"Down" Three of the four heads of the snaptrapper lowered as the dragon crouched. One of the four seemed lost in thought.

"Cosmos, you too" Wren said. At his name Cosmos obeyed.

"Good boys" Wren crooned to them and threw a fish toward each head in turn. Their three- way jaws snapped the treat up.

"Okay, now fly!" Wren through his hands into the air. With a joyful roar, the dragon pushed off ground and did a lap around the sheepfold. Cattail couldn't believe her eyes, none of the sheep panicked. That was something her own sheep were still learning. Cattail had come to Wren as soon as she finished cleaning the great hall. He had been the first to train a dragon on Kreel, a snaptrapper, Cosmos, Jupiter, Caelo, and Justil. He knew the most about dragons, but boy, did he make sure the village knew it.

"See, Cattail? You have to give them what they want when they do something you want." Wren coached.

"That's the problem," Cattail sighed. "I swear Amp never eats! He's never touched the mutton I've prepared. I've tried fish, yak, venison, even a rat. It's like the sun gives him energy."

"That's impossible" Wren said, rolling his eyes.

"I know that," Cattail snapped. "That's why I said 'like.'"

Wren shrugged his shoulders and let out a shrill whistle. Jupiter turned his head and yammered for the others attention. Soon the snaptrapper was back alongside Wren.

At least that was something Amp had no struggle with. At the slightest whistle, hum, or pluck from the lyre, you could count on Amp showing up, tail wagging, tongue rolling out his mouth. But he sure didn't stick around long; Ekara made sure of that. If Amp was with the sheep, Ekara was inside. In fact, Ekara wasn't talking to Cattail nearly as much and when was the last time she had smiled? Cattail felt torn. Why was Ekara being so stubborn? So cowardly?

"Thanks Wren" Cattail said dashing back to her fields, she couldn't leave Ekara alone with the sheep too long.

Trotting up the hill, Cattail looked out across the green sea. Not one sheep in sight. Cattail smelled trouble, and it's name was Amp. Luckily, Cattail's lyre was on her. She played Amps favorite song. A song a nonsense words that started slow and got faster with each repeat. That should bring Amp running.

Now to find those sheep. It made sense to talk to Ekara first. Without missing a beat, Cattail strode towards the house, ready to face whatever she would find.

Ekara was sitting in front of the fire, weaving a new rug to sell. She seemed calm.

"Hey," Cattail said. Ekara didn't look up.

"Do you know what happened to the sheep?"

Ekara stopped weaving. "Cattail, you invited a dragon onto our land, and you are asking what happened to our sheep."

Cattail knew Amp would never eat one of their flock, he seemed to like the fluffy creatures. And he never ate the mutton she served him. Holding her anger back Cattail responded, "But it is your job to watch the sheep. We're a team remember? I can't always be out there, you can't always be in here."

Cattail must have sounded angrier than she meant to because tears were welling up in Ekara's blue eyes.

"Monkey milk," she cursed. "Hey, we'll find the sheep-"

"It's not that" Ekara said, hiccuping.

"What then?" Cattail asked. "I know I'm not spending as much time with you as I should be, but training Amp takes study."

As soon as Cattail mentioned Amp, Ekara sobbed harder.

"You never listen to me! I don't want that dragon around!"

Cattail took a step backwards. She knew Ekara had felt strongly about no guard dragons but if she could only see what Amp could become…

The beginnings of an idea were forming in Cattails mind when one of Amps crazy solos rang out over the hills. There he is, Cattail thought, what took him so long? Without answering Ekara's emotional statement, Cattail jumped out the door to meet Amp.

She met more than Amp, once outside. Smiling, she called to Ekara, "come out here! I want you to see this."

Cautiously Ekara peeked out the front door and gasped. Amp was trotting up to the sheep pen, leading one, two, 62 sheep behind him. Cattail ran over to the pen, reaching it first she sprinkled clover on the ground, the sheep's reward for listening to the music.

"How's that for a guard dragon?" Cattail whooped. "Who's a good boy?" She sang to Amp. His tail swished happily. Cattail turned to see Ekara, still surprised, in the doorway.

"He didn't eat one, Ekara, not a single one! Even Wren had problems with Justil snagging a sheep here and there. But not Amp, the led the sheep home." Cattail looked her sister in the eyes. "Ekara, please, please, please, give Amp a chance to stay here. I want you to feel safe. But, please, try."

Ekara broke the stare, looked down and closed her eyes.

"Okay," she whispered.