Interlude I

"Dragon's breath, Isn't it?" Shan Rao asked, narrowing his eyes at the strange plant, and then moving his gaze back up to the animal holding the plants expectantly.

"Correct, young one," came the reply. "You know you must not eat this type of plant. Do you know why?"

"Because they will burn your mouth," Shan Rao replied readily, making a distasteful face. "They are gross. I don't know why we pick them."

An amused smile passed over the older being's scaly lips. Although Shan Rao could not see his face through the dark traveler's hood, he imagined his eyes would be creased with his smile.

"Softened in water, or left in the air to age in the sun, the dragon's breath is not so bad." the older being said at last, leaning down and gathering the herbs with elegant swirls of his hand. Ran Shao peered intently as the green tendrils were bunched together and placed in a small burlap sack.

"Place this in the sun for a few days, and then open it once the leaves are dry. In small doses, it will greatly improve the flavour of your food," the old one continued. "I expect that you and your family will never taste anything so good again."

A scaled white hand came to rest on Shan Rao's black head. "Aren't you attentive," he praised.

Shan Rao felt a warm glow of happiness spreading through his belly. It wasn't often that he was praised, and even less for being attentive.

"Ahh, don't look so pleased," the old being said kindly, "It was a compliment well meant, but an adult such as yourself should learn to hide his pleasure or his sadness. That way you will never be taken advantage of."

Shan Rao nodded, which caused his long ears to wave drolly. This was a fortunate day! Travellers didn't come by his village often, and even though Shan Rao wanted to talk to them, he never could. They were always so strange, so mysterious. But when this mysterious traveler had stepped into the gates, he had singled Shan Rao out. Actually come to talk with him. Shared knowledge. And he knew so many things!

"How come you know so much?" he asked, and then covered his mouth in embarrassment. But the stranger didn't seem annoyed. He just laughed, a dry hissing sound that rattled through the air.

"Why do I know so much?" he repeated, tilting his head and kneeling down. "Because I am so old. I have seen so much that I have seen everything twice. But soon"- he sat, crossing his legs and patting the ground next to him. His hand moved slowly and unevenly -"you will know as much as I do."

"Oh," Shan Rao said, and then lapsed into silence, thinking about the older being's words. It seemed a good answer to him. He leaned and sat next to the other's side, and they both looked up into the sky. Great clouds rolled overhead.

"The sky is a mysterious thing," the stranger said after what seemed like ages. "It seems so solid, but it contains nothing that can be grasped. And yet we keep trying anyway."

"Well duh," Shan Rao said in reply, "Everyone knows you can't grab the sky."

"I will, one day."

Silence. More clouds rolled by. One looked like a turtle. Most just looked like coils of white steam. Or maybe smoke.

"One day, I will hold the wind in my grasp. Then I can live again."

"What would the wind feel like?" Shan Rao asked.

"I imagine it would feel free, right until I caught it. Then I imagine it would feel very, very afraid. And then it would feel scared. Eventually, it would no longer be afraid. With time, I imagine it could begin to enjoy my company."

Shan Rao was silent. That wasn't what he had meant. What did that answer mean? The way he put it sounded like the air was alive or something.

"Why are you talking with me?" he asked at last. "I-I mean, I'm grateful and all, but you must be very busy- and-and..."

"I am talking to you to test you." was the reply. The stranger fiddled with something in his sleeves. An itch, perhaps.

"To-to test me? Why? What for?" Shan Rao stuttered, becoming a little suspicious.

"To see if you were the kind of child who listens to his parents and doesn't talk to strangers, of course."

Shan Rao looked up, startled. Then he saw that the stranger was smiling an amused grin and laughed. The stranger laughed a hissing dry laugh with him.

Shan Rao was glad to have met this stranger.

They had sat for hours when the stranger stiffened.

"What's the matter?" Shan Rao asked, leaning forwards with concern.

"Nothing," the old being replied, standing swiftly and brushing himself off, first the right arm and then the left. "Someone out there needs my help. I should go."

"But wait!" Shan Rao leapt to his feet, trailing behind the stranger insistingly, "How do you know? Where are you going?"

The stranger turned. His feet left deep marks in the grass. He walked up to the child and placed his hands on the small shoulders. His touch was very warm.

"You will make more friends very soon." he said kindly.

"But I don't want you to go..." Shan Rao sniffed.

The wind began to pick up, curling its chill around the rabbit's feet and ears. Where the old one's hands were set remained warm.

"Here," he said, taking a small burlap sack from his cloak, "Dragon's breath. For you. When you eat it, you will become a dragon inside. Not literally, of course, because that would kill you."

He pressed the sack into Shan Rao's paw, gave him a pat on each shoulder, and then turned to leave. He made his way to the winding dirt road and began hiking away along it with a hurried step.

"Goodbye!" Shan Rao called after him, but the stranger only waved in reply. Shan Rao watched him until he was only a speck in the distance, and then turned to go home. The sack was clutched to his chest.

Perhaps there were people out there that could believe in him after all. With people like that, life might be worth living after all.

Do not bargain with dragons, for they demand a heavy toll.-Unknown

"I'm telling you, it was just an accident," Inspector Jee said to Inspector Lee, "Just a routine case. Nothing suspicious."

Lee said nothing. His eyes continued to gaze around the room. It was a simple, utilitarian room, neat and in order, everything in it's place- except for the plates still laden with food on the table, and the four blankets that covered something draped over the chairs. The fire still cackled.

"What made you think that it was foul play anyway?" Inspector Jee asked, looking away from the table.

Lee sighed. "Nothing, I suppose. You are probably right. It's just- just... nevermind."

"No! Tell me what it was! I want to hear."

"It's just that- when I found them, the boy's face looked so- so betrayed."

"Oh." they stood in silence for a while, then, "Let's get out of here. Leave this to the proper authorities. Chalk it up as a routine case of poisoning."

"Alright." Lee straightened and wiped his face. "What could have possessed them to consume dragon's breath? Everyone knows it's poisonous."

Behind them, the still-lit fire cackled a dry, hissing laugh.

Author's Note: Yes, this is an interlude. I thought I'd take a break from the usual group and do something else for a change. It came out darker than I expected it would.

Yes, this is what happens when I write actual villains. Re-read the chapter again, and you will find the friendly old man wasn't ever so friendly.

Review if you were creeped by this chapter.