[The Second Mate's Quarters on the Black Rose]
Resting on the creaky wooden bed within the confines of the ship's second mate's room, Ryan's eyes fluttered open, revealing a haunted, vacant stare. As his surroundings slowly came into focus, the fog of confusion lifted from his mind.
"Fire Dragon Leader, not him again!" he murmured under his breath, his voice laced with bitterness.
For the past three days, his every attempt to explore had been brutally cut short by the relentless attacks of male fire dragons. This particular beast seemed hell-bent on tracking him down, swooping in to assault him just as he triumphed over other formidable creatures of the ancient forest. It was as though the dragon viewed him as a rival, or worse, a thief encroaching on its territory.