The third part of this little series... a conclusion to the origin story, so to speak. We'll be in this world for a little while


The monsters among us pt3

The guild was well lit, and on arrival, Cory bid Daniel to their quarters while he went to make his report. He reported the attack, but kept his tongue about Daniel, or dragons in general. That was knowledge he would deliver a bit higher, directly. Instead he kept his terms vague, scaled monster. There were plenty in that category.
With that done he wandered the familiar halls towards his room. He was calming down despite everything. He always felt safe in the guild, and he doubted… or maybe rather hoped, that Daniel couldn’t change within the building, or wouldn’t. He didn’t know enough about shapeshifters to know if confined spaces would rupture with their growth, or crush them if they tried.
Back in his room he peered into the side chamber. Daniel had fallen asleep already. Curled up, literally, on his bedding. That didn’t look comfortable in a human shape… if it should even be possible. But he didn’t question it further. He dropped into his own bed. He’d have gone mad a long time ago if he hadn’t found himself able to just put aside problems for tomorrow and focus on getting some rest in the present. All the same, it took him some time, listening in the gloom. Painfully aware he was sharing space with a dragon.
He didn’t remember dozing off, but knew he must when a sharp rapping woke him up, sitting to consider his doorway. “It’s open” he barely managed to mumble, patting down his front before flinching, feeling to his wrist. Damn… he’d got cut, of course he had. Must not have been that bad if he managed to forget when he got back to the guild… up till that point he’d had bigger, scalier problems. No blood came away on his hand, and a sniff at the slice in his bracer didn’t give him anything sour. He’d get it checked anyway, but he put his focus back to the door.
A head poked in, looking his way “Cory, figured you might have slept long, evening run and all. Guild meeting, you remember?”
“That’s today?” Cory groaned, heaving his legs off his bedding. He had lost track a bit, after the long night and day hunting that naga “alright, I’ll be there, thanks”
The door clicked shut as he undid his bracer, taking a squint at his arm. Cut was uncomfortably deep, but clean… had sealed itself pretty well. He flexed his fingers. Had cut into the meat of the side of his arm… didn’t feel like anything was lost. Got lucky.
“Who was that?” a familiar voice caught his focus, Daniel perched in the doorframe from his chamber
“Lional” Cory grunted, slipping from his bed “you stay out of trouble, Daniel. I’ve a meeting with the other members of the guild. No apprentices present
“Ok, I’m still tired… can I just rest?”
He looked over Daniel… he assumed, that meant the dragon was still digesting… whatever that meant for a shapeshifter “sure kid. You rest, I’ll be back”

The trip was quick enough, the walk stirring his mind a bit from the addles of night. Still, this was convenient in a way. He’d been meaning to catch the guildmaster this morning. Now he knew where he’d be.
In the back and top of the guild hall was a wide round chamber, a big table set, a seat for each of them and a fortifying, frothy tankard of beer set at each spot. Many of the guild members were in place already, Cory slipping into his spot, sipping his drink. He had no idea when the custom had been set, long before his time. This tankard of his had engraved in it the name of every guildsman who’d held it before him. They kept them in a chest, since it had never made sense to carry them. Too easy for one to get lost inside who knew what. A couple of the tankards showed a very, unnerving sort of wear that implied that hadn’t always been the custom. At pride of place on the rounded table was the guildmaster. Distinct black breastplate made from a single belly plate from a dragon, its origin lost to time and myth. There were stories but, nobody knew if they were true. The most popular that the first guildmaster had brought down the dragon it belonged to, and used the accomplishment to inspire others to join them. The plate was similar in size if maybe a bit bigger than those on Daniel’s underside. He doubted highly a single man took down a dragon, but a small guild, maybe.
The current guildmaster was Artur. He wasn’t the largest or strongest man at the table, though one didn’t lead mercenaries without honing oneself. But the key difference was his perception and guile. It was why Cory had chosen to follow him, he was a canny man, trusted to keep them alive in the dangerous world.
The remaining seats filled quickly, and Artur lifted his own tankard, the guild members following suit, taking a firm drink, before thumping their metal vessels down together.
