CHAPTER TWO

-(Of Cats)-

She walked cautiously round the corner and into a rubble strewn courtyard. Eyes that glowed with white energy surveyed the place. Her mind was fixed on the task at hand: doggedly seeking out any indication of the presence of more magical landmines.

That was what had caused her not to notice the presence of another within the courtyard. There was the scuffle of boots behind her and she whirled around to find herself glancing down at the coal-smudged face of a little child. It stared at her. She stared at it. And it wasn't until the thing had begun a sort of retreat that she realised there were more of them. A lot more.

There was a pack of about fifteen of them standing in a huddle further ahead. If this is where the missing group is, she thought as she gazed around the rest of the deserted yard, then where is the teacher?

But Raven pushed the thought aside and approached them. She supposed that she'd have to take them back. But as she got closer the sound of sobbing reached her ears and she started towards the centre of the circle of kids, where the noise was coming from.

Raven knelt so that her eyes were level with that of the 5 year old in front of her. The girl had ash all over her cheeks from the explosion and her hair was frizzled and slightly burnt, but other than that she seemed fine, just distressed.

"Mummy!" she howled, shoulders shaking with her sobs, "I want mummy! Mu-u-mmy-eeee!" The clenched little fists rubbed fiercely at her eyes as she wailed. The other children milling about swarmed around Raven and her companion, some sobbing in sympathy and others just watching silently as the crying continued.

Eager to make the shouting stop, the dark Titan tried her hand haltingly at reassurance. She had to be careful or she might scare the girl. It certainly wouldn't be the first time it had happened.

"Your mother will be here soon." She droned, "Why don't you come out to the front with me?" The girl ignored the suggestion and stayed firmly planted on her kiester in the middle of the desecrated courtyard and bawled her eyes out.

"B-but I n-need her nooowww!" She squalled. Raven winced at the noise.

"Why is that?"

Silently the girl pointed to her knee. Raven followed with her gaze to see that the surface of the girl's kneecap was badly grazed. The pre-schooler in front of her then proceeded to wail again. All other children had gathered around closer, curious to see what Raven would do. The older girl glanced over their heads and around the courtyard. There was no one else around.

As she gently placed her hand on the bloody knee displayed before her, her little companion stopped crying completely and stared in fascination at the periwinkle light that had begun to surround Raven's hand. Then the glow ended and the knee was repaired.

"Are you ready to go now?" Raven patiently asked her. The little girl nodded at her shyly, but when Raven got up and took a few strides through the small crowd she turned to find her seated as before. She was being stared at.

The child got up and toddled over, arms outstretched in a way that clearly demanded 'pick me up'. The dark Titan hesitated again, then slowly bent to brace the girl and lift her to her chest. As she was about to turn though, there was a tug on her cape. A (she estimated) 4 year old boy had the cloth clutched in his hands and stared up at her wide eyed. Raven stared back.

This isn't good.