Thankfully, Charlot was mistaken. Somewhere before the dawn he caught a few thin hours of sleep, though his dreams were too abstract to remember. The others were still asleep, save Lak, who wore her true form. Long spindly hands made of shadows parted the veil of Sycahee leaves so that she could keep watch. The children of the moon never truly slept. Charlot suspected it was large part of why they so often went mad.

As the first rays of the morning cut through the curtain of leaves, Lak looked up and sighed. Her shadowy form came apart, and the black crystal mask drifted to the slumbering war dog’s face and disappeared. Surely she was one of the strangest companions he’d ever had.

“The Gyrfalcon…” Charlot began, speaking low so he would not wake the children.

“Ytrios,” Lak agreed, forming the shadowmaw to speak. The war dog twitched its legs in its sleep, and then it woke, For a moment, there was animal confusion. He watched as the sïthur imposed her will, and all confusion fled.

The war dog rose onto its haunches, staring up at him with eyes of black rimmed with red. War dogs were unsettling beasts. Even sitting on its haunches, it could almost stare eye-to-eye with Charlot.

“We could destroy the bird,” Charlot offered, though he felt immediate reluctance to do so.

“Could you? You can’t even see it, can you?”

“Not with my eyes, no,” Charlot admitted. It was the first time he’d discussed his failing sight with the demon. Yet, it was impossible to conceal his impairment to one who was around him all day. The children had no doubt noticed as well. “But there are other forms of sight.”

“If you can, then perhaps you should. I’ll tell you one thing I remember about Ytrios. Within his fortress, his powers are vast. But the farther he is from his lair, the weaker he is. When he sealed me beneath the river, I was nearly able to destroy him, though he has my true name.”

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“That tracks with what I have seen of his work. Great power but limited understanding. Likely, much of the energy he has stolen is bound within objects. It explains why he would trifle with something like the Asyndagrim. So, we can suppose he will try to lure us to his center of power rather than hazarding an attack at mine.”

The war dog nodded.

“Could you capture the Gyrfalcon?” Charlot asked.

“Doubtful. I could never catch it on the wing. Even if I should catch it asleep, Ytrios has my true name. He could potentially recapture me through his link to the bird.”

“If he were wise, he would withdraw his familiar now that he’s been found out. But if he were wise, we should never be in this situation,” Charlot concluded, and the war dog nodded in agreement. For a few moments, they were both silent, each pondering the situation.

“You talk in your sleep,” Lak noted. “Bad habit for a wizard.”

Charlot drew his head back, indicating it was dangerous to continue, but continue she did.

“All of you should feel light,” she mimicked, and he heard a perfect echo of his own sleepy voice. “I wanted for us to be able to do this together,” she continued, the shadowy mouth curving into a wicked grin.

“You literal bitch,” Charlot spat. “I should have left you to rot in that hole.”

“Who is the woman you woo in your dreams each night?” Emymu asked, emboldened that he had opted for words instead of wrath. What a catty question from the mouth of a dog!

“She was your superior in every regard,” Charlot proclaimed. Emymu blinked the eyes that were not hers, stunned by his response. He nodded, for he meant every word. The rising tone of their voices had woken the children, and they stirred. Korak and Siyabros were not so easily roused. The great bear snored on with the wolf curled against him.

“Starting today, we will all be speaking exclusively in Aranic,” Charlot informed his awake companions. “As we walk, I will instruct you three, pay careful attention. If you cannot say something in Aranic, ask me how it is said. If I raise a finger thusly, you have spoken incorrectly. Try again, and again if need be until you have it. Do not argue with me if I correct you,” Charlot finished, turning his gaze squarely on the war dog. “Hear me now, this is how you say good morning…”

It took a few tries, but soon, all of them could wish each other good morning in a common tongue.