Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

A storm obscures the full moon. Frustrated, Jeremy lies in bed and memorizes the hatching poem. Just before midnight, the storm stops, revealing a bright moon. Seizing the opportunity, Jeremy quietly gathers the sphere and sneaks outside to begin the ritual. He finds a good spot in the yard and recites the poem. As he settles into a lawn chair, he falls asleep, only to be awakened by his alarm. To his amazement, the sphere changes color and begins to hatch. He takes the hatching dragon inside to protect her, fearing that she might get lost or harmed outside. In his room, he watches as the little red dragon fully emerges. She hisses at Jeremy at first, but they soon establish a cautious telepathic bond. By morning, the dragon is perched on Jeremy’s shoulder and is nibbling at his ear. Jeremy searches for more information in the instructions on how to care for her.

Jeremy is shocked to find that the instruction sheet has magically changed from instructions on hatching a dragon’s egg to guidance on caring for a new hatchling. These new instructions emphasize that the dragon’s existence must be kept secret. The instructions also explain that although mature dragons prefer live prey, infant dragons can eat small pieces of meat like chicken liver.