Стража! Стража!

           SensesVimesdidn’tknowhepossessed,ancientpoliceman’ssenses,prickledthehairsonhisneckandtoldhimtherehadbeenacrime.Itwasprobablysuchanoddcrimethatitdidn’tfigureanywhereinCarrot’sbook,butithadbeencommittedallright.Ahandfulofhigh-temperaturemurderswasonlythestartofit.He’dfindit,andgiveitaname.

           Thenhestoodup,tookhisleatherraincapefromitshookbehindthedoor,andsteppedoutintothenakedcity.

           Thisiswherethedragonswent.

           Theylie...

           Notdead,notasleep.Notwaiting,becausewaitingimpliesexpectation.Possiblythewordwe’relookingforhereis...

           ...angry.

           Itcouldrememberthefeelofrealairunderitswings,andthesheerpleasureoftheflame.Therehadbeenemptyskiesaboveandaninterestingworldbelow,fullofstrangerunningcreatures.Existencehadadifferenttexturethere.Abettertexture.

           Andjustwhenitwasbeginningtoenjoyit,ithadbeencrippled,stoppedfromflamingandwhippedback,likesomehairycaninemammal.

           Theworldhadbeentakenawayfromit.

           Inthereptiliansynapsesofthedragon’smindthesuggestionwaskindledthat,justpossibly,itcouldgettheworldback.Ithadbeensummoned,anddisdainfullybanishedagain.Butperhapstherewasatrail,ascent,athreadwhichwouldleadittothesky...

           Perhapstherewasapathwayofthoughtitself...

           Itrecalledamind.Thepeevishvoice,sofullofitsowndiminutiveimportance,amindalmostlikethatofadragon,butonatiny,tinyscale.

           Aha.

           Itstretcheditswings.