STRiPESandShades

A horse, massive and black stampeded through the cacophony, is humongous hooves wreathed in fire. The soldiers in its path only had to see its gnashing teeth and rippling, unceasing muscles before they knew their deaths were inevitable, despite how they screamed as they turned and ran. A hand pressed hard against her breastbone, so bruisingly unyielding as magic, raw, ruthless healing magic shoved its way into her dead heart and up her rough, hoarse throat. The voice growled, "I saved your life. Don't dare tell me I do not care." Before she could sputter, "I know you do, Lord Peregrin, I know..." The dream came crashing down. Lucy Lampwi

I wasn't sure whether to scream or cry when I saw the night's leavings. I kept pawing through the bags of trash, the huge steel dumpster smelling worse and worse the more I stood around, digging through the waste like a lunatic. But I didn't scream, and I definitely didn't cry. Deep down I knew that weeknights were always chancey at best, with none of the leftovers of the banquets piled high for the rich and powerful. Still, finding nothing probably meant Rondy or one of the other kids made it here before me. It wasn't my fault, really, being late. Coming out of my little den in the alley between Madam Sophie's Fine Hats and the flower sho

He made the decision as soon as he saw the poster on the information kiosk in the square. "AIRSHIP CREW NEEDED - NOW HIRING" He decided he would not be called "Skip". The Captain of the Red Star would refer to him by last name, "Slater", just "Slater". But what was the first thing said to him onboard? "Oh, you must be Skippy, our new Cabin boy!" Captain Albert Alexander cried, shaking Skip's hand boisterously, crushing the boy's fingers in his meaty fist. The Captain was a large man, built along the strong, stocky lines of a dwarf, but tall, taller than anyone Skip could remember. His brown, curly hair was long, past his broad shoulders,