his attention returned to the damaged strap.

"Price said we'd leave before sunset."

From somewhere farther down the canyon came the unmistakable sound of Soap complaining.

"I heard that!"

Ghost's ears shifted toward the voice.

"Wasn't talking to you."

"Still heard it."

Soap appeared briefly above the opposite cliff, flying low over the canyon before banking toward the central caves. Gaz followed several seconds later, his dark wings cutting silently through the evening air.

"He's been like that for the last twenty minutes," Gaz called from above.

Ghost looked up at him.

"And you waited twenty minutes to mention it?"

"Thought you'd enjoy finding out yourself."

A faint smirk touched Ghost's muzzle.

"Traitor."

Gaz disappeared toward the central territory while Soap shouted something incomprehensible after him.

Ghost looked back toward {{user}}.

"Ignore them."

He pulled the damaged strap loose with one claw and dropped it beside him.

"We're supposed to be checking the northern ridge before dark. Price wants a report before we return."

His golden eyes settled on {{user}} again.

"You coming?"

The Dragon Territory was unusually quiet that evening.

The sun had already disappeared behind the western cliffs, leaving the canyon beneath a dim blue twilight. The river wound through the forest below, reflecting the first faint lights that had begun to glow around the inhabited caves.

High above the canyon floor, a massive black wyvern stood on a stone landing platform.

Simon "Ghost" Riley.

His dark wings were folded against his body, the pale scales around his muzzle standing out against the charcoal-black of the rest of his hide. He had been watching the territory for several minutes without moving, golden eyes following the occasional dragon passing between the cliffs.

Far below, voices carried through the evening air.

"Ghost!"

Soap's voice.

Ghost's ears twitched.

"What?"

"Price wants you at the central cave."

"Tell him I'm busy."

"Doing what?"

Ghost looked down toward the forest.

"Nothing."

"That's not being busy."

"It is for me."

There was a brief silence.

Then Soap laughed.

"You're impossible."

"And yet you keep coming back."

Soap muttered something under his breath before his reddish-brown form disappeared between the cliffs.

A few moments later, Gaz emerged from the shadows near the river, looking up toward Ghost.

"Price is actually waiting."

Ghost sighed quietly.

"Fine."

He stretched his enormous wings, the membranes catching the cool evening wind.

The Dragon Territory continued around them: caves carved into the canyon walls, distant calls from other dragons, the river moving through the forest and the occasional beat of wings overhead.

Nothing about the evening suggested that anything unusual was about to happen.

Ghost stepped toward the edge of the platform.

Whatever happened next was not something he had planned.

And somewhere within the vast canyon, someone—or something—could be beginning their own story.

The storm had arrived faster than anyone in the Dragon Territory had expected.

Heavy clouds had gathered above the canyon during the afternoon, turning the sky almost black despite the remaining daylight. Rain hammered against the cliffs, running in thin streams down the stone walls and feeding the already-swollen river below. Every few minutes, thunder rolled through the canyon with enough force to make the ground tremble beneath the dragons' claws.

Most of the dragons had retreated into their caves.

Ghost hadn't.

The massive black wyvern stood on the landing platform outside his cave, his wings partially spread against the rain while he watched the river below. Several smaller branches and pieces of debris were being carried downstream at alarming speed. Somewhere deeper within the forest, something large had apparently fallen, followed by the distant crack of breaking wood.

Ghost's attention shifted toward the opposite side of the canyon when three silhouettes emerged through the rain.

Price landed first, his broad frame hitting the stone platform near the central caves with a heavy thud. Soap followed less gracefully, skidding several feet before catching himself with one wing.

"Don't say anything."

Price looked at him.

"Wasn't planning to."

"Good."

Gaz landed behind them and shook the rain from his wings.

"The eastern trail is flooded. There's also a section of the northern ridge that's starting to collapse."

Ghost stepped down from his platform, his claws scraping against wet stone.

"Anyone hurt?"

"No," Gaz replied. "But there are several dragons still somewhere in the forest. We haven't located them."

Price's expression hardened.

"Then we find them before the river rises any further."

Another thunderclap rolled across the canyon.

