Neil woke up in his dusty, dark cave. He looked around, sneezed fire and fainted. (You’ re probably wondering why Neil breathed fire, he’s a dragon). Neil’s best friend, Dipper the Samurai Warrior Mouse, had just come in for his morning cup of coffee when he found Neil on the floor.

“Not again,” sighed Dipper.

Dipper took out his samurai sword, which was a drawing pin, and began to poke and prod Neil. The dragon’s thick scales meant that he couldn’t feel any pain. “Holy macaroni and meatballs, he’s fainted again,” said Dipper.

“I guess I will have to get my coffee myself.”

Dipper went to the espresso machine and popped in a pod. He thought to himself, “I really wish that someday he would find out how to breathe ice and find the ice dragon crystals.”

As the coffee smell wafted through the air, Neil woke up.

“I wish I didn’ t have this cold and could stop breathing fire,” Neil said.

Dipper decided to make a deal with his friend.

“If you can get me five tonnes of the king’s best cheese, I will help you get to the ice crystals in Castle Blackblood.”

Neil was a mixture between nervousness and excitement.

“Meet me tomorrow in the training room,” said Dipper. “Meanwhile, I will go and find a samurai suit big enough for a dragon . . .”

Neil looked around, “What have I got myself in for?” he wondered.

The next day, Neil tried on the samurai suit but it was too small, and as the sword was a drawing pin he couldn’t even hold it in his big claws.

Dipper was standing in front of Neil, with a box of matches in his paws.

“Your first challenge is to get over your fear of fire, for Castle Blackblood is notorious for its flame-tipped arrows fired by its archers.There is fire literally everywhere.”

He lit a match and set it on a metal hoop.

“You must jump through this ring of fire!”

Shaking with nerves, Neil approached the hoop, as if it was as terrifying as his grandmother. Just as he was about to attempt to jump through there was a knock on the door. It was a telegram for Dipper.

It read: Castle Blackblood will be under going upgrades in two days’ time. In the meantime, all Archers have the day off. ps Please do not raid.

“This is our chance,” said Neil, hurrying away from the fire.

Neil and Dipper decided to head to the castle right away. The journey took three hours, 14 minutes and 32 seconds. When they arrived, they were relieved to see no archers on guard.

“I know where the ice crystals are kept,” whispered Dipper. “They are kept in the King’s crown and staff.”

The ice crystals were stored there because the King had such a cold heart. They would never melt.

Dipper and Neil came up with a plan. They would tickle the King to make him smile. Disguising themselves in the King’s workers’ suits that they found hanging on a rail outside the throne room, they made their way to the King. (They followed the smell of cheese.) They tip-toed past a guard.

Because he was small, Dipper crawled up the King’s trousers and tickled him under his arms. First the King’s face was stony, but then he began to smile and slowly he started to laugh. Dipper crawled up the King’s back and onto his head. The ice crystals in the crown slowly melted and were released.

Neil took the crystals in his claws and suddenly realised that they weren’t crystals at all but ice-cubes! Neil laughed so hard that he breathed fire. He turned to Dipper in astonishment and said

“I didn’t faint! I got over my fear of fire all by myself!”

Dipper smiled but then became serious.

“ Where’s my cheese . . .?!”

They laughed together like crazy all the way home.