For the next several days, Dani noticed many people were talking about not only missing cats, but dogs were starting to disappear. Even a talking parrot, that stood outside the "Beer River Tavern" near the town square had disappeared one day. People started wondering what was happening. Some guessed that wolves were taking the animals in the night, back to the woods to be eaten. Others suggested that people were stealing the animals, though they couldn't guess why. Dani overheard one conversation between two older ladies as they discussed wizards, or witches had set up a camp nearby, and were taking the animals for their terrible spells and potions.
Dani had a sickening feeling start to well up in her stomach as she thought about it. She noted everyday how big the purple dragon was getting, and remembered her conversation with Mr. Effert about it, and it was not hard to put two and two together.
One morning as they sat in her bed, she asked it, "So are you eating everyone's pet?" The dragon only stared at Dani in reply with a blank, meaningless face. She stroked it's neck wishing it wasn't the case, but it was hard to see what other solution could there be?! Still, she didn't want to judge the purple dragon harshly. It needed to eat too, it just didn't know better.
"You shouldn't eat other people's pets. It's not very nice, and I know you're a good dragon. Can't you find enough fish, or other creatures in the woods?
The purple dragon finally stopped glaring at Dani, and gently put it's head down on her ankle, unable to answer.
Later that day, Dani was playing in the rocky hills, north of town, when the dragon swooped by, tapping Dani on the head, and running further north. Dani laughed at the silly tag, as that was the signal of the chase game they sometimes played. Dani ran after the dragon in an attempt at tagging it back. It took her a while, but she finally was able to tag it's tail. She quickly turned around, expecting the dragon to chase her.
The dragon didn't stay on it's feet, like it normally would in this game, but jumped up to fly over Dani, and tag her again.
"Hey, not fair! You can't fly in this game!" Dani called with a smile. The dragon didn't always play fair.
The dragon quickly turned north again, and lead Dani further into the rocky hills. The purple dragon ran so fast, Dani could barely keep up, and was starting to get frustrated with it, when suddenly the dragon stopped near a large rock, as if waiting for Dani to catch it.
Dani's dark skin glistened with sweat as she reached the dragon, and gave it a tap on the back, and sat down next to the rock to catch her breath. The dragon just stood there... staring north.
"What are you looking at?" Dani asked, as this focused behavior from the dragon was different than usual. She stood up to peek around the rock, and saw several large tents, and a couple wagons.
Dani quickly sat back down behind the rock. It was a strange place for anyone to make camp. If there were travelers in the area, they usually were on the road by the river. Dani had never heard of anyone staying up here.
Dani sat still for a while, as the dragon stayed where he started, staring at the tents. She eventually drew up the courage to take another peek.
There were four tents, and two wagons. She didn't see anybody, but there was several strange noises coming the the camp. Dani closed her eyes and listened carefully. It almost sounded like a barn, or farmyard. Suddenly she heard a familiar noise.
"Quench your thirst at River Beer Tavern! Two silvers will quench your thirst!"
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