Sebastian woke out of a sound sleep with a feeling of dread. Climbing out of his snow cave, he peered through the encasing fog. The dread was not for himself but for his friends. Grabbing the moose he started dragging it towards the farmstead as fast as he could. Using his life sense, he homed in on his friends, he was close enough to sense them. He was overwhelmed with pain as he reached out. Pain that was not his own. Digging deeper, he found the ability to move faster. He couldn't help fearing the worst. Breaking free from the cover of the forest, he saw nothing had changed. No smoke rising from the chimney was an indication all was not well inside. Dropping his burden, he rushed to the house, slipping on the ice-encrusted snow.
Pelting down the snow tunnel, he grabbed the front door whipping it open. Nearly ripping it off the hinges, he lunged into the main room. Spotting the arcane markings scrawled on the floor he stopped dead in his tracks. Not knowing what would happen should he smudge any of the runes, he delicately threaded his way across the room to the bedroom doors. He lift his tail above his body to avoid dragging it across the sigils. He reached Sergei’s room first. Opening the flimsy door, what he saw was shocking. Sergei laid out on the bed looked close to death. Wet spots marked the bed but there was no coppery scent of blood. His pale, wan skin was hot to the touch. Sebastian understood he had to get the fever down quickly. Luckily, he could heat water quicker than a regular fire. Grabbing the copper tub, he went outside and filled it with snow. Inhaling deeply, he belched flame melting the snow almost instantly. After heating the water to just above room temperature he quickly but gently shifted the old man into the tub. Using the water pail, he gathered more snow and dumped it into the tub. As the water cooled, Sebastian watched colour returning to Sergei’s face. Seeing this Sebastian set about to build up the fire in the house.
Sebastian checked on Sergei as he woke with a towel in his claws. He was looking around, confusion on his face.
“What in the heavens' name am I doing here? Where is Eldrick?” demanded Sergei sourly.
"I have not checked his room yet. I found you first and had to break your fever. You were drenched in sweat and looking ready to pass into the next life. Who would have completed Eldrick’s training if that happened?" Handing the towel to Sergei, Sebastian left to check on Eldrick.
Sebastian opened the door about a foot before a loud thud and an almost inaudible crunch were heard. The room was a sight to behold, nothing was intact. The bed frame was splintered, the washbasin smashed upon the floor, and the washstand looked like someone had taken a mace to it. Eldrick lay on the floor preventing the door from opening further. The edge of the door was pressed against his nose. He was rigidly curled in on himself, a look of extreme pain covering his face. The clothing hung off his body in tattered strips.
Reaching around the door, Sebastian eased Eldrick away. Opening the portal Sebastian lifted the unconscious Eldrick and carried him into the main room.
"Sergei, your skills are needed."
“By the stars! What happened here?”
"I have no idea. His broken nose is my fault, he was behind the door when I opened it," Sebastian stated forlornly.
“The nose is an easy fix. The rest reminds me of a failed spell," Sergei scratched his head, his eyes half-closed as if in thought. "As I have not cast any spells recently and his training was interrupted, I must presume the origin was from somewhere else. Place him in the center of the circle." Sergei gave a low chuckle, "I am glad to see it is intact. You are a gracefully large creature.”
Laying Eldrick gently on the floor in the middle of the circle, Sebastian eased his way out of the room and to the kitchen to gather cleaning supplies. Entering Eldrick’s room, he began clearing out the mess. Sweeping up the shards of china, he found what appeared to be a broken dragon claw. Picking it up, he set it aside to study later. He could hear Sergei from the main room, he tried blocking it out to concentrate on the task at hand. Gathering the broken pieces of furniture and stacking them, they would best be used as firewood now. Opening the window to the piled snow outside, he let out a small trickle of flame to melt the snow so he would have an area to place the destroyed mattress and other bits and bobs which couldn’t go through the main room. He didn't dare risk damaging the arcane sigils that were protecting everyone.
Sebastian curled up to nap once the room was as clean as possible without removing the piled wood. He didn't want to disturb Sergei. Dozing fitfully because of his injured wing, Sebastian's dreams were disturbing. At one point he dreamt of a young female dragon, resplendent with alabaster scales bearing coral highlights, trapped in human form begging for help. She was uncertain about where she was or what was happening to her. Her cries of despair and fear were so palpable that Sebastian was almost convinced it was real. What made him disbelieve it was that he knew human magic had difficulty affecting draconian physiology. The thought that it could be draconic magic crossed his mind, but no dragon would force another into a form against their will. Even when used as punishment the dragon upon which the spell was cast was willing to show contrition. It was never cast upon dragons as young as the one he saw in his nightmare. She appeared to be an adolescent approaching an adult. Those glistening scales and highlights gave her an exotic look when she shifted between human and dragon forms.
