Napus Interuptus

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. In the last couple of years barely a handful, of any of the seven species combined, had been spotted so when Alvera was shaken from her afternoon nap by the loud thump above her head she at first didn’t even consider it could be a firedrake.

Yawning and cracking her neck, shoulders and finally her knuckles, the Valley’s third most powerful haxan (verified and certified at last winter’s Entranciteric tournament) rose from her couch and located her staff. “Now, let's see what this is all about shall we?” she muttered to Kewpie as the chubby feline weaved through her legs.

Kewpie gazed over to her food dish that had the temerity to be only four fifths full in a significant way; a significant way that Alvera pointedly ignored, pleasing Kewpie not one jot but which she could do nothing about as Alvera was already halfway out the door.

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It wasn’t the largest drake Alvera had ever seen, possibly even a little small for its breed, however, even a tiny drake was sizable enough to damage the thatch by weight alone, to say nothing of the whole “fire” part of the creature's name. “Can’t have you stay up there m'lovely” Alvera called out to the bronze and green drake while patting her cardigan for something to temp the dragon down.

What was it that firedrakes liked? Alvera wondered. She’d seen them before, more when she was little but a fair number of times; never once did she remember seeing them eat. She assumed that, like most dragons, meat would be the best bet and she knew there was likely at least a small amount of jerky in a pouch in one of her cardigan’s many pockets.

Fifth pocket was the charm and Alvera fished the little drawstrung oilcloth bag out. Opening the pouch revealed that it was boar jerky, with peppers and juniper berries in the mix. Alvera hoped the drake wouldn’t object to the piney elements the berries brought to the preserved meat as she selected the largest piece and waved it towards the roof of her cottage.

The drake at first didn’t seem interested in Alvera at all, let alone the salty strip of leathery preserved flesh the Haxan was waving in her direction. After a few minutes of attention seeking calls however, the drake slowly turned her head and looked down her scaly muzzle at the cardigan and dungaree clad figure.

Then she noticed the jerky in Alvera’s hand and shifted to get a slightly better glimpse of the potential offering. “Atta Girl” murmured Alvera, backing away a little to encourage the firedrake to follow. The dragon moved with the sort of liquidity that belied the heft she carried even as a small drake and presently she dropped, landing on all four of her feet at once with a perceptible "krump!", onto the peristyle between her and Alvera.

The haxan carefully lowered herself into a sitting position, continuing to proffer the boar jerky and was pleased to see the firedrake inch closer. “That’s a good girl” Alvera cooed, maintaining a calm, composed presentation as the dragon cautiously but progressively narrowed the gap between them.

When the firedrake was around a foot away from Alvera, so close now that the haxan could see the blue flecking in the dragon’s irises and the slight sparking as the dragon extended its tongue; likely to smell-taste the jerky better.

Now the dragon was close enough to snap at the jerky, which is exactly what she did. “Ah, ah ah, nope” Alvera admonished “we’re not going to do that”. As if the firedrake understood her words, it set itself down in front of Alvera. “Good girl” Alvera declared and ripped a small piece of the jerky off.

As the jerky traced an arc from the haxan’s hand towards the firedrake's mouth, the dragon opened her mouth and a short burst of flame engulfed the preserved meat before the drake snapped it in a single bite then swallowed. Having done so the dragon returned to look directly and expectantly at Alvera and, because the cat had joined them, Kewpie too.

Alvera extended her hand so that the drake could have the rest of the jerky. Her other hand she placed between the small horn nubs and the long, almost equine, ears of the little female firedrake. The dragon didn’t flinch, instead she made a happy sounding burble-gurgle that reminded Alvera of the purrs Kewpie would deliver when her belly was rubbed. Alvera briefly wondered if she could do that with this dragon before dismissing the idea for the time being.

“Now my girl, what brings you to my home” Alvera addressed her scaly visitor while scratching the dragon’s scales gently, “are there more of you?”

The commotion that erupted from across the creek as she said this promised a possible answer to that question…