As it’s your first day on the ranch, we need to go over some of the basics. I’m sure when you applied to work with…shall we say, “special creatures” I bet dragons weren’t what you were expecting. A couple of our team keeps telling us that we need to be more specific about what creatures we work with. Something about legal troubles, accountability, et cetera. Well don’t worry. Our dragons are tame…mostly.
Let me guess, you’re picturing giant, majestic, almost royal creatures. You’d have the giant part right. As for majestic, they are quite a sight soaring above the clouds and breathing plumes of fire. The royal part is a bit off. Our dragons are massive lizards with attitude problems. Have you ever had a giant lizard roll their eyes at you when you ask them to do their job? Honestly, if he wouldn’t crush me, I’d give my dragon Mykros a piece of my mind. He’s the laziest lump of scales you’ll ever meet unless you offer him a cookie. Then all of a sudden he’s got all of the energy in the world. I swear, we spoil these damn dragons so much, they’re basically village royalty. Specialty stables, days off, all of the fruits and treats they could eat…no wonder they grow up being insufferable little asses.
We raise the dragons to work in the local farms and villages to make people’s lives a bit easier. Blacksmiths use them to keep their forges lit. Farmers use them to summon rain or entice the plants to grow. Some dragons even function as messengers to farther villages. From egg to full grown, we watch over them. We teach them, care for them, stop them from getting into trouble. Speaking of which, be sure to lock your door at night unless you want a hatchling stealing your underwear or eating your socks. I know, I know they sound like puppies and honestly, they pretty much are. You train them using bribes, also known as treats, and tough love.
Ah right, treats! We feed them mostly fruits, though some of the dragons prefer meat. Hangry dragons are no fun so be sure to keep them well fed at all times. Oh, don’t believe me? See that pavilion over there? We had to rebuild it five different times because dragons got upset that their meals were a half hour late. They’re no better than toddlers, throwing fits when they don’t get their way.
I’m sure I’m not making this sound very pleasant, am I? There are plenty of upsides I promise. You get to work with some of the most majestic creatures in the world. Hatchlings are much more cuddly than they appear. They love body heat so they’ll cuddle in your lap or lay on your chest. Plus there’s nothing cooler than soaring through the sky on dragon-back. Perhaps I’ll take you for a ride tomorrow. Mykros is quite calm and a good mount for a first time flyer.
Ah, there’s the dinner bell! Time flies when you’re being given the grand tour. Are you hungry? Good, good. The chefs always prepare a feast and tonight they’ll put on quite a show for you and the other new recruits. They tend to celebrate every occasion, big or small. After you, my friend. Tomorrow, we get to work.