Mal watches with a predatory interest as Verzes seemingly enlarges himself, and demonstrates his abilities. The pale-eyed pup has never seen frost or snow before, and so at first the display of turning the foliage to a crystalline and shiny material is unimpressive. It smells blue to his nose, and cold, but the pup fails to grasp the actual extent of what it is the dragon has done. It is only as his paw shatters through the flower that Mal's mind is able to comprehend what has happened. He cowers slightly - his tail tucking tentatively between his legs, wagging slightly. He knows - just as Tae does - that this beast is more powerful than he is. And yet ... yet the urge, the brazen need to prove himself the victor, compels him to remain not-fully prone. He has yeilded, but not all the way. His mind - in dire need to an ally - reaches for Tae. Who, without diverting her gaze from Volterra, intercedes.

The carcass suddenly rises into the air, as if imbued with new life. It's paws flail wildly, throwing around bits of the frost-shattered flower. Tae's magic allows the creature to magically rise into the air, and the limbs of the raccoon flutter like wings, suggesting that this after-death flight is somehow all of its own choosing. 

Not yet

"Well, keep your eyes off of the Dragon's Throat." Her words sound like a warning - though among comrades or equals, rather than an or else warning. Yet in her wolfish and devious smile there seems to be a hint of that as well. His next question allows her to segue easily into a justification for her statement, and she takes advantage of it quickly. 

"Gaucho the Wildfire and Ampere the Mother of Companions." Her words are factual, with only a hint of pride intermingled therein. She knows her parents are legends - it would be foolish of her to pretend that her lineage and heritage will have no bearing upon who she will become. Her pages in the history books are already marred with their blood and sweat, but she knows the bulk of those pages are still left to her to fill out. And fill them out she shall. "The Dragon's Throat will be mine one day. Mine and my twin's." Her words sounded prophetic and self-assured, especially for one so small. Tae had a lot of growing to do, but she would always remain small and lithe, rather than large and impressive as Volterra was. Still, that was alright with her. Her enemies would find her unassuming and think her weak. But she was anything but.