Стража! Стража!

           "Andintime,they’llcometobelieveitwastheirownidea.It’llbeatradition.Takeitfromme.Wehumansareadaptablecreatures."

           Thedragongavehimalong,blankstare.

           "Infact,"saidWonse,tryingtokeepthetremblingoutofhisvoice,"beforetoolong,ifsomeonecomesalongandtellsthemthatadragonkingisabadidea,they’llkillhimthemselves."

           Thedragonblinked.

           ForthefirsttimeWonsecouldremember,itseemeduncertain.

           "Iknowpeople,yousee,"saidWonse,simply.

           Thedragoncontinuedtopinhimwithitsgaze.

           Ifyouarelying...itthought,eventually.

           "YouknowIcan’t.Nottoyou."

           Andtheyreallyactlikethis?

           "Oh,yes.Allthetime.It’sabasichumantrait."

           Wonseknewthedragoncouldreadatleasttheupperlevelsofhismind.Theyresonatedinterribleharmony.Andhecouldseethemightythoughtsbehindtheeyesinfrontofhim.

           Thedragonwashorrified.

           "I’msorry,"saidWonseweakly."That’sjusthowweare.It’salltodowithsurvival,Ithink."

           Therewillbenomightywarriorssenttokillme?itthought,almostplaintively.

           "Idon’tthinkso."

           Noheroes?

           "Notanymore.Theycosttoomuch."

           ButIwillbeeatingpeople!

           Wonsewhimpered.

           Hefeltthesensationofthedragonrummagingaroundinhismind,tryingtofindacluetounderstanding.Hehalf-saw,half-sensedtheflickerofrandomimages,ofdragons,ofthemythicalageofreptilesand-andherehefeltthedragon’sgenuineastonishment-ofsomeofthelesscommendableareasofhumanhistory,whichweremostofit.