Cowboys n' Dragons

Winter's Frost - Chapter 2

After a month. Winter had came. Snow topped the trees and covered just about anything the eye could see in a white blanket of freezing cold frost.

Josiah had put the baby dragon in the barn of the camp. There he tried his best to raise the dragon. However he had one big problem. Finding out exactly what this thing would eat. It seemed to be as picky as a bratty child.

Josiah offered it some corn. It wouldn't eat it. Some beans, it ate it. Sometimes. Some meat, it loved it of course. Some fish, it loved it. Some grain, it didn't really like it but it tolerated it.

Josiah sat in the barn with the baby dragon who was resting in a nest made of straw. It was already now the size of a small dog. It loved to eat like one too as it would love to devour any can of wet dog food it could get it's jaws on. This was a problem in the winter as all the shops were closed.

"Damn. You're getting to be a big girl! Well, I think you're a girl. Probably. We need to get you a name."

The dragon looked up at Josiah. It had red scales and black eyes with pearlescent crimson pupils. It tilted it's head. Josiah smiled and petted it. It purred softly.

"How about.. Hm how about Jewel?"

The baby dragon licked Josiah's face and he laughed.

"Jewel it is then."

Jewel rested her head on Josiah's lap and Josiah petted her neck. She closed her eyes softly huffing. A rat meanwhile was heard squeaking in the barn and Jewel lifted her head. Her tail flicking. She jumped up and went to investigate. Josiah watched the dragon began to prowl the barn, searching for the rat. She sniffed the ground like a dog with her nose to the ground and her tail to the air. Suddenly she stopped and wiggled her back as she got ready to pounce on a rat that happened to be snacking on some bread crumbs. Then in a flash the dragon pounced on the rat snagging it between it's jaws and devouring it before returning to Josiah and resting her head on his lap. He smiled scratching behind her ears. 

"You're a hunter aren't you?"

He smiled softly. Jewel was beginning to get rather big rather quickly. Much to everyone's surprise and much to Arthur's chagrin of letting Josiah keep the dragon.

Josiah grabbed a fur blanket and draped it over Jewel, she purred as she greatly enjoyed the softness of the warm blanket. She began to nod off slowly. Getting tired. Josiah petted her and soon she fell asleep. Josiah grabbed a journal from his satchel and flipped it open grabbing a pen. He began to write.

Josiah Graham                                                                                                           December 1899, 12th. 

"Jewel is starting to become a big girl. At this rate she'll make Carter's prized horse look like a pygmy. She's nice to everyone at the camp so far. Everyone adores her 'cept Arthur. He treats Jewel like she's some sort of pest. She's not a pest. She's a diamond in the rough. I first brought her home because I was wanting a bit of fame but.. Now she's really grown on me and now i'm afraid if word about her existence get's out that the government might try to take her away from me and have scientists cut her open and shit. But I'm sure I can keep her a secret for a bit longer. Until the world is ready that is."

Josiah closed the book and pulled the leather strap on it closed before placing it back into his satchel. He placed the pen inside of the satchel too. It was a expensive pen and he didn't want to lose it or have to resort to messy pencils. Josiah rested his head back and propped his satchel up behind his head. Using it as a pillow. He closed his eyes, the vibrations of Jewel's purrs lulling him to sleep.