I can proudly say that I've cheated death.  Well, not proudly.  Of all the pets, I've been in the most dangerous positions, and the most frequently.  Only my talent, to change reality, has gotten me out of some.  And even then it is not reliable. 

****

            Up to this point, I'd never actually seen the dragon that gave MiracleStar the paintbrushes.  Sure, I'd heard plenty about him, how he looked like a overgrown draik (a very overgrown draik), his utter disdain for humans and NeoPets, and how he saved MiracleStar's life.  But one day, I had a chance to see him, and even help.  I'd gone off by myself, to the Money Tree, of all places.  Ever since the Lady_Ireland incident, I'd felt a tad obligated to give back some of our ill-gotten gains.  I had just left a bag of a thousand neopoints with the tree when I felt something odd.  I walked over to the grass and sat down, staring at the ground and concentrating.  Was my talent acting up?

            *Nianso DreamWish*

            I snapped my head up, looking for whoever had said my name.

            *You will not see me*

            The voice seemed quite amused.

            "Who is it?" I whispered, feeling quite scared, after all, I was hearing voices in my head?

            *Just concentrate, I can pick up your thoughts that way.  I am the dragon MiracleStar has spoken of*

            My eyes widened in shock.  I started to speak again, then caught myself.

            *So, erm, ah, what do, eh, what is it you need, um, want?*

            Again, I felt the amusement of the dragon.

            *Come to my lair in Terror Mountain.  I will guide you*

            I stood and spread my wings.  I pushed off the ground and quickly gained altitude.  I soon found a convenient current that'd take me close to the mountain.  It was easy flying, all I had to do was keep my wings spread.  Soon I was in sight of the mountain.  I veered off and glided lower.  Happy Valley was directly beneath me.

            *Further in*

            I flew further along the mountain, staying low to make sure I could catch a glimpse of the cave.

            "I don't see anything!" I said out-loud.

            *Of course not.  You're looking on the wrong mountain.  I said, "futher in".*

            "Oh."

            I flapped my wings again, gaining altitude and flying past Terror Mountain.  I felt a tug on my mind, directing me to another one, still close by.  Sure enough, there was a cave entrance on it, near the top.  I landed and folded my wings.  The air from the cave was hot, and smelled of sulpher.  I dropped to all fours and padded inside, down the long tunnel.

            The main chamber of the cave was huge.  I stopped in the doorway, overwhelmed by the sheer size of it all.  It rose into a domed ceiling, and the floor was covered in treasure, gold, gems, weapons, everything you could ever imagine.  And resting on the treasure was the dragon.  MiracleStar was right.  He did look like a green draik, only about the size of a small building.  He looked down on me with slitted eyes, full of power and knowledge.  I nervously stepped forwards to stand before him.

            *Follow me* was all he said.

            He rose and walked past me.  I stared in silence as the creature walked past, trailing his sinuous tail behind.  I started to follow, but on instinct snatched up a nearby ruby and stuck in my belt pouch. 

            The dragon moved too fast to follow.  I only saw a green blur before I was hoisted into the air by my tail and dangled upside down before it's baleful eyes.  He didn't have to say a word.  I meekly opened up my pouch and dropped the ruby to the ground.  It nodded, satisfied, then dropped me.  I landed on my head and lay in a heap on the cave floor.

            *Much better.  You are not very wise, Nianso.  Do try to use better judgment, and keep up* he snapped.

            I scrambled to my feet and followed him out onto the mountainside and into the snow.  He leaped into the air, his massive wings stirring up a blinding flurry of snow.  I tried to follow, but the currents created by his wing beats were too strong.  I flailed weakly about a foot off the ground, then a taloned paw closed around my middle.  And with me in hand, the dragon proceeded to fly further away from Neopia Central, further north, deeper into the mountains.  Eventually he glided lower and dropped me.  I fell head over heels into the powdery snow.  I stood up and brushed myself off, only to be coated in snow anyways as the dragon landed a few feet away.  Writing it off as a lost cause, I shook my ears and walked over to him.

            *In here is a cave, a rather small one.  Go inside, and bring back the treasure.  Watch out for traps*

            "But why am I going?" I demanded.

            He didn't reply, only drew a deep breath.  I backed up a couple steps.  A ball of fire burst from his jaws, evaporating the snow in a rush of steam.

            *Because you're small enough to fit*

            I stared at the entrance that was revealed.  It was a tiny hole, only a bit bigger than me.  I took a deep breath.

            "Okay.  Point made.  But still, why only me?"

