You sigh aloud, you had never imagined for a moment that the study of mythical creatures and monsters could possibly ever pass for boring.. yet as you turn page after page of washed out, coffee and age stained pictures of beast after beast, you wonder if this day will ever end.

You reach turn yet another page, but a gleam of bright colour catches your eye. Leaning down, you blow the dust away, send it sparkling into the lamplight like so many motes.

"Caution." The page reads. You raise your eyebrow at the next line, "The Lure."

You cast your eye past the writing and take in the beautiful colours of the creature that sits captured in ink. Unfaded, somehow living. Sparkling with silvers, and blues, and greens, and deep purples. It's colours seem to shimmer like the wings of a captive butterfly and for a moment, you smile at it's sweet beauty and invitingly sparkling silver eyes.

"The Barbary Whelp is the adolescent form of the Barbary Drake. The breed is marked by their vicious nature. Although small, it is well advised to approach Whelps with caution equal to the Drake. Better still, do not approach at all.

This particular specimen, known as The Lure or The Silvertongued, is identified by not only his eye-catching colour, but also by his namesake. The term Silvertongue is well deserved, as he has oft been witnessed speaking in the words of bird, beast and human. He is also an incredibly accomplished singer.

One would be wise to ensure they do not fall prey to the snare of The Lure. Upon approach, he is entirely helpful, kind, and tender. But beware - for the sole function of The Silvertongued's sweetness and stunning colour is to enchant, capture and poison prey intended for the brood. He is capable of expanding his jaws beyond the capacity of a serpent - and delivering a paralysing toxic bite to his intended victim.

There is but a single concession, mark it well for it may one day be your one savoir. Mark well the lines across his body. If they are faded to a pale tan, The Silvertongue has no venom stored to deliver to his intended victim. Though hardly considered harmless without his venom - he cannot paralyse you without it. Shake off his sweet song and offerings of comfort and help, and run, run now for your life..."

A sudden flutter makes you look up from the writing that had held you captive. You shake your head with a quiet laugh. How could such a tiny thing be such a menace?

Moving to turn the page, you stop. The bright picture on the page is gone! It's sketches faded to the aged and stained pages of the rest of the book. You can barely even make out the image anymore. Magic as this place may be, you don't like this. Not one bit. You slam the book shut and move from your seat - but your eye moves to the window.. where there is a flash of blue, and purple, and green.. and silver.

You take in the creature as your heart starts to race.. as it inclines its sweet head at you and chirps a perfect note. Your eyes are captivated by it's own. The perfect shining silver holds you there.. and you realise, too late, that the stripes across its body are throbbing a violent green....

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Hiya! Not looking for any feedback on the above.. Im really NOT a writer.. or an artist for that matter *lol* It was just a little story I got stuck in my head whilst colouring this little guy as part of  WormsandBones's Barbary Whelp Design Contest.
**Note- the pale and squiggly areas on the face and paws are meant to be the usual beautiful aged Bone that they are so good at doing :)

Go ahead and enter! you may as well :D
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3627412/
http://wormsandbones.deviantart.com.....Open-312879006
Lineart and species belongs to WormsandBones
Colour and story above belong to me :) Thanks for reading this little time waster, hope you enjoyed! :)