Chief Councillor, Boss Grief, Chairman of the Grand Council of Oakwood on Sea, conscientious Left-wing, Right-wing and all points in between professional politician, was sitting in his office wondering what to have for lunch when his secretary Miss Constance Vince entered with news that was going to cure the massive headache Boss had harboured for far too long. He had been trying in vain to attract a volunteer for the office of Settlement Warden, the latest unrest adding to his problem. Nobody wanted the job of policing / protecting this budding ambitious fledgling holiday resort. The last man to take on the job resigned after one hour, ten minutes and five seconds. Just long enough to locate his office, fail to find somewhere better, and meet the Council Selection Committee. A meeting without a written record, apparently and rather warm on hearsay accounts.. That wasn’t what was actually on his mind at this moment though.

“Ah, yes, Connie, what is it today, mince and onions, or salad? Please say it’s not a salad.”

“It’s not a salad, Sir.”

“Well, what is, speak up?”

“A gentleman to see you Sir, about the vacancy for Chief Warden.”

“Oh hell, before lunch. Better send him in.”

“Very good Sir.”

Secretary Connie left the room but no one entered straight away. Not for a full two minutes. Chairman Boss sat on the edge of his seat in anticipation, mixed with annoyance. He was about to stand up when in walked Samuel Childs, Chief Inspector, Gwalia Main Constabulary, retired. A smartly turned out individual possessing a military bearing, and regulation moustache.

“Do I have the honour of addressing Chief Councillor Boss Grief, of the Oakwood on sea Great Council?”

Boss liked him instantly, not that he was a vain man but he did like propriety. Mr Childs seemed to know his place. Always a good start he thought.

“Please, Mr. Childs, do take a seat.”

“Thank you.”

The interview went splendidly until it came to how many men he had under him. None was not the answer he was hoping for. Sam was quiet for a minute or two, deep in thought. Boss was thinking the worst. Just when he thought he’d reeled one in he was going to be disappointed at the last minute. His thoughts returned to his earlier subject, that of lunch.

“Well, then, Mr. Chairman, I’ll be happy to take the job.”

Boss sat bolt upright, a big beaming grin almost splitting his face in two.

“S-p-l-e-n-d-i-d, you’ll not regret it, I promise you.”

“On one condition.”

“Y-e-s-?”

“I bring in whomever I choose is right for the job. And have full control of the office of Warden.”

Silence… 

Boss began to see he was dealing with someone who was no pushover but he was willing to accept the office. Oakwood needed a fully functional Warden’s Office. When one was as desperate as Boss Grief to fill a vacancy, as close as he was to re-election it wasn’t a too difficult decision to make. Besides, after a while he could maybe turn this man to his own way of thinking and doing things. But that was for later, when the new man was broken in.

“Agreed, Sam, welcome aboard.”

As is often the case with a close knit community like Oakwood everyone knew about the appointment before Sam Childs reached his office. His first job, look up a few of his old contacts, who like himself, were treading water so to speak after being retired from their various trades. He would need a second-in-command, very trustworthy, but then, they all were, all who had worked for him in the past. Sam was a man who gained great respect and loyalty. He wasted no time getting in touch with some of his old contacts. First there was Rock-son-of-Hud, perfect for a trusted lieutenant. He was someone with Giant’s blood in him somewhere down the line. As his name suggests, strong and steady as, and, stood half a head taller than the average Peeps one metre and a bit. Then there was the little guy good for special covert operations, he could get in and out of places and no one would be any the wiser. That was Syd, the retired cat burglar. There was one more he felt essential, if he could be persuaded, a sallow looking youth, always wearing a dark hood and matching clothes. He claimed he was kicked out of the Assassins’ Guild because of his dyslexia but he was a good lad. His name, Archid. Sam set about putting his team together knowing full well the ones he’d chosen were not going to be popular choices with the Council but hey, he was in charge and the Council would soon realise that. He would not be a pushover by any means.

