It didn't take long for life to return to normal in Lisdon. After the first day, few people said anything to Dani about the pets. She overheard a couple of people joking about the guy talking about the dragon, but nothing else was said about it.
She worried most about Mr. Effert, as his gazes towards her were becoming more persistent and penetrating. She didn't feel like she was in danger from him, it was more like he saw through her, and knew more than he let on. Avoiding him wasn't easy, as he seemed to be out nearly every time she was.
The dragon continued to be on her bed every morning when she woke up, but it was growing. She was pretty sure it wasn't going to fit through the window pretty soon, and was worried that the claw marks it was making on the window were going to be noticed soon by her mom or dad. She also wondered what would happen to the dragon after it couldn't come to her bed. It was strange to think this way, but she was really feeling like the dragon was her best friend. If she didn't see it anymore, it would make her terribly sad.
Their morning and afternoon playtimes continued nearly everyday. Sometimes Dani couldn't get away from her mother, or the dragon didn't show up, but their friendship continued to grow. A smile started to flash on Dani's face when the dragon would suddenly fly away, usually a precursor to Mr. Effert coming along looking for such and such a herb, or mineral. She would greet him kindly, and it seem that the conversation would always turn to dragons. He might tell her another story about the hero Mahina and the green dragon, or talk, in a nonchalant way, about ways dragons would sleep, or what sort of treasures dragon's like to keep. Dani was certain Mr. Effert knew something, but he never did let on.
And of course the morning came when the dragon was not there in Dani's bed.
Dani worried all morning if the dragon find her in the woods later. As she got to her usual spot, the dragon found her as normal. She breathed a heavy sigh and gave her friend a huge hug. They sat like that for a couple moments, when the dragon suddenly pulled away, jumped, and flew up and over the trees. Dani flashed her innocent smile, expecting Mr. Effert to come stomping through the trees, but he never came. She sat on the rock for a while, happy that the dragon showed up at all. Yet, something was different too. She waited to see if it might come back, wondering why it flew away.
When it was clear the dragon was gone for good that day, she walked home.
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