PROMPT: By @talesofthedeep  Some pirates have parrots on their shoulders. But a pet dragon is much more useful at striking terror into the heart of your enemy!

The sailor leaned down from the crow's nest and called to the Captain on the poop deck, "Sail ho, Captain! Ship 45 degrees off the port bow. It be the Matador!"

The Captain pivoted his spyglass around. "Unfurl the sails! Hard to port!" he called and the order was echoed by sailors all over the deck jumping into action to carry it out.

The wind favoured them, billowing the sails and snapping the Jolly Roger flag taut from the top of the mainmast.

"Let's show that interloping pirate Blunderbuss who controls this part of the Pearl Sea," the Captain said.

"Only part, Captain?" his First Mate Mould said, spinning the helm to bring the brigantine about.

The Captain grunted. "Let's not tempt Poseidon and get ahead of ourselves."

"Show a leg, ye scallywags!" the Captain shouted at his crew.

As they neared the schooner, the Captain reached into his shirt and pulled on the silver chain hanging round his neck, freeing an intricately-engraved silver whistle. He blew it twice. While silent to human ears, from the mast rising above the crow's nest two great, red wings began to unfurl.

"Cannons, Captain!" called down the sailor from above.

"Aye, scupper that, methinks," Mould chuckled.

A long, sinewy neck uncurled itself from the mast and stretched a great horned head skyward. The armoured lids creased slightly, revealing yellow eyes. Fanged jaws opened to release a mighty roar that shivered the frames of all within hearing distance followed by a long blast of flame.

The sailors aboard the newly-christened Draconia were unfazed, although amazement filled their smiles as they watched the Captain's mysterious pet. They chuckled at the terrified screams of "Blimey!" bouncing over the water from the other ship.

"Aye, ye great beast! Go have yer grub!" The Captain flung his arm forward, pointing towards the enemy vessel whose sailors were frantically running to and fro across its deck.

The dragon dove towards the Matador, plucking a sailor off the rigging, throwing him high in the air before catching him in its maw and swallowing the screaming man whole.

The Draconia's sailors cheered and gathered at the rail to watch the show, taking bets on how long the dragon would take to clean out the crew.

She was a great asset for sure. They'd not lost a crew member since the Captain had come back with her months ago. She gave no quarter, carrying out her work handsomely, then left the ship for them to ransack as they liked.

They'd conquer the great Pearl Sea faster if they left survivors, but the entertainment of seeing the dragon going fishing for any sailors who took their chances on Davy Jones locker over being eaten or roasted was worth a slow conquest.

Good things are worth waiting for after all.

WORD COUNT: 500

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