Yes, yes, that's what I've been called most of my life, Dr. Zlata. I work as a veterinarian, and in addition I treat not ordinary dogs and cats, but... dragons. Yes, yes, you heard me, real dragons. How did that happen? I'll tell you.
***
I was almost fourteen at the time, and at the end of eighth grade, we were invited... to an exhibition of real dragons! And they didn't invite the whole class, they just gave some of us in the school the coordinates of the exhibition.
I've always been a stickler for dragons, and on top of that I've always loved dragons, so I rushed right in. My friend Vika had a more realistic view of things, but she agreed to go with me.
The dragon show was outside the city, on the bank of a small river. We had fun at first, walking around and looking at the dragons. Well, of course, because they had just recently started to live near us. But suddenly I heard a strange, hoarse cry:
- Woo-woo-woo!
You'd think it was someone's little baby, but a baby can't have a voice like that. It didn't sound like a cat or a dog, either, so I went to look. The sound was coming from somewhere behind the bushes. As I walked over there, I saw that it was... a baby dragon crying!
- Baby, what's wrong? - I asked affectionately - Are you in pain? Did you hurt yourself?
- Woo-woo-woo! - The foundling answered and crawled into my arms. I picked him up and he settled down in my arms.
- Like a child," I thought, "But why is he here and not with everyone else? Maybe he really isn't well? We have to help him," I decided, "But first we have to warn Vika.
I noticed Vika right away and ran up to her.
- Vika! Do you know if the veterinary hospital accepts dragons?
- What? Aah! - my friend recoiled from me - What is it?
I told Vika where I found the dragon baby.
- Are you crazy? - She shrieked before she even heard me. "What if he's flea-ridden, or even shingles?! Who knows what kind of parasites dragons have!
- Well, I don't think he has fleas, much less shingles," I replied, "But I still think he's not well. Do you know if they'll take him to the vet?
- I don't know," Vika shrugged, "there are a lot of dragon experts here, you can ask one of them. But if he gives you any trouble," she glanced angrily at the dragonborn, "I've warned you.
But no sooner had I taken Vicky's advice than I saw the sign:
"Winged Friend" is a veterinary clinic for dragons.
And a phone number and address.
- This place should probably help me," I decided, and shouted to Vika:
- I'm taking the dragon to the clinic. Bye!
At the hospital, I finally found out what was wrong with my new friend. He wasn't flea-ridden, let alone shingles, as Vika had frightened me about, but he had a whole bunch of joint problems. The vet praised me and said:
- I suspect, Zlata, your new friend has been abused by the big dragons. And his brothers and sisters, if he has any, didn't treat him any better.
- What's going to happen to him? - I asked.
The vet sighed.
- Well, your friend's not gonna be a heavyweight. He's not gonna be a champion, either.
- Why can't he become a champion?
- But he's lame, and he can't fly," the vet began to explain, "and also... I have my suspicions that he's a... dwarf.
- Have you seen any other dragons like that? - I stopped him.
- Yeah. (chuckles)
- So we'll make our own competitions, just for them. Right, Dandelion? - I asked. I still don't know why, but that's what I decided to name my pet.
- I think Dandelion will accomplish a lot with such a mistress - the vet smiled - good luck to you!
And I did fulfill my goal: with Dandelion's help, I bred a new breed of dwarf dragons. Now I hold contests for the same indoor dragons as my friend. By the way, Dandelion has a few awards too. I also work at a dragon clinic where I help people like my friend. So thanks to Dandelion, I found my calling.
The end