The Dragon Under my Bed

A Conversation to Ease The Tension

"What does it look like out there?" I asked Zagem, who was peeking through the cracks in between the boulders.

"I think I see a few more footprints," Zagem said. "Then again, they could be the ones we found the other day. We must be extremely cautious to avoid being sighted."

I tossed one of my shanks in the air, catching it. "When do you think he might find us?"

Zagem yawned, showing his knife-like fangs. "Well, I keep picking up traces of his scent. He certainly knows we're here. We should have brought something to disguise my scent."

"What for?" I asked.

"I smell like a skunk!" Zagem said, scraping his claws against the walls.

"You smell fine," I said. "I would have said something about it by now."

Zagem muttered something under his breath. "You probably can't smell it, but our kind has a particular scent that most animals can smell. Mother says that adults of your kind can smell it. It's sort of like a sharp scent, like burning rubber. Of course, it varies by age, size, and gender."

"Why would females have a different scent?" I asked, puzzled

"To attach males, of course!"

"I figured," I said, crossing my legs. "Man, dragons are strange when it comes to love. Girls care more for scent than body type and look."

"That's not true." Zagem pointed out. "Many females tend to admire traits such as tail thickness, horn amount, scarring, hindquarter size, and-"

"I don't think I want to hear the last one, thanks," I said, knowing what he might've said next.

"I made up those last two." Zagem chuckled. "I just wanted to hear you laugh."

"Here's my question," I said, scootching closer to Zagem. "How do you know so much about females? A bit of a ladies' man. Er, dragon yourself?"

"I'm afraid not," Zagem said. "I just happened to listen to my mother's advice when it came to courtship."

I laughed. "Your mom taught you that?"

"I bet your mother did the same!" Zagem retorted

"I can imagine what it must have been like." I continued. "Okay, Zagem. Here's everything you need to know about mating. I have here a list of traits females admire, I want you to have every trait memorized by the end of the month. In an hour, we'll roleplay some scenarios."

"Oh, Stop that!" Zagem said, whacking me with his tail.

"Oh, come on!" I said. "I can see the smile on your face!"

Zagem shifted his expression to a neutral look. "I admit, it was rather funny." He scratched his ear. "Enlighten me. During your speech, you mentioned a strange term. What does it mean?"

"Roleplay? Oh, it's a fancy kind of acting." I explained, trying to put it in the easiest words for the dragon to understand. "Usually humans would act out certain roles as a game, or for entertainment."

Zagem tilted his head. "Fascinating. I've seen acting before, but not roleplay."

"Oh! If you want, we can do a roleplay right now! It'll be fun!" I said excitedly, getting up.

"Ehhh, It seems rather childish," Zagem said hesitantly. "Besides, I don't know how to act."

"That's the thing!" I said. "You don't need to know how to act to roleplay! you can just say or do whatever comes to mind!"

"Uhh, I guess we can give it a go," Zagem said hesitantly. "I think I have a scenario I would love to play out."

Zagem faced me and roared. "Foolish dragon slayer, You'll never take my life! Not if there is breath in my body."

I walked closer to Zagem, holding my shank like a sword. "Well then," I said smugly. "Let's take the breath from YOUR body. I'll kill you and prove that we humans are the superior race! You don't mind your head being borrowed, do you?"

"Is that your plan? to talk me to death? Come on and FACE ME IF YOU'RE THAT STRONG!!!" Zagem roared.

I let out my fiercest battle cry as I dashed towards Zagem. Knowing that this was a roleplay, I wasn't going to attack Zagem, and I made sure to tell him that too, just to make sure he doesn't get too carried away. I made a few quick pretend-swipes at Zagem's neck, and he let out a pretend roar of pain.

"I'll make you regret the day you were born, dragon!" I cried as I strafed forward and slashed furiously at Zagem.

Zagem crouched down and growled. "I'll never die, you killed my mother, father, sister, and brother. But I will not die at your hands!"

"Then I will make your death slow and agonizing," I said as I slashed at his wings. Zagem screamed as he made his right wing go limp, as though I had cut it off.

"Had enough yet?" I said smugly, walking toward him to prepare to perform the final blow.

"Never," Zagem growled softly. In a flash, Zagem lept up and pinned me to the ground, pretending to tear me open.

"Curses! I'm being killed by this maggot! No! I shall not die!!! Nooooo!!!" I went limp, and after a short few seconds, I began laughing.

"Wow," Zagem said. "That was amazing."

"I know!" I said, getting up. "I never knew you were such a good actor."

"Likewise," Zagem said. "It's almost like you knew what an actual dragon hunter would say."

"Probably because I read too many books," I said. "I might have used a line from the book: 'Scales of War.'"

Zagem laughed. "It was still great though. Maybe we can do it again tomorrow. Maybe I'll even let you win next time."

"That'd be cool," I said, laying down on the mattress. "I'll see you tomorrow, buddy."

"Good night Garret," Zagem said sleepily.