The Ties That Bind

Prologue

It was freezing cold, and the air was filled with the smell of dust. It was getting dark and very cloudy, as if it were going to rain. The area was sparse, with a few withered trees and fallen, dried leaves all over the earth.
Something odd was going on with the leaves. They were placed in a way that seemed to be influenced by an unusual presence. If you looked more closely, you would have seen a pale girl with white hair. She had bruises on her, which made her look even more delicate.
She moved a finger to feel the wind on her face and the odd smell of the earth beneath her. She moved two fingers, then her hand, and finally opened her eyes. She looked around, surprised at the sight. She blinked several times and rubbed her eyes with the little strength she had before opening them again. A tear rolled down her cheek, but she didn't have the strength to cry out. Her vision was damaged, and everything looked blurry. She couldn't even tell a leaf from the earth or distinguish between her fingers.
She tried to remember what had just happened, but all she could think about was how hurt she was. She had a headache and a chest pain that felt like a knife was stuck in her. She pressed hard on her chest to try to take in the pain until she heard a rumbling sound. It came again and again. She looked around for any signs, but realized it was just her stomach calling her attention to its needs.
Every step was a struggle as she searched for something to eat. Before she knew it, the wind blew her into a cave. She was relieved and hopeful but couldn't express her feelings. She walked in, still guided by the wind, until she smelled something different, something edible.
She let her nostrils guide her while her eyes tried to tell which looked like something edible based on its color. She fell to her knees and reached her hands forward, brushing her fingers over something that felt like wild fruit. She grabbed it and smelled it like a dog verifying its meal. Once she confirmed it smelled edible, she was about to eat it when she heard heavy breathing from ahead.
She wondered who else was there with her. She wrapped the three fruits in her cloth to keep them safe. She followed the sound of breathing until she got to the far end of the cave. Even with her damaged vision, the sight was pretty overwhelming.
A magnificent white serpentine creature was writhing in agony, its obsidian scales glistening with sweat. The emerald eyes blazed with fierce protectiveness as it curled around its eggs, claws trembling. The creature's neck and back were covered in jagged spikes that seemed to quiver with each labored breath. Its wings, which were usually broad and strong, were now limp and twisted. The beast's triangular head twisted as its horns gleamed with a faint, desperate light. As its eggs cracked open, the creature let out a pained roar, a primal urge to shield its vulnerable young from harm. Its very essence seemed to scream, "Do not touch," but she couldn't tell this from her sight.
She moved closer to have a feel, but the beast reacted defensively and attacked the little girl. She fell to the ground without any strength to fight, which caused her fruits to fall open from the cloth. She noticed the beast's movement towards the fruits and knew it wasn't going to get them before her.
She slowly got to her feet and jumped towards the fruit. When she was close enough, she looked back at the beast and tried to roar to defend her fruit, but the beast wasn't giving up. Just as the beast was about to attack again, the little girl heard the baby beasts coughing. She took a step towards the beast with the fruits in her hand and offered it up, hoping the baby beasts would be okay. The mother beast, still suspicious of the girl, rushed for the fruits in her hands and threw them over to its babies, who began feeding on them.
The girl moved closer to the beast, hoping to calm it down when she heard it moaning in pain. She could tell it was badly injured. On instinct, she brought her hand to her mouth and bit her finger, which bled a little. She then touched one of the beast's scales with her finger. The beast's strength returned and its wounds healed. It stretched its wings, rose on its feet, and flapped several times, flying a little over the ground in joy. It roared now and then.
The beast finally came to a stop where the girl stood. It leaned forward, head high, looking at the pale ghost-like child with gratitude for offering her fruit to its babies and healing its wounds. The beast tried to bow its head to the little girl, who was enjoying the sight of the beast, but then realized that the girl's eyes were closing and her body was slumping to the ground, lifeless.