The Stolen Dragon

• Hannah Barklay, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2022

Ocean the dragon’s blue scales shone as she hugged her husband, Depth. In the straw nest, their dragonet, Luna, slept peacefully, little puffs of smoke coming out her nostrils.
Ocean yawned. “I might go to bed. A hatching is exhausting."
“Good idea,” replied Depth. "I'm tired too."
* * * * *
When Ocean woke the next morning, she gasped. Luna's nest was empty. “Depth! Luna’s gone!”
“What?”
“She’s gone! Where could she be?” cried Ocean.
“It’s okay,” said Depth, trying to calm his wife. “We’ll find her.”
Ocean ran down the stairs, scales falling off her. “Wait!” Ocean suddenly stopped. “What's this doing here?”
“What, darling?” asked Depth
“This scale. It’s…grey. I don’t know anyone with grey scales.”
“Wait, isn't there a dragon, Stara maybe, no, Starla! She’s an outcast and lives on the edge of the hill. There are other caves there, but they’re empty. Starla’s the only one who lives there.”
“It must be her,” Ocean said, a look of determination on her face. “Let's get back our dragonet!”
* * * * *
Ocean and Depth spent all afternoon thinking up an excellent plan.
“Ready?” asked Depth.
“Ready.”
Depth and Ocean edged towards the door of their cave and stepped outside into the cool night air. Ten minutes later, they reached what they thought was Starla’s cave. But when they walked in, they saw it had no furniture in it!
“Empty,” muttered Ocean.
They walked to a new cave
“Maybe this one?” said Depth. They peered into the cave and saw a picture of a dragon with grey scales. They had done it. They had found Starla’s cave.
* * * * *
Depth strolled into Starla’s cave casually, like it was a thing he did every day. Ocean lingered behind, unsure. She was glad she had Depth with her. Depth was confident, while Ocean was not.
They walked into what appeared to be Starla’s den, and there, lying on a satin pink pillow, was Luna. Depth reached out for his sweet dragon child when Starla awoke.
“Hey!” yelled Starla. “Leave my dragonet alone.”
Depth turned to flee, but Ocean held him back. The waver in Starla’s voice made Ocean want to run and give her a hug.
“What are you doing in my house?” demanded Starla.
“Taking back our dragonet, obviously,” said Depth. He grabbed Luna and cooed, “It’s okay, baby Luna. It’s okay. Soon you’ll be back home.”
“I’m… It’s… Sorry… I.. It’s just…” Starla stuttered. She promptly burst into floods of tears.
Pity overwhelmed Ocean. “Are you okay?” She wiped the hot tears away from Starla’s eyes.
“Fine. Not fine. Sorry. I got so upset, because no one will marry me, because I’m so ugly.” She gestured to her grey scales with a talon. “I stole a baby because… I wanted one… That’s the biggest thing I missed out on.”
“Like that’s an excuse,” muttered Depth.
Ocean hushed him. “Hey, it’s okay, Starla. We forgive you. Give Luna back and maybe you can play with her tomorrow. Forgive and forget, right?”
“You’ll forgive me?” Tears glistened in Starla’s grey eyes.
“Yes.”
“And let me play with the dragonet?”
“Yes. We can even be friends.”