perhaps one may consider this as evidence of a sort of innate honor existing among dragons , or in any event family pride ; yet at the same time , they will without hesitation or any consciousness of shame seize any opportunity which offers of taking a beast from an unattended herd or stall and never consider leaving payment behind ; this is not viewed by them as any form of theft , and indeed in such a case the guilty dragon may be found devouring his ill-gotten prey while sitting directly beside the pen from which it was seized , and ignoring with perfect ease the complaints of the unhappy herdsman who has returned too late to save his flock .