Dead leaves crinkled and crumbled beneath Penelope's feet as she trod the
             well-worn path from the mulberry patch back towards the cottage. She could
             feel the chilled air seeping through the usually thick, warm suede of her
             hand-sewn moccasins, a sign that tonight would be cold enough for a fire.
             Basket in her gloved hand, Penelope rushed back home humming a tune, all
             the while fantasizing about homemade, hot, spiced mead. It was one of the
             specialties at the Dragon Treats Café, which Penelope and her husband
             Arbogast had owned and operated for a full one hundred and twenty-six
             years. This December they planned a huge party to celebrate the mulberry
             harvest: they had bushel upon bushel of the fruit from the forest.
             Mulberries made the best mead, thought Penelope: their tart flavor lent
             itself so well to the fermented brew, which when served hot could cure just
             about anything. As Penelope approached the house the tart aroma of berries
             pierced through the cold late autumn air; it must have been that mulberry
             pie she put in the oven about an hour ago.
             For the party, Arbogast and Penelope were fervently working on recipes
             for everything from mulberry mead to muffins to millet-mulberry cookies.
             The festivities began in only three weeks and they still had much to
             prepare. Heaving a sigh, Penelope opened the back door of the cottage just
             as she heard Buemble squeal from his dragon kennel beside the cottage, near
             "Coming, darling!" shouted Penelope, as she heaved the heavy baskets
             of berries onto the floor. Before rushing over to their pet lap dragon,
             Penelope quickly reached her stiff, calloused hand into the basket and
             pulled out a handful of berries to munch on and share with Buemble. Shoving
             a handful of the purple treats into her mouth, Penelope suddenly crunched
             down on what felt like a giant stone.
             "Damnit!" she cursed, slowly feeling around in her mouth with h...