Dustin's laughter died abruptly as a huge dragon claw pressed down on his chest. He couldn't breathe, and passed out. Slowly consciousness returned to Dustin in the wizard's body. He could make out voices debating.
"I still think we should try to make him change us back," a woman lamented.
"I say the spell will be broken when he is," a harsh male voice said.
"I'm always famished after sex. Let's eat," growled a softer male voice.
"Manners," said the female voice.
"Yes,"replied a deep baritone, "Always unwrap your food before eating. Packaging gives one indigestion."
Something snagged his cloak at the collar, and started to pull. A cold horny substance tickled his skin as it rent his cloak in two. Vaguely, Dustin was aware that a dragon's claw had just denuded him, and felt the tiniest pain as cold air touched the bleeding clean cuts that the claw had etched in his hide.
Dustin opened his eyes to see four massive heads descending on him with their maws wide open.
"Wai--t!" he cried.
In seconds, the only evidence that the wizard had been there was a bloody torn robe on the grass. The hydra belched, and decided to nap. They were disappointed that they remained a hydra, but were contented with a full belly, so they slept in the afternoon sun.
They awoke early the next morning covered with dew. They flexed their wings. Their movements were becoming much better coordinated. Slowly the hydra stood, and stretched its muscles. The beast roared as it woke and stretched.
"I feel funny, like I swallowed a rock."
"We all do. We've got the same intestine."
"I guess wizards don't agree with us."
They four staggered over to the ditch next to the road, and sat on their haunches.
"This doesn't feel right," said Joe.
"Well, there are four of us here in one body. Of course, it doesn't feel right."
"No, it's still a dragon's body. And this doesn't feel right---Ooomphf!" Joe grunted.
Finally, the pressure was relieved. Their body was unburdened.
They turned to examine what had passed out of them into the ditch. Wide-eyed they stared at the glittery dragon's egg at the bottom of the ditch. It was about twice the size of an ostrich egg, a bit smaller than a basketball.
It started to hatch. A tiny green beak broke through the diamond encrusted shell. Then a tiny green claw ripped at the tear in the shell. The quartet of heads watched in awe as their offspring broke out of its shell.
The tiny dragonet walked tentatively toward the hydra, and then it looked up angrily into the faces of its parent. It spoke, "Now what have you done to me!"
The voice was squeakier, but it definitely belonged to the wizard that was Dustin.
"I guess you really are what you eat,"chortled Mike.
"I say squash him," Brian's head suggested.
"Wizard and dragon magics are pretty incompatible, dragonet, I'd suggest you tell us how to break your spell. Breaking it will probably change you back too," Christine's head said calmly.
The dragonet hissed and breathed smoke. Then, it said, "If I tell you, you have to promise to turn me back, and not to squash me," he looked fearfully at Brian's head. "In return," Dustin added, "I promise not to harm you. In fact, I'll join your quest to help you gain victory." He looked hopefully up into the hydra's four faces.
In the past two days, Dustin had been a stableboy, a mare, a wizard, a dragon's snack, and now a dragonet. Could Ty have planned all this?