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<blockquote data-quote="Shayuri" data-source="post: 3336594" data-attributes="member: 4936"><p>Alexandra wakes early, with the instant wide-eyed wakefulness that children enjoy on the morning of their birthday. Isis, curled up at the foot of the bed...yet alert through the night, yawns catlike, and stretches.</p><p></p><p><em>What's got you so excited?</em> the dragon's voice inquired in her mind, like curling violet smoke that was there, then not.</p><p></p><p>Alex was already bundling into her fresh shift and grabbing her trousers. "I can't wait to show them Max," she explains. </p><p></p><p><em>Ah...and send them screaming for their pitchforks?</em></p><p></p><p>Her freckled cheeks flush, and she shoots Isis a glare. "These people are different, Isis. They're more accepting. They've seen monsters..."</p><p></p><p><em>...and kill them for a living.</em></p><p></p><p>"Yes, well, they'll see that Max isn't a monster! He's just...built that way." She works her arms through the holes of her vest and pulls it tight over her blousy white shirt for a moment. "Anyway, I think we're ready to go. Anything I'm forgetting?"</p><p></p><p><em>Breakfast?</em></p><p></p><p>Alex grinned and released the brown tweed vest to let it hang more loosely. "Oh, you. Always with the food and the eating."</p><p></p><p><em>Less talk, more food.</em> Isis got up onto her feet, spread her wings, and with a momentary buzz of motion and color, alit on Alex's shoulder.</p><p></p><p>The wizardess fondly stroked the pseudodragon's head between her indigo eye crests, and nodded. "Okay. First breakfast."</p><p></p><p>----</p><p></p><p>From there, bellies full, the magess and her tiny draconic friend went to the stable. Max was parked right where she'd left him, the far corner stall. He was a mule, about the size of a pony with a fine grey coat. He was standing exactly where he had been, in exactly the same posture. The saddlebags were still slung over his back. </p><p></p><p>Alex had gotten used to 'tipping' stablehands to leave her stall alone. The illusion was good, but wouldn't withstand an attempt to rub Max down, or take off his saddlebags. Even with that little precaution, she rarely stayed at one inn more than one night. Real horses and mules knew something was wrong. They tended to crowd the far walls of their stalls, sleep poorly, and generally behave skittishly. She didn't want to terrorize them more than she had to.</p><p></p><p>"Wake up, Max," she called to the mule as she held the door open. There was a peculiar noise...a high pitched whine that got higher and higher, then faded from hearing. Then a sound like a drawer of silverware being opened hard enough to make its contents jangle together. Now he was ready to go.</p><p></p><p>"Come on, follow me," she coaxed. Really, only the command phrase was necessary, but she liked to treat Max as if he understood the words. Maybe one day...</p><p></p><p>The mule clomped out of the stall. Only someone very familiar with animals would note the slight oddity of his gait, and how the sound of his hooves on the ground didn't always -quite- match the sight of his hooves striking the ground. Only someone very familiar, and paying exceptional attention.</p><p></p><p>With a mental sigh, Isis scurried into her Haversack, just poking her head up under the flap to get something of a view.</p><p></p><p>Now it was just Alexandra and her mule, walking towards the north gate. Perfectly ordinary. When she arrived she waved happily at Viktor and called, "Hello!"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shayuri, post: 3336594, member: 4936"] Alexandra wakes early, with the instant wide-eyed wakefulness that children enjoy on the morning of their birthday. Isis, curled up at the foot of the bed...yet alert through the night, yawns catlike, and stretches. [i]What's got you so excited?[/i] the dragon's voice inquired in her mind, like curling violet smoke that was there, then not. Alex was already bundling into her fresh shift and grabbing her trousers. "I can't wait to show them Max," she explains. [i]Ah...and send them screaming for their pitchforks?[/i] Her freckled cheeks flush, and she shoots Isis a glare. "These people are different, Isis. They're more accepting. They've seen monsters..." [i]...and kill them for a living.[/i] "Yes, well, they'll see that Max isn't a monster! He's just...built that way." She works her arms through the holes of her vest and pulls it tight over her blousy white shirt for a moment. "Anyway, I think we're ready to go. Anything I'm forgetting?" [i]Breakfast?[/i] Alex grinned and released the brown tweed vest to let it hang more loosely. "Oh, you. Always with the food and the eating." [i]Less talk, more food.[/i] Isis got up onto her feet, spread her wings, and with a momentary buzz of motion and color, alit on Alex's shoulder. The wizardess fondly stroked the pseudodragon's head between her indigo eye crests, and nodded. "Okay. First breakfast." ---- From there, bellies full, the magess and her tiny draconic friend went to the stable. Max was parked right where she'd left him, the far corner stall. He was a mule, about the size of a pony with a fine grey coat. He was standing exactly where he had been, in exactly the same posture. The saddlebags were still slung over his back. Alex had gotten used to 'tipping' stablehands to leave her stall alone. The illusion was good, but wouldn't withstand an attempt to rub Max down, or take off his saddlebags. Even with that little precaution, she rarely stayed at one inn more than one night. Real horses and mules knew something was wrong. They tended to crowd the far walls of their stalls, sleep poorly, and generally behave skittishly. She didn't want to terrorize them more than she had to. "Wake up, Max," she called to the mule as she held the door open. There was a peculiar noise...a high pitched whine that got higher and higher, then faded from hearing. Then a sound like a drawer of silverware being opened hard enough to make its contents jangle together. Now he was ready to go. "Come on, follow me," she coaxed. Really, only the command phrase was necessary, but she liked to treat Max as if he understood the words. Maybe one day... The mule clomped out of the stall. Only someone very familiar with animals would note the slight oddity of his gait, and how the sound of his hooves on the ground didn't always -quite- match the sight of his hooves striking the ground. Only someone very familiar, and paying exceptional attention. With a mental sigh, Isis scurried into her Haversack, just poking her head up under the flap to get something of a view. Now it was just Alexandra and her mule, walking towards the north gate. Perfectly ordinary. When she arrived she waved happily at Viktor and called, "Hello!" [/QUOTE]
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