Storm skimmed through the memories until he came across the one the feral had just before their encounter.
He laid on his belly in the middle of his cave, gnawing on an old dry bone of a prey that he had long since forgotten about.
His belly was full and his gnolls had a successful hunt and had captured several two legs that were just waiting for him to get hungry again.
He was still unsatisfied however.
His life felt incomplete. As if he was missing something.
A companion perhaps?
Or a Mate?
He felt lonely.
He decided that he might have to keep the next challenging dragon alive, instead of consuming it.
He could break it like he was once broken, then he wouldn't have to be lonely anymore.
As if on queue, he heard the sound of a roar outside, indicating that another challenger had come.
A howl from his chief commander confirmed his suspicions a moment leter.
He got up and walked outside the cave and saw a large blue dragon waiting outside.
It was male, which was somewhat disappointing to the Feral. And far larger than him.
Something about this challenger gave him pause.
He lacked the muscular proportions that the feral had, indicating that he hadn't spent as much time as him locked in physical combat.
And yet this challenger was a survivor... like him....
He could see it in his gaze.
He had faced hardship, and had conquered it.
He knew this dragon would not go down easily.
He needed to hit hard and fast.
He needed to dominate and humiliate this dragon if he intended to break him and keep him alive.
He had to succeed!!
He didn't want to be alone anymore.
He knew this dragon would hate him for what he was going to do.
But he hoped that perhaps over time, it could become a friendship. Or failing that, at least a mutual respect.
Storm skipped through the memories of the fight until he got to the part where he blasted the dragon with a lightning bolt.
As he came to a stop he felt confusion through the feral's pain.
This power! Why does it seem so familiar? It belonged to someone that once meant a lot to him!
WHY CAN'T HE REMEMBER!!!
Suddenly a word rang in his mind.
He had heard others use this word to call this dragon.
A title? Perhaps?
"STORM!!!!" He called in his mind.
Storm reeled from the strength of the emotion and severed his mental contact with the feral.
There was no doubt about it anymore!
The dragon below him was indeed Dust'an.
Immense guilt at his treatment of him flooded his mind.
"He didn't want to kill me!! He just wanted a friend!!" Thought Storm.
"STORM!! YOU CAN'T KILL HIM!!" Yelled Aurora.
"He's broken, Aurora!! He doesn't even remember his own name anymore!!"
"We can fix him!! We can bring him back!!"
"Aurora... you know the stories as well as I do!! Ferals can't be rehabilitated!
The most merciful thing to do, would be to end his misery.!" Replied Storm.
"Nooo!! He's from our clan, Storm!! Would you really kill a kinsman like that?!"
Storm knew the stories about ferals, he knew how dangerous they are.
Like keeping an untrained wolf in your midst.
"He's kin! And he's clearly suffering! Killing him would be the merciful thing to do!" Thought Storm.
"If I must!!" Shouted Storm
He drew forth his lightning breath again and was just about to unleash it, when he saw the fear in the feral's eyes.
He didn't want to die.
That much was clear.
Who was he to make that decision for Dust'an?
He clearly wanted to live.
And Storm should respect his choice.
"I...I... I can't do it!!" Yelled Storm.
He retracted his claws and stepped off of his opponent's chest.
He wept as the guilt of what he had almost done flooded his mind.
Aurora came to his side and embraced him.
With the danger passed, Dust'an got to his feet again.
He took as non threatening a stance as he could and bowed his head to avoid making eye contact.
Amoung Feral's, eye contact signaled defiance , and he had no intention of testing Storm's ire again.
Storm looked at the feral that used to be 'his little shadow'.
"What are we going to do with him, Aurora?" He asked.
"We will take him in! We will teach and nurture him!
Until we once again restore his mind!"
"Aurora.... Ferals can't...." began Storm.
She interrupted him by placing a clawed finger in front of his lips.
"Shhhhh!! Keep your doubts to yourself. We WILL succeed and we shall do it together ." She said.
They embraced once again and the dwarves began to slowly approach.
Seeing that their leader has been beaten, the gnolls all fell to their knees and bowed before Storm as the new pack leader.
Storm tore himself away from Aurora's embrace and noticed the gnolls actions.
"What are they doing?" Asked Storm.
"They have accepted you as the new pack leader, lad.
They are submitting themselves to your authority and pledging their allegiance. " Explained Rutherford.
"I have no interest in their service! " said Storm with disdain.
"Don't be so hasty, Calamity! Your forces are few in number and a pack of gnolls will be most useful to you. " said Grombrim
"You can't be serious!! They're no better than wild dogs!! More likely to rip your throat out, than obey commands!!" Said Storm.
The gnolls whimpered in response.
They may not have understood the meaning of his words, but his tone was unmistakable.
They had not yet managed to win him over and their lives were still hanging in the balance.
"I'm not saying we should trust them blindly! But surely they can be of use somewhere far from the base!"
A plan formed in Storm's mind as he turned to the black furred Gnoll that seemed to be the second in command.
"You!! Can you understand me?!!"
The gnoll lifted his head.
"I can speak." He said.
His speech was hesitant and he struggled to form the words, but he seemed to understand.
"Take your pack south! At the junction between the 2 southern rivers! You will find the ruins of a settlement!
Take it for your pack and from there, strike at the convoys of humans traveling across the roads!!
Take what you need!! Bring anything else of value back to me.
Do you understand?!" Ordered Storm.
The gnoll bowed his head.
"We hear and obey!" He replied.
"Succeed, and you will be rewarded. Fail, and see to it that you never return here! Now, get out of my sight!!" Yelled Storm.