After all, it isn’t every day you see a dragon, especially a dead one. It was beautiful. Moving closer, she could see the arrow protruding from it’s right eye. Why hadn’t it’s body been plundered of scales? “Pftt-POW!” Ariana felt heat as a flash of fire glanced off her leather breeches. Looking all about her, she carefully moved toward the dragon’s left wing. “Poor thing, how far did you fly before you died?” she murmured. Ariana reached out & gently stroked the shiny green-scaled wing.

“Pftttt?” Blinking, she watched as a small damp bundle of scales crept out from under the wing. Two golden orbs peered up at her. “Oh!” she exclaimed softly, staring into the golden eyes of the newly hatched dragon. Transfixed, she held out her gloved hand. Golden eyes wide and staring deep into the green of Ariana’s eyes, the baby dragon climbed clumsily into her outstretched palm.