“Hello! Idris, are you alright?” I have some good news for you, can I come in?” Ginny had popped to see her big red friend to tell him about the new Wardens and to check on his wounds. But there was no answer. “Oh, he’s probably out fishing again,” she thought aloud. “I’ll wait a little while for him to return.” She settled down to wait but after she awakened two hours later there was still no sign of him. In fact, the more she scanned his cave the more she realised he hadn’t been around for some time. Worry set in. What had happened to him. She knew he’d been upset ever since the fight with Whitey, he took it very badly and didn’t seem able to get over it and, It played on his mind. Then a shiver ran through her body. “I wonder if he’s …. No, he wouldn’t, would he?”

It had been a week since his run in with Whitey, and he was still feeling dreadful about it and couldn’t get the image of his defeated opponent struggling to fly away out of his mind. He had been thinking a lot about it over the past few days and decided that he must do something, he couldn't leave it there. The first thing to do was to find where Whitey had flown to. The first place to look was the Lodge, near the peak of the largest mountain in the land. This is where he came from, he and Whitey. He approached the place of his origin with a touch of trepidation, he was nervous because he’d left under a bit of a cloud, he and the rest were not on good terms at the time and he didn’t know how they would receive him now? As it was he arrived and was warmly welcomed by all, much to his surprise and delight, settling down for a good long time of sharing, like he’d never been away. But, he had something laying heavy on his heart which he had to unload, that is why he was there. 

All the elders were there, eager to hear what this wandering child of theirs had been up to. He told them a bit about his island and his relationship with the local inhabitants, being something of a celebrity and all. Then he got to the part that had brought him to them, his fight with his kin, Whitey. He didn’t elaborate on what started it only that it had got a bit out of hand and in the course of the action Whitey received a rather nasty and serious injury. He felt bad about this and had come to make amends. At that point he looked around and realised that he hadn’t seen Whitey all the time he’d been here. What the elders told him only added to his sadness. Whitey hadn’t been seen since he left on that fateful day, saying how he was going to stir things up as he was bored. They had tried to dissuade him but he would have none of it.

“Then,” said Idris, “we must find him, he’s injured and will need help.” With that he was gone. 

Where would he be, this was the dominant thought in his mind. He couldn’t fly very far not with his wing being like it was, no, he would stay low, and local. The coast, that's where he decided to start his search. Following the coast line Idris flew for over an hour and was about to have a rest when he glimpsed the sight of something in one of the small coves, something tucked tightly away in the rocks, something that was at one time White. He cautiously approached not wanting to alarm whatever it was. It was all curled up as tightly as it could be for its size. The closer he got clearer he could make out details, it was once white but now was all dirty. There were bones lying around from what food the creature had managed to get.

“Whitey!” He hadn’t meant to shout so but he was so surprised to see that it was him he just blurted it out. He needn’t have worried though because Whitey just lay there, not moving. Idris feared the worst but when he got up close he could just make out the slow rise and fall of the curled up body of his brother dragon as he was obviously struggling to breathe. Try as he may he couldn’t get any response from the injured animal and he felt a strange feeling rising in him, that of panic. What to do? Who to turn to? Then he knew. He made sure Whitey would remain safely tucked away from any predators before taking to the sky once more, this time a definite destination in mind. In half an hour he was circling over his island and as he was descending he felt his heart leap for joy for there she was, the one person who could offer any kind of help in such an emergency as this. Standing at the entrance to his cave, Ginny was waving enthusiastically.

“Oh Idris, thank goodness you’re safe. I was worried.”

“Wearly? Why? I can handle myself, I’m a big boy now.”

“She looked at him and then, with a big grin on her face, thumped him in joy and relief. 

It didn’t take long to explain to her everything that had happened and how he found Whitey who was clearly in a very poor state and needed much help. Ginny listened to what her big red friend said before saying.

 “Right then. I just need one or two things then you can fly me to him. Fortunately she had left some items in the cave from the time she ministered to the wounds Idris had sustained. And so it was that Idris performed his first passenger flight. And Ginny took to it like a natural dragon rider.