Seltzer

You've had quite enough of this garden and its ghosts and its inhabitants for the day, and you're ready to go to bed and start with a clean slate in the morning. You've walked as far away from where you saw the monster as you could before it got too dark to keep going. Now almost all the light is gone and you're struggling in the dark to get a fire started.

You hear rustling in the tree above you and nervously look up, but can't make out any distinct shapes among the bright flower in the darkness. Looking up again a few moments later, you see a pair of large eyes looking down at you from the flowers. The noise you make causes a small flock of roosting birds to flee the area.

A spiral slithers out of the tree, having been coiled around the branch for a short nap before doing some nighttime hunting. He introduces himself as Seltzer and helps you start your fire. Now that you can actually see what he looks like, you understand why you didn't see him between the flowers earlier; all of his spots and bright colors fit right in with the canopy.

You share your meal with him, and both of your laughter fills the night. Before too long though, he bids you farewell and heads off into the night, and you're able to sleep with a renewed sense of love for the garden and its dragons.