The young students of the Vale favor a game comprised of throwing zazzberries at cacti-snacks. If a zazzberry sticks on a thorn of the cacti-snack, the thrower shouts, "Spike!" and all other contestants must run a lap around the target. This was a light-hearted game until one day...
A group of students spotted, nestled in a large bush, the biggest cacti-snack they'd ever seen. They immediately started playing and threw a volley of zazzberries at the target. "Spike!", said one boy and the rest ran torward the gigantic cacti-snack. As they rounded the thorny fruit, a rumbling snort bellowed out of the supposed dragontreat.The youth screamed in horror and ran. Two eyes popped open and the spiky treat jumped up. It was in fact a slumbering xanthium dragon! After being unexpectedly roused, it turned toward the fleeing students and roared.
The spiker stood still and watched as the sour dragon, spotted with zazzberry spalts, tried to shake off the impaled fruit from its back. The boy slowly approached it with his hand outstretched. The xanthium dragon locked eyes on him but didn't move. The boy managed to get close enough and plucked the zazzberry off. He held it out for the dragon to eat and the xanthium dragon snatched it up with a quick snap of its tongue. The dragon smirked and rolled over for a belly rub. The boy gave it a pat and signaled to his friends to come over and join.
Xanthium dragons can be quite prickly if they feel disrespected, but if you try to smooth things over, they'll show a softer side.