“Alright, glad to see you all here” Artur stood from his chair, to look over the table, brushing some unkempt dark hair from his face as he surveyed the table, drawing up into their view a handful of papers “We’ve a few topics to cover, but before we get to my latest session with the town council, we’ve something more crucial” He flicked one, then another sheet from his stack onto the table before him “I got a report in yesterday from our friends in the local villages. Apparently two separate settlements drove away a dragon”
He let the word linger in the air, as those gathered exchanged looks. Cory felt his gut twist a little, and not from drinking on an empty stomach. It had to be… no way there were two.
“This dragon is reported more of less the same by both, tawny brown, young adult. Timid but persistently curious and malnourished. No casualties as of yet, but nothing makes a beast so persistent as hunger” He pushed the reports closer to a reaching hand so they could be passed around “Both these reports arrived yesterday, one from further away. It appears the dragon is travelling in our direction”
A couple of the members pushed their tankards forward, closer to the centre of the table from the ring of containers. Artur held up a hand “hold your questions, it gets worse” he looked to those already skimming the reports “both reports claim this particular dragon has the uncommon talent to change its form”
“Damnit” Cory heard a voice a few chairs down mutter. He buried his head in his hand. That was Daniel
“As some of you have no doubt realised, this is our worst nightmare” Artur added coolly “but there is a saving grace. While this dragon can change itself, it seems to be an incomplete process. Reports indicate patches of scales, draconic eyes, a tail. But the report from the closer town offers less, imperfections in its description. Which could be laziness, or, it could be the dragon is improving. We have to assume it is attempting to perfect its disguise”
A few of the pushed mugs were being drawn back, but Artur pointed at one of those remaining out of line.
The member behind the mug tugged it towards himself as he spoke “It’s a dragon we’re talking about, what are we expected to do to keep it out?”
Artur’s features tightened “not a damn thing” he thumped a couple more sheets from his stack on the table “because it’s already here. We had three independent reports of a dragon sighting came in this morning. Same description more or less. Mostly around or moving towards the dock region last night”
There were murmurs around the table. Cory felt himself sinking into his seat a little, and took a long draw from his mug.
He saw Artur point for another mug before its owner spoke “Do I understand right, we have a new dragon, in the city limits, that can pretend to be human?”
“More or less, yes” Artur noted “Now, what we know, is it has, so far, been reluctant to get into a fight. It may be planning strike and hide tactics. I can’t overlook that it’s been seen by the docks, it’s a smart move. What with the trade ships it’s easier to pass for a stranger there, it may also prove easier to make someone disappear. We might be dealing with a crafty one”
More mugs slid forward, and Artur gestured.
“How are we supposed to find it then?”
“Shapeshifters are a nightmare in a place like this” Artur answered “precisely because they can be anyone, the port makes it worse. What little I understand, however, is that there’s some sort of delay on how quickly they can change after feeding. I guess they can’t transform other people, not sure how degraded something they ate has to be to count. I’ve never heard of a shapeshifter vomiting up saliva or stomach juices when they transform, so I assume there’s, some capability to reduce what’s inside them, with them. Regardless, if it eats someone, we’ll have a window to see it and drive it off” he frowned deeper “our best hope right now, is its lack of experience. If we’re lucky, it will be obvious, and it won’t be able to hide. Those of you who were with me at the time, will remember when we had a shapeshifting slime creature eat a member and try to take their place to hunt more of us. Whatever sort of shape this dragon has, it won’t be able to do anything that fluid yet. It can’t just eat someone then replace them, basically, and I doubt it will master multiple forms quickly. It’s seen form was human, or mostly. So, it probably won’t be the shape of the animal folk. But that will change if it gets the chance”
Another voice took their turn “can’t we root it out? Block the port, deny access, look for the one who doesn’t fit in”
“Useful as that would be, it’s outside our power, and there’s no way the city will agree”
He glanced around the table “in short, keep your eyes open, we’ve a new, dangerous predator sniffing around. If we’re very lucky, it’ll notice us and decide it doesn’t fancy the risk, hide on board a ship maybe and drift off to wherever the animal folk come from, or become some other city’s problem. But watch out for anyone you don’t recognise, and double check if they look…” he sighed heavily with a shrug “realistic? Damnit… don’t be caught alone with anyone you don’t know. Especially if you are on the dock patrols. None of the reports today came in with missing people, but it’s not going to put off eating for long”
