The path of shredded terrain and dragon dung leads to a mountain of dragons. They are shivering; huddled together in the cleft of a large cliff.
Cellu had suggested to Edna and the others that they question the dragons separately, to ensure that the frightened creatures do not make up a story just to lead them away from dragon country. Though doing so will likely cause each dragon more fear, and will take much longer than if they were to question all of the dragons as once, they decide to take Cellu’s advice, as it does seem more prudent, in the long run.
So, once the group is close enough to be heard, Edna gathers what is left of her energy and stands straight, as best she can; her friends standing at her side. After taking a deep breath, Edna begins to yell.
“Listen to me, dragons!” The dragons’ shivering increases. “I have questions, and I want answers! If you don’t want to face my wrath, you will do exactly what I tell you to do. Now, I want you all to go to your homes and wait for further instruction.” The dragons all look at each other, confused. Edna raises her cain and shakes it, “Now!”
The dragons jump in unison and run towards Edna so quickly that she and her friends have no time to get out of the way. Kadiatu screams and lunges for Gargana’s leg, wrapping her arms around it tightly. Gargan holds tightly to his wife and Kadiatu, as though he could shield them from the monstrous creatures. Cellu cries out, pleading to nobody in particular, it seems, and Twyne, Pixie, and Edna stand still, ready for the worst.
All the fear, however, is for nothing. The dragons, every one of them, leap over the group, stepping on, and crashing into, nobody but themselves. Edna and the others—all but Kadiatu—begin to laugh with relief; legs trembling. But Kadiatu, who has been very brave up until now, and, understandably, deserves a good cry, cries. And the others stop laughing and look on the child with concern—well, all but Cellu. Gargana picks Kadiatu up and holds her; rocking her gently.
After Kadiatu’s tears have subdued into soft sulking Edna says, “I suppose we shouldn’t waste time. The dragons are in their caves, scared out of their wits. Let’s do what we need to do quickly.” They all agree with silence. Kadiatu agrees with a couple of wet sniffs.
They walk back towards the dragons’ caves, tired and solemn. The trodden ground has become common and bothersome. They come first to Drake’s cave. Edna stands at the entrance and yells, “we’re coming in. Be prepared for some questioning.”
They enter and see their host, wrapped in his silky curtains, and shaking. “Now,” Edna says, tiredly and with a slight eye role, if you do what I tell you, you needn’t be afraid; so, I suggest you be quick to listen, and quick to obey, or else…” She lifts her cane, “you know.” In fact, he does not know, and neither does she.
Drake bows, “Yes master.”
“We need answers, Drake.”
“Yes, master.”
“Do you know of any terrible, cruel dragons?”
The dragon thinks for a moment, then a look of recognition shines in his eyes. Edna sees it and glances at the others; they all look hopeful.
“Well, master, there is a very selfish dragon, Doogen. He hardly ever invites me over for dinner, or lunch, or even breakfast. I’ve invited him over several times, and he never returns the favor.”
Edna glares at Drake for a speechless moment.
“That’s not wicked.” She finally responds. “That’s not cruel. So go to another dragon’s cave for dinner.”
“It’s not how a good dragon behaves.”
“Enough.” Edna snaps.
Drake shivers.
“Dragon,” Edna says.
“Ye.. yes master.”
“I want you to think really hard. Are there any truly wicked dragons? Maybe not in dragon country, maybe somewhere else in Storia that we may not know about.” The dragon’s face is strained. He feels that his foe Doogen is such a dragon.
“Uh yes, I do, I remember now,” the dragon says. “Uh, uh, yes uh, a big ferocious dragon, who is terribly wicked. He’s a, a human child eater. And uh, he…” His voice trails off, thinking, trying not to bring Doogen back up.
“Edna,” Pixie whispers.
“Yah,” Edna says, not looking away from Drake.
“I’ve never heard of such a creature. I find it difficult to believe this stuff would happen in Storia without my knowing about it.”
“Well, it sounds like the kind of creature we should be looking for; the only kind of dragon I’d feel comfortable slaying,” Edna whispers. “Maybe we should move on now.”
“Yah, I’m getting tired of this cave.” Pixie says.
Edna looks past Drake to the fabric that is hiding whatever is creating the shimmers of color.
“Dragon.” She says. “Aren’t you going to show us what’s behind that silky curtain?”
“It’s just,” Drake says. “It’s just, it’s my treasure—not much; not as much as some of the others.”
“I want to see,” Edna says.
“But I, but, but,” Drake whimpers and looks towards the entrance of the cave; his immobile body is pregnant with the gesture that it’s time for his guests to leave.
“Grandma!” Kadiatu says.
“Oh child, it’s okay, I’m just satisfying my curiosity.”
“But this is his home.”
“She’s right, Edna,” Pixie says without conviction. “We don’t need to see behind the curtain.” But Edna’s fairy tale friends are all curious, and curiosity can sometimes be very much like greed.
Kadiatu tries to look into the eyes of her adult companions, but each look away quickly, except for Cellu. When her eyes fall on his, he smiles and holds her gaze while he begins to speak aloud.
“The dragon, himself, judges good character by hospitality, and he won’t even show his guests his treasure. That doesn’t seem very hospitable to me.”
