Hakan had just come back from a job, leading an older couple on their second pilgrimage. It was sweet. They had both gone on the pilgrimage when they were in their youth, but after meeting each other and being married for almost forty years, they decided to take another as a couple. He was paid and said his goodbyes to the thankful couple.
Being a pilgrimage guide was good money. Not many people did it, so his job was basically to make sure the people got back safely. People paid good money when it came to safety.
He sat on the roof of his house with a half-filled book of drawings, while Strinti walked around the city. The Kaadir was decently well-known to everyone, as he was constantly roaming the streets freely. He was friendly though, so nobody really had any issue.
Hakan drew action pictures; children chasing each other, couples out for a walk, a woman picking food at the market, a man performing tricks. Essyrn was lively and festive, a perfect place for an artist to observe his subjects.
After finishing his drawings, Hakan hopped down from the roof and noticed Strinti was missing. He whistled a few times, which usually summoned the lazy dragon. This time, nothing. Again, a whistle. This time, Strinti came strolling around the corner with a little girl hanging from his mouth. The girl was laughing, while Strinti carried her by the skirt, exposing her bare butt to the world. Not that it mattered. In Essyrn, nudity was completely accepted due to the heat, so it wasn't uncommon to see grown adults walking around without clothing.
"Strinti!" Hakan scolded, running up to his Kaadir. "Put her down!" The dragon placed the girl gently on the ground, and Hakan frowned. "Come on, kid. Let's get you home." He picked the girl up and climbed onto Strinti's back, holding her in front of him on the saddle. "Back where you found her, buddy."
Strinti moseyed on through the roads and out of town. He seemed to be heading toward the Niafi River. Weird... he thought.
Soon enough, Hakan saw a young woman crying on the ground. "Hey!" He called. "Are you okay?"