We will always remember that time. It was when the breeding grounds were green and lush, and there were many births. Our clan was the masters of earth and sky. The mere people held the waters and were at peace with the ancient dragons. But mankind thirsted for dominance over land, and sea, and they feared us, the winged ones.
We gave them little attention at first, for they were a little people, and easily frightened. Our arrogance was our downfall. Though man is yet a young race, they learn the ways of power quickly, and are rash enough to not know the fear in using it. They became communities, and towns and kingdoms. They built machines and towers and all instruments of war.
But still we had no hatred for man. Our elders said to us, “See how the fools make war. They will soon destroy each other and all they have made. We have only to wait.” So, wait we did. We retreated over the mountains, leaving our breeding grounds for a time. For many seasons, 200 years by the reckonings of men, we stayed away to wait out their wars. We wandered in many places, but no younglings were born, for we were far from the breeding grounds.
After a time, our elders saw fit to lead us back home, and retake our pleasant valleys.
But, when we saw what had become of our lands, there was much wailing. For men had feared the dragons return, and in our absence had burned our valleys, and sowed our breading grounds with salt and weeds, and filled it with snake, vipers, rats, and all manner of egg-eaters. They had brought witches and those with familiars to speak evil of the land and defile it. They declared that it would be a place hated by men and dragons, and the land shall be cursed with thorns until the last wyrm be cleansed from the earth.
So the wisest of our race rent a hole in the sky that our clan may escape from the desolation into a new green place. None of our clan has ever dared return, but on occasion, we go back to that once fair planet, and in the ruins of the old breeding grounds, hide our young among the children of men until it be strong enough to return to us.
