Tales From the Void

Skytooth

Cliff Terrace Region of the Void
5 months since the famine began

Skytooth sat still on the great cliff overlooking her village. It was a peaceful place, nestled deep in the valleys of their canyon home. She had taken care of this place almost since she was a young dragonet, guiding the people, harvesting Etherium for them, and generally being the town hero. In the past, it was easy to get along with everyone. She was beloved by all as the town's cheiftess. Now, though, it felt like the entire Void was crashing down on her.

It had been 5 months since the famine started. Suddenly, Etherium was completely gone, and everyone had to rely on reserves. So many skirmishes over how much everyone got, how much they would have left, whether the Etherium would ever return, and, the most dire issue, would they need to resort to cannibalism just like some of the neighboring villages. It was a mortifying thought, and one Skytooth felt sick just thinking about, but everyday the rations were depleting more and more. Everyone was so weak and miserable, even Skytooth could barely think straight anymore due to malnourishment.

She was a simple Plant Rift Dragon. She wanted to make everyone happy and safe, but, in this situation, that seemed impossible. She sighed weakly, her head starting to hurt from all the stress she'd been under over the past few months. She had frequently paraded the statement that no one would resort to eating each other. It had kind of become her answer to everything.

"Miss Skytooth! What should we do if the Etherium doesn't come back?" One of the villagers asked her earlier.

"I'm sure it will be back soon, we just have to hold out a little longer. No one is going to die" she answered.

"Miss Skytooth? How do you know the Etherium is coming back?" Another asked.

"I just know. Everything will be just fine. No one is going to die" she answered.

"Miss Skytooth! What if the other villages come after us?" Asked another.

"We'll defend ourselves. No one is going to die"

Over and over and over again she had receiving concerning questions like those, and over and over and over again she answered with that same line: "No one is going to die." And, that was true. She wasn't going to let a single one of her beloved townsdragons die from this famine. Not if she could do anything about it. However, she had kept up those messages for five full months now.

She was beginning to think her people were doomed if they didn't do something quickly. The rations were about to run out and everyone was more terrified than ever. But, what should she do? What could she do? Should she give in? Go against her preachings and let her people, the dragons she had been watching over and protecting her entire life, devour each other? There she went again, thinking all those horrific thoughts. She grabbed her head and shook it fiercely.

She was so hungry, but she'd already had her portion for the week: a small fragment of an Etherium crystal. It was barely enough for one hour of energy, let alone a week, but that was the cost to not go after each other.

"Skytooth?"

She hear a voice echo behind her and turned around quickly to meet the gaze of another Plant Rift Dragon. It was her best friend, Vinewing, a kind, but somewhat fierce dragon who had been by her side since the beginning. Before the famine, she was a luxurious dragon with emerald green scales and bursting plumage of neon green void flames. Now, she was a dull, almost sickly shade and her flames were barely flickering.