If there was anything you could say you liked about life, it'd be the routine.

Waking up everyday and doing what you were supposed to do. You liked your life that went without much haste, yet not dragging or being boring. You liked to be a part of a community you knew, where everybody had their place. There were people within your tribe that wished to be more, those special ones that could become shamans, healers, chivalrous worriors or beutiful dancers. You were none of them, you were neither exeptional or failure. Yet you were content with being just average. Average face within the mass, with average family and average skills, You never thought that you were less that anyone, you simply belived that if your fate was designed to be average, then you were fine with it.

But today was not like any other days, and that made you slightly nervous for a few reasons. Today was the Growing up Ceremony for the women of your tribe. For the last 18 years of your life you only watched the ritual of admitance to adultness and today came the day of your own. Your parents were overjoyed, your younger brother made fun of you and recommended you nice guys for a husband.

Growing up.

You never thought the day of your ceremony would come. You had felt strange sense of enjoyment and nervousness as the tribe chief had handed you and the other girls a bow and a quiver with arrows. With a last blessing from the Shaman, you had split and had began your Ritual Hunt. For the ceremony to be compleated you had to bring a sacrifice to the shaman, a bird that you had to hunt on your own. You had time till the sunset.

You touched the talisman your mother gave with your slightly frozen fingers. A talisman put around your neck this morning fit perfectly in your hand. You looked at the circle symbolising a good luck charm and rubbed it. Bird's feathers attached to it fluttered on the icy wind, one from the owl for wisdom, one from a raven for creation.

You weren't a superstitious person. Of course you belived and worshipped the gods, but you mostly thought that a human is responsible for his own path in life, and shouldn't hide behing concepts such as fate or destiny. But today you guessed a little bit of a good luck won't hurt anybody.

White mist flew every time you breathed out. The forest was uncharastically quiet, as if awaiting for what was to come. No matter how hard you tried to be as silent as possible, your steps disrupted calmness of the forest. Sudden blast of the wind chilled you to the bone, and with trembling fingers you adjusted your hood tighter. The silence broke with the snow falling from the branches.

It was trully a cold day.

The more you ventured into the forest, the weather worsened. At some point you realized that the snow started to fall. Everyone will have a hard time with the hunt this year, you thought.

A sound of somebody's steps creaking on the snow broke you from your thoughts. Quietly you looked towards the bottom of the canyon, just to see one of the girls lying on the snow. She quickly got up and dusted off herself. She saw you up above and gave you a wave. She showed you the bird she hunted and gave you a thumbs up. You waved back, smiled and turned around. The Silence of the Hunt was not broken.

You walked further, deciding you were right about to were to look for the bird. If there was anything you were slightly above average was archery. Still not enough to become a member of the Hunting Party of the tribe, but the hunt and its rules were not foreign to you. You understood the nature's paths and how it behaved. As the child of the lumberer you were familiar with the forest and its secrets.

You ventured on the small clearing on an ice cliff.

The sun was nowhere to be seen as the snow floated through the air. Yet you guessed it a little bit after the noon, making your hunt already three hours long. It wasn't like you were rushing anywhere, there was plenty of time till the sunset. You didn't care whether you were first or last.

Further into the distance you could see a vague shape of a mountain. When the weather was nice, whole mountain shone on the horizon. You'd be able to see the sharp edges of the ice, in a shape of a sickle. Looking at the mountain, a shiver run through your skin. Since you could remember the Cold Mountain gave off a menancing aura. Everyone seemed to agree with you, as they worshipped it, and often begged for forgivness. The Shaman once told you that the eternal winter, that continues for the last hundred years within Daksina Lands was caused by the anger of the god from the Cold Mountain.