“Yes, I do see what you’re saying,” Edna says. “Drake, show us your treasure room.”
The dragon continues to stand immobile for a moment, scared and almost visibly angry. Finally he lifts his arm to the curtain and pulls it aside. A large cavern opens before them that is filled with blood red rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and more; as many gems as there are colors, it seems. And there is also gold and other precious metals. The uninvited guests let out a sigh of pleasure while their hearts sink with longing. The cavern runs deep underground.
“Take us farther down,” Edna says to the dragon. The dragon grumbles, his unwillingness growing increasingly insubordinate. Edna and her friends do not take notice; except for Kadiatu. The dragon leads them deeper into the cavern, and though they are nowhere near the light of the outside, there are various lanterns that sparkle majestically through the gems. As the cave reaches deeper, the gems are in rougher form, laying about on the floor as though they are in the process of refinement. A river runs through the cavern, with currents that lap against the jewels and the black clay earth. The river has bits of gold dust speckled throughout and flows deeply into the cave, running along the black bank. In the shadows, there are little creatures with what looks like gold mining equipment, working at the side of the river, but the sounds they make to one another are animal-like. They speak no sapient language.
“What are they?” Edna asks.
“They’re mine!” The dragon snaps, “This is my mine! I came by it all fairly, it belongs to me!”
The group is startled. “Very well then,” Edna says quickly, “I’ll allow you it. If you escort us out, we’ll be on our way to the next cave.” Drake’s chest is puffing, and he stares angrily at his intruders. Edna fears she has pushed him too far. “Quickly,” she says, boldly. She lifts her cane to the dragon. “Do not dawdle. You may take us to Doogen’s cave if you like.” The dragon’s anger subsides a little. He looks at the cane and thinks of Doogen.
“Yes master, this way master,” he says with a touch of insolence.
Drake brings them only far enough to point out Doogen’s cave. Around Doogen’s home, unnoticeable patches of flowers are missing where Kadiatu’s hands had innocently collected a gift for Edna.
“Doogen!” Edna says at the cave entrance. They all listen. “Doogen,” she shouts again, “Don’t make me force you to answer.”
A low grumble comes from a large throat, deep within the cave. “I am Doogen.”
“We’re coming in,” Edna says.
The gang enters, slowly. Kadiatu’s chin is on her chest, and she walks without seeing, led only by a loose handful of Gargana’s skirt. Doogen’s cave is like Drake’s, but it is even more colorful. The cushions are brightly embroidered, and precious stone and silk tapestries cover the walls. All of the vibrant gem colors they had seen in Drake’s cave are decorating the whole of Doogen’s living space. He does not have a golden floor, however; it is silver, and it reflects the colors in his living space nicely. His cave, too, has a large tapestry that covers an opening; it is much thicker than Drakes, and does not tease his guests with dancing shadows.
Edna looks at the heavy curtain momentarily, then peers at Kadiatu, whose face is still turned to the ground. Edna sighs. “Ok Doogen, if you give us answers quickly, we’ll be gone soon.” Some of them sit on cushions without waiting for an offer. Edna continues to stand, and Gargana stands next to her. Edna’s left arm throbs, and her right hand holds the weight of her body as the cane digs into the resistant silver floor.
Edna asks the same questions and Doogen’s answers are no different from Drake’s except Drake is Doogen’s villain because, “he refuses to decorate the outside of his house with flowers. Instead, he focuses all his decorating on the inside of his cave, and all dragons should think of others when they decorate.” He does not know of any human dragon that eats children, though, not even when Edna asks him about it. Doogen may have been more honest than Drake, but he can offer no real answers. Edna and her group visit a few other dragon caves but learn nothing. Night approaches before their task is accomplished, and they are all exhausted. The dragons bring out cushions and piles of lush blankets to an area of land farthest from the caves, and then hurry away.
Once on the ground, Edna is comfortable and warm, and ready to sleep. Being wrapped in thick warm blankets in crispy cold air is her favorite way to sleep. But she does not sleep well. She shivers though she is warm. Then she sweats; and this makes her shiver more. Her body aches for sleep but her mind won’t settle. The others find it difficult to sleep as well; they toss and turn, grab their blankets for warmth then push them away for air. They plump their pillows, remove their pillows, and after hours of jostling with their bedding, they finally fall asleep.
Soon the morning light shines, and the sleepers begin to warm, like frogs in a pot, as the temperature rises inside their blankets. Edna is wakened by her own sudden motions when she shoves away the blankets with her good arm to get some air. She immediately reaches for her cane—which she had tucked close to her body—but it is not there.”
“My cane! Someone took my cane!” She shouts.
“Is it under your bedding?” Gargana asks, rushing to Edna’s blankets to help her look for it. They pat around the blankets to feel for the cane, but the thick ball of nerves that coagulate in Edna’s stomach tells her that it is not hiding under those soft covers.
“Could a dragon have taken it?” Twynne asks.
“Would they be so brave?” Gargan responds. “It seems doubtful.”
“Where’s Cellu?” Kadiatu asks.
They look towards the spot where Cellu had slept. All that is there is an abandoned pile of blankets; emptied like shed snakeskin.
Renee Rushing 
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