Zaffa The Dragon In The Quest To Find The Waterfall

• Bonnie Coventry, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2012

Zaffa hissed angrily as he missed the magpie he was stalking. The Aussie outback sun shone down on him, it was a cool day. Zaffa’s bronze coat shone in the sunlight as he stretched his wings then he walked away to his rock cave. He curled up in his feathery nest and sighed “its been a long day” he muttered to himself then a little birdish thing hopped outside his cave. “Mum!” it squawked “it’s another one of us”. Zaffa got to his feet and walked towards the little bird thing. The little bird thing squawked and looked alarmed then it ran out of sight. Zaffa peered outside the cave and saw another birdish thing but this time it was bigger and looked like a female “uh...hi” Zaffa muttered and then in a clearer voice said “did I alarm your kid?” “No, no...” the female bird said. He stared at her for a couple of seconds and then said “are you looking for anything? And by the way I'm Zaffa, what's your name?” he said “well I'm Bounce and this is Titch” said the bird thing pointing to the little bird. “Well come inside” said Zaffa “and what did Titch mean when she said it’s another one of us?” “Well” Bounce started...
“you mean that I look like you!” Zaffa said “hmmmm look in that thing” said Bounce to Zaffa, pointing to what looked like a shiny, hard, sharp piece of water that was standing up against Zaffa’s cave wall “you mean that? I just found tha...!” Bounce whipped her wing across his beak to stop him talking “just look into it” Bounce hissed “ok, ok!” said Zaffa and he looked into it. “Wow!!!” said Zaffa excitedly “you were right, I do look like you!” “Look at my beautiful neck, I love the golden stripes!” Bounce smiled and so did Titch “that’s just wonderful...now can you help us? There was a terrible drought and we are very thirsty” she said with a sad look on her face. “We got lost trying to find the waterfall. Do you know where it is?” asked Bounce. “Do you mean Warra Warra waterfall?” said Zaffa “yes, I do” said Bounce “well I know where Warra Warra waterfall is so I will take you in the morning” said Zaffa. “Thank you” said Bounce. “Hey” said Zaffa “did you notice that the walls of my cave are wet?” “Uh well, yes I did” said Bounce “well...maybe you can drink from my walls?” “ok” said Titch and Bounce together and they both began licking his walls furiously. “He he” Zaffa chuckled, it did look very funny. “Goodnight” said Zaffa as he curled up in his nest. “Goodnight” called Bounce and Titch and Zaffa drifted into a deep sleep.