Sunbeam Lair forktail

in continuing his new practice for maintaining knowledge of the lands outside of his own, stigmata wandered gratefully into the cool, welcoming shadows of sunbeam lair. his dark spine felt scorched from an overlong stint in the sun, and the rest of him felt about as stiff and ready to crumble as pie crust. he had spent too long observing the borders that belied the lands on either side of this cavernous depression, and now he retired listlessly to the bedside of a stagnating pond.

after slaking his thirst, the former dragoon peered suspiciously around him, tersely inspecting his surroundings  as late afternoon turned to evening in that deep, dark place; its shades drawing on him slowly.