Стража! Стража!

           It’sbloodyimpossible!Itneedsmagictokeepitalive!"

           "Whatdoyoumean?"saidLadyRamkin,nottearinghergazefromitsarmouredflanks.

           Whatdidhemean?Whatdidhemean?Hethoughtfast.

           "It’sjustnotphysicallypossible,that’swhatImean,"hesaid."Nothingthatheavyshouldbeabletofly,orbreathefirelikethat.Itoldyou."

           "Butitlooksrealenough.Imean,you’dexpectamagicalcreaturetobe,well,gauzy."

           "Oh,it’sreal.It’srealallright,"saidRamkinbitterly."Butsupposingitneedsmagiclikeweneed,likeweneed...sunlight?Orfood."

           "It’sathaumivore,youmean?"

           "Ijustthinkiteatsmagic,that’sall,"saidVimes,whohadnothadaclassicaleducation."Imean,alltheselittleswampdragons,alwaysonthepointofextinction,supposeonedaybackinprehistorictimessomeofthemfoundouthowtousemagic?"

           "Thereusedtobealotofnaturalmagicaroundonce,"saidLadyRamkinthoughtfully.

           "Thereyouare,then.Afterall,creaturesusetheairandthesea.Imean,ifthere’sanaturalresourcearound,something’sgoingtouseit,aren’tthey?Thenitwouldn’tmatteraboutbaddigestionandweightandwingsizeandsoon,becausethemagicwouldtakecareofit.Wow!"

           Butyou’dneedalot,hethought.Hewasn’tcertainhowmuchmagicyou’dneedtochangetheworldenoughtolettonsofarmouredcarcassflitaroundtheskylikeaswallow,buthe’dbetitwaslots.

           Allthosethefts.Someone’dbeenfeedingthedragon.