There were grumbles, but no mugs rested outside the ring, so Artur moved on “anyway, dragons messing with the best laid plans aside, on to our regular gripes. Spoke with the council, they’re still committed to uphold our contract. They expressed general pleasure with our work, but asked that if we find ourselves fighting off some monster, if we couldn’t try to show off our kills. Apparently some of our work is a little too unseen for the locals” he shrugged “anyway, to the important stuff. Still no budget to deal with whatever it is in the sewers, reports from the dock last evening tell us something is now oozing out in a steady flow into the sea, which I take to mean that whatever it is has been growing, and it probably packing just about every nook and cranny down there, or will be. Please keep an eye out for any efforts it makes to spread aboveground… might convince them to let us drive out as a guild what one or two of us could have done months ago… We’ve had a couple new naga sightings, the big one at large is getting increasingly, public. I’ve been asked to deal with it, as if we weren’t already working on that…” he paused “reminder to be careful, those damn snakes are still, and will always be, the leading cause of death for our members” Artur paused to sigh “and all this bring me to their renewed request that we have night patrols”
A murmur of discontent washed through the table, to which he raised his hand “they point out that risking our lives to protect the citizenry is part of our contract, and we’re not doing that when the monsters are most active”
A tankard was pushed forward, and Artur begrudgingly gestured to it “you did remind them surely that most of the crime is during the day, only the biters strike in the evening, and we can’t well protect anyone if we’re dead”
“Yes, I reminded them that forgoing a night shift was a tactical move to preserve our own safety, so we can perform our duties” his frown deepened “However, it cannot be ignored that the night is the main time we have unwanted arrivals, it’s a blind spot. Once they’re in here, though rare, they can potentially break into homes to hunt. While the flying hazards are more opportunistic, those like naga are not. It also cannot be ignored that the biters are growing bolder. Attacks against us during what they see as their times in control have been on the rise. We need to deal with them, the first step is attacking their feeling of invulnerability” he paused “and now we have a dragon. If it’s a smart dragon, it may also become an evening hazard. If we leave it uncontained it could become a devastating hazard” his eyes roamed the table “with that in mind, I’ll once again ask if anyone is willing to volunteer to trade their route for command of a night patrol?”
The room went quiet, lest some cough, some creak, some faint movement accidentally volunteer them. It was suicide. In the silence, Cory was brooding. He still needed to tell the guildmaster what he knew. He’d listened, to the talk about what surely must be Daniel. Put some of the boy’s claims in context. The guild had a gap, a hole in their defence, and the oppressive silence spoke to how hard it was to plug. But, Cory started to let the idea stew. Was it a dragon shaped hole?
He slowly pressed his hand forward, brushing his mug out of line, aware how quickly all eyes were upon him.
“Cory?” Artur mused “Are you volunteering? Really?” he seemed to consider “you spent all night out lately, chasing our naga problem, yes? You were lucky to get back”
“It’s not about that” he sighed “I’d sooner have a talk, alone, with you Artur about this. But, I might be willing to take the night”
“Well then, that’s more than I’d have expected to get” Artur muttered “guess that matter is resolved, pending a discussion. Moving on” he dropped several sheets to the table, likely his notes from the town discussions
“Last topic of importance, briefly covered, is the biters, or Twilight’s Teeth as, let’s be honest nobody is ever going to call them with a straight face. A merchant’s vessel, wolves, was raided by them, and other ships are reporting attempts. It seems they’re growing in number, becoming more militant and developing some more insular mindsets. Their rhetoric that we don’t belong here because most of our guild is outsiders has apparently spread to dislike of the foreign merchants. We can expect more species related attacks, and against people whose first touch of feet to dirt wasn’t within a mile of here, for whatever unfathomable reason that matters to anyone. Expect an update to your routes, we need more patrols at the port, we’ve got a dragon, the Biters, naga crawling out of the sea. And Cory moving off his shift possibly. Frankly, expect the port to become part of your route, all of you”
He tossed down his last sheet, and lifted his tankard to down it in a few long, steady swallows, thumping it back to the table, waiting as his fellows did the same “meeting adjourned, get out there and make us look good”

Cory lingered at the rest moved out, a few hands to his shoulder in passing, silent consolation and, he supposed gratitude for taking the night route. Through it all, Artur was considering him levelly. The reigned curiosity of someone expecting bad if interesting news.
