Listen to “Dragon Dreams – Episode 3 – Flames of Friendship” on Spreaker.
Alex woke up to a loud “whoosh” and the smell of something… burnt. He jumped out of bed and found Emerald staring guiltily at a singed curtain.
“Emerald! Did you… breathe fire?” Alex asked, half-surprised and half-worried.
Emerald nodded slowly, a tiny puff of smoke escaping its nostrils. Alex couldn’t help but laugh. “I guess that’s what dragons do, huh? But we need to figure out how to control it. We don’t want the whole house to burn down!”
Emerald chirped in agreement, and Alex knew it was time for their next big lesson—learning to control Emerald’s fiery breath.
Alex and Emerald headed to the forest again. This time, Alex brought a bucket of water, just in case. They found a clearing with plenty of rocks and dirt, far away from anything flammable.
“Alright, Emerald,” Alex said, pointing at a big rock. “Let’s see if you can aim your fire at that. But only a little, okay? No giant flames!”
Emerald stepped forward, narrowed its eyes, and let out a small puff of smoke. Alex crouched beside the dragon. “You can do it! Just focus.”
Emerald took a deep breath and… whoosh! A tiny flame shot out, hitting the rock. The flame quickly fizzled, but it left a little scorch mark.
“You did it!” Alex cheered, clapping his hands. Emerald wagged its tail, clearly proud.
The lesson continued, but controlling fire turned out to be tricky. Sometimes, Emerald’s flame was too weak, and other times it was too strong, scorching a nearby bush. Alex quickly doused the flames with his bucket of water.
“Okay, okay,” Alex said, wiping sweat from his forehead. “Let’s try again. Remember, it’s all about control.”
Emerald seemed to understand. It took another deep breath, focused hard, and let out a steady, controlled flame that hit the rock perfectly.
“Perfect! You’re getting the hang of it!” Alex said, giving Emerald a big thumbs-up.
As they practiced, Alex realized something amazing—Emerald was learning more than just fire control. The dragon was also learning to trust Alex. Whenever Emerald got frustrated, Alex would encourage it, and they’d try again together.
By the end of the day, Emerald could aim its flame at a target without setting anything else on fire. The dragon flopped onto the ground, exhausted but happy.
“You were amazing today, Emerald,” Alex said, scratching the dragon’s chin. “I knew you could do it.”
Emerald let out a happy chirp and nuzzled Alex. Their bond felt stronger than ever, like they were truly a team.
As they walked back home, Alex thought about how much they’d accomplished. He couldn’t wait to see what other dragon skills Emerald would discover.
When they reached Alex’s house, he added a new section to his Dragon Diary called “Fire Training.” He wrote down everything they’d learned and even drew a picture of Emerald breathing fire.
That night, Alex and Emerald curled up together, both dreaming of more adventures to come. Their friendship wasn’t just about having fun—it was about learning and growing together.
Follow-Up Questions:
- How did Alex help Emerald learn to control its fire?
- Why do you think it’s important for Emerald to learn to aim its flame carefully?
- What new skill would you want to teach a dragon if you had one?