Zepha crept deeper and deeper into the dragon's cave, her mind whirling with possibilities as to what she could steal. No matter what she took, Zepha knew that it would fetch her a fine price. But only if the dragon didn't catch her first.
Like so many dragons, Avarus had an eye for all that was shiny. His lair was filled with treasures, of all sizes and all shapes. Zepha passed by several large golden statures, and walked under multiple large ornamental weapons hanging on the cave's walls. The various golden trinkets shone as Zepha walked, illuminating her path - just one of many feats of magic that Avarus could perform.
She stepped deeper and deeper into the lair's depths, excited for what she might find at the end.
And when she reached the end, and when she found herself stepping out into a wide and airy chamber, the view before her did not disappoint.
Yet more treasure filled Zepha's eyes, on the floor and on the walls both. She saw paintings of landscapes with golden frames, golden cups, piles upon piles of golden coins. At the very centre was a large bed of moss, which Zepha already knew would be soft and pleasant to the touch.
She both saw and heard the waterfall at the far end, which fell down into a large and glowing underground lake. She wandered over to it, and immediately saw the source of the glow: yet more coins lay piled up beneath the surface, perfectly visible within the water.
Beautiful, Zepha thought. Truly beautiful.
She walked around the chamber slowly, taking in everything there was to take in, wondering just how long she had before Avarus returned. Dragons could sense when their lairs were being intruded upon, and were always quick to return when they did. Zepha had long ago learned those very facts.
With those thoughts in mind, Zepha scanned her eyes over the closest pile of treasure. And just from a quick glance, Zepha saw what she wanted: an elegant little necklace, with a thin silver chain and a little green jewel within its centre. It was modest by Avarus' standards, and yet all the more perfect for it.
Zepha slipped the necklace around her neck. Looking around, she spotted a large silver mirror learning against one of the coin piles, and eagerly hurried towards it. There, she smiled at her reflection. The little trinket clashed so utterly with the common garb she was wearing, and yet felt so utterly right to have on.
And still, there was no sign of Avarus. Still, Zepha seemed to be in the clear.
She left the large chamber and crept back through dragon's lair, retracing her previous steps, asking herself where Avarus now was. Did the dragon really not know that she was here? Was she really going to get out with that new necklace of hers in hand?
And as she asked herself those very things, a loud snort startled her to attention. Avarus, she knew, had sensed her after all.
She saw his shadow around a corner before she saw the dragon himself. He peered around, his muzzle curled into a draconic grin.
'Exploring, my little thief?' Avarus said.
He rounded the corner slowly, his hard red scales shining faintly in the light of his many treasures. He advanced towards her on all four of his limbs, his claws scraping against the rocky ground, his wings folded loosely on his back. His teeth were those of a predator, massive and sharp and utterly deadly.
'It does look good on you,' Avarus said . 'You were right about that.'
Zepha sighed, realising now that the dragon had been spying on her the whole time - and spying on her through her very mind. All dragons could touch the minds of men and women, both to seek out their secrets and to bend them to the dragon's will. It was something that Zepha had experienced many times.
'Come. Let us both get comfortable,' Avarus said. He pushed her back lightly with his snout, smirking all the while.
She made her way back to the cave's deepest chamber, Avarus right behind her all the while. Again, she stepped into dazzling sanctum that the dragon called his home. Again, she took in the splendid array of treasures that filled the enormous space.
She hurried on over to the moss at the chamber's centre, already knowing that this was where Avarus wanted her to be. It was soft against her boots, and was dry against her clothes when she sat down.
'Now then,' Avarus said. 'I believe you have something that is mine.'
Zepha removed the necklace, relinquishing it with only the slightest disappointment. It had looked good, she decided, but it really had clashed so very badly with the rest of her attire. Truly, it was no big loss - even without considering that she'd never had a chance of taking it to begin with. She watched in silence as Avarus took the necklace in one thick claw, and then continued to watch as he gently laid it onto the nearest treasure pile.
'Now then, my little thief,' the dragon said. 'Just what am I to do with you?'