Once they were alone, Artur beckoned to him “well, tell me then, what’s compelled you to accept such a lunatic assignment” His shoulder rolled
Cory had been wondering for a while how to broach the subject, and was silent for a moment as he committed to his route. He couldn’t hide something so important from his guild. But, at the same time, he didn’t feel right doing anything that would get Daniel killed. Dragon or no, he didn’t seem to mean ill. If he was to go, he’d sooner it be peaceful. That might not be possible if the guild knew they had a dragon, in human form, inside their own building.
“It’s about my last report”
“Right” Artur mused “You’re normally pretty precise, it was vague. You’re going to tell me that wasn’t just the injury talking? You should get that checked, by the way”
“Seems fine to me, clean cut, sealing cleanly” he shrugged “but anyway. The guy we ran into, he was a biter, startled each other, not sure if that’s why he attacked or something else”
“I figured” Artur muttered “They’re an increasingly zealous bunch. I never conceived they’d develop like this, suppose it’s a sign we’re new to the beast of patrolling a city. But, the one good thing about when they prowl, they’re more likely than the peaceful folk to be grabbed by some night hunter”
Cory drew a slow breath “it was the dragon” he cut to the point “what ate the guy who ran from me. Watched it choke him down. Not that I knew the dragon was going to be unveiled to us today, I wanted to tell you about it myself”
“I see” Artur seemed thoughtful “then it’s eaten. Probably why it was seen at the docks… has a hiding place there maybe?” his eyes flicked to Cory “wouldn’t happen to know where that is, would you? You know the region… and apparently you’ve laid eyes on it, and it didn’t choke you down too” he trailed off “which is strange now I think about it, it knowingly left a witness?”
Cory nodded “because I didn’t just see it, it was… keen to have a talk, with me, with us” he gestured about the room
“It knows about the guild?” Artur mused “I suppose that’s not surprising. Now you’ve got my interest. What did it have to say?”
“Not what you might be thinking” Cory muttered “it, wants to work with us”
That caught Artur’s attention, his stoic features displaying rare surprise “Ok, now I’m really listening, explain”
Cory exhaled “From what I understand, its motivations are what you’d expect. It’s a young dragon, looking for a nest. Apparently this one has it in his head to live in a settlement. Talked about earning his keep, by doing what we do” he paused slightly, looking to Artur for feedback
The guildmaster seemed thoughtful “So, he’s an eater of moths who wants to wrap himself around the lamp?”
Cory nodded “for the warmth, the light, and the abundance of food”
“I see why you were so vague” Artur rolled his hands to his face “this, is difficult. Honestly, I’m almost tempted to say this might not be our jurisdiction, damn dragon wants employment or something? I almost feel like I should be going to the city council to broach the subject” he gave Cory a level look “And this is why you’re accepting the night shift? Am I right? You want to chaperone a dragon?”
Cory rolled a shoulder “you went on and on about the problems we have, tell me a dragon prowling at night, allowed to stay so long as it only hunts the hunters, wouldn’t solve a lot of it”
“Oh, it would… but what about when it’s big enough we couldn’t drive it away even if we wanted to? Will it’s appetite outgrow the supply?”