You looked away from the mountain and waited. A hour or so later, sudden movement caught your eye. A red and blue bird landed on a branch just above you, with a screech that resounded on the clearing. You smiled to yourself and slowly you took out an arrow. The bird looked at you curiously and held your gaze. It moved its head to the right and left and sat comfortably on a branch. Calmly you aimed at the bird. When the arrow swished through the air, the bird seemed to finally understand the situation as it took its last chance to escape. But the next second it fell on the snow leaving a red drops of blood on the white fluff.

You picked the bird up and fastened it to your belt with a piece of a string. You looked last time at the Cold Mountain and turned back. It was time to go back to the village. You wondered how many of you had finished the Hunt. It was still a lot of hours till the sunset, yet you knew almost everyone wished to finish the hunt much earlier.

You chose a different path that you used to get there. It was rather unused and not many people knew about it. Thanks to your father you were able to successfully find it. You liked this path, the trees were arranged in a portal with branches tangling above your head. You reached out your hand and with a small smile you touched each tree as you walked.

The path ended on a hummock covered with bushes. You breathed in the fresh air and looked towards the path leading to your village. Within two hours you'd be back there. But then you saw scattered snow and a few knacked bushes.

''Hmm..." you mused aloud. Maybe it was a bear or a deer. Blinking once again, to your surprise, you noticed a bluish liquid here and there. You crouched and dabbed at the drop. On an impulse you tasted it and immedately felt a burning sensation on your tounge. You coughed a few times to clear your throat form the pungent flavour. It didn't taste like anything you knew.

You looked at the path treaded by the strange creature. You wanted to turn back and walk towards your village. You finished your hunt, and had to make it back to the Shaman. The strange liquid didn't perk your curiosity. Quite the opposite – you felt dump in your stomach and sense of dread overwhelmed your body.

What if one of the girls were attacked by this strange being? Or it was trully just a bear that got better of a huntress. You wished you were as wise as your mother wanted you to when she gave you the talisman. But you couldn't leave another person in the cold. Not when you knew something bad happened.

If not you, nobody would follow the trail. It was the Silence of the Hunt. You had time till the sunset to come back, if you didn't, you were on your own in the forest. Nobody could enter till the next morning, nobody would look for you. You remembered the incident from two years ago, when your cousin hadn't come back. Next morning her parents found her nearly frozen to death, tangled in the trap for bears.She tried and finished the ceremony next year, but her leg never got fully healed.

That's why you couldn't just turn back and leave a person, perhaps one you knew, over there.

You rubbed the talisman once again, wishing for more of a good luck you ever needed, and followed the blue drops on the snow. Half an hour later the trail stopped. You looked up and your breath hatched in your throat. You tightened your grip on the bow as you measured up the creature before you.

It's snow white scales glistered with a blue liquid you found earlier. It laid in the snow, breathing out an icy air, that caused the bushes cover with a thick layer of ice. The blue blood, you guessed it must've been blood, pooled before its belly, where the flesh was torned with a spear sticking out of it. It must've hurt as hell. Its wings, now folded behind its back, were at least four meters long when stretched out. Its paws, twice as big as regular bear, digged into the ground. Its tails swooped the snow with a nervous move, making you take a step back.

You paled when you looked at the wounded creature, and stood still, uncertain of what to do. One thought rattled in your mind, naming the enormous being. The thought you wanted to dissmiss.

The nostrils breathed in, catching your scent on the wind, and within a second, its head turned to you. You met its gaze and shivered as blue, almost white, eyes narrowed.

A dragon, you had no longer denied the thought, growled at you. You slowly lowered yourself on your knees, just like your father taught you, and still continued to look into its eyes. The dragon tried to get up, but with a slightest move it moaned in pain.

Almost crawling, you brought out the bird and still bent on your knees you moved towards the dragon. You extended your hands with the bird and waited for the dragon move. You'll either live or die, there was no inbetween.

The dragon was just as wary of you, as you were of him. It smelled the prey and within one snap of his white teeth the bird was gone. The creature blinked at you and waited. You noticed it's eyes were slightly more blue, than before. You didn't know if it was a good sign or not, but it didn't growl at you anymore. You relaxed, as much as you could in given situation, and sighed clearing your mind.

