Silv

They say every dragonet has a friend in the night
A children's story
A fable
An imaginary friend.
The dragonets tell this friend their wondrous adventures, the stories of their day.
The friend offers them shelter for the night, for they don't know how they got here - but they are always back in the morning.
Parents don't worry, because parents don't know.
They think it is imaginary.
A fable.
A children's story.
But not every parent is as kind and loving as the Friend knows they ought to be.
Never will a parent believe the child about the Friend, but most think it is harmless; live and let live.
Some parents forget themselves. They forget the stories their friends told in their youth, about the monster that came and took parents away when they were mean.
They get angry at their child's imagination. It is unimportant. There are better things to be doing.
The parents get angry.
And the children tell the Friend stories of their day.
The Friend needs to be called, and must wait until they are.
It never takes long.
The child tries to escape. The parent follows.
The child finds the Friend. Or the Friend finds the child. The child shelters under their wings. They are young, and they are smart - they see the Friend as they are.
The parent sees - fire
The parent sees - shadows
A tree.
Monstrous and twisted, whatever it is.
The Friend does not like children being tormented.
And parents are never quite aware of what is waiting to help their child.
The child goes with the Friend - they never see what happens, the Friend doesn't let them, their purpose is to protect them and to help them, after all - and the Friend tells the child their name, and they and the other children have wonderful adventures together for many years.
And when they leave the Friend, go to have children of their own - they always remember.
And they tell their children, as well.