Cory sighed as his deepest fears were repeated back to him “I know the problems. I suppose I’m looking for permission to give the beast a chance, see if things improve. If they do… maybe discuss something formal”
Artur turned, considering the walls of the room. There were trophies of a sort, of beasts the guild had taken down in their duties. Horns, fangs, scales of many things “well, unless we know where it hides, we can’t drive it out anyway” he looked back “for now, fine. But this is a very fragile allowance. What I’m tasking you to do, is get me a description of its human form, give me any updates possible on its improvement of its ability to hide, find out where its haunts are. We need that information for our own protection. And while you’re doing so… make sure its hunts don’t touch the citizenry. Give me full reports on its activities. The people here… I doubt they’d feel comfortable with a dragon inside their walls, even if it declared its appetite wasn’t for them. If it can hide effectively, doesn’t trouble anyone. Maybe, we can discuss if we can ignore it, like we do that slime in the sewers” he tapped a finger along his breastplate “That creature is, to me, a good comparison. The streets have never been cleaner, but it keeps growing and spreading below ground. What happens if it gets so big we can’t get rid of it anymore, so big it can confidently ensnare the living like it does the dead” he looked back, eyes locked with Cory “fundamentally, our employers pay us to keep the people safe. If there’s a threat we can deal with now, but won’t be able to stop later, what should we do?”
Cory exhaled a tight breath. The answer was to nip is in the bud, but, he wasn’t sure he saw this from that angle “If the locals followed that logic, sir, would we be employed here? Isn’t that very logic part of why the biters want us gone?”
“Maybe” Artur waved him for the door “I look forward to your reports. Just remember Cory, we’re survivors. The guild will make whatever decisions it must to survive”

Cory moved through the guild, reflecting on the immediate problem. It felt a good middle ground. He’d bought Daniel a chance to prove himself useful. But there would always be the concern about becoming under the dragon’s paw. Daniel had shown a distinct lack of ambition. Perhaps that would help inform him whose side he should be on. Let Daniel get comfortable, then see where the dragon’s thoughts went. He tried to consider his worst case, which seemingly would be the rise of a new dragon tyrant. But then, would Daniel turn on the people? Wouldn’t that defeat the point? He’d never been much for settlements, it didn’t seem so different having a dragon officially ruling over the city council. He doubted a dragon would actually care for the minutia. Of course, it was possible if Daniel did turn it wouldn’t be for years, decades even, when he was a fully grown, devastating adult. Perhaps, he’d be too frightening for hunters to approach… making the city useless to him. So many ways this could all go wrong.
Cory grunted, shelving the doom and gloom. Those were later problems. First, could Daniel protect people without demolishing the city. Get a measure of how much benefit he could provide so he had something tangible to weigh against the risks.
Daniel was dutifully waiting for him, well… dutiful wasn’t quite the word that came to mind when he wandered in to find Daniel sleeping right where he’d been left. His arrival inspiring his apprentice to wake, and quickly sit up “you’re back sir”
“Yes, I am” Cory pondered what, still looked like a normal if, slight human boy “Ok, Daniel… I talked to the guildmaster, about you” he suddenly felt, like he needed to keep his cards close again. This was a dragon… and he was the only one who knew that. He wasn’t sure it was wise to fill Daniel in on that detail. He simply didn’t trust it wouldn’t lead to his last sight being a looming set of widened jaws.
“What did he say?” Daniel seemed to shrink into his sheets. Kid still had no poker face
“Well, before I told him about you, he told me about a dragon he’s had reports of… which I assume is you. The whole guild is nervous, you can understand why, can’t you?”
“Because humans are prey to dragons” Daniel mumbled, glancing off
“Quite” Cory muttered “and correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re still young… you’re going to get a lot bigger”
“Well, if I eat enough…” Daniel mumbled “I don’t care about getting that big though” he paused “what I mean is, some, of my siblings wanted to get as big as possible as fast as possible, so they can compete for territory with adults faster. But I, decided I didn’t like that idea, I don’t want to fight other dragons just to have a nest. So long as I’m big enough to eat the things poaching from your nest, I’m big enough? But I will get bigger… I’m small for my age”
Cory sighed, listening to Daniel’s nervous babble “the point is, none of us want to be eaten, right? The bigger you get, the less say we’d have in the matter if you tried. So, the guildmaster is unsure about the future of you being here”
Daniel nodded morosely “are you telling me to go?”