People were right to fear dragons, even if they left the moutains. They were powerful, large and practically immortal. There was no use of denying the fact that they were frightening and could wipe out your small tribe with a single blow. No wonder humans hated and both feared them.

So what were you doing, giving one of them your offering to the gods, and still worrying about it's wound?

''Okay, Mr. Dragon," you said quietly. The creature once again focused its eyes on you. ''I'm going to go for a while and I'll be back soon."

It looked at you without moving an inch, and watched as you adjusted your quiver on your back. Twelve arrows, you counted. You had a vague idea of what to do with its wound, but first things first. Hungry animal, is bad animal, as you father would say jokingly. You weren't sure if you should consider a dragon an animal though.

Telling the dragon to not to move might be too much and you already pushed your luck, so you kept your mouth shut. When you were far enough to not alarm it you sped up and ran. You didn't waste your arrows on small birds, instead caught a few rabbits. In the distance you saw a roe, that searched for food in the snow. Bowstring stretched and two arrows swished through the air. The roe, unaware of anything, fell down.

A screech resounded in the air, a familiar screech. A ceremonial bird sat on the branch. You couldn't belive your luck as you shot yet another bird. Maybe you could finish your Ritual Hunting in the end.

You took your booty and walked back to the dragon. When you were at the place, you were sweating. You had to walk back twice, once for the roe and once for the rabbits. The dragon laid in the snow, stood up with a goarn and took a few steps towards you before collapsing agian.

''Ah, don't move,'' you breathed out. You fed it with the rabbits and the roe. It ate it within a span of few minutes, not leaving a single bone. You smiled nervously as you watched it licking its muzzle from the fresh blood. The dragon looked at the bird you had at your belt. You shook your head. ''I still need that."

It blinked twice, measuring you and snapped it's teeth.

''I'm going to pull out that spear out."

The dragon huffed at you and narrowed its eyes. Icy breath met your cheeks leaving a layer of frost on them. You smiled to him sympatheticly.

''I can't exactly take you to see the healer, can I?" you asked it. You had a hunch the dragon actually understood what you were speaking of, as it nodded a few long munites later.

You took a deep breath and walked towards the spear. You didn't know much about magical healing and you couldn't even do that, but you had some experience with wounds. You doubted that it would be enough to help enormous dragon with a hole in its belly, but today you were pushing your luck to the limits.

You took of your glowes and tightened your grip on the cold metal. The dragon kicked and roared. You messaged your arm where one of its fangs scratched your skin. You hissed when you felt blood on your fingers.

''Sorry!" you squeked, but still grasped the spear. You didn't know what happened to the dragon, but one thing was for sure, he wasn't hurt because of anyone from your tribe. That made you a little bit happier, simply because nobody of your kin did it. You knew it because nobody used a metal spears within the tribe.

You decided to do it quickly, as your mother used to when treating your injuries. You pulled the spear as fast as you could and threw it on the snow. The dragon swished its tail dangerously close to your head and howled in pain.

''It's done," you spoke. Shining white eyes glared at you and the dragon once again laid down. Both of you were breathing heavily. You looked up and saw the darkening sky, and now you were sure you won't be able to come back to the village back before the sunset, even if you had had your offering.

You looked at the dragon and noticed it had its eyes closed. You wondered how to treat its would, you couldn't just sew it up. You doubted you could find an needle this large, or thread stong enough. You weren't sure about an infection, you didn't have much of an medical education in your life. All you could hope for, was that the would would heal itself.

The forest began to darken, and the temperature lowered. You couldn't stay here, maybe your parents won't look for you in the night, but surely they will in the morning. With the whole Hunting Party that would not overlook a trail. And you were sure as heck that they'd gladly help the dragon to go to the other side. You had to go back to the village.

