"WAKE UP, YA GREAT LOG," the terra cotta figure shouted. Liya found herself leaning as far back as she could against the opposite end of the stone chair, hair standing on end. She jumped again when Helly placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Yes, General Russett?" they said meaningfully, and extended the other hand to the terra cotta figure, branchlike fingers curling. Liya watched speechlessly as the figure stirred, shrugging its wings and shuffling forward on feet that weren't any more than blobs of clay to the edge of the table.

"There you are!" it exclaimed. The voice--a woman's--sounded enraged, but the figure itself seemed almost cheery as it stepped down to perch on Helly's wrist. "One of the damn trainees broke their laar's leg."

"Oh dear," Helly said, and transferred the terra cotta figure up to their shoulder, where it perched happily. "I'll be right down. Please don't kill the trainee."

"No promises," the figure threatened, and then went quiet again, smiling away.

"Would you like to come, Liya?" Helly asked, seeming unperturbed. "It's just a short trip to the stables."

Liya uncurled herself warily, eyeing the figure on Helly's shoulder, which now showed no evidence of ever having moved. "Uh," she murmured, "o-ok."