The palace guards moved forward in formation. Shields up and covering their front. Long spears forming a tight forest of spikes to protect the soldiers.

“Char-ghhghg-” the noble tried to order a charge but was cut off by a jet of water slamming into his waist. Knocking him over and leaving him on the ground whimpering in the fetal position.

His soldiers hesitated but quickly responded to the glowing eyes emerging from the fog followed by a slender serpentine body. What they weren’t prepared to handle was the dragon attacking from below their shields.

The dragon slithered along the ground. Well below their shields and spears. The soldiers did the logical thing and tried to stomp the dragon. The dragon was oddly flexible and despite the steel boots of the palace guards they failed to inflict any damage.

“Split. Up. You. Fools.” The fat palace guard ordered between laboured breaths.

Several on the edge of the formation got the message and backed off. Will realized that the long weapons they had ended in an axe and a spike like a spear. The guards tried chopping at the dragon.

The blow connected and Will heard the snapping crunch of scale breaking.

The dragon squealed and lunged at the man biting his arm.

Will hissed and recoiled in sympathy. Markhor patted his shoulder, “It’s okey he’s got armour on.”

The dragon slithered back and snapped forwards this time wrapping it’s jaws around the guards neck with a loud crunch.

The guard looked just as surprised at being unharmed as the dragon was.

“Tough shell. Human.” It paused slithering around between the guards dodging attacks.

As William experienced, the dragon was slippery and could leave a layer of slime if it wanted to.

A guard eventually missed his stomp and slipped knocking the next guard over. As each guard slipped and tried to balance them selves they knocked the next one over.

Markhor stopped in the middle of a sip and watched as the dragon covered the guards in slime. It rolled and twisted on itself pushing gobs of the slime onto the guards.

The road they were on was a very gentle incline. You wouldn’t notice it most days but covered in a soapy slimy foam the guards realized they were slowly sliding away from the dragon.

“Farewell. Humans.” the dragon gently tapped the mass of struggling guards and they slid away. Leaving their lardy leader alone.

The dragon coiled it’s body around the fat palace guard leaving his armoured belly exposed. The dragons tail tapped around his waist until it got under the guards armour and with a scrapping tearing sound the dragon pulled the armour off of the pinned man

“This one looks plump and tasty.”

Will shrugged out of Markhor’s grip as he raced off waving his arms “Stop!”. Slipping slightly on the slime he yelled, “Wait wait wait.”

The dragon’s head turned slightly as it launched a jet of water. Will recoiled as the water was going to hit his face and then froze. The water bent away from Will and splashed harmlessly on ground.

Will glanced at his hands briefly, “How?” looking up from his hands he saw the face of the dragon. The oddly glowing eye glaring at his own. “Where is the male?”

“I don’t know-”

“Where. Human.” The dragon launched another ball of water which harmlessly dispersed around William. The dragon lunged at Will neck.

“Stop!” Sapo’s tiny voice called out.

The dragon froze and slowly lifted its head, it’s foul breath filled Will’s face as it gently bit and pulled of his signature floppy cap revealing the small white dragon.

“Hi!” Sapo waved his tail.

Will’s vision was filled with scales, soap and foam as the dragon coiled around Will and sent him sliding away from the fountain.

Markhor stopped Will’s sliding with his toe and helped the dazed Baker to his feet, “Is that Sapo?”

“No it’s soap. Makes the dragon slippery.” Will deflected.

“I meant- Ah never mind.” Markhor stowed his bottle of water and strapped his shield to his arm.

“Your next plan?”

“Where are the palace guards?”

Markhor laughed. “They ran.”

“And the leader.”

“Who do you think was at the front?”