Free An Apple a Day Keeps the Dragon Away by Amber D Sistla Page A

teacher's shoulders slumped, and his thoughts flew to Melora; he hoped she'd made it home with more alacrity than he'd shown in getting to the dragon's den. He turned to squint at the accusing sun.
    "Going so soon?" The words echoed in the cave.
    Pavel whirled so quickly that he tripped himself and fell onto his hands and knees. Two eyes glittered in the back of the cave.
    "Come into my den," said the dragon to the man.
    Pavel searched the darkness suspiciously. "I think I'll stay out here a bit longer, if you don't mind. I'm glad you are still at home."
    "You created such a racket when you were coming. I thought it only appropriate to welcome you properly, and I do so love a morning snack. But you took an awfully long time getting here. I had almost given up on you. I thought I would have to go get you myself." The dragon sauntered to the entrance of the cave, the snitch-snatch of its claws scraping against stone. "You are a plump one, aren't you?"
    The dragon closed its eyes with what Pavel could only assume was a blissful expression on its face. "One quick blast of fire, then I'll pop you out of your armor for a crunchy treat." The dragon licked its lips and opened its eyes, then pointed at Pavel. "Why aren't you wearing armor? Armor cooks everything so much more evenly. I must think of something else to do with you."
    Pavel patted the leather apron the smith had lent him and said a silent prayer of thankfulness that none of the rusted armor in the village fit him. "While you're thinking about that, there's something I want to talk to you about."
    "How intriguing. I've never had a human want to talk to me before. Run in terror, maybe, or shove pointy things at me, but not talk. What would you like to say?"
    "I would like you to consider not eating us anymore."
    The dragon bared his teeth in what Pavel hoped was a grin. "Indeed?"
    "It could be a great benefit to all of us. After all, we are all reasoning beings. Think about how much we could teach and learn from each other."
    "Interesting argument from someone whose breath reeks of the flesh of animals."
    "But animals are just animals. They are meant to be eaten."
    "Ah, very self-sacrificing of them, commendable in fact."
    Pavel shuffled, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking. "They don't think; humans do. There's a difference."
    "All you know is that you are hungry before you eat them and satisfied after." A rumbling noise issued from the dragon's stomach, and it edged closer to Pavel and licked its lips. "Very satisfied."
    Pavel backed away a few steps. "But, the very fact that we are having this conversation is proof of that difference."
    "What proof is that? All it shows is that I've gone to the trouble of learning my prey's language. Furthermore, I've limited myself to hunting one month a year. How often do you eat your prey?"
    Pavel's Dragon's Eve repast churned in his stomach--chicken, beef, pork--he'd had more than a little bit of everything tonight. The arguments he'd composed on his way to the cave now bunched together in his throat. "You'll eat me, then? I hope that I'll satisfy you enough to eat fewer other people."
    The dragon studied him, no doubt thinking about the appropriate recipe for overweight, out of shape philosophers who'd just been exposed to their own hypocrisies. Probably with some sort of sauce, Pavel thought.
    "This conversation has been interesting," the dragon said. "Maybe there are things we can learn from each other."
    "Does it involve not being eaten?"
    "Perhaps. I give you my word, on my honor as a dragon of the Clan of Mirrored Stars, that I will not eat anyone who does not have the smell of prey on their breath."
    It was too easy. There must be some catch, but what? "Why would you agree to this?"
    "Call it curiosity, an experiment, if you will. I am exceedingly curious to see the results."
    Pavel didn't trust the dragon. "Once I tell everyone how to be safe from you, what will you eat?"
    The dragon's laughter filled