"Neither could speak to the other and in a moment the Sea Girl had dropped astern. But Lucy will never forget her face. ... In that one moment they had somehow become friends. There does not seem to be much chance of their meeting again in that world or any other. But if ever they do they will rush together with their hands held out." - C. S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Jenna spun angrily on her supposed rescuer. "What’d you do that for? It just saved me!"

"Saved you for a nice afternoon snack, more like," grumbled the man. Really! Why did these people even bother to call in a dragon slayer if they didn’t want him to slay any dragons?

Jenna shook her head. "No... I’ve seen that one before. It used to play games and tricks on our hunting parties, but it never harmed any of us, even when it had a chance to."

The man looked at the young woman sympathetically. "Look, miss, I can see you’re a bit shook up from the ordeal, and obviously you’re not thinking too straight. Now c’mon. We need to get you back to your village and get you taken care of. You all right to walk?"

"Yes," growled Jenna as she stalked off towards home, refusing the older man’s attempts to help her.

"No need to be angry. Now look, miss, I’ve dealt with dragons all my life, and I know what they’re like. Sure, they’re clever animals, but they’re just that: animals! Beasties don’t have a thought in their heads beyond their next meal. If this one fought that other one for you, it’s just ‘cause it wanted you for itself."

"No, you’re wrong," Jenna murmured softly, too soft for the man to hear. She looked back at the empty shell of what she knew had been, strange as it seems, a friend. "She had a soul."