by ch00se
In a forest bordering a small village, three animals want nothing more than to be left alone: a lion who abdicated his crown for a quiet life beside a cold river, a bat who hunts insects at dusk and bothers no one, and a red snake who only wants a warm stone to sleep on. But the villagers see monsters where there are none, and they come with torches, arrows, and stones. Fear and circumstance bring the three animals together. Fear is also what they use to survive. Part fable, part fantasy, "The Dragon" is a sharp, funny, and surprisingly tender story about outcasts who refuse to be prey.
