A story with potential

"I liked the main premise and storyline, but there were certain parts that confused me. Like why would Esbrin want to help River hide the dragon right when they first met? Why did the Orcs and Goblins invade? Just a few things like that. Answering these questions and adding some more details to your story would do a lot to strengthen it. As it was, it reminded me a little of the Ranger's Apprentice series, which is very enjoyable. Your description of the battlefield was very good. Also, there were some typos that I noticed throughout, such as you often use the word "where" instead of "were". Good work, and good luck in the contest! Keep writing!"