Snip Part 9

(Back at the cave. Arabella continues to inspect the Thing, more commonly known as a Dragon.)

Holding up the sword to the dense clouds of curling smoke, Arabella made out the rough, bumpy outline of the Thing. It looked most remarkably like a Dragon. The head was elongated, something like a long, narrow cardboard box, the nostrils rising up at the end in two bumps. Spines congregated down The Thing's back, and the outline of snarling teeth was very visible by the light of the 'torch'. Smouldering red eyes looked out at Bella from the shadows. The Thing's hot, damp breath blew over her, leaving miniscule droplets of water clinging to each strand of hair. Her muscles twitched involantarily. Arabella remembered with alarm that a Dragon's (if it was a Dragon) breath was poisonous. However, as there were no signs yet of convulsions and jets of pain shooting through her body, Bella most sensibly discarded this information. She held out the emerald, glowing sword and said, in her most incandecent tones:

"What are you?"
The Thing growled, shuffled out of the gloom. Lowering its head to the level of Arabella's ear he spoke from the Dragon-tongue. The heat of the Dragon's breath shrivelled, then burnt the skin on Bella's shoulder. Bella gasped.
"Lotea, sha dragonitia li sha kather. Lateros lei coeme ir sha kather reil kirisma."
Arabella swivelled the blade quickly, slicing the thick air with the edge and placed it lightly, but ominously, on the Dragon's scaly neck.
"I don't know what that was all about, but if you're going to speak, talk to me in English, and don't flippin' burn me while you do it."
The Dragon coughed. Spluttered really, gobs of green Dragon spit flew everywhere. In a curiously husky, deep voice he explained:
"I said, I, the dragon of the cave. Those who come to the cave shall die. And it's true."
Bella stepped a little closer, unafraid, and used those particularly long, black lashes to full effect.
"You're really going to kill me then? You know, it's not such a good idea. Since I'm the prettiest woman in this country you'll have to put up with a whole host of dashing knights who will be only too eager to avenge my death by slaying you. Ever since St. George all knights have followed suit. They can't seem to get out of their minds the possibility of saving a beautiful damsel in distress from the claws of a hideous dragon. Of course, if the damsel were ugly, they wouldn't bother."

The Dragon sat back on his tail, raised one ferocious looking fore-leg to his nostril and scratched it thoughtfully.
"How ridiculous. Don't the fools know that they'll probably get killed themselves by the Dragons they seek to kill? I mean, even if you want to save the most beautiful girl in the world, it's hardly worth the risk."
Bella bridled at this remark.
"Well I reckon that one you've got out the front there isn't worth the risk. What are you going to do with her? There's not much meat on her, but who knows, she might make a decent lunch if you roasted her nicely."
The Dragon growled fiercely.
"I don't eat girls. n'Fact, I don't eat anyone. I'm a Vegan."
Arabella's eyes widened.
"You're a Pagan? Well, I never heard of a Dragon that wasn't."
The Dragon sat up straight and clawed away at the jewelled amulet on his fore-arm nervously.
"No, I said I'm a Vegan. Don't you know what that means?"
"Nope. Should I?"
"It means," pursued the Dragon patiently, "that we don't eat meat, fish, or anything that has been picked from a living tree or bush. It's awfully cruel to kill things, and how could I live with myself if I ate, for instance, a tomato?"
"You're dead right there," exclaimed Bella, "I don't think I'd live if I ate a tomato either."
"Exactly!" the Dragon said triumphantly. "Now I just have to think what I'll do with the girl. Eating her is out of the question, obviously. Mabye I could hold her ransom and demand money from her father. Is that what they do in the books?" He ended respectfully - Bella's sword clung to his neck pertinaciously.
Bella Hmmmed and scratched her head thoughtfully.
Suddenly, she swung the sword round and placed it carefully higher up the Dragon's neck, so that if she wanted to, she could have sliced its jugular cord in one easy motion. Without hesitation, she nicked the Dragon's neck, until a little trickle of dark red blood ran down the green scales.
Bella stared at the slash. "Christmas time." She remarked, and looked intently into the Dragon's eyes.
"That was stupid of you, you know. You just let out your biggest secret in that nice chat we just had."
"What was that?" Whispered the Dragon huskily. His eyes were riveted to the trickle of blood that wound it's way down to his shiny, gold covered breast.
"You told me you didn't kill anyone. Thanks for that. You can come and join the circus with me. In fact, I'll sell you to the circus. But don't worry, you'll have a fabulous time. By the way, what did you say your name was? Or are you nameless, a non-entity, only a Thing? We might as well introduce ourselves if we're going to travel together."
"The name's Drongo." The Dragon muttered sulkily.
"And mine's Donna Quixote, but you can call me Don for short." Arabella stuck out her other hand (without taking the sword from it's position) to shake the Dragon's.
The Dragon placed his claw rather reluctantly in hers, scratching Arabella.
Bella winced, but said nothing.
"Come on then, let's go and meet this DID of yours."