uploading this one in three parts because I had multiple image ideas, and it's a longer chapter.

"Saurian" is the title, and also the name of the world in which it takes place.
The main characters Nomminus and Khaz are an unlikely duo, she's an adventurer, always on the move and prefers a solitary life. He is a bright-eyed and excitable kid who ends up tagging along with her on her adventures due to unfortunate circumstances.
They will learn to work together as they deal with whatever dangers or challenges they might face while wandering the world.

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Comments appreciated, thanks in advance for faves
characters and story © myself, please be respectful and do not copy, alter, or repost without permission. Thanks!

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A month or so later, the war between the Eohippus and the Smilodons had ended. It was a rough and seemingly endless bloody battle, but in an attempt to make count what he thought may be his last swing, Khaz grabbed hold of an axe off a nearby body, and swung upwards at his opponent, lobbing his head clean off. Thus ending the life of the Saber clan leader, and ending the war.
He rolled out of the way so as not to be in the path of the falling body. He got to his feet quickly and stumbled back, dizzy and exhausted from the struggle.
A distressed blow of a horn was sounded nearby, everyone stopped their squabbling and looked towards the source. A panicked saber looking upon their leader’s head in horror, after the horn blew, he cried out “OUR LEADER IS DEAD! RETREAT! RETREAT!”
The sabers scattered and disappeared into the jungle, quick as lightning. Soon only the Eohippus warriors and their saurian companions were left standing amongst the bloody battlefield.
Khaz still held the axe in his hand, he shook it and judged its weight and feel. He wasn’t one to keep trophies, but he felt a desire to keep this one, he found some pride in beating the odds and being the one to rid this land of one of its troublesome inhabitants.
Several months pass by, and after treaties of peace and accommodations made with the remaining people of the saber clan, life flourished amongst now-united tribes. Of course with this came the danger of the prophecy beast awakening, the eighty-eighth generation was in the making.
A cold morning came, Khaz, Pilu, and Nomminus were huddled up by a warm fire, bundled up in blankets. They didn’t take well to the lower temperatures. A rumble from the far mountains travelled, upsetting what was supposed to be a calm day.
“That’s our cue.” Nomminus said, looking towards the source of the rumbling. The three of them got up, shedding their warm blankets and dousing their fire. A silent trek through the mountains was made, mentally preparing themselves for what might be the most challenging fight of their lives yet. The higher up the ancient mountains they climbed, the colder it got, wishing for warmer garments, they trudged on through rocky crumbling narrow passages, and across paths covered in deep snow.
Another rumble came echoing through, they were close. They quickened their pace as best they could through the rough terrain, they spotted an old tower carved out of the rock, worn and being reclaimed by the land around it, it was near a large platform which was vibrating wildly due to activity underneath the surface, the three approached the platform, stepping on to it, they could see from where they were that the platform looked over the valley below, on a clear day it wouldn’t be surprising if one could see all the way down to the settlements near the beach. But today a grey mist seemed to envelope at least the full northern half of the continent.
Another groaning rumble came from the ground below.
The stone platform shook and cracked violently, like thin ice on a warm lake. Clawing outwards were sharp talons, once a firm hold was had, a beast long and large emerged from below the surface, it reared its body upwards and climbed on to its hind legs, taking in long deep breaths of air. Spreading huge wings, cracks of joints not moved in a long time sounded as the webbed pterodon-like wings stretched wide, casting a shadow over the brave trio.
The brave trio that stood shocked, not at all expecting to be facing off with such a beast.
“We have to try and fight THAT?!” Pilu asked aloud, to no one in particular, somewhat looking for confirmation that the others saw the towering beast before them too.
Nomminus nodded, taking deep breaths to try and control the racing adrenaline pumping through what fell like every part of her being.
“Is that?“ Khaz started, wide-eyed and fighting back a sense of panic, thinking he should have asked to borrow some good armor before they left.
“You did always say you wanted to fight a dragon.” Nomminus laughed lightly, trying to keep nerves at bay with a bit of humor.
The dragon having stretched out after what seemed like an endless slumber, sits down and stares at the three before him. Seemingly disappointed “You? You are not the three prophesised to bring my end!”
The huge dragon’s hide was almost glowing with shades of molten metal against the grey and dreary sky. His blue and gold eyes glinted as his disappointed frown grew into an almost devilish smirk.
He brought his head downwards to try and level with the warriors before him. But even still towering well above them. “It will still be entertaining to watch you try!” He said eagerly, his chest expanding and a light growing brighter in the back of his throat.
An intense stream of fire burst from the dragon’s open mouth.
Nomminus, Pilu, and Khaz all jumped out of the way, avoiding the flames and taking cover where they could find it. If lives weren’t on the line, they’d enjoy the heat coming from the dragon fire, a welcomed change to the freezing cold and snow.
The dragon looked for them after the fire cleared. Nomminus ran out from behind a large boulder and towards the tower to draw the dragon’s attention.
The dragon followed Nomminus, snapping his head forward in attempts to catch her in his jaws.
Pilu and Khaz popped up behind the dragon, both of them throwing daggers, only for them to bounce off his thick scales. They grabbed bigger weapons that they had brought with them, Khaz his axe, and Pilu a short sword, both ran swiftly towards either hind leg,
Nomminus darted in to the tower and climbed up the winding stairs, stopping when she heard another blast of fire pelting the outer walls, and coming through a window she would have to run by. She waited until the fire had cleared enough for her to keep ascending, eventually coming to the top of the tower, she noticed some remains at the end of the stairs, what must have been an old warrior, only skeleton and armor remained, she grabbed the shield laying beside it, there was nowhere to hide up there on the roof, so it was a welcomed asset.
The ember coloured beast’s head peeked up above the tower parapet, eyeing his prey before he began to hoist himself up to join Nomminus on the roof, both could feel the tower straining to hold his weight.
Before he could bring up his back legs he felt sharp pains in his ankles, Khaz and Pilu had sliced through the tough scale and skin beneath, blood leaking out of the wounds and trickling down around his feet.
He let out a loud roar as he shifted his weight forward on to the tower quickly, it collapsed underneath him, the fall caused him to roll on to his back, the impact also sent Nomminus flying upwards, losing grip of both sword and shield, she braced herself for a hard landing but to everyone’s surprise it didn’t end with a crash on hard stone, but rather a plummet past the jaws and down the gullet of the flailing dragon, the giant fire-breathing lizard rolled to his feet, careful not to put too much weight on his back legs, he choked on the dinosaur stuck in his throat a few times before swallowing her down.

Khaz and Pilu looked on in horror as the dragon gave a shiver, regaining his menacing composure after the choking fit, but it had awoken a hunger in him, he wanted more. He turned to face the two others, grinning prideful. “Your friend’s armor won’t save her now.” He said with a chuckle. He made an advance towards the two of them, they both darted for cover as he attempted to catch them in his claws. Once he chased both out of sight, he scoffed. “With only two of you left, there’s nothing stopping me from feasting upon the rest of the land.” He then spread his wings, jumped off the crumbled up platform and took to the skies, headed towards the meal he’d been so eagerly awaiting all those years.

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