little red dragon playing poker

Of course. Here is a depiction of a little red dragon playing poker.

***

The back room of The Hoarding Troll tavern was hazy with pipe smoke and the scent of singed felt. Around a circular table, lit by a single, low-hanging lantern, sat a motley crew: a grizzled dwarf, a sharp-eyed elf, and a tense-looking goblin. But the star of the game was, without a doubt, Sparky.

Sparky was a little red dragon, no bigger than a large house cat. His scales were the color of freshly spilled rubies, and his horns were just beginning to curl. He currently wore a tiny green vis green visor to shield his eyes from the lantern's glare and was carefully studying his cards with one claw.

A small pile of gold coins and semi-precious gemstones sat before him. The pot in the center of the table was immense.

Your bet, Sparky," rumbled the dwarf, Thordin, tapping his thick finger on the table.

Sparky let a wisp of smoke curl from his nostrils. He had a pair of sevens, not great, but the two diamonds on the flop gave him a flush draw. He was feeling lucky. With a delicate motion, he pushed three polished carnelians into the center.

I raise," he squeaked, his voice a high-puff of steam.

The goblin, Nix, groaned and folded. The elf, Lyra, merely arched an eyebrow and matched the bet. "You're bluffing, little one. I can smell the sulfur of a lie.

Thordin called, and the dealer—an automaton made of brass and magic—laid the turn card: the King of Spades. Nothing for Sparky.

Lyra bet aggressively, pushing a stack of silver. Thordin folded with a grunt, leaving just the elf and the dragon.

Sparky’s tail twitched nervously, thumping against the leg of his specially raised chair. The river card was dealt: the Five of Diamonds.

*The flush.*

Trying to keep his wings from fluttering with excitement, Sparky peered over his cards at Lyra. She was stone-faced. She made a sizable bet, half her remaining stack.

This was it. Sparky took a deep breath, puffing out his chest. "I call," he said, pushing all his gems forward. "And I raise you... this." He opened his other claw to reveal a single, perfectly cut fire opal that glowed with an inner light. It was worth more than the entire pot.

Lyra's composure broke. She stared at the opal, then at Sparky's unblinking reptilian eyes. She knew dragons, even small ones, were notoriously hard to read when it came to their treasures. If he was willing to part with *that*, his hand must be unbeatable.

With a sigh of frustration, she tossed her cards onto the table. "I fold. You win, you little scaly menace.

Sparky couldn't contain himself any longer. He let out a triumphant puff of flame that briefly set the edge of the table on fire before Thordin smothered it with his tankard. He scooped the massive pile of treasure toward him, nuzzling the coins and gems with pure joy.

Heh," chuckled Thordin, taking a long drink. "Never play poker with a dragon, elf. They've been hoarding tells for centuries.

Sparky just grinned, a few gold coins already stuck between his scales, and began counting his winnings.