“No” Cory cut in “I talked to the guild master and, while other members of the guild, are better not knowing about what you are, he’s willing to see how you do. So, we’re on the night patrol now. That means while everyone else is inside, we’ll be out, in the dark, trying to keep new creatures from crawling over or around the walls, hampering the biters… the, people who attacked me last night. If you do well, if you can prove you mean well, he’ll be willing to consider letting you stay”
Daniel’s face tightened with determination, a firm, resolute nod “I can do that. I’ll pack my stomach every night with anything that would hunt or hurt the people here”
“Generally, we try not to use lethal force” Cory added. That said, they couldn’t exactly have any of the biters knowing they were employing a dragon now. Nor did he relish the idea Daniel would hunt, bring his catches back, for himself to inform the dragon whether to kill them or not. He didn’t want that power. Not to mention the dragon’s motivation had to be partially a food supply. Denied that… what would he eat “but I’ll let you use your discretion, alright? If they surrender, it’s preferred to drop them outside the walls and tell them to not come back. If they come back, then… they’ve made their choice”
“Oh, ok” Daniel responded “The first time I catch them, I throw them out of the city, the second time I eat them”
“Please don’t literally throw them but…” he sighed “that’s… ok as a rule of thumb”
“So, what are we doing now?” Daniel wondered aloud
“Well, since for you, patrol is basically hunting, we won’t be patrolling except at night, but every night” he grunted “this will be rough at first, but we’ll need to go nocturnal. First, we go check if my route has already been taken by someone, make sure that’s straightened out. Then, I suppose we should try and not wear ourselves out, possibly try and force a nap, because we’ll be out from dusk to dawn. Since… I know what you are now, I don’t see much point in weapons training, though you’re free to practice, it’s not a bad skill for when you’re being human… But I’d rather start going over some… well, basic knowledge, since I’m assuming you’ve not known much outside of, being a dragon”
“I’ll do whatever you say” Daniel smiled brightly, a slight wiggle in him which Cory suspected would be wagging a tail he no longer had… but that reminded him
“As an aside, I heard from a report your transformations aren’t perfect… you don’t have a tail under there, do you?”
“No… not anymore, I fixed that” Daniel considered “I think I might have a patch of scales on my back still… it’s harder to fix problems I can’t see”
“Right…” He sighed, good enough then “and your…” he grimaced, damn this was an awkward question “your… appetite, how big is that, exactly”
“Oh…” Daniel seemed to think “I’ll happily get to eat every day for a change… my stomach was still waking up a bit yesterday, first good sized prey in a while. I find it’s faster if I can stay myself though… but I do like a nap when I’m full”
“Yeah… I’m done with that conversation” he muttered “you’ll be able to patrol every night, is what I’m hopefully hearing, even if you… eat”
“Yes sir”
“Let’s go” he muttered, beckoning Daniel to follow. Maybe if he was lucky he’d be able to forget for a bit he had a literal maneater trotting along behind him. The boy’s interests in this new context were so much more unnerving.

The day felt long, and Cory was unsettled. It felt wrong to sit and try to save his strength while the sun was high, to not be out patrolling. He had to hope once he’d forced his internal clock to a nocturnal pattern he wouldn’t have this. First day would be the worst.
He spent most of the time just sitting with Daniel in a relatively quiet part of the guild bar and talking the young dragon through common sense. What he learnt was how much of Daniel’s limited understanding to this point was mimicry. His attempt to explain why they ate with utensils not their hands or faces, fell on largely oblivious ears. He made do with ‘because it’s what humans do’ as an answer more times than he liked.
At least Daniel had gathered not to do things like sniff or lick people. He dreaded to contemplate such lessons were from experience. His sympathy for the dragon’s first attempts to fit into humanity grew, mostly for the people confronted by a half dragon boy trying to greet them orally.
All the same, Daniel was receptive and keen. While he wasn’t exactly thrilled with the comparison, Cory let himself think of Daniel almost like a dog. Fortunately, a bright and eager to please one.
He explained the importance of the dragon not damaging anything, keeping his tail and paws under control, and rigorously laboured the point on how to identify the biters, or how to assess an incident. At the faintest indication Daniel didn’t understand, he’d repeat it, slower, with more expressive verbiage. The process continuing till he was reasonably confident Daniel wouldn’t eat someone trying to run home. But if they were lucky, they wouldn’t run into anyone… or at least anyone not on Daniel’s menu.
