"Explain to me again why we let her up in our tree? Fruit? Is she saying dragons eat fruit? I think elves have fruit between their ears. It rots, becoming soft and mushy." McDodd gestured to his ear as he spoke. "Your mother won't know, she left the elven kingdoms to come live in a stupid boring lumber camp. I doubt she even owns a book. What good are books in a lumber camp? Next you're going to say that she's still teachin' you magic too, right?"
"She is you dullard! One day I'll turn you into toad and you'll beg me to turn you back, but I won't, because all I'll hear is some stupid frog and I'll kick you into a puddle and forget all about you."
Syndar's face turned an angry pink, and though blessed with the ageless beauty and grace of her elf mother, she already demonstrated the temper and strong-willed nature of her human father.
Kirsk intervened. "Leave it be, McDodd. If Syndar says she knows magic, then one day she'll show us. Nollo is our guest in the tree, let him finish his story."
Kirsk waited for McDodd to press the issue, but the bully relented, glaring before punching Nollo in the arm.
"You heard 'im. So what else did your dragon eat? Some of those stupid animals your father tries passing off as monsters? He should be arrested."
Nollo rubbed his arm. "No, he curled up and went to sleep."
Kirsk's curiosity got the better of him. "Nollo, dragons don't usually eat fish fed to them by humans. Why didn't the dragon didn't eat you instead?"
"Because he was caged," Nollo said. "I wouldn't feed a dragon if it wasn't caged. That's stupid."
His reply was so immediate, Kirsk almost believed him.
Craster laughed again, prompting McDodd to punch him.
"A cage?" McDodd pressed. "I doubt you saw a dragon in a cage. They happen to be as big as a castle and fly so high you can't see them."
McDodd waited for the boy's reply then looked surprised when Syndar supported the braggart.
"Nollo, that's a tall tale and you know it," she said. "Dragons are too strong. If they can carry a horse and rider into the air, they could break out of a cage pretty easy."
She smiled at the young boy, as if to encourage his story while keeping him honest.
Nollo sighed, staring out as a warm breeze wafted through the framed window of the tree house. A lantern on the floor cast shadows along the wall.
"You can keep them in cages if they're small enough," Nollo replied, his voice so quiet the others almost missed it.
"What do you mean small enough?" Kirsk persisted. "You mean like a baby dragon?"
Nollo glanced up, nervous, nodding slowly.
Kirsk smiled and asked, "Where is this baby dragon then?"
Nollo pulled a knife from the pocket of his soft breeches. Elegantly dressed with his embroidered shirt, he wiped some dirt from his polished boots and notched the wood by his feet.
"Not 'posed to say," he said. "My pappy would get mad."
McDodd opened his mouth, but Syndar spoke first. "Was it one of the carnivals back east? You said your father took you 'round the southern edge of the desert. My mother says tribes of men and wandering tent cities live within sight of the sands. Is that where you saw it?"
Nollo shook his head in silent disagreement, stabbing at the floor of the tree house.
To the surprise of all, Craster uttered their unspoken question: "You sayin' yer pappy got a caged dragon up in that barn?"
Nollo looked up too quickly, his expression betraying him.
"Who told you that?" the boy asked. "There's no dragon, I just… I saw one once. You're lying!"
Kirsk reached out a calloused hand to Nollo's shoulder and said, "It's all right Nollo, we know what's in the barn. Every year you and your father spend a tenday restocking for the journey west toward the Sword Coast. Every year we share tales, and every year you tell us about the beasts, wizards, and barbarians you encounter. We don't care if it's true, we just like your stories. It's better than listening to McDodd burp and break wind everyday, for sure."
Both Syndar and Craster laughed, causing the bigger boy to turn red, threatening Kirsk with a punch. Craster switched sides and encouraged the fight.
"Yeah, knock 'im, McDodd. Knock his teeth in!"
Syndar rolled her eyes, and Kirsk sat motionless, familiar with the bully's threats.
"One day, Kirsk," McDodd threatened even as he lowered his arm. "One day you'll get what's coming."
Ignoring the bully, Kirsk regarded Nollo and said, "Tell us about the barn. Your father must have something special if you aren't supposed to tell anyone. What is it? A talking bird? You swore once you had a talking bird, but when we went to see it, he just pooped in Craster's hair. That was funny, only because Craster did all the talking."
Syndar giggled at the familiar story, and McDodd punched Craster in the arm just because.
"Nothin' special. Just… animals," Nollo mumbled, looking out the window.
McDodd finally found a target for his frustration. "Ha! Just like the time you told us you had a beholder-a floating eye sack that could turn us to stone. 'Cept when we arrived, it wasn't floating, or wavin' its eyes around. Just some pumpkins that grew into a giant pumpkin, with a rotted hole for a mouth, and stems you swore were once eye stalks. Last year, you swore your pap had a drow girl in a cage. Syndar was so scared she wouldn't go into the barn. She believed you, but I knew better. Funny how the evil dark elf was actually Grapper's daughter covered in dirt and soot. A chimney sweep's daughter paid to pretend she was drow. Your pappy is so cheap, he didn't even give her fake ears!"
McDodd laughed with Craster joining in. Teh, yer pap is cheap! And stupid!"
Nollo flushed red, his embarrassment becoming anger at the taunts.
"You're all just stupid tree-cutters!" Nollo shouted. "You wouldn't know a dwarf from a gnome from a halfling. I have fed a dragon. I did it tonight. And I said they're called wyrms!"
He stopped his outburst, seeing looks of surprise from the four local youth. They had never heard him so angry before.
"I… I should go," Nollo said. "My pappy is mad if I'm late two nights in a row."
As he started for the rope ladder hanging from the side of the tree house, Kirsk's gentle hand paused him.
"Do you really have a baby dragon in the barn?"
Nollo stammered out his reply. "Y-yes."
"Well, I give the kid respect," said McDodd. "Three lies in three years, and each bigger than the last."
Kirsk looked back to Syndar, who voiced everyone's thoughts: "Let's go see it."
Nollo shook his head and said, "No! I promised my pappy I wouldn't tell. It's his big surprise for carnival this year. Every year he gets mad when no one comes to see his animals, so he said he'll get something so special, they'll beg him to stay and run the show all year long. Please, I won't be able to sit for a month if he finds out."
The others looked to each other as McDodd said, "I'll go, just to prove what a liar you are."
Nollo looked to Kirsk, his expression changing as a new thought emerged.
"If he thinks I'm a liar, then I'll prove him wrong. 'Cept you all have to pay a coin each to see it. Two if you want a touch." Nollo grinned, secure in the knowledge his father couldn't be sore if he turned profit like he was taught to.
Craster whined, "I ain't got no coins."
McDodd punched him, right in the same spot, and said, "Yer stupid. We ain't payin' no coins to see a lizard in a cage. I'll bet you it's a lizard with wings of cloth, 'cause his pap is stupid and cheap."
Craster winced as he rubbed his arm. "Yeh, stupid and cheap."
Kirsk shared a secret smile with Syndar before gesturing to the open night before them.