The Ariad

"Don't you think it's strange," said Rahenn, staring up at the endless sky and its myriad pinprick solar systems, "That in the whole history of the Earth there was only ever one sentient species? For millions of years. The whole of humanity born and died there."   Her wife lay still beside her, the even cadence of her breath just audible beneath the rustling of night creatures. From the forest came the low, hooting bellow of a tree frog. It was nearly their mating season, and soon the forest would be a cacophony of mating calls.   After a few moments, Yashira replied, "No, I don't think there was. The humans of Earth must have been visited. Why else would we have myths of dragons?"   [Cover image]