Summary: You’re a member of a thieves’ guild that specializes in trapping and selling rare magical creatures. Today, you’ve been tasked with checking the traps, and you discover that one of them has snared a young dragon. Even though their sale would bring a fortune to the guild, when you see them struggling, injured and frightened, you just can’t bring yourself to capture them…so you decide to let them go.

Author’s Note: Me: has 2 current ongoing script series. Also me: “Hey, what if we started a NEW series???...”

Usage:

• OK to record & monetize, as long as you give me credit in the video/audio description as the scriptwriter! I would also love to listen to the recording when it’s done–please send me the link on Reddit! Paywalling is okay; however, if you paywall, you must make it possible for me to listen to the finished product.
• Gender-flipping and small tweaks are okay, but no large edits are permitted.
• Feel free to use music or insert sound effects if you’d like. Any sound effects given are suggestions–use at your discretion. *Sound effects in bold, set apart by asterisks\*
• Any dialogue or reactions given by the Listener are purely for the benefit of the VA, to help them feel like they have something to respond to while they’re acting. Listener reactions in italics.
• Please let me know if you have any questions!

—————————————————————

SETTING: A forest. Tam the dragon is caught in a trap, with an injured wing.

\Sound effects—distressed noises; e.g., pained gasps, whimpering, heavy breathing. We also hear the rattling of a chain. Then, footsteps\**

\tries to sound fierce** Who’s there!?...Show yourself!

Silence.

I know you’re there! I can hear you, you know! You’re not as quiet as you think you are! We dragons can hear a pin drop from a mile away!

Silence.

I—I mean it! Show yourself, or face my wrath! My poisonous breath can create a cloud so potent, it’ll melt the flesh from your bones! You’ll never get out of this forest alive if—

\Sound effect—a twig snaps behind the dragon\**

\jumps, yelping with fright* —Aaaah!* Wait, how’d you get all the way back there!? Weren’t you over there just a second ago?

The Listener explains.

…You slipped around to my blind side while I was talking? \groans** Bahamut’s back legs, not again. I can hear Nyldru now…\mocks their older brother’s voice** “Wise is the dragon who lets silence speak for him.” He always tells me I talk too much. He’ll never let me hear the end of this…if I ever make it back.

\notices the Listener’s distinct grey cloak** Wait…that cloak. \horrified** Oh, no…no, no, no! You’re with the Guild! You’re—you’re gonna sell me, aren’t you!? Oh, no…please! Please, I don’t want to go! I wouldn’t survive the Arena! I wouldn’t bring you a good price—I’m not big, or strong, or brave, or anything like that! Please, just let me go! I don’t want—!

“It’s okay! It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”

—Huh? What? You…you won’t hurt me? Really?

“I promise. Here, take a deep breath.”

Take a deep breath?...Uh…okay. Um…like this?

Tam mimics the Listener, taking some shaky breaths. On the second breath, he coughs, accidentally sending a little puff of poison breath flying out. *Optional sound effect—puff of air\*

Oh no—sorry; are you okay? I, I didn’t mean to, I swear! The poison just kinda slips out sometimes. I just got my breath weapon last year…I’m still working on controlling it.

The Listener asks what their name is.

Huh? My name? Oh—I’m Tamru. “Tam” for short. What about you?

“I shouldn’t say. Don’t worry about it; it doesn’t matter.”

It’s not important? But everyone’s important. If I don’t know your name, then, how do I know what to call you?

“You can just call me ‘human’ if you’d like. I mean, I am one, after all.”

I can just call you “human”? Wait—you’re a human!? Oh, wow…huh. You’re a lot bigger than I thought you’d be. The pictures in the books always make you look so tiny, compared to us.

“Haven’t you ever seen a real human?”

…Well, I—I don’t know. I’ve never actually met one before. We try to steer clear of you…I read that you have all kinds of weapons, like swords, and spears, and maces, and those—um—those things? The little knives? The small ones you keep on your belt?…\suddenly remembers the word** Daggers! Yeah, daggers. And some humans even have magic. They— \has an “oh, crap” moment; suddenly fearful** Uh oh. Wait—do you have weapons?

“Well, I do, but they’re just a precaution.”

You do, but…they’re just a precaution? To keep you safe in the forest? *exhales, relieved\* Oh, thank Bahamut! I was worried for a second there. We’ve always been told you’re conniving, dangerous, and deceitful…but, to be honest, I’ve always been kind of curious about humans.

“Oh, really?”

Yeah! I mean, compared to us dragons, you ought to be so soft and defenseless, you know? But you’re not—if the stories in my books are true, you’re smart, and brave, and fierce, and…well, yeah! The gods didn’t give you natural armor, like our scales, so you just make your own and attach it to your bodies! You build pens to keep groups of animals near you, so you don’t have to bother with hunting. I asked Nyldru once if we could do that, back when we were still in the nest, but he didn’t even bother to say no…he just glared at me. And you also— \Sound effect—rattling chains. Tam cries out in pain, before they unconvincingly try to laugh it off\** …And, um, when you do have to hunt, you don’t even have to sit and wait in one spot for hours—you have traps to do it for you. Like this one.

“How did you get yourself caught?”

How did I get myself caught? I, uh…\softly, ashamed** Promise you won’t laugh? I…I was thinking about the last book I read, and I…I was just so caught up in my thoughts, I wasn’t looking where I was going. Ugh, Bahamut’s horns, it sounds so stupid, now that I’m saying it out loud. I guess they were right…a gnome’s pinky toe has more sense than I do. I guess now I’m gonna pay for it. But, please…if, if I’m gonna die, can you just…do it here? You can say that I attacked you, and that you didn’t have a choice. Just—please. I don’t want to have everyone watching and laughing when I die, like in the Arena…or worse, be some rich human’s pet, kept chained up, or locked away, and never see the sun again.

“Don’t worry. You won’t be.”

Huh? I’m not going to be a pet, or a prisoner? But—

“I’m going to set you free.”

You’re going to free me? Really!? You’re—you’re not just saying that, right? You’re really gonna let me go!?...

The Listener nods. “You’ll have to hold still. Can you do that?”

I need to hold still? Oh, yes—yes; I can do that! I promise—I’ll be as still as a stone on a mountaintop!

\Sound effects—magical effect, followed by the chain breaking\**

\noise of relief** Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, human! I can’t believe it!!!

The Listener shushes them.

—Huh? Stop yelling? \quiets their voice, serious** Oh…they may be watching? Oh, no—sorry. I’ll whisper. Wait…will you get in trouble for this? For letting me go, I mean?

“Nah; I’ll be fine,” the Listener lies.

Are you sure? They won’t hurt you, will they?

“Will you be able to make it home with that wound?”

Will I be able to make it home, with my wing? Yeah, I, I think so. It still hurts a lot, but don’t worry —I’ll be fine!

“Good. Now, go; quickly, before they find us!”

Okay; I will. By the Great Horned One…I’m so lucky you came along. Wait—is there anything I can do for you, in return? After you saved me, it’s only fair.

“Yes; you can shut up and GO! Get out of here!!!”

I can shut up and get out of here? \soft laugh** Well–okay, if you’re sure! Thank you, human. I’ll—I’ll never forget you. I promise!

\Sound effect—wings flapping away\**