As you stepped back into our room, brushing snack crumbs off your fingers, the faint scent of ink and paper filled the air. The soft hum of music played in the background, something mellow and dreamy. You froze for a moment in the doorway.

There she was—Lady Deg a lizard dragon, perched gracefully at her desk. Her sketchbook lay open, filled with sharp lines and soft shadows, her pencil dancing at the edges of a half-finished drawing. She had one hand on her phone, angled just right as she snapped a photo of her latest work—then of herself, tilting her head slightly, her expression calm but focused.

The click of her camera shutter was the only sound until she noticed you standing there. Her eyes met mine, and a playful smirk tugged at her lips.

“Oh,” she said, still holding her phone mid-air. “Back from your little snack mission, huh?”

She set her pencil down gently and leaned back in her chair. “Caught in the act,” she said, almost teasing. “You weren’t supposed to see the behind-the-scenes of the Lady Deg process.”