The forest floor trembled beneath the weight of heavy claws, each step sending vibrations up the trunk of a nearby tree. Perched atop the branches, a dragoness roused from her rest, teeth bared at the sudden intrusion. In a blur of black, white, and gray, a familiar figure emerged—Eraserhead. The dragoness dug her claws into the bark, her posture tense and guarded.

Slowly, she rose, the silence of the forest broken only by the soft crunch of needles beneath a feline's paws as it descended to the ground. The man stopped abruptly, his head tilting to the side as he took in the scene before him.

"You are in my territory now, mortal," the dragoness snarled, her wings bristling like rustling leaves as she drew closer. "You know that intruders are not welcome." Her words hung in the air, a chilling reminder of the danger that awaited those who dared to trespass.

Eraserhead's gaze locked onto Ebonywing, surprise registering in his voice. "I didn't expect to find you here anymore, Ebonywing."

The dragoness let out a low chuckle, her tail curling with amusement. "I have hatchlings to care for, Eraserhead. Why would I not remain in our nesting place? Besides, didn't my king make it clear long ago that humans found on dragon territory face certain death?" The threat in her voice was unmistakable, a reminder of the dangerous ground Eraserhead now tread upon.

Eraserhead released a weary sigh, relinquishing his grip on the capture cloth. He tugged at his loose black shirt, revealing a jagged claw mark—three inches long, not deep enough to break bone, but certainly enough to draw blood. "Your king left me with this reminder," he said, gesturing to his injury. "Now, where is he? If you're going to take me to him, do it quickly. I have other business to attend to."

Ebonywing rustled her wings in a display of annoyance, shaking her head. "No," she said curtly, turning away from Eraserhead and leaping back onto her branch. "You may pass, but only this once, Eraserhead." With those final words, she curled up and drifted off to sleep, much to Aiza's surprise.

Aiza's mind whirled as he walked away, the encounter with Ebonywing leaving him with more questions than answers. He couldn't help but ponder the implications of their exchange, the dragoness's words echoing in his thoughts. As he continued on his journey, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was much more to this story than met the eye.