Once Dragon Father had disappeared, and his burning torches with him, I could not see Dragon Little on the Night Planet.
My wings opened as I crouched in my new vantage point, automatically about to leap to her help and light the planet sky with the fire of my breath. But I stopped myself.
Whatever the trouble, she would need to toughen up. She was growing up. She was almost six. She would no doubt soon find the right place to explore in her father’s dream and find the way to other dreams, where real danger lurked every day.
I would only step in if I knew she was in a life-threatening situation.
For now, I would only listen with my sharp dragon ears.
I heard her breathing quicken. And quicken. And quicken. And quicken.
She was losing control. She was panicking.
She had never experienced true darkness before.
Then I heard her breathing slow… and slow... and slow… and slow.
She was forcing herself to breathe slowly I was sure.
Her breathing was now normal. I heard her head turn around a few times.
I heard her feet walk gingerly by feeling around.
Then I heard a strange knock, another, and her two hands feeling what must have been the floor.
I heard her shift and move across on the ground with multiple simultaneous sounds. Oh! She was now on all four, feeling her way.
She moved like this for quite a while and her voice became more muffled.
She had entered the building in the dock. I had seen it when there was light a few moments ago. It was a building with many wooden boxes that probably belonged to the Wicked Wizards.
She felt her way around there, learning her surroundings.
Then I heard voices.
The Wicked Wizards were coming. I had not expected this, but apparently they had remained behind even while her father had woken up.
Dragon Little inhaled quickly and did not make a sound.
The Wicked Wizards’ voices were getting closer to her.
Dragon Little’s breathing became faster and faster again. She was panicking again. She never panicked with villains around. But now, in darkness, her fear was getting the best of her.
The Wicked Wizards were almost entering the building.
Dragon Little did not move. I heard nothing.
My wings spread again, but I waited.
And then…
But wait. I grow so tired telling you of Dragon Little’s hardships. I love her so much and I am not built for such stress anymore. Tomorrow I will tell you what happened next.
—Told by The Red Dragon