The boy was mute, but in his silence impudent. He smiled at my words and something faltered in my chest. Such behavior was abnormal for a child: nothing in the stark grey mirrors of his eyes, nothing in that farce of a smile. He mocked me; my tail thrashed like a whip, annoyed yet impotent. What could I do? I had a terrible compulsion to run him through, drive something sharp into the soulless surface of one eye. Did hollow creatures feel pain? Did they scream? I tilted my head. ”Are you –” The unfinished question never formed whole in my mouth.

Something else joined us before it could.

I saw her as a blur, paler than the boy, nearly the color of sand. My ears twisted to the noise of her footsteps even as I spoke, but she drew nearer with reckless abandon and, concerned, I shifted my gaze to the speed of her arrival, as well. Something followed in her wake: something small, fleet, furry. I struggled to make out some purpose to their flight before, as one, they broke away from me. No time to anticipate the imminent collision afterward; I stared at the sudden crush and tumble of bone between the girl and the silent boy.

He was not silent much longer.

They both cried out, in their own way. Safe beyond the radius of the absurd collision, I could do little beyond observe the tangled floundering of limbs. Sand sprayed in all directions, scattering like dry rain over the my thick hide. With a start, I retreated from the sting of such assault. A snort ripped from my chest, noise bred of nervous energy and sick confusion. A very near part of me wanted to run; in the breath of an instant, I cared nothing for either child. They had interrupted my afternoon alone with little more than folly and arrogant play…

The boy, then, spoke – words ill-fitting his age but appropriate to my brief assessment of his character. I found my voice soon after, though it fell from my lips hoarse and furious before even I accepted my notion to speak. ”Be silent!” A growl, shuddering in the ill-kept ruin of my lungs. I tired of him; I tired of everything, but most of all this arrogant young creature bursting only with malice. My limbs dragged forward; I rushed to the children in a tangle of hair, ears pinned and teeth bared (be gone!). But I did not intend to give chase; I paused near the girl, the foremost source of my concern – when finally concern did blossom in me – and nearly recoiled again, caught in the throes of wild surprise.

Where to begin? Something – the shadow from before? – curled dark and flame-red near her limbs. I hesitated in the face of it; my tail curled, anxious, around my hind limbs. One ear twitched toward the boy; my eyes shifted to mark him, wary. Then back to the girl – something was wrong with her – abnormal. Stone sprouted in place of flesh, crawling like malevolent new growth across the strange mark slashing her face, the discolored portion of her legs. I stepped back; magic. The breath of it compelled my heart to beat again at double pace. Her magic? I could not fathom the expression of her face; fear? Anger? The ragged breath in my lungs turned to a cough, a deep barking shudder.

Collecting myself, I lifted my head at once to its full height and gazed down at her, supposing I could offer no aid without more information. And from who? My voice rang out, louder than before, harsh with some vestige of authority. ”Enough!” I supposed it may be a defense mechanism; as such I was not certain I expected a response. My gaze flickered to the boy again. ”I sincerely hope that magic is not yours.”