Nate did have a point. After weeks spent trying to convince him of the merits of large and/or dangerous animals, a flobberworm probably would be a bit of a let down.
"Okay," he mused, flipping over to another page with even more pictures. One caught his eye and hmmed thoughtfully. Definitely possible, suitably showy, and not really dangerous at all. "How do you feel about a phoenix?" he said.