Night had fallen over New York City. The moon and stars shone brightly over the city to worlds both seen and unseen by any normal human.

While everyday people got ready for bed or a late night movie, gargoyles left their perches atop high buildings to soar across the night sky.

While mothers read their children bedtime stories about fanciful lands where unicorns lived, the beautiful single-horned creatures swept through Central Park, galloping gracefully with their mains flowing behind them.

As for the Long household, things were going as usual. It was around 11:00 PM. Everyone else had gone to bed already. Violet was last. As she stepped out of the shower and pulled her robe on, she heard a rustling sound in the hallway.

For a brief instant fear came over her. Then she remembered what Jake had told her. "Fear is your worst ally."

Quietly, she crept out into the hall. Glancing around, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. But the hallway was dark, covered in shadows, and things could hide in those shadows.

There it was again. That same rustling sound, but slightly louder this time. Where had it come from? Violet listened, but couldn't pinpoint it.

"Ear of the dragon." she whispered. She listened more intently this time, but was met only by silence this time. She remembered hearing that the shop had once had a problem with mice. Maybe that's it. she thought. Probably just a mouse.

She glanced around one more time to be sure, but still saw and heard nothing. She shrugged, and headed down the hall to her room.

But one thing went unnoticed by the young dragon. Something hidden deep in the shadows. A pair of sinister glowing golden eyes.

Muahahahahaha! Another cliffhanger! As a side note, I didn't make up that thing about the shop having problems with mice. It's in an episode, but you have to watch closely to see it. In the episode 'Act 4, Scene 15', when Jake slips on that bowl, it flies out from under him, hits a loaded mouse trap, which springs up in the air, knocking a red book off the shelf, which falls, knocking over the jar that held the scarab beetle. Watch the episode and you'll see it.