“It’s okay, Kazumi. They’re new friends.” He cooed, stroking her scales gently.

Kazumi had been raised by Minoru since she was a hatchling, so she was very used to his presence and his touch. She was not fearful around humans, and was a genuinely curious animal. He hardly had to coax her, and she was already climbing up his arm the way she used to do when she was smaller. (She was approaching three years old now, getting close to four feet long.)

“You can hold her too, if it helps.” He smiled. “She likes to explore. So I let her.”