"C'mon, I won't hurt you..." I could hear my voice wavering but who could blame me? It was a Midnight Shadow! It crept toward me with its head low but its large emerald eyes locked with mine. I was terrified but determined not to show it. SQUISH I cringed. I had made the mistake of moving suddenly and I saw its webbed wings involuntarily shoot up and its claws quickly go back a few steps. Clicking my tongue, I slowly moved the carrot twards the creature. It eyed me suspiciously, crept forward a few steps, and froze. Slowly, ever so slowly, the beast elevated its horned snout and snatched the carrot in record time. I retracted my hand carefully, hoping not to disturb the feeding session. It seemed like hours as the great jaws chewed and finally swallowed. I stared at it and it stared straight back at me. I saw the slightest glimmer of acceptance in the eyes when the spikes on the back of its neck lowered. This was a sign of trust (or at least that's what I assumed it was). My heart rate slowing was interrupted. The Midnight Shadow pounced on me and pinned me down, its claws digging my sleeves into damp grass below. A leathery face was inches away from mine and large green eyes looked so intently into mine, as if infuriated with me. What had I done? I felt its hot breath get hotter. Uh-oh. This could only mean she was preparing to turn her formerly gentle and sweet breath into her weapon of destruction. I braced for impact and repeated comforting words to myself for what I expected to be my last moments. Just then I felt slobber on my cheek. I batted my eyes with confusion and opened them again to the Midnight Shadow licking my face affectionately! But wasn't this supposed to be a fearsome animal? Was here another Midnight Shadow of whom I've heard terrible horrific stories about? Maybe I'd mistaken this creature for the Sunshine Daffodil or the Purring Chickadee. But I was so sure. How could I mistake its rough deep purple scales with the fuzzy yellow complexion of a Daffodil? Or how could I mix up its pointed horns and teeth with the Chikadee's tiny ears and innocent gummy smile? Either something was wrong with my eyesight or something was wrong with everything my village has ever known about dragons.
