Lady Shayla consulted her map, the topography of the mountain range before her matched the description given by a terrified village elder, and the claw marks on the trees past their abodes gave indication to a lurking danger. They didn't know her identity, at least not for sure, as the governing lady of their lands preferred to keep to her court. But for troubles such as these she wasn't that governess, instructing her court advisors to maintain diplomatic duties while Shayla left to see to her people's troubles personally. She'd earned quite a reputation, the citizens of towns praising the brave adventurer and even claiming she was as noble as their ladyship. If only they knew, but she didn't want to get distracted by giving praise to herself, as she was finally approaching a break in the treeline, as well as broken trees in the direction of a dark blot on a hillside.

Climbing the hill and carefully stepping up rocky outcroppings and watching not to slip on claw-marked stone she had at last made it to the den of what beast terrorized her loyal subjects and devoted guardsmen who had managed to wound the creature but not before several had been wounded. She would see to it that the brave souls were recognized and awarded for their valiant service, hoping all would yet live to receive thanks in person. She held in her hand a weapon to rival fire-breathing drakes, forged from a rare metal from a far-off land, the powder catalyst for the weapon even rarer from another unknown land, secretive in its alchemy and who charged a hefty sum for the small amount of powder pouches they were willing to part with. The torch in hand was a slight comfort in the dim mouth of the cave, but even with thunder in one hand and her experience in dangerous undertakings, she always felt that any time she could meet her end. But even so she accepted the risk, and after all, a lady protects her land.

This awesome YCH was done by   brightphoenix

Lady Shayla is Mine