            *Only one is needed*

            He was starting to sound impatient.

            *And I have my reasons.  You are the DreamWish after all*

            I sighed and started over to the cave.  As I started to crawl in, I felt something odd.  I paused, and felt the dragon's thoughts brush against my mind one last time.  A warning, that I would not be able to communicate with him once inside.  I nodded and crawled the rest of the way in.

            Thankfully, I am not claustaphobic.  The tunnel widened out after a while,  a passageway big enough for even MiracleStar.  I slipped out and glanced around, realizing the area I'd been through before was actually a caved in portion of the tunnel.  I walked carefully, dagger out, mindful of the dragon's warning.  Sure enough, there were traps.

            I found the first one pretty easily.  A simple trip wire that had already been sprung.  Apparently I wasn't the only one to ever try this.  The second one I found by accident.  There were runes all over the tunnel walls, and I stopped to investigate them.  It was then I noticed something odd.  A small button of sorts.  I shrugged and pushed it.  Immediately a hail of darts shot out from the area ahead of me, embedding in the wall.  I gulped.  That would of nailed me if I hadn't of triggered it early. 

            I managed to avoid the rest of the traps.  Most had fallen apart or been triggered already.  I did have a bit of trouble with that one pit, but apparently the makers of this place didn't take wings into account.  I finally reached the central room.  An orb sat upon a pedestal, glowing with a soft blue light.  It was a little bigger than my fist.

            "Ha hah, and Nianso wins," I whispered, snatching it up and tossing it up and down in my paw.

            I started to walk away when I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye.  I spun, and then something hit me in the back.  I fell, feeling a weight holding me to the ground.  I tried to rise, but couldn't, whatever it was was too strong.

            "Intruders, brother," the creature hissed.

            I twisted my head and caught a glimpse of something gliding out of the shadows.  It looked like a Kougra, but I could tell it wasn't.  One moment it was completely black, formless except for glowing yellow eyes, then the next moment it was half-transparent, barely distinguishable as a Kougra.

            "Shall we deal with this one like the rest?"

            "Yes."

            I squirmed, but could not free myself.

            "Wait," I pleaded, seeing the Kougra pad closer, "Please.  What are you?  What is this place?"

            "We are guardians of the orb, set here in ages long past and bound to forever guard it."

            The Kougra paused for a moment, and picked something up.  It was a dagger.  I gulped and resumed my struggles, but the one holding me down was too strong, being of the spirit and not truly alive.  The other stood directly in front of me now, and raised the dagger.  I shrieked and tried so hard to escape, but the dagger fell and as I felt it pierce my throat, I knew it was too late now, and for forever…

            It was dark where I was.  But it wasn't a darkness without end, I knew that.  I could feel something there, something I'd felt before.  My talent was working, and I was helpless to watch.  Light flooded over me, taking me and spinning me through the formless space, back from whence I'd come.

            I woke quite suddenly.  In a panic, I leaped to my feet, taking in my surroundings.  I was still in the room, a puddle of blood surrounding me.  The two Kougras were talking to each other, one cleaning the dagger.  I stepped backwards, absently scooping up the nearby orb and slipping in my belt pouch.  I was alive, though by all rights I should be dead.  No time to think of it now.  I was still in danger.  I backed away silently, for the exit.

            "We haven't had intruders in a long time," one was saying.

            "No matter, the Zafara is dead, that is all that matters.  I'll put the orb back."

            And he turned and saw me.  I squeaked and bolted.

            "HOW!?" the creature roared.

            I ran.  I could hear them right behind me, and I ran as if my heart would burst.  There, up ahead, the caved-in part.  So close.  I leaped for the narrow opening, and felt a paw catch hold of my foot.  I kicked blindly, scrabbling to pull myself into the narrow tunnel.

            "You may of escaped death somehow," the beast hissed, "but you won't be so lucky this time!"

            There was a tingle along my spine, and I felt a strange bubbling, and upwelling of power.  And my talent was unleashed.  The Kougras were caught up in it as reality twisted and altered itself.  I crouched down and covered my head with my paws.  The brothers screamed and then were gone.  I opened my eyes.  I was shivering uncontrollably, the Kougras had simply been erased from the fabric of reality, just as my death had been reversed by the same awesome power. 

            I made my way out of the tunnel and looked up at the dragon.

            "I don't know what this whole mess was about, or what this power you've cursed me with is," I snarled, "but here's your stupid orb."

            I threw it at his feet and leaped into the air, gliding away.