Black Barley Cookie grumbled, adjusting his cracked leather pauldron. He eyed the wriggling green mass curled up by his hearth – an Asparagus Dragon whelpling, no bigger than his forearm. It was supposed to be a temporary guest after he found it tangled in some thorny vines, but "temporary" was starting to feel rather permanent.

"Hmph. Thought I was done with dragon rearing," he muttered.

He picked up a meat jelly, inspecting it while fixing the len of his eyepatch monocle. "Now, don't go thinkin' this is a proper home, you hear? Just get your strength back, and then you're out. Back to your own kind. Not my problem."