''I'll be back in the morning,'' you said to the white dragon, but you didn't know if it heard you. One thing you weren't worried about, was that it wouldn't freeze to death in the night. Ice dragons weren't afraid of snow.

You took off and ran as fast as you could. Forest by day was your friend, you didn't want to know if it could became your enemy by the night. The sun was long gone when you finally reached the village. Your parents, and your brother waited by the gates with the Shaman ans the Chief.

You looked at frightened faces of your parents, that washed over with relief when they hugged you close.

''Were have you been?" your mother asked, wiping off tears from her eyes.

''I'm sorry," that was all you could say. You looked over the Shaman and the Chief. They shook their heads.

''The ceremony is over," the Shaman said curtly. He was quite a tall men, with wise eyes that could pierce one's soul. You looked at your feet, you felt a little bit dissapointed, that in the end you weren't able to do it.

The Chief sighed and told you to go home, he patted your shoulder and said that you will try next year. He went back to his home leaving you with the Shaman.

''It could be worse," your brother, Melys, said.

''Like what?" you asked, ignoring piercing gaze of the Shaman.

''You could got eaten by the bear," he offered with a grin. His eyes, in the same colour as yours, sparkled, reflecting the fire that burned on the torch. He was twelve years old, yet was a mischivious as a young fox.

''You little...!" you ruffled his head. You couldn't help but think at how close to the truth he was.

''_____, where have you been?" the Shaman interrupted. He was standing with crossed arms.

''Give her a rest, Doeth," your mother scolded. There was one little detail about the Shaman you usually overlooked, he was your mother's brother, making him your uncle. In your mother's family magic was in their veins. Even Melys had it, and you wouldn't be surprised if he was chosen as another Shaman in the future. Your uncle loved Melys, and was his mentor. You were sure he loved you too, but perhaps he was a little dissapointed that the firstborn of a family with a long history of magic users had no talent to it.

''_____?" he asked again, with more pressure in his voice.

''I couln't find the bird," you lied. He narrowed his eyes at you. It was a lame excuse, but it was better that the other one you prepared when you run back. Telling him, that the daughter of a lumberer got lost in the forest would be a little bit too much.

He didn't really belive you, but he nodded his head under your mothers glare. He reached his hand and waited for you to give him the bird. You did as he wished. Your hands made a contact and the Shaman froze. His eyes turned white as he started to chant in a language you didn't understand.

He had a vision.

Nobody moved, nobody dared to even breath as the Shaman had his vision. As a child you witnessed a few of his visions, and everytime it countinued to frighten you. Even now you were unnerved and flinched when he finnaly came back to his senses.

''What did you see?" your father asked quietly, letting the Shaman lean on him. Always after the vision he was exhausted. He looked straight at you, and you felt like a roe caught in a trap.

''I saw a white dragon...'' he said slowly, each word spoken carefully. You froze on the spot. ''...on a field of hydrageneas... in chains."

He didn't mean the white dragon you've met, did he? That one wasn't in chains, and you didn't see any hydrageneas anywhere. You weren't sure they bloomed in the Daksina Lands anyway. No. You calmed yourself down, it could be any other dragon.

''Let's go, Doeth," your mother said a minutes later. ''You'll wonder about the vison later. It's night already!"

~~***~~
Hello! First things, first.
Basic stuff:
-it's an reader insert, so it'll be written in second pov,
-the reader, a character, looks hovever you want her to look - I won't be writing things such as 'your eyes colour' etc, you're free to see it how you wish, same goes for clothing.
-the reader will be adressed as '______', I won't give her a name
-also as you can see, the chapter picture features the scene from it. I gave the reader face and clothing, but thats mostly a guilty pleasure of mine, and a way to practice backgrounds and perspective, so don't mind it with your imagine ^^"" if that makes sense...
I hope you enjoyed!
(also please forgive me grammar mistakes)