A young girl with long golden locks of hair was wearing a red dress and dragging her big dragon along with her. Her name was Delia. Her dragon was a big red dragon with a big golden underbelly and he had golden spikes on his neck and golden horns and his name was Bloodfang. Delia pulled on Bloodfang's leash as they walked around the river, trying to get him to move.

"Come on, you big brute. Let's go! You are so heavy!" she growled. "But mistress, I'm tired! And I'm hungry! And I'm thirsty! Can't we stop for a lunch break? You have been dragging me all morning!" Bloodfang whined. "No! We have to get to the spring feast before sundown and you are being a slowpoke! You have to do as I say!" Delia commanded. "Mistress, I can't go on much further! My legs hurt! And my feet hurt!" Bloodfang whined again, as his big body fell with a loud thud. He landed on his back, belly up. "Bloodfang, no! Get up and stop being lazy!" Delia commanded once more. But Bloodfang didn't listen. He just laid right there, panting hard.

Now the thud startled a 22 year old boy named Ethan who was fishing by the river. "What was that loud noise?!" he ran towards where the noise came from and he found Delia and Bloodfang. "Miss? My name's Ethan. What are you doing with that dragon?" Ethan asked. "We are on the road to the spring feast. I am Delia, and this is my dragon Bloodfang. My father got me this dragon as a birthday present. But my dragon is way too big and way too fat! And not to mention LAZY!!" she threw a fit and slapped Bloodfang right on his underbelly. "Ow! That hurts!" Bloodfang yelped and cried. Ethan gasped and drew his sword that he carried on his side. "Stop it! You're hurting the poor creature!". "Like I care! That's what he gets for his laziness! He won't move, I will make him move! By force!" she growled and pulled out a whip and whacked the whip against the grass. The sound of the whip echoed throughout the meadow. "You can't do that! You can't just abuse him like this! Dragons are not your slaves!" Ethan growled and held his sword with both hands. "Who says they aren't? Dragons are supposed to be mighty, majestic, and powerful creatures that obey their master's every whim! Get lost, boy! Or I will whip you too!" Delia boasted. "No, you're wrong! You don't know how to raise a dragon! You are a terrible owner!" Ethan screamed, and then took a deep breath. "Listen...I can teach you how to raise a dragon properly. But only if you will let go of your pride, and let me show you...". "That's it! You're gonna get it, boy!" she snapped and ran at Ethan with her whip.

Ethan held his sword in front of him as she ran closer. She took a swing at him with her whip but Ethan held his blade up to her whip, causing the whip to wrap around his sword. "If I was you, I could afford some manners and respect!" he said as he used his sword to pull her down to the ground. "H-how?! No one's even beaten me in a fight!" she whimpered. "First time for everything" he said as he held her down with his foot. "Now are you gonna let go of your pride and let me show you how to raise a dragon?". "Okay, okay! I will..." she growled and stared at him. He looked to the exhausted dragon and walked over to it. The dragon was tired and in tears. "Hey big guy. Don't cry. It's okay. Shh...". Bloodfang gasped nervously and looked at Ethan. "What do you want? Don't hurt me!". "I am not going to hurt you. I mean well" he went into his pouch and took out a handkererchief to wipe the dragon's tears away. "She was mean to me...always barking orders at me and making me walk on and on like that...and she didn't even feed me!" Bloodfang roared angrily and whipped his tail on the ground. The echo could be heard throughout the meadow. "Whoa there!" Ethan was startled. "Calm down. I'm only a quarter your size. Calm down...shhh..." Ethan said calmly as he rubbed the dragon's underbelly with one hand and scratched under its chin with his other hand. "Now who's a good big boy? Yes, you are. Yes, you are..." Ethan cooed, and the rubbing made the dragon growl happily and kick his paws into the air. He looked at Delia. "I could use a hand. Rub his wings for me.". "Oh...um...alright" she walked up, amazed by how Ethan was treating her dragon. She rubbed her dragon's left wing, and then the other wing, making Bloodfang feel satisfied and content. As they did that, Ethan felt a loud sound and a vibration on Bloodfang's belly. "You know what that means? That means he's hungry...we've gotta feed him" Ethan suggested. "But I don't have any food..." Delia whimpered. "That's okay. He can have my food" Ethan reached into his pouch for fresh meat and he offered it to Bloodfang. Bloodfang then munched on the meat happily. "After he's done with that, he'll lead him to the lake. He must be thirsty too..." Ethan suggested. "Alright..." Delia smiled, now seeing the proper way to treat her dragon.

Ethan and Delia helped Bloodfang stand up and they both led him to the lake. Bloodfang leaned his neck down until his snout was touching the water and he started drinking like a very thirsty dragon. Ethan looked at Delia. "Now do you see? You can't raise a dragon by force and making it your slave. You see, dragons are living things like you and me. They nee plenty of food, water, and rest. And some love...just like you and I. Don't you see?" Ethan explained. "You're right...Bloodfang I am sorry for the way I treated you. and I am sorry for picking a fight with you, Ethan" Delia sighed, feeling guilty. "Aww, that's okay" Bloodfang looked at her and smiled. "I accept your apology. You learned from your mistakes. And you are going to treat him better now, right?" Ethan asked. "Of course I will. A happy dragon is more important than the spring feast" she looked at Bloodfang and smiled. "Wonderful. You two can continue onward. But I hope to see you two again soon" Ethan said as he waved goodbye and walked back home. "Fare thee well, new friend! Bloodfang and I will miss you!" they both waved goodbye and went on their way to the spring feast.

I wrote this story to show that animals and humans both have feelings. And that we should not be cruel to animals. Instead, show them the love and compassion you would give to any other human being. That is the moral of this story.