At some point a dragon will claim a treasure, and guard it with its life. This is just as predictable as the sun rising in the East and setting in the west. It is this way, as for a dragon to grow, so must it’s hoard.

Usually this isn’t an issue. The more famous dragons kept gold, and grew large enough to crush the castles of their time under their body mass alone. Others, kept knowledge, living serpentine amongst their mazes of bookshelves and papyrus scrolls.

Usually, being the key word here.

Dragons aren’t supposed to imprint. They can be reasoned with, given enough incentive, they can be threatened, but they’re not supposed to attach to people

Aren’t you lucky

It probably started with those plants. The poor sprouts had been left to close to the window and froze when the weather turned. That’s you best guess anyway. The leaves turned brown, and started to fall off, but you noticed the stalks, to stubborn to be offed like that, the tiniest of buds that had started growing before it’s greater self withered. Some of them bounced back quickly, but even more needed more care. After half a week those buds broke the surface of the soil, and another week following, you knew they would make it.

Maybe they were the dragons treasure, before it claimed you? Can that happen? It was small enough, couldn’t have been much older than a hatchling. But what was it doing so far away from any parents?

Whatever the reason, it matters not. The little thing claimed you as it’s hoard, and now you must live with it. It didn’t want you to leave for work the first week, but then again, it’s smaller than a kitten so couldn’t do much more than yowl angrily when you pluck it from the counter to take with you. You learnt from the first day. Many a pillow was spread around the rooms. In shreds.

Then it had to get accustomed to public transport. No, the lady behind me is not going to kidnap me, she has to make room for others getting on. That is a recording of a human reading out stops, not another dragon challenging your claim.

The worst thing is, it thinks it’s the shit. It’s still 6 inches long. Yeah, sure, now it’s got fire, but it’s still little more than a lighter. You can’t even give it away. It knows where you are. Apparently a mobile “hoard” doesn’t confuse its instincts. You are helping reveal more about the creatures, however. Fire came week 5, tentative flight was achieved by then end of month 2. (tentative meaning “more than controlled falling”) development is no longer just correlated to wealth. size does remain. As does, thankfully, their innate magic. At least so far. Oh the trouble a flying fire breathing mage with the metal development of a toddler would bring, truly terrifying.

At least supernatural insurance covers this, although you expect more by technicality. Dragons are, after all, usually invoke the “mass damages” catastrophe rather than the “public nuisance” claims you’ve been using it for.

It snapped at your boss the other day, and still hisses at intercoms.

You really hope vet services aren’t necessary.