Coralis breathed in the fragrant morning air, long and deep, then exhaled slowly, emptying his lungs. He closed his eyes and envisioned the castle as it was so long ago: vibrant with life and activity, a center for learning and philosophical debates. Wand Masters in animated discussions about the best ways of upholding their vows of protecting the Earth. It was when those healthy discussions turned poisonous that life within their ecosystem began to crumble. To this day, he could not identify with any certainty what caused the great rift within their ranks, but as they slowly drifted apart, only Coralis was left to maintain the sanctity of the castle. And it did not take long for his self-imposed solitude to turn him into a curmudgeon.

Gretchen had put up with him so far, but he feared even she had limits.

The shrieking cry of an aplomado falcon overhead abruptly interrupted his reverie. Despite his advanced age, Coralis’s keen eyes were as sharp as the bird’s. Immediately, he focused on the white envelope streaked with brown smudges that the bird grasped firmly in its talons.

The falcon’s shadow passed directly over Gretchen. Try as she might to ignore it, her eyes, too, were drawn to it. A slight shiver raised bumps on her arms despite the heat. She rubbed them away, leaving careless smudges of dirt on her spotless blouse. Suddenly the day did not seem so promising.

This was no ordinary bird.

This was not to be an ordinary day.

The bird had a name: Randall. And when Randall stopped in for a visit, nothing good could come of it.

Randall circled teasingly, trying to provoke an annoyed outburst from the old man below. But Coralis was in no mood to play into Randall’s cajoling.

Sensing the old man’s foul mood, Randall released a small bundle hidden behind the envelope. The fresh carcass of a mangled rodent dropped with a splat at Coralis’s feet with pinpoint accuracy.

“Get down here, you foul feathered fiend!”

Randall shrieked in triumph and dove quickly before Coralis’s irritation could turn to anger. With amazing speed, he deposited the envelope and retrieved his meal in one fluid motion, gliding out of reach before Coralis’s futile lunge could catch him.

“Keep it up, Randall, and I’ll turn those feathers into scales!”