The days after the dragon's hunt passed slowly in Greenwood Village.
For the elves, it felt strange.
Life in the forest was normally calm, quiet, and predictable. Monsters were hunted when necessary, patrols were routine, and most days passed with little change.
But now there was a dragon living among them.
At first, the entire village had been tense.
Warriors watched him carefully.
Children stayed far away.
Even the elders observed him with caution.
But days passed.
And nothing bad happened.
In fact, the opposite happened.
John did not threaten anyone.
He didn't demand tribute.
He didn't treat the elves like lesser beings.
Most of the time, he simply rested in the village clearing, talked with the people around him, or occasionally disappeared into the forest to hunt monsters before returning later.
Slowly, the tension faded.
The fear disappeared.
And something unexpected began to grow.
Friendship.
---
It was late morning.
