My three inhabitants of my fantasy world's Gold River Valley, somewhat cut off from the rest of the coast by a fjord and the ocean. Peri the gryphon is a little nervous wreck, too scared to fly over the deeper woods to go north for the summer; Meri is a thin, lanky forest dragon whose attempts to steal sheep from the nearby village are always thwarted; and Mul is the Valley's ward, wielding powerful magic and her innate strength to tend to the valley's people and protect against whatever terrors emerge from the western mountains. She tries not to show it, but she has a soft spot for Meri, who is somehow always struggling to eat more than once every few days.
Peri isn't even sure Mul is real, and worriedly tells Meri of a giant creature who stalks the valley's forests and rends the bark from trees to mark its territory.
"Well, she likes to scratch her back against the trees," He'd say. "You should try it too! It looks very satisfying."