The task, unfortunately, left Cory feeling mentally fatigued by the time the light outside ebbed. Evening, but not true night, not yet.
“Alright Daniel, it’s about time” he informed his apprentice as he pressed himself from the table, a creak of complaint from the chair, sharing his objection to leaving “We’ll wait outside for the evening patrol to get back, then head into the city” he pondered the boy who eased to his side quickly “I’m not sure how we’ll do this with your… other side”
Daniel seemed to ponder that “maybe, we split up? I can look for things, and you can call me if you need me?”
Cory frowned a touch “I’m still the lead on our patrols, Daniel… and this is not a hunt, we’re not seeking people or monsters, not exactly. We’re keeping watch. And the whole point of our master and apprentice system is so we don’t walk alone”
Daniel dipped his gaze, nodding slowly “I, just, don’t want to risk stepping on you. I can move faster, and see more of the streets on my own, I think” he fiddled his hands together “and, we’re meant to stop things that would attack humans, right? They might try to hide if I’m around”
Cory pondered the boy’s nervousness for a moment, till it finally sunk in “you want me to act as bait?” he concluded “to lure out hunters?”
“No… just, I won’t know which ones are not allowed unless they try to eat a human, right?”
“Which ones?” Cory sighed “if you mean monsters, Daniel, none are allowed. Just take them outside if you find them…” he paused, as the sheer, ridiculousness of what he just said sunk in. Talking to a dragon about putting man-eating monsters outside the walls, like he was punishing an unruly pet
“Still…” Cory went on “I can’t deny trying to patrol the city as a whole is largely impossible for one pair. At best we’d be picking a street to wander each night. You think you could patrol the whole place as… yourself?”
“Yes” Daniel mumbled “I’m pretty sure”
Cory rolled a hand to his jaw. Really his priority should be minding Daniel. Making sure the dragon didn’t overstep, didn’t go rogue. Maybe giving the dragon a bit of leash while risky, was the best way to find out?
“Alright Daniel, we’ll try it your way”

The evening air was cold at the back of his throat, yet it always seemed more satisfying. Each steadying breath felt clean, untouched. The city was quiet, all activity ceased, barely any lights glowed but for the moonlight shimmering off surfaces.
The prior patrols passed one by one, giving them largely sympathetic looks. A few of the eyes were more like the ones he’d see at a funeral.
The darkening sky sent familiar dread through Cory’s blood. You never went out at night. You found somewhere hidden enough or protected enough to avoid detection or trouble and just waited. But not tonight. Tonight he’d do the stupid thing of wandering into the dark where his eyes were near useless, but those of the rising predators were not.
Once everyone had passed by, he drew a long stick from his hip. At its tip was a dome, and a long cord of rope, which he directed into a brazier by the guild entry, lighting it. Oil should last a little…
“Right… let’s get a good distance in before you try anything” he looked to Daniel. The firelight offered some comfort but, he debated if he should be casting any light that might illuminate a dragon shortly enough.
So they moved off, into the shadow of buildings. The fire did manage to banish the shadows around him, but those it cast were harder, darker and the way they shifted with the flickering light was likely to drive Cory paranoid. Still, he led on towards the docks. It was a wider space, less domestic windows to watch Daniel change from, he reasoned.
So it was, that Cory found himself confronted by a dragon once again. This time getting to observe the change. It was something he struggled to comprehend. Seeing Daniel drop to fours… sort of just, expanding. Scales replacing skin, clothing, everything in moments, before the bulk gradually added itself. There was a sort of, order to which parts scaled over first, which limbs creaked into new positions, when the wings and tail sprouted. He didn’t absorb much of that though, too stupefied by the simple fact he was watching his apprentice turn into a gigantic man-eating lizard.
Once to size, he watched the dragon’s muzzle lift high, take in the air, presumably sniffing for things a human couldn’t hope to detect.
“Uh… got anything?” Cory muttered. Having to remind himself internally, he was technically in charge.
“Maybe…” Daniel looked down to him, hesitating “can I go find out?”
