Otto and the Dragon

Chapter 6: With Friends Like These

The walk through the forest seemed to stretch out forever. One step in front of the other, over and over again. Occasionally Tyrol would stop and motion for Otto to remain quiet and still. Then the dragon would stand on his hind legs and peer around slowly, taking deep breaths with his wide dragon nostrils. He seemed disturbed. 

“What is it? Otto asked

“The forest seems particularly quiet,” Tyrol answered after some sniffing and peering.

Otto listened.

“I don’t hear anything,” he finally said.

“Exactly,” said Tyrol. “Our noise, well your noise, will scare off some of the more skittish creatures, but there should be birds and squirrels.”

They went on for another couple of hours and were nearing the road. Otto was preparing to complain and ask for another break when the dragon stopped and motioned for Otto to remain still and quiet. Then the dragon disappeared.

Otto stood perfectly still, using only his eyes to gaze around him. He heard a rustle off to his right and reflectively jumped and looked in that direction. Nothing. He slowly turned his head as far as he could to the left and then as far as he could to the right. He saw nothing but trees and undergrowth. He heard nothing but an occasional breeze moving the branches of the trees up above.

There was a crash and a cry from behind him, and Otto spun around. From behind a large tree came the ogre, Steve, holding his foot, jumping on one leg, and saying, “Ow! Why’d you do that for!?”

The dragon reappeared in front of the hopping ogre.

“Why are you following us!?” he demanded.

The ogre hesitated. The dragon, who had bit the ogre’s ankle, moved as if to bite again. 

“No, no!” the ogre cried. “I was worried about the boy. I’ve been so lonely for so long, and he was so friendly, I hated to see anything bad happen to him. I thought I’d just follow along and watch and make sure you made it home okay.”

The dragon scowled. “Likely story!” he said.

“It’s true!” said the ogre. “I wouldn’t hurt either one of you, but especially the boy! Like I said, I’m not even a real ogre!”

“Please! Can’t Steve come along,” said Otto. “Just think how much safer we’d be with an ogre! Those troll-things wouldn’t stand a chance!”

Tyrol looked back and forth between Steve and Otto and finally sighed and agreed. “I don’t see that I have much choice,” said the dragon. “I think Steve would follow us anyway.”

Steve grinned and nodded. Steve, happiness and joy simply radiating from his ogre body, walked over, scooped Otto up, and set the boy on his wide ogre shoulders. The company continued on its way.

Much to Tyrol’s obvious annoyance, Otto and Steve immediately started up a lively—and loud—conversation.

“Have you met any other ogres?” asked Otto.

“I’ve met a few,” said Steve. “But they aren’t much on conversation and not terribly friendly. And I can’t say I’m fond of their eating habits.”

“Ooh!” said Otto in  joyful disgust. “Do they really eat people?!”

“I can’t say for certain,” said Steve. “I’ve never known anyone eaten by an ogre, nor have I meet an ogre that ate anyone I knew—but I wouldn’t doubt it!”

Exasperated, Tyrol stopped and spun around, facing Otto and Steve, who stopped mid conversation, Otto’s mouth still open, preparing to ask another question.