Rue awoke for the first time she could remember in relative peace. Technically, the surrounding shrubs and forest debris were blackened and charred, but that didn't bother her. In fact, she was rather proud. The surrounding green forest was still full of birdsong and chirping birds, and she let the peaceful sound wash over her, letting out a satisfied purr. Not even her tragic loss could dampen the perfect setting overly much. The sleep had helped set her mind more into focus. She still felt the loss acutely, but it no longer burned like a raging fire.

  She shifted in the coal-like remains and began to plan.

  The first thing I need is a new home—safe, secure, and close to a source of food and water.

  Rue lifted her snout and sniffed the air for any traces of water. Instinct told her it would make for good hunting grounds. Catching the fresh scent of water, she followed it, passing through trees and bushes as the undergrowth gradually became thicker. She slinked through the hushed forest, almost silent. Had it not been for her bright red color, she would have been completely invisible. Even then, she was hard to spot; the stealthy way she moved and her small size made up for her racial disadvantage.

  Eventually, after nearly 20 feet of tightly packed creepers and bushes, she popped out onto the bank of a river. About 17 feet wide, it would make for a good hunting ground for the foreseeable future. The river was not too deep—merely a few feet at its center—and Rue had no problem navigating its slow flow.

  After a few hours of scouting up and down the river, she found what she was looking for: a cave. Something inside her knew the instant she found the crevasse that she needed to claim it. The opening of the cave was lined with green creepers and vines that made it look a lot smaller than it really was. They also obscured the entrance into the rock walls that bordered this part of the river, making it incredibly hard to spot.

  Now all she needed to do to claim her new home was evict the current residents. She could smell it, whatever it was. A musty, dank smell hung around the cave like a fine mist, so strong it was almost visible.

  Creeping into the dark cave, her eyesight was not affected at all. Her eyes shone in the low light as she scanned the interior. Sleeping in the corner near a small boulder was a fluffy, white-and-black-furred creature. It was almost as large as Rue and, judging by its sharp claws, it was no prey animal. This was a hunter. Unfortunately for it, a bigger hunter had moved in, and it was outclassed.

  As Rue crept closer, she made it to within a few meters before the hair on the animal bristled.

  [Honey Badger Lv15]

  The creature began to growl aggressively and postured towards her. The badger was only a few inches smaller than Rue, and its growling was slightly intimidating. She hesitated, and sensing her indecision, the beast shot forward, snapping its jaws aggressively. She swatted at it with her claws, more out of reflex than any intent to harm it, but the badger dodged her weak swipe and clamped down on her other forepaw.

  Its small, needle-like teeth—serrated like knives—began to saw into her flesh. Rue yelped in pain and flailed about, managing to dislodge the creature. She snarled at it, and it responded with more growling, huffing sounds before charging her again.

  It lunged to bite at her, and she struck back, thrusting her head forward, jaws gaping, and bit down on the creature. To her surprise, instead of the familiar sensation of flesh tearing or bones breaking, the animal’s body had a strange, rubbery texture. It squirmed unnaturally in her jaws. Somehow, the badger managed to twist and slash at her face with its claws, even while trapped in her bite.

  Fearful of it mauling her face, Rue dropped the animal and scrambled backward.

  The creature was relentless, however, and continued its attack, nipping at her legs.

  What am I doing?! If I can't bite it, I'll cook it.

  With that resolute thought, she summoned her inner reserve of liquid fire. Flame erupted from her mouth with immense pressure and searing heat. The honey badger, unprepared for its opponent to transform into a living flamethrower, was wholly engulfed in fire.

  It screamed and darted around the cave, trying to escape the flames, but the fire clung to its fur and burned with renewed vigor. Every few seconds, Rue spewed another gout of flame into the cave, accompanied by renewed screaming.

  Finally, after nearly a minute of burning, the creature collapsed. Its blackened corpse lay still, a grim testament to the power of both Rue and her flame.

  Rue moved quickly to stop the fires spreading inside the cave. Once the flames were extinguished, she inspected her kill and took a bite of her hard-earned meal. The meat was tough and not very tasty, but the rewards were undeniable.

  Ding! For Slaying [Honey Badger Lv15] In Combat +164xp

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Ding! For Slaying a Foe [8] Levels Above You Own [+8%] xp +13xp

  Ding! For Slaying a Foe 2x Your Level [+20%] xp +33xp

  Total Xp Earned From Combat Encounters +210xp 68

  Ding! Level Up x2 … [Stat Points] +10

  Ding! Stat Points Allocated For Species [Dragon - Hatchling] +10

  Ding! Stat Points Allocated For Species [Red Dragon - Hatchling] +10

  Rue decided to spend her now 15 free stat points to mostly buff her dexterity and strength. Her status was beginning to look very promising. With the stats from her species and her levels, she was becoming formidable. That and she could breathe fire, how many other animals could do that?

  As she settled down in her new home to have a rest she looked up and out of the cave, then looked around her cave. Familiarising herself with it. Once she had explored every crevice of the cave she heard a sound.

  Ding! You have claimed a [Cave] +[Den Sense]

  A new ability, boring yet potentially very helpful.

  This would be convenient, never getting lost, always having a safe place to retreat to if she found something too strong for her. Rue lay down in a corner and breathed a small gout of flame under her, heating the stone nicely. She drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

  …………………………………………………………..

  Extermination Team 7

  Carlos looked at the laid-out bodies, covered with burlap cloths in a futile attempt to keep the flies at bay. They had no shovels to dig graves. Nearly ten had been killed by the dragon, with many more severely injured. One man had even been mauled by a small hatchling; Carlos had been too late to save him. Several others bore wounds from bites and claws sustained during the capture of the baby dragons.

  He sighed. Not enough men. No mages. It was no surprise that so many of the party had died facing such a beast. A [Green Dragon Lv18] was no small foe, and despite their considerable level advantage, dragons were inherently powerful creatures. The bastards back at Veneris wouldn’t care about the casualties, especially not once they saw the number of assets the hunters had captured.

  Against the rough stone wall of the cave, stacked cages held their prizes. The young dragons were being fed prey the hunters gathered and were even treated with some care. Cruelty would serve no purpose with potential mounts or war beasts. True, some of them would inevitably be turned into reagents, but Carlos hoped not all of them. It would be far less lucrative.

  The key was severing their bond with their parents and replacing that parental affection with their handlers. These dragons were very young, no more than a few days old, and the process would be easy. Many of the hatchlings were already showing less distrust toward their human captors, quickly adapting to their new reality.

  But one dragon made Carlos both fascinated and uneasy. It was the greatest catch of the expedition, it alone, was worth more than all the other dragons combined. Such a rarity was beyond even his expectations, the mages guild would pay a fortune for it.

  In the shadowed corner of the cave, it sat quietly, nearly motionless, gazing at him. Black scales gleamed like polished obsidian in the dim light. Their eyes met, and the creature tilted its head slightly, a spark of intelligence glinting in its dark eyes.