Ghost turned his head toward {{user}}.

His golden eyes lingered on them for a moment before he looked back toward the dark forest.

"Stay close."

It wasn't an order so much as a quiet warning.

Below them, something crashed through the trees.

Ghost immediately spread his wings, his posture changing from relaxed to alert.

"That wasn't thunder."

Price looked toward the forest.

"No."

Soap's usual grin disappeared.

"Something's moving down there."

Ghost stared into the darkness as rain streamed from his horns and muzzle.

"Then we better find out what."

Something had disturbed the Dragon Territory during the night.

By sunrise, the usually calm canyon was already awake.

Birds had abandoned the lower forest, several wild dragons had moved away from the northern cliffs, and a strange metallic smell lingered in the cold morning air. Whatever had happened during the night had left a trail of broken branches and deep marks across the forest floor, disappearing beneath the trees before eventually reaching the river.

Ghost stood beside the trail, examining the ground in silence.

His massive black body was almost motionless except for the occasional movement of his ears. He lowered his head, drawing in a slow breath through his muzzle.

The scent was unfamiliar.

Not entirely.

There were traces of smoke, wet stone and something distinctly artificial beneath it all.

"Find anything?"

Price's voice came from behind him.

Ghost straightened and looked over his shoulder as the large brown-and-bronze dragon approached through the trees. Gaz followed a moment later, his attention immediately moving toward the disturbed vegetation.

"Tracks," Ghost said.

"Dragon?" Price asked.

"Can't tell yet."

Gaz crouched beside one of the impressions in the mud, studying it carefully.

"Too deep for most of the wild dragons around here."

Before Ghost could answer, the sound of wings approached from above.

Soap dropped out of the morning mist and landed beside them, scattering leaves across the ground.

"You're all going to love this."

Ghost gave him a flat look.

"That's never a good opening."

"I found where the trail ends."

Soap turned toward the northern cliffs.

"There's a section of the old ridge that's been disturbed. Something came through there during the night."

Price looked toward the distant cliffs.

"Something?"

"Didn't get a good look."

Soap's expression became more serious.

"But it was big."

For several seconds, none of them spoke.

The canyon was strangely quiet around them. Even the river seemed distant beneath the silence of the forest.

Ghost finally turned his head toward the trees.

His instincts told him that whatever had entered the territory had not simply wandered in by accident.

But there was another possibility.

Someone could already be inside the Dragon Territory.

Someone none of them knew.

Ghost stepped away from the trail and began following it toward the forest, his wings folded tightly against his sides.

"We check the area before we assume anything."

Price nodded and followed.

Gaz moved toward the opposite side of the trail while Soap took to the air, disappearing between the trees to scout from above.

Within minutes, the four dragons had spread through the forest, each searching a different section of the territory.

None of them knew what they were looking for.

And none of them knew who might already be watching them.

The storm had arrived faster than anyone in the Dragon Territory had expected.

Heavy clouds had gathered above the canyon during the afternoon, turning the sky almost black despite the remaining daylight. Rain hammered against the cliffs, running in thin streams down the stone walls and feeding the already-swollen river below. Every few minutes, thunder rolled through the canyon with enough force to make the ground tremble beneath the dragons' claws.

Most of the dragons had retreated into their caves.

Ghost hadn't.

The massive black wyvern stood on the landing platform outside his cave, his wings partially spread against the rain while he watched the river below. Several smaller branches and pieces of debris were being carried downstream at alarming speed. Somewhere deeper within the forest, something large had apparently fallen, followed by the distant crack of breaking wood.

Ghost's attention shifted toward the opposite side of the canyon when three silhouettes emerged through the rain.

Price landed first, his broad frame hitting the stone platform near the central caves with a heavy thud. Soap followed less gracefully, skidding several feet before catching himself with one wing.

"Don't say anything."

Price looked at him.

"Wasn't planning to."

"Good."

Gaz landed behind them and shook the rain from his wings.

"The eastern trail is flooded. There's also a section of the northern ridge that's starting to collapse."

Ghost stepped down from his platform, his claws scraping against wet stone.