Of course, the herbivores couldn't hear Luo Yun's inner muttering. The only reason they had gathered around was simple curiosity,why had a nearlydead,looking hatchling suddenly popped up from the calm waters of their lake?
After a while, realizing the little dragon wasn't moving, they lost interest and wandered off again, lazily chewing on grass.
As for whether Luo Yun was dangerous? They couldn't care less.
This species of herbivorous dragon was calm, mild,tempered, and utterly laid,back. Their whole philosophy boiled down to: live if you can, die if you must. When predators came, they ran. When predators left, they grazed. Pure Buddhist vibes.
The reason they weren't extinct yet had nothing to do with fighting ability, and everything to do with raw numbers. They bred like crazy, and their sheer bulk meant even the largest carnivores could only manage half a carcass at best.
On top of that, their herds migrated regularly. If predator numbers dropped after territorial clashes, they could quickly multiply into a whole new population.
Luo Yun paid them no mind. Once he confirmed they weren't a threat, he shut his eyes again to rest.
Despite looking pitiful, his injuries weren't fatal. His real problem was exhaustion.
But something curious happened whenever he focused inward. He could feel the leyline energy deep in the earth, like a river flowing beneath the rock. With effort, he could draw thin threads of it up into his body, accelerating both his recovery and the knitting of his wounds.
Right now, his body was a parched sponge, and the leyline's energy was water,absorbing the instant it touched him.
Mixed within those currents of energy were faint silver motes, slipping into his body alongside the flow.
The lake was nestled in a broad plain. Green grass rippled like an ocean, dotted with berries bursting with juice and stalks of rich plants. To herbivores, this was a natural buffet.
To wyverns, it was the perfect hunting ground.
High above the clouds, a dark,green shadow glided, camouflaged against the white. Layered scales flashed brilliant colors whenever sunlight broke through.
Eagle,sharp eyes scanned the plains below, locking quickly onto a target. Her patterned wings tilted, catching the wind. Then, with a piercing cry, she folded them in and dove.
The wind howled past her as she plummeted, a living spear hurled from the heavens.
Before any of the herbivores could react, she struck. Talons like steel clamped around her neck, the sheer momentum of her dive slamming the creature into the ground with bone crushing force.
The impact rattled the earth. Claws sank deep into flesh. Blood fountained.
The cracking of bones rang sharp and clear, like the high notes of a grim symphony echoing across the plains.
It was savage. Brutal. Yet there was a terrible beauty to it,the elegance of pure power.
Every movement was precise, decisive, without hesitation or waste. The beauty of strength, laid bare.
Only then did the rest of the herd panic, shrieking and scattering toward the safety of the forests.
The predator ignored them. She already had what she wanted.
Lifting her head proudly, she surveyed the plain, her long spiked tail swaying like a whip, radiating menace. If anything dared to challenge the authority of the Queen of the Land, she was ready.
And then her gaze fell on Luo Yun.
He was still sprawled on the lakeshore, eyes wide, staring right back at her.
The Queen actually flinched. She had assumed the hatchling was dead when she'd flown over. But no,he was alive.
From Luo Yun's perspective, the sight of her was overwhelming. Her frame was sleek yet powerful, her muscle lines smooth and elegant. Every scale was flawless, glittering in the sunlight like priceless jewels.
Toxic spines jutted from her back like a regal mantle. Intricate wing patterns drew the eye. Even after a dive at terrifying speed, her stance was unshaken,perched atop her kill, head high, a vision of balance and lethal grace.
That gaze, that posture,it was the bearing of a queen.
And yet, she wasn't fully grown. Barely eight meters long, she was still technically an adolescent.
From a human point of view? She was like an athletic, confident beauty in her prime, the kind of girl who turned heads at once.
More importantly, her clean, efficient kill proved she wasn't just for show. She had real strength.
Every trait checked Luo Yun's boxes. If he had to choose a future mate right now, he wouldn't hesitate.
"Wait, what the hell am I thinking?!"
Maybe it was hunger, but somehow every angle of this female Rathian looked attractive to him. He had only just crossed into this world, and already his tastes had completely flipped?
Besides, he was a hatchling! A hatchling! What business did he have with… those kinds of thoughts?
He absolutely refused to admit he was turning into some kind of monster perv.
The female Rathian tilted her head at him, confused. The little dragon was battered and half,dead, yet kept shaking his head, sneaking weird looks at her. She couldn't make sense of it.
Still, one question nagged at her: if this hatchling wasn't dead, then where was his mother? At his age, he shouldn't even be out of the nest, much less in this condition.
Any hatchling injured like this would drive its mother into a frenzy.
But when she scanned the area, she saw no other Rathians. None at all.
Driven by curiosity, she released her prey, folded her wings, and walked toward him. Lowering her head, she studied him, then leaned closer and sniffed.
What? No other scent?
Her eyes widened. No trace of an adult Rathalos or Rathian lingered on him. Could it be,like herself when she was young,that his mother was gone, leaving him to survive alone?
But even so… there should have been some scent from siblings in the nest. Why was there only his, and his alone?
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