Chapter one: Fleck and Specs and Freckles... oh my!

High in the highest reaches of Gubliewood, amongst the clouds and fog and sunny warm rays, live the cuddlesome cloud dragons. For centuries, the dragons have lived in peace in the clouds, giving cuddles, snuggles and hugs to any friendly flyer in need.

        One day, Beignet, the leader of the cloud dragons, went for a walk through the cloud-covered conservatory where the fuzzle fluffs were watching over the newest clutch of future little dragonettes. It’s a closely guarded secret that there is a specific process in developing a baby dragonette. The fuzzle fluffs have passed down the recipe from fluzzle to fluff for generations, making sure each batch of dragons is just right. Beignet often inspected the eggs before they hatched, in case there were any spots or speckles or freckles or flecks that might make a dragonette flawed or defective.

Carefully, Beignet examine each egg, checking the color, the temperature, and the tone. The slightest variation could determine how the hatchling would pop out. 

The fuzzle fluffs knew the ideal combination to guarantee the perfect pack of polished pups.  As Beignet peered and peeked from one egg to the next, he noticed a fluff fretting by a particularly large egg. Sitting tall in the corner, the egg glistened and sparked in the gentle light of the conservatory. The shell had a coppery hue around the edges… and didn’t have the usual soft tones the cloud dragon eggs were known for. 

As Beignet and the fluffs gathered round the odd egg, they could hear it hum and rustle. There was mewling and squealing as the egg started to crack. Taking a step back, the observers were alarmed at what began to emerge from the peculiar egg.  The little Fledgling was covered in speckle-spots! Upon further inspection they noticed it had little funnels where the horns should be! The wings were all curls and corkscrews, and didn’t unfurl at all! And to top it off, it seemed to have too many limbs, each one thrashing and flailing in agitation. What kind of monstrosity was this? How could the Fuzzle Fluffs let this happen? 

Beignet shook his head in dismay. How would he explain this to the congregation of cloud dragons that were awaiting his report? Speckles and freckles and specks and flecks? Curls and whirls and bumbling fumbling limbs? He had to get to the bottom of this and make sure the rest of the dragonettes were safe from this malady!

Head hanging low, Beignet was filled with hopelessness and despair at this seemingly impossible task. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the fuzzle fluffs perk up.  The fluff had heard of a castle, a magical fortress that floats in the sky. It is said that there you would find the fabled Moxie Muddlefoot, who was known to know everything about anything, and could solve any problem, quandary, misfortune, or snafu…

 For a price.

Beignet saw no other choice. He would seek out Moxie Muddlefoot and find a way to de-fleck, de-speck and de-freckle the poor little dragonette. Now he just needed to find a friend to adventure with.