The scorching sun baked Iron Pine Hills into a charred brown, with the cracked ground steaming with twisted waves of heat.
The red dragon hatchling lay limp on the gravel, its tongue lolling, while embers of Dragon Breath drifted from its mouth, bursting into tiny sparks in the air. Möbel was scratching its back to relieve an itch with the coarse bark of the iron pine, shaking loose some leaves in the process.
Galos was gazing intently at the earth spider that had emerged from a crack in the ground before him.
Its body resembled a millstone, with many rock-like textures, and its eight limbs were long and sharp, covered with some soil soaked in black. On its back was a deliberately sunken rock shell, carrying large clumps of black soil.
He sniffed the air.
A burning sensation rushed up his nose.
Galos' eyes lit up with joy; he dashed to the front of the earth spider in one swift step, casting a thick shadow over it, blocking the sunlight.
"The smell of black oil!"
