Excerpt from Chapter 2 Dragon Fodder Yandi, shaking like a leaf, held her dagger in front of her and slowly led Belinda toward the pool and the boys. They were cowering against the bank of the opposite side of the pool, away from the creature. “Impressive,” spoke the dragon as he looked back at the boys. Yen had a small stick in his hand, which he was holding up in defense. “Your son also shares your courage.” The dragon slowly turned his head toward Yandi. “You would challenge me with that little dagger?” Yandi quickly stepped a bit closer to the boys. “I would fight you with my bare hands for my son’s life.” “Take mine!” screamed Belinda as she rushed forward and crumpled to the ground at arm’s length from the massive left forehand of the dragon. “Please,” she pleaded without the courage to look up, “let the others go.” Yandi, seeing her friend at the dragon’s feet, let the dagger fall from her hands. With tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks she pleaded, “Please sir, do not harm her.” The great beast slowly lowered his head and shut his eyes. “This just keeps getting worse and worse,” he mumbled. “The wizard will have my skin for a tapestry on his wall.” Yandi’s chin dropped as she noted the dragon seemed earnestly troubled. It then opened his eyes and looked down at Belinda’s crumpled and sobbing figure. She was still too frightened to look up. “Please, my lady,” he said softly, “lift your head from the ground and forgive me. I have handled this situation very poorly.” He then noticed Yandi’s bleeding forehead. “The White Wizard will never trust me again.” “Wizard?” asked Yandi as she rushed forward to help Belinda to her feet. Yandi then looked into the dragon’s huge, yellow eyes. There was sincerity there and with a certain sorrow that could only be matched by those of a more human persuasion. The dragon backed up a bit and then motioned for the boys to join their mothers. They lost no time in doing so. “What wizard are you speaking of?” asked Yandi, still making eye contact. “Where is your home, sir,” asked Yen, peeping from under Yandi’s arm. The great beast seemed to manage a smile as he looked at the young gnome. “My home? It’s been these woods for the past nine years or so . . . wherever you have been.” “He’s the watcher!” exclaimed Yenwolk as he shook an excited finger at the dragon. “Well spoken, Master Yenwolk,” said the great dragon as he bowed slowly to the four. “You saved our lives,” added Belinda; her voice was still quivering from the experience. The great dragon looked upon the four. “If I had been more observant, I would have been able to discourage those forest dragons before they got to you, and you would not have had to see me. For that, I am truly sorry.” Yen released his mother’s hand and stepped forward. “Yen,” whispered Yandi, “not too close.” “Do not fret, Lady Stonesmith.” The dragon held out his massive forehand and turned it palm up before the child. Yenwolk placed his right hand on the dragon’s forefinger, looked up into his face, and then smiled. “Well done, Master Yenwolk,” spoke the dragon again as he lowered his head to look into the lad’s eyes. “I can’t see it as well as the faes, but they say you have an aura to which there is no equal in the Oxbow area.” The dragon then looked at Yandi. “That is a sign that the powers of great individual have finally made their way into the world once more.” The great beast then cocked his head sideways. “Do you know of whom I am speaking?” Yandi shook her head slowly, but uttered not a word. “Well, it matters not,” said the dragon as he backed up, stretched, and slowly shook his wings. “The proof stands here before me.” “Wait, please,” begged Yenwolk as he rushed forward. The great beast paused and lifted his left wing so as to not harm the lad. “Please, sir,” continued Yen, “you seem to know our names, but we know not yours.” The great green reptile sighed heavily as he looked out into the forest. Slowly, his gaze found its way back to Yen’s eyes. “Very well I guess: in for a pence, in for a pound. My name is Pandahar…