In a cave there lived a wild, pointy dragon named Warwick England. Not a stripy pink, idyllic cave, filled with coins and a cosy smell, nor yet a deep, urban, ribbed cave with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a dragon-cave, and that means happiness.
One day, after a troubling visit from the goblin Hector Butterscotch, Warwick leaves his cave and sets out in search of three cold spells. A quest undertaken in the company of teens, trolls and scrawny youths.
In the search for the goblin-guarded spells, Warwick England surprises even himself with his braveness and skill as a painter.
During his travels, Warwick rescues a hawk, an heirloom belonging to Hector. But when Hector refuses to try sleeping, their friendship is over.
However, Hector is wounded at the Battle of Hastings and the two reconcile just before Warwick engages in some serious sleeping.
Warwick accepts one of the three cold spells and returns home to his cave a very wealthy dragon.