“I guess… try to be quiet, ok? Don’t eat anyone unless you’re absolutely… absolutely sure”
The dragon just nodded, and trotted away. Sure enough, pretty quietly all things considered. He could still hear the thump of the paws to the ground but, disconcertingly like a cat. A prowler’s step.
Left on his own, with nothing but the trembling light of his torch for company, Cory turned to wandered back into the more residential lanes. Better he look there than Daniel… he doubted the dragon would struggle to find him. Though on that note, he dreaded to think what else may find it all too easy.

It wasn’t so much later that Cory got an answer.
The streets were familiar, he’d lost track of how many times he’d walked them. But the cold, lifelessness of them… it gave him the same sort of, uncanny terror the lifeless face of a comrade did. He had to remind himself the city was only sleeping.
There was one advantage to the silence though. He only heard the faintest distortion in the air, and in the moment believed he was just being jumpy, but felt like, something was behind him.
He took a step forward, turning while his free hand went to his hilt, coming face to face with something almost human. Hands grasped for him, but he shouldered one off while backing up and getting a look at his assailant.
Vampire of some sort, he concluded with a quick look. He’d gotten a close look at some distinctive teeth in that moment… but the creature was bare chested, to give bat wings from the shoulder some room. He’d never known how to classify the creatures. On the face of it they reminded him of, a bat version of the birdlike harpies. But he’d heard a whole lot of stories making him think they were more like lycanthropes, able to, with training, change their shape… a bit like Daniel could, to appear wholly human, or wholly bat.
“You’re quick” the creature complimented him, to which Cory scowled
“If you’re wise, you will be too. Out and over the wall”
“A lesson on wisdom, from the human wandering alone at night?”
Cory took a step back, blade drawn. He knew little of what this form of creature could do, but, it seemed confident enough, advancing on him. Maybe it was bluffing? Counted on him fleeing?
His eyes searched about as best he could without letting it escape his range of vision. Maybe it had friends…
The search froze with… mixed relief. Something else was near, looming over a building, taloned paws resting dangerously on top… but he had bigger problems than scolding that detail.
“Who said I was alone?”
It got the reaction he expected, the creature paused, for a moment at least. Seemed to give the prompt, the looming figure needed. A long neck curled down the side of the building, jaws wide, snapping down to engulf the entire upper body of Cory’s assailant. A head which rose, tossed, with unnerving ease and casual manner. Cory left to sheath his weapon, and in the moonlight, watch flailing wings be licked past teeth, legs sink away as… the dragon fed. Barely an effort.
In the moonlight, he could only make out the flailing shadows, as the would-be predator had its evening with something so much larger. His angle really giving Cory the unnerving perspective of Daniel looming over a building, tossing back with such… ease, a creature he’d have struggled against alone. Barely a noise, but for the watery lapping of the dragon’s tongue along the shores of his scaled lips, the last of his catch sinking into the deep.
Daniel’s muzzle dipped back down, after the neck’s weave suggested the beast had swallowed “I was ok to have that one, right…?”
“Yes Daniel…” Cory muttered, having to look away from the snout, the throat. Seeing the whole process this close. His legs were trembling, what was he doing by this reptile? He looked back… the dragon’s eyes were huge, sharp, watching him for praise or confirmation. Like a kid… “those ones are alright” he made himself add “he would have attacked me”
“Yes sir” the dragon grinned, flashing murder teeth before Cory’s eyes, then hefting himself back. Did that mean there were more around, he’d just given Daniel permission to hunt…? Would Daniel have seen them as human?
Cory groaned, and leaned to a wall, catching his breath and letting himself calm down. This night patrol lark was going to be the death of him, most likely. That or his apprentice. Still, he had to reflect as he listened in the quiet, sure he could, just faintly hear Daniel, somewhere. Maybe strange as this was it could work?
With Daniel’s teeth and snout no longer in view, he managed to calm down and reflect on the encounter. Sure enough, that was one creature who wouldn’t prey on the town anymore… if it had friends, they may face a similar doom in the core of a dragon, or flee to never come back. That was more than he could ever have done, right? The concerns of the, implications of Daniel’s effectiveness were put aside for now, Cory allowing himself a weak smile, basking in his survival.
“Having a dragon around… might not be such a bad idea…”