Theodora hid behind the thick bushes that lined the periphery of the cave. She had the route Gerald told her imprinted in her mind.
Clutching the two stones he had given her, she remained crouched down, hiding well from the hundreds of people gathered in the clearing near the large bonfire.
She watched Gerald camouflaging well in his surroundings. Like a shadow in the dark, he inched to the cave's mouth carefully.
The timing of this celebration was important and well thought out. This was the period of the year when the dragons shade their scales as they grew in size and mass.
It was more like a snake cast off its skin whenever it grows.
And thus, Gerald didn't need to be cruel to those heavenly creatures. The Dragon House was aware of the importance of those shredded scales. They could be used in various ways for various reasons, and most of them couldn't be considered Nobel.
