REMAKE CHARACTER FOR BLOOD LAMENT

(Scarlet is upbeat and friendly, but has a tendency to treat dangerous or serious situations like a game. She might treat combat like play, or play like combat.)

Scarlet's egg was stolen by her nest by an opportunistic thief, who planned to sell it. When the egg hatched and Scarlet affectionately imprinted on the thief, his plans changed. He muzzled her, bound her wings, and publicly walked her on a leash for strangers to gawk at-exploiting her as a kind of "dragon petting zoo" distraction while he cut their purse-strings, but Scarlet innocently thought the whole thing was a game and loved the attention (and the clickety sound of the coins they "won.") She never really understood the "no talking rule", but people were scared of her when she didn't wear her muzzle, so she thought it was for their sake.

Some people were mean to her, some people got in arguments with the thief over "disrespecting" Scarlet, and some people, like a wealthy merchant's armed bodyguard...were not born yesterday. The thief was caught in the act and both he and Scarlet had to run.

The thief cursed failing to steal the pouch, but Scarlet uncoiled her tail and dropped the merchant's fat coinpurse at her "father's" feet. He, perhaps for the first time noticing her as anything other than failed merchandise, realized that she had talent. He began to teach her everything he knew, and also trained her how and when to fly and use her fire breath. Now, the thief charged people for the privilege of having Scarlet pick their pockets. Scarlet kept smiling through it all.

Eventually, they were caught, but the armed guards offered the thief clemency if he kept the red wyrmling under control while they took her into custody. He agreed....but asked for a moment alone to "get her ready."

Scarlet was cluelessly happy to see him, as always.

He put his hand on the side of her face, looking more tired and more distressed than she had ever seen him. Her smile faded, this wasn't right at all.

"...Papa?"

"RUN."