Стража! Стража!

           Notthatadragonmadegoodeating,anyway-onceyou’dtakenawaytheleatheryskinandtheenormousflightmuscles,whatwasleftmusthavebeenlikebitingintoabadly-runchemicalfactory.Nowonderdragonswerealwaysill.Theyreliedonpermanentstomachtroubleforsuppliesoffuel.Mostoftheirbrainpowerwastakenupwithcontrollingthecomplexitiesofthen-digestion,whichcoulddistillflame-producingfuelsfromthemostunlikelyingredients.Theycouldevenrearrangetheirinternalplumbingovernighttodealwithdifficultprocesses.Theylivedonachemicalknife-edgethewholetime.Onemisplacedhiccupandtheyweregeography.

           Andwhenitcametochoosingnestingsites,thefemaleshadallthecommonsenseandmotheringinstinctofabrick.

           Vimeswonderedwhypeoplehadbeensoworriedaboutdragonsintheoldendays.Iftherewasoneinacavenearyou,allyouhadtodowaswaituntilitself-ignited,blewitselfup,ordiedofacuteindigestion.

           "You’vereallystudiedthem,haven’tyou,"hesaid.

           "Someoneoughtto."

           "Butwhataboutthebigones?"

           "Golly,yes.They’reagreatmystery,youknow,"shesaid,herexpressionbecomingextremelyserious.

           "Yes,yousaid."

           "Therearelegends,youknow.Itseemsasthoughonespeciesofdragonstartedtogetbiggerandbiggerandthen...justvanished."

           "Diedout,youmean?"

           "No...theyturnedup,sometimes.Fromsomewhere.Fullofvimandvigour.Andthen,oneday,theystoppedcomingatall."ShegaveVimesatriumphantlook.